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an hour ago
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With Notre Dame football now officially off and running for 2025, one key question lingers
SOUTH BEND − At a few minutes past 10 on a Thursday morning that felt like fall, Notre Dame football officially closed the book on 2024. Those school-record 14 wins after playing a program-record 16 games? History. A postseason run that included a win in the first College Football Playoff on-campus game in history and a major bowl victory (and then another) for the first time since 1993? Already in the rearview. Pieces in Place: What's left on the Notre Dame football national championship checklist heading into 2025? That season was special in so many ways, but that season is so over. Put a period on those plays and those players and catalog 2024. Time to begin a new book and start the first chapter of memories in 2025. 'Two-thousand 24 has nothing to do with this 2025 team,' head coach Marcus Freeman said. Preach. It doesn't. It won't. Family Matters: Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman is disappointed for Charles Jagusah, not upset with him Still, as the pre-practice stretch lines ran a half dozen or so deep inside the Irish Athletic Center, 2024 in some ways felt like it had ended just last month. In others, it felt like forever. Another team at another time did all of that. This is a new team in a new year with a new direction. The same goal that's been around these parts since 1988 remains – win the school's 12th national championship. It didn't take long on Thursday to realize that everything about Notre Dame football feels different than this time last year. Just look at the most critical position on the field. All eyes were on those guys in red (don't-touch) jerseys. Except those that were watching the wideouts that at least – finally – look the part. Or on a defense that (whisper voice) might be even better than last season. Or along the offensive line that has some seriously massive men. 'It's a deep room,' Freeman said of the O-line, though he could say that about four or five rooms in the Gug in 2025. These Irish are loaded. With Thursday the only day for media to observe a practice from start to finish, your head had to be on a swivel. Watch this guy and those guys and that group. It was eclipse-like viewing. Look, but don't look too long. It would've been easy for Freeman to step to the front of the Notre Dame Stadium interview room early Thursday afternoon following the 90-minute workout and deliver a whopper of an opening statement. But what would classify as a one? For this team, for this season, it would be naming a starting quarterback before Notre Dame again opens on the road, again over Labor Day, this time at Miami (Fla.), site of its final win in, wait for it, 2024. Going that easy route (this is our guy) would go against everything Freeman has preached since he burst through that locker room door on the other side of the stadium tunnel in December 2021, not long after being named the 30th coach in program history. Choose Easy? Not Freeman. Not ever. Choose Hard. His first season and his second, and even his third were hard. His fourth will be. Nothing is ever easy about Notre Dame football. Instead of naming a starting quarterback, Freeman said ... nothing. No starter named. No starter hinted at. Even off the record, those around the program won't say. Let the process progress. It wasn't going there on Thursday. When might it? Deep breaths. Give it time. The next time Freeman is scheduled to meet the media is Sunday, August 17. Two weeks before that opener under the moon in Miami, Notre Dame should have its starter at quarterback. No commitment to a quarterback Thursday likely came as a slight surprise to some (we see you). When Steve Angeli announced before the end of spring practice that he was going into the transfer portal and eventually going to Syracuse, the assumption was that freshman C.J. Carr was set to be QB1. He still could be. When it was time to go seven-on-seven on Thursday, sophomore Kenny Minchey ran with the No. 1s. When it was time to go 11-on-11, there again was Minchey running with the ones. It might just be the way the reps were split on Thursday. On Friday, Carr could get the first call. Still, Thursday wasn't nothing. Maybe it's something. An open and shut competition looks open, even after safety Tae Johnson did his best Kyle Hamilton/first day of practice impersonation (Culver, 2019) and picked off Carr twice on throws into the middle of the field. The day ended with a Karson Hobbs interception of a Carr pass that receiver K.K. Smith bobbled. Freeman reserved judgment on Carr until he could return to his office and break down exactly what happened. One day, good or bad, won't decide this starter. Give it a few more days, a few more reps, and see where it goes. If it was Minchey on Thursday, it might be Carr on Friday. Both of them on Saturday. Neither of them on Sunday. Let the process progress. 'It's going to be consistency,' Freeman said of what will push one guy ahead of the other at the depth chart finish line. 'They will determine the starting quarterback.' And determine the course of a 2025 season that's officially off and running. One day down, many more to go. Where does this all lead? Who leads it? Whatever happens, we already know this: It won't be easy. Follow South Bend Tribune and NDInsider columnist Tom Noie on X (formerly Twitter): @tnoieNDI. Contact Noie at tnoie@ This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Will it be C.J. Carr or Kenny Minchey at quarterback for Notre Dame football?
