Notre Dame Football: What does the John Olmstead transfer mean for Notre Dame?
By Andrew Hall
John Olmstead announced his decision to depart the Notre Dame football program on Wednesday via Twitter.
Notre Dame’s path to the 85 scholarship limit is a yearly storyline followed by fans and media. Under Brian Kelly, the Irish continue to push the limit – signing more players than available scholarships. Each year, fans speculate at who will depart the program.
Early this month, the football program announced the medical disqualifications of wide receiver Isaiah Robertson, offensive linemen Cole Mabry, and running back Trevor Speights.
Last week, sophomore offensive linemen John Olmstead became the final piece of the puzzle. Olmstead announced the decision on Twitter, writing:
"Due to personal reasons that I would prefer to keep private, I have made the decision to enter the transfer portal. I would like to thank Coach Kelly and Notre Dame for the opportunity to pursue my degree and play football at the highest level."
Olmstead enrolled early at Notre Dame in January 2019 but did not see action during the fall. He ranked as the 185th prospect in the 2019 class.
What does his departure mean for the Notre Dame football team? Due to years of continued recruiting success at the offensive line position, Brian Kelly and his staff are in a solid position to absorb the loss of Olmstead. In fact, like in many cases, the transfer player is either buried behind players with several years of eligibility or is recruited over by higher end prospects.
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In the case of Olmstead, several players at the Guard position including Aaron Banks have multiple years of eligibility remaining. New 2021 recruits like Rocco Spindler and, possibly, Blake Fisher would jump Olmstead the moment the step on campus. Even players like Quinn Carroll who were recruited as tackles may end up sliding inside making to become a guard.
Ultimately, if Notre Dame continues to recruit at their current level, the Fighting Irish will take this transfer in stride and rejoice that they are finally at the 85-man threshold.