The Notre Dame Fighting Irish passing offense has taken a nice step forward behind the talented right arm of star quarterback CJ Carr. Through five games, the Irish have watched a couple of talented pass catchers ascend into legitimate weapons for head coach Marcus Freeman and offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock.

That includes wide receiver Jordan Faison, who was a well-known commodity going into the 2026 season. Faison has hauled in 25 receptions for 371 yards and four touchdowns so far.

The breakout star of the group, however, has been junior boundary receiver Micah Gilbert. He has 18 receptions for 368 yards and two touchdowns of his own. Those two are battling it out to be the top pass catcher on this team, and the duo could end up being one of the better pairings in the entire country.

There is plenty of reason for optimism. There is also a very real concern.

Notre Dame’s slot and tight end production is lagging behind

The worry sits with the slot position, which includes Jaden Greathouse and Mylan Graham. Graham failed to play a single snap in the 37-26 victory over North Carolina. Even with that extra opportunity, Greathouse managed just two receptions for 18 yards and a touchdown.

In five games, that duo has combined for just 11 catches for 140 yards and two touchdowns. That is less than 30 receiving yards per game on average, which makes it a troubling area right now in terms of production.

To make matters worse, Notre Dame’s tight end room has not been overly productive either. That group has hauled in just 11 catches for 79 yards and two touchdowns.

Between the two interior pass-catching spots, the slot and tight end groups have managed just 22 receptions for 219 yards and four touchdowns through five games. That is fewer receptions than Faison has by himself. It is also less yardage than both Gilbert and Faison have individually, and by a landslide.

We have talked a lot in the past about Carr’s preference for working outside the numbers and a lack of attention to the middle of the field at times. Still, this is an issue that will need to be remedied when Notre Dame takes on BYU, Miami, and SMU, and hopefully during a deep playoff run.

The better teams on the schedule are going to limit the Irish’s ability to work outside the numbers. Because of that, Notre Dame needs a counter in the middle of the field.

Three possible answers for the Irish

The first solution is the easiest one. Greathouse or Graham, or potentially both, take a step forward. That could be as simple as Carr prioritizing them and Denbrock making it a point to get them the football in the passing game.

The fact that Graham did not play a single snap last game is a troubling detail. Regardless of which player steps up, the ideal outcome is the same. The pre-existing chemistry, although not built on high volume, begins to turn into more consistent production.

There is also the possibility that Notre Dame tries some other talented pass catchers in the slot. The top name I would keep a close eye on is Bubba Frazier. He is one of the fastest players on the entire roster and has the ability to make a lot happen after the catch.

The Georgia native is just a true freshman, so there hasn’t been much opportunity to get him on the field yet. He is also a bit diminutive at about 5-9. However, his explosiveness and ability to win with the ball in his hands bring a unique skill set to the table. Frazier could be a player who gets some run over the next several weeks to help fix the slot issue.

The other possible answer is more creative. Notre Dame could prioritize getting more outside receivers involved, which would free up Faison and Gilbert to play more in the slot. We have already seen Gilbert win several times on inside routes when working from that alignment.

That could mean more snaps for a player like Jerome Bettis Jr., Elijah Burress, or even true freshman Devin Fitzgerald. This is not a push for any of them to become a starter or even to play a high volume. If you ask me, simply having more outside receiver options would allow Gilbert or Faison to work inside, and that would be a creative remedy to the current issues.

What comes next for the Notre Dame passing offense

Is that something Denbrock will eye as a potential solution? Nobody knows right now.

One thing is very clear, though. Notre Dame needs to find some of those answers for this passing offense to hit its ceiling in 2026.