Notre Dame’s season opener didn’t just end in a 41-13 win over Wisconsin. It also gave Marcus Freeman a first real look at a few players who could matter a lot more as the season moves along.
The Shamrock Series matchup at Lambeau Field was the kind of game that showed off more than just the final score. It put some fresh names on the stage, and Freeman came away talking about a few of them in particular: defensive tackles Tionne Gray and Francis Brewu, along with running back Nolan James Jr.
Freeman said the two transfer defensive tackles made a strong first impression.
"We're going to rely on them a lot, and they played really well," Freeman said about the two transfer defensive tackles. "As I said previously, I saw those four guys between Jason Onye, Armel Mukam, Tionne, and Brewu playing probably an equal amount of snaps.
It's close to what you saw on Saturday. It wasn't exactly perfect, but those guys are all going to play."
He added that the workload has shifted a bit with Jason Onye unavailable.
"Now, with Jason being out, there's a little bit more on everybody's plate, but Tionne and Francis both played well," Freeman continued about Brewu and Gray. "They played really well on Sunday, and we'll continue to get them to practice with the habits that we really will emphasize. But it was great to see them, and those guys both were difference makers.”
Notre Dame’s depth chart released yesterday backed that up, with Gray listed to start in Onye’s spot while Onye works back from a lower body injury.
James was another player Freeman singled out after the opener. The New Jersey native stayed in the RB2 role for Rice, but his performance against Wisconsin looked like a bigger moment than a simple backup showing. Freeman said the entire running backs group had an impact in the passing game, and James took full advantage of his chances.
"The entire running backs room had a big role in the pass game, Nolan included," Freeman raved about the running backs. "It was good to see him out in space, making some guys miss, running hard.
He is a talented football player. He just embraced his role and when given the opportunity, he made the most of it and had some explosive plays.
He's doing a phenomenal job, and it was good to see him out there and get rewarded with that long touchdown.”
James was on the roster last season as a true freshman, but this is a different kind of role for him in the Irish offense. With questions entering the season about how Notre Dame would replace Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, the opener offered some early answers.
For Freeman, the game didn’t reveal much that was new. What it did do was confirm what the offseason buzz had already suggested: this roster has more depth than people may have realized. Gray, Brewu and James all stepped forward when Notre Dame needed them, and that mattered just as much as the lopsided result.
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Notre Dames Next Opponent Just Lost Its Biggest Offensive Threat
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For Notre Dame, the timing matters. Jackson had been expected to be a centerpiece of the Rice attack after his breakout season in 2025, so his absence changes the look of an offense the Irish were already preparing to face. It leaves Rice with a major void to fill as it heads into the matchup, and one of the clearest threats Notre Dame had to account for is now off the board. [Read more 🡒]
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For Irish fans, the setup is familiar enough: the college pedigree is obvious, the professional pecking order is not. Loves placement may reflect the preseason ankle issue that slowed his push for a larger role, and Prices spot comes even after reports of a strong preseason showing, which only adds to the intrigue around how quickly both backs can force their way into bigger opportunities once the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Marcus Freeman Sees A Chance To Change Notre Dame's Home Story
Notre Dame opened the season with a 41-13 win over Wisconsin in the Shamrock Series at Lambeau Field, a strong start for Marcus Freemans team before it turns home for the first time against Rice. Freeman spent part of the buildup to the home opener talking about what the opener said about his group, and the takeaway went beyond the final score. The Irish showed they could handle the stage, settle in and finish, which is the kind of early-season evidence coaches like to point to when they start judging a teams identity.
Freeman also made a point of discussing sophomore running back Nolan, whose work in the passing game added another layer to Notre Dames offense in Green Bay. His long touchdown stood out not just as a splash play, but as the payoff for embracing that role and sticking with it. As the Irish return to South Bend, that kind of versatility may matter as much as the result itself, especially if Freemans team is trying to turn an encouraging opener into a different kind of home story. [Read more 🡒]