ISD Sweet 16 | Most Important in 2020: No. 3 vs. No. 14
It's Sweet 16 week!
Well, at least for Irish Sports Daily.
Jamie and Matt came up and seeded the 16 most important players to Notre Dame's 2020 campaign and we're giving ISD members the chance to advance them in a single-elimination tournament.
Friday’s matchup is No. 3 defensive end Ade Ogundeji and No. 14 Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa
Ade Ogundeji
2019 Stats: 26 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery
Why he is the No. 3 seed: The fifth-year senior could be in store a huge 2020 as he’ll finally step into a starting role with the graduation of Khalid Kareem. Ogundeji has done more than flash over the last two seasons and became a crucial part of Notre Dame’s defense last fall.
Following the Duke game, Ogundeji turned his game up with more playing time with Julian Okwara out as he recorded 15 tackles and 4.5 sacks.
Kareem’s strength was stopping the run and pass, which Ogundeji can also do at a high level. Ogundeji has a unique skill set and it makes him hard to replace despite Notre Dame’s depth at strongside end.
Why Ogundeji should advance: The Michigan native might not be an All-American, but he’ll be the best defensive end on the field in many games this fall.
Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa
2019 Stats: 23 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks and one fumble recovery.
Why he is the No. 14 seed: It was a tough call, but entering the spring, Tagovailoa-Amosa was still the starter at 3-tech. Tagovailoa-Amosa showed significant growth during the first quarter of the season.
The Hawaii native was stout against the run and had his moments rushing the passer. Junior Jayson Ademilola could very well start over Tagovailoa-Amosa at some point this season and shows Mike Elston has a wealth of talent at the position.
Why Tagovailoa-Amosa should advance: Tagovailoa-Amosa plays with a mean streak and plays with ukulele, which is truly a unique combination.
No. 1 vs. No 16: Winner - Ian Book with 62%.
No. 8 vs. No. 9: Winner - Braden Lenzy 51.4%
No. 4 vs. No. 13: Winner - Liam Eichenberg 87.3%
No. 5 vs. No. 12: Winner - Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah 69.7%