Replace And Reload: Drop End

Notre Dame had a hard time keeping its drop ends healthy in 2019, but the production from the position was still quite good.

In 2020 there is no doubt about who will step into the starting lineup, but questions remain about how the depth chart will fill out now that Notre Dame must replace departed seniors Julian Okwara and Jamir Jones.

WHAT WAS LOST

Despite an early season injury to Daelin Hayes and the game nine injury to Okwara, the production at the drop end was just as good in 2019 as it was in 2018. The 2018 unit had 90 tackles compared to just 78 from the 2019 defense, but the tackles for loss numbers were identical (18.5) and the sack numbers from 2019 (11.5) were actually better than the 10 from 2018.

Okwara wasn’t as effective this season as he was in 2018, but he still was on pace for 10 tackles for loss and seven sacks. He registered 19.5 tackles for loss and 13 sacks the last two seasons, and there isn’t anyone on the current roster that combines his combination of speed, power and explosiveness. At least no one has shown those traits with any consistency on Saturdays at this point.

The emergence of Jones after Hayes went down was a huge part of Notre Dame’s defensive success this season. Jones was expected to redshirt this fall, but when his number was called he stepped up and played strong football for the final ten games of the season, finishing with career bests in tackles (28), tackles for loss (6.5) and sacks (4.5). In fact, according to Pro Football Focus, Jones had more hits/sacks on the quarterback (12) than Okwara (9) on 27 fewer pass rushes.

That duo is gone, and Notre Dame must find a way to replace the 45 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks and 61 quarterback pressures.

WHAT RETURNS

It has been quite a long time since Notre Dame could lose an end like Okwara (and Khalid Kareem, but we’ll get to that tomorrow) and still feel really good about the position the following season, but that is the case for Notre Dame.

There are certainly questions, and success will depend on good health and young players developing, but defensive line coach Mike Elston has shown an impressive ability to replace departed standouts, and he'll have a lot of raw tools to work with next fall.

This past season was a perfect example. Despite the loss of All-American defensive tackle Jerry Tillery, the early season loss of Hayes and a somewhat disappointing season from Okwara that ended prematurely, the 2019 defensive line had more tackles for loss (48) than the 2018 unit (45.5) and had just two fewer sacks (24) than it did last fall (26).

Elston will need to do in 2020 what he did in 2019, take talented young players, develop them and get them to replace the production and level of play that he got from previous group.

Daelin Hayes, Senior — Hayes was off to a smoking hot start to the season and was on pace for 13 tackles for loss and five sacks. He was disruptive and used his combination of athleticism and hustle to make a number of highlight reel plays in just three games. Here's just one example:

Hayes made plays in every facet of the game. He was stout against the run, had good pressures and impacted the pass game. It is his all-around game that makes him so effective, and his impact on the game is hard to show with just stats.

Kyle Hamilton’s interception return for a touchdown against New Mexico is a perfect example. While it was a great play by Hamilton, it was Hayes dropping into the throwing lane and making an athletic play to tip the pass that slowed the ball down enough to allow Hamilton to jump the route.

Hayes coming back means Notre Dame is going to have a starting drop end that is outstanding against the run and an excellent cover player. There are two questions when thinking about how good the veteran end will be next season. The first is how healthy will he be. Hayes had been mostly injury free his first three seasons at Notre Dame, but his shoulder injury against Virginia is concerning when you consider Hayes missed the majority of two seasons in high school with separate shoulder injuries.

The second question is can Hayes become a more effective pass rusher. I’ve had off-the-record conversations with offensive coaches and players in the past where they would rave about how dominant Hayes can be during one-on-one pass rush drills in practice, but we have yet to see that translate onto the field with any consistency.

The difference between Hayes being a strong all-around player and him finally maxing out his potential is him finally just letting it rip as a pass rusher. If he does that, Hayes has a chance to have a monster final season.

Ovie Oghoufo, Junior — As long as he is healthy there is no doubt that Hayes will be the starter, but what has made the Irish so successful at end in recent seasons has been its depth. In 2018 it didn’t matter whether Okwara or Hayes was on the field, Notre Dame got impact starter caliber play out of both, it just came in different ways. We saw it this season at strong side end, with both Kareem and Ade Ogundeji playing at a high level.

