Irish Breakdown

Notre Dame enters 2026 with a high floor on defense under Chris Ash, thanks to elite star power in the secondary, a stout linebacker corps, and outstanding depth along the defensive line. We break down what we already know about this defense and why its talent, depth, and veteran leadership give the Irish the foundation of a championship-caliber unit. Shop for Irish Breakdown gear at our online st...

Today's Rapid Fire topics include: NBC announced the TV announcer booth for Notre Dame games for the season, thoughts on media reports after Wisconsin held an open football practice Tuesday night, reaction to Dusty Dvoracek and Paul Finebaum's ND title hopes this season, thoughts on Indiana's No. 6 preseason ranking after winning last year's championship. Shop for Irish Breakdown gear at our onlin...

Irish Breakdown has an exclusive interview with Notre Dame women's basketball freshman forward Amari Byles. She discusses her first summer workouts with the Irish, playing with Hannah Hidalgo after watching her as a recruit, a unique opportunity with NBA star Kyrie Irving and more. Shop for Irish Breakdown gear at our online store: https://ibstore.irishbreakdown.com Join the Irish Breakdown premiu...

The IB team answers questions about Notre Dame football, Irish recruiting and college football in the latest installment of the Daily Mailbag. Shop for Irish Breakdown gear at our online store: https://ibstore.irishbreakdown.com/ Join the Irish Breakdown premium message board: https://boards.irishbreakdown.com Stay locked into Irish Breakdown for all the latest news and analysis about Notre Dame:...

Notre Dame wants to be a line-driven program, and the defensive line has a chance to become the engine of an elite defense in 2026 with the depth and talent to attack opponents in waves. We break down what the Irish need up front, from generating a more consistent pass rush and finishing at the quarterback to dominating the run game and proving they can make the difference in the biggest moments....

Notre Dame's offensive line carries a huge responsibility in 2026, both in replacing the production lost at running back and in giving CJ Carr the protection he needs to become an elite quarterback. We break down what the Irish must improve up front, from stronger pass protection and more consistent physicality to better communication against twists and stunts, while also examining the importance...

CJ Carr enters 2026 as one of the most important players on Notre Dame's roster, with the Irish needing him to become the clear leader and primary driver of an offense replacing significant production. We break down what Carr must do to reach a championship-caliber level, from improving his deep-ball accuracy and decision-making to consistently delivering in the biggest moments of the season. Shop...

Irish Breakdown's Bryan Driskell and Sean Stires take a look at Notre Dame's priorities for the 2028 recruiting cycle. Shop for Irish Breakdown gear at our online store: https://ibstore.irishbreakdown.com Join the Irish Breakdown premium message board: https://boards.irishbreakdown.com Stay locked into Irish Breakdown for all the latest news and analysis about Notre Dame: https://www.irishbreakdow...

Irish Breakdown discusses comments from Notre Dame defensive line coach Charlie Partridge on several of his players, including Armel Mukam, Keon Keeley, Bryce Young, and Jason Onye. Shop for Irish Breakdown gear at our online store: https://ibstore.irishbreakdown.com Join the Irish Breakdown premium message board: https://boards.irishbreakdown.com Stay locked into Irish Breakdown for all the lates...

Today's Rapid Fire topics include: What the top of Notre Dame's receiver rotation could look like with Jordan Faison, Mylan Graham, Jaden Greathouse, and Micah Gilbert. Could Greathouse play boundary receiver, what are the chances two Irish receivers have at least 50 receptions this season, former ND baseball player Trey Mancini has retired from Major League Baseball, thoughts on Lane Kiffin's fut...

Notre Dame has plenty of talent on offense, but several key players and coaches must take the next step if the Irish are going to reach their championship ceiling in 2026. We identify the biggest offensive standouts who need to step up, including CJ Carr, Jaden Greathouse, the battle for the third receiver, Will Black, Anthonie Knapp, Guerby Lambert, Joe Rudolph, and Mike Brown. Shop for Irish Bre...

Notre Dame's 2026 offense has plenty of talent, but several critical questions remain before we know just how good this unit can be. We examine CJ Carr's ceiling, whether the high-upside receivers can deliver, the tight ends' impact in the passing game, the offensive line's toughness and cohesion, and whether the Irish can become an elite situational offense. Shop for Irish Breakdown gear at our o...

Notre Dame's 2026 offense has plenty of known pieces, from new offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock and an established CJ Carr to a talented group of skill players and an offensive line loaded with potential. We break down what we already know about Jordan Faison, Jaden Greathouse, the tight ends, running backs, and offensive line—and why the depth of talent gives this offense an extremely high cei...

Curt Cignetti is making headlines with his latest comments about Notre Dame, and we're breaking down why we believe his criticism doesn't hold up. We examine what Cignetti said, the reality behind his claims, and why the Indiana coach may have more motivation for taking shots at the Irish than he's letting on. Shop for Irish Breakdown gear at our online store: https://ibstore.irishbreakdown.com/ J...

Today's Rapid Fire topics include: Thoughts on where Notre Dame landed in the preseason AP football poll, which preseason top 10 teams are the best candidates to finish unranked, reaction to Curt Cignetti's most recent comments on Indiana canceling the future home and home series with Notre Dame, should the Irish agree to his "terms" just to call his bluff, reaction to a Wisconsin radio...

Irish Breakdown discusses comments from Notre Dame wide receivers coach Mike Brown on several Irish receivers. Brown updates the status of injured Ohio State transfer Quincy Porter and discusses other boundary receivers like Micah Gilbert, Jerome Bettis, Jr and Devin Fitzgerald. He also covers the fit of Jordan Faison, Jaden Greathouse and Mylan Graham. We also start the show with thoughts on Blak...

Irish Breakdown answers Buy/Sell/Hold submissions from Notre Dame fans about the Fighting Irish. This is part four of the segment. Shop for Irish Breakdown gear at our online store: https://ibstore.irishbreakdown.com/ Join the Irish Breakdown premium message board: https://boards.irishbreakdown.com Stay locked into Irish Breakdown for all the latest news and analysis about Notre Dame: https://www....

Irish Breakdown answers Buy/Sell/Hold submissions from Notre Dame fans about the Fighting Irish. This is part three of the segment. Shop for Irish Breakdown gear at our online store: https://ibstore.irishbreakdown.com/ Join the Irish Breakdown premium message board: https://boards.irishbreakdown.com Stay locked into Irish Breakdown for all the latest news and analysis about Notre Dame: https://www...

Irish Breakdown answers Buy/Sell/Hold submissions from Notre Dame fans about the Fighting Irish. This is part two of the segment. Shop for Irish Breakdown gear at our online store: https://ibstore.irishbreakdown.com/ Join the Irish Breakdown premium message board: https://boards.irishbreakdown.com Stay locked into Irish Breakdown for all the latest news and analysis about Notre Dame: https://www.i...

Irish Breakdown answers Buy/Sell/Hold submissions from Notre Dame fans about the Fighting Irish. This is part one of the segment. Shop for Irish Breakdown gear at our online store: https://ibstore.irishbreakdown.com/ Join the Irish Breakdown premium message board: https://boards.irishbreakdown.com Stay locked into Irish Breakdown for all the latest news and analysis about Notre Dame: https://www.i...

Notre Dame lands in the top five of the AP Top 25 heading into the 2026 season, officially putting the Irish among the nation's elite and raising expectations for a championship run. We break down where Notre Dame landed, what the ranking says about the team's national standing, and whether the Irish are deserving of a spot among the top teams in the country. Shop for Irish Breakdown gear at our o...

In this best of the week segment, we look back at the discussion the Irish Breakdown team had discussing how the 2026 college football season is loaded with marquee matchups, and we're breaking down the games that could be the most entertaining and have the biggest impact on the national championship race. We start with Notre Dame's huge showdowns against BYU, Miami, and SMU before going rapid-fir...

In this best of the week segment, we look back at the discussion the Irish Breakdown team had discussing how does Notre Dame's defense stack up across the board heading into the 2026 season? We rank all five defensive position groups based on their projected performance throughout the season, from defensive tackle and safety to defensive end, linebacker, and cornerback. Who will land at No. 1? Sho...

In this best of the week segment, we look back at the discussion the Irish Breakdown team had discussing how does Notre Dame's offense stack up heading into the 2026 season. We rank all five offensive position groups based on their projected performance throughout the season, from tight end and running back to wide receiver, quarterback, and the offensive line. Who will land at No. 1? Shop for Iri...

In this best of the week segment, we look back at the discussion the Irish Breakdown team had discussing what makes a college football offense truly elite in 2026. We establish the criteria—from talent and coaching to production and performance in big moments—then reveal our consensus ranking of the 10 best offenses in the country. Shop for Irish Breakdown gear at our online store: https://ibstore...