2016 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team

2016 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Conference	Independent
Record	4–8
Head coach	Brian Kelly (7th season)
Offensive coordinator	Mike Sanford Jr. (2nd season)
Offensive scheme	Spread
Defensive coordinator	Brian VanGorder (3rd season; first 4 games) Greg Hudson (interim; remainder of season)
Base defense	Multiple 4–3
MVP	DeShone Kizer
Captains	Mike McGlinchey Isaac Rochell James Onwualu Torii Hunter Jr.
Home stadium	Notre Dame Stadium

2016 NCAA Division I FBS independents football records

	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
BYU			–						9	–	4
Army			–						8	–	5
Notre Dame			–						4	–	8
UMass			–						2	–	10
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2016 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team was an American football team that represented the University of Notre Dame as an independent during the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. In their seventh year under head coach Brian Kelly, the Irish compiled a 4–8 record and outscored opponents by a total of 371 to 334. They were ranked No. 10 in the preseason AP poll, but dropped out of the poll after losing two of the first three games. They played two games against ranked opponents, losing to No. 12 Michigan State and No. 12 USC. Despite the disappointing season, athletic director Jack Swarbrick found the 2016 team to be a remarkable bunch, citing the team's "enthusiasm" and "willingness to practice".

The team's statistical leaders included quarterback DeShone Kizer (2,925 passing yards, 26 passing touchdowns), running back Josh Adams (933 rushing yards), wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown (58 receptions for 961 yards), kicker Justin Yoon (83 points scored), and linebacker Nyles Morgan (93 total tackles).

The team played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 4	7:30 p.m.	at Texas	No. 10	Darrell K. Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium Austin, TX	ABC	L 47–50 2OT	102,315
September 10	3:30 p.m.	Nevada	No. 18	Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN	NBC	W 39–10	80,795
September 17	7:30 p.m.	No. 12 Michigan State	No. 18	Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)	NBC	L 28–36	80,795
September 24	3:30 p.m.	Duke		Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN	NBC	L 35–38	80,795
October 1	12:00 p.m.	vs. Syracuse		MetLife Stadium East Rutherford, NJ	ESPN	W 50–33	62,794
October 8	12:00 p.m.	at NC State		Carter–Finley Stadium Raleigh, NC	ABC	L 3–10	58,200
October 15	7:30 p.m.	Stanford		Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)	NBC	L 10–17	80,795
October 29	3:30 p.m.	Miami (FL)		Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)	NBC	W 30–27	80,795
November 5	11:30 a.m.	vs. Navy		EverBank Field Jacksonville, FL (rivalry)	CBS	L 27–28	50,867
November 12	3:30 p.m.	vs. Army		Alamodome San Antonio, TX (Shamrock Series, rivalry)	NBC	W 44–6	45,762
November 19	3:30 p.m.	Virginia Tech		Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN	NBC	L 31–34	80,795
November 26	3:30 p.m	at No. 12 USC		Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA (rivalry)	ABC	L 27–45	72,402
Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

Before the season

Before the season began, several Notre Dame players were selected in the 2016 NFL draft, including offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley, wide receiver Will Fuller, linebacker Jaylon Smith, center Nick Martin, cornerback KeiVarae Russell, running back C. J. Prosise, and defensive tackle Sheldon Day. The Irish also lost free safety Max Redfield and cornerback Devin Butler in the offseason for violating team policies.

Also, Brian VanGorder was relieved of his duties as the team's defensive coordinator and replaced by Greg Hudson. Kelly said, "I have the utmost respect for Brian as both a person and football coach, but our defense simply isn't where it should be and I believe this change is necessary for the best interest of our program and our student-athletes."

Rankings

Further information: 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	Final
AP	10	18	18	RV	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Coaches	9	21	18	RV	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
CFP	Not released									—	—	—	—	—	—	Not released

Game summaries

At Texas

See also: 2016 Texas Longhorns football team

Notre Dame at Texas

Team	1	2	3	4	OT	2OT	Total
No. 10 Fighting Irish	7	7	14	9	7	3	47
• Longhorns	7	14	10	6	7	6	50

• Date: September 4, 2016
• Location: Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium
  Austin, TX
• Game start: 7:42 p.m. EDT
• Elapsed time: 4 hours
• Game attendance: 102,315
• Game weather: Temperature: 91 °F (33 °C) • Weather: Mostly Cloudy • Wind: SE 8 MPH
• Referee: Gary Patterson
• TV announcers (ABC): Joe Tessitore, Todd Blackledge and Holly Rowe (sideline)

