Notre Dame bounces back from their loss against Northern Illinois and plays a complete game against Purdue. Photo by Notre Dame Athletics Three weeks into the 2024 season, the Fighting Irish have experienced a rollercoaster of performances, as the Irish recover from an all-time low against Northern Illinois and dominate Pur due 66-7. While it wasn't the prettiest offensive performance, the Fighting Irish dominated the Boilermakers in the trenches. Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price, and Riley Leonard each contributed to a dominant rushing attack as Notre Dame totale d 578 yard s. Love and Price each added touchdown runs as Love finished with 109 yards and a touchdown, and Price ended with 86 yards and a touc hdown. The Fighting Irish's offensive success did come with some sacrifices. For one, Riley Leonard continued to struggle in the passing game as he missed wide-open receivers downfield. On the stat sheet, it might appear as if Leonard had an extremely accurate performance, but there was no downfield threat. A majority of Leonard's passes were within 0-5 yards of the line of scrimmage. He still hasn't displayed an ability to move the ball downfield. Leonard only played the first half of the game, but finished 11/16 for 112 yards. He also added 100 yards on the ground for three touchdowns. His legs and toughness while running are undoubted, but I'm still not sure if he's the best option for the Fighting Irish for the rest of the season. Part of the reason I say that is because of the talent within the quarterback room. Steve Angeli came into the game for the first drive of the second half, and on his first throw connected with Cooper Flanagan for a 28-yard TD. Angeli finished the day with two touchdown passes and 100 passing yards an d sparked a conversation about a quarterback controversy. The Irish offensive line also suffered two potential long-term injuries during the game. Right guard Billy Schrauth went down early, and center Ashton Craig went down later in the first half. Rocco Spindler did an exceptional job as Schrauth's replacement, especially on his first drive, and additionally, Pat Coogan did well manning the middle after Craig got hurt. With an already slim depth within the offensive line, the Irish are replacing young talent with more experienced players, so it should be interesting to track how the offensive line develops. On the defensive side of the ball, Al Golden and the Notre Dame defense crafted a masterpiece. Golden really leaned into his defense after the excruciating loss last week, and he got quite the on-field result from his guys. After a first-half shutout that held the Boilermakers to just 72 total yards of offense, the Fighting Irish's starting defense delivered an impressive performance. Defensive end Boubacar Traore even added a 34-yard pick-six right before halftime as the Irish defense capped off a near-perfect first-half performance. Golden sent pressure throughout the game, confusing Purdue quarterback Hudson Card After a 24/25 passing performance in Week One, Card appeared rattled, as if he was seeing ghosts all game. Despite the constant pressure, Notre Dame's defensive backs continued to win their one-on-one matchups. All three Notre Dame corners, Benjamin Morrison, Christian Gray, and Jaden Mickey were great in coverage. Jordan Clark added another great performance in this one as well. Even with this defensive success, the Irish lost one of the most integral figures in their defense this year: Jordan Botehlo. Botelho went down with a non-contact knee injury and was carted off the field. After finally turning the corner and developing into an elite edge presence, this injury is heartbreaking for Notre Dame fans. In the end, Notre Dame delivered their most polished game of the young season. There is still plenty of room to grow, but their week three performance is encouraging as the Irish fight for a college football playoff berth. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Notre Dame looks to redeem themselves vs Purdue. The IT staff make their official predictions. Photo by The Irish Tribune Mike Stacey - Staff Writer Score Prediction: 24-17 Notre Dame I think we may be in for another sloppy performance from the Irish. Although I am hopeful the team will be up for this game after their embarrassing loss last week, I still fear the execution will fall short of expectations. Notre Dame has a lot to figure out offensively, and one week most likely won't suffice. I am banking on the defense making some big plays, perhaps a defensive score, to help the Irish narrowly escape West Lafayette with a W. Brenden Duffy - Senior Staff Writer Score Prediction: 28-18 Notre Dame Defense wins the game for the Irish as Purdue QB Hudson Card struggles against the Irish defense. Look for a big game from ND’s secondary. Offensively, the Irish rely on and have success in the run game. Big performances from Love and Price could potentially open the offense up for the rest of the season. Expect a close game all the way to the end as ND lacks the offensive firepower in the pass game that is needed to blow out opponents. Connor Regan - Long-Form Writer Score Prediction: 27-20 Notre Dame Not quite the full turnaround/readjustment fans are looking for, but Freeman gets his squad on the path to figuring things out. It’s a close and ugly contest but the Irish defense just doesn’t allow the Boilermakers enough points to win. Jack McMillen - Writer Score Prediction: 24-14 Notre Dame Jeremiyah Love continues his elite performance this season behind an offensive line that is starting to improve. The passing game continues to be spotty, but the defense holds it down for the Irish. Cade Harper - Writer Score Prediction: 27-23 Notre Dame Coming off a brutal loss scares me, and I think this one scares the fanbase as a whole just as much, but Notre Dame sneaks by with it ultimately coming down to the turnover battle, I see the defensive line finally breaking through getting pressure and getting at least 2 sacks this game along with a Ben Morrison INT. Riley has a rough first half but eventually finds a rhythm on his feet and gets in the endzone at least once. Same for Love/Price, I think the OLine does better and we see 150 total rushing yards. Bruce Straughan - Recruiting Writer Score Prediction - 21-10 Notre Dame The defense will continue to do their job and hold Purdue to 10pts. The offense will start slow but show improvement as the game goes on. I think ND gets the win but it’ll be close until late in the 3rd quarter. So I’m going with Notre Dame. Noah Wehby - Writer Score Prediction: 24-14 Notre Dame Notre Dame’s defense does well to keep Purdue away from a lot of scoring opportunities. They do this by shutting down the run, finally getting to the quarterback, and picking off two passes. The offense continues to struggle through the air, but Price and Love continue to be productive on the ground, leading to two scores. Liam Farrell - Senior Football Writer Score Prediction: 27-17 Notre Dame Bouncing back after a nightmare of a week, Leonard gets benched after a disappointing first quarter, and Steve Angeli comes in to save the day. Dinking and dunking down the field, the Irish find a new offensive identity with a surgically accurate quarterback. The defense gets it done yet again, and the Irish find their new starting QB. Jhett Garrett - Multi-Sport Writer Score Prediction: 31-20 Notre Dame Interested to see some of the adjustments following a brutal week. I think Leonard will at least look better than he did against NIU. I want to see the defense look elite more than anything which will allow the offense to settle in and perform. Notre Dame needs to get back on track. Max Uretsky - Recruiting Analyst Score Prediction: 23-17 Notre Dame After rewatching last week's game multiple times it's hard for me to imagine an offensive renaissance this week. I look for Denbrock to find more creative ways to run the ball including Kris Mitchell on some jet sweep motion. Leonard won't light the world on fire but if he doesn't turn the ball over Notre Dame's defense will limit big plays after some embarrassing moments last week and they can move to 2-1 on the year. Clayton Stohler - First & Gold Podcast Score Prediction: 31-14 Notre Dame It’s doubtful Leonard will start. Based on the Vegas line shift to -7.5 after it was -10.5? Coupled with whispers that Riley Leonard should sit this game out? Someone knows something. It’s not 100% certain that ND will start a QB other than Leonard, but it’s probable. Who will it be? We don’t know. But whoever it is, there’s limited tape on all of them. One could wonder if any of the options at QB offer continuity that we haven’t seen so far this year. Only one way to find out… Peter Mulroy - Associate Editor and First & Gold Podcast Host Score Prediction: 24-14 Notre Dame It’s hard to erase last week’s debacle, which given the expectations for this season, is one of the worst losses we’ve seen in quite some time (including Marshall). That being said, I think the Irish are more physical up front defensively, as that unit has something to prove. As does the passing game. But, if the visiting Irish struggle to move it through the air, might we see a change under center? Either way, I see ND getting back on track against one of its oldest rivals. What are your predictions for today's game? Leave them in the comments below! Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Notre Dame is poised for a bounce-back game against Purdue. Here is a statistically in-depth preview of what to expect from the Boilermakers. Photo by The Irish Tribune 2024 RECORD 2024 PORTAL RANK LAST GAME SERIES SCORE (1-0) 29th ND - 27-13 (2021) ND - 57-26-2 2023 RECORD 2023 SOS 2024 GAME +/- 2024 SOS 4-8 45th 4.5 41st 2023 OFFENSE YPG 2023 OFFENSE PPG 2023 DEFENSE YPG ALLOWED 2023 DEFENSE PPG ALLOWED 70th - 380.2 82nd - 23.9 67th - 382.1 98th - 30.4 2024 OFFENSE PASSING YPG 2024 OFFENSE RUSHING YPG 2024 DEFENSE YPG ALLOWED 2024 DEFENSE PPG ALLOWED 11th - 335.0 22nd 248.0 4th - 154.0 T-1st - 0.0 GAME SPREAD GAME SCORE +/- ND -8.5 47.5 Well, this isn’t where we thought Notre Dame would be at the start of week 3 - but here we are. Within two weeks, Marcus Freeman secured the biggest win of his coaching career and immediately followed it with one of the worst losses in Notre Dame program history. A home opening loss as a 28 point favorite to a MAC team instantly changed Notre Dame’s 2024 outlook from a nearly guaranteed CFP lock with a cakewalk schedule, to the #18 spot in the polls with arguably the worst loss in college football this season. It's been a whirlwind to say the least. The schedule has now transformed into a different kind of beast for the Irish, for better or for worse. According to ESPN’s FPI rankings, Notre Dame has jumped from the 55th spot in SOS up to the 23rd strongest. While this bodes well for Notre Dame’s CFP resume, it also poses a new challenge for an Irish team farther from perfection than previously thought. As far as this 2024 team is concerned, the season restarts this saturday; you don’t get credit for the TAMU win, you blew it with the NIU loss, but you do have a chance to recreate your team’s identity. With a slightly stronger SOS and a different approach, Notre Dame’s only route to a CFP spot is to win out, obviously, but while doing so, they need to show the country that they're the kind of threat we thought they were following week 1. Notre Dame’s “new season” begins this Saturday, as Freeman and the Irish march into West Lafayette, Indiana to face the Purdue Boilermakers. The battle for the Shillelagh Trophy resumes for only the 3rd time this decade, and the Irish hold an 8-game win streak (including vacated wins) along with a stout lead in the all time series record lead. Purdue This will be head coach Ryan Walters’ first time facing the Irish while with Purdue, and only his second year with the program. He made his name as DC at the University of Illinois, building the 2022 Fighting Illini defense into the 2nd best squad in the country, 3rd in yards per play, 3rd in total defense, 1st in INTs, and 1st in turnover takeaways before he drew the attention of Purdue. Walters took over for Jeff Brohm, who left for Louisville following the 2022 season, and he inherited a rebuilding team. Predictably, his first year in 2023 showed that, and Purdue posted a rough 4-8 record, coming on the heels of an 8-6 season in 2022. The offense was slightly more successful for Purdue last year, and it returns QB Hudson Card who threw for 2,387 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions in 11 starts, along with leading rusher Devin Mockobee. Although Walter’s is known for his defensive prowess, 2023 was brutal for Purdue on D, tied for 98th in the country for points allowed, giving up 30.4 points per game and surrendering 30+ points on 8 different occasions. The Boilermakers lost 3 key defensive players, all of whom were 4-star prospects, including the #12 portal player, CB Nylabd Green who went to UGA, #15 ranked DL Nic Scourton who left for Texas A&M and was considered the cornerstone of their D-line, and #48 ranked WR Deion Burks who left for Oklahoma. The Boilermakers handled Indiana State with no problems in week 1, winning 49-0 before their week 2 BYE. Purdue’s defense recorded the first Boilermaker shutout in 2 years and only allowed 154 total yards to the Sycamores. They tallied 3 sacks along with 11 TFL, highlighted by DE Will Heldt who recorded 7 tackles, 2 sacks, and 3 TFL himself. The offense went off for 583 total yards, with 335 yards through the air, and another 248 yards on the ground. 5th-year QB and Texas transfer Hudson Card was stellar, leading the offense with 273 yards through the air and 4 touchdowns on a nearly perfect 24 of 25 attempts. Those 4 touchdown passes were tossed to 4 different targets; sophomore tight end Max Klare and sophomore receivers Leland Smith, Jaron Tibbs, and De’Nylon Morrissette. Purdue’s 3 rushing touchdowns were similarly spread out across 3 different backs, going to freshman Elijah Jackson, senior Reggie Love III, and freshman Jaheim Merriweather. Coach Walters informed the public that UGA transfer receiver CJ Smith and CB Nyland Green are still questionable for Saturday, but receiver Kam Brown, lineman Joe Anderson, and LT Corey Stewart are expected to play. The key for Purdue’s offense will be giving Card enough time to throw the longball downfield, allowing their spread offense to open things up underneath for the tight ends and running backs to steal easy midrange yardage. Purdue’s defense will stack the box as they like to do, but against the Irish especially so. They’ll likely attack the inexperienced Notre Dame OL and put the onus on a Leonard led passing game that’s displayed a serious inability to move the ball down the field, one that the Boilermakers won’t show any respect to until made to do so. Thus, Leonard’s mobility is going to be tested heavily, and with information regarding his shoulder injury now public, he’ll be even more of a target than usual. Desperately trying to establish a passing game and failing was a big part of Notre Dame’s loss to NIU and to Marshall, and if they plan on doing that again against a BIG10 opponent like Purdue, things may turn out the same way. Notre Dame Like it or not, the Irish are targets across all of college football. In week 1, they were targets because people wanted to spoil their “easy” route to the playoff, and after week 2, teams are looking to further embarrass a reeling Irish team and formally kill their CFP hopes. Going into the NIU game, most wanted to see the Irish either lean into the strength of the running game with Love and Price, or establish a more defined passing game between Leonard and his new receivers. For whatever reason, neither happened, and Freeman and Denbrock’s offense is once again faced with the same question against Purdue. Let’s just get the elephant in the room out of the way - the Irish passing game has been embarrassing thus far. According to Pete Sampson of the Athletic, the Irish are 130th in team pass efficiency, 110th in scoring offense, last in 20-yard completions with 1 (to Beaux Collins), and last in passing touchdowns with 0. That’s not to say the receivers are completely off the hook, but that’s mainly because they haven’t really had a shot to show if they’re the problem or not because of Leonard’s struggles. Unfortunately, tight-end play can’t be leaned on like it was in 2023, as Mitchell Evans is still ramping up his injury return, only recording 22 snaps against NIU, and 2nd string tight end Cooper Flanagan only grabbing 2 catches thus far. Leonard’s injury complicates things because we won’t truly know how mobile he’s going to be until game time, but if the Irish can't run him like the first drive against NIU, they’re going to have to change their approach. Love and Price together have 238 yards on 37 carries for a 6.5-yard per-rush average and 4 touchdowns, but neither has gotten over 14 carries in a game. Notre Dame needs to give its backs a chance to dominate the opposing defense if Leonard will ever have a chance of establishing an effective passing game, and make the Irish an actual threat on the