Marcus Freeman addresses naming Avery Davis as captain, potential for seventh year

Although Avery Davis won’t be on the field for Notre Dame this year, he’ll still be making an impact on his teammates. He’s one of the captains for the Fighting Irish this season, and Marcus Freeman said that was a no-brainer decision.

Davis is out for the season with a torn ACL in his right knee, one year after suffering the same injury in his left knee. Nonetheless, he joins five others as captains for Notre Dame in Freeman’s first season as head coach. In fact, the first-year head coach said he knew Davis was worthy of being a captain shortly after he found out about the injury.

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“It’s something when I sat in his house the day he tore his ACL,” Freeman said. “I knew that’s what he wanted. He was a leader and he wants to have the ability to help this team whichever way he can. Him being a captain, him being a voice is a way that he can help this team. His teammates, obviously, respect him, we as a coaching staff respect him. We’re grateful for him to step into this captain role again in his second year.”

This is Davis’ sixth year with Notre Dame, though. Since his career has been marred by injuries, could a seventh year be in the cards?

Freeman is certainly open to the idea.

“It’s up to Avery,” Freeman said. “If Avery Davis came and said, ‘I want to come back for a seventh year,’ absolutely. I don’t know many people that have, but if that’s something Avery Davis wants to do, we would welcome it with open arms.”

Avery Davis announced as Notre Dame captain for 2022 season

More than a week before Notre Dame opened the season against Ohio State in Columbus, the Fighting Irish announced their captains for the 2022 campaign.

Davis joined Jarrett Patterson, Michael Mayer, Bo Bauer, Isaiah Foskey and JD Bertrand will serve as the captains for Marcus Freeman’s group this season, starting with that season opener against the Buckeyes.

Mayer is one of the biggest pieces coming back for the Notre Dame offense after a huge 2021 season. He totaled 840 receiving yards — second on the team only to Kevin Austin — and seven touchdowns as one of the Fighting Irish’s primary targets. He’ll likely have a similar role in 2022 now that Tyler Buchner is under center to start the year.