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Notre Dame Spring Summary & Review: Special Teams

Tyler Newsome (85) was named MVP of the Blue-Gold Game.
Tyler Newsome (85) was named MVP of the Blue-Gold Game.
BGI/Andrew Ivins

There is one certainty you can expect from every spring practice at every school in the nation: The head coach emphasizing the huge commitment placed on the third aspect of the game — special teams — that is generally overshadowed by the offense and defense.

Brian Kelly was no different, adding that this spring placed the greatest premium on special teams in his seven seasons with the Irish (while last August was the most he might have ever had in a quarter-century of coaching).

“The elements of blocking, tackling, structuring it … we brought in coaches to talk and clinic, we’ve had competition and drills, and [we’ve been] focusing on the areas that we wanted to get better at, and having a clear understanding of where we’re going,” he said the day before the Blue-Gold Game.

Per the head coach, the top point leaders in special teams production this spring who could be centerpieces there — the way Matthias Farley was last season — were senior cornerback Cole Luke, followed by senior cornerback Devin Butler and sophomore running back Josh Adams.

The numbers next to the class year represents years of eligibility remaining, including 2016:

Specialists End Of Spring Depth Chart

Kicker

Justin Yoon — So./3

John Chereson — Sr./2

Sam Kohler — Jr./3


Punter

Tyler Newsome — Jr./3

Jeff Riney — So./4


Long-Snapper

Scott Daly — 5th/1


Holder

Montgomery VanGorder — Jr./3

DeShone Kizer — Jr./3


Can The Freshman Help?

The lone specialist signed was long-snapper John Shannon, who is expected to be redshirted the way Daly was in 2012 behind senior Jordan Cowart before starting all four years from 2013-16. Likewise, Shannon is pegged for a four-year starting role from 2017-2020, unless an injury occurs. Junior tight end Nic Weishar also has long-snapping skills that could be utilized in a pinch.

Summary

Coming off a solid first season as a starter in 2015, Newsome earned the game ball in the Blue-Gold Game when his seven punts averaged 52.7 yards, with three downed inside the 20, and one taking a perfect bounce to the two-yard line.

Punting average doesn’t always tell the story, as Newsome’s powerful leg can sometimes outkick the coverage. Because no returns were allowed in the Blue-Gold Game, it’s difficult to ascertain what the final net total might have been, but there is legitimate optimism that Newsome could be a valued weapon in the field position battle.

Yoon earned some Freshman All-America notice by not missing any kicks his last nine games and finishing 15-of-17 overall on field goals, with a long of 52. However, he changed holders this spring from Kizer to VanGorder because he has more time to work with the latter.

We became leery with the move because of the belief that something that isn’t broke shouldn’t require fixing (plus superstition is often a natural element in kicking). Yoon missed several attempts in a couple of open practices, in which he took the responsibility, and his sole attempt in the Blue-Gold Game, from 48 yards, also missed.

There is a long history of Notre Dame kickers having off years the season after a brilliant one, from Harry Oliver in 1981 to David Ruffer in 2011. Yoon, who is adamant about not being superstitious, is aiming to avoid that trend.


Top Punt Return Candidates

#CJ Sanders — So./3

Chris Finke — So./4

Kevin Stepherson — Fr./4


Top Kick Return Candidates

#CJ Sanders — So./3

Josh Adams — So./3

Dexter Williams — So./3

#Denotes that he was sidelined this spring after undergoing hip surgery.


Can A Freshman Help?

Stepherson already is in the mix for punt returns because he combines top-notch hands with what Kelly describes as a unique ability to catch-and-run. Next to fielding the ball, the most important quality in a punt return man is a fearlessness to head straight upfield while making the first would-be tackler miss, and Stepherson might possess that skill set.

“I don't know that we have a player on our team [like] KJ Stepherson that can catch the ball at full speed as he cuts across the field — a very unique trait of his,” Kelly said after the spring game. “… It is a unique trait that he has that I have not seen since I've been here at Notre Dame, and we'll continue to work with him.”

Summary

As a freshman last year, Sanders became Notre Dame’s first player to return a punt and a kickoff for a score in the same season since Vontez Duff in 2003. He still has to be classified as the top return man on the team, but in case he doesn’t recover fully from his hip surgery this spring that will sideline him about four months, there are some other promising young options.

Walk-on Finke was one of the nation’s most dynamic return men at Ohio’s Archibishop Alter, the same school that produced quarterback Malik Zaire and cornerback Nick Coleman. On kickoffs, the quality depth at running back allows for both Adams and Dexter Williams to potentially complement Sanders back there.


Special Teams Overview Outlook

Because the Irish were dominated on special teams by Ohio State during the Fiesta Bowl loss, it was easy to overlook that last year’s all-around special teams work under coach Scott Booker was the best in Kelly’s seven seasons. This included game-changing touchdowns in hard earned wins against Virginia (fake field goal for a touchdown) and USC (blocked field goal for a TD).

Special teams maladies also proved costly in losses to the Buckeyes and at Clemson, while Sanders’ kick return for a touchdown at Stanford almost made the difference.

Two years ago, Notre Dame also led the nation in blocked kicks with six, another often overlooked item on a unit where the mistakes are put more under the microscope while the pluses are taken for granted. If the improvements on ST can be built on this year, that could be the difference between a Playoff berth or a nine-win season.

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