Notre Dame wide receiver to sit the rest of the season

If the inexperienced Notre Dame receiving room is going to continue to build off their quality showing against Florida State, they are going to have to do it without wideout Lawrence Keys. 

Keys is apparently sitting out the remainder of the 2021 season. A source told BlueandGold.com Keys has not been at practice since Sunday after he played just five snaps in Notre Dame’s 41-38 overtime win in Tallahassee. He was not targeted in the game. He was listed on last weekend’s depth chart as a No. 2 receiver behind Avery Davis, Notre Dame’s top returning wideout. 

Keys is currently set to graduate this year and would have two years of eligibility remaining should he decide to transfer. 

The former four-star recruit from New Orleans has had an underwhelming career in South Bend. Over two years he has recorded 18 receptions for 185 yards. Last year a concussion and other minor injuries hampered his production, but in this season’s spring game, he looked like he could have a breakout season. He led receivers with five receptions for 115 yards.

Depth issues at wide receiver exacerbated by Keys’ decision

Transfer quarterback Jack Coan appears to fit in just fine in the Irish offense. The running back duo of Kyren Williams and Chris Tyree is one of the country’s best. Michael Mayer is off to a great start in his Mackey Award (nation’s top tight end) campaign. And while young, the offensive line is full of top talent and likely just needs a few more games to mesh. 

That leaves wide receiver, a position Notre Dame has had questions about each summer for the last few years. Keys was supposed to be a part of the answer this season. 

In addition to Davis, Kevin Austin played well Sunday night. The senior has broken his foot twice since coming to Notre Dame and spent 2019 suspended from the team. He led Irish receivers in yardage Sunday night with 91 yards on four catches, including a 37-yard score.

Braden Lenzy is Notre Dame’s other starter. The former Oregon high school track state champion spent 2020 dealing with a nagging hamstring injury but is healthy and recorded a couple of receptions Sunday. Joe Wilkins Jr. had a breakout game against Duke last year in Notre Dame’s opener but was not a regular contributor in the Irish offense for the remainder of the year. He caught a touchdown pass on Sunday.

Notre Dame’s wide receiver room has had five wideouts leave the program since January, although each of them was unlikely to start. Due to the transfers, the Irish had fewer than 10 scholarship receivers to start fall camp.

Four underclassmen, Deion Colzie, Lorenzo Styles Jr,. Jayden Thomas and Xavier Watts, remain back up options should offensive coordinator Tommy Rees need to dig deeper into his wide receiver room this season.

Notre Dame’s 24-game win streak is on the line when they host Toledo Saturday afternoon. The game will be available via NBC’s streaming service Peacock and kicks off at 2:30 p.m. ET.