Notre Dame 2020 BGI Football Awards: Part I
There was no “Irish Echoes” Award show this year we were aware of to present year-end awards for a football program that advanced to the College Football Playoff for the second time in three years.
However, over the next three days we will opine on our own awards in six different categories.
Freshman Of The Year
Bronze Medal: Chris Tyree
In most years this running back speedster would be the top selection with his 496 yards and 6.8 yards per carry, eight catches for 65 yards, plus a 20.7 average on his 22 kick returns. His rushing total was the seventh highest by a Notre Dame freshman in the 49 years that first-year students have been allowed to play.
The running back room was pretty congested in August with five candidates to see action, but it didn't take long for Tyree to establish himself as the top complement to sophomore Kyren Williams, who became the clear alpha. Behind him, Tyree took 192 snaps (16 per game). With a year under his belt, Tyree could take the snap count total up to 25-30 per contest in 2021 while expanding his overall game. More two-back sets would not be a surprise.
Silver Medal: Clarence Lewis
One of the least heralded members of the 2020 Irish class, by the opener he was listed above a half-dozen other cornerback candidates as the co-starter at the field position with junior TaRiq Bracy, who had led the team in passes broken up the previous year. Lewis' emergence also helped prompt the shift of sixth-year corner/nickel Shaun Crawford to starting safety.
By the first week of November, Lewis took over as the full-time starter, finishing second in passes broken up (seven) and fifth in tackles (33). HIs football acumen instantly prompted comparisons to 2012 Freshman All-American KeiVarae Russell, and Lewis is on track to become a “cornerstone” on defense in the future.
Gold Medal: Michael Mayer
Seldom have we seen a rookie at any position more physically advanced, technically sound, mentally mature and primed as a playmaker — and that goes back to future first-round picks and past standards such as defensive tackle Steve Niehaus (1972), defensive end Ross Browner, safety Luther Bradley (1973) and tight end Ken MacAfee (1974), when freshman eligibility was in its infancy.
Even as freshmen, those luminaries wouldn't have looked out of place at an NFL camp — and that's part of what made the 6-4 1/2, 249-poundMayer so unique. Veterans will on occasion sneer about highly hyped prospect, but even an All-American and potential first-round pick such as Liam Eichenberg referred to Mayer with seriousness as "Baby Gronk," invoking the natural comparison to future Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee tight end Rob Gronkowski.
At an already well-stocked position, the premier tight end recruit seized the lead role with 564 snaps, tied for the team lead with 42 receptions, which went for 450 yards — both Notre Dame freshman records at tight end — and supplemented the unit’s physical identity.
Among any freshman tight end, running back or wideout ever at Notre Dame, only Michael Floyd's 48 catches (for 719 yards and seven scores) in 2008 eclipsed Mayer's total.
Best ‘Next Option’
In the past we’ve titled this “top role player,” but this trio played enough to be a level above with their specialties.
Bronze Medal: Bo Bauer
A special teams terror in 2019, this year the junior middle linebacker was a prime figure in the nickel or dime third-down packages thanks to improving the mental aspect of his game and being far more disciplined in his assignments.
In his part-time role behind senior starter Drew White, he finished seventh with 26 tackles, which included 4.5 for loss, while he added three QB hurries and intercepted a pass. He and White should continue to form a strong tag team in 2021.
Silver Medal: Isaiah Foskey
When the “eye test” is used to evaluate a player, this 6-5, 257-pound sophomore defensive end has future first-rounder written all over him once he complements his pass-rushing explosiveness with consistent stoutness and stamina versus the run.
In just 282 snaps, he was second on the line in tackles (20), sacks (4.5) and quarterback hurries (five), and has had a proclivity to produce momentum-altering plays. With fifth-year seniors Daelin Hayes and Ade Ogundeji both moving on to potential NFL careers, Foskey should be primed to be a mainstay at vyper, and maybe even help on the strong side if necessary.
Gold Medal: Tommy Tremble
Although the junior tight end did catch 19 passes for 218 yards, never has a television camera focused so much on a Notre Dame player’s crunching isolation blocks than it did with Tremble throughout this season.
He relished and thrived in that capacity, helping forge the team’s blue-collar toughness identity. In some ways he became overshadowed by freshman phenom Mayer, but Tremble's impact couldn't be overlooked. He and running back Williams brought an edge to the overall operation with their personalities that imbued the team.
Amazingly, Tremble is the fourth tight end in the Kelly era to turn pro after his junior year, and each of the previous three — Kyle Rudolph (2011), Troy Niklas (2014) and Cole Kmet (2020) — were second-round selections. We would have loved to seen him another year, but at Tight End U. the call to the NFL always beckons.
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