As the 2022 college football season quickly approaches, light is being shed on the projected role players on every team throughout the FBS. Notre Dame football’s fall camp has begun, with the first practice behind us, and excitement is in the air. After a dramatic ending to a 2021 season that concluded in a loss to a talented Oklahoma State team, there’s been nothing but excitement buzzing through the eyes and ears of the Fighting Irish fanbase.
2022 Watch List Award nominations are out and the Fighting Irish seem to be all over it. There were 11 Notre Dame players that appeared on 18 watchlists. These awards include the Rotary Lombardi Award, the Maxwell Award, the Butkus Award, and the Bednarik Award just to name a few.
Jayson Ademilola
Isaiah Foskey
Michael Mayer
Jarrett PattersonRotary Lombardi Award Watch List pic.twitter.com/vNPCXOZ1x6
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) August 1, 2022
Tight end Michael Mayer leads the team on five watch lists while safety Brandon Joseph made four. Two stud linemen on opposite sides of the ball in Jarrett Patterson and Isaiah Foskey made three lists alongside linebacker JD Bertrand. Running back Chris Tyree stamped his name on two lists. Finally, Michael Vinson (long snapper), Josh Lugg (offensive guard), Blake Grupe (placekicker), Jack Kiser (linebacker), and Jayson Ademilola (defensive lineman) all made a list as well.
best *player in college football pic.twitter.com/YOVG3CAK4l
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) July 29, 2022
2022 Notre Dame Preseason Watch List Selection
- Rotary Lombardi Award: Isaiah Foskey, Michael Mayer, Jarrett Patterson, & Jayson Ademilola
- Patrick Mannelly Award: Michael Vinson
- Chuck Bednarik Award: Brandon Joseph & Isaiah Foskey
- Walter Camp Award: Michael Mayer
- Wuerffel Trophy: Jack Kiser
- Paul Hornung Award: Chris Tyree
- Lou Groza Award: Blake Grupe
- Bronko Nagurski Award: Brandon Joseph & Isaiah Foskey
- Outland Trophy: Jarrett Patterson & Josh Lugg
- Butkus Award: JD Bertrand
- Thorpe Award: Brandon Joseph
- Mackey Award: Michael Mayer
- Rimington Award: Jarrett Patterson
- Biletnikoff Award: Michael Mayer
- Doak Walker Award: Chris Tyree
- Maxwell Award: Michael Mayer
- Allstate AFCA Good Works Team: JD Bertrand
- Lott IMPACT Trophy: Brandon Joseph & JD Bertrand
There’s no doubt this team is full of talented players. However, even with all of this talent, all eyes remain on who is undoubtedly the most important person on this Fighting Irish football team. Coach Marcus Freeman will be leading this group of men into the 2022 football season as head coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football program. He took over this position as head coach at the end of the 2021 season, just one week before facing off against Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl. Since the loss, Coach Freeman has gone to work, landing the most Top 100 and Top 300 commits. This gives him the number one recruiting class for both the class of 2023 and 2024.
#FreemanEra pic.twitter.com/qe37QMRD7F
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) August 5, 2022
Despite playing in three major bowl games as well as a national title game during Coach Brian Kelly’s tenure, the Fighting Irish still sit winless when playing in major bowl games. Will head coach Marcus Freeman be able to lead them out of their losing streak?
Up Next
The Fighting Irish open their season with an away game against a familiar foe in the Ohio State Buckeyes. The last time these two teams met, the Buckeyes out-battled the Fighting Irish, winning 44-28.
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