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Irish Breakdown has learned that Notre Dame is on the verge of making Mike Denbrock the program's next offensive coordinator. Multiple sources informed Irish Breakdown that a deal is imminent, although nothing official has come from Notre Dame. Should this ultimately happen it would be a huge coup for head coach Marcus Freeman.
This would be Denbrock's third stint at Notre Dame. He coached the Notre Dame offensive tackles and tight ends from 2002-04. Denbrock returned again in 2010 and coached the Irish tight ends in 2010-11, the wide receivers in 2012-13, and then was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2014. Notre Dame's 2015 offense set a modern era program record with 7.02 yards per play and was one of two offenses in the modern era to average over 250 passing yards and 200 rushing yards in the same season.
In 2017 he became the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Cincinnati. From 2018-21 he was the offensive coordinator and tight ends coach. Denbrock worked with Freeman from 2017-20 with the Bearcats. In his final two seasons in the Queen City, the Bearcats went 22-2 and finished ranked 8th and 4th. Cincinnati earned a berth to the College Football Playoff in his final season running the offense.
Denbrock moved on to LSU in 2022 and oversaw an offense that made massive improvements in year one from a scoring and total offense standpoint. LSU scored 26.5 points per game, averaged 368.5 yards per game and 5.4 yards per play the year prior to his arrival. In his first season the Tigers jumped up to 34.5 points, 453 yards and 6.4 yards per play. In year two the Tigers led the nation with 46.4 points per game, 547.8 yards per game and 8.5 yards per play. The last team to average over 8.0 yards per play in a season was Oklahoma back in 2018.
This past season his quarterback - Jayden Daniels - won the Heisman Trophy.
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Lincoln Riley's logic on USC-Notre Dame rivalry is backward
Lincoln Riley had a passionate message about the future of the rivalry between USC and Notre Dame on Thursday at Big Ten media days. "I think depending on what happens here from a playoff perspective, and then do we expand?" Riley said, per USA Today's Jordan Mendoza. "What model do we go to, that's certainly going to have an impact, not only in the rivalry, but what time of year potentially that you would play it." What his words boil down to is that the only way the USC-Notre Dame game can continue is if the game doesn't matter. It's a message fellow Big Ten coaches have been sharing all week. Curt Cignetti said Indiana canceled its game against Virginia after adopting what he called "an SEC scheduling policy." The implication is clear. Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti argued some of the same things on Tuesday, when he spoke at Big Ten media days. The Big Ten has made it clear this week that it prefers a system that guarantees four playoff berths each going to the Big Ten and the SEC, per Mendoza. It's easy to see why. That model would allow the Big Ten to pursue its dream of having three games on Championship Saturday. The top two teams would play for the conference championship but would already be guaranteed playoff berths. Then, the No. 3 team in the Big Ten standings would play No. 6, while No. 4 would face off against No. 5 for the other two berths. Under the Big Ten's preferred model, all a team would need to do is finish in the top six of the Big Ten standings to get into a one-game playoff to reach the College Football Playoff. But if that isn't adopted, and things are left solely up to the College Football Playoff committee, Riley said the Trojans would have no incentive to play Notre Dame. According to Heather Dinich of ESPN, Riley said there are "a million reasons why we should adopt an automatic qualifier." Riley cited the continuation of the USC-Notre Dame as a reason why, saying it was tied into the decision of the College Football Playoff format. In other words, USC will keep playing Notre Dame as long as the game doesn't matter too much. USC doesn't want its playoff chances ruined, even though they could be improved with a win over the Irish. Yet, the hint or the threat from Big Ten programs like USC and head coaches like Riley is that if the playoff format they prefer isn't adopted, all the great rivalries and nonconference matchups that make the game great will go away. At this rate, Power Four college football teams will refuse to schedule each other, because playing and beating good teams — outside of conference play — will hurt their playoff chances, at least in their minds. The opposite is supposed to be true. The expanded playoff was supposed to encourage marquee nonconference games. Instead, it seems like it's going to start taking them away. Which is the exact opposite of what's good for college football.
Five potential landing spots for Christian Wilkins after stunning Raiders release
The Las Vegas Raiders just stunned the league by releasing defensive tackle Christian Wilkins after only one year with the team. After signing a four-year, $110 million contract, he struggled with injuries in 2024. This was supposed to be a big bounce-back year for Wilkins, but after a dispute between the two sides in regard to how to handle his foot injury, the team decided it was best to part ways. Now, a premier interior disruptor is suddenly available. Assuming his medicals get checked out soon, there should be a lot of interest around the league. Where should he land? Dallas Cowboys Dallas has needed a dominant interior presence for quite some time. Osa Odighizuwa is an awesome threat, but he is only solid against the run. Alongside him, the team will be banking heavily on 2023 first-rounder Mazi Smith, who has been disappointing so far. With Dallas looking to return to the playoffs, adding a stud like Wilkins could give Dallas one of the best defensive lines in the NFL. San Francisco 49ers The 49ers added some young bodies in CJ West and Alfred Collins, yet neither offer a proven, all-around talent like Wilkins could if healthy. The 49ers defensive line was horrid outside of Nick Bosa in 2024, but by adding Wilkins, the team would now have a solid cast of starters with Nick Bosa, Mykel Williams, Wilkins and Kevin Givens/Jordan Elliott. Miami Dolphins A return to Miami makes a ton of sense for both sides. The Dolphins know exactly how to use Wilkins, he knows the building and players, and the transition would be very easy. Miami needs help in the interior defensive line; by plugging Wilkins back into his old role, he could offer the quickest path to high-level impact. Detroit Lions With Levi Onwuzurike out with injury and Detroit needing more juice on the defensive line, adding a proven disruptor like Wilkins could make some sense. He could provide more depth while he gets fully healthy, and he can join a legit Super Bowl contender. His energy and mentality could be a good fit for a Dan Campbell-led squad. Jacksonville Jaguars The Jaguars defense is average in the interior, but they have excellent edge-rushers who would benefit greatly from a strong disruptor up the middle. Wilkins could balance the front, help in the run defense and allow more one-on-ones for their premier edge-rushers. For a team that wants to return to the playoffs as soon as possible, adding a veteran like Wilkins could be a worthy bet to make.
