The Irish are back on the playing field. Fall practice opened today, as Notre Dame enters their third season with Coach Freeman at the helm. With this being day one, it is okay to take this information with a grain of salt - so much can change between now and week one.
Photo by Irish Tribune
Some positive injury news was seen on both sides of the ball. Starting quarterback Riley Leonard was a full-go after undergoing two foot surgeries this offseason. He was not forced to scramble too much today as it can be assumed the training staff wants to be cautious. Also, star tight end Mitchell Evans was seen practicing less than a year removed from a torn ACL.
On defense, star defensive back Benjamin Morrison was a participant after missing most of spring practice due to a shoulder procedure. He is expected to be 100% by week one.
During a light scrimmage, both quarterbacks Leonard and Steve Angeli showed good ability to protect and move the ball downfield. After Angeli nearly threw an interception to Adon Shuler, he connected on a 40-yard sideline dime to Micah Gilbert on the next play. On Leonard’s second drive, he had some missed throws, but showed a good connection with both Jayden Thomas and Beaux Collins, completing a pass with each twice.
The most notable miscues during the scrimmage occurred towards the end. On Leonard’s last possession, tight end Eli Raridon committed a false start, ultimately ending the drive. On the last play of practice for open media, Angeli connected with Gilbert on a 15-yard curl versus defensive back Chance Tucker. Coach Freeman did not take kindly to Tucker’s lack of hustle and was visibly upset at the situation.
During team drills, multiple players stood out. Firstly, linebacker Jordan Botelho forced a fumble and was a real bright spot for the defense. On special teams, Australian punter James Rendell took all the punts and proved he could be an unsung hero this season. It appears Special Teams Coordinator Marty Biagi and Marcus Freeman are still figuring out a plan for the return game, as Jaden Greathouse, Jordan Faison, Jaden Mickey, KK Smith, Aneyas Williams, and Jadarian Price all took return reps.
As expected, it was a day of ups and downs. With one month until kickoff, there is time and space to improve. Specifically, I would expect Leonard’s play to gradually improve as he gets more comfortable with his new offense each practice. Both lines played solid as position competitions are starting to heat up in the trenches.
The Irish Tribune will be sure to keep you up-to-date on the latest Irish news from fall camp. Expect coverage from the Irish Tribune following each open media practice.
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