When it comes to the 2026 season, make no mistake that there is tons of excitement about what Notre Dame football can do. However, there was tons of excitement about 2025 after the Fighting Irish went all the way to the National Championship game the season before.
The Irish entered 2025 with fans expecting them to run the table and be one of the best in the country. Instead, they lost their first two games and were eventually booted from the College Football Playoff field thanks to their loss to Miami.
So while there is all kinds of excitement surrounding Notre Dame this spring, there are also some hard questions the team needs to answer if it wants to accomplish all its goals. If Marcus Freeman's crew can answer those questions the right way, the Irish will win their first National Title since 1988.
How does Notre Dame rebuild its backfield?
A player of the talent of Jeremiyah Love leaving would be a big enough blow for most teams. ND lost both love and the guy he split time with the last two years, Jadarian Price. Analysts expect both to be successful NFL players.
However, when the Irish rebuild their backfield, they will be using an unproven player. There's plenty of talent in the group of Aneyas Williams, Kedren Young, Jonaz Walton, Javian Osborne, and Nolan James Jr. However, one or two guys will need to step up and separate themselves from the pack. For now, things are wide open. What if they can't find anywhere close to the success they had with Love and Price?
Can the new Fighting Irish coaching staff mesh quickly and completely?
For the second straight year, Notre Dame survived rumors that Marcus Freeman might leave. However, while he stayed in South Bend, there were plenty of changes to the coaching staff. Gone are Max Bullough, Al Washington, and Mike Mickens.
In their place, the Irish added Aaron Henry, Charlie Partridge, Brian Jean-Mary, and brought back Jevaughn Codlin. Four new coaches for a team that had as much success as they did last season is an oddity.
The early-season losses last year were due in large part to Notre Dame figuring out Chris Ash's defense. While the defensive coordinator is the same this year, the staff and the team may have some issues to start the year. Considering how much easier the 2026 schedule is, they can't allow those issues to lead to losses, or even a loss.
Can Notre Dame focus up and keep that focus all season long?
One of the biggest issues over the last two years is that the Irish seemingly lose focus just for a little bit. That loss of focus has been a big reason why Notre Dame hasn't hit their highest highs yet in the Marcus Freeman era.
In 2024, Northern Illinois took advantage of the lack of focus. In 2025, they lost that focus for just a few plays against Texas A & M. In 2026, that easier schedule is going to make it easier to lose focus. Especially in a season opener against a Wisconsin team that was 4-8 this past fall. Has Freeman figured out how to keep Notre Dame focused and dialed in for an entire season, beginning to end?