Mid-Season Notre Dame Analysis: Top Players & Outlook
Blue & Gold Illustrated senior editor Lou Somogyi and football analyst Bryan Driskell give their mid-season top players lists.
MVP Offense
Bryan Driskell: G Quenton Nelson
Notre Dame’s offense has played with a nasty disposition, which has led to it rushing for an average of 308.0 yards per game during the first half of the season. The driving force behind that approach has been the line, and the leader of that unit from an attitude standpoint is Nelson, who has been Notre Dame’s most consistently dominant player.
Lou Somogyi: G Quenton Nelson
Nelson’s consistently excellent results that will likely make him the first consensus All-American guard at Notre Dame since Aaron Taylor in 1992 (who moved to tackle the next season). More importantly, he brings a Chris Zorich-like demeanor to the entire operation that elevates those around him and inspires a physical culture. Even a “walk-through” with him in practice can be dangerous, per special teams coordinator Brian Polian.
MVP Defense
Bryan Driskell: ROV Drue Tranquill and DE Jay Hayes
Putting Hayes in here might be a stretch, but I’ve been impressed with his steady and unselfish play. He has consistently controlled his side of the line in the run game, and some opponents are clearly avoiding his side of the line when they run the ball. Hayes has had some big plays as well, including a crucial third-and-two stop late in the Georgia game, which gave the offense one final chance to score.
Listing Tranquill as the defensive MVP makes a lot more sense — he has been Notre Dame’s most impactful defender all season. He has had clutch turnovers, he has made big plays in the pass game, and he has been an absolute force against the perimeter run and screen game each week. Tranquill also provides the type of leadership from an attitude standpoint that Nelson does for the offense.
Lou Somogyi: NT Jerry Tillery
No loss on defense would be more profound than Tillery in the middle at nose tackle. At one of the most physically demanding positions in football, Tillery has recorded 326 snaps (about 54 per game) — 79 more than anyone else along the line. He has not only been a “plugger,” but a playmaker with his 27 stops — including pacing the team in sacks (three), which is unusual for a nose guard, hurries (five) and tackles for loss (4.5).
With senior nose tackle Daniel Cage lost in the preseason because of health setbacks, and junior Elijah Taylor also sidelined since the spring because of a Lisfranc injury, Tillery has shown a greater commitment to football.
Most Improved Offense
Bryan Driskell: C Sam Mustipher
Mustipher was solid in his first year as a starter, but he was far too inconsistent. That has changed this season, and the senior center has been one of the steadiest players on the team. He has yet to have a truly dominant game, but he has been good each week and has provided a dependable presence to the interior of the offensive line.
Lou Somogyi: C Sam Mustipher
Much like Tillery on defense, the senior center has strengthened the middle. After going through his share of mistakes as a first-year starter in 2016 at a challenging position he had not played until enrolling in college, he has become a consistent mainstay along one of the nation’s premier offensive line units.
Most Improved Defense
Bryan Driskell: DT Jerry Tillery
Arguably no player on the Irish defense was under greater scrutiny coming into the season than Tillery, whose erratic play was often infuriating last season. He started off well, but a rough game against Boston College seemed far too familiar. Since then, the junior has responded with three straight outstanding performances. He has been physical against the run and disruptive against the pass, and he has shown an impressive motor.
Lou Somogyi: Rover Drue Tranquill
It’s not like he was off the radar last year at safety. It’s just that maybe no one on the unit has benefitted more under new coordinator Mike Elko’s scheme than the senior captain. At the hybrid rover spot, Tranquill is a stat-sheet stuffer, with his 340 snaps tying senior linebacker Nyles Morgan for most among the front seven. He recorded two tackles for loss all of last season, but already has 4.5 this year to tie him with Tillery. Tranquill’s leadership has been vital, too.
Top Newcomer Offense
Bryan Driskell: RT Tommy Kraemer/Robert Hainsey
There haven't been many newcomers to the offense, and fifth-year senior wideout Cameron Smith hasn’t been thrown to enough to make a huge impact. The right tackle position was the big question mark up front, and there is certainly room for improvement at the spot, but both Kraemer and Hainsey have continued to improve each week and have provided solid play.
