Who to Watch: Defense

Notre Dame will host its annual Blue-Gold Game on Saturday afternoon, and it will be the first look at new defensive coordinator Mike Elko’s defense.

We looked at the offense yesterday and told you who to keep your eyes on, but who should you watch on defense?

Defensive Tackle – Micah Dew-Treadway
The 6-foot-4, 299-pounder was showing signs of being ready for action during fall camp, but then he broke his foot and missed the 2017 season. This spring, Dew-Treadway is back and with an injury to classmate Elijah Taylor, the Bolingbrook native finds himself competing for the starting job at 3-tech.

Spring Scoop: Dew-Treadway has shown flashes of being a player that can help solidify the interior of the Notre Dame defensive line once again this spring. The former early enrollee has the size Taylor and Jon Bonner lack, but also deceptive athleticism. Dew-Treadway has shown the ability to disrupt the run game, and his next step will be to demonstrate a high-level of consistency.

What to Watch For: Look for Dew-Treadway to get penetration on the Notre Dame guards on Saturday. He should be able to give the Irish second-team offensive line all they can handle. Also, keep an eye on Dew-Treadway and the other defensive linemen getting their hands up to bat balls. That has been a big emphasis this spring, and Dew-Treadway is one player who should excel getting his hand on the football.

Defensive End – Khalid Kareem
The former Alabama commit arrived in South Bend in January of 2016 and battled for playing time last fall as a true freshman. Kareem played about 15 snaps in the fall but showed the ability to do things other defensive linemen couldn’t do, and that was getting off the edge to rush the passer.

Spring Scoop: We have seen Kareem work with the second and third-team defenses this spring. In the limited 11-on-11 portions of practice we have seen, Kareem hasn’t stood out, but it’s a small sample. The Irish need an athletic body on the at strongside end, and Kareem is just that. He has been competing with Andrew Trumbetti and Jay Hayes for reps.

What to Watch For: If Kareem can show that burst and bend off the edge in pass-rushing situations, it could put him in a position to get on the field this fall. There is a long way to go until fall camp, but it’s also not a secret the Irish need players on the edge. Also, watch for Kareem’s ability to hold the point of attack and if he can set and keep the edge. Kareem should get plenty of work on Saturday, and it’s a chance for him to impress the staff.

Linebacker – Jonathan Jones
The Florida native redshirt in his freshman season last fall and could end up in the two-deep at Mike by the end of fall camp. Jones has speed and athleticism to help him play in space, which is a positive with so many teams running spread attacks.

Spring Scoop: The 6-foot, 227-pounder looks bigger and college-ready at this point in his career. Jones is always going to be a little shorter than his competition, but he plays with a lot of emotion. We have seen Jones work with the second and third-team defenses this spring, and he has shown flashes of being disruptive.

What to Watch For: Keep your eye on how Jones does in the run game. Linebackers coach Clark Lea has stressed proper footwork this spring, and Jones is a guy who can benefit from technique allowing him to be in the right spot at the right time. If Jones can show he can stop the run on Saturday, it should give him confidence and momentum heading into the offseason.

Safety: Nick Coleman, Jalen Elliott, and Devin Studstill
All three players are fighting it out for reps, and all will play in the fall. Coleman made the move to free safety this spring from cornerback, while Elliott and Studstill got experience last fall as they were thrown into the fire.

Spring Scoop: Coleman has been a pleasant surprise at free safety and has made more than a few plays this spring. It’s still early in the transition, but Notre Dame may have found something here.

Elliott and Studstill have received plenty of work at strong safety, and I believe Elliott has even worked at free safety. For them, it’s simple: tackle. Both struggled last fall with taking the proper angles, but also wrapping up and finishing the tackle. We haven’t seen a lot of 11-on-11, so Saturday could be telling at where the secondary is regarding tackling.

What to Watch For: There are going to be blown coverages and mistakes on Saturday, but seeing these guys making the tackles they are supposed to will go a long way in reshaping the defense.

For Coleman, if he can make a few plays on the ball on Saturday, it will confirm his big spring. Then for Elliott and Studstill, I would say look at the angles they take to get to the ball carrier and complete the tackle. If they can do those two things, it will provide a better overall feeling about where the safety position is at coming out of the spring.
 
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