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Notre Dame Football: The three most irreplaceable players on the Irish offense

By Mason Plummer

WINSTON SALEM, NC - SEPTEMBER 22: Jafar Armstrong #8 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish scores a touchdown against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during their game at BB&T Field on September 22, 2018 in Winston Salem, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
WINSTON SALEM, NC - SEPTEMBER 22: Jafar Armstrong #8 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish scores a touchdown against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during their game at BB&T Field on September 22, 2018 in Winston Salem, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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When it comes to having a successful season, oftentimes there are players a team can’t lose. Who can’t Notre Dame football afford to lose on the offense?

Last season when I wrote my annual Offensive Irreplaceable Players on the Notre Dame football team article, you could say my predictions ended up being a bit off.

I had all the confidence in the world that Chase Claypool, Sam Mustipher and Brandon Wimbush would be the irreplaceable players for Notre Dame in 2018. I essentially swung and missed on one, maybe two of my predictions.

Brandon Wimbush, the starter coming in to the season, ended up being replaced by Ian Book early in the year. At the beginning of the season, and really throughout all of the offseason, there was no doubt who was going to be the starter for the Irish in 2018. As for any team with a backup QB that is not a hardened veteran, it made Wimbush irreplaceable for Notre Dame last season. At least that’s what I thought.

Claypool is another that could be argued that I got wrong. Claypool had another solid season in a Notre Dame uniform, but it still left fans wanting more. He has always been a decent contributor for the Irish but his breakout season has always been one year away.

Mustipher is the only that was 100 percent correct last season. He was a mainstay in the offensive line and a real leader. He helped a somewhat inexperienced 2018 line get to the College Football Playoff semi-finals and was a great contributor throughout the season at the center position.

Looking forward to this fall, who can Notre Dame not afford to lose if it wants to be successful?

Let’s find out.

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