By: Murray O'Connell | Writer | Twitter: @MurrayOConnell | Profile: @MurrayOConnell Photo Courtesy of Gary McCullough AP Please keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times until it comes to a complete stop… and like that, on a Friday evening in Jacksonville, FL, the roller coaster season the Irish took us on this year came to a triumphant (and merciful) stop. The ride seemed fun at first, going toe to toe with Ohio State and nearly pulling off the upset. There was however the unexpected drop on the track from Marshall causing many to feel queasy in their seats. Irish fans survived the up and down loop to loop of Cal, and then things seemed to pick up speed for a while until click…click…click… the Stanford drop made many Notre Dame fans turn green and lose their game day bratwursts. The range of emotions this season caused was unlike any season before in recent memory. There was the low of watching a noble but significantly less talented Navy team nearly fight their way into what could have been one of the biggest upsets of the year. Then there was the high of watching Notre Dame fans storm the field sending Clemson on a long quiet flight back to Death Valley. However, with the ride closed till August, now seems like a good time to look back on the season that left Notre Dame fans reaching for either a packet of Tums or a bottle of Jameson on a week to week basis. September 3rd Ohio State 21 Notre Dame 10 Good News: Notre Dame actually led for a little over 2 quarters against the second ranked Buckeyes. Tyler Buchner showed flashes of brilliance completing his first 8 passes. More importantly, there seemed to be a shift in culture. Marcus Freeman’s team did not blink against a higher ranked team as has been the case in previous years under Brian Kelly. Irish fans remained hopeful in the loss, and winning the next 11 games didn’t seem too far-fetched. Bad News: There was a second half collapse that the Irish didn’t recover from until arguably the second half of the Cal game. Buchner, while initially starting off hot, cooled off significantly only completing two more passes the entire game. Tommy Rees would be heavily criticized for what many felt was too conservative of a game plan. The offensive line did not seem cohesive, a surprise for any Harry Hiestand led group, and not a single running back would gain over 30 yards for the day. The defense initially held their own, but wore down as the game went on, not stopping Ohio State when the Irish needed it most. September 10th Marshall 26 Notre Dame 21 Good News: I think it was a sunny day? Bad News: The Buchner season ending injury. The Drew Pyne interception while they were driving late. The missed tackles, and there were a lot of them. The 95 yard 4th quarter drive the defense gave up. Being subjected to a booth composed of Collingsworth and Garrett for the first time. The shocking loss after feeling so hopeful from the prior week. Irish fans had plenty to choose from if they were looking for a reason to drink all alone in a darkened room after this Saturday afternoon's Chernobyl-esque meltdown. September 17th Notre Dame 24 Cal 17 Good News: Marcus Freeman got his first win as Notre Dame head coach, however it did not come easy as the Golden Bears led until the 4th quarter. Pyne would make his first start of the season and throw touchdown passes to both Michael Mayer and Chris Tyree. Defensively the Irish were led by Howard Cross III and DJ Brown who each recorded 7 tackles. This was certainly a tale of two halves as Notre Dame seemed to finally find themselves late in the second half and carried that momentum with them for the rest of the season, or at least until the Stanford game. This win could have been, arguably, Freeman’s most important win of the season as he finally managed to steady the ship after a tumultuous start. Bad News: There were more bonehead mistakes this afternoon than whomever thought skinny jeans on guys was a good idea. The Irish seemed ready and willing to give the game back to Cal. There was the targeting call on J.D. Bertrand which wiped out a potential game sealing interception from Clarence Lewis. The back to back offsides calls on the normally rock solid Jared Patterson and Zeke Correll. Most terrifying (and aggravating) of all, was the final play of the game as Cal’s Jack Plummer threw a pass into the endzone, which bounced off a couple of Irish defenders, and nearly into the outstretched arms of a Cal receiver laying in the endzone. It was ugly, but dressed in their green jerseys, the Irish managed to find a way to win. September 24th Notre Dame 45 North Carolina 32 Good News: For the first time all season Notre Dame was able to create a balanced attack. Pyne threw for nearly 300 yards and 3 touchdowns to Mayer, Lorenzo Styles, and Logan Diggs. The Irish would also rush for 287 yards led by Audric Estime who would score a pair of touchdowns, and Tyree who would also score on the day. Even though the Tarheels would score late, this was the most complete the Irish looked all season, helping Freeman earn his first road win of the season. Bad News: The Irish defense would give up 5 touchdown passes to North Carolina’s Drake Maye. Although the game never really seemed to be in doubt after the second quarter, Notre Dame’s defense probably let the score get a little closer than it should have in the second half. October 8th Notre Dame 28 BYU 20 Good News: For the first time since Ohio State, Notre Dame looked good against a formidable opponent. As if the college football world needed anymore proof, this was Michael Mayer’s coronation game catching 11 passes for 118 yards and 2 touchdowns and becoming Notre Dame’s all-time leading receiver for tight ends. Estime and Diggs would run for nearly 100 yards each. Jack Kiser, Prince Kollie, and Jayson Ademilola would each get credited with a sack as the Irish would go on to win their 11th straight Shamrock Series game, this time in Las Vegas, NV. Bad News: I lost $200 at the MGM Grand in less than a half hour. October 15th Stanford 16 Notre Dame 14 Good News: The light show at the stadium looked cool? Bad News: Well Irish fans found rock bottom. 106 total yards of offense against a team named after a singular bird. That singular bird was giving up nearly 33 points per game, yet after trailing 13-0 in the second half, Notre Dame could only manage a Pyne to Tobias Merriweather touchdown catch and an Estime touchdown run. The Irish defense helped make Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee look like John Elway as he threw for nearly 300 yards, sending Cardinal Coach David Shaw home a winner in his last trip to South Bend. October 22nd Notre Dame 44 UNLV 21 Good News: After the Stanford loss, there was an uneasy feeling around Notre Dame. However, led by Isaiah Foskey’s not one, but two blocked punts, combined with his 3 sacks on the day, and Irish fans would finally take in a drama free game. Blake Grupe would add 3 field goals on the day, and the Brian Mason fan club would come to order. Mayer and Diggs would also have big games, and the world would fall in love with Mitchapalooza. Bad News: The Irish defense gave up 142 rushing yards, including long runs of 74 and 47 yards to the Rebels running attack, who were without their leading rusher for the game. October 29th Notre Dame 41 Syracuse 24 Good News: The damage was done early as Brandon Joseph returned an interception for a score on the first play of the game. Led by Estime and Diggs the Irish would outrush Syracuse 246 yards compared to a measly 61. On defense Foskey, Ademilola, and Jordan Botelho would all get sacks, and in front of a raucous away crowd, Notre Dame would defeat the 16th ranked Orangemen. Bad News: The Irish defense would give up 17 second half points to Syracuse who were playing with their backup quarterback after their starter left with an injury. November 5th Notre Dame 35 Clemson 14 Good News: Dabo went home a loser. The Irish looked as dominant as they have looked, since maybe ever. Botelho blocked a punt early in the game which was run in for a score by Prince Kollie. Freshman Benjamin Morrison would grab two interceptions including a 96 yard pick 6. There was even a fight right before half, and as is tradition when Clemson comes to South Bend, the fans stormed the field after the game. Quote Dabo in his post game press conference, “They kicked our butts. Period.” This game was huge for Freeman as it showed that the culture he is creating will not buckle to top ranked opponents, as was the case in previous years. Bad News: The audience watching at home had to listen to Collingsworth and Garrett repeatedly try to pronounce Clemson’s DJ Uiagalelei’s name. November 12th Notre Dame 35 Navy 32 Good News: With all due respect to Joe Montana and Dwight Clark who had the catch, Pyne and Braden Lenzy had THE catch. In what took a remarkable amount of skill, and maybe a little luck, Lenzy would catch a 38 yard pass from Pyne while wrapping his arms around the back of an unsuspecting Navy defender to secure the ridiculous catch, helping the Irish secure a 35-13 halftime lead. As it turns out, the Irish would need every single one of those points by the end of the day. Bad News: The Irish had a frustrating second half meltdown nearly blowing the game to a resilient Navy squad. Notre Dame would not score a single point in the entire second half, while surrendering 19 points to the Midshipmen. There were missed tackles, missed adjustments, and the Irish looked uglier than my putting game. If Navy had recovered an onside kick with a little over a