Notre Dame football has completely turned around with head coach Marcus Freeman at the helm for the past four years. When Brian Kelly, who was the head coach of the Irish for 12 seasons, was at Notre Dame, there were feelings like the program had hit its ceiling as an independent, and a National Championship would never be fully in reach.
In just four years, Freeman has already gotten Notre Dame to a National Championship and the College Football Playoff on numerous occasions. There was wonder that, after yet another successful season, which included a10-game win streak, if Freeman would depart for the NFL.
Instead of leaving, Freeman stayed dedicated to Notre Dame and wants to get a championship with the Irish. However, Freeman may not be able to hold off the NFL forever, and someone else clearly agrees.
The Athletic's Ralph D. Russo predicts every Power 4 coaching change in 2030
Ralph D. Russo, a writer for The Athletic, did a fun experiment of predicting who all the college football head coaches would be in the Power Four conferences, as well as Notre Dame, by the year 2030. Some programs had major changes, while others are predicted to be status quo in four years.
For Notre Dame, Russo has projected quite a change for the Irish, and fans may not love the idea of it. Russo isn't predicting Freeman to be in South Bend in four years; instead, he believes that Freeman will succumb to an NFL job and make the move up. However, the replacement Russo has in mind for Notre Dame is one that makes sense, but may not be the one fans are hoping for.
As a former Notre Dame defensive coordinator, current Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko is a logical choice, or at least someone to call for the opening. That is exactly who Russo believes will come in after Freeman's departure, but will he have what it takes to keep Notre Dame where it is now?
Elko had a very successful 2025 season at Texas A&M, earning the program's first-ever College Football Playoff appearance, but that is about the only good thing about it. The Aggies fell in the first round to Miami, who ended up in the National Championship, but lost to Indiana.
While Miami's run was impressive, the game between the Aggies and the Hurricanes had to have been the worst one ever played in the CFP. In a game where there was no offense and the kickers wanted to see who could miss more than the other, it ended in a lackluster 10-3 win for Miami.
Elko could improve in the coming years, and if Freeman were to leave South Bend, he could be a solid candidate, but let's not start putting carts before horses here. The experiment Russo did was a fun one, but it feels better to stay in the present, where Marcus Freeman is still at Notre Dame.