Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM MARCH 2023 31 10. RIGHT TACKLE BLAKE FISHER Fisher's September struggles were a reminder that he played six quarters of college football prior to the 2022 season. He was a reliable edge setter in the final two months as Notre Dame's run game emerged as its best weapon. Fisher allowed 5 pressures in the first three games, but then only 12 over the final 10. There were two dips in those 10 games, though — 2 sacks against Stan- ford and a shaky Gator Bowl. But he still looks like a future pro and handled a premium position well. 9. RUNNING BACK CHRIS TYREE Tyree's speed, receiving skills and kick return role gave him a higher ranking than Diggs and Estime. His 41 touches in a two-game span against California and North Carolina hinted that he might be the Irish's lead back, but the three-way split lasted all season. Tyree's 28 catches were nine more than Diggs and Estime combined, but his 100 carries were the fewest of the three. He averaged just 16.9 yards per kick return. All three running backs belonged in the top 25, but having one of them in the top 10 ahead of everyone else didn't hold up with the committee approach. 8. CORNERBACK CAM HART Hart put forth another solid year before a shoulder injury ended his season after 11 games. He had 4 passes broken up, which tied for the team lead. He allowed catches on just 50 percent of the passes thrown at him. The 22 catches he allowed averaged 10.9 yards. Morrison outshined him, but he and Hart still formed the Irish's best cornerback duo since Julian Love and Troy Pride Jr. in 2018. 7. LEFT TACKLE JOE ALT Alt was Notre Dame's best offensive lineman in 2022 and, according to PFF, the best tackle in the country. He allowed 0 sacks and just 8 pressures all year and was a force in the run game. He plays a premium position and was the standout performer on the Irish's best unit. 6. LEFT GUARD JARRETT PATTERSON Patterson handled the move to guard with aplomb. He didn't allow a sack and surrendered just 9 pressures. His combo blocks with Alt and Correll were cru- cial parts of Notre Dame's run game, as was his ability to get to the second level and the perimeter. Alt probably belongs above Patterson in hindsight, but only because of the position he plays. Those two were Notre Dame's best offensive linemen and are both future pros. 5. SAFETY BRANDON JOSEPH Joseph came to Notre Dame with All- America honors on his résumé and 9 interceptions in his last 19 games. He was fine in his one year with the Irish: 30 tackles, 1 interception, 1 pass broken up and 7.3 yards per reception allowed. The light ball production was a disap- pointment for a player with a significant history of it. He did, though, return his lone interception for a touchdown. His tackling was up and down. The Irish safety unit held its own in three games without Joseph, who missed time with an ankle issue. That was mainly due to Watts' emergence. 4. WIDE RECEIVER LORENZO STYLES A second-half surge in 2021 made Styles' stagnant 2022 one of the most surprising developments in a season full of them. Styles looked like a future playmaker as a freshman. He produced an ordinary stat line as a sophomore: 30 catches for 340 yards and 1 touchdown. PFF credited him with 6 drops. He had only 14 catches in the last nine games. Styles becoming a go-to target might have elevated Notre Dame's passing game, even with uneven quarterback play. His preseason ranking was a break- out projection that didn't materialize. 3. DEFENSIVE END ISAIAH FOSKEY Foskey was not only Notre Dame's best pass rusher, but also one of the better ones in the country. His 11 sacks tied for fifth in the FBS. No other Irish player had more than 4.5. He was Notre Dame's most impact- ful defender and the anchor of a pass rush that finished tied for 16th na- tionally in sacks per game (2.92). 2. TIGHT END MICHAEL MAYER Mayer was the centerpiece of Notre Dame's passing game. His 101 targets were 54 more than anyone else. He was a consensus All-American and owns almost every notable program tight end record, including career marks of 180 receptions for 2,099 yards and 18 touchdowns. If anything, he was ranked too low. 1. QUARTERBACK TYLER BUCHNER Who knows where Notre Dame's season would have gone if Buchner never suffered a shoulder injury Sept. 10. Maybe he would have improved af- ter two rocky starts. Maybe those were going to be the norm in 2022. Either way, no player was more important to the 2022 outlook than Buchner. That made him the clear choice for this spot. But three games played isn't enough for inclusion on a postseason list. He is the biggest what-if of Notre Dame's 2022 campaign. ✦ PATRICK ENGEL'S POSTSEASON TOP 25 MOST VALUABLE NOTRE DAME PLAYERS RANKING Rk. Player, Pos. Preseason Rk. 1. Michael Mayer, TE 2 2. Isaiah Foskey, DE 3 3. Joe Alt, LT 7 4. Benjamin Morrison, CB — 5. Jarrett Patterson, LG 6 6. TaRiq Bracy, CB — 7. Drew Pyne, QB 24 8. JD Bertrand, LB 15 9. Blake Fisher, RT 10 10. Cam Hart, CB 8 11. Audric Estime, RB 21 12. Logan Diggs, RB 17 13. Chris Tyree, RB 9 14. Howard Cross III, DT — 15. Jayson Ademilola, DT 11 16. Justin Ademilola, DE — 17. Jayden Thomas, WR — 18. Jack Kiser, LB 16 19. Rylie Mills, DL 13 20. Josh Lugg, RG 23 21. Zeke Correll, C 25 22. Marist Liufau, LB 12 23. Mitchell Evans, TE — 24. Jon Sot, P — 25. Brandon Joseph, S 5 Dropped out: Avery Davis, WR (22); Jacob Lacey, DT (20); Ramon Henderson, DB (19), Deion Colzie, WR (18); Clarence Lewis, CB (14); Lorenzo Styles, WR (4); and Tyler Buchner, QB (1).