Written by Connor D'Aquila ⏐ Writer ⏐ Twitter/X: @ConnorDaquilaIT Photo by The Irish Tribune On Saturday, the media had the pleasure of watching the annual "jersey scrimmage" in Notre Dame Stadium. We got to see the offense and defense faceoff for about 80 plays as Coach Freeman reported after the game. Without Riley Leonard in at quarterback, it was tough to get a true sense of how the offense will eventually look, but there was a lot to be excited about on the defense. For a more detailed review of the offense, be sure to check out our article from Saturday here . Below, I will detail the biggest standouts of the day, and then do a position-by-position breakdown.  Who Stood Out A couple of young players looked very promising in the front seven, first and foremost being Boubacar Traore. We heard rumblings of how dynamic of a player he can be, and that became obvious in the scrimmage. Mostly playing on the outside, Traore was all over the field, getting pressure on the quarterback and making stops in the run game. The quarterbacks had red jerseys on, so we couldn’t see him make too many hits, but he flashed some impressive spin moves and carried the combination of strength and agility that should make all opposing offensive lines nervous.  Another young guy who made waves was Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, who excited a lot of ND fans with his commitment this past summer and has looked good throughout the spring. The combination of intelligence, athleticism, and size jumps out with KVA. At times, we got to see him in coverage, staying in coverage with Jaden Greathouse 30 yards downfield, while on another play, he lined up on the edge and came up with a sack after stunting inside. His delayed blitzes from the linebacker position also looked good, and his impact on the run game was massive. The versatility was great to see, and I believe he has the ability to bring an unprecedented level of excitement to the defense.   Rounding out this list is Jaiden Ausberry, a highly touted linebacker out of Baton Rouge. Coach Freeman could not talk highly enough about him in the postgame press conference, and it was evident why throughout the scrimmage. Coach Golden generally had him in a rover-like position, but he also frequently dropped into coverage and got in on the pass rush. After, Freeman would say that they feel they need him on the field somewhere and will work to find what capacity that should be in. With his combination of athleticism and strength, they should be able to fit him in, and he was exciting to watch all day.  Defensive Line I already touched on Traore, but this group was impressive as a whole. They never left the quarterback much time to get comfortable, and it was evident as the offense never seemed to get in a groove. Jordan Botelho showed some flashes that were promising for a hopeful bounce-back year. Generally well-rounded, his day included a potential sack (not ruled dead by referees), a very nice run stop, and a good rep after dropping into coverage on a quick out route. On the other end, we got our first live glimpse of RJ Oben, the transfer from Duke. While he did not have the greatest or flashiest game, he got some pressure on the quarterback and did not have any concerning lost reps. Junior Tuihalamaka also got a fair amount of time on the edge and was involved in a number of run stops, showing some good quickness as a bit of a smaller lineman. Bryce Young played a similar role and had one good pressure, which was great to see. His length also jumps out while watching. On the inside, the run-stopping ability was exceptional. Throughout the scrimmage, they stifled the offense’s talented running back room, and aside from a couple of runs toward the end, limited almost all big plays. Donovan Hinish had a particular play where he was able to burst through the line and get to the quarterback, while freshman Sean Sevillano also got a pressure that was well-received by the bench. This was a very strong all-around performance by the unit, and with Rylie Mills and Howard Cross anchoring them, there should be few concerns.  Linebacker As I said, KVA and Ausberry were very impressive throughout the scrimmage, but for a unit with a lot of veteran talent leaving, they left a lot to be excited about. Jack Kiser was solid as expected, but newer contributors like Jaylen Sneed and Drayk Bowen showed the fruits of Marcus Freeman’s recruiting work to bring in more athleticism. Sneed finally showed the polish that had been missing from his game while Bowen was all over the field making some strong tackles. Recently returning to the team, Kahanu Kia had a very nice pressure after lining up on the edge, which was great to see. I hoped to see a little bit more of Preston Zinter, but he was not overly impactful.  Aside from a couple of plays, tackling also looked to be very good by the group and was especially impressive in the run game. I credited the defensive line with a lot of the success, but the linebackers were equally impactful. Any time a play got to the second level, they were there. All game, they read plays well and put themselves in the right positions. I have been excited about Coach Bullough for some time, and the game only confirmed what I thought. This was a well-coached unit that came ready to play.  Defensive Backs Two pick-sixes and another interception with limited scoring from the offense should tell most of what you need to know about this group’s performance. Starting with the cornerbacks, it was obviously a limited view without Morrison, but I was left very excited about Jaden Mickey and Christian Gray. Both were very solid and had the wide receivers struggling to find separation. Mickey’s pick-six was a perfect read, as he jumped a simple out route on Angeli and had a free path to a touchdown. Micah Bell got some time as well and had one play called a holding, which I thought was solid coverage, but nonetheless, he seemed to hold his own. We know the speed he has, but he also played with a level of physicality that I liked to see. Chance Tucker got a lot of time, and it was certainly a mixed bag. The most exciting touchdown of the day, from CJ Carr to Cam Williams was his blown coverage, but he did have a good breakup while defending Deion Colzie and appeared to be vocal throughout the day.  As for the safeties, they showed a lot of promise. Xavier Watts and Adon Shuler accounted for the other two interceptions of the day, both of which were great reads. We know what Watts is capable of, and it was great to see him ever-present around the ball. A lot of the newer members of the team got plenty of time as well, and they were fun to watch. Luke Talich’s build is impressive, and he made some nice tackles. I also expect Adon Shuler to get time this season, which would be a great piece to add. Devyn Ford appeared low on the depth chart after moving from running back, but I noted a couple of nice tackles from him. Kennedy Urlacher appeared a bit undersized, but he definitely held his own and was involved frequently. At one point he jammed his receiver at the line and took him out of the play, while another time he trailed a go route all the way and prevented a completion. Jordan Clark played a lot of nickel but had a couple of blitzes as well and looked really solid throughout. The general lack of big plays is a positive sign for the group, and it will be interesting to see what the final depth chart looks like behind Watts, especially once Rod Heard and the other freshmen arrive on campus.  Overall, this was a fantastic showing for the defense. Coach Freeman spoke about the benefit of entering a third year with the same staff on that side of the ball, and it was evident. Coach Denbrock’s frequent motion could not fool them, and they were playing fundamentally well all day. I believe this could end up being one of the strongest defenses in the country, and with the amount of young talent, ND fans have much to look forward to. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Written by Owen O'Connor ⏐ Writer ⏐ Twitter/X: @Ocon54 Photo by The Irish Tribune As the 2024 NFL Draft approaches, the spotlight shines brightly on the University of Notre Dame, where several football stars are poised to take the next step in their careers. Head Coach Marcus Freeman and the tremendous supporting staff have always done a great job of developing players to be ready for the next level of competition whether they were with the program for a short time or their entire collegiate career. Players such as Audric Estime and Joe Alt have been loyal to the vision for the program, while others such as Sam Hartman looked for his last chance to show his talent before entering the big stage. These gifted athletes developed their abilities on the hallowed grounds of Notre Dame Stadium, captivating fans with their performances and leaving an unforgettable stamp on the Fighting Irish tradition. Though the season did not go as everyone envisioned, these players demonstrated NFL-caliber potential on some of the largest collegiate stages. They are now ready to exhibit their talents at the professional level. While we await the start of the 2024 NFL Draft, Fighting Irish alumni have been impressing professional scouts on every stage. The NFL Combine and Notre Dame Pro Day have passed, but that doesn't mean the preparation is over for these future pros. Prospects are currently visiting NFL organizations that could be interested in their services come draft day. Let's take a look at where some of our top Notre Dame prospects have visited so far, and if it could be their new professional home: Joe Alt - OL Joe Alt is seen as the top Notre Dame player coming into this NFL Draft and a Week 1 starter. The Fighting Irish have a tremendous reputation for generating pro-level talent at the Offensive Line, some would even refer to the program as "O-Line University", a compliment a collegiate program gets when producing multiple elite players at a specific football position. Alt is next in line behind a tremendous track record of top OL prospects from Notre Dame, following Ronnie Stanley, Quenton Nelson, and many more. In the past two collegiate seasons, the top prospect allowed only one sack against great competition. Alt also had a 92.8 pass-blocking grade this season, ranking second among all Division I offensive linemen. Alt's stellar career has continued to impress during the selection process, including interviews and combine drills. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, the Fighting Irish standout completed 27 bench reps for a total combined score of 87, placing him best among all prospects in his position group. Alt will have a large amount of interest from multiple NFL organizations, but many mock drafts do not predict him falling outside of the Top 10 selections. The top prospect met with various scouts at the NFL Combine and Notre Dame's Pro Day, but two teams showing the most interest in Joe Alt are the Tennessee Titans and New York Jets. The news comes from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, who notes that Alt and the Titans met on Wednesday, April 3rd, one day after the Notre Dame product visited the New York Jets, who picked three spots behind Tennessee. Both teams have shown that if the top Offensive Lineman is there, they will most likely make the selection. This pick would not only be one of the safest picks in the draft, but one that can protect the future of your franchise. These two franchises have rosters that will rely on the health of their Quarterbacks, giving even more of a reason for Alt to be the draft choice. Both the Jets and Titans are positioned to be very competitive in 2024, and Alt will help secure the protection and efficiency of a powerful offense. Sam Hartman - QB Hartman arrived at Notre Dame with high hopes after 5 seasons at Wake Forest, seeing valuable playing time each year. This year, he posted a stat line of 2,689 yards and 24 passing TD's with only 8 INT's in the 2023 season. The former starting Quarterback has been a name to watch since he committed to Notre Dame last offseason. Unfortunately, the talent level in the 2024 Quarterback draft class will not do him any favors. Heisman winners Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels, as well as National Championship appearances from JJ McCarthy and Michael Penix, are seen with higher potential than the Fighting Irish quarterback, whose production took a hit in the latter half of the 2023 season. Hartman is currently projected to be a Day 3 pick, which consists of the final 3 rounds of the NFL draft. He has generated conversations and interest from many organizations, including the Green Bay Packers and other developmental-friendly teams. Many big-name collegiate Quarterbacks have found more success after being drafted later and learning from a veteran, such as Brock Purdy, Matt Hasselbeck, or the great Tom Brady. The former Notre Dame and Wake Forest prospect will have his chance to compete for a roster spot no matter where he is selected in the 2024 NFL Draft. Audric Estime - RB Following the path set by Kyren Williams, Audric Estime looks to be the next talented Notre Dame Running back in the NFL. Estime was a definite foundation of the offensive game plan heading into most games last season. He accounted for 18 of the team's 28 rushing touchdowns and 55% of overall rushing yards in 2023. Estime struggled with some workouts at the NFL Combine, including his 40-yard dash time. Fortunately, he improved at Notre Dame's official pro day, running a 4.58 40-yard dash. There have been no reports of official NFL visits for Estime, but he has generated interest from multiple organizations as their future starting Running back. Both the Baltimore Ravens and Carolina Panthers have reportedly met with Estime at the NFL Combine and Notre Dame Pro Day. Another team that has remained interested in the Fighting Irish star is the Cleveland Browns. The Browns also met with Estime and have remained in contact throughout the draft process in search of a future Running back who can learn from and eventually fill the shoes of Nick Chubb. Estime is projected to be selected in between the late first round and middle third round, but could end up in a higher selection. The NFL draft is full of surprises for not only the fans, but players and organizations as well. Finding the team that believes the most in you will give prospects confidence to compete in the beginning of their professional careers. The NFL 2024 NFL Draft will begin the 1st round on Thursday, April 25th at 8:00PM, and concluding Saturday, April 27th. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

By: Luciano Antonini⏐Writer⏐Twitter: @LucciAntonini ⏐Profile: @LucianoAntonini Photo by Leyton Byler - The Irish Tribune SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- This past Saturday, The Irish Tribune had the opportunity to cover a full practice inside Notre Dame Stadium one week before Notre Dame football hosts its annual Blue & Gold game. While practice was business as usual: Warm-ups, positional drills, punt returns, etc. Notre Dame football put on a show for the media in the form of a "Jersey Scrimmage". The jersey scrimmage features the offense vs the defense, with special teams mixed in for the offense. The scrimmage was very similar to a regular game of football, essentially simulating a full offensive drive in their own territory, tasked to drive downfield and score a touchdown. The Irish Tribune's Nick Kremer broke down the offense ( Offensive Breakdown Article ) while Connor D'Aquila covered the defense, that article will be out shortly. If you're looking for an in-depth analysis of how each side of the ball did, along with specific players, give those articles a read. We put out several different question polls across social media asking fans what questions they had regarding the jersey scrimmage. I'll be answering almost every single question Irish nation sent our way, and Nick Kremer and Pete Mulroy of The First & Gold Podcast will cover the most notable ones in their upcoming episode ahead of the Blue & Gold game. If you don't see your exact question listed, it was most likely answered under a similar question. With that being said, let the fun begin. "Obviously [it's the] first practice, but are the rumblings of the offensive line struggling worrisome to you?" This was spring practice #11, so there's been some time for the offensive