The 2024 NCAA season ended in sorrow for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and though the future looks bright under head coach Marcus Freeman, the school in South Bend will face a steep climb as a key starter has entered the transfer portal.
Notre Dame lacked some firepower when they went up against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the National Championship Game. However, the roster looks very promising for the upcoming season. While Freeman will have to maneuver around the departure of senior QB Riley Leonard for the NFL Draft, fans in Indiana are confident.
However, the task has gotten even harder for Freeman and his coaching staff in Notre Dame after a pivotal player on the starting lineup announced he’ll be searching for a new home for the 2025 season.
Notre Dame offensive lineman Rocco Spindler entered the NCAA transfer portal shortly after the Fighting Irish loss against the Buckeyes, according to On3. Spindler started in 13 of Notre Dame’s 16 games this season, playing a big role in special teams. The Fighting Irish had 98.6% efficiency in extra-points this season, and 55.6% in field goal attempts.
Head coach Marcus Freeman and offensive lineman #50 Rocco Spindler of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish look on after losing to the Ohio State Buckeyes 34-23 in the 2025 CFP National Championship at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 20, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.
More departures
Spindler isn’t the only important player that has entered the transfer portal, as he joins WR Jayden Thomas, who announced his decision just days after the frustrating loss at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
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Moreover, offensive lineman Pat Coogan is also expected to enter the portal, as On3 reported, and play for a different school in the upcoming college football campaign. Coogan became a critical piece of the O-line, playing both center and left guard over his stay in South Bend.
Challenges ahead
Head coach Marcus Freeman of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish speaks during a press conference after the 2025 CFP National Championship game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 20, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes 34-23.
Freeman and Notre Dame will kickstart their 2025 season against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium. The independent school’s schedule features a couple of big matchups. Some games highlighted in red on the calendar are against: Texas A&M, Boise State (though without Ashton Jeanty), NC State, and Syracuse.
