Notre Dame Football: Spring Breakout Predictions For The Irish Offense
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Every spring you see different players breaking out, and this is true for Notre Dame and almost every other team in college football. It's part of a new team forming, and for the Notre Dame offense this is needed if the unit is going to make the big jump it needs to on that side of the ball.
There are a number of options for the spring breakout players, but here are the five guys I'm predicting we'll be talking a lot about when it comes to making a big jump in play and/or production.
TOBIAS MERRIWEATHER, WIDE RECEIVER
This shouldn't surprise anyone, as I've been high on Merriweather from the moment he was first offered by Notre Dame. Merriweather is tall (6-4) and long, he has a good feel as a route runner and his ball skills at the prep level were quite good. With a year of growth in the weight room I expect his ability to make contested throws to take a big jump this season. I also expect that time in the strength program to give him a bit more of a burst off the line.
Merriweather can play both outside positions in this offense and he has the ability to stretch the field and make plays after the catch better than you'd expect from a player his size. For a quarterback that like's to throw to tall receivers, which Sam Hartman did at Wake Forest, Merriweather could prove to be an incredibly valuable weapon.
The question I have is whether or not he can become "the guy" in year two. That remains to be seen, but I expect him to make a big jump on his freshman production of one catch. He's going to be a big factor this season as long as he stays healthy, of that I have no doubt.
DEION COLZIE, WIDE RECEIVER
Merriweather isn't the only big receiver on the Irish roster, nor is the only "big guy" that I'm predicting a breakout from this spring. Colzie is the other one, and he's the biggest receiver Notre Dame has at 6-5 and 215 pounds. He has a body type and game that reminds me a lot of former Irish standout Maurice Stovall. Colzie has truly elite catch radius, and as a sophomore in 2021 he flashed late in the season. All nine of his catches and all 192 of his yards happened in the final five games of the regular season. He was especially good in the loss to USC, hauling in three passes for 72 yards.
Colzie has all the traits you want and need in a boundary receiver. He has excellent size, a big catch radius, strong hands and better speed than you'd expect. Colzie was a clutch third-down weapon as a sophomore, and my prediction of him breaking out has to do with him becoming more of an impact player down the field. He and Hartman should connect on a number of deep balls, with Colzie showing the potential to be an impact player in one-on-ones.
The issue for Colzie has always been about consistency. When he's locked in he is quite good, but as a junior he needs to be locked in a lot more. If he is there is no doubt Colzie will become a major factor in the offense, especially in the red zone and on third down.
CHRIS TYREE, RUNNING BACK/WIDE RECEIVER
Tyree has the tools to be an impact player for Notre Dame, and like many of the skill players on this roster, he has shown flashes of being that kind of player. The problem, with Tyree and everyone else on offense, is that consistency has been an issue. Tyree also has had issues staying healthy at times. Of course, an issue has also been usage. Notre Dame's staff in the past just hasn't made it a priority to get Tyree more involved in the offense.
When you consider his explosive speed - which he's put on display throughout his career - it's a bit of a head scratcher that Tyree hasn't been a bigger factor. When he was prioritized in the game plan last season - which was rare - Tyree made an impact as both a runner and pass catcher.
Now a senior, Tyree has been moved to the slot, and it appears the current staff plans to make getting him the football a much higher priority. With Tyree planning to spend more time in the slot while also getting touches on handoffs, the odds of getting him the ball in space is greatly increased. Tyree has truly elite speed, and if the staff can design more ways to get him the ball in space and with creases in the defense he'll give the offense a true home run hitter.
MITCHELL EVANS, TIGHT END
Notre Dame is "Tight End U" for a reason, and despite the loss of All-American Michael Mayer the tight end position should still be plenty productive. I expect multiple tight ends to produce this season, but Evans is poised to be the top dog. He stepped in for Mayer in the bowl game and hauled in three passes for 39 yards, including the game-winning touchdown.
Evans was thrust on the field a bit earlier than expected due to injuries, but that should benefit him a great deal now that he enters his third season on campus. Evans is big (6-5, 260) and a quality athlete for his size. Evans is a converted quarterback, so he was still learning the nuances of the position his first two seasons. I expect him to be a more savvy route runner this season, and that should help him jump up his production.
Obviously Evans isn't going to replace Mayer's production, but he'll make a big jump. Evans has just five career catches, but I expect that number to explode this season.
BILLY SCHRAUTH, GUARD
Notre Dame needs two new starting guards in 2023, and Schrauth has a great chance to seize one of those two spots. A top recruit in the 2022 class, Schrauth has the size (6-4, 304), power and athletic skills to be a top-level blocker. He's got a lot to learn, but right now he's battling through his inexperience. I expect by the end of spring I expect him to have seized hold of a starting spot.
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