A couple of more. Leave with their degrees which is important. Also it's apparent that Pat Coogan will return, he emerged as the leader of the OL this year. Good news that he's coming back. Notre Dame receivers Deion Colzie and Jayden Thomas have entered the NCAA Transfer Portal as graduate transfers. Colzie appeared in 44 games for the Irish, including all 16 during the 2024 season, where he made five catches for 41 yards and one touchdown. For his career, 21 receptions for 345 yards and three touchdowns. Thomas played in 43 career games and all 16 games in 2024. The Georgia native made 64 catches for 838 yards and seven touchdowns, including 18 for 167 yards and two touchdowns in 2024 as he helped Notre Dame reach the National Championship. Neither are surprises as Colzie wasn't getting snaps in the rotation consistently and Thomas has seen his playing time decrease with the emergence of Jaden Greathouse in the slot and Beaux Collins in the boundary. Notre Dame is also bringing in Malachi Fields, a grad transfer, for the boundary position.
Al Golden has taken the Bengals job, good luck to him. I didn't know it but he never moved his family from Cincy to South Bend. The question now is who will be his replacement. Our CB coach Mickens has done a great job both recruiting and developing the DB's and probably is ready to be one somewhere, so why not ND. It worked out pretty well when Elko left for A*M to promote Clark Lea as a 1st time DCoord so I won't be shocked if he gets the job. Also if he doesn't get the job I won't be shocked if another team scoops him up and gives him the DCoord position Everybody always said Goldens magic came from savy adjustments in game, did Mickens learn those moves?
Well, I spoke too soon. Coogan and Rocco are in the Portal. Apparently both told they would likely return to being back ups. Both will be grad transfers. Thanks fellas, you gave all.
Solid road win for the Irish women on the road tonight vs BC. Hannah as usual lead the team in scoring. They have 2 more road games coming up and both will be challenges. Va. Tech and Louisville.
Marcus Freeman is the Bear Bryant Coach of the Year. He's certainly getting a lot of kudo's these days. Dick Corbett Head Football Coach Marcus Freeman has been named the winner of the Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award, which honors contributions that make the sport better for athletes and fans alike by demonstrating grit, integrity and a winning approach to coaching and life – both on and off the field. One previous Notre Dame coach has won the Bear Bryant Award: Lou Holtz in 1988. Freeman was also the winner of the 2024 Dodd Trophy and the 2024 George Munger College Coach of the Year Award, and was selected as the honorary head coach for the 2024 AFCA Allstate Good Works Team. In his third season at Notre Dame, he led the Irish to a National Championship appearance and a 14-2 record, with a final Associated Press ranking of No. 2.
Very well deserved....hard to imagine how you can represent a program and be a leader of young men better than Marcus. Well done
Irish men got a much needed win on the road at UVA, a place they have never won. Markus Burton had a great game. UVA is a shell of the program that Tony Bennett won the Natl'l Champsonship.
There is potential, but they have to learn how to finish games. They've lost several games because they couldn't finish. Is that on the players or the coaches. Don't know, as I've posted before there is some criticism of Shrewsberry starting to surface. But I'm looking more big picture, we're better this year than last year and players have improved. He's got some good freshmen who are just getting minimal minutes and he's got a good class coming for next year. Brey really left the program with an empty cupboard. He faced a daunting task to get the program back to where it was when we went to back/back Elite 8's. It'll be a battle to make the ACC Tournament. With 18 teams I think they are only taking 9 and we're in the bottom 9 right now.
Rumours everywhere that Freeman will hire former Wisconsin DC, Jim Leonhard and make him C0-DC with Mickens. He's currently with the Bronco's.
reported by Pete Sampson that Freeman has hired Chris Ash. If true, it's being met with a big meh by the online ND fans. He's been at a lot of programs, was hired by Tressel and Urban Meyer
I don’t understand why Coach Freeman wouldn’t get the approval of the online ND fans before making the hire. Doesn’t he understand how things work around here?
I don't remember him working for Tressel, but Urban hired twice. Once in Columbus and once in Jacksonville. I think he was Co-DC with Fickell when we won the 2014 Natty. Obviously Urban thinks quite highly of him as a DC.
Pshaw! What does Urban know? (Full disclosure: For many years I've been dismissive of ND "fans" who think they know more than coaches or administrators. I know, I know, these people exist in every major program. The internet has given them a more shrill voice to make known their collectively negativity. I probably should shut up, and I will, but I needed to vent my disdain for these know-it-alls just one more time.)
Sid, I agree with you 100 percent. That Urban hired him not once, but twice tells me alot. Ash left Columbus the first time to take the HC job at Rutgers. Didn't work out well for him there but that's a tough job for anybody and not every good coordinator is cut out for a head job - diff job description. They can still be very good coordinators. Marcus is a great defensive mind and no doubt reached out to some of his mentors to get their counsel as well. Marcus isn't gonna hire a DC that isn't capable of coaching up a natty quality defense with the right personnel....Ash has a ring to prove it
Irish men get the home win vs Ga.Tech. We never led till like about 2 minutes left in the game. Markus Burton put the team on his back and carried them in the 2nd half, Tae Davis was a no show tonight. Face it both of the teams are in the bottom of the ACC fighting fo get into the top 9. Thursday night the ladies who are on top of the ACC are on the road vs Va.Tech. Coached by Megan Duffy who is in her first year, and was on of the all-time greats in her time at ND.