Listed Measurements: 6-foot-1, 235 pounds
2017-18 year, eligibility: Junior with two years of eligibility remaining including the 2017 season.
Depth chart: Coney is the primary backup behind both senior captains Nyles Morgan and Greer Martini. With little other experience among the Irish linebackers, if either Morgan or Martini needs a breather or rolls an ankle, Coney will be called upon. For that matter, he has played enough in the past, he may see action simply to keep Martini fresh. Morgan fits into that previous sentence, as well, but given his track record, it seems unlikely he comes off the field much aside from injury or rout.
Recruiting: Holding offers from Clemson, Miami and Alabama, the Under Armour All-American’s recruitment came down to Notre Dame and his homestate Florida Gators. When the latter dispatched head coach Will Muschamp, the see-saw tilted toward the Irish for good. A consensus four-star prospect, rivals.com rated Coney the No. 6 inside linebacker in the class of 2015, the No. 20 recruit in Florida and the No. 118 overall player in the country.
CAREER TO DATE
Though he enrolled early as a freshman, Coney saw little action as a freshman. When he did get a chance following Jaylon Smith’s injury in the Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State, Coney injured his shoulder only plays later. The injury kept Coney out of 2016’s spring practices.
He started most of last season, not getting the nod in the season-opener or against Army or Navy. The latter two can be attributed to their option-specific offenses, and the Texas distinction may have traced to Coney’s arrest for marijuana possession last August.
2015: 12 games, 13 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, excelled in kickoff coverage duties.
2016: 12 games, nine starts, 62 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss.
Coney’s 62 tackles last season were fourth on the team and are third among this year’s returnees with linebacker James Onwualu being the exception.
QUOTE(S)
Irish coach Brian Kelly did not spend much time this spring discussing his linebackers, theoretically because it is the one spot on Notre Dame’s defense not sparking too much concern with three former starters to man two positions.
At the end of March, Kelly included Coney and Martini in a listing of position battles. Every indication points to Martini as a clear-cut starter but take that moment to mean Kelly sees Coney as starting material, as well.
WHAT KEITH ARNOLD PROJECTED A YEAR AGO
“Athletically, Coney feels like the best fit for the starting job. But inevitably, this will come down to how quickly he gets back into the swing of things and how impactful Greer Martini can be in this defense.
“A healthy Coney is a starter in this scheme. But his development as a player was put on hold this offseason. Coney’s still a sophomore who missed half a year in the weight room after just 61 snaps — the majority coming against UMass — so it’s hard to say he’s a better option than Martini, acknowledging that the veteran might be playing slightly out of position.
“Still, this staff has a major belief that Coney will be an impact player. I’m just reluctant to think it’ll happen in 2016 until we get more information about his shoulder injury.”
2017 OUTLOOK
Coney’s shoulder did not hamper him last season, and that alone was of note given the difficulties shoulder injuries often cause. Yet he does not project as the starter against Temple in 36 days. That may be as much a credit to Martini as anything else. It also may simply reflect Martini’s more natural fit in Irish defensive coordinator Mike Elko’s scheme.
A cynic here might wonder if Martini will get the initial starting nod as a default to a captain. Even if that is the case — and this is not to say it is — he will play well; Coney will need to earn the chance to start.
He is certainly capable of that, but whether he does or not, Coney will see plenty of action this season. Notre Dame just does not have other options. Junior Asmar Bilal will be devoted to a rover rotation along with senior Drue Tranquill, the former seeing more action against run-oriented attacks. Sophomore Jamir Jones is a linebacker in name only at this point, destined for a future on the defensive line but not yet there due to the lack of depth in this unit. Freshmen Drew White and David Adams are exactly that: freshmen. That leaves sophomore Jonathan Jones (no relation) to aid Coney in backing up Morgan and Martini. He did not see any action last season.
Thus, Coney is essentially the entire second-unit at linebacker. Provided Morgan, Martini and Coney all stay healthy, that is not an item of concern. A rotation of those three in nearly any ratio should serve the Irish well.
DOWN THE ROAD
Both Morgan and Martini will be out of eligibility following 2017, all but guaranteeing Coney a starting gig next season, most likely in Martini’s role. The question will be who starts alongside him, and that question becomes more intriguing with each new linebacker commitment this week. No matter who it is, Coney will be counted on to complement Tranquill as the veterans on what will continue to be a young defense.
Knowing that clear future is ahead of him should push Coney to stay engaged in all facets this season.
