Sport: Notre Dame 99-to-0: No. 11 Ramon Henderson, junior cornerback-turned-safety
- By nbcsports
- july 27, 2022
Notre Dame 99-to-0: No. 7 Isaiah Foskey, defensive end on a record chase
Isaiah Foskey's sack totals are gaudy and will define his senior season, but his impact for Notre Dame's defense is actually much more dramatic than that.CAREER TO DATE Foskey played in only four games as a freshman, somewhat surprising in retrospect simply because he has so developed. The Irish defensive line was plenty talented in 2019, so his minimal usage then makes sense still, but it is hard to think of Foskey stuck to the bench, nonetheless. Of course, he had his moments of impact, most notably blocking a punt at Stanford late in the second quarter, sparking a comeback from a 17-7 deficit.
Isaiah Foskey's sack totals are gaudy and will define his senior season, but his impact for Notre Dame's defense is actually much more dramatic than that.CAREER TO DATE Foskey played in only four games as a freshman, somewhat surprising in retrospect simply because he has so developed. The Irish defensive line was plenty talented in 2019, so his minimal usage then makes sense still, but it is hard to think of Foskey stuck to the bench, nonetheless. Of course, he had his moments of impact, most notably blocking a punt at Stanford late in the second quarter, sparking a comeback from a 17-7 deficit. Listed measurements: 6-foot-1, 190 pounds. 2022-23 year, eligibility: A junior, Henderson has three seasons of eligibility remaining thanks to the universal pandemic eligibility waiver granting him exactly one extra game in 2020. Depth Chart: Notre Dame has five safeties competing for two starting spots. More precisely, the Irish have four safeties competing to start alongside Northwestern transfer and preseason All-American Brandon Joseph. Henderson is very much in that mix, mostly joined by fifth-year veterans DJ Brown and Houston Griffith, with junior Xavier Watts representing a more physical approach for certain situations. Recruiting: Henderson waited until December’s signing period to choose Notre Dame over Utah with Tennessee, Washington and Oklahoma also giving chase. While recruiting rankings may have considered Henderson a three-star prospect, any defensive back pursued by the Huskies deserves the benefit of the doubt.
Notre Dame 99-to-0: No. 7 Audric Estime, sophomore running back, No. 2 on the shortened depth chart
Notre Dame will need sophomore Audric Estime to prove himself both capable and durable right away this season thanks to injuries to two other running backs.CAREER TO DATE Estime may have played in 12 games last season, but he took all of 18 offensive snaps. Seven of those included him rushing for a total of 60 yards. 
© Provided by NBC Sports CAREER TO DATE Henderson appeared on special teams in five games in 2020, a number that would usually be viewed as an absolute waste of a year of eligibility, but in that specific season, the fifth game had no effect on Henderson’s future.
He had arrived in South Bend looking to play cornerback after spending much of his high school career at receiver. That led to a natural adjustment period, one then turned on its head when he moved to safety halfway through the 2021 season. Once Henderson made that move, he took over as a starter and helped Notre Dame survive the loss of All-American Kyle Hamilton (until the Fiesta Bowl’s second half).
2020: 5 games. 2021: 13 games, 4 starts; 14 tackles with half of one for loss and one interception along with one pass broken up.
Notre Dame 99-to-0: No. 11 Ron Powlus III, sophomore QB providing steadiness to a chaotic room
Notre Dame surprised many when it signed Ron Powlus III in 2020, but that choice looks more and more wise as he adds depth to a thin quarterbacks room.QUOTES Awareness and honesty are vital qualities, in both coaches and players. When then-recruiting coordinator Brian Polian discussed Powlus’ signing in the early signing period in 2020, he did not try to oversell the two- or three-star recruit. NAME, IMAGE, LIKENESS
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QUOTES Henderson learned he would move to safety a day later than the rest of the team. He was sick the Monday before Notre Dame went to Virginia, thus missing the initial install that the rest of the Irish studied. He learned Tuesday, and his whirlwind week found stability late Thursday when his mother reminded him safety is not all that different from cornerback.
“I told her what’s going on, and she told me, be calm, be confident in myself,” Henderson said. “I’ve been doing this for a long time, playing football since I was seven, so at the end of the day, it’s just playing football.”
That calm may have paid off then, but it pales in comparison to the steadiness brought by a full winter and spring of working at safety.
“Playing helped me gain more confidence in myself,” Henderson said this spring. “The confidence was always there, but I can see more self-reliant on myself. I never doubted myself. …
Notre Dame 99-to-0: No. 12 Tyler Buchner, sophomore starting QB
Any meniton of a quarterback competition at Notre Dame this August is disingenuous. Sophomore Tyler Buchner will start for the Irish, but expectations should still be managed.CAREER TO DATE Buchner took the field for the first time in the second game of his freshman season, working in a sub-package role even if former Irish head coach Brian Kelly insisted that was not the case. Buchner’s first career snap featured him taking the snap around the right side of the line for a 26-yard gain from deep inside Notre Dame’s own territory, part of rushing seven times for 68 yards against Toledo to help spur a stagnant Irish offense. “[Playing was] key. It gives me a little bit more experience.”
