Stepping on the field as a true freshman, wide receiver Jaden Greathouse showed impressive flashes in his rookie campaign. Hauling in 18 catches for 265 yards and five touchdowns in only seven regular-season games, the four-star talent made meaningful contributions to a young Irish receiving corps. Following his productive start in a Notre Dame jersey, hopes were high that he might lead the group in 2024, especially amid the departure of fellow freshman Rico Flores through the transfer portal. While the sophomore has had his moments, he has yet to reach the heights that many expected he would in the preseason. Against Florida State, however, he put together his best performance of the season, reeling in five catches for 66 yards operating adeptly out of his preferred position in the slot.
Development is rarely linear for young talent year-to-year. Growing pains are expected for Greathouse, especially with the offensive infrastructure around him completely restructured, from the hiring of coordinator Mike Denbrock and wide receivers coach Mike Brown to senior transfer quarterback Riley Leonard throwing the passes. But down the stretch as the Irish push for the postseason and beyond, there is no better time for Greathouse to shine.
Much of this relies on the coaching staff setting him up for success in the new-look offense and improving chemistry with Riley Leonard. That connection comes with time and reps, most of which we don’t see every day in practice. Greathouse knows his greatest play comes when he lines up in the slot, and he was able to showcase that on Saturday, particularly on a fade route that has become a staple of the Denbrock’s passing menu.
“I like being matched up with nickels and just being in the slot operating with space,” Greathouse said. "We’ve been working on that route every day in practice. Every day in one-on-ones I’m asking for a slot fade. Just trying to constantly get reps at it, constantly improve, and I think that’s definitely been paying off in these games.”
Greathouse has shown he has the work ethic and growth mindset necessary to improve as a pass-catcher. Not only does he value mastering his craft in practice, but he has the capacity to be coachable while listening to a new set of voices. When asked about what new wide receivers coach Mike Brown has brought to the table regarding preparation, he describes the lessons he’s learned.
“Just attacking leverage, understanding that we want to get as much outside as we can on that route,” Greathouse explained. “Being able to fight through hands and being physical at the catch point.”
On his longest grab of the night, the 26-yard fade ball, those details were on full display, a testament to the improvements he continues to make as the year progresses. The sophomore torched his defender on his way to the corner of the end zone before going airborne to snare Leonard’s pass at its apex with hands draped in his face, falling in bounds just short of the goal line. In an earlier play, his physicality showed up on film as he worked back to an underthrown ball to draw a pass interference penalty. Beyond the threat he posed downfield for the Seminole secondary, Greathouse also exhibited his playmaking ability with the ball in his hands, taking several screen passes in stride and making defenders miss after the catch.
When asked, he described why he’s able to be so successful working in traffic.
“I think just feeling the flow of the game, understanding how the defense is moving, and then knowing what each of my guys are supposed to be doing and what their job is,” Greathouse said. “That helps me do my job even better, just knowing where my landmarks are, where I’m trying to get and then just being a playmaker overall.”
Greathouse’s five catches against Florida State tied his season high, a number he has matched only one other time thus far. It can be a challenge for any wide receiver to grow when touches are few and far between. However, Greathouse acknowledges the frustration when the ball doesn’t always come his way as part of the game and highlights his focus on the team’s success over everything.
“I’m willing to do whatever it takes for this team to win,” Greathouse said. “My priority is team glory like [head] coach [Marcus] Freeman says. We’re just focused on making it to the national championship.”
He also knows the value of time and experience, and has seen it around him from the moment he stepped on the field as a true freshman. There’s no better example than a senior who has played college football for four or more years. With Notre Dame’s Senior Day game against Virginia on the horizon, Greathouse was asked what those relationships have meant to him.
A smile quickly covered his face as he responded: “These guys are great, all of them,” Greathouse said. “Just building a relationship with them, taking me in as a young guys and showing me what the standard is here, what college football is like, and then how to balance it all off the field too. These seniors are some of my closest friends and so [I'm] definitely going to miss them, but we've got one more game to put on for them, trying to honor them.”
Taking stock of the season as a whole, Greathouse appreciates everything he’s learned so far. While it hasn’t been a perfect year for the sophomore, his talent and drive for improvement remain evident, and the week-to-week development clearly reflects that.
“It’s definitely been a learning process overall,” Greathouse said. “Just understanding the ebbs and flows of the game, understanding what my role is, understanding how I can help the team win in whatever way that is and just trying to be the best player I can be. Attacking every single day in practice with the best attitude and effort that I can and hoping that that translates to the games.”
