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Following a gritty 3-0 road trip, the Notre Dame women’s team returns to Purcell Pavilion on a 14-game win streak as they host the Stanford Cardinal and the No. 21 California Golden Bears. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics It was a gutsy performance on the road from sophomore guard Hannah Hidalgo that led the Irish to an 18-point victory over Louisville on Feb. 2. Despite a second quarter that saw Notre Dame get outscored 25-17 by the Cardinals, Hidalgo finished with a season-high 34 points along with four steals.   Now the number three team in the country looks to extend their 10-0 start in conference play against Stanford on Thursday. The Cardinal, who have started the year 11-10 with just a 3-7 record against the ACC, have yet another tough matchup for their fourth-ranked matchup in the last five games.   Despite their record, sophomore forward Nunu Agara is having a phenomenal season, averaging 17.4 points per game on 46.5% shooting, 8.1 rebounds per game, and two assists. The 6’2" Minnesota native has scored in double figures in all but one game this season, including a 22-point, 14-rebound showing against North Carolina on Feb. 2.   Elena Bosgana, a 6’2" guard from Greece in her senior season with the Cardinal, is the second-leading scorer on the team averaging 12.1 PPG on a 41.8% clip. However, she enters this one coming off her worst game of the season, shooting 1-11 with 3 points in 40 minutes of play.   The real test for the Irish comes on Sunday as they take on the 21st-ranked team in the country, the California Golden Bears, who enter South Bend 19-4, with a 7-3 record against the ACC. Like Stanford, California enters this matchup with a loss to North Carolina last week. Despite this, the Bears are 6-2 in their last eight games. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off.    Ioanna Krimili, the Golden Bears leading scorer with 15.4 PPG on 41.1% shooting, hails from Heraklion, Greece. The 5’10" senior guard has scored in double figures in her last four games, averaging 16.8 PPG over that span. Krimili is also a threat from beyond the arc, averaging eight threes per game, and knocks down 37.5%.   However, being the fifth-best team from deep in the ACC, and shooting 36% as a team, means there are plenty of more threats from three.   The Golden Bears have two players shooting above 40% from deep, including sophomore guard Lulu Twidale, who is shooting 40.6%. She has made three or more threes in 14 games this season, including a 4-7 performance in California’s win against Pittsburgh this past Sunday. While Twidale is averaging 13.3 PPG this season, she can be restrained should the Irish defend her on the perimeter. In nine games this season where Twidale has made two or fewer threes, she is averaging just 6.6 PPG.   Kayla Williams, the Golden Bears team leader in three-point percentage with a 41.8% clip from deep, has hit a wall since the turn of the new year. The senior guard has just one game since the end of December where she has hit multiple threes and is shooting just 33% in that span. While she averages far fewer threes per game than Twidale at just 3.4 per game, Williams will certainly be looking to shoot more against the number three team in the country. Williams, who is in her first year with the Bears after transferring from USC, is the team leader in assists with 4.3 and steals with 1.5.   The Irish have the chance to move to 12-0 in conference play for the first time since the 2015-16 season when they went undefeated in conference play. However, it will not be easy against two teams desperate for a big win.   While things are going great on the women’s side, the sky appears to be falling for the men, as they have lost back-to-back games against Miami and Florida State, moving to 10-12 on the season.   A road trip that was supposed to bring the Irish momentum and set them up for a run in the ACC, resulted in two losses that included poor second-half play. They will now host Virginia Tech on Saturday with just nine conference games remaining. It’ll be two teams more than desperate for a win as both teams enter under .500 and toward the bottom of the conference. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics These losses that the Irish are suffering are coming despite sophomore guard Markus Burton having an elite season, averaging 20.5 PPG and shooting 45.7% from the field. Since returning from injury, he has scored 20 or more points in seven of his nine games played, averaging 22 PPG over that span. Not only is he scoring at a high rate, but he also tied his season-high for steals with four against the Seminoles this past Tuesday and is averaging a team-high 1.6 on the season.   Virginia Tech, on the other hand, enters this one on a two-game win streak, with both wins coming on the road against Florida State and Virginia. It’s been good enough for eighth place in the conference with a 5-6 record, but a win against Notre Dame could do enough to get them to sixth should other losses happen around the league.   The Hokies have just one player averaging double figures on the year in junior forward Tobi Lawal. A London, England native, Lawal is averaging 13 PPG and shoots 58.9% from the field. Standing at 6’8”, he has scored in double figures in his last six games, averaging 15.5 PPG in that timeframe. Lawal also averages 6.7 RPG and grabbed 13 on Jan. 29 against Florida State.   It will be an interesting weekend for both Notre Dame teams, as the women’s team looks to ride the hot streak, as the men look to claw their way back into the fight. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

After three years with the Fighting Irish, Deland McCullough leaves South Bend to become the new running backs coach for the Las Vegas Raiders, per Matt Freeman. Photo by The Irish Tribune This move will give McCullough his first opportunity to coach in the NFL after more than a decade of coaching experience at the college level. However, this won't be his first time in the NFL. He played for the Cincinnati Bengals and the Philadelphia Eagles from 1996 to 1997. Get the scoop before your friends with Tribune+ Although his time was short in South Bend, McCullough's presence was felt over his three years as the running backs coach. During his time, he produced some of the nation's most talented and productive rushers. In 2023, it was Audric Estime who ran for over 1300 yards and 18 touchdowns. This past season, Jeremiyah broke out as one of college football's best players, rushing for 1125 yards and 17 touchdowns. Not only did McCullough produce Love, but he has also produced an RB room filled with talented backs like Jadarian Price, who rushed for 746 yards, and Aneyas Williams. McCullough consistently built strong RB rooms like the one this past season. In 2022, Estime and Logan Diggs both nearly reached 1000 yards on the season, with Estime totaling 920 and Diggs 820. McCullough has presided over some incredible talent at Notre Dame, making him an attractive hire for anyone. This makes it no surprise he is getting an opportunity to coach at the next level. Unfortunately for Marcus Freeman and the Notre Dame staff, his departure means they once again will have to begin the hiring process. This is the third staff member to have left this offseason, including Al Golden, Chad Bowden, and now Deland McCullough. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

