2022 College Football Preview - The Independents
NOTRE DAME
Are Notre Dame’s days numbered as an independent? With places at the table disappearing every season, how much longer can the Irish hold onto their independent status? These questions face the Irish, especially losing one of the final three remaining independents, as BYU will be joining the Big XII in 2023. Will the Notre Dame cache be enough to keep them in the future college football playoff conversations, if the Irish are not part of one of the four remaining playoff conferences that will be part of the projected Football Playoff Alliance in 2025?
The first order of business for Notre Dame was replacing the departed Brian Kelly (LSU) after the 2021 regular season. New Head Coach Marcus Freeman takes over for Kelly, who compiled a 92-39 record while coaching the Fighting Irish, after serving as Kelly’s defensive coordinator. Playing as a non-member of the ACC, Notre Dame will continue to play one of the toughest schedules in the country, including four ACC opponents. Notre Dame opens the season with Ohio State and the rugged 2022 schedule includes Clemson, USC and BYU. And for that reason, the Irish will be in the playoff conversation for the foreseeable future.
Closing out 2021, Notre Dame (11-1, only loss to undefeated Cincinnati) was looking to finish the season on a roll heading into a Fiesta Bowl berth against Oklahoma State and give Freeman his first Irish victory, but Notre Dame could not hold onto a 28-7 lead and succumbed to a furious Cowboys rally 37-35. At quarterback, Tyler Buchner will lead the Irish offensive attack. Even after an average season in 2021, with three TDs and three INTs, the dual-threat ability of Buchner has Notre Dame fans hopeful for a big year for the Irish offense that should be highlighted by highly-touted tight end Michael Mayer. Paired with the solid running game led by Chris Tyree and a solid receiving corps of Jayden Thomas, Avery Davis and Lorenzo Styles, Notre Dame should find the end zone with regularity throughout 2022.
Defensively for the Irish, Isaiah Foskey is the player to watch. Foskey, who led the Irish with 11 sacks and six forced fumbles, is a top All-American candidate and should be in line for a potential Lombardi Award as the nation’s best defensive lineman. Joining Foskey up front are Rylie Mills and Jacob Lacey. A solid group of linebackers will be led by Jack Kiser and JD Bertrand and the secondary will boast Ramon Henderson at safety looking to carry on the Irish tradition after the departure of Kyle Hamilton to the NFL.
BRIGHAM YOUNG
Entering the final season as an independent, BYU is poised to have a chance at a possible New Year’s Six Bowl in 2022, before heading off to the Big XII in 2023. Seeing the days of the Independents numbered, the Cougars road to the promised land of the FBS Playoff seems more possible in the future with what could be the fourth major playoff conference, instead of the possibility of being lost in the college football wasteland, following the resolution of the future college football playoff conference shake-ups.
Coach Kalani Sitake has a very good team. The question is, which side of the ball could make BYU a great team. The Cougars start the season in the AP Top 25, which gives them a jumping off point to begin 2022. Add key match-ups with #5 Notre Dame in Vegas, #10 Baylor and at #11 Oregon and you have the makings of a schedule that could spell destiny or doom for the people of Provo. Even Boise State and Arkansas pose potential pitfalls.
Offensively, BYU is good, very good. Jaren Hall returns for a final season and expect big things from the dual-threat signal caller. He will have a variety of weapons at his disposal including wideouts Puka Nacua and Gunner Romney, and always reliable tight end Isaac Rex. Uber-talented running back Tyler Allgeier has taken his wares to the NFL, but sensational ball carrier Christopher Brooks, who demonized PAC 12 defenses in 2021, transfers in from Cal and should prove to be a more-than-capable replacement. A solid offensive line, buoyed by left tackle Blake Freeland and guard Clark Barrington, should be the key to helping BYU be one of the best scoring offenses in the country.
On the defensive side of the ball, nine starters return for the Cougars in 2022. Because of injuries, a slew of players saw extensive playing time besides the returning starters. With fifteen of the sixteen leading tacklers back, BYU’s defense has experience and talent. But the defense must improve on the 25 points per game allowed in 2021 if the Cougars hope to find the rarified air of the Top 10 and that starts with a vastly improved pass rush. Tyler Bratty and Caden Haws lead the way up front, while stalwart Keenand Pili will lead a quick but undersized linebacking corps. The defensive backfield is in good hands with combo LB/S Peyton Wilgar and safeties Chaz Ah You and Malik Moore, while corners George Udo, D’Angelo Mandell and Gabe Jeudy-Lally look to make big plays on the back end of the BYU defense.
ARMY
Using an old school ground game, the Black Knights of the Hudson look to reach a bowl game for the sixth time in the last seven years under Head Coach Jeff Monken in 2022. Several starters return for Army, who looks to avenge last season’s loss to rival Navy 17-14 to close out the regular season.
Led by talented quarterback Tyhier Tyler, Army should be one of the nation’s best ground attacks in college football. Gone is quarterback Christian Anderson, but the Black Knights return their next six leading rushers from 2021 from a group ranked second nationally that averaged 281 yards per game on the ground. Fullback Jacobi Buchanan (12 TDs) and slot back Tyrell Robinson (600+ rushing yards) should lead the way behind Tyler in the formidable Army offense. If Army needs to go downfield, talented wide receiver Isaiah Alston, who averaged more than 20 yards per reception in 2021, and tight end Josh Lingenfelter look to be the go-to weapons in the passing game.
On defense, Andre Carter II is a beast that will lead the Black Knights from the linebacker spot. The massive 6’7” Carter compiled 15.5 sacks and forced four fumbles in leading Army to a 15th defensive ranking nationally. Expect Tyler Rafferty to play a key role in replacing Arik Smith in the linebacker corps. Safety Marquel Broughton led the team in tackles with 80 in 2021 and should have big numbers again. Up front, tackles Chris Frey and Kwabena Bonsu lead the way and an experienced secondary with rangy Jabari Moore at corner should make big plays in the Army defensive backfield.
PROJECTIONS
Brigham Young | 9-3
Notre Dame | 10-2
Army | 9-3
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