With the recent court ruling in Colorado that essentially named any class of 2022 player eligible for one more season, the obvious question is whether there are any guys that Notre Dame might bring back for 2026 that it wasn’t planning on before the last few days. The short answer is “likely not.” The longer answer is that there is one defensive tackle in Junior Tuihalamaka, who fits the bill of those covered and could be an asset for Chris Ash’s defensive line.
In theory, the Colorado court ruling would allow Tuihalamaka, who played four seasons and did not redshirt, to come back to the Fighting Irish. However, the NCAA has already signaled that this latest ruling is a step too far, and it is fighting it any way it can. That includes, of course, claiming that the court overstepped its bounds by allowing any player, not just the ones who filed the suit in question, to get an extra year. For now, guys like Tuihalamaka are still in limbo.
There’s also the question as to whether Notre Dame would want the headache that might come from directly defying what the NCAA has said about the subject. It’s not that Marcus Freeman or Pete Bevacqua is scared about the entity. Still, with it fighting a ruling, it would definitely be a headache to add the defensive tackle back to the roster, and having him practice and play, only to see Tuihalamaka suddenly be ruled ineligible.
As far as bookkeeping goes, Notre Dame has 113 players listed on its official 2026-27 roster. However, there are several who are “grandfathered” in as not counting against the 105-man limit. Insiders believe there might be one spot available for the defensive tackle if everything goes right.
Junior Tuihalamaka is Notre Dame football’s lone realistic eligibility reunion
It’s hard to argue he wouldn’t be an asset for a defense that is already considered one of the best in the country. While his time on the field was limited in 2025, he logged 12 tackles and a sack. However, in 2024, Tuihalamaka tallied 32 tackles, 3 sacks, and even had an interception.
It’s a safe bet that he wouldn’t be a starter in 2026, but he could be a valuable bench piece. And that brings up the final factor in trying to determine whether Notre Dame would bring him back for a fifth season.
Would Junior Tuihalamaka want to come back to be a part-time player for yet another season, especially after he’d already planned for time after South Bend? Most think it’s a no-brainer for the players to take advantage of the extra year for revenue sharing and NIL money alone. However, the Fighting Irish have their budget set for the 2026-27 academic year. The defensive tackle wasn’t included in it.
If he’s not given revenue-sharing dollars, how much NIL money is a backup defensive lineman who joins the team just as fall camp unfolds getting? Would it be enough for him to thumb his nose at the NCAA? Sooner or later, all of these questions will be answered. With Notre Dame’s official prep for the 2026 season about to start, the longer it takes for Junior Tuihalamaka to join the team, the less likely it is he will at all.
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