Jaden Greathouse is smiling.
Last fall, a nagging hamstring injury kept the Texas native off the field and continued to limit him into the spring.
Now healthy, the 6-foot-1, 212-pound receiver has entered Notre Dame’s practice fields each day with a massive smile.
“I'm just happy to be back,” Greathouse stated. “I'm happy to be able to trust my body and be able to go out here every single day and just work as hard as I can. Finally, I’m able to be back out here playing with all my teammates. I'm just trying to not take anything for granted.”
Notre Dame’s new Jack and Kathy Shields Family Hall has provided Greathouse with additional resources to help keep his body in position to handle the demands of a full season.
“The facility plays a part in that,” said Greathouse. “A bunch of new things in the training room. I think it starts with the basics. Eating, sleeping and making sure I'm consistent in my recovery. But my body's feeling really good right now.”
That health has allowed Greathouse to resume building his rapport with quarterback CJ Carr.
The connection between the two was strong coming out of camp a year ago, and Greathouse made it clear they picked up right where they left off this summer.
“I don't think it was that we lost touch on anything,” explained Greathouse. “Had to shake off the rust a little bit in different areas, but we're clicking as good as ever, and everybody's making plays in the field. We're just staying the course, focusing on what we have right in front of us and each play in front of us, and trying to make the best of it. I think we've been doing a really good job with it so far.”
That chemistry, along with Greathouse’s unselfish approach, could make him valuable in Mike Denbrock’s offense.
Greathouse can play both the slot and boundary, and he’s more than willing to move around wherever Notre Dame needs him.
“I’ll do whatever I need to help the team win,” Greathouse said. “No matter if I'm in the slot, to the boundary, or to the field, it doesn't matter where they put me. Just as long as I can be in a position to help the team win, I'm gonna do whatever it takes.”
The addition of Mylan Graham gives Denbrock even more flexibility. Graham and Jordan Faison can both work in the slot or at field receiver, creating opportunities for Greathouse to slide to the boundary at times.
Not every receiver would embrace moving around, but Notre Dame’s receiver room understands the bigger picture.
“When you're at Notre Dame, with the type of brotherhood that we have, it's never really an issue,” Greathouse explained. “As a locker room, we're all close, and we're one of the most tight-knit groups in the country. The chemistry and all those kinds of things, it's not really an issue for us because we all know where each other's lives are at, and the greater goal that we're all trying to achieve.”
Notre Dame receivers coach Mike Brown has seen firsthand what a healthy Greathouse can provide.
After having to coach without him for much of last season, Brown is seeing glimpses of the player Greathouse was before the hamstring injury.
“It's awesome,” said Brown. “It's been great. I think this is the best that I've seen him, even just from a mental standpoint. He's in a great space. I'm really excited about where he is. You're seeing flashes of him making some plays that you saw a couple of years ago.”
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