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Photo Credit: @ndfootball on Instagram The Fighting Irish begin the 2022 season with a road game against Ohio State. The excitement surrounding this game cannot be overstated. The Buckeyes are annual championship contenders and bring a lot of NFL potential to this game. Needless to say, this should be a football game for the ages. For the Notre Dame football program, this may be the biggest game in recent history. Games against Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, and others have been exciting to watch, but there is a new excitement around this football team. Marcus Freeman has brought an energy and competitive spirit that seems to have been missing in recent seasons. Like most Irish fans, I find myself cautiously optimistic because our hopes have been quickly brought back down to reality in the past. Yet, many fans continue to find themselves growing more and more excited about this game. Breaking Down Ohio State Ryan Day enters his fourth season as head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes. With a 34-4 record in his first three seasons at Ohio State, Day will bring a competitive football team on September 3. After ending the 2021 season with an 11-2 record and missing out on the playoffs, Day looks to rebound with a big 2022 season. All of that starts when the Irish come to Columbus on Saturday. Offensive Players to Know CJ Stroud — QB #7 2021 Stats: 4435 passing yards, 44 touchdowns, 6 interceptions TreVeyon Henderson — RB #32 2021 Stats: 1248 rushing yards, 15 touchdowns; 312 receiving yards, 4 touchdowns Jaxson Smith-Njigba — WR #11 2021 Stats: 1606 receiving yards, 9 touchdowns Marvin Harrison Jr. — WR #18 2021 Stats: 139 receiving yards, 3 touchdowns Defensive Players to Know Denzel Burke — CB #5 2021 Stats: 37 tackles, 1 interception, 1 touchdown Ronnie Hickman — S #14 2021 Stats: 98 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 sack, 2 interceptions, 1 touchdown Steele Chambers — LB #22 2021 Stats: 47 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 interception Zach Harrison — DE #9 2021 Stats: 33 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles Keys to an Irish Victory 1. Tyler Buchner must embrace the moment Few quarterbacks in college football history have been able to embrace the moment of a big game, but fans immediately remember those who do. Vince Young, Tim Tebow, Johnny Manziel, Cam Newton, and Deshaun Watson are a few that come to mind in recent history. By no means do I think a victory rests solely on Tyler Buchner's shoulders, but at the end of the day he must rise to the occasion and become the superstar we believe him to be. Buchner has an opportunity to immediately establish himself as a top college quarterback against the Buckeyes. If Tyler can embrace the moment and rise to the occasion on Saturday, I believe the Irish should win this football game. 2. The Defense must make CJ Stroud Uncomfortable This may seem like an obvious statement, but few teams were able to rattle Stroud last season. After watching last year’s Ohio State game against Michigan, it became clear that the Wolverines never let Stroud get comfortable and this was the key to their victory over the Buckeyes. Isaiah Foskey, Rylie Mills, Jayson Ademilola, Justin Ademilola, Howard Cross III, and others must bring the pressure and make the quarterback feel uncomfortable all night long. If the defense can do this, I believe the Irish should be able to score enough points on offense to defeat the Buckeyes on Saturday. 3. The Offense must generate over 35 points With an improved offensive line, I believe this offense should be able to become more explosive this season. This offense needs to generate more 35 points on offense, if they are going to stand a chance against an explosive Buckeye Offense. As I stated before, Tyler Buchner must have a huge day for the Irish, but guys like Chris Tyree, Lorenzo Styles, Michael Mayer, and others must play with a competitive edge on Saturday. If they do, I believe we could see one of the most explosive Notre Dame offenses in recent memory. Final Take- Will it be easy to beat the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday? No, but I believe Marcus Freeman is reestablishing a competitive spirit at Notre Dame and this is infectious to the players. Notre Dame fans have grown accustomed to Irish football teams treating games like this with a “business-like” approach, but I think we are beginning to see a switch in this regard. This is a football team that is starting to show emotion, passion, and a competitive energy that has been severely lacking under former coach Brian Kelly. If Marcus Freeman can capture the magic that made Lou Holtz so successful, I believe we are going to see an Irish football team that believes they can win against any team in the nation. We will quickly see the answer on Saturday night as the Irish go to battle with the Buckeyes. Go Irish! Follow “God Country Irish” on Instagram Contact God Country Irish

Written By Nick Kremer, Editor for The Irish Tribune Photo from Si.com Notre Dame and Ohio State will meet September 3rd at Ohio Stadium for a prime-time matchup. This will be the true start to the Freeman Era for the Irish, and you could not ask for a bigger match up. Marcus Freeman is not only a first-time head coach at one of the most prestigious football programs in the country, but he is also facing off against his alma mater to make his head coaching debut. Ohio State opens up as a 2+ touchdown favorite against the Irish and is expected to play for the National Championship come January. The Buckeyes have been projected as an early favorite to make the College Football Playoff; they are favored to win every game on their regular season schedule. Needless to say, Marcus Freeman and the Irish have their work cut out for them. However, let's not get too carried away. Notre Dame returns a lot of talent on both sides of the ball and will not roll over for the Buckeyes. If Notre Dame wants to get the win in the Horseshoe, there are three things they will need to do to upset the Buckeyes. RUN. THE. BALL. Notre Dame will need to establish a heavy run game against OSU to win this game. A heavy dose of running plays will keep the explosive Buckeye offense on the sideline. OSU’s greatest strength is their offense, so the longer Notre Dame can hold on to the ball and create long drives, the less time Ohio State has to put up points. Ryan Day brought in a new defensive coordinator in Jim Knowles, who is expected to fix the defensive struggles for OSU. Expect Knowles to bring a variety of unique pressures and alignments against ND in the opener. He will try to disguise coverages, mask blitz packages, and rotate personnel often. With an extremely talented offensive line leading the way, headlined by two stud tackles, the Irish should be able to establish a run game early. In last year's season opener, the Oregon Ducks were able to put up 269 rushing yards against OSU in the win. In the loss to Michigan, the Buckeyes gave up 297 rushing yards. Expect for Notre Dame to run the ball early and often. Pressure CJ Stroud is one of the best QB’s in the country, a Heisman candidate, and will be a future NFL player. It is near impossible to completely shut down a player like Stroud, but for the Irish to get the win, they must make him uncomfortable. One of Notre Dame’s greatest strengths is their front 7 on defense. With the return of Isaiah Foskey, and experienced linebackers, getting pressure on Stroud will be crucial for Notre Dame’s defense. This will make Stroud have to make quick decisions, and also give his explosive receivers less time to get open. New Defensive Coordinator Al Golden, fresh off a Super Bowl trip with the Bengals, will have to dial up different pressures and stunts to get after Stroud. Notre Dame is deep in their front 7, so I expect a lot of rotation throughout the game to keep the defense fresh and hungry to get after OSU. If Notre Dame can find a way to win this game, I predict a lot of it will be because of Al Golden and his gameplan. Special Teams/Turnovers This may seem like a no-brainer, but for Notre Dame to win this game, they have to find a couple of big plays outside of their offense. New Special Teams coordinator Brian Mason is in his first year with the Irish. Last year, he led the special teams for Cincinnati, which was among the best in the country. Mason is known to be aggressive when it comes to special teams, so a big play from this group is something to watch for. Notre Dame will also need to take care of the football. They can not afford to give Ohio State any extra possessions. I expect Offensive Coordinator Tommy Rees to have a variety of different formations, but a lot of easy reads for first-time starting QB Tyler Buchner. Additionally, they will need to find a way to cause 1-2 turnovers in this game to quiet the crowd and shift momentum. Notre Dame should come into this game holding nothing back. Being a heavy underdog, I expect Notre Dame to play loose, play with a chip on their shoulder, and play hard for their new head coach. Suppose they can find a way to establish the run game, pressure Stroud, and make 1-2 unexpected big plays. In that case, Notre Dame and Marcus Freeman might be leaving Columbus with one of the biggest wins for the program in years.

Photo Credit: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images Explosive! That is the word that should come to mind when Notre Dame fans think about this year’s defense. This may be the most athletic defense fans have seen since the Lou Holtz days. There are potential playmakers at ever position, and with the most recent recruiting classes, this trend should only get better. Coach Marcus Freeman is building something special at Notre Dame that should truly excite fans. Notre Dame has had playmakers on defense in the past under Brian Kelly, but there always seemed to be one position that was lacking. Players like Manti Te’o, Stephon Tuitt, Louis Nix, Jaylon Smith, Jerry Tillery, Drue Tranquill, Julian Love, Troy Pride, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Kyle Hamilton were stars in their own right, but beyond those stars much was to be desired. Despite not being finished, Coach Freeman appears to finally be building depth at each position on defense. If the following players play to their potential, the Notre Dame defense will finally be one step closer to winning a National Championship. 1. Marist Luifau This list has to begin with Marist because he has the potential to be a superstar at Notre Dame. Luifau has always flashed with potential, but has not seemed to stay healthy up to this point. If he can stay healthy, Marist has the speed, strength, athleticism and football instincts to be an absolute force on defense. I believe the national media will start talking about Marist after three to four games this season. Senior Highlights 2. Ryan Barnes Despite not knowing if Barnes will start this year opposite Cam Hart, he has all of the potential to take that next step this year and be a breakout player on defense. He brings a size, athleticism and feel for the game that has been lacking at the corner position. If he can prove to be more consistent, Barnes should size up well against many of the taller receivers on the schedule this season. Will he overtake Clarence Lewis for the other cornerback spot? We have no idea, but Barnes appears to be in the best position to do so this season. Senior Highlights 3. Brandon Joseph Some would argue that Brandon Joseph already broke out at Northwestern, but he has yet to play a down in a Notre Dame uniform. After watching practice videos, Notre Dame fans should be very excited for what Joseph can bring to the safety position at Notre Dame. Is he Kyle Hamilton? No, but if he can stay healthy and stay on the field, he has the potential to have a bigger impact on defense this year than Hamilton did last year. Northwestern Highlights 4. Rylie Mills Rylie Mills flashed at times on defense last year, but this coming season should put his skillset on full display. Mills has the size and explosiveness to move all over the defensive line and be disruptive. With most of the attention being placed on Isaiah Foskey, Mills will have the opportunity to shine this coming season. Senior Highlights 5. Jordan Botelho Botehlo appears to be an enigma to many Irish fans. Despite Jordan making plays, getting to the quarterback, and bringing an energy that is infectious to the Notre Dame defense, he struggled to see the field on game day. If Jordan can figure out his off the field issues, he has the potential to become a star at Notre Dame. He should remind Irish fans of a bigger, faster, and more disciplined Tom Zbikowski on defense. Senior Highlights Final Take- If these playmakers breakout this coming season, the Notre Dame defense should be the strength of this team. Despite other players needing to step up and breakout as well, these five young men have the opportunity to make an immediate impact on this year’s defense. I believe we are getting ready to witness a defense that will remind many of the glory days under Lou Holtz, so get excited Notre Dame fans. This team has the potential to be one of the most potent defenses in the country this coming season. Go Irish! Follow “God Country Irish” on Instagram Contact God Country Irish Photo Credit: @ndfootball on Instagram

Photo Credit: Indy Star The Fighting Irish enter the 2022 college football season with a new quarterback, new running back, and unproven wide receivers. Those are typically problems for a college football team, but many Irish fans seem to be cautiously optimistic about what this offense can be under Tommy Rees. The Fiesta Bowl proved that Tommy can be creative with the offense, and there is hope that with a more dynamic quarterback, this offense can be truly explosive. The football program has not seen this much talent since the 2015 team, with stars like Malik Zaire, Will Fuller, Quenton Nelson and more. The 2017 team comes in at a close second with players like Brandon Wimbush, Josh Adams, Mike McGlinchey and Quenton Nelson respectively. Injuries, poor coaching, and other factors, caused those teams to not reach their full potential. However, there is a new hope amongst Irish fans that Marcus Freeman can maximize this 2022 teams potential and bring Notre Dame another championship. Here are five candidates that need to breakout this year in order for that to happen. 1. Tyler Buchner Notre Dame fans have seen glimpses of Tyler Buchner’s talent, but he was very limited last year. Now that Buchner has won the starting quarterback job, I do not expect him to look back. He has all the tools you look for in a quarterback capable of winning a national championship. If Tommy Rees can maximize Buchner’s passing and rushing ability, this team has the potential to be one of the most dynamic offenses in all of college football. 2021 Highlights 2. Audric Estime With Logan Diggs recovering, Audric Estime seems to have taken full advantage of the extra practice reps. Despite looking like a wrecking ball type of running back, Audric looks quick on his feet as well. This is a rare combination for any running back, but should be one that allows Audric to take a major step forward this coming season. Senior Highlights 3. Chris Tyree Speaking of running backs, Chris Tyree has the ability to become one of Notre Dame’s most dynamic playmakers. Yes, we saw glimpses last year, but I believe Tyree will become a national name this season. Between his ability to run and catch, Tyree has the potential to make a difference every time he touches the football. 2021 Fiesta Bowl Highlights 2021 Kickoff Return against Wisconsin 4. Lorenzo Styles Jr. Notre Dame fans were given a taste of what Styles could be as a wide receiver during the Fiesta Bowl, but I believe he is only scratching the surface of the dynamic playmaker he has the potential to be. Styles proved he can catch the ball, but after better coaching he has the potential to become Notre Dame’s best wide receiver this season. If Lorenzo can take his game to the next level this season, it will take the pressure off Michael Mayer and others so that this offense can take off with Tyler Buchner under center. 2021 Highlights 5. Blake Fisher Blake Fisher has been one of my favorite players since before he signed with Notre Dame. Blake always seemed destined for Notre Dame and was one of the most active student recruiters that I have seen in recent memory. Though he was just a freshman, Fisher was poised to play as a freshman last year. That was cut short by a devastating injury in the first game of the season against Florida State. Blake worked hard to come back and we saw him hold up well during the Fiesta Bowl. Not only does he bring superstar size and athleticism to the offensive line, he brings a competitiveness that has been missing in recent years. He wants to win against every single opponent he faces, and we should see more of that this year. I believe we will see Fisher become Notre Dame’s best offensive lineman this year and we will start hearing his name in draft discussions. Senior Highlights Final Take- Notre Dame has a plethora of student athletes who are primed to take a huge step this coming season. I could have listed several others who are ready to take that next step in their development and be playmakers this year. For this reason, Notre Dame fans should be excited for what we are going to see on offense this year. Go Irish! Follow “God Country Irish” on Instagram Contact God Country Irish Photo Credit: @ndfootball on Instagram

After a hard fought battle, Tyler Buchner was named the starting quarterback for Notre Dame this past week. With the help of offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, coach Marcus Freeman announced the decision with great enthusiasm. Because he brings the highest upside of all the quarterbacks, most Notre Dame fans expected Tyler to be the choice to lead the Irish in 2022. Buchner will now step into one of the most coveted positions in all of college football. It is hard to describe, but there is something unique about playing quarterback for the Fighting Irish. Buchner will stand on the shoulders of men like: Johnny Lujack, Joe Theismann, Tom Clements, Joe Montana, Steve Beurlein, Tony Rice, Rick Mirer, Kevin McDougal, Ron Powlus, Brady Quinn, Jimmy Clausen, Tommy Rees and many other great quarterbacks at Notre Dame. Those are very difficult shoes to fill, but Notre Dame fans should be optimistic that Tyler Buchner can fulfill his destiny as the next “great” quarterback at the University of Notre Dame. Many have come close, but fans are still waiting for a modern national championship. Here are a few reasons why I believe Buchner can win a championship for the Irish: Skillset As you watch Tyler’s high school film, you quickly realize that he has a unique skillset for the quarterback position. Even though he does not possess a cannon for an arm, he can make deep throws. He makes throws to the middle of the field and short throws as well. Tyler not only throws the ball accurately, he throws his receivers open as well. He possesses that unique ability to throw where he knows his receivers are going to be. This has been desperately lacking at Notre Dame for the past five to six years. One knock on Tyler’s throwing ability is that he has an unconventional throwing motion. However, this does not seem to hinder his ability to put the ball where it needs to be. Some of the better college quarterbacks in recent memory have had unconventional throwing motions, such as: Vince Young, Tim Tebow, Philip Rivers, and Byron Leftwich. Playmaking Ability Notre Dame fans were able to get a glimpse of Tyler’s playmaking ability last year. Fans have not seen a quarterback run like Buchner since Brandon Wimbush was the starter. Buchner has the ability to run when the pocket breaks down, but Tommy Rees should be able to call a few designed quarterback runs as well. This should make the offense very dynamic this season and take pressure off of a injury-prone wide receiver group. Football Knowledge Interview after interview has proved that Buchner possess an incredibly high football knowledge. Before enrolling at Notre Dame, he had already memorized the limited playbook he had received. He appears to be able to learn and apply what he is learning quickly. This is incredibly important for a championship-level quarterback in college football. Team Support Not only does Tyler bring a lot to the table this season, he is also surrounded by improved position groups and skill players. Under Harry Hiestand, the offensive line should be much improved this season. This should pave the way for the running backs to have a monster season. Notre Dame returns the best tight end in college football. Despite being a young group of receivers, they should be better this year and become reliable options for Buchner. If the offense can take the step forward that many believe they can, this is going to be one of the most dynamic offenses Notre Dame fans have seen in years. The “IT” Factor Last, Tyler posses the “IT” factor that any coach wants from their quarterback position. This is what made quarterbacks like: Vince Young, Johnny Manziel, Tim Tebow, Michael Vick, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow and more so special to watch. They were able to single-handedly take a game over and put the team on their back. Tyler Buchner has the ability to do that for Notre Dame this year. Even though Tyler seems to be a quiet and laid back young man, he seems to posses the ability to “turn it on” when game day begins. As you watch his high school film, you will quickly notice a level-headed young man that become a “baller” when he is needed most. He plays with a different emotion, passion and competitive spirit that every coach wants from their quarterback. Final Word- Do we know that Tyler Buchner will lead Notre Dame to another championship? No, but he possesses all of the tools to be successful at Notre Dame. Notre Dame fans should rally around this young man as he has the opportunity to go down as another legend in Notre Dame history. Here is to hoping Buchner is the promised one that we have waited for, and he will be the one to win a national championship for the Fighting Irish. Go Irish! Follow “God Country Irish” on Instagram Contact God Country Irish Photo Credit: @tylerbuchner on Instagram

Photo: The Sporting News The University of Notre Dame has produced legends on the gridiron. Players that generations of families would consider household names. Knute Rockne, George Gipp, Johnny Lujack, Tony Rice, Raghib Ismail, Tim Brown, and of course Rudy. Players come to Notre Dame to become legends. But for the critics of Notre Dame, for which there are many, there is quite a noticeable trend for all those names listed: all of those players played before the year 2000. The sport world has created a narrative that the Irish have not been relevant since the turn of the century; and further argued that Notre Dame had not produced a player of legend caliber since the start of the new millennium. That narrative looked to have run its course in the spring of 2009. There was an excitement that was starting to build around the University. Yes, the team was coming over a less than stellar year, despite going 7-6, under Charlie Wiess and losing to USC rather handily (38-8); but the new year was starting out right. The Irish had capped the season off with a bowl win. Granted it was against Hawaii in the Hawaii Bowl, but it was a great feeling for the Irish players and their fans, especially since bowl season had been riddled with disastrous endings. Maybe it was a touch of foreshadowing that brought Notre Dame to Hawaii that December, for only a few short months later the Irish got their first win of the 2009 football season on Signing Day when Hawaiian linebacker recruit Manti Te'o committed to Notre Dame over USC and UCLA. Manti Te'o was generational talent. He could’ve gone to any school and rewrote their record books, but South Bend is where he decided to take his talents. Manti Te'o's presence was felt on and off the field. After posting one 6-6 season and two 8-5 seasons Manti was faced with the tough decision of turning pro a year early; forgoing his final season and quite possibly be selected early in the first round of the NFL draft; or stay for one more season and put all that in jeopardy. Te'o had posted back-to-back one hundred plus tackle season, had disrupted the backfield with numerous tackles for loss and sacks. He was playing at the elite level Irish fans had hoped for when he committed three years prior. The team was improving but had not quite put all the pieces together. But Te'o made the decision to give it one more year, to finish the job he came to Notre Dame to accomplish. To be THE Manti Te'o that turned Fighting Irish football into a powerhouse. College football in the year of 2012 was wild one for fans across the nation. The preseason favorite, USC (Southern California), would go on to on to be unranked in the final AP polls of the season. The other USC (South Carolina) would vault as high as number three in the nation, to only subsequently topple as well. For Irish fans it was a return to former days of glory. The season opened with the 50-10 dismantling of the Navy Midshipmen in the land of the Blarney Stone. The season was surely destined to be the one that placed Notre Dame back on the top of college football. But a darkness settled over the Fighting Irish early in their season. Their leader, their caption, their rock, Manti, lost two of the most important figures in his life, within twenty-four hours of each other. His grandmother and his girlfriend. Manti was distraught, but instead of taking time away from the game to leave such losses he came out onto the field with a fire that had not been seen in the young man before. He tore through the season posting over a hundred tackles and seven interceptions. He was not just playing thru his pain his was playing for those behind the pain. He played for his girlfriend Lennay Kekua and grandmother. He was inspired by their love and fought with all his prowess to make them proud. He fought to carry his team, as their leader, to pinnacle of college football, the BCS National championship game. Before he was able to lay it all out on the field one last time in the Blue and Gold his whole world erupted again. Manti received a call from the person he believed was dead. Lennay told him she was still alive. The psychological disruption that this news had on Manti will never be able to be expressed. Until this past week. While the sports world has long speculated over areas of the drama that surrounded the breaking news. Did Manti know all along that his girlfriend was alive? Was this really an early example of "catfishing"? Had he played up the story of his girlfriend and grandmother passing in order to gain national attention and create a push for a change to win the Heisman? How could a college football star be duped for so long and never meet the girl he was so connected to? The rumors swirled, the jokes were made, and memes were circulated. An abysmal showing by the entire Notre Dame team in the Championship only added more fuel to the fire. Manti missed tackles he would always make; read plays wrong that he had been seeing since high school. He was a shell of the player that had commanded the field so dominantly that fall. Talk of his draft stock falling circled Teo. Would he ever be able to play at that commanding level again? What players would look up to someone who had been conned for so long? Manti Te'o was billed his whole career as a general on the field, a leader, one who commanded the respect of his peers and his opponents. Many teams, sports casters and pundits feared that those days were gone. The first round of the NFL Draft came and went without Te'o’s name being called. But he did not have to wait around too long the next day before being drafted by the San Diego Chargers. He would be playing in the same state his supposed girlfriend had lived in. The first years in the NFL Manti looked uncomfortable, out of sorts, lost in coverage, much like the BCS Championship game. Many thought the end of his playing days was near. Would the golden boy of Notre Dame turn out to be a wash in the NFL? But Manti's story was not over. With the release of the documentary series on Netflix Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn't Exist Manti was finally able to open about his reactions and feelings on the whole situation. The struggles that he went through were unimaginable. The media had turn him and his life apart. Many would not have been able to carry on. But Manti Te'o is not just anyone. He was able to take the very important step of working with a therapist. This was not an insignificant moment in his journey. As stated on the documentary Manti began working on not only forgiving those involved in the situation that destroyed his world, but he also working on forgiving himself. In an era where mental health for athletes has been scrutinized and debated, especially for male athletes, Manti came forward and told his story. He embraced the tribulations that that had been sent his way. Manti the precede to play some of his best football in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints. But his journey was not just about being great at football again. Towards the end of the documentary Manti stated “I knew that in order for me to continue to be the man who I wanted to be, forgiveness was something that I had to exercise, no matter how hard it was at that time. And I started to realize the power of forgiveness.” Even though Manti had every right to be angry and bitter for how his life had been altered; he chose the path of forgiveness and healing. Manti has become a legend in his own right, a new Irish legend for modern times. A man who was strong enough to forgive, because he knows it is only the weak that hold on to revenge and anger. “If there is anything I wanted from this thing, it was to give some of us hope who needed it, to tell those who needed some love that they're loved, and to help them to forgive, to forgive others and most importantly to forgive themselves.” – Manti Te'o

