Notre Dame loses a lot up the middle on the first two levels of the defense. Yesterday we discussed the fact Notre Dame lost both of its starting inside linebackers, but it must also find a way to replace its two starting defensive tackles.
WHAT NOTRE DAME LOSES
It seems that Jerry Tillery has been at Notre Dame for much longer than four years, but now the Fighting Irish must find a way to build a dominant defensive line without him. After flashing during his first three seasons, which were known as much for his mistakes and inconsistency than his production, Tillery emerged as a legitimate All-America caliber player in his final campaign in a Notre Dame uniform.
Tillery finished the season with 10.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks, and his ability to win at the point of attack and work into the backfield created numerous opportunities for his teammates.
