The Notre Dame receivers had to grind it out against USC, but the unit made plays in the pass game and as blockers in the 24-17 victory over the Trojans.
Let’s begin the breakdown of the wideouts by looking at the stats from the game:
Note: The numbers listed above reflect the rating for each receiver when he is targeted with a pass. It is tabulated the same way that you would see for a quarterback rating. It measures how effective and efficient the offense is when it targets specific players.
Note: This data point refers to the catch rate for each receiver/tight end. It simply evaluates how many times a pass was caught when a receiver was targeted. Success depends on the pass catcher making the grab but also requires a good throw from the quarterback. It’s not just a receiver evaluation.
Against the Trojans we didn’t see the football spread around as much as it has in past games. Only six receivers and tight ends were targeted while eight total players (two backs) were targeted in the game. Only five players – including RB Dexter Williams – were targeted more than once.
Both Chase Claypool and Chris Finke posted good rating numbers, and all three starting receivers – which also includes Miles Boykin – averaged at least 7.8 yards per target, which are all quality numbers.
The tight ends were targeted just four times in the game and only came down with one reception.
CHRIS FINKE, WR
Senior Chris Finke got my game ball after the win, and it was more than just the numbers – 7 catches, 86 yards, 1 touchdown. Finke was a playmaker for the Irish, and during the first half he was the one player on offense that was able to get anything going against the Trojans. All of his catches came in the first half.
Finke got the Irish on the board in the second quarter with this play:
Finke converted two third-downs on that drive before even getting to the touchdown grab. He converted a 3rd-and-10 with an 18-yard gain on an out cut and converted a converted a 3rd-and-8 with a 9-yard gain on a quick out cut. He was open for what would have been another touchdown on a slant-and-go play but Book missed him on the play.
The senior slot receiver did more than just make catches. Like the rest of the receiving corps, he competed hard in the run game and blocked well against the Trojans.
Finke Grade: A-
CHASE CLAYPOOL, WR
Junior wideout Chase Claypool continued his string of outstanding performances against the Trojans. He led the team in yards per target (12.2), catch rate (83.3 percent) and rating (185.53). He finished the game with 5 catches for 73 yards but he was targeted just 6 times. When he was targeted he was productive.
Claypool was open more than his numbers would reflect. I have praised Book all season for not locking into certain players and going through his progressions, but against USC Book locked in too much to Boykin and at times Finke, which kept him from looking for Claypool in situations where he was open or in position to make plays.
Claypool was quite good in the run game against USC and did a good job blocking down field. His consistency from an effort standpoint the last month and a half continued in this game.
Claypool Grade: B+
MILES BOYKIN, WR
Senior Miles Boykin’s numbers weren’t great, with the senior hauling in just 3 passes for 73 yards, and 38 of those yards coming on a hail mary at the end of the first half. He hauled in just 3 of his 8 targets, but the primary reason for his inefficient numbers was the quarterback being off-target in the game.
Boykin wasn’t great at the line of scrimmage against the USC corners, but he did enough to be more productive than what we saw. But his inability at times to get a clean release and get on top of the corners drags his grade down a bit.
Boykin did well in the run game against the Trojans. He’s not always as physical as a blocker as he should be based on his size, but he competed relatively well against USC, and the above block helped spring Tony Jones Jr. free for a touchdown, a TD that all but put that game away.
Boykin Grade: C+
ALIZE MACK, TE
Senior Alizé Mack did not play well against the Trojans. He did caught a pass for 15 yards, but he got out-played for a ball on a fade route (it was also a bad pass). What drags his grade down is his blocking. Mack struggled on the edge as a run blocker and didn’t get much movement in the run game.
In the second half he seemed to lose snaps to Cole Kmet and Nic Weishar, who both blocked much better than Mack in this game.
Mack Grade: C
Let’s begin the breakdown of the wideouts by looking at the stats from the game:
Note: The numbers listed above reflect the rating for each receiver when he is targeted with a pass. It is tabulated the same way that you would see for a quarterback rating. It measures how effective and efficient the offense is when it targets specific players.
Note: This data point refers to the catch rate for each receiver/tight end. It simply evaluates how many times a pass was caught when a receiver was targeted. Success depends on the pass catcher making the grab but also requires a good throw from the quarterback. It’s not just a receiver evaluation.
Against the Trojans we didn’t see the football spread around as much as it has in past games. Only six receivers and tight ends were targeted while eight total players (two backs) were targeted in the game. Only five players – including RB Dexter Williams – were targeted more than once.
Both Chase Claypool and Chris Finke posted good rating numbers, and all three starting receivers – which also includes Miles Boykin – averaged at least 7.8 yards per target, which are all quality numbers.
The tight ends were targeted just four times in the game and only came down with one reception.
CHRIS FINKE, WR
Senior Chris Finke got my game ball after the win, and it was more than just the numbers – 7 catches, 86 yards, 1 touchdown. Finke was a playmaker for the Irish, and during the first half he was the one player on offense that was able to get anything going against the Trojans. All of his catches came in the first half.
Finke got the Irish on the board in the second quarter with this play:
Finke converted two third-downs on that drive before even getting to the touchdown grab. He converted a 3rd-and-10 with an 18-yard gain on an out cut and converted a converted a 3rd-and-8 with a 9-yard gain on a quick out cut. He was open for what would have been another touchdown on a slant-and-go play but Book missed him on the play.
The senior slot receiver did more than just make catches. Like the rest of the receiving corps, he competed hard in the run game and blocked well against the Trojans.
Finke Grade: A-
CHASE CLAYPOOL, WR
Junior wideout Chase Claypool continued his string of outstanding performances against the Trojans. He led the team in yards per target (12.2), catch rate (83.3 percent) and rating (185.53). He finished the game with 5 catches for 73 yards but he was targeted just 6 times. When he was targeted he was productive.
Claypool was open more than his numbers would reflect. I have praised Book all season for not locking into certain players and going through his progressions, but against USC Book locked in too much to Boykin and at times Finke, which kept him from looking for Claypool in situations where he was open or in position to make plays.
Claypool was quite good in the run game against USC and did a good job blocking down field. His consistency from an effort standpoint the last month and a half continued in this game.
Claypool Grade: B+
MILES BOYKIN, WR
Senior Miles Boykin’s numbers weren’t great, with the senior hauling in just 3 passes for 73 yards, and 38 of those yards coming on a hail mary at the end of the first half. He hauled in just 3 of his 8 targets, but the primary reason for his inefficient numbers was the quarterback being off-target in the game.
Boykin wasn’t great at the line of scrimmage against the USC corners, but he did enough to be more productive than what we saw. But his inability at times to get a clean release and get on top of the corners drags his grade down a bit.
Boykin did well in the run game against the Trojans. He’s not always as physical as a blocker as he should be based on his size, but he competed relatively well against USC, and the above block helped spring Tony Jones Jr. free for a touchdown, a TD that all but put that game away.
Boykin Grade: C+
ALIZE MACK, TE
Senior Alizé Mack did not play well against the Trojans. He did caught a pass for 15 yards, but he got out-played for a ball on a fade route (it was also a bad pass). What drags his grade down is his blocking. Mack struggled on the edge as a run blocker and didn’t get much movement in the run game.
In the second half he seemed to lose snaps to Cole Kmet and Nic Weishar, who both blocked much better than Mack in this game.
Mack Grade: C
