With the 2024 season in the rear view mirror, all eyes turn to what 2025 may hold for the Irish. Before examining Notre Dame’s future, let’s examine how we got here. Photo by The Irish Tribune The Regular Season Marcus Freeman and the 2024 Fighting Irish began the regular season at #7 in the polls and were a preseason favorite to make the CFP. This was partially due to a highly criticized schedule many called weak, but the Irish would face possibly their biggest test of the season in week 1, #20 TAMU. Rankings aside, the Aggies were considered the more talented team, and when combined with their notoriously tough home-field advantage, gave them a -2.5 point edge over the Irish heading into the game. The first half was a defensive battle, with both offenses settling for two field goals a piece to enter halftime tied 6-6. The Irish broke through in the 2nd half with rushing touchdowns from Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price while only surrendering a single score to the Aggies. A late field goal and a crucial defensive stop from Christian Gray gave the Irish a 23-13 win deep in SEC territory to kick off the season.  Unfortunately, that momentum and optimism were short-lived, as Freeman and the Irish were stunned by unranked NIU in their home opener the following week, losing a heartbreaker 14-16. It was arguably the worst loss in modern program history, and the Irish went from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. They dropped from #5 to #18, and the entire trajectory of Notre Dame’s season was on its head. The fanbase, team, and program were all shaken by the defeat, and criticism got so bad that some called for Freeman’s job altogether. Many believed the Irish wouldn’t be able to come back from this low, but with ten games left to play, the season became a “lose again and go home” challenge with no room for error. The Irish responded with an impressive 66-7 trouncing of Purdue on the road, raising even more questions about what went wrong against NIU and which performance better reflected who this team was. Notre Dame welcomed Miami (OH) the following week and won a comfortable if unimpressive 28-3 win over the RedHawks before preparing for their next real challenge, Louisville. The #15 Cardinals put up a fight, but the Irish stopped a late rally to squeak out a 31-24 win. It was their narrowest win of the season and the most points allowed thus far by Notre Dame’s defense. Notre Dame returned to form with a lopsided 49-7 win over Stanford but struggled to fully dominate a shorthanded Georgia Tech squad in Atlanta, only managing a 31-13 win.  Now (6-1), the #12 Irish faced their 3rd ranked opponent of the season, (6-0) #24 Navy. For the first time in recent memory, some mainstream media commentators gave Navy a legitimate chance to upset the Irish, and the Midshipmen fielded statistically competitive squads on both sides of the ball. The Irish had a respectable -13.5-point advantage heading into the matchup but outperformed expectations. Freeman and the Irish put on a clinic and dismantled Navy 51-14 to secure their 6th straight win. It pushed Notre Dame back into the top 10 for the first time since week 2 and began whispers of a playoff bid comeback. The Irish continued their win streak with a stellar 52-3 win over a beleaguered FSU team, then cruised by Virginia 35-14. In their third and final neutral site game of the season, Freeman and the #6 Irish headed to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York, to face the #19 Army Black Knights. This was Notre Dame’s 4th ranked opponent of the season, and like the Navy game, favored the Irish by about two touchdowns going into the contest. Once again, Notre Dame poured on the style points for the playoff committee and ran away with a 49-14 win.  Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off.   For the season finale, #5 Notre Dame again hit the road, this time for the West Coast to face archrival USC at the Coliseum. 2024 had been a struggle for 3rd-year head coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans, facing the Irish with a shockingly underwhelming (6-5) record. While their record was nothing to brag about, this was technically a more talented team than Freeman’s boys, and the nature of the rivalry added a level of angst the Irish hadn’t seen in weeks. USC was uniquely positioned to knock Notre Dame off and dash their playoff hopes just before the end of the year - down on their luck, with a talented roster and an elite coach looking to quiet his loudest critics before an early offseason. The Trojans had nothing to lose, and the Irish had a turnaround season and redemption arc to fulfill, with no room left to fail. For the first time all season, Notre Dame was forced to rely on their offense to stay in the game, trading shots with the Trojans from the jump. The Irish struck first with a rushing touchdown close to the end of the 1st quarter, but USC responded with a drive of their own to tie things up. The Irish scored again, this time through the air, and took their second lead of the game with less than a minute remaining in the half. Unfortunately, the Irish defense couldn’t contain the Trojans and surrendered another touchdown in mere seconds, allowing USC to tie things up 14-14 and steal all the momentum going into halftime. Notre Dame got the ball at the start of the 3rd quarter and was able to score quickly off a 36-yard Jadarian Price run to go up 21-14, their 3rd lead of the game. The Irish defense allowed USC to cobble together an 8-play 77-yard drive to tie things up again. That’s when the game began to turn. Notre Dame responded with back-to-back scores to close out the 3rd quarter, first from a Riley Leonard keeper and then from Leonard’s 2nd passing score of the day to go up 35-21. Inexplicably, the Irish offense went quiet in the 4th, unable to get anything going, and a USC touchdown off a short field narrowed Notre Dame’s lead to a single score with less than 9 minutes left to play. In a ridiculous series of plays, the entire complexion of the game changed. The Trojans used their momentum to march down the field quickly, but just as they were about to tie things up, Notre Dame’s defense stepped in. On 1st & 10 from the Irish 21, USC tossed a fade to the front corner of the end zone, but Notre Dame DB Christian Gray reeled in a one-handed interception, bracing himself with a hand on the ground, and returned it 99 yards to the house for a shocking score. The Trojans got the ball back and again moved deep into Irish territory. With under two minutes left, USC faced 4th and 6 from the Irish 13, and Notre Dame’s defense was up against a wall. As the ball was hiked, the Irish front four broke through the USC line and forced a quick desperation throw over the middle toward the end zone. For the second straight series, Notre Dame’s secondary rose to the occasion. Safety Xavier Watts stepped right in front of a man-to-man battle in the end zone and reeled in another Irish interception, never breaking his stride and returning it 100 yards for a touchdown to put Notre Dame up 49-28. The Irish walked away with the win and finished their regular season (11-1) with a 10-game win streak, four wins over ranked opponents, and a top-5 finish in the polls. Altogether, it was enough to earn the Irish a CFP seed with a 1st round home game.  