Notre Dame sophomore receiver Tobias Merriweather heads to the transfer portal after two shuffling seasons
Notre Dame’s receiver room continues to shift with current sophomore Tobias Merriweather entering the transfer portal on Wednesday evening, the second Irish receiver to do so this week, sandwiched around head coach Marcus Freeman dismissing receivers coach Chansi Stuckey.
“After careful consideration, consultation with my family and prayer, I have decided to seek an opportunity that best fits me and I will be entering the transfer portal,” Merriweather wrote on Twitter.
His exit may be the least surprising of this week’s, joining the likes of Lorenzo Styles, Jordan Johnson and Kevin Stepherson as high-profile young receivers who never grew into those roles in South Bend.
Merriweather caught 14 passes this season for 284 yards and two touchdowns, making only two receptions through Notre Dame’s toughest four-game stretch, particularly notable given the Irish had only three healthy receivers at Duke and were similarly limited at Louisville. Merriweather made one catch for 17 yards in those two games.
Struggles with the playbook last year kept him out of action early in the season before he caught a 41-yard touchdown pass against Stanford. But then a concussion sidelined him through the rest of his freshman season.
— Tobias Merriweather (@TM5IVE) November 29, 2023
Without Merriweather — and whether he was living up to expectations or struggling to fight for downfield passes, he was on the roster and for Notre Dame, that is its own rarity — the Irish are down to seven current receivers with three recruits expected to sign their National Letters of Intent next week. In theory, 10 healthy scholarship receivers is what a typical college football program wants at the start of a given season.
Considering the broad likelihood of further roster movement, not to mention the sheer youth of eight of those 10 being freshmen or sophomores next season, Notre Dame may dip into the transfer portal to find receivers.
It could also set to retaining current senior Chris Tyree, who announced an intention to enter the portal on Monday.
There is less of a chance, if any, of Merriweather returning, meaning the longest-lasting memory many Irish fans will have of him will be that he was the recruit Brian Kelly was visiting and having dinner with when Kelly stepped outside to accept the LSU job days after the 2021 season ended, weeks before Merriweather would still sign with Notre Dame.
INTO THE TRANSFER PORTAL
Fifth-year defensive end Nana Osafo-Mensah
Fifth-year center Zeke Correll
Senior receiver Chris Tyree
Sophomore receiver Tobias Merriweather
