Spring Practice Provided An Opportunity To Asmar Bilal

Sophomore linebacker Asmar Bilal went from a redshirt buried on the depth chart to one of four healthy linebackers virtually overnight this spring.

Due to attrition via graduation, an early departure to the NFL, and injuries to sophomore Te’von Coney and junior Greer Martini, Bilal received a heavy dose of playing time for the Irish in the early portions of 2016 prep.

“We’ve been installing every day,” Bilal said. “I feel like I have a pretty good grasp of what we’ve been learning, but I feel like I can always improve my game because there are things in the playbook I’m not 100 percent sure on.

“… If you’re not picking it up, you’ve got to put in the extra time. There’s been time me and Josh [Barajas] have had to go up to Coach [Mike] Elston and he would have to explain it to us so we can pick it up. It just keeps going. You just eventually pick it up the more times you rep it.”

Even with his greater knowledge of the defense, Bilal estimates that he visits the linebacker coach’s office two or three times per week to better understand the tenets of the defensive scheme.

But as one of four healthy scholarship linebackers for three spots on the field at one time, Bilal has had the opportunity to both sink and swim in a learning environment this past month.

“He’s having a very good spring,” Elston said. “He’s got great potential. He works hard. He’s a very aggressive, physical football player. He learns really well, so is he Jaylon Smith? No. But he’s got great potential and Jaylon had to start somewhere, and that’s where Asmar is.

“He’s at the starting point of what we see as a promising career. Knock on wood, barring he stays healthy, he’s doing a really, really good job and he should do really well this year.”

Bilal and Coney will compete during fall camp for the starting Will linebacker spot with Smith off to the NFL. The Irish are pleased with Bilal’s growth — he estimates he has added 18 pounds of strength since arriving as a 210-pound freshman last summer — and even if the Indianapolis native doesn’t lock down a starting position, he still figures to be a contributor for the unit.

“He’s getting there,” Elston said. “He’s got a lot to learn. Bullets are flying in front of him all the time.”

At the conclusion of spring practice, head coach Brian Kelly named Bilal as one of a few standouts from the 15-session spring practice.

For Bilal, it’s now about applying a better knowledge of the defense to the field, even if it takes a few more visits to his position coach’s office for help.