FUTURE POTENTIAL
Coleman’s trajectory may have just been impacted by Crawford’s injury last year and the training injury Devin Butler suffered this week, pushing the sophomore into a rotational job—if he hadn’t already been in position to win one. There’s a ton to like about this young cornerback, especially considering he did most of his damage as a high schooler at running back and is still learning the craft of his position.
Coleman checks off a lot of the boxes you want in a cornerback. He’s tough, he plays with confidence, and as a freshman there wasn’t much “scare” in his game. Of course, over-achieving as a mop-up contributor and special teamer is much different than being asked to step into a regular role in the secondary.
The 2016 will go a long way in determining just how good Coleman can be.
CRYSTAL BALL
I wouldn’t be surprised if Coleman enters camp as a name Brian Kelly points to as an ascending player. That might be a motivational tactic to help boost Coleman’s confidence (or send a message to the others competing for time at that position), but it also could point to a breakout season for a young player that has the ability to be an impact player.
Avoiding the big mistake is job one for Coleman. In his most expansive playing time, Coleman was on the wrong end of a long touchdown against UMass. Nobody cares if you play the slant aggressively if you’re getting beat for six points over the top.
Coleman also needs to stay in the mix as talented true freshmen like Troy Pride and Donte Vaughn arrive, along with redshirt Ashton White. He also should look to find a niche, there’s nickel and dime work available even if he’s playing behind Shaun Crawford and Nick Watkins.
Ultimately, Notre Dame needs at least three good cornerbacks to be a competent secondary. Coleman already seems comfortably in the top four, and I think he’ll establish himself as a solid rotational player during his sophomore season.