Statistics	ND	TEX
First downs	22	26
Total yards	444	517
Rushing yards	206	237
Passing yards	238	280
Turnovers	0	1
Time of possession	32:42	27:18

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Notre Dame	Passing	DeShone Kizer	15/24, 215 yards, 5 TD
	Rushing	Tarean Folston	18 rushes, 88 yards
	Receiving	Equanimeous St. Brown	5 receptions, 75 yards, 2 TD
Texas	Passing	Shane Buechele	16/26, 280 yards, 2 TD, INT
	Rushing	D'Onta Foreman	24 rushes, 131 yards, TD
	Receiving	John Burt	6 receptions, 111 yards, TD

Nevada

See also: 2016 Nevada Wolf Pack football team

Nevada at Notre Dame

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
Wolf Pack	0	0	3	7	10
• No. 18 Fighting Irish	0	25	14	0	39

• Date: September 10, 2016
• Location: Notre Dame Stadium
  South Bend, IN
• Game start: 3:42 p.m. EDT
• Elapsed time: 3 hours and 25 minutes
• Game attendance: 80,795
• Game weather: Temperature: 70 °F (21 °C) • Weather: Partly Cloudy • Wind: W 12 MPH
• Referee: Jeff Maconaghy
• TV announcers (NBC): Mike Tirico, Doug Flutie and Kathryn Tappen (sideline)

Statistics	NEV	ND
First downs	16	21
Total yards	300	444
Rushing yards	99	239
Passing yards	201	205
Turnovers	1	1
Time of possession	26:28	33:32

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Nevada	Passing	Tyler Stewart	10/23, 113 yards, INT
	Rushing	James Butler	17 rushes, 50 yards
	Receiving	Andrew Celis	1 reception, 68 yards
Notre Dame	Passing	DeShone Kizer	15/18, 156 yards, 2 TD, INT
	Rushing	Josh Adams	10 rushes, 106 yards
	Receiving	Equanimeous St. Brown	6 receptions, 85 yards

No. 12 Michigan State

See also: 2016 Michigan State Spartans football team and Michigan State–Notre Dame football rivalry

Michigan State at Notre Dame
(Megaphone Trophy)

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
• No. 12 Spartans	0	15	21	0	36
No. 18 Fighting Irish	7	0	7	14	28

• Date: September 17, 2016
• Location: Notre Dame Stadium
  South Bend, IN
• Game start: 7:44 p.m. EDT
• Elapsed time: 3 hours and 31 minutes
• Game attendance: 80,795
• Game weather: Temperature: 77 °F (25 °C) • Weather: Clear • Wind: W 6 MPH
• Referee: Dan Capron
• TV announcers (NBC): Mike Tirico, Doug Flutie and Kathryn Tappen (sideline)

Statistics	MSU	ND
First downs	22	19
Total yards	501	401
Rushing yards	260	57
Passing yards	241	344
Turnovers	1	3
Time of possession	37:57	22:03

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Michigan State	Passing	Tyler O'Connor	19/26, 241 yards, 2 TD, INT
	Rushing	Gerald Holmes	13 rushes, 100 yards, 2 TD
	Receiving	Donnie Corley	4 receptions, 88 yards, TD
Notre Dame	Passing	DeShone Kizer	20/37, 344 yards, 2 TD, INT
	Rushing	Josh Adams	12 rushes, 29 yards
	Receiving	Torii Hunter Jr.	5 receptions, 95 yards

Duke

See also: 2016 Duke Blue Devils football team

Duke at Notre Dame

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
• Blue Devils	14	14	0	10	38
Fighting Irish	14	7	7	7	35

• Date: September 24, 2016
• Location: Notre Dame Stadium
  South Bend, IN
• Game start: 3:40 p.m. EDT
• Elapsed time: 3 hours and 14 minutes
• Game attendance: 80,795
• Game weather: Temperature: 74 °F (23 °C) • Weather: Mostly Cloudy • Wind: ENE 9 MPH
• Referee: Riley Johnson
• TV announcers (NBC): Mike Tirico, Doug Flutie and Kathryn Tappen (sideline)

Statistics	DUKE	ND
First downs	24	24
Total yards	498	534
Rushing yards	208	153
Passing yards	290	381
Turnovers	1	3
Time of possession	30:35	29:25