minute left in the game, this might have been a more devastating loss than the Stanford game for the Irish. November 19th Notre Dame 44 Boston College 0 Good News: This was a complete butt kicking in what turned out to be one of the more unique games of the entire season as a heavy snow storm blew through South Bend in the second half making visibility difficult. At one point the Irish were out rushing the Eagles 214 yards to 1. This game however was a masterclass for the defense as freshman phenom Morrison would finish the game with 3 interceptions and both Foskey and Marist Liufau would also recover fumbles on the day. Bad News: Former Irish quarterback Phil Jurkovec, who did not play due to an injury, learned why it’s probably not a good idea to trash talk on instagram as he posted a note calling out Notre Dame’s integrity. November 26th Southern Cal 38 Notre Dame 27 Good News: Well, there was a large number of Irish fans at the Coliseum, but they didn’t have much to cheer for from the start. Pyne would finish with 318 yards passing, 3 touchdowns, and a costly interception as the Irish were driving in the second half. In what would turn out to be his final game in a Notre Dame uniform, Mayer would score a pair of touchdowns, but ultimately it wasn’t enough to keep Notre Dame in the game. Bad News: This turned into the Caleb Williams show as he ran all over the Irish. Williams would finish the game going 18 of 22 for 232 yards and a touchdown pass, cementing his bid for this year’s Heisman Trophy after spending the day at the nail salon. December 30th Notre Dame 45 South Carolina 38 Good News: It was a strange lead up to the Gator Bowl as starter Drew Pyne announced his intent to enter the transfer portal. Rumors ran wild about Notre Dame signing a transfer quarterback. And the old starter, Tyler Buchner had recovered well enough from his season ending injury to earn the start. The game quickly turned into an instant classic as both the Irish and Gamecocks battled back and forth until Notre Dame would take the lead late in the 4th quarter. Buchner would finish the game throwing 3 touchdown passes, running for another 2, but also throwing 2 pick 6’s. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but Morrison would also snag an interception on what turned out to be a special season for the freshman. There were still plenty of things needing to be fixed, but Irish fans went home hopeful that no matter what the transfer portal may bring, they had a gutsy quarterback that needed to knock some rust off, but wasn’t afraid to put his team on his back to lead them to victory. Bad News: Eh, the roller coaster is over… at least for this year. There were things that Irish fans could be proud of this season, as well as things that caused them to want to bang their heads against a wall. There were lessons Coach Freeman had to learn the hard way, as with most first year head coaches. However, most impressively Coach Freeman was able to create a culture that was no longer going to blink in the face of higher ranked teams. The ride will start up again in August this time in Dublin, Ireland. No word on who will be the starting quarterback, or how the Irish will be able to replace stars like Foskey and Mayer who will be playing ball on Sundays from now on. The only thing known for certain, is Notre Dame fans looking to make the trip across the pond to Ireland probably better not fly Southwest, that’s a whole other roller coaster of a mess. Photo credits: Gary McCullough AP , Joseph Maiorana - USA Today Sports, Michael Conroy AP, yahoo!sports, John Locher AP, Nam Y. Huh AP, Matt Cashore - USA Today Sports, Adrian Kraus AP, Terrance Williams AP, WSBT, Mark J. Terrill AP, Stefan Revenboer LocalToday.

By: Murray O'Connell | Writer | Twitter: @MurrayOConnell | Profile: @MurrayOConnell Photo Courtesy of the Associated Press No, not that USC. Not the one in which their star player once upon a time had to return his Heisman trophy for reportedly accepting improper benefits while in school, a violation at the time of NCAA rules. But the other USC, the University of South Carolina Gamecocks. Many Irish fans would probably admit that upon hearing who the Irish would be facing in the 2022 Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida this year, their minds began to wander as they tried to visualize what an actual gamecock is. I am not one with nature, nor was I ever a big Steve Irwin fan, so I can only surmise it has to be some sort of flying rooster, maybe? What Irish fans do know with certainty is something that both schools have in common, and that something is a scrawny coach that fiercely paced the sidelines, won a national championship, and spoke with a lisp that paired well with his self-deprecating humor. Lou Holtz, who coached the Irish from 1986-1996, then would later coach the Gamecocks from 1999-2004, and was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008. Holtz’s first year at SC resulted in an 0-11 record. Soon though, just like he did at Notre Dame, Holtz would have that program turned around, resulting in two consecutive Outback Bowl victories. Holtz would retire after the 2004 season, occasionally returning to Notre Dame as a dignitary. It is safe to say that Holtz made one team relevant again, and a few years later put the other team on the map. How will his former schools do against each other as they battle it out in Friday's Gator Bowl? The staff at the Irish Tribune shared their thoughts. Murray O'Connell- Writer So you’re telling me the Irish will be without their star player on offense, and Michael Mayer? They will also be without their all time sack leader on defense? Oh wait, there’s more! They will be starting a quarterback who last saw any meaningful action in September. Speaking of quarterbacks, the one they will be facing will be, according to most experts, a late day one to day two pick in the NFL draft and could be considered a "Caleb Williams lite." The same Caleb Williams that passed for over 230 yards and ran for what seemed like a thousand yards against Notre Dame. That’s the type of quarterback Notre Dame will be facing in the Gator Bowl? If the Irish could get their running game going, I think it will be a relatively tight game for the first half, but I don’t think Notre Dame will be able to stop a quarterback like Spencer Rattler and the Gamecocks pull away late. South Carolina 38 Notre Dame 24 Mike Stacey - Writer Notre Dame’s contest against South Carolina in the Gator Bowl comes with a lot of question marks. In the world of sit outs and transfers, Notre Dame will enter this game without notable players such as Drew Pyne, Michael Mayer, and Isaiah Foskey. Will former starter Tyler Buchner be a go for this game? If so, with limited reps, can he outperform what we saw from Drew Pyne this year? Can the receivers make up for the production the Irish will be losing with Mayer out? And lastly, can the D-line make up for the loss of Notre Dame’s all time sack leader? Now, South Carolina will also have some opt outs including their leading rusher, which should help even things up. At the end of the day, I can see this game going either way, but if Freeman has his boys ready to play I think ND squeaks one out in Jacksonville. Notre Dame 31 South Carolina 28 Photo Courtesy of Garnet and Cocky Chris Studer - Editor Bowl games in the modern era have seemed to have lost their mystic. Especially for big schools that are not playing in New Year's six or Playoff games. It is understandable given that top talent does not want to risk getting injured and hurting their draft stock (prime example for Irish fans: Jaylon Smith). But with that being said, as a fan I desperately want Freeman to take these games seriously and improve that win column for the Irish in bowl games. Playing against the Gamecocks will be a tough test without the offensive star Mayer and defensive stud Foskey. However the Gamecocks will also be without some stars on their end. Big plays incoming on offense, defense and special teams! Expect the Irish to utilize the ground game and allow Buchner to gain some confidence with short passes and screens. Spencer Rattler (USC's QB) will not be playing with any lack of confidence. Expect these teams to put up some points. Irish 38 Gamecocks 31 Patrick Byrne - Writer Run, run and run some more. This will be the game plan for Notre Dame against the South Carolina Gamecocks. But wait, Notre Dame is without their starting quarterback. Actually, they're not, as Tyler Buchner (the starting QB at the beginning of the season) returns and takes over for a good but not great Drew Pyne. What Buchner brings to the offense will be the difference, as the running game will be able to open up even more, allowing the Irish offensive line to maul and drive their way to 200+ yards rushing in the game. But the Irish will be without Michael Mayer, how will they move the ball? This is certainly problematic as Mayer was the "do everything" tight end for Notre Dame and the best player on the field most games he played in. But, Mayer was also a crutch for Drew Pyne, as he was consistently double if not triple covered and Pyne would still throw him the ball (most of the time successfully because that's how good Mayer is). Buchner won't have this to fall back on, nor will he need it, as he'll simply take off if no one is open to gain 7-8 yards or more each time. Carolina can't run the ball and they won't, being forced to throw in an attempt to keep up with Notre Dame's Navy-like run tendencies and time of possession advantage. Notre Dame 41 South