Written by Peter Jay Mulroy ⏐  Contributor ⏐  Instagram: @sportstodaywithpeterjay Photo by The Irish Tribune Coming off a physical victory over Ohio State last weekend in Columbus, the Fighting Irish hosted No. 18 Michigan on a crisp March afternoon in South Bend, as the nation’s number two-ranked squad played its final Big Ten contest before jumping into conference play.   With a packed house on hand at Arlotta Stadium for “Irish Wear Green” day, Notre Dame imposed its will for most of the game, spearheaded by the play of the always-dangerous Jake Taylor.   Notre Dame broke open the scoring in the first quarter when Devon McLane -- who remains an enormous piece to what very well might be the best midfield unit in the country -- stuffed home his 11th goal of the season to put the Irish on top. Not to be outdone, however, the Wolverines -- who dropped an 18-8 decision to the Irish last season in Ann Arbor -- fired back with two goals less than 1:30 apart to grab their first lead. Ryan Cohen’s tally with 6:34 to go in the opening frame knotted the score at 1-1, but when Justin Tiernan -- the nation’s leading scorer in goals per game (4.0) -- slipped one past Irish keeper Liam Entenmann with just over five minutes to go in the quarter, the Wolverines were out in front on the road. Irish responses by midfielder Jordan Faison (11th of the season) and Pat Kavanagh (sixth) would give ND the lead with three minutes left in the quarter, but Michael Boem’s 18th of the year evened the high-scoring opening frame at 3-3, which is how the first 15 minutes of play would end. The Irish, 5-1 all-time against the Wolverines entering the matchup, came out firing in the second quarter as they put to bed any hopes of Michigan stealing a victory on the road.   McLane’s second of the afternoon put the Irish ahead 4-3, and ensuing goals by Max Busenkell (fourth of the season) and Eric Dobson (sixth) gave the Irish some padding with just over nine minutes remaining before the break. In another showcase of how dominant the unit is as a whole, five of Notre Dame's first six goals came via their midfield group.   In all, the second quarter was a collective display of teamwork and selflessness. Controlling the flow of the game with a 6-3 lead, the Irish would get back to work with 7:41 to go.   A beautiful assist from Dobson helped Jake Taylor record his 16th score of the season, while crisp ball movement between Pat Kavanagh and Faison pushed ND's lead to 8-3 once Faison banged home his second of the day. The Irish scored seven of the eight goals in the second period en route to taking a 10-4 lead into the locker room. It was more of the same in the second half. It was also the time the brilliance of Taylor was on full display. The Denver native poured in four straight goals in the third quarter to widen Notre Dame’s lead, as the Wolverines simply had no answer for the graduate student, particularly deep in the offensive zone.   Taylor, who set a Notre Dame single-game record for goals with eight during his junior campaign in a win over Syracuse, racked up seven goals in total on the day, upping his total to 22 for the season, as the Irish dominated the Wolverines over the course of the final three quarters. Net-minder Liam Entenmann was a rock between the pipes once again, registering 14 saves on the day and protecting the Irish on the backend throughout the game.   With the 19-9 triumph, No. 2 Notre Dame improved to 5-1 on the season and 6-1 all-time against Michigan. What’s Next for the Irish?   Notre Dame will begin conference play with an ACC tilt against No. 6 Syracuse on March 30 at Arlotta Stadium followed by an April 7 date with No. 4 Duke in Durham, North Carolina.   The game against the Blue Devils will be a rematch of last season’s National Championship contest, which the Irish won, 13-9 to capture the program’s first title. Click Here to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Written by Jhett Garrett ⏐ Writer ⏐ Twitter/X: @JhettGarrett Photo by The Irish Tribune The Notre Dame Fighting Irish wrapped up the regular season this past Saturday, leaving them with a 7-13 record in the ACC. This will place them as the 12 seed in the first year under Head Coach Micah Shrewsberry, with a matchup against Georgia Tech, the lone team the Irish beat twice this past season. In the first meeting against the Yellow Jackets in Atlanta, Notre Dame won 75-68 in overtime. It was the only Irish win in the ten-game span after knocking off Virginia on December 30th, and was led by Braden Shrewsberry’s 25-point outing. Just over a month later, the Irish would once again knock off Georgia Tech in Purcell Pavilion 58-55. It has now been just under a month since the last matchup, and the tides have turned in that time frame. Since losing to Duke on the road on February 7th, the Irish closed out the season on a 5-3 run, including wins over their next opponent Georgia Tech, the team they would play in the next round with a win over Wake Forest, and Clemson on Senior Day. Two of those losses include competitive road games against Syracuse and Virginia Tech, two teams fighting to make the NCAA Tournament. On the other hand, Georgia Tech also has bright spots to look at entering the tournament. After starting their season 8-3 including a win over a Duke, the Yellow Jackets finished 6-14 in their final 20 games, including three separate losing streaks of three or more games. However, they enter this one 4-2 in their last six games, including wins on the road against Miami and Wake Forest. The guard-forward duo of Miles Kelly and Baye Ndongo are two pivotal pieces for this Georgia Tech roster, and they continue to carry them into March. Kelly, a 6’6 junior from Stone Mountain, Georgia is averaging 14.1 points per game, on 37.3% shooting, as well as 5.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists. For Kelly, he has scored 8-25-5-19-0 in his last five games, shooting 39.2% from the field in that same span. The highs for Kelly are very high, but the lows can be detrimental. In two games against the Irish this season, Kelly is averaging 18 points per game with 5.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists. Baye Ndongo is a similar player in terms of inconsistency. In his last five games, Ndongo has scored 8-8-15-9-25, while shooting 48.9% from the field. It will be on the post-play to stop Ndongo, however, as he has shot just three 3-pointers since playing against the Irish for the first time back at the beginning of January. In two games against the Irish this season, Ndongo is averaging 13.5 points per game with seven rebounds and two assists. For Notre Dame, it is going to once again be the freshman tandem of Markus Burton and Braden Shrewsberry expected to carry the load, but it might be time to throw another Notre Dame player in the mix. Tae Davis has scored double figures in each of his last five games, and six of his last seven. In that span, Davis is averaging 12.3 points per game, as well as 5.6 rebounds. There are multiple areas to highlight when addressing the late-season surge from the Irish, but Tae Davis is towards the top of the list. After breaking the single-season record for points by a freshman in Notre Dame history, Markus Burton looks to will the Irish to a tournament run. He finished the regular season averaging 17.3 points per game along with 4.3 assists and 3.3 rebounds. The freshman also averaged two steals per game and had a steal in all but four games. He is coming off a 24-point outing in the loss against Virginia Tech while shooting 50% from the field. Expect Burton to be a key piece on the defensive side of the ball in this one. Braden Shrewsberry has cooled off since scoring 25 against Georgia Tech back in January, and he is more than due for a big-time game. In his last four games, Shrewsberry is shooting just 5-22 from the three-point line, and averaging 9.5 points per game, which brought his season average below double digits. The window is open for Shrewsberry to have a great game; however, he will have to get going early on in the first half. Notre Dame v. Georgia Tech will be the first game of the ACC Tournament and will tip off on Tuesday at 2:00 PM on ACCN. With a win, the Irish will play the five-seeded Wake Forest Demon Deacons at 2:30 on Wednesday on ESPN. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Written by Luciano Antonini ⏐ Head of The Irish Tribune ⏐ Twitter/X: @LucciAntonini Photo by Aden Johnson of The Irish Tribune Freshman Markus Burton has won ACC Rookie Of The Year. Freshman guard Markus Burton exploded on the Notre Dame scene as a freshman in 2023, but has only turned on the burners even more in the second half of the season in 2024, heading into Georgia Tech. Burton leads the ACC in steals per game (2.2), 3rd in assists per game (4.8), and 6th in points per game (17.5). Burton is the only freshman in the country averaging at least 17 points, 4 assists and 2 steals a game. He broke the freshman scoring record with 535 points, and had a career-high 31 point game thus far. “It’s really impressive with what (Markus) did, and the stats he put up when he was No. 1 on the scouting report for every single ACC game. Burton ranked in the top-six in the league in points, assists, and steals, of any class, and he got the opponent’s best defender marking him every single night,” - HC Micah Shrewsberry Burton also earned Third Team All-ACC Honors as well as earning a spot on the All-Rookie Team. Markus is now the third player in Notre Dame Men's Basketball history to earn Rookie Of The Year for the program, previously won by Troy Murphy in 1999, and Chris Thomas in 2002. So more than 20 years later, Notre Dame has found another rookie gem. Notre Dame faces off against Georgia Tech this Tuesday, March 12th in the opening round of the ACC Men's Basketball Tournament (Which Notre Dame Women's Basketball just won). Tip-off is at 2pm EST on the ACC Network. Click Here to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Written by Mike Stacey⏐Writer⏐Twitter/X: @MikeStaceyIT | Instagram: @mikestaceyit Photo Credit: The Irish Tribune Well, ladies and gentlemen, we are officially back to football season. Sort of... This week marked the opening of Spring Practice and after what felt like an eternity, the boys in blue and gold are finally back at it, with a new season comes new expectations, the likes of which have never been higher for Coach Marcus Freeman. It is somewhat of a right of passage for storied ND coaches to find great success in their third season. Brian Kelly made it to the National Championship in year 3 before losing to Alabama in the title game. Lou Holtz, Dan Devine, and Ara Parseghian all won the National Championship in their third season to cement their names in Irish history. After consecutive 10-win seasons for Coach Freeman, this year's bar will be much higher, as anything less than a playoff appearance will certainly be considered a bust. Not only does Coach Freeman now have more experience, but he has a better coaching staff with the additions made in the offseason, highlighted by the addition of Coach Mike Denbrock. On top of great coaching, Coach Freeman has continued to improve the roster through recruiting and the transfer portal alike, and has the players in place to make a legit run this season. With that being said, let's take a look at the biggest question marks for the offense going into spring ball. Wide Receiver: I think the majority of Notre Dame fans can agree that the most glaring issue from last season was wide receiver play. Last year the Irish receivers simply did not put up enough numbers for this team to ever be able to compete with the elite programs. Notre Dame's leading receiver in 2023 was Chris Tyree, a converted running back, who finished the season with 484 yards and 3 touchdowns. Even with a dominant running game and tight end play, that is abysmal production from your wideouts that will never put you in a position to play for a title. To make matters worse, this offseason saw a mass exodus from the Wide Receiver room after Coach Stuckey was relieved of his duties. So how can the Irish possibly improve at the position this year? Well let's start with bringing in a guy like Kris Mitchell. Mitchell was a huge transfer pick-up that many Irish fans are hoping will turn into a number one kind of outside receiver for the Irish this season. After the first week of practice, it's been reported that Kris is already showing why people around the program are so excited about him. The kid can fly! And apparently, he is not the only one. Early reports have stated that the new-look Irish receivers are already showing a welcomed upgrade in the speed department. With Coach Mike Brown at the helm, the hope is we will also see much-improved technique this year from the wide-outs compared to last. The equation for success is speed + proper technique = a serious upgrade at the receiver position. Also, guys like Deion Colzie, Jayden Thomas, and Jaden Greathouse had their battles with injuries last season. If they can stay healthy along with some of the influx of talent from new arrivals like Kris Mitchell, Cam Williams, and the return of Jordan Faison who bursted onto the scene midseason last year, this position may take a giant leap forward. Video by The Irish Tribune Video by The Irish Tribune Offensive Line: We didn't get much footage or news after week one of practice from this group, but this is another position that has some question marks coming into the season after the departure of three starters from last year. Joe Alt and Blake Fisher have moved on to the NFL Draft and Zeke Correll has headed off to North Carolina State via the transfer portal. Those three were the starting center, left, and right tackles last season. Needless to say, those are some big shoes to fill (pun intended), especially when you are talking about a potential top-10 pick at left tackle in Joe Alt. Although the Irish will certainly be dealing with some inexperience on the line this season, they will not be short of talent. Let's start at the center position with Ashton Craig. Ashton is a former four-star recruit and saw action as the starting center late last season where he showed great promise. Even though it was limited experience, the expectation here is that he will be able to build off that and give the Irish a talented boost at center this season. Next to him will be the most experienced parts of the line, left and right guard. Returning will be last year's starters Pat Coogan, Rocco Spindler, and Billy Schrauth who took over for Spindler after his injury. This should be an interesting battle as one of these three will be left out of the starting line. I would think right now the edge goes to Schrauth and Coogan, but Spindler has plenty of talent to make a push post-injury. Right and left tackle will be filled by players with very little experience, but plenty of talent. The expectation is the highly rated Charles Jagusah will try the daunting task of picking up where Alt left off at left tackle. Charles did a good job in the bowl game and his first start last season against Oregon State. At 6'7 and 330lbs, Charles is in line to be the next great left tackle at Notre Dame. I am very excited to see how he improves as the year moves on. On the other side of the line, we should have a much closer battle between 6'8 Graduate Tosh Baker and 6'6 Junior Aamil Wagner. Baker got the starting nod in the Sun Bowl this past season, but expect these two to fight it out potentially right into the fall. Baker has Wagner in the experience department, but Wagner has him when it comes to his freaky athleticism. Will Wagner continue to develop his size and strength? Or will the steady vet finish what he started? This should be a good one to watch during camp! Photo Credit: The Irish Tribune Quarterback: So typically when you talk about position battles, you are looking at who is going to be the starter. Well, let's not get carried away here, it is all but a certainty that Riley Leonard will be the