February 5, 2025 • 57 mins
In this episode of A Notre Dame Freakin' Podcast, hosts Jonathan Spadea, Ryan Downey, Chase Gund, and Robbie Rhinesmith break down Notre Dame Football’s College Football Playoff National Championship matchup against Ohio State. We analyze the key moments, standout performances, and turning points that defined the biggest game of the season.
We also reflect on the 2024-2025 Notre Dame Football season as a whole, discussing the highs, the challenges, and what this year means for the future of the Fighting Irish. Tune in for our final thoughts on an unforgettable season.
Produced by Chris Kepner
Want your own podcast? Email chris@kepneragency.com to get started.
Special thanks to Notre Dame WR Jayden Thomas for the intro
Royalty Free Music from Tunetank.com
Track: Ready for Funk by 99Instrumentals
https://tunetank.com/track/5284-ready-for-funk/
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/what-tho-the-pods-a-notre-dame-football-podcast--6270931/support.
We also reflect on the 2024-2025 Notre Dame Football season as a whole, discussing the highs, the challenges, and what this year means for the future of the Fighting Irish. Tune in for our final thoughts on an unforgettable season.
Produced by Chris Kepner
Want your own podcast? Email chris@kepneragency.com to get started.
Special thanks to Notre Dame WR Jayden Thomas for the intro
Royalty Free Music from Tunetank.com
Track: Ready for Funk by 99Instrumentals
https://tunetank.com/track/5284-ready-for-funk/
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/what-tho-the-pods-a-notre-dame-football-podcast--6270931/support.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I'm jenn and Thomas, and you're watching a Notre Dame
freaking podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
This is Notre Dame Freaking podcast. He's got the foundation
for a solid season, he just needs to execute. Let's
get into it. I'm angry now.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Right who doesn't normally do it like an American?
Speaker 2 (00:20):
I hate you right now. I cannot wait to for
a new face.
Speaker 4 (00:24):
We're talking about massive white boys.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
This is a Notre Dame Freaking podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Hello and welcome to the final final episode of the
twenty twenty four season The Notre Dame Freaking Podcast. A
little more somber tonight, but I am your host, Jonathan Spaedea,
you know me as Squid, joined by the OG team Robbie,
Ryan Smith, Ryan Downey, and Chase Gunn.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
We're here tonight.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
We're gonna recap the National Championship from our perspective, talk
about the season as a whole, and do a very
very early preview of the twenty twenty five upcoming season
with some notable offseason moves at least as of not
to date ourselves. But Saturday, January twenty fifth, So first
(01:14):
and foremost, let me start Congratulations to Ohio State. Congratulations
to Ohio State fans, and congratulations to Ryan Day with
your painted on beard.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
You get your dance and mock at me at my expense.
You guys won.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
They were the better coach team, the mortalented team, and
they deserve to win. With that said, that's all I'm
going to say about Ohio State, at least all.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
The nice things I gotta ask right off the jump
is did you purchase that starlet red sweatshirt in the
last three days?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Or he said, just I you know what I I.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Did not, but it is it could be just a
you know, if a so conscious, I can't you know,
I have to keep hurting myself. But yeah, So if
anyone's watching, Notre Dame lost to Ohio State, obviously we
were all there and except for Rhino. Rhino was a
smart one state at home, saved himself some money and
(02:15):
got to see the experience from the TV. I'll just
start and shout out to Chase Roxanne all of your
Atlanta friends. What a great welcome, what a great tailgate.
I had a great time when I was in Atlanta.
Getting in and out was a little crazy, but you know,
(02:38):
if you can check with all the media about that.
But let's just jump right into the game itself. You know, look,
I actually kind of enjoy that we are doing this
about a week removed, and you know, I want to start,
obviously with the loss. But if there's one theme I
want to get out to the podcast and everyone listened
(02:59):
to Notreame fans do not for a second feel bad
about this team. This still stands as one of the
best seasons I can remember as a Notre Dame fan.
And I say that to Robbie Chase and Rhino. This
cannot go unsaid. But it was thirty one years since
Notre Dame won a major bowl game. That is literally
(03:22):
basically all of our Notre Dame fandom lives. I was
five when they won in eighty eight. I don't really
remember it, and that, you know, eighty eight to ninety
three was kind of the last Golden Era punintended of
Notre Dame football. So for Notre Dame to come back exercised.
The Demons of the Big Bowl Game won two of
(03:46):
them in seven days, beating top ten Indiana, number two, Georgia,
number five Penn State in consecutive weeks. I mean, it
was unreal, what a great what a great season. So
I I am. That is what I will remember about
this year as much as the loss hurts.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
With that said, getting to the game my big takeaway.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
And it sucks because I loved him and he's moving on,
but Al Golden got worked.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
It was the defense. It was our bedrock all year.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
And look they were going up against the best offense
in the nation statistically with weapons all over the place,
but credits Towell Howard, we just could not get off
the field on third down. They rattled off thirty one
straight points in the first well the twenty eight in
the first half in that field goal to start, but
it just we just couldn't, you know. Our defensive line
(04:44):
down with the injuries, just could not get pressure or
could not get home. And to me, it was just
the defense that was the big story for me.
Speaker 5 (04:52):
It just did you guys? Did you guys? Did you
guys go home? And rewatch a little bit? What's up?
Speaker 6 (04:58):
Could?
