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Notre Dame placed 20 players on Phil Steele's preseason all-independent team, including 13 on the first team.

BYU was a close second with 18. Army and Navy each had seven.

The usual suspects (Cierre Wood, Manti Te'o, Tyler Eifert) make the first team, as does Notre Dame's entire starting defensive line, even without transfer Aaron Lynch. There are some leaps of faith here, but that's to be expected when picking 52 total players from a pool of just four schools, as many players are unproven. Bennett Jackson and Christian Lombard will likely be first-year starters, and who knows if Davonte Neal will even get the chance to return punts during his first year with the Irish.

Here are all of the Notre Dame players on Steele's preseason all-independent team:

FIRST TEAM

• RB Cierre Wood
• WR Theo Riddick
• TE Tyler Eifert
• C Braxston Cave
• OG Chris Watt
• OT Zack Martin
• DL Stephon Tuitt
• DL Louis Nix
• DL Kapron Lewis-Moore
• LB Manti Te'o
• CB Bennett Jackson
• S Jamoris Slaughter
• KR George Atkinson

SECOND TEAM

• WR TJ Jones
• OT Christian Lombard
• LB Prince Shembo
• S Zeke Motta
• K Kyle Brindza
• P Ben Turk
• PR Davonte Neal

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Aaron Lynch would often call Manti Te'o his big brother, the two most talented Notre Dame defensive recruits in years bonding over the high expectations and even the distance away from home that each had to deal with in college.

So Te'o was a little surprised once he heard the news Friday that Lynch would be transferring at semester's end. But the linebacker knows there is a line that should not be crossed, and he is protective of his former teammate when it comes to the vitriol Lynch has dealt with from outsiders in light of his decision to go to another school.

"It hurt, because like I said, I cared about Aaron the kid, not the player," Te'o said. "Everybody else cares about what he does and it's obvious, because the poor kid is getting heat. That's not fair. That's not fair for a 19-year-old to be hounded by people online on his Facebook and stuff like that. So as an older brother I look at that and I'm just there for him — 'Hey, don't read that stuff. Just you do what you've got to do. And your family here at Notre Dame will always love you no matter what.' And he knows that, and like I said, I'm going to miss the kid."

Defensive end Kapron Lewis-Moore, who had been working with the second team this spring, will move into Lynch's spot. The fifth-year senior started a majority of the past three seasons for the Irish anyway, though he missed the last six games of 2011 because of a right knee injury.

"It's always shocking when you have somebody that talented leaving this university," Lewis-Moore said. "We're really going to miss Aaron, but at the same time we wish him the best. But we've got to kind of move on from that, there's no hard feelings."

Kelly said several times following Saturday's practice — the team's first since Lynch announced he would transfer — that the transition without the 6-foot-6, 270-pound defensive end had been "seamless."

The third-year Irish coach acknowledged that the balance of coaching football and playing team psychologist is part of his job description, something he has gotten used to doing every day in what is going on a 22-year college head-coaching career.

"They're 18-21 year-olds, and they're going to have good days and bad days, so I think I'm constantly trying to be in touch with it," Kelly said. "I know our coaches try really hard, but that social worker, that psychologist, I think that all goes into being a good coach and a good teacher."

Lynch, who had not been shy in acknowledging the difficulties of his transition to college in a new region, is likely transferring to a school closer to his hometown of Cape Coral, Fla.,

Te'o dealt with many similar challenges upon his arrival to Notre Dame three years ago, especially coming all the way from Laie, Hawaii.

"When I was young there were many times after practice where I just said, 'I don't want to be here,' you know what I mean?" Te'o recalled. "But it's a growing process, you have to mature. It's hard. I think it's hard wherever you go, whether you're at Notre Dame, you're at USC — you're away from home. And for a young 18-, 19-year old, not being able to come home and see Mom and Dad and your siblings and have a home-cooked meal waiting for you, and coming here and you finish practice and you have to find out, what are you going to eat? Where am I going to go? Do I got to wash my clothes? Do I got to wash the dishes?

"It's a culture shock, so there were those days though. Fortunately for me, I just fought through it and I stuck it out, and that's one thing I want my little brother to experience. I wanted him to stick it out and reap the benefits of sticking it out and being here at Notre Dame and taking care of his family, but I know he'll take care of his family wherever he goes."

Our breakdown of Notre Dame's 2012 roster continues today with the defensive side of the ball.

DEFENSIVE LINE

The players: Aaron Lynch, Louis Nix, Stephon Tuitt, Kapron Lewis-Moore, Tony Springmann, Chase Hounshell, Sheldon Day, Tyler Stockton, Kona Schwenke

The incoming: Jarron Jones, Romeo Okwara

The breakdown: Injuries forced all three current starters — Lynch, Nix and Tuitt — to play much more than expected last season, and none disappointed. They are all second-year players now, and their pass-rushing ability should have opposing offensive lines and quarterbacks on their heels. Lewis-Moore has been cleared for spring following a season-ending knee injury in 2011 but might not start, though he will likely see plenty of playing time as the line rotates. Hounshell (shoulder surgery) is not cleared yet, but he will likely see significant time this fall after playing as a true freshman last year as well.

LINEBACKERS

The players: Danny Spond, Manti Te'o, Dan Fox, Prince Shembo, Kendall Moore, Ishaq Williams, Anthony Rabasa, Carlo Calabrese, Jarrett Grace, Justin Utopo, Connor Little, Ben Councell, Joe Schmidt

The incoming: None

The breakdown: As we said with Tyler Eifert yesterday, everyone knows what Te'o is capable of, as he likely would have been a first-round NFL draft pick had he left school following his junior year. Fox and Calabrese shared the other inside role last year, and their experience should prove valuable. Shembo has been working at the cat spot this spring, and up-and-coming talents like Williams and Spond figure to see extensive playing time.

SECONDARY

The players: Bennett Jackson, Jamoris Slaughter, Zeke Motta, Lo Wood, Josh Atkinson, Austin Collinsworth, Dan McCarthy, Jalen Brown, Cam McDaniel, Eilar Hardy, Chris Salvi, Joe Romano, Will Salvi, Connor Cavalaris, Matthias Farley, Blake Breslau

The incoming: Elijah Shumate, Nicky Baratti, C.J. Prosise, John Turner

The breakdown: The loss of Tee Shepard really stings this group, which is down to four scholarship corners with a combined zero career starts. Jackson and Wood are in position to take over as the new starters, and playing time last season should help with the transition. At safety, Slaughter and Motta saw plenty of time the last two seasons, and Slaughter in particular has shown a nose for the ball and the capability of providing a leadership force that Harrison Smith is leaving behind. Collinsworth will likely also see plenty of snaps after playing last year.

This is the test we have all been waiting to see: how Notre Dame measures up with a truly elite team.

The Irish have faced three ranked teams so far this season, beating current No. 14 Michigan State while losing to No. 15 Michigan and USC, which is ranked 10th by the Associated Press but is ineligible for the BCS standings.

Stanford, currently sixth in the BCS standings, is truly an elite team, a notch above anything the Irish have seen all season. The Cardinal won a triple-overtime thriller at USC — the best team Notre Dame has faced this season. They are coming off a 12-1, Orange Bowl-winning season and are currently 10-1, in position to notch another BCS-bowl berth.

They boast the likely top NFL draft pick in quarterback Andrew Luck, who is a strong contender for the Heisman Trophy as well. But, perhaps even more imposing, they boast an even better rushing attack, powered by a pair of likely first-round draft picks in left tackle Jonathan Martin and right guard David DeCastro.

Here is where the Irish will really be tested, particularly if they are without versatile defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt, whose status is up in the air after missing last week with an illness. Stanford has the nation's No. 22 rushing attack and the No. 24 passing attack, which equals the 10th-ranked total offense and fourth-ranked scoring offense, averaging 45 points per game.

During its current four-game winning streak, Notre Dame has held three of its opponents below 20 points, with Maryland scoring a late touchdown to finish with 21. The Irish have surrendered just more than 20 points per game this season. The defense has been stout for most of the season, ranking in the top 30 in both total and scoring defense and putting the team on its back in victories over Pitt, Wake Forest and Boston College — when the offense was average, at best.

Most of all, it knows what it is getting against Stanford, a no-nonsense, smash-mouth team that prides itself on punching you in the face early and often. The Cardinal offensive line averages just 1 more pound collectively (305) than the starting line the Irish defense faces every day in practice (304).

In his two seasons at Notre Dame, Brian Kelly has spoken about building toughness and winning in the trenches. This, of course, is coming from a coach who is 6-0 in November games at Notre Dame and has won 16 such games in a row dating back to 2007 (including December regular-season contests).

But the Irish are young on the defensive line, even if Lynch doesn't play. With senior Kapron Lewis-Moore sidelined for the season, senior Ethan Johnson and junior Sean Cwynar are the only veterans who see meaningful snaps. Starting nose guard Louis Nix is a sophomore in his first year playing, starting end Aaron Lynch is a freshman and another freshman, Chase Hounshell, has slowly worked his way into the rotation as well.

The line has matured at a quicker-than-expected rate through 11 games this season, but nothing can prepare it for the test it is about to face Saturday, one that will ultimately decide this game.

Prediction: Stanford 31, Notre Dame 20

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The third quarter was less than five minutes old when attention began to shift from the field to the home sideline, Notre Dame players making their way toward the equipment trunk to offer whatever they could to the teammate sitting on top of it, the player unlikely to join them on the field ever again, certainly not in this final home game of the season.

