Notre Dame Safety Quality Outweighs Quantity
During Notre Dame’s 23-3 run the past two years, graduated safeties Alohi Gilman and Jalen Elliott were as vital mainstays to the team as any 1-2 punch at any other position during that time.
The duo in those two seasons combined for 284 tackles, 16 passes broken up, nine interceptions and five forced fumbles, most at critical junctures of close contests.
Far beyond any data was the intangibles, which resulted in both getting named captain last season. Neither was a prime NFL prospect — Gilman was selected in the sixth round and Elliott went undrafted — but both personified leadership and direction on defenses that were the first at Notre Dame to not allow more than 20 points per game in back-to-back seasons since 2001-02.
Yet from a sheer talent standpoint, the 2020 safety unit could be an upgrade, highlighted by three former top-50 prospects ranked by various outlets. That's provided if the base established by Gilman and Elliott also are followed.
“That’s legacy, that model and that approach they passed along to their teammates … It’s exciting who takes the reins, and having freedom to take the position,” said third-year Fighting Irish defensive coordinator Clark Lea this spring.
Freshman All-American Kyle Hamilton was too productive to keep out of the lineup last year, finishing with a team-high four interceptions, tying for second in passes broken up (six) and placing seventh in tackles (41) while in a part-time capacity.
Junior Houston Griffith, Notre Dame’s top-rated recruit (No. 43 nationally by Rivals) in 2018, who worked at nickel and corner his first two seasons, is expected to provide higher physical skills at his more natural safety position.
Finally, Ohio State graduate transfer Isaiah Pryor, who has two years of eligibility remaining after having started seven games as a sophomore, provides a huge reinforcement to the group with his physicality in the box that can rival Gilman’s.
The safety group is rounded out by former corner/junior DJ Brown and sophomore Litchfield Ajavon, who redshirted last season but began to be singled out by head coach Brian Kelly for his progress in December during preparations for the Camping World Bowl versus Iowa State.
There are only five scholarship players at the two safety positions compared to nine at the two cornerback spots. That might be a tad misleading to Kelly, who notes that versatile sixth-year senior Shaun Crawford also could be utilized at safety, which basically provides three full units of quality.
In time among the six corners with four years of eligibility entering the 2020 campaign, one or two could also shift to safety.
“We have Kyle Hamilton, who’s one of the best guys in the country playing that position,” Kelly said of the 6-4, 216-pound safety prodigy. “It’s a position where we really feel good that we have some guys there that have the ability to impact the game as they have in the past.
“Coverage skills, the ability to come down and impact the box, pressure, blitz … we like to play with three safeties at times.”
Two years ago, Lea utilized more three-corner sets on the back end. Last year, it was three safeties — especially against a top passing teams such as USC — which could be the case again this year, although not just because of extreme youth at cornerback.
“[It’s] more belief in the fact that we have guys who are going to step in at the safety position and enhance that depth and allow us the flexibility to play multiple safeties on the field,” Lea said. “Part of that is also an adaptation to modern football.
“You want to have enough skill in that room to where you can line up against these teams that are going four wide and spreading the field out.”
Led by Hamilton, Lea does see the makings of “a special group” at safety.
“We know a little less about this squad than we do about the one last year, but I’ve got a lot of confidence,” he said.
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