Notre Dame football: Cam Hart to return for fifth season

Notre Dame football got some big news to start the transfer and declaration period as Cam Hart announced he’ll return for a fifth season.

The news is a massive win for the Irish and this coaching staff heading into a crucial offseason for Notre Dame football. With Cam Hart returning and the incredible emergence of Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame may have one of the best cornerback pairs in college football. While this past season may not have been what he hoped for, Hart was dealing with some nagging injuries all season. Eventually, those injuries caught up with him, and he was forced to sit out of the USC game and will not appear in the bowl game.

The best news is having Cam back on the field fully healthy and ready to shut down some receivers. What I’d consider a very close second, though, is his leadership and ability to mentor Morrison and fellow newcomer Jaden Mickey. He may be even busier next year when Christian Gray and Micah Bell arrive on campus. Those two, along with Mickey and Morrison, have an extremely bright future and will be mentored by a true leader for Notre Dame football. With Cam there to help guide the way, I expect the transition to be smooth for Bell and Gray.

Cam is the first of many Irish players that will have decisions to make this upcoming offseason. It won’t always be happy news that Irish fans will hear. But you have to respect a player’s decision if they think they’ll have a better opportunity to play elsewhere. Along with Michael Mayer and Isaiah Foskey, there should be a couple of other NFL draft declarations to sort through. It’s a hectic time of the year for a college football fan, so buckle up and be ready for anything. It only gets crazier from here.