The Playoffs The Irish earned the privilege of hosting their 1st round matchup of the playoff and drew cross-state rival #9 Indiana. The tension was palpable from the start, and nerves got the best of both sides as they traded interceptions to start things off. With Notre Dame backed up to their own 2-yard line, Irish star running back Jeremiyah Love took a handoff and burst through a gap on the left-hand side before breaking into the open and down the sideline for a 98-yard rushing touchdown. In just one run, Love scored the game’s first points, the longest rushing touchdown of the season, and the first touchdown scored in the 12-team playoff’s history. The Irish dominated the 2nd quarter, capping off a 16-play 83-yard drive that took over 9:00 minutes with another score. The Hoosiers got on the board with a field goal before Notre Dame responded with one of their own, sending the game into halftime with the Irish up 17-3. The second half was more of the same, as Notre Dame extended their lead with another touchdown and another field goal to go up 27-3 with less than 5 minutes left in the 4th. With the game out of hand, Freeman and Golden began subbing in 2nd and 3rd string defensemen to rest starters for the rest of the playoff run. In response, Indiana kept their starters in and had their only success of the day on offense. The Hoosiers cobbled together 14 garbage time points against the Irish reserves and narrowed the lopsided game’s score to a more respectable 27-17. While it wasn’t the prettiest or most statistically impressive win of Notre Dame’s season, it brought a level of confidence this team hadn’t experienced yet. You could tell by the way they played that something was different. Notre Dame outclassed and outworked the Hoosiers from the jump. The Irish defense smothered Indiana’s highly lauded offense, holding them to 215 yards passing and only 61 yards on the ground. Indiana’s defense was considered the stronger part of their team, but even they failed to contain any part of the Irish offense. Jeremiah Love finished with 108 yards and a touchdown, while Leonard tossed 201 yards and a touchdown through the air, along with a score on the ground. It gave the Irish a win on a stage they hadn’t seen in quite some time, and they managed to dominate the Hoosiers while not even playing their best ball. The Irish headed to the Sugar Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia to face Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs. It was a defensive battle from the start. Notre Dame's defense forced a fumble to stop a deep Georgia drive into Irish territory, and neither team scored in the first quarter. After giving up a huge chunk pass down the sideline, the Irish defense held UGA to a field goal for the game's first points. The Irish answered with back-to-back field goals to take a narrow 6-3 lead with less than a minute left in the half. That's when everything changed. Instead of taking the conservative route and kneeling the ball, Kirby Smart sent his offense back onto the field to try and score. First-time starter Gunner Stockton had been throwing the ball well, and the Bulldogs hoped to at least tie things up with a field goal before giving the Irish the ball to start the 3rd quarter. On the first play of Georgia's drive, Stockton dropped back to throw but was blindsided by Notre Dame's Jason Onye, who chopped the ball out of his hands and onto the ground. The Irish recovered and immediately struck with a passing touchdown from Riley Leonard to Beaux Collins, stunning the Bulldogs and taking a 13-3 lead going into halftime. On the opening kickoff of the 2nd half, Notre Dame's Jayden Harrison fielded the ball at the 2-yard line and began slowly cutting his way through Georgia's return team before breaking a tackle and finding a seam, bursting into the open and down the sideline. He ran 98 yards to the house, putting the Irish up 20-3 while driving a dagger into Georgia. In just 54 seconds of gameplay, the Irish scored 17 points and extended a 6-3 lead to 20-3. Georgia finally scored a touchdown with about 9 minutes left in the 3rd, but the Irish added another field goal after forcing a turnover on downs on the 9-yard line. The final backbreaker was a 4th & 1 on Notre Dame's own 19, where the Irish executed an 11-man personnel change, swapping the entire special teams unit with the offense before baiting the Bulldogs to jump offsides. The Irish proceeded to bleed the clock with multiple 3rd-down conversions until giving the ball back to Georgia. The Irish sealed the 23-10 win with another turnover on downs, sacking Gunner Stockton at Georgia's 17. Once again, the Irish beat an elite opponent in dominant fashion while not quite playing their best ball. Notre Dame's offense collected fewer total yards than Georgia while only throwing for 90 yards and one touchdown. They didn't score a single rushing touchdown between Leonard, Price, and Love and relied heavily on Mitch Jeter's 3/3 mark on field goals and a special teams touchdown. With the win, the Irish kept their playoff hopes alive, beat the reigning SEC Champion, secured the program’s first-ever win over UGA, and beat arguably the best coach in all of college football. It was even less pretty than the Indiana game and was by no means a blowout, but the Irish proved they can find a way to win and can do so in a variety of ways. Their defense proved they could absorb big-chunk plays and a massive offensive line while still preventing scores and forcing turnovers. The offense proved they don't even need to throw the ball if their running backs aren't producing; they can just run with Leonard and beat you on special teams. Notre Dame’s Sugar Bowl win earned them a spot in the Orange Bowl against the Penn State Nittany Lions. Despite several big gash plays in the first quarter, both defenses kept the game scoreless. The Nittany Lions’ defense reeled in a Riley Leonard interception for the first big momentum swing of the game, but the Irish defense held strong and only allowed a field goal as the 2nd quarter began. Penn State then controlled the quarter with a 15-play, 90-yard drive to score, putting them up 10-0 and chewing more than 7 minutes off the clock. Before the half ended, Riley Leonard was sacked and hit his head hard enough to be taken out of the game, putting Steve Angeli on the field in Irish territory with only 1:30 left before half. Angeli orchestrated a sorely lacking passing attack down the field and into position for a field goal before halftime. The Irish had done nearly nothing on offense, but their defense kept them competitive. The Irish scored right out of halftime with an 8-play, 75-yard drive of their own, tying things up at 10-10. After trading punts, the Irish put together another long drive that took them to Penn State’s 2-yard line with a little over 14 minutes left in the 4th. On 1st and goal, Leonard handed the ball off to Jeremiyah Love, who spectacularly out-willed the entire Nittany Lions defense, hurdling the first defender, dragging the second with him as he collided with two more defenders before leaping forward to break the plane. It gave Notre Dame their first lead of the game, 17-10. Penn State quickly responded with their second touchdown to tie things back up at 17-17. On the ensuing drive, Riley Leonard tossed another interception that led to a Penn State score, stifling any Irish momentum while taking the lead 24-17. The Irish got the ball back with about 5 minutes remaining and began chipping away PSU’s defense. The Irish got to just about midfield before wideout Jaden Greathouse broke his defender’s ankles off the line of scrimmage and reeled in a perfect ball from Leonard. Once in the open, Greathouse hit another stellar move to drop PSU’s last defender on his butt, and he walked into the endzone, tying it 24-24. With less than a minute remaining, Penn State’s Drew Aller tossed a late ball over the middle with pressure in his face, and Irish CB Christian Gray reeled it in for their first turnover of the game. Instead of playing it conservative and running out the clock to play in overtime, Freeman and the Irish capitalized on their field position, moving the ball just far enough into PSU territory to try for a field goal. With only 0:12 seconds left on the clock, Irish kicker Mitch Jeter lined up for his second opportunity of the night, drilling a 41-yarder to seal the win 27-24.  