When Notre Dame hit the field for their first spring practice, fans noticed a fresh lineup on the offensive line. Anthonie Knapp took the reins at left guard, with redshirt freshman Will Black stepping in at left tackle. In the center, redshirt junior Joe Otting was flanked by Sullivan Absher at right guard, while redshirt sophomore Guerby Lambert held down the right tackle position.
Now, before anyone gets too comfortable with this setup, it's important to remember that head coach Marcus Freeman and his staff anticipate Ashton Craig and Charles Jagusah reclaiming their starting spots. This current alignment is more of a strategic experiment. The coaches are keen to see how Black and Knapp adapt to their roles, not necessarily for starting positions come fall, but to assess flexibility and depth in case injuries arise.
Notre Dame's offensive coordinator, Mike Denbrock, put it succinctly: "Spring is all about evaluating and figuring out who our best five guys are. And then, who's number six?
Seven? Do we have an eight?
That's what we're here to find out."
There's a buzz around the potential for Notre Dame's offensive line to be even more formidable in 2026 if this spring shuffle pays off.
Knapp, who faced some criticism at tackle, has shown significant improvement. Both On3 and Pro Football Focus rank him among the top returning tackles in college football.
Max Chadwick from PFF highlighted Knapp's progress: "He boosted his pass-blocking grade from 49.2 in 2024 to 66.7 last season, allowing just one sack over 334 pass-blocking snaps in 2025. His run-blocking also improved to a 72.5 grade.
Overall, he's the ninth-most valuable returning Power Four tackle over the past two years according to our WAA metric."
The goal now is to see if Knapp can excel at right guard while giving Will Black, a highly touted prospect, the chance to secure the left tackle spot. If this configuration clicks, Notre Dame's offensive line could be a powerhouse in 2026. And if not, the coaching staff has the flexibility to adjust and find the right mix.