Podcast Covers Wide Receiver Breakouts, Overlooked Defenders, CFP Top 5 and Notre Dame Highlights

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In the latest edition of the Irish Illustrated Insider podcast, the hosts discuss a wide range of topics related to Notre Dame football, including potential breakout wide receivers, overlooked defensive players, the top 5 champions of the College Football Playoff era, and some of the greatest plays in Notre Dame history.

Why it matters

As a comprehensive source for Notre Dame sports coverage, the Irish Illustrated Insider podcast provides in-depth analysis and insights that are valuable for fans looking to stay up-to-date on the latest developments with the Fighting Irish football team.

The details

The podcast covers a variety of topics submitted by fans, including which Notre Dame position coach the hosts would most want to sit with in the lunchroom, the next wide receiver expected to emerge behind Jordan Faison and Jaden Greathouse, and why certain defensive players like Shuler, Bowen, KVA and Tae Johnson lack national buzz despite the acclaim for Notre Dame's defense. The hosts also discuss when they were most wrong and most right in their assessments, rank the top 5 champions of the CFP era, and share their thoughts on what it means to cover Notre Dame as alumni versus outsiders.

• The podcast was published on February 16, 2026.