By: Nick Kremer⏐Editor⏐Twitter: @NickKremerIT ⏐Profile: @NickKremer The 2024 Notre Dame recruiting class is currently ranked in the top 10 across most platforms. The Irish started off hot, and their recruiting over the next few months will go a long way in determining just how good this class can be. Many prospects are making their visits to campus, and locking in official visits for the summer and fall. Here are some of the top prospects at each position group on the offensive side of the ball. Offensive Line Guerby Lambert ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 6-6 280 Massachusetts The Irish are in need of at least two tackle prospects in the 2024 class, and Guerby Lambert, in my opinion, is the best tackle prospect on the board for Notre Dame. Lambert projects as a true left tackle at the next level. For a man his size, Lambert shows impressive agility and athleticism. He shows good ability to bend, good feet, and sinks his hips. He comes off the ball very well, and consistently shows good hand placement. This kid has all the makings of a future NFL left tackle. Joe Rudolph has already received one commitment from offensive lineman Anthonie Knapp to go along with Peter Jones in this class. Landing Guerby Lambert is a must for Rudolph and the Notre Dame offense, and they seem to be in a good position with this recruitment. Prediction - Notre Dame Kevin Heywood ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 6-7 290 Pennsylvania Heywood is a tackle prospect out of Pennsylvania that received his Notre Dame offer back in January. Heywood is a composite 4 star prospect and is ranked as a top 20 Offensive Tackle in the country. The Irish are looking to land at least two true tackles in this class, and Heywood would be a great addition. Heywood has offers from Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, Miami, Penn State, Tennessee, and several others. Joe Rudolph will have his work cut out for him in this recruitment, but the Irish have made up ground recently. He made his first trip up to South Bend in March and seemed to enjoy his time on campus. Prediction - Penn State Styles Prescod ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 6-6 290 Indiana Prescod is a tackle prospect out of Fishers, Indiana that received a Notre Dame offer in January. Prescod is a composite 4 star recruit and is rated in the top 30 Offensive Tackles in the country. This is a recruitment that has blown up over the past few months, with a lot of the top programs around the country offering Prescod. Prescod has received offers from the likes of Alabama, Penn State, Michigan, Tennessee, and more. Prescod plans to be back at Notre Dame this Saturday, March 15. Look for the Irish to try to gain his commitment while he is on campus. Prediction - Notre Dame Wide Receiver Jason Robinson ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5-11 160 California Jason Robinson is a WR prospect out of Long Beach, California. Robinson committed to play for USC in the fall of 2021, but decided to decommit from the Trojans this past February. Robinson shows advanced route running skills, elite quickness/change of direction, and great hands. He is under-sized, but make no mistake, this kid can play. The Irish, led by Chansi Stuckey, have done a great job in this recruitment. Robinson has plans to return to campus on April 15 as he works to narrow his list of schools. It seems to be a Notre Dame versus Colorado battle at the moment for this talented receiver. Prediction - Notre Dame Isiah Canion ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 6-3 190 Georgia Isiah Canion is a wide receiver prospect out of Georgia that received an offer from the Irish in March. Canion played quarterback, wide receiver, and in the secondary for his high school this past fall. Canion shows good athleticism, size, and upside as future wide receiver at the college level. Canion has offers from Florida State, NC State, Duke, Cincinnati and others. Canion made the trip up to South Bend in early March and officially received his offer from the Irish. Notre Dame is looking for at least two more wide receivers to go along with Cam Williams. Canion plans to make a return trip to Notre Dame in the near future. Prediction - Notre Dame / Florida State Tight End Jaden Reddell ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 6-4 230 Missouri Jaden Reddell, the tight end out of Missouri, has seen his stock go through the roof over the past few months. Reddell shows a ton of upside as a tight end prospect. He has a very long frame and has room to add good weight going forward. Reddell shows very good athleticism, catch radius, and natural ball skills as a receiver. A big selling point in this recruitment is the relationship that Jaden has built with Notre Dame QB commit CJ Carr. They play on the same 7 on 7 team, and have built a tight bond in the process. Reddell visited campus recently, and the Irish seem to be in a pretty good spot in this recruitment. However, Jaden has been getting a lot of interest from around the country. Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas, Ohio State, and many more have offered and are in heavy pursuit. To win this recruitment, the coaching staff will have to work overtime. Prediction - Alabama or Georgia Running Back Darrion Dupree ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5-10 190 Illinois The Notre Dame coaching staff has put an emphasis on recruiting Chicago, and landing Dupree would go a long way in building back up the pipeline. Don't let his size fool you, this kid runs hard and does not go down easily. He has great vision and shows a very quick twitch ability when making his cuts. Dupree shows great quickness through the hole, elusiveness, and the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. Dupree has offers from Notre Dame, Michigan, Wisconsin, Michigan State, and others. Dupree recently visited for a spring practice, and it sounds like he was very impressed with what the Irish have to offer. Notre Dame is only looking to take one more running back in this class, and Dupree would be a great complement to Aneyas Williams. Look for him to lock in an official visit soon. Prediction - Notre Dame/Michigan/Wisconsin Kedren Young ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5-10 220 Texas Young is a very talented back out of Texas that received his Notre Dame offer back in January. If you have not had a chance to watch his film, do yourself a favor and check it out. It's impressive. Young is big, strong, and has good speed for a prospect his size. He is not a "juke you out" type running back, but he has very good vision. When he sees the opening, he makes a quick cut and accelerates through the hole with impressive ability. Landing the talented back will not be easy, as there are a lot of schools coming after Kedren. Texas, Texas A&M, Michigan, Miami, Baylor and more have all offered, but Notre Dame is in a solid position. Young will be coming up to Notre Dame in early June for an official visit, and that visit will be huge in eventually gaining his commitment. Prediction - Notre Dame/Texas A&M Overall, if the Irish are able to land a handful of these talented prospects, they will find themselves with a top 5 recruiting class. Things seem to be trending up for the future of the Notre Dame offense. *All prospect photos are from 247 Sports

By Liam Farrell｜Writer｜Twitter @LiamFarrell_IT Photo by The LA Times Notre Dame's 2023 schedule is one hell of a gauntlet. From the likes of hosting Ohio State and USC at home, to having tough road trips at NC State and Clemson, the Irish are in for tough tests around ever corner. The star power that the Irish will face in this upcoming season is quite absurd. Nonetheless, after a great Gator Bowl victory against South Carolina, the Irish should be primed to face off against these college football A-listers. Follow me as I break down the top 10 players Notre Dame will face off against this year. Number 10: Phil Jurkovec, Pitt Via Reinhold Matay, USA Today Sports There's no better way to kickstart this list than with Phil Jurkovec. Cryptic gameday Instagram posts aside, Jurkovec is a great signal caller, which is why he was recruited by the Irish in the first place back in 2018. Phil saw his game take off at Boston College, until a lack of any sort of offensive line lead to injuries that left him banged up for the end of his career in Beantown. A change of scenery might be the best thing for Jurkovec, as he heads home to play for Pat Narduzzi and the Pitt Panthers. Jurkovec could be a difference maker at Pitt, with his ability to stand in the pocket, his overall toughness, and his deceptive takeoff speed when he has to. There's no doubt in my mind that Phil will be a top player the Irish face this upcoming year. Number 9: Brennan Armstrong, NC State Via Bryan Bennett, Getty Images Brennan Armstrong is one of the most accomplished passers in the entirety of