Kapron Lewis-Moore, relegated to crutches after suffering a season-ending right knee injury four weeks earlier, stayed to his right, as if to make sure the running back wouldn't spend a second alone.

Braxston Cave, out for the year after suffering a left foot injury two weeks earlier, emerged from the player's left, hugging the senior as he limped off the field under his own power.

Michael Floyd would say afterward that he was heartbroken. Manti Te'o would call it the hardest thing to watch.

Jonas Gray, the man they were all trying to pick up? He was doing a much better job than any of them, picking up everyone around him instead.

He told his mother, Jeri, not to worry, insisting he'd be OK. His right knee immobilized in the locker room after a 16-14 win over Boston College, Gray told his teammates to stay strong. He thanked them for his four years at Notre Dame, told them how special the experience was and explained how lucky he felt to be able to share it with them.

"That's the kind of guy he is," captain Harrison Smith said. "He's not gonna dwell on the bad things. He's gonna try to somehow spin it to be good."

Gray spun a season-opening, goal-line fumble into becoming an eventual starter, finishing with 791 yards and 6.9 yards per carry this season.

He took on coach Brian Kelly's challenge to overcome that Week 1 gaffe and didn't let it define him, carrying the ball 39 more times in 2011 than he did in the three previous years combined, all the while rushing for 12 touchdowns -- 12 more than he had entering this season.

Kelly, sans MRI result Sunday, made the presumption that Gray's injury would cost him 2011 and who knows just how much beyond, all for a senior who had been playing his way into an NFL future during this last go-round.

Just four days earlier, Kelly sang a much different tune about Gray's renaissance senior campaign.

"I can't remember in my 21 years coaching a guy that has made that significant of an impact on a football team," Kelly said Wednesday. "I've had some senior linemen step up and be great role guys, but he's an actual playmaker for us. All the credit. I mean, he's the guy who decided to do this. We said, 'Listen, you gotta do this.' He could've chose not to do it. He's a great story."

That great story was supposed to reach its climax Saturday, the senior walking through the home tunnel for the final time, rushing for a 26-yard score on the game's opening drive, Notre Dame's only touchdown of the day.

But 11 carries, two catches and 76 total yards later, that great story came crashing down in the form of a 3-yard reception gone wrong, putting everything Gray had said this season to the test.

"The one thing I'm gonna remember is how I was humbled through my first couple seasons, and how that has an impact on how I am now," he had said Tuesday. "That makes me work even harder every time I have the opportunity, because I was humbled so early on in my career. So that's what I'm gonna remember about this place. And this university is great. The people are great. And being surrounded around great people who all have the same attitude I have, which is having a selfish motivation, but at the same time being great teammates."

Gray could say he was humble and tout his teammates when all was going well. But what about when his career flashed before his eyes, when everything he worked for was taken right from under him so close to the finish line?

"I don't feel bad at all, because he's had a good year," his mother said after the game. "He's overcome some adversity, and so for him to even get this far, I don't feel bad for him at all. It's unfortunate that this situation happened, but it's football and he knows that. And just like before, he'll bounce back."

Gray himself wasn't available for interviews Saturday. He probably wasn't needed. Everyone else did the speaking for him.

Because afterward, his teammates said, Jonas Gray looked at them in the locker room following the Senior Day win he couldn't finish and told them how lucky he was just to be a part of it.

Everyone hates Mondays -- except for Halloween. Here, we spice things up with a spooky look at Notre Dame's season and what remains of it as the calendar turns toward November.

Haunted House: We've been calling it the Big House of Horrors here for quite some time, so it has to be Michigan, right? Notre Dame has lost its past three games in Ann Arbor, including a 38-0 defeat in 2007. That may actually be better than losing on last-second touchdowns, the way the Irish have in their previous two trips to Michigan Stadium.

Scary movie: The Irish's opener was straight out of a horror flick. The lights came on, the sun went down and nearly three hours of thunderstorms rained on Notre Dame fans' parade, culminating in a five-hour, 59-minute contest that everyone in South Bend would like to forget. Five turnovers and a quarterback change plagued the Irish in a 23-20 Week 1 loss to South Florida.

Boo: Notre Dame has been relatively lucky injury-wise, except on the defensive line. There, senior end Ethan Johnson (sprained right ankle) hasn't played since the first snap Oct. 1 at Purdue and fellow senior Kapron Lewis-Moore (knee) is gone for the year. The third season-opening starter, nose guard Sean Cwynar, missed two games and has been limited much of the season because of a broken right hand, though he is now at full-strength and no longer has to play with a club on it.

