Braden Lenzy Keeps Positive Mindset, Excited for Young Notre Dame Receivers
It’s been a big week for Notre Dame receiver Braden Lenzy.
The fifth-year senior made his case for the catch of the year in college football on Saturday as he somehow caught Drew Pyne’s pass on the back of a Navy defender for a 38-yard touchdown to put the Irish up 14-0.
Lenzy admits there as some luck involved, but he’s also quick to point out he had a plan of attack.
“Like most throws, I could see it in the air and had a plan of attack,” Lenzy stated. “I had to slow down and readjust myself. Once I had an idea where the ball would be, I placed my hands where I thought it would land. Between that and his back, I was able to kind of catch it, re-grip it and move it
with my right hand.
“A lot of luck, but a lot of practice that allowed the luck to happen. I don’t know if I’ll ever replicate that.”
The catch was impressive, but Lenzy whipping the ball around the back of the defender with his right hand almost seemed like a stamp of attitude, which made the play even more impressive.
“When it landed, I didn’t have a great grip on it,” recalled Lenzy. “I had a better grip with my right than my left. It was placed against the back. All I really tried to do was re-adjust my grip. Once I felt my right hand had a decent grip, I basically pulled it away with my right hand.”
Was it the catch of the year? Lenzy doesn't think so as some forget Matt Salerno’s bobbling catch against Ohio State in week one.
“Let’s go with Matty Ice. We gotta go with Matt Salerno. People be sleeping on Matt. That was cool. He’s not just a punt returner for no reason. I’m going to with Matt just because I love him.”
Saturday will be Senior Day for Notre Dame as the Irish host Boston College for a 2:30 pm ET kickoff.
Could it be the last time Lenzy runs out of the tunnel at Notre Dame Stadium? Lenzy has another year of eligibility due to COVID, but his future is up in the air at this point.
“Nah,” said Lenzy when asked if he knew what he was doing with the extra year.
The 5-foot-11, 182-pounder might not know his future, but Lenzy has greatly appreciated what the Notre Dame experience has taught him over the last five years.
There have been highs and lows for the speedster and Lenzy has learned to roll with the roller coaster ride as he’s experiencing a ride few truly understand.
“Navigating is business and the world. At the end of the day, I think I’m in a position where I get a free education, NIL is lovely and I think I don’t have much to be frustrated at when I get to play for the most historic program in the country. There’s a lot of people who have it a lot worse.
“I just try to keep my head high and just be happy. I love being here and I’m excited about it. I’m excited to play Boston College. It’s very easy to be positive because how could I not be positive when I’m representing Notre Dame at the highest level.”
Lenzy has also embraced some of the negativity that’s been put on the receiving corps this year. He’s seen the comments all season, but it doesn’t change about how he feels about his guys.
“We have some dogs,” stated Lenzy. “I’m proud of them. You get a lot of stuff. We have Social Media and get tagged in stuff. We know the thought process on the receivers. We‘re not stupid. I would say I’m proud because we could have easily felt any kind of way. There’s many different ways this year could have gone and we just keep going.
“This last game especially we really stepped up. As an older dude, I just want to see them succeed. I want them to be way better than me and way better than everyone who has been here before. I think they will. I think all the young dudes will be great. I’m just excited for them. They’re going to be good.”
There is another goal for Lenzy.
Notre Dame has not lost in November since he arrived on campus in 2018. The Irish will carry an 18-game winning streak in the month of November into Saturday’s game and finishing the year strong is a significant priority for the program.
“Winning in November speaks to a lot of things,” said Lenzy. “Depending on where you’re at, it means you’re pretty good at playing with weather issues. That’s obviously the case here, and it plays to our advantage since we’re accustomed to weather like this.
“It’s the back end of the year, so when you play well at the end of the year, it means you’re playing your best football at the end of the year. That’s a sign of a good program. It shows you’re able to battle through injuries, which is a sign of a really good team that you’re able to get through that injury bug and still play at a high level.
“It’s huge. It speaks a lot on what we’ve done in the past under BK (Brian Kelly) and what we’re currently doing under (Marcus) Freeman. Winning at the end of the year is a big part of who we are and a big focus and a goal we have every single week.”
Champion Notre Dame Fighting Irish Fleece Raglan Quarter-Zip Jacket