2017’s Notre Dame 99-to-2
Friday at 4: Goodbye A-to-Z, hello 99-to-2 (May 12)
No. 99: Jerry Tillery, defensive tackle
No. 98: Andrew Trumbetti, defensive end
No. 97: Micah Dew-Treadway, defensive tackle
No. 96: Pete Mokwuah, defensive tackle
No. 95: Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, defensive tackle (originally theorized as No. 92)
No. 94: Darnell Ewell, defensive tackle (originally theorized as No. 95)
No. 93: Jay Hayes, defensive end
No. 92: Jonathon MacCollister; defensive end (originally theorized as No. 46)
No. 91: Ade Ogundeji, defensive end
No. 89: Brock Wright, tight end
No. 88: Javon McKinley, receiver
No. 87: Michael Young, receiver (originally theorized as No. 84)
No. 86: Alizé Mack, tight end
No. 85: Tyler Newsome, punter
No. 84: Cole Kmet, tight end (originally theorized as No. 90)
No. 83: Chase Claypool, receiver
No. 82: Nic Weishar, tight end
No. 81: Miles Boykin, receiver
No. 80: Durham Smythe, tight end
No. 78: Tommy Kraemer, right tackle
No. 77: Brandon Tiassum, defensive tackle
No. 76: Dillan Gibbons, offensive lineman (originally theorized as No. 65)
No. 75: Josh Lugg, offensive tackle (originally theorized as No. 73)
No. 75: Daniel Cage, defensive tackle
No. 74: Liam Eichenberg, right tackle
No. 72: Robert Hainsey, offensive tackle
No. 71: Alex Bars, offensive lineman
No. 70: Hunter Bivin, offensive lineman
No. 69: Aaron Banks, offensive lineman
No. 68: Mike McGlinchey, left tackle
No. 67: Jimmy Byrne, offensive lineman
No. 58: Elijah Taylor, defensive tackle
No. 57: Trevor Ruhland, offensive lineman
No. 56: Quenton Nelson, left guard
No. 55: Jonathan Bonner, defensive lineman
No. 54: John Shannon, long snapper
No. 53: Sam Mustipher, center
No. 53: Khalid Kareem, defensive lineman
No. 48: Greer Martini, inside linebacker
No. 47: Kofi Wardlow, defensive end
No. 45: Jonathan Jones, inside linebacker
No. 44: Jamir Jones, linebacker/defensive lineman
No. 42: Julian Okwara, defensive end
No. 41: Kurt Hinish, defensive tackle (originally theorized as No. 94)
No. 40: Drew White, linebacker
No. 39: Jonathan Doerer, kicker (originally theorized as No. 52)
No. 38: Deon McIntosh, running back/receiver
No. 35: David Adams, linebacker
No. 34: Tony Jones, Jr., running back
No. 33: Josh Adams, running back
No. 32: D.J. Morgan, safety
No. 30: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, rover
No. 29: Kevin Stepherson, receiver
No. 28: Nicco Fertitta, safety
No. 27: Julian Love, cornerback
No. 26: Ashton White, safety
No. 25: Jafar Armstrong, receiver (originally theorized as No. 87)
No. 24: Nick Coleman, safety
No. 23: Drue Tranquill, rover
No. 22: Asmar Bilal, rover
No. 21: Jalen Elliott, safety
No. 20: Shaun Crawford, cornerback
No. 19: Justin Yoon, kicker
No. 18: Troy Pride, cornerback
No. 17: Isaiah Robertson, safety
No. 16: Cameron Smith, receiver
No. 15: C.J. Holmes, running back
No. 14: Devin Studstill, safety
No. 13: Avery Davis, quarterback
No. 13: Jordan Genmark Heath, safety
No. 12: Ian Book, quarterback
No. 12: Alohi Gilman, safety
No. 11: Freddy Canteen, receiver
No. 10: Chris Finke, receiver
No. 9: Daelin Hayes, defensive end
No. 8: Donte Vaughn, cornerback
No. 7: Brandon Wimbush, quarterback
No. 7: Nick Watkins, cornerback
No. 6: Equanimeous St. Brown, receiver
No. 5: Nyles Morgan, linebacker
TRANSFERS
No. 66: Tristen Hoge, offensive lineman, transfers to BYU
No. 50: Parker Boudreaux, offensive lineman
No. 30: Josh Barajas, linebacker, to transfer to Illinois State
INJURIES
No. 13: Tyler Luatua, tight end, career ended by medical hardship