Witchcraft: These were Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo's words following his team's 56-14 loss Saturday: "We tried to mis-direction him, tried to get him lost, tried to do some different things with eyes and that kid was dialed in. Like I said, we tried a lot of different blocking schemes and we couldn't get him blocked." He was talking about Manti Te'o, who has continued to puzzle offenses all season long. His 82 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks all lead the Irish.

Monster Mash: The Irish's Nov. 26 game at Stanford will be, if nothing else, a great chance to see where this team stacks up with the nation's elite. Stanford could be playing for a spot in the BCS title game then. And who knows, given all of the upsets that have happened the past two weeks -- maybe there's a shot, albeit a very slim one, that an 8-3 Notre Dame team is playing for a potential BCS bowl bid as well.

With three losses in its past four games against Navy, Notre Dame has to be wary of the Midshipmen. Even with Navy at 2-5.

This isn't one of those "throw the records out the door" rivalries, but Notre Dame has to look past the fact Navy has a five-game losing streak and see what has caused Navy's bowl hopes to be in jeopardy with five games left in the season.

A missed field goal against East Carolina after a controversial no-touchdown call. A blocked field goal at Rutgers. Another missed field goal in overtime against Air Force.

Navy's triple option ran all over Notre Dame last year, and it will provide a stiff test for a depleted Irish defensive line. Still, the Notre Dame starters played fairly well against a much more versatile offense in Air Force's, and that was without Ethan Johnson, who will likely see some action for the first time since suffering a sprained right ankle suffered Oct. 1. Now it is Kapron Lewis-Moore who is out as the Irish look to avoid their second losing streak of the season.

Throw in the fact Navy has a quarterback who will be making his first career start, and the recent history between these two teams, and it's tough to see the Irish not taking out their frustrations from last week on their struggling guests.

I wouldn't expect any Air Force-esque numbers, but it should be an interesting one.

Prediction: Notre Dame 34, Navy 17

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Ethan Johnson doesn't talk about practice.

He doesn't talk about odds, either, though he admitted Tuesday that his sprained right ankle was improving.

"I'm not into doing probabilities, but I'm definitely better than I was yesterday and the day before yesterday," Johnson said after practice Tuesday. "So I'm just improving every day and just taking it a day at a time."

Brian Kelly said during his noon news conference Tuesday that Johnson would practice that afternoon for the first time since he injured his ankle in an Oct. 1 win at Purdue.

Johnson would not divulge practice details but his return, which remains up in the air, is now all the more important given the season-ending knee injury to fellow senior starting end Kapron Lewis-Moore.

"The young guys are playing roles they really shouldn't have to be playing right now," defensive coordinator Bob Diaco said. "They're really not ready to play the amount of reps that they're having to play each week. So getting them ready for this type of offense definitely doesn't suit that -- assignment football, play after play, the discipline and the mental focus necessary to play four quarters against a team like this and be assignment correct on every play. So it becomes a challenge."

Lewis-Moore marks the third of three injuries to Notre Dame's season-opening starting defensive linemen, as he will miss the final five games and a potential bowl game.

Nose guard Sean Cwynar, who is now at full strenghth, missed Week 2 at Michigan with a broken hand. He was also held out against Air Force in Week 6 because of a broken right hand, which caused him to play with a club for a hand.

Johnson missed the majority of the past three games after being hurt on the first play at Purdue three weeks ago, and he tried to help freshmen ends Aaron Lynch and Stephon Tuitt along the way while he was sidelined.

"You have to," Johnson said. "If I'm not out there, [if] I see someone do something that they shouldn't be doing, I'm gonna let them know; I'll let them know in a reasonable way. I mean, it's game day. You can't be trying to coach up everything; you got to let them play and not worry about too many other things because it's just game day. You're out there having fun."

Johnson's injury -- along with that of Cwynar's -- made Lynch and Tuitt have to grow up fast.

With Lewis-Moore now out for the season., the spotlight will be on the freshmen even more.

"Both of them are playing more than we really want them to play, and more than they're ready to play," defensive line coach Mike Elston said. "So sometimes that can hurt their growth, it can stunt their growth. So that's kind of the process we're going through with Aaron and making sure you don't put too much on his plate right now but more than he's ready for."

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- News, notes and quotes from Notre Dame's first practice of preseason camp on Saturday. The first 30 minutes were open for media viewing:

It was a humid day in South Bend, and rain showers began a few minutes into practice, drenching a bunch of unprepared sportswriters. So it wasn't a great day on which to throw the ball. Yet, all eyes were on the quarterbacks to start off the drills.

To no one's surprise, Dayne Crist took the first snaps with the first-team offense in the tempo drills that immediately follow stretching. Tommy Rees got the next reps with the ones, and then Andrew Hendrix was first in to lead the second-stringers. Everett Golson was fourth in line.

