The series of videos is inspiring when given the one-sentence context former Notre Dame linebacker Nolan Ziegler posted on Twitter/X roughly a month ago.
It read: “15 months post brain infection. 315 lbs.”
So far 31 transfer portal-plunging college football players who started their careers as scholarship players at Notre Dame and one who spent a year as a transfer at ND, have just started or will start their 2024 seasons somewhere else in the coming days.
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Ziegler, who committed to Central Michigan in January, would like to join that group, but so far hasn’t been added to the Chippewas’ roster. Head coach Jim McElwain said back in the spring that if/when Ziegler does, Central Michigan plans to use him on both sides of the ball — at his college position at ND (linebacker) and his primary high school position (wide receiver) at Grand Rapids (Mich.) Central Catholic.
Another player from the same 2022 recruiting class is also on the comeback trail at a new school, Purdue offensive guard Joey Tanona.
An automobile accident on the way to an early-morning winter workout two and half years ago changed Tanona’s football future, seemingly forever. Roughly two years later the once-promising Notre Dame interior offensive lineman let the college football world know he was on the road to changing it back.
Medically retired from football for both the 2022 and 2023 season, his freshman and sophomore years at ND, the former four-star prospect announced he was unretiring and entering the transfer portal to restart a college career that never got off the ground.
He landed at Purdue, played catch-up in the weight room this offseason and hopes to play against the Irish on Sept. 14, when the Boilermakers host ND.
“To everyone who has supported me, I am forever in your debt,” Tanona tweeted on his Twitter/X account. “To put it simply, the game of football is my entire life, the root of my soul. After some time of recovering and working to get back to being healthy, I have decided it’s time to play ball again.”
Medical retirements allow players to remain in school and on scholarship without that scholarship counting against the NCAA’s maximum of 85. To keep schools from parking players there and then unretiring them later, the reinstatement process is vigorous and sometimes easier with starting over elsewhere.
Tanona is one of only two former Irish players scheduled to face Notre Dame this season. The other is Virginia wide receiver Chris Tyree. The Irish host Virginia on Senior Day, Nov. 16.
Nine of the 32 players are at their third school. The group comprises McKendree wide receiver Kendall Abdur-Rahman, Maine offensive lineman John Olmstead, UMass cornerback Isaiah Rutherford, Boston College wide receiver Jay Brunelle, Alabama State cornerback Caleb Offord, Ole Miss running back Logan Diggs, Indiana cornerback JoJo Johnson, Jacksonville State safety Antonio Carter II, UCLA nickel KJ Wallace and Missouri QB Drew Pyne.
With Tyler Buchner having transferred back to Notre Dame from Alabama (and having switched positions from QB to wide receiver), Pyne is the only former Irish quarterback playing elsewhere in 2024.
Meanwhile, four ex-ND players have clustered at UCLA with Wallace — wide receiver Rico Flores Jr., offensive tackle Michael Carmody, defensive end Devin Aupui and safety Ramon Henderson.
Here is a rundown of where all of the Notre Dame transfers still playing college football have landed for the 2024 season, including both the 16 who transferred this past offseason and other 16 who have been away for more than a season.
CLASS OF 2019
• KENDALL ABDUR-RAHMAN, WR, McKENDREE
2023 Stat Line: 23 catches for 311 yards and three TDs; five rushes for 7 yards, 0-1 passing in nine games played.
2024 Season Opener: Sept. 5 at West Florida.
Other Stopovers: Western Kentucky 2021-22
Years at Notre Dame: 2019-20
Recruiting Pedigree: 3-star, unranked nationally, No. 59 multi-position athlete
• QUINN CARROLL, OT, MINNESOTA
2023 Stat Line: Academic All-Big Ten and Honorable Mention All-Big Ten in 13 games at right tackle.
2024 Season Opener: Thursday vs. North Carolina
Other Stopovers: None
Years at Notre Dame: 2019-21
Recruiting Pedigree: 4-star, No. 68 nationally, No. 7 offensive tackle
• ANTONIO CARTER II, S, JACKSONVILLE STATE
2023 Stat Line: Expected to compete to be a starter or at least a key rotation player in his one season with the Irish, Carter was a deep reserve and special teams piece in the 10 games he saw action for ND — with eight tackles and a forced fumble.
2024 Season Opener: Thursday vs. Coastal Carolina
Other Stopovers: Rhode Island 2019-2022
Years at Notre Dame: 2023
Recruiting Pedigree: 0-star, unranked nationally, unranked as a cornerback
• ZEKE CORRELL, C, NC STATE
2023 Stat Line: Started the first 10 games of the season at center for Notre Dame, but did not play again for the Irish after suffering a concussion in game 10, against Clemson.
2024 Season Opener: Thursday vs. Western Carolina
Other Stopovers: None
Years at Notre Dame: 2019-23
Recruiting Pedigree: 4-star, No. 114 nationally, No. 6 offensive guard
• OSITADINMA EKWONU, LB, CHARLOTTE
2023 Stat Line: Four tackles and one QB hurry in 12 games played.
2024 Season Opener: Saturday vs. James Madison
Other Stopovers: None
Years at Notre Dame: 2019-22
Recruiting Pedigree: 4-star, No. 232 nationally, No. 15 inside linebacker
• JOHN OLMSTEAD, OL, MAINE
2023 Stat Line: First-team All-Patriot League at Lafayette, starting 13 games at right tackle before transferring to Maine.
2024 Season Opener: Friday vs. Colgate
Other Stopovers: Lafayette: 2020-23
Years at Notre Dame: 2019
Recruiting Pedigree: 4-star, No. 118 nationally, No. 15 offensive tackle
• NANA OSAFO-MENSAH, DE, TCU
2023 Stat Line: Played in 12 games last season for the Irish, collecting 20 tackles, with five for losses and three sacks. Also had two QB hurries.
2024 Season Opener: Friday at Stanford
Other Stopovers: None
Years at Notre Dame: 2019-23
Recruiting Pedigree: 3-star, unranked nationally, No. 23 weakside defensive end
• ISAIAH RUTHERFORD, CB, UMASS
2023 Stat Line: 22 tackles, one interception, three PBUs, a forced fumble and a blocked kick in 11 games played.
2024 Season Opener: Saturday vs. Eastern Michigan
Other Stopovers: Arizona 2021-22
Years at Notre Dame: 2019-20
Recruiting Pedigree: 4-star, No. 110 nationally, No. 12 cornerback
• KJ WALLACE, NICKEL, UCLA
2023 Stat Line: 39 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, seven PBUs, one QB hurry, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in 12 games played at Georgia Tech.
2024 Season Opener: Saturday at Hawaii
Other Stopovers: Georgia Tech 2022-23
Years at Notre Dame: 2019-21
Recruiting Pedigree: 3-star, unranked nationally, No. 57 cornerback
CLASS OF 2020
• JAY BRUNELLE, WR, BOSTON COLLEGE
2023 Stat Line: Zero receptions and no other statistics in five special teams snaps.
2024 Season Opener: Sept. 2 at Florida State
Other Stopovers: Yale 2021-22
Years at Notre Dame: 2020
Recruiting Pedigree: 3-star, unranked nationally, unranked as a wide receiver
• MICHAEL CARMODY, OT, UCLA
2023 Stat Line: Carmody didn’t play at all in 2023 while battling back from injuries, with 2021 his only season at ND in which he saw action in more than one game in a season.
2024 Season Opener: Saturday at Hawaii
Other Stopovers: None
Years at Notre Dame: 2020-2023
Recruiting Pedigree: 4-star, No. 231 nationally, No. 22 offensive tackle
• RAMON HENDERSON, S, UCLA
2023 Stat Line: Played in 12 games last season for the Irish with one start. Amassed 14 tackles, three pass breakups, an interception, a QB hurry, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.
2024 Season Opener: Saturday at Hawaii
Other Stopovers: None
Years at Notre Dame: 2020-2023
Recruiting Pedigree: 3-star, unranked nationally, unranked as a cornerback
• AIDAN KEANAAINA, NG, CALIFORNIA
2023 Stat Line: Played in six games at Notre Dame as a reserve last season, collecting seven tackles, including 1.5 for losses.
2024 Season Opener: Saturday vs. UC Davis
Other Stopovers: None
Years at Notre Dame: 2020-2023
Recruiting Pedigree: 4-star, unranked nationally, No. 29 defensive tackle
• CLARENCE LEWIS, CB, SYRACUSE
2023 Stat Line: Played in all 13 games with two starts at Notre Dame last season, mostly as a nickel but also played some cornerback. Collected nine tackles and three pass breakups and returned an interception 33 yards for a TD.
2024 Season Opener: Saturday vs. Ohio
Other Stopovers: None
Years at Notre Dame: 2020-2023
Recruiting Pedigree: 3-star, unranked nationally, No. 84 cornerback
• CALEB OFFORD, CB, ALABAMA STATE
2023 Stat Line: 12 tackles, four PBUs and a blocked kick in four games played at Buffalo before an injury ended his season.
2024 Season Opener: Sunday vs. North Carolina Central at Miami Gardens, Fla.
Other Stopovers: Buffalo 2022-23
Years at Notre Dame: 2020-21
Recruiting Pedigree: 3-star, unranked nationally, No. 46 cornerback
• DREW PYNE, QB, MISSOURI
2023 Stat Line: 26-of-49 passing for 273 yards and two TDs with three interceptions in two games played at Arizona State. Also rushed for minus-49 yards on 14 carries.
2024 Season Opener: Thursday vs. Murray State
Other Stopovers: Arizona State 2023
Years at Notre Dame: 2020-22 (transferred to Notre Dame in the spring of 2024 to earn his degree before heading to Missouri)
Recruiting Pedigree: 4-star, No. 118 nationally, No. 7 pro-style QB
• CHRIS TYREE, WR, VIRGINIA
2023 Stat Line: Spent his final season at Notre Dame as a wide receiver after converting from running back. Tyree played in 12 games, starting six and led the Irish with 484 receiving yards. He had 26 receptions in 2023 with six TDs. On special teams, Tyree returned 11 punts for a 10.8-yard average and scored a TD.
2024 Season Opener: Saturday vs. Richmond
Other Stopovers: None
Years at Notre Dame: 2020-2023
Recruiting Pedigree: 4-star, No. 79 nationally, No. 4 all-purpose back
CLASS OF 2021
• DEVIN AUPIU, DE, UCLA
2023 Stat Line: One tackle in two games played at a defensive tackle. Has since returned to playing defensive end.
2024 Season Opener: Saturday at Hawaii
Other Stopovers: None
Years at Notre Dame: Transferred in the summer of 2021 before his freshman season began.
Recruiting Pedigree: 3-star, unranked nationally, No. 39 weakside defensive end
• RYAN BARNES, CB, UMASS
2023 Stat Line: Played 16 reps as a reserve cornerback in 2023 at Notre Dame and three more on special teams without recording a statistic.
2024 Season Opener: Saturday vs. Eastern Michigan
Other Stopovers: None
Years at Notre Dame: 2021-2023
Recruiting Pedigree: 3-star, unranked nationally, No. 60 cornerback
• CANE BERRONG, TE, COASTAL CAROLINA
2023 Stat Line: Zero catches in one game last season for the Chanticleers.
2024 Season Opener: Thursday at Jacksonville State
Other Stopovers: None
Years at Notre Dame: 2021-22
Recruiting Pedigree: 3-star, unranked nationally, No. 35 tight end
• LOGAN DIGGS, RB, OLE MISS
2023 Stat Line: A team-leading 653 rushing yards on 119 carries in his one season at LSU, with seven TDs in 10 games played. That included eight starts. Also eight catches for 82 yards.
2024 Season Opener: Saturday vs. Furman
Other Stopovers: LSU 2023
Years at Notre Dame: 2021-22
Recruiting Pedigree: 3-star, unranked nationally, No. 19 running back
• CALEB JOHNSON, OT, SMU
2023/2024 Stat Line: Not in the two-deeps in 2023 but saw action in nine games as a backup/special teams player. Was listed as the No. 2 right tackle for SMU’s 29-24 season-opening win at Nevada on Saturday, but did not see action.