outside. Building a ground game Purdue has to respect will force the Boilermakers to jam the box and leave their DBs in man, leaving it up to Notre Dame’s receivers to make something happen, and Leonard to put the ball where it needs to be. At the very least, Denbrock needs to get the Irish running backs into the passing game to get Leonard into a rhythm and make Purdue bite. While Notre Dame’s defense couldn’t manage to stay off the field against NIU, their performance is far less concerning than that of the offense. In week 1, they only surrendered 13 points to the Aggies, and even in the stinker against NIU, the Irish defense only allowed 16 points, with only 1 touchdown allowed on a somewhat flukey 83-yard pass. That’s 2 touchdowns through two games, and even if they’re on the field a lot against the Boilermakers, it’s pretty doubtful they give up a ton of points after the public embarrassment the team endured last week. Instead, they’ll need to focus on pressuring Card and registering some sacks, as the Irish defense are in a 10-way-tie for last with only 1 sack to their name. If Purdue can manage to keep Card safe, they’ll have a much easier time facing the Irish defense. Prediction Here we go again, prediction time. Technically, This column has been wrong on prediction 2/2 times this season, but I had the Irish losing to TAMU and beating NIU to enter the Purdue matchup at 1-1 either way. Regardless, the whole season and our view of this Notre Dame team has been upended, and this matchup poses a much bigger threat than it should. This Irish offense doesn't inspire enough confidence to believe they completely figure things out this weekend, but after the lows of week 2, there’s just enough hope to believe they’re already at their lowest and things start heading in the right direction. Look for the Irish offense to rush for at least 2 scores (a mark they’ve hit in both of their first two games) and ideally a passing touchdown to start building some confidence for Leonard, but don't hold your breath. If Leonard struggles to run the ball against the Boilermakers, there's a possibility Denbrock looks to Angeli for some passing strength, and that makes for a higher chance we see an Irish passing score. To round things out, look for Mitch Jeter to get at least a few shots at redemption (please god don’t let another field goal attempt get blocked or make this man line up for anything over 55 yards) and add some points of his own to extend Notre Dame’s lead. As for Purdue, odds are the Boilermakers muster at least 14 points, as the Aggies managed 13 and the Huskies 16, along with likely at least one score via Hudson Card’s arm. As for special teams, the Irish have given up 5 field goals through 2 games, and it’d be pretty surprising if they don't give up at least another 2 or 3. Reality has tempered everyone’s expectations for the 2024 Irish, and this game is likely to be uglier and less polished than Notre Dame fans would like. This’ll be a close one whichever way it goes, but as long as the Irish from week 2 don't show up again, Freeman’s squad should pull out an unsatisfying win to somewhat calm Notre Dame’s troubled waters. Still, a struggling Irish offense keeps Notre Dame from covering the 8.5 point spread. - Win (2-1) - ND: 27 - 20 - PUR Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Notre Dame has hit a low that hasn't been seen in some time, but while Marcus Freeman may be the reason for Notre Dame's struggles, he is also the reason Notre Dame can reunite with its historic success. Photo by The Irish Tribune For Freeman, the road to redemption doesn’t start with a “coach speech” at a press conference after a loss. After suffering arguably the worst loss in program history, given the circumstances and what’s at stake this season, Freeman has to fix it and fix it fast, or suffer losing the fanbase. For a lot of fans, earlier losses to Marshall, Stanford, and Louisville were written off as “growing pains” of a first-time head coach, but now in his third season, losing these types of games is unacceptable. With a new twelve-team playoff, one of the easier schedules Notre Dame has played in a long time, and a top-tier defense in college football, expectations were very high going into this season. After beating an SEC team at one of the toughest places to play in the country to start the season, many were anticipating an easy path to the playoffs only to be let down when Notre Dame followed up with an abysmal showing against a G5 team. This has left fans wondering what Freeman is going to do to fix it, and if he is even the right guy for the job. I offer my opinion below.   Riley Leonard's Excitement Is Vanishing There’s no denying the excitement that Irish fans had when it was announced that Riley Leonard hit the transfer portal and committed to Notre Dame. Many fans wondered is this finally the QB that can make a run and get Notre Dame over the hump? On paper, it appeared that Riley Leonard would be a great fit for a Mike Denbrock offense after passing for 4,450 yards, 24 touchdowns, and rushed for over 1200 yards for his career at Duke, but after two subpar performances that have led to zero touchdowns, many are now wondering: Is Riley Leonard the answer? Or will he just be another stop-gap transfer portal QB who has come to Notre Dame and underperformed? So far the jury is still out on that. Should Freeman Move On From Riley Leonard? There have been many reports over this past week that Riley Leonard suffered an injury against NIU. To the extent of the injury and how much it has or will affect Riley going forward, that remains to be seen. Many fans have suggested that Freeman should move on from Riley and let Steve Angeli or Kenny Minchey get a chance. I don’t think that is what has to be done this instant, but Freeman has to have a short leash when it comes to Riley Leonard with how he plays against Purdue. If he struggles out the gate to make throws, then Freeman is going to have to make a tough decision as he can’t allow this game against Purdue to get away from him. Where Should Freeman’s Loyalty Lie? In today's era of college football where NIL plays a factor in getting a big-name transfer to come to your school, it shouldn’t come with the price tag of ride or die with that player no matter what. There is no honor in sinking with the ship as college football is, whether we like it or not, a business, and must be run like one. If something isn’t working, you must make tough decisions and changes for the betterment of the company, or in this case the football team and University. As the head coach of any team, you have to put the best player on the field that is gonna get you the win. After all, that is what you are paid to do and ultimately what you are judged on as a head coach. Knute Rockne put it best when he said “As a coach, I play not my eleven best, but my best eleven.” This is the mindset that Freeman has to have going forward if he wants to return Notre Dame to its former glory. What Changes Does Freeman Need To Make? Freeman is at a crossroads here as the honeymoon appears to be over for many Irish fans when it comes to him as Head Coach. He has to make a lot of critical and tough decisions if he wants to turn this around. First, he must control the outside noise and not allow the negativity to affect the morale of that locker room. If he loses the players, he loses everything. Next, he has to find a vocal leader on both sides of the ball who can get this team going when the chips are down. I did not see this at all during the NIU game. Then, he has to lean on his coordinators who arguably are two of the best in college football. They have the experience and creativity to make this work but they have to all be on the same page at all times. Following that, he has to put his players in the best situations to allow them to succeed which in turn builds confidence in them with him and his system. Afterward, he has to be able to recognize if something isn’t working and be able to break from it immediately. It’s okay to admit a certain thing just isn’t working and move on. Finally, he has to treat this like a business and put the best of the best on the field at all times. If a player did great all week in practice but is struggling in a game, he must be willing to pull them even if only for a series to get them back on track. These are some of the things I think will help Freeman get this back on the right track. The Purdue Game Will Tell What We Need To Know It’s easy to be loved and admired when everything is going great, but when it’s not it shows what type of leader someone truly is when adversity hits. How will Freeman respond? We’ve seen him respond before after a bad loss, but this is rock bottom as far as I’m concerned when it comes to Freeman’s tenure as head coach of Notre Dame. Freeman is a competitor at heart and I don’t see him lying down and accepting defeat. That’s not who he is or who he has shown us to be during his time at Notre Dame, but will he make the necessary changes to turn this around? We’ll get that answer on Saturday when they go on the road to take on Purdue. For Freeman, this is a must-win game if he wants to begin to rebuild his confidence back in the Notre Dame fan base. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

