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A Historic Run: Notre Dame’s Impressive 2024 Season
In the 2024 season, Notre Dame exceeded expectations and surprised many by advancing to the College Football Playoff. The team’s success was largely due to the grit and resilience of Coach Freeman’s leadership and the on-field excellence of quarterback Riley Leonard. Leonard, a dual-threat quarterback, played through the pain of injuries, delivering his best performances when the stakes were highest. His toughness and physicality were vital to Notre Dame’s run, but the team’s lack of a consistent passing attack limited their ability to truly compete with some of the nation’s top-tier teams.
Despite falling short in the national championship game, Notre Dame demonstrated that they have the potential to be contenders. However, with the departure of Leonard, the Fighting Irish now face a pivotal offseason in which they must address their roster needs and prepare for what lies ahead. The path to returning to the CFP and possibly securing the program’s first national title since 1988 will depend on how effectively Coach Freeman can develop his talent, fill gaps, and harness the team’s collective potential.
One of the most pressing questions surrounding Notre Dame’s 2025 campaign is who will step up to take over for Riley Leonard at quarterback. The Fighting Irish have several promising candidates, but none of them come with the same proven track record that Leonard had. The competition will likely come down to two key players: sophomore Steve Angeli and true freshman CJ Carr.
Steve Angeli brings experience and poise to the table, having proven himself in a handful of games throughout the 2024 season. Angeli, while not the dual-threat quarterback that Leonard was, has demonstrated his accuracy and ability to step up in critical moments. However, his limitations as a mobile quarterback may pose a challenge when facing teams that have dynamic defenses.
On the other hand, CJ Carr, the five-star freshman recruit, brings hope and excitement to the Notre Dame faithful. Carr has been touted as a future star, with his impressive high school career and natural arm talent. While his inexperience at the college level could be a potential drawback, his high ceiling could make him the more dynamic option in the long run. If Carr can quickly adjust to the speed of college football, he could be the answer to Notre Dame’s quarterback woes.
Behind them are two other five-star prospects, Kenny Mini and Blake Hebert, who will also be vying for a chance to make an impact. These four quarterbacks will be the focal point of the offseason, and the competition is expected to be fierce as Freeman looks to find the best fit for the offense.
One of the main weaknesses for Notre Dame in 2024 was their inability to consistently develop a strong passing game. While Riley Leonard’s physicality and leadership made up for some of the team’s passing shortcomings, Notre Dame’s wide receivers struggled to make a significant impact throughout the regular season. Leonard lacked the level of trust and rapport needed with his receivers to consistently stretch the field and open up opportunities for the offense.
The good news is that Coach Freeman has already taken steps to address this issue by bolstering the wide receiver room. The team has added two key players via the transfer portal: Malachi Fields from Virginia and Chris Pauling from Wisconsin. Both are expected to bring much-needed depth and playmaking ability to the position. Additionally, Jaden Greathouse, who developed a strong connection with Leonard in the final two games of the season, will return in 2025 and is poised to become one of the team’s most dangerous threats.
Despite these additions, the wide receiver corps still has a long way to go in terms of development and consistency. Whoever wins the quarterback battle will need to quickly build a rapport with the receiving unit to ensure that the passing game becomes a reliable part of the offense.
One thing that has been consistent in recent years is Notre Dame’s commitment to physical football. The team has built its identity around tough, hard-nosed play in the trenches, and that will continue to be a crucial aspect of their game plan moving forward. In 2024, the Fighting Irish were often physically outmatched by teams like Ohio State, but they never backed down from a challenge.
Coach Freeman has continued to build this physicality through his recruiting efforts, bringing in talented players who excel in the trenches. On the offensive line, the Fighting Irish will return a solid group of blockers who are well-equipped to pave the way for their running backs and provide time for whichever quarterback takes the helm. Similarly, on defense, Freeman has added key players through the transfer portal to help bolster the front seven and improve the overall defensive performance.
In the secondary, the return of Jaden Ivey and Adon Schuler should help solidify the defense’s leadership. However, losing key contributors like Jack Kaiser and Howard Cross will be a challenge. As with the offensive line, the team’s success in 2025 will depend on their ability to reload and find new leaders to step into those important roles.
While Notre Dame’s offense has significant areas to improve, the defense will face its own set of challenges in 2025. The team will lose several key players, including Jack Kaiser, Howard Cross, and Riley Mills, all of whom were instrumental in establishing the defense’s tough, physical identity. These departures will leave big shoes to fill in the trenches and in the linebacker corps.
However, Freeman has been proactive in addressing these holes. The team has already added Jared Dawson and Elijah Hughes from USC to bolster the defensive line, and Jalen Strowman from Utah will help strengthen the secondary. With these additions, Freeman is looking to maintain the physicality that made Notre Dame’s defense one of the toughest in the nation.
The key for the Irish defense in 2025 will be finding new leaders and building cohesion in the trenches. They must replace the experience and leadership that was lost, but if Freeman’s recruiting and coaching continue to pay off, Notre Dame’s defense could once again be a force to be reckoned with.
The 2024 season was a major step forward for Notre Dame football, and while the loss in the national championship game was heartbreaking, the foundation for success is solid. With key additions to the roster, an intense offseason of development, and a coach who knows how to get the most out of his players, the Fighting Irish could be in for a strong 2025 season. The quarterback battle will be crucial, as will the development of the wide receivers and the continued dominance of their defense.
As Coach Marcus Freeman builds his program and molds his team into contenders, Notre Dame fans have plenty to be excited about. While the road to the national championship will be tough, there’s no doubt that the Fighting Irish are on the right path. The question now is: Can they sustain the momentum and find the right pieces to make another run at the title?
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