Notre Dame football has yet to win a "transfer portal battle" since things got rolling on January 2. In fact, for now, the only action the Irish have been involved in is losing out on one target or another. Count Ian Strong among those Marcus Freeman lost out on before even getting him to South Bend.
Strong, a former Rutgers Scarlet Knight, was one of the two top wide receiver targets Freeman and his crew were hoping to get on campus this week. Instead, both he and Nick Marsh picked their new schools just days ahead of the planned South Bend visits.
Marsh picked the Indiana Hoosiers. That's a painful loss for Notre Dame, but it's understandable that head coach Curt Cignetti moved quickly in nabbing 8 commits in the first weekend the portal was open. The Hoosiers are also the No. 1 team in the country. Strong picked the Cal Golden Bears, a decision that should confound the Fighting Irish.
Notre Dame loses out on wide receiver Ian Strong as portal frustrations continue
Strong collected 762 yards and 5 touchdowns in 52 catches across 644 snaps in 10 appearances during the 2025 season, the most productive of his three years in Piscataway. He was considered a solid Plan B after Marsh slipped through Freeman's fingers.
Now, there's a real question of where Notre Dame turns next. Do they even pursue a wide receiver in the portal, or do they move to other positions with bigger need? The Irish need to score a portal win soon if they don't want full-on panic to consume the fan base.