2018 Notre Dame Fighting Irish

[RTTAS]

Since 2005, Notre Dame have started 10, 11, 11, 11, 10, 10, 11, 11, 9, 8, 6, 8, and 8 white starters. In 2018 they project to drop to a new low – a deplorable 5 for the "Fighting Irish".

Forget Joe Montana, Joe Theismann, Steve Beuerlein and Johnny Lujack, Notre Dame are continuing to go down “that” path with quarterbacks that have shown the immense talent (at ineptitude) of players like Everett Golson, Malik Zaire, and DeShone Kizer (two never made it in college or to the NFL, one made the NFL and had one of the worst rookie seasons you’ll ever see). Current starter, Brandon Wimbush, completed 49.5% of his passes at 6.8 yards/attempt in 2017, and went 3/8 for 52 yards and zero points in the 2018 Citrus Bowl against LSU before back-up QB Ian Book (JR) relieved him and lead ND to a 21-17 win throwing 14/19 for 164 yards and 2 TDs. Book was Rivals.com's #14 pro-style QB for his class. Of course, Notre Dame DWFs are out in force shilling for Wimbush to start:
https://slapthesign.com/2018/07/31/notre-dame-football-kelly-is-right-to-start-wimbush-over-book/
https://slapthesign.com/2018/08/01/what-is-brandon-wimbush-true-ceiling-in-2018/
https://slapthesign.com/2018/08/13/notre-dame-football-brandon-wimbush-starter/

FR Phil Jurkovec comes in as 247sports’ #4 dual-threat QB and will compete for the starting position over the coming years. Former walk-on Chris Finke is a second-string WR and the starting punt returner, had a 10/122/2 receiving statline for 2017. Also on the roster at WR are SO Brandon Garcia (also listed as a cornerback and has played some running back), FR Greg Mailey and FR Matt Salerno (both preferred walk-ons), and JR Arion Shinaver. Look out for JR RB Mick Assaf.

The OL lost two top-10 draft picks in Quenton Nelson and Mike McGlinchey, but have promoted in their place Liam Eichenberg (ESPN #6 offensive tackle, scout and 247sports #7 OT) and Robert Hainsey (ESPN #1 offensive guard) who will most likely join their predecessors as being high draft picks. Tommy Kraemer has gone from tackle to guard and should go in the first half of the 2020 draft, while Alex Bars completes a great OL and should hear his name called out during the first two days of the 2019 draft.

Not much on defense at all. Drue Tranquill will start at LB. Had 85 tackles, 10.5 for loss, and 1.5 sacks in 2017 after 79 tackles in 2016. SO Kurt Hinish is the only other player on the two-deep, and is reasonably highly rated (#28 DT for his class by Scout, #26 by ESPN). FR Jack Lamb comes in as the #4 ranked ILB by 247sports with offers from Oklahoma, TCU, and Penn State as well as ND, and so does FR Bo Bauer as the #16 ranked ILB. At defensive back, we have SO John Mahoney, SR Nicco Fertitta, SO Patrick Pelini, and JR Christopher Schilling. Hopefully one or two of these guys can crack the two-deep at some point in 2018.

Offense
LT: Liam Eichenberg (JR)
LG: Tommy Kraemer (JR)
RG: Alex Bars (Grad Student)
RT: Robert Hainsey (SO)

Defense
WILL LB: Drue Tranquill (Grad Student)

Back-ups listed on the two-deep: QB Ian Book, TE Cole Kmet, WR Chris Finke (also Punt Returner), LG Josh Lugg, C Trevor Ruhland, RG Dillan Gibbons, and NT Kurt Hinish.

 

[Shadowlight]

Thanks RTTAS.

Yes there are walk on types like WR/PR Chris Finke who slip through the cracks and earn playing time. But much more often than not they disappear into a hole.

Take for instance Grant Hammann who earned the grand distinction of being a preferred walk on. Don't even ask me the difference between that and a regular walk on. As far as I can tell one takes out the garbage and cleans the toilets and the other takes out the trash and cleans the toilets.

I first brought up Hammann's name here at CF back in February of 2014. A star WR out of Iowa at 6'1 183 with 4.34 speed I figured he would sneak onto the field at some point. Four years later the guy never even got a sniff. Just a practice dummy. He is gone now and well he never really existed as he will go down in history as a figment of my imagination.

Good luck to the WR walk on players listed above I say. Nice knowing you. Cripes.

ND can often change a bit from year to year ( nothing fantastic of late) and I get the feeling this will not be a team I will be rooting for this season.

Former safety Tranquill tore his ACL twice I believe. One time when celebrating good grief. He is transitioning over to LB which will give him a better shot of getting drafted. One to keep an eye on. Feels like he has been at ND for ages but he does make a lot of plays.

As noted above "perhaps" some positive activity in the defensive backfield but the proof will be in the pudding on that one.

Overall vaguely depressing although as RTTAS notes some of their recruiting on defense could lift the gloom in time.

Funny but accurate descriptions of the ND QB situation of late.

 

[Leonardfan]

Ian Book should easily be the starter at qb. DWF idiocy has no bounds when it comes to black quarterbacks. Look for the run game and the black quarterback to struggle since Nelson and McGlinchey have moved onto the NFL.

Brian Kelly is just another caste whore head coach. What he has done to Notre Dame is beyond pathetic.

 

[Leonardfan]

RTTAS - Just wanted to say you are doing a great job with your write ups. Real thorough and in depth analysis. Much appreciated!

 

[Deceptive Speed]

WR Chris Finke is a starter. Caught 3 balls for 55 yds and a TD against Michigan.

 

[Leonardfan]

Wimbush threw 3 ints vs Ball St

 

[Leonardfan]

Wow - Brian Kelly is actually contemplating benching the mediocre black quarterback for Ian Book. The last time Kelly started a white QB outright was in 2013 - Tommy Rees.

Kelly has trotted out some of the most mediocre black quarterbacks in the past 5 seasons - Everett Golson, Malik Zaire, Deshone Kizer and Brandon Wimbush. Notre Dame with it's storied QB history could of easily attracted big time white QBs if Kelly had chosen to recruit them. It looks like he is finally going to correct this mistake with Ian Book and big time QB prospect Phil Jurkovec.