Before Texas A&M went to South Bend in Week 3, led by their second-year head coach Mike Elko, the prediction engines didn’t favor him. FOX Sports gave Marcus Freeman a 71% win probability, while placing the Aggies at just 33.4%. Other major predictions by SP+ favored Notre Dame, although by a margin of 2.8 points, giving the Irish a 57 percent chance to win. But when Marcel Reed started throwing that ball and the way Notre Dame’s rushing game regressed, the game quickly became a thriller.

At the end of it, Texas A&M extracted a major upset, defeating Notre Dame 41-40. The defeat now is the second consecutive loss for Notre Dame after a 24-27 defeat at Miami, and to make matters worse, one crucial piece from ND’s staff is leaving just hours after the Texas A&M game.

” Numerous sources this week tell FootballScoop that Notre Dame Director of Player Development Amir Carlisle, a former Fighting Irish standout player, is exiting his alma mater for a role at NFL Headquarters. His tenure will conclude this weekend, sources indicated to FootballScoop. Sources tell FootballScoop that Carlisle will continue his work in player development, but will be doing so with the NFL’s top brass,” reported footballscoop.com’s John Brice. The setback is going to be big for Marcus Freeman after Carlisle’s departure.

A lifetime Notre Dame loyal, Amir Carlisle started for Notre Dame from 2013 to 2015 after coming in from the rival USC. He sealed his status as one of the best players at the time, starting 25 games, and was a part of Notre Dame’s 2012 BCS National Championship Team, although at the time, he was redshirting. That rich legacy drove Amir forward and gave him an inside perspective on the things he had seen during multiple coaching tenures. So, in March 2023, when Carlisle became Notre Dame’s Director of Player Development, he came with a vision.

“Our mission is to help players find their purpose, reach their full potential, and achieve lifelong prosperity. Coach Freeman always talks about how our goal is to reach our full potential on the football field. We’re bringing that same mission, that same ethos, to their entire lives… My goal is to unlock the full potential of Notre Dame for each of our student-athletes. There are so many opportunities that this place provides for our guys. My goal is to unlock the breadth of those opportunities,” announced Carlisle on his arrival. The new director of player development then backed his words with tangible actions.

Carlisle started the ‘Close the Gap’ program in 2023, which was a series of on-campus discussions for summer workouts, NIL opportunities, and financial planning. The move helped the team massively, with Notre Dame reaching new heights in recruiting (11th nationally) and keeping homegrown talent at home in uncertain NIL times. Moreover, Carlisle, a graduate of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, also saw things differently, which helped him identify player potential along with balancing NIL and revenue-sharing responsibilities. His loss then can have wider ramifications for Notre Dame and Marcus Freeman.

Marcus Freeman outlines the importance of Amir Carlisle, along with his front office staff

Notre Dame now stands at a crossroads, having lost their past two games against Miami and Texas A&M. Their nattty hopes are now hanging by a thread, and one more debacle can signal the end of the playoff hopes for the team. Of course, the upcoming games aren’t tougher than what Freeman faced earlier, barring USC; however, the need to be cautious is more imperative now. Now, losing Amir Carlisle to the NFL at this crucial juncture is just another blow in Notre Dame’s woes.

Together with GM Mike Martin and Director of Recruiting, Carter Auman, Carlisle has led Notre Dame to a third-ranked 2026 class till now that boasts 17 four-star commits along with 5-star Rodney Dunham’s commitment. Even Marcus Freeman had praised the work the front office staff had done. “They’ve done a tremendous job of developing relationships with these young guys and the families. We’re going to have a lot of our commits here and a lot of younger guys who are interested in Notre Dame football,” said Freeman.

All in all, losing Carlisle to the NFL has come at the worst possible time for Marcus Freeman. The head coach now finds himself replacing a veteran who had deep knowledge and connections with the program, and replacing that will be easier said than done. As for Carlisle, it’s of course the next step in his career, where he can showcase his talent more effectively with the NFL’s top brass.