Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman on search for new team leaders
Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman on identifying and developing a new group of team leaders, aka ‘problem solvers.’
SOUTH BEND —Just because Notre Dame football has had a relatively quiet spring transfer portal, that doesn’t mean there haven’t been key developments to monitor regarding the 2025 schedule.
In fact, two more opponents among the “12 guaranteed opportunities” coach Marcus Freeman likes to cite will take the field with former Irish players in tow.
Here’s a transfer-centric look at Notre Dame’s 2025 slate, including one highlighted player per team that made it there through the portal in this winter-spring cycle. Team totals are as of May 1:
Game 1: Miami QB Carson Beck (Georgia)
A season-ending elbow injury in the SEC Championship kept Beck from facing Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl CFP quarterfinal, but the Irish should get an up-close look at the Georgia transfer in the season opener.
With 58 career touchdown passes and nearly 8,000 career passing yards, Beck is the most accomplished rival passer on the Irish schedule.
Team total: 16 transfers
Game 2: Texas A&M WR KC Concepcion (N.C. State)
After 124 catches, including 16 touchdowns, over the past two seasons with the Wolfpack, Concepcion takes his game-breaking speed to College Station. The Irish held him to five catches for 24 yards in September 2023 in Raleigh, but he gives returning quarterback Marcel Reed a reliable target.
Team total: 14 transfers
Game 3: Purdue: WR Nitro Tuggle (Georgia)
Before leaving Athens for his home state, the former NorthWood High School star was suspended from the team after being charged with misdemeanor reckless driving and speeding. According to the Athens-Clarke County police report, Tuggle was driving 107 mph before being stopped and arrested on March 19.
In eight games as a freshman, Tuggle had just three catches for 34 yards.
Team total: 49 transfers
Game 4: Arkansas LT Corey Robinson II (Georgia Tech)
A product of the same Roswell (Ga.) High School program that produced Notre Dame left tackle Anthonie Knapp, Robinson gave up just three pressures (no sacks) last season and started the final seven regular-season games. At 6-foot-5 and 305 pounds, the former Kansas transfer gave up just one QB hit in a mid-October home loss to Notre Dame.
Team total: 29 transfers
Game 5: Boise State CB Jaden Mickey (Notre Dame)
After initially committing to Cal-Berkeley in December, the former Irish backup switched gears and headed up to Idaho to join a Broncos program coming off a College Football Playoff appearance. A player who feeds off emotion, Mickey will be looking to make an impact in his return to Notre Dame Stadium, especially after opting to redshirt four games into the 2024 season.
Team total: 10 transfers
Game 6: N.C. State DE Joseph Adedire (Texas Tech)
A four-star recruit out of Mansfield, Texas, the 6-3, 265-pounder missed last season with a torn ACL. In 2023, he made eight starts and contributed 25 tackles (four for loss), one sack, and 12 pressures.
Team total: 14 transfers
Game 7: USC S Kennedy Urlacher (Notre Dame)
A spring departure after one season with the Irish, the son of Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher is a big hitter like his dad. Overshadowed in a deep safeties room, the younger Urlacher (5-11, 195 pounds) appeared in 14 games, primarily on special teams, as a freshman.
Urlacher played just 64 snaps on defense, about a third of his overall total (193 plays). He finished with 12 tackles (one for loss).
Team total: 15 transfers
Game 8: Boston College QB Dylan Lonergan (Alabama)
A former four-star recruit from Snellville, Ga., Lonergan saw action in just three games in two seasons with the Tide. He took 33 total snaps and went 7-of-8 passing against Chattanooga, Mercer, and Western Kentucky.
Former Florida International transfer Grayson James returns as the starting quarterback after taking over at midseason in 2024, but Lonergan was initially recruited to Alabama by Eagles coach Bill O’Brien (formerly Alabama’s offensive coordinator).
Team total: 13 transfers
Game 9: Navy
Team total: 0 transfers.
Game 10: Pittsburgh CB Zion Ferguson (North Carolina)
A former four-star recruit from Gainesville, Ga., Ferguson never clicked with the Tar Heels. That could change in a hurry with the talent-starved Panthers defense, which finished 91st in FBS scoring defense last fall.
Team total: 14 transfers
Game 11: Syracuse QB Steve Angeli (Notre Dame)
It’s not exactly a grudge match, but this could be the first of two straight years in which the Irish face their former backup quarterback from North Jersey. Angeli took the final four snaps of Notre Dame’s 2022 win at Syracuse but did not attempt a pass.
Now in line to follow Kyle McCord after the Ohio State transfer threw for nearly 4,800 yards last fall, Angeli should get plenty of chances to wing it on Senior Day at Notre Dame Stadium.
Team total: 14 transfers
Game 12: Stanford WR C.J. Williams (Wisconsin)
A former four-star recruit out of Mater Dei in Santa Ana, Calif., the one-time Notre Dame target is on his third program. After one season at USC, Williams made five starts in two years with the Badgers, catching 31 passes for 396 yards and two scores. Notre Dame WR coach Mike Brown was Williams’ position coach in 2023.
Team total: 17 transfers
Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for the South Bend Tribune and NDInsider.com. Follow him on social media @MikeBerardino.
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