Seeing has been believing on a Notre Dame defense where quality depth becomes more and more visible with each passing week.
During Friday’s 31-17 victory at North Carolina, which had been averaging 43 points and 563 yards total offense, all three levels of defense had significant contributions with meaningful snaps from reserves.
• Along the line, junior end Justin Ademilola recorded three tackles, one-and-a-half behind the line of scrimmage and sack in 16 snaps, while freshman Rylie Mills, with the absence of both tackle Jayson Ademilola (meniscus surgery) and nose tackle Jacob Lacey (held out because he was “nicked up”) took 21 snaps and added two tackles, including sharing a stop for lost yardage.
Justin is up to 164 snaps this year after taking 54 last season, while Mills — lauded by the coaching staff in the preseason for his soundness — is already up to 104 where cracking the three-deep wasn’t going to be easy, never mind two deep.
Although overshadowed by both his twin brother and fellow end and sophomore Isaiah Foskey on the backup unit, Justin’s continued development has earned him his time and complete trust from line coach Mike Elston.
“We’ve really liked the way he has prepared during the week,” said head coach Brian Kelly. “Coach Elston has commented to me several times about his preparation at that position, which is extremely competitive. He has a knack for the ball, he doesn’t stay blocked. He retraces very well back to the football, active hands, he’s a really good football player.”
Recruited originally along the edge, Mills’ physical skills stood out in August, and now the mental aspect of the game has caught up as well.
“That is really what we were concerned with early on, just moving inside and playing the defense that is called,” Kelly said of the 6-5, 273-pound Mills who has added about 20 pounds since enrolling in January. “He has gotten to that point where he really knows our defense and how it’s called. He’s long, he’s athletic, he can play inside, play outside.”
Jayson Ademilola could be back for the scheduled Dec. 12 Wake Forest game, while Lacey could be available this week versus Syracuse.
• At Buck linebacker, junior Shayne Simon stood out against No. 1 Clemson on Nov. 7, sophomore Jack Kiser made a crucial interception the next week at Boston College — but last weekend at Chapel Hill it was sophomore Marist Liufau’s turn in the spotlight with his blitzing and overall production, including five tackles (a half behind the line of scrimmage) while taking 35 snaps.
“All three of them really complement what we do defensively and we feel like they all deserve to play,” Kelly said.
Oh … and there still is former top-100 recruit Jack Lamb there once he can get fully healthy.
• Late in the second quarter, safety All-America candidate Kyle Hamilton was ejected because of a targeting infraction as North Carolina was in the process of scoring its 17th point.
Remarkably, without Hamilton in the lineup, juniors Houston Griffith and D.J. Brown, who played 23 snaps apiece, were part of a defense that allowed zero points and just 58 yards total offense in the second half.
“We did a really good job schematically with our safeties,” Kelly said. “Our safeties were very integral in this whole scheme. When Kyle went down, we still were able to implement the scheme. Those guys were on top of it. They were assignment-correct. They were doing exactly what we had practiced all week. Those are really good football players.
“Do they have some of the traits that Kyle Hamilton has? No, probably not. But they can certainly play at a high level and they can execute the game plan. And the game plan, with the pressure that we’re getting up front, allowed those guys to continue to excel at high level.”
By taking quarterback Sam Howell out of rhythm with pressures up front, executing the run-pass options became much more difficult.
“Our linebackers were attacking downhill,” he said.
Meanwhile, the defensive depth continues to go upwards.
