Dynamic Notre Dame Receiving Target Emerges at the Perfect Time

A key Notre Dame playmaker is stepping up at just the right moment, giving the Irish offense a boost during crunch time

Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard (13) runs the ball down the field during a NCAA college football game against Virginia at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in South Bend. / MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mitchell Evans has been on the long road to recovery after last year's ACL tear

In 2023, Notre Dame tight end Mitchell Evans was a true pass-receiving mismatch for opposing defenses and was a go-to target for Sam Hartman on key downs. How much so?

Evans missed the final four games last season and still had the second-most receiving yards on the team behind only Chris Tyree with 422 yards, averaging just under 15 yards per catch.

So far this season, Evans has caught 22 balls for a total of 188 yards for an average of nine YPC. He has found the end zone twice, once each in the past two ball games.

I'm sure Mike Denbrock and Evans himself would like to see the number of catches he has be higher by this point of the year and along with that, I'm sure they'd like to see the yardage be higher on the catches he does have.

It seems apparent that between Evans returning from a serious injury this year combined with the offensive line's challenges and needs in protection early in the year, Mitch couldn't be fully deployed. Perhaps that can change the rest of the way? And if does, it could open up a whole new dimension to the Irish offense at a perfect time.

Nov 16, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish tight end Mitchell Evans (88) dives into the end zone for a touchdown in the second quarter against the Virginia Cavaliers at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images / Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

A healthy Evans opens the entire Notre Dame offense up

Evans having touchdown receptions in both the Florida State and Virginia games is certainly a good sign of momentum heading in the right direction. A healthy, more mobile Mitch could really help the Irish offense expand throughout the rest of the regular season and hopefully for meaningful postseason play as well.

If Evans can become a more reliable threat across the middle, up the seam, and in the red zone from now on, combined with the legs of Riley Leonard, Jeremiyah Love, and JD Price, it would theoretically open up more space for the Irish receivers to operate, a benefit to the entire offensive operation and a receiving corps that can use any help it can get.

Notre Dame's defense plays winning football weekly. The offense, however, at times sputters and struggles to get and maintain momentum. To make a deep postseason run, it'll be imperative that Notre Dame finds another level to test defenses as much as possible. Maybe leaning into this wrinkle can be a piece of this evolution.

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