ISD Sweet 16 | Most Important in 2020: No. 6 vs. No. 11
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. 6 Robert Hainsey vs. No. 11 Chris Tyree.
Robert Hainsey
2019 Stats: Hainsey didn't allow a sack in 252 pass plays in 2019 and returns after missing the final five games of last year with injury. He brings 34 starts to the table as he enters his senior year.
Why he is the No. 6 seed: Hainsey very well could be Notre Dame’s top lineman and will lead the offensive line for the second year in a row. The Pittsburgh native has aligned himself to a two-time captain and has gone the extra mile bringing the younger guys along.
Hainsey is consistent in the run game and is one of the better pass blockers in the country. Notre Dame got by last fall with Josh Lugg at right tackle when Hainsey went down, but Hainsey is crucial to the Irish making a run at the College Football Playoff.
Why Hainsey should advance: Two-time captains are rare.
Chris Tyree
2019 Stats: Unavailable
Why he is the No. 11 seed: Notre Dame has stable of backs heading into 2020, but none have the game-breaking ability of Tyree. The true freshman has lofty expectations on him and it will be on Tommy Rees to find him a small role to start the year. Tyree’s 4.3 speed is something the Irish don’t have enough of and getting him in space could lead to good things for the Irish.
It’s hard to put a true freshman, who didn’t early enroll in the Sweet 16, but that’s how important Tyree’s speed is to Notre Dame’s offense.
Why Tyree should advance: Speed kills.
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%
No. 2 vs. No. 15: Winner - Kyle Hamilton 78.2%
No. 3 vs. No. 14: Winner - Ade Ogundeji 71.0%
