Photo by NDinsider This past weekends Blue & Gold game will be one to remember for a while, it was Marcus Freeman’s first spring game, it was a sun burning 82°, and there were many things to be excited about. Team Gold pulled off the supposide upset through beating team Blue 13-10 in the final seconds of the game. With that being said, let’s take a look: Blue Offense: Audric Estime’s incredible physique came into play Saturday, picking up 59 yards and 13 carries, Drew Pyne had struggled a lot more than fans expected, but with Tyler Buchner’s ankle injury; and the need to find a QB1, Drew Pyne got the majority of the playing time, passing for one touchdown and one interception that got called back by a flag. Gold Offense: Pyne’s struggles looked more evident on the Gold sideline, throwing for 2 interceptions, however though; Steve Angeli played like QB1 on Saturday, going 11-13 for 180 yards and a passing touchdown to freshman running back Jadarian Price who had 8 catches for 104 yards and a receiving touchdown long with 9 rushes for 12 yards. Michael Mayer also went 3 for 35 and Braden Lenzy went 2 for 33. Blue Defense: Jordan Botelho and Clarence Lewis picked off Pyne’s 2 int’s, and Rylie Mills balled out on the line, getting 3 TFL’s and 1 sack. Ryan Barnes also led the Blue team in tackles (6), followed behind Botelho with 5. Gold Defense: Wherever the ball was, Freshman CB Jaden Mickey and All-American safety Brandon Joseph were at, absolute ballhawks who were both very close to coming down with INT’s. If you aren’t excited about the secondary, you should be. Nana Osafo-Mensah and Howard Cross III split a sack between each other, and Jack Kiser led the team in tackles (5). Special teams (Blue + Gold): Special teams did not look good unfortunately. Punts did not go far, and field goals were not consistent whatsoever. Hopefully Brian Mason will be able to get better results out of the kickers and punters by September. Overall; it was a solid spring game. Gold team snuck out a victory 13-10 behind Steve Angeli’s last second rushing touchdown where he dived for the pylon on the final play of the game. If there’s only one thing to get excited for, get excited for the defense, will be top 5 in my opinion. And another prominent thing was the fan turnout this year, the majority of the lower bowl was filled with the sections between the 10 yard line and the opposite 10 yard line being filled completely. What were you most excited about during the Spring Game? Photo by 247sports

By Liam Gaudet Fans and players alike were left in disarray on the night of November 29th, 2021 when murmurs broke that Louisiana State University was pursuing Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly for their vacant head coaching position. Not long after the rumors began, the news was confirmed. The winningest coach in program history was headed to Baton Rouge to lead the tigers. This news came as a surprise to nearly everyone in the college football community, as Kelly had just wrapped up his fifth straight 10 win season at Notre Dame, and was preparing for a late playoff push following a dominant 45-14 showing against bitter rival Stanford. Nobody knew that this would be the last game that Kelly would lead the blue and gold, and fans were quick to push the panic button. Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick was quick to answer the bell, however, and named defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman as the predecessor to Brian Kelly. Fans and alumni alike rallied around this news, as it was announced that a newly lead Notre Dame team would face the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the Playstation Fiesta Bowl on New Year's Day. It was hard to imagine that a team that had rallied and garnered so much momentum over a tumultuous month of change would enter this matchup unmotivated. The announcement of Marcus Freeman had breathed new life into a Notre Dame program that appeared lost and uncertain after the departure of a coach that had managed to surpass the great Knute Rockne in all time wins. From the base up, support for Freeman poured in. Highly touted recruits including tight end Eli Raridon and linebacker Drayk Bowen both spoke highly of Freeman on social media while the search for a coach was ongoing. The locker room boomed with excitement as the announcement was made official, but unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. Notre Dame was knocked back to reality after it was announced that arguably their best two players, Kyle Hamilton and Kyren Williams, would forgo the bowl game in preparation for the upcoming NFL draft. Although this news wasn’t surprising, it definitely didn’t help their chances against a very stingy Cowboy team. Additionally, big game history did not favor the Irish at all. Dating back to 1993, Notre Dame had yet to win a New Year’s Six bowl matchup, going 0-8 in that timeframe. With losses at the hands of powerhouses including Alabama (2012, 2020), Ohio State (2016) and Clemson (2018), it appeared as if the Irish were always on the outside looking in. The upcoming game against Oklahoma State, however, appeared to be the first big game where the Irish weren’t significant underdogs, and the majority of the fanbase seemed to be excited, as opposed to cautiously optimistic. The first 25 minutes of play in the Fiesta Bowl went seamlessly for Freeman and the Irish, as they cruised to a three score lead late in the second quarter. The Irish scored with ease on their first possession, as Coan ripped a seam pass between the numbers to standout freshman