WR Micah Gilbert is ready to show his 'explosive' game for Notre Dame

SOUTH BEND — Notre Dame football wide receiver Micah Gilbert’s 7-yard touchdown reception last year at Miami remains notable for multiple reasons.

For one, it’s still the third-year sophomore’s only career scoring grab out of nine total catches, although that figures to change this fall.

What’s more, it will be always be the first career scoring toss for Irish quarterback CJ Carr , who extended the play against the eventual national runner-up with a series of twists, turns and spins before finding a lonely Gilbert in the near corner of the end zone.

“It was definitely a breakdown between the defense,” Gilbert said after a recent spring practice session, “because I was open for most of that play. I just stayed open.”

The product of Charlotte (N.C.) Christian School, where the 6-foot-2, 205-pounder starred with Irish teammate Bryce Young, gladly recounted the first of 62 touchdowns for the nation’s No. 2 scoring offense last year.

Gilbert started to the boundary, his usual spot.

“It was just a quick concept,” he said. “I think I had a fade ball. (The defender) was playing a lot off, but I knew a fade ball is to the end zone.”

Carr escaped some early Hurricane pressure off the edge, and from there the play seemed to develop in slow motion.

“Scramble breaks down, and it's just, ‘Find space, get open,’ ” Gilbert said. “I was already there. I see CJ rolling back (toward the sideline). I'm like, 'Oh man.' “

That’s where those long hours after practice in the IAC paid off.

“We’ve got some connection,” Gilbert said. “I just look at him, and I’m telling him, ‘Throw it up, throw it up. I'll jump and get it.’ “

Gilbert mimicked the surreptitious sky point he used to communicate with Carr.

“He's such a good quarterback,” Gilbert said. “He's able to deceive players and all that. No-look, and he hit me right on the spot.”

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Micah Gilbert 'just scratching the surface'

The play was a fitting reward for Gilbert, who missed spring practice last year with a broken right hand and then missed three midseason games with an injured left hand.

Gilbert returned to make five catches in Notre Dame’s final three games.

“He had two freak things that happened to him, two freak accidents that happened just randomly, that I’ve never really even seen,” receivers coach Mike Brown said. “He was blocking the first day and he fell down on the ball, not even on the block. It’s just freak stuff, but the reality is he’s missed time.”

When healthy, Gilbert’s potential tantalizes.

“He’s got a unique skillset,” Brown said. “He’s a bigger body but he’s got really good quickness. He’s a really good route runner. We’ll try to be creative in how we use all these guys, but especially him.”

After apprenticing the past two seasons under grad transfers Beaux Collins (ex-Clemson) and Malachi Fields (ex-Virginia), Gilbert is getting the bulk of the first-team practice work at the boundary. Ohio State transfer Quincy Porter, another big-body target at 6-4, is out this spring as he recovers from surgery on his left patella.

“Watching Malachi, he attacked the ball really well,” Gilbert said. “He was a really good deep threat. Just seeing the way he attacked the ball and how he could go up and get the ball translated well. I was able to take notes from that.”

Fields, speaking at the NFL Scouting Combine, named Gilbert as the Irish receiver he was looking forward to watching this year.

“He has a bunch of potential that he hasn't let out yet,” Fields said. “We haven't seen too much of him, being that he's a young guy. I think he's just scratching the surface of what he can become."

Micah Gilbert-Leonard Moore practice showdowns

Leonard Moore, Notre Dame’s All-America cornerback, also gave Gilbert a shout-out during an offseason visit to Edison Middle School.

Asked by one of the young Chargers which Irish teammate was the toughest to cover, Moore said it was Gilbert, noting he “has some crazy shake to him.”

Upon hearing the Moore story relayed, Gilbert shook his head and smiled.

“Oh, wow,” he said. “It’s an honor.”

Their practice battles are devoid of smack talk but filled with next-level skill.

“It puts confidence in myself knowing I’m going against the best in the nation every day,” Gilbert said. “The fact we can make each other better every time we go ‘good on good,’ it’s a great thing to be on this team and be in practice and go against that type of competition.

“You just take it as a blessing, honestly, and you take advantage of it every day.”

The trick to getting open against Moore?

“It’s a mix of it all,” Gilbert said. “As receivers, we train a lot, we do a lot, we’re taught many different tactics: using speed, being sudden, attacking the ball, a lot of different things to get yourself open.”

Gilbert watches clips of NFL wideouts like Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase.

“I look at a lot of big, playmaking guys,” Gilbert said. “I look at a lot of those dudes with those types of abilities just because I believe I’m also a very explosive player.”

Freak injuries behind him and plenty of opportunity ahead, Gilbert is brimming with confidence.

“I definitely think this year is my next jump step,” he said, “my year to declare myself as one of the best receivers in college football. And I have full confidence in my ability to do that.”

Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for the South Bend Tribune and NDInsider.com. Follow him on social media @MikeBerardino.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame football WR Micah Gilbert is ready for his breakout