Notre Dame releases depth chart for opener at Ohio State

Notre Dame has released its two-deep depth chart for the 2022 season opener Saturday at Ohio State (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC). Here’s a position-by-position rundown of the starters and backups listed.

Quarterback

Starter: Tyler Buchner (So.)

No. 2: Drew Pyne (Jr.)

Buchner was announced as the starter earlier this month.

Running back

Starter(s): Chris Tyree (Jr.),  Audric Estime (So.), Logan Diggs (So.)

The official depth chart lists Estime and Diggs as “OR” options under Tyree.

Wide receiver

Starter: Jayden Thomas (So.)

No. 2: Matt Salerno (Gr.)

Thomas dealt with a couple nagging injuries during preseason camp but impressed when healthy.

Wide receiver

Starter: Lorenzo Styles (So.)

No. 2: Deion Colzie (So.)

Styles could play any of the three receiver spots, but appears set to play boundary to begin the season.

Wide receiver

Starter: Braden Lenzy (Gr.)

No. 2: Joe Wilkins Jr. (Gr.)

Lenzy started all 13 games here last year, making 32 catches for 350 yards.

Tight end

Starter: Michael Mayer (Jr.)

No. 2: Kevin Bauman (Jr.)

No. 3: Davis Sherwood (So.)

It’s Mayer and Bauman as the clear No. 1 and No. 2, respectively.

Left tackle

Starter: Joe Alt (So.)

No. 2: Tosh Baker (Jr.)

Alt, who started the final eight games of last season, was arguably Notre Dame’s best offensive lineman in fall camp.

Left guard

Starter: Jarrett Patterson (Gr.)

No. 2: Rocco Spindler (So.)

Patterson is questionable for the Ohio State game. He was last seen in Thursday’s practice wearing a boot up to his knee to help heal his sprained right foot. Spindler is listed as the backup, but senior Andrew Kristofic was mainly working as the first-team left guard in open portions of preseason practice.

Center

Starter: Zeke Correll (Sr.)

No. 2:  Pat Coogan (So.)

Correll impressed with Patterson injured in spring and claimed the starting job, pushing Patterson to guard.

Right guard

Starter: Josh Lugg (Gr.)

No. 2: Andrew Kristofic (Jr.)

Lugg started 12 games at right tackle last season and moved to guard in the offseason.

Right tackle

Starter: Blake Fisher (So.)

No. 2: Michael Carmody (Jr.)

Like Alt, Fisher is set in stone as a starting tackle when healthy.

Vyper

Starter: Isaiah Foskey (Sr.)

No. 2s: Justin Ademilola (Gr.) or Jordan Botelho (Jr.)

Foskey and Ademilola each topped 400 snaps last season.

Strong-side defensive end

Starter: Rylie Mills (Jr.)

No. 2: Nana Osafo-Mensah (Sr.)

No. 3: Alex Ehrensberger (Jr.)

Mills is a first-year starter who moved over from defensive tackle this offseason. Osafo-Mensah was the No. 2 last year.

Three-technique tackle

Starter: Jayson Ademilola (Gr.)

No. 2: Jacob Lacey (Sr.)

No. 3: Chris Smith (Gr.)

Ademilola is a returning starter who led Notre Dame with 43 quarterback pressures in 2021.

Nose tackle

Starter: Howard Cross III (Sr.)

No. 2: Gabriel Rubio (So.)

Cross played three-technique in the spring while filling in for an injured Ademilola but claimed the starting nose tackle spot in preseason camp. He made two starts there last year.

Will linebacker

Starter: Marist Liufau (Sr.)

No. 2: Jack Kiser (Sr.) or Prince Kollie (So.)

Liufau was limited in several of the preseason practices open to reporters, but was in uniform for all of them and a full participant in last week’s practice.

Mike linebacker

Starter(s): JD Bertrand (Sr.) or Bo Bauer (Gr.)

No. 3: Junior Tuihalamaka (Fr.)

Bertrand made a team-high 101 tackles as the will linebacker last season, but moves over to Mike. Bauer was a sub-package and third-down linebacker the last two seasons. They’ll likely split time.

Rover

Starter: Jack Kiser (Sr.)

No. 2: Bertrand

Kiser is a returning starter who made 45 tackles in 2021.

Left safety

Starter(s): Houston Griffith (Gr.) or DJ Brown (Gr.)

This spot seemed up for grabs for much of camp and looks more like a 1 and 1A situation to start the season.

Right safety

Starter(s): Brandon Joseph (Sr.) or Ramon Henderson (Jr.)

Joseph’s play in spring practice and fall camp seemed to solidify a starting spot this offseason after transferring from Northwestern in January, but he’s listed as a co-starter with Henderson. It would be a surprise if he doesn’t see most of the snaps here.

Corner

Starter(s): Cam Hart (Sr.) or TaRiq Bracy (Gr.)

No. 2: Jaden Mickey (Fr.)

Hart had a team-high seven pass breakups in his first season as a starter last year. Bracy saw time outside and in the slot in camp.

Corner

Starter(s): Clarence Lewis (Jr.) or Cam Hart (Sr.)

No. 2: Benjamin Morrison (Fr.)

Lewis has started 19 games over the past two seasons.

Specialists (starters only)

Place kicker: Blake Grupe

Punter: Jon Sot

Holder: Sot

Long Snapper: Michael Vinson

Kickoff specialist: Bryce McFerson

Kick returner: Tyree

Punt returner: Joseph