Everything You Need to Know From a Critical Weekend as Notre Dame Football Nears the 2025 Season With 41 Days Remaining
As the countdown to the 2025 college football season drops to just 41 days, excitement is building in South Bend. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are deep into their summer preparations, and this past weekend provided a wave of developments, updates, and energy that have fans buzzing. From major recruiting news and fall camp buzz to key health updates and the evolving leadership dynamic on the team, it was a weekend filled with significance for Marcus Freeman and his program. With just over a month remaining until kickoff, everything that happened this weekend matters as the Irish gear up for a highly anticipated season.
The most pressing storyline from the weekend revolved around recruiting, where Notre Dame continues to assert itself on the national stage. The Irish landed a commitment from four-star linebacker Kamarion Franklin out of Mississippi—a big, physical presence with SEC-caliber offers and a motor that fits Freeman’s defensive vision. Franklin’s decision to choose Notre Dame over schools like Georgia, LSU, and Alabama was not just a recruiting win, but a statement that the Irish can pull elite talent out of the South in today’s NIL-driven landscape. This gives the 2025 class another defensive cornerstone, adding to what is shaping up to be one of Freeman’s strongest groups since taking over.
Franklin wasn’t the only name generating buzz. The Irish also hosted several key 2026 recruits over the weekend for unofficial visits, and feedback from those visits was overwhelmingly positive. Wide receiver Cortez Mills, offensive lineman Jackson Cantrell, and defensive back Tyson Green each spent time with the coaching staff, took in the campus, and reportedly came away impressed with the vision and culture of the program. With the recruiting dead period on the horizon, these visits could pay major dividends when it’s time for commitments later this fall.
Meanwhile, inside the program, summer workouts have entered their most intense phase. Strength and conditioning coach Matt Balis has the team pushing through heat and fatigue, building physical and mental toughness in preparation for fall camp. Word out of the Guggenheim Athletic Complex is that the players are responding at a high level. Quarterback CJ Carr, now firmly entrenched as QB1, continues to show growth as a leader. Sources say his command of the offense has taken a noticeable step forward this summer, and he’s beginning to take on the vocal leadership role previously held by veterans like Sam Hartman.
Carr’s chemistry with the receiving corps is also growing. Over the weekend, the team ran several voluntary seven-on-seven drills, and observers noted that Carr and sophomore receiver Jaden Greathouse were nearly unstoppable. Greathouse, who had a promising freshman campaign, has reshaped his body this offseason and is moving with more fluidity and burst. If the connection between Carr and Greathouse continues to develop, it could become one of the more dangerous duos in the nation by midseason.
Another standout from the weekend’s player-led workouts was transfer wideout Tyler Morris. The former Michigan Wolverine has seamlessly integrated into the locker room and brings a blend of speed and reliability that the Irish passing game lacked at times last year. Reports indicate he’s already established himself as a go-to option in clutch situations and a mentor to some of the younger receivers.
Running back depth was also a key topic this weekend, as running backs coach Deland McCullough continues to rave about the versatility in his room. Jadarian Price, Jeremiyah Love, and Gi’Bran Payne all took part in full-speed agility sessions and look in peak form. Each offers a different skill set—Price’s patience and vision, Love’s straight-line speed, and Payne’s physicality between the tackles. Don’t be surprised if Freeman leans on a true committee approach to keep legs fresh throughout the season.
On the injury front, the weekend brought some good news. Safety Xavier Watts, who had been held out of spring drills due to a minor shoulder procedure, returned to full-contact workouts and looked sharp in positional drills. His return gives the Irish defense back its emotional leader and one of the best ball hawks in college football. Defensive tackle Rylie Mills also appears to be ahead of schedule in his recovery from offseason surgery. While he hasn’t been cleared for full team drills just yet, sources indicate he’s likely to be ready for the opener against Texas A&M in Houston.
Speaking of the season opener, several assistant coaches met with members of the media over the weekend in informal settings, and the Texas A&M matchup was a common theme. Defensive coordinator Al Golden noted that the Aggies’ new-look offense under Mike Elko will present a challenge, particularly with transfer quarterback Dillon Gabriel leading the charge. Golden emphasized the importance of creating pressure without overcommitting blitzes, especially in a hostile, neutral-site environment. Expect the Irish to emphasize speed on the edge and disguise coverage pre-snap to confuse Gabriel early.
Offensive coordinator Gerad Parker, meanwhile, revealed a few key insights into the evolution of the playbook. While much of the system remains familiar, Parker said the staff has made a concerted effort to tailor the offense around Carr’s strengths—namely his ability to make quick reads, throw on the run, and attack the intermediate zones with accuracy. That means more RPOs, more play-action, and more use of the tight ends in crossing routes and delayed leaks. It’s a shift that could unlock a new level of efficiency and unpredictability.
One under-the-radar storyline from the weekend came courtesy of special teams coordinator Marty Biagi, who confirmed that incoming transfer kicker Graham Nicholson arrived on campus and participated in his first team sessions. Nicholson was the Lou Groza Award winner last year and brings rare consistency to a position that plagued the Irish during key moments last season. His ability to hit from 50+ yards out, along with his calm under pressure, could be a game-changer in tight matchups. Punter Bryce McFerson also took part in the weekend workouts and looks ready to build off a quietly strong 2024.
In the locker room, player leadership continues to solidify. The team held its annual leadership council retreat over the weekend, an off-campus gathering designed to build trust, accountability, and unity. Reports from those who attended said the tone was focused but confident. Players like linebacker Jack Kiser, offensive lineman Ashton Craig, and safety Xavier Watts led discussions, and Freeman gave a passionate address emphasizing legacy, execution, and the responsibility of wearing the gold helmet.
Freeman himself was active throughout the weekend, seen on the sidelines during workouts, in meetings with recruits, and engaging with alumni who were on campus. His message remains consistent: the standard at Notre Dame is excellence, and the time to reach it is now. There’s a different feel around the program this offseason—more urgency, more maturity, and more belief. Freeman has always been an elite motivator, but now he’s combining that with strategic nuance, staff cohesion, and player buy-in.
The weekend also brought a flood of social media content, as players and coaches shared glimpses into team bonding moments, on-field work, and even some light-hearted behind-the-scenes moments. Freshman early enrollee Ivan Taylor posted videos of himself shadowing Watts during safety drills, while linebacker Drayk Bowen shared photos from the leadership retreat, tagging teammates with captions like “Locked In” and “Mission Starts Now.” It’s clear this is a team with chemistry, focus, and hunger.
As Notre Dame football edges closer to kickoff in 41 days, every practice rep, every leadership meeting, and every recruiting development counts. This past weekend reinforced the notion that Marcus Freeman’s program isn’t just preparing—it’s positioning itself for a season of significance. Whether the Irish can break through the playoff ceiling and make a national title run remains to be seen, but the foundation appears stronger than ever.
The next few weeks will bring more answers. Fall camp opens soon. Depth charts will begin to take shape. Game prep will intensify. But if this weekend is any indication, Notre Dame is ahead of schedule, locked in on its mission, and eager to prove that 2025 is the year the Irish return to college football’s elite.
