⚡ CFB Dashboard

Jaden Greathouse put on a show in the College Football Playoffs two years ago against two top-10 defenses.  The 6-foot-1 then-sophomore snagged a combined 13 catches for 233 yards and three touchdowns against Penn State and Ohio State in the semifinals and finals, keeping Notre Dame competitive in a national title game that nearly turned into a blowout.  Last season, he appeared primed to build upon his breakout postseason performance, only for his junior campaign to be derailed by a nagging hamstring injury suffered in September. The wideout hauled in just four receptions for 73 yards before he was shut down for the fall. Perhaps Greathouse would've returned for another playoff run, but the CFP Committee left out the Irish, giving Notre Dame an unexpectedly long offseason. That granted the wideout plenty of time to rest, recover and rejuvenate his body for the 2026 season. "Feeling really good," Greathouse said. "Feeling really healthy, and all those kinds of things. Doing everything I can to take care of my body, and it's going really well."  He was full-go by the start of fall camp in early August. Heisman Trophy favorite quarterback CJ Carr took immediate notice of Greathouse's return to the practice field. "It's unbelievable," Carr said. "We watched the Penn State game and some of those catches he had in the playoffs two years ago, and you see it. And then he hasn't been fully healthy this last year. "Then you come out here, and he does a couple things that he does, and it's like, 'oh my gosh, it's another blanket for me. I wouldn't play man against us.'" His strong August failed to translate into immediate success.  The senior wideout only had one catch in the season opener against Wisconsin for six yards, but rebounded last weekend against an overmatched Rice secondary. Greathouse hauled in three of Carr's 16 completions for 48 yards, including a long of 23 yards on a sideline toe-tapping grab.  "It was great, great to have the ball in my hands, great to have some opportunities to make plays and that kind of thing," Greathouse said. "At the end of the day, we won the game, and that's the most important thing to me. So if I'm a part of that, even better. It was great to be back in the home stadium for the first game, and all of those kinds of things. I think the offense did really well."   The idea of explosive plays has been a point of emphasis for Greathouse this season.  While he is getting more involved with the offense, the mentality of making those plays carries on from week to week.  "Just keep doing what we did last week: making explosive plays," Greathouse said. "We've got to attack them [Michigan State] in the passing game this week, and open up their defense. That's going to come down to every single person on offense, making sure the receivers are doing our jobs, the O-line is doing their jobs, the QBs are doing their jobs. All of those kinds of things, and just being physical."  There has been a point of interest in the chemistry between Carr and Greathouse. The two connected the aforementioned four times last year, but he is making it known that their connection continues to grow.  "The chemistry was built in the offseason, and getting countless reps," Greathouse said. "Not every game is it going to be put out there, but last week it was, and you could see that bit of connection. We just keep stacking days, keep taking it week by week, and making sure by the end of the day that we're winning."  Carr threw for 2,741 yards last season, with 24 touchdowns in what was a stellar freshman season. Greathouse has noted that Carr's passing has only gotten stronger in the offseason. The hype for Carr into the regular season was warranted, according to Greathouse.  "He's our captain, our leader," Greathouse said. "Very poised, calm, cool, and collected, and he has the talent to back it up too. He's always been putting the ball right where it needs to be, making the right decisions. As an offense, that boosts your confidence when the head guy is always doing the right thing. Always doing what he's supposed to be doing and helping others elevate as well."  The connection between the quarterback and wideout seems to be at its best, with no signs of slowing down. With him and Carr on the same page, as well as the rest of the team, it seems like the sky is the limit for this Notre Dame offense.   "I think this offense is going to do great things," Greathouse said. "I think every single person in this room has improved from the beginning of the year to where we are now. Constantly improving week to week, looking at the tape, improving on what we can do… and doing whatever we can to get better."  Greathouse is primed to pick up where he left off from his playoff run two seasons ago. He and fellow wideout Jaiden Faison will be Carr's go-to options in the passing game this season.  He is looking to build off his game against Rice against another Big Ten opponent. He is keen on making more than one catch against Michigan State on Saturday. Perhaps we will go for more than 100 yards for the first time since the 2024 playoffs.