Jaylen Sneed Looking to Capitalize on Big Game in Notre Dame's Season Opener
Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden is quickly becoming one of the top defensive coordinators in college football.
Much has been made about the in-depth NFL scheme Golden has implemented in South Bend, but it’s more than having quality Xs and Os and good players. The third-year coordinator has mastered moving the chess pieces around the field to give Notre Dame an advantage in situational football.
On Saturday, it was junior linebacker Jaylen Sneed who was Golden’s chess piece. The South Carolina native lined up in multiple positions and played several roles for the Irish defense, which Sneed took advantage of by finishing with five tackles and a tackle for loss.
“It's boom, go and Coach Golden has instilled that into me,” said Sneed. “You're going to play about four different, five different positions and you just have to master all of them. I just take my role and I just love being on the field.”
During his first two seasons, Sneed showed flashes of the player that was called a big recruiting win for Marcus Freeman. Yet, the South Carolina native also had his growing pains as it’s not easy to learn Golden’s defense, especially multiple positions.
Perhaps the play that signified Sneed’s growth in the last year was the goal line play, where he was able to chase down an SEC running back from behind. Few players in college football can make that play and Sneed did it with ease.
Sneed read his keys and let his freaky athleticism take over.
“It really fired me up,” stated Sneed. “It just shows that I'm confident in playing and that was the biggest thing for me this year - coming in with more confidence and being able to just play what the coaches call and play fast.”
The added confidence has also allowed Sneed to step into a leadership role behind sixth-year linebacker Jack Kiser. It’s a young room and Sneed understands it’s part of his responsibility to help Kiser lead.
“I'm the only Junior in the LB room,” Sneed explained. “I feel like I'm the second man in line. It's just been great to be able to see the guys under me grow and like me grow, too, and help them grow. And be able to teach them something that the older guys taught me when I was younger. It's just been a great experience.”
The trip to Texas A&M also meant a great deal for Sneed outside of the game. Sneed’s mother grew up in Corpus Christi and was a fan of the Aggies, so the win over A&M a little more.
“It was great,” Sneed stated. “Playing at Texas A&M was an honor. My mom has grown up a fan of there, so she loved it and she got to come. It was just great that I got to play in front of a crowd that big, play in the SEC stadium for I think that was my first one. My first actual stadium in the SEC, but it was just great. To come in there with my team and ball out with my brothers, it was amazing.”
His mother wasn’t the only family member to show support over the weekend. Sneed was able to see 13 family members by the team hotel on Friday to catch up and then five came to watch the Irish beat the Aggies.
“It was amazing,” explained Sneed. “Just them all being there and like being able to support me. It just felt great, especially knowing it was one of my first big games playing a very significant role in.”
Sneed will now be tasked with keeping the defense focused on Northern Illinois, which returns over 30 seniors in 2024.
“It was big time for us, everybody, to get the confidence, especially with our young O-line, some of our young DBs, young linebackers,” said Sneed. “It was just great for all of us to get those reps and be able to get that confidence so we can just keep rolling.”
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