Project CFB Top Ten: #10 Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Notre Dame has fallen a few spots since the last time they took the field in the BCS Championship Game in January.

One of the blows coming to the Fighting Irish in the postseason was the suspension of starting QB Everett Golson for academic reasons. In 2012, Golson led the Irish to the National Championship game and a 12-1 season after completing 187 of 318 passes for 2,405 yards and 12 touchdowns with six interceptions. Golson also rushed for 298 yards and six TDs. Shortly after Golson’s dismissal, Head Coach Brian Kelly quickly named second-stringer, Tommy Rees, the starting QB, returning him to the roll he held for the 2011 season before Golson beat him out at the start of 2012. This should not be a devastating blow to the Irish, since the guy taking the snaps is a seasoned QB with starting experience. Rees had a completion percentage of 65.5% in 2011, for 2,871 yards and 20 TDs.

The Irish will have more significant holes to fill with the departures of linebacker Manti Te’o and tight end Tyler Eifert to the NFL. Though his personal life became a media spectacle, Heisman runner-up Manti Te’o’s dominance on the field cannot be overlooked. Te’o had 113 tackles in 2012, 55 of them were solo tackles. Te’o led the Irish defense to a second place ranking in scoring defense and a top 20 ranking in four other defensive categories. Stephon Tuitt, Notre Dame’s All-American defensive end, is ranked on of the top players in the NCAA going into the 2013 season and will play a large role in keeping the Irish a defensive power this season.

Tyler Eifert, Notre Dame’s outstanding tight end, had 50 receptions for 685 yards in 2012. Eifert and Golson were a dynamic duo when it came to quick, short pass progressions to move the chains down the field. This duo helped Notre Dame finish as a top 10 offense and top 5 passing offense. Junior Tight end Troy Niklas will likely fill Eifert’s shoes, after being converted to the position from linebacker in the 2012 season. While his stats from 2012 at tight end are not impressive, his size (6 feet 7 inches, 260 pounds) is ideal for the position and he has an opportunity to have an immediate effect on the Irish offense.

The Irish have some holes to fill, but have good candidates to step in and close the gaps. The Irish have what it takes to make another run at the BCS Championship Game, but with one of the toughest schedules in college this year, will they be able to stay on top through November?

- Lindsay Simpson
@lindsaysimpson
lindsay.projectcfb@gmail.com