Notre Dame football freshmen report: How the first-years performed during practice No. 12
The Notre Dame football program kicked off its most electric practice of the year with its most entertaining matchup: Rico Flores vs. Jaden Mickey.
Following the team’s typical dynamic 25-minute warmup, they all gathered toward the west endzone of TCU School Field in South Bend, Ind. Flores versus Mickey was not exactly the main event Tuesday night, but it surely served as a precursor for Notre Dame’s 12th practice of the preseason
During the preceding 11 sessions, the battle of Mickey, a sophomore cornerback, and Flores, a freshman wide receiver, has become a camp storyline. Each of their duels has ended with verbal reassurances of the victor.
And Tuesday night was no different.
Flores and Mickey lined up inside the 10-yard line, with most of the team surrounding them. The 6-foot-⅛, 205-pound Flores sparked out of his stance, only to have the slightly smaller 5-11 ½, 180-pound Mickey put out any potential flame. Mickey blanketed Flores, who was unable to catch the pass, and the second-year defender reassured everyone that he won the rep. Practice No. 12 had officially commenced.
Mickey’s victory teased the remaining 105 minutes of Tuesday night’s session. The Irish defense dominated it all night long. And that was the theme for the Notre Dame freshmen, too.
Here are observations from the Fighting Irish first-years during their latest preseason practice — the 12th of 20 before game preparation begins for ND’s week zero clash against Navy.
Boubacar Traore brings the heat all night long
Notre Dame defensive line coach Al Washington mixed and matched the D-line groupings for most of the practice. But the third team predominantly featured freshman Boubacar Traore at vyper.
Traore worked at the position behind Jordan Botelho and Joshua Burnham. Sophomore Junior Tuihalamaka, who also plays vyper, attended practice but, to Blue & Gold’s record, did not receive any defensive reps. So, Traore took the increased opportunity and ran (over) with it.
His most impressive play came against sophomore left tackle Ty Chan in the full-field 11-on-11 segment. The 6-4, 237-pound Traore bulldozed the 6-5, 308-pound Chan to make a stop in the backfield. On the next play, he conquered Chan with his speed and had a strip sack on freshman quarterback Kenny Minchey.
Those plays caught Washington’s attention. The second-year Irish D-line coach acknowledged the results by sprinting on the field to applaud Traore for his efforts.
Beforehand, Traore also seemingly had a freshman blunder that caught Washington’s attention. He furthered one of his backfield stops after the whistle on one play. That led to some displeasure from the Notre Dame offense and, ultimately, a flag. Traore made up for it later in the drive with his big stops.
Earlier in practice, the Notre Dame skill players worked on a tunnel-like kick coverage drill. Non-participant players lined the field about 10 yards apart, emulating a condensed kickoff return. On one rep, Traore blasted the kick returner into the makeshift sideline. The entire team erupted by shouting, ‘Boubbb!’
If Traore continues to string together practices like Tuesdays, it could be hard for Washington and defensive coordinator Al Golden to keep him off the field this fall. At the very least, it looks like he found a special teams role.
Christian Gray provides a steady presence in the secondary
About midway through practice, Notre Dame graduate student cornerback Cam Hart appeared to sustain an injury, which resulted in some reshuffled reps. It thrust freshman cornerback Christian Gray into more competitive action.
The 5-11 ¾, 189-pound Gray was a tough opponent for Notre Dame’s wide receivers with his excellent in coverage skills. Surrendered receptions were few and far between.
The only noteworthy catch that Gray “gave up” was early on in practice against graduate wide receiver Matt Salerno. In the Mickey-Flores-esque goal-line grapple, Salerno made a magnificent catch over Gray with the help of a heck of a throw by Sam Hartman. There was nothing else Gray could do there. Salerno-Hartman’s connection was picture-perfect.
It’s easy to compare Gray and sophomore Benjamin Morrison, who emerged as a freshman All-America cornerback in 2022 with the Irish. If Hart or Morrison get dinged up during the season or need a series or two off during a game, Gray looks ready to be next in line to play on the backend.
