Notre Dame’s receiving corps has been walking a tightrope all season. And it’s about to get even tighter heading into Saturday’s matchup against Boston College. The Irish are sitting at 5-2 with a five-game winning streak, firmly back in playoff contention after that rocky 0-2 start. But Marcus Freeman has been thrown a curveball with some receiving corps decisions ahead of what should be a routine win game.

The HC has one of the more talented freshman receivers in the country sitting on his bench in Elijah Burress. He is a guy who torched high school defenses for 37 catches, 960 yards, and 17 touchdowns as a senior — that’s 25.9 yards per catch. But Freeman’s been adamant about preserving the 18-year-old’s redshirt year, keeping him under that four-game threshold so he doesn’t burn a year of eligibility.

That’s normally a smart long-term play. The problem? His top receiver keeps ending up on the injury report. And now Marcus Freeman’s caught between protecting the future and making sure he doesn’t blow the present.​ Jaden Greathouse was supposed to be Notre Dame’s breakout star this season. But 2025 has been a nightmare for the Texas native. He’s been dealing with a thigh injury that’s kept him sidelined for four straight games now, missing matchups against Boise State, North Carolina State, USC, and now Boston College.

The Notre Dame HC confirmed Thursday that Greathouse is officially out for Saturday, telling reporters, “Let’s be smart with how much we push him… We just don’t want to rush it.” The numbers tell the story of a season derailed by injury.

The 21-year-old has just four receptions for 73 yards, with two catches against Texas A&M and two more against Arkansas before the injury shut him down completely. He’s sitting seventh on the team in receiving yards when he was expected to be leading the charge. Without Greathouse’s deep threat capability, Notre Dame’s offense has leaned heavily on Jordan Faison, Malachi Fields, and Will Pauling to carry the load at receiver.​

That’s where Marcus Freeman’s dilemma gets really uncomfortable. Burress enrolled early in January specifically to get a jump on competing for playing time. And by all accounts, he’s looked the part in practice. ESPN even had him on their watchlist for true freshmen who could make an impact this fall. But Freeman has been crystal clear about his intentions, as Mike Berardino reported in a tweet earlier this week: “Marcus Freeman: Trying to hold WR Elijah Burress for his redshirt.” 

Once Burress plays in five games, his redshirt is gone. And that year of eligibility disappears. With Notre Dame currently listing Burress as the third-string field receiver, the HC clearly sees him as insurance rather than a necessity. But Greathouse’s continued absence is testing that resolve. The Irish have enough depth to get by against Boston College. It is a 1-7 team that’s lost all five ACC games and sits dead last in the conference. Notre Dame is a 28.5-point favorite, and Vegas has the total at 56.5 points. This should be a cakewalk.​ But even if the game might be a gimmick on paper, last year’s Northern Illinois should not be forgotten. 

Walking the Depth Chart Tightrope

Marcus Freeman’s been asked repeatedly about what happens if Malachi Fields or Jordan Faison need a breather during games. His answer tells you everything about how thin the margin is right now. “I mean, if they need a breather, we have guys that will be ready to go,” Freeman said Thursday. “KK’s [Smith] ready to go. He’s going to play, and he’ll get more reps depending on the guys that might be in front of him, depending on how they feel. You’re seeing Matt Jeffery getting more and more opportunities. You’ll see Cam Williams, you’ll see Logan Saldate. So those are the names that are the next group of guys to go in.”

That’s a lot of names for a position group that’s supposed to be deep. But when you look at the actual production this season, it’s mostly been Fields and Faison carrying the load while everyone else fights for scraps. KK Smith is listed as the second-string field receiver on the depth chart and will get his opportunities, but Marcus Freeman’s mention of Jeffery, Williams, and Saldate suggests he’s cycling through options rather than having clear-cut answers behind his top two guys.​

If Boston College or any of these upcoming opponents keeps things close, if the offense sputters, if someone else gets dinged up, all bets are off. Freeman’s trying to protect the future by keeping Burress under four games, but he’s also coaching a team that’s 5-2 and needs every single win to stay in playoff contention.