It’s time to start worrying about a Notre Dame playmaker that many thought was going to be a breakout star for the Irish in 2025
Notre Dame football expected a lot of wide receiver Jaden Greathouse heading into the 2025 season. It might be time to put him on a milk cartoon.
Notre Dame football managed to defeat the Purdue Boilermakers by a score of 56 to 30 on Saturday for the first Fighting Irish victory of the 2025 college football season. Chris Ash’s defense continues to be a major issue, but Mike Denbrock’s offense showed more and more progress. There is a lot to be optimistic about on that side of the football.
Redshirt freshman quarterback CJ Carr had his best day to date in the blue and gold, completing 10 of 12 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns. That’s an average of 22.3 yards per completion, as well as 18.6 yards per pass attempt. The 6-3, 210-pound quarterback was making big play after big play during his outing against the Boilermakers.
We saw explosive plays from the likes of Malachi Fields, Jordan Faison, and Micah Gilbert during the victory. Even Will Pauling created a big play. Absent from the box score was junior wide receiver Jaden Greathouse, who failed to make a reception for the second time in three contests. The lack of usage has been one of the most puzzling Fighting Irish storylines this season.
In a game that saw KK Smith and Logan Saldate make receptions, seeing the Texas native go catchless is jarring. That’s especially true, considering the offseason hype around Greathouse. He ended the 2024 college football season with a bang during the playoffs. During the final two games against Penn State and Ohio State, Greathouse has managed to haul in 13 receptions for 233 yards and three touchdowns.
What’s the issue with Notre Dame WR Jaden Greathouse?
Through three games, Greathouse has made just two catches for 41 yards. The 6-1, 210-pound pass catcher played in just 17 snaps yesterday and didn’t earn a target. In a game where there was clearly an intention to get Fields and Faison involved, it feels notable that Denbrock didn’t prioritize Greathouse, especially after a slow start to the 2025 season.
It’s early, but Greathouse is the seventh leading receiver for the Fighting Irish. Will this offense prioritize Greathouse at some point? Why haven’t they already? At some point, there has to be some speculation about what the issue is. It feels like there is something off with this situation.
With less than 14 yards receiving per game, Greathouse has become an afterthought for this Notre Dame offense. Perhaps Carr does not have much chemistry with Greathouse, or perhaps there is a deeper reason for the lack of usage. A game against an inferior opponent like Purdue, especially when you drop 56 points, felt like the perfect opportunity to get the talented pass catcher involved.
Yet, here we are. If Greathouse doesn’t get involved soon, some bigger questions need to be asked. Many, including myself, expected Greathouse to contend with Fields to be the top pass catcher on the team. That has not materialized so far.
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