Three Notre Dame Offensive Players To Watch
Notre Dame has been one of the nation's most talented and successful college football programs for decades. The coaching and athletic staff have often been examples of the proper way to recruit and bring talented football players to campus.
Even in a down season in the Notre Dame landscape, as 2022 has been, the roster is littered with playmakers. Head coach Marcus Freeman is in his first year and has found his footing in South Bend, though he is tasked with an interesting situation for the Gator Bowl.
Notre Dame will be without many premier offensive players, like quarterback Drew Pyne and tight end Michael Mayer, who led the Notre Dame offense to impressive feats throughout the 2022 season. Despite the Fighting Irish without many weapons on offense, plenty of talented players will make a difference in the Gator Bowl.
Audric Estime, RB
For much of the 2022 season, Notre Dame has utilized a running back tandem, meaning backs Estime and Logan Diggs share carries. Though the duo is very complimentary and makes Notre Dame's ground game a serious threat to opponent defenses, Estime has been the premier runner out of the two this season.
Estime is a bulky back who will play smash-mouth football and grind for extra yards. His tough running style has led him to rack up 11 rushing touchdowns and just under six yards per carry in the 2022 season, an impressive mark for a young back.
With Notre Dame's passing attack missing plenty of key pieces, the Fighting Irish are sure to rely more on the ground game than they traditionally are. Expect a few big power runs from Estime in the Gator Bowl.
Lorenzo Styles, WR
We have covered Styles before, but a budding star is the best way to describe him. Styles was Notre Dame's leading receiver after Mayer in 2022, thanks to his athleticism and nuanced route running.
Styles is a speedy receiver who can accelerate quickly, making him a big game threat, no matter how little space he has after the coach. Often, opposing secondaries find themselves chasing Styles down the field due to his impressive athleticism, which makes it easy for him to turn a corner after catching a slant or beat a defensive back during one of his downfield routes.
Though his stats don't necessarily tell the story, Styles is a dangerous weapon in a depleted Notre Dame offense. Even with Notre Dame's passing attack expected to be lacking, Styles will shine in the Gator Bowl if the Gamecocks don't game plan accordingly.
Tyler Buchner, QB
Traditionally, this list would be held exclusively to running backs and receivers because the talents of each team's quarterback are widely known. However, in Tyler Buchner's case, his talents and abilities are flying under the radar
Buchner had only started in two games in 2022, though he displayed plenty of talent before he went down with a shoulder injury. Buchner is a gunslinger with a big arm who is not afraid to let the ball air out 40 yards down the field. In addition to his strong arm, Buchner is a very impressive runner who displays both flashes of elite speed at the QB position and toughness, allowing him to thrash for extra yards.
Buchner went down with what many thought was a season-ending injury in only the second game of the year. Fortunately for Notre Dame, Buchner has progressed through his injury, allowing him to play in the Gator Bowl. Having not played in over three months could be costly for Buchner, but his talent alone should give South Carolina some trouble.
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