53 days until Notre Dame football: Who steps in at slot corner?
BlueandGold.com will release a countdown article highlighting a significant Fighting Irish football statistic every day until the 2023 Notre Dame season opener against Navy in Dublin, Ireland, on Aug. 26. Today, there are 53 days until the Fighting Irish and Midshipmen kick off at Aviva Stadium.
Former Notre Dame defensive back TaRiq Bracy was the team’s primary slot corner last season.
Bracy, still looking for an NFL opportunity (the Texans invited him to rookie minicamp in early May), was a good run defender and tackler. He made 39 tackles last season and only missed four, according to Pro Football Focus, and he picked up his first career sack in Notre Dame’s big win over Clemson on Nov. 5.
In pass coverage, opposing quarterbacks targeted Bracy 53 times. They completed 26 of those passes for 381 yards (7.19 yards per attempt), five touchdowns and one interception.
With Bracy and his 395 snaps out of the slot gone, the Irish have a few options available to replace him.
Thomas Harper
Thomas Harper, who transferred from Oklahoma State, told Blue & Gold that Notre Dame plans on playing him at both free safety and nickel corner. He is listed on the Irish’s roster as a safety, but he primarily played in the slot with the Cowboys.
Targeted 32 times, Harper only allowed 19 receptions and 185 yards, good for 5.78 yards per attempt. The Irish see him as a versatile defensive back, and there’s definitely value in having someone who can play different spots to keep the offense honest.
Plus, Notre Dame can move Harper based on matchups, too. If defensive coordinator Al Golden wants to hold down a great slot receiver, he can move him to the nickelback spot. If he feels like Harper can help the most by roaming the back end of the field to limit a great deep passing game, he’ll move him to free safety.
Clarence Lewis
Because Notre Dame might want to play Harper all over the field, it will need Clarence Lewis to step into the slot at certain times. Lewis played 154 snaps there last season, in addition to 184 at the outside corner position.
Take PFF grades for what they’re worth, but they provide two interesting data points for evaluating Lewis. PFF rated him as the third-best coverage player on the Irish, behind since-departed safety Brandon Joseph and star corner Benjamin Morrison, but they also had him as the worst run defender on the team.
That might be why Notre Dame seemed to like Lewis more on the outside, but those spots should be locked down by Morrison and Cam Hart, if the latter is healthy. If he is not, either Lewis or Jaden Mickey would be next in line to fill that spot.
Because the nickel position is used primarily on passing downs, Lewis’ skill in coverage is more important than any deficiencies in run defense. That’s why he could be a valuable tool in Golden’s arsenal in the slot this season.
Ramon Henderson
Like Harper, Ramon Henderson is listed as a safety, but he played all over in 2022.
Henderson played 51 snaps in the Gator Bowl against South Carolina: 14 in the box, 21 at free safety and 16 in the slot. His season-long totals leaned toward the nickelback spot, where he played a little fewer than half his snaps.
In his second season with the Irish, Henderson was credited with eight missed tackles, which is likely part of why he’s still considered a reserve player for now.
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