For the last time in their college football careers, Riley Leonard, Jack Kiser, and RJ Oben wore a Notre Dame helmet when they suited up for this year's Senior Bowl. Photo via Notre Dame Football After helping lead Notre Dame to a National Championship appearance, the three teammates headed to Mobile Alabama, about 30 minutes away from Leonard's hometown of Fairhope, in hopes of increasing their stock in the eyes of those who will be responsible for evaluating them at the next level. They may have not entered the game as the biggest names at their positions, but all three did some good things and proved they belonged. Riley Leonard Leonard came out as the starter for the American Team and carried over some of the momentum from his excellent playoff run. As we have seen throughout his college career, when he was able to flip his hips and hit his first read, he was extremely accurate. He showed poise in the pocket, standing in the face of pressure and delivering a first down strike while throwing from a different arm angle, which is a big plus. He did take some snaps from under center, which is not something he is used to doing, and you can tell the comfort level was not 100% there. Even when handing the ball off from under center, it did not look as smooth for him, and it is something he will have to work on - because in the NFL, he will not be working exclusively from Shotgun. In the second quarter, the pocket started to collapse on third and long, and Leonard missed his checkdown read in the flat, taking a sack on the play. Everything will be sped up at the next level, and he'll have to learn to take what the defense gives him. His snaps were limited, only attempting seven passes, but he made the most of his opportunity completing six of them for 54 yards, and putting evaluators on notice. NFL Outlook I don't expect Leonard to come off the board earlier than the fourth round of this year's NFL Draft, but if he lands with the right team, he can still carve out a nice role for himself. Based on his college career and film, I would love to see him land with a team that utilizes half-field reads for their QBs. One of Leonard's main issues that plagued him at times was his footwork breaking down when working through whole-field progressions, leading to inaccurate passes. I think a team like the Philadelphia Eagles would be perfect for him, as the way they use their QBs highlights all of Leonard's strengths, and would grant him the time to learn in a backup role. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off.   Jack Kiser After a week of Senior Bowl practices, Kiser was named Top Linebacker of the American Team, as voted on by his teammates. This should come as no shock to Irish fans who watched Kiser grow into a true leader throughout his college career, not just of the defense, but the whole team. During the game, Kiser got plenty of snaps at linebacker, and maybe more surprisingly, at safety as well. He also got a bunch of special teams reps on both coverage and protection units, showing the type of versatility that earns roster spots at the next level. It was a bit of a mixed bag for Kiser in terms of how he looked vs the run. On the first drive, he went one-on-one in the hole with a tight end and lost at the point of attack, getting knocked out of his lane. His ability to shed blocks will certainly be a question mark for scouting personnel. He needs to key run vs pass a little quicker, as he also bit hard on a play-action and got way out of position. On the flip side, his motor is elite, and finds himself around the ball more times than not because of his backside pursuit. He's better as a drop zone defender than he is in traditional man coverage. Early in the game, Kiser did a great job splitting the two tight ends to his side while dropping in zone, then closing on the underneath TE to make a tackle for a minimal game. On 4th and 1 late in the fourth quarter, Kiser made an excellent play, reading play-action, getting to his spot in the zone, and playing through the tight end's hands to force an incomplete pass in what should have been a turnover on downs (the drive was extended due to a Roughing the Passer penalty on someone else). NFL Outlook For me, Kiser projects out as a weak-side linebacker in a base 4-3 look. He will primarily be a two-down backer early on, and come out on sub packages until he increases his coverage ability. Kiser will really need to improve on stacking and shedding blockers, and I think the majority of his contributions early on in his career will come via special teams. Due to his motor and pursuit, he has all the makings of an excellent gunner, and because of that I think he will stick on someone's roster after being taken later on in the draft. RJ Oben The American coaches had Oben come out in a wide-9 look, which is more for pure speed rushers and doesn't really play to his strengths. During the game, Oben did not show off-the-ball explosiveness and he lacks elite bend. He showed a good club and rip move on outside rushes, but other than that, he did not display a pass rush plan. Where I thought Oben did very well was vs the run. He pursued a toss play from the backside to make a tackle along with none other than Jack Kiser. I also thought that he showed he could hold the point of attack vs double teams. He displayed an excellent shoulder dip multiple times to work inside the tight end and make plays down the LOS. On 4th and 2, on an important drive late in the game, the National Team opted to try to run the ball. Oben dipped his shoulder and got inside leverage on the TE, and was able to get to the ball carrier for a tackle for loss and give the ball back to his offense. Plays like that in the biggest moments of games will stick in the minds of those evaluating him against his peers when they are more or less evenly graded. NFL Outlook I believe on film, Oben screams 7-technique defensive end. He is a run-stopper first, and a pass-rusher second. I think he has the ability to set the edge, and teams looking to bulk up their run defense and defensive line depth could opt for Oben anywhere from the 5th to the 7th round. As he builds a bigger variety of moves in his pass rush package, he will start to see the field more and more. He is a plug-and-play type of player in obvious running situations and near the goal line. Next up for these three players, will be the NFL Combine later this month. It will be another chance to showcase their strengths and give teams more data points to work with by the time the draft rolls around in April. They will be joined by fellow teammates such as Xavier Watts, Benjamin Morrison, and Rylie Mills, just to name a few, who did not participate in the Senior Bowl. This group moving on to the professional level helped Notre Dame secure one of the greatest seasons in recent memory, and Irish fans will not soon forget what they brought to South Bend. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Just three days after scoring 30 points in a 77-61 dismantling of Virginia Tech, the Irish’s Hannah Hidalgo popped off again on Sunday, with 34 points in an 89-71 victory against the Cardinals. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics Notre Dame got hot early and began the game on a 20-6 run in the first 6:27 of the first quarter. Louisville somewhat found a rhythm as they managed to shrink their deficit to 22-13 after the Irish’s Liatu King sunk a buzzer-beater to end the quarter. Hidalgo led all scorers with nine points including a three, as the Irish dominated the boards, out-rebounding the Cardinals 16-3 in the first ten minutes. Louisville made things interesting in the second quarter as they went on multiple runs to get themselves back in the contest. Two separate 8-0 runs between 9:08-4:59 put the Cardinals in front 29-28. After this, it was a back-and-forth affair for the rest of the quarter with both teams trading points until a Hidalgo two-point jumper with 23 seconds left gave the Irish a 39-38 lead heading into the half. Louisville’s Tajianna Roberts was the leader of the Cardinals' second-quarter surge, leading the way with 11 points as they outscored the Irish 25-17 in the ten-minute period. Hidalgo added another nine points including five free throws to bump her total to 18 first-half points. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off The Irish came out of the break and dominated the Cardinals. Notre Dame outscored the opposition 50-33 in the second half to stamp their 14th straight victory. Three Irish scorers cracked double digits in the half (Hidalgo-16, King-12, Olivia Miles-12). Notably, King and Miles were perfect from the field in the second half. Hidalgo’s 34 points are a new season-high for the sophomore guard and are one short of matching her career-high.   Upcoming, Notre Dame looks to extend their winning streak as they host Stanford on Thursday evening and California on Saturday afternoon. Key Player Stats: Hannah Hidalgo (ND): 34 points (12-22 FGs, 8-8 FTs), 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, +17 Liatu King (ND): 16 points (8-9 FGs), 12 rebounds, +18 Key Team Stats: Field Goal Percentage: ND (55%) - LOU (36%) Free Throw Percentage: ND (85%) - LOU (76%) Total Rebounds: ND (44) - LOU (29) Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

There aren't many players in the 2026 class who are more electrifying than Brayden Robinson. He was a unanimous choice for First-Team All-District, and it isn't hard to figure out why. The Red Oak, TX, wide receiver lit it up in his junior season, racking up over 1400 yards and 15 touchdowns. Photo via Brayden Robinson, Instagram (@quick6ix_), Photo captured by Marcus Moreno (@shotby.moreno) One of the most important days of the year for Notre Dame recruiting is their annual Junior Day. It involves getting players who are already committed to ND back on campus to spend some more time with the coaching staff, as well as providing another pitch to standout prospects from across the country who remain undecided. Notre Dame hosted twenty-five recruits at this year's Junior Day, with a good mix of both offensive and defensive talent. Players like quarterback Noah Grubbs, and linebacker Thomas Davis Jr. are firmly entrenched with the Irish, but over the next few weeks, I want to take a look at some of the prospects who visited South Bend but haven't quite made an official decision. Robinson is one such player. His numbers alone are eye-popping but what makes them even more impressive is that he did it averaging just under 18 yards a catch. He is a big play waiting to happen, and the more of his film I watched the more I came away impressed. I am going to break down everything that stood out, and as always the criterion for evaluation will be graded on a scale of 1 (Poor) to 7 (Elite). Let's get into it! Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off.   Athletic Ability: Elite (7) Robinson always appears to be playing at a different speed than his defensive counterparts. Scary acceleration when he finds some open grass and every play is a threat to go the distance. Excellent change of direction and agility, with major YAC ability after the catch, seamlessly getting defenders to break down as he blows by them. Cornerbacks clearly respect his speed, and I constantly saw them playing 10 yards off the line of scrimmage and still bailing at the snap. He eats up cushion so quickly that he always puts stress on the DB, and was able to do a lot of damage in the short game because of it. Elite separation quickness at the top of his routes. Surprisingly good contact balance for his size. Also provides versatility as a punt/kick returner where he is a big-time weapon. After watching Jayden Harrison return a kickoff for a touchdown in the Sugar Bowl vs Georgia, Notre Dame fans know how beneficial having that element on special teams can be. Competitive Toughness: Very Good (6) I am sure one of the knocks on Robinson that will pop up will be his size. At only 5'8" and 160 pounds, it will be easy for some to dismiss him as a gadget player, but we have seen players of his stature dominant at the college level before. Players like Tez Johnson of Oregon, and Calvin Austin III during his time with Memphis come to mind. It remains to be seen how Robinson will hold up against press coverage from bigger corners at the next level, as not many high school defensive backs are brave enough to play him close at the line and risk getting burned deep, but I can tell you his toughness will not be in question. He shows a real willingness when it comes to blocking on the perimeter, with good hand placement and leg drive. He shows zero fear when going over the middle, knowing he is going to absorb contact and maintain concentration through the catch. A particular play that stood out was actually on a field goal block. Robinson was the placeholder on the FG attempt, and it was blocked and recovered by the defender in stride around the ten-yard line who was looking to take it back for a touchdown. He didn't even make it to midfield before Robinson hawked him down and made the tackle. Not only did Robinson make catching him look effortless, but it showed the kind of hustle highlighting why he was voted a team captain by his peers. Route Running: Very Good (6) Usually with a player that possesses Robinson's rare speed, you just think vertical threat, and although getting vertical is definitely something he brings to the table, he showed on film that he can run a variety of routes and be effective doing so. He knows how to shift his weight and get out of breaks with suddenness, making it hard for defensive backs to stay attached. He does an excellent job of using a jab step to get the corner to lean outside before working in-breaking routes. Even with his smaller frame, I love what he brings in the red zone area, utilizing whip routes, and getting the corner to commit to the slant before breaking back towards the sideline. Go routes and post patterns will always be in his bag, but he has the ability to attack all areas of the field. He'll need to learn how to sit down in open areas vs zone better, but that will come with experience and coaching. Catch Ability: Very Good (6) When going vertical, he does a very good job of tracking the ball in the air over his shoulder without ever breaking stride. Robinson shows good leaping ability and knows how to high-point the ball even with his limited size. As mentioned above with his toughness, he has no problem catching through contact and does not show any issues with concentration drops, as he still attacks the ball the same way he would if he was wide open. Adjusts his frame well, snagging passes that are behind him or slightly out in front. He also has excellent footwork awareness and body control when working near the boundary making sure to get his feet down, especially around the goal line. Robinson still has a whole senior year in front of him, and plenty of time to make any decision on where he wants to end up after high school. He would be a big get for Notre Dame, at a position that is always looking for another infusion of talent. The Fighting Irish have not had Robinson's type of pure speed at WR since probably Will Fuller, and he would be a weekly headache for opposing defensive coordinators. However it ends up shaking out for his recruitment, Brayden "Quick6ix" Robinson has a very bright future. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Since losing back-to-back games on Nov. 29 and Nov. 30, the Notre Dame women’s basketball team has not lost, winning 13 straight games. This week, they have a chance to move to 10-0 in ACC play for the first time since the 2015-16 season, when they went undefeated in conference play. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics   Following a road win against Virginia Tech on Jan. 23, the Irish continued their road trip for another week, as they head to Louisville on Sunday.   Despite missing Jan. 16th’s matchup against Georgia Tech, Hannah Hidalgo returned to the lineup on Thursday against the Hokies, finishing with 30 points on 10-16 shooting. It's her 11th straight game scoring 23 points or more with the Irish winning every one of those matchups. Outside of Hidalgo, it was a rough shooting night for the Irish against Virginia Tech from other star players such as Olivia Miles and Sonia Citron. Miles, despite finishing with 15 points, shot 5-14 from the field, knocking down just one of her six attempted threes. On top of this, the senior guard turned the ball over five times as the Irish finished with 19 on the night. Citron, who has had up-and-down performances through the month of January, shot 2-7 with her two makes being threes, as she finished with eight points and five assists. Over her last three games, she is shooting 8-27 from the field. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off.   The Notre Dame defense was too much for the Virginia Tech offense, who had three players in double figures. Regardless, the Hokies shot 37.9% from the field compared to Notre Dame's 50.9% clip. While it was a slow night, players like senior forwards Liza Karlen and Liatu King stepped up, combining for 18 points, 17 rebounds, and six steals. Even on an "off-night", the Irish still picked up a road win against a solid team by 16 points. There are things you want to see cleaned up, but at the end of the day, this team has so much depth that a majority of teams in college basketball can't compete with.    The month of January came to a close for the Irish on Thursday, but the page turns to February on Sunday as Notre Dame travels to Louisville for a meeting with the Cardinals (14-6, 7-2 ACC).   They suffered an embarrassing 30-point loss to NC State back on Dec. 15 that moved them to 6-5, and 0-4 against ranked opponents. They would then go on to win seven straight games before losing to Virginia Tech on Jan. 19. Now that they’ve catapulted themselves into fourth place in the ACC at 8-2 in the conference, and are looking to pick up the biggest win of their season on Sunday.   While they aren’t as dominant on the offensive side of the ball as the Hokies, Louisville is still a top-10 offense in the ACC averaging 73 PPG with an average margin of 6.5 PPG. Led by freshman guard Tajianna Roberts, who is averaging 12.6 PPG with double figures in eight of her last nine games, the Cardinals will look to get active from deep. Roberts however has been struggling in her last four games from three, shooting just 1-19 from the perimeter.   Roberts is one of five players on the Louisville roster to average one or more steals per game, as she is averaging 1.8 per game, the highest on the team. The Cardinals rank sixth in the ACC in steals, averaging 9.45 per game, which is more than two steals less than the Irish who average 11.53 per game, the most in the conference. One of those players is senior guard Jayda Curry.   Curry, in her second year with the Cardinals, was a big part of the Louisville hot stretch that it’s entered since knocking off Memphis back on Dec. 21. Over the last nine games where the Cardinals have gone 8-1, Curry is averaging 13.6 PPG. She isn’t afraid to shoot the ball, averaging 11.8 shots per game over that stretch, knocking down an average of four of those per game. She is however entering this matchup with the Irish coming off her best shooting performance of the season from deep, where she knocked down five of 12 attempts.   Before we make it to Sunday for the Notre Dame women’s team to tipoff, the men’s side has an opportunity to get hot succeeding their history-making win this past Saturday against Virginia.   After picking up a win in Charlottesville, Virginia for the first time in program history, Notre Dame got back to .500, knocking off Georgia Tech in Purcell Pavilion, 71-68. Now, the Irish will turn their attention to Miami, as they travel to take on the Hurricanes on Saturday. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics Since their previous matchup against Georgia Tech in their second ACC matchup of the season, the Fighting Irish have been searching for better days. Following that 11-point loss on Dec. 31, the Irish had lost five of their last seven games, pushing them to 3-5 in conference play.   There were plenty of bright spots in the victory over Virginia on Jan. 25, including Markus Burton’s fourth straight game with 20 or more points. However, one of the most positive notes from Burton was having zero turnovers in 30 minutes of play. It’s just the second time in Burton’s career that he finished a game with zero turnovers, with the last coming against Pittsburgh during his freshman season. Burton followed up one of the best performances of his young career with a 26-point outing, shooting 9-17 from the field, including four made threes. He continues to be the catalyst of this team, as the Irish have won two straight with an opportunity to get above .500 against the Hurricanes. With a win, the Irish would move to 5-5 in conference play, pushing them up to eighth place in the ACC.   Following just the third home game of the month of January, Notre Dame will head south for its next two meetings, first going to Miami to take on the Hurricanes.   It has not been the season the Hurricanes were hoping for after long-time head coach Jim Larrañaga announced his retirement on Dec. 26 after a 4-8 start. They enter this one with just one win since Nov. 17 which came against the Presbyterian Blue Hose on Dec. 15. Their most recent loss to California in overtime stretched the losing streak to nine games, with losses coming by an average of 17.7 points.   The Hurricanes are led by senior guard Matthew Cleveland, who is averaging 15.1 PPG on 51.7% shooting. The Atlanta product is averaging 28 PPG over the last three games and has shot 54% over that span.    There are plenty of hoops to catch for Notre Dame athletics and a real chance for all parties involved to make some noise as we close out January and enter the month of February. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

C/O 2026 4-Star OT Tyler Merrill from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, has committed to Notre Dame. He becomes the third offensive lineman to commit to the Irish in the 2026 class. He joins 4-star QB Noah Grubbs, 4-star LB Thomas Davis Jr., 4-star CB Chaston Smith, 4-star IOL Sullivan “Sully” Garvin, 4-star IOL Ben Nichols, and 3-star WR Dylan Faison, as early commits for the Irish in the 2026 class. Photo via Tyler Merrill / Design by The Irish Tribune   Merrill is a 6’5”, 340lbs offensive guard from Cumberland Valley High School in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. 247Sports Composite ranks him as the 2nd best player in the state of Pennsylvania, the 7th ranked interior offensive lineman in the nation, and the 88th overall player nationally. Prior to committing to the Irish, he held 27 D-1 offers from such notable schools as Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Texas A&M, and Notre Dame among others. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off.   Following his Junior Day visit to Notre Dame, Merrill dropped his Top 5 schools on his social media accounts and listed them as Notre Dame, Penn State, Wisconsin, Clemson, and Alabama. Just four days later he announced his decision to commit to Notre Dame. This is another big win in recruiting for Coach Joe Rudolph, as he adds yet another highly talented offensive lineman to the 2026 class. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Following the departure of Al Golden, Marcus Freeman has hired Chris Ash to be the next Notre Dame defensive coordinator going into the 2025 season. Art by The Irish Tribune Chris Ash comes to the Notre Dame football program with a ton of coaching experience at both the college and professional levels. Most recently, Ash served as the defensive backs coach for the Las Vegas Raiders and the safeties coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Ash's coaching career started in 1997 with many college jobs, including defensive assistant coaching positions at Drake, Princeton, Iowa State, San Diego State, and Wisconsin. In 2012, Ash left Wisconsin to become the defensive coordinator for head coach Bret Bielema at Arkansas. He then took a job at Ohio State, where he served as the co-DC and secondary coach for just one season before becoming the head coach at Rutgers. His time as head coach did not last long, as he was fired at Rutgers after just four years. After that, he returned to the defensive side of the ball at Texas, serving as the defensive coordinator for one season in 2020, before making his move to the NFL. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off. This hire marks another time that Freeman has favored experience, as Ash provides a similar coaching background as Mike Denbrock and Al Golden. This experience will be important for both the defense and its players. For the outlook on Notre Dame's defensive staff, Ash brings in a ton of experience, something that won't be lost in this replacement. This experience will continue to allow up-and-coming coaches like Al Washington and Mike Mickens time and room to grow. He is also now a resource for these younger coaches to learn more as they progress into better coaches. For the players, he brings in a new voice and new perspective on the defense, which can be a useful sense of freshness. All of this, combined with a very talented group returning, positions Notre Dame in a spot to continue competing for National Championships in the future. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