college football. Armstrong had one of the best statistical careers in the history of Virginia football, and his departure this past offseason was seismic. He was one of the biggest names in the transfer portal, and there was little shock that he reunited with his former offensive coordinator, Robert Anae, at NC State. This NC State game is Notre Dame's first major test of the season. I'm not saying that we should count the first two games of the year as easy wins, because we all saw what happened last year. However, going into Raleigh for the first true road game of the year will be a tall task for the Irish. With Armstrong's record high touchdowns also comes his uncanny ability to turnover the ball. If Anae can help his former quarterback read defenses more clearly this upcoming season, Armstrong should have the Wolfpack clicking on all cylinders. Number 8: Kevin Coleman, Louisville Via USA Today Sports Kevin Coleman was one of the prized recruits that chose to take his talents to Jackson State and partner with Deion Sanders. After Sanders bolted to Boulder, it was perceived that Coleman, the SWAC freshman of the year, would join his quarterback, Shedeur Sanders at the University of Colorado. However, Coleman pledged his commitment to the University of Louisville, who hosts the Irish for a game in early October. The Louisville game is the trap game of the season in my opinion. A week before Southern Cal, it is likely that some of the Irish players will be looking ahead for their matchup against USC. This Louisville team has some top prospects, as they have revamped their recruiting efforts in recent years. To add Coleman, an absolute speedster of a Wide Receiver to the mix, newly appointed head coach Jeff Brohm should be licking his chops. Number 7: Raleek Brown, USC Via Ashley Landis, Associated Press Raleek Brown isn't a household name yet in college football, but give it time. Brown was a top ranked recruit in the class of 2022, and he was one of the best running backs at Mater Dei High School, a true powerhouse in Southern California. Brown got a decent amount of playing time after Travis Dye, the transfer from Oregon, got hurt halfway through the season. Brown is lightening fast and USC fans are already comparing him to superstar, Reggie Bush. His change of speed and ability to follow blocks is what makes Brown's game special, and poised for a breakout sophomore season. Number 6: TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State Via Kyle Robertson, Columbus Dispatch Coming in at number 6 on the list is Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson. Henderson is an explosive back that beautifully compliments the notorious Ohio State air raid offense. Last year, the Irish did a good job corralling Henderson, limiting him to 95 yards at 6.1 yards a pop. Henderson had an underwhelming sophomore season after getting national recognition as one of the top freshman offensive players in the 2021 season. However, Henderson said he wasn't at 100% since a week 2 game against Toledo, in which he injured his foot. He attempted to play through the injury, but decided to get surgery on his foot that sidelined him in the Buckeyes' playoff game against the Georgia Bulldogs. After a spring recovery, I expect Henderson to break back on the scene and help round out the Buckeyes' explosive offense. Number 5: Calen Bullock, USC Via 247Sports Finally, some love for the defense. At number 5, Calen Bullock is a difference making safety for the Trojans. A large majority of publications are already labeling Bullock as the best safety in college football. Last year, Bullock made an impact in the Irish's regular season finale, by putting a nail in the coffin with an interception with 5 minutes to go in 4th quarter (a terrible throw by Drew Pyne, but besides the point). Bullock tallied 5 total interception's last season, along with one pick six. It should be interesting to see how well Bullock will manage the outside noise and perform in the 2023 season. Number 4: Jack Sawyer, Ohio State Via Icon Sportswire, Getty Images Jack Sawyer has all the intangibles to be another superstar Ohio State defensive end. Sawyer, about to come into his Junior year, is ready for a standout campaign to build off his impressive 2022 season. Sawyer was tied for the team leader in sacks and was one of the team leaders for tackles for loss. I decided to go with Sawyer over other edge rusher J.T. Tuimoloau, because of the raw potential that Sawyer possesses. The buzz in Columbus is high on the Pickerington, Ohio, product and it will be tough to limit his damage in the matchup in South Bend on September 23. Number 3: Andrew Mukuba, Clemson Via Cory Fravel, 247Sports At number 3, we have Clemson safety Andrew Mukuba. This might be somewhat of a controversial pick, but Mukuba's on field production and overall maturity make him one of the most special players in all of college football. Learning under the wing of Nolan Turner, who seemed to be at Clemson for 12 years, Mukuba started as a freshman against Georgia on the opening of the 2021 season. Since then, Mukuba has done nothing but perform. While his numbers might not jump off the page like Bullock's, Mukuba is the calming force in the secondary of a very talented Clemson defense. Mukuba will make his presence felt when the Irish roll into Clemson, South Carolina in early November. Number 2: Caleb Williams, USC Via Getty Images At number 2, we have Notre Dame's biggest villain, Caleb Williams. With the moniker "Superman", Williams is coming off his Heisman winning campaign, in which he single handedly resurrected the USC football program. This kid is an absolute stud on the field. When Notre Dame played USC last year, Williams put on a Houdini act every time he dropped back to pass. The way Williams continues plays and allows for his highly talented skill guys to get open is marvelous. It may raise some eyebrows to see Williams at Number 2 considering most would have him be the first pick in this year's NFL Draft if he was eligible. Nonetheless, Williams comes in at number 2 in my ranking. Number 1: Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State Via ESPN Coming in at number 1 is the best player in all of college football, Marvin Harrison Jr. Harrison is a freak athlete who has displayed some of the best body control from a wide receiver in recent memory. Harrison's ability to play the ball in the air, and somehow find a way to land a foot in bounds is ridiculous. Harrison is so well-rounded as a route runner as well. He can beat you down the sideline. He has the speed to beat you over the middle of the field. He also has the supporting cast around him to where he gets placed in one-on-one battles that he wins 75% of the time. There is no receiver like Harrison Jr. in all of college football, and there is no player that can compare to his skill level. Final Thoughts The Irish are facing some legitimate talent this year. They are no doubt facing off against the two best individual players in the sport as well. The overall schedule is a tough-uphill climb, but the Irish roster is primed with the best talent it has seen in the last handful of years. Get your popcorn ready for Spring Ball, because it is about to get fun. 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Written by Liam Gaudet, Senior Editor - Twitter: @LiamGaudetIT Photo by 247 Sports As quickly as it ended, Notre Dame football is back for spring practice leaving fans hungry for a glimpse of the storied navy and gold. An offseason that featured a whirlwind of changes in the coaching staff and personnel on both sides of the football has created both hype and uncertainty under the dome, and there exist plenty of unanswered questions and queries. Obviously, the departure of Tommy Rees for Alabama rocked the boat in South Bend, mainly due to the fact that it was so unexpected given Rees’ passionate proclamation of loyalty to the program after Brian Kelly headed to the bayou over a year ago. Regardless, new offensive coordinator Gerad Parker has been afforded plenty of weapons and young talent to work with, so it goes without saying that the success of these offensive position groups will be contingent on Parker's ability. Additionally, Brian Mason has rightfully earned a spot in the NFL after running arguably the greatest special teams unit in the country last season, forcing seven blocked punts. Marty Biagi will look to build on this success as the new special teams coordinator by way of Ole Miss. Joe Rudolph has also taken over for the legendary Harry Hiestand who opted for retirement after returning to coach the Irish offensive line this past season as well. And finally, Gino Guidugli will serve as Tommy Rees’ replacement as the new quarterback’s coach, continuing the Cincinnati to Notre Dame coaching pipeline. It is important to keep all of these changes in mind when we dive into the position groups of focus, as these coaches may