ND FOOTBALL: Merriweather makes most of opportunity against Stanford
Oct. 19—SOUTH BEND — Freshman wide receiver Tobias Merriweather hadn't had very many opportunities to showcase his skills through the first five weeks of the 2022 season.
Under the lights of Notre Dame Stadium last week, though, the 6'4", 200-pound wideout from West Camas, Washington, made his presence known against Stanford.
After just missing his first career score earlier in the second half following an overthrow by quarterback Drew Pyne near the end zone, Merriweather got a second chance during the first snap of the fourth quarter.
On a 2nd-and-14 from the Stanford 41-yard line, Merriweather ran up the seam from the slot position, beating Stanford safety Kendall Williamson in the process.
Pyne's pass ended up being right on the money, this time hitting his freshman target in stride to hand the Fighting Irish their first lead of the game.
"It was a real surreal moment for me," said Merriweather of his first-career score. "My whole life, I've been watching guys on Saturdays on TV score touchdowns and thinking I want to be that. ... You can't fathom in your brain the idea of scoring in front of 80,000 people. I watch it back and question whether it's really me scoring. It's something that's going to take me a while to digest, but hopefully there's more to come soon."
"We had something we had prepared for him during the week," added Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Rees. "We felt like we could get (Merriweather) matched up on a safety with some cushion, and he has the length, the speed and the ability to make those rangy catches. He made a great play and Drew (Pyne) made a great throw."
Merriweather may have only played 10 snaps against the Cardinal, but it was the most playing time he's received so far this season.
Notre Dame has struggled with its passing game down the field — outside of targeting tight end Michael Mayer. Wide receivers Lorenzo Styles Jr. and Braden Lenzy are only averaging 13 and nine yards per catch, respectfully, so a true deep threat in Merriweather could help spark the Irish passing game in the coming weeks.
"That's what Tobias Merriweather can do," said Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman after Saturday's game. "But he's got to continue to expand that confidence in terms of what the coaches feel like they can call with him in there. And he is. I think this game will be a big confidence booster in him and his coaches."
Merriweather's journey that led up to last Saturday's touchdown catch hasn't been an easy one for the first-year player.
Notre Dame's only wide receiver signee from its 2022 recruiting class didn't early enroll in January. Instead, he remained in high school through graduation, citing a desire to enjoy his senior year before moving on to college.
When Merriweather arrived on campus last summer, he was thrown into the fire right away in multiple aspects.
From learning the playbook to hitting the weight room, everything was an adjustment for the young wideout.
"Learning the offense," said Merriweather when asked about the early challenges of college play. "In high school, we were pretty simple. We just wanted to chuck the ball down the field. We were a run-and-shoot kind of offense, so this is a lot different. There are a thousand plays, and we're putting new ones in every week.
"From a physical standpoint, since I got here this summer, it's been all about eating food and lifting weights. I've gained like 15 pounds, and I feel really good right now. ... Our nutrition staff and our strength staff have done a great job of talking to me and making sure I'm staying on top of things."
A lot of attention toward the former four-star recruit's lack of playing time has been shared by some of the media and fans due to Notre Dame's noted struggles at the wide receiver position so far in 2022.
After showing his big-play capability last weekend, Merriweather could be spending some more time on the field, starting this Saturday against UNLV.
"I think it's just part of the journey," said Merriweather of waiting for his opportunity. "I think every player waits their turn. I was just sitting, waiting and getting better at practice every day. That's what it's about. It's not that Tommy (Rees) didn't want to play me. He's told me he wants to play me, but I had to be ready. ... Waiting for that moment (Saturday) was just part of my process, and now, I'm just working every day to get more reps in the game."
Evan Lepak can be reached at evan.lepak@goshennews.com or 574-533-2151, ext. 240326. Follow him on Twitter @EvanMPLepak.
