SOUTH BEND, Ind. — When freshman defensive end Bryce Young threw junior running back Gi’Bran Payne to the ground with such force that it resulted in Payne fumbling the football early in the second half of Saturday’s Blue-Gold Game, it became even easier to imagine what Young can become as he continues to develop in Notre Dame’s football program.
The 6-foot-7, 246-pound Young recorded three tackles, including one sack, and that forced fumble in Saturday’s spring scrimmage less than four months after arriving on campus as a heralded recruit. The son of Notre Dame legend Bryant Young has a bright future ahead with tantalizing size and athleticism.
But Bryce Young might do more watching than playing on Saturdays this fall. So long as Notre Dame’s more experienced defensive ends continue to prove that they’re capable of handling all the responsibilities given to them by defensive line coach Al Washington and defensive coordinator Al Golden.
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Washington led the Blue team to a 28-21 victory over running backs coach Deland McCullough’s Gold team in a spring game that offered glimpses of the future near and far for an Irish program heading into head coach Marcus Freeman’s third season.
Performances in the Blue-Gold Game and spring practices in general can be blown way out proportion. But these plays Saturday could offer a glimpse at what’s to come for the Irish in the 2024 season.
1. RJ Oben’s strip sack
Notre Dame will be asking Duke graduate transfer defensive RJ Oben to do much more than rush the passer in his one season with the Irish, but he provided a reminder Saturday of how quickly he can get after the quarterback.
In a clear passing situation at the end of the first half, Oben beat left tackle Charles Jagusah around the edge, hit quarterback Kenny Minchey from behind and targeted Minchey’s throwing arm to knock the ball loose. Fellow defensive end Boubacar Traore recovered the ball for Blue to end the first half.
Oben’s playing Notre Dame’s field end position, which comes with a lot of run-stuffing responsibilities as well. But Oben’s ability to pressure quarterbacks was his specialty at Duke and will be a welcomed addition to Notre Dame’s defense if it comes with consistency.
2. Kris Mitchell’s touchdown reception
With all due respect to walk-on cornerback Isaiah Dunn, Notre Dame wide receiver Kris Mitchell will be asked to beat cornerbacks with better pedigree in the 2024 season. But the Florida International graduate transfer showed why Notre Dame wanted to add Mitchell to its roster this season.
Mitchell brings big play potential, and he showed it Saturday by leaving Dunn in his dust for a 62-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Steve Angeli. Mitchell tricked Dunn to bite on his double move. When Mitchell sped up after appearing to slow down for a comeback route, Dunn had no chance to recover. Angeli delivered the easy throw and Mitchell finished the last 30-plus yards on his own.
According to Pro Football Focus, Mitchell finished tied for fifth in the FBS with 31 receiving targets of 20-plus yards last season. He produced 14 catches for 578 yards and four touchdowns from those targets. If Notre Dame wants to stretch the field this season, Mitchell will likely be on the receiving end of similar throws throughout the fall.
“It's big," Freeman said of having Mitchell as a deep threat. "It’s why we went and got him from the portal. We knew he could help this team and we've seen it on film. And he's had a really good spring.
"There's been days we've kept him out for precautionary reasons, but it's good when we go live and let him go and throw the ball deep to him, he makes some big plays. And he's going to help us. That's why he's here, to really boost this wide receiver room. And it's good to see him score a touchdown.”
3. Jeremiyah Love’s fourth-down conversion
Notre Dame accomplished plenty in the running game last season with Audric Estimé as its lead running back. But the Irish backfield should rely on more speed in the 2024 season.
That was apparent on the fourth snap of Saturday’s scrimmage when running back Jeremiyah Love outran the defense around the corner for 18 yards on a fourth-and-2 carry. Even as safety Adon Shuler appeared to be in a position to tackle Love near the line of scrimmage, he couldn’t bring down the speedy Love as the back made a move.
If tight end Eli Raridon managed to come off his double team block in time to square up Shuler, Love would have broken an even longer run. But the push created by Raridon and left tackle Sullivan Absher on defensive end Jordan Botelho gave Love the angle to get to the edge with his speed.
