When Notre Dame begins the second semester of its 2020-21 academic year on Feb. 3, our count has 89 football players on scholarship, including the 26 recruits who signed in December (with 14 who could potentially enroll this February).
There is no shortage of numbers at any position group, with 42 scholarship players on offense, 43 on defense and four specialists. By 2022, the number is supposed to get back to 85, so roster management and balance will be carefully monitored.
Below is the overview of the safety position, and class year is defined by their academic year when the fall semester begins in August 2021.
Safety (7)
Despite the presence of Butkus Award winner Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, last year was the first time in the 11-year Brian Kelly era someone other than a linebacker led the team in tackles. Safety Kyle Hamilton recorded 63 while Owusu-Koramoah had 62.
The total also was the lowest by the team’s top tackler since the stat first began to be kept in 1956. The previous low for most stops in a season was 73 by Ed Hoerster in 1962.
5th-Year Seniors — None
Seniors — Houston Griffith (6-0, 204) and DJ Brown (6-0, 194)
After putting his name into the transfer portal following the College Football Playoff loss to Alabama, Griffith opted less than three weeks later to finish his senior season with the Fighting Irish.
The former top-50 recruit auditioned at nickel (freshman) and boundary corner (sophomore) before settling in at safety, but sixth-year senior Shaun Crawford was moved ahead of him last year at strong safety despite not having any experience at the position.
Griffith was credited with 14 stops last season, has 33 in his career (one for loss) and one pass defensed.
A cornerback recruit out of high school, Brown moved to safety. In 2020 he ended up with more snaps on defense (242) than Griffith (215) while backing up Hamilton, and was credited with eight tackles and two passes defensed.
