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Notre Dame Football: Three defensive story lines during fall camp

By Ben Belden

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 29: Travis Etienne #9 of the Clemson Tigers is tackled by the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first half during the College Football Playoff Semifinal Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 29: Travis Etienne #9 of the Clemson Tigers is tackled by the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first half during the College Football Playoff Semifinal Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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How does nickel corner Shaun Crawford look?

CHAPEL HILL, NC – OCTOBER 07: Michael Carter #8 of the North Carolina Tar Heels runs against Shaun Crawford #20 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the game at Kenan Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NC – OCTOBER 07: Michael Carter #8 of the North Carolina Tar Heels runs against Shaun Crawford #20 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the game at Kenan Stadium on October 7, 2017 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

Ahead of last season, Notre Dame was excited about the look of its nickel package. When Shaun Crawford suffered a season-ending ACL injury in the week leading up to the Michigan game last season, the Irish had to scramble to fill that void. Nick Coleman and Houston Griffith shared time at the nickel position, but neither was able to give the Irish what the coaching staff wanted out of Crawford.

Now, after suffering season-ending injuries the past two seasons, how will Crawford look at nickel corner? Will he be able to play at the level Notre Dame fans have expected or have his injuries slowed him down?

Notre Dame figures to rely on its nickel package quite a bit this season. If Crawford–or whoever the Irish play at nickel corner–can succeed in his new role, it will allow Notre Dame’s vaunted pass rush to get to opposing quarterbacks.

If Crawford is, indeed not the man to play at the nickel corner position, who will step up for the Irish? Could it be newly converted cornerback Avery Davis? How and where will sophomore corner Tariq Bracy see the field? Will the Irish move Houston Griffith back to nickel in obvious passing situations the way they often did with Julian Love last season?

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