Written By Liam Gaudet, Senior Editor As ecstatic as I was for the announcement of Marcus Freeman as head coach, I find it hard to be optimistic as a fan of the Notre Dame program. One of the mainstays of Notre Dame football seems to be disappointment, as hard as that may be to admit. Still, there hasn’t been too much to complain about under Freeman this far, and besides a few bumps in the road, it’s been fairly smooth sailing. I could not allow myself to be truly content, however, without taking a deeper look at this hire and its possible outcomes. So let’s have a look at both ends of the spectrum, as well a median approach to keep things somewhat fair. Photo by ON3 Firstly, allow me to play devil’s advocate. Marcus Freeman has no head coaching experience, and this is concerning for a program looking to continue a five year streak of 10-plus win seasons. We also can’t ignore the tremendous pressure on Jack Swarbrick to promote Freeman to head coach in hopes of simply retaining him on the staff. All the hype surrounding Freeman after the initial hire aside, nobody can deny this is a high risk, high reward move from the athletic department. Additionally, the recent de-commitment of a program changing player in the 2023 class has shown that Freeman isn’t impenetrable on the recruiting trail either. To be fair, some recruiting losses are outside the control of the staff, but I figured it might be worth mentioning. The absolute lowest end of the spectrum would be an accumulation of all of these factors, resulting in a complete 2016 level failure. Is this my belief? Not at all. But some of these factors may come into play this season, resulting in shakier play on the field. The majority of Freeman skeptics who believe he is nothing more than a snake oil salesman cite these reasons as to why he will not succeed at Notre Dame, and although I completely disagree, I will humor this argument for the sake of parity. Enough pessimism, we have enough of that as is. Let’s take a look at some aspects of this hire that make me truly excited for the years to come. A defense led by Freeman last season produced one of the highest turnover margins in the Brian Kelly era. Even with injuries to key components of the defense, Freeman was able to game plan in order to get the most of what was available. Freeman’s defense also allowed for defenders to have much more freedom in coverage, which at first led to some blown coverages, but in time was proven to sharpen the instincts of almost every defender on the field. Even though Freeman is no longer leading the defense, it should be comforting to know that he was capable of doing so to a high degree. Now arguably the greatest asset Marcus Freeman has brought to the table has been his ability to recruit high level talent to Notre Dame extremely consistently. Taking a look at the first defensive class (2022) in which Freeman was the primary recruiter, we see an instant rise in blue chip ratio, as well as overall average ranking than in previous years. The same goes for the 2023 class which currently ranks third in the 247 composite rankings. Simply put, Marcus Freeman has ended the myth that Notre Dame “shops down a different aisle” when it comes to recruiting, as his voracious appetite for talent has made the program a hotspot for high-caliber prospects. Piecing this together, we see a young coach, who is extremely knowledgeable and is sensational in connecting with recruits and brings consistently high level talent into the program. A leader like this is one that most certainly has the chance to bring multiple national championships to a program that has been starved for success since 1988. Now let’s talk about some realistic expectations for Marcus Freeman’s tenure at Notre Dame. Obviously, I think most people including myself expect the first couple seasons to fall somewhere in the middle of these two extremes I have laid out. The question is, what end of the spectrum will Freeman’s team lead towards in the coming seasons? The answer is not cut and paste, but personally, I believe Freeman has equipped himself with one of the best coaching staffs in the country to be pushing the boundary for a minimum of 10 wins for the foreseeable future. Of course, questions surrounding the continuity of the staff may arise, but hopefully by the time that issue comes to light, Freeman will have already straightened out the learning curve and made the necessary additions for continued success. With that being said, I believe Marcus Freeman’s potential at Notre Dame is the highest we have seen in a very long time. As long as he continues to recruit at the heights and standards we have seen thus far, and the majority of talent can be translated, there is no reason to believe that he will not be competing for national championships. Until I see a shadow of reasonable doubt on the field, I will continue to drink the Freeman Factor Kool-Aid.

The Irish started practice this week, as they are now officially under 2 weeks from their primetime matchup against #2 Ohio State on September 3rd. Jersey Number Changes - A couple of number switches before we get into the practice report. Logan Diggs switched his number to #3, what Avery Davis had before. Xavier Watts stayed in #26 as he worked with the wide receivers today. Notes - Deion Colzie was a full participant in practice today, with a knee brace on. It was Colzie’s first time as a full participant in over 10 days. Jayden Thomas was back in action today after being on the sidelines for 2 practices. Jarrett Patterson stayed sidelined, but worked with the trainers in The Pit along with Jadarian Price, Aidan Keanaaina, Caleb Johnson, and Davis Sherwood who is now at fullback. Last season, Sherwood was part of the special teams, and it looks like he is switching positions. Avery Davis was at practice today with a left crutch, and was working with his receiver teammates during drills. Although, Braden Lenzy had a rough day it seems, a couple of drops and a slip on a route plus a false start after having a great camp. But, Joe Wilkins Jr. continues to seem more and more comfortable back at practice after being sidelined for a while with an illness. The Irish got up to 8 receivers on scholarship today: Deion Colzie, Braden Lenzy, Tobias Merriweather, Matt Salerno, Lorenzo Styles, Jayden Thomas, Xavier Watts, and Joe Wilkins. Finally, backup TE Kevin Bauman had the play of practice with a great reaching catch behind himself. The Irish for sure have more work to do as they have been hit by the injury bug lately, needing to take care of those situations before heading to Columbus. Overall, it seems the Irish progressed in practice today as they are now 12 days away from their Week 1 matchup against Ohio State. If you found this article useful and informative, be sure to subscribe to Irish Tribune. Go Irish

Written By Liam Gaudet, Senior Editor Marcus Freeman put the college football world on notice once he was appointed head coach last December. The hire breathed new life into a program that seemed to be going through the motions over the last few seasons, both on the field and on the recruiting trail. Of course, we can’t ignore the success this program has experienced, but it seemed like wasted potential as opposed to a program on the rise. With the departure of Brian Kelly, Notre Dame gambled on a first time head coach, and if you ask me - it’s paying dividends already. Marcus Freeman was highly touted and sought after by multiple programs, but he decided to stay loyal to the program that initially bought into his ideas. With that new energy, the success has transferred onto the recruiting trail, and as fans, we are in uncharted territory with the talent Notre Dame is bringing to South Bend. Marcus Freeman has broken the Brian Kelly adage of “We shop down a different aisle” by landing multiple top-50 recruits, and he isn’t satisfied yet. Keon Keely, Drayk Bowen, Brennan Vernon and Peyton Bowen spearhead a class that is never traditionally top-heavy. There are plenty of reasons to feel optimistic, however, there are still some very large keys missing in order to establish this class as one of the best ever. Notre Dame Target Dante Moore Photo By Sports Illustrated I’m not going to waste time dancing around what everyone within the program has been talking about for months on end. We need a quarterback, and an elite one at that. Dante Moore has been rumored to be the guy since his visit on March 28th. A top-10 player and 5-star out of Michigan, Moore has all the intangibles to be the next great quarterback. ON3 gave Notre Dame an 88% chance to land Moore after his visit. Many believed he was already a silent commit, but this wasn’t the reality we were hoping for. Moore has since taken visits to schools like LSU, Oregon and Michigan, who are slowly clawing back into the race. As it stands today, ON3 gives Notre Dame a 37% chance of landing Moore, which is still higher than any other school heavily recruiting the talented signal caller. At this point, I have no idea what is going on with his recruitment. As a fan of this program for a long time, I’ve been conditioned to not expect a lot when we’re in the conversation for a big time player, but things just feel different under a new leader who prides himself on his ability to recruit. Not to mention the effort offensive coordinator Tommy Rees has been putting in to build a strong relationship with Moore, along with other key targets. At this point, all I know is Moore needs to get back on campus so the staff can make another strong push. Until Notre Dame can establish that, I fear it may be anyone's race to win. Notre Dame Target Christian Gray Photo by 247 Sports In any game, I always cringe when I see an opposing quarterback drop back to pass. Mainly because Notre Dame always seems to lack strong play in the secondary, specifically at corner. My hopes and dreams of building a strong corner class were dashed when Justyn Rhett announced that he would be decommitting from Notre Dame a few months ago. Rhett is a physical corner with good speed and is a dominant presence, so losing a very good prospect at a position of desperate need was a really big blow. The good news is Notre Dame still has a plethora of talent on the board at this stage. Micah Bell, Christian Gray and Micah Tease are all being recruited at the position, and are rated as 4 star players. Although they may not possess the high floor that Rhett does, they are more talented than what Notre Dame is used to at that position. Landing at least two of these players would put my mind at ease, and will hopefully provide more stability than anything else we could hope for at this point. You might be noticing a theme at this point, as the positions I have discussed this far are arguably the most uncertain on the roster currently. This theme will continue, as I take a look at the disaster of a wide-receiver room and how that can be changed. Things got off to an incredible start for the 2023 receiver class, as Notre Dame appeared to be in prime position to land 5-star Carnell Tate out of IMG. That all changed, however, as schools like Tennessee entered the conversation for Tate, and Ohio State gained more ground back in the recruitment. As it stands today, there isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that the Irish can win this recruitment. Recently, Notre Dame managed to haul in an extremely talented player in Braylon James, a top-75 player with length and speed. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him starting his freshman season with the physical tools he possesses. James is limited by the less than stellar play from his offense in highschool, but his talent shines through regardless. Additionally, Notre Dame is a major player for 4-star receiver Rico Flores Jr., who is expected to commit on July 3rd. A big target in Rodney Gallagher recently committed to West Virginia, so hopefully Notre Dame continues to make a push for Flores. Finally, Christian Hamilton, Jaden Greathouse and Ronan Hanifan are currently projected Irish leads that could round out a solid receiver class. It may take some time for these elite recruiting plans to come to fruition, but I can see some of these players listed going in a different direction. I am confident in Marcus Freeman and Tommy Rees’ relentless approach in recruiting, and as a fan it’s hard for me to stay patient on some of these commitments, as they will likely shape the future of this program for years to come. I would like to see these commitments happen sooner rather than later, in hopes that we can use them as a snowball effect that will cause more recruits to roll into South Bend. One thing I know for sure is that Freeman isn’t going to give up until signing day, and that’s something that should comfort all of us.

Written by Liam Gaudet Photo by IrishSportsDaily I would like to preface this article by stating that I wholeheartedly believe that college athletes should be compensated for their name, image and likeness. I believe this was a change that needed to be made for decades, and I am glad that the NCAA has made this long overdue adjustment to allow their athletes to flourish, not having to worry about their NFL careers being shattered by a heartbreaking injury during the final game of their career (Jaylon Smith, Matt Corral, Jameson Williams to name just a few). What I cannot accept, however, is the idea of implementing this system with little to no guidelines or restrictions in place, creating a landscape of tampering and a collegiate free-agent frenzy. This is what the NCAA decided to do this previous season, and has caused headaches for everyone who genuinely enjoys the sport. Recruiting is the cornerstone for success in college football. If you ask the average five star kid which program (on average) they would like to attend, they would more than likely come up with a short list including programs such as Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson, Georgia, etc. Programs that have established themselves as contenders and development hotspots as the “mecca” of college football - sorry Lincoln Riley. These programs have built their success the right way, relying on nobody but their own staff to allow these athletes to reach their athletic potential, and preparing them for the next level. Who wouldn’t want to go to one of these programs with a track record of tremendous success? The answer may actually surprise you. I’m not saying that you absolutely have to attend one of these programs if you’re a highly rated recruit. It would be naive of me to think that individual success can only be confined within the stadiums of proven national title contenders. But when a record-setting recruiting class is hauled in at a school like Texas A&M... Then some eyebrows are raised. Texas A&M has not won a national title since 1939, hell, they haven’t even won an SEC championship. Their last conference title was in 1998, when they were still a part of the BIG 12. College station has been bleak since the departure of Johnny Football, posting a modest winning percentage and conference record over the past few seasons. Generally, you could describe Aggie football as good, but not great. I’ll give credit where credit is due, I think Jimbo Fisher is a good head coach. He has recruited well, but has failed to meet expectations in terms of competing for conference and national championships like he had previously at Florida State. All of that changed suddenly when Jimbo managed to haul in the number one recruiting class - ever - during the 2022 cycle. Eight five stars. Eight. To put that into perspective, Texas A&M nearly accounted for a quarter of all five star caliber players according to 247 composite rankings. So why the sudden interest in A&M? It really isn’t rocket science. Jimbo and his boosters are more than likely handing out six to seven figure “deals” to these recruits behind the scenes in order to get ahead. Although this has been adamantly denied by Jimbo and people within the program, it’s very difficult to come up with other valid reasons for this class. Oh, you’re telling me they want to compete for championships? There are at minimum two better teams in the conference that stand a much better chance at doing that. I can say that beyond a reasonable doubt, there is something going on related to NIL which can be attributed to A&M’s recruiting success. I’m not just here to drag on A&M. There are plenty of other schools who have a track record of shady backroom deals that no longer have to lurk in the shadows. I’m of course referring to the Tennessee Volunteers, the proverbial SEC punching bag. It wasn’t too long ago that the entire football world was laughing at them for handing recruits thousands of dollars in McDonald’s bags (yes, you read that right) and getting heavily sanctioned by the NCAA. It is absolutely unsurprising to me when I found out their new recruiting strategy in the NIL era: Throw millions of dollars at the feet of highschool kids instead of making an earnest effort to recruit them. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Five star quarterback Nico Iamaleava recently committed to Tennessee after many considered him to be an Oregon lean. He dropped his top five programs, and many thought he would take his time on making a final decision. Nope. A few days later, he announced his decision to commit to the Vols. It was later announced that Tennessee had set up an NIL deal for Iamaleava worth eight million dollars. I don’t fault the kid for taking that deal, I think anyone in their right mind wouldn’t turn that down. I do think that is an absolutely ridiculous and outlandish amount of money for a kid that has never played a snap of high level football, though. Tennessee brought a gun to a knife fight to ensure they had their quarterback, and it didn’t sit right with the majority of the college football community. Now we’ve discussed the instances of recruits going to the highest bidder, but these aren’t even the worst instances of the NIL power shift. Lincoln Riley, a man who has done everything to tarnish his reputation as much as possible, is back once again to prove why he’s the most hated man in college football. It recently came to light that Pitt standout receiver and Biletnikoff winner Jordan Addison would be entering the transfer portal. From an outside standpoint, the move made complete sense. Pitt had just lost their record setting quarterback in Kenny Pickett, and Addison was looking to go somewhere to further increase his draft stock. This isn’t anything new. Or so we thought. Rumors had started to circulate that Riley had offered Addison upwards of three million dollars as well as a house in southern California to put his name into the portal and transfer to USC. Now, I’m no expert when it comes to NCAA regulations, but to me, that seems like the dictionary definition of tampering. Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi apparently shared the same feelings, and reportedly reached out to Riley to tell him how cowardly that move was. I believe that at this point, Riley should be held responsible for his actions or things like this will just continue to get worse. Photo by Slapthesign As a genuine fan of the sport, nothing about NIL as it stands makes any sense without intervention from the NCAA right now. From wads of cash to straight up theft, rules need to be put in place. The good news? The NCAA recently released a statement, which prevents boosters and affiliates of colleges from negotiating with playes and their respective circles. There are plans to punish programs who provide “outrageous and unreasonable” NIL deals to players. This will likely put a damper on programs willing to fork over ridiculous amounts of money in recruiting efforts. Until these rules are set in stone, however, the world of NIL is still the wild, wild west. There is so much volatility that exists within this new world of college football, and where we got from here rests in the hands of the NCAA.

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

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