Once again, the Irish did whatever was needed to get the win. Notre Dame had yet to trail this season nor mount a comeback through the air, and in just two quarters, they managed to do both. For the first time in the season, the Irish offense outgained their running game through the air and failed to win the turnover battle but still held on to win. Fittingly, the game came down to Mitch Jeter’s recently healed leg, and he nailed it, becoming the first kicker in CFP history to make a game-winning field goal. The win sent the Irish to their first National Title game since 2012. The National Championship Everything led to this point. All the close calls, the big wins, the critics who said they didn’t belong, and a program-defining loss - all of it helped get the Irish to the big dance. All that stood in their way was Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes. The Irish got the ball to start the game and put together one of their most dominant drives of the playoff. Riley Leonard led the Fighting Irish on an 18-play, 75-yard scoring drive that shaved the first 9:45 seconds off the clock. The Irish couldn’t have scripted a better start to the game, especially for an offense quite obviously outmatched by the Buckeyes defense. It then fell to Notre Dame’s defense, which statistically matched up more closely against Ohio State’s offense. Unfortunately, the Buckeyes had little trouble moving the ball and went on three straight unanswered scoring drives: 11 plays, 75 yards, 6:05 minutes; 10 plays, 76 yards, 6:06 minutes; and 12 plays, 80 yards, 4:26 minutes. As the game entered halftime, the Irish found themselves behind 7-21, with OSU getting the ball to start the second half. The Buckeyes had little trouble marching 75 yards to score on their opening drive of the 3rd quarter and added a field goal shortly after. Suddenly, the Irish faced a 7-31 hole, and all hope seemed lost. Thankfully, Freeman and the Irish were able to scrape together another impressive 10-play 75-yard drive to get back on the board. Riley Leonard found Jaden Greathouse through the air, who busted a few twitchy moves to slice and dice his way into the endzone. The Irish successfully converted the 2-point conversion with a Leonard-to-Love shovel pass to bring the deficit to a more manageable 15-31. After recovering a fumble, the Irish were able to move the ball into Buckeye territory but curiously settled for a 27-yard field goal attempt on 4th & goal that ultimately ricocheted off the upright and was no good.  Thankfully, the Irish were able to get the ball back and respond with a drive that did convert. After a huge pass to tight-end Mitchell Evans, Riley Leonard tossed a 30-yard bomb to the front corner of the far end zone, where Greathouse reeled it in over his shoulder for the score. Once again, the Irish lined up for a 2-point conversion, but this time, they handed the ball off to wideout Jordan Faison, who came on a sweep around the side and tossed the ball over the heads of the Buckeye defenders to Beaux Collins for the score. In two quick drives, the Irish narrowed a 28-point deficit to just 8 and gave themselves a few minutes in the 4th to tie things up. Unfortunately, the Buckeyes were able to put things out of reach with a field goal to go up 34-23 with less than 30 seconds left. It was enough to kill Notre Dame’s valiant comeback and end their Cinderella season. Final Thoughts No matter how you look at it, this season was an unmitigated success for Marcus Freeman and the Irish. Before week one, everyone in the country had a pretty good idea of what Notre Dame should do in the regular season. However, once the NIU loss came, it felt like this team might go the way of disappointing Notre Dame teams of the past. Many thought the season was already over, and critics saw no way for Notre Dame to come back from it, yet they did. Week after week, the Irish cobbled together a respectable and often dominant 10-game win streak to close out the regular season and found a way to overcome their early failure. While the NIU game will stick around in fans' memories, the 2024 Irish redeemed that regular season black mark by securing a postseason bid. The Irish earned a clean slate in the playoffs, but the stakes had never been higher for a program long criticized for its lack of success in the postseason. Notre Dame‘s win over Indiana should have been enough to silence even the most staunch Irish hater, but excuses surrounding Indiana’s legitimacy seemed to overshadow the public discourse. All of that disappeared following the Georgia game. For the first time in recent memory, Notre Dame had beaten a quality team, an SEC champion, and an elite coach in one fell swoop - all on their biggest stage yet. In the eyes of Notre Dame fans, their team had achieved something they’d been waiting for for decades - a legitimate win in a major bowl game - but it still wasn’t quite enough for the public. That is, until the following week when Notre Dame did it again against Penn State in the Orange Bowl. This time, there was no blaming a backup quarterback, lucky seeding, or a talent disparity. Notre Dame had just posted its 3rd straight win over a top-10 opponent and answered the most significant remaining question - are the Irish back?” with a resounding “yes.” All in all, the 2024 Fighting Irish overachieved and defied even the rosiest of predictions. Once Notre Dame got on a roll and started winning in the playoffs, fan excitement at the possibilities evolved into confidence amidst a new reality. In a way, that’s what Freeman and the 2024 Irish did for the program as a whole. Within a single season, they moved the goalposts well beyond expectations, from hopefully winning a big game to hopefully winning a major bowl game, to hopefully beating a better team on a huge stage, to hopefully winning a National Title. The evolution of Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame is well ahead of schedule and has already taken expectations to a place many outside the fan base never thought they’d return to. While the Irish didn’t achieve their ultimate goal, they did prove that Notre Dame can go all the way, and it’s no longer a question of “if” they can win it all but “when” that will be. With another promising season on the horizon and a clear path to achieving success laid out for them, Notre Dame’s 2025 season holds even more promise than 2024. In my next piece, we’ll look at the current situation the program finds itself in and where the Irish go from here. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

The Irish Women’s Basketball team returned to South Bend following a three-game road trip and delivered an amazing all-around performance in a 96-47 win versus Stanford on Thursday.  Photo via Notre Dame Athletics Notre Dame played well in the first quarter, jumping out an early 17-8 lead in the first ten minutes. Olivia Miles led the Irish offense with five points including a three. However, their defense was the highlight of the quarter as they forced ten Stanford turnovers which led to 11 Irish points.  The second quarter was arguably the best ten minutes this Irish team has played all season as they outscored Stanford 33-7 to take a 50-15 lead into halftime. Notre Dame added nine more forced turnovers as they ended the quarter on a 24-2 run. Offensively, the Irish shot 76.5% from the field including 4-4 from three. Hannah Hidalgo led the way as she tallied nine points on perfect shooting splits and three assists in seven minutes played during the quarter. Miles shot 2-2 from three as she contributed six points bringing her game total to 11.  Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off Stanford started showing some life in the second half but it was clear they were still outmatched for this streaking Irish squad. Notre Dame outscored the Cardinal 26-15 in the third quarter thanks to another perfect-shooting outburst from Hidalgo who poured in 11 points and two rebounds in six minutes played.  In the fourth quarter, Notre Dame outscored Stanford 20-17 to finish off a 49-point victory for the Irish. Cassandre Prosper and Liza Karlen each added five points including a three in the final quarter.  