SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Marcus Freeman stood in the South Club, the private restaurant inside Notre Dame Stadium, two days before his first Blue-Gold Game, observing from the background. Notre Dame’s new head coach had issued a directive to reconnect the football program with its alumni, in part because it felt like the right thing to do for the alumni and in part because it felt like the right thing to do for his current roster. Many of the 297 former players in town for the spring game weekend were in attendance.
As his players networked, Freeman could only watch. He didn’t play here, choosing to stay home and play for Ohio State. And he has coached here for just one season, though he spent that season ingratiating himself to the program as a driven defensive coordinator.
So for these two hours on a Thursday night in April, the 36-year-old rookie head coach kept his distance.
“That was the first time I felt like an outsider,” Freeman said. “I’m the head coach of this place and I was like, ‘Man, I ain’t a part of that.’”
That moment of disconnect was brief for Freeman, who has been a tailored package of kinetic energy since succeeding Brian Kelly in December. Freeman has seemingly hit all the right notes, except for the second half of his head coaching debut in the Fiesta Bowl when Notre Dame collapsed against Oklahoma State. There is little doubt around Notre Dame that it made the right move promoting Freeman. The program’s recruiting is trending beyond the ceiling set by Kelly. That spring game drew the largest crowd since Jimmy Clausen’s freshman year. And in an era of player movement and transfers, Notre Dame’s roster seems stable despite near-total staff turnover.
Part of the reason why Freeman feels made for this moment is a credit to Kelly, Notre Dame’s all-time-winningest coach who professionalized Irish football before he bolted. Now Freeman inherits that good foundation while searching to make Notre Dame great.
How close the Irish are to another level will become clear immediately, with the season opening at Ohio State in primetime. There’s a November home date with Clemson and a regular season finale at USC. Those will be the true examinations of Freeman’s readiness for a job that few have been ready to tackle, even those with years of head coaching experience.
If Kelly built Notre Dame into a sure thing — the nation-leading 42 consecutive wins against unranked opponents, the five straight double-digit win seasons, the College Football Playoff struggles — Freeman represents a gamble worth taking. The risk is obvious for a coach who had just one season of Power 5 coordinator experience. So is the reward. The Irish had the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class by the end of spring, and as that April night at the South Club showed, Freeman is attracting more than high school talent to South Bend.
“You don’t have to be a graduate of Notre Dame to fall in love with this place, to understand what it offers young people,” Freeman said. “I get to sell, I truly believe, the best opportunity for young people to grow to be successful. I have a deep feeling about that. Yes, I know it’s recruiting, but I believe in my heart that I’m offering a young man a future that nowhere else in the country can offer him.”
What will that immediate future be this fall?
Notre Dame would have been a fascinating experiment if Kelly had returned for a 13th season in 2022, with the schedule difficulty climbing, a dynamic quarterback likely taking over and a defense on its third coordinator in three years. But with Freeman leading it all? The Irish will rate among college football’s most interesting programs.
Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees exited spring practice with an idea of what Notre Dame’s offense would look like now that he’s calling more of the shots under Freeman. What exactly will be in the playbook? How will it operate? That’s hard to get a handle on as Notre Dame must replace its starting quarterback, workhorse running back and only proven wideout. The Irish return plenty of pieces, but the identity of the offense must change as the personnel does.
“I think we’re going to continue to play around with some things and look at some new opportunities and new ideas,” Rees said. “We’ll kind of figure out what fits who we are and what doesn’t. And as we continue to press that, we’ll find a niche of what we want to be.”
Whatever Notre Dame’s offense becomes, quarterback Tyler Buchner is almost certain to lead it. He missed the spring game after suffering an ankle injury when he stumbled down the stairs after meeting with a history professor. It was an awkward end to what felt like a smooth spring for Buchner, a run-first change-up quarterback as a freshman who was growing into something more well-rounded as a sophomore. Rees had liked what he’d seen, as did Freeman.
Presumptive backup Drew Pyne struggled with interceptions and decision-making in the Blue-Gold Game, the kind of performance he couldn’t afford if there was going to be a real quarterback competition. Odds are, there won’t be.
“That’s something that at the end of the day, the most important part of playing the quarterback position is making good decisions, putting the team in the right spot,” Rees said. “And that’s something as we get into situations you can grow there.”
Running back is more unsettled than Notre Dame wants. Possible starter Logan Diggs suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder during the spring game and could miss time into the fall. That leaves Chris Tyree, Audric Estime and mid-year freshman Jadarian Price, one of the head-turners of spring practice. Tyree missed most of spring with an ankle injury but is a speed back with home run potential. Estime is a bruiser. Price feels like the best all-around option but is also the least experienced one.
The receiver room needs development, although sophomore Lorenzo Styles has star potential after a breakout Fiesta Bowl (eight catches for 136 yards and a touchdown). There’s earned hope that Braden Lenzy can deliver in his final season. Captain Avery Davis is recovering from an ACL tear in November. Joe Wilkins’ future is in doubt after a Lisfranc break in his right foot. That leaves sophomores Deion Colzie and Jayden Thomas, plus incoming freshman Tobias Merriweather. Notre Dame needs a breakout story at receiver — maybe two or three.
For all the uncertainty at running back and receiver, the tight end room is elite even by Notre Dame standards. Junior Michael Mayer could be a first-round pick next spring and is openly campaigning to set all program records for the position. A 100-catch season isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds. Mitchell Evans and Kevin Bauman offer cover if Mayer needs a break, but he almost never does.
“He’s as special a kid as we’ve had, and I’ve been a part of the program for 10 years,” Rees said. “And there’s a certain upper, upper, upper echelon of players that’s probably five deep, and he’s in there. That kid wants to be great every day. And he’s not secret about it … he wants to be great.”
The offensive line has material, but it’s not clear how returning offensive line coach Harry Hiestand will align it. Jarrett Patterson returned as one of college football’s better centers, but after a torn pectoral muscle suffered in weight training combined with center Zeke Correll’s strong spring, Patterson could shift to guard, where Josh Lugg (right) and Andrew Kristofic (left) appeared set. Sophomore Rocco Spindler could get a look as well. Patterson’s potential move is a compliment to Correll’s strong spring, but it also says something about the guard play.
Does Joe Alt remain at left tackle with Blake Fisher sticking at right? That’s how they exited spring practice. Tosh Baker was working in reserve after getting starting work last season.
Freeman will defer to Hiestand and Rees on who starts. His perspective is that Notre Dame’s best five offensive linemen need to be on the field together, even if they don’t have perfect fits in terms of positions.
Key stat to know: Notre Dame may again be able to lean into its pass game in short-yardage situations, but it has to be better on the ground. In third and fourth downs needing short yardage (three yards or fewer) last season, Notre Dame’s offensive line did not perform well enough: The Irish converted short-yardage runs 63.6 percent of the time, which was below average nationally. But where Notre Dame struggled most was giving its running backs room. On short-yardage third or fourth down plays, Notre Dame runners were hit at or behind the line of scrimmage on 60.6 percent of their carries, 121st in the FBS. (The FBS average is about 47 percent.) The Irish averaged 0.1 yards before contact per rush on third- and fourth-and-short, 127th in the FBS. Better guard play is a must because without Kyren Williams, the Irish run game will need more than magic from its lead back to move the chains.
Notre Dame’s defense will play under its third coordinator in three years in Al Golden, who inherits the architecture and roster built by Freeman and Clark Lea before him. There are still echoes of Mike Elko’s single season as Notre Dame DC in the terminology; there’s even a commitment to Brian VanGorder, who took a pledge from high school junior Bo Bauer about one month before he was fired by Brian Kelly.
Under normal circumstances, there would be a risk that Notre Dame’s defense may get overwhelmed by evolving playbooks, checks and calls as it starts over again. And there will be new complexities in Golden’s schemes, which will bring some lessons learned from his two years with the Cincinnati Bengals, including a run to the Super Bowl. But for the most part, Golden wants to enhance what’s already happening at Notre Dame rather than revolutionize it.
“Not that we can do more, I just think you can be a little bit more creative,” Golden said. “And there can be a little bit more communication. We don’t want too much. But there can be a little bit more problem-solving on the field. And that’s kind of what we’re getting to, and we don’t want to stress when there’s an issue on the field.”
Golden was describing the football IQ of the roster he now leads, and that should be a strength considering the experience returning at all three levels. But it’s talent that ultimately will make the difference for Notre Dame under Golden, who can build this defense from the front to the back considering the material at hand.
Defensive end Isaiah Foskey should be a first-round pick next year, and Notre Dame benefited from him putting off the NFL. With Rylie Mills and Justin Ademilola, the Irish have at least three ends they can rotate, although finding a fourth will be a priority in preseason camp. Mills bumped out from three-technique this winter and rated among the biggest movers in spring practice.
Jayson Ademilola should lead the interior defensive line after missing spring practice following shoulder surgery. He’s as much a pass-rushing interior player as a run stopper. Howard Cross and Jacob Lacey rate well with the coaching staff, even if neither has produced much in games yet. Notre Dame is probably a body short of an ideal four-man rotation on the defensive interior, which is why Chris Smith was added as a graduate transfer from Harvard.
Linebacker will be a veteran group, with Bauer, Marist Liufau and Jack Kiser the likely starters. Last year’s leading tackler, JD Bertrand, missed spring after wrist surgery and could play both interior positions. Five-star freshman Jaylen Sneed and sophomore Prince Kollie have to get work somewhere, it’s not entirely clear how. Liufau has star potential after missing last season with a broken ankle he suffered in training camp.
“Very, very talented. He’s a talented young man. And he’s really worked hard,” Golden said. “I can’t imagine he slowed down. He’s playing fast. So I’m excited.”
It’s harder to get a read on what Golden wants in the secondary. Northwestern transfer and 2020 consensus All-American Brandon Joseph will start at one of the safety positions, and there are three candidates — Ramon Henderson, D.J. Brown and Houston Griffith — to play opposite him. A deep cut at safety is former wideout Xavier Watts, who was ultra-productive as a spot player last November.
Cornerback was a glaring weakness by the end of last season, fully exposed in the Fiesta Bowl loss. The Irish didn’t take a graduate transfer at the position, instead relying on the talent on hand. Cam Hart and Clarence Lewis will likely open with the starters against Ohio State, with TaRiq Bracy as the nickel. Bracy had a strong spring practice after debating last winter whether to take his fifth year elsewhere. The wild card is mid-year enrollee Jaden Mickey, who was so impressive during spring practice that he will push for immediate playing time with an outside shot at starting later in the season.
Key stat to know: Notre Dame posted 41 sacks last season, by far the best mark of the Brian Kelly era, cruising past the 34 sacks recorded in 2018 and 2019. Considering the return of Foskey and the fact the Irish didn’t lose a dynamic pass rusher off last year’s roster, Notre Dame should again expect to be a pressure defense. One of Foskey’s points of motivation for returning was breaking Justin Tuck’s Notre Dame record of 24.5 career sacks. He’s nine short of tying that mark.
Notre Dame exited spring practice without a sure thing at kicker and without a punter at all. That’s a lot for special teams coordinator Brian Mason to get sorted when training camp kicks off in August.
The most likely scenario is Arkansas State transfer Blake Grupe taking over for kicker Jonathan Doerer, who hit game-winning field goals against Florida State and Virginia Tech last year. Grupe hit 64 of 86 field goal attempts and is the all-time leading scorer at Arkansas State. He has also never made a field goal longer than 47 yards. Punter is less certain, with Harvard graduate transfer Jon Sot arriving this summer alongside incoming freshman Bryce McFerson, who flipped from Wake Forest last November.
Mason is a big believer in scheming punt blocks instead of crafting punt return schemes, a trade off that paid dividends at Cincinnati. The Bearcats led the country with six blocked kicks/punts last season and finished second three years ago with five.
When Buchner signed, the four-star quarterback was seen as the kind of talent that could help the Irish not only make the College Football Playoff but win there. After a freshman season that had flashes of that greatness but no sustained evidence on gameday, it appears that optimism remains, just with caveats.
“I think a lot of it is obviously going to ride on Buchner. I think he’s gonna be great,” said one ACC coordinator. “He’s obviously got to stay healthy. That’s the No. 1 thing. He’s got to stay healthy. If he does, I think they’re fine. If he doesn’t, I think it’s gonna be trouble. I don’t know that there’s anyone viable. Look at the spring game.”
That’s not much of an endorsement of Pyne, who’s locked in what’s been advertised as a position battle with Buchner. For those who’ve seen Buchner in person, though, it appears there’s no hesitancy about Notre Dame’s starting quarterback.
This year’s receiver uncertainty is no surprise considering the Irish have recruited the position poorly in recent campaigns, short of the sophomore class of Styles, Colzie and Jayden Thomas. Running back looked like a strength on paper with Diggs, even without Kyren Williams.
“Obviously the receiver group is a big question and I think Styles has a ton of talent, I think the big one is there’s a lot of hype with Logan Diggs,” the assistant said. “That’s a tricky one, now post-surgery. He’s obviously talented, but is he gonna do it? The bowl game made you wonder what he is. He jumped over a guy at Virginia and then what? With Kyren, every day you knew what you were getting.”
There is no doubt about Notre Dame at offensive tackle, with Blake Fisher and Joe Alt returning. In fact, the assistant thought the biggest improvement for Notre Dame’s line might not be Harry Hiestand replacing Jeff Quinn, but the fact that Fisher and Alt will be healthy sophomores.
“I think those two tackles are two of the better ones in the history … and that’s a hell of a history … but I think when all is said and done you’re talking about two of the better ones to ever play there, just like you are with Michael Mayer at tight end,” the assistant said. “All of a sudden, if you’re not worried about your edges ever, you’ll get the middle part of it right. I think that’s gonna have to be a strength for them, to be able to mash people when they need to.
“If I’m a defensive end, I probably haven’t seen anybody like Fisher, ever.”
Under Brian Kelly, the Irish were a good recruiting operation that overachieved on the field because the staff nailed player development. But when Notre Dame ran into programs that were elite at both attracting and developing talent, the Irish were often blown off the field. Internally, Notre Dame knows it will be at a talent disadvantage when it faces Ohio State and Clemson this season, with USC beginning to close the gap. While Kelly conceded this talent disparity, Freeman has fought it.
That recruiting change won’t mean much to the Irish on the field this season, aside from the linebackers Freeman recruited in his lone year as defensive coordinator — five-star freshman Jaylen Sneed may need time before cracking the rotation — but it’s clear where this is headed. Notre Dame entered the summer No. 1 in most team recruiting rankings for the Class of 2023.
Notre Dame needs to do better with top-100 prospects. The Irish signed 10 prospects rated in the top 100 of the 247Sports Composite during the past four cycles, a group that included some massive hits like Kyle Hamilton and Michael Mayer, one notable bust in Jordan Johnson and potential stars in Blake Fisher and Buchner. The problem is the quantity of that quality.
In the same four-year window that Notre Dame signed 10 prospects in the top 100, Alabama signed 53, Georgia signed 35, Ohio State signed 28 and Clemson signed 23. All four of those schools signed more five-star prospects in this four-year window than the Irish’s 10 top-100 players.
Notre Dame already has six commitments in the 247Sports top 100 for the 2023 cycle and could hit double-digits before the cycle ends.
Notre Dame pulled a frontline starter from a Big Ten West roster in each of the past two years, and it added at least one more this offseason in former Northwestern safety Brandon Joseph. He was good enough during spring practice to turn the heads of Notre Dame’s offensive staff with how he fits into coverage. He’s not the tackler that Kyle Hamilton or even Alohi Gilman was, but Joseph exited spring practice as a surefire starter.
The Irish also added Harvard graduate transfer Chris Smith, who committed during spring after backing out of a decision to play his final season at Minnesota. When Notre Dame lost reserve nose guard Aidan Keanaaina to a torn ACL on the first day of spring practice, reinforcing the defensive line’s interior became a priority.
Graduate transfer kicker Blake Grupe arrived in the spring from Arkansas State and could start. Punter Jon Sot will arrive this summer from Harvard and could, too.
Notre Dame has been on the hunt for receiver help via the transfer portal but hasn’t found a match. Expect the Irish to keep looking.
When athletics director Jack Swarbrick promoted Marcus Freeman in December, it was done with the thought that staff continuity could smooth the bumps in the road first-year head coaches often face. That hypothesis was quickly scuttled after defensive line coach Mike Elston made a lateral move to his alma mater Michigan, tight ends coach John McNulty became the offensive coordinator at Boston College and running backs coach Lance Taylor became the offensive coordinator at Louisville. That’s all on top of the staff changes Notre Dame did expect at receiver, offensive line and special teams.
The turnover left offensive coordinator Tommy Rees as the only returning coach on his side of the ball, now joined by Harry Hiestand (offensive line), Deland McCullough (running backs), Gerad Parker (tight ends) and Chansi Stuckey (receivers). Hiestand is in his second tour at Notre Dame. McCullough has college and NFL experience. Parker has some offensive coordinator work and goes back with Freeman at previous stops. Stuckey is in just his second season as a full-time assistant after one year at Baylor.
Defensive line coach Al Washington was Freeman’s No. 1 pick to replace Elston and a straightforward hire after Washington was not retained at Ohio State. The move took barely a week to get done. New special teams coach Brian Mason was also an easy pick with his background working with Freeman at Cincinnati.
New defensive coordinator Al Golden was more complicated, as Freeman wanted both experience and tactical flexibility. Because of Golden’s demands with the Cincinnati Bengals and the Super Bowl schedule, he didn’t officially come aboard until Feb. 16 to round out the staff.
In an alternate reality where Notre Dame’s all-time winningest coach hadn’t just bolted for the SEC, it would easy to cast the Irish as a CFP contender. Both lines should be improved. The quarterback play could be more dynamic with Buchner. The back seven on defense appears to be in better shape than expected. Mayer is an action hero at tight end.
But how much difference does a head coach make? And what should be made of a schedule that opens at Ohio State, closes at USC and includes Clemson visiting South Bend?
If Freeman can put the same charge into Notre Dame as he did in the first half of the Fiesta Bowl, the Irish may be in the hunt for another CFP bid. If Freeman gets caught in more moments like the second-half collapse against Oklahoma State, then the optimism around Notre Dame this year may be limited to recruiting.
Notre Dame’s 2022 season won’t have much in the way of guardrails. How Freeman manages the journey will determine the destination.
Editor’s note: This is part of a series previewing Power 5 and top Group of 5 teams for the 2022 college football season.
(Top photo of Michael Mayer: Robin Alam / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)