Notre Dame football: 2022 offense to be led by 2021 true freshmen

BLACKSBURG, VA - OCTOBER 09: Tyler Buchner #12 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish attempts a pass against the Virginia Tech Hokies during the first half of the game at Lane Stadium on October 9, 2021 in Blacksburg, Virginia. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
BLACKSBURG, VA - OCTOBER 09: Tyler Buchner #12 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish attempts a pass against the Virginia Tech Hokies during the first half of the game at Lane Stadium on October 9, 2021 in Blacksburg, Virginia. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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Notre Dame football
Oct 23, 2021; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Lorenzo Styles Jr. (21) runs the ball as USC Trojans safety Xavion Alford (29) attempts to tackle in the second quarter at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /

Notre Dame football: 2022 offense to be led by 2021 true freshmen

Skill Players

Another bright spot in terms of true freshmen who stepped in and played a big role was Logan Diggs, a shifty running back who served as a true No. 2 to Kyren Williams. Diggs showed a rare blend of speed and power during his time on the field and seems to have a knack for finding the end zone in opportune times.

We are going to see a lot of Diggs during the Playstation Fiesta Bowl, as Williams has declared for the NFL, and will skip the game to prepare for the next level. Also, outside of Diggs, the Irish have another talented true freshman running back in Audric Estime, who is a bruising back from New Jersey that is going to be outstanding in short-yardage situations.

On the outside, you have to be excited about Lorenzo Styles Jr., a deep threat who did not seem overwhelmed by the bright lights in Year 1. Styles Jr., however, is not the only current true freshman to be excited about, as Jayden Thomas is starting to get more run during practice leading up to the bowl game, and has looked outstanding as well.

Deion Colzie is also an exciting prospect to keep an eye on, so while Notre Dame brought in only one wide receiver in their 2022 recruiting class in Tobias Merriweather, the cupboard is certainly not bare going into next season.