The Notre Dame football program is ready to kick off fall practice this Friday, and here, we look at three things to keep an eye on.
The time has finally come for the Notre Dame football team to kick off their practices heading into their season opener against Ohio State. For the Irish, this is going to be an exciting season, as they have a new head coach at the helm and first-round talent on both sides of the ball.
As they get ready to start fall practices later this week, here are some things you may want to monitor.
Notre Dame football: 3 things to keep an eye on during Fall practice
The Secondary
Last season, the Notre Dame football team had the gold standard on their roster at the safety position, as Kyle Hamilton was the best in the country. In 2022, they will have to replace him but will do so with another All-American, as Brandon Joseph comes to South Bend via Northwestern.
That spot is locked in stone, as are the two outside cornerback roles, with Cam Hart and Clarence Lewis returning as starters. From there, it is going to be outstanding competition to see who rounds out the starting lineup, and who can inch their way up the depth chart to play a major role in 2022.
Notre Dame football: 3 things to keep an eye on during Fall practice
Wide Receiver Depth Chart
Moving over to the offensive side of the ball, the Notre Dame football team will have to figure out what their depth chart will look like at the wide receiver position. While the position group may be lacking in numbers, it is certainly not lacking in talent, and true sophomore Lorenzo Styles Jr. could be in for a breakout season.
Veterans are returning, as Avery Davis and Braden Lenzy will have to be the leaders here, while the young talent could end up overtaking them in terms of starting roles. After his monster game against Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl, Styles is a starter, but after him, the fall practice battle is going to be huge.
Jayden Thomas is a name to keep an eye on, as he goes into his second season in South Bend, and Tobias Merriweather will be trying to make a big impact in Year 1. Deion Colzie is a playmaker that could turn heads over the next few weeks as well, but one thing is for sure, if the Irish want to beat Ohio State, they need to make plays in the passing game, so figuring this out is crucial.
Notre Dame football: 3 things to keep an eye on during Fall practice
Quarterbacks
The No. 1 thing on everybody’s mind as we enter fall practice is which player will be under center when this Notre Dame football team kicks off their season against Ohio State. Over the next few weeks, we will see whether it is Drew Pyne or Tyler Buchner who emerges as the starter for Marcus Freeman at the most important position in all of sports.
Buchner has the edge right now, as he played significant snaps last season and can get the job done with both his arm and his legs. That is the kind of multi-dimensional quarterback the Irish will need if they are going to beat an Ohio State team that is going to be a major favorite heading into Week 1.
Notre Dame Football: What would a hypothetical Big Ten schedule look like?
A hypothetical Notre Dame football schedule in the Big Ten conference would look very similar to schedules in previous seasons.
The truth is, Freeman and his staff have to figure this out in a hurry, as the game plan has to go in for the Ohio State matchup immediately. If I were a betting man, I would bet on Buchner getting the nod over Pyne, but Pyne won a big game for Tommy Rees last season, so it is anybody’s guess as we head into Friday.