starting quarterback this fall. He has the experience, the talent, and the dynamic ability to run and pass. The job is his. What is most intriguing to me, however, is who will be his backup and who will be on the roster after spring practice. I have a feeling the answer to my first question may potentially answer my second. Still, I hope that regardless of who wins the battle for the backup slot, all of these guys will remain on the roster because this is the deepest a Notre Dame team has been at the position in a very long time. I can't recall a time in my 30+ years as a fan that the Irish were deeper at the QB depth position in regards to guys who can play now. Aside from Leonard, you can argue that Steve Angeli, Kenny Minchey, and CJ Carr could all be starter material this season at another school, but fortunately, Notre Dame has all of these horses in their stable. So who is going to climb the depth chart? My guess is Angeli will win the number two spot. However, I would not be the least bit surprised if Minchey makes a move this Spring/Summer to jump him. Minchey is the more talented player all around, but as we have seen from Angeli in limited action, Steve has the confidence and decision-making skills to win at the helm. If Minchey can continue to develop in that department, look out, but for now I will predict the chart will look like this: QB1: Riley Leonard QB2: Steve Angeli QB3: Kenny Minchey QB4: CJ Carr Aside from the obvious battle for number two, I can't wait to see the development of all of these players in general. It may be early, but after week one we are hearing that all of the QBs looked very good, particularly freshman CJ Carr, which is fantastic news. With so much talent, you can't help but hope and expect these players will only make one another better. And with Riley's injury history, depth at this position is going to be vital if the Irish want to improve their chances for a deep run this season. Fortunately, depth is something the Irish have plenty of, for a change. Photo Credit: The Irish Tribune Please feel free to leave your opinions on the position battles this spring in the comment section! Go Irish! Click Here to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Written by Connor D'Aquila ⏐ Writer ⏐ Twitter/X: @ConnorDaquilaIT Photo - Kara Durrette/NFL This past weekend, the future stars of the NFL descended on Indianapolis and Lucas Oil Stadium to take part in the NFL Scouting Combine. Notre Dame was represented by eight players, including Joe Alt, Audric Estime, Sam Hartman, Marist Liufau, Cam Hart, Blake Fisher, Javontae Jean-Baptiste, and JD Bertrand. These players put Notre Dame in a tie for the eighth-most represented school with Ohio State, LSU, Missouri, and USC. Come draft night, ND fans should expect to see at least four players walk across the stage, and hopefully, Joe Alt will get his name called early on night one. Generally, the former ND players performed well at the combine, and below is a day-by-day breakdown.  Day One  The first day in Indy was reserved for the linebackers, meaning Marist Liufau, Javontae Jean-Baptiste, and JD Bertrand took the field for evaluators. Marist had a fairly strong showing, even if it may not move the needle too much for his draft stock. Most impressive for him was a 34-inch arm length and 79-inch wingspan, with the arm length being second best among linebackers and a number that will surely intrigue evaluators. The only testing he participated in was the 40-yard dash, where he posted a respectable 4.64-second time. His 1.59-second 10-yard split also flashed some of the burst we would see on the field, but neither of these likely were game-changers for Liufau. Especially in a group that had multiple linebackers running in the 4.4s, it was hard to stand out, but scouts already knew the athleticism and length they would get with Marist. JJB likely did the most to raise his stock on day one, as he flashed some very impressive quickness for a player of his size. Especially after spending the morning battling food poisoning, his numbers were special. His 10-foot, seven-inch broad jump came in at third among DEs and his 4.6-second 40 time exceeded a lot of expectations. He definitely surprised a lot of people with his burst and athleticism, and do not think that scouts will overlook the perseverance he demonstrated through the illness. This performance should have been enough to secure him a look in the later rounds of the draft. Finally, JD Bertrand stepped up to the bench on day one for 20 reps. This was third among a very limited group of participants and likely does not change anyone’s view of him. Unfortunately, he was seen in a walking boot throughout the weekend, so we did not get to see him in any of the running or agility drills. He did measure in, and his arm length was at the bottom of the group, which could be a concern for some. Hopefully, however, we will get a better view of his scores at the ND Pro Day later this month.  Day Two  Defensive backs and tight ends took the field on the second day of the combine, which meant cornerback Cam Hart was the only domer working out. Despite a somewhat lackluster 40-time compared to the rest of the CB group, reviews of Hart have been very positive coming out of the workouts, and it seems that teams are finally recognizing the talent. At 6-foot-3 and 202 pounds, the size was immediately impressive, but he backed it up with very solid testing. A 39.5-inch vertical and 10-foot, 10-inch broad jump stood out compared to peers, and a 4.50-second with a 4.24-second shuttle should not deter anyone given the size and film. As we might expect given his playing days in South Bend, reviews were also positive of his positional drills. All of this could make Hart a middle-round pick, which many could look back on as a steal. Day Three On the third day, quarterbacks, wide receivers, and running backs began their testing. For Notre Dame, this meant Sam Hartman and Audric Estime got to work. While the focus of the media may have been on his hair, Hartman did post a 4.80-second 40-yard dash, which surprised many. With the top three prospects out of the throwing drills, however, they were the better opportunity for him to shine and move the needle leading up to the draft. The ball definitely looked good coming out of his hand, and he had some nice throws on the shorter routes, but some of the deeper balls could be a cause for concern. Next to someone like Joe Milton, there seemed to be a slight lack of strength and zip at times, but none of it was overly concerning. While I don’t think Hartman erased any concerns about his ability to process and work in a pro offense, this performance should not have been detrimental to his stock. The story of Estime’s day was a 4.71 40-yard dash time, which was very disappointing. Last among all running backs, this could have a serious impact on his eventual draft spot. He redeemed himself a little bit with a 38-inch vertical and 10-foot, five-inch broad jump, but unfortunately, that 40-time will dominate the discussion surrounding him leading up to the draft. Audric has a chance to redeem himself at his pro day, and the speed he displayed on Saturdays in the fall will hopefully be enough to convince evaluators of his ability. Still, this will be a point of conversation and of concern for many, but the tape and positional drills should speak for themselves with him.  