Brauntae Johnson’s absence has lingered long enough that Notre Dame is already planning for the day he finally steps back onto the field.
Head coach Marcus Freeman said Thursday that the Fighting Irish are now thinking through how to reintegrate the star safety, even if there is still no official timetable for his return. Johnson went down in the first half against Wisconsin, and while many expected him back by now, Freeman’s comments during a Zoom meeting with local media made it clear the Irish believe that moment is getting closer.
“You’ll figure it out when he gets back. You always make decisions that are best for your team. If that means finding a way to get all three safeties on the field when Tae is healthy, we’ll do that.”
That possibility - Johnson, Luke Talich and true freshman Joey O’Brien all on the field together - is the kind of setup that would give Notre Dame a very different look on defense. Talich and O’Brien have both handled Johnson’s absence well, which gives the staff more flexibility than it had a few weeks ago.
It also comes at a time when the secondary could use every bit of help it can get. Adon Shuler has had a rough 2026 season, even if he was excellent against Miami in the biggest game of the year. Early in the season, he looked like one of the best safeties in the country, but his play has dipped lately.
The cornerback situation makes the discussion even more interesting. Notre Dame has been dealing with injuries there all year, with DJ McKinney out and Leonard Moore missing time at different points. When Moore was forced to sit out a significant stretch of last Saturday’s game against Miami, the Hurricanes stormed back from a 21-7 deficit and turned it into a fight.
Miami repeatedly attacked Moore’s replacements, and the strategy worked. That’s why moving Talich or O’Brien into the nickel role and sliding Christian Gray in as the “next man up” at corner could give the Irish a stronger overall package, especially if the safety spots are occupied by Johnson and Shuler or Johnson and O’Brien.
For now, though, all of that remains hypothetical until Johnson is actually back. With three regular-season games left, the most realistic path appears to be a return for the College Football Playoff, or maybe the week before. If Johnson gets back on the field at all this season, he could be a major boost for Notre Dame as it pushes toward its first national title since 1988.
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Notre Dames Defensive Momentum Just Got Another Important Boost
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For Bruno, the appeal went beyond the scoreboard. He pointed to the atmosphere, his relationships with the coaching staff and the schools blend of athletics and academics as key reasons for his decision, a familiar formula for Notre Dame but still an important one when it helps turn a crowded recruiting battle in the Irishs favor. [Read more 🡒]