Why This Is a Crucial Stretch for Notre Dame Football, New Staff Hires, and a Men’s Basketball Update

Notre Dame football winter workouts, Marcus Freeman’s coaching staff additions, Chase Jones and Shaun Shivers hires, and what it all means for the 2026 season headline today’s Locked On Irish as the Irish navigate a critical but quiet offseason stretch. Tyler Wojciak breaks down why this “slow” time of year is actually one of the most important phases of the calendar, how Notre Dame’s staff pipeline has produced fast-rising coaches like Chris O’Leary, what to know about the two newest assistant hires, and why Cole Certa’s 37-point explosion could help shape the future of Notre Dame basketball and Micah Shrewsberry’s job security heading into a pivotal year.