Notre Dame’s Biggest Questions Unlikely To Get Answered This Spring.

As spring practice begins at the University of Notre Dame, there’s an unmistakable sense of anticipation surrounding the team’s progress. The Fighting Irish have high hopes for the 2025 season, but as is often the case with programs of Notre Dame’s stature, the road ahead is filled with significant questions that will determine their success. However, despite the crucial nature of these questions, it’s increasingly unlikely that they’ll be answered by the time spring ball concludes.

Spring practice is an essential period for teams to assess their rosters, refine schemes, and develop chemistry. For Notre Dame, it’s also a time to evaluate the players who will step into starting roles come the fall. But the Irish, with their ever-evolving depth chart and consistent need for excellence, are dealing with a host of unresolved issues that will likely persist throughout the offseason.

These lingering questions could have significant implications for the 2025 season, from leadership changes to on-field production. Here are some of the most pressing concerns for Notre Dame, and why many of them won’t be fully addressed before the team heads into summer.

1. The Quarterback Battle: Who Will Lead the Irish?

Without question, the most significant question facing Notre Dame heading into the spring is the quarterback position. The Fighting Irish have long been in search of a consistent, game-changing quarterback who can lead them to a national championship. Over the past few seasons, the team has cycled through several options, but no one has truly solidified themselves as the face of the program.

In 2024, the Irish were still in search of a permanent solution, as both Jack Coan and Drew Pyne shared starting duties. However, neither was able to fully deliver on the team’s championship aspirations. With Coan graduating and Pyne moving on, the pressure to find a new leader under center has never been more intense.

As of the spring, there are several candidates vying for the job:

• Ryan Matthews, the highly-touted sophomore, brings incredible physical tools to the table, including a strong arm and impressive mobility. He showed glimpses of promise in his limited appearances as a freshman, but his overall consistency remains in question.
• Eli Foster, a junior with more experience in the Notre Dame system, is often considered a steady presence. Foster’s leadership qualities are clear, and he has performed admirably when given opportunities, though he has lacked that elite playmaking ability to consistently push Notre Dame into title contention.
• Jacob Taylor, a freshman with elite potential, brings a high ceiling to the table but is still learning the nuances of the college game. His youth is a significant obstacle, and the coaching staff is cautious about thrusting him into the starting role too quickly.

Despite the high stakes, Notre Dame’s spring practices are unlikely to provide a clear resolution to this competition. Each quarterback has areas of growth that will require time and experience to address, and with so much at stake, the Irish coaching staff is likely to take a patient approach. The final decision will likely come down to fall camp, when the players have had more time to grow and settle into their roles.

Moreover, the pressure to make the right decision is enormous. A quarterback decision that doesn’t pan out can set the program back for years, which is why the coaching staff will be hesitant to rush the process. It’s entirely possible that the answer to who will start at quarterback won’t be clear until the very beginning of the season.

2. Offensive Line Consistency

Notre Dame’s offensive line has long been a strength of the program, and under offensive line coach Harry Hiestand, the Fighting Irish have consistently boasted one of the best units in the country. However, after a strong 2024 season, questions remain about whether the Irish can maintain that same level of dominance in 2025.

The Irish lost several key players from the offensive line, including All-American caliber talent, and replacing them with capable options has been a major point of concern. While Notre Dame has some talented players in the pipeline, spring practice is unlikely to fully answer whether they can reach the same level of dominance that fans have grown accustomed to.

The team’s success in 2025 will likely depend on the development of young players who need to prove they can perform at an elite level. Yet, in spring, these players often struggle with consistency, facing the formidable challenge of replacing experienced starters in such a high-pressure position. With so many new faces entering the starting lineup, questions around pass protection and run blocking won’t be fully answered until the team takes the field for regular season games.

While the coaching staff will use spring ball to assess the offensive line’s progress, it’s unlikely that they will have a fully formed starting five by the end of the session. Given the importance of cohesiveness and chemistry in the trenches, it’s more realistic to expect these questions to remain open until the fall.

3. Defensive Line Depth and Development

Defensive line coach Al Washington faces a similarly daunting task with the defensive line. For years, Notre Dame has been known for its formidable defensive front, and the 2025 season figures to be no different. The unit returns some talented players, but depth is a concern. The Irish need to develop more players who can contribute consistently throughout the season, especially as they look to challenge for a playoff spot.

One of the key questions is how well the team’s younger players can step up. With a handful of experienced veterans, the Irish coaching staff will rely on spring practice to gauge the readiness of younger defensive linemen who could provide much-needed depth. However, just like with the offensive line, developing a dominant defensive front takes time, and spring practice isn’t enough to fully answer all of the questions surrounding depth and production.

The team’s defensive line will need to prove its ability to rotate players and remain effective over the course of a 12-game season. Developing players who can provide depth while still maintaining a high level of play will be essential for the Irish. However, with the pressure of spring drills, it’s unlikely that any player will separate themselves enough to give a definitive answer on the defensive line’s depth.

4. Wide Receiver and Playmaking Ability

While the Irish offense has shown flashes of brilliance, there remains a consistent question surrounding the wide receiver position. The Fighting Irish have struggled to consistently develop elite playmakers at receiver, which has been one of the key factors holding back their offensive potential.

Notre Dame has a number of young, talented receivers, but spring practice will be essential to see if any of them can step up and become a true playmaker. However, with limited practice time and the fact that spring ball is often focused on refining fundamentals, it’s unlikely that one player will emerge as the definitive star of the unit.

Receivers like Jayden Thomas and Chris Tyree have shown potential, but questions remain about their consistency and ability to produce in big moments. The biggest concern for the Irish is finding a wide receiver who can provide that game-breaking ability, something Notre Dame has lacked for years. Unfortunately, the question of who will emerge as the go-to receiver for the Irish in 2025 is unlikely to be answered this spring.

5. Special Teams and Kicking Game

While often overlooked, the special teams unit plays a crucial role in a team’s success, especially in close games. For Notre Dame, the kicking game has been a point of contention over the past few seasons. The Irish have struggled to find consistency at both kicker and punter, and this remains an ongoing issue for the coaching staff to address.

While the Irish are bringing in some talented recruits to compete for these spots, special teams performance often doesn’t reveal itself until the pressure is on during the season. While the team will certainly use spring practices to evaluate their kicking and punting situation, the real answers are likely to come when these players are tested in real-game situations.