Listed measurements: 6-foot-⅝, 195 pounds.
2023-24 year, eligibility: A sixth-year veteran, Salerno is in his final season of eligibility.
Depth Chart: Senior Chris Tyree’s move to receiver from running back probably answers who will start at slot receiver for the Irish. Behind him, Salerno will be competing with freshmen Rico Flores and Jaden Greathouse to be Tyree’s primary backup. The latter two may have higher ceilings, but Salerno will presumably be more assignment-sound, and with a veteran quarterback like Sam Hartman, assignment-sound can be a receiver’s greatest asset, as Hartman will put the ball where it is supposed to be when it is supposed to be there, if his receiver can be there, as well.
Recruiting: A former walk-on, Salerno was put on scholarship by Marcus Freeman within weeks of Freeman becoming Notre Dame’s head coach in the 2021-22 winter.
CAREER TO DATE
The Irish receiver depth worries in 2022 were underscored by how vital Salerno was early in the season and how clear that was from early in the preseason. He is a more than competent collegiate receiver, but if Notre Dame ever had any hopes of contending for the College Football Playoff last year, its receiver rotation could not include someone of Salerno’s caliber. And thus, the Irish were never a serious contender for the Playoff last year.
He caught five passes for 62 yards and a touchdown in 2022, hardly an eye-catching stat line, but he played far more than those numbers may indicate. Most memorably, he pulled in a bobbling catch for a first down against Ohio State in the season opener.
Matt Salerno appreciation post#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/9IdDgxa8Mx
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) September 6, 2022
That Tyler Buchner needed to look to Salerno in that moment emphasized how few receivers Notre Dame had available.
In previous years, Salerno had focused on punt return duties in 2020 and occasionally in 2021.
2019: 1 game.2020: 11 games; 45 punt return yards on 10 returns.2021: 11 games; 13 punt return yards on five returns, 33 kick return yards on two kicks, -4 receiving yards.2022: 13 games; five catches for 62 yards and one touchdown, 37 punt return yards on five returns.
NAME, IMAGE, LIKENESS
At Notre Dame, walk-ons tend to take on lower profiles once they become former walk-ons. The Walk-On Players Union (a.k.a. WOPU Nation) will speak loudly, but once no longer technically a part of it, players do not want to steal from its thunder. Consider it some form of understood humility. And Salerno is no different.
So let’s take this moment to give an example of how being assignment-sound can benefit the offense most with Hartman at quarterback.
This Blue-Gold Game touchdown was nothing dramatic. The route was not flashy. But by running it to the exact design, Salerno was not only open, but he was where Hartman expected him to be. Hartman has the experience and the touch to capitalize on that nearly every time.
The touchdown and some love from Irish Nation 🫶@sam_hartman10 ➡️ @Matthews0520 #GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/VeQXuE4AaK
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) April 22, 2023
QUOTES
If Salerno does not crack the receiver rotation again, he will still likely see playing time. In 2021, Kyren Williams beat him out for punt returns; in 2022, Brandon Joseph did. Yet, Salerno still returned five punts each season, and he is once again in that mix in 2023.
Recently hired special teams coordinator Marty Biagi mentioned Matt Salerno, Chris Tyree and Lorenzo Styles (in order) when asked about early options at punt returner. During kickoff return period, Jaden Mickey had a 40-yard return and Styles took one to the house. #NDFootball
— Mike BerardinoNDI (@MikeBerardino) April 1, 2023
WHAT WAS PROJECTED A YEAR AGO
“A punt returner who will not jeopardize the upcoming possession is not something to take for granted. As dynamic as Kyren Williams was, even he sometimes put the ball at risk. Salerno did not.
“Northwestern safety transfer Brandon Joseph may take over at punt returner, if not sophomore receiver Lorenzo Styles, but that is both uncertain and somewhat risky. With Salerno, Notre Dame will know there is no risk, even new Irish special teams coordinator Brian Mason certainly sees that.
“If that is the extent of Salerno’s scholarship contributions, so be it. Notre Dame will be better off.
“He will likely add some catches to the ledger, as well. The Irish are too thin at receiver for anyone to scoff at playing a former walk-on. Lenzy’s legs were rubber by the end of the Fiesta Bowl, when Notre Dame trotted out only four scholarship receivers.
“Imagine doing that for an entire season. That is the danger the Irish are toeing. Lenzy, Styles and sophomores Deion Colzie and Jayden Thomas are the only sure things available. (Avery) Davis should be healthy, and eventually fifth-year Joe Wilkins may join him (Lisfranc injury). Merriweather arrives with much hype, but few freshmen should be viewed as absolutes out of the gate.
“Salerno may not be a superstar. Actually, scratch that. The hesitant verb tense is imprecise. Salerno is not a superstar. But he is a clean route-runner who has an understanding of what risks to take and that most risks are ones not to take. He can spare Lenzy, Styles, Colzie and Thomas some fatigue. Whatever the catches and receptions tallies, simply keeping those receivers fresh will be a worthwhile perk for Notre Dame.”