After a string of transfer portal rental quarterbacks, Notre Dame will have its first authentic quarterback battle in many years. Take a deeper look at the three candidates vying for the coveted position. Photo By The Irish Tribune For the past two seasons, Notre Dame has found success dipping into the ACC for a transfer portal quarterback with one year left of eligibility. While former Duke quarterback Riley Leonard had more on-field success than Wake Forest's Sam Hartman, both excelled at embracing Notre Dame's culture and earning the respect of their teammates by being named captain. While rumors swirled amid Notre Dame's quest for the National Championship, Marcus Freeman admittedly denied the Irish's interest in any transfer portal quarterback. The possibility of Quinn Ewers or Jalen Milroe running Mike Denbrock’s offense was intriguing; however, with both opting for the NFL Draft and the depth in Notre Dame's QB room, it’s clear that the 2025 starter has already been in South Bend for at least a year. Many are already crowning top-rated prospect CJ Carr the man for the job. Others believe in the most-tested option in senior Steve Angeli. Then, there is Kenny Minchey who was a late class signing and could be a dark horse candidate for the coveted position. Let's break down the options for Marcus Freeman, Mike Denbrock, and quarterbacks coach Gino Guidugli. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off Steve Angeli Even though the CJ Carr hype is through the roof, and rightfully so because of how talented of a high school prospect he was, Steve Angeli is my odds-on favorite to be Notre Dame's starting quarterback against Miami in Hard Rock Stadium to start the 2025 campaign. With one start under his belt, Angeli is the most experienced Fighting Irish quarterback, and yes, while his Sun Bowl performance was a highlight of Angeli's career, the role he played in this year's Orange Bowl was a glimpse into the future for the New Jersey product. After Riley Leonard had to go into concussion protocol and the Notre Dame offense was on the ropes, Angeli was a calm, confident force who went 6/7 for 44 yards and led Notre Dame to their first points of the game. When comparing Angeli's skillset to previous Notre Dame quarterbacks, his game style resembles more Jack Coan than anyone else. Angeli's greatest strength is his accuracy and the ability to read defenses. In the Sun Bowl, Angeli had great timing on all of his throws and was able to put the ball in a position for a receiver to run after the catch. Angeli's biggest weakness, and an area for improvement through winter ball, is his pocket presence and mobility. Angeli, at times, can look like a statue in the pocket. If the ball isn't out within three seconds of the snap, there is a problem. Angeli is nowhere near the athlete Riley Leonard was, and the previous quarterbacks Mike Denbrock has had success with in his scheme (Jayden Daniels and Desmond Ridder). He doesn't have the athleticism to play make when a play falls apart, and this will be the main hindrance to Angeli's game. CJ Carr A consensus top five quarterback by three of the major four recruiting ranking outlets, CJ Carr was a longtime Notre Dame commit who learned the ropes his freshman year. The biggest reason some people were starting to throw transfer portal quarterback rumors into the conversation was because of CJ Carr's lingering elbow injury that had the three-time first-team all-state quarterback sidelined from many practices and pre-game warm-ups. The lack of throwing and his potentially injury-prone nature could be a cause of concern for Notre Dame fans. Yet, when you watch Carr's highlights, it is clear he has the highest ceiling out of anyone in this quarterback room. Carr has impeccable accuracy, is confident in the pocket, and has active footwork when going through his reads. In Notre Dame's spring game, Carr dazzled both with his arm and his legs. While he may have been too eager to leave the pocket in the spring game, he was only three months removed from high school football. Being an early enrollee should have also aided Carr as well. Being around senior leaders and learning Mike Denbrock's offense the past year and a half gives Carr an edge, but the health of the redshirt freshman quarterback will be the point to monitor all throughout the winter. Kenny Minchey The third option for the starting position is Kenny Minchey. Minchey has the most promise with his legs, but is still more of a gunslinger. He was a late Notre Dame commit after Tommy Rees and Marcus Freeman flipped him from Pittsburgh and he finished his high school career throwing for 5,212 yards and 53 touchdowns. Minchey saw action against Purdue this year and had a seven-yard rushing touchdown, which was the first touchdown of his career. Minchey also had a rushing touchdown during the 2024 Spring Game. Minchey probably has the strongest arm of the quarterback room but is the most reckless out of the three. He did throw an interception during the Spring Game, and at times seemed to rush through his reads. It seems as though Minchey is simply the middle child stuck between the more experienced Angeli and the highly touted Carr. However, he will get an equally fair shot in the battle and is definitely in the running to be the starter. Take Your Pick While much of the fanbase wants to start the CJ Carr era, I think Steve Angeli provides the current highest upside if the Irish aspire to make another national championship run this year. By opening the season with its two hardest games, at Miami and at home against Texas A&M, it will be a difficult situation for any of the Irish quarterbacks; yet Marcus Freeman and Mike Denbrock have seven months to figure out who gives them the best opportunity to win. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Irish Hockey was able to recover on Saturday with a 4-2 victory against Lindenwood following a brutal defeat the night before to the Lions.  Photo by The Irish Tribune In the first period, Lindenwood could not produce any offense despite being awarded two power play opportunities. They only recorded one shot in four minutes with the man advantage and four total shots in the period.  The Irish netted the lone goal of the period four minutes into the contest. A great pass from Jaedo n Kerr set up Brennan Ali  to give Notre Dame an early 1-0 lead. Ian Murphy was also credited with an assist on the goal. Notre Dame outshot the Lions 15-4 in a dominant first 20 minutes. Both sides successfully killed their penalties, two for the Irish and one for the Lions, as they headed into the second period. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off The Irish opened the second period with a power play goal 1:43 into the frame following an elbowing penalty on the Lions. On the faceoff after the penalty call, Justin Janicke slapped home a pass  from Cole Knuble to give the Irish a 2-0 lead.  11:15 into the period, Lindenwood’s Jake Southgate gave the Lions some life by getting one past Irish Goalie Nicholas Kempf to close the gap 2-1.  