WHAT WAS PROJECTED A YEAR AGO “That 6-foot-3 recruiting listing was clearly embellished, but it can be thought of as illustrative of Henderson’s wingspan. He is a long 6-foot-1 and a fast 6-foot-1. Anyone able to crack 10.6 seconds in the 100-meter dash warrants notice as a speed threat, and combining that with his length should give Henderson more defensive opportunities this season.
“But his most likely contributions will come on special teams. Special teams coordinator Brian Polian needs to revamp most of his units simply due to roster churn, and Henderson’s profile would fit well on punt and kickoff coverages.
“Backing up (Cam) Hart will eventually lead to at least a few series of work for Henderson, at the absolute least, be it via a tough hit or getting burned on an off day. These are the tribulations of all cornerbacks, and why depth there is so vital.”
Inside the Irish
Notre Dame 99-to-0: No. 11 Ron Powlus III, sophomore QB providing steadiness... Notre Dame 99-to-0: No. 12 Jordan Botelho, a defensive end-turned-linebacker Notre Dame 99-to-0: No. 12 Tyler Buchner, sophomore starting QB
Notre Dame 99-to-0: No. 13 Gi’Bran Payne, freshman running back, late recruit
Gi'Bran Payne's recruitment was unique in its timing, as will be the start of his Notre Dame career. The freshman RB should get carries in early September.The Hoosiers had no obligation to grant that ask, but did so, and Payne reopened his recruitment in March. The Cincinnati product narrowed his choices to the Irish and Kentucky before committing to Notre Dame in mid-April. 2022 OUTLOOK Henderson played more than Brown to close the season, something that suggests he could do so early this year, as well. If so, Henderson may suddenly be a starter.
His speed and overall athleticism shined in his opportunities last year, leading to some subtle summer buzz. That buzz may yield little, but it is something that has not often accompanied Notre Dame’s safeties.
Regardless of if he starts, Henderson will find his way into the defensive rotation. He was projected as a nickel back entering last season, and per Brian Kelly, Henderson spent most of the season practicing at nickel back. If fifth-year nickel back Tariq Bracy is played off the field for the fourth time in his five years, then perhaps Henderson will move into that need. If not, he should still be a prime candidate to round out the Irish dime package.
New defensive coordinator Al Golden may be a linebackers coach at heart, and his best defensive unit is unquestionably the defensive line, but his safeties could be the pieces that turn Notre Dame’s defense from good to great. The Irish have cornerback worries, both in depth and quality, but they have an abundance of safeties. At least three of which — Joseph, Griffith and Henderson — have spent time at cornerback.
The coverage possibilities among that group should compensate for those cornerback concerns. Henderson will play a role in that, albeit one yet uncertain.
WVU's Neal Brown: 'High-level' QB J.T. Daniels 'an NFL prospect'
Daniels has floundered in the college ranks. Just don't tell Neal Brown, who feels that Daniels already profiles as not just a top college football quarterback, but an NFL prospect as well. © Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Neal Brown had high praise for his new QB. Daniels has made the college football rounds, spending two seasons at USC as well as two at Georgia. He'll be a fifth-year junior for the Mountaineers in 2022, and Brown seems confident that not only can he overcome his history of injuries, but he can live up to his five-star recruiting rating. Daniels was the No. DOWN THE ROAD Joseph, Griffith and Brown should all be gone in 2023. Notre Dame is recruiting impressive safeties in the class of 2023, with two committed already, but Henderson looks earmarked to be a starter next season, as well as in 2024 if he is still in South Bend.
For a high school receiver that did not move to safety until the back half of his sophomore season, becoming a multi-year starter is quite the ascension, especially if “multi-” ends up meaning “three-” in this instance.