need an adjustment period when it comes to growing into a successful unit with unfamiliar players in an unfamiliar environment. So, without further delay, here are the position groups that have the ability to make or break Notre Dame’s 2023 football season. Safety It always seems that Notre Dame can never have its cake and eat it too when it comes to play in the secondary. Just when it looked like the play at corner was taking a leap forward with the emergence of elite talent like Benjamin Morrison, the depth at safety took a hit with the departure of senior Brandon Joseph for the NFL. The incoming transfer of Thomas Harper from Oklahoma State has injected some competition into the room, however, outside of DJ Brown there is a lack of experience and perhaps a cause for concern. Xavier Watts has bounced around since he arrived in South Bend, and is currently listed as a safety on the team roster, so hopefully the starting unit doesn’t have to undergo a large learning curve to start the season. It is also worth mentioning that this concern has stretched into recruiting, as the Irish lost two of their best recruits at the position in the 2023 class in Brandyn Hillman and Peyton Bowen. This is by no means a reflection on the recruiting efforts of Chris O’Leary, who has done an outstanding job on the trail, but more sheer dumb luck. This is a hole that could possibly take more than just a season to dig out of. Linebacker When I think of Notre Dame’s linebacker play, I’m often underwhelmed. What was supposed to be one of the team’s greatest strengths heading into last season turned into the achilles heel of the defense. JD Bertrand and company are looking to shore up the front seven this season, and their success will be pivotal considering the opponents on the schedule. Look for this group to gain its confidence early this season against Navy, who brandishes a run heavy option attack. Another player to keep an eye on early in this group would be Marist Liufau, who was praised for his high motor and physicality, but never really stood out that much outside of flashes that were few and far between. I’m hoping another season of experience will serve him well after a devastating knee injury earlier in his career. Jack Kiser will also return, and should hopefully develop into a much more polished player as well. If this group can’t get it done, look for the youth to step in and make a meaningful impact. Players like Jaylen Sneed and Prince Kollie have seen a fair share of action early on in their careers, and their athleticism is second to none at the position. It’s only a matter of their ability to read and understand the defense at the same level as some of the veteran players that remains to be seen. Hopefully Al Golden can unlock the true potential of the room this season. Defensive Line Are you noticing a trend yet? The Notre Dame defense is going to be by far the biggest question mark this season, and that continues with the defensive line. Isaiah Foskey blessed us with his return last season, but now there exist multiple holes to be filled after the departure of the Ademilolas as well. This position was one circled by fans on the transfer portal wish list, and subsequently rewarded with Ohio State transfer Javontae Jean-Baptiste, who saw modest success in a rotational role with the Buckeyes. It is the hope of all Irish fans that Al Washington is capable of waking the sleeping giants that are Jordan Botelho and Rylie Mills, who will likely serve as the cornerstones of the group. There is high praise coming out of camp early for Botelho who looks to bring his extremely violent play to fruition this season, and you couldn’t develop a more freakish build for a defensive lineman than Rylie Mills. If these two are able to find their stride for good this season, there is no bounds to what this team is capable of achieving Photo by 247 Sports Wide Receiver I’m not going to cop out and put quarterback on this list, because I think we all know what Sam Hartman and Tyler Buchner are capable of. Wide receiver, however, is a group that will be crucial to the success of the offense as a whole. Without Michael Mayer on the field for defenses to account for and an elite quarterback to boot, the wide receivers will bear much more responsibility than in years passed. Wide receiver was circled on the recruiting board in the 2023 class, and Marcus Freeman delivered in explosive fashion landing a plethora of top-200 talent. We’ve seen Braylon James, Rico Flores and Jaden Greathouse making plays early in spring practice, and they will likely earn rotational roles heading into the season as well. Returning starter Lorenzo Styles will look to bounce back after a forgettable campaign, albeit some of the circumstances last season were out of his control. Jayden Thomas turned heads last season as a physical go-up-and-get-it receiver, which was a welcomed change to the Irish offense, so keep an eye on him heading into the blue and gold game. Tobias Merriweather is a very long and athletic receiver looking to earn some more playing time as a sophomore this season, as he flashed promise when on the field last season and has proven a consistent ability to get open when on the field. Additionally, Deion Colzie has slowly but surely built up a repertoire as a consistent pass catching option when targeted, even if those targets have been few and far between. Finally, Chris Tyree was seen taking reps at the slot receiver position, which could be a deadly addition given his speed and the depth that is present in the running back room. Any conjunction of these playmakers should provide favorable results given the talent that has begun to accumulate in the quarterback room, so now it’s time to see what these athletes are made of. Note: This is an article that is testing out ads - If you had a negative ad experience, please contact us so we can make it right: Email: irishtribunecontact@gmail.com - Text: (269)-588-0514 - DM @theirishtribune (IG/Twitter)

By Patrick Byrne｜Writer｜Twitter @PatrickByrneIT Photo Courtesy: The San Diego Union-Tribune I'm going to assume many of you haven't read or heard about the op-ed written by Father John Jenkins and Jack Swarbrick that was featured in the NY Times earlier this week ("College Sports are a Treasure. Don't Turn Them Into the Minor Leagues," https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/23/opinion/college-sports-student-athletes-education.html ). If you haven't had a chance to read it, I'd encourage you to check it out. In the mean time, I wanted to give my thoughts as the article made it pretty clear where the university stands when it comes to quite a few things, including: student athletes as actual students, NIL and the importance of women's athletics. For the purpose of this article, I'm going to focus on the student athlete and NIL portions of the op-ed. Let's take some quotes from the article and discuss the "why" behind each statement: "We call on universities to reaffirm that student-athletes are students first and to ensure that their athletic programs serve the schools' broader educational mission, not the other way around." If you're a Notre Dame fan, you should already have an understanding that student athletes at Notre Dame are exactly that. They're expected to live in the dorms with their classmates, go to class and excel both academically and athletically. One is not more important than the other, regardless of what us football fans may think. If the star quarterback happens to be playing well, all the better of course, but not to the detriment of his studies or ability to graduate on time. Notre Dame holds itself to a high standard and is asking other institutions to do the same. "We call on the N.C.A.A. and athletic conferences to set policies that support that goal. And we urge Congress to protect the N.C.A.A.'s ability to regulate the competition for new players to ensure it remains fair and above board." By now, we all realize that the N.C.A.A. is a mess. Legally, they don't have the ability to reign in N.I.L. at this point, so Notre Dame is attempting to further the discussion of having Congress get involved and assist. I highly doubt I'm the only one that's listened to sports radio commentators mention the same idea over the last couple of years; Notre Dame is simply throwing their muscle around to make their thoughts on the subject clear. As I've mentioned in past articles, Notre Dame continues to be THE premier brand in college football. The fact they're asking Congress to get involved most likely means the discussion will at least move further down the path than it may be as of today. "We have been vocal in our conviction that student-athletes should be allowed to capture the value of the use of their name, image and likeness (N.I.L.) - in other words, profit from the celebrity - for one simple reason: Other students are allowed to." There is a misnomer among Irish "fans" that the university or