Lorenzo Styles, and had the Irish faithful roaring in full force. Coan would follow up a surgical drive by beating the blitz on a slip pass to Chris Tyree for a 53 yard score. Super sophomore Micheal Mayer would add two scores in the second quarter, and it appeared all was going as planned for Marcus Freeman, as they led 28-7 with under a minute to go in the half. In typical Notre Dame fashion, playing a full 60 minutes was never an option. On the final possession of the half, Oklahoma State would drive 75 yards in just four plays to gash the Irish defense for a nine yard score, courtesy of Tay Martin. The Irish would enter the locker room with a 14 point lead after deciding to take a knee with a little over thirty seconds in the half and timeouts in hand, a decision that may have proved costly. Oklahoma State came flying onto the field in the third quarter, scoring 17 straight points and shutting down the polarizing Irish passing game. Spencer Sanders would run wild on the Irish, for a total of 125 yards rushing and 371 yards passing. The pressure that the Irish had brought in the first half was used against them, and it appeared as though neither side of the ball were willing to make any adjustments to stifle the Cowboy momentum. Much of the same would occur in the final frame of the game, as the Cowboys moved the ball at will, and the Irish were content with 3-and-out drives and abysmal field position. A few late chances to tie the game were erased by a horrific Jack Coan interception, as well as a failed fourth down convert. The Cowboys scored 30 unanswered points in the second half, and the Irish had once again faltered on the main stage, losing the game 37-35. Notre Dame now sits at 0-9 in New Year’s Six bowl games since 1993. Although this loss is arguably the most embarrassing of all the New Year’s Six losses in recent memory, there are areas of thought that can be expanded upon in regards to where the program will trend from here. It’s no secret that Notre Dame’s secondary play needs to be improved. Clarence Lewis and Cam Hart are solid defenders, but besides a few big plays here and there, a true difference maker is needed at the cornerback position. Notre Dame opens up the 2022 season against the most potent pass attack in college football; Ohio State. C.J. Stroud and Jackson Smith-Njigba have made a living picking apart sub-par secondaries (just ask Mel Tucker). It’s very hard to have an optimistic outlook for the future given that a very average quarterback like Spencer Sanders can set a Fiesta Bowl record for total yardage in virtually 30 minutes against this secondary. Corner development is needed - and quickly - if the Irish want to have any chance of keeping the Buckeyes from steam rolling them in Columbus. With the departure of Jack Coan, it is all but certain that the Irish will be starting a young and inexperienced quarterback next season. Most likely, Tyler Buchner will get the nod to lead the offense. Buchner showed flashes of brilliance this season, and brought a much needed second dimension to the quarterback position. His decision making and mechanics, however, leave something to be desired. When given the option to pass the ball, Buchner often looked a little flustered and tended to either rush things or take too long and make a costly mistake. His pick six against Virginia Tech in the early stages of the season left a lot of onlookers scratching their heads. It is important to note that Buchner missed his final season of high-school ball due to the pandemic, so look for a massive progression in both decision making and confidence under offensive coordinator and quarterback guru Tommy Rees. The departure of Del Alexander as wide receivers coach was long overdue, as Notre Dame receivers have struggled to break out in recent years. Notre Dame has not really had a true number one option since Chase Claypool, and their passing game has struggled as a result. Additionally, the recruiting margin at the position has been razor thin. With players like Jordan Johnson, Lawrence Keys III and Jay Brunelle leaving the program, the depth has also suffered severely. A decommitment from top 100 receiver C.J. Williams seemed to be the cherry on top of the terrible receiver situation. Although Notre Dame returns seniors Avery Davis and Braden Lenzy, injuries have derailed their progress in previous years and contributed to the difficulty of moving the ball through the air. Barring a big time transfer, this easily could turn out to be the team’s greatest weakness. Although these are serious areas of concern looking forward, there is still plenty to be excited about. The development of the Irish offensive line played a massive role in turning their season around, and the majority of the starters will return. Freshman phenom Joe Alt looks to be in prime position to be an All-American candidate, and a healthy Blake Fisher will sure up the other tackle position. Senior center Jarrett Patterson will return for a final year, and it is assumed that Andrew Kristofic and Josh Lugg will fill out the interior. It appears that “O-Line U” will continue its dominance heading into next season, with plenty of talented depth should any injuries arise. The trenches on the defensive side of the football will also return a high degree of talent, specifically the heat-seeking missile that is Isaiah Foskey. Many had believed that Foskey would tip his cap and head for the combine, but in a surprising twist, he has decided to return for his senior season (possibly due to the amazing draft class which features fierce edge rushers such as Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux and Michigan’s Aiden Hutchinson). Nevertheless, much needed talent has been retained in the front seven, including both Jayson and Justin Ademilola. This Notre Dame front looks scarier than ever, and hungry to avenge the harsh defeat. With the departure of Mike Elston as the defensive line coach, it will be interesting to see where a new face can lead these extremely talented young men. Last but certainly not least, Marcus Freeman has injected pure adrenaline into Notre Dame recruiting. Currently, Notre Dame ranks number seven and number two for their 2022 and 2023 recruiting classes respectively. Freeman has been relentless on the recruiting trail, and it has paid major dividends for the Irish. Almost all recruits have publicly stated how much Freeman is willing to go the extra mile in terms of communication and effort, which is definitely a sign of great things to come. Look for Freeman to continue his dominance in recruiting, which will no doubt translate to better performance. Although another big time loss will most likely fester in the hearts of the Irish faithful over a very long offseason, there are plenty of reasons to be excited for the future. A very small sample size of one game cannot be indicative of doomsday for the Irish, and fans and alumni should be proud of the resiliency shown by it’s football team in a very uncertain situation. Plenty of new faces and a much needed infusion of youth into the program should allow an approach of cautious optimism to the coming season. After all, Notre Dame is still Notre Dame. Photo by Akron Beacon Journal -

By Ken Karper “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” I could not think of a better quote to describe how all Notre Dame fans were feeling from the night of November 29th to the final snap of the 2022 Playstation Fiesta Bowl. The mayhem of Brian Kelly leaving, wondering if we would get left out of the playoff because of it. The frantic job search to find the next coach of the University of Notre Dame. The players coach getting hired to that position just a few days later warmed our hearts and calmed us down, and reminded us to believe in Notre Dame. The absolutely electric first half of the bowl game against Oklahoma State (OSU). Lorenzo Styles touchdown, Chris Tyree touchdown, back to back Micheal Mayer touchdown passes, and Jack Coan throwing the game of his life, it was a magical start to the Freeman Era. Until it wasn’t. The Oklahoma State Cowboys brought the rain storm in the second half causing our offense to completely shut down until the final five minutes. The fast paced Mike Gundy offense was firing on all cylinders. The Irish didn’t stop fighting however, as a late touchdown brought us within two points and a chance at an onside recovery would have certainly given us a chance at a Jason Deorer field goal. It didn’t, and it sure is a shame and not the start Irish fans were looking for in the Freeman Era. It stung, as a lifelong Notre Dame fan I can’t lie to you and tell you that my New Year's Day of football was pretty much ruined after that final snap. After a month of thought and debrief on the game lets take a look at the Fiesta Bowl loss and just how it affects the outlook for the tough 2022 season. Let’s begin with the elephant in the room. How does this affect Marcus Freeman’s stock at Notre Dame. Now let's answer that plain and simple. It doesn’t. Throwing Freeman under the bus for losing to a good OSU in a New Year’s Six bowl, first start as head coach, two of his best players not playing, and also playing with the stakes of being the first ND coach to win a New Year's Six bowl in decades. Brian Kelly lost to Tulsa in his first year, let's not start talking about how good the Freeman hire really was till we give him at least three seasons under his belt. Anyone that actually watched that game could tell that this Notre Dame team was more prepared and ready to play a competitive game of football than (I might get heat for saying this) any of the major bowl games that Brian Kelly took us to. We have to be honest the game Marcus Freeman directed was way better than the game we would have gotten with Brian Kelly coaching. With the coaching out of the way let's look at the players returning next season. Notre Dame has got a lot of momentum rolling into the 2022 season from a players standpoint with players like Isaiah Foskey, Braden Lenzy, Avery Davis, the Ademilola brothers, Cam Hart, Tyler Buchner, Logan Diggs, Chris Tyree, and of course Micheal Mayer and many others. We are also grabbing some great players from the transfer portal, the big one being Brandon Joseph who will instantly take over Kyle Hamilton's position. Two other players that enough people aren’t talking about are punter Jon Sot, and kicker Blake Grupe. Notre Dame special teams haven’t been the same since Justin Yoon and Tyler Newsom graduated and was another big reason as to why we lost in the Fiesta Bowl. So it is a huge breath of fresh air to have some proven special teams players helping us next year. So for the most part a lot of the line up will stay the same of course with some new faces that will emerge be it freshman phenoms sophomores and juniors that have grinded hard in the offseason and get a chance to play, and then of course the quarterback. I mean it’s got to be Buchner right? But let's not forget about Drew Pyne, the man who is the only offensive reason the Cincinnati game was not a shutout and also the man that came in for an injured Jack Coan against Wisconsin and threw two touchdowns