Carolina 17 Photo Courtesy of @NDFootball Luciano Antonini - Founder and CEO I believe South Carolina will be arguably Notre Dame’s toughest opponent the entire year. We’ve seen the Gamecocks play spectacular their last two games vs top 10 teams in Clemson and Tennessee. But they’ve also struggled against the likes of Texas A&M, Florida, Vanderbilt, etc. It really just depends on what kind of team we see this Friday. I also think that the outcome will come down to how prepared Tommy Rees, Tyler Buchner, and the offense are. With top receiving target Michael Mayer not playing and Tyler Buchner not playing since the dark days of Marshall and Ohio State; Will Rees have Tyler prepared? Or will we see the same team we did at the start of the season? However, one thing is always consistent, my faith in the Irish…Notre Dame wins! Notre Dame 31 South Carolina 20 Liam Gaudet - Editor Nothing has come easy this season for the Irish, and I don't expect that to change here. In a season where the only constant is unpredictability, it's hard for the majority of fans to predict how this matchup will go, especially with key pieces missing on both sides of the ball. With Buchner back at the helm, I could see the staff wanting to control the pace of the game on the ground, playing keep away from a red-hot South Carolina offense. I like to think the guys up front will get a tremendous push, and that scores will be at a premium for the majority of the game. Look for Rees to lull the gamecocks defense to sleep with read options and up the gut runs before choosing his shot to take the top off the secondary. I think even without the likes of Isaiah Foskey, the defense will be able to slow down the Gamecocks offense and blanket their receivers enough to tip the scales in our favor. Notre Dame 27 South Carolina 21 Nicholas Kremer - Editor Here we go, Irish fans. One last chance to watch our beloved Notre Dame football team in game action until the Spring. This one is tough for me; Notre Dame has both of its best players sitting out of the game, and a QB that hasn't played since September. On the flip side, South Carolina is HOT right now, coming off wins against Tennessee and Clemson to close out the season. Spencer Rattler gets a shot to impress NFL scouts, so I expect him to play out of his mind. With that being said, I think the Irish have more talent across the board in this one. I look for a heavy dose of the run game, and an emphasis on confusing Rattler on defense. In the end, the Irish will come out on top in a CLOSE one. Notre Dame - 27 South Carolina - 24 Photo Courtesy of Jason Invester

By Liam Farrell｜Writer｜Twitter @LiamFarrell_IT Via USA Today As the NFL season comes to a close, several Notre Dame players shined throughout the league. The staple position of Notre Dame, tight end, had the most players make an impact for their respective teams. Tommy Tremble, Cole Kmet, Brock Wright, and Durham Smythe helped anchor their team’s run game and made plays in the pass-catching department. In addition, several safeties jumped on the scene this year, begging the question if Notre Dame could be considered Safety U. There was also an emergence of familiar faces around the Irish community that made their name known nationally. The breakout seasons of Drue Tranquill and Alohi Gilman helped lead a depleted Los Angeles Chargers defense to make the playoffs; Kyren Williams and Ben Skowronek shined bright for the other team that plays their home games at Sofi Stadium. Let’s take a look at the former Irish’s performance this season. Tight End U Via Kamil Krzaczynski, AP Staff Tight end is a position that is synonymous with the University of Notre Dame. There are Irish tight ends everywhere you look around the league. However, the main Irish star is Chicago Bears’ Cole Kmet. While it has been an underwhelming performance for the Bears, Cole Kmet has been a bright spot. Kmet has logged 44 receptions and five touchdowns this season, which leads the team for all pass catchers. Kmet’s durability should also be highlighted, as the former two-sport prodigy hasn’t missed a game yet this season. He has also been alongside former Irish receivers Equanimeous St. Brown and Chase Claypool this season. Another breakout tight end who burst on the scene halfway through this year is Detroit Lions’ Brock Wright. Wright, a guy always in the shadow of the previously mentioned Kmet, stepped up after the Lions traded their former first-round pick TJ Hockinson. Since the Hockinson deal sent him to Minnesota, Wright has been a reliable option for Jared Goff in the air raid scheme. Most recently, Wright caught a go-ahead 51-yard pass with two minutes to go, ultimately putting the Lions on top of the Jets and keeping their playoff hopes alive. The final tight end I will mention is the best run blocker in recent Irish history, Tommy Tremble. Tremble specializes in the NFL as a run blocker, but has also shown his ability to catch the ball in space. Tremble has hauled in two touchdowns this year and has been a reliable option for whatever quarterback handles the reigns of the Carolina Panthers. Safety U Via Matt Krohn, USA Today While Notre Dame has been known for their play in the trenches, a position that gets overlooked for the talent it produces is safety. Notre Dame has established many good safeties over the past decade, a group that shined in the NFL for former Irish players. To start, Harrison Smith had another remarkable season. Smith, who got snubbed from a Pro Bowl roster this year, is the 3rd leading tackler for the 12-3 Minnesota Vikings. Smith is also tied for 3rd in the league for interceptions this year with five. The 33-year-old veteran from Knoxville, Tennessee, has been dealing with a neck injury this entire season and is hopeful to be a significant part of the Vikings’ playoff run. Another safety that garnered major buzz around South Bend was rookie Kyle Hamilton. Hamilton, the 14th overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, has immediately impacted John Harbaugh’s defense. Hamilton has started in 14 games this year and has notched 51 tackles this season, which is the 5th most on a stacked Ravens’ defense. However, Hamilton will be pushed to his limits come playoff time when the Ravens have to face the AFC air raid teams like the Chiefs, Bills, and Bengals. The last safety I will highlight is someone who didn’t even play safety at Notre Dame. The star of the 2017 Fighting Irish defense, Julian Love, shifted from being a lockdown corner, who had the most deflected passes in a single season in Notre Dame history, to being a ball-hawking safety. Love has netted two interceptions and is the leading tackler for the New York Giants. Love has shined bright in the Big Apple alongside another Irish legend Jaylon Smith, who is right behind Love on the roster for most tackles. Los Angeles Connection Via Kyusung Gong, AP Staff The West Coast has been treating former Irish well this past year. Let's start with the best team in Los Angeles, the Chargers. Going into the year, the Chargers' defense was getting high acclaim due to stars like Derwin James, Joey Bosa, and Khalil Mack. While injuries have sadly hampered these stars all year, others have taken the most of their opportunity and haven't looked back. This includes former Irish Captain Drue Tranquill. Tranquill has become a stud in his breakout year after being limited to Special Teams duties in the 2021-2022 season. Tranquill has played in every contest this year for the Chargers and is the team's leading tackler with 129 total tackles. In addition, Tranquill has been a vital piece in blitz packages for Renaldo Hill's defense and is second on the team in sacks, right behind future Hall of Famer Khalil Mack. To help Tranquill on the defensive side of the ball was another Irish Captain, Alohi Gilman. Gilman, who transferred from Navy, was always a physical hard hitter who had great instincts. This year, Gilman has filled in for Derwin James, who has battled a quad injury throughout the back half of this season. Recently, Gilman received rave reviews from Charger’s Head Coach Brandon Staley, who said Gilman “has a command of our defense…leadership characteristics.” For the team that also calls Los Angeles its home, the Rams have been helped on the offensive side of the ball by recent Irish standouts. After breaking his foot in the offseason, Kyren Williams worked his tail off to be able to play this season. Williams is the clear running back 2 for the Rams behind Cam Akers; however, the team's decision to waive former lead rusher Darrell Henderson Jr. and keep Williams is telling of the Rams' faith in the sparkplug rookie running back. A surprise player for the Rams this season was wide receiver, Ben Skowronek. Skowronek, the transfer from Northwestern, had an immediate impact in his sole season with the Irish in 2020. The rangy, sure-handed second-year player from Fort Wayne, Indiana, was the Rams’ go-to guy after the season-ending injury to Cooper Kupp. Skowronek emerged at the end of the Rams’ season last year, culminating in a Super Bowl Ring. This year, Skowronek displayed that he could be a trusted source in Sean McVay’s grand scheme. Final Thoughts While there were a few players that I missed highlighting, like Zach Martin and Quenton Nelson, Notre Dame’s impact in the NFL is growing by the year. The Irish have built a foundation of creating NFL-ready players and is becoming a well-known pipeline at a multitude of positions. With projected first-round picks Michael Mayer and Isaiah Foskey, this tradition should not end anytime soon.

