Camp Opens: March 21
Spring Game: April 21
For the first time in forever, Notre Dame is set to enter a college football season without suffocating expectations. Re-read that last sentence. Feels a little uncomfortable, no? Two straight 8-5 seasons will do that.
This is an odd shift in mindset — a glitch in the proverbial Matrix — for a program that has garnered media fascination for the better part of the last century. At this point, predictions for the 2012 season are all over the map, and anything from an improbable BCS title to complete Mayan Armageddon remains on the table. How can you possibly get a read on Brian Kelly’s third season after the first two have been polar opposites?
Hopefully, spring practice can provide a few answers.
Stability Factor (1 = chaos; 5 = rock solid): 3.5
Last year, Notre Dame’s turnover margin (-15) was an eye-popping 119th in the nation. That’s about 16 turnovers worse than in 2010, and even more devastating when you consider the countless red zone turnovers that plagued the Irish all season long. In fact, you could argue that Jonas Gray’s killer fumble on Notre Dame’s first drive of the 2011 season put a hex on the whole operation.
Entering this season, the Irish have an enormous question mark at quarterback, which may hold in the balance the success or failure of the entire 2012 campaign. Despite a number of returning skill players on the offensive side of the ball, the quarterback position figures to be the biggest speed bump for the Irish.
Defensively, Notre Dame may have its best unit since the Ty Willingham era. Still, concerns about the cornerback position loom large.
Factor in a difficult schedule with games against Michigan, Oklahoma and USC, and another 8-5 season is entirely possible, especially if Kelly can’t find a way to shore up Notre Dame’s turnover problem from 2011.
Under the Microscope: Chuck Martin
When Charley Molnar left his post as offensive coordinator to become head coach at Massachusetts, Brian Kelly was left with a major coaching decision on his hands. The promotion of Martin, a former two-time championship coach at Grand Valley State, seemingly signals a shift towards an offense with more reliance on a mobile quarterback than under Molnar. This doesn’t figure to be great news for Tommy Rees, and Martin will likely have to walk the delicate balance of keeping the Irish competitive while working with a new starting quarterback.
Locked and Loaded: The front seven
Notre Dame’s front seven features six returning starters, including all-everything candidate Manti Te’o, who figures to be a top 10 pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. If anything can be said for Kelly’s tenure at Notre Dame, it’s that he’s paid particular attention to improving a defense that struggled mightily under Charlie Weis, and this defense should be his finest yet.
Jockeying for Position: Quarterback
The regression of Tommy Rees as a passer combined with Dayne Crist’s transfer to Kansas has sparked a full-on quarterback competition in South Bend. The move to Martin would appear to favor either Everett Golson or Andrew Hendrix; however, newcomer Gunner Kiel and Rees figure to be active parts of the equation.
Name to Know: Everett Golson
If you don’t know Golson’s name, get used to it. Golson was the first quarterback to sign on with Kelly in South Bend, and his unique combination of passing abilities and mobility makes him an intriguing frontrunner for the Irish quarterback spot this fall. Though his size is a concern, coaches in his home state of South Carolina are convinced that Golson is a once-in-a-generation talent. Only time will tell how his skills translate to the next level.
Spring will be a success, if…: Someone assumes control of the quarterback competition
In case you didn’t know, Notre Dame has some questions at quarterback. This remains the biggest issue headed into the 2012 season, and the sooner Kelly can figure out his starter, the better.