The Irish will remain in South Bend as they prepare for a Sunday afternoon battle with a top-25-ranked California Golden Bears squad. Key Player Stats: Hannah Hidalgo: 24 points (9-16 FGs, 5-5 FTs), 5 assists, 3 steals, +44 Olivia Miles: 20 points (4-6 3FGs, 4-4 FTs), 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, +40   Liatu King: 8 points (4-7 FGs), 8 rebounds, 5 steals, +30 Sonia Citron: 9 points (4-8 FGs), 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, +30 Key Team Stats: Field Goal Percentage: ND (55%) - Stanford (31%) Three Point Percentage: ND (53%) - Stanford (27%) Turnovers: Stanford (29) - ND (12) Points Off Turnovers: ND (45) - Stanford (12) Fastbreak Points: ND (22) - Stanford (2) Blocks: ND (6) - Stanford (1) Steals: ND (16) - Stanford (6) Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Notre Dame was bolstered by the depth of their roster last year, a concept that will vanish in the new era of NIL and the transfer portal. Photo by The Irish Tribune One of the biggest storylines from last season's playoff run was Notre Dame's ability to overcome injuries on both sides of the ball. On offense, the Irish lost starting center Ashton Craig for the season, while also having Anthonie Knapp miss the national championship game. On defense, the Irish lost All-Americans Rylie Mills and Benjamin Morrison, along with edge rushers Boubacar Traore and Jordan Botelho for the year. Even going down the stretch, Howard Cross missed many weeks with an ankle injury, while Jeremiyah Love played on one good knee for the last four games of the season. While the blame could be pointed on Loren Landow for the number of injuries this Fighting Irish team endured, look at the way players filled in the gaps. Gabriel Rubio and Donovan Hinish plugged the middle of the field quite well after Mills' injury in the first-round game against Indiana. Junior Tuihalamaka, Bryce Young, and RJ Oben amounted for edge pressure during the season after the Irish lost their first and second stringers. Cornerback Leonard Moore was thrusted into the spotlight and responded by being a Freshman All-American. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off.   At every turn, each injury could've derailed Notre Dame's season, yet, the Irish's "next man in" mentality powered them all the way to the national championship game. However, it is specifically this depth that is starting to be eliminated in the NIL era, and Notre Dame is starting to experience the harsh reality. When the Fighting Irish had three offensive linemen enter the transfer portal, many flags went up in the Notre Dame communities. While Pat Coogan, Rocco Spindler, and Sam Pendleton all had started games in Notre Dame's quest for a national title, 2/3 didn't start week one at Texas A&M. Yet, the depth that these players provided were crucial for Notre Dame because of the number of injuries on the line. Players like Coogan, Spindler, and Pendleton are the key pieces that every program used to have. It was a key facet that separated Notre Dame and a team like Nick Saban's Alabama. Those Alabama team's second and third string players could compete with the ones. This is what Notre Dame was slowly starting to evolve into, yet in the transfer portal era, why would these guys stick around without a guaranteed starting position? That's why all three lineman transferred to become "the guy" at power four schools. Coogan (Indiana), Spindler (Nebraska), and Pendleton (Tennessee) will all be day one starters at their new schools. This is par for the course as it pertains to NIL, but the culture Marcus Freeman has built at Notre Dame is still intact. Only 6 players entered the portal after the season ended. Six. Let's look at how many players entered the portal after the season at some top programs: Alabama: 24 Texas A&M: 23 LSU: 19 Georgia: 14 Ohio State: 14 Oregon: 11 Texas: 10 Penn State: 9 The transfer portal era in college football is one that is unprecedented, yet the need for a general manager is such a new, valuable position. With the Irish keying in on Chad Bowden's replacement, the culture instilled by Marcus Freeman and his staff has helped navigate them through one of college football's most confusing times. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Notre Dame has lost one of its brightest coaches, running back coach Deland McCullough. Here is an early look at some names that may be considered potential replacements for the vacancy. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics Tony Alford: Michigan Alford is a name that will come up a lot as this coaching search begins. Alford would be familiar to many Notre Dame fans, as he was a part of the coaching staff for six seasons. During this tenure with the Irish, he coached wide receivers and running backs. Alford would likely be the safest option for Marcus Freeman if he were inclined to leave his job in Ann Arbor. Not only because of his ties to Notre Dame, he has also built quite a resume throughout his career. At Notre Dame, he recruited and developed running backs such as Josh Adams and Dexter Williams. During his tenure at Ohio State, he coached great players like Ezekiel Elliot, J.K. Dobbins, and TreVeyon Henderson. This level of talent and production points to Alford's prowess as not only a recruiter, but also a talent evaluator. Alford is currently at Notre Dame's rival school, Michigan, a school that is more than capable of landing great recruits and being competitive financially, so convincing him to leave would be a tough sell for Freeman to make. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off.   James Montgomery: Boise State Montgomery's name may also be in the running to fill the position after the historic season Ashton Jeanty had in 2024. Montgomery's coaching career is relatively new. Before being hired at Boise State in 2023, he had stints at both Fresno State and Sacramento State. The biggest accomplishment of his coaching career is Jeanty's success in 2024. This past season, Jeanty was just 27 yards short of Barry Sanders' all-time rushing record. Montgomery's ability to evaluate and develop Jeanty into one of the most productive players in the history of college football is quite a feat. Those skills could be very useful at Notre Dame, but it would be a substantial step up in competition. A job at Notre Dame would be his first opportunity to coach and recruit against the best teams in the country. This will likely be part of Freeman's discussions with him if he is seriously considered for the job. Ja'Juan Seider: Penn State Seider's coaching abilities are something very familiar to many fans of Notre Dame and the staff. In the semifinals of the College Football Playoff, Notre Dame felt the full effect of his Seider's ability. Seider's pair of running backs, Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, have been dominant in college football over the last few years. Together, they have set school and Big Ten records with their elite play on the field since they were freshmen. This past season, the pair both ran for over 1000 yards and were instrumental to their deep playoff run. Before Penn State, Seider also coached at Florida and West Virginia. At West Virginia, he managed to recruit and coach two backs who would have NFL careers. Along with his ability to develop talent, he is also known for being a very strong recruiter. This will be an important aspect of the upcoming hire due to McCullough's strength in recruiting. It likely won't be easy for Freeman to bring Seider over from Penn State, with Singleton and Allen both returning. A main selling point for Freeman in this search will be the chance to coach Love and Price, but Seider is probably the only coach in the country that has the talent to rival Notre Dame's backs. Stan Drayton Drayton is a name maybe not too many people are familiar with, but he does have the pedigree that may get him looked at by Freeman. Drayton has coaching experience at both the college and professional levels. In the NFL, he most recently worked as the running backs coach for the Chicago Bears from 2015-2016. His other professional job was from 2001-2003, where he was an offensive quality control coach. At the collegiate level, Drayton has had a litany of different jobs, resulting in two National Championships. His first national championship came in 2006, when he coached at the University of Florida from 2005-2007. That season, his running backs averaged 160 yards per game while only losing two fumbles all year. Drayton's second National Championship came in 2014 with the Ohio State Buckeyes. He coached at Ohio State from 2011-2014, producing great players like Ezekiel Elliot, who was the driving force of that National Championship team. Elliot isn't the only special type of player Drayton has coached. From 2017-2021, he also coached at Texas. At Texas, he developed star player Bijan Robinson into one of the best running backs in Texas' history. Drayton is currently unemployed after getting fired at Temple as the head coach, but he would bring a ton of experience and acumen to Notre Dame as a running backs coach. He would also bring in the knowledge of how to amplify Love's unique talent, as he has done that before at Texas and Ohio State. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Following a gritty 3-0 road trip, the Notre Dame women’s team returns to Purcell Pavilion on a 14-game win streak as they host the Stanford Cardinal and the No. 21 California Golden Bears. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics It was a gutsy performance on the road from sophomore guard Hannah Hidalgo that led the Irish to an 18-point victory over Louisville on Feb. 2. Despite a second quarter that saw Notre Dame get outscored 25-17 by the Cardinals, Hidalgo finished with a season-high 34 points along with four steals.   Now the number three team in the country looks to extend their 10-0 start in conference play against Stanford on Thursday. The Cardinal, who have started the year 11-10 with just a 3-7 record against the ACC, have yet another tough matchup for their fourth-ranked matchup in the last five games.   Despite their record, sophomore forward Nunu Agara is having a phenomenal season, averaging 17.4 points per game on 46.5% shooting, 8.1 rebounds per game, and two assists. The 6’2" Minnesota native has scored in double figures in all but one game this season, including a 22-point, 14-rebound showing against North Carolina on Feb. 2.   Elena Bosgana, a 6’2" guard from Greece in her senior season with the Cardinal, is the second-leading scorer on the team averaging 12.1 PPG on a 41.8% clip. However, she enters this one coming off her worst game of the season, shooting 1-11 with 3 points in 40 minutes of play.   The real test for the Irish comes on Sunday as they take on the 21st-ranked team in the country, the California Golden Bears, who enter South Bend 19-4, with a 7-3 record against the ACC. Like Stanford, California enters this matchup with a loss to North Carolina last week. Despite this, the Bears are 6-2 in their last eight games. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off.    Ioanna Krimili, the Golden Bears leading scorer with 15.4 PPG on 41.1% shooting, hails from Heraklion, Greece. The 5’10" senior guard has scored in double figures in her last four games, averaging 16.8 PPG over that span. Krimili is also a threat from beyond the arc, averaging eight threes per game, and knocks down 37.5%.   However, being the fifth-best team from deep in the ACC, and shooting 36% as a team, means there are plenty of more threats from three.   The Golden Bears have two players shooting above 40% from deep, including sophomore guard Lulu Twidale, who is shooting 40.6%. She has made three or more threes in 14 games this season, including a 4-7 performance in California’s win against Pittsburgh this past Sunday. While Twidale is averaging 13.3 PPG this season, she can be restrained should the Irish defend her on the perimeter. In nine games this season where Twidale has made two or fewer threes, she is averaging just 6.6 PPG.   Kayla Williams, the Golden Bears team leader in three-point percentage with a 41.8% clip from deep, has hit a wall since the turn of the new year. The senior guard has just one game since the end of December where she has hit multiple threes and is shooting just 33% in that span. While she averages far fewer threes per game than Twidale at just 3.4 per game, Williams will certainly be looking to shoot more against the number three team in the country. Williams, who is in her first year with the Bears after transferring from USC, is the team leader in assists with 4.3 and steals with 1.5.   The Irish have the chance to move to 12-0 in conference play for the first time since the 2015-16 season when they went undefeated in conference play. However, it will not be easy against two teams desperate for a big win.   While things are going great on the women’s side, the sky appears to be falling for the men, as they have lost back-to-back games against Miami and Florida State, moving to 10-12 on the season.   A road trip that was supposed to bring the Irish momentum and set them up for a run in the ACC, resulted in two losses that included poor second-half play. They will now host Virginia Tech on Saturday with just nine conference games remaining. It’ll be two teams more than desperate for a win as both teams enter under .500 and toward the bottom of the conference. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics These losses that the Irish are suffering are coming despite sophomore guard Markus Burton having an elite season, averaging 20.5 PPG and shooting 45.7% from the field. Since returning from injury, he has scored 20 or more points in seven of his nine games played, averaging 22 PPG over that span. Not only is he scoring at a high rate, but he also tied his season-high for steals with four against the Seminoles this past Tuesday and is averaging a team-high 1.6 on the season.   Virginia Tech, on the other hand, enters this one on a two-game win streak, with both wins coming on the road against Florida State and Virginia. It’s been good enough for eighth place in the conference with a 5-6 record, but a win against Notre Dame could do enough to get them to sixth should other losses happen around the league.   The Hokies have just one player averaging double figures on the year in junior forward Tobi Lawal. A London, England native, Lawal is averaging 13 PPG and shoots 58.9% from the field. Standing at 6’8”, he has scored in double figures in his last six games, averaging 15.5 PPG in that timeframe. Lawal also averages 6.7 RPG and grabbed 13 on Jan. 29 against Florida State.   It will be an interesting weekend for both Notre Dame teams, as the women’s team looks to ride the hot streak, as the men look to claw their way back into the fight. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

After three years with the Fighting Irish, Deland McCullough leaves South Bend to become the new running backs coach for the Las Vegas Raiders, per Matt Freeman. Photo by The Irish Tribune This move will give McCullough his first opportunity to coach in the NFL after more than a decade of coaching experience at the college level. However, this won't be his first time in the NFL. He played for the Cincinnati Bengals and the Philadelphia Eagles from 1996 to 1997. Get the scoop before your friends with Tribune+ Although his time was short in South Bend, McCullough's presence was felt over his three years as the running backs coach. During his time, he produced some of the nation's most talented and productive rushers. In 2023, it was Audric Estime who ran for over 1300 yards and 18 touchdowns. This past season, Jeremiyah broke out as one of college football's best players, rushing for 1125 yards and 17 touchdowns. Not only did McCullough produce Love, but he has also produced an RB room filled with talented backs like Jadarian Price, who rushed for 746 yards, and Aneyas Williams. McCullough consistently built strong RB rooms like the one this past season. In 2022, Estime and Logan Diggs both nearly reached 1000 yards on the season, with Estime totaling 920 and Diggs 820. McCullough has presided over some incredible talent at Notre Dame, making him an attractive hire for anyone. This makes it no surprise he is getting an opportunity to coach at the next level. Unfortunately for Marcus Freeman and the Notre Dame staff, his departure means they once again will have to begin the hiring process. This is the third staff member to have left this offseason, including Al Golden, Chad Bowden, and now Deland McCullough. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

