Written by Connor D'Aquila | Writer | Twitter: @ConnorDaquilaIT Photo via South Bend Tribune/Robert Franklin “As always, Notre Dame overrated” “Notre Dame are arguably the only team more overrated than Texas on a yearly basis” These are just a couple of Tweets that came in response to Notre Dame’s 2023 preseason ranking of 13th by the AP and the Coaches Poll. Once again, we have reached that point when comment sections abound with remarks about ND being destined for a far lower finish or criticism of the strength of schedule. This year, it does seem, however, that many respect the schedule Swarbrick and the Irish have put together. With games against Ohio State, USC, and Clemson, they have three top-9 opponents in a six-game stretch in the middle of the season. Sports Illustrated found that Notre Dame’s opponents have the 18th-best win percentage from last season, but beyond a very select few teams, it is hard to find someone with tougher high-end games than the Irish. All this being said, it’s time to examine if Notre Dame is generally overrated in rankings. Generally, the biggest point of contention comes from preseason favoritism. A quick look into historical results proves the futility of this claim, however. Last year, of course, some disappointing losses resulted in a final ranking of 18, down from their preseason number 5 spot. Moving back, in 2021, they finished one spot higher than the preseason, in 2020, they finished five spots higher, in 2018, they finished seven spots higher, and in 2017, they were preseason unranked but finished at eleven. In 2019, they had a mildly disappointing year and finished three spots lower than their preseason ranking. This means that in four out of the last six years, the Irish outperformed their preseason ranking, a far cry from being “overrated on a yearly basis.” Going further back, the results get a little more iffy, but in 2015 they finished and started at 11, and in 2012 they started unranked but ended in the national championship. Going back this far, we get a good idea of how the modern era of Notre Dame football has looked. Since Brian Kelly brought some level of consistency back to the program, they have tended to be ranked pretty fairly by experts. Photo via ESPN These final rankings do take bowl games into account, but recent big-game bowl struggles are another major narrative relating to being overrated. The Irish are 0-8 in their last eight BCS/New Year’s Six bowl games and have not won a major bowl since 1994. In more recent history, however, the team is 7-6 in their last 13 bowls. While this includes minor games, it shows that the team is being aptly placed and ranked. In three of those losses as well, Notre Dame was the lower-ranked team entering the game. In another, both Florida State and ND were unranked. While the Irish are certainly not winning the biggest games, they are also being put in games they belong in. This year, Notre Dame has a strong opportunity to disprove the narrative yet again. They also very well could repeat the disappointment of last year. With those three top-9 games, the margin for error on the rest of the schedule is very low. One slip up against a weaker team could prove detrimental to the overall perception of the team, and the path to a ranking higher than 13th would get very difficult. A strong performance across the board, however, would mean a ranking far higher than 13th. There is a lot of uncertainty, but we can only hope that ND will once again prove the Twitter commenters wrong.

By Liam Farrell｜Senior Staff Writer｜Twitter @LiamFarrell_IT Via Notre Dame Athletic Notre Dame set the tempo early in their Week 0 victory over Navy. In the first half, Notre Dame was perfect from an offensive standpoint, scoring on every possession. Sam Hartman was elite in the first half, along with a stable ford of running backs that evened out the Irish attack. The Irish defense bended, but didn't break as Notre Dame gave up a lot of yards on the ground, but proved tough as Navy went deep into Irish territory. Let's breakdown Notre Dame on each side of the ball, along with some quick initial thoughts. Offense Via Notre Dame Athletics Sam Hartman: The old man on campus did more than impress in this one. Hartman threw for 251 yard on 19/23 passes and 4 TDs. In the first half, Notre Dame made a presence on the ground, while having Hartman open up lanes with some play action passes. While Hartman was late on one deep post to Tobias Merriweather that resulted in an incompletion, he was rather perfect the rest of the day. Improvising in the pocket, keeping his eyes downfield, and recognizing the blitzes, Hartman was simply taking what the defense was giving him and capitalizing. Sam also displayed a perfect two minute drill right before half that had the Irish go up 28-0. Hartman did have another hiccup in the second half where he almost threw a pick six on a 3rd and 11 pass The Five Headed Monster: Remember when some fans were nervous about Notre Dame's running back depth after they moved Chris Tyree to the slot, and Logan Diggs transferred to LSU? Nothing to worry about anymore. Audric Estime, minus the fumble that went out of bounds, was everything we saw and more in the 2022 season. Estime seemed to gain some speed in the offseason and it showed. Gi'Bran Payne was extremely shifty and showed toughness between the tackles while picking up good yards after contact. How about Jadarian Price? After a season-ending injury last fall, most fans completely forgot about the sophomore back. Best way to jog people's memory? A 19-yard touchdown on your very first touch of the season. Throw in a couple of touches for freshman Jeremiyah Love and Deyvn Ford, and the Irish have 5 capable running backs to go to in any situation. Wide Receiver Room: Notre Dame has some absolute dogs in the wide receiver room. All fall camp we heard about the Irish secondary shutting down Notre Dame wide receivers, and how they were the biggest question mark for the Irish. They certainly passed the eye test. Jaden Greathouse busted on the scene with a touchdown catch and showed awareness sitting in soft pockets of the Navy zone defense. Jayden Thomas emerged as the wide receiver one by catching a touchdown pass during Hartman's two minute drill. Chris Tyree was also great in space, displaying his elusiveness and speed all across the field. Deion Collie also added a touchdown to his name, in addition to a very impressive contested catch over a smaller Navy defender. The biggest letdown? Tobias Merriweather. Merriweather had a bad drop on the first drive, and didn't record a single catch in the first half. Dominant in the Trenches: The offensive line did a fantastic job. The Spindler, Coogan guard play question marks went away fast. Running lanes were wide open all day, which led to Hartman having plenty of time, and running backs to run free. Joe Alt and Blake Fisher will continue to be the best offensive tackle duo in the nation, while Zeke Correll held it down in the middle. Defense The Run Game as a Whole: While it wasn't pretty to watch, the Notre Dame defense did their job. The Irish only gave up 3 points in the game, but in the first half especially, Navy was getting their way. On Navy's first possession, the Midshippmen had two receivers run into each other on a 4th down drop. The Irish defensive also forced a couple fumbles in the game, but didn't recover any (The Betrand one in the first possession of the second half definitely should have been our ball). The whole half time show, Maria Taylor and co. kept on saying how the Irish had the bad second half last year etc. etc. Well, Golden and the defense made the defensive adjustments they had to in order to secure the blow out victory. Difference Makers: I thought Marist Liufau was flying all around the field, and showing more of his natural instincts, when sometimes last year it felt like he was over-thinking everything. Javontae Jean-Baptiste was another player who showed his athleticism on the edge. Jordan Botelho made a couple good plays in space, as well. Jaden Mickey also showed his ability to tackle in space and on the perimeter. Special Teams Kicking: Spencer Shrader missed ugly on a 41-yard field goal, but was perfect on extra points, as well as having four touchbacks. Punting. N/A. Thank you Sam Hartman.