helping us get the win. I personally think the job will start with Buchner for that first fateful match up against Ohio State University in the HorseShoe. This game will set the tone and pace of the season, you could also say that it is the most important game of the year as the winner of this game can almost guarantee a spot in the playoffs. It will not only be a game that will decide if Buchner is the real deal or not, it will also speak to Freeman and his staff as to how they can prepare for a war against an always talented Ohio State team in a hostile environment. I find it almost odd however, that for once I don’t feel worried if Notre Dame is going to be prepared for the game. If I’m being completely honest I think I feel that way because of the Fiesta Bowl loss. Marcus Freeman said it himself, “the honeymoon phase is over.” We were honestly all fools for forgetting that this game he’s coaching is college football, literally anything can happen. Yeah you can lose, crazy stuff like blowing a 28-7 lead is going to happen, it's just the nature of the cruel, cruel, sport. It was a wake up call saying “hey, just because you like your new coach you’re still in the real world, losing is just going to happen” but if there is one man that I believe is going to get Notre Dame back on track it is Marcus Freeman, why you might ask when he’s only been wearing a Notre Dame logo on his shirt for about a year now? Because no one is more hurt and ready to get revenge for that Fiesta Bowl loss than Marcus Freeman, and no one will have this team more prepared to do it than him. My father said something to me after the Fiesta Bowl that kinda stuck with me, I think it is a perfect mentality to have for the 2022 season. I said, “So where do we go from here? This is a pretty tough loss to get over especially for the player” He said. “where we’ve always gone. Onward.” Photo by IndyStar -

By Ian Neff After coming off a tough loss in the 2022 Fiesta Bowl, many fans amongst Notre Dame nation wonder how it will affect the 2022 season. It was heartbreaking to see an exceptional senior class leave the field on a loss, as they will not get a chance to redeem themselves in blue and gold. Yet, more players are returning than not, who need to chew on that loss all offseason. That Fiesta Bowl loss should be a key motivating factor for the players returning next year. I mean, it was Notre Dame’s most legendary coach who said one loss is good for the soul. The start of the 2022 season will give Marcus Freeman more time to prepare as a head coach compared to the Fiesta Bowl. The first thing Coach Freeman should focus on changing, was the poor defense at the end of the first half and the start of the second half. Impromptu defensive coordinator Mike Elston – the previous defensive line coach – was not putting his players in the best positions to make plays, especially in the second half. This should all change by next season when Coach Freeman has his staff in place. Marcus Freeman has already begun building an impressive staff this offseason, with additions like Harry Hiestand as offensive line coach, and Chansi Stuckey as wide receivers coach, which should give this team boosts in those positions. Coach Freeman still has a big-time hire to make, with a vacant Defensive Coordinator position. As Coach Freeman continues to work this offseason to put together his staff, it is becoming more clear that the Fiesta Bowl shouldn’t reflect poorly on Marcus as a coach. With taking over the reins of the program the month before the bowl game, Coach Freeman had to heavily improvise his first head coaching experience. By the time his staff is all set for next season, Coach should have a better grasp of this team and his position as head coach. One promising aspect about the 2022 season is the roster turnover from last season. The 2022 defense has the potential to be one of the best in the nation because of players like Isaiah Foskey and the Ademiola brothers returning. Fans should almost be grateful we lost in the Fiesta Bowl, as no one knows if Notre Dame beat Oklahoma State if that could have been enough for some of these players to opt-out of coming back. The loss was enough to motivate these players to come back for more. These players believe in their brotherhood, and their ability to win a National Championship. By the time Notre Dame rolls into Ohio State in September, the players will have months to ponder the loss in the Fiesta Bowl. From top to bottom, the program should be planning how they can’t allow another loss to start their season. Even more than the players, Marcus Freeman wants nothing more than to avoid being 0-2 to start his career. After all, one loss is good for the soul but too many isn’t good for the coach. Photo by One Foot Down -

