Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said Friday the program won't pursue players from the 2022 class who could be eligible this fall due to recent legal rulings. A federal judge's decision opened the door for athletes who played four consecutive seasons to return for a fifth year, though an appeals court granted the NCAA a stay. However, dozens of athletes with restraining orders from state lawsuits can still compete.

Freeman cited Notre Dame's graduate admissions process and academic calendar — the fall semester begins Monday — as making it "too late" to add players. He specifically addressed defensive end Junior Tuihalamaka, who made seven starts over four seasons and was among 15 players granted a temporary restraining order by a Louisiana judge Wednesday.

"For us at Notre Dame, it's just too late [with] the graduate admissions process... to have success in the classroom and on the field," Freeman said. Shortly after his comments, Tuihalamaka committed to LSU, his agent told ESPN's Pete Thamel.