Notre Dame's Young Defensive Linemen Impressing

Notre Dame defensive linemen Aiden Gobaira and Tyson Ford arrived in January and it hasn't taken long for them to impress their peers. 

Senior Howard Cross III, who knows a few things about a fast first step, didn’t hesitate to highlight Gobaira and Ford’s speed following Tuesday’s practice. 

"The freshmen coming in, obviously, they have a lot to learn, but there's a lot of potential, especially Tyson Ford," Cross stated. "Tyson comes off the ball extremely fast. He's working hard. Same with Aiden Gobaira. Aiden has speed that I don't think I've seen from a freshman in a while." 

Cross, who has bounced between one and three-tech during his career, also highlighted another young interior player, Gabe Rubio, who has been thrust into a more significant role with Aidan Keanaaina out with an ACL injury. 

"He's exponentially grown since last year," said Cross. "I'm really excited to see what happens this year for him."

Isaiah Foskey returned to school to work on his own game, but he's been more than willing to help the younger players and they've left a positive impression. 

"They can definitely hold their own," stated Foskey. "That's what I see. I see Aiden Gobaira holding his own, Tyson Ford too. They're great guys. They are learning from Coach (Al) Washington and then just being very coachable."

For Washington, every player is new, but it's clear he's noticed positive growth from Ford and Gobaira.

"Man, Tyson Ford, he's going to be special," said Washington. "He's done a really good job. He's played a lot of snaps this spring and is really turning into a really good football player. I'm very excited about Tyson." 

Ford is cross-training on the edge and inside, which could allow him to earn a role in the fall as flexibility is something that Al Golden's defense will highlight. 

As for long-term projections, Washington believes it will just come down to Ford's physical growth. 

"Tyson is working inside and outside," explained Washington. "To be honest, it's based on how he grows. As an inside guy, he's a mismatch because he's so athletic. 

"If he can get big enough to where he can anchor inside, then you've got something. Which I think he can, he's probably close to 40s, 50s now. So most kids that age, if they're that big, they'll probably put on another 25 pounds, 30. But he's a difference; he's a change of speed on the inside for sure." 

Gobaira is living on the edge this spring, which is no surprise as the 6-foot-5, 230-pounder was a dynamic pass rusher in high school. 

"Aidan, we'll see how he continues to grow," Washington said. "Right now, we have him on the edge. He's done a fine job. He's doing extra work after practice as well. 

"He's a very driven kid. He wants to do it the right way, which I appreciate. I'm very excited about him." 

Sophomore Jason Onye is another player who is getting plenty of reps this spring. Onye is getting time at inside at one-tech as Washington looks to fill the void of Keanaaina. 

"Jason Onye is another one who is fully healthy now and is taking advantage of these reps and opportunities he's getting inside," Washington stated. I think the future is bright." 

Washington has also embraced Onye, who played just one year of high school football. The fact Onye is learning on the fly Washington believes that's a positive. 

"I think as a coach, you appreciate that," said Washington. "He may be raw in some areas, but he's very coachable. I feel like when there isn't a whole lot of things to unlearn, it's a lot easier. He's a young player because of his inability to play because of injuries and he played one year in high school. There's a lot of potential there.

"The biggest thing about Jason is he's eager to learn and he's very coachable. We're working extra after practice every day. He wants to be a really good player. The future is really bright for Jason." 

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