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Yeah? Good? As you know as you heard on the
text chain. Uh.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
I went out for a happy hour Yester or Friday
and it was the game with the exponity game was
on at the bar and it was God that was paidful.
Like I watched the first drive and it was beautiful,
and then it just started going downhill all over again.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
And so.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
The rewatch, it wasn't like there wasn't like a lot
that we missed and you know, after seven hours of
tailgating or whatever, but it was just had an answer.
It was hard. It was hard to watch. It was
like holy ship, like Will Howard runs for freaking first downs.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Now, like and we yeah, and we couldn't that.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
He credits Will Howard, He impressed the ship out of
the Yeah, played an amazing game and he beat us
at our own hoisted by our ow guitar.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
So that's the saying, uh beat us.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
How many of those six seven eight yard scrambles for
first downs did he have?
Speaker 2 (06:05):
And it was just killer all night. Just could not
get off the field on third down.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Always seemed like the defense was just you know, a
step slow, a step out of sink.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
And then I'm not the first.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
To say this, but the backbreaking third and eleven end
of game bomb to Jeremiah Smith, it was poetic because
al golden first game against Ohio State loss on a
all out safety blitz and then yet again lost again.
(06:39):
So yeah, I you know, as much as Kennedy said,
you know, the offense didn't do us any favors by
going into you know, going into a hole.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
There in the first half after that first drive.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
But I really just do think that Chip Kelly worked
out golden and we just didn't have the dogs up
front on the defensive line to get one of the
pressure where we needed to and prensa they did to advantage.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
That's great.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
I mean, it's crazy because like my takeaway was that, yeah,
we didn't play well enough to win. They played played
better than we did and we but crazy enough like
we we could have That's a third and eleven stop
away from the game being I don't know, the momentum
was all in our directions. Yeah, like put put a
(07:27):
two minute drive, uh with Riley Leonard and Jayden Greyhouse
like on the I don't know in the fourth quarter,
like sign me up right, Like that was that was
we can ask for and we were there. It was
so close, so you know, revision necessory. This is the
last I'll say, but like put that third and eleven
(07:48):
stuck to Jeremiah Smith in the annals with the fourth
and nine bro from Matt Liner to Dwayne Jarrett.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
As to getting kicked out undername stadium. I'll tell that
story some other day.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
It's just like one of those it's third eleven is
going to be a weird number for me the rest
of my life.
Speaker 5 (08:07):
But like that's because that's how close I thought. I
thought that that's how close the game was. But yeah, yeah,
go ahead, go ahead, Chase.
Speaker 4 (08:17):
But like the there the takeaway that I come, you know,
come back to is like we unfortunately played the same
a very similar.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
Game of offense that we have.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
Actually this is our best least statistical offense ave output
all year. But like it was that two quarters of
just disappearance, right, and it was just that we've seen
that a lot all year. The defense allowed that to
not be an issue all year. But uh, there's I mean,
Ohio State was like they had an answer for everything.
(08:48):
They had a run game that was effected. They had
a passing game that was just slicing us apart, and
then and then when it needed to they had Will
Howard of all people, like rushing for first down. So
it's just it exposed us to the extent that you know,
we we just we couldn't sustain it.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Any any other the whipped in the middle. Yeah, but
that's I think and another subsentate Rhyder.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
Then I want to get your take from watching at
home on TV the TV copy it was weird, like
I was, we lost the coin toss, and obviously you
know that that's not why we lost the game, but
we had won all three playoff games. Winning the coin
toss differring. And it's hard to win the middle egue,
(09:37):
which we didn't even come close. But it's hard to
win the middle eight when you don't get the ball
cold out of the second half, Rhino, you were watching
at home, watching on TV, I mean, is there anything
that's stuck out to you? And I'm specifically curious as
there was there was. I couldn't tell from the stadium,
but after that first drive and I did watch that
(09:57):
at the bar Ryley, Leonard got beat the f up,
Like did you say, like he was puking on the
sideline or something.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Did he get hit in the ribs?
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Like did they ever talk about that? Like? So they did.
They did.
Speaker 7 (10:10):
They did a lip reading of him and he said,
I landed on the ball, but that doesn't make you
ralph on the sideline And then they said he was
stumbling to the bench too, So I mean landing on
the ball doesn't make you do those things. It makes
you lose, makes you lose your breath. So he gave
more than what he had and obviously that's not sustainable.
And then I mean, I think that that took a
(10:30):
lot out of him. It seemed like second, third, fourth
drives he had nothing left. It was crazy how much
he gave him that first drive, Like there was a
there was a commercial timeout after during before our second drive,
and he was barely moving, like he barely got from
the bench to the sideline. And they had so many
(10:51):
consecutive TV timeouts because they had they had a TV timeout,
kickoff TV timeout. If they didn't have that second TV
time not he might have just collapsed on the field.
That's that's how bad he looked just walking through the field.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
I mean, And I don't know, like is that is that?
Speaker 4 (11:11):
Is that just because he had three or nine like
really like physical Russias in the in the first drive.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
He was getting he was getting beat at like literally,
but you know, you know it is.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
Longer than three yards.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
It is disconcerting when like that, you know, he's what
six three six four, And I mean, clearly, I will
have nothing but love respect and admiration for ryley Leandard
Clever get the chance. You know, I'm raising drinks and
he drinks for free if I ever see him. But
you know, if he's our mobile quarterback and he can't run,
(11:50):
you know, it wasn't the entire reason, but we had that.