Jordan Faison fighting for a role in 2023
Freshman preferred walk-on wide receiver Jordan Faison is sequestered behind Chris Tyree, Jaden Greathouse and Salerno at Notre Dame’s slot wide receiver position. Still, the 5-10 ⅛, 182-pound Faison features a skillset that finds ways to shine on the field.
Faison has snitch-quick feet and is shifty. He sneaks into the defense’s seams and slips by tacklers with ease. His elusiveness was most evident during Notre Dame’s “tunnel” kick return drill. He frequented as one of the ball carriers and won most of his reps by slithering through defenders.
Irish special teams coordinator Marty Biagi must have noted Faison’s ability as a returner because he received live reps as the team’s punt returner. Offensive coordinator Gerad Parker might want to note Faison’s slick skills too. He has potential as a gadget player. Faison is one catch away from a big play.
With veteran wide receivers Tyree and Salerno ahead of him, Faison will have an uphill fight to see the field in meaningful moments in 2023. Still, at the very least, his abilities will be utilized in the future Irish offense. He and Minchey have already established a good rapport.
Hash Marks: Other notes from Notre Dame’s freshmen football players in practice No. 12
– Wide receiver Braylon James continues to progress to becoming an on-field contributor for Notre Dame. But one area he seems to be further ahead than others is his catch-radius capacity. Though some of his catches were made without any defenders in individual positional drills, he has an exceptional ability to haul in any pass in his vicinity.
– During individual drills, wide receivers coach Chansi Stuckey designed a drill for his receivers to catch a pass in between two oscillating dummies. It appeared to emulate catching a pass in traffic. Most wide receivers easily completed it, besides Jaden Greathouse, who dropped a pair of passes on his first two reps. He went a third time and caught it with ease.
Later in the individual portion of practice, Stuckey utilized the same two dummies to imitate two stationary defenders requiring the receivers to maneuver past. On one of Greathouse’s reps, Flores tried to frighten Greathouse by yelling in his face as he attempted an over-the-shoulder catch. However, Greathouse hauled it in with no problem.
Greathouse also had several big catches during the 11-on-11 part of practice. One of those grabs was on the sideline from an athletic throw by Minchey.
– Minchey had multiple ‘wow-worthy’ passes and one freshman moment. Minchey fumbled a snap that went through his hands during Notre Dame’s “inside run” period.
– Besides giving up a downfield catch to walk-on tight end Justin Fisher, freshman linebacker Jaiden Ausberry had a fantastic practice. He capped it off with a tackle for loss in that same 11-on-11 portion. Ausberry looks, at the very least, like a serviceable freshman linebacker and special teams contributor.
– During linebacker against running back one-on-ones, linebacker Drayk Bowen had a physical pass breakup against Sam Assaf. Later on, Assaf beat Bowen but dropped the pass.
– Assaf was not the only walk-on running back to cause the freshman scholarship linebackers fits. Graduate student running back Skip Velotta beat freshman linebacker Preston Zinter in the same drill.
– Speaking of walk-ons, freshman preferred walk-on safety Luke Talich had a noteworthy tackle during the kick coverage tunnel drill. Talich has the tools, it will just take time for him to put them together.
– Freshman offensive lineman Sam Pendelton — who enrolled early — looks ahead of fellow freshman O-linemen Sullivan Absher, Charles Jagusah, Joe Otting and Chris Terek. Pendleton had a strong push against freshman defensive tackle Devan Houstan, opening up a hole for about a five-yard gain during the 11-on-11 practice chunk.
– Freshman defensive lineman Brennan Vernon possesses a physical level that the other first-year defenders do not. That is evident in most — if not all — plays.
– Freshman running back Jeremiyah Love did not practice with the team for the second part of the practice. He and Eli Raridon performed various exercises with associate director of strength and conditioning Fred Hale.
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