In 2018, when the Irish defense was Final 4 caliber - One of the keys was having a "big time" player at each level. Playing next to Tillery - means I'll never get double teamed. Playing next to Love assures I'll never take their best receiver. Playing next to Coney makes my LB assignments a lot easier. They make the players around them better, they have Final four leadership qualities and Final four abilities. (Having Tranquil helped - Ha!) They can't be surrounded by stiffs - but surrounded by good / elite players is what helped to make that defense Final four quality. Next year has the same potential - Last years mock drafts had Hayes a 7th round pick; JOK has the potential to be as good as Coney; and Hamilton has the chance to be as good as Love. (Getting Crawford back - is a huge "get") I hate the word "potential" - it means your not as good as we thought you were going to be. But.....the Irish defense has a chance to be as good as or better than 2018. Time will tell.
ND has the talent to replace these guys, but not sure about the leadership. They were absolute warriors the last 2 years.
Many were bemoaning the loss of Tillery, Coney and Tranquill, wondering how on earth we'd replace them. And unlike Gilman and Kareem, it was not obvious who their replacement were.
It all worked out, as will this.
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