Quick-hitters: Safeties coach Chris O'Leary on Xavier Watts, Ben Minich, evaluating transfers

Notre Dame safeties coach Chris O’Leary met with reporters Tuesday for his lone spring practice press conference. Here are some highlights.

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On DJ Brown coming back to Notre Dame for a sixth year

“More than any player I’ve been around, he has the ability to get better every single rep he takes. It’s really impressive. When you watch his game film through the last three years specifically, every year he has taken a huge step. He knows that. We know that. For him, he knew coming back one more year would allow him a chance, one, to play with a really good team this year and go for a national title, and two, give him the best shot of playing at the next level.”

On what clicked for Xavier Watts late last season

“He has always had the natural instincts, natural athletic ability, all that, to be a big-time safety. It just took him a year, year and a half for that light switch to come on and really grasp what we’re doing on defense. To do that at this level in one year is unbelievable when you think about it. To me, that’s all it was.

“We saw flashes through fall camp. He had to switch back to receiver, back to safety. All those things, it took its time. When it finally came on late in the season, I don’t think there’s any looking back now.”

On the best fit for Ramon Henderson

“He can play both safety spots. We’re trying to calm down where he moves, because we’ve used him so many places. He has played in games at three, four different positions because he’s so talented. Me and [cornerbacks coach Mike Mickens] always say he’s one of the most valuable guys because of what he can do. He can cover anyone on the field. He can go to corner, safety.

“This year, we’re trying to trim it down and make him truly a safety. That will be field and boundary. Through seven practices, we’ve seen that growth of not worrying about playing nickel, dime or whatever and starting to make plays a safety should make.”

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On Oklahoma State grad transfer Thomas Harper’s role

“He will be a little bit of a hybrid guy. When you talk about losing TaRiq Bracy, who for us was unbelievable last year in what he did in the slot and blitzing and all that. Harper will fill in there.”

On freshman Ben Minich

“He’s fast, tough and extremely intelligent. With those three things, he’s going to be a really good player for us. He has a really good skill set playing the post, breaking on the ball. He might have the most picks this spring for us. He’s going to turn into a good player.”

On Kyle Hamilton’s involvement while taking classes at Notre Dame this spring

“He contributes. We took a couple things from watching the Ravens film. We have a couple tidbits there. He’s in probably two meetings a week with us. He’ll chime in watching the film and then he’ll be out here in practice giving pointers. I always make the young guys go with him on the sideline and get some extra pointers.”

On how Sam Hartman’s deep ball challenges the safeties

“It has been great. There’s nothing better for us in practice. You get concerned when you go through a camp and don’t see any balls go over your head because it gives you a little false confidence. You get in games, and that thing’s going up. It has been awesome for us to see the ball go down the field and coach it when it goes over our head and be able to see us make plays down the field.”

On the possibility of adding a transfer after spring practice

“It’s evaluating this spring how ready our two-deep was to play on the big stage and push for a national title. That’s the decision we’re making. Beyond that, we have numbers that we want to get guys to develop. We’re always evaluating that situation. I’ve told them we might look in the portal in May. It just depends. That’s a fluid situation.”