Welcome to Notre Dame Avery Davis The school announced Saturday that he has ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and is out for this season.
The Fighting Irish also announced on Saturday that the midfielder is in their second year Tyler Buchner He will begin his inaugural game against Ohio State on September 3.
Davis’ injury occurred during practice on Friday. The first-team captain and captain, who was set to start at the slot receiver, previously injured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee last November, forcing him to miss the final month of the season.
Davis still ranks third on the team in yards with a 386 in 27 catches.
The loss of Davis exhausts the Irish group of receivers even more, especially in terms of experienced players. Without Davis, only two returning wide receivers had more than 20 passes per season: Braden Lindsay And the Lorenzo Styles. Lenzy is the only one with experience at first.
Nobody in the depth chart behind Davis has extensive experience with the game.
Buchner played 10 games last season, mostly as a reserve, and threw for 298 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions last season. He also ran for 336 yards and three degrees.
Buchner, a 6-foot, 215-pound sophomore from San Diego, was the go-to for a starting job. Compete with the third year in the third year Drew Ben Throughout spring training and the first part of pre-season camp.
ESPN has ranked Buchner as the No. 8 pocket player and No. 41 player overall in its 2021 recruiting category.
“It’s about time,” coach Marcus Freeman told reporters on Saturday. “It’s time to give a clarification to the attack on who the main midfielder was.”
Attack coordinator Tommy Reese said Pyne, an ESPN 300 recruit in 2020, could be called up when needed. Reese told ESPN this spring that Buckner, while more conservative than Pyne, has grown into a stronger leadership role.
“Tyler is a bit more of that quiet killer, a little unassuming, but when a competitive situation turns up there’s different gear,” Reese told ESPN. “Part of his growth is being the guy who can lead, but his style is a little different. Tyler’s confidence is in the ceiling, [but] You only get that if you really spend some time with him.”
Reese said that decision making will ultimately shape the decision on the starter, but also noted that Buckner brings different elements to attack through his mobility.
“It’s something I’ve really focused on, which is putting the ball in the right place and looking after the football,” Buchner told ESPN this spring, but also, when things fall apart, you have the ability to try and start playing. And you make something out of nothing, it’s something that really separates me.”
Information from Adam Rittenberg of ESPN and The Associated Press was used in this report.
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