Day Four  To end the weekend, we got to see the offensive linemen flash what always turns out to be very impressive athleticism given their size. For Notre Dame fans, this was a look at tackle duo Joe Alt and Blake Fisher. If Alt had not cemented himself in the top 10 before the weekend, he certainly did coming out. He looked every bit the part of a future star and measured in at a staggering 6-foot, 8.5-inches. With a 5.05-second 40-time, 28-inch vertical, and 27 reps on bench press, nothing particularly stood out, but paired with very strong technique on the positional drills, it was the exact performance he needed. He also had the third-fastest three-cone drill and advanced statistics from the NFL show that he reached the fastest speed of any lineman in his first five yards of the 40, only further displaying his explosiveness. Fisher likely didn’t vastly change his draft stock, but he also should not have hurt it. His 40-time was expectedly slow at 5.20 seconds, but he showed explosiveness with a nine-foot, six-inch broad jump and 28-inch vertical. His position drills also looked fairly solid, but the technique and fundamental concerns will always persist with Fisher. There is no denying he is an extremely talented and physically gifted player, but the biggest concerns still come from his tape. He should still be a day-two selection, and with some coaching, he could end up a star at the next level.  Overall, Notre Dame players had solid showings at this year’s combine, but there were not any major needle-movers in the group. We should see a handful get taken in the draft and the remainder signed following, but this has only amplified the intrigue for this month’s pro day. Be ready to see Audric work hard to redeem himself and a number of others, who didn’t receive a combine invite, work to make their names known. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Written by Liam Farrell｜Senior Staff Writer｜Twitter/X: @LiamFarrell_IT Photo by The Irish Tribune SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The highly competitive nature between the wide receivers and cornerbacks were biggest takeaway on Thursday from Notre Dame's first practice of spring camp. "I've seen more deep balls caught in this practice than in a long time," said Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman. When discussing the Fighting Irish cornerback and wide receiver rooms last season, the two, simply put, juxtaposed each other. The Fighting Irish ball-hawking secondary, highlighted by All-American Benjamin Morrison and backed by young talents Jaden Mickey and Christian Gray, has become Notre Dame's new identity on defense. Morrison's abilities have been on full display since his freshman year. As a freshman, he tied the single-season interception record, and didn't allow this past year's NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, Puka Nacua, to a single catch. In his sophomore year, he had dominant performances against top tier NFL Draft talents Marvin Harrison and Brenden Rice, limiting them to three catches and two catches, respectively. Also, Mickey and Gray both showed immense promise whenever Cam Hart, who declared for the draft and had an impressive performance at the NFL combine, needed a breather. On the opposite side of the ball, the wide receiver room was a mess. The parting ways with former wide receiver coach Chansi Stuckey and the transferring of four scholarship receivers were the biggest news of this offseason. However, with the hiring of Mike Brown, a highly touted recruiting class, and the addition of three transfer portal wide receivers; a former weakness for the Irish could be classified as the team's deepest position. In practice yesterday, both the cornerbacks and wide receivers displayed great upside. FIU transfer Kris Mitchell and Marshall transfer Jayden Harrison made waves with their blazing speed and ability to cut on a dime. Jayden Thomas, who was matched up against Morrison all day, has begun to emerge as the WR1 of the group, already developing a great rapport with Duke transfer quarterback and probable starter, Riley Leonard. The video below, released by the Notre Dame Football Media Team, displays the competitive nature that was occurring all day. In the video, Thomas and Morrison exchanged great plays, as Morrison attempted his best Odell Beckham Jr. impression, skying in the air making a one-handed snag, and Thomas bested Morrison with an incredibly difficult catch in traffic. Via Notre Dame Football This exciting clash of talent proves to be a storyline to monitor as spring ball continues. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Written by: Jhett Garrett | Writer | Twitter/X: @JhettGarrett Photo by The Irish Tribune The Notre Dame Fighting Irish played their final home game of the season this past Saturday in Purcell Pavilion and finished with a win, 69-62. It’s the fifth win in the last six games for the Irish, and they have officially surpassed last season’s win total sitting at 12-17 (7-11). Markus Burton once again led the way for the Irish with 21 points on 8-16 shooting, while also picking up six rebounds, four assists, and a steal. Burton scored 11 of the first 14 points for Notre Dame before going to the bench with 12:17 left in the first. The Irish scored just three points while he was on the bench in the first half. This is also Burton’s third consecutive game with two or more threes made. You cannot talk about three-point shooting in this one without talking about Carey Booth who was huge for Notre Dame, knocking down four threes. The 6’10 freshman finished with 11 points while also grabbing five rebounds in 23 minutes of play. It was Booth’s third game this season where he hit two or more threes and the second time he has done it in as many games. Tae Davis was second on the team in scoring, collecting all 18 of his points in the second half, including a physical finish with 2:09 left in the game. After starting the game 0-2 from the field, Davis knocked down his last five shots. “Tae’s been unbelievable,” said senior Matt Zona, “We don’t win that game without him.” The sophomore from Indianapolis also collected five rebounds and a steal. He also finished 8-8 from the free throw line, which was a pivotal part in the Irish win. In his final home game of his career, senior Matt Zona finished with six points and hit two big threes for the Irish. “It was kind of surreal for me,” said Zona. “Just seeing this place packed was a lot of fun.” Zona is not worried about the direction of the Notre Dame program. “I think this place is in a really good spot and we’re going to get it going real soon,” Zona said. Despite not having the most production in this one in the scoring category, Braden Shrewsberry hit a massive three with 1:29 remaining in the game, which put the Irish back up seven. The freshman hit just one shot in the first half and finished 3-10 from the field, and 2-6 from beyond the ark. Defensively, Notre Dame was elite once again. On the year, Clemson is averaging 78.4 points per game, and shooting 47% from the field. The Irish held them to just 57 points on 39% shooting. The Tiger's second-leading scorer Joe Girard scored for the first time at 13:41 in the second half before scoring eight straight points and finishing with 11 points. Potential ACC Player of the Year PJ Hall scored nine of the first 11 points for the Tigers on his way to 21 points, and seven rebounds. However, Hall only scored five points in the second half and shot 2-8 from the field. The Irish seemed to disrupt Hall from three-point land, as he finished just 2-9 after hitting two of his first three. Hall and teammate Chauncey Wiggins scored 22 of the first 30 points for Clemson. Wiggins stepped in for Jack Clark in the starting lineup and came into the game averaging just 6.3 points per game. He finished with 10, scoring eight of those 10 in the first half. The box scores are very similar for both sides outside of the three-point shooting. Both sides shot 28 threes, however, Notre Dame knocked down 10 to Clemson’s five. “That’s the difference in the game,” said Clemson Head Coach Brad Brownell, who is from Evansville, Indiana. When asked about coming home, Brownell spoke highly of Indiana and their “genuine love of basketball.” He also mentioned sectional time being a special time of the year in the state. With this win, the Irish now hold onto sole possession of the 11th seed in the ACC Tournament, which would have them playing Georgia Tech in the first round, whom Notre Dame has already beaten twice this season. They would have to get up to the nine seed to get a bye in the tournament. “Leave with this feeling right here and know that we’re not going backwards. We’re only going forward from here,” said Head Coach Micah Shrewsberry. The Fighting Irish will travel to number seven North Carolina on Tuesday before closing out the regular season against Virginia Tech on Saturday in Blacksburg. Click Here to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Written by Liam Farrell｜Senior Staff Writer｜Twitter/X: @LiamFarrell_IT Via The Irish Tribune INDIANAPOLIS  - As the NFL Combine testing officially starts tomorrow, eight former Notre Dame players will have the chance to boost their draft stock.  