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wide receivers 0 By The Numbers Multiple-touchdown games for Irish wide receivers in 2012. Michael Floyd registered two TD catches in the season opener against South Florida in 2011, and Theo Riddick had a pair of scoring receptions the following week against Michigan. The Irish have gone 24 games without a wide receiver grabbing more than one TD pass in a single game. The Irish threw only 15 passes that went for 30 or more yards last season. That's one-third as many as national leader Baylor, and it put Notre Dame in 79th place among Football Bowl Subdivision schools in the category. Yards per reception for DaVaris Daniels in his debut last year. Daniels landed on Phil Steele's 2013 College Football Preview All-Independent first team. 15 15.8 100-meter dash at the state finals with a time of 10.9. He was rated the 13th-best player in Virginia and the 22nd-best safety nationally by 247Sports after registering 51 tackles, six interceptions and 10 passes defended in 2011. "I can't say I wasn't excited," Prosise said of the switch to offense. "I was definitely ready for a new challenge in my life and a new challenge in my career here. They said there was a better chance for me to play on offense, and I was ready for that. I think it was two days before spring practice. It's definitely happening really, really fast for me. It's a fast game and you've just got to get used to it. "I definitely watched a lot of receiver clips when I went back to my room that night. I was just trying to get ready for the next day. I was preparing my hands; I was slapping my hands. I hadn't caught passes in a while. It's just a mindset you've got to get used to. Honestly, it's probably a blessing that I got [the news] later so I could just come out the next day and be an athlete." Prosise added that the coaching staff was "right there behind me the whole time telling me what to do and helping me out." He enters fall camp at the top of a depth chart that includes senior Daniel Smith (6-4, 213), and freshmen Will Fuller (6-1, 180) and Torii Hunter Jr. (6-0, 180). Preseason Analysis ★★★★ National Title Contention; ★★★ BCS Contention; ★★ Top 25 Potential; ★ Too Unproven Starters ★★★ Senior TJ Jones, junior DaVaris Daniels and sophomore Chris Brown have combined for 37 starts and 144 career receptions. Jones has steadily improved since being thrown into the fire as a freshman in 2010, and Daniels is on the brink of a breakout year. Brown registered just two receptions for 56 yards as a rookie, one of which went for 50 yards. Without the aid of Mackey Award-winning tight end Tyler Eifert, however, defenses will have more of a focus on this trio in 2013. Experience ★★ Individually, Jones and Daniels have plenty of minutes under their belt. As a group, meaningful snaps are few and far between. Senior Luke Massa missed all of 2012 with an injury and Brown was still trying to digest the playbook last fall. The other four players on the depth chart have yet to appear in a college game. C.J. Prosise was the surprise offensive player of the spring, but it remains to be seen how he'll react when the plays matter for real. Depth ★★ Freshmen James Onwualu and Corey Robinson have plenty of potential, but until they're called upon to perform in situations beyond practice, we have no idea how they'll react. Each is a play away from having to fill significant roles. Jones and Daniels have both missed time because of injuries in the past and the Irish don't have proven players waiting in the wings, only potential. Notre Dame would benefit greatly from a step up in production by Daniel Smith. Overall Grade ★★ A lot will depend on the development at tight end, catching options out of the backfield and how senior quarterback Tommy Rees executes as the sudden starter in 2013. If Notre Dame can avoid injury at wideout, there is a good mix of sure-handed and athletic playmakers on the roster. If the first three years are any indication, head coach Brian Kelly and his staff will move pieces around effectively to extract the most out of what they have. Sophomore C.J. Prosise, a converted safety who turned some heads during the spring, caught a 35-yard pass for the only offensive touchdown in the BlueGold Game and moved to the top of the depth chart at slot receiver. photo by joe raymond Smith has hauled in just seven receptions for 47 yards in his first three years in South Bend, but his assignment consciousness, blocking and consistency potentially make him an important contributor. "Danny is probably the next most [dependable after Jones], getting from point A to point B and knowing you never have to worry," offensive coordinator Chuck Martin said. "Danny — run game, pass game, execution, understanding — is a pretty high level. … He really grew up as a junior and we trust him to do a lot of jobs in key situations that he was going to be there and he was going to fight for us." Hunter Jr. broke his left femur in January at a U.S. Army AllAmerican Bowl practice and has been working to get healthy for his rookie season. His father, Detroit Tigers outfielder Torii Hunter, could conceivably add teammate to his list of fatherly duties after Hunter Jr. was drafted by the Tigers in the 36th round earlier in June. It wasn't clear whether or not Hunter Jr. would sign with Detroit and give up his college football career before it even started, or put professional baseball on the backburner for now. "This is my dream; I don't know what his dream is," Hunter Sr. told Mlive.com about his son on June 8. "I know he loves baseball and football. One day he's going to pick and choose. It might be tomorrow. We don't know. It's whatever he wants. You play a long time in baseball — I've proved that. I've been playing a while — 20 years in professional ball — but at the same time, he has to find his path and find his way." ✦ Blue & Gold Illustrated 2013 Football Preview ✦ 61 58-63.WRs.indd 61 6/25/13 1:00 PM