Over the past couple seasons, Notre Dame has struggled with the safety position in the secondary.
Irish head coach Brian Kelly delivered some bad news about the position following Wednesday’s practice too, announcing Mykelti Williams was no longer with the team. Williams, a four-star safety recruit in the class of 2015, never saw the field for Notre Dame. Kelly said he couldn’t offer any more specifics as to why Williams left.
Kelly did, however, also offer some more positive updates on the position after announcing Williams’ departure.
Freshman early enrollee Devin Studstill, a three-star recruit according to Rivals.com, has already taken to Notre Dame’s system and is taking reps with the first-team defense, according to Kelly.
“He’s been really good so we’ve been very pleased with what he’s been doing and very happy with the way he’s picked up our defense,” Kelly said. “Excellent ball skills, excellent retention, he’s been probably the guy that has done the most back there [at the safety position.]
“ … [Studstill] wouldn’t be out there working with the first group unless he had a natural ability to pick up what we’re sending him. And he’s been able to pick it up as a mid-year enrollee in spring ball, and he’s making plays and getting lined up and getting guys in the right position, so we’ve been very pleased. … He’s just a natural player.”
Kelly added sophomore Shaun Crawford has also impressed the coaching staff at the nickelback position this spring.
Kelly also said junior safety Drue Tranquill, who missed most of last season after tearing his ACL during Notre Dame’s victory over Georgia Tech on Sept. 19, is back to full participation in live drills.
“I think he answered [the question of if he was ready] by he did not come off the field when we went live, so he kind of forced the issue,” Kelly said.
Zaire, Kizer to receive equal reps in spring
Echoing what quarterbacks coach Mike Sanford said Monday, Kelly said senior Malik Zaire and junior DeShone Kizer will split reps equally this spring, while sophomore Brandon Wimbush will see less than the other two but he will get enough reps to “develop and work his craft.”
“I’m pleased with all three of the quarterbacks,” Kelly said. “Malik is a little rusty in terms of just the management of game situations and live situations, just getting us moving quickly. DeShone’s doing a very good job there, but we’ve got to continue tightening him up mechanically. And then I think Brandon has got a much better sense of the offense and a lot more confident in what he’s doing.”
Kelly also said all three will trade out their red jerseys for the regular blues and go full contact at some point this spring, but he was undecided about whether or not the position will be live during the Blue Gold game.
“They’d like to be live every time,” Kelly said.
Sanders out for rest of spring; Robinson, McGovern in concussion protocol
Kelly gave an update on Notre Dame’s injury report following practice and said sophomore receiver C.J. Sanders will miss the rest of spring football due to a hip flexor injury.
“It’s kind of in that gray area [where] they’re still consulting as to whether that’s a surgical procedure to reattach it,” Kelly said. “ … They’re trying to decide if that’s a surgical repair. That’s about four months [to recover], so we should get him back running full go late July and should be able to get him rounded into shape for camp in August.”
Seniors receiver Corey Robinson and offensive lineman Colin McGovern are both currently undergoing concussion protocol and were held out of Wednesday’s practice, although Kelly said he expected both to be good to go after Easter.
“[McGovern’s] on the back end of [the concussion protocol],” Kelly said. “He’s doing really well. We’re hoping that obviously he’ll be back when we come back from Easter break.
“And Corey Robinson, having a good spring, came down awkwardly on a ball the other day and just want to be cautious with him and should be fine, should get him back after break.
Robinson has had concussion issues in the past, but when asked if that added any extra concern to his injury, Kelly said the team wanted to be careful with him but the doctors weren’t “overly concerned.”
Kelly also said sophomore receiver Miles Boykin has a spiral fracture in his finger which he underwent surgery for yesterday. Kelly said Boykin actually practiced on the spiral fracture before the surgery and is expected to return to action after Easter break as well.
Offensive line update
The Irish need to replace three starters along the offensive line this season, but Kelly said Wednesday three of the five spots are “pretty much set:” Senior Mike McGlinchey currently holds down the left tackle position with junior Quenton Nelson at the guard while junior Sam Mustipher has entrenched himself at center.
Kelly said four players are in competition to land one of the two left-side spots: sophomore Tristian Hoge and senior Hunter Bivin took first team reps at left guard and left tackle, respectively, Wednesday morning, but Kelly said McGovern and junior Alex Bars are also in the mix. Hoge and McGovern will compete for the right guard spot while Bivin and Bars figure to be the two candidates at right tackle, although Kelly said Bars is also able to play inside as a guard.