By Mike Stacey｜Writer｜Twitter @MikeStacyIT Credit: Sports Illustrated This Friday at the Gator Bowl will be Marcus Freeman's second attempt at a post season victory in his short tenure with Notre Dame as a head coach. Back in January of this year, which feels like years ago to me, Marcus Freeman was not only preparing for a NY6 bowl game in Phoenix but was also trying to calm the storm that Brian Kelly left behind after he took a plane out of South Bend like a thief in the night. I may have never been on a bigger emotional rollercoaster during that time as a Notre Dame fan and as all of you know, that is saying something. From the rage that stemmed after feeling stabbed in the back by Kelly, whose decision to leave was only compounded by a decision to make all of his players gather at the crack of dawn for a 2 minute goodbye speech, to the pure adrenaline induced euphoria felt when Freeman was named the HC, with all of his players embracing him like he was the second coming. (The video of him being introduced to the team still makes me want to run through a wall) It was a time like no other for the ND program and I could not wait to see what came next. Fortunately, what came next was a major opportunity. When the Irish found out they were playing Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl it came with a renewed energy. Marcus Freeman, who had not been the coach for more than a month, had the opportunity to do what Brian Kelly had never done in his 11 year tenure at Notre Dame, win a NY6 bowl game. And how sweet would that be? An opportunity to show the coach who ditched his team for greener pastures exactly what he was missing. The excitement among Notre Dame fans and the program itself was palpable. When the tickets went on sale I looked at my wife and said, "We're going." Okay, so I actually politely begged her and used the fact my birthday was coming up on December 31st to further lobby for permission. After some groveling, she said yes and we bought our tickets. I was ready to witness history. At least I had good seats! The game could not have started any better. The Irish jumped all over OK State and soon found themselves up by 3 scores. I remember looking around the stadium, with a big grin on my face, thinking that Notre Dame was going to soon be on top of the world with Freeman leading the way. Exciting thoughts raced through my head thanks to what I was seeing on the field and an adequate amount of alcohol. Will we win it all next year? How many total will Freeman get in his era with the Irish? two? three? ten?! This was one of the best birthday trips I could have asked for, it was perfect. Credit: Tenor And then the second half happened.... After giving up an inexcusable TD drive to end the first half, Oklahoma State seemed to build off of that momentum, and quickly. A 21 point lead in the first half was completely erased and turned into a deficit by the 4th quarter. Notre Dame looked like a different team came out of the tunnel and all of the joy was quickly sucked out of State Farm Stadium for Irish fans. An old familiar foe had reared his ugly head, a big bowl game loss. Notre Dame would move to 0-8 in BCS/NY6 bowl games. Yikes... Fast forward to this season, and although the let down from the bowl game definitely hurt, it didn't slow down the momentum coming into the year as Marcus Freeman and staff were HOT on the recruiting trail and the Irish entered the season as a top 10 team. However, a difficult 0-2 start quickly derailed any playoff hopes and the rest of the season was a bit of a rollercoaster ride, including a huge win at home over Clemson and ending with a convincing loss to rival USC. (Hurts to type that) Recruiting has followed a similar pattern, seeing Notre Dame's top 3 class lose some top prospects on signing day (I still think Bowen may announce he just signed with ND. Just joking, sort of?) leading to the Irish dropping to the bottom half of the top ten in most recruiting class rankings. If Notre Dame has had an issue so far during the Freeman era it has been consistency. Now don't get me wrong, I have faith in Marcus Freeman and think he has done a good job with all things considered.(First year coach, QB injury, Illegal recruiting aka NIL...) However, this bowl game can be a big step forward. No, it is not a playoff game or even a NY6 game, but it is a bowl matchup with an SEC team who finished the season with back to back big wins over Tennessee and Clemson. This win can be a step in the right direction towards consistency moving forward. This can be a moment where we look back and say Marcus Freeman started his reign of terror on December 30th and didn't look back. After a tumultuous year that was difficult to navigate, lets go into 2023 on a high note. Get a post season win to close out the year. Go Irish! Beat SC!

By: Michael Blough | Writer | Twitter: @MichaelBloughIT Photo Credit: Chicago Tribune Just three short months ago, many among Irish faithful were ready to give up on Tyler Buchner, but for good reason? In this article I am going to provide some perspective as to why the optics of his 0-2 start to the season were not representative of his abilities and future here at Notre Dame. This article will include some insight into plays that Buchner made, and how the bowl game against South Carolina can propel him to be the starter next year, no matter what the Irish do in the portal. First, lets start with the Ohio State game. The Irish would lose 21-10 after not scoring a single point in the second half, but was it Buchner's fault? I would argue partially, but there are so many factors to this question that it cannot be answered that simply. On that night, Buchner would complete his first eight passes. Now, most of these were short passes(or what I would consider "extensions of the run game"), but they worked. In fact, on the first play of the game, Buchner would find Lorenzo Styles on an 8-yard curl route that would result in a 54 yard gain after Styles made one man miss. From there, most of his passes were unimpressive to most eyes (especially ones that did not watch this offense all year long). Buchner was checking down to Michael Mayer more often than not, in fact Mayer was the only receiver to catch more than one pass. But, there were three plays that caught my eye. First, a beautiful play call by OC Tommy Rees that would leave Kevin Bauman wide-open in the middle of the field after a fake-pitch to Chris Tyree. Buchner was able to put it right on Bauman's 6'4" frame. Secondly, Matt Salerno would beat the press coverage and run the corner off on a fade route, and Buchner would drop in a nice lob pass on his back-shoulder where Salerno would make a circus catch. Third was another throw to the outside where Buchner would find Braden Lenzy on a fade for 32 yards. So, what does this mean? Well, two things. First, we can all admit that the offensive line was doing him no favors as Ohio State was able to get pressure almost instantly on Buchner. Second, the run game was nowhere to be found all night. In fact, the Irish amassed just 76 yards rushing, including Buchner's runs/scrambles. Ohio State had made the Irish emphatically one-dimensional which did not help Buchner at all, as the defensive backs of Ohio State were simply able to keep the Irish receivers covered up most of the time. At the time, my takeaways from the game where that Buchner played "fine" and that his performance(and confidence) would improve as the season moved along. Looking back, he played much better than I initially thought after a loss. Given the cards he was dealt, he did just about as well as a QB making his first start could. Now, injury would do us no favors as Buchner would leave the next game against Marshall with a shoulder injury. Photo Credit: (David Dermer / Associated Press) So, what should we expect from Buchner moving forward? Well, I am optimistic. Spending the remaining games in the box with OC Tommy Rees was an awesome decision that I think can pay off ten-fold for Tyler. Reports pre-season stated that Buchner was still not comfortable with the whole playbook, and that showed in the first two games where the offense seemed to be a shell of what it could be. Spending time with Rees in the box should have allowed him to master the offense, and also get to see it from a different lens. Just looking at Tyler, he has all of the intangibles needed to be a successful QB here. If/when he can get to the level of confidence and proficiency in the system like Ian Book had, I think he will propel into a top-level QB. As far as the bowl game goes, I would expect the Irish to do more of the same offensively. Running the ball will no doubt be the focal point of winning for the Irish, but I would expect to see Tyler stay in the pocket more often than we are accustomed to seeing, and also for him to look more vertical in the play-action game. We do not need to see Buchner running very often, or really even moving him outside the pocket given how the offensive line played for the last month and a half of the season. Without Michael Mayer in the lineup, the wide receiver core will have to step up and replace the output that we were able to get from Mayer. With a whole season under his belt, I would expect to see a lot more from Tobias Merriweather (who I am VERY excited about), Deion Colzie, and Lorenzo Styles. Photo Credit: Sports Illustrated Lastly, lets take into account what this offense will have next year. The Irish just had their best WR recruiting class in quite some time, which is going to give Tyler many more options for nest year, and the year after. The Irish were also able to pickup Kaleb Smith in the transfer portal. Smith will bring a big frame (6 foot 2) to the Irish and also provide more depth at that position, where ND will have 10 players in that room. Having said that, in the upcoming matchup vs South Carolina, I just want to see Tyler stay healthy, make throws from the pocket, and look more confident than he did earlier in the year. With added weapons and another year to master the offense, TB12 is the QB that I am riding with here at Notre Dame. Note: Sam Hartman has entered the transfer portal from Wake Forest and is expected to land here in South Bend. This makes me more excited for the Irish QB room in 2023, and I think another star QB in the room will undoubtedly help the Irish in terms of both development and proficiency. It's time for Tyler to play like the starter in the bowl game and carry that momentum into the offseason where he will continue to progress alongside Hartman. Let's hear your thoughts! Who would you rather see taking snaps for the Irish? Buchner or Hartman? Go Irish!

