Notre Dame football on the verge of history when Texas A&M game kicks off

While it might be Year 3 of the Marcus Freeman regime, the Notre Dame football team is about to start a new era. And when I say “start” I mean starters. As in the Irish are about to break a tradition that goes back to before the vast majority of people reading this were born and the ones that were alive, probably weren’t yet potty trained.

When Riley Leonard takes his first snap from Ashton Craig, it will be the first time since at least 1982 that there hasn’t been a senior starter on the offensive line. And what’s the craziest part about that is that while Anthonie Knapp is the latest underclassman to get a starting job, even if Charles Jagusah had started instead, that would still be the case.

The Notre Dame football team’s depth chart shows that Knapp will start at left tackle over senior Tosh Baker. Freshman Sam Pendleton is the starter at left guard. The Junior Craig is starting at center. Junior Billy Schrauth is at right guard and finally, junior Amil Wagner is at right tackle.

Notre Dame football seeing youth movement on offensive line

The Irish were a hair’s breath away from keeping the streak going. Both Tosh Baker and Pat Coogan were thought to be close to being named the starters at their respective positions. 

Coogan will back up at center and Baker will back up at left tackle. Both will see some serious playing time, it would seem. Especially against a Texas A&M defensive front that is quite staunch.

However, Notre Dame football in the Marcus Freeman era continues to chart its own course. We’ll see where that course leads.