Notre Dame Football: Offensive Line Looks Good For 2016
By Walt Kosin
Will the Notre Dame offensive line be in good shape in 2016 after losing two starters to the NFL Draft?
As Notre Dame fans look forward to another great season by the Fighting Irish offense, we will examine an important aspect of any offense and that is the offensive line.
The Fighting Irish lost two great contributors to the NFL draft. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens and center Nick Martin was drafted by the Houston Texans. The Irish also lost right guard and three-year starter Steve Elmer, who decided to quit football and take a job in Washington, D.C.
The Fighting Irish return two starters and three players who have great potential and huge upsides. Mike McGlinchey, the starting right tackle on last year’s team will move to left tackle this coming season. McGlinchey is a 6’7” 310-lb. lineman from William Penn Charter High School in Philadelphia. He is a red-shirt junior who has the size and athleticism to play the left tackle position and is receiving some All-American publicity for this coming season.
Starting at left guard will be Quenton Nelson, his starting position last season. Nelson is a 6’5” 325-lb. red-shirt sophomore who attended Red Bank Catholic High School in Holmdel, New Jersey. Nelson is the ultimate brawler who is a road grader on running plays and is athletic enough in pass protection.
There was a contested battle over spring camp for the starting center position. It appears that Sam Mustipher beat out Tristen Hoge. Mustipher is a 6’3” 305 lbs. junior who graduated from Good Counsel High School in Olney, Maryland. Mustipher is not a natural center, but he is very strong and uses his power to his advantage.
Hoge is a sophomore who is 6’4”, 300 lbs. He graduated from Highland High School in Pocatello, Idaho. He was rated the number one center in the country when he was recruited in 2015. Hoge has great technique and uses good leverage.
It appears Hunter Bivin has won the right guard spot. He is 6’5”, 310 lbs. from Apollo High School in Owensboro, Kentucky and is a red-shirt senior. Brian Kelly complemented Bivin during spring practice that he was one of the most improved players on the team. This is good news for Bivin and for the offensive line.
Alex Bars looks to start at right tackle. He is 6’6”, 320 lbs. from Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, Tennessee. He is a red-shirt junior who has great technique and is thought highly of by the coaching staff. He started a couple of games last season until he suffered an ankle injury last October. He has recovered from the injury and is set to go this August.
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This is going to be a great offensive line as there is great combination of size, experience and power. Offensive line coach Harry Heistand has done a great job recruiting top-line recruits and more importantly, he has developed his recruits and gets the most out of his players. Notre Dame fans can look forward to this offensive line leading the Notre Dame offense this coming season.