Listed Measurements: 6-foot-¼, 198 pounds
2018-19 year, eligibility: Thanks in part to starting as a freshman, Studstill has only two years of eligibility remaining, including the 2018 season.
Depth chart: After falling to the second-string last year, Studstill remains the backup to junior Jalen Elliott as the boundary safety.
Recruiting: A consensus three-star prospect, Studstill enrolled early after choosing Notre Dame from a lengthy list of scholarship offers highlighted by Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
CAREER TO DATE
The dismissal of senior Max Redfield on the eve of the 2016 season led to Studstill starting in only the second week of his career, the first of his nine starts as a freshman. Last year, classmate Elliott claimed that role, moving Studstill down a peg.
2016: 12 games, nine starts; 38 tackles with one for loss, one interception and one forced fumble.
2017: 11 games; 18 tackles.
QUOTE(S)
Irish safeties coach Terry Joseph used Studstill as his example of a player needing to recognize his weaknesses in order to best compensate for them. In doing so, Joseph sounds as if he is extensively criticizing Studstill, but he really was simply the example presented. Among Notre Dame’s safeties, many flaws exist.
“I talk to [Studstill] all the time about good players are honest with themselves and know their limitations,” Joseph said in early April. “You can be a good player with limitations when you understand what your limits are and you don’t put yourself in position to get exposed. The better he can become before the ball is snapped, understanding what’s happening, understanding what are the weaknesses in his game and putting himself in position to not get those weaknesses exposed — the more he does that, the more he can be in the mix.
“That takes a tremendous amount of discipline, because at the end of the day, we recruit these guys and everybody thinks they’re 4.4 or 4.5, but there is probably only two or three 4.4 or 4.5s in America.”
WHAT WAS PROJECTED A YEAR AGO
“Studstill’s freshman season was an encouraging one, which makes Elliott’s surpassing him this spring all the more impressive. The same goes for [now-senior Nick] Coleman, but neither means Studstill will not be needed this fall. In many respects, a safety rotation could prove most productive.
“[Irish head coach Brian] Kelly alluded to that concept a few times in the spring, specifically acknowledging down-and-distance situational needs. Passing-specific instances may draw [now-junior] Julian Love from cornerback, but they could also lead to Studstill joining Coleman on the field, spelling Elliott.
“One way or another, Studstill will see plenty of action this season. Exactly when and where will hinge on how the theoretical safety rotation aligns itself next month.”
2018 OUTLOOK
While four safeties moved up toward the line of scrimmage this spring — junior D.J. Morgan to linebacker, sophomore Jordan Genmark-Heath to Buck linebacker, sophomore Isaiah Robertson to rover and Coleman possibly splitting time at nickelback — Studstill remained at safety. That speaks to it being his position moving forward, despite the heralded arrivals of two four-star freshmen.
That also indicates Studstill will be a part of the safety rotation again this year. Being the second or third piece of that is certainly less of a role than starting as a freshman, but it is still a needed contribution. Look for another 15-20 tackles from the junior, with some perhaps coming on special teams but most of them in relief of Elliott while incoming freshman Derrik Allen gets up to speed.
DOWN THE ROAD
Allen and, to a lesser extent because he projects as a field safety, early-enrolled freshman Houston Griffith will threaten Studstill’s playing time as a senior. Combine their presence with that of junior Navy transfer Alohi Gilman, and the snaps will become limited. Studstill is already behind Gilman and Elliott and arguably Griffith. If Allen moves ahead of him in the next 12 months, then the snaps for Studstill could be quite sparse.
His frame is not one that applies at linebacker, and he is not inherently quick enough to dazzle at cornerback. A three-year contributor in the secondary will not be relegated to benchwarmer status without cause, but if Studstill hopes for rampant playing time in the next two seasons, barring injury he may need to look elsewhere.
NOTRE DAME 99-to-2:
No. 99 Jerry Tillery, defensive tackle, senior
No. 98 Ja’Mion Franklin, defensive tackle, incoming freshman
No. 97 Micah Dew-Treadway, defensive tackle, senior
No. 95 Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, defensive tackle, sophomore
No. 94 Darnell Ewell, defensive tackle, sophomore
No. 91 Ade Ogundeji, defensive end, junior
No. 89 Brock Wright, tight end, sophomore
No. 88 Javon McKinley, receiver, junior
No. 87 Michael Young, receiver, sophomore
No. 86 Alizé Mack, tight end, senior
No. 85 George Takacs, tight end, early-enrolled freshman
No. 85 Tyler Newsome, punter and captain, fifth-year senior
No. 84 Cole Kmet, tight end, sophomore
No. 83 Chase Claypool, receiver, junior
No. 82 Nic Weishar, tight end, fifth-year senior
No. 81 Miles Boykin, receiver, senior
No. 80 Micah Jones, receiver, early-enrolled freshman
No. 78 Tommy Kraemer, right guard, junior
No. 76 Dillan Gibbons, offensive lineman, sophomore
No. 75 Josh Lugg, offensive lineman, sophomore
No. 74 Liam Eichenberg, starting left tackle, junior
No. 72 Robert Hainsey, right tackle, sophomore
No. 71 Alex Bars, left guard and captain, fifth-year senior
No. 70 Luke Jones, offensive lineman, incoming freshman
No. 69 Aaron Banks, offensive tackle, sophomore
No. 68 Jarrett Patterson, offensive tackle, incoming freshman
No. 60 Cole Mabry, offensive tackle, incoming freshman
No. 57 Trevor Ruhland, offensive lineman, senior
No. 57 (theoretically) Jayson Ademilola, defensive tackle, incoming freshman
No. 56 John Dirksen, offensive lineman, incoming freshman
No. 55 Jonathan Bonner, defensive tackle, fifth-year senior
No. 54 John Shannon, long snapper, junior
No. 53 Khalid Kareem, defensive end, junior
No. 53 Sam Mustipher, center and captain, fifth-year senior
No. 52 Bo Bauer, linebacker, early-enrolled freshman
No. 47 Kofi Wardlow, defensive end, sophomore
No. 45 Jonathan Jones, linebacker, junior
No. 44 Jamir Jones, defensive end, junior
No. 42 Julian Okwara, defensive end, junior
No. 41 Kurt Hinish, defensive tackle, sophomore
No. 40 Drew White, linebacker, sophomore
No. 39 Jonathan Doerer, kickoff specialist, sophomore
No. 34 Jahmir Smith, running back, early-enrolled freshman
No. 33 Shayne Simon, linebacker, incoming freshman
No. 31 Jack Lamb, linebacker, early-enrolled freshman
No. 30 Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, linebacker, sophomore
No. 29 Ovie Oghoufo, linebacker, early-enrolled freshman
No. 28 Nicco Fertitta, safety, senior
No. 27 Julian Love, cornerback, junior, second-team All-American
No. 25 Braden Lenzy, receiver, incoming freshman
No. 24 Tommy Tremble, tight end, incoming freshman
No. 24 Nick Coleman, defensive back, senior
No. 23 Drue Tranquill, linebacker, two-time captain, fifth-year senior
No. 22 Asmar Bilal, rover, senior
No. 21 Jalen Elliott, safety, junior
No. 20 Shaun Crawford, nickelback, senior
No. 20 C’Bo Flemister, running back, incoming freshman
No. 19 Justin Yoon, placekicker, senior
No. 19 Justin Ademilola, defensive end, incoming freshman
No. 18 Joe Wilkins, cornerback, incoming freshman
No. 17 Isaiah Robertson, safety-turned-rover, sophomore
No. 16 Noah Boykin, cornerback, incoming freshman
No. 15 D.J. Morgan, safety-turned-linebacker, junior
No. 15 Phil Jurkovec, quarterback, consensus four-star incoming freshman
MEDICAL EXEMPTION
No. 35 David Adams, linebacker, sophomore
OUTGOING TRANSFER
No. 11 Freddy Canteen, receiver, outgoing transfer
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