Notre Dame Buy/Sell/Hold - Part IV

In this installment of the Irish Breakdown Podcast, Trevor and Joe Waltz dive deep into Notre Dame's 2026 outlook with a 'Buy/Sell/Hold' format, analyzing everything from recruiting strategy to playoff projections. They debate whether Notre Dame should be ranked in the top three at season's start, arguing that the team’s lack of early non-conference marquee matchups—especially playing BYU in October—will likely keep them ranked behind Ohio State, Texas, Oregon, and Georgia. The hosts express skepticism about the idea that Notre Dame will have a dominant transfer class in 2026, despite its high impact per player, due to the sheer volume of transfers at other programs like Indiana and LSU. They also discuss quarterback recruiting challenges, noting that early commitments like Teddy Gerrard may deter top 2027 prospects who fear competing with a reclassified freshman. The conversation turns to defensive development, with praise for KVA’s potential to match Jalen Smith’s legacy, though they acknowledge Smith’s impact was amplified by poor defensive schemes. The hosts also critique SEC dominance myths, citing the conference’s poor postseason record against Power Four teams. Finally, they reflect on Notre Dame’s culture, emphasizing that winning a national title matters more than the quarterback’s origin story, and express hope that Brian Kelly won’t return to college football in 2027.