Notre Dame Football Kicks Off Fall Camp with High Expectations, Fierce Competition, and a Renewed Focus on Championship-Level Execution
Fall camp has officially begun in South Bend, and with it comes a wave of renewed hope, energy, and expectations for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. As the golden helmets hit the practice fields, every step, rep, and decision carries the weight of both tradition and the aspirations for a program that is perennially close to the College Football Playoff, yet always seemingly one or two pieces away. Now, entering the 2025 season under the steady guidance of head coach Marcus Freeman, the Irish find themselves at a familiar crossroads — immensely talented, structurally sound, but needing to prove they can take the next step from contender to champion.
The start of fall camp isn’t just about sharpening fundamentals or evaluating depth charts. At Notre Dame, it’s about culture, accountability, and identity. This year’s team is packed with a blend of veteran leadership, high-upside transfers, and rising stars from recent recruiting hauls. What makes this fall particularly compelling is the sheer level of internal competition. At nearly every position, no job is safe, and that’s exactly the environment Freeman and his staff have wanted to foster. Iron sharpens iron, and Notre Dame’s path to relevance in the College Football Playoff conversation begins with competition in the August heat.
All eyes are on the quarterback room, as always. Notre Dame has made a strong statement through the transfer portal, bringing in former Duke star Riley Leonard, a battle-tested and athletic quarterback who has already begun earning the respect of his teammates. Leonard, who missed spring due to injury, enters camp with expectations as the starter, but he’s far from being handed the job. Sophomore Kenny Minchey and freshman phenom CJ Carr are both generating buzz, with Carr especially turning heads thanks to his poise and accuracy beyond his years. Leonard’s edge in experience and leadership is invaluable, but the staff has made it clear: the best player will start, regardless of age or status. That kind of competitive mindset is permeating the entire program.
Notre Dame’s offensive identity will be shaped by more than just who takes snaps under center. New offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock returns to South Bend with a deep knowledge of the Irish DNA and a proven track record at LSU, where he engineered one of the most explosive offenses in college football. His challenge now is to blend talent and tempo, crafting a system that can attack vertically while maintaining the physicality that has long been a staple of Notre Dame football. Early in camp, Denbrock’s presence is already being felt. Practices are moving faster. Quarterbacks are being challenged to make quicker reads. The tempo is brisk, and the standard is clear: execution must match intent.
Up front, the offensive line is a microcosm of the entire roster — talented, experienced, but needing cohesion. Replacing All-American Joe Alt is no small task, but left tackle Charles Jagusah, a breakout candidate and former five-star, has been praised for his offseason transformation. Alongside him, stalwarts like Blake Fisher and returning center Zeke Correll give the Irish a sturdy foundation. Offensive line coach Joe Rudolph, entering his second season, has been relentless in demanding toughness and discipline. The trenches will once again define Notre Dame’s season, and the early signs from fall camp suggest the group is embracing that pressure.
Skill positions, meanwhile, are loaded with intrigue. The running back room, headlined by Audric Estime’s departure to the NFL, now shifts to a committee approach. Jadarian Price, Gi’Bran Payne, and Jeremiyah Love each bring different skill sets to the table, and all three are being heavily rotated in camp. Price’s explosiveness, Payne’s vision, and Love’s versatility make them interchangeable chess pieces in Denbrock’s offense. Don’t be surprised if this becomes one of the most quietly productive backfields in the nation by midseason.
At wide receiver, Notre Dame enters camp with perhaps its deepest group in recent memory. Veteran Chris Tyree returns for a final season, bringing speed and experience, while Jayden Thomas and Tobias Merriweather look to take the next step as consistent outside threats. But the storyline gaining momentum is the emergence of the young receivers, most notably Jaden Greathouse and Rico Flores Jr., who both showed flashes as freshmen and now appear poised to play major roles. The addition of Florida State transfer Winston Wright Jr. adds another layer of speed and route-running savvy. The Irish finally have a mix of size, speed, and route precision that can threaten defenses in multiple ways — something that has long eluded them in big games.
On the defensive side of the ball, coordinator Al Golden enters his third season with continuity and confidence. Notre Dame’s defense was among the most fundamentally sound units in college football last year, and the goal this fall is to turn soundness into dominance. That transformation starts up front. Howard Cross III and Rylie Mills return to anchor the defensive line, and they’ve already set the tone in camp with relentless energy and leadership. The real intrigue is at defensive end, where the Irish must replace star pass rusher Javontae Jean-Baptiste. Early signs point to Jordan Botelho and junior Joshua Burnham getting the first crack at locking down starting roles, but the staff is rotating heavily and looking for a true disruptor to emerge.
Linebacker is one of the most experienced groups on the roster, but it’s also one of the most fiercely contested in camp. JD Bertrand and Jack Kiser have been reliable and productive, but the rise of younger players like Jaylen Sneed and Nolan Ziegler is pushing the envelope. Freeman, a former linebacker himself, has taken a personal interest in this group, often pulling players aside for technique adjustments or motivational challenges. It’s clear he wants this unit to be not just steady, but explosive — capable of generating turnovers and momentum-shifting plays.
In the secondary, Notre Dame may quietly boast one of the most complete units in the country. All-American cornerback Benjamin Morrison is already playing like a first-round pick in practice, routinely shutting down top receivers and leading by example. Across from him, Jaden Mickey and Clarence Lewis are battling for the other starting spot, though freshman Leonard Moore has made a strong early impression. At safety, the return of Xavier Watts, who led the team in interceptions last year, gives the Irish a reliable anchor on the back end. Transfer Rod Heard II from Northwestern has slotted in seamlessly and could form a dynamic tandem with Watts. The communication and chemistry among this group are evident, and the staff has been aggressive in installing more complex coverages, trusting this veteran group to handle it.
Beyond the personnel battles and schematic tweaks, the overarching theme of fall camp is focus. Freeman has preached it daily — focus on the next play, focus on the details, focus on being great at the little things. In years past, Notre Dame has been good enough to win 10 games, but not consistent enough to beat elite opponents when it matters most. That gap often comes down to execution under pressure and attention to detail. This fall, the message is simple: no more moral victories, no more excuses.
The energy around the program is unmistakable. Practices are crisp, the coaching staff is unified, and players are responding to the heightened expectations. Freeman, now in his third year, looks more comfortable and confident than ever, blending his player-first culture with a hard-edged accountability that Notre Dame fans have long desired. There’s a seriousness to this camp — a belief that this team is close, but not content.
Off the field, the Irish are also gaining momentum. Recruiting is trending upward, NIL infrastructure has improved, and the administration remains firmly committed to competing at the highest level. Everything Freeman has asked for is beginning to take shape. Now, it’s about putting it all together on Saturdays — starting with Navy in Dublin, then quickly turning to a brutal early-season stretch that includes Texas A&M, Louisville, and USC. This fall camp may be the proving ground that determines whether the Irish are truly ready to break through that ever-elusive ceiling.
As the sun sets on another steamy summer day in South Bend, the echoes of effort, discipline, and ambition linger on the practice field. Fall camp is only just beginning, but already, the tone is set. Notre Dame isn’t preparing to compete — it’s preparing to win. And in the process, the Irish may finally be preparing to finish what so many promising seasons have left undone: a return to college football’s mountaintop.