I don't know if it's the second or third drive
where we got backed up on two stupid penalties and
then it was like first twenty five or something, and
you know that was just a loss series. And then
with i'll how to say it, just scoring every time.
It was just not gonna happen. Let me quickly touch
(12:11):
on a couple of things. This is the point of contention,
at least for us in the stand. I mean, we
were all in agreement. Shout out to Luke and Nick.
They were they were on this immediately. But I still
I don't know why we went for that field goal
on fourth and eight late with seven minutes left. There
was other fans we were kind of Notre Dame fans
that we were debating with, arguing with you know.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
I just but I just to go.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
Even if we had made it, which we should have,
we're still in a we need what three possession of
seven minutes left or something like that.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
So yeah, we're down.
Speaker 4 (12:48):
So we're down at that point in time when I
think we were down thirty one fifteen because we had
we'd scored and then put and made the two point conversion, right,
so we're down. We're down sixteen. So it's still a
two touchdown game.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Yeah, you turn out.
Speaker 8 (13:05):
The way I heard it put was like you turned
a two possession game into a two possession game.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
Yeah. Yeah, I just and like, I don't know, I
didn't I didn't like it.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
There was no way we were going to get two consecutive.
Speaker 8 (13:17):
Stops, yeah, right right, and we I like I've heard
the explanations, like I understand why, like from a statistical standpoint,
we were fourth and nine, but like it seemed out
of character and that was the problem. I think, like, yeah,
that's what that's we came to expect. Marcus Freeman put
(13:40):
the pedal of the metal there. But frankly, like fourth
and nine or fourth and goal from the nine is tough.
But yeah, to me means that like it was second
and third down, it was first, second and third down.
Speaker 5 (13:51):
That that's the biggest Yeah, that's that's the biggest like
like takeaway that I had that first second third down
was was poor because it was from first and like
first some goal from the five, and there was I
believe the.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
Third down play where Riley missed h Jeremiah who was
wide open.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
That was that singular play more than the Jeremiah Smith
and Jeremiah that Jeremih Smith made. But that singular play
just because from my seats in the other other end zone.
But like I had perfect view of this field. I
saw him uncovered out of out of the backfield. I thought,
oh my god, he's going to walk in untouched. And
(14:33):
you know Leonard, he has the tendency to lock aner
players and he was going for a great house and
it was great house was covered and it just didn't
connect and he just missed him.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
That that would I think.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
That's when I think, more than any any point, I
was like, well, that was our chance. And to your point,
I mean, we came back and scored another touchdown right
into dev Rock too, two of the prettiest two point
conversion plays you know, I've seen.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
They had some uh also to like it.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
You know, in the grand scheme of things, didn't matter,
but I hated that fake punt that everyone knew was
going to be a fake punch. Just leave her, leave
your offense on the field to try and get two yards.
Speaker 8 (15:11):
Yeah, I mean maybe that was like Riley Leonard was
too tired, like or we're trying to give him a
break or something like we didn't think he could do it,
but like it was, it works like it.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Was a good thing. It was an effective call and
they had Jordan.
Speaker 8 (15:25):
I don't really like the idea of like putting a
jelly on the run to throw the ball, but.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
It was I mean I rewatched that rewatching that play.
That's like perfect, crazy enough, perfect execution. Like terrible call
because everybody saw Kevin, but like good execution just to
catch the ball like he almost did, and he almost did.
It's not like he whiffed.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
He just like.
Speaker 8 (15:50):
It wasn't bad. It wasn't a terrible time, like we're
talking like the Jeremi Smith. It was obviously like the
backbreaker to end the game. Backbreaker that seventy yard on though, was.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Like yeah, absolutely can't. Also, I felt like that was
also third down.
Speaker 8 (16:06):
I think it was second down we came out, or
we might have been third down because we had maybe
it was second. We came out looking okay on defense,
like we covered needing. You just missed, uh missed the
run fit. And like Leonard Moore Man, he showed that
he is quite the athlete.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
Yeah, well, well.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
Let's let's let's put a let's put a tag on
that because he's definitely gonna come up here as we
look ahead.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Uh right. The last question I have, at least about
watching the game.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
It was hard for me to tell, but I heard
others pretty said like we're able to It seemed like
the linebackers did not have their best game. Uh listening
to some of the beat I guess they played better
second half. Obviously you started to get some stops, but
just bad run fits, seemed out of position, just maybe
a step two slow.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
I mean, could you tell watching the game live?
Speaker 3 (16:58):
Yeah, yeah, all that's absolut accurate.
Speaker 7 (17:00):
So in the first half, a lot of their success
was those underneath passes of the crossing routes. There was
not a linebacker to be seen for all that the
touchdown where Will Will Where Will Howard scrambled? All three
of them were back in coverage and then he takes
two steps forward, and then he takes two steps forward and.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
Then all, oh no, he passed a touch that's that's.
Speaker 7 (17:27):
And then all all three linebackers simultaneously.
Speaker 9 (17:33):
Yeah and again like they just they're just they had
they had everything, like I kind of, I don't.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
Know, like they did. It was.
Speaker 8 (17:52):
It was a good game. They have obviously, like like
do you put it on the coordinators, like you put
it on the game plan? Do you put it on
the coordinators not adjusting?