line to get their hands dirty and improve on last season. Watching the jersey scrimmage, I do have to raise some concerns about the performance. The offense as a whole looked like it needed work, and the offensive line was a part of that. From what I recorded, there were at least 3 false starts, two of those being back-to-back. Apart from the false starts: The vast majority of the run plays drawn up were consistently stuffed at or near the line, leaving little opportunity for Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price, and others to make a play on the ground. There were also many times where the defensive front seven got in the backfield leading to sacks, TFLs, and even fumbles. I also recall several times where there were bad snaps, none led to any fumbles or turnovers, but a lot of noticeable low and high snaps throughout the scrimmage. Sam Pendleton appeared to be under center most of the time. I'm not going to sound the alarm because we're in the middle of April, but it is evident there's still work to be done. "I didn't see much of Drayk Bowen? Was he there?" Yes, sophomore linebacker Drayk Bowen was present at practice today and is one of the notable players on defense that stood out to me in the jersey scrimmage. Bowen was seen consistently getting to the backfield throughout the scrimmage. Bowen has the challenge of being a dual-sport student-athlete. LB coach Max Bullough discussed with the media recently about Bowen's baseball-to-football balance, noting that sleep is generally the area you have to sacrifice; so to see Bowen making plays in practice for football while being a part of the baseball team, shows a lot about his athletic abilities. "Surprise players? Both good and bad." Freshman WR Cam Williams really stepped up for the offense. The chemistry between him and QB CJ Carr was very much evident and even led to points on the board. I'd say looking at all of Williams' opportunities in the scrimmage, there was much more to look forward to than to not. There were some concerns in previous practices about William's presence, but today Williams seemed to silence those opinions, I'm very impressed with what he showed on the field. The offensive line as a whole was not the greatest, I gave all my thoughts and observations above, but as I said there's work to be done. "Which position group looked the strongest?" If I had to guess, I think everyone who watched the scrimmage would have their first choice be a position group on the defensive side of the ball, specifically the front seven (Defensive Line and Linebackers). Those guys were in the backfield more times than I can count on my hands. Boubacar Traore is my defensive MVP, maybe even the MVP overall. "Does today's team performance impact your expectations for the season at all?" I'd say no more than yes. Let's keep a few things in mind: QB Riley Leonard did not participate in the scrimmage, and it shouldn't shock too many people if he is QB1 heading into College Station, so not having your QB1 for this scrimmage should relieve some criticism on the offense's performance. I'd also like to add that we're not even halfway through April, so there's plenty of time to get things in order. If it were August and this happened, I'd be concerned for the offense, but I'm confident Mike Denbrock will figure it out, and a healthy Riley Leonard will make it better. In terms of the defense: Outstanding. At worst, they picked up where they left off last season. At best, they're even better than last season. "How did the receivers and offensive line do?" Moving past the offensive line, the receivers were pretty good today in my opinion. The quarterbacks gave the wideouts a notable amount of bad looks today with a mixture of high balls, overthrown passes, and passes that were out of the target zone. When the passes were good though, the wide receivers more often than not came down with the ball from what I saw. WRs Jaden Greathouse and Cam Williams were the two standouts today for me. Greathouse seems to be emerging as a guy who can be a consistent starter for Notre Dame and has shown a lot of flashes of greatness. "How did the QBs look?" "How did CJ Carr look?" "Carr starting week 1?" CJ Carr: Of the three QBs that participated in the scrimmage (CJ Carr, Steve Angeli, and Kenny Minchey), Carr looked the best. In defense of Angeli and Minchey, Carr was running with the 3's, and playing against the 3's (3rd string), but Carr performed the best overall, and it wasn't all that close either. Carr is the only of the three QBs to not throw a pick-six, let alone a pick at all, and even put points on the board, throwing a dreamer to Cam Williams in the endzone. It's hard to say if Carr would be ready for College Station, and I'd bet he'll start as QB4 at the beginning of the season behind Leonard, Angeli, and Minchey. But make no mistake, the Carr hype train hasn't slowed down, matter of fact, it's picking up speed, slowly, but nonetheless picking up speed. Everyone not named CJ Carr: As I said, Leonard didn't participate. But Angeli and Minchey did not get any brownie points from the scrimmage. Both Angeli and Minchey threw pick-sixes to Xavier Watts and Jaden Mickey (I'd describe both those pick-sixes like the Julian Love pick-six against Michigan State in 2017), and Angeli threw another pick on the final play to Adon Shuler, but at least Shuler didn't take it to the house. Couple this with a notable amount of out-of-range passes and high balls, multiple sacks, a strip sack (In my book), and a few instances of the ball getting hit as it was released, there was more to be desired today out of Angeli and Minchey. "How does the offensive line look vs the defensive line?" It was night and day. The defensive line showed up and played like it was their last game. Junior Tuihalamaka and Boubacar Traore came to play, getting several sacks and TFLs throughout the scrimmage. I'd like to make the statement that the defensive line will be significantly better in 2024 than it was in 2023 (Even though the 2023 defensive line was great) if Junior and Boubabar become the players I think they can become. "Is [Riley] Leonard playing next week?" Most likely not. Leonard said in a recent group interview that he doesn't expect to have a significant role in the Blue and Gold game, due to it being the spring game, and it not being a smart idea to risk any more injuries. Leonard did say however he feels him actually playing would be "50/50" if it were a regular season game, so keep that in mind. "Which player has shown the most improvement separating them from the rest in that position?" CB Jaden Mickey stands out to me for that question. Mickey was one of the defensemen who ran an interception back to the house. Mickey also followed that up with a few important pass breakups and some good coverage in the scrimmage. I think Mickey has the chance to be an impact player on defense with the departure of Cam Hart to the NFL Draft, and the absence of Benjamin Morrison as of now, even with Morrison in the picture, Mickey has the chance to be a difference maker. "How well did the QBs and WRs perform together? Also, who stood out from the two?" In terms of who stood out from the two: CJ Carr and Cam Williams, Notre Dame fans should be happy about that. In terms of them performing together: I liked what I saw with Carr and Williams in the scrimmage. The chemistry is there, and it's good. "Minchey or Carr" From what I saw today, Carr. "Who won?" The defense won 43-32. "If you had to guess based on today, who are the top 4 wideouts for the spring game?" Jaden Greathouse, Jayden Thomas (If he can stay healthy), Jordan Faison (If Lacrosse doesn't keep him less involved in the spring game), and Deion Colzie. I'd make an argument for Jayden Harrison but he is currently dealing with a foot/heel injury. Micah Gilbert and Cam Williams likely won't be one of the top 4 guys for the Blue & Gold game since they're freshmen. "Who is the best WR at the moment?", "How did the receiver group look? And was there a clear-cut WR1?" Jaden Greathouse gave off the impression of a WR1 today. I'm not sure how the depth chart and target distribution will look factoring in Kris Mitchell, Jayden Thomas, and Jayden Harrison, but