The second period was highly contentious and featured numerous self-inflicted roughing penalties against both sides. Irish Forward Blake Biondi and Lions Goalie Owen Bartoszkiewicz each received minors 14:44 into the period when the duo got intertwined after the forward made contact with the netminder. Notre Dame outshot Lindenwood 9-5 in a testy, penalty-filled period. 1:52 into the final period, Notre Dame’s Tyler Carpenter snuck one past Bartoszkiewicz for the eventual game-winner off a pass from Defenseman Paul Fischer. Jayden Davis was also credited with an assist on the goal that extended the lead to 3-1. The Irish successfully killed their lone penalty of the period 7:19 into the frame after Carter Slaggert was assessed a cross-checking penalty.  Lindenwood appeared to have a little more gas in their tank as John Evans gave the Lions some hope, cutting the deficit to 3-2 with under seven minutes to play.  This was not enough time for the visitors as Kempf shut down the Lions with 14 saves in the third period. Danny Nelson added his second point of the night with an empty net goal to secure the Irish a 4-2 victory. Janicke was credited with an assist on the empty netter, marking his second point of the night as well. Notre Dame is off this weekend before hosting Ohio State February 8-9 in South Bend.  Key Player Stats: Justin Janicke (ND): 1 goal on 4 shots, 1 assist, 1 blocked shot, +2 Danny Nelson (ND): 1 goal on 5 shots, 1 assist, 11/18 on faceoffs, +1 Owen Bartoszkiewicz (LU): 59:17 ice time, 36 saves, 3 goals against Key Team Stats: Shots on Goal: ND (40) - LU (24) Power Play Success: ND (1/3) - LU (0/4) Faceoffs Won: ND (36) - LU (31) Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

The Irish Men and Women’s Basketball teams had a quiet but successful week with just one game each. Both squads put on impressive showings in their games as the women extended their win streak to 12 and the men earned their first road win of the year. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics Women’s Recap On Thursday, the Irish traveled to Boston College. In a dominant 89-63 win, Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo led the way with 23 points.  The Eagles provided a scare in the first quarter, outscoring the Irish 18-17. A few shooting fouls led to five of six made free throws from Boston College in this quarter to give them the early advantage.  Notre Dame came out in the second quarter with a hot hand, draining four three-pointers in the first five minutes to put the Irish in control. This offensive explosion led to the Irish outscoring the Eagles 24-13 in the quarter, and bringing a 41-31 lead into the half. Notably, Notre Dame gathered ten offensive rebounds in this quarter which led to 11 points. Hidalgo led third quarter scorers with ten points in another dominant ten minutes for the Irish. Notre Dame outscored Boston College 27-17 to extend their lead to 68-48 entering the final quarter.  The Irish played well to close out this midweek contest. From 6:34-1:44, Notre Dame went on a 13-0 run, asserting their dominance. The Eagles shot 1-17 from the field in the final ten minutes, a good mark for the Irish defense.  The third-ranked Irish continue their ACC road tests as they are set to visit Virginia Tech on Thursday and Louisville on Sunday. Key Player Stats: Hannah Hidalgo (ND): 23 points (2-4 from three), 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 steals Sonia Citron (ND): 9 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 1 block T’yana Todd (BC): 18 points (7-15 from the field), 2 steals Andrea Daley (BC): 7 points, 10 rebounds, 1 steal Nene Ndiaye (BC): 8 points (4-9 from the field), 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block Key Team Stats: Field Goal Percentage: ND (51.5%) - BC (32.4%) Three Point Percentage: ND (38.9%) - BC (20%) Defensive Rebounds: ND (27) - BC (19) Assists: ND (18) - BC (7) Blocks: ND (6) - BC (2) Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off Men’s Recap On Saturday, Notre Dame earned their first road victory of the year and their first win at Virginia’s John Paul Jones Arena in a 74-59 victory, highlighted by strong performances from Markus Burton and Tae Davis.  Burton came out on fire to start the game, outscoring the Cavaliers 9-3 in the first 4:15 by himself. Virginia’s top scorer Isaac McKneely did his best to keep the game close, cashing in four threes in the first half. His efforts were not enough as the Irish pulled away with a 39-27 lead at the half behind 15 points from Burton. Both teams shot well but the Cavaliers left a lot to be desired offensively and defensively. Notre Dame continued their hot shooting in the second half, outscoring Virginia 24-9 before the eight-minute media timeout. The Irish’s Braeden Shrewsberry, Matt Allocco, and Kebba Njie all contributed with three-pointers of their own on this run. The Cavaliers managed a slight comeback including a 10-0 run which brought the score to 63-46 with over five minutes remaining. It appeared to be too little too late as the Irish came away with a 74-59 victory. On defense, the Irish held McKneely scoreless in the second half after he dropped 14 in the first, a sign of great adjustments. This week, the Irish host Georgia Tech on Tuesday before traveling to Miami for a Saturday evening matchup with the Hurricanes.  Key Player Stats: Markus Burton (ND): 21 points (7-14 from the field & 4-6 from three), 3 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal Kebba Njie (ND): 7 points (1-1 from three), 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block Tae Davis (ND): 16 points (6-11 from the field & 1-1 from three), 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals Jacob Cofie (UVA): 17 points (7-13 from the field & 1-2 from three), 6 rebounds, 1 steal   Key Team Stats: Field Goal Percentage: ND (48.2%) - UVA (40.4%) Three Point Percentage: ND (52.2%) - UVA (43.5%) Free Throw Percentage: ND (72.7%) - UVA (60%) Total Rebounds: ND (41) - UVA (27) Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

As the clock hit zero and confetti fell in Mercedes Benz Stadium, Notre Dame found themselves on the wrong side of a celebration. Let's take a look at what the Irish could have done to position themselves better for victory. Photo by Notre Dame Athletics After what was undoubtedly the best season under Marcus Freeman's tenure, and one of Notre Dame's best non-championship seasons overall, the Fighting Irish have much to be excited about going forward. Plenty of young talent across the board got experience throughout the year, and another promising recruiting class coming in will help bolster the depth. The litmus test results on whether or not Freeman can have his team focused and ready to go week in and week out for another full season will be revealed quickly, as the Irish's schedule is very front-loaded. Within the first six games, they will open on the road in primetime vs a Miami team who barely missed the playoffs, and just added Carson Beck through the portal, which is followed by another heavy-weight fight vs Texas A&M. A first-ever matchup with 2024 playoff participant Boise State is sandwiched between a showdown in Fayetteville with SEC opponent Arkansas, and a home tilt vs bitter rival USC. Plenty of storylines and things to look ahead to next season, but not without first putting a final exclamation point on the magical run that was. After reviewing the All-22 film of the National Championship, there are plenty of things to discuss, so let's get into it. There isn't a specific player that should shoulder the blame for this type of loss. Plenty of players made mistakes just as many made some incredibly positive plays. The purpose of this article is just strictly breaking down the things that jumped out on film in some of the biggest moments. First, I will touch on some of the critical drives that helped decide the game, followed by specific positional and player breakdowns. Get an officially