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Notre Dame Football: 3 breakout candidates for 2022

By Connor Muldowney

Jan 1, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Lorenzo Styles Jr. (21) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the first half during the 2022 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Lorenzo Styles Jr. (21) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the first half during the 2022 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Notre Dame football made a playoff push last season but it just wasn’t enough. Who will step up to lead the Irish back in 2022?

What a crazy past 7-8 months it’s been for Notre Dame football.

The Irish lost Brian Kelly to LSU before the Fiesta Bowl and first-year defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman was named the next head coach of the storied program.

Although the Freeman era got off to a shaky start, blowing a big lead in the Fiesta Bowl to Oklahoma State and losing, he’s proving to be one heck of a recruiter. In fact, the Irish currently have the No. 1 recruiting class for 2023 and they finished with the No. 9 class in 2022.

Now, the Irish are looking to push for a fourth New Year’s Six bowl berth in five years and a third College Football Playoff appearance in that same span.

Which breakout candidates can help that become reality?

There’s a strong feeling inside the Notre Dame football program that junior linebacker Marist Liufau is going to have a huge season.

Liufau is hoping to follow in Manti Te’o’s footsteps and become the next great Notre Dame linebacker to come out of Hawaii. He has all the tools necessary to become a star, but he just has to stay healthy which is something he was unable to do in 2021.

Missing the entire 2021 season with an injury, Liufau is entering his first season as a starter and if he builds on his showing in 2020, he can become something special. He had flashes of brilliance a couple of seasons ago, finishing with 22 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and 0.5 sacks in 10 games.

Now, all eyes are on him to fill in as a starter in the middle of that vaunted defense and become that breakout star that almost everyone is expecting him to be. I think he’ll do it.

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