After years of productivity, the careers of seniors Rex Pflueger, TJ Gibbs, and John Mooney are over leaving huge holes in the roster. Much like the 2020 freshmen, this class was so good not just because of their talent but because of how different they all are from each other in terms of the skills they posses. For the mostpart it seems these players skillsets are replaceable to an extent but the main thing they will be missing this year is John Mooney's rebounding which is something that is as close to irreplaceable as you can get. This could end up being one of the keys to having a successful season. Here is what each player brought that will have to be replaced and if I think they can do it.
John Mooney
After leading the team in scoring and rebounding nobody is questioning how valuable John Mooney was to the Irish last season. The Florida native averaged 16.2 Points per game along with 12.7 Rebounds per game which was the most out of any power 5 player. Obviously with Mooney the biggest thing that will need to be replaced is his rebounding. It is extremely unrealistic to think that one player will fill the void especially considering the second highest rebounder on the team only averaged 4.6 Rebounds per game (Durham and Laszewski both averaged 4.6). What I don't think is a stretch is that Mooney's production on the boards could be made up for by a committee. In 2019-2020 the three primary rebounders or big men averaged 21.9 rebounds per game. So if Laszewski and Durham both average around 8 rebounds per game each that only leaves Freshmen Elijah Taylor and Matt Zona with 6 combined if they want to match their total from last year. Obviously Mooney's rebounding will be missed and Laszewski and Durham don't have the ability he has on the boards, but I don't think it is super far fetched to say they may not have a huge regression statistically.
As for Mooney's scoring I am not super concerned with replacing that either. In his last two years at Notre Dame Mooney was far and away the best offensive player on the team as he led the team in scoring both years. Obviously it will be difficult to replace a 16 point per game scorer but with Cormac Ryan finally being eligible along with Nate Laszewski and Juwan Durham expected to make big jumps this season I am optimistic that Mooney's scoring ability won't be missed.
TJ Gibbs
It it going to be very interesting to see how losing TJ Gibbs will effect the Irish this season. Quietly Gibbs averaged 13.3 points per game this year while shooting 42% from three. While Gibbs was somewhat limited offensively but his shooting will be tough to replace along with his ability as a secondary ball handler. Gibbs was also a guy who led by example on and off the court which was extremely valuable to the young players in the locker room.
To succeed Gibbs I think a mixture of Cormac Ryan and Dane Goodwin will be necessary. To effectively replace Gibbs' shooting Dane Goodwin will probably have to shoot at least 40% from deep this season. I don't think this is super unrealistic to expect considering he shot 37% from outside the arc in 2019-2020, Goodwin's defense probably still needs improvement but for now shooting efficiently could help to replace Gibbs. As for Cormac Ryan along with helping to make up for Gibbs' shooting he can become that secondary ballhandler that the Irish are now missing with Gibbs' departure. Personally I think the Stanford transfer may do a better job in that role than Gibbs did because of his ability to create his own shot and make plays for his teammates which Gibbs didn't have as much.
TJ Gibbs was one of the best shooters to pass through the program in the past few years and will be almost as hard to replace as Mooney, but I think they will be able to effectively replace him this year.
Rex Pflueger
Although Rex Pflueger was never a huge scorer throughout his career at Notre Dame he still made a big impact on every game he appeared in. Whether it was hitting a half court shot to change the momentum like he did at Boston College or putting himself in perfect position to make a play in the final seconds like against Stephen F Austin, UNC, and Virginia or even hitting a huge three at Cameron indoor stadium (his personal favorite) he had a knack for making the big play when it mattered most. Outside of that Rex was always a great defender throughout his career and could pick up the best player on the other team. Off the court Rex provided vocal leadership in the locker room which I think was something that was very under appreciated about him.
The first thing that the team will need to replace Rex is a guy who can do all the little things right even when people don't notice. Some guys who do the little things right are Nik Djogo, Cormac Ryan, and Juwan Durham. Like Rex, all of these guys are able to make an impact on the game even when they aren't doing well offensively and do all of the little things well so they could fill his role well. As for leaders Prentiss Hubb seems to be the main leader of the team this year, a few months ago in a press conference Mike Brey talked about how it was Prentiss Hubb's team late in the season so he should pick up right where he left off. In addition to him Rex talked about Cormac Ryan as a potential vocal leader this upcoming season.
Maybe Rex didn't have the scoring ability that Gibbs or Mooney had but he will still be extremely hard to replace.
Let us know if you think the Irish can replace the three seniors and follow us on twitter @NDbballanalysis.
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