Replacing two graduated offensive linemen in a given season isn’t unusual among college football teams. Finding three new starters along the five-man front, though, is when it can get a little more unnerving.
That’s what transpired this week at Notre Dame when junior right guard Steve Elmer, whose 30 career starts were the most among any returning Fighting Irish player on offense or defense, announced he will graduate this May and begin his transition to the working world while leaving football behind forever.
Offensive line coach Harry Hiestand’s troops already were graduating projected first-round left tackle Ronnie Stanley (39 starts) and two-time co-captain/center Nick Martin (37 starts). Elmer’s departure now means the Irish lose a whopping 106 career starts along the offensive line and return only 27: 14 by right tackle Mike McGlinchey, 11 by left guard Quenton Nelson and two at left guard by Alex Bars (who replaced the injured Nelson in the two he missed last year).
One of the most vital team stats that long-time college football analyst Phil Steele highlights when it comes to predicting a team’s fortunes in a season is career starts returning along the offensive line. Notre Dame will rank low in that category in 2016, and this will be the first time since 2010, head coach Brian Kelly’s first season, that the Irish need to replace three full-time starters up front. (In 2010, the graduated trio of Sam Young and Paul Duncan at the tackle spots and Eric Olsen at center were filled in by tackles Zack Martin and Taylor Dever at tackle, and Braxston Cave at center.)
The combinations that could occur this spring along the offensive line have a Rubik’s Cube-like look. Does Bars play guard or tackle? Does McGlinchey move to left tackle — and could Nelson play tackle? Does the runner-up in the Sam Mustipher/Tristen Hoge competition at center take Elmer’s spot at right guard if he is one of the five best linemen?
Will tackle Hunter Bivin be good enough to keep Bars at guard? Does fifth-year senior Mark Harrell, the backup at right tackle for McGlinchey last year, vie for the center (where he originally played) or guard role? Where do seniors such as right guard John Montelus and guard/tackle Colin McGovern fit, as well as junior guard/tackle Jimmy Byrne and sophomore guard/tackle Trevor Ruhland?
This might not be figured out more concretely until August, or maybe even during the season. However, once upon a time, replacing three starters or more along a Notre Dame offensive line was practically a blessing in disguise.
In a 23-year stretch from 1966 through 1988, some of Notre Dame’s best teams ever thrived when the line had to be rebuilt.
1966 Situation
Notre Dame graduated both of its 1965 starting tackles (Bob Meeker and Tom Sullivan) and All-America guard Dick Arrington. Plus, by the end of the second game new sophomore tackle George Kunz was lost for the year to an injury.
Result: Notre Dame won the national title.
Replacing Meeker was senior Paul Seiler — the No. 12 pick in the following spring’s NFL Draft. Meanwhile, sophomore future All-Pro Bob Kuechenberg stepped in for classmate and future All-Pro Kunz at right tackle. Dick Swatland settled in as a two-year starter in place of Arrington.
1970 Situation
Both tackles had graduated, including No. 57 overall NFL pick Jim Reilly, plus captain/center Mike Oriard. Also, All-America guard/captain Larry DiNardo suffered a knee injury in the first half of the season that sidelined him.
Result: Notre Dame finished No. 2 in the country, and barely missed No. 1 after upsetting top-ranked Texas in the Cotton Bowl (24-11). It averaged a school record 510.5 yards total offense despite none of the offensive line starters ever having an NFL career.
1973 Situation
The only two starters returning along the line from the previous year’s 8-3 unit were guards Frank Pomarico and Gerry DiNardo — and Pomarico missed the first four games with an injury. Believe it or not, left tackle Dave Casper was shifted to tight end, where he would be a Hall-of-Fame performer.
Result: Notre Dame won the national title while averaging a school record 350.2 yards rushing per game.
Neither of the two new tackles, juniors Steve Sylvester and Steve Neece, were on the previous year’s two-deep — nor was center Mark Brenneman, coming off an injury.
1980 Situation
The Irish had graduated three offensive line starters, including All-America tackle Tim Foley, and a fourth, guard Tim Huffman, was injured in the preseason and saw limited action.
Result: The Irish started 9-0-1, were ranked No. 2 in the country and matched up with No. 1 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl before losing the season finale at USC and then to the Bulldogs.
The new tackles were 6-7 Mike Shiner and 6-9 Phil Pozderac, while walk-on Bob Burger and sophomores Tom Thayer and Randy Ellis were new guards surrounding All-America center John Scully.
1988 Situation
Four fifth-year seniors had graduated — tackles Tom Rehder and Byron Spruell, center Chuck Lanza and guard Tom Freeman. The fifth, guard Jeff Pearson, transferred to Michigan State after a violation of school policy.
Result: The Irish won the national title.
Tim Grunhard, who had started four games in 1987, stepped in for Pearson at guard. Former tight end Andy Heck became an All-America and first-round left tackle. Also excelling were new right tackle Dean Brown, converted linebacker Tim Ryan at left guard and fellow sophomore Mike Heldt at center.
The moral of the story: It helps to have excellent quarterback leadership and a dominant defense, all of which those teams did.
