A dozen wins, 11 months and a Playoff berth have clouded how different Notre Dame’s defense — and thus, season — could have looked if not for two separate decisions made by Drue Tranquill and Te’von Coney following the 2017 season. More accurately speaking, Tranquill announced his intention to return 53 weeks ago, at last year’s postseason awards banquet, but Coney’s clincher did not come until January.
At that point, the Irish defense knew it had two linchpins to rely on in the middle. Playing through injury and fatigue — as much credit as Tranquill gets and deserves for fighting his way onto the field despite a myriad of maladies, Coney should get just as much for surviving a season sans suitable substitute — they led Notre Dame’s defense.