Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 41-13vs Wisconsin | 4 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 4 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 52-0vs Rice | 4 | 3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 8 | 7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#28
Luke Talich
Senior safety on Notre Dame's 2026 roster.
6′4″ · 204 lb · Cody, WY · Cody
CFB Index 53 · #244 of 544 safetiesMedium confidenceReturning to Notre Dame for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The story
4 safety on Notre Dame's 2026 roster.
The record fills in as he plays.
His career, year by yearLuke Talich
Erases the deep middle of the field. This is his fourth year in the same secondary at Notre Dame. One game to point at: 4 tackles, 1 TFL against Rice — Week 2, 2026.
8 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
Notre Dame
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
Notre Dame
Played his entire career under Marcus Freeman.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
4 seasons under Marcus Freeman — 36-7 over that span.
2023Notre Dame10-3HC: Marcus Freeman · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2024Notre Dame14-2HC: Marcus Freeman · Run-leaning
2025Notre Dame10-2HC: Marcus Freeman · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2026Notre Dame2-0HC: Marcus Freeman · Balanced
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidenceAscending
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 4.0 TKL/g, 0.5 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Marcus Freeman
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Notre Dame | 8 | 7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Notre Dame | 25 | 19 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 3 | -- |
| 2024 | Notre Dame | 20 | 14 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | 1 | -- |
| 2023 | Notre Dame | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 55 | 42 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 4 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 41–13
vs Wisconsin
4 TOT · 4 SOLO
Dominant 28-point win at home against Wisconsin.
With C. Carr — 239 yds · 2 TD · 0 INT · QBR 81.3 · -6 rush yds (2 car) · A. Williams — 90 rush yds (20 car) · 2 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Single-high range who erases the deep middle of the field.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Notre Dame
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Safety · Notre Dame
Returning around him
- 6 Notre Dame players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -9 net (7 in / 16 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Notre Dame · Last season: 10-2 (AP #9) · Talent rank #6 · 2026 recruiting class #5
DNA match
Player DNA
Centerfielder
Single-high range who erases the deep middle of the field.
S
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Lantz Russell’s 2025 season.
79%match
Matches Lantz on
Weight
Tackle volume
PD rate
Differs from Lantz on
Class year (lower)
Height (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Perry Fisher's junior season at UAB (2025).
79%match
Matches Perry on
Tackle volume
Weight
PD rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Luke Talich
The secondary · Notre Dame
- #8Adon Shuler52 tackles · 2025
- #9Tae Johnson48 tackles · 2025
- #2Dylahn McKinney34 tackles · 2025
- #15Leonard Moore31 tackles · 2025
- #28Luke Talich25 tackles · 2025
13 more on the roster · Notre Dame team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology