The 2018 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was led by head coach Brian Kelly, who was in his ninth season at Notre Dame, and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana. The Fighting Irish competed as an independent.
Notre Dame, coming off a 10–3, Citrus Bowl-winning season in 2017, began the year ranked 12th in the AP Poll. In the first game of the year, they hosted rival No. 14 Michigan, in the first game played in the series since 2014. Notre Dame won by a score of 24–17. The Irish continued to impress fans, winning against ranked opponents Stanford and Virginia Tech, causing them to rise to third in the polls. Notre Dame finished the regular season with a perfect 12–0 record, and were ranked third in the final College Football Playoff rankings, earning them a spot in the national semifinal to be played at the Cotton Bowl against second-ranked Clemson. The Irish lost to the eventual national champion Tigers by a score of 30–3. Their final record of 12–1 and final ranking of 5th in the nation represented the program's best season since 2012.
Quarterback Brandon Wimbush led the offense for the first three games, after which he was benched in favor of Ian Book. Book ended the year with 2,628 passing yards and 19 touchdowns. The running attack was led by Dexter Williams, who finished with 995 yards and 12 touchdowns. On defense, cornerback Julian Love was named a consensus first-team All-American, and defensive tackle Jerry Tillery also received All-America honors by several selectors. Head coach Brian Kelly was named AP Coach of the Year.
Offseason
Fans would be disappointed when defensive coordinator Mike Elko switching to Texas A&M by first-year head coach Jimbo Fisher three days following the Citrus Bowl victory over LSU. Brian Kelly would replace Elko by elevating linebackers coach Clark Lea to defensive coordinator. Notre Dame would then hire Terry Joseph as safeties coach to fortify defensive coordinator Clark Lea's staff.
One week following Elko's departure, the Irish would suffer another significant coaching loss, as Harry Hiestand accepted the offensive line coach position on Matt Nagy's staff with the Chicago Bears. In a surprise decision and after a national search, head coach Brian Kelly chose to promote senior offensive analyst Jeff Quinn to replace Hiestad.
The unexpected personnel loss within the program eventually spread to the roster, as running backs C.J. Holmes and Deon McIntosh, wide receiver Kevin Stepherson, and defensive lineman Brandon Tiassum were each dismissed from the program. Holmes and Stepherson were dismissed due to shoplifting charges, while McIntosh and Tiassum were also removed for a violation of team rules.
Notre Dame would finish National Signing Day with the nation's 10th-ranked recruiting class, per 247sports.com.
The Shirt 2018 and Blue-Gold Game
The 2018 Notre Dame Football Shirt was revealed in front of the Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore at the Eck Center with Coach Kelly ripping off his jacket to reveal a Kelly green shirt. The front of The Shirt features an iconic image of the top of the outside of the stadium directly above the Knute Rockne Gate, which displays "University of Notre Dame" etched in gold under two flags–one for Notre Dame and the other for the team that the Irish played that week. Below this image is "Fighting Irish Football 2018," printed in large gold letters. The back of The Shirt features a portrayal of Notre Dame's defensive line with "No Breaking Point" printed below it, which is a reference to one of late coach Ara Parseghian's famous mottos. The Shirt would then be sold immediately following its reveal.
After Winter and Spring practices Notre Dame would host an exhibition game at Notre Dame Stadium on April 21, 2018, with its offense playing against its defense with Blue defeating Gold 47–44.
Preseason award watch lists
2018 NFL draft
The following former Notre Dame players were selected in the 2018 NFL Draft:
Transfers out/departures
QB Montgomery Van Gorder (graduate transfer) RB Josh Adams (Declared for NFL Draft) RB C.J. Holmes (Dismissed from program) RB Deon McIntosh (Dismissed from program) WR Freddy Canteen (transfer) WR C. J. Sanders (transfer) WR Kevin Stepherson (Dismissed from program) WR Equanimeous St. Brown (Declared for NFL Draft) DE Jay Hayes (graduate transfer) DE Jonathon MacCollister (transfer) DT Elijah Taylor (transfer) DT Brandon Tiassum (Dismissed from program) DT Pete Mokwuah (graduate transfer) CB Nick Watkins (graduate transfer) CB Ashton White (transfer)