Breaking: Notre Dame, WRs coach Chansi Stuckey ‘part ways’
One day after Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman told reporters he’d like to have his entire coaching staff back in 2024, that will not be the case. According to John Brice of FootballScoop, Freeman and wide receivers coach Chansi Stuckey “parted ways” Tuesday.
Blue & Gold can confirm FootballScoop’s report. Notre Dame released a statement confirming the news Tuesday evening and clarifying that it was Freeman’s decision to not bring back Stuckey.
“First of all, I want to thank Chansi for all of the work he put into our program,” Freeman said. “I wish Chansi and his family all the best.
“Over the past few days, we had continued discussions on the overall performance of our wide receiver group and my expectations for the development of that position. I decided it was in the program’s best interest to part ways.”
On Monday, Freeman spoke strongly about his intentions to keep his coaching staff intact.
“The thing I’ve learned in this short time as head coach is that consistency is so important,” Freeman said. “I look at where we were last year defensively, at the end of the season, to where we are now — yes, the personnel continues to improve, but the consistency in what we’re doing, the consistency in our coaching staff, I think it truly impacts the performance.
“That’s why we’ve been able to improve so much on the defensive side of the ball, and then as I look at our offensive side of the ball, this is the first year for this group to be together.”
Stuckey is the first assistant coach to leave the Irish in the 2023-24 offseason.
Under Stuckey’s direction, Notre Dame recruited and signed three four-star wide receivers in the class of 2023. All ranked in the top 250 overall, according to the On3 Industry Ranking: Braylon James (No. 138), Jaden Greathouse (No. 158) and Rico Flores Jr. (No. 240). Flores and Greathouse both contributed heavily as true freshmen, with Flores playing in every game and Greathouse playing in all but one, which he missed due to a hamstring injury.
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In the 2024 class, Stuckey recruited Glen Ellyn (Ill.) Glenbard South’s Cam Williams, who the On3 Industry Ranking rates as a five-star prospect and the No. 26 player in the country. Williams committed to Notre Dame on June 29, 2022.
The Irish also secured commitments in the 2024 class from four-star wide receivers Micah Gilbert and Logan Saldate. Blue & Gold is reaching out to the wide receivers committed to Notre Dame for comment.
This past season, Notre Dame’s bright spot at wide receiver was senior Chris Tyree, who announced his intention to enter the transfer portal Monday. Tyree, whom Stuckey helped convert from the running back position, led the team with 484 receiving yards in 2023.
No other Irish wideout surpassed 392 yards in the regular season. The closest was Flores with 392. Injuries took their toll on the room, with Greathouse, juniors Jayden Thomas and Deion Colzie and graduate student Matt Salerno all missing various amounts of time and, in the case of Greathouse, Thomas and Colzie, playing in a limited capacity.
One can assume the Irish will begin their search for a new wide receivers coach immediately.