Greathouse impressed me. Jayden Thomas didn't participate in the scrimmage due to a hamstring issue, and Harrison is out with a foot injury. I can recall moments of every available WR getting reps in the scrimmage today, from Jack Polian to Micah Gilbert, but Greathouse and Williams were the two that stood out to me today. I think the WR room is in much better shape now than it was during the final months of the Chansi Stuckey era. WR coach Mike Brown has done a great job in developing these guys up to this point from what I've seen. Looking at the bigger picture, I think this jersey scrimmage did its job of showing the coaching staff and the media where the team currently stands with its development. While there's work to be done on the offensive side of the ball, we saw some freshmen make a great impression, like Carr and Williams, the defense truly wowed me with how quick and explosive they were, especially the front seven's ability to get in the backfield. Notre Dame fans should be excited about Al Golden's elite defense, and the fanbase should continue to be optimistic about the Mike Denbrock-era offense. Once Riley Leonard is happy and some things are fleshed out, the offense should be it needs to come on August 24th at Kyle Field. 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By: Nick Kremer⏐Editor⏐Twitter: @NickKremerIT ⏐Profile: @NickKremer Notre Dame, Indiana - The Notre Dame Football Team held their annual “Jersey Scrimmage” on Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium. The media was able to see approximately 80 snaps of offense vs defense in a scrimmage that the defense ultimately won 50-32. (we were not sure exactly how the scoring worked) Marcus Freeman stated that this was the first time that the defense has defeated the offense in the jersey scrimmage since he has been at Notre Dame. My colleague focused on the defense, so I was locked in on the offense. While the offense struggled at times, it is important to remember that the Irish offense is still learning a new playbook under offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, and there is also the fact that the Irish defense is very likely to be one of the best in the nation. The first team offense was as follows:  LT Charles Jagusah, LG Pat Coogan, C Ashton Craig, RG Billy Schrauth, RT Tosh Baker, QB Steve Angeli, RB Jeremiyah Love, TE Cooper Flanagan, Field WR Kris Mitchell, Slot Jaden Greathouse, and Boundary WR Micah Gilbert. The second team offense was as follows: LT Sullivan Absher, LG Rocco Spindler, C Sam Pendleton, RG Ty Chann, RT Amil Wagner, QB Kenny Minchey, RB Jadarian Price, Boundary WR Deion Colzie, TE Eli Raridon, Slot KK Smith, and Field WR Cam Williams. Offensive Line The offensive line as a whole had an up and down day, with the defensive line ultimately being the better unit for the day. Al Golden has been known to be very aggressive in practice, and that was on full display in today's matchup. Golden brought a variety of pressures and stunts that gave the big men up front a tough time throughout the day.  Charles Jagusah flashed that he is one of the better offensive lineman on the team, but he was tasked with trying to block both Boubacar Traore and Jordan Botelho for much of the scrimmage, and ultimately gave up a couple of sacks. The rest of the offensive line struggled to get much of a push or open up running lanes, but did a fairly good job in pass protection aside from some edge pressures. Sam Pendleton took some reps at center, a new position for him, and struggled with low snaps on more than one occasion. Some other names that stood out up front were Billy Schrauth, Pat Coogan, Sullivan Absher, and Joe Otting. Running Backs With Al Golden's suffocating defense, it was difficult for the running backs to find many holes to run through as they were hit in the backfield on multiple occasions. The best run of the day came from Jeremiyah Love as he followed the left side of the line patiently, burst through to the second level, and delivered a punishing hit on safety Adon Schuler. Aneyas Williams was running with the third team and it is clear that the young back is going to be a talented ball carrier for the Irish. There are a lot of similarities between Aneyas Williams and Kyren Williams, but time will tell if Aneyas will have the same kind of career that Kyren did. Jadarian Price and Gibran Payne took some reps with the first and second unit, but were unable to get much going when they did get touches. Kedren Young did not participate in the scrimmage due to an injury. While the running backs did not have a ton of running room or a lot of big gains, they collectively did very well in pass protection. Tight End Mike Denbrock had the Irish offense in 11 personnel for most of the scrimmage except for a few plays when the offense was backed up to their own endzone. Cooper Flanagan took most of the first team reps and was a favorite target for Steve Angeli. Flanagan hauled in at least three to four passes on the day. Eli Raridon was in with the first team at times and was more involved today than he had been in previous practices that the media was able to see. While Raridon was in the game, he brought in a few receptions from both Angeli and Minchey. Wide Receiver Jaden Greathouse stood out the most today among the wide receivers. Greathouse lined up at all three positions, but took the majority of his reps in the slot position. Greathouse brought in multiple receptions and had the most receiving yards out of the group. Kris MItchell was running with the first team and hauled in a couple of receptions on the day. Mitchell’s speed and athleticism showed in the scrimmage as he beat Micah Bell twice in the same drive late in the scrimmage. The true-freshman Micah Gilbert came out with the first team offense in place of Jayden Thomas, who was out with a hamstring injury. While Gilbert did not secure a catch, the fact that he is getting first team reps says a lot about what the coaching staff thinks of him. True-freshman Cam Williams had a big day as he was CJ Carr’s go-to target. Williams brought in a 20+ yard touchdown pass over the middle from Carr midway through the scrimmage.  Jeremiyah Love took some reps lined up in the slot, and while he did not catch any passes, it is clear that Mike Denbrock is going to do everything he can to get the ball in Love’s hands. Quarterback Steve Angeli was running the first team offense with Riley Leonard behind him taking mental reps. Angeli had an up and down day as the 1st team quarterback and did not have the same kind of game as he did in the bowl game. To be fair, the first team Notre Dame defense is significantly better than the Oregon State defense he was facing in the Sun Bowl. Angeli was unable to comfortably set his feet throughout the scrimmage due to the pressure the defense was bringing. Angeli threw two interceptions on the day, with one of them being a pick 6. The first one was a bad read/late throw and Jaden Mickey was able to jump the route, caught the ball in stride, and took it the other way for a touchdown. Angeli’s second interception ended the practice as he rolled to his right and threw the ball right into the hands of Adon Schuler. Kenny Minchey was running with the second team offense, and his day was very similar to that of Steve Angeli. During one series, the offense was moving the ball and incorporating some tempo, but Minchey was staring down his receiver and made a bad read, resulting in the pick 6 for Xavier Watts. CJ Carr had the best day out of the three Notre Dame quarterbacks. Carr led the offense on two scoring drives. One drive ending in a touchdown pass to Cam Williams, and the other ending in Carr easily running in the endzone from inside the 5 yard line. Before everyone starts calling for CJ Carr to be the starter, it is worth noting that all of his reps were against the second and third team defense. However, it is hard to not be impressed when watching Carr throw the football. It's safe to say that the future is looking very bright for the young signal caller. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Written by Liam Farrell｜Senior Staff Writer｜Twitter/X: @LiamFarrell_IT Photo by Irish Tribune SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- In December 2021, the Notre Dame football program was in a state of panic for the first time in several years. With Brian Kelly jetting off to the Louisiana Bayou, the Fighting Irish needed to find a new face of the program to direct Notre Dame into a new age of college football. Notre Dame found their leader in the internal promotion of Marcus Freeman, who, in his two-year head coaching career, has flipped the national media's portrayal of the Fighting Irish. Yet, Freeman's success in producing a higher level of athletes can best be attributed to the assistant coaches he has brought and retained at the University. Mike Mickens, Al Washington, and Deland McCullough are all assistant coaches that have pushed their position rooms to new heights. The cornerback room, under the tutelage of Mickens, has become the backbone of the Notre Dame defense. For a young coach, Mickens already has an illustrious track record through his contributions with All-Pro corner, Sauce Gardner. He also fortified the development of one of the best cornerback tandems in college football last year, in Benjamin Morrison and Cam Hart, who combined for 14 pass breakups and two interceptions. Hart is projected to be a Day 2 pick in this year's NFL Draft, as Morrison must deal with lofty expectations as he navigates into his junior year. Another coach who has developed extremely well is associate head coach and running backs coach, Deland McCullough. McCullough, who has had success coaching both at the college level and NFL level, has displayed his ability to get the most out of his running backs. During his time as the Kansas City Chiefs running back coach, he developed stars Kareem Hunt and Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and was recognized in 2020 as the NFL's running backs coach of the year. At the college level, McCullough has been able to not only develop, but recruit at a high level, as well. Recently, he has brought in the likes of Kedren Young and Aneyas Williams, both 247Sports Top 25 running backs in the class of 2024. He also recruited Jeremiyah Love in 2023, who got significant touches during his freshman campaign totaling 385 yards and a touchdown on 73 carries. McCullough's rival coach in the upcoming 2024 Spring Game is none other than defensive line coach Al Washington. Washington, who left Ohio State to join Freeman's armada in South Bend, has found great success developing incoming players. Most recently, Washington converted Javonte Jean-Baptiste from a rotational piece to an excellent NFL draft prospect in one season. Jean-Baptiste was not only a havoc in his pass rush, in which he led the team with five sacks, but also was a run stopper, as he totaled 49 tackles. Washington also developed the internal duo of Rylie Mills and Howard Cross III. It is a testament to Washington's relationship within the defensive line room as well, to have Cross and Mills both return for the 2024 season amidst NFL draft rumors. As Freeman leads the Irish into his third year as the team's head coach, his assistant coaches will continue to drive the on-field success of the Fighting Irish. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

By: Nick Kremer⏐Editor⏐Twitter: @NickKremerIT ⏐Profile: @NickKremer The Irish Tribune's Pete Mulroy and Nick Kremer dive into the position groups on the Notre Dame offense. What are the expectations for the Wide Receivers, Tight Ends, Running Backs, Quarterbacks, and Offensive Line? The guys discuss which players have stood out so far in Spring Practice, and who might surprise some people this season. Additionally, Pete and Nick discuss all the latest in recruiting for the 2025 class, and look at some prospects who could join the class down the road. Finally, F&G recap and analyze the big win over Duke for Irish LAX and look ahead to the rest of the season. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Listen on iHeartRadio First and Gold Twitter The Irish Tribune: Shows

Written by: Jhett Garrett | Writer | Twitter/X: @JhettGarrett Photo by The Irish Tribune ACC Freshman of the Year, and holder of Notre Dame’s freshman scoring record Markus Burton has officially declared for the NBA Draft while maintaining eligibility. Burton made it clear in a post on Instagram on Thursday that he will be “maintaining my eligibility at Notre Dame.” The Mishawaka, Indiana native averaged 17.5 points per game in his first season in South Bend, while also dishing out 4.3 assists and 3.3 rebounds. Burton was also a menace on the defensive side of the ball, averaging 1.9 steals per game. He had a steal in all but four games, with his season-high being six against Virginia Tech in February. His best game of the year was against Wake Forest in Purcell Pavilion back on February 27th, where Burton finished with 31 points on 9-15 shooting with a perfect 11-11 at the free throw line, while also tallying four steals, three assists, and three rebounds. He battled for the Irish in the winning effort, including a massive block that clinched the win for Notre Dame. While Burton could be a high-level playmaker, his high turnover rate seemed to hold him back all season. While he picked up nearly two steals in every game during his freshman season, Burton averaged 3.7 turnovers per game. He turned the ball over in all but one game and had 20 games this season with four or more turnovers. In the final 13 games of the season, Burton averaged 2.8 turnovers per game, an obvious improvement from the first months of the season. While being a freshman is going to give him some leeway in that area, it is something that Burton will need to take care of before taking that next step. Getting Burton back is going to be huge for the Irish next season, so this is something that will be watched carefully by the fanbase. With two four-star players coming in with Sir Mohammad and Cole Certa, Notre Dame could take a massive leap in year two of the Micah Shrewsberry era. The turn that the Irish basketball team took in the latter part of the season is something that Shrewsberry will want to ride into next season. Markus Burton being on the roster will be a huge part of that. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Written by Liam Gaudet ⏐ Senior Editor ⏐ Twitter/X: @LiamGaudetIT Photo by The Irish Tribune Notre Dame wrapped up it's ninth Spring practice on Tuesday, and there's much to discuss. The Irish Tribune Staff was in attendance for what was a beautiful morning in South Bend, where the Irish hit the LaBar practice fields in preparation for the annual Blue & Gold game which is now less than two weeks away. Before we jump into the player interviews, here are some quick observations our staff made while in attendance: Riley Leonard was in attendance, wearing tennis shoes with what appeared to be a brace wrapped around his right shoe. Although Leonard didn't actively participate in drills that required a lot of movement/running, he did manage to participate in standing throwing drills. Leonard did not seem to be favoring his foot much while taking short drops and going through his throwing motion, which bodes well for his recovery moving forward. Beaux Collins was still on the sideline observing as he awaits his graduation from Clemson. Jordan Faison did participate in warmups, however, it was in street clothes. Faison is still honed in on chasing a second consecutive national championship with the lacrosse team. All quarterbacks looked sharp throwing the football, the room continues to trend upward. Receivers impressed with their footwork today, particularly Deion Colzie. Joe Rudolph was very encouraging and gave plenty of praise to the O-line during drills. Very few mistakes were made, and the big men up front were very technically sound. Quarterback Dylan Devezin participated in RB drills today, and was wearing a contact jersey. Jayden Harrison was spotted wearing a boot on his left foot After the conclusion of practice, some players and coaches were made available to the media. We caught up with Riley Leonard, Kenny Minchey, and Max Bullough, who all provided insight on how the Spring has been going. Riley Leonard When asked about his ankle, and if it was a surprise that he had to have a second surgery