Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1466176
22 MAY 2022 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED aren't indicative of a player's future. Far from it. But it would at the least have assuaged some fears if Styles made a big play or two. The only one among the five scholar- ship wide receivers who did was sopho- more Jayden Thomas. There has been buzz about his game since pre-Fiesta Bowl practices, so it was encouraging to see him excel. Styles going "o-fer" and sophomore Deion Colzie only hauling in two passes for eight yards was not how position coach Chansi Stuckey drew up the day, though. It's back to the drawing board for his group, which isn't a bad thing. It's where those players want to — and need to — be anyway. "The beauty of it is guys are hungry to learn, hungry for the details and to be great," Stuckey said. "That's all you can ask for. They want to learn, and they don't feel like they know it all. "With this group, guys want to learn ball and know the details of the posi- tion." The return of graduate student Av- ery Davis from November ACL surgery can't come soon enough. He gives the room a veteran leader on and off the field. Graduate student Joe Wilkins' foot fracture was a big blow. He was playing all three wide receiver positions before the injury. Notre Dame needs a healthy Davis and Wilkins this fall. The Irish lost both of them in the second half of last season. And despite Styles stepping up in a big way, the unit still struggled overall as a result. This position group needs to be as all-hands-on-deck as ever. Grad- uate students Braden Lenzy and Matt Salerno have to contribute, the former more so than the latter. A healthy Lenzy could be an X-Factor. "Could" can't re- main in the lexicon, though. It's time to prove doubters wrong and produce. 3. A WEALTH OF RICHES IN THE GROUND GAME Is it possible Notre Dame will be even better running the ball in 2022 than it was in 2021? Yes. And that's saying a lot considering Kyren Williams was one of the most electrifying tailbacks in the country. If it does work out that way, the dif- ference will be a more consistent of- fensive line. Notre Dame probably isn't going to be playing musical chairs at left tackle for six games as long as Joe Alt remains healthy. Blake Fisher is an upgrade from Josh Lugg at right tackle. Not that Lugg was bad; Fisher is just that good. And Lugg gets to remain a starter as a sixth-year player; he's sim- ply moving over one spot to right guard, right next to fifth-year center Jarrett Patterson. And whether it's senior Andrew Kristofic or sophomore Rocco Spindler starting at left guard, the last piece of the puzzle isn't going to be a jagged one that doesn't fit with the others. Notre Dame has a heck of a starting five — as long as the unit comes together as one. "It's one of the most important things," position coach Harry Hiestand said. "They have to care more about the Sophomore running back Logan Diggs could emerge as the Irish's No. 1 tailback in 2022. PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER