Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM JUNE/JULY 2023 29 by junior year have a readily available avenue to look for better opportunities elsewhere. Convincing them to wait around for a better chance is difficult when transferring does not come with a sit-out year. The COVID bonus year has kept playing time windows closed longer. Notre Dame isn't alone in feeling the effects. Its 2021 class was ranked No. 11 overall. The first team above (Texas A&M) and below (North Carolina) the Irish in the 2021 rankings to not endure a coaching change have junior-year reten- tion rates that aren't much lower. The Aggies' 23-man 2021 class has lost 10 of its original members, including two of its four highest-rated signees. The Tar Heels' 19-player haul is down to 11. Miami, which signed the No. 10 class, made a change after the 2021 season. The Hurricanes' 24-player 2021 class is down to 16 members. Florida (No. 13 class) also made a coaching move in 2021. Eleven of the 21 high school re- cruits it signed in 2021 are left. Buchner is one of the 14 top-30 quar- terbacks from the 2021 cycle who has left his original team, excluding Heis- man winner Caleb Williams. That in- cludes four of the top 10. LATER BLOOMERS? Fourteen exits, seven starters or rota- tion pieces and one Mormon mission leaves five players closest to that middle third. All should have an opportunity to compete for a starting spot in 2024 or 2025. Rocco Spindler was behind graduate student Andrew Kristofic at right guard this spring, but that competition isn't closed yet. Pat Coogan isn't in the mix to start in 2023, but he could find him- self battling for the center or right guard job if either opens in 2024. Onye was a spring standout with his improved consistency and leaner build. He ended spring in the defensive line rotation as the No. 2 nose tackle. Tucker avoided the scout team last year and had a productive spring, but regular play- ing time may be a year away. Barnes (three career defensive snaps) felt like a transfer candidate after 2022, but he returned for spring and impressed in open practices. He has played corner and safety. ✦ Players Signed: 27 Players Available In 2023: 12 2021 Recruiting Rankings: No. 9 by Rivals and 247Sports, and No. 11 by On3 and ESPN Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Joe Alt OT 6-7 305 Blossomed into one of the country's elite tackles and is projected be a first- round NFL Draft pick in 2024. Devin Aupiu DE 6-5 237 Early enrollee and California native transferred to UCLA after the spring 2021 semester. Ryan Barnes CB 6-1 187 Played three defensive snaps in two seasons and has worked at cornerback and safety this spring. Cane Berrong TE 6-4 245 Tore his ACL in October 2021 and had zero catches in four games from 2021-22 … Transferred to Coastal Carolina in January. Josh Bryan K 5-11 5 ⁄8 191 Former top kicker recruit ended 2022 third on the depth chart and has left the team. Tyler Buchner QB 6-1 215 Competed with transfer Sam Hartman in spring 2023 but ended as the likely No. 2 … Transferred to Alabama after spring practice. Deion Colzie WR 6-4¾ 211 Has 13 catches for 259 yards in two seasons … Competing for starting job. Pat Coogan OL 6-5 1 ⁄8 309 Played one game from 2021-22 … Moved from center to left guard this spring and was a second-teamer. Logan Diggs RB 6-0 214 Totaled 1,052 rushing yards, 267 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns from 2021-22 … Entered transfer portal April 27. Audric Estime RB 5-11½ 227 Team-best 920 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns in 2022 … Diggs' exit leaves him as the clear top running back. Mitchell Evans TE 6-5 1 ⁄8 260 Played 326 snaps as the No. 2 tight end in 2022 and started the Gator Bowl … Likely starter in 2023. Blake Fisher OT 6-6 310 Highest-rated recruit in the class started all 13 games at right tackle … Could have an NFL decision to make with another strong season. Khari Gee S 6-2 202 Atlanta native transferred to Georgia Tech in January 2022. Caleb Johnson OT 6-5 5 ⁄8 295 Played one game in two seasons … Left the team before the spring and entered the transfer portal in April. JoJo Johnson CB 5-11 191 Missed the 2021 season due to injury, entered the transfer portal in January 2022 and landed at juco national champs Iowa Western Community College. He will graduate in May and has several Division I offers. Kahanu Kia LB 6-1 217 Played in eight games in 2021 … Departed for a two-year Mormon mission and will return in 2024. Prince Kollie LB 6-0½ 228 Made 19 tackles in 2022 and led the team in special teams snaps (231) … Entered transfer portal in April. Jason Onye DT 6-4½ 292 Logged 8 snaps from 2021-22 … Strong spring launched him into defensive line rotation. Ron Powlus III QB 6-2 5 ⁄8 227 Did not play in two seasons and medically retired before spring practice. Philip Riley CB 5-11½ 195 Appeared in five games from 2021-22 … Left the team before spring practice. Gabriel Rubio DT 6-5¼ 302 Former top-125 recruit had 4 tackles for loss in a rotation role … Competing to start in 2023. Will Schweitzer LB 6-4 225 Played three games in 2021 and missed the 2022 season due to a non- football medical procedure … Retired before spring practice. Rocco Spindler OG 6-4 5 ⁄8 325 Former top-100 recruit played on the field goal unit in 2022 and is competing to start at right guard. Lorenzo Styles WR 6-1 1 ⁄8 192 No. 70 overall prospect in class had 54 catches for 684 yards from 2021-22 … Transferred to Ohio State in April after moving to defensive back during spring practice. Jayden Thomas WR 6-1½ 220 Became a starter in 2022, with 25 catches for 362 yards … Favorite to start at boundary receiver in 2023. Chance Tucker CB 5-11¾ 180 Has impressed in practices but is likely a year away from regular playing time at cornerback. Justin Walters S 6-0 5 ⁄8 190 Played seven games from 2021-22 … Inactive for the final seven games of 2022 due to an unknown injury and medically retired before spring. JUNIOR CLASS REVIEW