DE Signee Ebenezer Ewetade Ready To Get Started At Notre Dame

Ebenezer Ewetade‍ officially signed with Notre Dame earlier this month, and the next step is already approaching for the 2026 North Carolina defensive end.

“It’s good to finally be Irish,” Ewetade told Irish Sports Daily. “I’m just waiting on the next step. I’m excited to head up there.”

Ewetade is scheduled to arrive in South Bend on Jan. 10th, a move that will provide an early opportunity to adjust to the college level.

“Pros, I’d say you get a head start,” Ewetade said. “You get to know the rest of the team more, get to work out, learn a new playbook, things like that.

“I don’t really know any cons really, except for just leaving your family. But besides that, that’s it.”

Expectations have already been clearly laid out by Notre Dame’s coaching staff in conversations centered on accountability and earning everything from the start.

“I already had this talk with Coach (Al) Washington,” Ewetade said. “It’s always like, ‘Nothing’s going to be given, everything’s earned.’ That type of thing.”

Watching Notre Dame throughout the season helped shape how Ewetade views what lies ahead.

“Obviously, in the long term, with everything that’s happened with the College Football Playoffs, we definitely want to get a national championship,” Ewetade said.

“So as soon as we get out there, it’s just straight work. No playing around or stuff like that. It’s going to be fun, but it’s going to be straight business.”

That urgency carries a selfless edge following the Irish’s absence from this year’s Playoff picture.

“Whatever seniors are coming up, I don’t want them to feel this type of way,” Ewetade said.

“I want to send them off with a bang. I already know we would’ve went to the national championship again this year, but we got snubbed.”

Ewetade’s early priorities are centered on steady progress once he arrives in South Bend.

“Short term, just hit the correct weight goal for whatever is set for me,” Ewetade said. “Obviously, I want to play. I want to get in the game, I want to be on the good side of the depth chart. I want to be rotated in, things like that.”

Seeing Notre Dame left out of the College Football Playoffs this year only fires up Ewetade and his incoming classmates more.

“Most definitely, it’s motivation,” Ewetade said. “I’ve seen Notre Dame play a good amount of games this year, just go out there and dominate.”

The bonds formed within the 2026 class is another piece Ewetade believes will make the transition smoother.

“We’re good,” he said. “We all talk to each other. You just can’t wait to see each other in person and finally get to be around each other on a daily basis.

“It’s going to be amazing. We’ve got a great bond, an unbreakable bond.”

Those connections began long before next month’s move-in day, which he is convinced will pay dividends down the road.

“It’s important to get those relationships started way before you get there, because you don’t want to just get up there and just be awkward,” Ewetade said. “You’ve already talked to these people. You already know what they like, what they don’t like, things like that, how they act.

“It’s going to be straight work from day one.”

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