Notre Dame football is trying to move past last week’s 28-24 loss to the BYU Cougars. The bye week arrives at the perfect time for head coach Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish to take a step back and get ready for a critical final five games of the 2026 college football season.

That stretch includes a battle with the Navy Midshipmen. Everyone will be talking about the Nov. 7 home game against the Miami Hurricanes, though, and that contest could decide whether Notre Dame makes the 2026 College Football Playoff.

Bye weeks are essential for resting, getting healthy, and regrouping mentally.

I also believe this is a great opportunity for Freeman, offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, and defensive coordinator Chris Ash to adjust their approaches and maximize the talent on this roster down the stretch. I’ve already gone in depth on the schematic changes I would like to see. On top of that, it’s time to take the shackles off several youngsters.

After seven games, three different freshmen stand out as players Notre Dame should be maximizing. Here are those players and why there’s no excuse not to use them right now.

RB Jonaz Walton

Walton is the easiest call of the group. Through seven games, he has rushed 57 times for 426 yards and three touchdowns, an average of 7.5 yards per carry.

After a breakout performance against Stanford, when he ran for 181 yards and two touchdowns on just 13 carries, it seemed like Walton was gearing up to be a big contributor against BYU. Instead, he played just 10 snaps and got five carries, although he did find the end zone.

Walton is the most physically gifted running back on this roster. Add in his four catches for 56 yards, and you get a clear picture of how explosive he truly is. At 5-9, 214 pounds, he brings impressive burst and long speed.

This isn’t a push for Walton to be the starter. Nolan James Jr. has proven he deserves a high volume of carries and touches. But those two are the best running backs on the team, and Walton should be treated that way. James and Walton need to be the top two snap getters in the backfield.

It’s also worth noting how productive this ground game has been overall. Notre Dame is rushing for 183.4 yards per game with 17 rushing touchdowns and 5.7 yards per carry as a team. Getting Walton more involved only adds to that.

TE Ian Premer

Premer, a 6-6, 245-pound pass catcher, was considered a five-star player in the Irish’s 2026 recruiting class. Despite underwhelming production from the tight end room, he has seen only small chances, mostly in garbage time.

As a unit, Notre Dame tight ends have hauled in just 20 receptions for 140 yards and three touchdowns. Premer has managed one catch for 14 yards in very limited opportunities.

Cooper Flanagan missed the BYU game with an injury, and it felt like a good time to get Premer on the field. He played five snaps but was not a focus of the offense at all.

The tight end room is averaging 20 yards per game and 7 yards per reception. With a five-star talent sitting in that room, it’s time to start incrementally giving Premer opportunities.

Cooper Flanagan is a strong blocker and should be a heavy part of the rotation. James Flanigan is also talented and needs to play. In terms of volume passing and pushing the ball down the field, however, not using Premer leaves talent on the table.

DE Rodney Dunham

Dunham has totaled nine tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a sack, a pass breakup, and a fumble recovery through seven games. The flashes in very limited time have been tremendous.

Notre Dame’s pass rush has been good at times and not so great at others. The Irish have 15 total sacks, and 9.5 of them have come from the defensive end position. When Boubacar Traore was ejected for targeting against BYU, the pass rush simply wasn’t good enough, especially in the biggest moments.

Dunham doesn’t need to start or even play a high volume of snaps. Still, failing to feature his pass-rushing ability in obvious passing situations feels like a lack of creativity. It’s understandable why he hasn’t had a huge role in such a deep and talented room.

In the biggest games, including against Miami, SMU, and hopefully a playoff run, Notre Dame will need to get after the quarterback. Dunham is one of the more physically gifted rushers on this team, and getting him comfortable in this defense would be huge.

Time to inject some youth

We will see if Notre Dame makes these changes on both sides of the football. Joey O’Brien has played a decent amount at safety because of injuries at the position, and he has done a really good job.

So far, though, the 2026 recruiting class hasn’t been maximized enough. With the regular season more than halfway done, it’s time to get these players comfortable and let their roles grow down the stretch.