The optimism surrounding Notre Dame football this spring has been very exciting, but behind the energy and highlights, a deeper urgency simmers in South Bend. CJ Carr’s impressive spring showing has stirred excitement, but its context paints a much more fragile picture. On the surface, a new quarterback stepping into a storied program feels like a fresh start. But beneath it lies a crisis brewing in the offensive depth chart—and it’s placing an enormous burden on a player who hasn’t yet started a college game.
“This is a great opportunity for him,” said Locked On Irish host Tyler Wojciak. “They’re going to throw the ball a ton.” Wojciak said, referring to Carr, the freshman quarterback now positioned as the likely starter following Steve Angeli’s departure to Syracuse. With Notre Dame coming off a season where they led the nation in passing offense with Kyle McCord, Carr steps into an offense designed to let it fly.
The Irish suffered quiet but critical blows over the winter in their wide receivers’ room. Jayden Thomas and Deion Colzie both exited via the transfer portal. Thomas transferred to Virginia, and Colzie to Miami. “Thomas was a good player two years ago,” Wojciak added. “It felt like he was going to be WR1.” Instead, he finished 2024 with just 18 catches for 167 yards, and now he’s gone. Colzie, once a promising talent, had already been reduced to garbage time snaps. Suddenly, Notre Dame’s pass-catching group looks thinner than it should heading into a season built around aerial firepower.
And it’s not just receivers. The offensive line lost significant depth during the same period. Promising athletes like Rocco Spindler, Pat Coogan, Sam Pendleton, and Ty Chan – all entered the portal. “If they had stayed, Notre Dame would have, without a doubt, the deepest offensive line in the country,” Wojciak said. The starting five remains strong—Anthonie Knapp, Billy Schrauth, Ashton Craig, Charles Jagusah, and Aamil Wagner—but the margin for error is now razor-thin. For a first-time starter like Carr, that’s a dangerous setup: with less backup and limited protection if injuries strike and fewer proven targets downfield.
Could Notre Dame’s Fight for Javian Osborne Define the Future?
Amid their personnel setbacks, head coach Marcus Freeman has turned to recruiting urgently. One name at the center of it all is Javian Osborne, a four-star running back out of Texas with a staggering 4,522 career rushing yards. Osborne, who recently visited South Bend during Notre Dame’s spring game, is set to make his college decision on May 3. He will be making his decision between two reputed teams: Notre Dame and Michigan.
Notre Dame’s staff, particularly associate head coach and running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider, has played a pivotal role in swinging momentum back toward the Irish. Osborne, once favoring Texas and Michigan, has emerged as a near-lock for Freeman’s 2026 class—if the timing and pitch hold. “It would be a major win for Marcus Freeman,” Wojciak said, noting Osborne’s impact potential and the recruiting statement such a commitment would send.
This push for Osborne isn’t just about future depth—it’s strategic triage. With Carr expected to shoulder a bigger offensive load earlier than planned, Notre Dame’s staff knows it needs playmakers around him to alleviate pressure. Osborne represents exactly that—a dynamic backfield weapon who could ease Carr’s transition and re-establish balance in an offense that currently feels lopsided.
CJ Carr might be the future, but Notre Dame’s present is volatile. The offensive talent drain has forced Marcus Freeman to double down on recruiting, and every move, from spring performances to portal decisions, is now under a magnifying glass, and the world is closely watching. The Irish may have won the transfer portal on paper, but in the trenches and on the perimeter, the room for misstep is shrinking fast.
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