Notebook: Brian Kelly Says Buck Linebacker Still A Three-Man Rotation
Two plucky letters have remained under the Buck linebacker spot on the depth chart all season.
“Or.”
In this case, they represent an ongoing search and a position still in flux.
Heading into its fifth game, Notre Dame’s Buck linebacker position remains unsettled and a rotation of three players, junior Shayne Simon and sophomores Marist Liufau and Jack Kiser.
Each has started a game this year. Each was unavailable for a game. Whether it be for a lack of separation from the group, ups and downs from each, missed time or some other factor, that “or” sits to the left of each of their names on this week’s depth chart.
“All those guys are competing their tails off for playing time,” Brian Kelly said. “Quite frankly, it’s still one that is evolving. If [defensive coordinator] Clark [Lea] was sitting here today talking about the position, I think he’d feel really good about all of three of them.”
Simon has started the last two games and leads that trio with 102 defensive snaps. Liufau has played 50 snaps, with Kiser just behind him at 46. All but five of Kiser’s snaps came in the 52-0 win over South Florida Sept. 19. He did not play against Florida State and saw two snaps in momentary relief of rover Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah against Louisville.
Liufau’s role has been more consistent in Notre Dame’s last two games, with 11 snaps against Florida State and 12 versus Louisville, with a chunk of those coming in sub packages. Kelly, though, cautioned into interpreting those snap distributions as indications roles are becoming permanent.
“It’s a competitive situation and all are going to see playing time,” Kelly said. “I don’t know if we’re at a point of destination where we can say, ‘Hey, this is the guy.’ They all have skill sets and things they can bring to the game.”
Kiser’s role against Louisville was likely limited due to his unavailability the week before. His eight tackles (2.0 for loss) against South Florida remains the Buck position’s most productive game this year. That’s as many tackles as Liufau and Simon have combined. Liufau’s Pro Football Focus coverage grade of 64.8 is best among the three.
“We saw Kiser and what he can do. Shayne is getting a lot of work and doing some really fine things,” Kelly said. “Liufau is really trying to find himself out there. He’s an instinctive player who can get after the quarterback and do a lot of good things for us as well.”
For now, the splitting of snaps and practice reps will continue. One wonders if it’s the best situation for three players who still have not played much football. None of them had more than one spring practice this year. Kiser and Liufau redshirted in 2019. Simon has bounced around linebacker positions and suffered a dislocated patella in November that would have held him out of a normal spring season.
“The game reps definitely help you build that confidence and generate the action you need to get better,” Simon said. “But it is what it is, and we’re all working to get better. Coach Lea is working to put the best 11 players on the field, and we’re all trying to contribute to that and raise our game.”
Pittsburgh Guys Returning Home
Notre Dame defensive tackle Kurt Hinish will look across the Heinz Filed playing surface Saturday and see some close friends on the opposite sideline. Damar Hamlin, Hinish’s teammate at Pittsburgh’s Central Catholic High School, is a starting safety for Pitt. Next to him is Paris Ford, another Pittsburgh native and Hinish’s buddy.
That trio has known each other since high school and reconvened when all were home during the spring. They even played paintball together, Hinish said. Saturday, they’ll face each other as college football players for the second time.
“It’s friendly competition, but once we step on the field, we mean business,” Hinish said.
Hinish is one of four Notre Dame players from the Pittsburgh area who will be playing in their hometown for the first time since coming to Notre Dame. Senior right tackle Robert Hainsey and backup offensive linemen Josh Lugg, a senior, and Andrew Kristofic, a sophomore, are also locals. So is freshman offensive lineman Michael Carmody, but it’s not clear if he will travel for the game.
“I’m really excited to go home and play in front of my family and some friends,” Hinish said. “This game means everything to me.”
Hinish, Hainsey, Lugg and since-retired linebacker David Adams were all members of Notre Dame’s 2017 recruiting class and Steel City natives. Kelly gave them an assist for keeping the entire group together during the 4-8 season in 2016. It was not strenuous work, Hainsey says now. But he will take the credit.
“It’s just the type of guys you get when you get Notre Dame commits,” Hainsey said. “You get guys who are committed to the school, the program and the people. That’s just the kind of guys we have.”
Other Notes
• Kelly mentioned Kiser and sophomore defensive end Isaiah Foskey as two players he and the defensive staff want to involve more. Foskey has played 18 total snaps in the last two games, but remains tied for the team lead with 2.0 sacks.
“Foskey and Kiser are key players moving forward,” Kelly said. “In my postgame notes, they were two guys Clark and I talked about in terms of how we get them involved more, just like how do we get [junior wide receiver] Joe Wilkins involved more.”
• Notre Dame fifth-year senior quarterback Ian Book was named to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award watch list. The award goes to the top upperclassman quarterback in college football.
----
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, Blue & Gold Illustrated.
• Watch our videos and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
• Sign up for Blue & Gold's news alerts and daily newsletter.
• Subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts.
• Follow us on Twitter: @BGINews, @BGI_LouSomogyi, @Rivals_Singer, @PatrickEngel_, @MasonPlummer_ and @AndrewMentock.
• Like us on Facebook.