Notre Dame is back on the practice field today, and the buzz around this team is already loud. The Irish open fall camp as the No. 5 ranked team in the US LBM Coaches Poll, and Marcus Freeman offered a glimpse of what’s ahead on Tuesday as expectations rise for a season with a very different kind of spotlight.
But camp isn’t just about the ranking. It’s about the details that will decide whether this group can turn that lofty billing into something bigger. From a young quarterback taking another step to a few key injuries and some serious questions in the backfield, there’s a lot worth watching as the Blue and Gold get rolling.
The biggest one starts with CJ Carr. His growth in Mike Denbrock’s system could shape everything for Notre Dame this fall.
Carr has the talent to carry a lot, but the Irish are also dealing with real change around him after losing Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price and Malachi Fields. Denbrock, though, has a strong history with second-year starters, and his work with Jayden Daniels at LSU stands out.
Even a modest jump from Carr could send the conversation around him into another level, including the growing first-round draft chatter.
There’s also the health of a couple of important pieces to keep an eye on. Linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa and wide receiver Quincy Porter are both expected to matter a lot for this team, but both arrive in camp limited.
Freeman said he expects all of those players to be ready for the start of the season, though that’s still something to watch closely. Viliamu-Asa may not be listed as a starter, but he plays like one, while Porter brings the kind of size on the boundary this roster needs.
The hope is that both are ready for Wisconsin, but the next month will tell the real story.
On the defensive line, Charlie Partridge has already proven he can recruit with the best of them. He’s put together a defensive line class that many view as the top group in the 2027 cycle.
Now the focus shifts to whether that recruiting success turns into production on the field. Freeman feels good about the interior, but the edges need more.
There’s talent there with Boubacar Traore and Bryce Young, yet Notre Dame needs more impact from that group. Camp should start giving a better read on whether that next step is coming.
Running back depth is another issue that can’t be ignored. Aneyas Williams appears to be the starter, but the Irish need more than one name they can trust over a long season.
At least three others will have to log meaningful snaps, and that’s where the questions begin. Nolan James has plenty of upside and could be the first option off the bench, but he brings almost no experience.
Kedren Young needs to elevate his game, and so does the freshman. For Notre Dame, that’s a major concern entering camp.
And then there’s the biggest question of all: can Notre Dame win the College Football Playoff? Camp won’t answer that directly, but it hangs over everything.
The talent is there. The coaching staff is there.
The schedule, at least on paper, gives the Irish a path to bring younger players along. There are plenty of reasons to believe this team can contend, and building depth early is part of that process.
If Notre Dame hits its marks, it could be playing in late January with a chance at the National Championship.
In Other News...
Notre Dame Independence Suddenly Feels More Vulnerable Than Ever
Notre Dames long-held football independence has suddenly been put in a much shakier position after the Protect College Sports Act failed to draw enough Senate support to advance to a full vote. The bill had provisions that would have helped the Irish preserve their unique setup, so its collapse leaves the school watching a fast-changing college sports landscape without much certainty about what comes next.
For Notre Dame, the concern is less about one piece of legislation than the direction the sport could take if the top power leagues decide to chart their own course. If the SEC and Big Ten start shaping their own rules, the pressure on programs outside that structure would only grow, and the Irishs ability to remain fully independent could become harder to defend. [Read more 🡒]
Brian Kelly Just Reopened An Awkward Notre Dame Debate
Brian Kelly is back in the college football conversation this fall, only this time it is from a CBS broadcast booth rather than a sideline. The former Notre Dame coach has taken on a role calling Mountain West games, and he wasted little time turning attention back to the program he once led by predicting the Irish will run the table in the regular season and put themselves in position for a top College Football Playoff seed.
For Notre Dame fans, the comment lands in an old, complicated place. Kelly has said he holds no ill will toward the program and wants to repair the relationship, but any public forecast tied to the Irish tends to revive the debate over how his era ended and what might have been. His new platform gives him a fresh voice around the sport, and it also ensures every Notre Dame reference will carry a little extra weight. [Read more 🡒]
Adon Shuler Practice Scare Puts Notre Dame Secondary On Edge
A brief scare at Saturday practice had Notre Dame watching closely when safety and two-time captain Adon Shuler appeared to injure his right leg. Trainers checked him on the field and applied a compression sleeve, a sight that naturally grabbed attention for a defense that leans on his steadiness and leadership.
Shuler eventually returned to the field and took part in mental reps, which at least offered some reassurance in the moment. Still, there was no official update from the coaching staff, leaving the status of one of the Irish secondarys most important voices hanging a bit as practice moved on. [Read more 🡒]