After missing Notre Dame’s regular-season finale against Southern Cal and eventual Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams on Nov. 26, grad senior cornerback TaRiq Bracy missing from Monday’s Gator Bowl practice in Fernandina Beach, Fla., on Monday afternoon wasn’t the angst producer it could have been.
Like if the cranky hamstring that made him a late scratch for ND’s 38-27 loss to the Trojans in Los Angeles had flared up again.
Instead, as his Irish teammates were toiling in 49-degree weather 45 minutes north of Friday’s Gator Bowl site — TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville — Bracy was trying to spot his bags at an airport luggage carousel.
He and a handful of other Notre Dame players had been delayed coming back from their respective Christmas break destinations, due to travel snags caused by the massive winter storm over the weekend. Bracy spent his break back home in Milpitas, Calif., near San Jose.
One of ND’s most consistent defensive players this season, though, was back at practice on Tuesday in similar temps, prepping for Friday’s Gator Bowl clash between No. 21 Notre Dame and No. 19 South Carolina (3:30 p.m. EST; ESPN).
Gametime temps will be more seasonal, with a high of 74 in the forecast.
As for Bracy?
“I’m feeling good,” he told reporters after Tuesday’s practice.
And not just from a hamstring standpoint.
The Notre Dame secondary, from all accounts, has put together some impressive bowl practices of late, even without starting senior cornerback Cam Hart for both Southern Cal and South Carolina (shoulder injury).
Freshman Jaden Mickey, who will help fill Hart’s void, in particular has surged.
“Mick’s been practicing really well,” Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden said, “made a couple plays on the ball today, which was fun to see. It was just fun to see him play with confidence, play with a little swagger and be confident.”
On Friday, they’ll face a South Carolina offense missing some key receivers and its top running back, due to opt-outs/transfers, but not senior quarterback Spencer Rattler.
“He’s got a strong arm. He makes a lot of plays for South Carolina,” Bracy said of the 6-foot-1, 215-pound Oklahoma transfer. “So, it's going to be a big, big test for us. We’ve played a lot of good quarterbacks in the season, so he’s just another good quarterback we have to face.”
Rattler was Rivals’ No. 1-ranked QB prospect in the 2019 class and No. 13 player overall coming out of Pinnacle High School in Phoenix, where ND backup offensive tackle Tosh Baker was a teammate.
Among Irish opposing QBs this season he ranks sixth in passing efficiency and 48th nationally overall (141.5) ratings points. Ahead of him among Irish opponents, going into Tuesday’s bowl games were Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud (first nationally), Southern Cal’s Williams (fifth), BYU’s Jaren Hall (10th), North Carolina’s Drake Maye (12th) and Syracuse’s Garrett Shrader (24th).
But Rattler, who spent most of the season ranked in the lower half of the individual pass-efficiency rankings, has been hot at the end of the regular season. Eight of his 16 TD passes game in back-to-back upsets of Tennessee and Clemson.
In upending the Vols, Rattler threw for 438 yards and a school-record six touchdowns.
All the more reason to celebrate Bracy’s return. Friday will be his final game in an Irish uniform, having exhausted his eligibility, including his COVID exemption year.
There’s not an obvious heir apparent for Bracy’s nickel spot in the defense, with cornerback Clarence Lewis and safety Ramon Henderson filling in against the Trojans and both set to return in 2023.
But the Irish recently added two four-star cornerbacks in Christian Gray and Micah Bell, both of whom signed this past week.
“It gets a little tricky, but my advice is just trust your technique and trust the film room,” Bracy said of his eventual successor, “because those two things are really going to help.”
Life after Foskey
As much sense it made to moving Justin Ademilola from vyper end to field end earlier this season to maximize his playing time, moving him back in All-American Isaiah Foskey’s absence does as well.
Foskey and All-America tight end Michael Mayer earlier this month both opted out of the Gator Bowl to focus on the upcoming NFL Draft. Foskey is Notre Dame’s all-time sacks leader with 26.5, including a team-leading 11 this season.
Justin Ademilola has three, tied for second-most on the team this season. Junior Jordan Botelho, also vying for playing time at the vyper has 2½.
“Some of the guys have got to step up,” Golden said of how his play-calling logistics change without Foskey. “Every time you lose a guy like that, it's never easy, but at the same time, it creates opportunity.
“So, if the guys that are behind him step up and fulfill that role, then you call the game the same. If we're not getting the pass rush, then we're going to have to bring a fifth guy. So, it's pretty simple. It's pretty black and white in terms of that.”
Squibs
• Freshman linebacker Jaylen Sneed is continuing his strong December surge in practice.
“I think from Navy (Nov. 12) on, he’s been really focused and growing — off the field, really,” Golden said. “He's had the skills on the field, but the preparation has been better and certainly that's continued into the bowl practice and gone up a level.”
• With junior Rylie Mills apparently moving back outside to field end or at least splitting his time between defensive tackle and playing on the edge, sophomore nose guard Gabe Rubio figures to gain a significant role in Friday’s Gator Bowl as the inside pieces shuffle and starter Jayson Ademilola battles some health issues, missing both practices so far in Florida.
“He's doing a good job,” Golden said of the 6-foot-5, 295-pound Rubio. “I'm really excited about him, long term. A couple things he needs to improve on, but he's rugged. He'll run to the ball. He's physical. He’ll lay heavy at the end.”
Junior nose guard Aidan Keanaaina may be counted on as well after missing all but one game this season (three tackles in eight snaps during a cameo against Boston College on Nov. 19) coming back from a spring ACL tear.
“He's had a really good bowl practice and he looks like himself again, which is great,” Golden said. “So, I'm happy that he's feeling better and it's healed up.”
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