Notre Dame Media Notes: Mike Denbrock on CJ Carr and Chris Ash on Wisconsin

Mike Denbrock said Notre Dame has a better handle on its offensive strengths leaving camp than it did a year ago, but he also made clear the opener will not be the finished product. “We’re not going to be a finished product week one,” Denbrock said. “This is going to be an evolution of who we become over the course of the year.” He also praised CJ Carr’s command at the line, with Chris Ash calling the quarterback “great at reading defenses” and working to get the offense into the best look.

The other big theme was depth, especially at tight end and running back. Denbrock said the tight end room could be “by committee” because Notre Dame is “four or five deep,” with Cooper Flanagan back and adding “physical toughness” and “competitive spirit” the offense missed last year. On the defensive side, Ash said preparing for Wisconsin is tricky because of all the new pieces, calling Week 1 “a game of adjustments” once Notre Dame sees exactly what the Badgers want to do.

• Ash said Notre Dame’s tight ends “present a lot of problems” because they can block, run, and make plays in space, and he called them complete players.
• Denbrock likes the young receiver depth, but did not single anyone out, saying it has been “this guy this day, that guy that day.”
• At running back, Denbrock said Aneyas Williams leads on experience, Kedren Young has “really come on” lately, and Nolan James has “looked incredible during camp.”
• Ash said the defensive line’s chemistry has been “exceptional” under new defensive line coach Partridge, with the group showing improvement and a strong work ethic.
• Jasper Scaife said he feels ready for his first game and added, “my job is to kick a ball. That’s a pretty good job to have.”