Five 2021 standout performances from players returning to Notre Dame in 2022
Kyle Hamilton. Jack Coan. Kyren Williams. Kevin Austin Jr.
Notre Dame certainly lost a large portion of big-time talent to the NFL after 2021. But there is reason to be optimistic.
The Irish return 59 percent of their total production from 2021, including a number of players who had several big performances last season. Here are a few about which you can reminisce.
Performances are listed in chronological order.
Tight end Michael Mayer at Florida State
From the first drive of the season, Mayer showed why he is considered to be one of the nation’s top tight ends. In Notre Dame’s opener in Tallahassee, the 6-4, 250-pound pass catcher caught nine balls for 120 yards and a touchdown. The score, which came on a fourth down, was the Irish’s first of the year. Mayer’s performance ultimately turned out to be a season best for him.
Linebacker JD Bertrand against Toledo
After a 12-tackle performance against Florida State in Week 1, Notre Dame’s ultimate leading tackler had quite the day against Toledo. He totaled 11 tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery. Bertrand earned an 86.4 tackling grade from PFF for the performance, his best of the season and the best of the day for the Irish, after missing zero stops.
Wide receiver Avery Davis against Purdue
On a day when Notre Dame couldn’t get much going in the passing game, Davis went above and beyond with five catches for 120 yards, which led the team. He caught a 62-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jack Coan, one which gave Notre Dame a two-possession lead and a little bit of breathing room in the third quarter. Notre Dame hopes a torn ACL won’t keep Davis from posting more games like this in his sixth year.
EDGE Isaiah Foskey against USC
Sure, the USC offensive line was not remotely close to being great in 2021. But Isaiah Foskey still deserves to be recognized for the five-tackle, two-sack, two-forced fumbled performance he had on Oct. 23 against Notre Dame’s rival. USC recovered one of the balls, but former USC quarterback Kedon Slovis lost the other after Foskey drove him back 17 yards for the sack. Interestingly enough, 12 of his 48 snaps against the Trojans were coverage snaps, which was the most he played in coverage all season.
Wide receiver Lorenzo Styles in the Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma State
Styles kicked off his 2022 with a bang, posting 136 yards and a touchdown on eight catches against Oklahoma State on Jan. 1. The yardage nearly doubled the freshman’s previous season high (and therefore career high) of 74 yards posted against UNC in October, and the touchdown was the first of what is expected to be an explosive career in South Bend. If his New Year’s Day showing was any indication of how the next season will go, Notre Dame is in good shape.