All the options for the next-man-in at drop end are talented, but all are mostly unproven.

This will be a big offseason for Oghoufo, who has a chance to provide the defense with some of the explosiveness off the edge that Okwara provided. A converted linebacker, Oghoufo brings range and an impressive outside burst to the position, which he flashed a few times this season. What Oghoufo lacked in 2019 was strength and experience playing end.

Going into his third season in the program and second at the drop spot, Oghoufo should see a jump in strength and nuance this fall, which could result in him becoming an impact defender in the rotation. At the very least I expect him to emerge as an effective edge rusher next season, but Oghoufo showed a willingness to mix it up in the run game as a sophomore. If his strength catches up to his athleticism and effort he’ll have a chance to be a key figure in the 2020 defense.

If Oghoufo has the kind of breakout season I believe he’s capable of the Irish drop spot will be outstanding next fall.

Isaiah Foskey, Sophomore — Foskey is an intriguing player that could play either the drop end position or the strong side spot. I won’t be at all surprised to see him lining up at both spots next season, which would help him gain more reps and provide the defense with versatility on the edge.

There might not be a more naturally gifted lineman on the roster than Foskey, who has a rare combination of length, natural power and impressive athleticism for his size. He has the kind of raw tools that defensive line coaches drool over, and if his potential gets maximized, Foskey could be an elite edge player.

I don’t expect that to happen in 2020, which I expect to be more of a building block season. A player with his talent certainly has the potential to make a bigger leap than expected, but I don’t want to put that kind of expectation on him just yet. What I want to see from Foskey in 2020 is him forcing himself into the rotation on a regular basis and becoming the kind of reserve that makes you feel good about giving the starter a breather.

Foskey has the natural power and length to be a dominant run defender, and his motor and tools should allow him to make the biggest strides with this part of his game. Gaining more weight room strength and improving his hand technique are needed for him to turn those tools into production.

Where Foskey needs the most work from a technique standpoint is as a pass rusher. The talent is there, but he must learn to let loose, improve his hand play and enhance his pass rushing repertoire. I could see him being a strong two-down player next season, and if his pass rushing arsenal improves he could be a difference maker.

NEWCOMER

Notre Dame will have just one newcomer to the drop end rotation next season, but it’s a very talented newcomer that will be arriving at Notre Dame as an early enrollee.

Jordan Botelho, Freshman — Botelho is one of the more unique prospects Notre Dame has signed in recent seasons. Recruited to play the drop end position, Botelho has the body type and athleticism to be just as good at Mike linebacker as he could be at drop end.

That diverse skill set could make him an attractive nickel package candidate very early on in his career.

Showing up early will give him a much-needed jump start in the weight room, and the 15 extra practices will likely result in Botelho getting the “overwhelmed” feeling all freshman go through out of the way before fall camp arrives. By the time the season starts he’ll have a much better grasp of the system, a much better feel for Elston’s coaching style and a much better feel for what the expectations are for a Notre Dame football player.

Just as important, Botelho will get a semester head start academically, which is a major asset for young players.

Botelho has an explosive burst off the edge and he’s a quality athlete that should be just as effective dropping into coverage as he is as a pass rusher. Botelho has a couple of strong pass rush moves, but like most young players he’ll need to enhance his arsenal and improve his hand play, but his punch and burst are outstanding.

The 6-2, 229-pound defender has an outstanding motor and he’s an instinctive player with a knack for making plays. As he gets more comfortable from a mental standpoint you’ll see him start to make a lot more plays. He’ll have a chance to push his way up the depth chart in his first season, but to beat out some of the players discussed above, Botelho will need to mature his body and game in a hurry.

KEY QUESTIONS

1. Will Daelin Hayes be able to get to full health, full strength and make it through the entire 2020 season?

2. Will Hayes finally carry his practice pass rush prowess onto the field on Saturdays?

3. How much of a jump will Oghoufo make during the offseason?

4. Which end spot will Foskey end up playing the majority of the time?

5. How quickly can Botelho get caught up to speed?

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