Notre Dame will have a change at kicker in 2022 after Jonathan Doerer exhausted all of his eligibility. Who that kicker will be however isn’t as simple as looking at the next man listed on the 2021 depth chart.
Notre Dame has added kicker Blake Grupe to their roster for 2022. Grupe scored the most points in the history of the Arkansas State program and will spend his finally year of collegiate eligibility at Notre Dame.
Grupe spoke to Irish Breakdown about his decision to attend Notre Dame.
“I was in the portal Sunday night, Notre Dame called the next day,”
“Some people have asked what are some other places have talked to you, but in my mind I saw Notre Dame come across my phone and to be real honest it didn’t matter who else was going to call. It was over after that.”
– Blake Grupe
Grupe shares the Sun Belt record for most career field goals with 62 and has a career-long field goal of 50-yards. He earned first-team all-conference honors in 2019 when he was a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award which goes to the nation’s top kicker.
Grupe also mentioned to Irish Illustrated that he is set to compete for the kicking job in 2022, as of now with rising sophomore Josh Bryan.
The addition isn’t going to bring much of a wow-factor but does bring experience to a position that would otherwise not have any entering next season.
New Colors, Same Mission. 🍀 #GoIrish pic.twitter.com/myCjWwVJ5h
— Blake Grupe (@blakegrupe) January 13, 2022
Related:
Notre Dame Transfer Portal Tracker (2022)
Early look at Notre Dame’s 2022 football schedule
Notre Dame-Marcus Freeman coaching staff tracker (updated 1.13.2022)