Gray's immense size and playoff experience bolster Notre Dame's defensive line, instantly elevating their championship aspirations and run-stopping prowess.
The outlook on Notre Dame's interior defensive line drastically changed over the last month and a half. Early in January, it was a question whether the unit would be good enough to compete for a championship in 2026. The conversation has shifted and now, we're talking about this unit as a whole as potentially being one of the best in the country at season's end. A major factor in that conversation was the acquisition of Oregon defensive tackle Tionne Gray in the portal.
"I wanted to go and get a bigger role somewhere," Gray explained. "I wanted to earn a bigger role. But I still wanted to compete for a national championship. I wanted to come closer to home, too. Notre Dame is one of the most prepared teams to go back to the National Championship. I wanted to come here to be a part of that run, but also just the coaches and the strong traditions they have here. Oregon has a pretty high standard but it’s a high standard here, too."
Gray brings immense size and playoff experience to the interior of Notre Dame's defensive line. Last season, he finished with 18 total tackles, 2.0 tackles for a loss, one total pressure on the quarterback and six total run stops. The 6-5, 330-pound St. Louis native is walking into a room loaded with talent, and Gray is ready for the challenge.
"I was looking for a high standard outside of the team," Gray stated. "The standard here is to be undefeated. That’s what we want to accomplish. I also wanted to come and compete and there's hefty competition. There's a loaded defensive line room here; a lot of guys have experience, too. So we’ll push each other and compete and have fun."
Head coach Marcus Freeman understands that the defensive line has to be the origin of success for this Notre Dame defense, and while the returning pieces had tons of talent, they new they needed a player like Gray from the portal to elevate the make up of the room.
"Coach Freeman was my main contact," Gray said. "We had at least one or two phone calls a day, and then during the visit, I was talking to him a lot. I came a Wednesday night visit. I loved being around the guys and could see how it’s a real family environment. They were accepting; I could be me and I knew this was the place I needed to be."
One of the elevations we saw from defensive coordinator Chris Ash in 2025 was their improved ability to stop the run. Notre Dame finished No. 11 in the country in rushing yards allowed per game (100.08), No. 10 in yards allowed per attempt (2.99) and tied for No. 4 in the country in rushing touchdowns allowed (8). Adding a player like Gray to the mix significantly improves their chances of going from a Top 10 run defense to a Top 5 run defense.
"A run stopper first," Gray answered when he was asked to describe his game. "I pride myself on stopping the run first. The main thing I want to work on is my pass rush. I want to get some finesse moves into my bag. They would say that I can stop the run and I’ll also hold the point and take on double teams."
The upside for Notre Dame's defensive line, especially the interior, is extremely high, and they'll need this unit to be strong up the middle throughout the regular season and into the post season. Adding a player like Gray to the rotation was a key move in the offseason. His impact should be felt immediately.
-------
Be sure to stay locked into Irish Breakdown all the time!