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Duke	Passing	Daniel Jones	24/32, 290 yards, 3 TD, INT
	Rushing	Jela Duncan	21 rushes, 121 yards, TD
	Receiving	Anthony Nash	6 receptions, 123 yards, 2 TD
Notre Dame	Passing	DeShone Kizer	22/37, 381 yards, 2 TD, INT
	Rushing	DeShone Kizer	11 rushes, 60 yards, TD
	Receiving	Equanimeous St. Brown	6 receptions, 116 yards, TD

Vs. Syracuse

See also: 2016 Syracuse Orange football team

Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Syracuse Orange

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Fighting Irish	23	10	14	3	50
Orange	13	14	0	6	33

at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

• Date: October 1, 2016
• Game time: 12:00 p.m. EST
• Game weather: Cloudy, 60 °F (16 °C)
• Game attendance: 62,794
• Referee: Stuart Mullins
• TV announcers (ESPN): Bob Wischusen, Brock Huard, and Allison Williams
• Box Score

Game information

First quarter ND – Equanimeous St. Brown 79-yard pass from DeShone Kizer (Justin Yoon kick), 14:42. Notre Dame 7–0. Drive: 1 play, 79 yards, 0:18. SU – Eric Dungey 3-yard run (kick blocked), 12:36. Notre Dame 7–6. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 2:06. ND – Cole Luke PAT return, 12:36. Notre Dame 9–6. ND – Equanimeous St. Brown 67-yard pass from DeShone Kizer (Justin Yoo kick), 11:23. Notre Dame 16–6. Drive: 3 plays, 74 yards, 1:14. SU – Amba Etta-Tawo 72-yard pass from Eric Dungey (Cole Murphy kick), 10:17. Notre Dame 16–13. Drive: 3 plays, 79 yards, 1:06. ND – C. J. Sanders 93-yard kickoff return (Justin Yoon kick), 10:06. Notre Dame 23–13. Second quarter SU – Eric Dungey 1-yard run (Cole Murphy kick), 13:22. Notre Dame 23–20. Drive: 9 plays, 78 yards, 3:06. ND – DeShone Kizer 3-yard run (Justin Yoon kick), 12:11. Notre Dame 30–20. Drive: 5 plays, 71 yards, 1:11. ND – Justin Yoon 31-yard field goal, 5:03. Notre Dame 33–20. Drive: 7 plays, 37 yards, 3:11. SU – Ervin Phillips 14-yard pass from Eric Dungey (Cole Murphy kick), 0:30. Notre Dame 33–27. Drive: 2 plays, 14 yards, 0:08. Third quarter ND – Kevin Stepherson 54-yard pass from DeShone Kizer (Justin Yoon kick), 11:23. Notre Dame 40–27. Drive: 4 plays, 86 yards, 1:41. ND – Dexter Williams 59-yard run (Justin Yoon kick), 8:26. Notre Dame 47–27. Drive: 3 plays, 70 yards, 1:22. Fourth quarter ND – Justin Yoon 39-yard field goal, 11:14. Notre Dame 50–27. Drive: 11 plays, 72 yards, 3:58. SU – Eric Dungey 5-yard run (run failed), 6:52. Notre Dame 50—33. Drive: 14 plays, 75 yards, 4:22. Top passers ND – DeShone Kizer – 23/35, 471 yards, 3 TD, INT SU – Eric Dungey – 31/51, 363 yards, 2 TD Top rushers ND – Josh Adams – 20 rushes, 102 yards SU – Eric Dungey – 17 rushes, 49 yards, 3 TD Top receivers ND – Equanimeous St. Brown – 4 receptions, 182 yards, 2 TD SU – Amba Etta-Tawo – 7 receptions, 134 yards, TD

At NC State

See also: 2016 NC State Wolfpack football team

Notre Dame at NC State

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
Fighting Irish	0	0	3	0	3
• Wolfpack	3	0	0	7	10

• Date: October 8, 2016
• Location: Carter–Finley Stadium
  Raleigh, NC
• Game start: 12:00 p.m. EDT
• Elapsed time: 4 hours
• Game attendance: 58,200
• Game weather: Temperature: 69 °F (21 °C) • Weather: Hurricane Matthew • Wind: NE 18 MPH
• Referee: Jeff Heaser
• TV announcers (ABC): Dave Pasch, Greg McElroy, and Tom Luginbill (sideline)

Statistics	ND	NCST
First downs	10	14
Total yards	113	198
Rushing yards	59	157
Passing yards	54	41
Turnovers	3	2
Time of possession	27:41	32:19

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Notre Dame	Passing	DeShone Kizer	9/26, 54 yards, INT
	Rushing	Josh Adams	14 rushes, 51 yards
	Receiving	Equanimeous St. Brown	3 receptions, 30 yards
NC State	Passing	Ryan Finley	5/12, 27 yards
	Rushing	Matt Dayes	23 rushes, 126 yards
	Receiving	Matt Dayes	3 receptions, 14 yards

The Notre Dame vs NC State game was played during Hurricane Matthew where the two teams combined for only 311 total yards. The only touchdown of the game was scored by NC State on a blocked punt leading NC State to win it 10–3.

Stanford

See also: 2016 Stanford Cardinal football team and Notre Dame–Stanford football rivalry

Stanford at Notre Dame
(Legends Trophy)

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
• Cardinal	0	0	9	8	17
Fighting Irish	7	3	0	0	10

• Date: October 15, 2016
• Location: Notre Dame Stadium
  South Bend, IN
• Game start: 7:40 p.m. EDT
• Elapsed time: 3 hours and 17 minutes
• Game attendance: 80,795
• Game weather: Temperature: 69 °F (21 °C) • Weather: Mostly Cloudy • Wind: S 9 MPH
• Referee: Michael Batlan
• TV announcers (NBC): Dan Hicks, Doug Flutie and Kathryn Tappen (sideline)

Statistics	STAN	ND
First downs	18	16
Total yards	296	307
Rushing yards	176	153
Passing yards	120	154
Turnovers	3	2
Time of possession	32:51	27:09

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Stanford	Passing	Ryan Burns	10/19, 120 yards, INT
	Rushing	Bryce Love	23 rushes, 129 yards, TD
	Receiving	Michael Rector	3 receptions, 34 yards
Notre Dame	Passing	DeShone Kizer	14/26, 154 yards, 2 INT
	Rushing	DeShone Kizer	11 rushes, 83 yards, TD
	Receiving	Torii Hunter Jr.	4 receptions, 70 yards

Miami (FL)

See also: 2016 Miami Hurricanes football team

Miami (FL) at Notre Dame

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
Hurricanes	0	7	10	10	27
• Fighting Irish	17	3	0	10	30

• Date: October 29, 2016
• Location: Notre Dame Stadium
  South Bend, IN
• Game start: 3:40 p.m. EDT
• Elapsed time: 3 hours and 38 minutes
• Game attendance: 80,795
• Game weather: Temperature: 70 °F (21 °C) • Weather: Overcast • Wind: WSW 9 MPH
• Referee: Jeff Flanagan
• TV announcers (NBC): Dan Hicks, Doug Flutie and Kathryn Tappen (sideline)

Statistics	MIA	ND
First downs	20	20
Total yards	306	411
Rushing yards	18	148
Passing yards	288	263
Turnovers	1	2
Time of possession	33:25	26:35

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Miami	Passing	Brad Kaaya	26/42, 288 yards, TD, INT
	Rushing	Mark Walton	18 rushes, 45 yards, TD
	Receiving	Stacy Coley	7 receptions, 81 yards
Notre Dame	Passing	DeShone Kizer	25/38, 263 yards, 2 TD
	Rushing	Josh Adams	12 rushes, 94 yards, TD
	Receiving	Kevin Stepherson	2 receptions, 78 yards

Vs. Navy

See also: 2016 Navy Midshipmen football team and Navy–Notre Dame football rivalry

Notre Dame vs Navy
(Rip Miller Trophy)

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
Fighting Irish	10	7	7	3	27
• Midshipmen	7	7	7	7	28

• Date: November 5, 2016
• Location: EverBank Field
  Jacksonville, FL
• Game start: 11:40 a.m. EDT
• Elapsed time: 3 hours and 5 minutes
• Game attendance: 50,867
• Game weather: Temperature: 70 °F (21 °C) • Weather: Partly Cloudy • Wind: ENE 13 MPH
• Referee: Jerry Magallanes
• TV announcers (CBS): Carter Blackburn, Adam Archuleta and Jenny Dell (sideline)

Statistics	ND	NAVY
First downs	21	21
Total yards	370	368
Rushing yards	147	320
Passing yards	223	48
Turnovers	0	0
Time of possession	26:07	33:53

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Notre Dame	Passing	DeShone Kizer	19/27, 223 yards, 3 TD
	Rushing	Josh Adams	12 rushes, 73 yards
	Receiving	Torii Hunter Jr.	8 receptions, 104 yards, TD
Navy	Passing	Will Worth	5/8, 48 yards
	Rushing	Will Worth	28 rushes, 175 yards, 2 TD
	Receiving	Jamir Tillman	4 receptions, 41 yards