Speaker 2 (18:06):
Yeah, I have to put I mean not I mean
to late. Blame is tough.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
But what I will say, Chip Kelly got out coached
by Al Golden. Uh and this was the game. Yeah, sorry,
thank you. Al Golden got out coached. Chip Kelly won
in that battle versus Al Golden.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Yeah yeah yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
And you know they has the running backs and the
wide receivers and when the quarterbacks playing that, well, it's
it's tough.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
No matter who you are.
Speaker 1 (18:33):
You could have I don't know the second company of
Meet Rocket called the defense. It wouldn't matter much, but
that coupled with this was the game I think more
than any for the whole game where the defensive line
injuries finally caught up to us because Will Howard was
great about getting the ball out quickly, but even still
(18:53):
there were there were some plays that felt like where
he just sat back there forever and had all day
to throw. And this is the game where we really
missed a fully healthy Howard Cross, Rivy Mills and one
of the two and trailer. I mean, I not to
say we would have won, but give us to give
us three of those four you pick, and.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
That that's a pree point game either way. Like, so
we wanted to have. So I was sitting with.
Speaker 8 (19:22):
Our buddy Dan Keyo, who admittedly like is up and
down kind of a fair Weather fan throughout the season.
He was saying this and so like I was talking
with him and much loved Dan. One of the things
that like was killed in the first half was like fuck,
(19:44):
here we go again, like and yeah, Like all I
could see was.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
Like fucking Paul find Bomb.
Speaker 8 (19:50):
All I could see was like, yep, no name, just
can't hang zee every time they didn't even deserve to
be here, didn't even deserve to be here, all the bullshit,
and so like, I was honestly like despondent, Like, but
I was like, Okay, I went to the Penn State game.
It seems over we were we were down fourteen, not seven.
(20:10):
But I was also kind of like, all right, we
got to stick this out. Our guys have shown they've
they've played three this before, so let's stick it out.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
There were like Dan and I literally had a conversation.
Speaker 8 (20:22):
Of like probably eight times throughout the second half where
it was like, all right, if this happens.
Speaker 6 (20:28):
On this play, we're leaving, like or this play is
the game.
Speaker 8 (20:31):
They like, this plays the game, And we kept pulling
it out and I was like, oh my god, I
think we're gonna win because because we kept saying it
and we kept like rising to the occasion over and
over again. And I don't know, like it sucked. I'm
not gonna lie like it was awful. It was a
gut punch. Hated it, but like it's guad to go
(20:55):
back to your point, like this.
Speaker 6 (20:56):
Team, like, my god, what they like.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
I was the only like I stayed because of the season, because.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Of the way that they the way that they fought
all year, the.
Speaker 8 (21:06):
Way that they just like came back from Northern Illinois
and they just kept flighting all damn year and it
was awesome, like to have a chance to put ourselves
in a position of respectability, like despite being getting just
boat raced.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
For yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
Point, I have to say I have to say thank
you Robbie for bringing that up, because this is one
of the one of the main points I wanted to
bring up from the start.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
I just I loved it.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
We have all seen Notre Dame in these big games
lose that exact game by forty points or thirty points
where the other team takes to put off the gas.
Credit to Freeman, credit to the players. They fought like
fucking hell. They came out and yeah we lost by
double did just lost by eleven, but not for nothing.
That's the closest Natty in seven years. And it could
(21:58):
have been that game could have been forty nine to
ten and it wasn't.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
And they came back and they fought.
Speaker 6 (22:06):
And I don't know if they did a forty nine ten.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
Well they fought when they could have just thrown in
the towel.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
And there were I was getting text from some of
my Penn State buddies in the first half h there
was some you know, social media types jumping ready to
jump on the course of Notre Dame. And they came
back and they fought, and not for nothing, but we
needed three touchdowns and three two point conversions.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
We got two thirds of the way there.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
Yeah, a team, and we felt short, but like, holy fuck,
like that was fucking awesome coming back and scoring that.
Speaker 7 (22:43):
If you had the displeasure of Harry Freeman's interview going
into halftime, I mean he answered the questions were what
are you going to change in the second half, it was, well,
we got to change some things in the second half.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
So he answered all the questions with the question himself.
He looked completely clue with what to do.
Speaker 7 (22:59):
And I think one of the those remarks was we
got to play like we like we like we've been
there before, something to that effect. So he he squarely said,
like our our players are blinded by the bright lights
of the stage. So I don't know what happened at halftime,
but based on seeing the play in halftime, hearing that
interview going into halftime where coach Freeman's like, I don't
(23:20):
know what the hell to do, I'm surprised that it
turned out the way it did.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
Good.
Speaker 8 (23:25):
No, that's one of the things probably that we could
transition to this. But like I think the Pinhun it
is like this is a rare occurrence we shouldn't take
it for granted. I don't think I'm taking it for granted.
I don't think any of you guys are taking it
for granted. I haven't heard anybody who's like on the
Notre Dame podcast beat that, like the fans of Notre Dame,
who do media that seem to have taken this for granted.
(23:49):
But I think one of the things that we have
to acknowledge is like, how do you how do you
maintain that when you lose Jack Peiser, when you lose
your wats, when you lose, when you lose Benjamin Morrison,
when you lose We can believe it at that because
we got to like friendsish, because Chase, you had something
more to say about this.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
But yeah, final thoughts, those final thoughts in the game,
and rather let's put a pin in the act, because
I do have thoughts moving in the next year, but
final thoughts in the game, Chase anything, We just like it.
Speaker 4 (24:20):
It cannot be not stated on the on the wrap
Up podcast, like that first drive it took ten minutes.
Oh my god, it was awesome, and it's never it
never I didn't know how to, you know, absorb it
at the moment but it was like that that did
not happen the last time we played, you know, the
(24:42):
big dogs in twenty twelve or for you know, for
the for the really big games and coming out and
just putting it on them. And you know, again, credit
will how to say for responding so quickly, but like
the fact that that Notre Day put on an absolute
just just I.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
Don't, I don't know what described. I don't know. There
needs to be a new.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
Uh eighteen play ten minute drive running down I think
at least one maybe two fourth down conversions. Yeah, it
was like den Brock's masterpiece, as Pete Stampson said it was.
Speaker 4 (25:15):
It was, yeah, yeah, den Brock's masterpiece. Fine, we'll go
with that. But like that, you know that that gave
me hope. The rest of the game in a weird
way was like this is not it can't it can't
quite be a blowout, like if our offense just decides
to like stay in front of the chains and and
it didn't for two and a half quarters, which we've
(25:36):
seen all year, and then we started to come back
to life a little bit and it was it was
justifying in too, you know, an unsuccessful title run. But
we just we we just ran into a buzz off,
but we fought back.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
This time, we fought.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
We gained a lot of respect nationally throughout that playoff.
Run my again my final thoughts on the game, and
I'll leave it there. It's an amazing season. We finished
better than one hundred and thirty two other teams in FBS,
and we earned it. And we had a chance against
Ohio State even late, even the way we played the
first half.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
Small mini rant.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
So watching the game live in the stadium, this is
a PSA to all Notre Dame fans when your team
has effectively lost the game. There's a minute left after
Jeremiah Smith scores a touchdown and the fucking buffoon of
the hype man in the stadium. The worst part of
my entire trip is that fucking clown running the running
(26:42):
the hype videos during the game, and he hands to
Notre Dame fans to get you to fucking dance when
you're losing and you just lost a national championship, go
fuck yourselves. You guys should lose all relity. This was
and this wasn't. I'm sure no one saw this on TV,
but he was. He was awful like and I get it.
Speaker 8 (27:04):
It's an act like there there were some like that
was what I was looking for, Squid. To your point,
I was looking for the Notre Dame fans who were
like acting appropriately.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
I was there. There were a good number of them.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
I was more than anything I saw. I kept I
just kept screaming at you, and I'm not talking. This
wasn't even like kids or like. This was like grown
ass adults. Depth out Notre Dame gear and your team
literally just second lost the National championship on that cheremizedmith
backbreaking bomb down the field and the fucking announcer is
(27:37):
gonna play Don't Stop Believing, and you're dancing to the stands.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
Fund yourself.
Speaker 8 (27:41):
The best part of the Don't Stop Believing was John
bon Jovi's in the house.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
The most of anyone. He looked pissed watching. He was
the best, most most legit Notre Dame fan reaction.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
If there are any fans, better day fans listening and
this this hits home and you're pissed off right now,
take a long look in the mirror, save yourself the money,
and don't go to the next Natty because we need
true but we need true believers.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
Next time. So like that said, uh, we lost Rhino.
Maybe he was one of those dancing.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
Let's let's transition it here so we we don't need
to get into all the offseason moves. But obviously the
big one, Al Golden God bless him, he's taking the
NFL job. I think we all saw come and he's
going to the Bengals as the DC. The latest rumblings
I've seen on the boards is that we're down to
two options. Jim Leonard, former excellent DC at Wisconsin, or
(28:50):
Mike Mickens are amazing defensive secondary coach. It's most or both.
It's seems like there's a possibility that they could do
the co d defensive coordinator thing. Uh, Robbie Chase, do
you have a preference? Do you have thoughts.
Speaker 4 (29:14):
Both the number two teams in the country, Like what,
I don't think like, I don't think both.
Speaker 8 (29:19):
I don't think both keeps mckens around. I think it's
gotta be Mickens if they.
Speaker 4 (29:24):
Can pull off the smoke, Like the smoke is that
there's a that both is like a legitimate it could happen.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
I just it's one more right now, welcome back.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
We're talking about we moved on to the defensive coordinator discussion.
Speaker 2 (29:42):
It looks like it's going down to.
Speaker 3 (29:44):
Finish National championship DJ discussion.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
Yeah, sorry if I say about it, but it's sorry
if I offended you.
Speaker 4 (29:52):
This is before before I get all the way into
like my thoughts on that this is this is the
whole reason that I got like, I'm I have a
tough time like now post National Championship. I don't know
if I can watch sports for a little while, like
I am, I am stat out, Like I don't know
if it's gonna take a very long time to like
get It might be like four or five games into
(30:13):
the next season to be like starting to get like
energized to watch more in football again because of how
much this title run took out of me and how
like it's such an emotional dream to like lose. Especially
to me, it's the coaches that when they leave, that's
you know, a Jack Kaiser could be. I think they
(30:34):
can be replaced, like we have Jadie Bertran last year.