Jack Swarbrick himself is against N.I.L. Nothing could be further from the truth. Both the university and Swarbrick fully support the idea of N.I.L.; however, they don't support the idea of simply providing cash to a student athlete just because they graduated high school and have 4-5 stars behind their name. This is made even more clear as the article continues: "To avoid the N.C.A.A. prohibition against directly paying athletic recruits, many schools funnel money to recruits under the guise of a supposed third-party licensing deal - regardless of whether a players name, image and likeness have any market value whatsoever." Now we get to the meat of it, the cooperatives. Ah yes, the Texas A&M, Texas, Florida, etc. cooperative. To the average Notre Dame football fan, they're trying to understand why "we" don't have cooperatives. Why aren't "we" shoveling out wheelbarrows of cash to recruits in order to get them to come to Notre Dame? Well, that's not how Notre Dame operates. If you don't know that by now, you truly do need to be a fan of a different team. As much as I love the football team, I understand it's not the only thing the university cares about. It's extremely important of course and leadership certainly wants to win a National Championship, but it will be on their terms, and no one else's. This is frustrating at times, no doubt, but the sooner you accept this being the case the more likely you'll embrace the differences and "us vs. them" mentality and be all the better for it. "Economists estimate a college degree is typically worth about $1 million in enhanced earning power in a lifetime. At our institution, 99 percent of student-athletes who stay for at least four years get a diploma. Because less than 2 percent of all our student-athletes will play in their sport professionally, such a benefit is useful indeed." Again, this speaks to the mission of the university. Be great at sports, yes, but transcend this thinking to academics and all other aspects of your life. You will most likely not be a pro athlete. Think about your life post college and where you want to be. This has been a recruiting pitch starting with Brian Kelly that is still used today (4 for 40). It means something, and can be a powerful tool, if you position it correctly to the kids who embrace it. "Professional athletics must play a role, too." "The N.F.L. offers no alternative to intercollegiate football until a player has been out of high school for at least three years. Both policies push talented young players to enroll in college regardless of whether they have any interest in the educational experience it offers" As you can see, this is a bit of a "take no prisoners" article as Jenkins and Swarbrick mentioned not only the N.F.L. but also the N.B.A (and the one and done issue) along with the N.H.L. I for one agree with the approach. If you're going to put this out there, put it all on the table. I'm not sure anyone cares to watch a minor league N.F.L. but I can't imagine it being a whole lot different than the current U.S.F.L. or XFL iterations that are already in place. "Professionalizing teams, treating athletes more as employees than as students weakening the vital connection with the educational mission of their colleges will rob college athletics of its special character. Gradually it will be seen as merely a version of the professional minor leagues." My friends and I have had many conversations about this over the past few years. What if universities do split from the N.C.A.A. and form their own "league" along with treating players as employees versus student athletes. Would we still watch? The answer is, I'm not sure. I prefer college for several reasons; the pageantry, traditions, over sized and sometimes cramped stadiums, you name it. I love it all. I find the N.F.L. to be too antiseptic, with field turf, domes and mid .500 teams vying for a playoff spot. Who cares? I guess I just answered my own question, I don't think I would watch if college football simply became a minor league N.F.L. Too much of why I love it would go away, and there'd be no reason to watch it if 6-4 Notre Dame still had a shot to make the playoffs. They wouldn't be deserving. That to me would be a pretty miserable season and team to watch. By all accounts, I agree with what was said in the article. I have no desire to see Notre Dame cower down to the dregs of the college football world and pay players who have shown zero value other than a Rivals ranking. I have no issue with a college athlete making money off their name name, image or likeness mind you, I simply feel the current model is both unstable and quite honestly unfair to the student athlete. We've seen countless young athletes fail miserably when the "big payday" comes their way. The universities need to band together and come up with a better way and better plan for athletes to be compensated. A plan allowing for long term success rather than short term riches. The opinion piece showed both the president and athletic director are aligned in the mission of the university and will not compromise in how they wish to deliver that mission to both student athletes and non-student athletes. I applaud them for having the courage to stand up against the current model and for using the Notre Dame brand to further enlighten others on what needs to be done, how and why. It's critical we get this right, if not, we'll be staring down the barrel of a Notre Dame vs. William and Mary homecoming weekend. No offense to the good folks at William and Mary, but I'd rather watch the Bush Push game on a continual loop than to have to sit through that. Jenkins, Fr John and Jack Swarbrick "College Sports are a Treasure. Don't Turn Them Into the Minor Leagues," 23 Mar. 2023, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/23/opinion/college-sports-student-athletes-education.html

By: Mike Stacey ⏐ Writer ⏐ Twitter: @MikeStaceyIT Credit: 247 Sports FINALLY! SOME GOOD NEWS! Notre Dame basketball has been, uh....dysfunctional to say the least here lately. What started out as a promising pre-season with high expectations quickly turned into a raging dumpster fire. Close loss after close loss riddled the Irish season and from very early on it was clear there would be no dancing this march outside of what we got from the leprechaun on the sidelines. To make matters worse, the future at head coach was becoming more and more murky. Beloved coach Mike Brey seemingly had no answers, and it was apparent that time was running out. Then came the announcement that this would be Mike Brey's last season. Irish fans seemed to be left with a bittersweet feeling as the legendary coach was not going out on the greatest of terms, albeit obviously the right time. Along with coach Brey leaving, so are many Irish players. ND lost 2 of it's 3 incoming recruits, its star point guard, and a handful of other players entered the portal. This has left the cupboard awfully bare. Just a few days ago I couldn't help but wonder, would they have enough scholarship players to even field a roster next year? The Irish ship was sinking, and fast. They desperately needed some good news, and that news just came in. Micah Shrewsberry has entered the chat.... The Irish needed to stop the bleeding and needed to do so quickly, but they also needed to make sure they found a good fit. Someone who could get them back to the tournament and provide them with some hope for the future. There were a couple names being thrown out, but it was obvious that Micah Shrewsberry was Notre Dame's first option out of the group of candidates. Today, it was announced by Pete Thamel and multiple other reports that he had accepted the job at Notre Dame, and I could not be any happier with this news. Micah Shrewsberry is fresh off an impressive tournament berth with PSU. Not only did PSU make it to the BIG 10 Championship, but they knocked off a very talented Texas A&M team in the first round of the tournament, and nearly took down Texas in the second round. What is most impressive is he accomplished this feat in only his second season at a "football school." (Sound familiar?) PSU is not exactly known for it's hoops, nor is it the most talented team in the country. If he could do that with PSU, why not Notre Dame? Micah will be bringing that momentum to South Bend where momentum is desperately needed. This will, hopefully, provide the spark needed around this dormant program. Micah has his work cut out for him. First things first, he needs to get enough players to field a roster for next season. He will need to work on keeping current players, convincing some in the portal to return, and fining new ones. I believe this is a task he is up for. A new coach, from Indiana, who comes with recent success in the tournament? Sign me up. I will miss Mike Brey, but it was time for a change and the change that is coming may be just what the Irish need. Welcome to South Bend, Coach Shrewsberry. Go Irish!

