Achilles injuries used to be the end for explosive athletes. Consider Notre Dame sophomore running back Jadarian Price the latest proof of the wonders of modern medicine.
Polling nine media members who they think will be the most impactful players on the Irish roster in 2023, a backup running back was always likely to finish in the top 25, despite junior bellcow Audric Estimé. Modern college football simply demands multiple running backs across a 12-game season.
But Notre Dame has a quartet of possibilities behind Estimé. Every ballot including the same No. 2 running back was a bit of a surprise. Enter Price …
No. 20 Jadarian Price, sophomore running back — 54 points, nine out of nine ballots, high of No. 14.
Price suffered that Achilles injury about 14 months ago now. He did not partake in any practices this past spring, though he did begin to get in some sprints toward the end of those 15 practices.
Nonetheless, an Achilles injury may take longer than 14 months to recover from. Irish head coach Marcus Freeman did not dismiss the thought of monitoring Price’s workload through preseason practices. Then again, Freeman also harkened back to the impression Price made in the spring of 2022, when he starred all spring as an early-enrolled freshman and stole the show in the Blue-Gold Game.
“I talked to [running backs coach Deland] McCullough about this, that we’ve known about JD Price,” Freeman said last week. “He’s been here a year. He did a heck of a job last spring before he got hurt.”
Think back to how impressive that Blue-Gold Game was. More precisely, think back to how impressive Price’s touchdown reception was. Safety Ramon Henderson had the angle on Price, it did not matter.
Turning on the JETS! 🚀
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) April 23, 2022
Jadarian Price gets the gold team on the board! @NDFootball | #GoIrish
📺 @PeacockTV pic.twitter.com/3ZNZuUWtvJ
If Price has that explosiveness back, then he should be the ideal complement to Estimé’s broad shoulders. Freshman Jeremiyah Love is viewed as the speed piece of Estimé’s reserves, but it could be Price, if healthy.
Notre Dame RB JD Price is back. pic.twitter.com/hWZnRPApjd
— Matt Freeman (@mattfreemanISD) July 26, 2023
T-No. 17 Marist Liufau, fifth-year linebacker — 72 points, eight ballots, high of No. 10.
Cynics may claim there is a drawback to having a trio of fifth-year linebackers; if they were all that good, they would have gone to the NFL already. Optimists recognize the clear experience on hand when having three different three-year starters on the defensive second line.
Of those three, Liufau is the one who absolutely could not have gone to the NFL already. His dislocated ankle in August of 2021 compromised his 2022 too much. Now, though, Liufau should be fully healthy and playing like it, playing in a more dynamic role, creating immediate variability in any defensive alignment.
“We’ve been challenging him in zone coverage,” Irish defensive coordinator Al Golden said last week. “Because we know he can rush the passer, and we use him to do that a lot on third down. But just to be a better zone player, and he’s really responded. He’s gotten better.”
If Liufau proves himself in coverage, offenses would be less certain what defense they are facing at any point. Last year, if Liufau was on the edge, it was pretty clear Notre Dame intended to bring pressure. Jack Kiser offered the more two-dimensional look.
Ideally, each can excel in both pass coverage and pass rush, thereby forcing an opposing offense to ponder both edges.
T-No. 17 Mitchell Evans, junior tight end — 72 points, eight ballots, high of No. 9.
It’s not just Mitch-A-Palooza anymore. To put Evans’s new role into that required “Old School” analogy, it is about time for Evans to learn he can rally his fraternity — call it “TE U” — against the opposition through a series of absurd challenges.
That forced bit aside, Evans knows the tight ends need a leader to step forward with Michael Mayer now readying for a rookie season in Las Vegas.
“I’m trying to step up into a leadership role,” Evans said last week. “That was one thing our room was kind of pushed to this offseason, fill that void of a captain leaving. Our whole room was challenged to step up, be a leader, work our butts off, because that’s what Mike did. I’m trying to implement that into my daily routine, that approach, work my butt off, be that leader that left.”
Make no mistake: Evans will not replace Mayer’s output. He will not come anywhere near Mayer’s 67 catches for 809 yards and nine touchdowns. Even if Evans has improved his game beyond taking snaps from center in thrid- or fourth-and-short situations.
“I personally would say my footwork,” Evans said. “Whether that is in-line blocking or top of route, I think that’s where I’ve grown, getting separation or giving a one-two at the top or even off-the-line releases. I’ve sped it up.”
The No. 1 tight end in Notre Dame’s offense will always be in this top 25. With tight ends coach Gerad Parker now also the offensive coordinator, it is no surprise two tight ends cracked this ranking.
T-No. 17 Billy Schrauth, sophomore left guard — 72 points, nine out of nine ballots, high of No. 15.
Offensive line coach Joe Rudolph claims Schrauth is not the set starting left guard, pointing to a preseason competition between the sophomore and junior Pat Coogan.
Don’t believe Rudolph.
Schrauth impressed enough in the spring to be sure of this job. And not that the nine media members’ opinions matter at all, but every single one of them ranking Schrauth underscores that. For that matter, only one ranked Schrauth lower than No. 18. (That media member will probably read this and realize that was foolish.)
Paired with junior Joe Alt at left tackle, the sheer strength of the left side of Notre Dame’s offensive line should create an advantage against every opponent. Ohio State has one of the best defensive lines in the country, but it is better in pass rush than it is against the rush. If the Irish keep the Buckeyes’ on their heels, it likely will stem from Schrauth joining Alt to pave a path for Estimé.
No. 16 Chris Tyree, senior receiver — 94 points, nine ballots, high of No. 6.
Defend this slant route.
Chris Tyree is taking his transition to receiver seriously as he caught over 20,000 balls this summer. Also trained with Delfonte Diamond who works with CeeDee Lamb and Jaylen Waddle. pic.twitter.com/xY6hbe0iFU
— Matt Freeman (@mattfreemanISD) July 27, 2023
Imagine that against a defensive front, one of the fastest players on the Notre Dame roster finding a crease for an on-point pass from Sam Hartman. It should be a concern for opposing defensive coordinators.
In the spring, Tyree was not comfortable catching passes from that angle. The former running back usually caught passes in the flat, running more to the side than up the field and without a defender running in stride.
So Tyree spent the summer catching 18,000 passes, give or take.
“It’s early, but CT has done a good job of investing in catching the football,” Parker said. “... Just because he got on the ball machine doesn’t guarantee success. It gives you a chance of success. So we’re building it every day, but has he invested the time and the things it’s going to take for him to be a good player? Yeah.”
That may sound simple for a receiver, but for Tyree, it has been crucial.
COUNTING DOWN THE IRISH 2023
No. 25 Jaden Greathouse, freshman receiver — 18 points, four out of nine ballots, high of No. 17.
No. 24 Holden Staes, sophomore tight end — 21 points, five out of nine ballots, high of No. 18.
No. 23 Javontae Jean-Baptiste, Ohio State transfer defensive end — 26 points, five ballots, high of No. 17.
No. 22 Thomas Harper, Oklahoma State transfer safety — 33 points, five ballots, high of No. 16.
No. 21 Jaden Mickey, sophomore cornerback — 34 points, five ballots, high of No. 14.
RELATED READING: Counting Down the Irish 2023: Others Receiving Votes
25 to 21, led by examples of modern college football roster construction
The voters, generously giving their time and insights in this annual exercise …
Michael Bryan, 18 Stripes
Greg Flammang, Irish Sports Daily
Tyler James, Inside ND Sports
Andrew McGuinness, The Observer
Tim Murray, Vegas Stats & Information Network, but more pertinent to his exercise, an irrational Notre Dame fan
Tom Noie, South Bend Tribune
Tim O’Malley, Irish Illustrated
Pete Sampson, The Athletic
Josh Vowles, One Foot Down
