Following the 23-13 victory over the Texas A&M Aggies last weekend, optimism around the Notre Dame program is at an all time high. The coaching staff is a big reason for that, as is the depth on the roster. There’s an argument to be made that this is the deepest Irish team we have seen in a long time.

Most Notre Dame fans have been very high on Marcus Freeman, especially from a recruiting perspective. His first full recruiting class was the 2023 group, which was on full display Saturday night. In a lot of ways, that 2023 class is the key for Notre Dame hitting its upside this fall.

Irish offense

While it wasn’t the most dynamic offensive showing during the 23-13 victory over Texas A&M, you still saw the elements of an outstanding unit down the road potentially. A big reason for that is the sophomore class. It’s a good mix of players of all ages, but that 2023 group has the potential to bring that unit to the next level.

Arguably the most dynamic weapon on either team was running back Jeremiyah Love, who rushed for 91 yards and a touchdown on just 14 carries, averaging a stellar 6.5 yards per carry. That included the game winning touchdown with less than two minutes of the game. The dynamic ability he brings at 6-0 and 210 pounds is incredible.

In the passing game, Notre Dame is going to be depending on players like Beaux Collins and Kris Mitchell, but it will be buoyed by the sophomore class. Jaden Greathouse is the player everyone is excited about, even though he had a quiet day on Saturday with three receptions for 26 yards. Greathouse is still expected to be a stellar player for the Irish player this year.

While they may not be the top pass catchers, the Irish staff will still be depending on Jordan Faison and KK Smith. Faison will be out for one to two weeks, but he started at the Z receiver position on Saturday. That injury could open up opportunities for Smith moving forward behind Mitchell.

With Mitchell Evans hobbled still recovering from injury, sophomore Cooper Flanagan made a big impact against the Aggies. He had two receptions for 25 yards, but his impact as a blocker was also felt. The 6-6, 257-pound tight end is going to be a very important player for the Irish in both the run and passing game this season.

Earlier in this offseason, we expected Charles Jagusah to take a massive step as the full time starter at left tackle. Unfortunately his season was lost in the preseason, but the 2023 class is still going to make a big impact on the offensive line. We saw Sam Pendleton start at left guard, winning out against veterans Pat Coogan and Rocco Spindler. Pendleton wasn’t perfect, but he did make a nice impact in the run game.

Irish defense

On the defensive side of the football, Notre Dame deploys a lot of veterans in their elite group. That makes it harder for younger players to make an impact, but we still saw the 2023 class make their mark on Saturday.

The clearest impact was in the secondary, where we saw Christian Gray start at cornerback, and Adon Shuler at safety. The duo combined for five tackles, an interception, and two pass breakups. Xavier Watts and Benjamin Morrison get most of the fanfare in the secondary, but the youngsters are also here to make their mark.

On the second level, the 2023 class was also very well represented. Drayk Bowen started at middle linebacker, while Jaiden Ausberry was heavily involved in a couple different spots during the game. Each showed flashes of big time moments, although it was inconsistent.

Littered amongst a deep and talented defensive line, pass rusher Boubacar Traore and defensive tackle Armel Mukam are worth keeping an eye on. Both players will be needed at some important moments in this season. Their long term upside will be interesting to watch.