Notre Dame football: Breakout candidates-Offense

Jarett Patterson got the starting nod at the center position as a redshirt freshman last season and didn’t disappoint. He came to Notre Dame as a late add in the 2018 recruiting class as Jeff Quinn’s first major recruiting victory.

At the time of his signing, no one would have thought his eventual career path would lead him to center, but if the motto is to get your best five linemen on the field and work out the details later it was the right move.

The 2019 season wasn’t exactly great for Patterson as a first-year starter, but for all intents and purposes, he did a fine job. Year two is when we should expect big things. Centers are usually the leaders and the most vocal lineman, therefore, that will be part of the equation for Patterson’s performance. From a physical standpoint, it’s all there, coming in as an athletic tackle prospect. The rigors of playing center shouldn’t be too much of an issue for the redshirt sophomore.