Notre Dame Football: 6 Offensive Weapons Irish Will Face in 2015
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Earlier this month we highlighted Notre Dame football’s offensive weapons. Within two months of the season opener against Texas, let’s analyze the threats the Irish will be tasked with stopping.
In late May, we looked at the best opposing quarterbacks the Irish will face in 2015. There’s some carryover here, but Notre Dame’s defense will also have its hands full with other skill-position threats across the 2015 docket.
Cody Kessler, USC Trojans
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In mid-October, USC will glide into Notre Dame Stadium for a prime-time, under-the-lights matchup with the Irish.
The last time the Trojans visited Notre Dame, Kessler was a first-year starter and a redshirt sophomore. In that 2013 matchup, Kessler completed 20 of 34 passes for 201 yards and one interception.
This time around, Kessler enters the rivalry game boasting more experience and a shinier resume. Last year, Kessler completed a ridiculous 69.7 percent of his passes, adding 39 touchdown tosses to just five interceptions.
USC does lose wideout Nelson Agholor, who hauled in 104 receptions for 1,313 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, but Kessler is still one of the top weapons Notre Dame’s defense will see in 2015.
Justin Thomas, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Georgia Tech quarterback Justin Thomas masterfully directed head coach Paul Johnson’s option attack in 2014. The dual-threat signal-caller rushed for 1,086 yards and eight touchdowns. Through the air, Thomas piled up 1,719 yards and 18 scores.
While he’ll lose many of the weapons around him, Thomas is still poised to give the Irish defense headaches when Notre Dame welcomes the Yellow Jackets to South Bend in September.
It’s a well-known point of frustration for Notre Dame football fans, but the Irish have struggled against the option in recent years. Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds, who was considered for this list, is a similar nuisance for Notre Dame.
James Conner, Pittsburgh Panthers
As we steer away from quarterbacks, Notre Dame will face one of the best running backs in the nation when it travels to Pittsburgh in early November for a clash with the Panthers and running back James Conner.
As a sophomore in 2014, Conner tallied monster numbers en route to an All-American campaign. The 6’2”, 240-pound bruiser amassed 1,765 rushing yards, on just 298 carries (5.9 yards per carry), and 26 rushing scores. He bludgeoned Boston College for 214 yards, Duke for 263 and North Carolina for 220.
For more on Conner, Bleacher Report's own Adam Kramer took an in-depth look at the star’s ascension to the elite.
Tyler Boyd, Pittsburgh Panthers
Off-the-field matters aside, Pittsburgh wide receiver Tyler Boyd is a dynamite pass-catcher—one of the best the Irish will face.
Last year, Notre Dame’s schedule was littered with top receivers, from Michigan’s Devin Funchess to Stanford’s Ty Montgomery, Florida State’s Rashad Greene, Arizona State’s Jaelen Strong, Louisville’s DeVante Parker and USC’s Agholor.
When Notre Dame lost to Pittsburgh in 2013, Boyd, a true freshman at the time, grabbed eight catches for 85 yards. Two years later, he’s been so prolific at Pitt that the 6’2”, 200-pounder is mentioned in elite and limited company in program history. Only Boyd and former Panthers star Larry Fitzgerald have notched two 1,000-yard seasons in their careers in the blue and gold.
The Irish travel to Pittsburgh in early November.
Mike Williams, Clemson Tigers
Clemson wide receiver Mike Williams may not be as recognizable as quarterback Deshaun Watson or former Tigers receivers Sammy Watkins and Martavis Bryant—or even current Clemson wideout Artavis Scott. Heck, the Clemson junior is probably third in line among receivers named Mike Williams (see here and here).
But the Clemson pass-catcher is a major and budding threat for head coach Dabo Swinney’s offense. While Scott led the team last year with 76 grabs and eight touchdowns, it was Williams who turned his 57 catches into 1,030 yards (18.1 yards per reception) and six scores.
At 6’4”, 210 pounds, Williams poses a matchup problem for the Irish when they visit Memorial Stadium at the beginning of October.
JuJu Smith, USC Trojans
What USC wide receiver JuJu Smith lacks in proven production he more than makes up for in potential.
As a true freshman for the Trojans in 2014, Smith turned in strong rookie numbers with 54 catches, 724 yards and five touchdowns.
Now, Agholor is gone, and Smith is free to run wild with Kessler slinging him the ball.
All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
Mike Monaco is a lead Notre Dame writer for Bleacher Report. Follow @MikeMonaco_ on Twitter.
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