Written by Phil Kowalis｜Writer｜Twitter: @PhilKowalisIT Photo by NBC Sports The last time Notre Dame and Navy faced each other on the gridiron, the defensive front of the Irish was the strength of the defense, a unit that could be depended on to produce a solid and sometimes spectacular performance consistently each week. When the teams meet Saturday at Aviva Stadium in Dublin Ireland to open the 2023 season, the Notre Dame defensive line is the biggest question mark on a defensive unit that boasts solid position groups at both linebacker - where the Irish return starters, JD Bertrand, Marist Liufau and Jack Kiser - and in the defensive backfield where cornerbacks Cam Hart, Benjamin Morrison and Jaden Mickey join safeties DJ Brown, Xavier Watts and Oklahoma State transfer Thomas Harper. Heading into the season opener, the Irish defensive front must find a way to replace the 22.5 tackles for loss and 17 sacks the team lost with the departures of Isaiah Foskey and Justin and Jayson Ademilola. Let's take a look at where the Irish will turn to make up that lost production in 2023. Photo by Sports Illustrated The Notre Dame defensive line will be bolstered by the return of nose tackle Howard Cross. Cross was a productive player last season recording 76 tackles, 7.5 TFL and 5.5 sacks and could be poised for a breakout season. Junior Jason Onye had an impressive fall camp, and will be counted on as a quality backup at the position, as Marcus Freeman mentioned earlier this week during a press conference. Sophomore Donovan Hinish will also be in the mix providing much needed depth at the position. Rylie Mills, Notre Dame's starter at strong side defensive end a year ago, has bulked up and will move inside to start at defensive tackle in 2023. Mills had a solid but inconsistent season a year ago, but showed potential to be a game changing type of player. The Irish need Mills to fulfill that potential as they need him to be a disruptive force from the tackle position. Replacing Mills at the strong side defensive end position will be the combination of Ohio State transfer Javontae Jean-Baptiste and Nana Osafo-Mensha. Jean-Baptiste had 51 tackles 10 TFL and 8 sacks last season for the Buckeyes while Osafo-Mensha had 27 tackles 3.5 TFL and a sack in a backup role to Mills. Sophomore Josh Burnham will add depth at both the defensive end and vyper positions. Photo by 247 Sports The task of replacing Foskey, Notre Dame's all-time sack leader, at the Vyper position falls on senior, Jordan Botelho. Botelho recorded 33 tackles 9.5TFL and 6.5 sacks last season mostly in a backup role, and is looking to build on his limited success. The Notre Dame's defensive line isn't the only thing that has changed since the two teams last meeting.Long time Navy head coach Ken Niumataolo stepped down at the end of last season and was replaced by defensive coordinator Brian Newberry. Newberry has brought in Grant Chestnut from Kennesaw State to run the offense. While Chestnut plans on bringing more balance to the Navy offense by increasing the role of the passing game and introducing a multiple formation look to the Midshipman ground game, the triple option will also remain a part of the offensive arsenal. Despite the changes to the Navy program, expect the Midshipmen to take advantage of the strongest part of their offense, a veteran offensive line, and continue to emphasize the running game and ball control style of offense. In last season's matchup the Midshipmen rushed for 255 yards on 46 carries good for an average of 5.5 yards per carry against a more experienced and veteran Notre Dame defensive line. The ability of Notre Dame's revamped defensive front to stop the Midshipman running game will go a long way in deciding the outcome of this contest. The Notre Dame defensive line group is very talented and loaded with potential, the possibility is there for this group to feature a 10-man rotation along the defensive front. The ability of this group to turn their potential into a dominate on field performance may be the deciding factor in just how successful the 2023 season can be.

