Notre Dame’s search for a new wide receivers coach went to many locations including a few midwest programs as Marcus Freeman originally tried to snag star recruiter Brian Hartline from Ohio State. Hartline instead is now the Buckeyes passing game coordinator and will take on Freeman and the Irish to start 2022.
JaMarcus Shepard of Purdue and Holmon Wiggins of Alabama both also interviewed for the job but at the end of the day it wound up going to five-year NFL veteran and Baylor wide receivers coach Chansi Stuckey.
Source: Notre Dame expected to hire Chansi Stuckey from Baylor as its next receivers coach.
The Irish also interviewed JaMarcus Shepard from Purdue, but went with the former Clemson receiver with NFL experience. Stuckey impressed the Irish staff in his interview Wednesday.
— Pete Sampson (@PeteSampson_) January 12, 2022
Stuckey played his college football at Clemson where he was both a quarterback and wide receiver before being drafted by the New York Jets in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL draft. He played five seasons in the NFL for the Jets, Browns, and Cardinals before spending time in the Canadian Football League with the Toronto Argonauts.
Stuckey is a big swing by Freeman and Notre Dame. Clearly, Freeman and Tommy Rees saw and heard things they liked from him as he has a very short coaching resume as he got started as a graduate assistant at Clemson in 2019 before getting promoted to an offensive player development role in 2020. He was hired as receivers coach at Baylor in January of 2021.
There are names out there that certainly have accomplished more as wide receivers coaches in the college ranks that Freeman seemingly could have hired. Ultimately who will do the most with the position at Notre Dame, not what have they done previously?
I’d be lying if I said I had a passionate opinion on the hiring but my guess is the Irish are getting a guy who sold his recruiting abilities extremely well after what Marcus Freeman said upon being introduced as the new head coach back in December. I’m guessing him recently playing in the NFL will help on that front for a position Notre Dame has had various struggles with in recent years.
Related:
Notre Dame coaching staff tracker