What has stood out the most during Notre Dame football spring practices?
What’s spring practice without some vociferous bellowing? Notre Dame has had plenty of it during the last month.
The return of offensive line coach Harry Hiestand brought with it his can-hear-him-from-anywhere antics during Fighting Irish practices. That’s not a bad thing. Coaching is coaching. Everyone goes about it a little differently. The 63-year-old Hiestand is as old school as it gets on a Notre Dame staff comprised largely of guys much younger and with much less experience.
That’s not to say other staffers aren’t vocal and always on their position group players. Chansi Stuckey hasn’t turned 40 and has not coached wide receivers at the collegiate level for two seasons and is still one of the most outspoken coaches on the Notre Dame staff. He just uses his voice in other ways than Hiestand, who isn’t afraid to shout expletives loud enough for passersby on the shielded sidewalk of Courtney Lane to hear.
But if you’re on that sidewalk at that hour — just after 8 a.m. — you should know what’s happening on the other side of the fence. Notre Dame is hard at work, and Hiestand is pushing his players. Like clockwork this time of year.
Wednesday, Tyler Horka of BlueandGold.com joined WSBT SportsBeat AM’s Darin Pritchett to discuss what has stood out the most during four Notre Dame practices made available to the media for viewing purposes. Offensively, it has been Hiestand and Stuckey’s varied approaches. Early returns suggest the Irish offensive line and wide receivers have benefitted from the teachings of their new position coaches, even with differences in demeanor.
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To listen to Wednesday’s entire radio hit, click play below.
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Defensively, another new coach has been noticeably active. And it’s one who technically does not have a full-time title. Former All-American linebacker at Ohio State James Laurinaitis appears to be an incredibly valuable asset to the Notre Dame staff at what has to be a complete bargain given his status as a 35-year-old graduate assistant. He has taken the Stuckey approach with his foray into coaching; Stuckey was also 35 when he started as a graduate assistant at Clemson three years ago.
Like head coach Marcus Freeman, Laurinaitis makes his way up and down the stretching lines at the beginning of practices. His presence is felt by players from the start. Once practices get going, he’s active in his coaching style. He’ll run onto the field in a middle of a drill if he sees an opportunity to coach a player’s technique. He never stops coaching players who are waiting for their turn to take part in drills.
Laurinaitis gives Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden an extra mind in coaching the Irish linebackers. Golden is overseeing the entire defense, so having faith in an assistant like Laurinaitis is an incredible luxury.
Wednesday’s interview wrapped up with a conversation about early enrollee freshman Joshua Burnham’s cross-training with the defensive line and other freshmen who have excelled in spring practices in addition to a short synopsis on how the Notre Dame baseball team has won nine games in a row.
