Irish impact: Clausen is biggest key to success
John Walters breaks down Notre Dame's top 25 most impactful players
Gene J. Puskar / ASSOCIATED PRESSAfter a very bumpy freshman season, Jimmy Clausen will be the most impactful player for the Irish in 2008.
12. Golden Tate, WR
The 5-11 speedster oozes with raw potential, and made some incredible deep grabs — his 21.8 yards per catch were nearly twice as many as the next highest total. But Tate only caught six passes all season. Now that he has had a year to digest the playbook, he should be more of a threat.
11. Ian Williams, NT
Arguably the most pleasant surprise of ’07 (not that the nominee list was long), Williams started just two games at nose tackle after Pat Kuntz was injured and yet finished sixth on the team in tackles with 45 (or three more than Kuntz). Only Ross Browner and Steve Niehaus, Irish defensive line legends both, ever recorded more tackles as freshmen.
10. Duval Kamara, WR
The 6-4 target broke the school record for catches by a freshman (32) last season, and imagine how many more he might have had if the line could have protected the pocket. With more receiving talent around him this year, Kamara should improve on that total as well as be the go-to jump-ball wideout when the Irish are within 10 yards of paydirt.
9. Maurice Crum, LB
Overrated or underrated? Depends on whom you ask. The undersized three-year starter is criticized as being too easy to block and for making all of his tackles five yards off the line of scrimmage. Then you remember the plays he made at UCLA last October. Crum’s leadership will be his most valuable asset this season.
8. Sam Young, RT
At 6-8, 330 pounds, this three-year starter should come into his own this year. At left tackle, Young was compromised by his lack of quickness, but on the right side he will be more valuable as a run-blocker. It’s time for him to have an All-America caliber season.
7. Robert Hughes, RB
When he finally got a chance to carry the ball last season, Hughes exploded with power and speed. The first freshman running back to gain 100 yards in consecutive games since Allen Pinkett did so in ’82, Hughes also led the team in yards per carry (5.0). He runs the ball as if his life depended upon it, something not seen in South Bend since the days of Julius Jones.
6. Brian Smith, LB
Weis talks about putting players on the field who make plays and consistently cites this sophomore as being the linebacker he sees doing it most often. The Irish haven’t had a terrific linebacker since Mike Goolsby left; Smith could be the next.
5. Michael Floyd, WR
The jewel of the freshman class, the 6-3 Floyd will play right away because, unlike the two starters ahead of him, he can get separation. The more Michael Floyd gets on the field, the better Grimes and Kamara are going to seem to be.
4. David Bruton, FS
The most drool-worthy guy on the roster from an NFL scout’s standpoint, Bruton has outstanding size and range. He led the team in interceptions a year ago (3) and is also the team’s leading returning tackler with 85. The 6-2, 212 pounder is the one player on this roster you don’t have to worry about.
3. Mike Turkovich, LT
No offensive lineman has impressed Weis more this August, as the 6-6, 305-pounder wrested this position from Paul Duncan by a mile. Everyone knows that the Irish finished last in sacks allowed (58) in ’07. No player is more key to reducing that figure, cutting it in half in fact, than Turkovich.
2. Pat Kuntz, DE
As did Trevor Laws before him, Kuntz moves from the interior to the end for his senior season. Like Laws, Kuntz plays with a revved-up engine — he led the nation in pass breakups in ’07 with nine — and creates havoc. If the Irish are to improve on last year’s total of 19 sacks — and they must — it will begin with Kuntz.
1. Jimmy Clausen, QB
Sure, it is the most important position. But wait until you see how much bigger Clausen looks, how much quicker he goes through his progressions, how much more in charge he is. This September, the Clausen highlight package on ESPN “Gameday” will not be a montage of sacks.
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