2023 OUTLOOK
Entering last season, the Irish had only five truly healthy scholarship receivers, and that included both freshman Tobias Merriweather and Salerno. Deion Colzie was hampered by a knee injury in the preseason; a torn ACL ended Avery Davis’s career; Joe Wilkins never found the field again after a Lisfranc injury.
Hence the absolute and inarguable need for Salerno to contribute from the outset in Columbus.
Now, Notre Dame has nine healthy scholarship receivers, including three early-enrolled freshmen, an incoming freshman and, again, Salerno. The depth is better but it is far from deep.
An honest coach would tell you he wants at least 10 receivers at his disposal. That is how many are needed just to hold practice in the planned and preferred manner. Obviously, the Irish are lacking. There will be Salerno’s first contribution.
On Saturdays, he likely will play more than the early-enrolled trio of Flores, Greathouse and Braylon James to begin the season, but gradually each of them should surpass Salerno. How that pans out in catches may hinge on how often Hartman needs to look to his third progression in Salerno, so it could be argued the fewer catches Salerno has, the more explosive Notre Dame’s offense may be.
DOWN THE ROAD
This will be it for Salerno, and there will be no NFL talk around him.
A walk-on from California finding his way to two seasons on scholarship and the Irish receiver rotation is plenty to be proud of.
NOTRE DAME 99-TO-0
The summer countdown begins anew, Rylie Mills to Deion Colzie
No. 99 Rylie Mills, senior defensive tackle, moving back inside from end
No. 98 Devan Houstan, early-enrolled four-star defensive tackle
No. 97 Gabriel Rubio, junior defensive tackle, one of three Irish DTs with notable experience
No. 95 Tyson Ford, sophomore defensive tackle, up 30 pounds from a year ago
No. 93 Armel Mukam, incoming freshman defensive end, former Stanford commit
No. 92 Aidan Keanaaina, a senior defensive tackle now ‘fully healthy’ after a 2022 torn ACL
No. 91 Aiden Gobaira, sophomore defensive end, former four-star recruit
No. 88 Mitchell Evans, the next starter at ‘TE U
No. 87 Cooper Flanagan, incoming freshman tight end, four-star recruit
No. 84 Kevin Bauman, senior tight end coming off a torn ACL
No. 83 Jayden Thomas, junior receiver, probable No. 1 target in 2023
No. 79 Tosh Baker, senior tackle, again a backup but next year ...
No. 78 Pat Coogan, junior interior offensive lineman
No. 77 Ty Chan, sophomore offensive tackle, former four-star recruit
No. 76 Joe Alt, first-team All-American left tackle
No. 75 Sullivan Absher, incoming freshman offensive lineman
No. 74 Billy Schrauth, sophomore left guard, likely starter
No. 73 Andrew Kristofic, fifth-year right guard, likely starter
No. 72 Sam Pendelton, early-enrolled freshman offensive lineman
No. 70 Ashton Craig, sophomore interior offensive lineman
No. 68 Michael Carmody, senior offensive lineman
No. 65 Michael Vinson, sixth-year long snapper, four-year starter
No. 64 Joe Otting, incoming freshman offensive lineman, four-star recruit
No. 59 Aamil Wagner, sophomore offensive tackle
No. 56 Charles Jagusah, incoming freshman offensive lineman, four-star recruit
No. 56 Howard Cross, fifth-year defensive tackle, multi-year starter
No. 55 Chris Terek, incoming freshman offensive lineman, four-star recruit
No. 54 Blake Fisher, junior right tackle, second-year starter
No. 52 Zeke Correll, fifth-year center, third-year starter
No. 51 Boubacar Traore, incoming freshman defensive end, four-star recruit
No. 50 Rocco Spindler, junior offensive guard
No. 47 Jason Onye, junior defensive tackle on the verge of playing time
No. 44 Junior Tuihalamaka, sophomore defensive end, former linebacker
No. 42 Nolan Ziegler, sophomore linebacker, Irish legacy
No. 41 Donovan Hinish, sophomore defensive tackle following in his brother’s footsteps
No. 40 Joshua Burnham, sophomore linebacker-turned-Vyper end
No. 38 Davis Sherwood, junior fullback/H-back, former walk-on
No. 34 Drayk Bowen, early-enrolled freshman linebacker, baseball infielder
No. 32 Spencer Shrader, South Florida transfer kicker
No. 31 Nana Osafo-Mensah, fifth-year defensive end
No. 29 Christian Gray, early-enrolled freshman cornerback coming off a knee injury
No. 17 Brenan Vernon, incoming freshman defensive end, four-star recruit
No. 13 Holden Staes, sophomore tight end, up 20 pounds in a year
No. 12 Penn State RB transfer Devyn Ford gives Notre Dame newly-needed backfield depth, experience
No. 4 Rhode Island transfer safety Antonio Carter gives Notre Dame desperately needed backline depth