Even in a year of much turnover, Notre Dame knows it has a few sure things.
It can count on All-American safety Kyle Hamilton to provide a weekly impact. It has rare depth on the defensive line. Running back Kyren Williams is the ideal mix of reliable, versatile and explosive. Those are some of the ingredients that foment feelings of a high floor.
But as Brian Kelly declared after the Blue-Gold Game, Notre Dame is interested in ceilings more than floors – or in his terms, going from good to great — when it opens fall camp Saturday. He saw the Irish as a good team heading out of the spring. He wants them to be a great one when they head to Tallahassee Sept. 5, or soon after.
Getting there will require some interesting but unproven players to become trusted and impactful presences. Here’s a look at 10 of them to watch in fall camp who have a hand in facilitating Kelly’s desired ascent.
Quarterback Jack Coan
Notre Dame hasn’t declared a starting quarterback, but it would be a surprise if the former Wisconsin Badger is not the eventual choice. Still, his comfort in camp and how quickly he can make Kelly publicly name him the starter should provide some insight on how far the offense could go with him controlling it.
Coan isn’t Ian Book. That’s not to say he’s assuredly worse or better than Notre Dame’s departed three-year starter and 30-game winner, though. Different can be just that. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees cautions against making assumptions or having concerns about Coan simply because of where he played and his career numbers.
“To just look at Jack Coan’s stat line from Wisconsin and say he’s a certain guy because of the system he was in would be a very lazy perspective,” Rees said. “He’s very talented. I’ve been a lot of guys who have played at this level, and he throws it as well as anyone I’ve been around at Notre Dame.
“Other guys, maybe their arms are slightly stronger, but his ability to be on time and get the ball where it needs to be at different levels is pretty dang good. He has some talent. He’s not a guy who’s coming in to be a game manager.”
In other words, his body of work at Notre Dame is the best basis for evaluation. His spring game performance contained more good than bad. This month is another opportunity to see him.
