The Loss Of Spring Ball Delays All Answers To Many Questions
As we try to work through these unprecedented times in American history — as a united nation and as ND Nation — Notre Dame football can still provide an outlet and some relief from mounting pandemic worries, even with no spring practice or a Blue-Gold game to glean any important information we were hoping for about the team.
The loss of so many standout Irish players from multiple position groups after last season made the 2020 spring season one of the most important and anticipated Irish head coach Brian Kelly has hosted during his 11 springs here.
With Tommy Rees as his offensive coordinator, and two other new assistant coaches in the fold, and nine early enrollees on the roster, familiarization was top priority during these 14 spring practices.
Here are four critical challenges the Irish coaches didn’t necessarily need to solve during the spring, but certainly could’ve built a baseline to work from before summer and fall workouts.
1. Finding A Lockdown Cornerback
Troy Pride Jr. didn’t necessarily fit the shut-down profile in 2019 that his predecessor, Julian Love, did in 2018, but Pride’s absence leaves a huge defensive void to fill.
Sixth-year senior Shaun Crawford and junior TaRiq Bracy have taken their share of snaps in the defensive backfield, but can either of them hold up to Clemson’s Justyn Ross or the dynamic USC duo of Amon-Ra St. Brown and Tyler Vaughns?
And which other Irish CB might’ve used spring ball as a catalyst to playing time as either a back-up and/or in a nickel role?
Sophomores Isaiah Rutherford, KJ Wallace and Cam Hart needed this spring season for personal development and to build some confidence within the Irish coaches.
2. Developing A Backup Quarterback
Fifth-year senior and soon-to-be third-year starter Ian Book leaves the Irish in great hands on the front line of this position. But with Phil Jurkovec — who spent two full years taking backup practice reps and learning the Notre Dame system — transferred to Boston College, the value of spring ball for presumed sophomore backup Brendon Clark and early enrollee freshman Drew Pyne can’t be overstated.
During opening day of 2020 spring practice March 5 — which was open to the media to observe — there was an obvious talent and performance drop-off between Book and Clark.
Book completed all but one of his 20 passes during seven-on-seven and 11-on-11 drills, while Clark hit 10 of his 16 throws with an interception. All the preseason work Clark can get is invaluable.
3. Finding Receiving Options
Of all the unknowns the Irish coaches needed to closely monitor this spring, finding adequate replacements for Chase Claypool, Chris Finke and Cole Kmet — Notre Dame’s top three receivers from last season — likely topped the list.
The talent is in place based on recruiting rankings and raw talent, but consistent production lacks and impatience grows within this position group.
Irish fans have been waiting two years for either one, two or all three of Irish junior receivers Kevin Austin, Braden Lenzy and Lawrence Keys III to finally emerge.
And how nice would it have been this spring to see if fifth-year senior Javon McKinley could’ve built on his strong showing in the lone spring practice, or if grad transfer Ben Skowronek might play his way into a starting or prominent role if any of the three Irish juniors falter again?
4. What’s Up At Buck?
Here’s another critical defensive position that needed the spring season to at least start to sort through.
Last season’s starter here, and the team’s third-leading tackler, Asmar Bilal, is gone, that’s a certainty.
Who will take his place is the mystery that spring would’ve provided some solution to.
Does Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah move from rover to Buck, and if so, what happens at rover on the outside?
JOK was a beast at the Rover last season, tying Mike linebacker Drew White for the team lead with 80 tackles and leading the Irish with 13.5 tackles for loss.
If the Irish coaches decided during and after spring ball that JOK needed to stay at rover, all eyes would’ve been on the Buck backer in the fall for a position battle between senior Jordan Genmark Heath and juniors Jack Lamb and Shayne Simon, now, any preliminary clarity is lost and none of this can be settled until the fall.
Building a running back hierarchy, figuring out who will start and what the rotation will look like next to sophomore safety Kyle Hamilton were a couple of other pressing issues for the spring. And who will fill in behind starting fifth-year senior defensive ends Ade Ogundeji and Daelin Hayes? Irish coaches raved about budding star Isiah Foskey all of last season, spring would’ve provided the sophomore-to-be a chance to carve his niche in the defensive end rotation.
Today, St. Patty’s Day, the Irish were scheduled to return to spring practice, with no interruptions this time.
Instead, we’re all left to play “what if” about the important spring questions that won’t be answered until the fall.
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