Notre Dame's top-five positional battles to watch for during fall camp football
Head coach Marcus Freeman will have to continue his upward trajectory of the program, and that means that Notre Dame will have to find multiple new starters to continue this ascension. That is part of what the fall camp is all about, figuring out who will be able to be the next stars following the past ones.
Below, I have outlined the five biggest positional battles that we all should be watching, and let's start off with the most obvious one. Who will start for Notre Dame at quarterback against Miami.
Quarterback
It's pretty obvious this is the biggest position battle that has the eyes for Irish fans, and rightfully so after the massively successful lone season of Riley Leonard. The main combatants are CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey, as Freeman has yet to publicly announce who will take the first snap against Miami. Both are former 4-star recruits, and both don't have much experience at this level. You have to expect that Freeman will pick whoever he feels can lead Notre Dame to victory in Week 1.
Defensive end
This battle is not about talent, more about which of the injured or younger players will step up and take the starting role. Boubacar Traore and Jordan Botelho are coming off season-ending injuries while Bryce Young and Loghan Thomas are young with plenty of excitement surrounding each of them. Could a true-freshman take the reins of a start spot? Chris Burgess Jr. has the potential and Freeman isn't afraid to play first-year players.
Safety
Gone is Xavier Watts, which will leave a big hole at the back-end of the Irish defense. Adon Shuler is expected to step up, as could Tae Johnson or Ben Minich. Ethan Long and Luke Talich are other names to watch, but regardless of who takes over, you have to believe that Mike Mickens and Chris O'Leary will have them ready to roll.
Defensive tackle
Another big-time contributor left in Howard Cross III, while Rylie Mills, who repped there occasionally, also departed to the NFL. Jason Onye could big a big name here, but expect transfer Jared Dawson to secure one of the starting spots. Others that could factor into the rotation are Donovan Hinish, Sean Sevillano Jr. and Armel Mukam. If Gabriel Rubio returns to full health, he be one of the starters as well. Another position that is deep, but doesn't have solidified starters.
Linebacker
The heart and soul of the Irish linebackers Jack Kiser used up all his eligibility and moved onto the NFL. Drayk Bowen returns with a lot of hype, but who starts opposite him is the biggest question. Jaylen Sneed and Jaiden Ausberry played plenty, but it could be one of two younger players to take hold of the spot. Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa might be too good to leave on the sideline, and early enrolling Madden Faraimo has already impressed the coaching staff. It's a good problem to have, and any of them should be able to get the job done.
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