Written by Liam Gaudet｜Senior Editor｜Twitter: @LiamGaudetIT The Notre Dame mentality has always been a nose to the grindstone, ground and pound philosophy that is backed by the individual success of many former Irish greats. The fallacy of this ideology, however, often appears early in the season and has caused massive issues in team performance over the last few years. I'm not by any stretch of the imagination calling the offensive line play weak, but rather inconsistent, especially early on. This is to be expected, especially with lots of personnel turnover, but is there a way to mitigate some of the damage and weather the storm? Let's find out. Photo by ON3 The History In order to prove to you that I know what I'm talking about, let's have a look at Notre Dame's last few opening games and evaluate the performance of the offensive line. Last season against the Buckeyes, Notre Dame allowed three sacks and six tackles for loss, whilst only amassing 76 total rushing yards, with the most coming from Chris Tyree with 28. I get it, the Buckeyes are flooded with blue chip prospects, especially on the defensive front. The issue, however, is that these numbers are unacceptable for a program who prides itself on being able to run the football. Does 2.5 yards per carry sound like O-Line U to you? Absolutely not. In 2021, the Irish opened the season against a Florida State team who had yet to recover from years of mediocrity, and were a touchdown favorite in one of the most hostile environments in all of college football. In a game now hailed as "The Execution Game", Notre Dame once again failed to establish the run against the Seminoles, and produced a meager 65 yards of rushing offense, a large reason why the Noles were able to storm back and force overtime in a game that should have been over after the third quarter. Similarly, four sacks and nine - yes nine - tackles for loss were allowed in the season opener at Doak Campbell stadium. We have to go all the way back to 2020 to find a season opener where the Irish were able to rush for over 100 yards, and a big part of that was Ian Book's uncertainty in the pocket. Now it's important to note that the play of the line got much better as the season continued, and it's impossible for them to shoulder the entire blame for these outings. But again, the identity of this team is based around them, and if they can't show up to play on opening day, the season may take a catastrophic hit in Dublin on Saturday. Photo by NBC Sports The Outcome The good news is, a lot of the aggravating factors which lead to some of these inconsistencies have vanished. Firstly, Tommy Rees is in Tuscaloosa, so hopefully the predictability of this offense is now a thing of the past. Don't get me wrong, I don't think Tommy Rees was consistently awful, but I think everybody and their mother knew when and how we were going to run the ball the last few seasons. New faces with something to prove have also emerged, including highly rated recruits in Rocco Spindler and Pat Coogan getting the nod to start in the interior this weekend. Veterans like Joe Alt, the best tackle in college football, should also ease a lot of the tension and settle this group in for what should be a full frontal assault from the front-seven of the Midshipmen. One of the biggest factors in all of this however, will be Sam Hartman. Have fun stacking the box while that guy picks you apart up and down the field. He should also be able to get rid of the ball much faster than Tyler Buchner or Jack Coan ever could considering the experience he brings. Joe Rudolph will also take over for Harry Hiestand, so maybe a change at the helm will bring some more favorable results (and that's a big maybe). And how could we forget about the absolute stable of running backs which could rival any team in the FBS? All in all, even if the offensive line needs a learning curve game, the talent surrounding it is much greater than it has been in a very long time, which makes their lives a hell of a lot easier. What degree of success can we expect, and will the early season line struggles be a thing of the past? For the sanity of myself and those watching, I certainly hope so. Go Irish!

By Liam Farrell｜Writer｜Twitter @LiamFarrell_IT Via ON3 The time is now. All the dog days of the winter and spring, drowning ourselves in entertainment by watching old highlights of our Irish; or 2020-2022 Wake Forest offensive highlights are now over. It is game week ladies and gentlemen, and there is no better place to start this year than a game across the pond in Dublin against Navy. When breaking down or previewing Navy, there are always certain essentials. Let's take a deep dive into what the Irish must do to make a Week Zero statement against the Midshipmen. Stay Disciplined and Know Your Assignment Via 247Sports This sentiment makes sense in multiple aspects. On one hand, Navy embodies what it means to stay disciplined. They will barely commit any penalties and almost certainly not turn the ball over. Navy plays a near perfect game from a fundamental aspect because well, they need to granted they don't have the same caliber of athletes on the football field. From Notre Dame's perspective, the daunted triple option is a test that the Irish must face year in and year out. The good news for Notre Dame? The Irish return the same defensive coordinator, Al Golden, who has seen the triple option before, including the Irish's win last year in Baltimore. The Irish also return the same linebacking core who saw the triple option last year. Essentially, experience is the biggest component in mastering the art of defending the triple option, and with that experience, the Irish front seven must stick to their responsibilities and do their job. Capitalize on Every Possession Via Michael Conroy- Associated Press On the offensive side of the ball, Notre Dame has to capitalize on every single possession that they have the ball. Navy will do what Navy does. They will hold the ball and have long methodical drives. While it is the Irish defense that must put a stop to that, the offense must have the mindset that they might only get the ball 5-7 times and they have to score on at least 80% of those possessions. As I was rewatching some of the old Navy games, there was one congruent theme that led to easy Notre Dame victories: getting up early. In 2018, Ian Book and the Irish jumped out on Navy early and often in San Diego that led to an Irish blowout. Couple that with the next year in 2019, where Book and the Irish led Navy 28-0 in the first half. Notre Dame simply has to convert on opportunities early in the game and force Navy to go with a more up tempo approach. Don't Make it Close Via University of Notre Dame I mean this in the nicest way possible. I have nothing but the utmost respect for the Naval Academy and the sacrifice they are making for our country, but BLOW THEM OUT. Much of the "NOTRE DAME doesn't play anyone" Twitter crowd revolves around the Irish lining up against Navy every year. I enjoy the Navy game. It is great to honor the institution that kept Notre Dame afloat. However, when we step in between those lines, the Fighting Irish have to be able to destroy Navy. The game cannot be close. There is an extremely wide talent gap between the two teams and the final score must reflect the aforementioned gap. Wrap-Up To be able to say that Notre Dame will play football this week is an absolute dream. Hopefully it will be all smooth sailing across the Atlantic for Marcus Freeman and co. The Irish just simply have to take care of their business, leave an impression to all of the college football community, and get back to the States 1-0. Go Irish. Beat Navy.

