The Phil Steele 2015 Preseason All-America team had Notre Dame owning the most first-team selections with three.

Left tackle Ronnie Stanley, a projected top 10 NFL pick next season, was a given. Junior linebacker Jaylon Smith, one of five finalists for the 2014 Butkus Award already as a sophomore, also prompted head nods.

What was stunning was the inclusion of junior free safety Max Redfield. Like classmate Smith, Redfield was a Rivals five-star recruit who possesses elite athletic skills. However, the lack of consistent and effective safety play — both as communicators and playmakers — often has been cited as a primary albatross of the 2014 Irish defense that yielded a single season school record 29.15 points per contest.

"I don't really feel that deserving," admitted Redfield of the accolade. "I feel like I'm definitely that kind of player and I want to prove that every day in practice and on the field as well. … All I can ask for is to be on the radar and I can continue to playing hard with my teammates, and as long as we're successful, I'll be happy. If I can be successful within the defense, then we'll have a great season."

On paper, Redfield did finish second to Smith in tackles made (68). However, he had only three passes defensed, extremely low at his position. More importantly, he was having problems grasping his own assignments, never mind dictating on the back end to others where to be.

"I had a couple of big plays here and there, but I made much too many mistakes, and much too many mental errors that weren't necessary at all — and that a safety can't make for the defense to be successful, and to have an elite defense," said a candid Redfield.

Consequently, Redfield was benched during the November home losses to Northwestern and Louisville. When a knee injury to freshman Drue Tranquill shelved him for the remainder of the season, Redfield received the start in the regular season finale at USC (the school he originally committed to verbally), but broken ribs in the first quarter put him back on the sidelines again.

Last December was a crossroads month for Redfield, who recovered physically and rededicated himself mentally instead of sulking and pouting. It paid off with what the Irish staff cited was his best performance of the year, a 14-tackle effort in the 31-28 Music City Bowl win over a physical LSU team in which he was active, assertive and attuned.

"I guess I was hungry, and I was really demanded from the coaches to elevate my game — and it should be elevated," he said. "There's no reason why I shouldn't have played that way throughout the entire season, because I'm capable of it. But that consistency is what I lacked throughout the season and it was made known.

"Taking me off the field when I feel like I can contribute is obviously hard for any player to watch. Those were two [home] losses that hurt our team a lot. That just made me that much hungrier to contribute to our team."

Redfield acknowledges that adjusting last season to first-year defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder was a challenge unto itself.

"He was not the easiest guy to warm up to," Redfield said. "He means business, he's from the NFL, you could tell. He wants things done his way, and that's the right way. We understand that now. We have a year in the system, we feel much more comfortable — and he feels much more comfortable with us because we're learning the defense better."

"I feel like he has been a little more open than last year, but obviously with time comes comfort."

An eloquent and confident speaker, Redfield has carried 18-credit academic course loads at Notre Dame per semester, most notably learning Mandarin Chinese. When asked whether VanGorder's defense or Chinese was more difficult, he paused.

"That's a pretty good question," he responded. "I would say consistently being successful in that scheme is harder than learning Chinese.

"It is the communication that is demanded from the safety as well as how many different responsibilities that can happen on a play-to-play basis. Responsibilities can change based on the formation, based on the receivers' splits — and then after the snap of the ball, based on what the receiver runs. Knowing all those different things that you have to process in a split second is a lot, as well as communicating and making sure everybody else is lined up. It's a lot, but it's something that is demanded from you.

"I feel a lot more comfortable doing it. Now I feel great about it and my team looks for me to do that, and that's exactly what I'll do."

Defensive meetings under VanGorder are not necessarily broken down by units but as a collective group.

"When he talks to the d-line, and we're (defensive backs) hearing it, we need to know some of the d-line concepts, we need to know some of the stunts," Redfield explained. "When he talks to the linebackers, he wants us engaged, listening to what he's telling the linebackers so we know. Being on that same page and knowing the whole scheme is making our defense much more fluid and much more easier to be successful."

Head coach Brian Kelly cited the significant improvement of Redfield and strong safety Elijah Shumate as a prime highlight of last spring.

"I think Max has realized how important football is to him," Kelly said. "Academics are very important to him, it's always been important to him. I think he's seeing how important football is to him as well.

"He has a gift — that gift is he's a great communicator, if given the chance. We gave him a chance the last couple of days to lead and get in front of his peers, and it was well-received."

"I feel like it is natural to me," Redfield said of emerging as a leader. "…The fact that I feel I can articulate that is beneficial to my team and myself as well. I do feel comfortable in it. I love talking to my team, I love every single guy out there. I'd do anything for them, and they understand that. I'm going to give them 100 percent every single day."

It just might lead to an All-American performance, and make Chinese even simpler.

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