Category: Notre Dame

Things to know about Notre Dame’s newest portal commit, Javontae Jean-Baptiste

JBB will help on and off the field

[autotag]Notre Dame[/autotag] gained another transfer portal win on Friday. It received a commitment from former [autotag]Ohio State[/autotag] defensive lineman [autotag]Javontae Jean-Baptise[/autotag]. The New Jersey native was a highly sought high school recruit, opting to head to Columbus over offers from [autotag]Texas A&M[/autotag], [autotag]Nebraska[/autotag], [autotag]Wisconsin[/autotag] and others.

During his four-season Buckeye career, he registered seven sacks with 53 tackles. His senior season was his best: 19 tackles, four sacks and a forced fumble. Find out below what you need to know about Notre Dame’s newest pass rusher.

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Notre Dame cornerback Morrison gets recognition after fantastic first year

No surprise here

It should come as no surprise that [autotag]Notre Dame[/autotag] cornerback [autotag]Benjamin Morrison[/autotag] is getting serious love after his extremely impressive freshman season. A contributor since the season opener, the Arizona native registered 33 tackles and 6 interceptions.

The six takeaways through the air put Morrison tied for third best in the country. As a true freshman. An absolutely dominant performance had led Morrison to be named to numerous Freshman All-American teams, with the latest being the [autotag]Football Writers Association of America[/autotag].

If Morrison is able to build off his first season, he should be getting plenty of talk about being a [autotag]Jim Thorpe[/autotag] candidate after the 2023 year is completed.

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Notre Dame labeled as overrated in early 2023 poll projections

They don’t mean anything but where should the Irish be ranked heading into 2023?

A good amount of way-too-early Top 25 projections for next season have been released now that the season is over. [autotag]Notre Dame[/autotag], like many schools across the country, is losing some stars (tight end [autotag]Michael Mayer[/autotag] and defensive end [autotag]Isaiah Foskey[/autotag]) and gaining some (quarterback [autotag]Sam Hartman[/autotag]).

Spring practice hasn’t even started, while the majority of the freshman class aren’t even on campus yet. Most of these are just speculation, but they still give a good indication of what to expect for a team heading into next season.

The Irish, who according to 247Sports, have an average ranking of 13, and they believe it is too high. The main rationale for Brad Crawford’s thinking is due to the 2023 schedule and how potentially difficult it will be during the second full season for [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag].

Crawford highlighted two home games, [autotag]Ohio State[/autotag] and [autotag]USC[/autotag], and two road, [autotag]Clemson[/autotag] and [autotag]Duke[/autotag] (???) as potential losses for the Irish. He does try and rationalize the Duke inclusion, but we have seen this script before from similar schools.

Personally, I believe their ranking is a bit too low. The Irish should be about 3-4 spots higher, just inside the top 10. Time will tell where Notre Dame ultimately ends up, but it’s fun to guess right how where they might end up.

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Bulldog Beatdown: 3 Takeaways From CFP Title Game

Bulldog Beatdown

In an outcome that was predicted by most, Georgia stomped TCU Monday evening 65-7. In doing so, they collected their second title in a row and asserted dominance over not only the SEC, but the nation as well. This game was fascinating to watch, albeit not in the typical ways one would think.

Rather than fans sitting on the edge of their seats in a back-and-forth contest for all the marbles between two deserving and well-matched teams, they ended up pondering just how college football ended up in a place where the title game isn’t even competitive at all.

What do you make of what we saw? Here are 3 large-scale takeaways I was left pondering after this Bulldog beatdown.

 

Is Notre Dame a top 10 team entering 2023? 247Sports doesn’t think so

A bit low don’t you think?

As the college football season is set to finish this evening with [autotag]TCU[/autotag] facing [autotag]Georgia[/autotag] in the [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag] finale, it’s that time to look ahead at who will challenge to be in the game next year.

For [autotag]Notre Dame[/autotag], they are losing some stars (tight end [autotag]Michael Mayer[/autotag], defensive end [autotag]Isaiah Foskey[/autotag] and safety [autotag]Brandon Joseph[/autotag]) while they found a big time up-grade at quarterback with Wake Forest transfer [autotag]Sam Hartman[/autotag].

The player movement has many believing that the Irish will contend for a CFP spot but it seems like 247Sports isn’t thinking the same way. They released their way-too-early top 25 today and they ranked [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] and Notre Dame 13th.

It seems a bit low considering they have made an upgrade at the most important position with plenty of returning stars (cornerback [autotag]Ben Morrison[/autotag], offensive tackles [autotag]Joe Alt[/autotag] and [autotag]Blake Fisher[/autotag]). The highest vote they received was 10th, with is right around where they should have been rated.

[autotag]Tennessee[/autotag] has more questions than the Irish, they were ranked 12th. [autotag]Clemson[/autotag] had an up-and-down year and “return” their starting quarterback who just started his first game. The Tigers were 11th while [autotag]Oregon[/autotag] did make sense to me at 10.[autotag]Bo Nix[/autotag] returning helps while a big time recruiting class is on their way to Eugene.