Written by Nick Kremer The year is 2009. Avatar has just been released in theaters, Kanye interrupted Taylor Swift, and Charlie Weis has just capped off a 6-6 season. The one time “schematic advantage” jersey boy has been fired, and once again Notre Dame football is at the bottom of the college football mountain. In comes an Irish Catholic from Boston, who has put a winning product on the field at every one of his coaching stops. This is it. This is the man that will bring Notre Dame football back to where it belongs. The top of the college football mountain. 12 seasons, 113 wins, 3 National Championship/Playoff appearances later, and Kelly was off to the SEC. The first football coach to leave Notre Dame for another college job since 1907. And just like that, Notre Dame football was in need of a new head football coach. Just when you thought it was time to worry, Notre Dame officially hires Marcus Freeman. Freeman, an all star recruiter, a moral man, and someone who seems to be a true Notre Dame man. The hype and excitement that was building around the program was something that far exceeded that under the previous coach. The hype was even more real when the Irish came out and took a commanding 28-14 lead over Oklahoma State going into halftime. WOW. Social media is frantically raving over our new leader. “Marcus Freeman may never lose at Notre Dame.” This excitement came crashing down as the Irish let their Fiesta Bowl victory slip through their hands. So, what now? Notre Dame football has NOT been in a better position since Lou Holtz, and we have to thank Mr. Kelly and his “fam-uhly” for that. But make no mistake, Notre Dame has the right man for the job. Marcus Freeman, in his limited time at Notre Dame, has already shown that he understands this university more than his predecessor. “Notre Dame will change you if you let it.” A simple quote from coach Freeman, but one that packs a phenomenal punch. HE GETS IT. Marcus Freeman knows how special this university is, and as much as we wanted to believe Brian Kelly understood that, it is very clear that he did not. Marcus Freeman understands that Notre Dame is special and unique, but it is not for everybody. Marcus has shown that he will be relentless in his commitment to leading The Fighting Irish. He has publicly stated that he WANTS to be the lead recruiter for all prospects. He WANTS to find young men that will give everything to Notre Dame. He WANTS to find the best staff out there. And he WANTS what is best for Our Lady’s University. In my lifetime, I have not been more excited about the direction of the Notre Dame football program. A program that has the best tradition, academics, school spirit, and faith in the entire country. We finally have a head coach and leader that understands and exemplifies that. THAT will bring us back to the top of the College Football mountain. The best is yet to come, Irish fans. Photo by NDinsider -

Adon Shuler – 2023 Notre Dame Commit By Ian Neff The Notre Dame 2023 class is shaping up to be a special one, and New Jersey safety Adon Shuler is a crucial component of it. Shuler is a unanimous 4-star recruit and is 6-0 and 190 lbs., per 247 Sports. He was offered by Notre Dame on May 13, 2021, and committed shortly after on August 15, 2021. Shuler heads into his senior season at Irvington High School in New Jersey this fall, on the heels of an impressive junior campaign. He plays free safety and wide receiver for the Blue Knights and also contributes on special teams. Photo by 247Sports - Adon led his Irvington High football team to a 12-2 record and their fourth straight NJSFC conference championship over Northern Highlands. Adon scored the first touchdown of the championship game when he returned a punt for 45 yards to the endzone. He also contributed with six tackles on the day. Shuler totaled 80 tackles in his junior season with five solo tackles. He also had an impressive six interceptions on the season, with two returned for touchdowns. He also had two forced fumbles and seven and a half tackles for a loss on the season. Adon has been a contributor on all three phases of the ball since his sophomore season, making him a very versatile player. Photo by 247Sports - Adon is a 247 sports composite 4-star recruit, ranked as the No. 164 player in the nation. He is the No. 14 safety in the country and the second-best player in the state of new jersey. His impressive junior season has recently garnered him new offers from programs like Alabama and Michigan State. Notre Dame fans shouldn't be too worried, as Shuler is a true leader in this 2023 Notre Dame class, playing the role of a player recruiter by forming relationships with the best players in the country. He has another visit to Notre Dame planned for the spring game, with many other recruits from the 2023 class. Shuler is still a young player but has already shown impressive football IQ with his reads in coverage and angles he takes to attack ball carriers. When he arrives at Notre Dame he will have had time to grow physically, putting him in a position to be a consistent starter. Notre Dame will need to fill the shoes of Senior safeties DJ Brown, Brandon Joseph, and Houston Griffith, giving Shuler an opportunity for major playing time early on in his career. He might not be a starter as a Freshman, but he will most likely see the field through special teams and as a backup. I would expect him to have an increased role by his Sophomore and Junior seasons. The 2023 class already has two four star safeties committed in Adon Shuler and top 100 recruit Peyton Bowen. Notre Dame will likely add even more by the end of the recruiting cycle, and be in position to shape a dangerous backfield for the Fighting Irish. Shuler is a key piece in this picture, as even though he isn’t the biggest Safety, he makes up for that with his speed and football IQ. Shuler is a track and field athlete, which has helped him improve on his speed and explosiveness, and he should improve even more by his senior season, and when he arrives on campus as. Photo by 247Sports -

