What’s next for Notre Dame at wide receiver with Avery Davis out for season
Avery Davis sat on the Notre Dame bench with a towel draped over his head and around his shoulders in the second half last Saturday. He wore a look of dejection. The senior wide receiver came across like a player with bad news to bear.
Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly was the bearer of that bad news on Monday. Kelly said Davis tore his ACL against the Midshipmen.
“Unfortunately we’ve lost Avery for the season,” Kelly said. “I’m very disappointed for him. He was having a great season.”
Davis, a team captain, caught 27 passes for 386 yards and four touchdowns. He had three rushing attempts for 19 yards. Davis recorded at least two catches in every game this season except against Florida State in the season opener.
Davis was by far Notre Dame's most reliable slot receiver. He played 497 snaps this season, the most of any Fighting Irish wideout. He had the highest offensive grade per Pro Football Focus of any of Notre Dame's top three wide receivers (Kevin Austin Jr., Braden Lenzy) too.
Kelly said true freshman Lorenzo Styles Jr. will move to the slot to replace Davis. Styles has the highest Pro Football Focus grade of any Notre Dame wide receiver, starting or not. He's in line for his first career start this week against Virginia.
Kelly said there will also be instances where 6-2 Austin Jr. and 6-5 freshman Deion Colzie get on the field at the same time. Styles has played 90 snaps this season. Colzie has played 81. Those numbers could inflate dramatically in the final three weeks of the regular season.
Running backs Kyren Williams and Chris Tyree are also options in the slot. The latter hasn't been much of a factor for the last month as he's battled a turf toe injury. Thinning out numbers in the wide receiving corps could offer him a chance to contribute.
Sophomore tight end Michael Mayer becomes a factor in this discussion too. Kelly said Mayer will line up more in the boundary moving forward, which would kick Austin Jr. and Lenzy to the field side.
Kelly said freshman Jayden Thomas will move up from the scout team and take reps in practice to give the main crop of pass catchers a breather. Austin Jr., Lenzy and Davis have all played over 400 snaps this season. Styles ranks fourth in that category with his 90.
Senior Lawrence Keys III entered the transfer portal after playing five snaps in the season opener. Sophomore Xavier Watts moved to safety, where he got his first defensive snaps of the season last week against Navy. Senior Joe Wilkins Jr. was lost for the season with a knee injury sustained against Cincinnati Oct. 2.
Davis' injury designation is just another instance of Notre Dame falling victim to attrition at the wide receiver position this season. Still, Kelly isn't all too worried. Styles in the next man up, and the Irish offense will keep trucking without one of its best receiving options.
“We’ve got enough moving pieces,” Kelly said.
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