4. Jason Onye’s first sack
Notre Dame’s backup defensive tackle recorded two sacks in Saturday’s scrimmage, but the first was more impressive for Jason Onye. He split between center Sam Pendleton and right guard Billy Schrauth to sack Angeli in the first quarter.
Onye’s second sack was a less fair fight when he overpowered left guard Ty Chan, who moved inside after playing tackle most of his career. But on both sacks Onye displayed the power he’s developing on the inside.
Onye flashed potential for Notre Dame last offseason, but it didn’t quite translate to the field consistently in the fall. With lessons learned from last season and more work on technique, Onye should be in a position to make his impact felt later this year even while being behind starter Rylie Mills.
5. Steve Angeli’s touchdown pass to Eli Raridon
The first touchdown of the Blue-Gold Game didn’t come easy. But Angeli and Raridon took advantage of some defensive mistakes on third-and-10 to produce a 21-yard touchdown reception.
Angeli made the first important decision by realizing he should take a chance down the field as Notre Dame’s defensive line jumped offsides prior to the snap. So Angeli gave Raridon a chance to make play, which he did.
Raridon juggled the ball when Shuler hit him as the ball arrived. But Raridon spun and collected the pass after another bounce of his hands. With five yards to go, Raridon plowed into the end zone through tackle attempts by cornerback Chance Tucker and safety Xavier Watts.
Angeli showed how he’s continued to develop with experience, which could be very important for Notre Dame even if he ends up as Riley Leonard’s backup in the fall. And Raridon showed he’s continuing to get back to his old self after completing last season healthy. The Irish were careful with him early in the spring, and that should allow for another nice weapon to emerge in the offense.
"He’s done a really good job," Freeman said of Raridon, "since the time he’s gotten back from being on the sideline to what he did today.”
6. Boubacar Traore’s sack
The most exciting pass rusher on Notre Dame’s 2024 roster might be someone who has one career sack. Traore, a sophomore, recorded his lone sack of his freshman season, in which he played five games, at the conclusion of the first half of the USC game.
He added another sack to his résumé Saturday, though it won’t go on his career statistics page. Left unblocked on the backside of play-action fake, Traore cruised into the backfield to take CJ Carr down before he could start to consider throwing the football.
Traore has shown he can be a menace for opposing offenses throughout spring and should at least find a role as a pass-rush specialist in situations for the Irish this season. His combination of size and explosiveness might be unmatched on ND’s roster.
7. Micah Gilbert’s two touchdown catches
Maybe Notre Dame doesn’t need freshman wide receiver Micah Gilbert to make an impact on the 2024 season. But Gilbert made a compelling argument this spring that he’s capable of doing so. He capped an impressive spring with a pair of touchdown catches in the second half of the Blue-Gold Game.
Gilbert’s first touchdown came on a throw from Minchey in the third quarter. With Gilbert being covered by cornerback Micah Bell, the young wideout created separation when the ball arrived to catch the 26-yard pass in the end zone.
Gilbert’s second touchdown reception was easier. He ran by cornerback Mickey Brown and caught a gorgeous pass from Carr for a 29-yard touchdown. Carr put enough on the pass that safety Luke Talich, who intercepted a pass earlier, couldn’t make a play on it.
How Notre Dame’s experienced receivers perform in the fall may dictate Gilbert’s playing time, but if he can make those kinds of plays against Saturday competition, it’s going to be hard to keep him out of the rotation.
“I wasn’t surprised one bit," Freeman said. "From summer camp he’s been a guy that has made plays. This is when we evaluated him last year. And since the start of spring, Micah Gilbert’s a really good football player.
"He’s added a great skill set to that room at a young age. He’s a hard worker. He doesn’t talk a lot. He just goes out to work. I saw his parents last night at the parent dinner and said he’s a pleasure to coach. He’s one of those guys that you just love being around, because he’s a yes sir, no sir guy, and he just works. What you’re seeing is a reflection of that work he’s putting in.”
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