Notre Dame football fall practice primer: 5 things to watch

Notre Dame football fall practice primer: 5 things to watch

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Notre Dame football fall practice primer: 5 things to watch

Notre Dame football begins its fall practice today, meaning that we are extremely close to seeing the Blue and Gold back on the field.

Head coach Marcus Freeman gave us a little preview on Tuesday, as the Irish will be getting ready for a season with very high expectations. They’ll enter the year as the No. 5 ranked team in the US LBM Coaches Poll, a spot that should give everyone confidence.

However, there are more than a few aspects of this team that should be monitored during camp. Here are my top five things to watch as Notre Dame gets fall practice started today.

Quarterback CJ Carr’s second-year progression inside Notre Dame OC’s Mike Denbrock’s system

Apr 25, 2026; Notre Dame, IN, USA; Notre Dame offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock calls plays during the Blue-Gold game at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

This is one of the biggest questions in my eyes for this year’s Notre Dame team, how far can Carr lead them. While he’s supremely talented, losing running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price along with wide receiver Malachi Fields won’t be an easy transition. However, there is a great track record for Denbrock with second-year starters, as he guided Jayden Daniels to a Heisman Trophy at LSU. Even if it’s just a small jump, Carr should leap into superstardom as the chatter about being a first-round draft pick will continue to grow.

Injured major contributors in linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa and wide receiver Quincy Porter

Notre Dame linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (27) celebrates after getting a stop on fourth down in the second half of a NCAA football game against Southern California at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, in South Bend.

Both are expected to be major contributors for the Irish this fall, but both enter the year as limited participants. Freeman did say he expects all of those players to be ready for the start of the season, but it’s really hard to say if that will be the case. Viliamu-Asa isn’t a starter, but is on the field as much as one normally is, and Porter is the boundary receiver with size that this roster really needs to step up. The hope is that they’re both healthy to play against Wisconsin, but it’s something to monitor over the next month.

Can Notre Dame defensive line coach Charlie Partridge have as big of an impact as his recruiting has?

Defensive line coach Charlie Partridge during a Notre Dame football practice at Irish Athletic Center on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in South Bend.

Partridge has absolutely crushed it on the recruiting trail, bringing in a defensive line class that many believe is the top group in the 2027 cycle. The question right now is how much of that magic will translate over to the on-field production. Partridge wasn’t a great head coach, but has been best leading a position. Freeman is fairly confident about the interior players, but the edge’s have to step up. There plenty of talent on the roster from Boubacar Traore to Bryce Young, but there is a need for more production. Hopefully, we see it early in camp and it translates into the fall.

Notre Dame must develop depth at running back

Running back Aneyas Williams (22) during a Notre Dame football practice at Irish Athletic Center on Friday, March 20, 2026, in South Bend.

It very much looks like Aneyas Williams is the starter, but who will be the contributors behind him. Notre Dame is preparing for along season and there will be a need for at least three others to play significant minutes. The question really is who is that going to be? Nolan James has tons of talent and could be the first off the bench, but he’s got virtually no experience. Kedren Young has to step up, as doe the freshman. This is a big concern group for me heading into fall camp.

Can Notre Dame win the College Football Playoff?

Apr 25, 2026; Notre Dame, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman waits in the tunnel before the Blue-Gold game at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

We won’t get this answer during camp, but it’s always a looming question as the season gets started. Is Notre Dame talented enough? Yes. Do they have the coaching staff to navigate an NFL-like season. Yes. Is the schedule friendly to help ease some of the new players in? Yes. There’s clearly plenty of yes’ that you can ask about this Irish team, and it very much looks like at this moment they can compete for a title. Building additional depth early will be a big key, and that starts today. If Notre Dame can achieve all its goals, then they very well could be playing in late January for a shot at the National Championship.

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This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Notre Dame football fall practice primer: 5 things to watch

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