Exiting spring practices, concerns around four broad positions made any Notre Dame hopes of a return to the Playoff feel like pipe dreams. No linebackers had emerged throughout the entire position group. A handful of players continued to fail to distinguish themselves as the second Irish cornerback. Notre Dame’s backup quarterback had a Blue-Gold Game to forget as quickly as possible. And both kicking specialists had, to be generous, inauspicious debuts in their new leading roles.
Exiting preseason practices, those worries have been at least partly assuaged across the board.
At least one linebacker looks ready to break out, and another one or two may be on the verge.