The Notre Dame football team's fall camp is officially underway, and when the team holds its first practice on Thursday, there will be several position battles that need to be solved.
The most obvious one is the quarterback battle. While some people think that CJ Carr has already won that fight, the fact of the matter is that head coach Marcus Freeman is going to make sure that there is an actual competition. That one is a little too obvious for this list. So let's check out the other jobs Freeman has to get right to have the kind of success people expect from the Blue and Gold this year.
Notre Dame football will need to find a Field safety
There isn't any shortage of talent on the Notre Dame football defense; it's just a matter of trying to figure out who might win the job. Jalen Stroman should be the front-runner here since the Virginia Tech transfer has the most starting experience, but he missed some serious time in 2024 due to a clavicle injury. He also missed out on spring practice due to the same injury.
Tae Johnson has impressed coaches and could push for the starting job, especially if Stroman isn't 100% yet. Luke Talich is also right there and might be the guy to get the nod if no one else really grabs it.
Nose tackle will anchor the defense
There are plenty of changes to the Irish defensive line, and it's the position that has the most questions around it. Jared Dawson, Jason Onye, and Donovan Hinish are the top candidates.
Notre Dame has a wealth of veteran presence at the position, even if they haven't been starters. Dawson, like Stroman, is the odds-on favorite because he transferred to South Bend from Louisville to start. However, he's going to need to beat out Onye and Hinish; he won't just be handed the job.
Field receiver is the only opening among the group
The boundary receiver is almost certainly Malachi Fields' position to lose; likewise, the slot receiver is Jaden Greathouse's. The spot that is still up for grabs is the Field receiver and will come down to Jordan Faison and Will Pauling.
The reason Pauling doesn't win this job outright is because he's a slot receiver by trade and might end up being a super-sub. The Notre Dame football team might decide that Faison will be the starter, especially the way that Mike Denbrock has talked about him. This could be a spot that has a starter but doesn't have an overwhelming majority of snaps for either guy.