Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly has talked repeatedly about the importance of experience and leadership to his team’s success this season. He specifically mentioned safety Harrison Smith as a player who epitomizes these ideals for the team. The advantage Notre Dame has this season is that Smith will have plenty of help in that role.
No one on the team ended the season on a higher note than the senior safety. Smith was named to the 2010 ESPN.com All-Bowl Team and Sun Bowl defensive MVP honors after recording seven tackles and three interceptions in the 33-17 win over Miami (Fla.) in the Hyundai Sun Bowl.
Entering into his fifth and final year for Notre Dame, the defensive back feels fortunate that he won’t have to carry as much of the load. When he steps out onto the field he is surrounded by familiar faces. The Notre Dame secondary boasts a collective 81 games started, including 40 games started in 2010.
Certainly adding to that experience is having safeties Jamoris Slaughter and Dan McCarthy healthy to start the season.
“Having all of us healthy is huge,” said Smith. “With Zeke (Motta), Jamoris (Slaughter) and myself, we all rotated last year. Really there was no time during the season that all of us were healthy. Having three guys back there that have played as much as all of us have is huge because you can throw us back there on different packages and we know what to do.”
Adding to that experience for the Irish is the return of a healthy Dan McCarthy. Smith was pleased when discussing his friend and fellow senior, “He’s moving well. He’s making plays. He always loves to mix it up.”
Another big advantage the team has is entering into a second year in defensive coordinator Bob Diaco’s system. The former linebacker, who led the team with seven interceptions (ranked No. 4 in the nation) also finished second on the team with 93 tackles. He attributes much of that success to knowing the defense and the players around him.
“There is definitely more of an understanding of the coaches’ philosophies and what the coaches ask of us,” explained Smith. “On our defense and obviously our offense, a lot of guys already know their job and their role. Not that we can pick up where we left off, but we can build off the things we already know and get better.”
Adding to that depth this year will be the addition of sophomore Austin Collinsworth, who moved over to safety from wide receiver, and freshman Eilar Hardy. The Knoxville, Tenn. native seems to enjoy having both of the young guys around and looks forward to helping them develop.
“Both of those guys definitely take it to it,” he said of the new members of the secondary. “Collinsworth, as a safety, was always asking me to watch film over the summer. They’re both learning a lot more and they’re both talented players. They both really want to get good at their job.
“There are some things that after you’ve played, you know them, but you’ve never really talked about them. When you get a chance to put it into words it almost helps you understand it better. Trying to be a teacher definitely helps and helps you not to be complacent.”
There are high expectations for the defense this season. With eight starters returning and several guys being heralded as All-American caliber, Smith among them, it is no wonder why there is so much optimism among the coaches and fans.
The defensive captain wants to see the team get off to a good start and build from the four-game winning streak that ended the 2010 campaign. With the plethora of injuries that hounded the secondary last year, he also knows how crucial it is for the team to stay healthy and train hard. Like many of the players, he feels that strength and conditioning coach Paul Longo has placed the team in a position to excel this year.
“I really think the way coach Longo prepared us in the summer. He really doesn’t really let us fall back,” he added. “He kind of takes us and keeps us moving. Not playing since January until now, we knew we weren’t going to peak in March. You’re going to peak when you start playing games. We’ve definitely been on that plan and you can see it with the guys.”
Not for lack of effort, but it will be remarkable if Smith has many more games like he did in last year’s Sun Bowl. What is more likely is that he continues to be an outstanding player for this defense and an unquestioned leader on the team…… that alone will be enough to carry more than his share of the load.