All signs point to Yankees moving on from Anthony Volpe
With the trade for Ryan McMahon now complete, it would seem New York Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman has fulfilled one of his three priorities. He can now cross third base off the list, which leaves the rotation and bullpen as his remaining priorities. However, according to one Yankees writer, Cashman might not be done with the infield. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reported this after the McMahon trade: “The Yankees may not be done adding to their infield. A team source said the Yankees are interested in adding a right-handed hitter who could play the infield.” Kirschner adds that the Yankees have had interest in Willi Castro and Amed Rosario. But the question now is, how would another player fit in the Yankees’ infield? Needless to say, Paul Goldschmidt and Jazz Chisholm Jr. aren’t going anywhere, and McMahon is just getting there. That leaves the low-hanging fruit. Anthony Volpe has been at the center of controversy all this season. His 13 errors, many of which had come at make-or-break moments, amount to the second-highest total in the game. In addition, his bat has not been able to compensate, hitting .214/.286/.407 with 14 home runs. There was always a lot to like about Volpe. He won a Gold Glove in his rookie year, his power has always been promising and his speed is nothing to scoff at. Unfortunately, his glove has become a liability and his speed has also produced very few results. Volpe has swiped just 10 bags in 17 attempts. His power is the one thing that still has some upside, but it hasn’t been enough to justify a spot in the lineup. Both Castro and Rosario have been far more productive at the plate this season than Volpe. Kirschner doesn’t clarify how serious the Yankees are in their pursuit of another infielder, but that most likely isn’t available information. Having just turned 24, Volpe could still become the type of player that was expected from him as a top prospect. However, his recent performance has weighed heavily on his team’s efforts and it may be buying him a ticket out of the Bronx — or at least a spot on the bench.
Steelers rookie Will Howard may have already moved up the depth chart
Pittsburgh Steelers training camp is in full swing, and it’s already been full of excitement. With many new faces on the roster, fans are eager to see how these additions will fit in. After a busy and eventful offseason, training camp serves as the perfect opportunity for all the anticipation surrounding the team to start coming together on the field. One of the most talked-about positions for the Steelers this offseason has been quarterback. The team completely overhauled the position, leading to plenty of uncertainty and speculation early on. While the Steelers were strongly linked to Aaron Rodgers for some time, no official deal had been made by the start of the 2025 NFL Draft. Amid the uncertainty, the team made a bold decision by selecting Will Howard out of Ohio State, bringing in a new face and creating even more talk about the future of the position. Because the Steelers picked Howard late in the draft, there were questions about what his role on the team would be. Even before Rodgers signed, it was clear Howard wouldn’t be the starter. However, during a recent 7 shots drill, Howard unexpectedly took reps with the third team, raising more questions about where he might fit in. Rodgers is clearly locked in as the starting quarterback, with the hope that he can stay healthy throughout the entire season. Earlier in the offseason, he mentioned that this would likely be his final year, though he expressed excitement about the opportunity to play for a franchise like the Steelers. That said, Rodgers has always been unpredictable, and there’s still a chance his career may continue beyond this season. Regardless of what the future holds, his experience and football knowledge are incredibly valuable to the other quarterbacks on the roster, and they’ve made it clear how much they appreciate having him around. Mason Rudolph is expected to be the primary backup behind Rodgers this season. Rudolph was originally drafted by the Steelers and has spent most of his career in Pittsburgh as a dependable backup. However, he’s also shown he can step up when needed, filling in during important games and leading the team when called upon. Rudolph spent last season with the Tennessee Titans, gaining additional experience outside of Pittsburgh. After that brief stint, he re-signed with the Steelers early in the offseason, bringing familiarity, veteran presence and stability to the quarterback room behind Rodgers. Rudolph recently shared that Rodgers has been both incredibly helpful and genuinely friendly since joining the team. Many expected Skylar Thompson, another veteran backup the Steelers signed this offseason, to be next in line on the depth chart. However, with Howard now taking third-team reps, he could move up the depth chart as the season progresses. Rookies bring an element of unpredictability since they’re adjusting to a completely new environment and haven’t yet played in professional games. It’s hard to know how they’ll perform until they get real field experience. If Howard continues to perform well, there’s no reason he shouldn’t climb higher on the depth chart. It’s unlikely that Howard will get much playing time this year, but that doesn’t mean this season isn’t important for him. Learning from a player like Rodgers is incredibly valuable, and Howard has shared how grateful he is to have Rodgers as a mentor. Even if he doesn’t take the field this season, the experience and knowledge he gains behind the scenes could greatly influence his opportunities for playing time down the road. Steelers' future at QB likely isn't on the roster The Steelers were connected to several quarterbacks in this year’s draft class, and the situation drew plenty of attention due to the uncertainty surrounding Rodgers at the time. Although the team eventually signed Rodgers and selected Howard in the later rounds, it seems the search for a long-term franchise quarterback may still be ongoing. Rodgers is only on a one-year deal, and reports have already surfaced that the Steelers are eyeing next year’s quarterback draft class. Opinions on Howard vary, as some view him as a potential career backup, while others are optimistic about his upside and believe he could develop into a solid starting option in the future. Will Howard prove himself and continue to move up the depth chart?
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