on it, Leonard stated: "Yes, it absolutely was a surprise. We didn't anticipate the stress fracture to happen, and it hasn't been easy. I've been probably sitting out for like five or six month now. It's a little but frustrating not being out there competing with the guys, but there is upside. Next week I'll be jogging, and it is only Spring. The ankle feels great right now, for the first time in a long time so I think we're finally over that hump." Leonard stated that he was told not to jog just yet by the medical staff, and that he hasn't been rolling out of the pocket during drills for that reason. He also said that nothing has really hurt it, but he isn't quite sure he's ready to test it. Leonard shot down any speculation that he would be playing in the Blue and Gold game, stating: "If the Blue and Gold game was a real game in the season, it would be a 50-50 call, however, because it's the Blue and Gold game I don't know if we're going to get to that point." Leonard stated that his injury is still a bit ambiguous, and it's not really his decision when he'll be back participating in full force. He stressed the importance of getting mental reps in, and helping out in any capacity as best as he could. He made it quite clear that nobody is more sick of this injury than he is. Leonard is still building relationships and chemistry with his teammates, and stressed the importance of communication with both his offensive line and the receiving core. When asked about his pain levels, Leonard would go on to say: "Completely pain free right now. Maybe if I were to test it, it would hurt, but I don't think that would be the case. Just need to get the swelling out." Leonard would also say that there is no concern with the previous TightRope surgery he received, and that it's "great". Through all the tribulations, Leonard still continues to praise Notre Dame "It's been so cool for me to be here, because everyone's been so welcoming and inviting. Just like walking to class and seeing the support from the students and getting to know them has been awesome. And around the community, everywhere you go everybody's a Notre Dame fan and that's the biggest takeaway for me." Kenny Minchey A name a lot of people are keeping an eye on with Leonard's injury is Redshirt Freshman Kenny Minchey. When asked about how the room has responded with Leonard's absence, Minchey said: "It's just like any scenario in life, you have to step up when things happen. With Riley going out, he's still getting us better, we're getting him better so I feel like it's all the same, just one less person taking reps." When asked about Leonard's leadership, Minchey stated: "He's great, you know, he's a great person. You can tell he was a leader at Duke, so it's great to have another leader like that in the room and on the team just to make sure everyone's squared away and doing the right thing." When asked about his personal development so far this Spring, Minchey said: "I feel like it's been going good. Obviously at the beginning, kind of rusty because we haven't played football for a little bit, but after getting into the groove of things I feel like I'm learning a lot more, learning from Gino (Guidugli), learning from all of our coaches, so I feel like I've been doing pretty good." Max Bullough Newly minted linebacker's coach, Max Bullough, dropped some interesting tidbits on some of the underclassmen at the position, including Drayk Bowen and Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa. When discussing the challenges that Bowen has faced as a multi-sport athlete, Bullough would say about Bowen: "He came up and talked to me as it (baseball) was about to get started. I think other sports are good for our guys, basketball, baseball, as they grow up. But he was very clear with me and said "football is my priority, I don't want baseball to affect football, so can I play baseball and that be a reality or do I have to shut it down?" I don't want to tell him that, the kid loves baseball. We talked, this is your priority Drayk, we have a competitive room. If you're tired, if you can't be at things, you're going to get passed up. So if you can handle your schedule, and the big thing for him is can you handle your rest? Because that's what get's taken from them is rest. He's been able to do that so far." When asked about Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, Bullough stated: "Kyngstonn has been great. Physically, he's there. He came in, he's 230 or whatever, he's been able to handle the physicality of it. But the way he's been able to process information, take the installs or the sheet of paper to the field has been quite frankly pretty impressive. It's put him in a position where if he just keeps chugging along day in and day out, like I said, we have a competitive room where we've got five-six guys vying for playing time and he's right in the mix. He's fighting every day, doing what a freshman is supposed to do." Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

By: Nick Kremer⏐Editor⏐Twitter: @NickKremerIT ⏐Profile: @NickKremer The Irish Tribune's Nick Kremer and Pete Mulroy review Notre Dame's Spring Practice. We discuss Riley Leonard and his return to practice, who has been impressing, and the transfer of Clarence Lewis. We dive into recruiting with a big commitment from LB Anthony Sacca, and give an update on where the Irish stand with other top targets still on the board. Finally, we discuss Carey Booth's transfer, the bright future of women's hoops, and the #1 ranked men's and women's LAX. Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review! Listen on Spotify Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on IHeart Radio First and Gold Twitter The Irish Tribune: Shows

Written by Owen O'Connor ⏐ Writer ⏐ Twitter/X: @Ocon54 Photo by Texas A&M Athletics The Notre Dame Football program is ready to face all sorts of new challenges this upcoming season. The 2024 year brings many new obstacles on the path to the playoffs and a chance to win a national title. These obstacles contain the possibility of additional games and elite talent that the Fighting Irish will have to be ready for. With the loss of key players such as Joe Alt, Audric Estime, and Sam Hartman, the Fighting Irish will need to bring energy and focus to their season-long goals. Head Coach Marcus Freeman has not shied away from the new obstacles his team will face. He has shown his commitment and vision to win with the recruitment of multiple highly-ranked transfer portal players. Most of the transfer recruits Freeman has added are ready to make an immediate impact during their fresh start against playoff-level programs. Maintaining their Independent status has allowed Notre Dame to find some high-caliber opponents with future professional talent, showing their courage on a tough road towards the playoffs. Although there may not be a marquee matchup with a program like Ohio State or Clemson this season, this Notre Dame schedule is anything but a cakewalk - and the talent on some of the teams on their schedule proves this. Let's take a look at some of the top stars Notre Dame will have to focus on when their matchup arrives: Taurean York - LB - Texas A&M The Aggies got off to a bit of a sluggish start last season despite their extremely talented roster and were never able to recover. In week two, they lost a tough battle against The Miami Hurricanes 48-33. A brief bounce back followed the loss, but they ultimately could not overcome the challenges that came in the 2023 season. Texas A&M finished with an overall record of 7-6 and a 4-4 conference record in the SEC. After an offseason tough portal losses, they managed to retain a few young stars such as Freshman Taurean York. Original a three-star recruit, York was a bright spot in a dark season for Texas A&M. The Freshman Linebacker showed tremendous potential to be a dynamic playmaker in the future. Starting in all 12 games, York totaled 66 tackles, 3 sacks and a forced fumble in his first taste at the collegiate level. The young backer also made his presence known on some big stages, such as his 11-tackle performance against the Auburn Tigers. Among his stats, York also received ESPN Freshman All-American and SEC All-Freshman