Notre Dame Football Is Having An Exodus After The National Title
01/23/2025 01:44 PM
Notre Dame's 2024 season was a success in many areas. The team made it back to the College Football Playoff for the first time since 2020, and they won three games within that playoff to advance to the national championship.
They lost Monday's game against Ohio State, but the program is trending in the right direction after a great finish to the season. Despite the positive momentum, several players have entered the transfer portal this week.
As programs around the nation adjust to the new realities of college football, Notre Dame will be forced to adapt as well. Players are constantly searching for better opportunities, whether they be through NIL or more playing time.
Some players would prefer to play in systems that accentuate their strengths, making them more likely to stand out when it comes to consideration for the NFL Draft.
Three of the team's starting offensive linemen have left the program within the last day.
What is going on with Notre Dame's Offensive Lineman? 👀
— SleeperCFB (@SleeperCFB) January 23, 2025
In the past 24 hours they have lost three starting O-Lineman:
- Sam Pendleton
- Rocco Spindler (#50)
- Pat Coogan (#78) pic.twitter.com/eQgEFnClml
Sam Pendleton, Rocco Spindler and Pat Coogan are all in the transfer portal after the Irish lost to Ohio State on Monday. Pendleton is set to visit with Tennessee within the coming days, while Spindler and Coogan are expected to draw interest from teams around the country.
Just days after losing the national title game, the Irish now have to replace a defensive coordinator and several key players. Defensive coordinator Al Golden is heading back to the NFL to take the same position with the Cincinnati Bengals, leaving a major hole in head coach Marcus Freeman's staff.
Notre Dame was successful this season because of their defense and their ability to run the football, aspects of their game plan that will be greatly affected by these departures from the program.
The Irish will need to rely on other players to step up in 2025. Those contributions could come from the transfer portal, as Freeman has convinced top players to join the team like quarterback Riley Leonard last summer.
We'll see what Notre Dame's strategy is over the offseason, but the amount of roster and personnel turnover within their program shows just how difficult it is to get to the top of college football and stay there.
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