Young Notre Dame Receivers Must Step Into Bigger Roles

Five games into the season, Notre Dame’s depth is being challenged at wide receiver. Veteran Matt Salerno has been out for the next three weeks with an undisclosed lower leg injury and Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman announced on Monday that Deion Colzie will be out for “a couple weeks” as he attends to a knee injury, while Jayden Thomas has a less serious hamstring injury that has him listed as questionable for this week’s game at Duke.

Thomas has been one of Notre Dame’s most productive receivers this season. He leads the team with 13 receptions and has 195 yards through five games. While his presence would be missed in any game he is out, the Irish have already seen big contributions from young receivers, most notably Jaden Greathouse and Rico Flores Jr.

"I think I’ve said this before, it’s a credit to our recruiting staff and the evaluation by our coaches of high school talent,” Freeman said of the ability of the two true freshmen to contribute early in their careers.

Greathouse has 12 receptions, which is tied with tight end Mitchell Evans for the second most on the team. His 166 yards are the third most behind Chris Tyree’s 241 and Thomas’ 195.

Flores played in all but a handful of Notre Dame’s 64 plays Saturday night. It’s the most action he has seen all season. He finished the day with three receptions for 20 yards, including his first career touchdown.

"He just continues to improve,” Freeman said of Flores. "Both of those guys Jaden Greathouse, I know Rico played a little bit more, but they continue to improve. It’s so good to see them get some of the rewards. As I told Rico yesterday when I talked to him, I don’t want the loss to overshadow, man, the improvements that you’ve made. 

"So, just continue what you’re doing and do it better," continued the Irish head coach. "That’s what I told him, like we don’t need you to all of the sudden become a Superman and not think of your class work and the things that you’re doing every day. But just continue to improve in practice and he’ll get those rewards in the game like he did on Saturday.”

Fellow freshman KK Smith is also out with a shoulder injury. If Thomas is not able to go this Saturday, the Irish would have five scholarship receivers, Greathouse, Flores, Tobias Merriweather, Tyree and freshman Braylon James, available to play.

James has seen minimal action against Tennessee State and Central Michigan this season. While he could be thrust into more extensive action this week, Greathouse and Flores have already proven themselves to be consistent contributors with growing roles in the offensive game play. It’s a divergent approach to how freshmen receivers have been viewed in the past at Notre Dame.

"I think it’s important to understand if you can help us win games you’re going to play,” Freeman explained. "We’re going to play guys that we can count on to do exactly what you want them to do. So, freshman, senior, it doesn’t matter. So, that should tell recruits, yeah, hey if I’m good enough to play as a freshman, then I’m going to play.

"But the other thing that happens is sometimes I’m a freshman (and) I’m not ready to play and I look at that freshman but he’s playing and you’ve got to understand every journey’s different,” Freeman continued. "Just because that freshman’s playing and you’re not playing as a freshman, that doesn’t mean that he’s better than you or coach doesn’t like you. It’s you have to trust your journey and it’s really hard when you’re maybe looking around at other people’s journeys or maybe somebody’s in your ear saying, hey that’s what you should be doing. That’s what you should be getting. 

"So, we have to constantly remind our players, man that you have to trust that this is your journey and then you’ve got to figure out how to improve on this journey," continued Freeman. "Not be content with it. Alright? I don’t want you to be content with it but go see your coaches, have that constant communication of, okay, where am I at on this road, how do I continue to improve, and this feedback has to be consistent. It can’t be a one-time conversation with your coach and I think it’s really important that they understand that if you’re good enough. If you’re ready to help us play and win games, you’re going to play. But there is no timetable for that. Every person’s timetable is different.”