2024 Next Game: Saturday vs. Houston Christian University. SMU opened this past Saturday.
Other Stopovers: None
Years at Notre Dame: 2021-22
Recruiting Pedigree: 4-star, unranked nationally, No. 31 offensive tackle
• JOJO JOHNSON, CB, INDIANA
2023 Stat Line: 12 tackles and a pass breakup in 12 games played.
2024 Season Opener: Saturday vs. Florida International
Other Stopovers: Iowa Western C.C. 2022
Years at Notre Dame: 2021
Recruiting Pedigree: 3-star, unranked nationally, unranked as a cornerback
• PRINCE KOLLIE, LB, VANDERBILT
2023 Stat Line: Did not see game action.
2024 Season Opener: Saturday vs. Virginia Tech
Other Stopovers: None
Years at Notre Dame: 2021-22
Recruiting Pedigree: 4-star, No. 243 nationally, No. 18 outside linebacker
• LORENZO STYLES, CB, OHIO STATE
2023 Stat Line: Zero tackles in three defensive snaps and five games of special teams duty.
2024 Season Opener: Saturday vs. Akron
Other Stopovers: None.
Years at Notre Dame: 2021-22
Recruiting Pedigree: 4-star, No. 56 nationally, No. 6 wide receiver
CLASS OF 2022
• JAYDEN BELLAMY, CB, SYRACUSE
2023 Stat Line: 26 tackles, one interception, two fumble recoveries in 11 games played Took over as a starter midway through the season.
2024 Season Opener: Saturday vs. Ohio
Other Stopovers: None
Years at Notre Dame: 2022
Recruiting Pedigree: 3-star, unranked nationally, No. 46 cornerback
• BRYCE MCFERSON, P, MARYLAND
2023 Stat Line: Averaged 45.1 yards on 38 punts in 2023 in his only season at Notre Dame’s No. 1 punter.
2024 Season Opener: Saturday vs. UCONN
Other Stopovers: None
Years at Notre Dame: 2022-23
Recruiting Pedigree: 2-star, unranked nationally, unranked as a kicker
• TOBIAS MERRIWEATHER, WR, CALIFORNIA
2023 Stat Line: Had 14 catches for 284 yards and 2 TDs in 12 games for the Irish last season.
2024 Season Opener: Saturday vs. UC Davis
Other Stopovers: None
Years at Notre Dame: 2022-23
Recruiting Pedigree: 4-star, No. 135 nationally, No. 22 as a wide receiver
• HOLDEN STAES, TE, TENNESSEE
2023 Stat Line: Played in 11 games for the Irish last season, with eight of those starts. Caught 15 passes for 176 yards and four touchdowns.
2024 Season Opener: Saturday vs. Chattanooga
Other Stopovers: None
Years at Notre Dame: 2022-23
Recruiting Pedigree: 4-star, unranked nationally, No. 8 tight end
• JOEY TANONA, OG, PURDUE
2023 Stat Line: Suffered a head injury as a passenger in a car accident during his first semester at Notre Dame in the winter of 2022, and medically retired before his freshman season started. But after two years on the sidelines, Tanona in December decided to try to reboot his career, and landed shortly thereafter at Purdue.
2024 Season Opener: Saturday vs. Indiana State
Other Stopovers: None
Years at Notre Dame: 2022-2023
Recruiting Pedigree: 4-star, No. 178 nationally, No. 8 offensive guard
CLASS OF 2023
• MICAH BELL, WR, VANDERBILT
2023 Stat Line: One1 tackle for loss in three games as a backup cornerback at Notre Dame.
2024 Season Opener: Saturday vs. Virginia Tech
Other Stopovers: None
Years at Notre Dame: 2023
Recruiting Pedigree: 4-star, unranked nationally, No. 6 multi-position athlete
• RICO FLORES JR., WR, UCLA
2023 Stat Line: Was Notre Dame’s second-leading receiver last season, behind tight end Mitchell Evans, with 27 catches. He had 392 yards receiving and one touchdown.
2024 Season Opener: Saturday at Hawaii
Other Stopovers: None
Years at Notre Dame: 2023
Recruiting Pedigree: 4-star, No. 141 nationally, No. 23 wide receiver
• BRAYLON JAMES, WR, TCU
2023 Stat Line: One reception for 12 yards in four games at ND.
2024 Season Opener: Friday at Stanford
Other Stopovers: None
Years at Notre Dame: 2023
Recruiting Pedigree: 4-star, No. 157 nationally, No. 28 wide receiver
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