"I was so sick that I couldn’t play" - Notre Dame S Alohi Gilman
2017 was a frustrating year for safety Alohi Gilman as he dealt with the disappointment of not being cleared to play after transferring from Navy.
The 5-foot-10, 200-pounder spent the fall on the scout team and helped the Notre Dame offense prepare for Saturday, but this spring Gilman is learning the Irish defense and things are starting to click.
“I just followed a card on the scout team,” Gilman stated. “I just followed where I needed to go. I’m picking it up from scratch right now. I feel like I’m a fast learner, but in the beginning, I wasn’t picking it up as fast as I wanted.”
The chance to learn 13 different defenses a year ago wasn’t a bad thing as the Hawaii native believes it helped expand his knowledge of the game.
“Being able to learn different styles and tendencies, but also learning about offenses and how they attack different defenses has helped me widen my game,” said Gilman.
Gilman couldn’t dress or travel last fall, but he was on the sidelines for home games, which was a tough experience.
“It was strange,” stated Gilman. “The whole season was strange. Even home games, I was sick to my stomach because I wanted to be out there. Road games, I just sat with some buddies out here and watched it.
“It was a weird feeling. I had a hard time watching football last fall. I was so sick that I couldn’t play. Besides watching Notre Dame, I didn’t watch much football.”
As the Irish wrap up spring practice on Saturday, Gilman has seen the safety unit take significant strides.
“Everyone is pretty much coming back,” explained Gilman. “We have a lot of experience back there. Each safety has a little bit of a different skill set to offer. Some are faster, better at tackling or better in coverage. Overall, we’re pushing each other every day.
“There’s no big gap. We’re all competing to play. When it comes to game time, we’re all going to get a chance.”
Learning the defense has been the priority for Gilman, but he’s continued to impress defensive coordinator Clark Lea with his leadership.
“He’s a special kid,” said Lea. “He’s a guy that has made an impact from a leadership standpoint. The guys follow, listen and trust him. He’s consistent and dependable. We want to harness that and let that shine.
“Right now, he’s dealing with being a year removed. As he was on the scout team in the fall, he wasn’t engaging in reps in practice. There’s a learning curve for him this spring, but I’ve been pleased with how he’s fought through it. He’s flashed, but at other times he has had learning experiences. He’s a guy that can help us.
Gilman echoes Lea’s statements as he has taken pride in being a leader in the secondary.
“I’m just being a leader and helping communicate,” Gilman said. “I’m a physical player. I like tackling, and I feel like I’m good in space. I’m able to make plays and communicate.”
There are a lot of responsibilities put on the safety position in Lea’s defense, and Gilman is the first to recognize how much of an impact he can have on the game from just his pre-snap reads.
“It’s definitely mental,” Gilman explained. “There are a lot of guys that are fast and strong, but if you’re not able to recognize splits, formations and communicate, then it's tough to put yourself in position to make plays.”
The frustrations of not playing are now over, and the town of Laie will soon turn their focus to Notre Dame football once again.
“It’s been great for me,” Gilman said of the support at home. “I’m really close friends with Manti (Te’o) and Robby (Toma). We’re from the same hometown as me and we grew up with each other. My community is excited for me to go out and compete.”
If Gilman has his way, Laie and Notre Dame fans across the country will have plenty to cheer for this fall.
“We’re going to do great,” said Gilman. “Everyone has the right mindset and the goal is on winning and winning a National Championship. We’re working hard. Coach Lea has done a great job of keeping us focused on our goals.”