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?
Alright, the real week #1 is here. With no NFL, college takes over from Thursday to Monday with a quality game each night!
* All times are Central Time Zone
Thursday Night
7:00 - North Carolina @ Minnesota - FOX - Should be a competitive game and a ACC vs B1G matchup
7:00 - ND State @ Colorado - ESPN - Should be a blowout, but you know everyone is hyping Colorado up
Friday Night
6:00 - Temple @ #16 Oklahoma - ESPN - I do not see any upset happening here, but could be a decent game, nothing else to watch at this time
8:00 - Western Michigan @ Wisconsin - FS1 - Same thing here, possibly competitive football to watch before the big day
9:30 - TCU @ Stanford - ESPN - while I do not think Stanford will be good this year, some think TCU will bounce back to a 9-10 win team, I have my doubts
Morning Games (Saturday) - Fantastic slate of games for this time slot in my opinion
11:00 - #14 Clemson @ #1 Georgia - ABC - Massive game, but ultimately I think Georgia wins it
11:00 - #8 Penn State @ West Virginia - FOX - I think Penn State is overrated and West Virginia is being mentioned as a BIG12 title contender, possible upset?
11:00 - Virginia Tech @ Vanderbilt - ESPN - It's P4 college football, should be competitive at least
Afternoon Games (Saturday) - Not a great slate of games outside of one, I'll list the somewhat competitive games
2:30 - #19 Miami @ Florida - ABC - Only game really worth watching in this time slot, should be a good one though
2:30 - Florida International @ Indiana - BIG10 - This will probably be a competitive game if you have the network
2:30 - UTEP @ Nebraska - FOX - curious to see how good Nebraska looks
Evening Games (Saturday) - No other game outside of the big one!!!
6:30 - #7 Notre Dame @ #20 Texas A&M - ABC - Go Irish!!!
Sunday Night
6:30 - #23 USC @ #13 LSU - ABC - Rooting for USC here, but both of these teams are big unknowns in my opinion
Monday Night
6:30 - Boston College @ #10 Florida State - ESPN - Let's see how FSU bounces back here
Edited by NDhoosier