Crist -- who's still wearing a brace on his left knee for precautionary purposes -- has earned the right to take the first snaps because he's the veteran who lost his job last year to injury. Brian Kelly said he was happy with the way Crist practiced.

"After having two knee surgeries, sometimes you get a little protective of your lower body ... and you're feeling your way through that," Kelly said. "I didn't sense that at all. I felt he was really aggressive with his throwing. He was spinning the ball very tight. That wasn't what I saw in the spring -- I thought he was tentative in the spring."

Crist said he felt much better on Saturday than he did in the spring and that his footwork has greatly improved. Still, don't count out Rees, who has put on a few pounds since playing as a beanpole freshman last season. He said he was up to 215 this summer and is now at 212. I believe Hendrix and Golson are competing for the change-up, special package role, and if one falls behind the other, we could see a transfer.

The two happiest guys on the field were probably Michael Floyd, who finally got back to practice and didn't have to worry about his offseason troubles, and defensive line coach Mike Elston. He's got a deep and impressive-looking group to work with as freshmen Stephon Tuitt and Chase Hounshell join the ranks. Tuitt is an incredible-looking athlete listed at 6-foot-6 1/2 and 295 pounds, and showed good explosion in a pass-rushing drill.

The first-string defensive line on Saturday was Kapron Lewis-Moore, Ethan Johnson and Sean Cwynar at nose guard. Rookie phenom Aaron Lynch was with the second unit, along with the slimmed down Louis Nix. Now listed at 326, Nix is still humongous but no longer needs his own zip code.

Elston was clearly pleased with how the group looked (and keep in mind that on a first day of practice with no pads, you're judging linemen mostly by looks).

"You guys have been on your game, I know that," Elston said at one point.

In recent years, Notre Dame didn't always look like an elite program on defense. With specimens like Tuitt, Nix, Lynch and Ishaq Williams, that is changing fast. But they're still pups.

"We're a lot longer," Kelly said. "We wanted to be bigger. We needed size, we needed length, we needed some speed. Clearly, we have that now and we just need to refine that.

"I got a better sense during the morning when we were doing conditioning work. In the afternoon [at practice], those guys were swimming a little bit. So they don't play quite as fast. But there's no mistaking their size and athleticism; it will just take a little time to get them to where they can rely more on their athleticism."

It was just the first day of practice, the first step in a long journey of a season. Kelly summed it up:

"I'm just comparing it to where we were on the first day last year," he said. "I think I probably wouldn't have made the press conference if I didn't think we'd made significant progress. I would have been up in my office. But I'm here, so our guys have made significant progress from last year to this year. Our guys know what to do. We were a lot more efficient out there today."

We're running some polls all over ESPN.com's college football page the next couple of days, including some Notre Dame-centric ones. Vote below, and we'll tally up the results and react to them in the coming days.

The first poll question is: Which Notre Dame player needs to step up in order for the Irish to take the next step? I'm looking at this as someone who needs to take his game to the next level, so no Manti Te'o or Michael Floyd on this list. Here are my top five nominees:

• Dayne Crist: He still seems like the most likely starter at quarterback, and Notre Dame will need better decision-making and accuracy -- not to mention health -- from him at the position.

• Cierre Wood: He showed his ability late last season when pressed into the starting running back spot. There's not much depth behind him this season, so the Irish need him to take it up a notch.

• Theo Riddick: We don't know if Floyd will miss games or how long he might be out from his suspension. Either way, the Irish need a strong No. 2 option at receiver, and Riddick might be the most gifted athlete there.

• Darius Fleming: Led the team with 11 tackles for loss last season and could do more this fall at the crucial outside linebacker spot.

• Kapron Lewis-Moore: Has been solid at defensive end but not a star. The defense could use more than the two sacks he delivered last season.

So there are your nominees. Now it's time for your voice to be heard.

Two of college football's storied programs meet Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium, but the only thing historic about these teams are their helmets. Two spread offenses and two coaches known for their offensive creativity match wits. Both Michigan and Notre Dame recorded critical wins in their season openers, and bloggers Brian Bennett and Adam Rittenberg take a closer look at this week's matchup.

Adam Rittenberg: So, Bennett, we meet again. Good starts for both the Irish and the Wolverines on Saturday, and it should be a great one in South Bend. Let's talk offense. What do you think Knute Rockne and Fielding Yost would say about these two systems matching up?

Brian Bennett: I think both coaches would have spit in a leather helmet in disgust. What's the over/under on total number of snaps under center on Saturday? Five?

Yet, for all the talk of the spread offense, Notre Dame stuck to an old staple to beat Purdue: the running game. Running backs Armando Allen and Cierre Wood together averaged better than six yards per carry, and the Irish were happy to hand off and stick to the short passing game as the Boilermakers defense played Cover 2 and protected against the deep ball. I don't think Michigan will attack Notre Dame the same way, and the bubble wrap will have to come off quarterback Dayne Crist in Week 2.

As for the Wolverines, Denard Robinson was incredible. But I didn't see a whole lot out of the backs and receivers, and now it looks like Roy Roundtree won't play. Is Michigan a one-man offense, and can it win on Saturday that way?

AR: Good point about the Irish run game, and I think the matchup between Michigan's defensive line and Notre Dame's offensive front could decide the game. Despite the loss of Brandon Graham, Michigan boasts good experience and talent up front with Mike Martin, Greg Banks, Ryan Van Bergan and dynamic sophomore Craig Roh. They'll try to take advantage of a young Notre Dame line that, despite all the talk about weight room progress, remains unproven in my eyes.

Robinson was ridiculous against Connecticut, and you can't expect him to duplicate the performance in South Bend. Then again, the guy only needs about a foot of daylight to break through the line, and then, good luck trying to bring him down. Vincent Smith and Michael Shaw both scored touchdowns in the opener, but they'll need to be more effective out of the backfield against the Irish. Roundtree would be a big loss, but wideouts Darryl Stonum and Kelvin Grady, and tight end Kevin Koger all are good targets for Robinson, who also hooked up with Terrence Robinson for a 43-yard gain.

In many ways, Michigan won the UConn game at the line of scrimmage. How do you see the two groups matching up on Saturday?

BB: The Irish played well in the trenches against Purdue, but Michigan presents a tougher challenge. With the way Brian Kelly runs the spread, the ball is out of the quarterback's hand quickly, so that neutralizes the pass rush to some degree. The key in my mind is whether the Notre Dame line can open running lanes when the Wolverines drop men into coverage.

Defensively, the front three for Notre Dame proved stout against Purdue, and surprisingly the backups gave them a solid rotation. Ian Williams looks like a perfect fit as nose tackle in a 3-4, and Kapron Lewis-Moore and Ethan Johnson can make plays off the edge. I think the pressure is on the Irish linebackers to make plays in this game. Manti Te'o should be a stud and the perfect antidote to Robinson, but he missed a lot of tackles in Week 1. Darius Fleming is their hybrid guy, and he was stuck on the sidelines with cramps for most of the Purdue game. Once Robinson gets through the first line of defense, can the Irish contain him in the open field?

How about the Michigan pass defense? Connecticut missed some opportunities there, but the Huskies don't have guys like Michael Floyd and Kyle Rudolph at their disposal.

AR: Totally agree about Connecticut missing some major opportunities to attack downfield, especially in the first two and a half quarters. Michigan is extremely young in the secondary and likely will be down another starter, as linebacker-safety Carvin Johnson sprained his knee in the opener. Michael Floyd absolutely shredded this defense a year ago, so you can bet Notre Dame will try to get him the ball a lot on Saturday. We'll likely see a lot of Floyd vs. Floyd, as Michigan's J.T. Floyd as emerged as the team's top cornerback and forced a big fumble against UConn. Cue the Pink Floyd music.

I'm interested to see how Michigan approaches Rudolph, a matchup problem for pretty much any team he faces. Linebackers Jonas Mouton and Obi Ezeh played well in the opener, but they'll certainly be tested by No. 9. Roh brought a ton of heat against UConn, but he might have to drop back more in this game.

OK, Bennett, you're on the spot. Your Michigan-UConn pick didn't work out so great, and some of my new friends in Ann Arbor were calling you nasty names Friday night. Who wins Saturday and what's the biggest key to the game?

BB: Well, I'm happy to play the villain in Ann Arbor as long as they still let me in the bars there. I have little doubt this will be a close game, possibly as exciting as last year's shootout. Notre Dame will have its hands full with Robinson, but I think the Irish have a more well-rounded offensive attack. And they will take advantage of that young secondary while making just enough plays of their own defensively. A special-teams play might be the difference. Brian Kelly gets his first big win as the Irish squeak by.

Now tell me why I'm wrong.

AR: You're always welcome in Ann Arbor. Just tell them you know me.

It'll definitely be a close game, and like last year, we should have a dramatic finish. Michigan's young secondary concerns me, and Crist will make plays downfield to both Floyd and Rudolph. But I also have my doubts about Notre Dame's line play and the overall toughness of that team. Robinson is certainly the X-factor here, and while Michigan can't run him 29 times again, he'll make some big plays. If special teams makes the difference, Michigan could be in trouble. Notre Dame jumps ahead, but D-Rob leads the Wolverines back in the fourth quarter for a narrow win and continues to grow his legend in Ann Arbor.

