Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com JUNE/JULY 2021 37 from Notre Dame's 2020 one. Javon McKinley and Ben Skowronek were bigger receivers who could win on the perimeter and downfield. This senior quintet may not have a physi- cal, jump-ball presence other than Austin, but it's faster, should be more dangerous after the catch and has stronger separation skills. "The one thing I'll say about our receiver group is we have speed out there," Rees said. "We have a bunch of guys who can stretch the field, a bunch of guys who can run." Austin, if healthy, is the likely boundary starter. Davis is Notre Dame's leading returning receiver (24 catches for 322 yards with two touchdowns in 2020) and will own primary slot duties again. Lenzy has worked at field receiver, Wilkins at field and in the slot, and Wilkins at boundary and field. Sophomore Jordan Johnson, a for- mer five-star recruit, worked with the second team in the spring. He was targeted once in the Blue-Gold Game. Two days later, he announced that he was transferring. Freshman Lorenzo Styles Jr., him- self a former top-50 prospect, has worked as a second-team receiver on the field side and in the slot. He had two catches for nine yards in the spring game. Sophomores Jay Brunelle and Xavier Watts are bound- ary and slot options, respectively. 3. QUARTERBACK COMPETITION HEADS INTO SUMMER Kelly understands there is value in naming a starting quarterback com- ing out of spring practice. Most of it is from a leadership standpoint. The offense has someone to follow through summer workouts. There's a go-to voice. He thinks Notre Dame's current position, though, calls for stringing out the competition between Wiscon- sin graduate transfer Jack Coan and sophomore Drew Pyne into August. "I've always felt like when it's clearly in the best interest of the team and morale and can influence you moving forward, you should prob- ably name a quarterback," Kelly said. "I don't know that we're in that posi- tion right now. "I'm leaning toward making that decision in camp when we come in rather than establishing that some- time after the spring." Coan's spring game performance went better than Pyne's, but the gap between them wasn't large enough to think extending the competition is a laughable waste of time. Early enrollee freshman Tyler Buchner might also be more of a presence in the summer and fall camp plans after his impressive spring game (6-of-9 passing for 140 yards, with a rushing touchdown). Coan still feels like the favorite to start. It's hard to ignore his experi- ence as a starter for a 10-4 Wisconsin team in 2019 and his strengths as a pocket passer. He may be an upgrade in pocket feel and comfort over de- parted three-year starter Ian Book. "He has excellent feel in terms of when to climb up, when to slide, when to move," Rees said. "His eyes never seem to dip. He does a nice job of keeping a level of focus down the field and being able to drive the ball to different areas of the field." ✦ Graduate transfer quarterback Jack Coan still seems like the favorite to start for Notre Dame this fall, but he hasn't won the job yet. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME ATHLETICS