Written by Connor D'Aquila | Writer | Twitter: @ConnorDaquilaIT Conference realignment has been the talk of college football in recent days and weeks. Beginning with Colorado’s move to the Big 12, it quickly became a mass exodus from the Pac 12. As it stands, Oregon and Washington have headed to the Big Ten while Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah have been added to the Big 12. All that remains in the Pac 12 is Stanford, Cal, Oregon State, and Arizona State. As with anytime conference realignment comes up, Notre Dame has become a major topic of conversation. Between the major brand that any conference would welcome and the school’s steadfast commitment to independence, people are always curious to see if any developments alter ND’s thinking on the topic. We’ll evaluate Notre Dame’s standing below! Photo via David Dermer, Associated Press A Brief History of Independence To understand Notre Dame’s stance on independence today, it is important to go back to the beginning. The program began in 1887 after Michigan’s team was on their way, by train, to Chicago and taught the game to ND students during a stop in South Bend. Over the next few decades, the Irish would slowly grow to prominence, but none of it would prove good enough to be accepted to the Big Ten Conference. There was also the fact that prominent Michigan coach Fielding Yost lobbied against due to his strong anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant prejudices. After three attempts, Notre Dame was forced to remain independent and quickly became a national brand with a unique fanbase. This is when rivalries with teams like USC and Navy were formed and the entire country was watching the Irish weekly. When the 1990s came along, however, the Big Ten began pushing for Notre Dame to join the conference. Remembering what had happened before and appreciating the national presence ND created, the school said no. They also made it clear that the decision would not be made based on finances and had more to do with identity. Photo via Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images Future With the ACC Since 2013, Notre Dame has been a part of the ACC for all sports except football, and with that agreement came five games annually against ACC opponents. By making this agreement, Notre Dame allowed their other sports to compete at the highest level while football held on to its independent identity. In recent years, however, the ACC appears to be at risk. While the Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC have made major expansion steps, the ACC has remained stagnant. Moreover, there have been reports that top football programs Clemson and Florida State would like to leave, which would leave the football talent in the conference fairly thin. This year, UNC is the only other team in the AP Top 25. Storied programs like Miami and Virginia Tech would also remain. Even with those better programs, Notre Dame has managed to win 28-straight regular season ACC games, dating back to 2017, giving some indication of the lack of competition were they to join fully. Their one playoff loss in that time comes from 2020, when they played the COVID season as a full member for scheduling simplicity. In that year, they were undefeated throughout and only lost in the conference championship to Clemson, which was still enough to earn a CFP berth. This success did not matter to ND admin, however, as they went right back to the old agreement. Most recently, around the same time Clemson and Florida State rumors abounded, Notre Dame was reported to push for the admission of Stanford and Cal to the ACC. Despite this action in the conference, ND maintained that it would not affect their stand on independence, and the idea did not receive the necessary support from all member schools. With Shwarbrick and the athletic department staying away from full ACC entry, would it be possible for an old foe to change their minds? Photo via Zac Al-Khateeb/Sporting News What About the Big Ten? As the local conference and the one the history of Notre Dame revolves around, the Big Ten will always come up in these conversations. Now, the conference has also signed with ND’s TV partner, NBC, and their biggest rival, USC, is becoming a member. These developments certainly add to the merit of the idea, but it is not the whole story. For one, Notre Dame’s contract with the ACC lasts until 2036, and with that, full membership in the Big Ten would not be allowed. There are obviously ways around this with fines, but it would not be ideal. In the event that the ACC’s demise was accelerated and full dissolution occurred, it would be interesting to see if a similar partnership is possible. While the NBC connection and plethora of rivalries would help, the bitterness on Notre Dame’s side from the past could prove to be an obstacle. There is also the question of whether such a powerful conference would want to accommodate Notre Dame with only partial membership. This would mean revenue distribution and technically non-conference games added to member team schedules. While I’m sure Irish fans would love to see the regional rivalries annually, this could prove to be a tough sell. We cannot talk about the Big Ten, however, without addressing their media deal. Currently, Notre Dame is making about $26 million annually between NBC and ACC distributions. Under the Big Ten’s new deal, member teams will make in the range of $75 million per year by 2025. This is a huge margin, but one Notre Dame could close with their new deal that many believe could fall in the $60 million range. Nevertheless, full membership in the Big Ten would likely prove more profitable, but finances have never been the top priority. Conclusion There is a lot to unpack here with Notre Dame and conference realignment. With the relative weakening of the ACC and strengthening of the Big Ten, we definitely need to ask questions. We also need to consider the possibility of 10-game conference schedules and the impact that would have on ND’s ability to schedule independently. There are a lot of variables right now, but that history is the most important thing to remember. Notre Dame is not a national brand without independence, and there is a deep reverence for that in the community. It is that national presence that allowed them to sign the richest apparel deal in college history, and it is what will keep them competitive on TV deals. At the end of the day, we don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes, but the Irish don’t appear to be in any rush to make a switch.

