Notre Dame football practice notes 8-23
SOUTH BEND — Kyle Hamilton doesn’t do everything right.
While the freshman went through an interception drill with Notre Dame’s safety group early in practice Friday, he only extended one arm to try to pull in the football. The ball deflected off his hand and fell to the ground.
That didn’t please defensive pass game coordinator Terry Joseph. He told him to use two hands, demanded Hamilton do 10 push-ups and mocked him by calling him “OBJ,” the nickname for NFL wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
While expectations are high for the former five-star recruit, Hamilton is being held to the same standard as his fellow safeties.
The Irish continued their preparations for Louisville on Friday in their 17th practice of the preseason. Reporters were given one last glimpse of practice — limited to the first hour — before the season opener on Sept. 2. Family members of the players were also invited to attend practice.
Defensive looks
There was a defensive end wearing No. 53 at practice, but it wasn’t Khalid Kareem. Freshman defensive end Isaiah Foskey has been wearing the same number as Kareem this week as Foskey works on the scout team.
But Kareem, a captain, wasn’t at practice. A Notre Dame spokesperson said Kareem’s absence was excused and not for nefarious reasons. The Irish will need Kareem when the season starts, but fellow senior defensive end Adetokunbo Ogundeji filled in admirably in the starting lineup.
As the Irish defense worked against the scout team offense, they used the following lineups.
First team: Defensive end Adetokunbo Ogundeji, nose guard Kurt Hinish, defensive tackle Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, defensive end Julian Okwara, rover Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, mike linebacker Drew White, buck linebacker Asmar Bilal, field cornerback Shaun Crawford, boundary cornerback Troy Pride Jr. and safeties Jalen Elliott and Alohi Gilman.
Crawford didn’t stay on the field long against the scout team. Something appeared to irritate him. He was being stretched beforehand by trainers during individual drills. Senior cornerback Donte Vaughn replaced Crawford with the first-team offense.
Second team: Defensive end Jamir Jones, nose guard Jacob Lacey, defensive tackle Jayson Ademilola, defensive end Daelin Hayes, rover Paul Moala, mike Shayne Simon, buck Jordan Genmark Heath, field cornerback TaRiq Bracy, boundary cornerback Houston Griffith and safeties DJ Brown and Kyle Hamilton.
Third team: Defensive end Kofi Wardlow, nose guard Ja’mion Franklin, defensive tackle Howard Cross III, defensive end Justin Ademilola, rover Jack Kiser, mike Bo Bauer and buck Jack Lamb. The same secondary that worked with the second-team stayed with the third-team front seven.
In the previously mentioned drill that Hamilton dropped an interception, sophomore DJ Brown made an impressive leaping catch. The drill wasn’t against wide receivers. Defensive analyst Chris O’Leary just threw the ball to an area along the sideline. But Brown made a nice play on a high throw.
Tempo offense
Notre Dame went through it’s typical tempo offense session inside the Irish Indoor Athletics Center early in Friday’s practice. The offense used the following personnel.
First team: quarterback Ian Book, running back Tony Jones Jr., wide receivers Chase Claypool, Chris Finke and Lawrence Keys III, tight end Brock Wright, left tackle Liam Eichenberg, left guard Aaron Banks, center Jarrett Patterson, right guard Tommy Kraemer and right tackle Robert Hainsey.
Jafar Armstrong and Tommy Tremble rotated in at running back and tight end, respectively.
Second team: quarterback Phil Jurkovec, running backs Jahmir Smith and Kyren Williams, wide receivers Javon McKinley, Joe Wilkins Jr. and Braden Lenzy, left tackle Josh Lugg, left guard Dillan Gibbons, center Trevor Ruhland, right guard John Dirksen and right tackle Andrew Kristofic.
Third team: quarterback Brendon Clark, running back C’Bo Flemister, wide receivers Micah Jones, Isaiah Robertson and Arion Shinaver, tight end George Takacs, left tackle Quinn Murphy, left guard Logan Plantz, center Colin Grunhard, right guard John Olmstead and right tackle Cole Mabry.
Shaky Doerer
Junior Jonathan Doerer has pushed himself into the lead to be Notre Dame’s starting place-kicker throughout preseason practice. That likely won’t change, but Friday wasn’t a good day for Doerer.
Three of the five field goals Doerer attempted at the start of Friday’s practice sailed wide. Doerer made an extra point and a 40-yard field goal, but he missed twice in a row from 32 yards and again from 50 yards.
Freshman walk-on Harrison Leonard was given just two attempts during the session, but he made both of them. He hit an extra point and a 36-yarder.
One of the field goal reps turned into a fake field goal with holder Jay Bramblett scrambling but not throwing a pass. It wasn’t clear if the rep was designed that way or Bramblett had an issue with the snap.
Sideline crew
A few members of Notre Dame’s team remained out of Friday’s practice. As expected, both wide receiver Michael Young and Cole Kmet were out as they recover from their broken collarbones.
Surgery on offensive tackle Quinn Carroll’s ACL appears to have recently happened. Carroll was on crutches at practice with bandages on his right knee.
Offensive lineman Zeke Correll was not dressed. Freshman wide receiver Kendall Abdur-Rahman was also sidelined and only wearing a helmet.
