Notre Dame football: Five potential breakout players on offense in 2020
By Matt Clark
![ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 29: Ian Book #12 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish speaks to his line in the first half against the Clemson Tigers during the College Football Playoff Semifinal Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 29: Ian Book #12 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish speaks to his line in the first half against the Clemson Tigers during the College Football Playoff Semifinal Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/fe5d47105e5989d3f18a18080ab13919e0329f9c0035a85c672ec61713db8438.jpg)
2. Kevin Austin
Most Notre Dame football fans expected Kevin Austin to be a breakout player for the Irish offense last season. However, that would not happen as Austin would not see the field in 2019 due to a suspension for an undisclosed violation.
While he didn’t see game action for Notre Dame last season, that didn’t prevent Austin from practicing with the scout team, where he regularly competed against the starting defense of the Irish, drawing rave reviews for his practice performances from former Notre Dame stars and recent NFL draftees Chase Claypool, Khalid Kareem, and Troy Pride Jr.
The talent and hype surrounding Austin have been both tantalizing and frustrating for Notre Dame fans. The talent level of Austin is off the charts between his ability to jump out of the gym and his elite speed. The combination of skills is what made him a borderline 5-star and top 100 recruit in the 2018 class.
Unfortunately, the elite talent of Austin has only translated into five catches for 90 yards in his Notre Dame football career, all of which came two years ago as a freshman. However, the good news is that he didn’t miss 2019 due to an injury and was able to still practice and work with the Notre Dame football team, so it wasn’t exactly a lost season for the talented wideout.
That said, 2020 will be a critical season for the 6’3″ and 210-pound wide receiver. While he still has three years of eligibility remaining with the Irish, the expectation for him to produce will mount this season, as most experts believe he will be the number one wide receiver in a strong group of wideouts that include Braden Lenzy, Northwestern transfer Bennett Skowronek, Javon McKinley, Lawrence Keys III, Avery Davis, and 5-star recruit and true freshman Jordan Johnson.
With the departures of Chase Claypool, Chris Finke, and Cole Kmet to the National Football League, almost three-quarters of the receptions made by the 2019 Notre Dame football team were made by players no longer on the roster. This should open up a lot of receiving opportunities for Austin to take advantage of in 2020.
Kevin Austin has the speed to beat defenders on vertical routes, as well as the ability to win jump balls that are contested by defenders. He should find himself becoming a top red zone and receiving target in general for Ian Book next season. With his excellent pedigree and ability, there is a very good chance that Austin finally has the breakout season Irish fans have expected since he committed to Notre Dame.