Notre Dame Football: Chris Finke Could Be Key To Irish Success In ’18

Notre Dame football lost some big-time talent from a season ago. As a result, Chris Finke may need to play a big role.

Anyone who follows Notre Dame football is familiar with the marquee names on offense the team lost from a season ago. Josh Adams, Quention Nelson, Mike McGlinchey and Equanimeous St. Brown will all be playing on Sundays.

One way or another, their roles will be filled in 2018.

One name Irish fans may be forgetting in terms of having to replace his production is Kevin Stepherson.

Stepherson caught 44 balls for 821 yards and 10 touchdowns over the the two seasons. The rising junior was one of four players dismissed from the team in January due to legal issues.

He was essentially the third option at receiver during both of his seasons at Notre Dame. More options are just what a guy like quarterback Brandon Wimbush needs, and someone needs to fill Stepherson’s void.

That someone could very well be Chris Finke.

Chris Finke is not the same type of receiver as Stepherson. Where Kevin Stepherson thrived as an explosive big-play guy who could stretch the field anywhere he lined up, Finke is more of a traditional slot receiver.

Finke’s best trait is his quickness in traffic, allowing him to get open over the middle.

That skill will come in handle on 3rd and intermediate downs where the Irish desperately need to keep a drive going. He will also have value near the goal line, where his larger counterparts at receiver will be drawing plenty of attention.

Finke’s four-catch, 81-yard performance in the Blue-Gold game is exactly what the Irish are going to need from him most weeks in order to minimize any would-be drop-off in the passing game due to attrition.

He may not the the biggest, fastest or sexiest offensive weapon in the Notre Dame arsenal, but Chris Finke could end up being one of the most important pieces to the puzzle in terms of Irish success on offense in 2018.