2026 Transfer Portal - General

[RudyVerse]

Prister has been talking about Smothers for months. There had to have been some backchanneling going on midseason.

Assume he's a speed back? He's tiny and I don't remember him standing out when we played them.

 

[allenm5333]

II has loved Smothers like they loved Fields last year. I honestly don't know if we need Smothers or if he takes the offense to the next level. But feel like there is something there

 

[Dale]

Chatter is IU struck out with their first couple QB targets and then moved to get Hoover into the portal

I assume Sorsby is one, not sure who else they may have struck out on since we haven’t seen commitments yet.

 

[arrowryan]

Chatter is IU struck out with their first couple QB targets and then moved to get Hoover into the portal

I assume Sorsby is one, not sure who else they may have struck out on since we haven’t seen commitments yet.

I can’t imagine portaling every year is great for long term success

 

[Dale]

I can’t imagine portaling every year is great for long term success

I think Hoover is very much fine - good if they land him but yeah eventually will hit it a dud like Louisville did with Miller Moss.

 

[Jimmy3Putt]

I have no skin in the Cig game, but IU is disgusting.

 

[GrangerIrish24]

I have no skin in the Cig game, but IU is disgusting.

My wife went there. Fuck em.

 

[tirishman505]

It’ll be interesting to see if IU can maintain next year. A lot of their key contributors are still JMU guys that are leaving.

 

[Jimmy3Putt]

It’ll be interesting to see if IU can maintain next year. A lot of their key contributors are still JMU guys that are leaving.

Honestly, nothing would surprise me with them.
12-0 or 6-6.

 

[NDFAN4LIFE2008]

Smothers is good but I'm more leaning on the fence of wanting to see Williams get 60% of the carries then the rest go to Young, James, Osborne

 

[NDMatt91]

Chatter is IU struck out with their first couple QB targets and then moved to get Hoover into the portal

I assume Sorsby is one, not sure who else they may have struck out on since we haven’t seen commitments yet.

I think On3 said Indiana was linked to Leavitt. I have a feeling Leavitt will end up at Miami.

 

[allenm5333]

Smothers is good but I'm more leaning on the fence of wanting to see Williams get 60% of the carries then the rest go to Young, James, Osborne

I am leaning towards not pursuing him. I think he is good but I would rather get studs at DT, WR, and keep our roster

 

[NDMJ1984]

Seems pretty obvious to me Smothers is a done deal. Price declares, Smothers enters the portal a day later, Sampson highlights it on X, Prister film review a day after that.

 

[2013Irish]

Seems pretty obvious to me Smothers is a done deal. Price declares, Smothers enters the portal a day later, Sampson highlights it on X, Prister film review a day after that.

Don't love it.

 

[NDVirginia19]

I definitely would rather spend the money elsewhere, but when Smothers has 1200+ apy and 10+ TDs I will not be complaining

 

[IRISHbluehen]

I think Smothers would be good to pair with AWill if it doesn't break the bank, if it does or it costs you half the room, then no thank you.

But you also would be counting on a guy with elbow issues with barely more than 50 career carries , a guy coming off an ACL, a RS freshman and 2 true freshman.

 

[slick7410]

With Smothers highlights I saw:

Good
Quickness, Running back Vision (&patience), Hands, Acceleration, Cutting ability, balance

Not as good
Size, durability, Premier long Speed (wow we were spoiled), pass blocking (reported), anyone he would force into portal

Games	Carries	Yards	Yards Per Carry	Yards per catch
First 6	100​	693​	6.9	5.9
Last 5	60​	246​	4.1	4.1

with 25% of his last 5 games yard yards on 1 carry vs. PITT

More suited for a JD Price type workload number - but they used him for nearly 80 more offensive touches than that this past year.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

Seems pretty obvious to me Smothers is a done deal. Price declares, Smothers enters the portal a day later, Sampson highlights it on X, Prister film review a day after that.

Is he the right fit for Denbrock’s system? He’s going on his 3rd school for whatever that’s worth. In the right system, I could see his running & pass catching abilities being a huge asset. Not sure about ND’s system though.

 

[GoldenToTheGrave]

I definitely would rather spend the money elsewhere, but when Smothers has 1200+ apy and 10+ TDs I will not be complaining

For this year I think the staff's mantra is:

 

[317Irish]

I am leaning towards not pursuing him. I think he is good but I would rather get studs at DT, WR, and keep our roster

What’s that little dot you put after him?

 

[NDWarrior]

A good recap of ND's portal focus by RR; pretty sure ND's interest in "a talented Big Ten wideout who has not yet officially entered the portal but intends to" is referring to Rutgers' KJ Duff, as many have stated here recently.

Notre Dame Transfer Portal Intel: Areas of need coming into focus, positive retention news, and latest for the Fighting Irish

 

[NDWarrior]

RR also noted the portal entrance of Malik Blocton, Auburn starting DT

Notre Dame football has a chance to put its money where their mouth is to fill the biggest hole on the current Irish roster

Not as prolific but experienced Tulane all-conference DT Tre'Von McAlpine also just entered the portal.

 

[NDMatt91]

RR also noted the portal entrance of Malik Blocton, Auburn starting DT

Notre Dame football has a chance to put its money where their mouth is to fill the biggest hole on the current Irish roster

Not as prolific but experienced Tulane all-conference DT Tre'Von McAlpine also just entered the portal.

If they want to go all in, they should try for 2 starters at DT. If Traore/Bowen/Gray/Shuler return, and if Burnham also returns or they get a comparable type of DE in the portal, the only hole is DT. Getting 2 DT's who have been good starters elsewhere would make this Defense elite. IMO, the 2 best in the portal so far are Mateen Ibirogba and John Walker. Ibirogba would be the athletic guy who gets good penetration, and Walker would be the nose who can stop the run. The only hold up with Walker is he doesn't appear to be a grad transfer even though he was a 2023 EE. He wasn't on the list of UCF players who graduated last week, but it could be a Beaux Collins situation where you tell him to finish the spring semester. The USC guy scares me a bit because he looks a lot lighter than what he's listed at.

 

[ozzman]

If they want to go all in, they should try for 2 starters at DT. If Traore/Bowen/Gray/Shuler return, and if Burnham also returns or they get a comparable type of DE in the portal, the only hole is DT. Getting 2 DT's who have been good starters elsewhere would make this Defense elite. IMO, the 2 best in the portal so far are Mateen Ibirogba and John Walker. Ibirogba would be the athletic guy who gets good penetration, and Walker would be the nose who can stop the run. The only hold up with Walker is he doesn't appear to be a grad transfer even though he was a 2023 EE. He wasn't on the list of UCF players who graduated last week, but it could be a Beaux Collins situation where you tell him to finish the spring semester. The USC guy scares me a bit because he looks a lot lighter than what he's listed at.

He also got pushed around all night by our big boys

 

[allenm5333]

A good recap of ND's portal focus by RR; pretty sure ND's interest in "a talented Big Ten wideout who has not yet officially entered the portal but intends to" is referring to Rutgers' KJ Duff, as many have stated here recently.

Notre Dame Transfer Portal Intel: Areas of need coming into focus, positive retention news, and latest for the Fighting Irish

Yea I didn't post the link. But we have speculated it is KJ Duff of Rutgers

 

[RudyVerse]

We lose Gabe, likely Onye, and Jared Dawson. They need a minimum of 2 starter level DTs. Hinish is not a CFB playoff level starter and I don’t even know who you’d put next to him on the roster.

I think they need 3 DTs from portal if Onye isn’t back.

 

[irish4ever]

I have no skin in the Cig game, but IU is disgusting.

They are. Buy a team. It would be great to see how many of their starters are from their own recruiting (not NIL). It has to be less than 50%.

 

[irish4ever]

We lose Gabe, likely Onye, and Jared Dawson. They need a minimum of 2 starter level DTs. Hinish is not a CFB playoff level starter and I don’t even know who you’d put next to him on the roster.

I think they need 3 DTs from portal if Onye isn’t back.

Why? If he gets his 6th yr approved, he's gonna be Irish.

 

[RudyVerse]

Why? If he gets his 6th yr approved, he's gonna be Irish.

I think playing in too many games then claiming mental health will be too loose of a definition and they’d see people abusing that. So I personally don’t think they’ll allow it but I don’t think it changes much for me, we need a minimum of 2 starter DTs, not fillers, and make that 3 if Onye is done.

 

[NDWarrior]

Another good Edge player (Tulane) just entered the portal: