Khalid Kareem Developing An Edge Along Notre Dame Defensive Line
When the University of Michigan opens the 2018 football season at Notre Dame Sept. 1, it will bring with it one of the nation’s more vaunted defenses.
Nine starters return on a unit that finished among the leaders in virtually every major category, including No. 3 in total defense, No. 4 in pass efficiency defense and tied for No. 7 in sacks (42).
Nevertheless, the Fighting Irish in recent years have successfully raided the Wolverine State for defensive talent, specifically at end, not seen since the late 1960s and early 1970s under former Notre Dame assistant Paul Shoults.
The junior end trio of Daelin Hayes (Belleville), Khalid Kareem (Detroit) and Adetokunbo Ogundeji (West Bloomfield) will either be linchpins or a top reserve along the Irish perimeter in 2018, and they were joined this spring by linebacker Ovie Oghoufo (Lathrup Village), who played at the same high school (Harrison) as Kareem.
“We’re a pretty tight-knit group and we just gained Ovie, that’s another connection,” Kareem said. “It’s a smaller brotherhood inside our bigger one.”
Part of that brotherhood also has entailed Hayes and Kareem originally giving verbal pledges to USC and Alabama, respectively, before opting to stay closer to home. Under-the-radar figure Ogundeji also originally committed to then head coach P.J. Fleck’s Western Michigan Broncos before seeing his stock rise significantly to land an offer from Notre Dame.
Whereas Hayes made the most inroads last season as a sophomore by starting all 13 games at drop end and playing the second most snaps (544) among the defensive lineman, Kareem began to become a factor while apprenticing behind the senior tandem of Jay Hayes and Andrew Trumbetti at strongside end.
Kareem finished the year with 287 snaps (about 22 per game), but his productivity and play-making skills were evident while tying for second in sacks (3.0, and 5.5 tackles for loss overall) and finishing third in quarterback hurries (six). In addition, he batted down two passes and returned a recovered fumble 16 yards.
“He has a knack for pass rushing … some really innate ability to find the quarterback” Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly said of Kareem.
It was his nose for the ball that earned Kareem Defensive MVP honors in the 2016 Semper Fidelis All-Star game in California.
“I’ve been working two years for this,” Kareem said of his newfound starting role. “I’ve been playing defensive end since I was 6. I’ve been working 13, 14 years on it, so I’m just getting better every day.”
The issue now is whether Kareem can translate 20 to 25 plays per game into 50 or 60 while also being effective versus the run. Such volume will be needed after Jay Hayes opted to leave the team earlier this week and use his fifth season as a graduate transfer elsewhere, where he will be immediately eligible this fall.
At 289 pounds, Hayes had the bulk, hand work and strength to hold the edge against the run consistently and make others around him more effective. Yet the 270-pound Kareem made enough gains in that area, combined with his pass-rush skills, to take over the top spot this spring.
“We felt like Khalid had earned the starting position there based upon his work both in the weight room and on the football field,” Kelly said after this Saturday’s practice. “He was going to be the starter at that position. We believe that based upon his production.”
Kareem said he spoke briefly with Hayes about his departure.
“It’s all love,” he said. “We’re sad to lose one of our brothers, but we’re going to keep pushing each other and supporting each other throughout the whole process.”
While the loss of Hayes is a hit to the depth, defensive line coach Mike Elston stated earlier this spring that this is the best combination of skills and depth he’s had at the end spots in his nine seasons with the Irish with Daelin Hayes, Julian Okwara and Jamir Jones at drop, and Kareem and the still raw but ascending Ogundeji at strongside end.
Earlier this spring, Elston was trying to find a role for Ogundeji in the dime package, but now the opportunity to earn more snaps has expanded.
“I love his development,” Elston said of Ogundeji last month. “When you talk to [director of football performance] Matt Balis, he’s got that board of guys that are starving, guys that are hungry, guys that are satisfied — Ade is always up there with the starving guys.
“He just wants more, he’s working his tail off. I love where he’s at.”
How much action Ogundeji sees could also depend on how durable and consistent Kareem can remain.
“Just being consistent, working to get my reps up, my stamina,” Kareem said of his points of emphasis this spring. “… It’s just a faster pace. I’m used to it now because I played last year, got a few reps my freshman year.
“I’ve got to build my body up to withstand the reps … and just getting confidence from my reps.”
At 270 pounds, Kareem is not much larger than the 264-pound Daelin Hayes on the other side of the field, but both will be entrusted to hold the edge as blossoming juniors with their own distinguishing skill sets.
“Daelin played linebacker in high school, he’s more comfortable with dropping back, covering receivers and running backs out of the backfield,” Kareem said. “I’m just good with the three-point stance.”
How good both will be in 2018 will play a significant role on whether Notre Dame can get an edge versus Michigan, and beyond.
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