Notre Dame releases depth chart for Sun Bowl vs. Oregon State

Notre Dame released its depth chart for the Sun Bowl vs. Oregon State and it includes several changes from the regular season. Several starters opted out of the game to prepare for the NFL Draft, and a few others entered the transfer portal.

Here’s how the Fighting Irish will line up on Dec. 29 in El Paso, Texas.

Quarterback

1. Steve Angeli (So.)
2. Kenny Minchey (Fr.)

No questions here. It’s Angeli’s game.

Running back

1. Jeremiyah Love (Fr.) OR
2. Jadarian Price (So.)
3. Gi’Bran Payne (So.) OR
4. Devyn Ford (Gr.)

The placement of the “or” designations is interesting here. Love and Price appear to be Notre Dame’s primary running backs, while Payne — who was listed right behind junior starter Audric Estimé all season — and Ford are the second tier. The Irish still like Payne as a short-yardage or third-down back, but Love and Price will be the main ball carriers.

Wide receiver

1. Jayden Thomas (Jr.)
2. Deion Colzie (Jr.)

Colzie will play for the first time since Week 3. Notre Dame hopes Thomas is back at full strength after dealing with a hamstring injury since Week 4.

Wide receiver

1. Jaden Greathouse (Fr.)
2. Matt Salerno (Gr.)

Greathouse is an outside receiver out of necessity again, but Notre Dame’s moves in the transfer portal pretty clearly show that the Irish view him as a slot guy long-term.

Wide receiver (slot)

1. Jordan Faison (Fr.)
2. KK Smith (Fr.)

Smith will make his Notre Dame debut. Faison will start in place of departed wide receiver Chris Tyree.

Tight end

1. Eli Raridon (So.) OR
2. Cooper Flanagan (Fr.) OR
3. Davis Sherwood (Jr.)

The “or” designations here are somewhat surprising, but we fully anticipate Raridon being the starter. Flanagan and Sherwood will certainly play a great deal, given that they’re the only healthy other scholarship tight ends on the roster and the Irish love 12 and 13 personnel.

Left tackle

1. Charles Jagusah (Fr.)
2. Tosh Baker (Sr.)

Notre Dame confirms that Jagusah will start the Sun Bowl.

Left guard

1. Pat Coogan (Jr.)
2. Sam Pendleton (Fr.)

Pendleton played in garbage time late in the season, and he joins Jagusah as freshman offensive linemen making their depth chart debuts.

Center

1. Ashton Craig (So.)
2. Andrew Kristofic (Gr.)

Craig started the season’s last two games and performed well.

Right guard

1. Billy Schrauth (So.)
2. Quinn Murphy (Gr.)

Schrauth replaced the injured Rocco Spindler (MCL) down the stretch, and he has one last chance to impress the Notre Dame coaching staff before what will likely be another competition this offseason, assuming he, Spindler and Coogan (and Pendleton, perhaps?) all return.

Right tackle

1. Baker (Sr.) OR
2. Aamil Wagner (So.)

Baker took first-team reps at the practice reporters saw this past Tuesday.

Vyper

1. Jordan Botelho (Sr.)
2. Junior Tuihalamaka (So.)
3. Boubacar Traore (Fr.)

Traore makes his depth chart debut for the bowl game, which he can participate in and keep his redshirt due to a year-old NCAA rule amendment. We at Blue & Gold have beaten this drum a lot this season, but we feel Traore’s potential is through the roof at Notre Dame.

Three-technique defensive tackle

1. Rylie Mills (Sr.)
2. Jason Onye (Jr.)
3. Donovan Hinish (So.)

Nose tackle

1. Howard Cross III (Gr.)
2. Gabriel Rubio (Jr.)
3. Hinish (So.)

No changes from the regular season at defensive tackle.

Strong-side defensive end

1. Javontae Jean-Baptiste (Gr.)
2. Joshua Burnham (So.)
3. Traore (Fr.)

Burnham, who primarily played Vyper this season, is listed exclusively at defensive end. A notable (but unsurprising) exclusion here is sophomore defensive end Tyson Ford, who Blue & Gold observed in a scout team jersey at Tuesday’s practice.

Will linebacker

1. Jack Kiser (Gr.)
2. Jaiden Ausberry (Fr.)

Mike linebacker

1. JD Bertrand (Gr.)
2. Drayk Bowen (Fr.)

Rover

1. Jaylen Sneed (So.)
2. Kiser (Gr.)

Everything is as expected at linebacker. Sneed will step in when Notre Dame goes with its “base” package, which could be more often than it was in the regular season with nickel back Thomas Harper opting out.

Cornerback

1. Benjamin Morrison (So.)
2. Clarence Lewis (Sr.) OR
3. Chance Tucker (Jr.)

Lewis will likely start at nickel with Harper gone. Tucker replaces the departed Cam Hart on the depth chart.

Cornerback

1. Jaden Mickey (So.) OR
2. Christian Gray (Fr.)

The “or” designation here likely means Mickey and Gray will split reps opposite Morrison in Hart’s place. Notre Dame is very high on both. It’s also worth noting that Gray got a few reps as a slot corner in individual drills this past Tuesday.

Left safety

1. DJ Brown (Gr.)
2. Adon Shuler (Fr.)

Right safety

1. Xavier Watts (Sr.)
2. Ben Minich (Fr.)

As the only other healthy scholarship safeties on the roster, Shuler and Minich’s inclusion here is no surprise. Notre Dame loves its three-safety personnel package on passing downs, so at least one of them should play a sizable role in El Paso.

Specialists (starters only)

Place kicker: Spencer Shrader (Gr.)

Kickoff specialist: Shrader (Gr.)

Punter: Bryce McFerson (So.)

Holder: McFerson (So.)

Long snapper: Michael Vinson (Gr.)

Kickoff returner: Devyn Ford (Gr.)

Punt returner: Faison (Fr.)

As expected, Faison will replace Tyree as Notre Dame’s primary punt returner.