From the outside looking in, Notre Dame should be gearing up for a golden era. The Fighting Irish were knocking on the door of a national championship last season, closer than they’ve been in years. Head coach Marcus Freeman, only three years into his tenure, appeared to have the program ahead of schedule, his trajectory seemingly pointing straight to the top. Financially, Notre Dame has the resources to compete with anyone, ensuring Freeman has the firepower to keep building a title-contending roster.
And yet—something isn’t right in South Bend.
Instead of riding their success into the offseason with momentum, Notre Dame has taken a gut-wrenching step backward. The once-stable foundation of Freeman’s operation is cracking, leaving the young head coach scrambling to keep things together. What should have been a time for celebration and anticipation has turned into one of tension and uncertainty.
Notre Dame’s Offseason Chaos—The Exodus That No One Saw Coming
Success in college football is a double-edged sword. Win big, and the sharks start circling. Coaches get poached, players chase greener pastures, and front-office personnel become prime targets. Notre Dame is learning that the hard way.
At first, it seemed like the biggest challenge would be keeping Marcus Freeman from being lured to the NFL. The Irish managed to hold onto their head coach—but they couldn’t stop the bleeding elsewhere. What followed was a mass exodus that shook every level of the program, from the front office to the coaching staff to the locker room itself.
CFB analyst Adam Breneman didn’t sugarcoat the severity of the situation. Using his platform to relay inside information, he outlined just how devastating Notre Dame’s offseason losses have been. And make no mistake—this isn’t just a few staff changes and a couple of transfers. This is a full-scale shake-up.
- General Manager Chad Bowden—Gone. Taking the same role at USC, Notre Dame’s historic rival.
- Defensive Coordinator Al Golden—Gone. Jumping to the Cincinnati Bengals, tasked with fixing their struggling defense.
- The Offensive Line—Decimated. Six linemen have left via the transfer portal, including three of their top six guys.
- QB1 Riley Leonard—Gone, after exhausting his eligibility.
This isn’t a slow drip—it’s a flood. Notre Dame isn’t just losing key players; they’re losing their identity.
Why These Departures Cut So Deep
Losing players to graduation and transfers is part of the game, but what’s happening at Notre Dame hits differently.
Chad Bowden: The Betrayal That Stings the Most
Losing your GM is bad. Losing him to USC is a nightmare. Bowden wasn’t just another guy in the office—he was one of the masterminds behind Notre Dame’s recruiting success.
Why did he leave? Money talks. USC didn’t just steal him—they threw a bag at him. Reports suggest the Trojans quadrupled his $250,000 salary, pushing it to a staggering $1 million. The lure of Southern California is already tempting, but that kind of pay raise made it a no-brainer.
To Notre Dame fans, this is a gut punch. Not only does it weaken their own recruiting, but it strengthens the enemy. The same man who helped build Notre Dame into a powerhouse is now working to do the same in Los Angeles.
Al Golden: A Defensive Architect Walks Away
If there was one area where Notre Dame truly dominated last season, it was defense. Under Al Golden, the Irish built a unit that ranked among the top five in the nation. Freeman, a defensive coach himself, relied on Golden to help execute his vision.
Now? Golden is off to the NFL, set to take over as defensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals. After watching Joe Burrow’s MVP-level season go to waste because of a lackluster defense, the Bengals weren’t about to let Golden slip away.
Unlike Bowden’s departure, this one is easier to understand. Moving from college to the NFL is a natural step for top coordinators. But that doesn’t make it any less painful. Notre Dame now faces the daunting task of replacing the architect of their dominant defense—and that’s no small task.
The Offensive Line Crisis: A Dangerous Blow
While losing coaches hurts, losing six offensive linemen is an outright disaster.
The trenches are where championship teams are built, and Notre Dame just lost nearly an entire unit. Protecting the quarterback, opening lanes for the run game—these aren’t luxuries, they’re necessities. With Riley Leonard already gone, Freeman isn’t just rebuilding his offensive line—he’s rebuilding his entire offensive spine.
For a team that prided itself on physical dominance, this could be a fatal setback.
Can Freeman Stop the Bleeding?
With the exodus in full swing, Freeman has to act fast to prevent Notre Dame from spiraling. Luckily, there are still some reasons for hope.
Reinforcements in the Trenches
While six offensive linemen are gone, not all is lost. Two key players—Charles Jagusah and Ashton Craig—are set to return from injury.
Originally expected to be major contributors in 2024, these two could help stabilize the chaos up front. But make no mistake—this offensive line is a work in progress. It’s going to take time for them to develop chemistry, and with a new quarterback stepping in, the margin for error is razor-thin.
Notre Dame’s Secret Weapon: Their Schedule
Say what you want about Notre Dame’s independent status, but it comes with perks.
One of those? A favorable schedule.
Because of their affiliation with the ACC, the Irish have been handed a relatively soft slate to start the season. That means Freeman’s revamped roster will have time to gel before facing serious competition. In other words, they get a head start that most teams don’t.
It’s a built-in advantage that not everyone in college football loves. But as Freeman might say:
“They hate us because they ain’t us.”
The Verdict: Is Notre Dame Falling Apart?
Let’s be clear—losing Chad Bowden, Al Golden, and six linemen is a brutal blow. There’s no spinning that into a positive.
But Notre Dame isn’t built to collapse overnight. The program still has elite talent, a smart head coach, and a proven formula for winning.
That said, this upcoming season will be the ultimate test for Marcus Freeman.
- Can he rebuild his offensive line before it costs them crucial games?
- Can he find a new defensive coordinator capable of keeping Notre Dame’s defense elite?
- Can he adjust to losing key staff members without letting the program fall into disarray?
The pieces are there, but the pressure is immense.
One thing is certain: Marcus Freeman’s true coaching legacy won’t be defined by last season’s championship run—it’ll be defined by what he does next.
