Receiving depth should be great asset for Notre Dame
SOUTH BEND, IND. In the spring, the feeling was this year’s group of Notre Dame wide receivers would essentially be the same as last year’s— just older.
That sense has changed after summer workouts and the addition of two graduate transfers.
Part of the starting unit will look the same. For example, acrobatic 6- 5, 203pound junior Equanimeous St. Brown, who led Notre Dame with 961 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in 2016, will remain the No. 1 target. After that, the depth chart can go in a few different directions.
On the first day of fall practice last week, it looked as if the first team of receivers included St. Brown, sophomore Chase Claypool and Arizona State graduate transfer Cam Smith. The second unit was made up of juniors Miles Boykin and Chris Finke and Michigan graduate transfer Freddy Canteen, though it should be noted senior Austin Webster, junior C. J. Sanders, sophomores Javon McKinley and Kevin Stepherson and freshman Jafar Armstrong also snagged passes from quarterback Brandon Wimbush.
New wide receivers coach DelVaughn Alexander has 12 or 13 capable receivers who will be competing for playing time. Not to mention new offensive coordinator Chip Long also has five skilled tight ends and plans to use them all in some capacity.
It’s still early with the Sept. 2 season opener vs. Temple almost amonth away, but it will certainly be interesting to see how each player fits within the new offense.
MEET THE TRANSFERS
Coach Brian Kelly hasn’t talked too indepth about any player heading into fall practices, but he has been plenty complimentary of Smith and Canteen.
In his season- opening news conference, Kelly praised both.
“Cam is physically fit, can do the things within the offensive structure, knows the offense very well,” Kelly said. “I think immediately he goes out there and is able to compete at a high level right away, because he knows the offense. Freddy has a high level of skill in which he’s learning right away.
“But immediately, both of those guys bring amaturity and focus and attention to detail that I was looking for. Amaturity, I think, if you will, to that group that I think we needed. Both of them will certainly have an impact in what we do this fall.”
Smith, who graduated from Arizona State in April, played for Long and Alexander when they coached at ASU, so he is familiar with their offense. Smith has one year of eligibility remaining; Canteen has two.
AN OLDER GROUP
Last year Notre Dame’s receiving corps was mostly made up of sophomores and a freshman. Senior Torii Hunter Jr. missed three games with an injury, though he did provide leadership for the unit. Regardless, this returning group is older with experience from last year’s disappointing season. Add in the graduate transfers, and it’s a more mature group than one that was part of aNo. 48ranked passing offense in 2016.
In the spring, Alexander said the group had a good understanding of the scheme at that point. He also said receivers would be used in different ways than in previous seasons, with Long’s up- tempo style. Alexander said he would move his guys — no matter their size — all over the field. Small ones could be positioned outside while taller players might play inside, depending on the situation. Players seem to like that aspect. “The biggest thing is learning the offense so we can plug you wherever you want,” Boykin said in the spring.
FINALWORD
This might be the deepest position group on Notre Dame’s depth chart, which means there will be a lot of competition throughout the fall. And not only that, but there’s competition among veterans, unlike last season.
The good thing about that is young guys won’t be forced to play early as they were last season and will have more time to gain a better understanding of a fasterpaced offense.
It also means Wimbush has unlimited tools in the passing game.