Yahoo
3 days ago
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Notre Dame football position preview: Questions abound at tight end
SOUTH BEND—For five straight seasons, Notre Dame football's leading receiver has been a tight end. From 2020-22 it was consensus All-America Michael Mayer leading the way, including a tie with wideout Javon McKinley as a freshman. The past two years, Mitchell Evans topped the list, although with far more modest totals than Mayer posted. Now that Evans is in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers, the five-year streak could be in jeopardy. In 2019 Chase Claypool outpaced tight end Cole Kmet in catches (66-43). Eli Raridon enters his senior year with 16 career catches and a block-first reputation. Offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock is on record predicting 'a huge season' for Raridon this fall, but that will require instant chemistry with a first-time starting quarterback to be determined. Holdovers Kevin Bauman and Jack Larsen return, but promising junior Cooper Flanagan could miss the bulk of the regular season as he recovers from a torn left Achilles suffered in the Sugar Bowl against Georgia. 'More like Superman:' What Notre Dame football greats say about Jeremiyah Love Flanagan has five catches through two seasons but consistently earned playing time last year with his blocking prowess. That leaves Arkansas transfer Ty Washington and four-star freshman James Flanigan as potential wildcards. Like Raridon, Washington was mostly counted on to block during his three seasons at Arkansas. Denbrock tried to recruit him to Cincinnati out of high school, so the connection is there, but Washington has just 14 catches for 212 yards and four scores in his career. Flanigan, the son of former Irish defensive tackle Jim Flanigan, is a freak athlete who also starred in hockey and track and field during his Wisconsin prep career. The younger Flanigan, who also played defense, piled up 21 sacks and 26 touchdown grabs over his final three seasons. 'I wouldn't discount young James Flanigan,' Denbrock told reporters this summer. 'He's got size, he's got power and he's a mature kid for his age.' Depth chart 9 | TE | Eli Raridon | 6-7, 251 | Sr. (1L)-& 84 | TE | Kevin Bauman | 6-5, 253 | Gr. Sr. (1L) 85 | TE | Jack Larsen | 6-3, 250 | R-Fr. (4L) 7 | TE | Ty Washington | 6-4, 247 | Tr.-R-Jr. (2L) 88 | TE | James Flanigan | 6-6, 237 | Fr. (4L) 87 | TE | Cooper Flanagan | 6-6, 258 | Jr. (3L)-Inj. &: Denotes remaining eligibility years Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for the South Bend Tribune and Follow him on social media @MikeBerardino. This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Previewing Eli Raridon and Notre Dame football tight end position group
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3 days ago
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Find out when Notre Dame football will start its fall camp for the 2025 season
As we are heading towards the end of July, we know Notre Dame football is right around the corner when fall camps starts. Typically teams have about a month from when they report to begin really preparing for the season and when the opener is, which is exactly the case for the Irish. They'll start camp this coming Thursday, July 31st, with the first game being played against Miami on the road on Aug. 31st according to On3. There is plenty of hype surrounding the Notre Dame program at the moment, fresh off an impressive run to the College Football Playoff championship game, followed up by arguably the best recruiting class ever in the 2026 cycle. Head coach Marcus Freeman is also getting plenty of national attention, and big things are expected from this team once again as the season rapidly approaches. Notre Dame does have more than a few questions surrounding its team, but many of the other tops teams are also facing the same issue. The Irish should enjoy another successful regular season, one that propels them once against into the CFP. Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions. Follow Mike on X: @MikeFChen This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Notre Dame football's fall camp set to start later this week
Yahoo
20-07-2025
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Notre Dame football offers top-50 2027 Mississippi defensive end
There isn't much room left in Notre Dame football's 2026 recruiting class, with twenty-six commitments, they can start to look ahead to the 2027 cycle. They already have two commits, just one being a position player, but the Irish have sent out plenty of offers to some of the best prospects in the country. One of them was offered on Saturday evening in Mississippi edge rusher Derwin Fields. The 6-foot, 5-inch and 220-pounder is ranked by the 247Sports Composite as the nation's No. 45 overall prospect, just outside the 5-star range. Notre Dame now joins teams like Alabama, Florida, LSU, Florida State and others in offering Fields, who should end up being able to play virtually anywhere he'd like. It does look like its going to be tough to pull him away from SEC-country, but the Irish have put their hat in the ring. If Fields is able to make it up to South Bend during the season, it would be a great sign for Notre Dame to continue to be in the mix for his commitment. Time will tell if that happens, but for now, the Irish are clearly interested in him joining their 2027 class. Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions. Follow Mike on X: @MikeFChen This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Notre Dame football offers top-50 2027 Mississippi DE Derwin Fields
Yahoo
13-07-2025
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Two Notre Dame football stars, Drayk Bowen and Jaiden Ausberry, host a youth camp
Notre Dame football's family is all about the community, and over the weekend linebacker's Drayk Bowen and Jaiden Ausberry did exactly that. The pair hosted the inaugural Jr. Irish Football Camp in Butler, Indiana, giving some of the local youth some high-level instruction as reported by WANE15's Josh Ayen. It comes after star running back Jeremiyah Love did the same for the South Bend community. Advertisement It's pretty great to see the current players using their platform to show that they aren't just making plays on Saturday, but that they genuinely care about the next wave of college football stars. Notre Dame continues to show that they not only recruit great players, but great young men as well. They all understand what Irish football means to the state, and while they are just about to start fall camp, they still have enough time to host an event like this. While this was the first one, hopefully this is the beginning of an annual tradition where Bowen and Ausberry are giving back to the kids. This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Drayk Bowen and Jaiden Ausberry hosted a youth camp this weekend
