Notre Dame Football Notebook

Just because a player is listed as a senior doesn’t mean it will be Senior Day this Saturday in the home finale versus Virginia Tech.

There are 10 current members of the senior class who have a fifth season of eligibility in 2017, with almost all of them on offense: quarterback Malik Zaire, running back Tarean Folston, receiver Torii Hunter Jr., tight ends Durham Smythe and Jacob Matuska, and offensive linemen Mike McGlinchey, Colin McGovern, Hunter Bivin and John Montelus.

On defense, the lone candidate is cornerback Devin Butler, who was going to be medically redshirted this season because of a foot injury but is also currently suspended from the football team because of an off-the-field arrest in August.

Starting left tackle McGlinchey has gone on the record that he plans to return in 2017, and on this week No. 1 tight end Smythe confirmed he plans to do the same.

“I haven’t really thought about anything else,” said Smythe, who has caught three of his four touchdowns this season — more than the position has had the past two years combined — in the last two games.

The Irish could have at least six and maybe seven tight ends on scholarship next season. In addition to Smythe, three others expected to return are current juniors Nic Weishar and Tyler Luatua, and current sophomore Alize Jones, who is academically ineligible this season but is still enrolled in school and practicing with the team.

As a 2015 freshman, Jones led the team in receptions with 13 for 190 yards. A fifth possibility for a fifth season is Matuska, although playing time would be hard to find.

Furthermore, Notre Dame has verbal commitments from two of Rivals.com’s top 3 tight end prospects for the 2017 recruiting haul. Texas’ Brock Wright is ranked the nation’s top player at his position, and No. 52 overall, while Illinois’ Cole Kmet is categorized No. 3 at his position and No. 89 overall. Smythe said one of his roles in 2017 will be to help establish a comfort level with the two highly sought after freshmen.

“Hopefully I can be a guy they can lean on as far as learning things, showing them how to come to work every day and things like that,” he said. “We’ll just try to keep on the same path as we have this year as far as establishing a connection with the quarterbacks and really throughout the entire offense.”

Jarron Jones’ Type Of Game

Now that Navy and Army and their triple-option attack are behind him, fifth-year senior nose tackle Jones is back in his element.

Per Blueandgold.com, Jones took only 13 snaps against Navy and 20 against Army after playing 53 in his monster mash performance versus Miami on Oct. 29 that earned him Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week honors.

“It’s not my style of game,” said the nearly 6-6 Jones of the triple option. “There are shorter guys who are flexible and player lower than I do.”

He had no problems against the triple option in high school or even against Navy earlier in his career but “that’s when I was more flexible,” referring to a succession of injuries in recent years, including a torn MCL.

More of the 6-3, lower-base individuals played against Navy, including junior Jonathan Bonner receiving his first career start (39 snaps), while classmate Jay Hayes played 17 snaps and sophomore Elijah Taylor a career high 14.

Virginia Tech is a little more vulnerable in the offensive interior, and in the last two home games versus Stanford and Miami, Jones exploited that aspect while controlling the middle. Jones grew up a Virginia Tech fan dating back to when Michael Vick was the quarterback, and he’s always been a fan of coordinator Bud Foster’s defense.

Many scouts have contended that Jones’ ideal position would be offensive tackle, but Jones has no regrets about his choice.

“I told them off the jump when I started getting recruited I would not play offensive tackle,” said Jones, who said Saturday will be a family celebration that will include grandfather John Darden, who has been afflicted with multiple sclerosis. “That’s why Boston College stopped recruiting me. A couple of other schools stopped recruiting me because I said I’m not playing offense … maybe tight end. Offense is not for me. I like defense way better. I love to tackle.”

Blocking Out The Noise

Equanimeous St. Brown has enjoyed one of the best sophomore seasons ever by a Notre Dame receiver with 45 catches that have averaged 17.3 yards and included eight touchdowns. Only three other sophomores in the FBS have more scoring receptions, and St. Brown ranks 21st overall.

Yet ask him where he believes he’s made the most strides after catching only one pass last season, and his attention turns beyond receptions.

“I think I’ve done a good job of blocking better, bringing more effort to stay on my blocks longer … you can’t just block your guy for two seconds; you have to stay on him for maybe five seconds," he said.

The experience he and classmate C.J. Sanders and freshman Kevin Stepherson — who have 21 catches apiece — have developed enough promise early to reap dividends down the road.

“It’s going to pay off big time,” St. Brown said. “Going into next year we’re going to have more experience and it’s definitely going to show early on.”

Leadership Heirs

When senior captains Isaac Rochell and James Onwualu depart after this season, it leaves a void in quality leadership on and off the field. Junior Mike linebacker Nyles Morgan has definitely been pegged as the heir to be more of a silent leader in 2017.

When asked who is most likely to join him in that capacity on defense, Morgan pondered a couple of seconds before envisioning classmate/safety Drue Tranquill as the ideal complement to his personality.

“I can see him stepping up to that role — he kind of likes the limelight,” Morgan mused. “If [the defense] works, you won’t hear my voice too much. Just make sure guys are motivated, make sure guys are doing their thing.

“Drue wants to get up there in front of the lights and do his thing, and that’s fine. We need that too. There are all different types of leadership, different ways to get the guys, and I see him coming on as a leader for sure.”

Morgan leads the team in tackles (83), highlighted by a team high four sacks, while Tranquill is second with 63, with 40 of them solo.

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