In perhaps the worst loss of the Marcus Freeman Era, Notre Dame dropped a sloppy 16-14 contest to NIU last weekend in South Bend. With tough matchups remaining this season against the likes of Purdue, Florida State, Louisville, and USC, what will the plan of attack be for the blue and gold moving forward? On this week's episode of "First & Gold," Clayton discusses the shocking NIU loss, while sharing his thoughts on how Freeman and Co. can truly right the ship moving forward. In a game where the Irish passing game was virtually non-existent, will the Irish coaching staff truly do what is needed to get back on track? Clay breaks this critical topic down and much more, so be sure to tune in! Of course, you can always subscribe to all things Irish Tribune and "First & Gold" at any time as well. Go Irish! Listen on Spotify Listen on Apple Podcasts First and Gold Twitter The Irish Tribune: Shows

On December 3, 2021, Marcus Freeman was hired to replace Brian Kelly as the head coach of the Notre Dame football program. Since then, he's posted a record of 20-9, including two bowl game wins. With the loss to NIU this past week, Irish faithful are turning to him for answers, with many calling for his job. But is Marcus Freeman really the problem? Photo by The Irish Tribune Freeman has had his fair share of tough losses. Losing at home to Marshall, Stanford, and now Northern Illinois doesn't exactly hold up to the "golden standard." While Notre Dame has a history of playing tight with teams they should beat-handedly, Brian Kelly posted a 42-0 record against unranked teams starting in 2017, all the way up to his resignation in 2021. With Freeman's third embarrassing home loss in the last three seasons, it's starting to look like a trend, rather than a young head coach finding his way. Freeman is still young, only starting his third full season as a head football coach, but at a program as revered as Notre Dame, losses like these are inexcusable. Coordinators have been shaky in his tenure so far, but this year he went and hired Mike Denbrock, previously LSU's offensive coordinator. This was a home run hire, as Denbrock led the offense that produced last year's Heisman quarterback and 2nd overall pick in the NFL draft, Jayden Daniels. However, this year's offense looks arguably worse than it ever has under Freeman. Of course, there's plenty to be said about the skill gap between Jayden Daniels and Riley Leonard. However, Denbrock's stint at Cincinnati included a win at Notre Dame and a College Football Playoff appearance. Desmond Ridder won back-to-back AAC Offensive Player of the Year awards in that time and threw for over 10,000 passing yards and 87 touchdowns in his career. All that to say, Denbrock has seen success without star-studded squads. So what's the difference between this year at Notre Dame and his previous coaching stints? Riley Leonard wasn't exactly a gunslinging air-raid quarterback who takes the top off the defense at Duke, and he also wasn't the best runner, but he's always been a tough, hard-nosed player who will do whatever he has to for the team. Some of the lack of offensive production can be credited to Leonard's inability to throw the ball downfield with accuracy. He's missed several key throws this season, which everyone does, but he can't seem to settle in, even against an opponent that should've been beaten like Northern Illinois. But Freeman could also be holding back Denbrock. Irish fans around the world seemed to breathe a sigh of relief when Gerad Parker left Notre Dame to take another job, and the same fans were ecstatic when Denbrock was hired, and yet, two games in, and the offense looks worse than it ever has. Week one is one thing, it's the first week of the season, a new quarterback, a new offensive line, and one of the toughest stadiums to play in against a tough opponent. Winning an ugly game there is great. But at home against Northern Illinois, 28.5 point underdogs, is a completely different thing. The staff and team likely saw it as an opportunity to work out some kinks and use it as a get-right week for the offense. But who wouldn't agree that Notre Dame has more talent on its offense than NIU? It's a no-brainer. The way that Freeman and the players got amped up to play at A&M versus at home against NIU was night and day. Freeman, known for being, at the very least, a players' coach and a great "rah-rah" guy, couldn't get his team hyped to play in their home opener after a huge win? If you want to blame Riley Leonard, that's fine, but why not sub him out? This is a problem that comes back on Freeman. For the last two years, the Irish have opted for grad-transfer quarterbacks. Sam Hartman was disappointing to say the least, last year, yet Freeman and the staff still decided to go after Leonard in the portal, even with Angeli showing flashes of skill in his limited reps. Even a few years ago, Jack Coan wasn't exactly a success. College football has entered a new age with the transfer portal, but even so, it's unlike Notre Dame to go after transfer quarterbacks like that. The staff is handcuffed to Riley Leonard. They went after him and brought him to Notre Dame with the promise of being the starting quarterback, making significantly more NIL money, and a better chance to get to the NFL. Bringing in a transfer quarterback sort of seals your fate. You made him all these promises, went all in on the guy, and now he's been a let-down so far, and no one has the guts to make a change. Angeli was solid in his limited appearances last year for the Irish, including leading a gutted roster to a win against Oregon State in the Sun Bowl. Kenny Minchey was a 4-star quarterback in high school who's never seen the field. CJ Carr, who ND fans have been waiting for for a long time, is here now. Freshman quarterbacks like Dylan Raiola and DJ Lagway are getting starts at big programs, and are seeing success. Why not see what Carr can do? At the end of the day, all of these can come back on Freeman. But is there still hope? Absolutely. There have been hard times in the last few years under Freeman, but this defense is the best it's been since maybe Manti Te'o. The offense has to be changing. There's no way anyone could go back to practice this week and say that we just need to go out and do the same thing again. Bad teams need to be taken more seriously. But Marcus Freeman has won big games. He beat 9th ranked Clemson, he won at 20th ranked Texas A&M in their home opener, he embarrassed 10th ranked USC last year, even with Heisman Caleb Williams, and he'll have an opportunity to win out this year, and beat a solid USC team again, on the road this time. It's not time to press the panic button just yet, but changes have to be made. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