So like every year we're gonna get you know, it
might be Drake Bowen next year, and it might be
who knows, Madden Faremo, who's you know, is a true freshman.
Maybe he looks like the next coming of Anti Tail.
Like the players come and they reload. The coaches are
a different story. And that's where I'm I'm just trying
(30:55):
to like be the you know, forever optimists and saying, yeah,
let's get the best thing we can because I don't know,
it sounds like Bavak was willing to spend the money.
And we're the number two, so we're the number two
team in the country, so we should pre we should
be pretty attractive. And oh, by the way, look at
all the talent that we have on the team anyways,
especially in the secondary, So like, can we just can
(31:18):
we just like not have a bad news offseason like
we normally do.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
Yeah, that's just my first So no, it's a really
good point because look, I this off.
Speaker 1 (31:30):
Season took it, or this whole season took a toll
on me, and I wasn't even fucking playing. I can
only imagine the players. I literally I caught the everywhere
I've heard the last pot. I caught the fluid. It
like wipe me the fuck out, Like, and I have
a million kids, So I've been sick for ten years
and this was the worst I've dealt with in a while.
But to your point, Chase, this, so this season was
(31:51):
I think looking back on it, we can say Marcus
Spreen was established and getting some credibility, exercising some demons.
This next season will be proving that it was him
and maybe not the coordinators per se, or at least
can you was it a flash in the pan? And
this this kind of gets back to what I asked before,
(32:11):
like what is Freeman's identity as a head coach? What
does he do really well? Is it sustainable? You know,
you look at Saban every year he was changing offensive
coordinators and it was just the machine kept Roland versus
the Dabo Sweeney types where he caught you know, Sweeney
had Elliott and what's his face Megatron skeletor for thirteen
(32:37):
years the same two coordinators.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
Is Freeman the result of his coordinators or not? You're
talking about.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
It's so like obviously I'm optimistic too, especially you know
Jim Leonard. I think would be a home run higher,
especially if we can keep Mickens. I you know, before
I heard the names, I wanted Nickens just to keep him.
I think he's one of our best recruiters. And assistant
coaches period. I get the concerns that he's never been
(33:08):
a DC before, but Freeman's a defensive minded coach their buddies.
So yeah, if you can bring in Leonard, who worked
magic at Wisconsin with arguably you know, equivalent or slightly
lesser than talent than Notre Dame, I think it's fair
to say, sorry, Wisconsin fans, I'm excited about what he
(33:29):
could do at Notre Dame, but if there's anything I
will like, he was.
Speaker 4 (33:35):
Also Marcus Freeman's first choice for defensive coordinator before I'll go.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
Good point, like a historical point.
Speaker 1 (33:44):
But yeah, just you know, and it's again, it's tough
to your point, Chase, Like you know, I said I
was detaxing from football amboos after the game and it
took me, took me two days.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
And I'm back. But like.
Speaker 1 (34:00):
I feel you, it is, especially looking at what the
playoff run would take to like get back to the Natty,
just seems insanely daunting to do it again. But just
you know, right, I'll go to you, like, what are
your thoughts on Was this just a down year for
the SEC and they will be back or do you
(34:21):
buy into the narrative that Notre Dame is now part
of that tier SEC. The talent has spread out more
with thanks to Nil And I guess my question is
I've heard that you know this was Notre Dame's best
year or best chance given the DOWBT, you know, Alabama
being down, Georgia being down. Do you buy into that
(34:45):
or do you go the other way?
Speaker 7 (34:52):
I actually think everything you said was true. So while
I do think this was our best chance in a while,
or maybe our best chance for a few years, especially
with the new stetup where where even though the playoff
kind of levels the playing field, some more teams have
a shot, it's also harder to win that many games
to get to the championship. So I do think this
(35:13):
is our best shot in a while and maybe four
a while. But I also believe that the playing field
is leveled across the board.
Speaker 2 (35:20):
Now.
Speaker 7 (35:21):
I don't think there's gonna be any There's not gonna
be a single powerhouse conference. There's not going to be
the two three teams that just run away their.
Speaker 3 (35:31):
Head and shoulders above the rest.
Speaker 7 (35:33):
So I so I do think we have we have
where we're gonna be in the discussion, uh moving forward.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
Yeah, and and my thoughts and I'll turn it over
to you Robbie. Like before this season, you know, I
when Michigan won last two years ago and Iard the
last one before, I have a state I was on
the camp of it was a fluke. They caught the
easiest fucking schedule Bamos down at Centered Center. But then
it kind of happened two years in a row, you know,
(36:02):
for me once, for me twice type of deal.
Speaker 2 (36:05):
Uh, where do you follow in this?
Speaker 1 (36:07):
Because I think, you know, I think it's important for
our outlook, at least for the Freeman era or the
foreseeable future.
Speaker 8 (36:15):
I think that that NIL is going to definitely level
the playing field because there I just I can't get
over the fact that, like I feel like there's been
a ton of talent hidden on the three deep of
the SEC for decades and that's not there anymore because
you can go. So I think they're honestly, the transfer
(36:35):
portal is probably more of it than than NIL. But
NIL helps because like you always had the hope of
stating the SEC and like getting a shot and like, oh,
the NFL scouts are going to see you, and like
it's like a resume, like Oh, I'm not going to
leave the SEC because it's on my resume.
Speaker 6 (36:52):
I don't want to do that. But now you can
like go easy not miss a year.
Speaker 8 (36:56):
So I think that the talent pool is is gonna
spread out a lot more and continue to What I
think is that we're structurally in a place that we've
never been before. With Babakua, like from everything the athletic
director he seems to like, and all I hear is
that he's just a fan. Like he's not gonna not
(37:19):
let us be competitive because of some kind of monetary disadvantage,
because of some kind of like facilities disadvantage.
Speaker 2 (37:29):
We're gonna be Notre Dame.
Speaker 8 (37:30):
But honestly, like for the first time, like like the
SEC is gonna do what the SEC does. They always
have found advantage or they but they've always like pushed
the limits. I don't know what limits are are to push,
but I'm sure they'll find them.
Speaker 6 (37:42):
But I feel like we're kind of on there.
Speaker 2 (37:44):
We're the we're on.
Speaker 8 (37:46):
The front edge of whatever the advantages are, so we're
gonna like push further. Like I keep coming back to this,
and this is probably because of the what's his name,
uh Bowden Boden that just got MSc of like this
moneyball aspect of like you did it first. Like my
hope is that we are like the Tampa Bay Rays,
(38:08):
but like of college football, where we just keep finding
those advantages and we're gonna like be ahead of the
curve and just keep pushing ahead of the curve. Like yeah,
sure in the SEC might be coming up and it's
gonna be tough to play against them. Once the Yankees
adopted moneyball, once the Red Socks adopted money ball, they
started winning, Like it's probably gonna be like that, But
I feel like we can like maybe stay ahead.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
Of the curve here and we've got the honestly, Like
I just can't get over.
Speaker 8 (38:35):
Like the thing I keep coming back to is like
all these NFL former NFL players sending their kids to
Notre Dame and what they're talking about with the culture
around Notre Dame and what Marcus Freeman like as a personality,
has brought to the university.
Speaker 6 (38:51):
That I'm just I'm so optimistic.
Speaker 8 (38:55):
Again not taking it for granted, and it's gonna be
really hard, but I don't I've never felt better about
our chances to do it again.
Speaker 4 (39:04):
And yeah, yeah, because I and maybe to unfortunately continue
the baseball analogy.
Speaker 2 (39:11):
But I think it's a apropos.
Speaker 4 (39:13):
It's like maybe maybe Notre Dame is not ever going
to be the Dodgers, right, maybe Ohio State is just
gonna be the Dodgers for you know, for a while.
But like I can see this kind of makes me sick.
Speaker 2 (39:27):
I'm gonna flick myself and the balls for saying this.
Speaker 4 (39:29):
I could say, I could see myself like the our
analogy is like the Phillies, right, Like let's go like
stack it, like have some serious talent and use competitive
like we're gonna have some serious competitive advances.
Speaker 2 (39:48):
It's not I don't think that. I don't think that.
Speaker 4 (39:49):
Notre Dame is going to be like the Tampa Bay Race,
like I think that's gonna be. I think we're gonna
be elevated past that a lot of talent. I think
we're gonna spend. I think there's the culture, right, so
that the culture breeds these seniors and fifth year guys
for staying another year, and those are our those are
(40:11):
our five star guys, right, so like you build on that,
you fill the gaps with n I L and maybe
not every year. So that you know, the Dodgers in
the in the and the Buckeyes are gonna have the
opportunity to win every like maybe Notre Dame has has
the opportunity to win three out of every five. And
(40:32):
it's just like, I think, there's so much there's so
much good there's so much good talent right now, and
this is when this is when and maybe i'll slight tangent,
this is when we absolutely need to push the pedal.
And this is this is the difference between Marcus Freeman
and Brian Kelly because when when Brian Kelly got to
the National title game, he fucking struck out. The next
(40:55):
three years we sucked. And that is I don't believe
that Marcus Freeman is not going to take advantage of
us being in the National Championship game.
Speaker 3 (41:03):
Like tangent on your tangent.
Speaker 7 (41:07):
It's funny because the whole time I've actually I've actually
thought that Marcus Freeman has reminded me a lot of
Joe Madden when the when the Cubs started getting to
the playoffs and started making deep runs that and Joe
Madden kind of is Marcus Freeman too. He's a he's
a players guy. Everybody believes him.
Speaker 3 (41:30):
Let the World Series year so almost you could tell,
like the pressure not to him.
Speaker 7 (41:42):
He was he was, he was scrambling, he was making
some some whack decisions that kind of reminded me of
Marcus in the Championship game too. And and once he
once he now that he's I feel like now that
he's been there, got the taste of it.
Speaker 3 (41:58):
Now moving forward, he can do a better job.
Speaker 7 (42:00):
And like the Cups, did they bring home a world
serious championship for the other day.
Speaker 1 (42:05):
Fuck yeah, and and and what if we said one
of one of Freeman's best attributes is his ability to
learn from past mistakes, learn, learn on the job, make adjustments,
and move forward. So let's just briefly, I know we're
hitting sitting here January twenty five. I do want to
we don't need to get into every player and all
the moves, but quickly looking ahead to the twenty twenty
(42:28):
five season. Uh, I don't know what the preseason rankings are,
but I think we are primed for, Like I do
think that another playoff.
Speaker 2 (42:38):
Getting into the playoffs should be the expectation.