Written by Liam Gaudet, Senior Editor - Twitter: @LiamGaudetIT Notre Dame wrapped up one the single greatest recruiting classes in program history at the beginning of 2023, albeit with a somewhat underwhelming conclusion. Nevertheless, the cumulative talent from the newest enrollees hasn’t been this high under the dome in quite some time, and will ideally translate into some of the younger talent seeing the field sooner rather than later. From a rankings standpoint, Notre Dame finished with the tenth best class according to the 247 composite rankings which gather data from all major recruiting sources. Now, these rankings are great and all, but not the be all and end all. We have seen many players surpass expectations based solely on their star ranking (see Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Ian Book and Kyren Williams), and these were welcoming results for a Brian Kelly recruiting philosophy. But with more talent density arises a greater chance for this caliber of talent to fill out the roster, and the 2023 signees are no exception. Let’s have a look at who I think will break the Irish depth chart early, and be a force for years to come. Photo by 247 Sports Drayk Bowen - Linebacker (105 National Rank 247 Sports) A bona fide 5 star talent at the start of the cycle, Drayk Bowen was a force in the Indiana circuit this past high school season. Taking snaps on both sides of the ball, Bowen proved time and time again that his physical approach to the game knew no bounds. Bowen intends to play both football and baseball at Notre Dame, showing shades of great multi-sport athletes in Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders. The hype around Bowen died down as the cycle drew to a close, which was a surprise to many, as he managed to garner some of the highest awards in Indiana high school football such as the Gatorade player of the year award for his state, as well as being named Mr. Football in Indiana. Regardless of these accolades, Bowen remained grounded and committed to the University of Notre Dame, serving as one of the lead recruiters for the 2023 cycle, and did his best to keep the class together toward early signing day. With the linebacker play being inconsistent at best last season, it shouldn’t be a shock to anyone for Bowen to earn some playing time early on. He is a college ready athlete with the size and speed to rival the best in his class. Brandyn Hillman - Athlete (214 National Rank 247 Sports) Hillman reminds me of Boobie Miles, in a sense that there isn’t a single thing he can’t do on the football field. Playing both ways in high school, Hillman was a late riser and only had one college offer after his junior season. This didn’t stop him from developing into a human highlight reel, tearing up Virginia at almost every position you can name. The coaching staff nicknamed him “WiFi”, and deservingly so, because he’s universal and everywhere. Possessing one of the most impressive and underrated highlight tapes I’ve seen in a while, Hillman doesn’t shy away from contact and even possesses arm strength that would make Uncle Rico raise an eyebrow. Ideally, Hillman would plug into the safety position and develop under Chris O’Leary, but with the departure of Brandon Joseph and the uncertainty at the position, Hillman might earn some meaningful reps sooner rather than later. With that said, I don’t think Hillman can be confined to one position just yet, and may end up having a career similar to that of standout Irish unicorns such as Avery Davis and C.J. Prosise. The only thing that is certain is his ability to play ball at an extremely high level. Jaden Greathouse - Wide Receiver (138 National Rank 247 Sports) Greathouse possesses a resume that speaks for itself, playing (and winning) at the highest level that high school has to offer in the Texas 6A division. A state championship winning season in 2021 (the third of his high school career) is one of his crowning achievements, but that’s without even mentioning his individual accolades. Greathouse ranks top-20 all time in Texas high school receiving yardage, with 4,035 yards to his name after his senior season while simultaneously setting the record for receiving yards in a state championship game (236). Outside of his production, Greathouse’s frame jumps off the page. At 6’2, he possesses a broad build with a plethora of strength. This makes him a prime candidate for a physical outside receiver that Notre Dame has missed since the days of Claypool and Boykin. Wide receiver was one of the largest gaps on the roster heading into the cycle, and coach Stuckey did a tremendous job addressing that need, picking up studs like Greathouse, Flores, James and Smith. Any of these receivers have a chance to see the field early realistically, but I believe Greathouse to be the most physically gifted heading into camp. Christian Gray - Cornerback (103 National Rank 247 Sports) Notre Dame has enjoyed incredible freshman production at the cornerback position courtesy of Benjamin Morrison this past season, so why not keep the trend going heading into the next season. Gray was a must-get for the Irish this cycle after the departure of Justyn Rhett early on, and Marcus Freeman was able to pull the talented corner from the clutches of Brian Kelly, while simultaneously keeping the St. Louis pipeline alive and well. Christian Gray possesses above average athleticism and instinct, intercepting passes without effort throughout his high school career. Outside of Morrison, there is plenty of opportunity for the highest rated corner in Notre Dame's class to earn some time at the nickel spot, or wherever Mike Mickens sees fit. Regardless, I don’t want to underrate Gray’s natural athleticism at all, as his speed and agility produced meaningful results as a kick returner in high school, adding another polarizing dimension to his skillset. He plays extremely well in press, while consistently showing his ability to come off blocks and tackle downhill with speed, something rangier corners often struggle with. Gray is a blue-chip that Irish fans are hoping to see developed quickly under Mickens, and produce game-breaking results early and often. Note: This is an article that is testing out ads - If you had a negative ad experience, please contact us so we can make it right: Email: irishtribunecontact@gmail.com - Text: (269)-588-0514 - DM @theirishtribune (IG/Twitter)

By: Michael Blough | Writer | Twitter: @ MichaelBlough12 They say all good things come to an end, and that rang true this weekend. Just about mid-morning on Saturday, it was announced that Brian Mason was going to be filling the open role of Special Teams Coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts. Mason is from Indiana and I would imagine that played heavily into his decision to leave Notre Dame after just one year of coaching for the Irish. Instant Impact What Brian Mason was able to accomplish in just one year with Notre Dame was nothing short of amazing. Under Brian Kelly, special teams seemed an afterthought and were often the cause of game-altering plays or miscues. Under Brian Mason this year, the Irish completely flipped the script. They used special teams to gain a unique advantage over their opponents and make plays that can change the outcome of the game. Notre Dame was able to block seven punts this season, two more than any other team in the country, according to NCAA.com. Never mind the actual blocked punts or made field goals, Mason was able to change the mantra around special teams. Freeman made it clear from day one that special teams would become a focus for him and that starters were going to be very impactful on special teams, not just non-starters. I mean, who's gonna say that they do not want to be on the punt block unit when it was as successful as it was? If that isn't enough for you, just remember back to the USC game where Lincoln Riley didn't even feel comfortable enough to bring his punt unit on the field, so Caleb Williams was tasked with pooch punting (as well as making a mockery of the Notre Dame defense). I would expect Mason to be very successful in the NFL with his understanding and knowledge of special teams. Photo Credit: USA Today What Does This Mean For Notre Dame? As awesome as Mason was, I don't see someone coming in and having the same impact. Guys like Brian that take their job ultra-seriously and won't let anything get in their way of trying to make an impactful play are hard to find. But, what the next ST coordinator can do is feed off of the energy that was created. Special teams is not a unit where talent matters most, but you still need impact players out there to tilt the odds in your favor. The part that matters most is getting young adults to buy into the studying and execution it takes to have an outstanding ST unit. So who's next on head coach Marcus Freeman's radar? Well, reports coming out mid-afternoon on Sunday stated that Marty Biagi is a person of interest. Biagi is somewhat accustomed to South Bend as some may remember him being an analyst for the special teams unit in 2016 under Scott Booker's direction. Since then, Biagi has been the special teams coordinator at UNT (North Texas), Purdue, and most recently at Ole Miss. One constant for Marty Biagi is the kicking game. According to several sources, Biagi is really able to help punters and kickers from a technical perspective because of his background. In 2005 and 2007 Biagi served as the punter and placekicker for Marshall and did a pretty decent job. I think Biagi has the skillset to pick up right where Mason let off and continue the impact of special teams here at Notre Dame. The only thing that could hold him back is that Notre Dame will replace Blake Grupe and Jon Sot (who was outstanding) in 2023. To fill the kicking duties, Spencer Shrader transfers in from South Florida, and Ben Krimm transfers in from Penn and will handle the punting duties. Photo Credit: 247Sports Note: This is an article that is testing out ads - If you had a negative ad experience, please contact us so we can make it right: Email: irishtribunecontact@gmail.com - Text: (269)-588-0514 - DM @theirishtribune (IG/Twitter)

By: Michael Blough | Writer | Twitter: @MichaelBlough12 Yesterday it was announced that Gino Guidugli would officially fill the secondary role of QB coach that Tommy Rees left. Gino has had an interesting career, but some of the details remain constant with other coaches brought in. For one, he was previously at the University of Cincinnati under the direction of HC Luke Fickell. Once Fickell departed and took the head coaching position at Wisconsin, Gino was to follow him. That was until a few weeks ago when Gino became the lead candidate for the open QB coaching role. This article will give you some background on Gino's past coaching career and speculate on what Gino can bring to the Irish QB room. Coaching Career Review Gino Guidugli started his coaching career in 2010 as a GA at Central Michigan University. This was after his 10+ year playing career, where he would start in the NFL and then bounce around other leagues (CFL, AFL) for quite some time. His time as a GA was mostly spent with the wide receivers and also working on the scout team. Before the 2013 season, he was officially promoted to running backs coach for the Chippewas where he would spend four years in that role. During his time as the running backs coach, he was pivotal in boosting the Chippewas rushing attack, mostly doing it with a "by committee" approach, or using many backs in their schemes. He would even spend one season as their OC in 2016. From there, Guidugli would move to his alma mater to coach running backs for the University of Cincinnati. He started there in 2017 as their running backs coach but would move over to be their QB coach after just one season. He would hold this position through 2022, while also taking on the role of Passing Game Coordinator for two years, and then becoming their Offensive Coordinator. There is no doubt that Gino's offense and passing game were successful, but he also did a fine job of recruiting/developing talent while at the University of Cincinnati. Most notably, he took Desmond Ridder under his wing and developed him into a desirable college quarterback and an NFL QB. There should be no doubts about Gino's relentlessness on the recruiting trail as he has previously served as a recruiting coordinator and has shown a great deal of success recruiting at the quarterback position. Photo Credit: University of Wisconsin What To Expect In the upcoming 2023 season, we will see a lot of change in the Irish offense. First off, Gerad Parker has been promoted to Offensive Coordinator and now Gino will handle the QB coaching. With Sam Hartman presumably taking over the QB position, I think Notre Dame is in an interesting position. There's no doubt that Hartman is experienced playing in a pass-first offense, and I would expect Parker and company to lean into that added strength more than last year. There's no doubt that the running game will be pivotal, though. Where I think Gino can play a pivotal role is in the future of Notre Dame football. Gino will be tasked with further developing Tyler Buchner (assuming he stays in South Bend) and turning him into the type of talent that many Irish fans expected since his arrival. Not only that, but he will be responsible for leading the charge on keeping the 2024 class together. At the moment, it appears that CJ Carr and others are still "in" on Notre Dame, but you never know when these feelings might subside with different people in the building. Lastly, I think Notre Dame adding a full-time QB coach that has some previous experience is a great look. Too many times under the past regime it felt that Tommy was more focused on the offense as a whole rather than being able to attentively develop the QB's that were in the program. I would look for Gino to improve the QB play and also the ability to develop talent within the QB room. I not only think this is a great hire but one that will make a noticeable difference on the field. Note: This is an article that is testing out ads - If you had a negative ad experience, please contact us so we can make it right: Email: irishtribunecontact@gmail.com - Text: (269)-588-0514 - DM @theirishtribune (IG/Twitter)

By: Mike Stacey ⏐ Writer ⏐ Twitter: @MikeStaceyIT Photo Credit: Notre Dame Athletics Similar to Brian Kelly last offseason, Tommy Rees shocked the Notre Dame faithful when he decided to make a lateral move to Alabama for the same position he had at ND. Now, you can certainly argue that Alabama can lead to better opportunities for one's future as a coach, but this move was still surprising considering Rees was going to have a star veteran quarterback and plethora of talent to work with this season for the Irish. Nonetheless, Rees made his decision and it was not to return to South Bend. Another off-season, another important coaching hire. This was not as monumental as last year when the Irish had to replace Kelly, but this was a huge moment for Marcus Freeman after his first year as the HC. This was a decision that could shape the direction of this program moving forward, for better or worse. At first, it seemed like Marcus Freeman and Jack Swarbrick had struck gold and would be hiring Andy Ludwig from Utah. His experience, his style, his success with the Utes lead most to believe he would be just what Notre Dame needed to take a leap forward on offense. However, as the premature celebration was taking place amongst the fan base, something odd happened. Whispers of a deal falling through due to a buyout started to flood the internet. Joy turned to rage as Irish fans simply could not accept the fact that a school like Notre Dame would be unwilling to pay a buyout for an offensive coordinator from Utah. What started as great hope and excitement quickly turned to doom and frustration as it was evident that Andy Ludwig would not be getting the job. The feeling left afterwards was one of disappointment and resentment from the Irish faithful. It seemed that Swarbrick and the administration were not committed to winning or helping Marcus Freeman, and it hurt. After MANY emails were sent to Swarbrick, he sent back a response to everyone which was, uh, not exactly well received. Regardless, he denied refusing to pay the buy out and essentially told us Ludwig made the decision to turn down the ND offer. That is up to you to believe or not, but let's move on.... Of all the reasons to be upset about what transpired, one of them was this move would put an unfair cloud over the new hires head. It seemed evident the next person for the job would be viewed as a second choice, at best. Would this deter future candidates from taking the position? Who would be left to choose from? These questions and more circulated throughout ND nation, but not for a very long time. In short order, the Irish made their decision and it was to promote from within. They chose Gerad Parker. Gerad Parker spent this past season as the tight end coach. Parker has been coaching since 2005 including an interim head coaching position with Purdue for half a season and an offensive coordinator job at West Virginia. Unfortunately, his lone year as OC at WVU did not have much success and he was demoted the following year which ultimately lead to him coming to ND. Since he's been with Notre Dame, the reports on him have been very positive. He is a high energy guy who is well liked by his players. This should bode well on the recruiting front. Below are a couple of quotes from some incoming ND Players about coach Parker: Cooper Flanagan: "super excited for him. I love coach parker. He is a super smart and loving guy and i can already tell he brings out the best in his boys. I trust him and really believe in him and his ability to lead this offense." Chris Terek : "I talked to coach for the first time last week. He seems prepared, and he knows what needs to be done to have success." This is one of the benefits of promoting a coach from within the program. He already has a relationship with the current roster, and by all accounts, it seems to be a very good one. However, your relationship with your players is one thing, being able to execute an offense is another. Will Coach Parker be able to take this talented Notre Dame roster to the next level? Will he be able to finally give us a passing game that compliments our ground attack? Only time will tell, but his first press conference certainly gave me a jolt of confidence. Parker seemed calm, confident, and has the gift of jab one certainly needs to inspire hope and confidence in young men. Similar to Marcus Freeman, listening to Parker speak simply made me believe. That is an incredibly powerful tool to have in your pocket. I am not saying coach Parker has me convinced just yet, but he certainly seems to carry the intangibles to get the job done. I for one, can't wait to find out. Note: This is an article that is testing out ads - If you had a negative ad experience, please contact us so we can make it right: Email: irishtribunecontact@gmail.com - Text: (269)-588-0514 - DM @theirishtribune (IG/Twitter)

