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?
Not a great slate of games this week. There are some mid to low-tier games that should be very competitive, but not a factor in the grand scheme of things.
* All times are Central Time Zone
Friday Night
7:00 - #20 Arizona @ #14 Kansas St - FOX - possibly the best matchup of the weekend between ranked teams
Morning Games (Saturday)
11:00 - #4 Alabama @ Wisconsin - FOX - Bama has not looked great so far, but I believe they will win this by double digits
11:00 - #16 LSU @ South Carolina - ABC - SC has been up and down this year, but we all want to see LSU lose this one
11:45 - #24 Boston College @ #6 Missouri - SECN - Probably going to be a blowout, but it's the only other ranked matchup of the weekend
Afternoon Games (Saturday)
2:30 - #18 Notre Dame @ Purdue - CBS - Go Irish!
2:30 - #9 Oregon @ Oregon St - FOX - Oregon has not looked great and it is on the road against their rivals
2:30 - Texas A&M @ Florida - ABC - Should be a very competitive game, if Florida loses, there could be a coaching change soon
Evening Games (Saturday)
6:30 - #1 Georgia @ Kentucky - ABC - This is the "primetime" game of the night, but I don't think it will be a good game
6:30 - Indiana @ UCLA - NBC - This should be a very competitive game against two teams that have looked good against inferior competition
6:30 - Colorado @ Colorado St - CBS - This was a fun game to watch last year, and will probably be entertaining again
6:30 - UCF @ TCU - FOX - Both of them are very solid teams and it should come down to the 4th qtr.