Irish coaches and players detail spring progress, emphasizing trench dominance and elite unit development. See their insights on offensive and defensive line growth.
Notre Dame just wrapped up their seventh spring practice of the 2026 offseason and we're inching closer to the Blue Gold game and then the season opener against Wisconsin up at Lambeau Field. The Irish, and head coach Marcus Freeman, are taking the strides to be a line-driven program and be stout in the trenches. That's a common theme we've seen from the previous national contenders and championship winners. Today, we got to hear from the lineman on either side of the football and their respective coaches.
Defensive line coach Charlie Partridge talked through spring growth and what he's going to elevate this line to an elite unit. Offensive line coach Joe Rudolph talked through the growth of a redshirt freshman left tackle Will Black and the improvement of the unit as a whole. We also got to hear from several players on either side of the ball on the offensive and defensive line. This is an impressive group, and a group that's taking the necessary strides to becoming an elite unit.
You can watch the entire press conference here:
Here are some of the main quotes from today's post-practice press conference:
Charlie Partridge On Coaching Scheme And Fundamentals
"Those are spokes in a wheel," Partridge explained. "If you abandon one for the sake of the other, it's not going to work. We really have to lean in on both; I think if you give too much attention to just one of those, it's going to be hard to see growth. If you have a ton of mistakes because they're not learning the system, but they're great technically, you have a problem. Same thing the other way. If they're playing with bad technique but executing, you've got a problem. We're working to help them in both, and that takes some extra time and extra studying on their part, and I think they're putting in the work."
Joe Rudolph On Moving Anthonie Knapp And Guerby Lambert Around
"Guerby Lambert has a real comfort on the right side of the offensive line," Rudolph explained. "We forced him to work some on the left side of the offensive line but there's a level of comfort there. With Anthonie Knapp, we felt like he's done a great job playing left, but to get each guy in the spot to get them to shine the most would be the chance to move Knapp in and create a good competition at left tackle which Will Black has done. What you don't know is how the guys will embrace it but those guys have really embraced it and guys like Knapp really want to learn and know the intricacies of the position."
Jason Onye On What It Means To Have The Sixth Year Of Eligibility
"I was speaking on this earlier, but it means opportunity," Onye explained. "Being able to have the opportunity to have one more year with my brothers means everything. Those guys have changed my life for the better. I'm able to play with some great guys that I look up to and some coaches that I look up to. Being able to be at the best university again means a lot."
-------
Be sure to stay locked into Irish Breakdown all the time!