Notre Dame & Jaden Greathouse Ready to Attack in Atlana

Notre Dame receiver Jaden Greathouse will enter Monday’s National Championship game coming off the best game of his collegiate career. 

The Texas native recorded seven receptions for 105 yards and one touchdown in the dramatic win over Penn State, while also making several key third down conversions to keep the Irish alive. 

Greathouse knows the Irish need another big-time performance against Ohio State and he’s more than ready as the program is ready to attack when they arrive in Atlanta. 

“We've had it this whole season,” Greathouse said. “We've had it the whole playoff run and it's been going well for us. Just having a dominant mindset of just whoever is on the field is going to get ran over and we're going to have the best game that we can and we're going to be the best team that we can.

“We know that it starts from within. We've been preparing and we've been doing everything that we can in the meeting rooms and the film room to just really sharpen up the game plan, so we're going to come out and we're going to attack.” 

The Orange Bowl performance was a long time coming for Greathouse. Notre Dame had received big games from him before, as he caught five touchdown passes as a true freshman in 2023, but this seemed more like a statement from Greathouse. 

And now, the 6-foot-1, 215-pounder has confidence. 

“I think there's been some weeks and some moments where I really think I'm starting to get going,” explained Greathouse. “And something that can really turn big. But I'm just glad that in the biggest game of the season so far, I was able to help my team win.” 

Greathouse has seen his game grow over the last two seasons at Notre Dame. Beating man coverage was a strength in high school for Greathouse, but now, he’s stepped it up and there’s even a chip on his shoulder when he sees the opposition play man. 

“Whenever a team runs man against me, I kind of take it personally,” Greathouse explained. “It just makes me a little mad sometimes. I definitely just wanted to take advantage of that. Riley had gotten a few short passes to me and that just kind of got my hands warm, kind of got me going. And just from all the man that they had been running throughout the game, I knew I was comfortable with my releases just from having to do so much early in the game and that it was just kind of all coming together.” 

Notre Dame will now have a chance to make a statement in the record books on Monday, but playing for a title isn’t a surprise to Greathouse or his teammates. There was a clear goal dating back to fall camp and the Irish will have a chance to complete it. 

“I think from the start and I think that's kind of why we are able to achieve being in this position that we are,” Greathouse stated. “We didn't come into this season thinking like, we just want to do better than last year. We wanted to make the playoffs. We knew we were going to make the playoffs.

“We faced some adversity against NIU, but we knew that the goal was still the same and that we weren't going to let that change us. And we stayed the course, kept our heads down and we've been a completely different team since then.” 

And yes, there are different levels to the mindset of expecting to make the playoffs and winning a ring. Yet, it’s also the same as it’s a day-by-day process and one that isn’t focused on the future. 

“Once you're in the playoffs, whether your goal was to just make it to the playoffs or win the national championship every single day, you got to take it day by day," said Greathouse. “You just got to stay in the moment and take every game for what it is. You can't be looking too far in the future and you can't be thinking too far about the things that you know have happened in the past.

“I think that's what this team has done. We haven't been focused on what our playoff route is supposed to look like or how they're going to seed us or who we're going to have to play that kind of thing. We're just here. Whoever they tell us we have to play, we're going to show up and we're going to dominate.” 

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