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The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have a roster full of players, and we want to talk about them all. One Foot Down’s player profile series will, once again, take a look at every single one of them, and hopefully we all learn a little bit more about these guys, and Notre Dame’s chances for the upcoming 2021 season.
# 92 Aidan Keanaaina DT
Aidan Keanaaina committed to the Irish on February 13th, 2019 as a member of the 2020 recruiting class. He chose the Irish over offers from Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio State, and Oregon, among others. Keanaaina held a 3-star rating from 247Sports Composite Rating. He was ranked as the 3rd best player in the state of Colorado, the 42nd best defensive tackle, and the 404th best overall player in the class of 2020. Keanaaina attended J.K. Mullen High School, and his hometown is Denver, Colorado. He currently stands 6’3’’ and weighs 312 pounds.
During his freshman season, Keanaaina saw action in 1 game against South Florida. He did not record a statistic. As a result, he was able to maintain his redshirt season.
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The Restaurant That Fits
Carl’s Jr.
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I have seen several of these restaurants throughout the country. Have I ever been in one? No. Might there be some untapped potential within the walls of Carl’s Jr.? Potentially. In a similar fashion, Aidan Keanaaina is somewhat of an afterthought at the defensive tackle position on the roster. He most likely has potential, but we just haven’t seen enough on the field to make a judgment on him yet.
2021 Outlook
Looking ahead to the 2021 season, it is difficult to find a path to consistent playing time for Keanaaina at the defensive tackle position. Kurt Hinish will see the bulk of the snaps at the position. In addition, Howard Cross III and Jacob Lacey both appear to be solidly ahead of Keanaaina in the rotation. The goal for the upcoming season should be to continue to hone his technique and play assignment-sound football in the blowout games he is able to see the field for.