By: Murray O'Connell | Writer | Twitter: @MurrayOConnell | Profile: @MurrayOConnell Photo Courtesy of Fighting Irish Media Twas the night before Christmas, and all through Notre Dame Not a creature was stirring, not even freshman Gi’Bran Payne. The stockings were hung in La Fortune with care, In the hopes that Santa Freeman soon would be there. However Irish fans were nervous and feeling lots of stress, The season was filled with highs and lows all in excess. So Irish fans nestled nervously in front of their tv’s, Would they struggle this week or would they win with ease? When out on the quad there arose such a clatter, I put down my Guinness to see what’s the matter. When what to my wondering eyes I should I see, But Coach Brian Kelly glaring back angrily. Coach Kelly, are you lost, what are you doing back? BK growled, “I’m here to steal Foskey, so my team can get a sack.” I was shocked and frightened, I didn't know what to do, Just like the Clemson defense, when Estime came charging through. But Coach this is wrong, stealing Foskey is not right, Coach Kelly turned purple, giving me quite the fright. Then the night became heated, and I could hardly bare it, It was worse than having to listen to Collingsworth and Garrett. BK shot me a grin and cleared his throat with one cough, He said “Foskey could stay, if I beat him in a dance off.” I pleaded I was old and my back wasn't fit, And asked if I could please find a pinch hit. Kelly curled his lip, and told me that would be allowed, So I thought and thought, quickly scratching my brow. I know who can help us, so we surely won't lose, The man, the myth, the legend, Mitch Palooz. Kelly looked nervous, but flexed and puffed out his chest, “This is how I danced with recruits,” he said, “I know it's the best.” Kelly did a shimmy and a little bit of a shake, His moves were hot like a preheated oven ready to bake. When he was done, Mitchapalooza shot him a wink, He was already to go, not needing time to think. "Coach it's best if you have yourself a seat," Then Mitchapalooza bobbed his head, to the mad sick beats. The tight end was dope, his moves were much better, And when he finished he strutted, just like McGregor. BK grew sad because he knew he got trounced, Foskey was safe, and once again Kelly needed to bounce. And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof, The prancing and pawing of a very manly hoof. As I drew in my head, and was turning around, From the stadium Santa Freeman came with a bound. He wore no red suit, but was ripped from the gym. Fresh Italian fit, and a clean faded trim. Coach it's Christmas, do I get a nice gift? But Santa Freeman glared, “Boy, it's time to lift!” “Your flabby and weak, and need your muscles to grow, Even Rees is faster, and that dude is slow.” “Drop and give me 50, and sweat to lose that tire, Keep it up and you’ll be an adonis, just like Michael Mayer.” Then he sprang to his sleigh, and let out a sigh, And into the night he flew real high. But I heard him exclaim as he grew faint to see, Something that warmed my heart, with joy and with glee. “Merry Christmas to all, I promise to see you later, Except for Chris Fowler, because that dude is a hater.”

By: Murray O'Connell | Writer | Twitter: @MurrayOConnell | Profile: @MurrayOConnell Photo Courtesy of ABC KSAT 12 It’s not up there with the Kennedy assassination, the moon landing, or JLo and Ben Affleck getting engaged, but Notre Dame fans all remember where they were when the news broke, a little over a year ago, that Brian Kelly was leaving for LSU. Shock. Surprise. Disbelief. All emotions most Irish fans felt before inevitably turning to anger. How could the winningest coach in program history, the one who talked about national championships and the “next man in” suddenly leave for what he thought was greener pastures? Excitement. Hope. Gratitude. All emotions most Irish fans felt as Marcus Freeman was announced as the 30th head coach in Notre Dame football history. Notre Dame fans can still feel the energy and excitement bursting from that viral locker room video announcing Freeman as coach. And so began a season of Notre Dame fans keeping one eye on the Irish and the other on their former head coach’s new team. Initially Irish fans thought they made out as the winner as Kelly’s first game against Florida State ended with a loss. However, Irish fans were somberly brought back to reality after the Marshall loss sent shockwaves through South Bend leaving many to wonder if Notre Dame had made the right decision in promoting Freeman. However, with the year now over and a larger sample size available, the Irish Tribune spoke to two experts, Darin Pritchett, host of Weekday Sportsbeat on WSBT Radio South Bend, and Jacques Doucet, WAFB Sportscaster in Baton Rouge, to compare how both coaches did after one year on the job. What was the sentiment with fans when it was announced that these coaches would be taking over? Doucet: “He was not one of the guys who was talked about a lot, Lincoln Riley was the hot name nationally, some people wondered if the LSU AD would roll the dice on Lane Kiffin. Everyone knew Brian Kelly as one of top 5 best known coaches in the country, but I think that it was a bit odd. Why would a guy who is 60 and well established and having all this success leave Notre Dame and come to a completely different place in LSU? Both powerhouses, but very different places.” Pritchett: “People were really excited because Marcus represented a coach that they hadn't known very long, but they already understood his passion, his work ethic, and what a good football guy he was. The fan base really wanted a coach they could wrap their arms around and enjoy and appreciate. There was this group of fans that were concerned about Freeman being a first time coach, and those haven't worked out very well at Notre Dame, but I think his appreciation of Notre Dame, his passion, and his work ethic allowed those fans to say ‘Ok lets give this guy a shot.’” What is the sentiment from fans now after both coaches have completed their first season? Pritchett: “I think they appreciated the fact that Freeman’s leadership skills really showed up during the season. When they were 0-2, and even when they lost to Stanford, I think a lot of fans started to see his leadership skills come through. That season could have ended in a lot of different ways, and many of those ways weren't very good. But I think the fact that the players bought into what he was saying, they continued to listen, and when your best players believe, I think it's easy for everybody else to buy in as well.” Doucet: “A lot of people felt like they needed an adult in the room and Brian Kelly has been the adult in the room. He came in with a plan, he’s emotional when he coaches on the sidelines, but off the field he’s not emotional, and that's what was needed, somebody who had a plan and a process. Most people feel like he’s done a remarkable job from where LSU was a year ago, getting embarrassed in a bowl game with barely enough players to fill out a roster to winning the SEC West and beating Alabama." What was the biggest obstacle these coaches faced this year? Doucet: “Rebuilding the roster and getting players, they had less than 40 scholarship players when they went to the Texas Bowl a year ago. There was so just much attrition, there were guys that maybe some people felt weren't all that injured that ‘tapped out’ and got surgeries before they needed to, or just decided they weren't going to play anymore, and academic casualties, and so with the transfer portal the biggest challenge was putting a competitive team on the field and finding guys that would be on board. But they’ve all meshed and they like each other and team chemistry has been good.” Pritchett: “I think his biggest obstacle was after the Marshall game, for Freeman to continue to believe in himself, that he could do this, and believe in the message and the way he wanted to build this program. After those first two losses he mentioned that he had to take a step back, and he was a little overwhelmed, but he stuck with his plan and persevered. Maybe the biggest obstacle was him getting over that fact and saying, ‘We’re 0-2, what am I doing wrong?’ He figured it out, and for them to finish 8-4, that's pretty good considering where they were at week 2." Photo Courtesy of Getty Images What was their biggest win of the season? Pritchett: “It was huge beating California for the first win, you could see the relief on Freeman’s face and in the press conference where he kind of exhaled, and said, ‘Thank goodness we got the victory, we can put this behind me.' I remember him talking about firsts, the first road game, the first home game, the first win, and he just wanted to get things back to normal. That first win against California was needed by the players, by the fanbase, but more importantly by Marcus so he could believe in what he was doing. But also beating Clemson with them being undefeated and being the favorite coming into the game. I think that was the one victory that really showed the Irish fan base that Marcus Freeman is a guy that can not only recruit, and be a great defensive mind, but he was able to keep this team and coaching staff together and beat a top 5 team.” Doucet: “Without a doubt Alabama. If you are an LSU football fan, you know that you aren't getting to the SEC championship game and probably not getting to the national championship game if you don't beat Alabama. Alabama has been the standard in college football, and Nick Saban with his connections to LSU, it's the game that gets LSU fans the most emotional, and for them to win the game and in the fashion that they did, to make that gutsy call and to beat Alabama on a 2 point conversion, 100% is the biggest win of the year.” Photo Courtesy of Crimson Tide Photos/ UA Athletics What was their biggest loss of the season? Doucet: “Had to be the Texas A&M loss at the regular season finale because at that point LSU was on the cusp of getting into the playoffs. If they win that game they’ve got a swing at Georgia in the SEC championship and without a doubt would be in. That was disappointing because they got pushed around and beat decisively when they were on the cusp of perhaps being in the college football playoffs.” Pritchett: “That Marshall loss was one that a lot of us in the media said, you know if Brian Kelly was here, he probably would have figured out a way to win that game. And I think it might have been one of those moments where Freeman’s inexperience showed up and not being able to fix things on offense, like Brian was able to help on both sides of the football. So I think that loss hurt him early on, but that also eliminated them from playoff consideration. They still had some hope they could run the table, win the next 11, and be there with a shot for the playoffs, but that killed the playoffs, so that probably heightened the loss.” Photo Courtesy of Michael Reaves/Getty Images How well does he fit into the culture at their university? Pritchett: “From the outside looking in he seems like a perfect fit because he has bought into what Notre Dame is all about. I know when Brian Kelly came in, he fought the system a little bit, he changed game day activities. Marcus has brought some of those back, so I think he understands what Notre Dame is all about and how important the traditions are on game day. I think Marcus being here for a year [defensive coordinator