Notre Dame Receiving Corps: (Michael) Young Out, More Youth In

This November, Notre Dame’s receiving corps must begin to “catch up” beyond just the literal sense.

Other than senior Chase Claypool — who has team highs in catches (29), receiving yards (436) and touchdowns (4) — it’s been a collectively disappointing year for the wideout corps in production.

Get a FREE 60-day trial using promo code Irish60

• Kevin Austin, potentially with the highest ceiling in a five-man sophomore wideout corps, is reportedly serving what might be a season-long suspension (no comment from head coach Brian Kelly).

• Junior Michael Young, the designated starter on the wide side of the field (X) missed the first three games while recovering from August shoulder surgery, and now has entered the transfer portal after catching only six passes for 21 yards in the four games he had played.

The 3.5 yards per catch does not fall into the deep-threat category in which Young had been pegged.

While snaring seven passes for 138 yards last season, Young reeled in two of the three longest passes by the wideouts, but saw no extension of the defense this season, either vertically or with yards after the catch horizontally.

From that perspective, it is not a significant setback in the short term because the data speaks for itself. However, it could be for the long term if the youth entrusted to replace him doesn't begin to excel more consistently, beginning this November.