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2019 Notre Dame Football Look Ahead: Special Teams

By Nathan Erbach

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 29: Tyler Newsome #85 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish punts in the third quarter against the Clemson Tigers during the College Football Playoff Semifinal Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 29: Tyler Newsome #85 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish punts in the third quarter against the Clemson Tigers during the College Football Playoff Semifinal Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /
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Notre Dame
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – OCTOBER 01: Justin Yoon #19 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish is congratulated by teammate Durham Smythe #80 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish after Yoon made the extra point in the second half against the Syracuse Orange at MetLife Stadium on October 1, 2016 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.The Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeated the Syracuse Orange 50-33. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

For the first time in several seasons, the kicking game will have new names handling those duties. 

Justin Yoon and Tyler Newsome aren’t walking through those doors. Both players enjoyed great success at Notre Dame and leave South Bend as two of the best in program history. Now, their sights on the NFL.

For Notre Dame, however, they have some major shoes to fill. Returning for Notre Dame at kicker is junior to be Jonathan Doerer. Doerer has been much maligned during his young Irish career — mostly do it to kickoff issues. He came to Notre Dame as a strong-legged three-star out of North Carolina, and he needs to show better in a more prominent role this season.

Also returning to Notre Dame is walk-on sophomore punter, Jake Rittman. Rittman didn’t see action in 2018, but with an open competition, he should be in consideration for punting duties.

However, the Irish have two highly touted freshmen coming in at kicker and punter in Jay Bramblett — who is already on campus — and Harrison Leonard. Leonard is walk-on kicker, but one of the better kicking recruits in the class of 2019. Both guys will have a legitimate chance at winning the jobs right out of the gate.

Here’s how our writers feel about these positions.

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