Notre Dame’s offense already put up numbers that would make most coordinators smile: 42.0 points per game, 42.0 yards per play and a passer efficiency rating that set records. The Irish also closed the regular season on a 10-game winning streak and beat every opponent by double digits, something they hadn’t done since 1966.
That kind of production is impressive on its own. But even after losing Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price and Malachi Fields, there’s still another gear available for this unit. Getting there, though, will take a few personnel tweaks and some schematic adjustments from offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, who has already proven he can build an elite offense at multiple stops, including South Bend.
One of the clearest places to start is at receiver. Notre Dame’s wideout room looks very different now than it did in years past, and the depth is strong enough that Denbrock and receivers coach Mike Brown should be able to lean on a deeper rotation this fall.
Last season, Fields, Jordan Faison and Will Pauling handled most of the snaps on the perimeter, and by the end of games they were clearly wearing down. That doesn’t have to be the formula anymore.
With Faison, Jaden Greathouse, Mylan Graham, Quincy Porter, Cam Williams, Micah Gilbert, Elijah Burress, Logan Saldate and a group of talented true freshmen in the mix, there’s no reason to keep the rotation so tight.
The tight end room also needs a bigger role from the No. 2 option in the passing game. Ty Washington caught just five passes last season even though he played in all 12 regular-season games.
Whether that spot belongs to Washington, James Flanigan, Jack Larsen or true freshman Ian Premer, Notre Dame needs more than a token contribution there. If the Irish keep leaning on 12-personnel without getting real production from that second tight end, defenses can start to see it coming.
Someone in that room has to become a legitimate part of CJ Carr’s read progression. That doesn’t mean the No. 2 tight end has to pile up 30 catches, but he does need to be a threat.
Carr’s second year under center should also open the door for a little more variety in how Notre Dame operates snap to snap. The Irish don’t need to become 2010 Oregon, but they should mix tempo more often.
After a first down, the offense can get lined up quickly and keep a play ready depending on the defense’s look. Every so often, a drive should come out with tempo right away.
It’s not a wholesale identity shift, but it would force defenses to stay alert.
There’s also room to move the receivers around more than Notre Dame did a year ago. Fields lived mostly in the boundary, Faison spent most of his time to the field and Pauling worked primarily from the slot.
With the skill set now in the room, the Irish can get closer to a positionless style. Greathouse, Williams and Graham can all work to the boundary, Faison can operate in the slot and other receivers have the versatility to line up across the formation.
The run game could use more variety too. Last season, most of Notre Dame’s runs came between the tackles, and the most outside-oriented looks were usually midzone.
With the offensive line play expected to be strong again, there’s room to add more concepts that stress the edges. Inside zone should still be the foundation, but the Irish should also have plays designed to attack outside the tackles, including toss crack, buck sweep and outside zone.
And finally, the passing game should do a better job of getting receivers moving when they catch the ball. Too often last season, the ball arrived from stationary looks.
Faison, for example, was used heavily on deep outs, comeback routes and “now” screens. This year’s group has more after-the-catch ability, and that should show up in the route tree.
Deep overs, tunnel screens, slants and drag routes would put the ball in space more often. Faison, Greathouse and Graham all showed in the spring that they can make plays once the ball is in their hands, and Notre Dame should be looking to turn that into Saturdays production.
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Notre Dame Suddenly Has A Real Shot At Needed Receiver Help
Notre Dames receiver search suddenly has a more intriguing name attached to it, and it comes with a built-in connection to the program. Mylan Graham, a highly regarded Indiana prospect who signed with Ohio State, spent two seasons buried in a crowded receiver room before the Buckeyes offensive staff changed and the portal opened a new door. Once he entered, Graham quickly reached out to Notre Dame through safety Tae Johnson, a childhood friend who gave him a direct line into a program still looking for help at the position.
The appeal is not hard to see from Notre Dames side. Graham and Johnson both grew up in Fort Wayne, crossed paths in youth leagues and worked with the same trainer, Dre Muhammad, so this is not some late-arriving recruiting relationship built on a quick phone call. Graham has also pointed to Johnsons success and the trust Notre Dame has shown in him as part of what makes the Irish stand out, which gives this pursuit a little more substance than a typical transfer-market flyer. [Read more 🡒]
CJ Carr Is Entering The Same Heisman Talk As College Football's Biggest Names
The early Heisman conversation for next season already has the usual heavyweight names attached to it, and Arch Manning remains part of that group even after a first year at Texas that was solid more than spectacular. The former five-star arrived with enormous expectations, but the Longhorns 10-3 finish and some uneven moments along the way have taken a little shine off the runaway hype that once surrounded him.
Even so, Manning is still one of the most visible quarterbacks in the sport, and the same broad field of contenders now includes Notre Dames CJ Carr. For the Irish, that is a sign of how quickly Carr has moved into national relevance, even as the broader race remains fluid and the real separating line between preseason buzz and true Heisman traction still has to be written. [Read more 🡒]
How Anthonie Knapp Became A Cornerstone In Notre Dame's Line Reset
Anthonie Knapp arrived at Notre Dame as an interior lineman in the 2024 freshman class, but the Irish needed him on the edge almost immediately. Injuries and other personnel changes pushed him into the starting left tackle job, and over two seasons and 27 starts he went from emergency solution to one of the most important pieces on the offensive line.
Now the next adjustment has sent Knapp back inside, where the Irish are reworking the front again in 2026. His move to guard fits the kind of versatility Notre Dame has come to value from him, and it also speaks to how much trust the staff has in a player who has kept improving every time they have asked him to learn something new. [Read more 🡒]