in 2021] got to see what it was all about up close, and when he took over as head coach he already had an idea, this is important or this may not be as important. I think that one year did a lot to help Marcus understand Notre Dame, preparing him for that opportunity to be a head coach.” Doucet: “I don't think he needs to do that stuff, he just needs to win. Kelly's coaching show is a lot different than Coach O’s, it used to be that people would line up at the commercial break and get autographs signed, but that's not the case anymore. They draw a few names and a few select people go up at the break. That is not as warm and fuzzy as it had been in the past, and it was one of those things that was like, if he doesn't win this could go sideways. He’s been more amicable with the media than I envisioned, I don't know if 'makeover' is the right word, but he’s lost some weight, he dresses nicer, maybe because it's not as cold and isn't bundled up in a big coat, and at press conferences he hasn't snapped at any media members. He’s not out there as much as Coach O, but as long as he’s working and improving the program, he doesn't need to be high-fiving everybody on the street.” Photo Courtesy of Jonathan Mailhes Why do fans want their coach over the other? Doucet: “Kelly is proven and Freeman isn't yet, this is his first opportunity. Kelly’s record especially when he gets deeper into the job is outstanding, he’s a proven winner and he’s adapted well. Marcus Freeman is obviously younger, cooler, does well on social media, and the ladies all seem to love him, but there’s a whole lot not known about him yet in terms of how well he’ll do.” Pritchett: “For those die hard Notre Dame fans that eat, drink, and sleep recruiting they see how far advanced Marcus is compared to Brian and his recruiting, and I think it comes down to Marcus shows effort nonstop and Brian comes in more at the last second to finish things off. I think fans appreciate that more, otherwise it's going to come down to see if he can win playoff games and a national championship. We will always appreciate Brian bringing Notre Dame from a bad spot back to national status, and now the hope is Marcus can build on that and take the program to the next level.” Photo Courtesy of @itsbrittb7 Marcus Freeman will win a national championship before Brian Kelly because… Pritchett: "I think we are seeing early on that elite kids that may not have a love affair for Notre Dame are truly intrigued by Marcus Freeman, the person and the head coach. I think he is attracting individuals that previous coaching staffs have not been able to get. I think Marcus’s work ethic, from the start to the finish, of recruiting a kid is going to pay dividends. The way Marcus attacks every aspect of this program with passion and dedication, his work ethic is second to none, and if he gets great players into this program and continues to knock on the door, eventually he will win a national championship and if Notre Dame consistently gets to the playoffs, they are going to win a championship and Marcus seems like with the way he's handling this right now, he’s going to give his team a chance each and every year.” Photo Courtesy of Michael Reaves/Getty Images Brian Kelly will win a national championship before Marcus Freeman because… Doucet: “It's easier to recruit at LSU than at Notre Dame. The climate is better, kids want to go where it’s warm. You play a lot of high profile games so because you play a tougher schedule maybe you can afford a loss, or even two. LSU plays a tougher schedule which enhances their resume and gives them opportunities. The fan bases and resources are pretty even, but I think Brian Kelly is a better coach and has a plan and has shown great progress in year one.” Photo Courtesy of Brad Crawford 247Sports It is interesting to note that arguably each team's biggest win of the season, Notre Dame defeating Clemson and LSU beating Alabama, both occurred on the same night, November 5th. That night the late ESPN Sportscenter led off with the World Series, then the Tennessee vs Georgia highlights, and finally LSU’s big win over Alabama. That night, Kelly’s new school got the headlines over his old one, but Notre Dame fans remain hopeful that Freeman will get the last word. College football fans will have to wait at least another year before there is a possibility that Notre Dame and LSU battle it out on the field, perhaps in the playoffs, to determine which school got the better end of the Freeman vs Kelly deal. Until then, Notre Dame fans will hope that if JLo and Ben can make it work, maybe Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame can also.

By Nick Kremer | Editor | Twitter @NickKremerIT | @irish_tribune ☘️☘️☘️ As the Notre Dame football team looks to make a run at the National Championship, one position that will be crucial to their success is the quarterback. After an 8-4 finish this year, the Notre Dame coaching staff has set its sights on bringing in an elite transfer quarterback. Who that quarterback will be is still up for debate, and it may be a few weeks until we officially know who it is. As Irish fans argue with each other on social media about which quarterback will take the Irish to the promised land, The Irish Tribune staff wanted to jump in on the fun. Each writer and editor were asked who they would pick out of all the transfer portal quarterbacks, and here is what we are thinking. Photo Credit - Coastal Carolina Athletics ☘️ Chris Studer - Editor With the first pick in the 2022 Transfer Portal Draft the Fighting Irish select…Grayson McCall! While this might not happen, Irish fans due to a never-ending list of reasons, and even though a GM (Me) doesn’t really have to explain draft selections I’m going to give you some insight to my QB selection. While there are several talented options out there in the Portal including but not limited to Hudson Card (Texas), Spencer Sanders (Oklahoma State) and Devin Leary (NC State), I believe Grayson McCall gives the Irish the best chance of bringing that elusive CFB National Championship trophy to South Bend (and who wouldn’t want that??). McCall would be leaving Coastal Carolina after three successful and quite dominating years. With even some Heisman hype surrounding him. This young man has the big arm that can stretch the opposing defense, the legs to make some magic happen when the play breaks down and most importantly the accuracy to keep the ball away from our opponents. While Pyne was conservative with the rock his interceptions and fumbles always seemed to come at the most inopportune time. McCall on the other hand has had less INTs with each passing season, even though with season he would be slinging the rock even more. This was the deciding factor that led me to choose McCall, since we all know about the turnover problem with Sanders (2021 Big 12 Championship game anyone?). Looking at the other big-name options, for Leary I’m still weary of his injury, and for Card, who I really like, could throw a wrench into ND’s future QB plans (Carr and Minchey) since he enters the portal with the most eligibility left and the least amount of game play to analyze. With Pyne leaving and the jury still out on Buchner, I believe that McCall is the guy to take us back to the CFP and nab that twelveth National Championship! Go Irish! Photo Credit - Yahoo Sports ☘️ Michael Stacy - Writer Notre Dame is in the midst of a VERY important off-season and no position is more important than quarterback. Drew Pyne is out, leaving Tyler Buchner, Steve Angeli, and incoming freshman Kenny Minchey as the viable options for next year's starter. The Irish desperately need someone from the portal to come in and not only add depth but fight for the starting role. Let me make myself clear when I say that I have NOT given up on Tyler Buchner. I believe he can still be the guy who can lead the Irish to a championship. However, with his limited play over the past 3 years (Did not play his senior year due to covid) and history of injuries, we need another option in case he is not physically or developmentally ready to go. That brings us to the portal and for me, it comes down to two players, Devin Leary and Hudson Card. Devin Leary is the more accomplished player, having had a stellar 2021 season where he threw for over 3400 yards and had an absurd 35 touchdowns to 5 interceptions for NC State. If Notre Dame knew they were getting that player, then this decision is a no brainer. However, last year Leary had a season ending injury to his pec which he is still recovering from. Leary would come to Notre Dame with one year left of eligibility. The other option is Texas QB Hudson Card. Unlike Leary, Card does not have the numbers that Leary does. However, Card is younger, has 3 years of eligibility and was the number 2 dual threat QB in the country coming out of high school according to 247 sports. With Card, you have a quarterback with a lower floor but higher ceiling. Although he does not have many games under his belt, we saw what he did against Alabama when he had to come in for an injured Quinn Ewers. The biggest stage, unexpected, and he stepped up and played a pretty impressive game. With that being said, I would like to say that I would HAPPILY take either of these two in the portal. But if I have to pick between the two, I would choose Hudson Card. Go Irish! Photo Credit - The Washington Post ☘️ Michael Blough - Writer If I could have the choice of any transfer portal QB, it would have to be Brennan Armstrong. While this is most likely not a popular pick among Irish faithful, I think he has the best fit inside of a Tommy Rees led Irish Offense. Armstrong certainly took a turn for the worse in 2022, but the sheer talent is there. In 2021, he led the ACC in passing yards and total yards and showed off his strong arm and better-than-average accuracy. Regardless, the most important thing to me is his experience. After a 2022 campaign where the Irish lost their starter and had to turn to back-up Drew Pyne, the offense could use an experienced QB to challenge/win the job. In just 2021, Jack Coan came in as a grad transfer and by midseason was playing the best ball of his career. I think Armstrong can come into Notre Dame and have the same effect, but with an even higher ceiling. Photo Credit - Pro Football Network ☘️ Murray O’Connell - Writer And with the first pick of the transfer quarterback draft… there has been a trade! Notre Dame will trade down in the draft with the Kansas Jayhawks. The Irish will send their first pick in this year’s draft along with Mitch Evans and the much heralded Mitchapalooza offensive attack to the Jayhawks in exchange for the Jayhawks’ third pick in this year’s draft, as well as a player to be named later from the basketball team for Coach Mike Brey. With the third pick in the draft, the Irish select… Devin Leary, quarterback, NC State. There are plenty of big names out there from Hudson Card of Texas to Grayson McCall from Coastal Carolina. However, with Pyne leaving there is a serious lack of experience in the quarterback room and I believe Freeman and Company will want a veteran that has seen some action. Although his season was cut short due to injury, Leary has seen plenty of playing time since his freshman year throwing for nearly 7,000 yards and 62 touchdowns. He has played many of the same ACC teams that will be on Notre Dame’s schedule next year and has demonstrated the ability to escape if his pocket breaks down. Although there are some questions about his arm strength, he has proven the ability to be able to work a ball around the field to multiple receivers. His experience will help him challenge Buchner for the starting job next year. Photo Credit - CBS sports ☘️ Liam Gaudet - Editor Hudson Card Card may not be as mobile as Devin Leary, but he possesses the arm talent to push the ball down the field with poise and accuracy. Additionally, there are less concerns with durability, and Card has shown that he can improvise when called upon. This is a quarterback with a different skill set than that of Tyler Buchner, and I think the variation in skills will provide for an interesting competition in the QB room. Photo Credit - The Draft Wire USA today ☘️ Luciano Antonini - Founder of The Irish Tribune If I were to choose which QB in the portal Notre Dame should take, it’s Devin Leary out of NC State. Leary is in my opinion, the most backed up QB in the portal outside of maybe Spencer Sanders. Leary had an incredible season in 2021 and most likely would’ve been pretty good in 2022 before exiting with a season ending injury. Leary has 3 different 1,000+ yard seasons under his belt and is one of the best pocket QB’s in all of CFB. And with him being a junior, we could potentially get 2 years out of him, a perfect bridge to the Minchey/Carr eras. Photo Credit - On3 ☘️ My Pick (Nick Kremer) My favorite quarterback, Sam Hartman, has not entered the transfer portal (yet?), but I will choose between the quarterbacks that have officially entered the portal. Out of those prospects, I really liked the films of Leary, Armstrong, and Card, but there is one prospect that will be the best fit for Tommy Rees. Spencer Sanders would be a perfect fit for Tommy Rees and the Notre Dame offense due to his extensive experience as a starting quarterback at Oklahoma State. Sanders was a four-year starter for the Cowboys, completing 61% of his passes for 9,953 yards and 67 touchdowns while also rushing for 1,956 yards and 18 touchdowns. Sanders continuously showed his ability to be a dual-threat guy while looking to pass first. He consistently showed his arm strength and accuracy as a passer while also showcasing his athleticism and ability to extend plays on the ground. Sanders was a key leader for Oklahoma State and received first-team all Big 12 honors in 2021. His experience as a starter and his impressive skills as a dual-threat quarterback make him a valuable asset for Tommy Rees and the Notre Dame offense. Photo Credit - UHND ☘️ No matter who Notre Dame ultimately decides to bring in as their transfer quarterback, it is clear that they will need strong leadership and play-making ability at the position in order to compete for a national championship. We are confident that any of the above options would be a valuable addition to the team and we look forward to seeing who will take the reins for the Fighting Irish next season. Who would you pick if you were on the clock? ☘️☘️☘️

Written By: Liam Farrell Via University of Notre Dame With much of Notre Dame's offseason hype surrounding the transfer portal coming at the heels of finding a quarterback, there are other facets where the Irish might look to upgrade. The transfer portal is also much more challenging to navigate due to the rigorous academics that the University upholds. In years past, most transfers have been from other highly academic schools such as Northwestern, Brandon Joseph and Ben Skowronek, and Harvard, Chris Smith, and Jon Sot. Nevertheless, the Irish have adapted to the times as, Notre Dame added former USF kicker Spencer Shrader in the portal earlier this week. This may have been a small splash; however, expect the Irish to take a chance on one of these wide receivers or Edge rushers in the coming months. Wide Receiver The first option is Kaleb Smith. The 6'2", 222 lb wide receiver from Virginia Tech would bring experience to a raw, athletic group that the Irish currently possess. This past season, Smith led the Hokie offense with 37 catches, 674 yards, and 3 touchdowns. The Irish will be battling the likes of UCLA and Georgia Tech for the 50-50 jump ball wide receiver out of Bumpass, Virginia. Smith is also scheduled to visit South Bend the weekend of December 17th, which could be a deciding factor in landing this touted veteran. Via Virginia Tech Athletics The second direction that the Irish might go at receiver is Genson Hooper-Price. Hooper-Price is a 6'5", 206 lb wide receiver who is leaving Northwestern's football program. This is the second Northwestern wideout who has entered the portal, the other being speedster Malik Washington, who recently committed to the University of Virginia. Hooper-Price is a player who interests me because of his projectability. The big-bodied wide receiver had minimal play at Northwestern and would provide experience to Chansi Stuckey's young wide receiver room. Still, everything surrounding this prospect fits the mold that Notre Dame targets at wide receiver. The Irish even offered the Houston, Texas native coming out of high school in the 2019 class. Via Nam Y. Huh, AP Staff There was a lot of buzz surrounding the Irish targeting Kent State standout Dante Cephas at the beginning of the off-season. These talks have now diminished as it appears the competition to get Cephas will be highly demanding. Most recently, there have been Crytal Balls to Penn State for the 6'1" ballhawk. This is ultimately a target that Notre Dame will check in on, but it is hard for me to see the Irish land him. Via USA Today Edge Rushers The first fit that jumps off the screen with Notre Dame looking to fill the void of Isaiah Foskey is the edge rusher from Harvard, Truman Jones. Jones had 6 sacks this past season, along with 13 tackles for loss. While looking at it from Notre Dame's perspective, Jones checks all the boxes for who they look for in the portal. Jones wouldn't be the first prospect the Irish snag from the Crimson as well, joining the previously mentioned Jon Sot and Chris Smith. This pipeline from Harvard to Notre Dame may continue to be a staple this off-season. Via Harvard University The second guy I would expect Notre Dame to go after strong is Stephen Herron Jr. Herron, a former 5 star recruit, is a name that may sound familiar in South Bend because of his tremendous play for the Stanford Cardinal. With head coach David Shaw stepping away from the program, many Cardinal players took to the portal to find where to play their final year of eligibility. Herron tallied 5.5 sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss this past year and would immediately impact whichever program he attends. The competition to land Herron will be the likes of Ohio State and Michigan, both schools that recruited him out of high school. Via Stanford University Final Thoughts It should be intriguing to find out how active Marcus Freeman and his staff are in the recruiting portal this year. Freeman has shown to be an absolute force in the high school recruiting trail, but will the University's strict limits on transfers hamper his ability to bring in proven players at the college level? This is something to certainly keep your eye on as the calendar flips to spring ball.

Written by Liam Gaudet, Senior Editor 📸: Sports Illustrated Just a few short months ago, Notre Dame was frothing at the mouth on the recruiting trail, with a truly elite recruiting class headlined by 5-star talents in Keon Keeley and Peyton Bowen with rumors of Dante Moore closing in on a commitment. The Irish faithful were seeing the world through rose-colored glasses, however, as the sobering reality of the modern recruiting landscape began to chip away at the pledges the Irish had obtained over the last year. With the former top commit Keon Keeley now headed to Alabama, and rumors spiraling about other top talents preparing to back down from their commitments, all we can do now is speculate about what this class will end up looking like come signing day. The obvious elephant in the room is Peyton Bowen. Rumors broke late Wednesday night of a massive NIL package that would await Bowen should he flip his commitment to Oregon, and Oklahoma had reportedly matched the offer. Although Bowen would deny these claims via Twitter, things aren't exactly in great standing for the Irish. New projections favor Oklahoma to flip the 5-star talent from Notre Dame, and although he remains committed after an in-home visit from the Irish staff, there hasn't been much in the way of positive news since the summer in his recruitment. Bowen has visited the likes of Texas A&M and Oklahoma numerous times and travelled to South Bend earlier in November when Notre Dame defeated Clemson. A member of the Irish Tribune team did manage to get in touch with Bowen who would confirm that the NIL rumors were false, but even with this affirmation, will it be enough to keep the elite safety in the fold? My guess is probably not. The only semblance of hope is that Bowen hasn't decommitted at this point, but that may change before early signing day on the 21st. Another rumored flip would be that of west-coast running back Jayden Limar. Limar pledged to the Irish back in May, but will travel to Oregon this weekend for a visit. After losing a commitment recently to speedster Dylan Edwards, Limar's commitment became an absolute priority. Limar did meet with the staff earlier this month, and although there are no expert predictions for him to flip at this point, it is definitely something to keep an eye on as we close in on the final stretch of this cycle. It's not all doom and gloom in Irishland, as Notre Dame was recently able to secure a commitment from the likes of Virginia four-star athlete Brandyn Hillman, who is a slippery playmaker and can play on both sides of the ball. Hillman is a feel good story who only had one offer heading into his senior season, but his total domination paved the way for him to shoot up the rankings. It's always nice to have athletes like this in the class who can fill multiple holes should any last minute changes to the class occur. Additionally, Notre Dame added more depth to a struggling wide receiver room with a verbal from Kaleb Smith, a three-star from Frisco, Texas. Smith also met with staff earlier this week, and things are looking up for the future of pass-catching at Notre Dame. Finally, it's worth noting that the leaders of this class have stepped to the forefront in an attempt to keep the accumulated talent in South Bend. It's no secret that Drayk Bowen has done his fair share of recruiting for Notre Dame this cycle, as we've seen him very active on social media in pursuit of bringing other talent in, as well as keeping what we have. It was Drayk tweeting at his namesake yesterday in hopes of keeping the only 5-star talent that remains in this class. Regardless of how Peyton's recruitment ends, it's safe to say the Irish have one of the best and brightest leaders with Drayk Bowen locked in. It's incredibly exhausting and nerve-wracking to follow recruiting this close to signing day, especially when top end talent is at stake. Can Freeman and the staff retain the talent they sought after, or will it be all for not? Only time will tell. The only thing at this point that is no longer a mystery is the work ethic of the staff, and how incredibly hard they've worked to build a terrific class. And that's something to be admired.