For the last time in their college football careers, Riley Leonard, Jack Kiser, and RJ Oben wore a Notre Dame helmet when they suited up for this year's Senior Bowl. Photo via Notre Dame Football After helping lead Notre Dame to a National Championship appearance, the three teammates headed to Mobile Alabama, about 30 minutes away from Leonard's hometown of Fairhope, in hopes of increasing their stock in the eyes of those who will be responsible for evaluating them at the next level. They may have not entered the game as the biggest names at their positions, but all three did some good things and proved they belonged. Riley Leonard Leonard came out as the starter for the American Team and carried over some of the momentum from his excellent playoff run. As we have seen throughout his college career, when he was able to flip his hips and hit his first read, he was extremely accurate. He showed poise in the pocket, standing in the face of pressure and delivering a first down strike while throwing from a different arm angle, which is a big plus. He did take some snaps from under center, which is not something he is used to doing, and you can tell the comfort level was not 100% there. Even when handing the ball off from under center, it did not look as smooth for him, and it is something he will have to work on - because in the NFL, he will not be working exclusively from Shotgun. In the second quarter, the pocket started to collapse on third and long, and Leonard missed his checkdown read in the flat, taking a sack on the play. Everything will be sped up at the next level, and he'll have to learn to take what the defense gives him. His snaps were limited, only attempting seven passes, but he made the most of his opportunity completing six of them for 54 yards, and putting evaluators on notice. NFL Outlook I don't expect Leonard to come off the board earlier than the fourth round of this year's NFL Draft, but if he lands with the right team, he can still carve out a nice role for himself. Based on his college career and film, I would love to see him land with a team that utilizes half-field reads for their QBs. One of Leonard's main issues that plagued him at times was his footwork breaking down when working through whole-field progressions, leading to inaccurate passes. I think a team like the Philadelphia Eagles would be perfect for him, as the way they use their QBs highlights all of Leonard's strengths, and would grant him the time to learn in a backup role. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off.   Jack Kiser After a week of Senior Bowl practices, Kiser was named Top Linebacker of the American Team, as voted on by his teammates. This should come as no shock to Irish fans who watched Kiser grow into a true leader throughout his college career, not just of the defense, but the whole team. During the game, Kiser got plenty of snaps at linebacker, and maybe more surprisingly, at safety as well. He also got a bunch of special teams reps on both coverage and protection units, showing the type of versatility that earns roster spots at the next level. It was a bit of a mixed bag for Kiser in terms of how he looked vs the run. On the first drive, he went one-on-one in the hole with a tight end and lost at the point of attack, getting knocked out of his lane. His ability to shed blocks will certainly be a question mark for scouting personnel. He needs to key run vs pass a little quicker, as he also bit hard on a play-action and got way out of position. On the flip side, his motor is elite, and finds himself around the ball more times than not because of his backside pursuit. He's better as a drop zone defender than he is in traditional man coverage. Early in the game, Kiser did a great job splitting the two tight ends to his side while dropping in zone, then closing on the underneath TE to make a tackle for a minimal game. On 4th and 1 late in the fourth quarter, Kiser made an excellent play, reading play-action, getting to his spot in the zone, and playing through the tight end's hands to force an incomplete pass in what should have been a turnover on downs (the drive was extended due to a Roughing the Passer penalty on someone else). NFL Outlook For me, Kiser projects out as a weak-side linebacker in a base 4-3 look. He will primarily be a two-down backer early on, and come out on sub packages until he increases his coverage ability. Kiser will really need to improve on stacking and shedding blockers, and I think the majority of his contributions early on in his career will come via special teams. Due to his motor and pursuit, he has all the makings of an excellent gunner, and because of that I think he will stick on someone's roster after being taken later on in the draft. RJ Oben The American coaches had Oben come out in a wide-9 look, which is more for pure speed rushers and doesn't really play to his strengths. During the game, Oben did not show off-the-ball explosiveness and he lacks elite bend. He showed a good club and rip move on outside rushes, but other than that, he did not display a pass rush plan. Where I thought Oben did very well was vs the run. He pursued a toss play from the backside to make a tackle along with none other than Jack Kiser. I also thought that he showed he could hold the point of attack vs double teams. He displayed an excellent shoulder dip multiple times to work inside the tight end and make plays down the LOS. On 4th and 2, on an important drive late in the game, the National Team opted to try to run the ball. Oben dipped his shoulder and got inside leverage on the TE, and was able to get to the ball carrier for a tackle for loss and give the ball back to his offense. Plays like that in the biggest moments of games will stick in the minds of those evaluating him against his peers when they are more or less evenly graded. NFL Outlook I believe on film, Oben screams 7-technique defensive end. He is a run-stopper first, and a pass-rusher second. I think he has the ability to set the edge, and teams looking to bulk up their run defense and defensive line depth could opt for Oben anywhere from the 5th to the 7th round. As he builds a bigger variety of moves in his pass rush package, he will start to see the field more and more. He is a plug-and-play type of player in obvious running situations and near the goal line. Next up for these three players, will be the NFL Combine later this month. It will be another chance to showcase their strengths and give teams more data points to work with by the time the draft rolls around in April. They will be joined by fellow teammates such as Xavier Watts, Benjamin Morrison, and Rylie Mills, just to name a few, who did not participate in the Senior Bowl. This group moving on to the professional level helped Notre Dame secure one of the greatest seasons in recent memory, and Irish fans will not soon forget what they brought to South Bend. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Just three days after scoring 30 points in a 77-61 dismantling of Virginia Tech, the Irish’s Hannah Hidalgo popped off again on Sunday, with 34 points in an 89-71 victory against the Cardinals. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics Notre Dame got hot early and began the game on a 20-6 run in the first 6:27 of the first quarter. Louisville somewhat found a rhythm as they managed to shrink their deficit to 22-13 after the Irish’s Liatu King sunk a buzzer-beater to end the quarter. Hidalgo led all scorers with nine points including a three, as the Irish dominated the boards, out-rebounding the Cardinals 16-3 in the first ten minutes. Louisville made things interesting in the second quarter as they went on multiple runs to get themselves back in the contest. Two separate 8-0 runs between 9:08-4:59 put the Cardinals in front 29-28. After this, it was a back-and-forth affair for the rest of the quarter with both teams trading points until a Hidalgo two-point jumper with 23 seconds left gave the Irish a 39-38 lead heading into the half. Louisville’s Tajianna Roberts was the leader of the Cardinals' second-quarter surge, leading the way with 11 points as they outscored the Irish 25-17 in the ten-minute period. Hidalgo added another nine points including five free throws to bump her total to 18 first-half points. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off The Irish came out of the break and dominated the Cardinals. Notre Dame outscored the opposition 50-33 in the second half to stamp their 14th straight victory. Three Irish scorers cracked double digits in the half (Hidalgo-16, King-12, Olivia Miles-12). Notably, King and Miles were perfect from the field in the second half. Hidalgo’s 34 points are a new season-high for the sophomore guard and are one short of matching her career-high.   Upcoming, Notre Dame looks to extend their winning streak as they host Stanford on Thursday evening and California on Saturday afternoon. Key Player Stats: Hannah Hidalgo (ND): 34 points (12-22 FGs, 8-8 FTs), 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, +17 Liatu King (ND): 16 points (8-9 FGs), 12 rebounds, +18 Key Team Stats: Field Goal Percentage: ND (55%) - LOU (36%) Free Throw Percentage: ND (85%) - LOU (76%) Total Rebounds: ND (44) - LOU (29) Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