The eight players include quarterback Sam Hartman, running back Audric Estime, offensive linemen Joe Alt and Blake Fisher, linebackers JD Bertrand and Marist Liufau, EDGE rusher Javontae Jean-Baptiste, and cornerback Cam Hart.   While all players will have the opportunity to showcase their talents, the players who will have the biggest opportunity to improve their draft stock are Estime, Hart, and Hartman.   Audric Estime is a physical beast. If an NFL scout looks at Estime's game film, the first thing that jumps off the screen is all 227 pounds of hard-nosed running. The numbers also don't lie. During his dominant junior season, Estime totaled 1,341 yards, while adding on 18 touchdowns and never coughing up a fumble. He also displayed that he could be an every-down back, having four 20+ carry games his junior year. The reason why Estime could cement and improve his draft stock is simply based on his 40-yard dash time. If Estime proves he can be more than a North-and-South, third-down back runner, then the Nyack, N.Y, native can hear his name called on the first two days. The 40-yard dash also, frankly, hindered the draft stock of recent Notre Dame superstar Kyren Williams, who fell to the Rams in the fifth round mainly because of his 4.65-second time.   The next player who has the opportunity to raise their draft stock this weekend is cornerback Cam Hart. Hart, who has great physical intangibles for a cornerback, is in a similar boat as Estime, in which a speedy 40-yard dash time could raise his stock. Hart had his best statistical season last year for the Fighting Irish, as he played the opposite side of the field to that of All-American Benjamin Morrison.   Hart was an unsung hero in the Notre Dame secondary that received immense national recognition last season. Hart played his best games against top competition as well, rising to the challenge of guarding USC’s Mario Williams and Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka. Hart also developed the knack and perfected the art of Charles Tillman’s Peanut Punch, as he forced three fumbles during his 2023 campaign. With already great physical tools and a potentially fast 40-yard dash time, the former high school wide receiver could boost his draft stock tremendously. This brings me to the last player who has possibly the greatest opportunity to boost his appeal: Sam Hartman. Hartman had a good year last year, as he had career-bests in completion percentage and interceptions. However, Hartman still struggled with the turnover bug, having three multi-turnover games, and was incapable of calming the offense down in road environments. While the playcalling cannot be attributed to Hartman, the second-half offensive showings in the road losses to Clemson and Louisville were both horrific.   In Indianapolis, Hartman has the luxury of other top quarterback prospects opting out of throwing during the NFL combine. With most NFL executives, scouts, and coaches in attendance, Hartman could elevate his last-day draft projection with a good showing at the combine. Unlike Estime and Hart, Hartman doesn’t need to focus as much on the physical tests, as he isn’t particularly known for his athleticism.    If Hartman has an above-average throwing day and shows the coaches and scouts in attendance that he is a top 6 quarterback in this year’s draft, Hartman could be selected on Day 2. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Written by Owen O'Connor ⏐ Writer ⏐ Twitter/X: @Ocon54 With many players departing for the NFL draft or an opportunity at another collegiate program, Notre Dame is looking to replace vacancies with stable talent all over the roster. Luckily, there is one position group where fans can breathe easily. Multiple seniors are returning to the defensive front and bringing veteran leadership, experience, and production. Notre Dame will face off against some stiff competition should their playoff hopes come to fruition this season, so their defensive upperclassmen will need to answer the bell should they wish to make a run at a national title. The familiarity of teams such as Army and Navy should be a welcomed sight for the defensive line, but there are also pass-heavy offenses where quarterback pressure will need to be prioritized, such as Texas A&M, Florida State, and USC. A solid defensive front can be the stalwart of the defense for The Fighting Irish when they need it most. Let's look at the seniors who are primed to make an impact on the Notre Dame Defensive Line this season: Jordan Botelho - VYP/DE When Jordan Botelho was announced as the starter for the Vyper position last season, the hopes for him were high. The 6'3", 260lbs Defensive End had flashed in previous seasons, but hadn't been able to take that final step toward a true game-wrecking talent that fans had all been hoping for. The Vyper position allows the Defensive End to drop back into coverage as well as rush the passer. This versatile position is a critical spot for the starting defense and one that is trusted to Botelho, who should have his most statistically productive season at Notre Dame in 2024 barring any injury due to his experience and the complimentary talent, The senior recorded 32 total tackles last year and 4 sacks in his hybrid role, earning the likely nod to be the starting Vyper yet again. Botelho will see his snap count and numbers shoot up this season as a product of his knowledge of the position and skill set. Howard Cross III - NT The announcement of Cross deciding to return to Notre Dame was a sigh of relief, and maybe a bit of a shock for many. Cross was one of, if not the most statistically impactful player on the defensive front in 2023. The starting Nose Tackle had solid progression throughout his first few years at Notre Dame, but this past season was a huge step towards being an elite NFL talent. Cross graded out as one of the best interior defensive linemen per Pro Football Focus with an overall grade of 90.1, the third highest at the position. It is worth mentioning that Cross also scored an 89.1 pass rushing grade, and finished with 29 rushing stops, highlighting his versatility. Cross doubled his total tackles from last season going from 33 to 66, while also tallying 2 sacks, 7 tackles for loss and 2 forced fumbles. There's no telling the heights that Cross will reach in the coming season, but even if this is where he plateaus, the production and stability that he provides is irreplaceable. The senior will look to pick up where he left off in 2023, as one of the unsung heroes of the defense. RJ Oben - EDGE The Irish have emphasized the need for an experienced defensive front this offseason with the addition of RJ Oben. The 6'4, 260lb senior was highly recruited, as he was the 6th overall Edge in this year's transfer portal class. He appeared in 12 games for Duke last season with 17 total tackles and 5 sacks, remaining a consistent defender since his arrival on campus. Oben has recorded 4 or more sacks in his last 3 full seasons at Duke, and has been the model of consistency - something Notre Dame has been yearning for on the defensive front. The transfer has played both Defensive Line and Defensive Edge in the past, which could be an asset in the event of an injury or perhaps different defensive packages. Oben is not the only Duke Blue Devil to join Notre Dame this offseason with teammate and QB Riley Leonard also transferring to the program. They will both aim to finish strong in their final upcoming collegiate season. Rylie Mills - DT Rylie Mills was a highly talented 4-star recruit from Lake Forest, IL. He is coming off his best season with 47 total tackles in 13 games with 5.5 for loss and two fumble recoveries. Last season, he won the Shrine Bowl's "Breakout Defensive Player of the Week" against Duke, recording 7 tackles in the victory. And of course, you can't talk about Mills without mentioning the size and strength he possesses. Standing at 6'5" and a little over 300 pounds, it's not a surprise to anyone that Mills ranked 10th on The Athletic's "Freaks List", which highlights college football's most jaw-dropping athletes. Much like Botelho, Mills looks to add the final piece to the puzzle this season and blossom into an elite next-level prospect. Mills brings veteran experience and reliability to the defensive line room with 40 games played in 4 seasons. Having players who have played on some of the biggest stages in recent memory for the Irish can make a world of difference, and his experience will again provide some measure of stability. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Written by: Jhett Garrett | Writer | Twitter/X: @JhettGarrett Photo by The Irish Tribune The Notre Dame Fighting Irish got back on track this past Tuesday in a win over Wake Forest, 70-65. After losing seven games in a row less than three weeks ago, the Irish have now won four of their last five games and are sitting at 11-17 (6-11 in ACC play) with three games to go. It was a less-than-desirable game for freshman Braden Shrewsberry, who finished the game 2-9 from the three-point line, and only 11 points. While he was averaging just over 20 points per game over his previous two games, Shrewsberry hit a wall early. Unlike the second-half comeback against Syracuse, he never found his jump shot. However, he hit a massive three with 1:28 left to put the Irish up four. Markus Burton picked up the slack for Notre Dame, as he finished with a career-high 31 points on 9-15 shooting, four steals, three assists, and a big-time block late in the second half that led to an Irish bucket. He also turned the ball over just one time, as the Irish turned the ball over just six times in the game. The game was taken over by Burton early, scoring 19 points in the first half. He notched his seventh 20+ point game of the season not long after in the second. Burton also finished a perfect 11-11 from the free-throw line, which was a key factor for the Notre Dame victory. As a team, they finished 15-18 from the charity stripe. “He’s just so tough,” said Notre Dame Head Coach Micah Shrewsberry when asked about Markus Burton. “He just wills us to some wins sometimes. He wills himself to buckets. His total floor game as the season has gone on has really risen, and he’s making guys better.” In his last five games, Burton is averaging 5.4 assists per game. Carey Booth appeared to find comfortability from the field tonight, as he finished with 15 points on 13 shots from the field, including three threes on nine attempts. He also added two blocks, five rebounds, and a couple of assists. One of those assists was the big-time three to Shrewsberry late in the game. While the shooting numbers can improve, Booth played a pivotal role in the victory, something that all parties involved can enjoy. There was one player on the roster who had my attention going into this one, and it was sophomore Tae Davis. He has been playing at a high level for the Irish, and it is one of the reasons they have now won four of their last five. Davis finished with 11 points, and six rebounds, and knocked down a bucket with 25 seconds remaining that put Notre Dame back up two possessions. The defensive presence from the Irish was on full display in this one, as the Irish held the Deacon’s best player Hunter Sallis to single digits for the first time this season. He finished with just seven points and shot an unusual 2-10 from the field. It was Boopie Miller and Cam Hildreth who picked it up for Wake Forest, as they finished with 14 and 15 points respectively. Despite this, Notre Dame held the Demon Deacons to just 27% shooting from beyond the arc, a team that shoots 37% from that area. It was a slower start however for the Notre Dame defense, giving up 43 points on 61% shooting.  “We were a little bit late in our rotations,” said Coach Shrewsberry, “which caused us to be late on getting to their three-point shooters.” In the second half, Wake Forest shot just 25% from the field and scored only 22 points. “We just stayed with it and challenged shots.” The Irish have now tied their win total from last season with 11 and have doubled their ACC win total with six. They have come alive since the seven-game losing streak and have now won four of their last five games. “You want to be playing your best basketball at the end of the year,” said Coach Shrewsberry. “This is a young team, and it took a little bit of time for us to really gel.” With Miami being on a seven-game losing streak of their own, the Irish have now moved into 12th place in the ACC and can be tied for 11th should Boston College lose to Virginia on Wednesday. The Fighting Irish will play their final home game of the season against Clemson this Saturday before traveling to North Carolina and Virginia Tech to close out the season. Click Here to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Written by Connor Regan ⏐ Senior Staff Writer ⏐ Twitter/X: @thatconnorregan Photo by The Irish Tribune The Irish secured the 10th-best recruiting class in the nation for 2024, adding a sizable crop of new talent to an already stacked roster with several returning starters. The 2024 spring game doesn’t come until April 20th, but a handful of Irish freshmen are already in prime position to carve out some playing time in the spring and possibly the fall. Playing time as a freshman is typically tough to earn, and while the Irish have used freshmen at thin spots like WR in 2023, this year’s competitive landscape offers seemingly fewer opportunities for freshmen to land any significant playing time. Despite this hurdle, the cream is sure to rise to the top. Add in injuries and transfers out due to position battles, and things begin to open up for a few of the younger guys. Cam Williams WIDE RECEIVER Cam William’s name should come as no surprise to anyone. Williams has been one of the highlights of Notre Dame’s 2024 class, specifically on the offensive side of the ball. Known as “the complete package” by his high school coach, Riley Crissey, Williams offers a level of talent the Irish receiving core desperately needs after the 2023 exodus. Standing at 6’2 195lbs, Cam not only dominated in football but flexed his speed and explosiveness by running track in high school, posting a 10.86 in the 100-meter dash, a 21.98 in the 200, and a 24’ 3.75” in the long jump. His biggest weapons are, without a doubt, his breakaway speed, explosiveness off the line, and YAC ability, making him a 5-star recruit and the most significant WR commitment of the Marcus Freeman era. Cam joined a handful of other freshmen early on campus, giving him yet another leg up over his competition.  His biggest areas for growth would be route running, and much like most freshmen, a need to hit the weight room and add some strength. Thankfully, Cam has a solid frame that gives him an excellent foundation to build off of. Obviously, a lack of talent won’t keep him off the field, but it’s the log jam in the WR room that may complicate his path to playing time. The Irish return experienced wideouts Jayden Thomas and Deion Colzie, breakout 2023 freshmen Jaden Greathouse and Jordan Faison, and senior transfers Kris Mitchell, Jayden Harrison, and Beaux Collins. 9 WRs saw playing time and caught balls in 2023, but only 6 of them pulled in double-digit receptions. With a fully healthy WR room, Williams would be competing for the 7th spot in the pecking order, but as we saw in 2023, one or two injuries or a possible transfer could quickly propel him into a significant role. Freeman and his staff know this and will prepare the three incoming freshmen, as well as the previously injured KK Smith, to step up when the time comes. This could be one of the areas where arriving on campus early puts Cam step ahead of the rest. Although Micah Gilbert and Logan Saldate are excellent freshman talents, Williams will presumably have the best shot at playing time, and KK Smith’s lack of playing time due to injury levels the playing field amongst this group. WIDE RECEIVERS AND ELIGIBILITY Kris Mitchell Senior 6’1 - 175 Beaux Collins Senior 6’3 - 210 Jayden Harrison Senior 5’10 - 197 Jayden Thomas Junior 6’1.5 - 221 Deion Colzie Senior 6’5 - 209 Jaden Greathouse Sophomore 6’1 - 204 Jordan Faison Sophomore 5’10 - 182 KK Smith  Freshman 6’0 - 168 Cam Williams Freshman 6’2 - 195 Micah Gilbert Freshman 6’2 - 205 Logan Saldate  Freshman 5’11 - 185 Note that player class is based on eligibility not age* HIGH SCHOOL STATS Year Grade Games Played Receptions Yards Avg. Yard/Game TD 23-24 Senior 7 32 710 22.2 101.4 10 22-23 Junior 9 44 882 20 98 13 21-22 Sophomore 1 2 38 19 38 1 Kedren Young RUNNING BACK Young joins arguably the most stacked backfield the Irish have had in years, even with Audric Estime’s departure. Speaking of Estime, Young gets compared to the all-time great Irish back, primarily due to his size. While there are similarities, Young has Estime’s bruising power and between-the-tackles style, but a solid balance of speed and agility to boot. His propensity to get downhill and hit game-breaking home runs evokes memories of Josh Adams, and his ability to rip 80+ yard runs off a simple draw. His power-focused game should fit in well with what the Irish already have.  Young’s power and ability to punish defenders is so impressive, it tends to overshadow the rest of his game, which is just as polished. Despite being so large at such a young age, Young’s speed is nothing to knock, especially for a bigger back. He ran track in high school, posting an 11.18 in the 100 and a 23.02 in the 200. Couple this speed with his ability to make quick moves and make defenders miss, and he’s a pretty unique addition to the new-look Irish RB room. Kedren’s speed is above average and he’s expected to break huge chunk plays with the right opening or broken tackle. His intellect seems ahead of its time, as scouts noted his advanced vision to allow blocks to fall into place, his patience to find the seam, and his ridiculous speed-changing ability. During high school, Kedren often played out of a two-back set and showed a passion for blocking, giving him a leg up on working closely with other backs and finding ways to contribute and earn playing time without the ball in his hands. His size alone would make him quite the blocker. He has little receiving experience out of the backfield and could use more reps there, which will be something to watch as he brings his game up to the college level. HIGH SCHOOL STATS Year Grade Carries Yards Yards/Carry TD 23-24 Senior 32 1,366 6 15 22-23 Junior 44 1,751 7.4 19 21-22 Sophomore 821 10 RUNNING BACKS AND ELIGIBILITY Jeremiyah Love Sophomore 6’1 - 197 Jadarian Price Sophomore 5’10.5 - 206 Gi’Bran Payne Sophomore 5’9 - 208 Devyn Ford Senior 5’11 - 200 Kedren Young Freshman 5’11 - 225 Aneyas Williams Freshman 5’10 - 200 Note that player class is based on eligibility not age* In 2023, the Irish offense played four running backs heavily, riding Estime as the primary back (210 carries),  Love as their secondary (71 carries), and an even split between Price (47 carries) and Payne (45 carries) for the remaining touches. As we can see, talent can quickly provide a sizeable bump big enough to supersede class rank/experience. Love is only a rising sophomore and took touches away from Price and Payne in 2023. A similar outcome is possible with Kedren Young, but unlike Love, he’ll face freshman competition with Aneyas Williams, who also joined him as an early enrollee, and unless there’s a sizable gap between the two, it's possible they split the remaining carries. Estime provided the majority of the power, while Love provided the speed, and Price and Payne were a pretty even mix of the two. In the absence of Estime, the Irish will have a serious need for power and size. If everyone in the RB room sticks around, the big three in the running back room going into 2024 will obviously be Love, Price, and Payne. Love will bring the speed and agility like in 2023, Price and Payne will provide a nice mix of the two, and Young could step up to deliver a force in short-down situations. Although the sample size is small, Aneyas Williams is said to be a pretty even mix of power and speed like Price and Payne, which could mean an even more significant need for a back the size of Kedren. Here is a possible breakdown of what the carry distribution could be in 2024 compared to 2023. Carry Total 2023 (373) Possible Carry Outlook 2024 (373) Estime - 210 Carries Love - 120 Carries Love - 71 Carries Price - 80 Carries Price - 47 Carries Payne - 80 Carries Payne - 46 Carries Young - 47 Carries Williams - 46 Carries The major question comes down to whether everyone in the room stays. Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa LINEBACKER  Kyngstonn has been a blue-chip recruit since his freshman year of high school. He’d become California’s top defensive prospect in short order, but sustained an ACL injury in the last game of his freshman season which kept him on the sidelines his entire sophomore year. Despite this setback, Kyngstonn returned with a vengeance for his junior and senior years, reclaiming his spot as one of the most sought-after defensive prospects in the country and making his mark as the complete package for an inside linebacker. His game is all about versatility: Viliamu-Asu explodes off the line to beat blockers, bullies his way past linemen, and shows off his speed by easily dropping into coverage on both WRs and TEs. The complete package extends to the mental side of the game, where Kyngstonn excels at making quick reads to blow up plays, utilizing efficient angles to the ball, easily picking up receivers in space, and routinely interrupting passing lanes with his massive 6’3 230 frame. This enormous size so early on has made Kyngstonn an incredibly powerful hitter already. Kyngstonn continues Notre Dame’s trend upward in base talent level on the defensive side of the ball, and his versatility means we could conceivably see him pop up and any of the three LB positions, giving him a better chance at playing time, wherever that would be. As for the current depth chart, the Irish have nine scholarship linebackers on the roster. While that’s the kind of depth Freeman and his staff are looking for, there’s only two experienced starters returning in that of Kiser and Sneed, three players with minimal experience in Zinter, Ausberry and Bowen, and four players with no college playing time (Kia, Kahoun, Rezac, Viliamu-Asa). Freeman and Golden played seven LBs in 2023, five of which played 12-13 games. Kyngstonn will almost definitely see some playing time this fall, but his talent will likely be too great to keep his playing time limited. It’s very possible his presence overshadows Kia, Kahoun, and Rezac based on where he ultimately fits in and how ready he is for the next level. As always, even a single injury could spell significant playing time for any of the younger guys who are ready at the right time. Thankfully, Kyngstonn joined the other early enrollees and is already on campus and working with the team. HIGH SCHOOL STATS Year Grade Games Played Total Tackles Tackles/Game Tackles for Loss Sacks INT 23-24 Senior 13 114 8.8 13 1.5 1 22-23 Junior 13 111 8.5 8.5 5.5 1 20-21 Freshman 6 28 4.7 1 1.5 0 LINEBACKERS AND ELIGIBILITY Mike Drayk Bowen Sophomore 6’2 - 230 Kahanu Kia Freshman 6’1.5 - 217 Bodie Kahoun Freshman 6’3 - 215 Will Jack Kiser Senior 6’1.5 - 223 Preston Zinter Freshman 6’3 - 233 Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa Freshman 6’3 - 230 Rover Jaylen Sneed Sophomore 6’1.5 - 217 Jaiden Ausberry Freshman 6’0 - 215 Teddy Rezac Freshman 6’3.5 - 185 Note that player class is based on eligibility not age* Bryce Young  DEFENSIVE END Young is already a unit. He enters his Freshman year at Notre Dame as the tallest DE on the roster, and at 245, his frame stands to add quite a bit of weight in the future. His incredible length and explosiveness off the line make him a serious contender for playing time, as size and strength don’t appear to be an issue. Young was nearly unblockable during his senior year of high school, excelling at both the pass and rush games. Because of his impressive size so early on, there’s a chance he gets big enough to play inside, and we see him inside at the tackles. As has been a trend on this list, Young’s athleticism extended to track and field, where he ran an 11.45 100 and a 22.99 200 as a junior and triple-jumped 44-6.25. Young further honed his hand-play and agility on his high school wrestling team.  Bryce is the son of Notre Dame all-American defensive tackle Bryant Young. Young had a prolific college career, continuing on to the NFL as the 7th overall pick, going to the San Francisco 49ers. Bryant Young won a Super Bowl with the 49ers in 1995 and was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2022. Bryce looks to further his family’s tradition at Notre Dame, and if his success is anything like that of his father, Irish fans are in for a real treat. While there are quite a few guys ahead of Bryce on the depth chart, a single injury would put him in regular game rotation, as 16 total players on the defensive line saw game action last year, with 11 of them playing in at least six games. Rising junior Josh Burnham is making the full-time transition from Vyper to DE, and incoming Duke transfer RJ Oben are the two front runners at the position, yet it’s unknown which will win the starting position. Because the Irish defense employs a variety of looks, namely the 3-3-5 and the 4-2-5, Bryce only needs to display his athleticism and ability to move around, and playing time will come even more quickly. HIGH SCHOOL STATS Year Grade Games Played Total Tackles Tackles/Game Tackles for Loss Sacks Hurries 23-24 Senior 12 97 8.1 18 14 12 22-23 Junior 11 11192 8.4 6 3 11 21-22 Sophomore 4 2 0.5 0 0 0 DEFENSIVE ENDS AND ELIGIBILITY Josh Burnham Sophomore 6’3.5 - 248 R.J. Oben Senior 6’4 - 260 Tyson Ford Sophomore 6’4 - 274 Aiden Gobaira Sophomore 6’5 - 256 Brennan Vernon Freshman 6’5 - 259 Bryce Young Freshman 6’5.5 - 245 Note that player class is based on eligibility not age* Notre Dame’s 2024 draft class is deep and talented across the board and provides an excellent new crop of players for the future. Only time will tell how each of these four playing time battles shakes out, but Cam Williams, Kedren Young, Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, and Bryce Young have the best combination of talent and circumstances to force playing time. It’s what they do with that playing time in the spring that will determine how much if any, fall playing time they see. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Written by Jhett Garrett ⏐ Writer ⏐ Twitter/X: @JhettGarrett Photo by Notre Dame Athletics The Notre Dame baseball team split the weekend series in Miami against Florida International this past weekend. They picked up wins on both Friday and Sunday, however, they fell twice on Saturday, moving them to 5-2 after two weekends of play. The Irish launched four long balls in the Friday matchup, knocking off the Panthers 13-4. They were led by senior outfielder TJ Williams who went 2-3 in the game with two home runs, four runs batted in, and a walk. David Glancy also had a multi-hit game in the first matchup, as well as a home run, finishing 2-3 with two walks and four RBIs. Connor Hincks was the final member of the Irish to go deep in game one, finished 1-3 with two walks and three RBIs. After a dominant performance against Rice last Friday, Caden Spivey got the start for Notre Dame. While he took a step back in this one, giving up two earned runs on three hits, Spivey was still very impressive in the three innings he pitched. Radek Birkholz came in for Spivey to start the fourth inning and would go 2.1 innings. He gave up just one hit, however, he, like Spivey, gave up two runs. It would be the final hit the Panthers recorded in this one, as the winning pitcher Bennett Flynn, and Rory Fox would shut the door in the final 3.2 innings. Saturday was a longer day for the Irish, dropping both games 10-8, and 10-5 respectively. In game one, graduate transfer Tito Flores shined for Notre Dame, finishing 3-5 with a home run and two RBIs. Simon Baumgardt also had an impact in this one after hitting two home runs last weekend, as he went 3-5 with three RBIs. David Glancy hit the lone double in the game for Notre Dame on his way to 1-4 with two RBIs. Things didn’t get much better on the mound for Jackson Dennies in this one, as he went four innings giving up five hits, four earned runs, and only struck out two batters. Out of the bullpen, Will Jacobsen and Nate Hardman both gave up three earned runs, which put the game out of reach for Notre Dame. In game two, Matt Bedford got the start for the Irish and went four innings. The performance showed improvement from last weekend, as he gave up just three hits and two earned runs while striking three and walking just one batter. However, the Panthers would plate eight runs in the final five innings of the game, while the Irish didn’t score until the sixth inning. With only six hits in the game the Notre Dame offense didn’t have a lot to shout about, however, they were led by Connor Hincks who went 1-3 with two RBIs and a walk. Needing a win on Sunday to split the series, the Irish turned to Tobey McDonough and Jack Radel, who combined for five innings pitched, five strikeouts, and gave up only three hits. However, it was Ricky Reeth, the third pitcher out of the bullpen that impressed for Notre Dame. The 6’4 junior from Windermere, Florida had a rough appearance last weekend, however dominated in 2.2 innings of work. He struck out six batters, gave up just two hits, walked only one, and didn’t allow a single run to cross. It allowed leeway for the Irish offense that hit a brick wall in the final two games of play. David Glancy once again put together an impressive ballgame, going deep once more while scoring two of their three runs. Tito Flores also plated two in the ball game, giving the Irish a 3-1 win that moves them to 5-2. TJ Williams has been one of the few bright spots on the Notre Dame offense, as he has moved to 10-20 on the year, with two home runs and six RBIs. While he has had limited work, he is making the most of his at-bats and putting the Irish in positions to win. He is also getting on base (.583 OBP) and is a threat to steal bags, as he is 3-3 in stolen base attempts this season. Another name to remember for the rest of the year is David Glancy, who put up a very impressive weekend in the Irish split. He has started all seven games thus far and is slashing .308/.583/.808, which leads the team outside of Williams. He has also gone deep four times which leads the team and brought in ten runs which is tied with Tito Flores for the team lead. The problem is that the offense bottoms out after the first four hitters, and power is relied on a lot. It has hurt them in a couple of instances so far this season, especially on Saturday night in the second game. Many of Notre Dame’s early problems reside in missed opportunities. Through seven games this season, Notre Dame has left 54 guys on base, which is nearly eight per game. There have been so many key positions where the Irish need to get the offense rolling before stranding multiple runners on base. This coupled with the inconsistent pitching have the Irish at a manageable 5-2 record heading into the matchup with Tennessee Tech this weekend. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun