2004
Preview By JJ Pesavento
football.com
Team MVP: Senior running back Ryan
Grant. Grant may not be the most talented member of the offense, but
his output will be crucial to the success of the Irish. Grant rushed
for over 1,200 yards when Julius Jones was lost to the team two
seasons ago, and he will need to come up with the same kind of
effort to power the running game and help take heat off a young
quarterback.
Quarterback: After taking over the starting
job at quarterback in the fourth game of the season in 2003,
sophomore Brady Quinn took somewhat of a beating thanks to a line
that was mediocre and his own inexperience. He now has his rookie
season under his belt, and will need to improve after completing
less than 50 percent of his passes in 2003. Quinn gave Irish fans a
reason to be optimistic with his huge performance in the spring
game, but he must make better reads and fewer mistakes in 2004.
There is some depth with former walk-on Pat Dillingham.
Unfortunately, the senior has only one start under his belt and
hasn't impressed for the most part.
Running Back: The Irish lose Julius Jones, but reload with
Ryan Grant, who powered the Notre Dame ground attack in 2002, at
running back. Grant was capable enough two years ago for the Irish,
but saw only five starts and limited reps with Jones returning in
2003. The Irish also have some talented players behind Grant,
Unfortunately, senior Marcus Wilson and sophomore Travis Thomas are
limited in terms of experience, which may be a concern as far as
depth goes. Senior Rashon Powers-Neal should be more than capable at
fullback and could be headed for the NFL at seasons end.
Wide Receiver/Tight End: Juniors Maurice Stovall and Rhema
McKnight have enough talent to be capable receivers, and they will
be expected to deliver in 2004. Both Stovall and McKnight are big
and fast, which could make the passing game a real threat if the
pieces fall into place. The Irish also have large targets like
freshman Chris Vaughn and sophomore Jeff Samardzija as reserves. And
former quarterback Carlyle Holiday is also in the mix. Seniors Jared
Clark and Billy Palmer and junior Anthony Fasano give Notre Dame
more than enough depth at tight end. Fasano has been named to the
preseason Mackey Award list.
Offensive Line: The Irish return four starters on the
offensive line for 2004. They will be led on the right side by
seniors Mark LeVoir and Dan Stevenson. Junior Bob Morton and
sophomore Ryan Harris will be on the left side. Harris was named as
a Freshman All-American by more than one outlet following the 2003
campaign. The only newcomer will be sophomore center John Sullivan.
The group was a liability in 2003, especially in pass protection.
But Notre Dame is banking on the fact that the group should be more
dependable after a season together. The Irish also have some
seasoned reserves in seniors Darin Mitchell and Zach Giles and
juniors Jamie Ryan, James Bonelli and Scott Raridon.
Defensive Line: The line returns three players with starting
experience. The most promising is junior end Justin Tuck, who
registered 13.5 sacks in 2003, and has been named to the 2004
Hendricks Award Preseason Watch List. Sophomore Victor Abiamiri, who
explodes off the ball, will hold down the opposite end. Abiamiri was
also selected as a Freshman All-American in 2003. Senior Greg Pauly
and junior Derek Landri will anchor the tackles with former starter
senior Kyle Budinscak in the wings for now as he recovers from a
knee injury. Junior Travis Leitko and senior Brian Beidatsch will
also play key roles in the rotation up front. The tackles will be
key with the losses of Darrell Campbell and Cedric Hilliard.
Linebacker: The linebacking corps is packed with seniors in
the form of Derek Curry, Mike Goolsby and junior Brandon Hoyte.
Goolsby is coming off a broken collarbone and should be the anchor
in the middle for the Irish. Curry and Hoyte bring their athletic
talents to the unit on the flanks. Curry has started 24 of the last
25 games for the Irish, and can play inside or outside. Hoyte is the
projected starter on the weakside after starting inside for the
injured Goolsby in eight games a year ago. The Irish also have some
depth in another senior Corey Mays.
Secondary: The secondary returns seniors at corner and safety
in Dwight Ellick and Quentin Burrell. Ellick returns as the top
cover corner for the Irish. Burrell is a former cornerback who led
the team in interceptions in 2003 with four. Senior Carlos Campbell
starts at the other corner and sophomore Freddie Parish will step in
at the other safety spot. Campbell is a former receiver who switched
to corner in 2003. Parish is a former backup to Burrell and special
teams ace. Senior Preston Jackson and junior Mike Richardson bring
experience to the corners as reserves. Senior Lionel Bolen is the
most experienced reserve at the safety position.
Special Teams: Senior D.J. Fitzpatrick will take over
placekicking duties for the departed Nick Setta. He has a strong
leg, but needs to be more consistent. Sophomore Geoffrey Price is
slated to handle the punting chores, but he will need to improve on
his 2003 performance. With Vontez Duff gone, a number of candidates
will be looked at for return duties with Holiday and McKnight among
those on the short list.
Final Thoughts: The Irish return 10 players with starting
experience on offense. While that is a major plus, Quinn is likely
the biggest key to the unit. If he slips, there isn't a lot to be
excited about behind him. Stovall and McKnight will have to produce
for Quinn to succeed. McKnight led the team in receiving a year ago,
and Stovall needs to be the deep threat many feel he can be.
Unfortunately, the depth behind the two is questionable in terms of
experience. The line returns four starters so lack of experience
cannot be used as an excuse for poor play. The big key will be how
well the unit can protect Quinn. The defensive line may be only as
good as the new starters in the middle. At linebacker, Goolsby is
coming off a broken collarbone that forced him to miss the 2003
season. The starting crew of backers should be solid, but depth
could be a concern. The secondary is somewhat lean in terms of
quality and depth is an issue there as well. The Irish badly need to
rebound in 2004 after the 2003 disaster. If not, those irate alumni
may get their wish and Tyrone Willingham could be unemployed.
-- JJ Pesavento
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