team accolades. York will be a major focus for the Fighting Irish offense. Coach Freeman will trust his team and strategy to plan around York offensively, which might prove to be difficult. Knowing how York can disrupt an offense will be important when game planning for this highly anticipated matchup to kick off the year. Peny Boone - RB - Louisville Louisville is coming off a strong 2023 campaign that resulted in their best finish in the last decade. The Cardinals managed to have a 10-4 record, their first time with double-digit wins since 2013 with Head Coach Charlie Strong. During this campaign, the Fighting Irish were ran out of Papa John's Cardinal Stadium in embarrassing fashion. The 33-20 loss ultimately ended any hopes of bringing a national championship home to South Bend last season. This year, both teams will approach this matchup with many new faces. These two programs have used the transfer portal to the best of their abilities by reloading the talent they lost to other programs or the professional level. One of the biggest player acquisitions was the recruitment of former Toledo Rocket Running Back, Peny Boone. During his collegiate career, Boone showcased his talent and versatility on the field. During his two seasons at Toledo, he established himself as a dynamic force in the backfield, amassing an impressive 1,843 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground. His exceptional performance earned him recognition as Toledo's Offensive Player of the Year in 2023, a title no Rocket running back has earned since 2017. His remarkable achievements included an impressive 7.43 yards per carry, the fifth-highest total rushing yards in the nation (1,400), and an average of 113.2 rushing yards per game, among others. Throughout his tenure, he garnered recognition as the MAC West Offensive Player of the Week three times and amassed an impressive tally of eight 100-plus-yard rushing performances. In conference play, he maintained an outstanding average of 129.8 yards per game across eight matchups against MAC schools. The rushing attack is something that Notre Dame will look to focus on defensively. During their last matchup with Louisville in October, future NFL Running Back Jawhar Jordan collected 143 yards and 2 Touchdowns on the ground. This performance is one that Freeman and the coaching staff know cannot happen again if they want a chance to win. After a projected easier part of their schedule, Notre Dame will look to get their revenge against Louisville on September 28th in Notre Dame Stadium. Shyheim Brown - DB - Florida State Shyheim Brown changed his number to 1 - and rightfully so, as he will look to be the leader of the Seminole defense in 2024. Throughout the season, the redshirt junior demonstrated consistency and impact, starting all 14 games for the Seminoles. In total, he notched 53 tackles, including 2.0 sacks, an interception, and a fumble recovery. Shyheim's contributions earned him recognition as a third-team All-ACC selection and the Monk Bonasorte Award, presented to the defensive player with the most heart. Some of his notable performances against top-tier programs included a career-high-tying eight-tackle game against Florida, where he also contributed a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry in a secured victory. He also replicated this eight-tackle performance in a crucial win against Clemson. Even on the biggest stage, such as the Orange Bowl against Georgia (despite the result), Brown remained a force with seven tackles, a pass breakup, and a quarterback hurry. The impact Brown had was evident from the season opener, where he contributed four tackles, including a crucial sack on 4th-and-1 against LSU, setting the tone for the undefeated regular season that was achieved by the Noles. The star Defensive Back decided to return this year with his eyes set on a national title. Shyheim Brown now has big-stage experience against premier Quarterbacks, including the 2023 Heisman winner and projected 1st-round NFL Draft pick Jayden Daniels. The Seminoles experienced players are not the only ones with an upper hand. New Notre Dame Offensive Coordinator Mike Denbrock has also seen the capabilities of this defense first-hand. Denbrock brings an impressive football mind to the offense that will surely benefit from his knowledge of Shyheim Brown. Despite the 45-24 loss, Coach Denbrock's offense produced over 400 total yards of offense with 3 Touchdowns against an elite defense. His previous experience will prove to be very valuable in this highly anticipated matchup later on in the season. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Written by Cade Harper ⏐ Writer ⏐ Twitter/X: @CadeHarperIT

 Photo by Notre Dame Athletics 

 We are officially a little over a half of the way through the Collegiate Baseball season here in South Bend. The Irish stand at 14-12, which is a solid start considering they've only played five games at home this season and plenty of room available for growth to crack inside the top 25 hopefully. Unfortunately, Notre Dame plays in the ACC and sit at 2-10 in conference play. The ACC is home to 8 teams in the top 25, who are currently a combined 169 wins to 47 losses. Notre Dame has already faced off against three top-25 ACC opponents in Virginia Tech, Florida State, and NC State. The bittersweet story so far has been the Irish offense, which is red hot when facing non-conference opponents. When it comes to ACC play, however, the same can not be said. The Irish have posted double digit runs ten times, and only one time have they been able to do it against an in-conference foe. In five of the twelve ACC games they've played, they have allowed double digit runs. In half of those games, the Notre Dame offense has failed to round the bases five or more times. Notre Dame is about to host just their second home series this season just 26 games into the season which is absurd to think of. They've held one single series inside The Eck so far, plus two non-conference games against Purdue & Western Michigan, won both. Now they welcome in the 24-3 Clemson Tigers in a 3 game weekend series starting Friday, April 5th - Sunday, April 7th. The Irish finally got on the board in ACC play vs Miami, getting their first two wins in Conference Play. The offense tends to be active almost averaging double digit runs when playing at home. Key series' to keep an eye on throughout the season that are big time games in terms of conference tournament seeding and even NCAA tournament berths. Irish will visit #10 North Carolina for a weekend series a week after Clemson, host #21 Wake Forest for 3 games April 26th - April 28th, close out their 6 game homestead vs Pittsburgh and Toledo, and finish strong against a sneaky good Louisville team who tends to get hot at the perfect time each year, and we have them on their Senior night. To tune into Clemson vs Notre Dame this weekend, be sure to head over to ACC Network to watch the Irish begin to make the push for postseason play at 4:30PM EST on Friday, April 5th, 2:00PM EST on Saturday, April 6th on ESPN2, and then 1:00PM EST on Sunday, April 7th. As always, Go Irish! Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Written by Mike Stacey ⏐ Writer ⏐ X: @MikeStaceyIT IG: @mikestaceyit Photo by The Irish Tribune We are a couple weeks into Spring Practice and less than a month away from the Blue-Gold game which will be played on April 20th at 1 PM - Mark your calendars! We are also on the heels of some disappointing injury updates with the news of Riley Leonard being out at least a few more weeks with another surgery on his ailing ankle, and All American corner, Benjamin Morrison, out for the Spring post shoulder procedure. Although this certainly can't be spun into "good news" by any means, with these two out it means some more valuable reps for other players. With that being said, let's project the offensive depth chart early into spring based on what we've seen. Quarterback: Steve Angeli Kenny Minchey CJ Carr Sure, the news about Riley Leonard has to be a cause for concern, as that injured ankle was something we were all worried about when Leonard arrived at Notre Dame. However, the injury is not considered to be long term and as long as this doesn't become a recurring issue, he should be fine for the season opener. Outside of that concern, can you remember a time where Notre Dame had a deeper quarterback room? I mean, any one of these guys could be competing for a starting position this year at the D-1 level based on either experience or raw talent. The biggest question now is who will ultimately win out the No. 2 spot on the depth chart. As it stands, Steve Angeli seems to be the most likely candidate, as he brings real game experience in which he performed well with his opportunity last season. However, I believe Kenny Minchey will truly push him for the No. 2 spot, and this one could come down to the wire. I think ultimately Angeli's experience and calm demeanor in big moments will give him the edge, and he will emerge as QB1 at the end of the Spring (Until Leonard returns). Wide Receiver: Boundary Position: Jayden Thomas Deion Colzie KK Smith OR Micah Gilbert Field Position: Kris Mitchell Cam Williams Slot Position: Jaden Greathouse Jordan Faison Jayden Harrison This is a group I am excited about, nervous about, and unsure about all at the same time. I believe this is a great group as far as potential and talent is concerned. If most of these guys play to or close to their potential, Notre Dame is going to be VERY good on offense this year, and that's without even mentioning what Mike Denbrock will bring to the table. The problem is this group has some question marks. Can guys like Jayden Thomas, Deion Colzie, and Jaden Greathouse stay healthy after bouts with injuries last year? Can the new guys like Kris Mitchell, Jayden Harrison, and Beaux Collins (Not yet enrolled hence left off the depth chart) be able to develop an on field chemistry with Riley Leonard by the time fall comes around? These are all legitimate questions and concerns that we will have to wait and see on the field before we have answers. For now, we are hearing positive news coming from this group out of Spring Practice which is encouraging and a good sign from Mike Brown early on in his ND career. I think Jayden Thomas is in great position to end Spring atop the depth chart given his experience and size. From what we have been hearing, Kris Mitchell may be a legit No. 1, and I would be shocked if he doesn't enter the summer at the top of the field depth chart. Lastly, and most interesting to me, is the slot position. I think Jaden Greathouse has the edge after his successful Freshman campaign, however how do you keep Faison off the field after his late burst onto the scene? It is safe to say both of these guys will get plenty of snaps, but will it be at the same position? Perhaps Greathouse moves to another spot if one of the aforementioned wide outs doesn't meet expectations? This will be a fun one to watch develop, but for now I have Greathouse with the edge. As far as some of the new faces go, Micah Gilbert has been making a bit of a name for himself during the infancy stages of Spring practice. With good size, he'll likely fit in nicely at the boundary but will still need some time to develop. Tight End: Mitchell Evans Eli Raridon Cooper Flanagan Death, taxes, and Notre Dame dominating at the Tight End position. You can set your clock to it. Year after year, Notre Dame produces some of the best tight ends in the country, and this year should be no different. Mitchell Evans is an absolute stud and showed that to the country as he broke out onto the scene last year. He will not only be the clear No. 1 on the depth chart going into the summer, but is also on the short list of best tight ends in the country. Behind him is more talent that also comes with playing experience from last year in Eli Raridon and Cooper Flanagan, who both made it into the end zone for the Irish last season. The only concern with this group is health. Last year, Evans missed the final 4 games due to injury, and his back up, Eli Raridon, has already had two ACL injuries on the same knee. This is something that could be a big issue for the Irish moving forward if injuries become a trend with this group. Outside of that, however, look for the Irish to dominate once again and continue to represent Tight End U. Running Back: 1A) Jeremiyah Love 1B) Jadarian Price 3) Gi'Bran Payne 4) Kedren Young 5) Aneyas Williams I am extremely excited to see what this group brings to the table. On one hand, they are going to have massive shoes to fill with the loss of Audric Estime who went for over 1300 yards and 18 touchdowns last season. In my opinion, Estime was even better than the numbers suggested, as he often managed to pick up hard yardage after what should have been a stop in the backfield. This newly reloaded backfield, however, has some serious explosiveness headed by Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. I listed them as 1A and 1B because I think they are the perfect complimentary pairing, and will split carries depending on the situation. It is also worth noting that Love was seen taking some reps with the receivers during the most recent Spring practice, so there might be a chance we see him in the slot or catching the lion's share of passes out of the backfield this season. This is going to be a dominant 1-2 punch and the depth behind them is nothing to scoff at either. Gi'Bran Payne has starting-caliber potential and the two 4 star freshmen come in with a high ceiling as well. Simply put, there should not be any issues with depth at this position this year. However, if we want to see some true fireworks, the two guys at the top need to stay healthy. Jadarian Price will now be a couple years removed from his Achilles injury that cost him his freshman year after an impressive Spring, but last year showed us that he has not lost a step. Look to see this group be featured in the passing game as well, which will only make it more difficult for defenses to scheme against this potentially prolific offense. Last year we saw thunder, this year we should see lightning. Get your popcorn ready. Offensive Line: Center: Ashton Craig Joe Otting Right Guard: Billy Schrauth Rocco Spindler Peter Jones Left Guard: Pat Coogan Sam Pendleton Chris Terek Right Tackle: Tosh Baker Aamil Wagner Sullivan Absher Left Tackle: Charles Jagusah Aamil Wagner Guerby Lambert This is the group that I am most intrigued by. The Irish have some big shoes to fill from last season, literally and figuratively. Joe Alt and Blake Fisher will both be drafted and on an NFL team next month, and the Irish need to do their best to replace such high production. Now, it would be extremely unfair for any of us to expect Charles Jagusah to step in and pick up where Joe Alt left off. It just isn't going to happen. Joe Alt was a generational talent at Left Tackle, and although I think Jagusah can carry the torch and be a similar type of player one day, I don't expect it to be in his first season as a starter. However, what we saw from Charles in the bowl game was very encouraging and I fully expect him to grow and get better as the season goes on. Next to him at the Left Guard position, I expect Pat Coogan to remain the starter after Spring Camp, but would not be surprised if Rocco Spindler pushes him for that starting role come fall. At center, Ashton Craig will be a lock as he was very impressive when he took over the position for an injured Zeke Correll at the end of last season. With Zeke transferring, the job is Ashton's, as it may have been even if Zeke stayed. Next to him at Right Guard, I expect a very talented Billy Schrauth to become the stud he is expected to be this season. I am looking for him to make a big jump now that he has some experience under his belt and to not look back. Lastly, at Right Tackle, I have Tosh Baker emerging as No. 1 post Spring. This is, however, a spot I would expect has a good chance for an upset come Fall. I think if Aamil Wagner can continue to build his frame, and maintain his great athleticism, he can take that starting role come fall. I also believe he will be the backup at both Left and Right Tackle if he does not win a starting role for himself. Let's see how that shakes out! What are your Depth Chart predictions? Let us know in the comments! Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun