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Notre Dame football: Irish all over projected award winner list for 2022

By Brad Weiss

Jan 1, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Detailed view of a gold Notre Dame Fighting Irish helmet during the 2022 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Detailed view of a gold Notre Dame Fighting Irish helmet during the 2022 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 28, 2019; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish offensive lineman Jarrett Patterson (55) readies for the snap in the third quarter against the Virginia Cavaliers at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 28, 2019; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish offensive lineman Jarrett Patterson (55) readies for the snap in the third quarter against the Virginia Cavaliers at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /

Notre Dame football: Irish all over projected Award winner list for 2022

What they got right

As we stated above, Patterson is projected by the piece to take down some hardware, as he is the winner of the Rimington Trophy according to Backus. There is no doubt that Patterson should be the front-runner for this award going into his final season in South Bend, and it would be a bit shocking if he did not win it.

Also, Backus listed Brandon Joseph as a finalist for the Thorpe Award, and going into his first season in South Bend, that seems about fair. Joseph had an excellent 2020 campaign in a COVID-shortened season and was a very good player for Northwestern last season, a year where most teams shied away from him.

With the Irish, he is going to be expected to come in and fill the shoes of Kyle Hamilton, a first-round pick from this past April, and one of the better safeties this program has seen in quite some time. Joseph was an All-American at Northwestern, and his talent has shone through since landing in South Bend, so expectations are very high for him this Fall.

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