Spring Breakouts Candidates For The Notre Dame Defense

Spring practice is getting closer, which means our first glimpse at the 2022 version of the Notre Dame football team. Although the whole team won't arrive until summer, there are plenty of opportunities for returners and early enrollees to make an impact.

Every year there are players that go from solid starters to star, rotation players to standouts or even players who got very little action to dominant performers. There are a number of players on defense with a chance to become that player this spring, and I have four that I'm predicting have the best chance.

JACOB LACEY, DEFENSIVE TACKLE

Lacey came to Notre Dame with a strong reputation thanks to a dominant senior year performance. He played well as a true freshman but a shoulder injury ruined his sophomore season, and the recovery from it caused him to drop down to 275 pounds. Lacey bounced back with a solid junior campaign as part of the interior rotation.

According to sources, Lacey is fully healthy and has put at least 10 pounds back onto his frame. With Kurt Hinish gone there is a void at nose tackle, and while Howard Cross III is a quality rotation player, at barely 270 pounds he can't be expected to be "the guy" at nose tackle. In fact, I would argue it would benefit him and the rest of the defense to see Cross move out to three-technique.

Lacey is the veteran with the best frame and game to be a dominant nose tackle in the Irish defense. He is athletic enough to penetrate and when healthy, strong enough to eat up blocks and get off to the football

I won't be at all shocked if Lacey makes a lot of plays during the spring and is a guy we are talking about emerging into a big-time playmaking role up front come the fall.

MARIST LIUFAU, LINEBACKER

Liufau was on the verge of a breakout last season according to sources, but the fall camp injury kept that from happening. He's healthy again and he's hungry to get back on the field.

Liufau has outstanding length for the position and he has enough strength to handle playing inside linebacker. What really makes him unique, however, is his athleticism. Not only is he fast, the former high school cornerback turned 229-pound linebacker moves with ease. His quick feet, balance and ability to change direction fluidly makes him the perfect modern day linebacker.

The key for the Hawaii native this spring is to first get back to full strength, and then it becomes about becoming a more disciplined football player. Liufau has all the tools to be an impact linebacker as a pass defender, pass rusher and run defender. I predict that by the end of the spring he will have emerged as one of the best players on the Irish defense.

If that happens it could impact the entire defense by allowing JD Bertrand to move inside, and it also gives the pass rush a major boost.

I was very tempted to add rising sophomore Prince Kollie to this list. Perhaps more than one linebacker emerges this spring.

RAMON HENDERSON, SAFETY

Henderson had some quality moments as a sophomore, at least once he moved to safety. The California native never looked comfortable at cornerback, and he often looked more like a track athlete trying to learn how to play football. Once he moved to safety that changed, and Henderson looked like a potential game changer on the back end.

He always had the speed and the frame you want in a modern defensive back, but he didn't look natural moving around as a corner. When allowed to play more in space he looked so much more comfortable and you saw his feel for the game really improve. Henderson made quick decisions and then used his speed to impact the game.

With a year under his belt I expect his game to really take off this spring, and you'll see Henderson start making even more plays. Another year in the weight room should also help him become an even more impactful run defender thanks to his range and willingness to hit.

RYLIE MILLS, DEFENSIVE END

Mills showed flashes as a sophomore, and if he moves to Big End this spring I think he breaks out. He's big, strong, athletic for his size and he shows a knack for winning as a pass rusher. If moved outside to end I predict he becomes a legitimate playmaker.

Want proof? He played end one game last season (Virginia), and he finished that game with two sacks. Mills looked very comfortable playing on the edge and his burst off the end and hand play were natural for that position.

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