For all the talk of Notre Dame’s defense in flux, plus the need to replace a four-year starter at quarterback and three-year starter at running back, no single area on the team might be in more of a rebuilding mode than wide receiver.
At this time last year, the Irish graduated two record-breaking wideouts – Maurice Stovall and Matt Shelton – yet the receiving corps was still deemed as one of the primary team assets. Although Stovall was a third-round NFL pick and Shelton had set a single-season school standard for yards per catch, the return of All-America Jeff Samardzija and Rhema McKnight, sidelined in 2005 with an injury, gave the Irish one of the nation’s premier 1-2 duos.
Now that “The Shark” and McKnight have capped their careers 1-2 on the all-time Irish receiving chart, the reconstruction won’t be as seamless as it was in 2006.
At this time last year, Notre Dame’s primary objective was to find a No. 3 man who could serve as a complementary figure to Samardzija and McKnight, as Shelton did for Samardzija and Stovall. The candidates in the spring were senior Chase Anastasio, junior Darrin Bragg, sophomores David Grimes and D.J. Hord, and freshman early enrollee George West. Come August, West would be joined by classmates Richard Jackson, Robby Parris and Barry Gallup Jr.
By the end of preseason camp in August, Charlie Weis singled out Grimes as far and away the No. 3 receiver. Grimes was the lone player among the seven aforementioned backup candidates who caught a pass in 2005 (two for 19 yards).
The numbers in 2006 ended up practically mirroring the ones in 2005, although one more game was played last year.
• Samardzija snared 77 passes for 1,249 yards in 2005, and followed with 78 for 1,017 in 2006. • Stovall grabbed 69 catches for 1,149 yards in 2005, and McKnight followed with 67 for 907 in 2006. • Shelton hauled in 28 receptions 329 yards in 2005, and No. 3 man Grimes had 26 for 336 yards in 2006.
With Samardzija and McKnight out of eligibility, now what?
Pre-Spring Assessment
Grimes is easily the top returning wideout. The issue is going to be whether he can be a consistent, bona fide No. 1 target at a major college program. At 5-foot-9, he’s not as tall a target as Samardzija and Stovall, nor does he possess the speed of Shelton, who was similar in stature.
Classmate Hord came in more highly-heralded than Grimes, but he’s been beset by a litany of injuries in his first two seasons, including what was reported to be a ruptured Achilles last summer that sidelined him in 2006. It is the type of injury that requires extensive rehab, and we would be surprised if Hord would be able to fully display his wares this spring and be a factor.
There have been conflicting reports on whether or not Anastasio will apply for a fifth season of eligibility in 2007. He caught two passes for 21 yards last year.
In the sophomore class, West caught two passes for 14 yards, Parris one for seven, and Jackson saw action on special teams, although not as a return man. Gallup did not see game action in 2006.
It is a unit that lacks star power entering the 2007 campaign, and it might have to turn to incoming freshmen Duval Kamara and Golden Tate for help, complementary or otherwise. This is a situation that Lou Holtz used to summarize as, “I don’t mind starting a season with a bunch of unknowns, I just hating finishing it with them.”
Going Vertical
Who can be a legitimate deep threat for Notre Dame? Samardzija’s yards per catch dropped from 16.2 in 2005 to 13.0 in 2006. Stovall averaged 16.7 yards per reception in 2005, but McKnight dropped to 13.5 in 2006. Tight end John Carlson actually caught the longest pass in 2006 (62-yard TD at Michigan State).
West was seen as potentially such a player in 2006, but the evidence has not yet been displayed. Could Tate possibly fill that void in the long term, if not the short?
Notable Stat
Until the 2005 season, only two receivers in Notre Dame annals caught at least 60 passes in a season – Jack Snow in 1964 (60) and Tom Gatewood in 1970 (77). In the two seasons under Weis, Notre Dame already has had three with Samardzija, Stovall and McKnight.
Summary
Similar to linebacker last spring, a shortage of bodies is not the problem at receiver. But as we often state, numbers don’t necessarily mean you possess depth. Travis Thomas had to be shifted from running back to help the 2006 linebacker corps. Might someone such as a Munir Prince be needed to aid the receiving corps if no one emerges?
Grimes will no longer have the luxury of opposing defenses concentrating on Samardzija and McKnight, so one can’t assume he’s automatically in line to be the next Irish receiver to grab at least 60 receptions in one season. Plus, with a green quarterback at the throttle, catches might not be as easy to come by.
Parris and Jackson possess the frames that make them appealing targets, so developing some chemistry with the quarterbacks this spring will be essential. The presence of Carlson at tight end might help take some of the onus off the wideouts, although the loss of Darius Walker as a safety valve could add to their burden.
The passing game would have faced an imposing new challenge in 2007 even with Brady Quinn still at quarterback. Without him, everyone will have to elevate his game dramatically.
.jpg)
Now that “The Shark” and McKnight have capped their careers 1-2 on the all-time Irish receiving chart, the reconstruction won’t be as seamless as it was in 2006.