As you may have noticed, here at ESPN.com we've been counting down the Top 25 players in each conference over the last month or so. Well, what about the most famous team that's not in a conference?

It's time for Notre Dame to get its due. Here are my choices for the top five Irish players heading into the 2010 season, using the same criteria as the conference lists: past production and potential for this season. This is a list of the best players, not necessarily the most important ones for this year.

Away we go:

No. 5

Dayne Crist, QB, Soph.

2009 numbers: Threw for 130 yards on 10-of-20 passing with one touchdown and one interception in four games.

Making the case for Crist: There's nothing in last year's numbers to merit this ranking for Crist. But quarterbacks shine in coach Brian Kelly's system, and with no serious competition behind him, Crist will have every opportunity to post huge numbers.

No. 4

Darius Fleming, OLB, Jr.

2009 numbers: Made 29 tackles, 12 for loss and three sacks with one forced fumble.

Making the case for Fleming: This is another pick based largely on potential, as Fleming moves to the outside linebacker spot in the 3-4 alignment after showing his ability to get into the backfield last year. Kelly's defenses usually create high sack totals for rush specialists, and that's what Fleming should be this year.

No. 3

Kyle Rudolph, TE, Jr.

2009 numbers: Caught 36 balls for 364 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games.

Making the case for Rudolph: There's no reason why Rudolph shouldn't be regarded as the nation's best pass-catching tight end this season. The 6-foot-6, 265-pounder has all the physical attributes, along with a great pair of hands and tremendous athleticism. Look for him to be used a lot in the spread offense.

No. 2

Manti Te'o, LB, Soph.

2009 numbers: Had 63 tackles, 5.5 for loss and one sack.

Making the case for Te'o: As a true freshman, Te'o emerged as one of the top playmakers on the defense even though by his own estimation he was lost most of the year. The former super recruit has all the tools to be a superstar, and his move to inside linebacker and defensive signal caller should allow him to be in the middle of all the action in 2010.

No. 1

Michael Floyd, WR, Jr.

2009 numbers: Had 44 catches for 795 yards and nine touchdowns in seven games.

Making the case for Floyd: The only thing standing between Floyd and absolute superstardom is health. When he's 100 percent and in the lineup, he's nearly unstoppable and clearly one of the best receivers in the game. He hasn't been able to avoid the injury bug his first two seasons, however. If he can stay on the field in 2010, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Floyd is capable of putting up truly monstrous statistics in Kelly's explosive offense and challenging for the Biletnikoff Award.

Next five: Armando Allen, RB; Ian Williams, DT; Kapron Lewis-Moore, DE; Ethan Johnson, DE; Chris Stewart, OL.

Notre Dame

2009 overall record: 6-6

Returning starters: Offense: 6. Defense: 8. Punter/kicker: 2

Top returners: WR Michael Floyd, RB Armando Allen, TE Kyle Rudolph, OL Chris Stewart, OL Trevor Robinson, LB Brian Smith, LB Manti Te'o, DE Ethan Johnson, DE Kapron Lewis-Moore, S Harrison Smith, LB Darius Fleming

Key losses: QB Jimmy Clausen, WR Golden Tate, C Eric Olsen, OT Sam Young, OT Paul Duncan, S Kyle McCarthy

2009 statistical leaders (* returners)

Rushing: Armando Allen* (697 yards)

Passing: Jimmy Clausen (3,722 yards)

Receiving: Golden Tate (1,496 yards)

Tackles: Kyle McCarthy (101)

Sacks: Ethan Johnson* (4)

Interceptions: McCarthy (5)

Spring answers

1. Picking up the pace: When spring practice began, first-year Irish coach Brian Kelly lambasted his team's inability to work at the break-neck speed his system requires. It was a culture shock for players groomed in the more NFL-style practices of Charlie Weis. By late spring, though, both Kelly and his team seemed comfortable in the new tempo, which should help both sides of the ball be in shape this fall.

2. There is a backup quarterback on campus: Dayne Crist entered the spring after ACL surgery, and there was precious little depth behind him at quarterback. Nate Montana stepped forward in the spring game, though, completing 18-of-30 passes for 223 yards and three touchdowns. You shouldn't read too much into a spring game performance -- Montana himself said it was his best practice of the year -- and Joe Montana's son could easily get usurped by one of three freshmen this fall. But at least the cupboard isn't completely bare behind Crist.

3. Defensive fits: The Notre Dame defense will remain a concern until it actually stops people on a consistent basis. Still, Kelly sounded pleased with where the defense was at the end of spring. Guys like Ian Williams, Ethan Johnson, Darius Fleming and Manti Te'o just look like they fit in their spots in a 3-4 defense more than they did in last year's 4-3. That and added experience could make the Irish a little stronger on that side of the ball in 2010.

Fall questions

1. The offensive line: Kelly mixed and matched players on the O-line this spring, trying Trevor Robinson at tackle at one point. There's no depth chart, so it's hard to say what mix the Irish are looking at right now. But tackle and center appear to be question marks, which is no surprise following the graduations of Sam Young, Paul Duncan and Eric Olsen.

2. For Crist's sake: The public didn't get a chance to see Crist in many competitive situations this spring, and let's remember that he was limited in his mobility because of that ACL surgery six months earlier. Still, he threw two interceptions in the spring game without a defensive pass rush to worry about, and Kelly is notoriously hard on his quarterbacks. The Irish offense should be loaded in 2010, but Crist will have to continue to develop and improve this summer.

3. Inside linebacker depth: Te'o has a chance to emerge as a superstar at middle linebacker, but the true sophomore might be the most experienced player at his position right now. Carlo Calabrese, Anthony McDonald, David Posluszny and Steve Paskorz -- who moved over from fullback -- have to establish themselves in the middle to make the 3-4 defense really work.

SOUTH BEND , Ind. -- Brian Kelly is known for his innovative and highly productive offenses, which helped him land the Notre Dame job. But Kelly knows that his time in South Bend depends, at least initially, on the other side of the ball.

"I was hired to win football games, not just to run an exciting offense," Kelly said. "And job one was to strengthen this defense."

Former coach Charlie Weis was another offensive whiz, but his teams could rarely stop anybody. Last year, the Irish surrendered 397.8 yards per game, ranking as the worst defensive performance in school history. They ranked 86th in the nation in total defense.

The good news is that most of the best players from last year's unit are returning. The bad news is that those are the same players who couldn't tackle last year. At least big egos weren't a problem.

"Confidence is a huge factor in how you play, and it's something the coaches have been trying to build up with us," safety Harrison Smith said. "I really think we're going to have a different mindset."

Kelly brought defensive coordinator Bob Diaco with him from Cincinnati. Though much has been written and said about Diaco running a 3-4 scheme, it's better described as a defense that uses 3-4 personnel. Diaco will often walk up an outside linebacker to create a four-man front, just as he did with the Bearcats.

Most of Notre Dame's current defensive players were recruited to play the 3-4 under former coordinator Corwin Brown. In fact, switching to a 4-3 last year under Jon Tenuta proved disastrous for players who were ill-suited for that style.

Diaco says he has players that "look the part" for his schemes. Defensive linemen Ian Williams, Ethan Johnson and Kapron Lewis-Moore should thrive in a three-man front, while Darius Fleming, Kerry Neal and Brian Smith seem like perfect fits for the outside linebacker/defensive end hybrid role.

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Notre Dame opens spring practice this afternoon, and new coach Brian Kelly says it will be full throttle from the first whistle. The Irish waited until near the end of March to start practicing because Kelly wanted more time to evaluate.

Now it's go time.

"We don't have five years to put this thing together," Kelly said. "We've got to put it together right now. So spring practice is not 'Let's get to know each other.' We have to do more than that. This is a very, very important month for us as we set into motion the 2010 season."

Kelly did not release a depth chart before the spring and says there isn't one. He joked that he played five quarterbacks at Cincinnati two years ago and that "those battle scars are still with me." He said that players would work in groups or "pods," and that a pecking order would be established by the end of spring ball.

The most important thing this spring, Kelly said, is for the players to adjust to the pace and intensity of how he wants to practice.

"We've got to read the whole book," he said. "We're not going to start with the end first. We have to understand the pace and understand how we practice first before we get into schemes and how we do things."

To that end, he said he doesn't tolerate trash talking, fights or cut blocks during practice.

Though Notre Dame has an indoor facility, Kelly said he would like to practice outside as much as possible regardless of the elements.

"We need to return to our roots, and our roots are the Fighting Irish," he said. "That requires some toughness. They've run outside already at 5 a.m. in the snow."

As for spring battles, Kelly pointed to the receiver position. Theo Riddick has moved to the slot from running back, while several other players will battle for playing time alongside star Michael Floyd. Kelly said Floyd had dropped nearly 17 pounds in the offseason to get to 216, but that he still has work to do.

"The wide receiver battle is going to be interesting," Kelly said. "There are a lot of dynamics at play there."

Riddick and quarterback Dayne Crist will be on the "protected" list, meaning they'll go through drills but can't be hit. Tight end Kyle Rudolph is on the "restricted" list, meaning he can't do as much as norman after his offseason surgery.

Chris Stewart, Kapron Lewis-Moore and Manti Te'o stood out as leaders in the winter conditioning program, as Kelly said those three told him they wanted to do whatever it took to be good. Kelly will be looking for more of that leadership, as well as a lot more toughness, beginning this afternoon.