Fighting Irish remain committed to run-oriented game

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Damelost two running backs to the first round of the NFL draft after last season and returns a potential Heisman Trophy candidate at quarterback, but the Irish this fall will not deviate from their offensive identity.

"We're built around the run game, that's Notre Dame football," offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock said following Thursday's practice. "That's my philosophy. That's coach [Marcus] Freeman's philosophy. That's who we are. So we're going to have a strong run game, and I believe we've got guys in that room who can deliver on that."

Notre Dame loses record-setting Jeremiyah Love, the Doak Walker Award winner and No. 3 pick to the Arizona Cardinals, as well as Jadarian Price, who was taken by the Seattle Seahawks as the final pick (32nd) of the first round. The Irish became the first team in the common draft era to produce the first two running backs of a draft, and the first team since Arkansas in 2008 to have two backs selected in the first round.

The Irish also return quarterback CJ Carr, who impressed during his first year as a starter with 2,741 passing yards and 24 touchdowns with a 66.6 completion percentage.

Denbrock is confident in junior running back Aneyas Williams, who backed up Love and Price the past two seasons and is expected to be the starter this season, and other ball carriers including sophomore Nolan James Jr. Denbrock said Williams, who rushed for five touchdowns last season, has "dug into the details of his position even more than he ever had" during the offseason.

Notre Dame also is hopeful that Carr can elevate a passing attack that returns Jordan Faison, Jaden Greathouse and others, while adding transfers Mylan Graham and Quincy Porter from Ohio State. Faison, the team's leading pass catcher in 2025, said the "pure athleticism" of the receiving corps has stood out.

"Everyone's got speed, got big guys that can catch, and it's also a very smart group," he said.

The Irish rose from 101st nationally in passing in 2024 to No. 35 last season.

"We're a little stronger in some areas on the perimeter maybe than we have been the last couple of years," Denbrock said. "So, does that afford you an opportunity to maybe spread the field a little bit more, and get after people a little bit more with CJ's mind and his ability to throw the ball? That's a piece of it, but we're never going to stray very far from our core belief in having a strong run game and being able to lean on it when we need to."