ND running back Chris Tyree taking more reps at receiver

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) - We’re now just three days away from this year’s spring game — and even if you’re very much familiar with this team and roster, there are still going to be some moving parts to be on the lookout for this weekend.

We told you on Tuesday that wideout Lorenzo Styles is likely to see time on both sides of the ball, but now we’re hearing more about another transition involving the wide receiver room.

Chris Tyree, Notre Dame’s third-leading rusher last season, has been working more with the wideouts this spring as opposed to the tailbacks. Tyree was effective at both last season, reaching paydirt three times by land and twice by air. He also caught the 4th-most passes on the team.

So far, Tyree says the transition has been good.

“I’ve had a lot of fun,” he says. “I’ve had my ups and downs, for sure. But I understand that’s part of the process, and I’ve enjoyed every part of it so far.”

Notre Dame wide receivers coach Chansi Stuckey seems to agree.

“He’s such a veteran presence, and he’s not like anyone we’ve had in our room,” Stuckey says. “He has great acceleration, he’s shown great hands, and he’s picked it up so fast because of the knowledge that he has. I was expecting a bigger curve, but even by practice two or three you could see, ‘Hey, this dude could really help us.”

And Stuckey isn’t the only one taking notice. Tyree’s teammates and running backs coach Deland McCullough raved earlier this month about how he’s handled the transition.

“Chris, he’s just a ballplayer, no matter where he’s at,” said running back Audric Estimé. “He’s going to be in the backfield, he’s going to be making plays, he’s going to be out wide making plays. Chris is a team player, he’s willing to do whatever’s best for the team, and he’s been out there making plays and he looks really good. So, I’m excited to see what he does out there.”

“I think he’s starting to see the benefits of that as a guy out wide,” McCullough said. “That speed is a premium. His ability, his knowledge of the game, and his ability to be a big playmaker can help us even more on the perimeter. So, just excited that he’s having success there. That’s a testament to Coach Stuckey and to Chris with the way he’s handling that change.”

The 2023 edition of the Blue-Gold Game takes place on Saturday afternoon at Notre Dame Stadium.

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