By: Mike Stacey ⏐ Writer ⏐ Twitter: @MikeStaceyIT ⏐ IG:mikestaceyit Photo - Twitter @59_problemz I have already written about him, but now you get to hear it straight from the source! Sean Sevillano JR took some time to do an interview with me. We talked about his decision to commit to Notre Dame, his goals, and about him in general. As I have stated in my previous article, I am really excited about what he can be at Notre Dame. He plays mean, strong, and with the kind of violence you want from a D-Lineman. This guy just has the "It" factor to him, and it certainly came out during our interview. Check it all out below! And to get to know Sean even better, follow him on Twitter @59_problemz and Instagram @59.problemz. What was the recruiting process like for you? Sean: "It's a tough decision to make as you get closer to it and and get more offers. Obviously for me I want to mention it was a true blessing, something I worked for my entire life up until this moment. I am super grateful to be at a special place like Notre Dame and see myself there not just as a football player but as a man. Seeing myself fit there, my personality being there, and not just my football abilities was big for me. I am very happy to be at a place like Notre Dame." What were some factors you were looking for in picking a school? Why did you pick Notre Dame? Sean: " You know you have a few obvious ones like playing at a great football school, which Notre Dame obviously is. You want to find somewhere where you can excel on a personal level, so I want to have individual success, team success, and people. Notre Dame really separated themselves, the people there are awesome. It's become a family to me already and I've only been committed for 3 months. Overall, one of the biggest things for me is academics because I know football doesn't last forever and Notre Dame is one of the best in the country in terms of a degree." What was the moment when you knew you were going to pick Notre Dame? Sean: "So really when I went there the first time, it was a very brief visit, I was just in the area. I had the opportunity to spend time with Coach Wash, (Washington)Coach Golden, Coach Free (Freeman), and in the brief 5 hours I spent with them, I was like wow, these guys are real. Then being able to watch the intensity of practice and witness everything, going back home I felt strongly about this place. As I was able to build my relationship more and more it solidified how I felt. When I had the opportunity to commit it was a no brainer for me. I firmly believe this is the best place in the country for me." Where do you see yourself fitting in on the Defense? Sean: "Yeah, I believe I am going to be a presence at Nose Tackle. I'm a big strong guy and that's what I've been my whole life. I will also be mixed in at the 3 technique, so everywhere on the inside. I think the biggest impact I will make is wrecking stuff at the Nose Tackle." What are some of your goals for the upcoming season? Sean: "I know you mentioned my stat line in your article. I'm the biggest shoot for the stars guy on this planet. I'm going for 40 sacks and 75 tackles for loss. It's definitely an attainable goal and with a tough schedule like ours I'm excited to see how it goes. Our first game is coming up and I am ready to show the country what I got." What is your relationship like with your fellow commits at Notre Dame? Sean: "Great! It is truly a great group of guys, top to bottom, from the earlier commits like CJ (Carr), Cam (Williams), and then some of the newer guys like Teddy (Rezac), Bodie (Kahoun), Logan Thomas I'm tight with those guys. It hasn't been hard to get to know the guys, it's a great group of guys and I'm excited to get on campus and work with them." What are some of your hobbies outside of football? Sean: "Let's see, I mean my life is eat, sleep, football but other than that I love lifting weights. I love spending time with my guys. There's not much else, my life revolves around football. I hang out with the boys, I go to football practice, go lift, go home and eat, and repeat." Did you grow up with a favorite college football team? Sean: "You know, I was huge into the NFL since I started playing football, but not as much college because I grew up in Canada, and there's not as much of a presence there. But a few of my coaches back home were college football alumni like Dean Lytle who was the back up running back at Notre Dame behind Jerome Bettis. I also had two coaches that went to Auburn and Central Michigan. So it was always something I knew about, but I didn't watch until I got into high school ball." Who is your favorite NFL team? Sean: "So I grew up playing running back and I was one of those guys that was hard to tackle, and this was around the Marshawn Lynch time so people called me Beast Mode and naturally I became a Seahawks fan. They were also winning at the time." Who is an NFL player you compare yourself to or aspire to be like? Sean: "Yeah I aspire to be like Aaron Donald. He is the best in the business, no doubt. I think there is 2 or 3 guys right now that I can compare myself to. I would say Aaron Donald at the 3 tech, Dexter Lawrence at the 1, and Vita Vea for the Bucs. Those are all guys that I have similar traits with and guys I want to take pieces from their game and emulate. If I wanted to be a few guys I'd want to be them, but I'm trying to be as authentically Sean Sevillano as I can." What is your favorite spot on Notre Dame's campus? Sean: "I tell you what, this one will not be a surprise to you, the Gug." Lastly, what is your message to the ND fans? Sean: "Notre Dame fans are getting the hardest working D Tackle in the country, the hardest working player in the country. I'm coming to be the best player I can and bring home a National Championship. It's going to be a great 3-4 years upcoming for Notre Dame fans."

Written by Liam Gaudet ⏐ Senior Editor ⏐ Twitter: @LiamGaudetIT Photo by Action Network As I patiently await the dawn of a new season, I find myself toiling with everything that has to do with Notre Dame Football in immense anticipation. One of my favorite past-times is overanalyzing the schedule, and I often catch myself overlooking some games in favor of bigger names on the schedule. Now, if last year has taught me anything about this program, it's that we can't afford to overlook a junior varsity team if they were scheduled. So as we inch closer and closer to the beginning of what should be a successful season for the Irish, it's a good idea to look beyond the big games in order ensure a Marshall or Stanford scenario can be avoided for the sake of our sanity. So without further delay, here are my picks for the biggest trap games on the schedule this year. Pittsburgh - October 28th Photo by Pitt Athletics If there's one person who I believe truly despises Notre Dame in the college football sphere, it would be Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi. Whether it be tongue and cheek comments in interviews, or sideline tantrums, you can always count on Narduzzi to drop some of his perceived "wisdom" about the Irish. It wasn't that long ago he accused the Irish of tampering with then-Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett, which turned a lot of heads at the time. Considering the Irish are undefeated against Narduzzi in his tenure at Pittsburgh, it wouldn't usually be cause for concern. Now, however, Narduzzi has the pleasure of coaching another infamous Notre Dame hater in quarterback Phil Jurkovec. For those who may have forgotten, Jurkovec was once the quarterback of the future at Notre Dame, with a plethora of raw potential and the physical tools to boot - that was before his relationship with the staff soured, and Phil transferred out to Boston College. All was quiet for a while until Phil decided to take to social media, posting cryptic shots at the Irish and voicing his disdain for the program. With this being his last shot to take down his former team, you better believe that both Narduzzi and Jurkovec will be zoned in for this matchup. Although it's quite obvious that the Irish have the upper hand in terms of talent, this reminds me a lot of the Stanford game last season. Stanford coach David Shaw had one foot out the door after multiple disappointing seasons with the Cardinal, but had just enough fight left in him to take down the Irish one last time. Could Jurkovec end on a high note against the Irish at home like Shaw? I hope not - but you'd be naïve to overlook a matchup stained with years of bad blood and sour grapes. Louisville - October 7th Photo by Sporting News Every time Notre Dame plays an obligatory ACC opponent that isn't Clemson, I find those games often get globbed together in this tired ball of mediocrity, and it's usually expected that the Irish handle their business in swift and familiar fashion. Louisville, however, could spell trouble for a couple of different reasons. First and foremost, Jeff Brohm is the new sheriff in town for the birds looking to find some consistent stability after an eight-win campaign the previous season. At Purdue, Brohm lead the Boilermakers to a BIG 10 conference championship appearance last season, albeit in a relatively weak division. Still, there's plenty of excitement around the program given the new coaching philosophy and likely an introduction of some grindstone BIG 10 mentality from their new leader. That isn't necessarily the part that scares me, however. Louisville is notorious for its obnoxiously loud crowd noise despite the size of the stadium. And of course, Notre Dame carrying the pedigree that it does, there's almost no doubt in my mind that Cardinal Stadium will be shaking vigorously. Although the Cards will be missing the services of long-time starter Malik Cunningham, they have no shortage of explosive athletes on the roster. Will the Irish be able to weather the storm in the early game and quiet the masses? Probably. But to what degree will we have to sweat this game out becomes the real question. If history tells us anything, the Cardinals are always a team that gives the Irish their best shot, and it often comes down to the wire. The Irish lead the all-time series 2-1, although the first time they met was only in 2014. All three games in the series provided us with competitive football, so there's no reason to believe that this upcoming installment will be any different. Duke - September 30th Photo by Duke Athletics If I only had one game to pick for a potential trap, this is it. Duke has become somewhat of a familiar opponent over the last few seasons, as the Irish have squared off against the Blue Devils twice in the last four seasons (we won't talk about 2016). The circumstances now, however, could not be more different. The Irish last played Duke in 2020, in a game that was never really close and ended up being a decisive two score victory. The following season in 2021, Duke might have made the smartest decision in the entirety of their program by bringing on Mike Elko as head coach, a former Notre Dame defensive coordinator who has seemingly breathed new life into a dying program. Elko spent the last handful of seasons as the defensive coordinator at Texas A&M, where he produced positive results playing against some of the SEC's best. Now, Elko has managed to turn a 3-9 team into a 9-4 team in just one season at the helm. Hell, he even managed to out-recruit Notre Dame for a high priority defensive target this offseason. This program is trending upward with the force of a tidal wave, and returns 17 starters from an already solid team, including quarterback Riley Leonard who looks poised to take a massive leap this season. Add in the fact that Notre Dame will play this game immediately following what should be an insanely physical matchup at Ohio State, and there's definitely cause for concern. Circle this one now, and don't count out the Blue Devils.

By: Mike Stacey ⏐ Writer ⏐ Twitter: @MikeStaceyIT ⏐ IG:mikestaceyit Photo via Sir Mohammed on Instagram Micah Shrewsberry is off to a HOT start, as he has just landed his second 4 star player in the 2024 class in a matter of days! First, the Irish got a commitment from 4 star PF Garrett Sundra and now last night, they received the verbal agreement from Sir Mohammed, a versatile 6'6 guard and the number 54 player in the class according to 247 Sports Composite ranking. (43rd in 247 Sports Ranking) Mohammad is the son of former NBA player Nazir Mohammed, playing out of Myers Park High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. Mohammed plays a guard combo, with the ability to take the ball down the court or play off the ball as a Shooting Guard. I don't see him playing much point at the next level, but he is developing some great point guard skills currently that will definitely help him when he gets to ND. His dribbling and passing are both being refined as he often runs the point for his high school squad. After watching his film, Sir has a nice, powerful frame. He takes the ball strong to the hole and already possesses great strength that will only improve as he gets to the college level. He does not have athleticism that jumps off the page necessarily, but he plays with a controlled tempo and uses his body well to get to the hole and finishes strong at the rim or can lay it in with finesse. He is also a good spot up jump shooter who you have to respect outside of the 3 point line. Last season, he shot 33% from behind the arc. Lastly, he can also pull up from mid range and knock it down. An art form that has been disappearing from the game in recent years. Sir is long, and given the size of his father, I would not be surprised if he grows a couple more inches before he is done growing for good. I think he can play the 2 or 3 at the college level, but the fact that he is getting so much time at point guard now is reassuring, as he will be another capable ball handler going against the press. His game reminds me a bit of former ND player VJ Beachem. He does not have as smooth of a jumper as Beachem had, nor does he have quite the same athleticism, but he has that same versatility that allows him be a scorer from anywhere on the court, both playing with the ball and off of it. He also plays tougher and stronger than Beachem did, which seems to be the kind of guy that Coach Shrew loves. Overall, this is a huge get for Coach Shrew, and the momentum currently on Notre Dame's side is quite stunning after coming off such an awful season last year and losing a long tenured coach like Mike Brey. I could not be happier with the job Shrewsberry is doing and am very excited to see where he can take this program. Get ready Irish fans, the program we have been waiting for may be coming sooner than later!

By: Mike Stacey ⏐ Writer ⏐ Twitter: @MikeStaceyIT Photo Credit: 247sports Notre Dame's 2024 recruiting class is off to a HOT start as it sits ranked at #7 according to 247 Sports. Marcus Freeman and company have been hard at work on the recruiting trail and their efforts has paid dividends. One example of the fruits of their labor is current commit, Sean Sevillano Jr. Sevillano is a 6'2 315 Defensive Tackle out of Clearwater Academy International in Florida. Although 247 Sports Composite ranking has him listed as a 3 star recruit, Sean chose the Irish over finalists Ohio State, Auburn and Miami. Last season, Sean finished with 78 tackles, 50 for loss, and an impressive 22 sacks as an interior lineman in 11 games! This helped lead his squad to a 9-1 record and a #11 final ranking in the state of Florida. These eye popping numbers are the reason why his 3 star status, like many others, comes with pause. I decided to check out his film and form my own opinion on what I saw. After going to the tape, I came away extremely excited and looking forward to what the Irish program can both do for and get from this young man. The first thing that I noticed while watching his reps in games was his nonstop motor and violent pursuit. This guy plays like it is the last play with the game on the line, and the opposing team just insulted his family. Simply put, he looks like he has a chip on his shoulder, and I for one LOVE IT. He reminds me of Kurt Hinish (Another 3 star recruit) in that way, which should bring a smile to all Notre Dame fan's faces. My favorite play I watched was when he was fooled on a wide receiver screen. Rather than chalk it up as a loss and give up on a play that was no longer his to have, he immediately changed direction, chased the receiver 20 yards down the field and made a full out diving shoelace tackle to stop a really big play. Aside from his Energizer Bunny motor, I also noticed he has a great nose for the ball and fills the gaps with ease. This guy just knows where to go and how to get there in a hurry. Although he does not necessarily show great burst or athleticism, his instincts easily make up for it. For his size, he has a subtle quickness that seems to always put him in the right spot. Lastly, he is VERY strong. He threw some guys around like they were rag dolls and reports have suggested that this guy is an absolute bear in the weight room. Once he is engaged, he is a freight train coming down hill and he does not stop until he is at the ball. His pursuit is a controlled chaos that you love to see from a big man on the defensive side of the ball. Considering he already possesses a 300+ frame with great power to go with it, I can only imagine what he will look like after a full year in Notre Dame's Strength program. In conclusion, I think he is going to end up being a fan favorite for the Irish. If he can bring the same mentality he plays with now to the next level, coupled with the appropriate coaching to develop his technique and physical/mental growth, this guy is going to be an absolute nightmare for interior offensive lineman in the near future. I can't wait for him to get on campus, it may be a fun few years for him and Irish fans alike!

By: Connor D'Aquila ⏐ Writer ⏐ Twitter: @ConnorDaquilaIT Via Darron Cummings/AP Every year, the debate over recruiting and star rankings surrounds all commits. As this becomes an area of contention once again, I have looked back in the depths of 247Sports and have tried to find the extent to which “stars” really matter. Of course, we trust the Notre Dame coaching staff and the decisions they are making, but it is worth examining how much merit we should give to platforms like 247. To accomplish this, I looked through the level of play for top-ranked all-time Notre Dame commits, the ranking for top players of the era, and the ranking for recent draftees out of ND. All of this has been done using the 247Sports Composite® rankings. Beginning with the all-time top commits, we see a few familiar names. Jimmy Clausen, Jaylon Smith, and Manti Te’o make up the top 3, and ND fans will know what they have done with the program. Rounding out the top 5 are Sam Young and Aaron Lynch. Young had an immediate impact on the line, starting every game in his four years with the team. That amounted to 50 starts, which set a record for career and consecutive starts at Notre Dame. He was then drafted and had a 10-year NFL career. Lynch, on the other hand, had an extremely good freshman year, but transferred to South Florida after only one season due to culture concerns and fit with the school. Next is Michael Floyd, who lit up Notre Dame Stadium with records for catches, yards, and touchdowns. He went on to have a seven-year NFL career and is an Irish legend. After Floyd is where the rankings start to show some flaws. Players like Ishaq Williams, Dayne Crist, Gunner Kiel, James Aldridge, and Max Redfield round out a group of five-stars who were never able to find traction in South Bend. Aside from Victor Abiamiri and Michael Mayer, none of the other top-ranked prospects became true stars at the collegiate or professional level. Kyle Rudolph and Stephon Tuitt are the only notable high-level four-stars that round out the top 25 commits of all time. Moving on to the rankings of the best to play for Notre Dame in the rankings era (2000s), the story gets far more interesting. The full list of players considered here can be seen at the bottom of the article, but it ranges from guys like Justin Tuck to Michael Mayer. While the list is not exhaustive and is somewhat subjective, it should cover most of the recent top players. All were Notre Dame standouts who have seen success in the NFL (Jeff Samardzija excluded). Of them, the average ranking was 146, and the vast majority were four-stars. The only three-stars were Samardzija, Tyler Eifert, and JOK, the latter two guys carrying rankings of 563 and 450, respectively. Samardzija was early in the rankings evolution, when a 196 overall rank was considered a three-star grade. Justin Tuck, class of 2001, was also completely unranked, but came out of school at the dawn of rankings platforms, and only 50 players were considered in a given class. If we translate those numbers to today, the average of that group would be someone like Braylon James or Brauntae Johnson. Of course, though, we hope to see many more head in the Eifert and JOK direction. If we look only at recent history, when more recruiting sites have popped up, and look only at the last five classes of drafted players out of Notre Dame, the story changes a bit. Of the 26 drafted players, the average ranking out of high school was 264, and once again, the vast majority were four stars. This time, however, there were six three-stars, who defied the composite rankings. This group was made up of JOK, Tommy Tremble, Ian Book, Adetokunbo Ogundeji, Ben Skowronek, and Julian Love. There was also Alohi Gilman, who was completely unranked coming out of high school, when he committed to Navy. The lone five-star in the group was Michael Mayer. That 264 number would translate to a guy like Micah Gilbert or Devan Houston in more recent classes. That number also adds a bit of legitimacy to the rankings, considering there are 259 picks in every draft. Of course, the rankings are not the end all, be all for recruiting success. Just in these lists, there are plenty of players who arrived at Notre Dame a three-star with little notoriety and grew into standouts. Whether it comes from different development timelines or a flaw in the system, we should not rely solely on recruiting rankings when evaluating recruits. We should acknowledge, however, that generally, the rankings are a good gauge of talent. Of all the standout players considered, 83% had four or more stars coming out of high school, and our top-three all-time commits are all in the conversation for best of the entire era. All this being said, it is apparent that rankings cannot be ignored, but should not be the only measure we consider. Full list of “the best”: Golden Tate, Brady Quinn, Justin Tuck, Michael Floyd, Jeff Samardzija, Tyler Eifert, Kyle Rudolph, Zack Martin, Ronnie Stanley, Stephon Tuitt, Harrison Smith, Quenton Nelson, Kyle Hamilton, CJ Procise, Will Fuller, Mike McGlinchey, Jerry Tillery, Chase Claypool, Cole Kmet, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Aaron Banks, Liam Eichenberg, Michael Mayer, Isaiah Foskey, Manti Te'o, Jaylon Smith, Jimmy Clausen Full list of last five drafts: Jarrett Patterson, Michael Mayer, Isaiah Foskey, Kyle Hamilton, Kyren Williams, Liam Eichenberg, Aaron Banks, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Tommy Tremble, Robert Hainsey, Ian Book, Daelin Hayes, Adetokunbo Ogundeji, Ben Skowronek, Cole Kmet, Chase Claypool, Julian Okwara, Troy Pride Jr, Khalid Kareem, Alohi Gilman, Jerry Tillery, Miles Boykin, Julian Love, Drue Tranquill, Dexter Williams, Alize Mack

By Liam Farrell｜Writer｜Twitter @LiamFarrell_IT Via University of Notre Dame On Monday, Notre Dame and Marcus Freeman released a Jerry Maguire inspired video in the effort of releasing the new green uniforms for the Irish's matchup against Ohio State on September 23rd. The video starred the one-two punch of Audric Estime and Sam Hartman, begging for Freeman to "show me the green jerseys!" While the video may have been a spoof, these new green threads are no joke. In partnership with Under Armor, who reportedly inked a new deal with the Irish upwards of $100 million, the green jerseys were unveiled. However, did the sentiment of the green jersey game get lost away in the process? Let's take a deeper look. The Devine Miracle Via Collegiate Sports/Getty Images This is by far the most famous occurrence of the Irish dawning the green, due in most part that it was the year it was actually coined "The Green Jersey game." As legend has it, head coach Dan Devine brought in the captains midweek to get their impressions of the green threads. It was pitched as though the jersey's wouldn't be available until next year at the earliest, but that was simply not the case. On Saturday, the Irish warmed up in their normal blues, but as the team got back to the locker room, they saw those sweet green uniforms sitting in their lockers. The energy lit in the locker room was shot through the stadium, and was simply insurmountable, as the Irish went on to defeat the boys of Troy on their way of being crowned the 1977 national champions. The sentiment of the green jerseys cannot be underestimated, though. It was the element of surprise that led to the electricity built within the stadium. If the Irish knew that they were wearing green, it wouldn't have had the same overall effect. The "Irish Wear Green" moniker has grown more popular in recent years by having planned dates in which Notre Dame will wear the green jerseys. While this takes away from the entire premise of wearing the green jerseys, it is used by another means to make sure Notre Dame Stadium is not taken over by the opposition, which leads me to my next point. Protect the House that Rockne Built Via NBC This was 2017, the takeover by Georgia fans. Look at this sea of red. It has become abundantly clear that Notre Dame fans are more than willing to sell their tickets to opposing teams fans for a pretty penny. It is the most frustrating thing about being a Notre Dame fan in general. This isn't a problem at any real national powerhouse program. You would rarely see any red at The Big House, or any Auburn blue in Tuscaloosa. Nonetheless, in the past five years Georgia and Cincinnati have both come into the House that Rockne built and supported their teams to victory. Excluding last year's terrible losses to Marshall and Stanford on South Bend soil, Notre Dame had been a fantastic home team. Since that loss against Georgia, Notre Dame was undefeated at home through the remainder of the 2017 season until the Cincinnati game in 2021. Was Notre Dame's "Irish Wear Green" phrase and the hype of the green game against Ohio State really just a tactic trying to convince season ticket holders to keep their tickets? I sure think so. Under Armor Statement Via USA TODAY SPORTS This offseason, Notre Dame made waves when the University looked to partner with a new apparel brand. This speculation was full of twists and turns, but ultimately it looks as though Notre Dame renewed their Under Armor contract for 10 years for $10 million annually. As a whole, the fanbase has had many reasons to pick a metaphorical bone with the apparel company. For starters, Under Armor doesn't release its products that Marcus Freeman is shown to be dressed in, which is extremely frustrating because all of Freeman's "exclusive" gear are leaps and bounds better than what they release for the Fighting Irish fanbase. A change has to be made in the second leg of the Notre Dame apparel deal, and hopefully these green jerseys can be the first step towards a brighter future. Wrap-Up The Green Jerseys are sweet. Let's get the record straight. I love the white numbers instead of the blue, and I think they will look phenomenally under the bright lights. This all means nothing, however, if the stands are Scarlet and Gray and the Irish get blown out at home. The media team has done their job creating tons of buzz, now it's time for fans and the players to take care of business.