Notre Dame 2-Deep

[Domer Dude]

Like to see people's thoughts on the 2-Deep. Where does KVA sit for 1st game? Our defense looks incredible! Having Onye, Keeley, KVA, Sneed and others in the 2-deep is crazy. Suspect will be a number 1a and 1b options. Also, should there be 3 deep at any positions.

* Returning Starter
** Returning Starter - Transfer

OFFENSE

Pos	1st team	2nd team
QB	CJ Carr*	Blake Hebert
RB	Aneyas Williams	Nolan James Jr.
WR (Boundary)	Quincy Porter	Micah Gilbert
WR (Field)	Jordan Faison*	Cam Williams
WR (Slot)	Mylan Graham	Jaden Greathouse*
TE	Cooper Flanagan	James Flanigan or Ian Premer
LT	Will Black	Styles Prescod
LG	Anthonie Knapp*	Devan Houstan
C	Ashton Craig*	Joe Otting*
RG	Sullivan Absher*	Matty Augustine
RT	Guerby Lambert*	Devan Houstan

DEFENSE

Pos	1st team	2nd team
DE	Boubacar Traore*	Rodney Dunham
DT	Francis Brewu**	Armel Mukam or Elijah Hughes
NT	Jason Onye* (1a)	Tionne Gray (1b)
DE	Bryce Young*	Keon Keeley
LB (Mike)	Drayk Bowen*	Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa*
LB (Will)	Jaiden Ausberry*	Jaylen Sneed
CB (Boundary)	Leonard Moore*	Jayden Sanders
FS	Tae Johnson*	Ethan Long
S (Field-side)	Adon Shuler*	Luke Talich
CB (Field)	DJ McKinney**	Mark Zackery IV
Nickel	Christian Gray*	Dallas Golden*

 

[DONTH8]

My thought is there are years where if you gave me that second team defense, we would be saying on this site it could be a top 15 defense. Similar with the offense outside of QB. We would be excited at the potential of the team that would be going out there.

And those are the 2s.

We are so deep everywhere except 1 position.

I'm very interested in what rotations look like throughout the season.

 

[SWirishfan]

It seems like a long time ago when we were wondering if Onye was getting another year and how he was going to be the key to good D-Line play after we lost Rubio, Dawson, and Jr T.

Now he is 2nd string.

 

[Blazers46]

Video game roster!!

 

[Domer Dude]

The 12 and 13 configurations with the Flan-gans and Premer is going to be interesting...

 

[DCDomer]

That defense gets the blood flowing (south)

 

[Domer Dude]

Who could fight for playing time in 2-deep...

Offense

Devin Fitzgerald (WR) — "probably the most thoroughly impressive true freshman to enroll early on offense" this spring, ahead of even Bubba Frazier. He's not in the starting mix at boundary yet, but with Quincy Porter's health still uncertain, there's a real path to reps.

Ian Premer (TE) — the 5-star, No. 1 tight end recruit in the class didn't enroll early, but multiple reports say he's turned heads in summer workouts. Given the uncertainty at TE (nobody has "grabbed the undisputed no. 1 role,"), a strong camp could vault him past Flanigan into the 2-spot behind Flanagan.

Matty Augustine (OL) — already knocking on the door as Jagusah's replacement-in-waiting at RG behind Absher; if Absher struggles, Augustine (6-8, 310, drawing "rave reviews") is the name to watch sliding into the two-deep more prominently.

Defense

Rodney Dunham (DE) — the No. 7 overall recruit in the class. 150–200 snaps and a potential "second best pure pass rusher on the edge behind Traore." He's already penciled in as DE2 on my chart, but there's a real chance he pushes past Bryce Young or Keon Keeley into a starting rotation role.

Ayden Pouncey (CB) — this one's a big deal: at his recruiting rank (No. 77 overall) he'd have been the highest-ranked defensive back in the class in seven separate recruiting cycles, and the highest-ranked DB Notre Dame has landed since Kyle Hamilton. He's not on my two-deep currently (behind Sanders/Zackery), but that pedigree makes him a name to watch jumping the depth chart in camp.

Nick Reddish (S) — a true freshman flagged specifically as one of the "best of the rest" not already projected in the top-22 defenders, but explicitly named as a corner/safety who could factor in. He recently had shoulder surgery in spring, so health is the gate.

Khary Adams (CB) — 5-star Composite recruit who missed all of spring with a shoulder injury. Talent-wise he'd be in the mix immediately; the question is just whether he's caught up physically by September.

Ja'Kobe Clapper (LB) — true freshman linebacker, also recovering from shoulder surgery, but was drawing buzz before the injury.

Worth flagging: a couple of these (Adams, Reddish, Clapper) are talented enough to start as true freshmen if healthy, but all three are coming off surgeries this offseason, so availability — not talent — is the real gate keeping them off the two-deep right now.

 

[slick7410]

At DT; I would think Onye starts; if their snap % is comparable I guess it doesn’t really matter.

On the two deep I’m hopeful for Mukam, but based on what I’ve seen I’d still bet on Elijah Hughes being 4th in snaps.

 

[Domer Dude]

Agree with the above comments

• Onye is likely to start with Tionne Gray likely splitting reps, (1a) and (1b)
• Added Ian Premer as an option for 2-deep
• Added Elijah Hughes as an option for 2-deep

(2) 5-stars on the 2nd string d-line and KVA (~2nd round pick) sitting tight until more healthy...wow...healthy, we are going to run other teams ragged with active rotations

 

[allenm5333]

Agree with the above comments

• Onye is likely to start with Tionne Gray likely splitting reps, (1a) and (1b)
• Added Ian Premer as an option for 2-deep
• Added Elijah Hughes as an option for 2-deep

(2) 5-stars on the 2nd string d-line and KVA (~2nd round pick) sitting tight until more healthy...wow...healthy, we are going to run other teams ragged with active rotations

We are potentially 6 deep at DT. In big games, may be 4/5 but that is fine. Then we have speed rush packages on third down with a DE at DT. Some fun packages coming.

 

[KMac151993]

There will be attrition on fall camp...always is. Will be interested to see who is in that almost 2's category that will move up.

 

[Sea Turtle]

Is this a roster that can beat Ohio State or is 1935 still a thing?

 

[Ricochet]

Ayden Pouncey (CB) — this one's a big deal: at his recruiting rank (No. 77 overall) he'd have been the highest-ranked defensive back in the class in seven separate recruiting cycles, and the highest-ranked DB Notre Dame has landed since Kyle Hamilton. He's not on my two-deep currently (behind Sanders/Zackery), but that pedigree makes him a name to watch jumping the depth chart in camp..

Pouncey is a stud and just missed 5 star status by 3 spots as he was ranked the #35 overall. But the CB recruiting has been so good that guys like Pouncey and Adams are most likely 3rd string. I was told months ago that people don't understand how much of a steal Sanders was and believe he's a 3 year player given the opportunity.

 

[Ricochet]

I believe that they will create some special packages for Ian Premier and Bubba Frazier because they are to dynamic not to take advantage mismatches when they can really exploit defenses.

Alot depends on Porter but I think we will see Greathouse at times in the Boundary. IMO we are going to see Greathouse playing all the receiver positions.

Faison and Graham I think will also be on the move between Field and Slot.

I think we will see Premer in the slot sometime as well as Bubba Frazier in some specialized package.

Many packages are a real possibility this season, I hope they get creative with all the different types of tools they now have.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

That O Line is going to move people.

 

[NDWarrior]

 

[GoldenToTheGrave]

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I think the offense is going to be good but we don't have a demonstrated uberstud at WR, RB, or TE so I'm not currently ready to put us over Ohio State for one.

 

[MacIrish75]

Devan Houstan is the second string RT? That and Hebert are the only things that give me some pause about that unit.

 

[allenm5333]

Devan Houstan is the second string RT? That and Hebert are the only things that give me some pause about that unit.

The backup LT will be Knapp or Styles. Augistine is probably backup LG,RG and RT unless he starts. Sully if Augustine starts. Could see the freshman being a backup RT too. And then there is Jagusah…

 

[stlnd01]

Devan Houstan is the second string RT? That and Hebert are the only things that give me some pause about that unit.

I remain a little surprised we didn't make it worthwhile to either Buchner or some MAC-level 5Y just to have a quarterback who has taken a live snap or two on the roster behind Carr. Just in case.

 

[Dale]

Realistically the OL 2nd string is:

LT: Prescod/Augustine
LG: Absher/Augustine
C: Otting
RG: Absher/Augustine
RT: Augustine/Prescod

*Jagusah looming
+ likely one or more freshman just breezes past the SO/JR class

 

[Dale]

Speaking of freshman, an interesting element is the 5 for 5 should discourage any idea of “saving” a kid. Ex. If Nichols is better than Terek, Nichols is better than Terek. There is no need to be well yeah but we want to save a year of eligibility.

Dunham, Premer, JOB you think were set to play regardless. I think the freedom of no RS decision frees up Bubba Frazier a lot. Think the two RBs & LBs soak up ST and garbage time a lot. No RS decision for Ewatade just pass rush specialist duty. And get one of the freshman OL to rise to 2nd unit.

 

[Rocketman84]

I got offense in the top 4-5 but defense #1

 

[stlnd01]

I got offense in the top 4-5 but defense #1

Yeah I think there's enough question marks around our offense that I wouldn't put them quite that high (to be clear, I think we're deep enough at RB and WR that answers will emerge, but it's not yet clear if those position groups are elite vs. just pretty good).

Our defense, though. Our defense is ridiculous.

 

[NDhoosier]

Not sure why Miami's offense is ranked #1... Sure, it is a top 10 team, but I would put Texas, Oregon, and ND above them. I think Ohio State's offense is a little over ranked, it must be because of their star WRs. I think Sayin is overrated and I think Mensa is being overhyped due to the controversial way he transferred.

 

[NDFAN420]

NB is the worst spot in the DB for Gray.

 

[Rocketman84]

Yeah I think there's enough question marks around our offense that I wouldn't put them quite that high (to be clear, I think we're deep enough at RB and WR that answers will emerge, but it's not yet clear if those position groups are elite vs. just pretty good).

Our defense, though. Our defense is ridiculous.

With a top 3 QB and top OL, I think people are banking on the talent and potential of the other positions to mesh together pretty quickly on the heels of a team that was #2 (42ppg) in the nation in scoring. The RB position will factor heavily in the potential of this offense.

 

[RudyVerse]

Not sure why Miami's offense is ranked #1... Sure, it is a top 10 team, but I would put Texas, Oregon, and ND above them. I think Ohio State's offense is a little over ranked, it must be because of their star WRs. I think Sayin is overrated and I think Mensa is being overhyped due to the controversial way he transferred.

They have probably the most talented QB, the best WR behind Smith, and legit RBs we’d trade at least one of our top guys for. On paper, our new OL isn’t going to catch national attention nor should it. Lots of new and moving pieces and injuries.

 

[NDMatt91]

Not sure why Miami's offense is ranked #1... Sure, it is a top 10 team, but I would put Texas, Oregon, and ND above them. I think Ohio State's offense is a little over ranked, it must be because of their star WRs. I think Sayin is overrated and I think Mensa is being overhyped due to the controversial way he transferred.

They're loaded at WR and have one of the top returning RB's in the country. Mensah was a great pickup as well. Their Offensive Line is a concern as they return just 1 starter and they didn't really get anyone of note in the portal. If they weren't able to tamper with Mensah at the 11th hour I wouldn't be worried about that game because the other QB's on their roster aren't very good.

 

[SarasotaJoe]

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What’s the RB, WR and TE rooms looking like at ND - particularly the RB room? Hard to replace Love and Price, but ND has had solid backs for a while now it seems. The offensive line, I trust will be a top 5 unit per usual.