2019 Notre Dame Themes, Part 3: Caught In The Middle
If any position group can be singled out as the strongest for Notre Dame in 2019, it’s defensive end.
Strong side end Khalid Kareem and drop end Julian Okwara both opted to return as seniors rather than depart to the NFL. That is as impactful at those two positions in 2019 as the return of top two linebackers Drue Tranquill and Te’von Coney were in 2018.
Not only do the top 5 players return at end, but they combined last year for 165 tackles, 32 for lost yardage, 15.5 sacks and 39 quarterback hurries, consistently ranking near the top by Pro Football Focus in pass pressure. Okwara’s 21 QB hurries broke the previous school standard — first tracked by the school around 2001 — of 14 set by Freshman All-American Aaron Lynch in 2011.
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