Following Friday Night’s Irish Echoes Show, several award winners of the Fighting Irish met with media afterward.
Of particular interest were four fifth-year prospects: quarterback/captain Ian Book, running back Tony Jones Jr., cornerback Shaun Crawford and safety/captain Alohi Gilman.
An initial core group of current seniors expected to return for a fifth season in 2020 are two offensive linemen — left tackle Liam Eichenberg and right guard Tommy Kraemer — and two defensive linemen: ends Daelin Hayes and Ade Ogundeji.
Eichenberg and Hayes have publicly stated they will return, while it would be a major surprise if Kraemer (missed the final five games of 2019 with a sprained knee and unavailable for the bowl) and Ogundeji do not.
During the Awards show, Book told his teammates about playing “one more game” together — which was not to be interpreted that this would be his final game with the Fighting Irish.
“I meant this season,” said Book afterwards, who maintained his company line that his sole focus is on the Camping World Bowl versus Iowa State on Dec. 28 and then discuss with his family, coaches and people he trusts about the future.
Jones made a similar statement.
With Crawford in particular, the possibility of returning for a sixth season (he was sidelined all of 2015 and 2018 with a torn ACL, and played only the first five quarters in 2016 before tearing his Achilles) in 2020 seems more possible.
Back in September, Crawford declared he had no plans to apply for a sixth season because five was plenty. However, upon further review and a campaign in which he played 10 games and 353 snaps…
“Earlier in the season I wasn’t thinking about that,” said Crawford of returning for a sixth year. “I was just thinking about being here for five years already, just ready to move on and things like that.
“Throughout the season, just the memories we’ve created, the opportunities that were presented — it’s something you just can’t move on from.”
Crawford said he has not made a decision because he still wants to meet with the coaches, his family and engage in more prayer about it. He already has his undergraduate degree and is working on his master’s in the Mendoza College of Business.
“I love this University, I love everything they have to offer,” he said. “Just the opportunity to further my education here, continue to be in the locker room with this great group of guys, those things will take care of themselves.”
Tearing four ligaments in his elbow in the Sept. 28 Virginia game that sidelined him two games also did not affect his outlook.
“Once I was told I could return(in 2019), I was focused on that,” he said.
The cornerback position graduates both Troy Pride Jr. and Donte Vaughn, and will be one of the less seasoned areas on the team. Current sophomore TaRiq Bracy (430 snaps this season) would be slotted for one of the starting spots, while Crawford would provide valued experience.
“It will be a tough decision,” said Crawford, who has no timetable on announcing it.
Having missed three seasons with injuries and sitting out some this year with another one might make the average person say “enough is enough.” Such is not the case with Crawford.
“That’s the great thing about Notre Dame — I don’t feel like we have any average guys on our team,” he said. “We have guys who come from many different places or very gifted in many different fields. I made a commitment to this team, to this program and I don’t ever want to go back on that.
“The person who I am, anything that I started I’m going to finish. Being here at this University with these group of guys, playing with these guys, I don’t want to let them down ever. If there’s an opportunity for me to get back on the field, or if there’s opportunity for me to help and impact this team any way, then I’m going to take full advantage of it.”
Likewise, Gilman would be in his sixth season in 2020, but not because of injuries. He attended the Naval prep school in 2015 before enrolling at the Naval Academy in 2016 as a freshman. He then sat out the 2017 season following his transfer to Notre Dame.
A main reason he transferred was to accelerate an opportunity to play in the NFL. Gilman is currently going through the evaluation process, is non-committal on the future and said the decision likely will be made shortly after the Dec. 28 Camping World Bowl. He was second in tackles last season with 95 and this year was fourth with 66.
“If that’s the decision that is going to be made, I’m very confident that I’m ready to be a professional,” Gilman said. “But until then, I’ll continue to focus on this team and get another win.”
Because he would be 23 years old next year, he also has to take into account the tread on the football tires.
“That’s something you think about — when to start your [pro] clock, basically,” said Gilman, who noted that 2018 teammate/linebacker Drue Tranquill also was 23. “Or if not, to enjoy another year and get another opportunity to grow and develop.”
He did admit that Notre Dame not going to a major bowl with a 10-2 record felt like a slap in the face.
“I was pretty disappointed … that’s me as a competitor,” Gilman said. “I feel like we should have had a little more respect on what we did in the season.”
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