Vs. Army

See also: 2016 Army Black Knights football team and Army-Notre Dame football rivalry

Notre Dame vs Army
(rivalry / Shamrock Series)

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
Black Knights	0	6	0	0	6
• Fighting Irish	21	17	6	0	44

• Date: November 12, 2016
• Location: Alamodome
  San Antonio, TX
• Game start: 3:39 p.m. EST
• Elapsed time: 2 hours and 55 minutes
• Game attendance: 45,762
• Game weather: Temperature: 74 °F (23 °C) • Weather: Indoors • Wind: N/A
• Referee: Stuart Mullins
• TV announcers (NBC): Dan Hicks, Doug Flutie and Kathryn Tappen (sideline)

Statistics	ARMY	ND
First downs	10	31
Total yards	242	476
Rushing yards	229	261
Passing yards	13	215
Turnovers	1	1
Time of possession	25:38	34:22

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Army	Passing	Malik McGue	2/3, 13 yards, INT
	Rushing	Darnell Woolfolk	11 rushes, 95 yards
	Receiving	Christian Poe	1 reception, 9 yards
Notre Dame	Passing	DeShone Kizer	17/28, 209 yards, 3 TD, INT
	Rushing	Tarean Holston	13 rushes, 84 yards, TD
	Receiving	Kevin Stepherson	5 receptions, 75 yards, TD

Virginia Tech

See also: 2016 Virginia Tech Hokies football team

Virginia Tech at Notre Dame

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
• Hokies	0	14	7	13	34
Fighting Irish	10	14	7	0	31

• Date: November 19, 2016
• Location: Notre Dame Stadium
  South Bend, IN
• Game start: 3:40 p.m. EST
• Elapsed time: 3 hours and 22 minutes
• Game attendance: 80,795
• Game weather: Temperature: 36 °F (2 °C) • Weather: Cloudy and Snow Flurries • Wind: WNW 20 MPH
• Referee: Duane Heydt
• TV announcers (NBC): Dan Hicks, Doug Flutie and Kathryn Tappen (sideline)

Statistics	VT	ND
First downs	25	22
Total yards	419	449
Rushing yards	152	200
Passing yards	267	249
Turnovers	2	0
Time of possession	32:45	27:15

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Virginia Tech	Passing	Jerod Evans	22/29, 267 yards, 2 TD, INT
	Rushing	Jerod Evans	18 rushes, 67 yards, TD
	Receiving	Isaiah Ford	7 receptions, 86 yards
Notre Dame	Passing	DeShone Kizer	16/33, 235 yards, 2 TD
	Rushing	Josh Adams	13 rushes, 100 yards, 2 TD
	Receiving	Equanimeous St. Brown	6 receptions, 90 yards

At No. 12 USC

See also: 2016 USC Trojans football team and Notre Dame–USC football rivalry

Notre Dame at USC
(Jeweled Shillelagh)

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
Fighting Irish	7	0	14	6	27
• No. 12 Trojans	10	14	14	7	45

• Date: November 26, 2016
• Location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
  Los Angeles, CA
• Game start: 3:42 p.m. EST
• Elapsed time: 3 hours and 39 minutes
• Game attendance: 72,402
• Game weather: Temperature: 63 °F (17 °C) • Weather: Partly Cloudy and Rain • Wind: E 5 MPH
• Referee: Ron Cherry
• TV announcers (ABC): Steve Levy, Brian Griese and Todd McShay (sideline)

Statistics	ND	USC
First downs	23	23
Total yards	408	412
Rushing yards	154	207
Passing yards	254	205
Turnovers	2	1
Time of possession	28:57	31:03

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Notre Dame	Passing	DeShone Kizer	17/32, 220 yards, 2 TD, INT
	Rushing	Josh Adams	17 rushes, 180 yards
	Receiving	Equanimeous St. Brown	7 receptions, 94 yards, TD
USC	Passing	Sam Darnold	19/29, 205 yards, 2 TD
	Rushing	Ronald Jones II	16 rushes, 134 yards, TD
	Receiving	Adoree' Jackson	1 reception, 52 yards, TD

