There is plenty to be excited about for Notre Dame football as the season is set to start on Sunday, as the Irish travel to take on the Miami Hurricanes.
While the team goal is pretty simple, there are plenty of players who could be up for national awards at the end of the season. On both sides of the ball, Notre Dame has well known stars, which goes a long way when committee’s pick who they believe is the best player at their position.
The staff of Fighting Irish Wire of Tim Healey, Dave Miller and Michael Chen all take a guess at which Irish star will bring home some hardware at the end of the year.
Tim Healey – contributor
Jeremiyah Love has to be the Notre Dame player most likely to win a national award of some sort — even if it’s not the Heisman. His accomplishments in 2024 were award-worthy and he was hobbled by injury at times. Imagine Love at full strength with another year’s experience under his belt. He could once again drive the Notre Dame offense.
Dave Miller – contributor
It’s true that the winner of the Heisman Trophy often wins the Walter Camp Award, but it is not guaranteed. The Walter Camp player of the year award is given annually to whoever is deemed the best college football player in the FBS, voted on by a group of FBS head coaches and sports information directors.
Perhaps this is will be a year in which we see the Heisman winner not take home the Walter Camp, too.
Star running back Jeremiyah Love was already named to the preseason Watch List, and I have a hunch that Love will surpass his 1,125 rushing yards from last season. I think he falls short of winning the Heisman, but I have Love claiming Walter Camp honors, something former ND linebacker Manti Te’o did in 2012.
Michael Chen – site lead
While I do think that Love is the logic and most obvious choice, since Tim and Dave both picked him, I’ll go in another direction. It’s easy to look at cornerback Leonard Moore and say that he’s going to be in the race to win some awards, but I see another sophomore, but of the redshirt variety, in safety Adon Shuler being the guy that could take home hardware.
He wasn’t a full-time starter last year, but got plenty of run and put up some very good statistics, with three interceptions, forcing and recovering a fumble. One of those picks went for six, and Shuler got his hands on five other passes. With more playing time, the numbers should rise, and 85 tackles, with at least five picks which would be on part with what last year’s Jim Thorpe Award winner did. While the Irish will miss Xavier Watts, Shuler can fill the role at the same level.
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