Notre Dame football 2024 season preview: what you need to know about the Irish

With a new era of college football, it might be time for Notre Dame to make their statement.

A new 12-team College Football Playoff reshapes the focus for plenty of blue-blood college football teams. Just missing out on the playoff isn't enough when there are eight more spots.

Notre Dame falls into that category. Especially with the work the Irish and head coach Marcus Freeman have put in through the transfer portal.

Here's what you need to know about the Fighting Irish ahead of the 2024 season.

Key Addition

QB Riley Leonard (Duke)

EDGE RJ Oben (Duke)

WR Kris Mitchell (FIU)

Offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock (LSU)

Getting Riley Leonard was massive for Notre Dame, which can play a top talent at quarterback while developing its best quarterback recruits. But, getting Mike Denbrock back at offensive coordinator is a big move for the Irish, who are on their third offensive coordinator in as many seasons. Getting consistency with play calling and schemes will be big for CJ Carr and other future quarterbacks.

Biggest Losses

Aside from Joe Alt and the rest of the players drafted in the 2024 NFL Draft, Rico Flores Jr., Chris Tyree, Tobias Merriweather and Braylon James comprised a talented and young Notre Dame receiver room. But when Freeman fired receivers coach Chansi Stuckey, they all departed via the transfer portal leaving massive holes in the Irish's receiver room. But, Zeke Correll's departure hurts the offensive line's depth.

Most Important Returnee

With Audric Esteme off to Denver, sophomore running back Jeremiyah Love is slated to enter a workhorse role. But, Howard Cross III and Xavier Watts, who were voted first-team AP All-Americans, are set to lead a Notre Dame defense that could be one of the most productive in the nation.

Bottom Line

This is the start of a new era for Notre Dame.

There are 12 teams that can make the College Football Playoff now. Before, when it was just four teams, Notre Dame made the playoff twice in the CFP's decade of existence. That's twice more than 11 other SEC teams and 11 other Big Ten teams. 

It was an accomplishment to be there when it was a four-team playoff. Now, it has to be an expectation to make it with it being a 12-team playoff.

The Fighting Irish have been looking to stay consistently relevant in the greater college football picture and the chance to make a move toward that is here. Being woefully behind the SEC didn't change under Brian Kelly, but it could under Freeman. Nick Saban has retired. The expanded Big Ten and SEC will need a season or two to wrestle out the powers at the top.

With the program's recruiting momentum holding steady, especially having brought in more elite talent at quarterback, the shift turns to talent development. 

The bottom line is a bit complex: Can Freeman develop the talent he's recruited? 

If he can, then Notre Dame should be contending for a College Footbal Playoff spot every season.

Key Quote: Marcus Freeman

"We have to have a process that we believe is going to get this group ready to perform these 12 guaranteed opportunities, and that, to me, is something that we spend enormous amount of time making sure that our process, that what we'll have them do, from starting January and we first get together till we go out there on the field, versus a and m is the right one to make sure they produce the the output that we want. And so experience, experience matters. But to me, more than anything, is your routine and your process and in the way you prepare to get your guys ready to play, is more important than anything." - Marcus Freeman, after the first day of training camp.