Notre Dame Football: Finke, Claypool snubbed on Biletnikoff Watch List
By J.P. Scott
The Notre Dame football team did not land a single player on the watch list for the award for the nation’s top receiver.
The Tallahassee Quarterback Club (TQC) Foundation, Inc., the Florida-based creator and sponsor of the Biletnikoff Award, has released the 2019 Biletnikoff Award Preseason Watch List. No receivers from the 2019 Notre Dame football team made the prestigious list.
The Biletnikoff Award annually recognizes the outstanding FBS receiver in college football. Any player, regardless of position (wide receiver, tight end, slot back, and running back) who catches a pass is eligible for the award. As such, the Biletnikoff Award recognizes college football’s outstanding receiver, not merely college football’s outstanding wide receiver. The award recipient is selected by the highly distinguished Biletnikoff Award National Selection Committee, a group of prominent college football journalists, commentators, announcers, Biletnikoff Award winners, and other former receivers.
Two Notre Dame receivers should have been on the initial watch list, but were left off.
Chase Claypool caught 50 balls for 639 yards and four touchdowns in 2018. His targets and productivity are expected to see a significant increase in 2019 — thanks to the departure of Miles Boykin and the expected elevation of Claypool to No. 1 receiver in the Irish offense.
That should have put him on the radar.
Chris Finke returns as one of the best slot receivers in the nation. He’ll have a chance to eat up plenty of targets over the middle of the field again in 2019. Last season, he caught 49 balls for 571 yards and two scores. He even showed the ability to be a deep threat at times. He should see another uptick in his stats this season.
Finke deserved a look as well.
It’s not the end of the road for Notre Dame receivers in terms of being on the watch list for the Biletnikoff. The award’s website states that receivers are periodically added to the watch list as their season performances dictate. Actual, not potential, performance is the basis for inclusion on the Biletnikoff Award Watch List.
The Notre Dame receivers will have a chance to make a couple of early statements on national TV — first against Louisville on Labor Day and then against Georgia later in September.
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The 2018 Biletnikoff Award winner will be presented live on The Home Depot College Football Awards broadcast on ESPN in December.