We’re quickly approaching the opening of spring practice at Notre Dame as Marcus Freeman takes control of the program after 11 seasons under Brian Kelly. A large amount of focus now turns to the wide receiver position where Del Alexander’s 5-year reign with the unit has come to an end and the 38 year-old Chansi Stuckey steps into the role. What he finds is some veterans, some promising young talent, but an overall lack of depth.
This could be a challenging spring for the new coach.
Predicted 2022 Lineup
*Official 2022 roster size
1ST-TEAM
X Braden Lenzy, 5th SR, 5-11 3/8, 182*
Z Avery Davis, 6th SR, 5-11, 202*
W Deion Colzie, SO, 6-4 3/4, 207*
2ND-TEAM
X Lorenzo Styles, SO, 6-1 1/8, 195*
Z Joe Wilkins, 5th SR, 6-1 1/2, 195*
W Tobias Merriweather, FR, 6-4, 188
Reserves:
Jayden Thomas, r-FR, 6-1 1/2, 215*
Matt Salerno, 5th SR, 6-0 5/8, 199*
3 Questions
1) Could the lack of an identifiable No. 1 receiver be a blessing in disguise or is it more likely to be a disaster? Or, perhaps something in between?
This all depends upon how you look at it and define a No. 1 receiver. I would think most believe a true No. 1 receiver at Notre Dame is someone ready to produce something north of 700 yards and generate some NFL buzz. I feel like this group probably doesn’t have that guy ready for 2022.
For example, the veterans in Davis and Lenzy have a combined 1,529 receiving yards in their careers and neither one has even cracked 400 yards in a single season yet. I doubt they are ready to double their all-time production for a season, especially with their injury concerns.
Styles you could maybe argue has the talent and just enough experience to make a huge jump as a sophomore, which is funny, since we officially have him listed as a backup. In all likelihood, Styles is going to be playing a ton at both the X position and in the slot while it’s possible he straight up passes Lenzy to become an unquestioned starter.
Overall, this isn’t shaping up to be an offense that needs or will be built around a Michael Floyd-type receiver to function so they should be okay with the pieces on hand. Still, there’s no question a lack of a true No. 1 player is going to frustrate the team in some big moments.
2) What will spring practice look like with such a lack of depth at this position?
With Salerno being given a scholarship there’s technically 7 receivers on the roster for spring, although with Avery Davis’ torn ACL on November 6, 2021 they will be even shorter for the upcoming practices.
The team was looking to bring in Johns Hopkins transfer Harrison Wellmann (from the same high school as incoming Northwestern transfer Brandon Joseph FWIW) who has amassed 161 receptions for 2,426 yards and 30 touchdowns over his last 2 seasons for the Blue Jays but he has not made a decision yet and obviously won’t be practicing this spring.
Incoming freshman Tobias Merriweather won’t be here until the summer, either.
I’m guessing the offense will be using a lot of running backs and tight ends in the slot with plenty of motioning. And, you know, running the ball a lot.
3) Can Colzie or Merriweather add much-needed size to this position and what does their future look like in 2022?
I am incredibly high on Merriweather, although we know the recent track record for true freshmen receivers at Notre Dame is pretty modest. The biggest contributors since 2010 include:
2016 Kevin Stepherson – 462 yards
2021 Lorenzo Styles – 344 yards
2010 TJ Jones – 306 yards
2013 Will Fuller – 160 yards
2013 Corey Robinson – 157 yards
The only one on that list not to enroll early was Fuller whose resume in college and in the NFL has spoken for itself. Let’s say Merriweather is able to put up 250 yards, that’ll be a pretty good season.
So, there should be a lot of pressure on Colzie to make a nice leap as a sophomore and give the offense a reliable tall receiver on the outside.
Overview
Don’t forget that Joe Wilkins injured his knee in early October against Cincinnati and his status for spring practice is undetermined, as well. Anyone paying even a tiny bit of attention to this program over the last 6 months knew it was going to be a rough and weird spring practice for the wide receivers.
There were whispers that Jayden Thomas was starting to put things together late in the season and at a thick 215 pounds that’s an interesting body-type to use on the field. Assuming Matt Salerno doesn’t turn into the next Chris Finke we’re looking at a spring focusing on just 4 players:
Lenzy
Colzie
Styles
Thomas
That’s it.
The good news is it’ll be a ton of reps for everyone. As long as they are able to prevent injury you have to like the amount of experience the players are going to get, including Lenzy who has never truly come into the spring in such an established position above others on the depth chart.
Given the injuries to Davis and Wilkins, and that Wilkins is really not a slot receiver, I can see Lenzy moving there and Styles taking over the outside. I think Wilkins will be ready by Ohio State, but I don’t think Davis will be full speed until October.
I expect we will also see Tyree in the slot a lot. Either as a motion from the backfield or just starting there.
We basically played 4WRs, and really only three, against Okie State. By the end of the game, they were exhausted. It probably cost the game because they just couldn’t get it done at all.
All that said, I am interested in seeing if our receivers learn to get separation. It has been one thing sorely lacking in the Alexander years. They are just not consistently open. I dont know if it is not taught or if it is the route trees, but a lot of the times Book had to run was that receivers were not open, or he didn’t have patience to wait, perhaps a combination.
The one thing we can say for sure is that there will be chemistry between all the receivers and Buchner and Pyne. It is not as if there are nine or ten for them to get comfortable with.
Yeah, good point about Lenzy in the slot. Especially for spring it has to be tried out. Although, he’s not real shifty which may be a problem.
Again puzzled by the depth chart here. I think Styles will ultimately log the most snaps of any receiver in the unit. His explosiveness is undeniable.
Oh look Brian Kelly stuck with another horrific coach way too long. Del is the offensive equivalent of BVG, and Kelly should have been fired after keeping him past 2019. I hope everyone down south with memories of Joe Burrow can readjust to a coach who has spent the past five years giving no indication that he wants to field a modern passing game.
They are going to have to put red jerseys on the receivers in the spring game. LOL.. uh.. (tears).