Notre Dame is walking into the season with plenty of turnover, but not a shortage of options.
The Irish are trying to replace a huge chunk of what they lost to the NFL, and the list is long. Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price are gone from the backfield.
Malachi Fields, Will Pauling and Eli Raridon have moved on from the pass-catching group. Up front, offensive linemen and captains Aamil Wagner and Billy Schrauth are now in the NFL as well.
In 2025, that group accounted for 406 total touches, 3,906 total yards and 45 touchdowns, while Notre Dame as a team scored 70 touchdowns. Add in the offensive line work, and the Irish are staring at 3,437 snaps gone from 2025.
That kind of production usually forces a full reset. Instead, Notre Dame is leaning on continuity.
Offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock is entering his third year and has a deep enough stable of talent to believe this offense can keep rolling. The plan starts with players who are already in the building, including running back Aneyas Williams.
"Yeah, I can't say I'm shocked," Denbrock said of running back Aneyas William's impact in the pass game. "But I am surprised how well he has developed in the passing game along with Nolan James Jr.
Really, I'd put them kind of in the same breath. I think both of those guys can get out in space and give us some of the things that we had from Love a year ago."
That same theme runs through the receiver room, where the ceiling is obvious and the next step is turning talent into production. Junior Cam Williams is one of the names drawing attention, and he opened fall camp practice No. 1 with a strong showing. Denbrock made it clear the issue has never been ability so much as consistency.
"Yeah, I mean, it's consistency," Denbrock said of the Illinois native pass catcher. "And, he struggled with that, unfortunately, up to this point.
And I think he's in a position to turn the corner. And we've tried to support him as much as we can and give him the tools necessary to help push him over the edge.
But ultimately, he's got to be the guy that does it."
For Williams, this is the kind of offseason that can define a career. If the early signs hold, he may be on his way to a real breakthrough.
Jaden Greathouse is another major piece in that puzzle. The Texas native is stepping into a bigger role this season, and Denbrock didn’t hide how impressed he’s been.
"I'm afraid to talk about it, because I agree with you 1,000 percent," Denbrock answered when asked about how well Greathouse looked today. "You know, he's been incredible and great summer.
This early part of OTAs and fall camp, he's looked fantastic. And he's a difference-maker when he's available to us.
And I thank the good Lord he is right now."
That’s the case for Notre Dame in a nutshell. The Irish are not starting over so much as handing bigger jobs to familiar names.
Losing more than 3,000 yards, 45 touchdowns and over 3,400 snaps would be a brutal hit for almost any program, but Notre Dame has enough returning talent to believe this is more reload than rebuild. Now it comes down to whether those players turn promise into production.
In Other News...
Notre Dame May Have Real Momentum With An Elite Legacy WR Target
Notre Dames wide receiver recruiting board has another elite name on it, and Jaylen Addai looks like the kind of legacy target the Irish would love to land. The 2028 five-star prospect already holds more than 40 college offers, but his ties to the program give South Bend a different kind of pull. He is the son of former NFL running back Joseph Addai, and the family and coaching connections around him have kept Notre Dame in the conversation as his recruitment starts to take shape.
Addai recently got a closer look at campus on an unofficial visit, and the trip only seemed to strengthen the sense that Notre Dame is a serious player here. For a prospect with that many options, the Irish have reason to feel encouraged when a visit leaves a real impression, especially with so much history and familiarity already in the background. The challenge now is turning that early momentum into something lasting as the process moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dames First Practice Put Two Crucial Position Battles In Focus
Notre Dames first practice offered an early look at how the line could take shape once camp battles begin to sort themselves out. The Irish spent the session checking the health and conditioning of several key players, with a handful of defensive linemen, including Tionne Gray, Francis Brewu, Jason Onye, Sean Sevillano, Bryce Young and Loghan Thomas, showing up as part of the pre-season evaluation. For a team trying to settle both sides of the trench, even small participation notes can matter.
The offensive line picture was especially worth watching because two names tied to important jobs were tracked in very different ways. Charles Jagusah was not in uniform as he continues to work back from shoulder surgery, while Ashton Craig was back mixing in with the top group and even getting a look at guard. For Notre Dame, that kind of early movement can hint at where the staff may have flexibility, and where the depth chart still needs time to sort itself out. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Is Chasing More Games Fans Will Circle For Years
Notre Dames future schedule already has one marquee date on it with Texas set to begin a home-and-home series in 2028, bringing the Longhorns to South Bend before the Irish head to Austin. It is the kind of matchup that fits Notre Dames long-running preference for games that travel well, carry national weight and give fans something to point to years in advance.
Athletics director Pete Bevacqua said he and Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte have talked about extending the series beyond the two scheduled games, and that fits the broader direction Notre Dame wants to keep taking. The Irish have also made it clear they intend to line up more high-profile opponents in the future, which means this could be less of a one-off attraction and more of a template for the next wave of schedules fans will start circling early. [Read more 🡒]