Notre Dame Football: Three defensive story lines during fall camp
By Ben Belden
Which players will emerge in the middle of Notre Dame’s defensive line?
The Irish lost Jerry Tillery and Jonathan Bonner–both of their starting interior defensive linemen–to the NFL, leaving some questions on the interior of the defensive line. Kurt Hinish and Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa will step in at those positions. The question for Hinish is whether he can succeed as an every-down player. The question for Tagovailoa-Amosa is similar, with the added layer of how he will bounce back after missing most of last season with a foot injury.
Behind those two, there are a host of players who will compete for time on the Notre Dame’s two-deep. How much can Irish fans expect to say true freshmen Jacob Lacey, Hunter Spears, and Howard Cross? Will sophomore Jayson Ademiloa make a major leap? How healthy is Ja’Mion Franklin after a major quadriceps injury a year ago?
The Irish have bodies at defensive line, but it will be interesting to see who emerges as major contributors. The best teams in college football have athletic and deep defensive lines. The Irish have built their defensive identity on their defensive line. Which players will be the ones helping Notre Dame establish that identity?