By reading the spring drills tea leaves, it seems Dillan Gibbons’ chances of earning a starting spot on Notre Dame’s offensive line took a hit between practice No. 1 in late March and the Blue-Gold Game six weeks later.
Gibbons opened that first practice as the first-team left guard. He eventually settled in as the No. 2 center and played only that position in the spring game. Freshman Rocco Spindler’s faster-than-expected progress landed him with the first team for the latter half of spring practice. Andrew Kristofic’s move to guard further crowded the room.
From that perspective, Notre Dame can survive Gibbons’ departure. Gibbons said Thursday he will be a graduate transfer and seek another home to use his final two seasons of eligibility. His exit is a case of an older player sensing younger players have pushed and will presumably overtake him in the rotation.
At the same time, Gibbons’ experience made him a meaningful presence in a young offensive line room. Before his exit, he was one of four Notre Dame offensive linemen who has started a game or played on the line in a high-leverage spot.
