Avery Davis out for 2022 season with ACL injury

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) - Veteran wide receiver and 2021 team captain Avery Davis is expected to miss the entirety of the 2022 season after suffering an ACL injury in his right knee at practice Friday.

To make matters worse, Davis was on his way to recovering from a torn left ACL that ended his 2021 campaign.

“I was heartbroken for the kid, says head coach Marcus Freeman. “ He was running a jet sweep yesterday, and planted and just went down. We didn’t think initially that it was going to be as bad as it was. Then after the MRI found out that it was an ACL and I was just devastated for the kid.”

“I spent some time yesterday in his apartment just trying to — what do you say to a kid at that moment? You’re just coming back from an ACL injury and now you tear the other one. I wanted him to know that he’s important to this program and whatever we can do to support him, we will. It’s a huge blow for not just the room, but for the team. You’re talking about a captain and a great example of what you want our football players to be about. I’m just heartbroken for the kid.”

“You’re not gonna find a guy that’s more respected than Avery Davis -- from his peers, to the coaches,” says offensive coordinator Tommy Rees. “For him to fight through everything early in his career, to find a role, own that role, be voted a captain, tear how knee, decide to come back and then for it to happen again. I mean, you can’t ever justify it. And so all we can do right now is love AD and give him our support and be there for him through these tough times.”

Davis’ injury is not only demoralizing for a locker room that clearly respects and looks to the grad student for leadership -- it also makes the Irish even thinner at receiver than they were previously.

Their top two returning wideouts -- Braden Lenzy and Lorenzo Styles -- combined for 56 catches and nearly 700 yards last season.

No other able-bodied wide receiver on the roster has produced so much as a 100+yard season for the Irish.

“We’ve got some young guys that have to step up, says Coach Freeman. “What it does is create more roles and a bigger responsibility for those guys in the room. I met with (wide receivers coach Chansi) Stuckey last night and he’s up for the challenge. I don’t lose confidence in that wideout room. It just means that it’s an opportunity for other guys to step up.”

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