By Nick Kremer - Editor ☘️☘️☘️ Notre Dame nation, get ready to be excited! Notre Dame has just landed a commitment from one of the most dynamic and explosive players in the country: Aneyas Williams. The running back from Missouri has the potential to be a game-changer for the Fighting Irish offense. Photo Credit - Muddy River Sports Williams is listed 5’10” 195 pounds and is ranked as a 4 ⭐ prospect for the 2024 recruiting class (247sports). Williams earned offers from some of the best teams in college football. A few of Williams’ top offers are Alabama, Tennessee, Ohio State, and of course, Notre Dame. Williams' speed and agility are just two of the many weapons in his arsenal. At Hannibal High School, Williams was able to put up big numbers running the football. Williams is also a threat as a receiver, using his quickness and elusiveness to make defenders miss. He is a player that is an all-around running back, but you could also line him up in the slot and he could be a difference maker. But it's not just his physical skills that make Williams a standout player. He is also known for his strong work ethic and determination, making him a valuable asset on and off the field. He has a knack for finding holes in the defense and making quick cuts to evade tackles, making him a formidable force in the Notre Dame running game. While Williams does have some areas that he can improve on, such as increasing his strength, he has the potential to make a huge impact for the Fighting Irish. His speed and elusiveness will be valuable assets in breaking through opposing defenses and finding the endzone. So Notre Dame fans, get ready to see Aneyas Williams make some exciting plays on the field. He has the potential to be a game-changer for the Fighting Irish offense. This 2024 class is already looking like it will be extremely special. ☘️☘️☘️ Photo Credit - 247 Sports

Written by: Patrick W. Byrne Photo Courtesy: Associated Press Moving to South Carolina from New Jersey when I was 11 years old was eye opening. Whereas professional sports were king up north, they took a back seat to college football and there were only 2 teams that anyone cared about, South Carolina and Clemson. Growing up Irish Catholic in the north, being a Notre Dame fan was pretty much a right of passage, while also being quite normal. Not anymore. I stuck out like a sore thumb and was questioned more than once on why I liked Notre Dame of all schools. The common refrain was, "why Notre Dame, you live here now?" I was asked on a consistent basis whether I'd be rooting for the Gamecocks or Tigers going forward. Given I'm writing this article on a Notre Dame site you can deduce the answer to that question on your own, but that didn't stop the questions or "choosing sides" conversations. South Carolina is not unlike other states in the south, college football is king. The difference is, one team is more king than the other, at least in status and success (they wear orange if you hadn't guessed). Don't get mad South Carolina fans, I'm not throwing shade, if anything, I want Notre Dame fans to understand you better. Lou Holtz had just been hired as the head coach of South Carolina. Understand, this was a huge development for the program and for the state. The fact a national championship coach, who had success everywhere he went, wanted to coach at South Carolina was a huge deal. The first season did not go as planned. The Gamecocks went win less, 0-11. Keep in mind, they had gone 1-10 the year before so a 2 year span of 1-21 was very Kansas-like and would be embarrassing for most fans. Yet, instead of embarrassment, I witnessed resilience and pride. Gamecocks fans filled the stands, with most if not all games being sellouts for that year. Consider that for a moment. A winless team, selling out games, kind of crazy to think about now. But anyone who knows football saw progress being made. That first year laid the foundation for an 8 win year followed by 9 wins, both capped off with Outback Bowl wins against vaunted Ohio State (the second won against an OSU team that would win the national championship the next year). Although these heights weren't seen again under Holtz, he became the first coach in the history of the program to win 2 bowl games and opened the door for another legendary coach to walk through. Steve Spurrier arrived in Columbia, SC in 2005. The second consecutive coach with a national championship on his resume, this was a massive coup for a program with one conference championship (ACC, 1969) and a 3-8 bowl record (the first win being the CarQuest Bowl in 1994). Spurrier proceeded to take the Gamecocks to 9 more bowl games, compiling a 5-4 record. He led the 2011 team to 11 wins, only one other time had the school reached 10 wins (more on this later) while also finishing ranked in the top 10 in a final poll for the first time ever. He followed this up with 2 more 11 win seasons with bowl wins against Nebraska, Michigan and Wisconsin. Spurrier also went 6-4 against Clemson with his best team finishing 4th in the final 2013 poll. In the span of 16 years, two coaches completely changed the trajectory of Gamecock football. What was once an independent playing the likes of East Carolina, Virginia Tech and a smattering of ACC teams was now an SEC up and comer playing and beating Florida and Georgia while actually winning their bowl games. Keep in mind, in 1990 South Carolina lost to The Citadel, at home. A 6 win season was a good year with potential for a bowl game. Remember that 10-2 year I mentioned earlier? The year was 1984 and Carolina had risen to #2 in the nation, having beaten the likes of Georgia, Florida State and you guessed it, Notre Dame. They entered Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium 9-0 and left with a 31-28 loss, dropping to #9 and eventually losing their bowl game to Oklahoma State to drop even further. Joe Morrison, the coach who led the program to heights not yet seen to that point, would die of heart failure while still acting as head coach 5 years later. By now you're asking yourself, wait, isn't this a Notre Dame site? Why do I care? Well, it's always important to know your opponent and understand what you're walking into. Many will see South Carolina's record and gloss over the history of the program and what they've been able to accomplish over the past 20+ years. One such accomplishment is something all Notre Dame fans are unable to claim, a regular season win over #1 Alabama in 2010 on their way to an SEC East championship. This still stands as the biggest win in the history of the program; however, knocking off two top 10 teams in successive weeks (as they did this year) may top it for some fans, especially considering one of those teams was Clemson. The point is, Shane Beamer has this team pointed in the right direction, that much is obvious. He was able to convince Spencer Rattler, a former 5 star QB who was benched for the newly minted Heisman trophy winner, to transfer to Carolina. If the Irish are able to get back to the playoffs sooner rather than later, don't be surprised if South Carolina is a potential team they'd play, especially considering the 12 team format we'll see soon. Photo Courtesy: Associated Press College football has changed exponentially over the past 25 years. In this state alone, Clemson has brought home 2 national championships and South Carolina won 11 games for 3 seasons in a row, climaxed by Jadeveon Clowney being picked 1st overall in the 2014 NFL draft. South Carolina has moved with the times and they've been able to adapt to the shifting landscape that exists within college football circles. Notre Dame has done the same. Stadium upgrades that include field turf, an ND logo in the middle of the field and jumbotron along with piped in music and ribbon display all show the Irish are willing to adapt. Although our histories may be different, with Notre Dame having had more success in the first 100 years, the histories are more alike now than ever before. This has the potential to be a fantastic Gator Bowl match up. Have no fear, we'll have plenty of game time information to share with you leading up to the game. Don't be fooled, although that team in orange may have more championships and national cache, the Gamecocks will treat this game with a Holtz/Spurrier like intensity. This is a big game for both sides, but Carolina will view this as another feather in their cap to aid in their continued rise out of football afterthought to SEC power. Notre Dame has to be ready, I know I will be. There's zero doubt I'll get more than one question in the lead up to the game wondering, "Why Notre Dame, you live here?"