Notre Dame Football: Midseason Superlatives for 2024. MVP, Top Players, Top Transfers

From standout players to defining moments, we break down the midseason superlatives for Notre Dame football during the 2024 season.

Notre Dame's cheer squad celebrates a touchdown during a NCAA college football game between Notre Dame and Stanford at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in South Bend. / MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

We’ve reached the midway point of the season, with Notre Dame having played six regular-season games. There have been ups and downs, but several players have stood out during the first half of the 2024 campaign.

I polled our team of four on a variety of superlatives, and we voted on each category. The superlatives include: Team MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Surprise Player, and Most Impactful Transfer.

John Kennedy (JK), Mason Plummer (MP), Nick Shepkowski (NS), and I (NE) each shared our picks for the six superlatives.

Sep 28, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish safety Xavier Watts (0) celebrates after an interception against the Louisville Cardinals in the second quarter at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images / Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Notre Dame Midseason Team MVP

This was a unanimous choice, as we all selected Xavier Watts. The Notre Dame defense is the backbone of the team, and Watts stands out as its leader, consistently demonstrating dominance.

Through six games, he has recorded 21 combined tackles, 5 passes defended, and 2 interceptions. The 2023 All-American and Nagurski Award winner has arguably elevated his game in 2024, even if the raw numbers don't fully reflect that. He remains the ball-hawking player we saw last year, despite having two interceptions nullified by penalties.

Watts returned this season with the goal of perfecting his craft, and it shows in his man coverage grades and improved tackling.

Oct 12, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Fans react after Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (4) ran for a touchdown in the third quarter against the Stanford Cardinal at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images / Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Offensive Player of the Year (First-Half)

JK: Jeremiyah Love
MP: Jeremiyah Love
NS: Riley Leonard
NE: Riley Leonard

This one ended in a fifty-fifty split. Mason and John took the more fan-friendly approach, selecting Jeremiyah Love, who many consider the most skilled and dynamic player on offense.

What he does with his touches in both the run and pass games is nothing short of sensational, and there’s a strong argument that he deserves more opportunities. Love is averaging 12.5 touches per game and just under 7 yards per touch.

Most of those touches have come in the run game, where he averages 6.8 yards per carry, totaling 426 yards and 6 touchdowns. He also has 12 catches for 92 yards and 1 touchdown through the air, making him a worthy Player of the Year candidate.

In contrast, Nick and I opted for the more controversial choice, selecting Riley Leonard, who has been a polarizing figure among Notre Dame fans this season. On one hand, he started slowly and struggled against NIU. I discussed Leonard's season in detail here.

On the other hand, Leonard is the quarterback for the No. 12 team in the country and leads an offense averaging 42 points per game against Power 4 opponents. He protects the football, avoids sacks, and is averaging over three touchdowns per game since the NIU loss.

Ultimately, both players are deserving of this mid-season honor.

Notre Dame safety Jordan Clark (1) disrupts a catch and tackles Louisville wide receiver Caullin Lacy (5) during a NCAA college football game between Notre Dame and Louisville at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in South Bend. / MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Notre Dame Midseason Defensive Player of the Year

JK: Xavier Watts
MP: Jordan Clark
NS: Xavier Watts
NE: Howard Cross III

It’s quite straightforward: Xavier Watts is the consensus Team MVP, which also makes him the best player on defense. While that’s factual, I believe Mason had a similar thought process to mine and wanted to recognize another player.

Jordan Clark transferred in from Arizona State during the off-season, and his impact has been felt ever since. He quickly secured the nickel position and has been crucial for Notre Dame’s secondary. His numbers—12 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 2 passes defended—may not leap off the page, but his coverage grades are consistently strong against tough matchups.

There has been talk about Cross not yet playing his best football. However, halfway through the season, he is on pace for 11 tackles for loss and 8 sacks—outstanding numbers for an interior defensive lineman. While his performance has been inconsistent at times, he is finding his stride at the right moment and making impactful plays in critical situations.

Notre Dame linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa waits for the snap during a NCAA college football game between Notre Dame and Stanford at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in South Bend. / MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Notre Dame Midseason Rookie of the Year

JK: Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (KVA)
MP: KVA
NS: Anthonie Knapp
NE: KVA

We had 3 votes for KVA and 1 for Knapp.

It’s hard to argue against Knapp, who was thrust into one of the most important positions on the field as a true freshman and has handled the pressure admirably. He has a bright future along the offensive line.

KVA is the favorite here, and rightfully so. He came to Notre Dame with significant hype, much like star linebackers Manti Te'o and Jaylon Smith before him, and so far, he has lived up to that expectation. He currently ranks 6th on the team in tackles with 19, 3rd in tackles for loss with 2.5, and has also added an interception. More importantly, his presence is felt during games, which is crucial for a linebacker.

Sep 21, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish defenisve lineman Boubacar Traore (5) pressures Miami Redhawks quarterback Brett Gabbert (5) in the second quarter at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images / Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Notre Dame Midseason Surprise Player

JK: Leonard Moore
MP: Leonard Moore
NS: Boubacar Traore
NE: Adon Shuler

This was probably the toughest superlative to decide, and that’s reflected in our answers. Once again, John and Mason teamed up to select the same player: Leonard Moore.

Moore was highly regarded during fall camp, and his performance thus far has shown he’s every bit deserving of that hype. With Benjamin Morrison now sidelined for the season due to injury, Moore will face even greater challenges as he steps into a starting role for the remainder of the season.

Another player who generated a lot of hype is Boubacar Traore. While he was expected to contribute as a sophomore, few anticipated the breakout season he was having before his ACL injury. In just 4.5 games, he recorded 3 sacks, 5 tackles for loss, and an interception—leading the team in both sacks and tackles for loss at the time of his injury.

I went with Adon Shuler because Notre Dame brought into two veteran defensive backs with the intention of starting them both, and he came out on top as the starter opposite of Watts. In his first game he picked off Texas A&M's Conner Weigman, and although he has been relatively quiet since, that's not a bad thing at safety.

Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard (13) jumps into the end zone for a touchdown during a NCAA college football game between Notre Dame and Stanford at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in South Bend. / MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Notre Dame Midseason Most Impactful Transfer

JK: Jordan Clark
MP: Jordan Clark
NS: Jordan Clark
NE: Riley Leonard

This was almost a clean sweep, with both players being very deserving of recognition. Clark wouldn’t have been a pick for any of us in the preseason, but he has helped stabilize a defensive secondary that needed to replace talented nickel corner Thomas Harper. Additionally, he also boasts tremendous versatility as a former safety and someone that can help at outside corner as well.

I’m the lone voice here selecting Leonard. He plays the most crucial position on the football field and continues to improve each week. If he maintains his performance from the first half of the season, he’ll finish with 28 touchdowns and only four interceptions.