This past season was a breath of fresh air for a Notre Dame program that had seemed to be snake bitten as of late. However, with the losses of Jerian Grant and Patt Connaughton to graduation, Mike Brey has his work cut out for him to keep momentum going upward.
Notre Dame is the latest focus of our Recruit and Reload feature.
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Key Losses: Jerian Grant (graduation), Pat Connaughton (graduation)
Possible Losses: No announcements made
Key Returners: Zach Auguste, Demetrius Jackson, Steve Vasturia, Bonzie Colson
Key Newcomers: Rex Pflueger (four-star, shooting guard)
Breakdown: There is no question that losing a guard as dynamic as Jerian Grant hurts Notre Dame in many, many ways. However, it could be argued that losing Auguste would have been more damaging, leaving the Irish no real post presence. After all, given Mike Brey’s system on the offensive end, guard production is a bit easier to reproduce than someone who can contest shots and score on the block.
Colson showed flashes late in the season of capable defense, but this off-season will be particularly important for him to develop a bit offensively, and perhaps slim down to allow more flexibility when it comes to defensive matchups. Jackson and Vasturia return to anchor the perimeter, and they will serve as primary mentors for Pflueger, who comes in from SoCal powerhouse Mater Dei as a three-time state champion. Pflueger is a high-major athlete, but his shooting ability will determine just how productive he is in year one; once known as strictly a shooter, his shot hasn’t progressed as far as some hoped over the past two years.