Personnel

Roster

2016 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team roster
Quarterbacks  4 Montgomery VanGorder – junior (6'5, 215)  7 Brandon Wimbush – sophomore (6'1, 216)  9 Malik Zaire – senior (6'0, 225) 12 Ian Book – freshman 14 DeShone Kizer – junior (6'4, 230) 17 Nolan Henry – sophomore (6'1, 195) Running backs  2 Dexter Williams – sophomore (5'11, 210) 11 Justin Brent – junior (6'1, 220) 25 Tarean Folston – senior (5'9, 214) 28 Austin Ross – senior (5'10, 206) 33 Josh Adams – sophomore (6'1, 219) 34 Tony Jones Jr. – freshman 38 Deon McIntosh – freshman 46 Josh Anderson – graduate student (5'9, 205) 49 Bailey Ross – senior (5'10, 202) Wide receivers  3 C. J. Sanders – sophomore (5'8, 185)  6 Equanimeous St. Brown – sophomore (6'4, 205) 15 Corey Holmes – junior (6'0, 190) 16 Torii Hunter Jr. – senior (6'0, 195) 26 Austin Webster – junior (5'11, 195) 27 Chris Finke – sophomore (5'9, 175) 29 Kevin Stepherson – freshman (6'0, 181) 35 Grant Hammann – junior (6'0, 192) 37 Omar Hunter – senior (5'9, 195) 81 Miles Boykin – sophomore (6'3, 225) 83 Chase Claypool – freshman 86 Javon McKinley – freshman 87 Keenan Centlivre – junior (6'5, 225) 89 Buster Sheridan – senior (6'3, 200) Tight ends 10 Alize Jones – sophomore (6'4, 240) 80 Durham Smythe – senior (6'4, 245) 82 Nic Weishar – junior (6'4, 245) 84 Ben Suttman – senior (6'2, 240) 89 Jacob Matuska – senior (6'4, 275) Punters 80 Tyler Newsome – junior (6'2, 210) (+K)		Offensive Lineman 50 Parker Boudreaux – freshman 53 Sam Mustipher – junior (6'2, 305) 56 Quenton Nelson – junior (6'5, 325) 57 Trevor Ruhland – sophomore (6'3, 300) 62 Colin McGovern – senior (6'4, 315) 63 Sam Bush – junior (6'3, 305) 66 Tristen Hoge – sophomore (6'4, 300) 67 Jimmy Byrne – junior (6'4, 300) 68 Mike McGlinchey – senior (6'7, 310) 69 Logan Plantz – sophomore (6'2, 310) 70 Hunter Bivin – senior (6'5, 308) 71 Alex Bars – junior (6'6, 320) 74 Liam Eichenberg – freshman 75 Mark Harrell – graduate student (6'4, 306) 78 Tommy Kraemer – freshman Defensive Lineman  9 Daelin Hayes – freshman (6'3, 257) 42 Julian Okwara – freshman 53 Khalid Kareem – freshman (6'3, 270) 54 Lincoln Feist – sophomore (6'2, 315) 55 Jonathan Bonner – junior (6'3, 286) 58 Elijah Taylor – sophomore (6'3, 285) 60 John Montelus – senior (6'4, 310) 64 Ryan Kilander – junior (6'0, 310) 75 Daniel Cage – junior (6'1, 315) 77 Brandon Tiassum – sophomore (6'3, 302) 90 Isaac Rochell – senior (6'3, 290) 92 Grant Blankenship – junior (6'5, 278) 93 Jay Hayes – junior (6'3, 285) 94 Jarron Jones – graduate student (6'5, 315) 95 Marquis Dickerson – senior (6'1, 285) 96 Peter Mokwuah – junior (6'3, 317) 97 Micah Dew-Treadway – sophomore (6'4, 300) 98 Andrew Trumbetti – junior (6'3, 260) 99 Jerry Tillery – sophomore (6'6, 310) 91 Adetokunbo Ogundeji – freshman Kickers 19 Justin Yoon – sophomore (5'9, 190) 29 Sam Kohler – junior (6'0, 175) 42 Jeff Riney – sophomore (5'10, 175) (+P) 43 John Chereson – senior (5'9, 178)		Linebackers  4 Te'von Coney – sophomore (6'1, 235)  5 Nyles Morgan – junior (6'1, 245) 17 James Onwualu – senior (6'1, 232) 22 Asmar Bilal – sophomore (6'2, 230) 30 Josh Barajas – sophomore (6'1, 240) 40 Kier Murphy – sophomore (6'0, 230) 42 Jimmy Thompson – sophomore (6'0, 215) 44 Jamir Jones – freshman 45 Jonathan Jones – freshman 48 Greer Martini – junior (6'2, 245) 49 Brandon Hutson – sophomore (6'2, 230) 51 Devyn Spruell – sophomore (6'1, 240) Cornerbacks  7 Nick Watkins – junior (6'0, 200) 12 Devin Butler – senior (6'0, 200) 25 Brian Ball – sophomore (5'11, 185) 26 Ashton White – sophomore (5'11, 190) 34 Jesse Bongiovi – senior (5'9, 194) 36 Cole Luke – senior (5'11, 193) Safeties  4 Avery Sebastian – graduate student (5'10, 200) 13 Devin Studstill – freshman (6'0, 190) 23 Drue Tranquill – junior (6'1, 225) 31 Spencer Perry – freshman (6'2, 204) 38 Robert Regan – sophomore (6'2, 200) 39 Drew Recker – senior (5'11, 205) Defensive backs 18 Troy Pride – freshman 20 Shaun Crawford – sophomore (5'8, 189) 24 Nick Coleman – sophomore (5'11, 190) 21 Jalen Elliott – freshman 27 Julian Love – freshman 32 D.J. Morgan – freshman 35 Donte Vaughn – freshman Long snappers 54 John Shannon – freshman 61 Scott Daly – graduate student (6'1, 250)

Coaching staff

Name	Position	Year at Notre Dame	Alma mater (Year)
Brian Kelly	Head coach	7th	Assumption (1982)
Mike Denbrock	Associate head coach/wide receivers	7th	Grand Valley State (1987)
Mike Elston	Linebackers/recruiting coordinator	7th	Michigan (1998)
Harry Hiestand	Offensive line/run game coordinator	5th	East Stroudsburg (1983)
Scott Booker	Tight ends/special teams coordinator	5th	Kent State (2003)
Brian VanGorder	Defensive coordinator	3rd	Wayne State (1980)
Greg Hudson	Interim defensive coordinator	1st	Notre Dame (1988)
Mike Sanford Jr.	Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks	2nd	Boise State (2005)
Autry Denson	Running backs	2nd	Notre Dame (1999)
Keith Gilmore	Defensive line	2nd	Wayne State (1981)
Todd Lyght	Defensive backs coach	2nd	Notre Dame (1991)
Paul Longo	Director of football strength and conditioning	7th	Wayne State (1981)

Recruiting class

Brian Kelly and the Notre Dame coaching staff accepted 23 commitments for the 2016 recruiting cycle, including two 5-stars: Daelin Hayes and Tommy Kraemer. The class included student-athletes from 11 different states, and one Canadian province.

College recruiting (2016)
Name	Hometown	School	Height	Weight	40‡	Commit date
Ian Book QB	El Dorado Hills, California	Oak Ridge High School	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)	190 lb (86 kg)	–	Aug 14, 2015
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (79)
Parker Boudreaux OL	Winter Garden, Florida	Bishop Moore High School	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	300 lb (140 kg)	–	Jul 2, 2015
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (80)
Chase Claypool WR	Abbotsford, British Columbia	Abbotsford Senior Secondary	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	215 lb (98 kg)	–	Jul 10, 2015
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (82)
Liam Eichenberg OL	Westlake, Ohio	St. Ignatius High School (Cleveland, OH)	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)	280 lb (130 kg)	–	Apr 19, 2015
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (85)
Jalen Elliott DB	Richmond, Virginia	Lloyd C. Bird High School	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)	189 lb (86 kg)	–	Jun 19, 2015
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (78)
Daelin Hayes DE/LB	Belleville, Michigan	Skyline High School	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	240 lb (110 kg)	–	Dec 10, 2015
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (81)
Jamir Jones LB	Rochester, New York	Aquinas Institute	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	220 lb (100 kg)	–	Jun 23, 2015
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (72)
Jonathan Jones LB	Ocoee, Florida	Oak Ridge High School	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)	200 lb (91 kg)	–	Feb 3, 2016
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (78)
Tony Jones Jr. RB	St. Petersburg, Florida	IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL)	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)	219 lb (99 kg)	–	Mar 22, 2015
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (79)
Khalid Kareem DE	Pontiac, Michigan	Harrison High School	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	245 lb (111 kg)	–	Oct 23, 2015
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (83)
Tommy Kraemer OL	Cincinnati, Ohio	Elder High School	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	310 lb (140 kg)	–	Oct 4, 2014
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (83)
Julian Love DB	Westchester, Illinois	Nazareth Academy	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)	175 lb (79 kg)	–-	Mar 21, 2015
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (79)
Deon McIntosh RB	Pompano Beach, Florida	Cardinal Gibbons High School	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)	180 lb (82 kg)	–	Nov 16, 2015
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (79)
Javon McKinley WR	Corona, California	Centennial High School	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	205 lb (93 kg)	–	Jan 9, 2016
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (79)
D. J. Morgan DB	Norwalk, California	St. John Bosco High School	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	190 lb (86 kg)	–	Sep 27, 2015
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (79)
Adetokunbo Ogundeji DE	West Bloomfield, Michigan	Walled Lake Central High School	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)	216 lb (98 kg)	–	Jul 16, 2015
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (78)
Julian Okwara DE	Charlotte, North Carolina	Ardrey Kell High School	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	216 lb (98 kg)	–	Apr 14, 2015
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (80)
Spencer Perry DB	Newnan, Georgia	IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL)	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	204 lb (93 kg)	–	Jun 29, 2015
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (80)
Troy Pride DB	Greer, South Carolina	Greer High School	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)	175 lb (79 kg)	–	Dec 24, 2015
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (73)
John Shannon LS	Lake Forest, Illinois	Loyola Academy	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	220 lb (100 kg)	–	Mar 21, 2015
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (68)
Kevin Stepherson WR	Jacksonville, Florida	First Coast High School	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)	171 lb (78 kg)	–	Jun 18, 2015
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (78)
Devin Studstill DB	Riviera Beach, Florida	Palm Beach Garden High School	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)	189 lb (86 kg)	–	Dec 15, 2015
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (77)
Donte Vaughn DB	Memphis, Tennessee	Whitehaven High School	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	190 lb (86 kg)	–	Oct 12, 2015
	Recruit ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    (80)
Overall recruit ranking:   Scout: 13    Rivals: 12    ESPN: 16
‡ Refers to 40-yard dash Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, On3, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height, weight and 40 time. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "2016 Notre Dame Football Commitment List". Rivals. Retrieved February 6, 2016. "Scout.com Football Recruiting: Notre Dame". Scout. Retrieved February 6, 2016. "2016 Player Commitments – Notre Dame". ESPN. Retrieved February 6, 2016. "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout. Retrieved February 6, 2016. "2016 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved February 6, 2016.

Statistics

Passing

1. DeShone Kizer - 212 of 361 (58.7%) for 2,925 yards, 26 touchdowns, 9 interceptions, and a 145.6 passer rating
2. Malik Zaire - 11 of 23 (47.8%) for 122 yards, 1 touchdown, 0 interceptions, and a 106.7 passer rating.

Rushing

1. Josh Adams - 933 yards on 158 carries, 5.9-yard average, 5 touchdowns
2. DeShone Kizer - 472 yards on 129 carries, 3.7-yard average, 8 touchdowns
3. Tarean Folston - 334 yards on 77 carries, 4.3-yard average, 2 touchdowns
4. Dexter Williams - 208 yards on 39 carries, 5.1-yard average, 3 touchdowns

Receiving

1. Equanimeous St. Brown (WR) - 58 receptions for 961 yards, 16.6-yard average, 9 touchdowns
2. Torii Hunter Jr. (WR) - 38 receptions for 521 yards, 13.7-yard average, 3 touchdowns
3. Kevin Stepherson (WR) - 25 receptions for 462 yards, 18.5-yard average, 5 touchdowns
4. C.J. Sanders (WR) - 24 receptions for 293 yards, 12.2-yard average, 2 touchdowns
5. Josh Adams (RB) - 21 receptions for 193 yards, 9.2-yard average, 1 touchdown
6. Chris Finke (WR) - 10 receptions for 122 yards, 12.2-yard average, 2 touchdowns
7. Durham Smythe (TE) - 9 receptions for 112 yards, 12.4-yard average, 4 touchdowns

Scoring

1. Justin Yoon (K) - 83 points, 44 of 46 PAT, 13 of 17 field goals
2. Equanimeous St. Brown (WR) - 54 points, 9 touchdowns
3. DeShone Kizer (QB) - 48 points, 8 touchdowns
4. Josh Adams (RB) - 36 points, 6 touchdowns
5. Kevin Stepherson (WR) - 30 points, 5 touchdowns
6. C.J. Sanders (WR) - 24 points, 4 touchdowns
7. Durham Smythe (TE) - 25 points, 4 touchdowns

Awards and honors

Junior quarterback DeShone Kizer was won the team's most valuable player award. Wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown was named Offensive Player of the Year, and linebacker James Onwualu was named Defensive Player of the Year. Defensive lineman Isaac Rochell was selected as Lineman of the Year.