There aren't many players in the 2026 class who are more electrifying than Brayden Robinson. He was a unanimous choice for First-Team All-District, and it isn't hard to figure out why. The Red Oak, TX, wide receiver lit it up in his junior season, racking up over 1400 yards and 15 touchdowns. Photo via Brayden Robinson, Instagram (@quick6ix_), Photo captured by Marcus Moreno (@shotby.moreno) One of the most important days of the year for Notre Dame recruiting is their annual Junior Day. It involves getting players who are already committed to ND back on campus to spend some more time with the coaching staff, as well as providing another pitch to standout prospects from across the country who remain undecided. Notre Dame hosted twenty-five recruits at this year's Junior Day, with a good mix of both offensive and defensive talent. Players like quarterback Noah Grubbs, and linebacker Thomas Davis Jr. are firmly entrenched with the Irish, but over the next few weeks, I want to take a look at some of the prospects who visited South Bend but haven't quite made an official decision. Robinson is one such player. His numbers alone are eye-popping but what makes them even more impressive is that he did it averaging just under 18 yards a catch. He is a big play waiting to happen, and the more of his film I watched the more I came away impressed. I am going to break down everything that stood out, and as always the criterion for evaluation will be graded on a scale of 1 (Poor) to 7 (Elite). Let's get into it! Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off.   Athletic Ability: Elite (7) Robinson always appears to be playing at a different speed than his defensive counterparts. Scary acceleration when he finds some open grass and every play is a threat to go the distance. Excellent change of direction and agility, with major YAC ability after the catch, seamlessly getting defenders to break down as he blows by them. Cornerbacks clearly respect his speed, and I constantly saw them playing 10 yards off the line of scrimmage and still bailing at the snap. He eats up cushion so quickly that he always puts stress on the DB, and was able to do a lot of damage in the short game because of it. Elite separation quickness at the top of his routes. Surprisingly good contact balance for his size. Also provides versatility as a punt/kick returner where he is a big-time weapon. After watching Jayden Harrison return a kickoff for a touchdown in the Sugar Bowl vs Georgia, Notre Dame fans know how beneficial having that element on special teams can be. Competitive Toughness: Very Good (6) I am sure one of the knocks on Robinson that will pop up will be his size. At only 5'8" and 160 pounds, it will be easy for some to dismiss him as a gadget player, but we have seen players of his stature dominant at the college level before. Players like Tez Johnson of Oregon, and Calvin Austin III during his time with Memphis come to mind. It remains to be seen how Robinson will hold up against press coverage from bigger corners at the next level, as not many high school defensive backs are brave enough to play him close at the line and risk getting burned deep, but I can tell you his toughness will not be in question. He shows a real willingness when it comes to blocking on the perimeter, with good hand placement and leg drive. He shows zero fear when going over the middle, knowing he is going to absorb contact and maintain concentration through the catch. A particular play that stood out was actually on a field goal block. Robinson was the placeholder on the FG attempt, and it was blocked and recovered by the defender in stride around the ten-yard line who was looking to take it back for a touchdown. He didn't even make it to midfield before Robinson hawked him down and made the tackle. Not only did Robinson make catching him look effortless, but it showed the kind of hustle highlighting why he was voted a team captain by his peers. Route Running: Very Good (6) Usually with a player that possesses Robinson's rare speed, you just think vertical threat, and although getting vertical is definitely something he brings to the table, he showed on film that he can run a variety of routes and be effective doing so. He knows how to shift his weight and get out of breaks with suddenness, making it hard for defensive backs to stay attached. He does an excellent job of using a jab step to get the corner to lean outside before working in-breaking routes. Even with his smaller frame, I love what he brings in the red zone area, utilizing whip routes, and getting the corner to commit to the slant before breaking back towards the sideline. Go routes and post patterns will always be in his bag, but he has the ability to attack all areas of the field. He'll need to learn how to sit down in open areas vs zone better, but that will come with experience and coaching. Catch Ability: Very Good (6) When going vertical, he does a very good job of tracking the ball in the air over his shoulder without ever breaking stride. Robinson shows good leaping ability and knows how to high-point the ball even with his limited size. As mentioned above with his toughness, he has no problem catching through contact and does not show any issues with concentration drops, as he still attacks the ball the same way he would if he was wide open. Adjusts his frame well, snagging passes that are behind him or slightly out in front. He also has excellent footwork awareness and body control when working near the boundary making sure to get his feet down, especially around the goal line. Robinson still has a whole senior year in front of him, and plenty of time to make any decision on where he wants to end up after high school. He would be a big get for Notre Dame, at a position that is always looking for another infusion of talent. The Fighting Irish have not had Robinson's type of pure speed at WR since probably Will Fuller, and he would be a weekly headache for opposing defensive coordinators. However it ends up shaking out for his recruitment, Brayden "Quick6ix" Robinson has a very bright future. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Since losing back-to-back games on Nov. 29 and Nov. 30, the Notre Dame women’s basketball team has not lost, winning 13 straight games. This week, they have a chance to move to 10-0 in ACC play for the first time since the 2015-16 season, when they went undefeated in conference play. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics   Following a road win against Virginia Tech on Jan. 23, the Irish continued their road trip for another week, as they head to Louisville on Sunday.   Despite missing Jan. 16th’s matchup against Georgia Tech, Hannah Hidalgo returned to the lineup on Thursday against the Hokies, finishing with 30 points on 10-16 shooting. It's her 11th straight game scoring 23 points or more with the Irish winning every one of those matchups. Outside of Hidalgo, it was a rough shooting night for the Irish against Virginia Tech from other star players such as Olivia Miles and Sonia Citron. Miles, despite finishing with 15 points, shot 5-14 from the field, knocking down just one of her six attempted threes. On top of this, the senior guard turned the ball over five times as the Irish finished with 19 on the night. Citron, who has had up-and-down performances through the month of January, shot 2-7 with her two makes being threes, as she finished with eight points and five assists. Over her last three games, she is shooting 8-27 from the field. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off.   The Notre Dame defense was too much for the Virginia Tech offense, who had three players in double figures. Regardless, the Hokies shot 37.9% from the field compared to Notre Dame's 50.9% clip. While it was a slow night, players like senior forwards Liza Karlen and Liatu King stepped up, combining for 18 points, 17 rebounds, and six steals. Even on an "off-night", the Irish still picked up a road win against a solid team by 16 points. There are things you want to see cleaned up, but at the end of the day, this team has so much depth that a majority of teams in college basketball can't compete with.    