Pre-Spring Depth Chart: Offensive Line
As we make our way through the offense it is time to look at the depth chart for the offensive line before spring practices start.
The first post covered the wide receivers, but now we turn our attention to the big boys up front for Notre Dame. Here is the breakdown of the roster as we head towards 2011:
*Denotes 5th year eligibility
Taylor Dever, Tackle, Fifth Year
Andrew Nuss, Guard/Tackle, Fifth Year
Braxton Cave, Center, Senior*
Lane Clelland, Tackle/Guard, Senior*
Mike Golic, Jr., Center/Guard, Senior*
Trevor Robinson, Guard, Senior
Zack Martin, Tackle, Junior*
Chris Watt, Guard, Junior*
Christian Lombard, Tackle, Sophomore*
Tate Nichols, Tackle, Sophomore*
Conor Hanratty, Guard, Freshman
Matt Hegarty, Tackle, Freshman
Nick Martin, Tackle/Guard, Freshman
Dan Wenger, Center, unlikely to be granted sixth year of eligibility
Help Wanted: More Guards!
With a quick scan of the above list you will see that there’s way more tackles than guards going into 2011. Next fall the Irish will have eight out of 13 linemen who are either outright tackles, are more comfortable at tackle, or have spent playing time on the ends of the offensive line.
Of the five offensive linemen signed since Brian Kelly took over in South Bend, only one looks to be a sure thing to play at the guard position.
The situation gets more precarious after 2011 when fifth year senior Andrew Nuss (possible guard on the upcoming two-deep) as well as starting right guard Trevor Robinson all exhaust their eligibility.
That means there will be only two returning guards (Watt and Hanratty) to the team this time next year as the positions stand at this moment (exempting any future recruits of course). You could make it three if you count Mike Golic, Jr. since he will have a fifth year option in 2012 and is currently the backup center and has been listed on the depth at guard before.
Either way, there has to be more bodies at the guard position because the depth there is dangerously thin.
So What’s the Plan?
It doesn’t appear that Brian Kelly and his staff are too worried about recruiting guys who can play guard and guard only, but instead are focusing on bringing in the biggest players available who have a high level of athleticism to succeed in the spread offense.
For example, the half dozen or so offers for 2012 are all out to high school tackles with an average size of 6’6" and close to 290 pounds. Clearly Brian Kelly values height and versatility over anything else in regards to filling the depth out at guard and across the offensive line as a whole.
With the current players on the roster it appears that the best players will play on the line and there won’t be too much restrictions placed on someone being a tackle and unable to move inside. There are notable exceptions of course, including Tate Nichols, who at nine feet tall and the biggest human I’ve seen over the past six months, is likely to stay at tackle no matter what.
So is there anyone on the roster now that will move to guard in 2011?
The answer to that question might revolve around how the coaching staff plans going about replacing the right side of the line in 2012.
The only lost starter from last year is left guard Chris Stewart, and young Chris Watt had the opportunity to play quite a bit as a backup last season and is preparing to start there in 2011.
Now, Trevor Robinson and Taylor Dever both need an understudy this upcoming season.
It seems like the staff could plug in veterans like Nuss, Clelland, or Golic as backup guards and then rearrange some bodies next spring when some of the younger linemen may be able to step on the field. But will they risk giving minutes to a fifth year senior (or older veteran who may not become a starter in the future) instead of easing a soon-to-be starter on to the field and thus, forcing a younger player into a starting role with little or no career minutes?
Golic is an intriguing player who could play guard and backup someone like Robinson, but what if Braxston Cave gets hurt at some point over the next two years? Golic will have to move to the middle and play center while someone will have to fill his guard spot. And that someone will likely have minimal experience because Golic has been in the two-deep at two different positions for two years.
That’s a lot of two’s right there!
Perhaps the coaching staff is banking on someone like Matt Hegarty to come in and start at tackle as a sophomore and utilize current tackle Christian Lombard on the inside this season. If Hegarty is truly an elite offensive lineman this might not be a bad idea.
Whatever they do, there has to be a plan in place to replace two starters on the right side of the line, train some players at said positions with minutes during the season, and even out the tackle-to-guard imbalance.
I won’t pretend like I have any answers because I’m just throwing ideas out there, but keep an eye out for movement in the spring when practices start.
What Can We Expect from the Freshmen?
We shouldn’t expect anything as all three incoming freshmen are likely to spend a year bulking up, trimming down fat and working their way into the system.
There may be a tiny chance that Matt Hegarty steps on the field in 2011, but that would likely mean he is either phenomenally talented or there are serious injuries to a few players, leaving the coaches little or no choice.
Coach Kelly has mentioned that Hegarty is the picture perfect left tackle, so it will be interesting to see if he immediately goes to work behind Zack Martin or if he will compete for the right tackle spot which will open up during his sophomore year with Dever leaving South Bend.
Also, don’t count out the possibility that Zack Martin switches over to right tackle after 2011 (which he did for an injured Dever last season) forcing a battle for the left tackle starting spot among Hegarty, Lombard, and Nichols in the coming future.
Zack Martin’s younger brother Nick should start out his career as a tackle but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him switch to guard either next year or right out of the gate in fall practice. He’s going to be a work in progress but because of the numbers on the depth chart, Martin might have the ability to play a lot earlier than people think on the interior.
I also think the likelihood of taller athletes like Brad Carrico or Troy Niklas coming over to the offensive side of the ball makes it much more likely that Nick Martin starts out his career inside at the guard position.
The third freshman in Conor Hanratty definitely has the body-type of a guard and has the run blocking skills necessary to keep him at that position. It looks like he desperately needs a college level strength and conditioning program and is a couple years away from playing time, but like Nick Martin’s example, there will be holes in the middle to fill in the relative near future.
Who Needs to Step Up?
The easy choice would be Chris Watt since he’s likely to be the only new starter, but I will have to go with Trevor Robinson.
Depending on who you ask and when you asked them, many experts would have told you Robinson was Notre Dame’s best lineman. There were rumors that he was fighting through injury all season long, but he was wildly inconsistent and seemed to take a step back in 2010.
As a senior and four-year contributor with almost 30 career starts, Robinson has the talent to be a decent NFL draft pick and also has the opportunity to be one of the 2011 team leaders. It would be a much better story if he came out and dominated and fulfilled the promise he showed as an underclassman from 2008 through 2009.
Also, I think the left side of the line is much stronger and the right side needs a little help. If Robinson comes back with a great senior season, the offensive line could be really quite good in 2011.
What’s the Lineup Going to Look Like?
With four starters coming back there shouldn’t be any drama heading into the next season, especially with Chris Watt likely to replace the outgoing Chris Stewart.
In all likelihood, the starting five should be Zack Martin at left tackle, Chris Watt at left guard, Braxston Cave at center, Trevor Robinson at right guard, and Taylor Dever at right tackle.
I really like this unit and think they have a very good chance to be a dominating line if they can live up to their potential. The good news is that there shouldn’t be a ton of moving around and uncertainty at this position like last spring, so these five players should enjoy the benefit of playing and developing together through August practice.
On the left end, Zack Martin is perhaps the team’s best lineman (winning the team award for best offensive lineman at the 2010 awards show) and the exciting part is that he has three more years of eligibility left.
Chris Watt didn’t play a ton of minutes last year, but he played enough to get a good look at his talent. He moves really well, plays physical and should be a great player for the next three years. I thought Chris Stewart struggled at times last season, so even though Watt is a new starter, he could be an upgrade at left guard.
Braxston Cave wrestled the starting spot at center away from fifth year senior Dan Wenger before Wenger went down in practice with concussion problems, and should be among the better centers in the country. Cave brings a wild physicality to the center position that has been lacking in years past, and his future looks bright with two more years of eligibility left.
Nobody has the raw talent that Trevor Robinson possesses and I look for him to play very well during his final season in South Bend. Hopefully he can come into the season healthy and stay that way so that he can show just how much potential he has.
Taylor Dever is probably the weakest link on the line, but he is a serviceable veteran nonetheless. Dever struggled early last season (particularly against Purdue and Stanford) and was the only lineman to miss a start with an injury, but he improved both as the season went on and from the first to fourth quarters.
There may be a small chance that Dever loses his starting spot to some younger players (Lombard or Nichols specifically), but since he was brought back for a fifth year he should be the man at right tackle all season long.
Overall, the starting unit is very good but the storylines over the spring, summer and fall will likely revolve around who is going to fill out the two-deep and who is going to be moved inside to play guard.
Since all three freshmen won’t practice with the team until fall, it is unlikely that they will be in these discussions with the possible exception of Matt Hegarty.
Some of the questions to ask heading into the spring are:
Who is going to back up Robinson and Dever, and will they see minutes in 2011?
Will Golic stay as the primary backup at center and guard too?
Where is Lombard’s future on the line? Will he be moved inside to make room for Hegarty and possibly the taller athletes currently on defense?
Will Nuss and Clelland be used as backups at either tackle or guard and prevent some young players from getting minutes?
Where does Nichols fit in? The right tackle spot opens up after 2011, but Christian Lombard and Matt Hegarty were all much highly regarded coming out of high school and seem to have the inside track to start.
Any thoughts on these matters Irish Nation?
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Great review Eric- my only question is as regards this statement below:
“Where does Nichols fit in? The right tackle spot opens up after 2011, but Christian Lombard and Matt Hegarty were all much highly regarded coming out of high school and seem to have the inside track to start.”
Given that Nichols is a mammoth human (who played TE in high school), are we discounting BK and staff’s player devo ability in assuming he isn’t higher in the pecking order after a year in the program (even though he was less highly regarded in HS)? He was specifically brought in because of his potential to develop into a tackle.
Quick search (not at all comprehensive), other more lightly regarded (by recruiting services) TE to tackle conversions:
Nate Solder
Charles Brown
Jason Smith
Ed Wang
Joe Staley
Jason Peters
This is all to say that it would be great to see (and not that surprising) to see Nichols fit this mold.
Has anyone ever seen him move his feet and play in space (in practice)?
by Lee on Feb 11, 2011 11:00 AM EST reply actions
Also, thanks to anyone who takes my comment seriously despite the grammatical errors and typos [embarrassed].
by Lee on Feb 11, 2011 11:13 AM EST reply actions
Lee,
Good question. Clearly Brian Kelly had a lot of praise for both Nichols and Lombard last year, almost to the point where he had people thinking they would see the field.
I wouldn’t doubt that Nichols overachieves relative to his recruiting ranking, but I think the more highly regarded guys get the benefit of the doubt.
If Lombard moves inside, that makes Nichols’ life easier and he could honestly start at right tackle in 2012 if he is indeed good enough. But I just don’t know what his future holds with Z. Martin being around for 3 more years, Lombard being praised and now Hegarty (the most highly rated) coming in this year.
It will be fun to see what happens!
by Eric Murtaugh on Feb 11, 2011 11:22 AM EST reply actions
Are you sure Braxston Cave has a 5th year of eligibility? I thought he did some snapping on field goals as a freshman.
Trevor Robinson should be this team’s best offensive lineman, but he’s been a disappointment to me. When he first came up, I thought he was a future NFL player, and he still has that ability but his play hasn’t lived up to it. I don’t know what the deal is with him.
I definitely agree that Chris Stewart, while a nice story, wasn’t that good of a player and Chris Watt could definitely be an upgrade.
It’s still disappointing that this team can’t line up and gain short yardage on a consistent basis. That was all Weis ever wanted out of his line, and it’s been a big bust in that regard. So I’m happy to see Kelly reshape this line into a unit that relies more on technique and footwork than simply trying to use brute force. The fact that Stewart, Cave and Robinson couldn’t consistently push the pile is proof positive that a few extra pounds hanging over your belt buckle does not make you a better blocker. Zack Martin is a sleek athlete, and as a result is our best lineman.
You seem concerned about the future of the line, but I’m actually quite optimistic. Kelly will reshape it with athletes, and he’ll fit guys in accordingly. If Weis were still the coach I’d be pessimistic, because his ideas for building and developing the line never worked.
by Chris on Feb 11, 2011 12:34 PM EST reply actions
Eric—
Lots of questions, not so many answers…yet. Nichols is a massive human being and as such probably makes sense at LT give his athletic ability, height and reach. Honestly, I have a ton of respect for Stewart and what he did/how he played, but the line was better with Watt because he could move. I agree that they will be better off this year than last. Also, Robinson was disappointing, but as you alluded to he had some nagging injury issues all year. Lets hope he returns to ‘08/’09 form in ’11.
Ultimately, Nick Martin has to move inside to G. Lombard probably follows suit and the two could battle for the RG spot in 2012. Is it possible that BK wants Hanratty to move to C? I think he needs to find another on the current roster. Its hard to believe that now having too many OTs is an issue.
Of the DE crop of 2011, who is the first to move to offense or NG? I read something the other day saying that Tuitt could be a dominant DT/NG in the 3-4. Interesting, but I think unlikely. You have to figure that of the group, Williams and Rabasa are definitely OLBs, leaving six. Tuitt and Lynch are locks and you probably only keep 4 at the position. So of Niklas, Hounshell, Springmann and Carrico, which two stay at DE and which two move positions? I think Hounshell could move inside to NG and Springmann is probably the best bet to move to offense with Carrico enrolling early. Just my two cents.
Reading through all the possibilities, I have an interesting question:
What if Zach Martin moves to RT and Nichols starts at LT? Dever played pretty well, but I think they looked better with Martin at RT than Dever. I think this is a more likely scenario than you say. Also, he could move inside to G in 2012 if needed. This gives you a starting line-up of Nichols-Watt-Cave-Robinson-Martin. A whole new left side, but it really helps the right. Who knows, it could happen.
by Jim Miesle on Feb 11, 2011 12:35 PM EST reply actions
Cave played one play in 2008 in the SDSU game for a PAT. Not sure about the argument/logic was, but somehow the year of eligibility was preserved. Does anyone remember why that was?
by Jim Miesle on Feb 11, 2011 12:37 PM EST reply actions
Cave played only against SDSU in 2008, correct. He either suffered a season ending injury in that game or sometime the next week because he was out all year after surgery.
I talked with Collins and he agrees, Cave should be granted 5th year eligibility after 2011.
by Eric Murtaugh on Feb 11, 2011 1:04 PM EST reply actions
Jim, I think the rule is that if you play only in the first 3 games of a season & (maybe) only limited minutes, too, that you can count it as a red-shirt year. Anybody know the specifics? Pretty sure I’ve heard something along those lines, but I’m fuzzy on the details.
by baIrish on Feb 11, 2011 1:08 PM EST reply actions
Chris,
Nice thoughts. I’m pretty sure Robinson was banged up pretty bad last year. I also think he was one of the lineman who was trending towards the more bloated power guard body-type and had some problems adjusting to the more finesse mobile spread offense. Just my observations there…but I think he’ll come back strong in 2011.
I’m not really concerned about the line as much as I’m trying to figure out or wonder who is going to go where. I have faith that Kelly will mold these players and develop them into great linemen, but it’s hard to figure out what he’s doing with the guard situation when he’s recruiting all of these tall, athletic tackles and defensive players out of high school. I’m all for a more athletic line believe me, it’s just a difficult situation to figure out.
by Eric Murtaugh on Feb 11, 2011 1:08 PM EST reply actions
Jim,
Do you think Nichols stays at LT ahead of Hegarty? And for how long?
I just have a hard time not seeing Hegarty and Martin at tackle in 2013, and maybe even in 2012. That would mean Nichols gets either one year at tackle or none as a starter.
I agree, we’ll benefit from Watt’s mobility more than anything. He’s still really strong in blocking too.
Hanratty to center wouldn’t be a bad idea. He’s the shortest of the “new” linemen so I could see him moving there.
It will be interesting to see what happens with Carrico and his early enrollment. He’s the heaviest of those big freshmen who have the potential to switch positions and I just don’t see him lasting on defense. I bet he stays on defense this year and then moves to the O-line within a year or two.
Springmann looks like someone who would stay on defense, he seems well built already and might not put on a ton of weight. I also think he’s feisty enough to be a mean tackler on defense.
Hounshell and Niklas I have no idea where they are ending up. Niklas looks like he could turn into a stud offensive tackle, but do we need ANOTHER tackle?? He’s so tall and thin (relative to his height) that I can’t see him on defense, at least not for a year or two. Would it shock anyone if he ultimately ends up at tight end?
Martin to RT and Nichols to LT? You are very bold sir! I’d say I doubt Kelly will put in two new starters and have one of them be protecting the blind side of the QB. Maybe Nichols takes over at RT, but I think the staff will keep Dever there, and see how it goes. It wouldn’t shock me if someone takes reps away from him there, but I don’t see an inexperienced kid taking over at LT this year. But, you never know…Zack Martin did exactly that last year so…
by Eric Murtaugh on Feb 11, 2011 1:20 PM EST reply actions
I believe the NCAA rule is you can’t play past the fourth game.
Witness Michigan QB Devin Gardner. He came in for a play or two in UM’s first game against UCONN, then didn’t see the field until the fourth game where he played quite a bit in a blowout against BGSU.
Gardner never saw the field the rest of the year and is applying for a medical redshirt, which he’ll likely get. He claims to have been “injured” after the fourth game even though he was pretty much the backup QB and dressed for the games, including their bowl game.
Cave shouldn’t have any problems getting eligibility from the NCAA, and I’m damn sure Kelly wants him back after this year.
by Eric Murtaugh on Feb 11, 2011 1:25 PM EST reply actions
Great, in depth write up. If this staff has shown us one thing, it’s they will find players to fit the spot needed (Brian Smith to ILB).
I am not so rosy on Cave as you are. I know he was a first year starter, but he missed a lot of double teams causing the DTs to come strolling on by throughout the year. Watch the Miami game for a refresher as Forston detroys him play after play. I hope he can improve as you have to love his strength and personality.
by Brad on Feb 11, 2011 1:31 PM EST reply actions
Don’t sweat the lack of guards. Lou used to use his best five. If four of them were tackles, two would play guard as juniors or sophs and then move to tackle the following year.
by Hubie on Feb 11, 2011 1:54 PM EST reply actions
Brad,
I’ll check that out on Cave. The pass blocking seemed to be immaculate late in the season and Cave generally seemed like a good run blocker. I think he’ll improve.
by Eric Murtaugh on Feb 11, 2011 2:05 PM EST reply actions
Hubie,
Good point, I’m reading Holtz’ The Fighting Spirit right now and it’s amazing how much guys moved around before and during the ’88 season. There were also a lot of injuries too.
by Eric Murtaugh on Feb 11, 2011 2:07 PM EST reply actions
Eric —
Don’t forget, Gardner came in for one snap (maybe two) against ND when Denard got his bell rung late first half. How would that game have played out if both starting QBs missed significant time due to injury?
Based on the comments from Kelly and his size (and athletic ability/basketball background), it wouldn’t shock me to see Nichols get plenty of action this fall. BK will play his best 5, and it wouldn’t shock me to not see a single game in which the starting 5 play all offensive snaps. I know that goes against the arguement of cohesiveness, but based on the system, I don’t think that is as important as keeping everyone fresh and developing depth at the same time.
I totally understand/agree with your assessment of Hegarty, but the same could be said for Lombard. There is plenty of talent/depth, and in the end it will help both the OL and DL going up against eachother in the long run.
In the end, I think it is safe to say that Cave will start at C, Robinson at RG, Z Martin at one Tackle spot. The LG is up for grabs, with Watt likely to start there and the other best OT in practice, which I will call a three horse race right now between Dever, Lombard and Nichols.
by Jim Miesle on Feb 11, 2011 4:12 PM EST reply actions
Oh, and as for Niklas, I could definitely see him moving to TE. As for Carrico, since depth is really needed at the DE position for the spring, that is where he gets most of his reps. I think we will know by the end of spring ball whether he stays on D or moves to OL. Florida recruited Hounshell as an OG, so long term that could be a natural fit. The knock on Springmann is change of direction, so he could move inside on D, but seems to be too tall for NG. I am sure the coaches know where they want everyone in the long run, but all we can do for the time being is guess.
by Jim Miesle on Feb 11, 2011 4:21 PM EST reply actions
Great writeup, Eric. With four returning starters, you would expect less questions but, as you said, the speculations are where the others end up.
As far as the interior line is concerned, I see Lombard and possibly Nick Martin moving inside with Hanratty our potential future center. I think Watt stays at OG. Nuss may well play his fifth year at OG in the rotation. Clelland should be at OG, too. That should be a stable interior line picture and account for some of the reasoning behind only offering OTs in the 2012 class. With those moves, I don’t see as much tackle to guard imbalance.
Ed Warinner is proving to be a very valuable addition to the staff. He coached the OL in a spread offense at KU and is knowledgeable about Midwest high school programs and prospects. We’ve seen more Midwest prospects get offered through his insight (including WR for 2012). Rivals attributes our three OL recruits plus Hounshell as due to him. Hounshell to OL? Rivals lists him as an OL prospect. We’ll see. Hopefully, he will be with the Irish and our players for three years at least to provide consistency in coaching.
As far as moving Zach M. to ROT with Nichols at LOT, that could be part of a rotation and moves for 2012, but Nichols needs more seasoning. But if that combination works better than Zach and Dever, then I can see them trying it out. But this will be Nichols first year playing.
For 2012, wouldn’t it be interesting if Zach was at ROT with brother Nick next to him?
As for Niklas with his versatility, he can be worked in wherever he is needed. The tight end depth issues we have had with injuries, disciplines and transfers will long be a thing of the past. Even if he ends up on the DL, I could see BK putting him in for certain packages whether in a Heavy formation, in goal line situations also as an eligible OT or blocking FB.
by Michael Collins on Feb 11, 2011 5:46 PM EST reply actions
So you’re saying we should fear losing Warriner to coaching poaching, eh?
I think Hounshell ends up on the O-line, probably more than Carrico in my mind at least.
The two Martin’s next to each other would be cool. Has anything like that ever happened in college football?
I agree, I think Niklas is going to be used on both sides of the ball. I could see him playing D-line and then coming in on a goal line package and catching a touchdown. We might have our own Owen Marecic!!
by Eric Murtaugh on Feb 11, 2011 6:07 PM EST reply actions
Eric —
The Pounceys played next to each other at Florida, and it is possible that the Kouandjios could be bookends at Alabama in the near future.
Warriner was being looked at for the OC job at Nebraska, but I haven’t heard anything else lately. It is more likely that Pelini hires Scott Frost for the job, given his Nebraska roots. Regardless, fans have to expect some poaching from this staff in the next few years. Already this winter the likes of Martin, Alford, and Warriner have been mentioned for other opportunities.
Its hard to believe how far the line has come from the ’07 debacle with no experience/depth. This is a great problem to have for the team and as a fan.
by Jim Miesle on Feb 12, 2011 10:03 AM EST reply actions
Per Keith Arnold’s recent post on NBC Sports…Warriner will be staying at Notre Dame.
by Eric Murtaugh on Feb 12, 2011 1:48 PM EST reply actions
Eric,
I agree with most of your sentiments and your starting line-up for the fall as 4 of 5 return and Watt is an upgrade over Stewart imo as well. The offense did very well when Watt was in for Stewart.
Watt will also be the back-up for Cave at C from what I have heard and in this case it will be Andrew Nuss that is the utility guy that steps in for Watt at G in those situations.
Nichols is going to be a future star and was the biggest steal in the 2010 class. He’s kept his mobility and bulked up and is last report 6’8 and 308 lbs. He’s going to be a great replacement for Dever imo. Lombard has also drawn rave reviews from the staff and Kelly has been adamant that Lombard is a Tackle and will not move to guard but as has been mentioned Kelly doesn’t fixate on positions. He’s looking for large and athletic OL that offer versatility. There is the potential that Hegarty will be moved inside in the future from what i have heard and all 3 freshman OL will be “red-shirted”.
As for the question on Cave he was given a medical red-shirt and has 2 years of eligibility remaining including the 2011 season. Here is an excellent resource for understanding scholarship numbers and who has what eligibility remaining as ND doesn’t have a traditional red-shirt system. So the chart shows who has the potential for a 5th year. http://notredame.rivals.com/content.asp?SID=961&CID=1127218
by Zach on Feb 16, 2011 11:38 PM EST reply actions
Don’t mean to be disrespectful to the family…
But can you imagine if Matt James was on this line?
by Don on Feb 18, 2011 2:04 PM EST reply actions
Nichols is a giant of a KID!! probably plays next year with Dever and Zach martin comprising the tackle positions. Chris Watt was a #2 OG out of HS, and Lombard the #1 OG. i think there will be some good competition for playing time this year. starters i think are Z. Martin, Cave (unless Wenger is really back??), Watt, Robinson, Dever.
by chris on Feb 23, 2011 6:53 AM EST reply actions

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