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What’s the potential for Notre Dame Football in 2026?
TL;DR
Notre Dame Football is projected to be very strong in 2026, with a manageable schedule and key player developments. The NCAA has also introduced a new rule in response to Notre Dame's innovative fake punt strategies, which has drawn widespread support from coaches.
HOW GOOD WILL NOTRE DAME BE?
Advanced stats say Notre Dame is going to be really good this season. People that know ball say Notre Dame is going to be really good this season. We know the schedule is very manageable (to say the least) but how good is this 2026 Notre Dame Football team?
GRAY NICKEL
If you think about it… silver is kind of gray, so it makes sense that Christian Gray is moving to Nickel — right? This just gives me another chance to say I was wrong about my February depth chart predictions. Without getting into all of the reasons why, I felt like Christian Gray would still be at the corner opposite of Leonard Moore. And who knows — maybe that will still be the case (maybe) as Tyler Horka writes: He’s still getting some reps at outside corner, and he could very well end up playing more there than he does at nickel — there is so much time between now and the season opener to figure it out and get positions and pecking orders sorted — but for the time being, it’s feeling more and more like he’s Christian Gray the nickel. Not Christian Gray the field corner. Ultimately, that designation will be settled throughout an ongoing offseason competition between Gray, sophomore **Dallas Golden** and Michigan transfer **Jayden Sanders**, also a sophomore.
Marcus Freeman is who approached Christian Gray about moving to nickel. Of course, Gray said yes.
It's become more than just a head coach-driven experiment. Gray genuinely likes playing the position.
"I think nickel is going to be really it for me."pic.twitter.com/n9TtEEVdeu
— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) April 13, 2026
THE NOTRE DAME RULE
A couple of quick things to start… 1) Having a rule unofficially be called “The Notre Dame Rule” because the Irish are so insanely good at something that it feels like cheating is pretty awesome 2) The fact that 60 out of 61 coaches oppose the rule (which adjacently means they support Notre Dame) is insanely funny.
Notre Dame's fake punt schemes were so creative that the NCAA changed its rules 👀
Coaches nationwide are furious — voting 61-1 against what's being called "the Notre Dame Rule"@EHansenND has more details: pic.twitter.com/PvShXB5SPy
— BlueandGold.com (@BGInews) April 13, 2026
WILL THIS PAULING TO BE DRAFTED
Last week I went on a New York Giants podcast determined to talk about a player that hasn’t been mentioned much during the draft process. The player? Notre Dame WR Will Pauling. After his blazing 40 yard dash time at Notre Dame’s Pro Day, I felt that all of his intangibles, his production, and NFL team needs would be enough for him to hear his name called in the NFL Draft. Call him a “sleeper” if you want.
I surveyed more than 30 college coaches to identify under-the-radar/sleeper players for the 2026 NFL draft. Carve out some time for this one.
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) April 13, 2026
Q&A
What are the expectations for Notre Dame Football in the 2026 season?
Expectations are high for Notre Dame Football in 2026, with advanced stats and expert opinions suggesting they will perform very well due to a manageable schedule.
What is the 'Notre Dame Rule' in college football?
The 'Notre Dame Rule' refers to a new NCAA regulation introduced due to Notre Dame's creative fake punt schemes, which 60 out of 61 coaches opposed, indicating widespread support for the Irish's tactics.
Who is Will Pauling and what are his NFL draft prospects?
Will Pauling is a wide receiver from Notre Dame who gained attention for his impressive Pro Day performance, leading some analysts to consider him a sleeper pick for the NFL Draft.
What position is Christian Gray expected to play for Notre Dame in 2026?
Christian Gray is expected to play the nickel position for Notre Dame in 2026, a decision made by head coach Marcus Freeman that Gray has embraced.