Height - 6’5 Weight - 275 Position - Defensive Lineman City - Mentor, OH High School - Mentor High School Class - 2023 Ranking (per 24/7 sports composite) - State (overall) - 2 Nationally (position) - 8 Nationally (overall) - 74 Composite ⭐⭐⭐⭐ .9655 Stats Through 16 Varsity Games 39 solo tackles 25 assist tackles 64 total tackles 4 tackles for loss 3 sacks 28 QB hurries 1 forced fumble Recruitment Offers Alabama, Cincinnati, Duke, Indiana, Iowa State, Kent State, Kentucky, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Brenan Vernon committed to Notre Dame on June 29, 2021 Film Analysis Notre Dame continues their success along the defensive line with their commitment from Brenan Vernon. In watching his film, there are an abundance of takeaways that show he has the potential to be a stud for Marcus Freeman and the Irish. The first thing that sticks out when watching his film is his size. At 6’5 and 275 pounds, he already has the type of frame and size to be a championship caliber player along the DLine. His length is one of his greatest assets, and he knows how to use it at an advanced level for his age. He has room to add weight and strength to his frame, which will be crucial to how quickly he gets on the field for the Irish. One of my favorite things about Vernon is his explosiveness and his athleticism. Vernon shows elite ability in stopping the run, and more specifically the read option. He does a good job of squeezing his gap, breaking down his feet, and accelerating through the tackle. Vernon shows elite ability to stop the run and that will be a strength for Notre Dame. Additionally, Vernon plays with a phenomenal motor. This is the kind of football player who does not take plays off. His constant motor will earn him a lot of praise from the coaches at Notre Dame throughout his career. Brenan is a prospect that has a high ceiling, but he still has some things to improve upon in his game. His initial first step needs to be quicker if he is going to play on the edge for the Irish, although I see him eventually playing 3-technique for most of his snaps. Vernon also tends to play with high pad level at times, which he won’t be able to get away with at the Power 5 level. Finally, Brenan shows great ability to stop the run, but he will need to grow his pass rush technique to fully reach his potential at the next level. These are all very common for a player coming out of high school, and they can all be fixed with coaching and reps. The fact that Notre Dame was able to get Brenan Vernon over Ohio State is a huge recruiting win. Mentor High School is an elite football program in the state of Ohio and one that is known to be a pipeline to the Buckeyes. I predict that Vernon will make a significant impact by his sophomore year. Players like Vernon are what you need to compete for National Championships. My overall grade for Brenan Vernon - 4.4 / 5

I start every game watching with absolute, insane intensity. Literal edge of my seat, studying each of the 12 matchups that happens on every down. All 24 players in motion. Every inch of the 30 yards in the current television frame. Mathematically calculating if the down was a win or a loss for my boys in blue and gold. ‘Sure he threw it away but it saved a sack, that’s a win.’ ‘Three yard gain on first down we’ll take that.’ ‘The Oline is getting a push that’s a good sign.’ Spitting angry at any subtle distraction or needless, nearby chatter. Scarcely daring to blink, sneeze or cough for fear I might miss a key element or telltale sign of what the rest of the game will look like. With the score 21-3 I am quite a different sight. Just 13 minutes in and I’m an entirely different person. Some might even call me pleasant. Laidback, chillin’ in my chair, actually taking a bathroom break, briefly glancing at text messages. What’s this?? He’s laughing, drinking water and breathing normal? No sweaty palms or remote hurling? Its quite a rarified feeling for Notre Dame fans in big games. I can say I’m not very natural at it yet. Its gonna take some practice...hopefully I get the chance to. I realized that this same reaction was being mirrored by many of my fellow Irishmen and women across the country. Including those with headsets and clipboards on the sidelines at the 2022 PlayStation Fiesta Bowl. Tommy Rees had his feet up, texting friends back in less than two minutes. Freeman was passing the dip. All the disappointment from the Brian Kelly abandonment. All the excitement from the unlikely hire. All the momentum from keeping together one of the nations top recruiting class. . led to this exact moment. Everything we hoped it would lead to, it led to. ...in the first half. The second half would prove to sing a different tune. “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”, the coaching staff seemingly said with their second half adjustments, or lack there of. Which is fine, unless the other sides fixes whats broken on their end and turns out superior than yours. The refusal to play either Tyler Buchner or Drew Pyne for even one down in the second half is by far the most mind-boggling decision of the game. It was a proven recipe that bailed out the Irish on multiple occasion that season. In fact, it was arguably the reason Notre Dame was in this bowl game in the first place. A lost to Toledo and the Irish would be out of the top ten in a blink. It almost felt as if Tommy Rees was sticking it to the man, a man Rees felt inhibited his decision making for far too long, and wanted to prove that staying with a QB, who was much like himself, was better than playing a flavor-of-the-week QB to replace him, much like Everett Golson did in Rees’ tenure at Notre Dame. That sticking-it-to-the-man proved to be costly, as one single successful drive by Tyler Buchner would have won us the game. The Kansas City Chiefs, in Irish fashion, blew an 18 point lead to the Cincinatti Bengals in the NFC Championship. In the first half, Mahomes was on fire. The defense was unbudging. Then BOOM, an entirely different team shows up for the final two quarters. What is it about confidence that so easily slips into overconfidence? What is it about overconfidence that makes us lose sight of the little things that it takes to win? This is Super Bowl MVP Mahomes we’re talking about here, so don’t feel too bad, Coach. It happens to the best of us. They say the best way to learn to punch is to take ten punches. And in the words of Rocky Balboa, Freeman, it’s not about how hard you can punch but how hard you can get punched and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done. And although this may be a cliche motivational speech, it’s also a very insightful recipe for victory. It’s not always about winning the first three rounds but about learning how to take a knockout punch in the fourth and not lose ground. How to absorb having the momentum taken from you and responding with the aggressive intensity required to take it back. Making risky calls and fiery adjustments to win back the moment. Its clear that Freeman put too much trust in a young, and far too trigger- happy, Tommy Rees in allowing him to make the game altering calls. Freeman allowed the emotions of having an early lead in his debut get the best of him. But this was his very first game, not only as a head coach but as the head coach of Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl one month after he got the job. Some may say Freeman has a lot to learn after watching this game but I believe he learned a lot from this game itself. You can’t let up for one second or before you know it, you’re the one playing from behind. Others may say Freeman should learn from Brian Kelly. Kelly never blew a big lead. True but then again, he never had a big lead to begin with so I say we’re in a much better place than we’ve ever been before.

Nick Kremer ᐧ Irish Tribune Notre Dame has a continued hold on the nation’s number 1 recruiting class ranking. In the month of June, Notre Dame can grow that lead even more with the visitors they have coming to South Bend. Can the Irish finish at number 1? A lot will depend on two weekends in June. Photo by ESPN The first big recruiting weekend will take place June 9-13, where the Irish will host official visitors with a lot of star power. Notre Dame commits Sullivan Absher , Devan Houston , Sam Pendleton , and Adon Shuler will be on campus for their official visits starting June 9th. Several more big time Notre Dame targets will arrive on June 10th. 5 ⭐ ND commit Keon Keeley will be on campus and will be trying to persuade other Irish targets to join him for a title run at Notre Dame. 5 ⭐ safety Caleb Downs , 4 ⭐ DL Jason Moore , 4 ⭐ LB Jaiden Ausberry , 4 ⭐ CB Christian Gray , 4 ⭐ ATH Micah Tease , 4 ⭐ WR Rico Flores Jr , and 4 ⭐ ATH Ronan Hanifin will all be arriving on campus for their official visit. This list contains some of the top targets left on Notre Dame's recruiting board. Of these visitors, I would not be surprised to see a commitment from Moore, Ausberry, and Flores either on their visit, or shortly after. I feel very confident that the Irish will end up landing those three, and eventually Gray. The Irish have a chance to make a monumental impression on all of these visitors during this weekend. The final visitor, who will arrive on Monday, June 13, is 5 ⭐ RB Richard Young . Young was a late addition to the Official Visitor list, and is the elite type of running back that Notre Dame has been missing over the years. Young is the type of back that goes to Alabama, and ends up winning a Heisman trophy. You would expect for him to end up in the SEC, but he has serious interest in what is happening at Notre Dame. Look for Marcus Freeman and Deland McCullough to roll out the red carpet for this elite back. Photo by One Foot Down June 17-19 will include just as much star power visiting campus as the weekend prior. ND commit Cooper Flanagan will be on campus for his official visit, and he will take on the role of recruiter for the weekend. 5 ⭐ ATH Samuel M’Pemba , 4 ⭐ WR Jaden Greathouse , 4 ⭐ WR Christian Hamilton , 4 ⭐ CB Jasiah Wagoner , 4 ⭐ RB Jeremiyah Love , 4 ⭐ LB Jordan Hall , and 4 ⭐ CB Micah Bell will be on campus for official visits. Additionally, 4 ⭐ OL Charles Jagusah will arrive on Sunday, June 19. Among this list, I would look for a possible commitment from Greathouse, Wagoner, Love, Jagusah and Bell either during, or shortly after their visit. I feel very confident that the Irish will end up landing Bell, Jagusah, and Greathouse. Back to back LOADED visitor weekends show that ND is ready to solidify this as the nation’s number 1 recruiting class. The missing piece in these two weekends is 5 ⭐ QB Dante Moore . The Notre Dame coaching staff pushed to get Dante on campus for either one of the big recruiting weekends, but Moore decided to take an unofficial visit to Texas A&M on the weekend of the 17th, and has 7 on 7 plans for the weekend of the 10th. With Dante still expected to commit to Notre Dame, this is a missed opportunity for him to help recruit and build for his future offense. While my confidence in landing Moore is still high, the longer this recruitment goes on makes me increasingly nervous about the QB position for this class. With or without Dante Moore on campus, these two weekends in June are loaded with talent. If the Irish can close on the prospects they are supposed to, and get a couple of surprises, this will prove to be the class that changes the program. The class that brings a National Championship back to Notre Dame.