With zero passing touchdowns yet to be thrown, how can Riley Leonard and the Notre Dame offense get back on their feet? Photo by The Irish Tribune After Saturday's loss to Northern Illinois, Marcus Freeman stated "We have been here before" when referring to the team's mindset going forward. Well if you are a Notre Dame fan of a certain age, we have been here before. We are all too familiar with the mind-numbing, mistake-filled, heart-wrenching losses, which have now become an almost annual occurrence under Freeman's tenure. Notre Dame suffered an early season gut punch to their playoff chances in a year where many talking heads out there assumed they would be a lock. Any time you lose at home as a 28-point favorite, there is plenty of blame to go around, but it's hard to not first turn to the offense, which could only muster 14 points at home against a MAC opponent. Generally, a lot of my focus is on scouting high school recruits and how they may fit Notre Dame in the seasons to come, but I wanted to take a step back and "self-scout" what I saw from Saturday after having the displeasure of rewatching every offensive snap multiple times. I can honestly say it may get worse before it gets better. When Riley Leonard arrived in South Bend, he did so as a proven commodity as a dynamic runner and less proven as a thrower. In his time at Duke, Leonard was a 60% completion guy with a 24 to 10 touchdown to interception ratio. Those aren't eye-popping numbers by any means, but it's easy to point to the fact that he was at Duke, where his skill position guys were maybe not among the tops in the country. Still, when I revisited his film from Duke, and compared it to what I have seen through two games this season, there are more issues than I think are capable of being fixed quickly. A common theme I have picked up on from watching Leonard is his inability to move WITHIN the pocket and not as a scrambler. There were multiple occasions Saturday where he rolled out early instead of climbing the pocket which unnecessarily cut off half the field. I understand the offensive line is somewhat young and inexperienced, but Leonard's lack of pocket awareness is leading to missed opportunities to step up and make multi-progression throws. That ties into my next point, which is when Leonard has to come off of his first read, his accuracy goes way down. I saw it during his time with Duke and I am seeing it now, the longer he stays in the pocket, his throwing mechanics start to unravel. Leonard does not reset his feet when working from one side of the field to the other, he does not square his shoulders, and this is leading to wildly inconsistent ball placement. NIU took advantage of this by playing a lot of press man coverage and not allowing for quick reads where Leonard is most comfortable. Leonard also does not seem to be playing with great field vision . One of the keys to being a successful QB is throwing with anticipation, and right now Leonard is taking extra hitches and making a lot of throws half a beat too late. On Riley's first interception of the game, Jaden Greathouse ran a middle hook from the slot, when he came out of his break, there was plenty of space between him and the zone defender. The ball should have been on him as he turned but instead, Leonard took an extra hitch and threw the ball late which allowed the defender to close in, tip the ball, and ultimately led to a turnover. For whatever it's worth Mike Denbrock did not look happy with Leonard as he came to the sideline after this play. In the fourth quarter, with the game on the line, this is where Leonard's most frustrating throw all day took place. After completing back-to-back passes to Collins and finally building a little momentum, Leonard stepped up in the pocket only to woefully underthrow a deep post route intended for Kris Mitchell. Although the throw was a bit late, the fact that he was able to fully step into this throw and left it that short, to me is an arm talent issue. He does not display good velocity when throwing shorter route concepts and doesn't have the arm strength to truly stretch the field. I don't think all these issues that plague Riley Leonard can be remedied by a good week of practice or a motivational speech from the coaching staff. These flaws have flashed throughout his college career and are unlikely to disappear overnight. Could a change at quarterback truly spark this Notre Dame offense? That question takes a bit of critical thinking. If you fall in the camp of thinking this is a byproduct of Marcus Freeman wanting to be as conservative as possible and just win through good defense and a run game then I ask you this: If he was unwilling to open things up with a senior QB, is he going to trust the young guys in that locker room like CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey who have much less experience? Steve Angeli played well in the bowl game against Oregon State last year and is a bit older, but has a much slower throwing motion than the young guys, can he get the ball out quick enough behind a still-learning offensive line? For me, Carr and Minchey both have major upside. Both can manipulate the pocket without bailing, both are very accurate, and both have the arm talent to keep defenses honest and stop them from loading the box. I would like to see a change sooner rather than later, but even if that were to happen, I do not know if it would lead to a drastically different-looking offense based on a few other observations I made from rewatching the game. The playcalling was confusing at times. It was pretty obvious that NIU came into this game looking to make Notre Dame beat them by throwing. They consistently rolled a safety down into the box late and ND did nothing to counteract this besides bang their head against 8-man fronts. Not only that, but early on Denbrock had us in a lot of tight formations which made it much easier for the defense to crowd the line of scrimmage. It came across as us not adjusting to what the defense was doing and just wanting to maintain whatever game plan we had going into the game. The receivers still don't seem to be in a position of strength. Some of this falls back onto bad QB play, but the consistent separation at the top of routes just isn't there. I know a lot of people will point to the great catch Beaux Collins made against Texas A&M, but even that was tightly contested. It just feels like every catch that is made has to be worked for. Riley Leonard's best throw in a Notre Dame uniform came late in the second quarter vs NIU, on a switch route concept. Greathouse ran a wheel from the slot, and Leonard put the ball right where it needed to be only for it to be dropped. Probably would have led to points on that drive and who knows what happens from there. No matter who plays QB going forward, receivers will need to do a much better job as a whole. NIU did an excellent job of bringing late pressure and disguising blitzes. Without being on the sideline, I don't know who is currently responsible for calling protections at the line of scrimmage, but whoever it is will need to do a much better job in the weeks to come. This young Oline is struggling with exotic looks. On the final drive of the game, they showed a seven-man blitz. Two dropped into coverage at the snap so they only brought five rushers vs Notre Dame's six blockers. Protection should have been slid to the left, but instead, Anthonie Knapp took on the defensive end, Sam Pendleton blocked no one, and Jadarian Price took on the blitzer up the middle, leaving the nickel unblocked, forcing Riley out of the pocket and into an incomplete pass. If it was blocked up properly, there was a chance to hit Collins on an in-cut route that would have got Notre Dame to the 35-yard line, making Mitch Jeter's game-winning attempt a 52-yarder and very much makeable. Honestly, the offense was a little lucky to even get a chance at a game-winning kick. On NIU's final drive, the refs called them half a yard short on their third down run that to me very much looked like a first. This would have allowed them to eat up the rest of the clock and attempt a game-winning kick with no time left. The season is not lost. There are ten more games on the schedule and plenty more time to write the book of the season. Freeman and Denbrock will need to sit down and have an honest conversation about what is best for this offense going forward. If they stick with Riley, I don't expect a major jump in production, but I would expect more designs that play to his strengths. It is also gut check time for the WR room. Multiple transfers were brought in to try to help transform ND into a more dynamic offense, and so far that has not been the case. The offensive line must continue to learn on the fly and try to recreate the momentum of the late-game drives they had vs A&M consistently, opening up holes and getting runners into space. It's going to be an eleven-man effort on that side of the ball if Notre Dame wants to experience any big-picture success this year, and I suggest we all buckle up because it very well may be a bumpy ride. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

The Fighting Irish hit the road this week for a renewal of an in-state rivalry with the Purdue Boilermakers. The Shillelagh Trophy will be on the line for the first time since 2021, when Jack Coan and the Irish handled the Boilermakers 27-13 in South Bend. Notre Dame enters Saturday’s matchup owning a six game winning streak over Purdue. Played every year between 1946-2014, this Indiana state rivalry has finally been renewed for an annual matchup scheduled through 2028, at the least. Since we will be getting to know these Boilermakers closely over the next four years, let’s look at how they might look this Saturday: Photo via Notre Dame Athletics Offense Purdue enters this Saturday afternoon matchup 1-0 and coming off a bye week. The Boilermakers dominated Indiana State 49-0 in week one to open Head Coach Ryan Walters’ second season at the helm. Walters’ offensive coordinator is former Heisman finalist Graham Harrell, who accepted the position after one year as West Virginia’s coordinator. Harrell will have his work cut out for him this year. Purdue lost their top four receivers this offseason, and there appears to be question marks about where the production will come from. To make matters even more tricky for this receiving core, C.J. Smith, former four-star receiver and Georgia transfer, has missed the beginning of the season and could potentially miss this week’s matchup. Tight end Max Klare, expectedly, picked up the slack in week one, when he totaled five receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown. The sophomore tight end finished last season with 22 receptions for 196 yards in just five game appearances, but appears set for a breakout campaign this year. The man getting the ball to Klare is 6th-year senior Hudson Card. The former Texas quarterback struggled during his time in Austin, but it appears he has found home in West Lafayette after a career-best season. Card missed one game last season and finished 4-7 as the starter. In his 11 starts, he totaled 2,387 passing yards and 15 touchdowns. Card did have his struggles with accuracy, completing just 58.9% of his passes in addition to throwing 8 interceptions. Notably, Purdue went 0-5 last year when Card completed under 60% of his throws. This should bode well for the Irish, as the secondary has played well up to this point, allowing under 300 total passing yards through two weeks. Card had a field day against the weak Indiana State defense in week one, finishing 24/25 for 273 yards and four touchdowns. This is an outing that can provide Card with a good confidence boost going into a matchup with the ranked Irish defense.     Arguably, Purdue’s greatest strength this season will be their offensive line. The Boilermakers added two transfers in addition to three returning starters, including star center Gus Hartwig. An injury to keep an eye on this week is that of starting tackle, Corey Stewart. The Ball State transfer is currently listed as questionable to play Saturday, but signs are pointing to the former First Team All-MAC selection to suit up.  Purdue was heavily reliant on their offense last season and the stats prove it. The Boilermakers were 0-7 when totaling under 405 total yards and 0-5 when committing multiple turnovers. In other words, do not let this offense get rolling or it could spell trouble for the Irish. Defense As mentioned above, Purdue relied on their offense last season for team success. The Boilermaker defense allowed over 30 points per game and was rated as the worst Big Ten pass defense last season. Despite losing Big Ten sack leader Nic Scourton to Texas A&M, who the Irish know well, Purdue did a good job reloading via the transfer portal. The first big addition through the portal was Georgia edge rusher CJ Madden. Despite seeing limited playing time as a freshman at Georgia, the 6’4 263-pounder has big potential as a former four-star recruit. Madden recorded two tackles in his Boilermaker debut week one. Another lineman seeking a breakout year is defensive tackle Cole Brevard. At 6’3 and 333 pounds, Brevard is a ‘force’ in every sense of the word. Despite starting every game last season, he really lacked the production needed for a Big Ten tackle. Like Madden, Brevard also recorded two tackles in week one to open his year. Purdue’s best linebacker is 5th year senior, Kydran Jenkins. The inside backer is coming off a career best season in which he led the Boilermakers in tackles for loss (15.5) even with the dominant Scourton on the roster. After starting all 12 games last season, Jenkins finished with 57 total tackles, 7.5 sacks, and a forced fumble which he returned 55 yards for his only career touchdown. Jenkins was named All-Big Ten honorable mention by coaches and media following this campaign. He picked up right where he left off in week one, totaling four tackles, two for a loss, and a sack against Indiana State. The most improved position group on this squad is likely the secondary. Besides Scourton, safety Dillon Thieneman was arguably the best player on this defense a year ago. He returns this season along with incoming Ole Miss and Colorado transfer Kyndrich Breedlove. This safety combination has serious potential to be dangerous. Thieneman was by far the best defensive back for Purdue last season, after leading the team in tackles (106) and being named Second Team All-Big Ten and Third Team All-American. Thieneman, a sophomore, had a tremendous freshman year. As a true freshman, he started all 12 games and recorded six interceptions in addition to two forced fumbles. The 247 Sports True Freshman of the Year led all newcomers in tackles, interceptions, and forced fumbles last season. In addition to leading all freshmen, his six picks were the third-most nationally last year. Thieneman had a quiet week one, as Indiana State only threw the ball 10 times, but he did record two tackles to start his sophomore campaign. Thieneman appears to have some help this season as transfer Kyndrich Breedlove looks set to have a breakout year. In limited playing time at Colorado, he recorded 12 tackles and a forced fumble last season. Breedlove made his impact felt on week one as he recorded three tackles to open his year.  It is hard to judge an opponent based on a game with an FCS opponent, but Purdue did look upgraded from last season’s 4-8 squad. Their defense, especially against the pass, should be improved. The biggest question mark, again, is where the offensive production will come from for the Boilermakers. Despite having a strong line, there are no true threats in the backfield and, as mentioned before, replacing the top four receivers will be no easy task as they embark on their 2024 season. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Notre Dame took the field this past Saturday against NIU after coming off of a big road win against Texas A&M, and Irish fans were anticipating big production from both sides of the ball. As we know, that didn’t happen. They suffered one of the worst losses in program history, and this has led to many questions about the team and where they go from here. That’s an internal problem that the coaches are going to have to figure out, but what about the external vision, and how this impacts recruiting? I reached out to a dozen recruits who were on campus this past weekend to find out how their visits went, and what impact (if any) the loss had on them. Their answers may surprise you. Photo by The Irish Tribune C/O 2027 4-Star Top 15 WR Monshun Sales “It was great, I loved the fans, and the coaches, and the environment - I loved the whole trip even though they lost. I really didn’t care too much about the loss because I know everybody has off games, but I loved everything about Notre Dame, and it’s somewhere I could see myself playing at in the future.” C/O 2026 3-Star RB Jayden Terry “It was what I expected from a high level program like ND. Great atmosphere and great fans. One thing that stuck out to me was the way the team warmed up and the type of stretches they were conducting. It was different from most teams I’ve seen. Everyone was very polite and easy to talk to. Also the energy from the student section was top notch. I’m just starting to build relationships with the staff. I hope that as the season continues, that will continue to grow. I would like to visit again and see all the facilities and have more communication with the coaches.” C/O 2026 3-Star IOL Benjamin Eziuka “The visit was great despite the loss. I saw them play last year, so I know that wasn’t a good representation of the kind of team they are, and it happens to everyone. But other than that, everything went great. Atmosphere was electric, and (I) got to have a great conversation with coach Rudolph and I’ll come back later this year if I can make the trip again.” C/O 2026 S Deacon King “I think the visit went really good. Yeah I wanted them to win, but the atmosphere was still crazy! And it was cool to see Manti Te'o too. He was right in front of us.” C/O 2027 LB Jackson Reynolds “The visit went great! This was my second trip this year. I was excited to show my mom the campus this time because she's never been. I am always impressed with the campus. The historical landmarks and the culture within the university is awesome. Getting the game day experience was special. I was impressed with it all, but the players walk to the stadium and the stadium pre-game was impactful to me. I got to see Ryan Clark before the players walk, and the passion the fans have is amazing. The highlight of the visit was the conversations I had with Coach Bullough and Coach Washington. They both are impressed with my build and frame for only being a 2027 recruit. Coach Bullough said he'd be keeping tabs on me since I am a linebacker, and Coach Washington recruits my area of Central Ohio. I wear a gold helmet for my high school and I definitely can see myself staying in one. It was a tough loss for Notre Dame, but I believe in what Coach Freeman and the staff are building. The Gold Standard is special.” C/O 2026 OT Pete Eglitis “It went really well. Everything there was run really well and had a great atmosphere. Notre Dame is my dream school. I’ve been a fan since I was a kid, so it was a very special visit.” C/O 2026 MLB Ryland Watters “I had a great time. When I first got there it was an awesome setup inside the indoor facility. I’ve been up to campus already a couple times with my older brother who’s there playing baseball as a freshman. Sucks that they lost, but the trip was amazing.” C/O 2026 ATH Kareem Pruitt “The visit was great, it was my first time on campus, they treated us very well on the visit and it was nice to see them play with a sold out stadium and see how many people come out to the game to watch them play.” C/O 2026 WR Jorian Brooks “My trip was amazing! They treated me so well and everybody on the staff was amazing. Notre Dame does an amazing job making sure that you’re not just set up for your football career, but that you are set up for life. They focus beyond football and that’s super important to me. Every-time I’m in South Bend they emphasize that and I love that.” C/O 2026 IOL Dalton DeBoer “The trip was amazing! To be able to experience the rich tradition was really an honor. I am beyond impressed with each interaction I have had with the coaches, recruiting staff and all associated with Notre Dame. I am sure there are many more wins to come this season!” Even though Notre Dame didn’t come up with the win, the recruits who visited were very impressed with the staff, atmosphere, facilities, and game day experience. Coach Freeman and staff continue to make recruiting and the relationships a major priority. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

As Notre Dame is still reeling from a very disappointing loss to Northern Illinois, a humbled Marcus Freeman had a chance to address the media, the country, and the Notre Dame faithful. Photo by The Irish Tribune Freeman started off the conference describing why he thought they lost the game. He summed up it with some simple categories: turnovers, explosive plays, rushing yards, and third downs. These were all areas Notre Dame lost in. Freeman didn't focus on that, though. Instead he considers something much more important, something he has been reflecting on since the end of the game. "We have to learn how to handle success" This notion is something Notre Dame has always struggled with. The team had just come off a huge win against Texas A&M and were set up for a relatively easy schedule. This team, like others in the past, fell victim to a "trap game." These type of losses are something that Notre Dame has grown far too accustomed to. Freeman followed this up by describing that he believes the team bought into the hype that surrounded the program, claiming that they were physically prepared, but mentally were not ready for their opponent. Many would believe the mentality of the team is set by the coach. Freeman said he learned from this loss to never change the preparation for a certain opponent. A lesson that the Marshall loss should've taught him. NIU may have been another reminder of that critical lesson. Freeman was then asked about Notre Dame's belief in running the table and finishing 11-1. He responded with his focus on taking the rest of the season one game at a time. A mindset that will be needed to right the ship after the NIU game. The recent loss has also brought on questions regarding starting quarterback, Riley Leonard. Leonard's play thus far has not lived up to the expectations many had for him coming into the season. Freeman was asked about his consideration to looking elsewhere. "No, there was no consideration of that. We've got a lot of belief in Riley and him running our offense...There are times where he's got to throw the ball better...We also have to be better around him" Leonard threw two interceptions in the game on Saturday, one mid way through the fourth quarter that was a deciding play in the game. Leonard's performance against Texas A&M was not pretty either, but it was against much better talent. His A&M performance was praised for his ability to make timely plays and take care of the football. Both of those factors were absent against NIU. During the interview, a question was asked about the up and down nature of Freeman's tenure at Notre Dame. He's had losses against Marshall, NIU, and Stanford, but he has also beaten Clemson, USC, and most recently, Texas A&M. "That's the game of football, man." His explanation described his journey to find sustained success in an ever-evolving landscape, going back to the theme of learning how to handle success. Freeman was also asked about the team's preparation heading into Notre Dame's matchup with Purdue. "Nobody is gonna feel sorry for us...I don't want anyone to feel sorry for us, let's go. I'm a competitor surrounded by competitors. Let's get back to work and lets challenge each other." Freeman using this loss as motivation seems like a tactic that will be used for this week and the rest of the season. Freeman was asked about this and responded with a "maybe" and a smirk on his face. Yes, this loss will probably refocus the team and give them something to prove. The disappointing part is that a loss like this happened in the first place. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

After Notre Dame's offense struggled so mightily against Northern Illinois, the question must be asked: Is Riley Leonard the best option? Senior football writer, Liam Farrell, weighs the options. Photo by The Irish Tribune On the heels of Notre Dame's most disappointing loss in recent memory, the Fighting Irish have far more questions than answers. At the forefront of everyone's mind is Marcus Freeman, and whether he has the ability to succeed as a championship-level head coach. As the Notre Dame fans criticize Freeman harshly, Riley Leonard becomes the next target for blame. Leonard, who was brought in to finally solve the quarterback woes that have plagued South Bend, seems to have regressed since arriving on campus. After two games, Leonard has yet to record a passing touchdown, placing Notre Dame alongside Northwestern, Western Michigan, Air Force, and Miami OH as the only schools still without one. This year, Leonard has only thrown for 321 yards while adding 2 interceptions, and only carries a 61.3 completion percentage. Simply put, Leonard's performance hasn't been cutting it. Leonard's lackluster performance has led fans to question whether to stick with the experienced transfer or explore other options. That question was answered earlier today, with the release of the newest depth chart. Leonard will indeed start against Purdue on Saturday. Notre Dame's current situation reminds me of the predicament Alabama had last year. After a devastating loss to Texas, Tommy Rees and Nick Saban chose to sit starting quarterback Jalen Milroe in their game against USF. Now Notre Dame walk-on wide receiver, Tyler Buchner, earned the start but was benched for Ty Simpson at halftime. Both quarterbacks struggled mightily in their chance, but did enough to beat the South Florida Bulls. After this game, Milroe was given the starting nod back and resurrected the Crimson Tide offense, leading to a college football playoff berth. This could be an option for Marcus Freeman should Leonard's play continue to be lackluster. Show Leonard that his spot isn't guaranteed, and that he needs to redevelop the coaching staff's trust within him as a player. Another situation that seems relevant is what is occurring with Nebraska and Dylan Raiola. Nebraska had an extreme recruiting win, flipping Raiola from Georgia, but instead of nursing him into the bright lights in Lincoln, they simply handed him the keys. Head coach Matt Rhule basically said, "we brought you here for a reason. Go lead this football team." Given Freeman's trust and admiration for CJ Carr, he could have done the same. Freeman didn't need to bring in a transfer quarterback, but he did, and things clearly aren't working. Why not show faith in Carr by naming him the leader of the football team? If choosing Carr is too extreme and costly—since the Irish likely want him to maintain his redshirt status—why not turn to Steve Angeli or Kenny Minchey? Angeli displayed in the bowl game last year that he can manage the game and making quick, accurate throws. As for Minchey, Freeman described him as a gunslinger, which is an explosive downfield passing threat this offense is missing. Ultimately, whichever path the coaching staff takes, a change needs to be made. Everyone can point fingers at Freeman or Leonard, but until offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock revitalizes Notre Dame's offense, progress will be halted. Despite some first-half coverage mistakes, Notre Dame's defense played exceptionally well. Al Golden is worth every penny that the administration gave him; however, Denbrock and quarterbacks coach Gino Guidugli need to find a way to elevate the quarterback play. The College Football Playoff is still within reach for the Fighting Irish, but perfection is now required. This could be a repeat of 2018 where the coaching staff replaced Brandon Wimbush for Ian Book. Wimbush, the far more explosive but unpolished passer, won his first three games of the season. But the offense sputtered until the more accurate, game managing quarterback in Ian Book, led the Irish to an undefeated regular season. Is that this year's version of Leonard and Angeli? Can Leonard figure it out? Could Mike Denbrock simplify his reads for these quarterbacks? All we can do is wait and find out. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Notre Dame finds a way to play down to their competition yet again. The question has to be asked why has this been allowed to happen for decades? Sure, we can talk about this coaching staff’s failure to have this team ready. Sure, we can talk about Marcus Freeman’s failure as a head coach, but this problem didn’t just start when he was hired. Some fans will say that Brian Kelly would have won this game, but I’d quickly remind them about Tulsa in 2010, South Florida in 2011, Northwestern in 2014, and Navy in 2016. We all know what happened in the Weis, Willingham, and Davie days, so I’m not even going down that road. Freeman is just another coach that has underperformed against a lesser team, with awful losses to NIU (2024), Marshall (2022), and Stanford (2022), where Notre Dame was double digit point favorites in each of those games. Since Lou Holtz left, this has been a common trend with every coach that has been here - and the question has to be asked why? Photo by The Irish Tribune Of course, coaches deserve blame when they don’t have their teams prepared for a game or make bad in-game decisions, and Freeman has to answer for this. But the chances that the amount of coaches since Holtz departed have all played down to their competition or lose to them is just a coaching problem, just doesn’t sit well with me. There’s a bigger problem that lies beneath the surface of all this, and it needs to be addressed. You can blame whatever you want to, but until the real problems are addressed and the real questions are asked, nothing changes. Discussions have to be had after this latest debacle with Northern Illinois University. Until Notre Dame and those around it get serious about winning another National Championship, nothing will change. People don’t like to admit it, but the football program that Knute Rockne started and the history and tradition that followed is what made Notre Dame the University it is today. Without the football program’s former glory, Notre Dame would just be another Catholic school in the Midwest. Like it or not, that simply is the truth of the matter. Notre Dame has to get back to that mentality of what made them the school they are. It doesn’t just stop at the University, the administration, or the coaches. There are several changes that need to be made in and around this program and it starts and ends with rebuilding the winning culture at Notre Dame. First, Notre Dame and it's fans have to stop the nose in the air "better than others" attitude, because of the history and tradition of the program that happened many decades ago. Fans continue to hype themselves up every year based off success that happened before a lot fans nowadays were even alive. I was six years old the last time Notre Dame won anything worthy to write home about. Thirty six years later, and fans are still kicking the same can down the road talking about what Notre Dame did in 1988 and before. It's time to learn some humility and start dominating the games Notre Dame is supposed to, and find a way to win the ones they're not. History is just that - HISTORY. It’s time to focus on the future of this program. Second, the notion that the Irish have to do things the “right way”, and take it easy on others or not show any emotion or aggression towards opponents needs to end. You can still have morals, integrity, and values, and also want to crush your opponent into dust. There is nothing wrong with that. There is also nothing wrong with being a good host when other teams visit, but that should end when the coin toss happens. At that point, they are the enemy and need to be treated as such. Third, Notre Dame has lost what the true meaning of “home field advantage” means. The environment of the home crowd is supposed to be hostile and make the away team uncomfortable. As a fan, you should be out of your seat for the entire game, yelling until you can’t possibly do it anymore. I had always heard horror stories about fans being told to sit down during games, and it never really registered until it happened to me personally. I get there are circumstances where people can’t stand, and I’m sympathetic to that, but the “wine and cheese crowd” that comes to the game and uses it as a social network event, not even paying attention to the game need to stay home. Or at a bare minimum, cheer and allow others who are passionate and want to stand be allowed to stand without security telling them to sit down. Fourth, the season ticket holders who sell their tickets to other fan bases for profit should take a hard look in the mirror. There is no excuse for allowing another fan base to take over your stadium just so you can make a little extra money. This never happened in the old days when Holtz, Ara, Devine, Leahy, and Rockne were around. It also doesn’t happen at other major team's stadiums like Georgia, Alabama, or Ohio State as examples. It’s embarrassing to allow another fan base to flood your stadium and take away your home field advantage. Finally, stop scheduling these lesser opponents if you can not, or are not willing to annihilate them on the field. When I was growing up, Notre Dame’s schedule was a murder row the entire season. There wasn’t one game on the schedule that you could point out and say "they're definitely winning that game". When every game was tough, it made for a better environment for fans and the team. If they lost, at least they were playing the best of the best and just didn’t come up with the victory. When you play these teams of lesser quality, you open an opportunity for a trap game or disappointment. They have everything to gain if they beat you, and you have nothing to gain if you win. If you win, critics will say you didn’t play anybody, and if you lose, you’re the laughing stock of college football. I understand wanting to help the smaller schools out financially, and/or get them exposure, but if you’re not making it a priority to beat them, then you shouldn’t be playing them. Notre Dame also has to get away from being happy with a 10-2 or 9-3 season and acting like that’s okay, or that it's the standard. The ultimate goal every season is to win a National Championship, and if you don’t, it’s a failure. There are no moral victories in football! As much as I like Freeman as a person and want him to succeed, no coach is above Notre Dame, and if they aren’t working out, then you need to have the conversation about whether you should move on or not. For what it’s worth, I hope Freeman does turn it around and goes on to win a National Championship. In closing, everyone associated with Notre Dame, whether it be the fans or the coaching staff, need to be held accountable for these mentioned failures. When the two come together, Notre Dame will win a National Championship again. 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