Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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32 PRESEASON 2021 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED that day, a not-too-subtle sign that a long-suspected position move may not happen. In his press conference afterward, Kelly put all specula- tion to bed. Patterson, who started 21 games at center from 2019-20, is staying there. End of discussion. "Patterson is the starting center, and Josh Lugg is going to play for us," Kelly said. "Those two guys are the veterans on this offensive line that I can commit to right now. Ev- erybody else has got to earn their way." Lugg has worked at right tackle in fall camp, the spot at which he started five games in 2019 after Rob- ert Hainsey suffered a season-ending ankle injury. It appears he will start there in 2021 as well. The graduate student has made eight career starts at three positions. The idea of moving Patterson be- came a credible one when junior Zeke Correll played well as his replace- ment late last year. Correll started twice after Patterson sustained a foot injury Nov. 14 that ended his season. He had only worked at center since arriving in 2019. Patterson was once a tackle before moving to center, and as the only full-time returning starter, putting him at a more impactful posi- tion than center made logical sense. In the end, Notre Dame wanted to maintain continuity with him. "When you have somebody that's, to my money, probably the best cen- ter in the country, let's keep the con- sistency there," Rees said. "Jarrett was coming off an injury. There was going to be rust. "To come off an injury, have rust and move positions, that's a lot to ask of a guy. For Jarrett settling at the position he has been great at, it will make the entire line better." With Patterson back at center, Cor- rell moved to left guard and earned most of the first-team reps there. Marshall graduate transfer Cain Madden took much of the first-team work at right guard. Freshman Blake Fisher mainly worked as the first- team left tackle. Notre Dame had not formally named them starters, but they were in strong positions to earn those jobs. ENCOURAGING PROGRESS The adjectives normally used de- scribe Notre Dame's 2018 receiving class are less than flattering. Popular ones are disappointing, unproven, enigmatic and perplexing. They're not unwarranted. Through three years, 2018 receiver signees Kevin Austin Jr., Braden Lenzy, Joe Wilkins Jr., Lawrence Keys III and Micah Jones have combined to catch 49 passes. Jones has since transferred. Nonetheless, Notre Dame saw the remaining four as 2021 staples. The Irish staff spent the spring trying to coax a fourth-year leap out of them. Kelly has noticed enough progress to use an adjective never associated with that group. "Transformational, and I underline that word," Kelly said. "I know that sounds strong when I use a word like that, sometimes it's hyperbole, but these kids have changed their body, their commitment level. "What we've asked them to do, they've taken it to heart." Notre Dame felt Austin was a surefire starter and impact player if healthy. There was less certainty about the others, who have battled injuries and contributed only on the periphery. None were major parts of last year's offense despite the open- ings at receiver last fall. Only Wilkins played in more than eight games. He had seven catches, but just three in Notre Dame's final 11 outings. A week-plus into 2021 fall camp, their fingerprints were all over the offense. Austin was the boundary re- ceiver. Lenzy appeared to have a grip on the starting field receiver spot. Wilkins can play both. Keys looks like the No. 2 slot option behind graduate student Avery Davis. On paper, it remains a group with- out much production to its name. But there's now a lot of trust, which a productive summer enhanced. Wilkins led all receivers and tight ends in points accumulated in Balis' offseason workout program. Lenzy finished in the top 10 percent. "They've got to go make plays, I get that," Kelly said. "But they un- derstand how important they are to our success, and they look it. Coach Balis was absolutely impressed." ✦ This is our best guess after several media ses- sions with Notre Dame coaches and one full open practice. Quarterback No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 17 Jack Coan 6-3¼ 223 Gr./1 10 Drew Pyne 5-11½ 200 So./4 12 Tyler Buchner 6-1 215 Fr./4 7 Brendon Clark 6-15/8 225 Jr./4 11 Ron Powlus III 6-25/8 225 Fr./4 Running Back No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 23 Kyren Williams 5-9 199 Jr./3 25 Chris Tyree 5-9½ 190 So./4 20 C'Bo Flemister 5-11¼ 201 Sr./3 24 Audric Estime 5-11½ 228 Fr./4 22 Logan Diggs 5-11¾ 206 Fr./4 Boundary Receiver (W) No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 4 Kevin Austin Jr. 6-2 215 Sr./3 5 Joe Wilkins Jr. 6-1½ 195 Sr./3 16 Deion Colzie 6-4¾ 207 Fr./4 Field Receiver (X) No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 0 Braden Lenzy 5-113/8 182 Sr./3 13 Lawrence Keys III 5-103/8 176 Sr./3 83 Jayden Thomas 6-1½ 215 Fr./4 Slot (Z) No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 3 Avery Davis 5-11 202 Gr./2 2 Xavier Watts 5-11¾ 195 So./4 21 Lorenzo Styles Jr. 6-11/8 195 Fr./4 Tight End No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 87 Michael Mayer 6-4½ 251 So./4 85 George Takacs 6-6 247 Sr./3 84 Kevin Bauman 6-4½ 242 So./4 80 Cane Berrong 6-3½ 235 Fr./4 or 88 Mitchell Evans 6-51/8 250 Fr./4 Left Tackle No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 54 Blake Fisher 6-6 335 Fr./4 79 Tosh Baker 6-8 307 So./4 68 Michael Carmody 6-5½ 290 So./4 Left Guard No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 52 Zeke Correll 6-3 295 Jr./3 50 Rocco Spindler 6-45/8 300 Fr./4 Center No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 55 Jarrett Patterson 6-4½ 307 Sr./3 73 Andrew Kristofic 6-5¼ 295 Jr./4 78 Pat Coogan 6-51/8 305 Fr./4 Right Guard No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 62 Cain Madden 6-2½ 310 Gr./1 56 John Dirksen 6-51/8 306 Sr./3 77 Quinn Carroll 6-65/8 313 Jr./4 Right Tackle No. Player Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 75 Josh Lugg 6-67/8 305 Gr./2 76 Joe Alt 6-75/8 305 Fr./4 72 Caleb Johnson 6-55/8 287 Fr./4 BGI Training Camp Depth Chart