Jaden Greathouse gave Notre Dame a jolt against BYU, and the way he got there may matter just as much as the numbers.
The veteran wideout racked up 8 catches for 125 yards against the Cougars, a sharp turn from the rest of his season, when he came into the game with just 11 receptions. For a player who had been on the field plenty but hadn’t produced much, that kind of outing stands out fast.
Greathouse said earlier this week that the biggest change in his game has come in how he runs routes.
"Yeah, I definitely think my routes have been constantly improving," Greathouse said, adding that he thinks his routes have improved most this year. "Contested catching has always been something that we've been big on, and just trying to stay competitive in the wide receiver room, using everything that we got to push each other to steal things from other people.
“Learning about routes and all those kinds of things,” the Notre Dame veteran added. Coach Brown has been a great help in our development, and we're going to try to keep developing the rest of the season."
That’s the kind of answer that fits with the buzz around Notre Dame’s receiver group this week. Greathouse, Jordan Faison, and Micah Gilbert have been talked about as the Irish’s big three, and Greathouse’s performance against BYU gives that conversation a little more bite.
The hope around Greathouse has been building since his 2024 College Football Playoff showing, and expectations entering 2025 were high. But injuries slowed him down, limiting him to 4 catches for 73 yards.
Now the question is whether the BYU breakout is the start of something real. Notre Dame has spent plenty of time talking about getting more out of its bench, but Greathouse could be the 1-2 punch with Jordan Faison that the Irish have been chasing since 2023.
With Mike Brown and quarterback CJ Carr involved, Notre Dame won’t have to wait long to see whether Greathouse has truly entered the circle of trust. Even with Navy on deck and the chance for a blowout, it shouldn’t take long to find out whether this was a one-off or the start of a bigger role.
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Notre Dame Coaches Just Addressed A Frustrating WR Problem
Notre Dames receiver usage has become a talking point lately, and Marcus Freeman and Mike Brown didnt dodge it when asked about the limited wideout rotation. The coaches said the heavy workload for Jordan Faison, Micah Gilbert and Jaden Greathouse has come from a growing level of trust in those key players, which has helped explain why theyve been on the field so much in recent games.
At the same time, the staff knows the passing game works best when more options are available, and they acknowledged the need to get additional receivers involved moving forward. For Notre Dame, that means practice will matter as much as game day, with rotation chances expected to open up as more players continue to improve and earn trust. [Read more 🡒]
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Jayden Sanders is set to slide into the field cornerback role while the Irish try to keep the rest of the back end intact, and the timing adds another layer of concern with Navy coming up next. Several Notre Dame players remain questionable for that game, which leaves Freeman and his staff managing availability as much as game planning. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Faces A Dangerous Navy Trap Before Its Biggest Test
Notre Dames bye week came at a useful moment, giving the Irish a chance to reset before turning their attention to a Navy offense that demands patience and discipline on every snap. Defensive veterans Jaylen Sneed and Luke Talich talked through the challenge of staying sharp against the triple option, a scheme that can punish even brief lapses in technique, alignment and focus. For a team with a bigger test looming later on, this is the kind of week that asks for complete buy-in in the present.
The matchup has been lopsided for years, with Notre Dame having dominated the series and Navy without a win in the past decade, but that history does not make the assignment any easier. The Irish know the option can turn a game into a grind if they drift from their keys, which is why the work coming out of the bye has centered so heavily on detail. Before Notre Dame can get to what comes next, it has to make sure it handles the kind of opponent that thrives when a favorite loses its edge. [Read more 🡒]