- Head coach: Marcus Freeman (third season)
- 2023 Record: 10-3 (won Sun Bowl)
- PFF power ranking: 12th
- Strength of schedule: 34th
- Projected win total: 7.3
- FanDuel win total: 10.5
- 2024 recruiting rank (On3): No. 11 nationally
Notre Dame ever so slightly improved in its second season under Marcus Freeman, finishing 10-3 after concluding 2022 with a 9-4 record.
The pressure is mounting in Year 3 for Freeman and the Fighting Irish to take the next step and secure a spot in the 12-team Playoff, but there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about their chances. One could argue that Notre Dame is stronger than any team on its schedule, and the Fighting Irish boast one of the best defenses in the country.
Once again, Notre Dame will rely on an ACC transfer at quarterback, with Duke’s Riley Leonard stepping into the role. Under new offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, who played a key role in transforming Jayden Daniels into a Heisman Trophy winner at LSU, Leonard will need to improve as a passer to help the team reach its goals.
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Biggest Strength: Elite defense
Notre Dame's defense has stars at all three levels, with five defenders making the top-10 of my positional rankings ahead of 2024. Notre Dame also fields the nation's sixth-best defensive line and third-best secondary.
Biggest Weakness: Will Riley Leonard take the next step as a passer?
While certainly a capable runner, Leonard has some work to do as a passer. He’s struggled with accuracy throughout his career and has never earned a 70.0 passing grade in a season. That’ll need to change if he’s going to become the NFL quarterback many expect him to be.
2023 Team Overview
Offense |
||||
| EPA per play | Yards per play | Successful play rate | Explosive run play rate | Explosive pass play rate |
| 0.168 | 7.0 | 41.4% | 17.8% | 19.0% |
| 11th | 9th | 8th | T-33rd | 16th |
Defense |
||||
| EPA allowed per play | Yards allowed per play | Successful play rate allowed | Explosive run rate allowed | Explosive pass rate allowed |
| -0.222 | 4.5 | 28.8% | 11.6% | 10.0% |
| 5th | 5th | 10th | 16th | 5th |
Three Notable Transfer Portal Additions
- QB Riley Leonard (Duke): 77.5 PFF Grade
- CB Rod Heard II (Northwestern): 81.8 PFF Grade
- WR Kris Mitchell (Florida International): 77.5 PFF Grade
Three Notable Transfer Portal Losses
- WR Chris Tyree (Virginia): 74.4 PFF Grade
- WR Rico Flores Jr. (UCLA): 67.5 PFF Grade
- C Zeke Correll (NC State): 62.0 PFF Grade
Quarterback Spotlight: Riley Leonard
2023 Grade: 77.5
Key Stat: 87.2 rushing grade over last two seasons (tied for fifth-best in the FBS)
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