NOTRE DAME 99-TO-0
From Blake Grupe to Braden Lenzy, the offseason countdown begins anew No. 99 Blake Grupe, kicker, Arkansas State transfer
No. 98 Tyson Ford, early-enrolled freshman, a defensive tackle recruited as a four-star end
No. 97 Gabriel Rubio, sophomore defensive tackle, still ‘as wide as a Volkswagen’
No. 92 Aidan Keanaaina, a junior defensive tackle who tore his ACL in March
No. 91 Josh Bryan, sophomore kicker No. 91 Aiden Gobaira, early-enrolled freshman defensive end, four-star recruit No. 90 Alexander Ehrensberger, junior defensive end, a German project nearing completion No. 88 Mitchell Evans, sophomore tight end No. 87 Michael Mayer, junior tight end, likely All-American No. 85 Holden Staes, incoming freshman tight end No. 84 Kevin Bauman, junior tight end No. 83 Jayden Thomas, sophomore receiver, former four-star recruit No. 80 Cane Berrong, sophomore tight end coming off an ACL injury No. 79 Tosh Baker, one of four young Irish offensive tackles
No. 78 Pat Coogan, sophomore center, recovering from a meniscus injury No. 77 Ty Chan, incoming offensive tackle, former four-star recruit No. 76 Joe Alt, sophomore starting left tackle No. 75 Josh Lugg, sixth-year offensive lineman, likely starting right guard No. 74 Billy Schrauth, early-enrolled freshman offensive guard coming off foot surgery No. 73 Andrew Kristofic, senior offensive tackle-turned-guard No. 72 Caleb Johnson, sophomore offensive tackle, former Auburn pledge No. 68 Michael Carmody, junior offensive line utility man No. 65 Michael Vinson, long snapper, ‘Milk’ No. 65 Chris Smith, defensive tackle, Harvard transfer No. 59 Aamil Wagner, consensus four-star incoming freshman offensive tackle No. 58 Ashton Craig, incoming freshman center No. 57 Jayson Ademilola, fifth-year defensive tackle, coming off shoulder surgery No. 56 Joey Tanona, early-enrolled offensive guard coming off a concussion No. 56 Howard Cross, senior defensive tackle with heavy hands, and that’s a good thing No. 55 Jarrett Patterson, fifth-year offensive lineman, three-year starting center, captain No. 54 Jacob Lacey, senior defensive tackle, now lighter and a starter No. 54 Blake Fisher, sophomore starting right tackle, ‘ginormous’ No. 52 Zeke Correll, senior center or perhaps left guard No. 52 Bo Bauer, fifth-year linebacker, Ironman No. 50 Rocco Spindler, sophomore offensive guard No. 48 Will Schweitzer, sophomore end-turned-linebacker No. 47 Jason Oyne, sophomore defensive end-turned-tackle No. 44 Junior Tuihalamaka, early-enrolled freshman linebacker, consensus four-star recruit No. 44 Alex Peitsch, junior long snapper No. 42 Nolan Ziegler, early-enrolled freshman linebacker, Irish legacy No. 41 Donovan Hinish, incoming freshman defensive tackle, Kurt’s brother No. 40 Joshua Burnham, early-enrolled freshman linebacker-turned-end
No. 34 Osita Ekwonu, senior Vyper end coming off an Achilles injury No. 31 NaNa Osafo-Mensah, senior defensive end No. 29 Matt Salerno, fifth-year receiver, punt returner, former walk-on No. 28 TaRiq Bracy, fifth-year starting nickel back No. 27 JD Bertrand, senior linebacker recovering from a plaguing wrist injury No. 25 Philip Riley, sophomore cornerback No. 25 Chris Tyree, junior running back, possible Irish bellcow No. 24 Jack Kiser, senior linebacker, second-year starter No. 23 Jayden Bellamy, early-enrolled freshman cornerback No. 22 Justin Walters, sophomore safety No. 22 Logan Diggs, sophomore running back with a shoulder injury No. 21 Jaden Mickey, early-enrolled freshman cornerback No. 20 Jadarian Price, early-enrolled freshman running back with a ruptured Achilles No. 20 Benjamin Morrison, freshman cornerback No. 18 Chance Tucker, sophomore cornerback No. 18 Steve Angeli, freshman QB, Blue-Gold Game star No. 17 Jaylen Sneed, early-enrolled linebacker, Rover of the future No. 16 Brandon Joseph, Northwestern transfer, preseason All-American, starting safety No. 16 Deion Colzie, sophomore receiver No. 15 Tobias Merriweather, freshman receiver, forever a memorable recruitment No. 15 Ryan Barnes, sophomore cornerback No. 14 Bryce McFerson, freshman punter facing a Harvard challenge No. 13 Gi’Bran Payne, freshman running back, late recruit No. 12 Tyler Buchner, sophomore starting QB No. 12 Jordan Botelho, a defensive end-turned-linebacker No. 11 Ron Powlus III, sophomore QB providing steadiness to a chaotic room No. 9 Eli Raridon, incoming freshman tight end with a torn ACL Former Notre Dame Tight End Irv Smith Joins Jennifer Garrett on her Move the Ball Podcast
Listen to Irv Smith Share How To Turn Your Competitive Nature into a Career Asset . I’m sure you’re all quite familiar with Irv Smith Sr., but here’s a little bit about Irv: Irvin Smith Sr. is a retired NFL tight end who played college football at Notre Dame and was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round (20th overall) of the 1993 NFL Draft. During Irv’s seven seasons in the NFL, he played five years with the Saints, one season with the San Francisco 49ers, and one season with the Cleveland Browns. Irv also has a son who is currently playing in the NFL, Irv Smith Jr.
Notre-Dame de Paris: for the general in charge of catering, the reopening of the building in 2024 is a “tense objective”
on the day of the fire, on April 15, 2019, Emmanuel Macron had promised that the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris would be rebuilt in five years © Benoit Tessier / Pool / AFP A photo of the work on the roof of Notre-Dame de Paris.
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Notre Dame 99-to-0: No. 11 Ramon Henderson, junior cornerback-turned-safety originally appeared on NBCSports.com
Notre-Dame de Paris: for the general in charge of catering, the reopening of the building in 2024 is a “tense objective” .
on the day of the fire, on April 15, 2019, Emmanuel Macron had promised that the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris would be rebuilt in five years © Benoit Tessier / Pool / AFP A photo of the work on the roof of Notre-Dame de Paris.
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