Coaches Talk Anonymously About Notre Dame for 2026

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It’s not easy getting college football coaches to honestly comment on another coach, player or team. Most coaches don’t want to give opposing teams bulletin board material, which is why there is a lot of coach speak or overused cliches used during the year.

In order to get an accurate assessment of teams heading into 2026, Athlon asked coaches around college football to talk anonymously about Notre Dame for the upcoming year.

Note: These scouting reports come directly from coaching staffs and do not necessarily reflect the views of Athlon’s editorial staff.

[Editor’s note: This article is from Athlon Sports’ 2026 College Football Preview print magazine. Order your copy today online, or pick one up at retail racks and newsstands nationwide.]

Coaches Anonymously Scout Notre Dame for 2026

“I would imagine that they take the cuffs off [quarterback CJ Carr] a little more.”

“I thought he (Carr) was very good last year, but I also thought that they asked little of him. Create isolation routes, get the ball to the right guy. Indiana did the same thing — ran the ball, created one-on-ones and took advantage of them. And [Carr] is more talented than Fernando Mendoza. That’s saying a lot.”

“They’re so good up front that they just get after your a–.”

“It’s just hard to match up with them because you can’t stop them from running the football because of how good they are up front. You put the whole team up there, and then you’re gonna create one-on-ones, and they have a few receivers that they haven’t had the last few years.”

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on May 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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Coaches Talk Anonymously About Notre Dame for 2026

Coaches Anonymously Scout Notre Dame for 2026

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