Micah Shrewsberry has finally put a projected starting five on the board for Notre Dame, and the biggest takeaway is the one he didn’t include: Marcus Burton is gone after transferring to Indiana.
The Irish’s projected lineup features fifth-year point guard Braeden Smith, senior shooting guard Braeden Shrewsberry, fifth-year wing Ethan Roberts, sophomore power forward Brady Koehler, and fifth-year center Logan Duncomb.
It’s a veteran group, and Notre Dame is hoping that experience translates into wins. Still, the reality around South Bend is a little different in Year 4 - Shrewsberry is working with a roster that has a very new look.
Braeden Shrewsberry brings the most familiarity to the starting five. Last season in South Bend, he averaged 11.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 32.7 minutes per game.
Duncomb arrives with a track record that includes stops at Indiana and Winthrop, and in the 2025-26 season with the Eagles he put up 18.3 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. Roberts, who transferred in from Penn, averaged 16.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game for the Quakers last season.
Notre Dame’s exhibition game at Dayton is set for Saturday at 7 p.m.
Around the program, the hockey team took its first loss of the season on Friday night, getting beat soundly by No. 6 Western Michigan in a 6-1 defeat. The Irish will look for a better response on Saturday night.
There was also a little pregame chatter ahead of tonight’s matchup with No. 8 BYU. Earlier this week, BYU linebacker Jake Clifton seemed to offer a bit of motivation when he explained how to handle CJ Carr:
“Yeah, just get that guy uncomfortable,” Clifton said about Carr. “He has some studs in front of him at O-line.
These guys are bigger than what we've seen, right? These guys have played in some top-10 matchups in their time.
Get this guy off the spot, make him uncomfortable and give him a little elbow every now and then. Make sure that he knows that you're going to be there all game.”
Notre Dame is also expecting Jason Onye back for the BYU game, though he’ll be brought along gradually after missing all but the first half of the season opener. Marcus Freeman said the staff will first need to see him practice and move before deciding how much he can handle.
“The first thing is we’ve got to get him out here to practice and see how he moves around,” Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator said. “If they clear him, we’ll just see how many reps he can get.
A lot of it’s going to be just conditioning and fundamentals. Conditioning will be a factor.
Fundamentals, because he hasn’t been able to do a lot of them for a while.”
In Other News...
Notre Dame Could Feel The Pressure Of This Playoff Change
With the College Football Playoff set to grow again in 2027, the conversation around college football is already shifting from access to expectation. Nick Saban said the jump from 12 teams to 24 could change the way coaches are judged, because making the postseason may soon feel less like a breakthrough and more like the baseline at major programs. For a place like Notre Dame, where playoff access has always carried outsized weight, that kind of change could reshape how every season is measured.
Saban also raised a broader concern about the extra games and the toll they could take, while floating a 16-team alternative as a cleaner solution. The playoff and ESPN have already agreed to the new format, which will feature byes and a larger postseason field, but the ripple effects may be felt far beyond the bracket itself. As the sport edges toward that future, the pressure on high-profile coaches could become even more relentless. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Faces A Playoff-Proving Test In Hostile Territory
Two undefeated teams are heading into a primetime Week 7 meeting that should tell plenty about where Notre Dame stands in the playoff conversation. The Irish have leaned on a strong defense and an efficient offense to get here, and the setting only raises the stakes as they prepare to face a BYU team that has handled its own business with a physical approach and a balanced attack.
BYU has done it while absorbing injuries and still finding ways to stay perfect, which makes this matchup more than just a record-versus-record showcase. For Notre Dame, the road test is about matching that toughness and making enough plays in the passing game, because a game like this often turns on which defense bends less and which quarterback keeps the offense steady when the pressure rises. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Defense Awaits A Possible Boost Against BYU
Leonard Moore and Jason Onye both moved closer to returning at the right time for Notre Dame, with Marcus Freeman saying the defensive back and defensive lineman are on track to play against BYU after getting work in during the week. Moore missed the previous game because of a concussion, while Onye has been sidelined since the season opener with a left ankle injury, leaving the Irish short on two pieces of depth they would like back on the field.
Both players are still listed as questionable, but the signs this week were encouraging enough to put them in line for a possible boost on defense. If their recovery keeps trending the right way, Notre Dame could get a welcome lift for a matchup that will ask plenty of its front and secondary. [Read more 🡒]