Newsstand: ESPN names Xavier Watts Notre Dame MVP
On Thursday, ESPN senior writer Adan Rittenberg named a team MVP from every school that finished the season ranked in the College Football Playoff Top 25. Notre Dame’s was senior safety Xavier Watts.
The Irish named graduate quarterback Sam Hartman their MVP at the Echoes Awards on Dec. 16, but Rittenberg went with Watts.
“Quarterback transfer Sam Hartman might have been the September MVP, but Notre Dame eventually became a defense-fueled team,” Rittenberg said. “Watts wasn’t among Notre Dame’s most decorated defensive backs entering the season, but he emerged as the unit’s top playmaker. He put himself on the national radar in a dominant win over USC, as he twice intercepted 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams, forced a fumble and returned another fumble for a touchdown.
“He tied for the FBS lead with seven interceptions, all of which led to Notre Dame points, and finished with 137 return yards. Watts, who wasn’t involved in any takeaways during his first three seasons at Notre Dame, won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s top defender and was a first-team All-America selection.”
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Watts will return in 2024 after his breakout season. He’s one of six starters on the Irish’s defense who is expected to be back.
Notre Dame tweets of the day
Big bounce-back win for the Irish women’s basketball team.
And it wouldn’t have happened without another sensational night for freshman guard Hannah Hidalgo.
Irish linebacker signee Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa looks like a future star at All-American Bowl practice.
Quote of the day
“There were some questions that we needed to get answered, and I think Kyngstonn has done more than enough to answer those questions. A lot of it has to do with how he runs sideline to sideline and his trigger compared to other talented [linebackers]. And he’s done more than enough to show that he has the ability to diagnose, process and trigger as good as anyone out here. He’s been extremely impressive in this setting. We knew that in between the hashes, he’s going to be dominant. He’s been violent, beating offensive linemen to their spots and to be honest, he’s probably been the most impressive linebacker we’ve seen out here.”
— On3 national scout Cody Bellaire on Viliamu-Asa
Headlines of the day
- Where Notre Dame stands with the Olivia Miles, Sonia Citron knee injuries
- Fighting Irish quarterback Sam Hartman accepts Senior Bowl invite
- Point/counterpoint: Who is Notre Dame’s most valuable non-QB transfer addition?
- Notre Dame football commit schedules fifth unofficial visit for Jan. 20 junior day
- How Notre Dame men’s basketball blew late lead, lost to NC State
- Former Irish LB Nolan Ziegler commits to Central Michigan
- From the Under All-America Game: Insight on six 2024 Fighting Irish targets that signed elsewhere
- Notes and quotes: How do the Notre Dame players look through three days at the All-American Bowl?
- Instant observations from Notre Dame women’s basketball win at Pitt