It’s obvious that this could change, with the second signing period and more player movement in the transfer portal but having Notre Dame at 13, even right now, is too low.  Find out below where every team 247Sports ranked ended up.

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Watch: Notre Dame signee Brenan Vernon makes a crazy interception at All-American Bowl

You have to see this Irish fans

The Irish sent more than a few players to the [autotag]All-American Bowl[/autotag] this year. The high school all-star game typically favors offensive players, there is a no blitzing rule that is sometimes abided by.

For [autotag]Notre Dame[/autotag] signee [autotag]Brenan Vernon[/autotag], he didn’t want the offense to have all the fun. Getting plenty of playing time during the contest, Vernon made a play that not many defensive ends can make.

He showed hands off a tight end, as he brought in a one-handed interception while dropping back from his lineman spot. It was a wow play for one of the highest rated future Irish players at the game.

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Notre Dame 2023 signee named his states Gatorade Player of the Year

The Irish signed a good one

We all know that the 2023 Irish recruiting class is loaded with talent. Not just at the top but all across the board. Missouri athlete [autotag]Jeremiyah Love[/autotag], who could played running back and defensive back in high school will stay on the offensive side of the ball when he arrives in South Bend, had himself a massive sendoff senior season.

Love helped [autotag]Christian Brothers[/autotag] to a state championship while rushing for 1,292 yards and scoring 22 touchdowns. He also added 370 receiving yards on 13 receptions. That effort from Love was enough for him to be named the Gatorade Player of the Year in Missouri.

He was viewed as a top 100 player in the country along with being a top 5 running back as well. Love is also a track star and that speed certainly translated over to his dominance this past year on the football field.

It might be hard for Love to get some playing time during his freshman season with [autotag]Notre Dame[/autotag], as they will return [autotag]Audric Estime[/autotag], [autotag]Logan Diggs[/autotag] and potentially [autotag]Chris Tyree[/autotag] (who has a big decision to make). Even though he might have to wait his turn, when Love gets a chance, he has home-run potential with the ball in his hands.

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Notre Dame quick to offer former Michigan wide receiver who just entered the portal

Could another portal WR be headed to South Bend?

The Irish found their quarterback this afternoon, as [autotag]Wake Forest[/autotag] graduate transfer [autotag]Sam Hartman[/autotag] announced what many of us expected, a commitment to [autotag]Notre Dame[/autotag]. Head coach [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] knows where his team needed to focus on on the portal, offensive playmakers.

Hartman checks off a big box and previously the Irish took a commitment from former [autotag]Virginia Tech[/autotag] wide receiver [autotag]Kaleb Smith[/autotag]. Freeman is looking for more, as an offer to former Michigan receiver [autotag]Andrel Anthony Jr.[/autotag] went out today. The mitten state native will have two seasons of eligibility remaining.

Anthony Jr. didn’t put up massive stats for the Wolverines, but he did show flashes of potential in catching 19 passes for 328 yards and four touchdowns. An average of a score every almost five touches is very impressive.

The Irish wide receiver room is very similar to what Anthony Jr. would bring, potential. [autotag]Jayden Thomas[/autotag] is the leading returning receiver with just 362 yards and 3 scores this past season. Any added veteran production would be welcomed with open arms for Notre Dame.

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Notre Dame defensive end declares for the NFL Draft

The Irish see another end off to the NFL

The time has come to an end for Irish defensive lineman [autotag]Jayson Ademilola[/autotag]. The fifth-year senior has made up his mind about where he will play his football next year.

With the COVID-19 super senior extra year available to Ademilola, this afternoon he decided to not take advantage of the rule and has declared for the [autotag]NFL Draft[/autotag].

Ademilola finished his [autotag]Notre Dame[/autotag] career strong, totaling 6.5 sacks and 75 tackles over the last two years. Injuries have slowed down Jayson, and moving on to the NFL makes plenty of sense when you think about how short the life-span is. The six-foot-three-inch and 285-pound defender will need to test well and show NFL teams that he is healthy as he prepares for April.

The Irish defense will surely miss his energy next season and we all look forward to what Ademilola can accomplish at the next level. We wish him the best of luck.

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Notre Dame’s Gator Bowl Win: Three big picture items

What does the thrilling Gator Bowl victory mean for Notre Dame long term?

Notre Dame Football is many things, but boring isn’t one of them. In truly 2022 Irish style, Notre Dame battled through bouts of very good play, very bad play and everything in between to lock up its ninth win of the year over South Carolina. This game had it all folks.

What do you make of this performance personally? Do you judge by how it closes this year. Or do you judge by and how it portends what is to come. I feel some sense of relief that this year is complete. It was always going to be one of adjustment and calibration, and I am pleased to be moving to the next phase of the Marcus Freeman experience.

Let’s take a look at three big picture items to think about as the Irish move into the offseason.