Lou Somogyi: RT Tommy Kraemer/Robert Hainsey
The easy choice here would be junior quarterback Brandon Wimbush, but we have him in a later category and one of our rules was to not name the same player more than once in different categories. The snaps at right tackle are virtually identical for the sophomore Kraemer (254) and the freshman Hainsey (234). More notable is the rotating system actually has been pretty effective, which I had been skeptical about in the preseason.
Top Newcomer Defense
Bryan Driskell: DE Daelin Hayes
Arguably no one on the defense has made more big plays than cornerback Shaun Crawford, but the sophomore drop end has had the greater overall impact on the defense. Hayes hasn't lit up the stat sheet yet, but he's done a little bit of everything for the defense. He has provided pressure, he has been good in coverage and his play against the run has improved every week.
Top Newcomer Defense
Lou Somogyi: CB Shaun Crawford
It’s unusual to give this to a junior, but the nickel back’s nose for the football after two years of being sidelined for all but one full game has had a profound impact on the defensive sub packages. He has been a game-changer for the unit.
Most Underrated Offense
Bryan Driskell: TE Durham Smythe
The senior tight end has done a little bit of everything for Notre Dame’s offense. He hasn’t caught many balls, but the one’s he has were clutch, with none bigger than this third-and-10 conversion that set up a second-quarter touchdown against Michigan State. Smythe has been a steady blocker and presence for the offense.
Lou Somogyi: TE Durham Smythe
Often overshadowed by junior Alizé Mack, whose physical skills are more conspicuous, Smythe has taken more snaps (281 to 227) at tight end this season. He has caught six passes for 110 yards, and Smythe’s blocking has been a factor in Notre Dame’s No. 6 national ranking in rushing yards per game.
Most Underrated Defense
Bryan Driskell: LB Te'von Coney
Senior Nyles Morgan has been the team’s best linebacker and fellow senior captain Greer Martini has continued to improve each week. Coney, a junior, has provided a good presence inside while playing both the Buck and Mike spots. Giving Morgan and Martini a breather has helped them stay fresh, but just giving the starters a breather isn’t what makes Coney important to the defense.
Coney has been just as good as Martini from a playmaking standpoint, and often better. He has not been as consistent as Morgan, but at times he's played like Notre Dame’s best linebacker. Bringing a player like that off the bench is crucial.
Lou Somogyi: DE Daelin Hayes
There might have been some unrealistic expectations placed on the former five-star recruit as a 10- to 15-sack man in 2017. He does have two to go with three QB hurries, but more relevant is he is not a one-trick pony — he can also drop into coverage and hold the edge on running plays. His 257 snaps (about 43 per game) are second to Tillery’s among the linemen.
Player Who Must Emerge Most In Second Half Offense
Bryan Driskell: WR Equanimeous St. Brown
Junior quarterback Brandon Wimbush needs to step up in the final six games, but even if he improves the wideouts will have to make more plays. No one on the offense has been more disappointing through six games than St. Brown, whose lack of effort at times has been puzzling. Getting more production from the junior wide receiver would certainly help Wimbush perform at a higher level.
Lou Somogyi: QB Brandon Wimbush
His running (402 yards on the ground and 5.9 yards per carry) has exceeded expectations, while his passing has been under par — 96th nationally (114.0 rating) among 112 quarterbacks who have thrown enough to qualify. He doesn’t need to be Jimmy Clausen, but more like the second half of Tony Rice in 1988 to make defenses better honor both Notre Dame’s running and passing.
Player Who Must Emerge Most In Second Half Defense
Bryan Driskell: LB Nyles Morgan and CB Nick Watkins
Morgan has certainly been Notre Dame's most consistently productive defensive player, but he hasn’t played like a star yet. Against the six opponents Notre Dame finishes the season with, it will need Morgan to become more of an impact player.
The same is true of Watkins, who has not played with the confidence or aggressiveness he is capable of. Notre Dame needs him to become more consistent against the pass game.
Lou Somogyi: Safeties
The trio of Nick Coleman, Jalen Elliott and Devin Studstill all have surpassed my expectations in effectiveness, but the stakes really go up against some dangerous quarterbacks in the coming weeks and slip-ups on the back end and the last line of defense could be deadly.
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