What happened: Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman said the Irish will keep building their offense around the run game heading into 2026, even after losing both lead backs from last season. Freeman pointed to a deep running back room but framed the offensive line as the real foundation of that identity.

Why it matters: Notre Dame is replacing Jeremiyah Love, the No. 3 overall pick to the Cardinals, and Jadarian Price, who went No. 32 to the Seahawks, after the pair anchored the backfield a year ago. Freeman's comments signal the Irish plan to lean on scheme and the line rather than replace either back with a single feature-back solution.

What to watch: Notre Dame's fall camp will show which back or combination fills the workload Love and Price leave behind.