It seems like Notre Dame football is at a major crossroads, with significant changes happening after an impressive 14-2 season. Despite the success, it's clear that the program's staff turnover is creating some big challenges for head coach Marcus Freeman. But it also looks like Freeman is working diligently to navigate these changes by bringing in some strong new hires.
Chris Ash replaces Al Golden
The decision to replace Al Golden with Chris Ash seems strategic, especially considering Ash's background with defensive backs and his leadership beside Luke Fickell. Golden's style was clearly popular, so it'll be interesting to see if Ash’s fiery approach can maintain that same level of success. His expertise should complement the strong defensive talent already present, but the transition could still have its bumps.
Ja’Juan Seider is a big get
With the talented trio of Jerimiyah Love, Jadarian Price, and Aneyas Williams at running back, having someone with Seider’s track record will certainly keep that position as a strength. His experience with developing 1,000-yard rushers at Penn State is a major win for the Irish.
A new GM (Mike Martin)
The search for a new General Manager is definitely an intriguing one. The evolving nature of college football’s rules around recruiting, the transfer portal, and NIL demands a savvy, experienced leader. Mike Martin seems like an excellent choice to help navigate this new era, and building out a robust scouting department could help the Irish gain an edge on the competition, especially with such a complex landscape.
Building for Long-Term Success
All in all, Marcus Freeman is making moves to stay ahead of the curve, and while there are inevitable challenges, these hires could help position Notre Dame for continued success. It's exciting to see how these changes will unfold and if they'll pay off in the long run. What do you think of these moves? Does the future of Notre Dame football look bright to you?
1) WR - Tai-ler Jones from GA (son of former ND player Andre Jones) received an offer putting him at 15 offers. He was overwhelmed when offered and he & his father had to hold back their emotion. They were speechless. He wants to finish things up around spring. He's also a highly regarded baseball player (Thought about committing b/c the offer was so overwhelming, but he wants to check some more things out before deciding on a school)
2) WR - Kyle Prater from IL (cousin of former ND player Carlyle Holiday) received an offer putting him at 7 offers. Like Jones, he was also overwhelmed by the offer. (Wants to decide after he takes some officials and finishes his Sr year)
3) OL - James Hurst from IN (currently offered) really liked the new OL coach Verducci. Really wanted to meet him. Likes CW approach to recruiting and was told to take his time.
4) OL - Christian Lombard from IL (verbal commit to ND) didnt recruit as much as he was planning, but loved talking with the new OL coach.
5) DE - Chance Carter from IL (currently offered) loves everything about ND so far and is concentrating on learning as much as possible. Thought about committing, but has 1 more visit (to stanford) before deciding. ND is ahead of Stanford/Wisconsin
6) DE - Blake Leuders from IN (interested prospect) still looking for an ND offer, had a great time.
7) OL - Josh Davis from OH (interested prospect) still looking for an ND offer, talked/watched film with OL coach. Had a good time
8] ATH - Corey Cooper from IL (currently offered) couldnt make it to ND due to something with his family. Was a lil' upset he didnt make it and apparently was thinking about committing on the trip if he went. ND is at the top of his list (weird though considering he's still an Illinois soft verbal) - will be visiting Illini, OSU, and then more than likely ND in the near future.
9) WR - Daniel Smith from IN (bro-in-law of Gerome Sapp) has been rumored to receiving an ND offer and committing on the spot. No confirmation from any boards yet, and it seems like they're trying to get ahold of DS for confirmation.
10) QB - Jake Heaps from WA (currently offered) trims his list to 10 and ND is on it. He was not attending to Jr Day but will visit in February. This isnt related to Jr Day, but he's a Junior and it happened on Jr Day, so I figured I'd include it.
- ND had a player panel that was answering the recruits questions
- alot of recruits like CW's approach at not putting any pressure on them to commit esp if they're local or have ND ties
- Most of the Jr Day attendees went to the UCONN/ND game afterwards
- Illinois connection seems like Carter, Cooper, Prater, & CJ Fed are all good friends kinda like the Cali Connection (Wood, Evans, & Moore)