Notre Dame football roster tracker: Transfer portal, coaching changes, etc.

Notre Dame has been as good an example as any program across the country that college football offseasons just are not what they used to be.

It used to be major news when one or two players defected from a program to pursue a different path elsewhere. Now, players relocate from one school to another by the handfuls. It’s been no different at Notre Dame since the Fighting Irish finished their 2021 season with a loss to Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1.

Multiple Irish players have entered the NCAA transfer portal since then. Others have announced they’ll return for another season. Some have entered the NFL Draft, too.

Here’s a running list tracking Notre Dame’s roster turnover.

NCAA transfer portal entries

QB Brendon Clark

Clark never got his feet under him during his time at Notre Dame. He arrived after suffering an ACL injury in high school, and he battled lingering knee injuries throughout his Irish career.

Clark completed 2 of 4 attempts for 29 yards and a touchdown over the course of the 2019 and 2020 seasons. A Midlothian, Va., native, Clark committed to Old Dominion.

WR Lawrence Keys III

Keys decided to sit out the 2021 season in September and officially entered the transfer portal in October. Keys caught 18 passes for 185 yards. He signed with Tulane last month.

S Khari Gee

The three-star defensive back from Atlanta Woodward Academy never logged a snap in his one season at Notre Dame.

S Litchfield Ajavon

Ajavon only played eight defensive snaps from 2019-21. He appeared on special teams often but never worked his way up the defensive depth chart.

LB Shayne Simon

Simon tore his labrum after eight snaps in Notre Dame’s season opener at Florida State. He would have had an opportunity for plenty of playing time in 2021 with Marist Liufau’s injury, but the shoulder injury sidelined Simon for the duration of the season. He has two years of eligibility remaining.

OL Quinn Carroll

Carroll arrived at Notre Dame with much promise as a four-star talent and the No. 1 overall player out of Minnesota in the class of 2019, but it never materialized at Notre Dame. He announced he’ll head home to become a Golden Gopher.

LB Paul Moala

Moala tore his achilles in each of the last two seasons, both in games against Florida State. He was subsequently limited to 31 defensive snaps since 2020.

P Jay Bramblett

Bramblett was a three-year starter for Notre Dame. He averaged 41.4 yards per punt across 164 career kicks. Bramblett only had one punt returned for more than 20 yards in his entire time with the Irish.

CB Caleb Offord

Offord only played three defensive snaps as a true freshman in 2020. He played seven in 2021. The three-star recruit could not climb his way up the depth chart.

NFL Draft entries

S Kyle Hamilton

RB Kyren Williams

WR Kevin Austin Jr.

DE Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa

LB Drew White

LB Isaiah Pryor

Hamilton and Williams announced their decisions to skip the Fiesta Bowl and enter the 2022 NFL Draft not long after Marcus Freeman was named the program’s new head coach in early December. There wasn’t anything surprising about those choices. Hamilton is a potential top-10 pick, and Williams’ stock might be as high as it will ever be. It’s always wise for running backs to take advantage of that.

Austin, Tagovailoa-Amosa, White and Pryor were all candidates to come back. Austin would have been a sure-fire starter if healthy in a depleted wide receivers room, but Tagovailoa-Amosa and White appear to be allowing the natural changing of the guard occur at their respective defensive positions. Pryor moved onto the next level despite never starting at Notre Dame in two seasons.

Returning to Notre Dame for senior season (year)

WR Braden Lenzy (5th)

OT Josh Lugg (6th)

TE George Takacs (5th)

S Houston Griffith (5th)

LS Michael Vinson (5th)

DE Justin Ademilola (5th)

DT Jayson Ademilola (5th)

S DJ Brown (5th)

DE Isaiah Foskey (4th)

OL Jarrett Patterson (5th)

WR Avery Davis (6th)

WR Joe Wilkins Jr. (5th)

LB Bo Bauer (5th)

These are all good gets for Notre Dame. Lenzy will have a ton of opportunities to lead a not-so experienced wide receiver corps. Lugg has played in 49 games with 20 starts. Takacs is a solid complement to Michael Mayer.

Griffith started 12 games at safety in 2021. Vinson is a solid starting long snapper who was recently put on scholarship. The Ademilola brothers are two of Notre Dame’s most effective defensive linemen. Justin ranked second on the team in sacks. Jayson led the team in quarterback pressures. Brown was an important depth piece after Hamilton was lost for the season with a knee injury.

Foskey might be the biggest returnee of all. He finished the season with 11 sacks, third-most all-time in a single season in Notre Dame history. Patterson started all 13 games for Notre Dame at center last season. His return is as important to the offensive line as Foskey’s is to the defensive line.

Davis tore his ACL in November and will be working through rehab for all of the offseason, but he was a team captain in 2021 and is a voice that resonates with players and coaches in the Irish locker room. Wilkins Jr. is coming back from a knee injury of his own. Bauer will likely have his opportunity to finally be a full-time starter at middle linebacker.

Awaiting NFL Draft / transfer decisions

RB C’Bo Flemister

OL John Dirksen

CB TaRiq Bracy

Flemister and Dirksen have fall down the depth chart at their respective positions, but Bracy could be a valuable asset as a nickel corner like he was in 2021.

Notre Dame coaching changes

The shuffling hasn’t been limited to Irish players. Coaches have been on the move in and out of South Bend as well.

Special teams coach Brian Polian followed Brian Kelly to LSU. Freeman has reportedly replaced him with Cincinnati special teams coach Brian Mason. Harry Hiestand is also reportedly returning to Notre Dame for his second stint as the Irish’s offensive line coach, replacing Jeff Quinn.

Freeman has reunited with former Ohio State teammate James Laurinaitis. It remains unclear what role the Buckeyes’ All-American linebacker (2005-08) will serve on Freeman’s staff.

Freeman has a few more hires to make. He still needs a defensive coordinator. He has to replace wide receivers coach Del Alexander, who will not return to the Irish coaching staff after five seasons. But for the most part, his first coaching staff at Notre Dame has taken shape. Here’s what it looks like.

Strength and conditioning: Matt Balis

Defensive line: Mike Elston

Safeties: Chris O’Leary

Cornerbacks: Mike Mickens

Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks: Tommy Rees

Running backs: Lance Taylor

Tight ends: John McNulty