Notre Dame Football Spring Game 2017: 5 things to watch for

By Brad Weiss | Apr 20, 2017

Sep 24, 2016; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown (6) runs after the catch as Duke Blue Devils safety Jordan Hayes (13) attempts to tackle in the first quarter at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /

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Oct 1, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Syracuse Orange wide receiver Amba Etta-Tawo (7) catches a pass as Notre Dame Fighting Irish cornerback Julian Love (27) defends in the first quarter against at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Will the secondary take the next step?

Last season, the Notre Dame secondary was an inexperienced unit, as they started two true freshmen at the cornerback positions. In 2017, the group is expected to take a major step forward, as new defensive coordinator Mike Elko has some talented players to work with. Julian Love is one of the best defensive backs in college football, and with guys like Donte Vaughn and Nick Watkins joining him in the defensive backfield, they should be much better against the pass this season.

Safety Drue Tranquill is a freak of a player, who has a Jabrill Peppers-quality to him. In 2016, the Fighting Irish struggled to stop the pass, but with a full year playing together, this unit should be considered a strength this season. Keep an eye on how they fair against Wimbush and Ian Book on Saturday, as it will be a good barometer of how the group will look heading into their season opener in September.

As a group, the Fighting Irish picked off only eight passes in 2016, though that number could double this season. Expect Love to be dominant from his cornerback position this season, giving the Irish a player who can shut down one side of the field. It may be one more season until this unit is elite, but they should certainly be fun to watch on Saturday, and against most of their schedule in 2017.

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