Written By Liam Gaudet, Senior Editor With the recent de-commitment of five star edge rusher Keon Keeley, the Notre Dame fanbase is disappointed, but is this a sign of things to come for the Irish? To put it simply: No. As the old adage goes, “the path to success is not a straight line” and I think there is no greater advice to fans that are overreacting to this news. Recent Notre Dame De-Commit Keon Keeley Let me put it this way. If I had told you in 2019 that in just two seasons, Notre Dame would be competing against top programs for the services of multiple top-30 prospects, would you have believed me? I personally would not have seen it that way after being brainwashed by Brian Kelly that the best we could do is a 50-50 split class of three and four star players. We shouldn’t be so naïve to believe that in less than a year under a new coaching regime, we would land the number one class in the country, hold hands and sing Kumbaya. Although it looked possible at one point, realistically I think we all believed that the SEC powerhouses were going to gain momentum on the recruiting trail and dethrone us at some point, albeit at the cost of our best recruit. Is this disheartening? Sure. Is the program going to implode? Absolutely not. Notre Dame has been seeing the world through rose colored glasses since the hiring of Marcus Freeman at the end of last season. Since then, we have been spoiled into believing that Freeman is invincible on the trail. The reality of the situation is these things happen when you’re competing with the big boys. Alabama, Georgia and others lose 5-star commitments all the time, but because we’re not used to having legendary blue chips in the fold, our failures are a little more magnified. Even if we lost Peyton Bowen, which looks more likely than not with every passing day, our recruiting class is much more successful than anyone would have anticipated in previous years. In the grand scheme of things, I still believe this recruiting cycle has been a massive success. Sure, we’ve missed on a few big names, but with more success on the field, and perhaps a more fleshed out NIL plan, more talent will likely be accumulated in the coming cycles. Speaking of accumulating talent, how about we talk about the kids that are still in the class. In the 2023 class, we have addressed positions of need extremely successfully. Three top 150 wide receivers in Greathouse, James and Flores is a win that cannot be understated, and they show no sign of going back on their pledge. An offensive line class spearheaded by a monster in Charles Jagusah, and two speed demon corners in the secondary in Bell and Gray. All this without mentioning the heart and soul of the class in high 4-star linebacker Drayk Bowen. As diehard fans, it's easy to see shortcomings and focus entirely on the negatives. However, I encourage the fans to embrace a glass-half-full approach until signing day. Yes, the loss of a blue chip stings, but the sky is not falling. I touched on this a little bit earlier, but I’m hoping that the staff will learn from this setback and work to employ new methods for retaining recruits. The elephant in the room is obviously NIL opportunities. Regardless of whether or not Alabama offered Keeley a pay day, Notre Dame needs to find an NIL strategy that can compete with offers from larger schools. Yes, I’m aware that the core values of this university aren’t aligned with handing out millions of dollars to 17 year old's *cough A&M cough*, but clearly more competitive offers are a must. If other schools want to play dirty in an unregulated landscape, Notre Dame needs to find a strategy that falls within their morals to compete. Until more rules are put into place to stop the bag men in their tracks, a competitive plan needs to be set in motion. In closing, I felt it necessary to release this in hopes of relieving a small amount of tension that seems to be building amongst fans. I know it’s hard not to make a mountain out of a molehill, but given our recent recruiting successes, I think the fact that this is an issue is only a testament to the tremendous job this staff has done this cycle. Could the de-commitment come as a result of NIL? Who knows. What we do know is that recruiting failures thus far have not been for lack of effort. This staff has been relentless, and we can’t win every battle. What we can do is continue to count on this staff to put the work in, and the results will speak for themselves. As far as NIL goes, I expect a well thought out plan from everyone in the athletic department to ensure failures like these are not consistent. Keep your heads up folks, we’re still in good hands.