Who would have thought that a runner-up team whose defense made opponents run for their breath would flinch this badly in 2025? Well, that’s the reality of Marcus Freeman‘s team now, who are sitting at a 0-2 record and still fighting hard to win a single game. But with constant inconsistencies and issues in execution, injuries hit them really hard. But it looks like things are finally turning up for the good, as Freeman might get back his crucial item that might lift their fate.
Notre Dame’s secondary took a major hit against Texas A&M when their defensive back Leonard Moore went down with a right-angle foot injury early in the second quarter. Things turned serious when staff needed to get Moore to the medical tent after he intercepted a pass from Aggies QB Marcel Reed in the first quarter, but Moore did come back in the next drive with his ankle taped. And that’s how the injury saga started, and now, after Week 3, many names have been added to this list.
Now, before going up against Purdue, Marcus Freeman’s out there giving out some positive and some concerning updates on his players. As Irish Sports Daily hits X with Freeman’s injury update: “Marcus Freeman states Christian Gray, Dallas Golden, and Ben Minich have taken reps at nickel this week in addition to Karson Hobbs. DeVonta Smith is still questionable.” After Moore, even DB Christian Gray went out with an upper-body injury. The worst part is that this guy was already coming in after getting a possible shoulder injury against Miami. Good thing; at least he’s improving.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Then there’s CB Dallas Golden, who’s been turning heads since arriving on the team. This guy got his name on the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award Watch List, which honors the nation’s top freshman player. And that’s no small feat. Best part? He doesn’t just have the skills of a CB but also of a two-way player in high school, where he used to earn snaps at safety, cornerback, running back, wide receiver, and Wildcat quarterback. So, now that he’s taking snaps and ready to start his season against Purdue, things might turn for Marcus Freeman.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Even safety Ben Minich is ready to turn things around after seeing limited action against Texas A&M. Last season, this guy played in 14 games for Marcus Freeman and even recorded a career-high eight tackles and also added his first pass breakup of his career last season. With him, even DB Karson Hobbs took reps after he started against Miami, recording 21 snaps. So, with all of them stepping up, things might finally ease out for Notre Dame’s defense.
Look, getting all these players healthy is pretty important for Marcus Freeman if he really wants to stay in the title race. Because a team that’s allowing 34 points per game and giving up 413.5 total yards per game, with 282.5 yards in the air, is nothing but a mess. The worst part? After two years of success under AI Golden’s man-to-man defense scheme, this fall feels like a major setback.
But DeVonte Smith‘s condition still remains uncertain after he suffered an ankle injury during pre-game warmups against Texas A&M. The defense is a mess right now, and losing any one of them will just make it worse. But the concern doesn’t just stop there!
Marcus Freeman gets real on Joshua Burnham
Marcus Freeman can finally take a breath of relief as Joshua Burnham’s progress might give them an upper hand against Purdue. Injuries and strains stemming from fall camp constantly affected his contributions to the Irish’s pass rush. But Freeman’s pretty confident in him despite his up-and-down gameplay. “He’s just been going through some of the normal strains and injuries that you get during fall camp. He wasn’t practicing as much as we would like to say, ‘You’re going to play 40 plays,’ but we’re very confident in Josh,” Freeman said.
And he’s proving it right too, as Burnham played 25 defensive snaps in the opening game against Miami, recording two tackles, but saw three snaps against Texas A&M. But injuries never left his side, as last season he also left with a left ankle injury, which limited him to four defensive snaps across three games.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
But now Marcus Freeman expects Burnham to increase his reps in every game. “Josh has been available every week,” Freeman said. “When he’s 100%, he is an extremely good football player that can help you in the run and the pass game. His numbers and reps will continue to progress as he hopefully gets back to 100% or as close to 100% as he can be.” After recording just one sack in two games, this is the least Freeman could expect.