Texas Football: What Notre Dame’s Dismissal of Max Redfield Means for Longhorns
By Tyler Brett
With the season opening showdown between Texas football and Notre Dame looming, the Irish have dropped the hammer on Max Redfield. Brian Kelly dismissed the senior from the team following an arrest over the weekend. What will his absence mean for the Longhorns on September 4?
Redfield was a returning starter for Notre Dame at free safety and was set to be the team’s leading returning tackler from 2015. He finished last season with 64 tackles, an interception, and two pass breakups but ran afoul of the coaching staff at the end of the season. The team sent Redfield home from the Fiesta Bowl for what was described as “a failure to be punctual.”
According to reports from camp, however, he had put all that behind him. The coaching staff and teammates heaped praise on the senior for his work this fall, commending him for his athleticism and outstanding playmaking ability. The Irish were hoping that he would finally be able to break out and deliver on his elite potential that made him a highly coveted recruit back in 2013.
But all of that went out the window on Friday night when Redfield, along with three other teammates, were stopped by police for speeding. During the stop, police discovered marijuana and a handgun in the car and charged everyone in the group with possession of marijuana and possession of a handgun without a license, both misdemeanors.
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With Redfield no longer with the team, Notre Dame faces some major depth issues in the secondary. Safety was already an area of concern as the team lacks great depth beyond their starters. Without the senior in the starting lineup, the Irish will turn to freshman Devin Studstill at free safety.
The three-star recruit enrolled early at Notre Dame and made a major impact during spring practice, even overtaking Redfield at free safety at one point. He brings great athleticism to the secondary and seems to have quickly grasped the defensive concepts that Notre Dame is going to ask of him. From an athleticism standpoint, there may be no drop-off for the Irish from Redfield to Studstill.
Where the difference will come is at experience. Redfield was a two-year starter while Studstill will get his first college snap on the road against a Texas team looking to make a major statement. Sterlin Gilbert’s new offensive attack is going to stretch the field sideline to sideline and put Notre Dame’s safeties on an island. If the Horns can show the young safety something he hasn’t seen before (which is likely), they have a good opportunity to exploit him for a big play or two down the field.
Depth in the secondary is arguably Notre Dame’s biggest weakness heading into this season. With that thin depth taking a hit so soon to kickoff, will Texas be able to take advantage and shock the college football world on opening weekend?