What we learned about Notre Dame football in Week 1 of fall camp
Reporters have viewed three Notre Dame fall camp practices, including a full session Wednesday. Here are Blue & Gold’s early takeaways.
Passing attack will require patience, but it might pay off for Notre Dame
It would have been encouraging to see Notre Dame senior quarterback Riley Leonard look markedly improved as a passer during the first week of fall camp. It would have been alarming to see him look overwhelmed, off-schedule and out of place after missing most of the spring.
The truth is, Leonard looked pretty much exactly like he did for two seasons at Duke.
The ex-Blue Devil kept the ball out of harm’s way, leaving practice No. 1 without a turnover-worthy throw. He completed some impressive shots downfield and made some eye-opening throws from the hash to the opposite sideline. But he also missed a wide-open touchdown to Florida International graduate transfer wide receiver Kris Mitchell and wasn’t exactly pinpoint with a few other attempts.
Leonard growing in offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock‘s system will take time. Building chemistry with his pass-catchers will take time. Those pass-catchers, by the way, didn’t provide too much evidence that there’s a bona fide go-to guy on this team but are 100 percent better as a group than they were a year ago.
The goal for the Irish should be to weather the early storm, escape Texas A&M with a win and — regardless of whether or not that happens — improve week-by-week until they have a championship-caliber offense by November. In the 12-team playoff era, that’s a viable strategy.
Aamil Wagner has arrived as starting-caliber OT
And this matters even more now than it did Monday morning.
Wagner’s performance in spring practice allowed him to leapfrog graduate student Tosh Baker as Notre Dame’s starting right tackle. Going against the first-team defense during Wednesday’s fall camp-opening practice, the junior looked and played the part. He has clearly put significant effort into getting big enough to play tackle for the Irish, and that allows his quick feet and strong hands to shine.
Whether Wagner remains at right tackle or flips to the left side after sophomore Charles Jagusah — Notre Dame’s projected starter at the position — suffered a season-ending right pectoralis injury remains to be seen. But he looks like he can stand against the daunting slate of edge rushers on the schedule.
Linebacker is a legitimate Notre Dame strength
The Irish appear to have five starting-caliber linebackers for two spots. That isn’t exactly new information; it became apparent in spring ball. But I don’t think the second level looked dangerous and versatile to this extent back in April.
Defensive coordinator Al Golden sent pressure after pressure after pressure at the Irish offensive line in Practice No. 1. Many got through. Freshman Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa looks like an absolute stud, with the ability to play Marist Liufau‘s on-ball/off-ball role as a weak-side ‘backer. The Irish mixed and matched several combinations of Mikes and Wills, with sophomore Jaiden Ausberry playing all over.
Save for graduate student Jack Kiser, they may be young. But they’ll go after quarterbacks with everything they have, and they’re more than athletic enough to hold up in coverage.
Secondary starters are elite, but if more than one goes down…
Then the Irish will have to rely heavily on at least one summer-enrolling freshman, be it nickel back Karson Hobbs or cornerback Leonard Moore. For the optimists, both have generated positive reviews early.
Graduate student nickel back Jordan Clark took most of the reps with the first and second team Wednesday; Notre Dame can’t afford to lose him. After the top three cornerbacks — juniors Benjamin Morrison and Jaden Mickey and sophomore Christian Gray — senior cornerback Chance Tucker‘s play in fall camp has not inspired confidence. Freshman wide receiver Micah Gilbert took advantage of that matchup for several receptions on Day 1.
Biagi’s bunch could be special
South Carolina graduate transfer kicker Mitch Jeter looks terrific, making each of his tries (ranging from a chip shot to a 46-yarder) when reporters watched him work. Marshall grad transfer wide receiver/kickoff returner Jayden Harrison has an excellent track record and might be Notre Dame’s fastest offensive player; he’ll be dangerous if given the chance.
As for Australian punter James Rendell:
“He’s going to be a weapon for us,” Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman said. “I told him that early on when we got here. He’s going to be a weapon for us.”
Booming, coffin-cornered punts that registered up to 5.1 of hang time (per Blue & Gold’s stopwatches) back that up. The group that special teams coordinator Marty Biagi put together this offseason look awfully good at their respective jobs.
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