By Rowan Fisher-ShottonShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberNotre Dame has paired an efficient offense with a stingy defense to emerge as one of the most balanced teams this college football season.
The Irish's defense is allowing just 17.4 points per game this season, ranking 13th in opponent scoring — a clear selling point for any recruit who wants to play in a winning, championship-caliber unit.
Marcus Freeman has led the program to a 9-2 record entering Week 14 and ranked No. 9 nationally as the team rides a nine-game win streak as one of the hottest teams in the country.
As if momentum wasn't already high enough for Freeman and the Irish, they just received a major recruiting boost.
On Wednesday, four-star linebacker Amarri Irvin officially announced his commitment to Notre Dame, according to 247Sports' Tom Loy.
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Irvin, a 6-0, 220-pound inside linebacker from IMG Academy, arrives as a consensus four-star recruit and the No. 12-ranked linebacker in the country.
Through his junior season, he posted 36 tackles, six tackles for loss, four sacks, 13 QB hurries, and three interceptions in nine games for IMG — numbers that helped him draw offers from national power programs including Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, and Florida.
He made his first trip to South Bend in June and returned for an in-season visit in October, before making his final decision on Wednesday.
Irvin reportedly told 247Sports he felt the relationship with Freeman and linebackers coach Max Bullough was a major factor in his choice, handing the Irish another high-profile add to their 2027 haul.
In adding Irvin, the 247Sports class calculator projects Notre Dame to jump to 136.7 points for the 2027 class, slotting them fourth, ahead of Nebraska (128.51) and behind Ohio State (147.77).
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Freeman’s profile as a coach who can recruit blue-chip talent has been burning brighter since the 2024 season, when Notre Dame reached the College Football Playoff title game, and Freeman collected national coach-of-the-year honors.
Landing a top inside linebacker out of IMG validates the staff’s ability to sell the program’s culture, development track, and winning trajectory.
Looking ahead for Freeman and the Irish, they will face the Stanford Cardinal on Saturday in a battle for the Legends Trophy at Stanford Stadium.
Notre Dame is currently listed as heavy 31.5-point road favorites with a 50.5-point over/under.
A win would move the program to 10-2 on the season and secure a spot in the College Football Playoff.
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