Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/998819
BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 59 WIDE RECEIVERS POSITION COACH DelVaughn Alexander, a coaching veteran with more than two decades of experi‑ ence at the collegiate level, is en‑ tering his second season as Notre Dame's wide receivers coach. During his first year in South Bend, his Irish receivers accounted for 62.1 percent of the team's re‑ ceptions (113 of 182), 73.8 per‑ cent of the receiving yards (1,716 of 2,326) and 75.0 percent of the touchdown catches (15 of 20). He came to South Bend following five seasons at Arizona State, where he coached wide receivers and oversaw the Sun Devils' passing game from 2012‑15 before moving to tight ends for the 2016 campaign. Prior to his time with the Sun Devils, Alexander spent five seasons (2007‑11) at Wisconsin as the wide receivers coach. He was a part of two Big Ten championships and five bowl appearances, including back‑to‑back Rose Bowls in 2010 and 2011. Alexander also served as the running backs coach, assistant travel coordinator, assistant special teams coordinator and NCAA rules representative at the University of San Diego (2005‑06) under then‑head coach Jim Harbaugh. In addition, he was the recruiting coordinator and wide receivers coach at Oregon State (2003‑04), and instructed wide receivers and quarterbacks at UNLV (2000‑02). In 1999, he worked for the San Diego Chargers as a senior offensive assistant. The Los Angeles native spent two years as a wide receiver for his hometown USC Trojans (1993‑94) while lettering in both football and track, and earned his bachelor's degree in social sciences/history in 1995. He began his coaching career at his alma mater that same year, serving as an assistant video coordinator. He spent the next two years (1996‑97) as a graduate assistant for the Trojans, working with the tight ends. RETURNING PLAYERS MILES BOYKIN • WR Sr. • Tinley Park, Ill. Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 227 Career Highlights: Saw action in 12 contests and made one start in 2017 … Hauled in 12 receptions for 253 yards (21.1 yards per catch) and two touchdowns … Named the MVP of the Citrus Bowl after catching three passes for 102 yards, including the game‑winning 55‑yard score late in the fourth quarter, in Notre Dame's 21‑17 victory over LSU … Caught six passes for 81 yards (13.5 per reception) and one touch‑ down while seeing action in all 12 games in 2016 … Did not play in 2015. Prep: Listed as a four‑star recruit, the No. 3 se‑ nior in Illinois, and the nation's No. 17 wideout and No. 156 overall prospect by Rivals … Despite missing three games with an injury, he posted 65 receptions for 1,035 yards and 19 touchdowns as a senior for the Illinois Class 7A state champions … Named The Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette 2014 Player of the Year in Illinois … Named all‑state by the newspaper as a junior and senior … One of 27 players selected to The Chicago Tribune's all‑state first team … Invited to play in the Semper Fidelis All‑American Game. Personal: Born Oct. 12, 1996 … His father, George Boykin Jr., played linebacker at Chicago Vocational High and then at Eastern Illinois (1985‑89) … En‑ rolled in the Mendoza College of Business, majoring in marketing. Year G-GS Rec. Yds. Avg. TD 2016 12‑0 6 81 13.5 1 2017 12‑1 12 253 21.1 2 Totals 24-1 18 334 18.6 3 CHASE CLAYPOOL • WR Jr. • Abbotsford, B.C. Ht.: 6-4½ • Wt.: 229 Career Highlights: Played in 12 games and made eight starts … Notched 29 catches for 402 yards (13.9 per reception) and two scores … Saw action in all 12 games in 2016 … Was a special teams standout, fin‑ ishing with 11 tackles, and notched five receptions for 81 yards (16.2 per catch) as a wide receiver. Prep: Rated as a four‑star prospect, and the No. 22 wide receiver and No. 109 overall player nationally by Rivals … Is Abbotsford Secondary School's career leader in receptions (79), receiving yards (2,157), receiving touchdowns (29), all‑purpose yards (3,575) and interceptions (six) … Totaled 1,903 yards of of‑ fense and 28 touchdowns as a senior, and added a team‑high 70 tackles, five interceptions and two sacks on defense … Named British Columbia Sec‑ ondary Schools Football Association AA Player of the Year. Personal: Born July 7, 1998 … Is the first Cana‑ dian prospect to play for the Irish since Toronto's Bill Mitoulas, who was a linebacker at Notre Dame from 1994‑97 … Enrolled in the Mendoza College of Business. Year G-GS Rec. Yds. Avg. TD 2016 12‑0 5 81 16.2 0 2017 12‑8 29 402 13.9 2 Totals 24-8 34 483 14.2 2 CHRIS FINKE • WR Sr. • Kettering, Ohio Ht.: 5-9½ • Wt.: 177 Career Highlights: Came to Notre Dame as a walk‑on in 2015 and earned a scholarship prior to the 2016 campaign … Appeared in 13 games with one start last year and made six catches for 102 yards (17.0 per grab) … Served as the team's punt returner and averaged 6.5 yards on 24 attempts … Played in 10 games as a reserve in 2016 … Caught 10 passes for 122 yards and two scores … Also returned nine punts for 70 yards and five kickoffs for 85 yards … Did not see any game action in 2015. BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 59 Senior Chris Finke is Notre Dame's top punt return man, but also has found his way into the receiver rota- tion. The past two seasons, he has reeled in 16 receptions for 224 yards and two scores in 23 contests. PHOTO BY ANGELA DRISKELL