By: Nick Kremer⏐Editor⏐Twitter: @NickKremerIT ⏐Profile: @NickKremer The Notre Dame football program has a storied history of excellence, and much of that is due to the elite play of the offensive line. The Irish recently lost one of the best OL coaches in the business, and Marcus Freeman was tasked with finding a replacement to lead O-Line U. Coach Freeman and new Offensive Coordinator Gerad Parker have found their guy in Joe Rudolph. Rudolph brings a wealth of experience and expertise to South Bend, having coached at some of the top programs in the country. His success in developing players and building dominant offensive lines has earned him a reputation as one of the top coaches in college football. With Rudolph now in charge of the Fighting Irish's offensive line, the team is poised for another successful season. Photo Credit - 247 Sports Joe Rudolph is a highly respected and accomplished coach in the world of college football. With over two decades of experience, Rudolph has made a name for himself as one of the top Offensive Line coaches and Offensive Coordinators in the game. Rudolph's coaching career began in 2002 at Ohio State University, where he served as a Graduate Assistant and Offensive Line coach. He then moved on to the University of Nebraska in 2004, where he continued to develop his coaching skills as the Tight Ends coach. Rudolph's first stint at the University of Wisconsin came in 2008 when he was hired as the Offensive Line coach. He left Wisconsin in 2011 to serve as the Offensive Coordinator at the University of Pittsburgh, but returned to Wisconsin in 2015, this time as both the Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line coach. At Wisconsin, Rudolph quickly established himself as one of the top coaches in the country. He was instrumental in developing the Badgers' offensive line into one of the most dominant units in college football, consistently producing NFL talent. Rudolph's work with the Wisconsin offensive line earned him recognition as one of the top Offensive Line coaches in the Big Ten and a finalist for the Joe Moore Award in 2019, which recognizes the best offensive line in college football. Despite his success at Wisconsin, Rudolph made the surprising decision to leave the Badgers in early 2022 to become the offensive coordinator at Virginia Tech. While the move initially raised eyebrows, Rudolph explained that the opportunity to return to his home state and help rebuild the Hokies program was too good to pass up. Rudolph's departure was certainly felt at Wisconsin, where he had become a beloved figure in the program. Many of his former players praised his work ethic, attention to detail, and ability to develop players. With his move to Notre Dame, Rudolph has the chance to continue that legacy while working with some of the best offensive linemen in college football. Photo Credit - NBC Sports One of Rudolph's greatest strengths is his ability to develop players. He has a track record of taking raw talent and turning it into something special. This bodes well for Notre Dame's tackles, Joe Alt and Blake Fisher, who are already considered elite prospects. Another strength of Rudolph's is his ability to scheme around his players' strengths. At Wisconsin, he often adjusted his offense to fit the personnel he had available. This versatility will be especially important as Notre Dame adjusts to new offensive coordinator Gerad Parker’s system. As Notre Dame's new Offensive Line coach, Joe Rudolph will have the opportunity to work with one of the biggest and most talented offensive lines in college football. With several key returning starters and promising young talent, the Fighting Irish offensive line should be a force to be reckoned with in the 2022 season. With Rudolph's guidance, the Fighting Irish offensive line should be able to dominate at the point of attack and create running lanes for their talented stable of running backs. One area where Rudolph will need to focus is the pass protection of the offensive line. While Notre Dame's offensive line was dominant in the running game in 2021, they struggled at times to protect the quarterback. With Sam Hartman as the starting quarterback, Rudolph will need to ensure that the offensive line can give them the time and space they need to make plays downfield. Additionally, it will be interesting to see how Rudolph handles this unit that has proven tackles, but has to replace both guards. Photo Credit - 247 Sport As a coach with over 20 years of experience at the college level, Joe Rudolph has proven himself to be a talented recruiter. During his time at Wisconsin, Rudolph played a key role in bringing in some of the top offensive line prospects in the country, helping to build a dominant unit that paved the way for some of the most successful seasons in their program’s history. Rudolph's ability to connect with recruits and sell them on his vision for their development has been a major factor in his success as a recruiter. He is known for his attention to detail and his ability to develop strong relationships with both recruits and their families, which has helped him to build a reputation as a trusted mentor and advisor. At Notre Dame, Rudolph will have the opportunity to continue his success as a recruiter, leveraging the program's national reputation and rich football history to bring in top talent from across the country. With his track record of success and his proven ability to develop NFL-caliber talent, Rudolph will be a major asset for Notre Dame on the recruiting trail, helping to bring in the players they need to continue their tradition of dominance up front. Overall, Joe Rudolph's coaching background is a testament to his ability to develop players and build dominant offensive lines. His experience at some of the top programs in the country has given him the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed at Notre Dame. It is safe to say that O-Line U is in great hands. Note: This is an article that is testing out ads - If you had a negative ad experience, please contact us so we can make it right: Email: irishtribunecontact@gmail.com - Text: (269)-588-0514 - DM @theirishtribune (IG/Twitter)

By Patrick Byrne｜Writer｜Twitter @PatrickByrneIT Photo Courtesy: Sports Illustrated Full disclosure: I don't have a degree from Notre Dame, I'm simply a fan of the football team with some insight to offer. Jack Swarbrick is not my long lost uncle, nor do I have any affiliation with the man whatsoever. He's also not giving me a kick back for this article, although after reading it, perhaps he should (no pressure Jack). Having said that, in this world of social media and knee jerk reactions, I feel it's important to take a step back and look at the whole picture rather than taking the narrow minded view so many have voiced over the past couple of weeks regarding the venerable Notre Dame athletic director. I've even seen many "fire Jack Swarbrick, save Notre Dame" posts making the rounds on Twitter, which is both misguided and the epitome of the narrow minded view I mentioned. Let's take a closer look at the man and the achievements that have taken place since he was hired. Rather than discussing national championships in fencing and the like, I'll be narrowing my focus to major sports and accomplishments. This certainly won't encompass all of them, but it's enough to make what I think is a strong case to not only appreciate the man, but covet his tenure at Notre Dame. We'll focus on 3 items: Facilities Conference Affiliation and Positioning Coaching Hires Facilities Notre Dame stadium is one of the most recognizable and "holy" places in the sport. Few teams can boast as much history, and even fewer teams hold a special place in the pantheon of the sport. You've heard all this before; however, think about how difficult it is to keep the identity of a place like this as father time begins knocking on the door, wanting nothing more than to slowly turn it to ash. Then, consider how challenging it is to not only up-fit the facility, but do it in a compelling way to keep up with the other big dogs in college football. Jack Swarbrick was able to do just that. Think about the upgrades that have been made to ND Stadium under his watch: Crossroads Project (4 multi use/classroom buildings affixed to the stadium) Replaced grass with field turf ND branding throughout the stadium & on the field Scoreboard & ribbon display additions Bar/restaurants/seating upgrades throughout We can debate whether we like these upgrades or would want the stadium to go back to the way it was; however, all of this was done with what appeared to be the utmost care for the brand and overall mission of the university. Notre Dame is different, if you don't know that by now, you probably should jump off this ship and follow Brian Kelly to LSU. There is a bit of a "slow roll" attitude when it comes to change. The field turf and branding are a perfect example of this. Each year, a few more things are added to the walls or changed to enhance the stadium experience. All of it is done tastefully and without a ton of fan fare, it's simply there to ensure Notre Dame remains relevant within the sport without losing her identify completely. Who do you think drives this type of change? Sure, Brian Kelly may have asked for some of this, but it's Jack Swarbrick's job to get it done and ensure it's executed flawlessly. Conference Affiliation and Positioning Imagine any other team being able to tell a conference that they want to join in every sport except the one that brings in the most money. Then, imagine that team saying they want to play five conference games a year in the sport that brings in the most money but don't want to be a full time member. How the heck did this one get pulled off? I honestly have no idea, but Jack Swarbrick did it, and he was able to join an established Power 5 conference in a region of the country where Notre Dame needed to make additional recruiting inroads. Quite the coup, right? Except this is perhaps the most undervalued item on Swarbrick's resume. Imagine for a second that Notre Dame had stayed put, meaning, they made zero effort to join a conference. The basketball team would have likely ended up in the Big East while all the other teams would've been scattered across several conferences with zero continuity. It's the AD's job to consider the health of all sports, including football. By joining the ACC, Swarbrick was able to enhance the Notre Dame brand and presence in the south while providing a more than adequate landing spot for every sport under his watch. In the crazy world of conference realignment, I find it hard to believe any could top this one. Let's pivot to the playoff and future conference realignment. Greg Sankey, the SEC commissioner, is the most powerful man in the sport, there can be no debate here. And yet, whenever the 12 team playoff expansion is mentioned, Swarbrick's name is mentioned along with Sankey's almost every single time. Think about this for a minute. You have the AD of the mighty SEC, representing teams currently dominating the sport up against one man and one school, Jack Swarbrick of Notre Dame. The Notre Dame brand is elite, I already established this in a previous article. But outside of professional sports franchises like the Yankees, Cowboys or Manchester United, it's hard to think any one college football team would have enough weight or influence to get what they want, when they want it. Swarbrick has positioned Notre Dame to do just that, he's been able to keep the Irish relevant while staying true to the ideas the university upholds. Not a small feat by any stretch. Coaching Hires We'll keep this one isolated to football. Charlie Weis was fired by Jack Swarbrick. The contract and buyout he signed were not on Swarbrick's watch, but the actual payout was. For those who like to balk that he's "not willing to pay up" for a coach, you need simply look back at the ridiculous amount of money owed to Charlie Weis when he was let go. Swarbrick knew 6-6 wasn't good enough and saw no way forward where Weis would succeed. He was willing to eat the buyout and bring in the coach he wanted. Again, we can debate whether we like Brian Kelly or hate him for leaving and whether he was able to win enough big games, but the fact remains, the program was on a downward trajectory before he took the job and he left it way better off then he found it. This brings us to the latest head coaching hire in Marcus Freeman. Once again, Swarbrick showed he was willing to listen to the players and perhaps even the fans when making his choice for a head coaching hire. Who knows whether Freeman will or won't be successful, but for those of you who actually believe Swarbrick isn't willing to help his head coach by providing dollars for a buyout, you simply haven't been paying attention. There is nothing he has done in his tenure that would point to this being the case. He's a forward thinking man, and he understands the changing landscape and dynamics of the space Notre Dame needs to play in to win. I simply wouldn't believe he would have come this far with all the moves he's made to simply fold his pawn rather than continuing to drive forward. Photo Courtesy: 247 Sports As a fan, I'm thankful to have a driven leader who's willing to take calculated risks to help the team I cheer for win at the highest level. Those of you with your pitchforks at the gates wanting him to resign, broaden your focus beyond the Twitter rants and do your homework. This man is on an island, a Notre Dame island. Like a pro golfer, a ship boat captain or a fighter pilot, he goes into battle alone. A majority of these battles he's won and won pretty handily. There's plenty more battles ahead and no doubt tons more scrutiny that will come his way. Take the long road to get there Irish fans and try to see what he sees, trust that "Captain" Jack Swarbrick will not only keep our ship afloat, but emerge victorious in the final battle toward an elusive college football national championship. Note: This is an article that is testing out ads - If you had a negative ad experience, please contact us so we can make it right: Email: irishtribunecontact@gmail.com - Text: (269)-588-0514 - DM @theirishtribune (IG/Twitter)

The following statement below if the official email that Notre Dame Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick had sent out to Notre Dame Alumni, donors, and fans in response to the backlash against Swarbrick and the Notre Dame administration regarding the pursuit of Utah OC Andy Ludwig: “Thank you for your email. To paraphrase the character Terence Mann played by James Earl Jones in one of my favorite movies, Field of Dreams , we admire your passion … misdirected though it might be, it is still a passion. And your passion and that of our other fans is among Notre Dame’s most valuable resources. In this case, the passion is, however, misdirected because it springs from a fundamental misunderstanding. During our discussion with a candidate for our offensive coordinator position a national reporter accurately noted that the candidate’s buyout in his current contract was an “obstacle.” Without seeking any clarification from us, some of the individuals who comment on Notre Dame Football concluded that this meant that Notre Dame was unwilling to pay the buyout. That is not and never was the case. As a policy matter, we do not discuss the details of personnel matters but given the extraordinary reaction by you and others in this instance I am comfortable sharing that while, prior to this week, our discussions with candidates never reached the point where we extended a formal offer, we communicated clearly in each and every instance that any offer we made would include our funding of their buyout with their current institution. To the extent the buyout was an “obstacle” in the case of one candidate, that was true of a brief period of time only because of conflicting information that had been provided to us regarding the amount and mechanics of the buyout. However, it was an obstacle we knew could be quickly resolved. In correcting the record in this instance, I also want to be clear that Notre Dame will never apologize for being a good steward of the resources provided to us by our fans and partners. Our focus is not matching the expenditures made by our competitors; it is making investments calculated to advance us toward our goals of 1) promoting the University of Notre Dame, 2) providing an unrivaled educational experience for our student-athletes, and 3) winning a national championship in football. That is why for the past decade our investment in the coach-educators who comprise our assistant coaching staff in football has always placed us among the top-10 nationally and that will continue to be the case as we support Coach Freeman in his hiring of a staff that meets the exacting criteria he articulated for me when this hiring cycle began. Finally, given your strong interest in Notre Dame having the resources it needs to compete effectively with the most successful athletic programs in the country, I encourage you to become a member of Notre Dame’s Rockne Athletics Fund ( https://giving.nd.edu/giving-societies/rockne-athletics-fund/ ) Through this giving society our fans, family, and alumni provide the resources that are critical to our ability to meet our commitment to provide our student-athletes with the best academic, athletic and student experience in college athletics. If you are already a contributor to the Rockne Athletics Fund, on behalf of our student-athletes I thank you for your support. Be Irish!” Photo by ND Insider of the South Bend Tribune