The month of January came to a close for the Irish on Thursday, but the page turns to February on Sunday as Notre Dame travels to Louisville for a meeting with the Cardinals (14-6, 7-2 ACC).   They suffered an embarrassing 30-point loss to NC State back on Dec. 15 that moved them to 6-5, and 0-4 against ranked opponents. They would then go on to win seven straight games before losing to Virginia Tech on Jan. 19. Now that they’ve catapulted themselves into fourth place in the ACC at 8-2 in the conference, and are looking to pick up the biggest win of their season on Sunday.   While they aren’t as dominant on the offensive side of the ball as the Hokies, Louisville is still a top-10 offense in the ACC averaging 73 PPG with an average margin of 6.5 PPG. Led by freshman guard Tajianna Roberts, who is averaging 12.6 PPG with double figures in eight of her last nine games, the Cardinals will look to get active from deep. Roberts however has been struggling in her last four games from three, shooting just 1-19 from the perimeter.   Roberts is one of five players on the Louisville roster to average one or more steals per game, as she is averaging 1.8 per game, the highest on the team. The Cardinals rank sixth in the ACC in steals, averaging 9.45 per game, which is more than two steals less than the Irish who average 11.53 per game, the most in the conference. One of those players is senior guard Jayda Curry.   Curry, in her second year with the Cardinals, was a big part of the Louisville hot stretch that it’s entered since knocking off Memphis back on Dec. 21. Over the last nine games where the Cardinals have gone 8-1, Curry is averaging 13.6 PPG. She isn’t afraid to shoot the ball, averaging 11.8 shots per game over that stretch, knocking down an average of four of those per game. She is however entering this matchup with the Irish coming off her best shooting performance of the season from deep, where she knocked down five of 12 attempts.   Before we make it to Sunday for the Notre Dame women’s team to tipoff, the men’s side has an opportunity to get hot succeeding their history-making win this past Saturday against Virginia.   After picking up a win in Charlottesville, Virginia for the first time in program history, Notre Dame got back to .500, knocking off Georgia Tech in Purcell Pavilion, 71-68. Now, the Irish will turn their attention to Miami, as they travel to take on the Hurricanes on Saturday. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics Since their previous matchup against Georgia Tech in their second ACC matchup of the season, the Fighting Irish have been searching for better days. Following that 11-point loss on Dec. 31, the Irish had lost five of their last seven games, pushing them to 3-5 in conference play.   There were plenty of bright spots in the victory over Virginia on Jan. 25, including Markus Burton’s fourth straight game with 20 or more points. However, one of the most positive notes from Burton was having zero turnovers in 30 minutes of play. It’s just the second time in Burton’s career that he finished a game with zero turnovers, with the last coming against Pittsburgh during his freshman season. Burton followed up one of the best performances of his young career with a 26-point outing, shooting 9-17 from the field, including four made threes. He continues to be the catalyst of this team, as the Irish have won two straight with an opportunity to get above .500 against the Hurricanes. With a win, the Irish would move to 5-5 in conference play, pushing them up to eighth place in the ACC.   Following just the third home game of the month of January, Notre Dame will head south for its next two meetings, first going to Miami to take on the Hurricanes.   It has not been the season the Hurricanes were hoping for after long-time head coach Jim Larrañaga announced his retirement on Dec. 26 after a 4-8 start. They enter this one with just one win since Nov. 17 which came against the Presbyterian Blue Hose on Dec. 15. Their most recent loss to California in overtime stretched the losing streak to nine games, with losses coming by an average of 17.7 points.   The Hurricanes are led by senior guard Matthew Cleveland, who is averaging 15.1 PPG on 51.7% shooting. The Atlanta product is averaging 28 PPG over the last three games and has shot 54% over that span.    There are plenty of hoops to catch for Notre Dame athletics and a real chance for all parties involved to make some noise as we close out January and enter the month of February. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

C/O 2026 4-Star OT Tyler Merrill from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, has committed to Notre Dame. He becomes the third offensive lineman to commit to the Irish in the 2026 class. He joins 4-star QB Noah Grubbs, 4-star LB Thomas Davis Jr., 4-star CB Chaston Smith, 4-star IOL Sullivan “Sully” Garvin, 4-star IOL Ben Nichols, and 3-star WR Dylan Faison, as early commits for the Irish in the 2026 class. Photo via Tyler Merrill / Design by The Irish Tribune   Merrill is a 6’5”, 340lbs offensive guard from Cumberland Valley High School in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. 247Sports Composite ranks him as the 2nd best player in the state of Pennsylvania, the 7th ranked interior offensive lineman in the nation, and the 88th overall player nationally. Prior to committing to the Irish, he held 27 D-1 offers from such notable schools as Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Texas A&M, and Notre Dame among others. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off.   Following his Junior Day visit to Notre Dame, Merrill dropped his Top 5 schools on his social media accounts and listed them as Notre Dame, Penn State, Wisconsin, Clemson, and Alabama. Just four days later he announced his decision to commit to Notre Dame. This is another big win in recruiting for Coach Joe Rudolph, as he adds yet another highly talented offensive lineman to the 2026 class. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Following the departure of Al Golden, Marcus Freeman has hired Chris Ash to be the next Notre Dame defensive coordinator going into the 2025 season. Art by The Irish Tribune Chris Ash comes to the Notre Dame football program with a ton of coaching experience at both the college and professional levels. Most recently, Ash served as the defensive backs coach for the Las Vegas Raiders and the safeties coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Ash's coaching career started in 1997 with many college jobs, including defensive assistant coaching positions at Drake, Princeton, Iowa State, San Diego State, and Wisconsin. In 2012, Ash left Wisconsin to become the defensive coordinator for head coach Bret Bielema at Arkansas. He then took a job at Ohio State, where he served as the co-DC and secondary coach for just one season before becoming the head coach at Rutgers. His time as head coach did not last long, as he was fired at Rutgers after just four years. After that, he returned to the defensive side of the ball at Texas, serving as the defensive coordinator for one season in 2020, before making his move to the NFL. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off. This hire marks another time that Freeman has favored experience, as Ash provides a similar coaching background as Mike Denbrock and Al Golden. This experience will be important for both the defense and its players. For the outlook on Notre Dame's defensive staff, Ash brings in a ton of experience, something that won't be lost in this replacement. This experience will continue to allow up-and-coming coaches like Al Washington and Mike Mickens time and room to grow. He is also now a resource for these younger coaches to learn more as they progress into better coaches. For the players, he brings in a new voice and new perspective on the defense, which can be a useful sense of freshness. All of this, combined with a very talented group returning, positions Notre Dame in a spot to continue competing for National Championships in the future. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun