Quick-hitters: Notre Dame safeties coach Chris O’Leary on Brandon Joseph, Xavier Watts’ juggling act

Notre Dame safeties coach Chris O’Leary had an All-American in his unit last year, his first in the role. He has another this season. The Irish replaced first-round draft pick Kyle Hamilton with 2020 All-American and Northwestern transfer Brandon Joseph. They became high-end playmakers in their own ways, though. The philosophy in scheming around them and how to use them is much different.

“Everything we did last year tailored a little bit in the secondary to putting him in the best spot we can be in,” O’Leary said. “Now we have a bunch of guys who are all very talented and smart. You have a little more flexibility in that regard. You can roll guys in and stay fresh. It’s more of a unit mindset.”

The four main contributors in the unit are Joseph, junior Ramon Henderson and grad students DJ Brown and Houston Griffith. The latter three helped Notre Dame’s secondary stay afloat for the nearly six regular-season games it played without Hamilton. Joseph entered the mix when he transferred in January.

O’Leary met with reporters after Monday’s practice, the Irish’s 15th preseason session, for his only August press conference. Here are some topics he discussed.

PROMOTION: Sign up for just $1 for your first year at Blue & Gold

On Xavier Watts juggling receiver and safety

“It falls a lot on him. He has to take ownership of knowing both. He has done that. He has come up and seen — whether it’s defense or offense — after everyone has gone home. He will come in on an off day. He’s going to take ownership of that and he will be able to do offense and defense.”

On sophomore Justin Walters

“He adds a physicality and a natural ability to tackle. He’s violent. He plays in space well. His area he needs to improve on is coverage. I’m confident he will get there. But he needs more time. Going into later in this season or next season, he’s going to help us. He’s a very physical player.”

On Joseph’s first Notre Dame fall camp

“He has been really good. He has taken the next step as far as he day-in, day out approach. The edge he brings to practice, to meetings, it hasn’t wavered through fall camp. I’m very pleased with where he’s at there. And with everything we’ve seen in coverage, where he executes and helps us has carried through the fall as well.”

On Joseph’s ball skills

“He has flashed a lot down the field and made some really good plays on throws down the field. He’s confident. He has a really good skill set when the ball is in the air. We’re excited to see what he does on Saturdays.

“He’s a football player. He probably has been playing football since he was 6 years old. Guys like that, they see something once from the offense and they’ll remember it forever. He finds himself in the right spot because he studies and has a knack for the game of football.”

RELATED: More Notre Dame football:

• Notre Dame football fall camp practice No. 15 observations: offense

• Notre Dame football fall camp practice No. 15 observations: defense and special teams

On Brown, Griffith and Joseph as leaders

“We have three guys in our room that are captain-like. They could all very well be a captain with the way they carry themselves, the way they work, the way they lead. There’s no doubt in my mind all three of those guys have the traits necessary to be a captain.”

On Henderson’s continued acclimation after moving from cornerback in November

“He has a much better command of what we’re doing on defense. How to fit the run game – I don’t think he knew what a run fit was when he came over last year. He can fit the box, he understands the checks. He has put himself in better positions down the field.”

On Griffith’s fall camp focus

“An emphasis on being physical, attacking the football, being violent. Really, that’s his greatest asset. If he comes downhill, he better hit somebody. He has been doing a really god job of that. It sets a tone for our defense. Any opportunity he gets to make a play, we have to make it. He has really grown in that area.”