licensed Notre Dame pickleball paddle! Code IrishTribune20 for $20 off. 1) Notre Dame's Opening Drive With the final results already known, it is still very much worth highlighting one of the greatest opening drives we have seen in the modern college football playoff era. The offensive line was very in sync the whole drive. On the very first QB run, Rocco Spindler and Aamil Wager perfectly executed a combo block. They attacked No. 91 Tyleik WIlliams in unison, Wagner worked up to the second level, and Spindler was able to drive Williams another ten yards downfield. That's teach tape in the O-line room. Spindler was not done showing out. On a crucial 4th and 1 from the five-yard line, after pancaking his assignment, he helped chip a second defender and created a huge hole for Leonard to run behind. Excellent work by him. In terms of blocking, I was also very impressed by Beaux Collins. It is not always easy for a wide receiver to stay engaged on such a long drive where the ball isn't really coming his way, but he was the ultimate teammate. Early in the drive, he was 20 yards downfield still attacking his defender, and on the opening touchdown, he came in motion across the line of scrimmage and blew up All-American safety Caleb Downs to clear the way for Leonard. You can't speak about the opening drive without zeroing in on Riley Leonard. What Leonard did kind of transcends the film itself, and just speaks to the heart he played with no matter the situation. You can see he was becoming visibly gassed as the drive lingered, but they kept calling his number and he kept delivering. Even with some shortcomings in certain areas, Notre Dame would not have reached the heights it did this year without him, 2) Ohio State's Opening Drive Ohio State's first big play of the game was a run by Henderson. Jack Kiser shot the A Gap and got washed out by the guard. Howard Cross III could not hold at the point of attack, which allowed the center to work up the second level and get hands on Drayk Bowen. Xavier Watts, who is normally excellent at fitting the run, took a bad angle coming from his deep zone once it bounced outside, and it resulted in a big play. It was just a case of a lot of players losing their one-on-one battles at the same time. In general, the linebackers were a little late triggering vs the run, and that was the case on the opening drive as well. Some poor gap integrity on the second level was allowing Ohio State's running backs to find cutback lanes. On the touchdown to Jeremiah Smith, I have seen different takes from different people as to what happened. In my opinion, it was pretty cut and dry that it was a blown coverage by Christian Gray. It was Man Coverage across the board, and Gray's reaction on realizing Smith was going to go in motion seems to indicate that he thought once Smith went across the LOS, everyone would bump down and take the next available assignment, meaning Gray thought he would be responsible for Emeka Egbuka who was the next WR in the formation to his side. Smith ended up running what is called an Orbit Motion and worked back to the side he started from, and by that time, Gray was across the field chasing Egbuka who was already being covered by Jordan Clark. One of the keys I spoke about in my film review of Ohio State's offense leading up to the game was being able to play with good eye discipline when OSU used Smith out of the backfield, and in this case, ND was unable to do so. 3) Notre Dame's Last Offensive Drive Before Half This drive hurt Notre Dame's chances some. Leonard picked up a solid five-yard gain on first down on a QB keeper. On second down, the offensive line did a good job of providing protection and Eli Raridon was running a shallow cross from the slot and got behind his defender. If Leonard throws the ball with some anticipation it's a first down, the drive will continue and Notre Dame has a shot to hold on to the ball until half, and possibly come away with some points. But Leonard did not seem to trust his eyes, pulled the ball back down, and by that time the defensive line for Ohio State forced him out of the pocket and he had to throw the ball away. It was something that plagued Leonard at different times throughout the season and it showed back up in a critical spot. There was a miscommunication on third down, and the ball was snapped right into Mitchell Evans who was coming across the formation in motion. Although ND jumped on the fumble, it was a quick three and out and the defense, who were already wearing down, had to come right back on the field. 4) Ohio State's Last Offensive Drive Before Half 3rd and 7 coming out the two-minute warning, ND desperately needed a stop. Christian Gray was one-on-one with Carnell Tate who worked a deep in route. Gray did not play it poorly necessarily, but he was playing with his eyes on the QB and just never felt Tate break in behind him. Will Howard did an excellent job with ball placement putting it low and away from the trailing Gray, and was just one of those plays where the offense does everything they need to do. Later in the drive on Notre Dame's 18-yard line, OSU tried to run Henderson on a wheel route off a tight formation. Xavier Watts did an amazing job with route recognition, worked through the traffic, and took the perfect angle to try to make a play on the ball. More times than not during his Notre Dame career, Watts has come down with those 50-50 balls, but Henderson did a good job fighting through his hands and essentially breaking it up for an incomplete pass. Notre Dame was inches away from a game-changing play, and it goes to show how little the margin for error is in these big pressure games. I don't generally include anything related to officiating in my breakdowns, but it is worth noting on the very next play the center for Ohio State got away with a blatant hold against Donovan Hinish who beat him on his inside shoulder. A holding call would have knocked Ohio State back into a second and super long, and they may have had to end up settling for FG instead of a TD. Instead, Howard was able to take off and picked up a sizeable gain. A four-point swing on this drive was major. The touchdown pass to Quinshon Judkins was easily avoidable. KVA and Drayk Bowen both fell into a zone at the snap. Judkins released late, but he released right into the area KVA was covering. Howard slid out of the pocket and began to take off with his legs and Bowen decided to collapse on him. Unfortunately, KVA decided to do the same even though three other defenders were rallying to Howard. If KVA continues to play his assignment, there is nowhere for Howard to go with the ball and he has to throw it away or take a sack. Poor execution in spots like that snowballed throughout the first half and contributed to it being a two-score game after two quarters. 5) 4th Quarter Drive That Ended in Mitch Jeter FG Attempt On 1st down, it was a designed QB run, but was very poor execution by some of the offensive line. Billy Schrauth was pulling from his guard spot, but got beat to the point of attack by the defensive end. Pat Coogan attempted a Cut Block on Tyleik Williams who was on the interior, but whiffed which forced Charles Jagusah to stay on him longer than he wanted, allowing the defensive end on his side to crash without being touched. Both ends converged on Leonard, which is a shame because there was room for some yards and possibly a touchdown. Mitchell Evans came across the line as a lead blocker with great timing, Spindler did an excellent job of sealing his man to the inside, and Wagner worked up to the second level to pick up the linebacker who probably would have been the last line of defense on this particular play. Another situation where Notre Dame was a lot closer to possibly changing the outcome of this game than people realize. Second down, I did not think it was the right play call. Mitchell Evans lined up wide to the short side of the field and ran a fade route. There was very little space for him to work with and he was never really able to work through the contact by the defensive back to have a shot at the ball. Third down was another "what if" moment. Both Spindler and Wagner were beaten off the line by bull rushes and the pocket closed very quickly. Jeremiyah Love leaked out late on a swing route and had some space. Would have been a situation where if he could make one guy miss, it could have turned into a touchdown. Unfortunately, the quick pressure on Leonard made him get rid of the ball sooner than he wanted, and he was never able to work back through his progressions to Love. The Mitch Jeter FG attempt was a bit of a head-scratcher to me. I do understand that scoring from the 9-yard line against the OSU defense is certainly not a "gimme", but with that being said, even if Jeter makes the kick, it's a two-touchdown deficit. There was no guarantee Notre Dame would even have enough possessions left to try to potentially win. It is very easy to play the hindsight game, but if Notre Dame was able to find a way to punch it in from the 9, and get the two-point conversion as they did the following drive, it's a one-score game with nine minutes left, which increases your odds significantly. 6) Notre Dame Offensive Drive with 5 minutes left in the 4th On 1st and 10 at OSU's 31-yard line, Leonard took a sack he probably did not need to. He had Kris Mitchell on an in-breaking route, but again just did not trust his eyes. Mitchell could have done a better job flattening his route to ensure the defensive back could jump it, but probably still a ball Leonard should have let go. For whatever reason, Leonard and Mitchell never seemed to get on the same page this year. 3rd and 9 on this drive was the Slot Fade for a touchdown to Jaden Greathouse. One of Leonard's best throws of the season came when Notre Dame needed it the most. He was able to step up in the pocket and into his throw and delivered the ball perfectly. Greathouse did a superb job of tracking the ball over his shoulder and fighting through the contact/penalty from the DB for a touchdown. On the two-point conversion, Jordan Faison deserves TONS of credit. The offensive line blocked down leaving Jack Sawyer untouched in space. It is amazing Jordan Faison was able to break his tackle while keeping his eyes downfield and find Collins open in the end zone. That is extremely difficult for a QB to do, let alone a wide receiver. 7) Ohio State's Final Possession In a had-to-have-it moment, the Fighting Irish defense could not get one more stop. On Howard's scramble for a first down, it was once again just poor execution. KVA jumped inside which made Howard bounce it to the outside. J unior Tuihalamaka needed to set the edge here and allowed himself to be steered inside. Once Howard got on the corner, he used his speed and picked up a big first down. The game-sealing play for Ohio State is the one that will really stand out for months to come. I was not on the field, so I do not know the exact play that was called, but I can tell you everything that fell apart on it. For starters, I would have much rather seen Leonard Moore as the corner lined up over Jeremiah Smith. He is more comfortable in press and had done a better job throughout the game when lined up with him. I don't know if Jordan Clark had gotten banged up, but I was also very surprised to see Rod Heard line up in the slot against Egbuka. Heard I feel was a liability in coverage, and Clark had manned that spot basically all season. On the snap, Adon Shuler took a very hard step towards the LOS before bailing. I don't know if maybe he had Henderson in man, and once Henderson stayed in to block, he decided to drop and help in underneath coverage but with Xavier Watts already coming on a blitz, I would have liked to see Shuler play with more depth. Heard ended up falling on the snap, and Shuler ended up in one-on-one coverage against Egbuka. The all-around technique Christian Gray used on this play was the real trouble. Notre Dame was sending pressure with the hopes of forcing Howard to get the ball out quickly, where they would be able to rally and make a tackle before the sticks. Gray should have been in the face of Smith, playing with inside leverage and forcing Smith to work the sideline. A successful jam would have thrown off the timing of the route and given the blitz a chance to get home. Even if the blitz did not get there, Howard would have had to make the throw in a much tighter window with Gray using the sideline as an extra defender. Even still, if Gray wanted to play as far off as he did, I do not understand why he bailed so far inside on his backpedal. He left Smith an enormous amount of room to work with vertically, and for Howard, that was the football equivalent of a lay-up. Generally, you would not play with that technique unless you have a safety over the top, but both safeties were down at the start of the play so I am not sure where he thought the help was coming from. All in all, the play call was very questionable and one I am sure Marcus Freeman wishes he could have redone. Position and Player Overviews from the Game: I thought Gabe Rubio held his own rather well. It was a tough ask to come in and replace someone like Rylie Mills amidst the playoffs, but Rubio showed he can hold up at the point of attack and gets some good push vs the run. He just needs to be more consistent. I thought the linebackers in general struggled vs the run. They were really over pursuing on misdirections and jumping out of their lanes while not doing a great job of getting off second-level blocks. That being said, Drayk Bowen had one of the best plays of the game with his forced fumble. Bowen was on a run blitz and got turned and pushed towards midfield. He was the furthest player from Egbuka, but hawked him down from 30 yards out and made a huge play that gave Notre Dame life. Watts will go down as one of the best safeties to ever wear the blue and gold, but in this particular game, I thought it was one of his roughest from a run-support standpoint. He was a tad slower than normal keying pass vs run, and where he normally takes great angles when coming down from his safety spot, he overran a few plays this time around and got himself out of position. Not enough can be said about what Jaden Greathouse has become. His contested catch ability has shined against some really talented corners in the last two games, and he has major YAC ability. I look forward to seeing him continue to grow and become a true number-one receiver for whoever is taking snaps under center next year. Leonard Moore's biggest stand-out play from the game may have been chasing down a TreVeyon Henderson run, going 22 miles per hour to save a touchdown, but his coverage ability is quietly among the best in the country. Even when a receiver was able to snag a catch against him, he was never out of phase and always in position to make the tackle right away - and that includes covering fellow Freshman All-American Jeremiah Smith. The offensive line was a work in progress all season long due to injuries, but in the biggest moments like the National Championship, I thought they played extremely well together overall and continued to give the offense a shot. I hope Notre Dame fans do not feel that this game was lost due to some major talent disparity because that is certainly not the case. Some early errors against a talented team created a hole that was a tad too deep to climb out of. Some defensive stops on third down, or a few less three and outs on offense, and this game could have been completely flipped on its head. Notre Dame is as close to reaching the mountain top as it has been in quite some time and that will not evaporate with this National Championship defeat. Marcus Freeman never lost his composure, even when his team made some fairly out-of-character blunders, because he ultimately understands that this is a marathon, not a sprint, and his squad WILL be back in the title hunt sooner than later. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun