Quick-hitters: Notre Dame WR coach Chansi Stuckey on Tobias Merriweather, Braden Lenzy, thin numbers

Chansi Stuckey will now have a maximum of seven healthy scholarship receivers in his first year as Notre Dame wide receivers coach. Graduate student Avery Davis‘ Friday ACL tear dropped that number from eight. Right now, it’s five full participants. Sophomore Deion Colzie is on the mend from a PCL sprain suffered early in camp. Grad student Joe Wilkins Jr. (Lisfranc) has been out since March, but his return to practice on a limited basis is imminent.

It has left Stuckey trying to juggle load management with development in preseason camp.

“We can’t run our guys into the ground,” Stuckey said. “We have to get to them to Sept. 3. But the other side of the coin is we have to get the reps to be ready.”

Stuckey met with reporters Monday afternoon following Notre Dame practice. Here are some topics he addressed.

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On freshman Tobias Merriweather

“We’re trying to get him to a place where mid-season to end of season, he’s a really reliable guy. It’s unrealistic for Game 1 against Ohio State, 70 snaps. You can ruin a guy that way. Bring him along, he will get what he has earned.”

On what makes Merriweather stand out

“[He’s] 6-5, state 200-meter champion. Those are the things that come to mind. He’s tall, but he’s 200 pounds. He has held his weight pretty good. He’s fast. With all freshmen, you have to get stronger and not just use your body relying on, ‘I’m taller and more athletic.’ You might get a 6-2 corner who can run and who’s strong. How are you going to deal with that type of guy? He can really sink his hips. He’s smart.”

“It takes me back to my rookie year in the NFL. It’s a whole new language. He’s learning an entirely new language. Everything he has learned, I’m like, ‘No. No. No.’ Just imagine that – everything that has gotten me here is wrong. It’s not wrong, but whatever your ceiling was, that’s your floor.”

On his emphasis on small details

“Football is one of the only games where you can be, on a scale of one to 10, athleticism two and be a great receiver. Detail allows you to do that. If you lock in the details and understand why your break point needs to be this, why your toe has to be pointed that way, why we’re running this concept vs. this coverage. Everything happens at a hundredth of a second. If I can gain a hundredth of a second and process faster, I’ve done better than this guy.”

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On grad student Braden Lenzy

“The biggest thing for him is confidence. He called me after [former Baylor receiver] Tyquan Thornton got drafted and asked, ‘Coach, can that be me?’ I said, ‘If you buy in.’ From that moment on, he began to believe, ‘I’m going to shoot my shot.’ I told him today I was super proud of him with how he has committed to the program and how he’s matured through the years before I got here from what I hear, how hard he works. He’s at least top three hardest workers on our team.”

On his emphasis to former walk-on Matt Salerno

“Play within himself. Everyone in our offense will have a role, and if everyone is the best version of himself, we’ll be exactly where we need to be. I don’t need him trying to be Mike [Mayer], don’t need him trying to be [Tyler] Buchner, not [Jayden Thomas]. This is your role and what you do well. It’s our job as coaches to put him in position to do what he does well.”

On Wilkins’ faster than expected return

“It’s all right here in your mind. I was with [former Clemson receiver] Amari Rodgers when he came back from the ACL and he was as focused a kid as I’ve ever seen. That’s what got him back. Joe has been super focused too.”

On how he limits receivers’ workload in practice

“You really have to try to manipulate the emphasis of that day, how many reps we have – is it short, intermediate or deep – and that affects what we do in individual [drills]. I try to find a lot ways to make sure they catch balls but save their legs. If we’re running a 20-yard comeback, we’ll just do the last 5 so they have the understanding and are saving their legs.

“It makes other guys in the room have to be available. [Walk-on] Henry Cook has to be available to get in some reps. [Walk-on] Conor Ratigan has to be able to jump in there.”

On the ideal number of scholarship receivers

“Ten guys would be great. Then you have guys to roll in, guys to develop. You create that competition in the room and then you’re really rolling.”