Speaker 1 (42:40):
We lose a lot of players on defense, a lot
of senior players, a lot of senior leadership. But this
is something that I've been I've been sitting on since
the Matello injury. We kind of already lost those players
during the season, and this is the one benefit when
you have these massive injuries. It sucks during the year,
(43:03):
but the underclass we get a shit ton of experience
and it pays dividends moving forward.
Speaker 2 (43:09):
So obviously we lose Radley.
Speaker 1 (43:10):
Mills, Howard Cross, Benjamin Morrison I think are the big
on Xavier Wats God bless him. How can I so
like its Those are massive players to lose. We will
have gaps to fill on the defensive line. But I
do think especially if we get Jim Leonard or Mickens
w or the combination of both, I don't think we
(43:33):
will have a top five defense next year. But I
think we will still have a really good defense next year.
The secondary should still be fucking amazing with Leonard Moore
and Christian Gray. I know he got kind of picked
on at the end, but those will be seasoned quarters
and Leonard Moore can run with anyone. Our linebackers should
(43:55):
be that much better next year. They're all fucking young.
Probably the most talented position outside of maybe offensive line
as a whole that we have on the team, our linebackers,
they are all four and five star caliber players. They're
going to be fucking studs. And you know, not for nothing.
But if we can get Ptello back healthy, Treori back healthy,
(44:16):
we have a couple incoming defensive lineman transfers we can
We'll talk more about that in our next year preview.
I think the defense will be good, but I think
where we will see strides next year is the offense.
And the the potential is there. And I say this
(44:37):
after you know, two seasons of Notre Dame's offense putting
up statistically phenomenal seasons. But the potential is there for
next year to be a fucking journey Yeah, juggernaut slash,
unstoppable type offense that we've all wanted forever.
Speaker 2 (44:55):
Whether and I say this with like, I want to
see CJ.
Speaker 1 (44:59):
Carr the phenom recruit, Like I kind of pull it
for him. But even if it is and Jelly best
Man wins and.
Speaker 6 (45:07):
Jelly beats out cry hold.
Speaker 1 (45:11):
It out the wide receivers, I think, well again will
be better better next year. I think, you know we will.
We can do a retrospective later you know this summer maybe,
but not for nothing but great house. I think I
think that he turns these last two games against the
best defenses he will see four weeks. I mean, he
(45:36):
excelled against some of the best defenses he will see
in a while.
Speaker 2 (45:40):
Uh. He he hasn't caliber caliber to be a true
number one.
Speaker 1 (45:43):
We got the Malachi Fields coming in from Virginia, who
will effectively be Bo Collins but better in every aspect.
Speaker 2 (45:52):
Uh. The wide receivers will be there. We will have
Jeremiah Love back fully healthy. Uh.
Speaker 1 (45:57):
You know who knows you may see some you know,
whether price transfers or not. Yeah, those are our three
three D bring. Our running backs room will be great
whatever it is.
Speaker 4 (46:12):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (46:12):
And not our offensive line.
Speaker 1 (46:16):
Our offensive line, you know we we recently just lost
you talk about talk about Robbie. You mentioned this about
sec stacking talent. We lost Rocke Spindler to the portal,
Sam Pimbleton to the portal.
Speaker 2 (46:30):
Uh, Pat Cougan to the portal.
Speaker 1 (46:33):
Those I mean, it sucks losing all of them, but
you know they essensively are all going to get paid
to play somewhere else. But none of them, none of
the three we're projected, we're projected to start next year,
and I think that's why they transferred. I think Freeman
had those difficult discussions with them and told them, hey, look,
you're not going to start. So our offensive line next
(46:54):
year has the potential to be drow More caliber type,
like legit I know we were there this year, but
like legitimately Joe Moore caliber. We don't need a mobile
quarterback to prevent that. Like, the offensive line could be
really fucking good, like traditional Notre Dame good. And if
that happens and still young. Second, you know, look at
(47:14):
the jump that the defense made in year two of
ol Golden versus year one. I think we're gonna see
a similar jump with den Brock and the offense, even
with a first time starter, whether it be Angelly Minschie
or CJ.
Speaker 2 (47:27):
Carr.
Speaker 1 (47:28):
I think that's where Notre Dame is going to make
their bread and butter next year. And that's where I
get really excited about the team. But that that is,
and I've been rambling here, that is my like twenty
five teaser defense I think will be good again, but
I think the offense could be special.
Speaker 8 (47:47):
I still like, I just I'm a little like what
scares me the most is the offensive line and leaving.
I understand why they do. I'm not faulting them. I
love them. They're great, but like the losing depth is
probably just PTSD of a season of justice. Well, especially
after that is all year, it would be really nice
to have a three du you know.
Speaker 1 (48:10):
Uh, And that's your that was your point Robbie about
the SEC. That's what they did for years. They stacked
that talent and that depth. Yeah, when they're when their
second and third string was going in, you had potential,
you know, NFL caliber players.
Speaker 8 (48:24):
And you know, my other worry is that, like we
just don't have the wide receiver like Alan yet.
Speaker 2 (48:32):
I don't know, and I don't know how long.
Speaker 8 (48:34):
It's gonna be before we get there if we do
get there, Like we're they're solid, Like I'm glad to
have malt Fins. I think Great House is gonna be good.
I just don't there's some freshment team to k K.
Smith and Camilliams Rogan.
Speaker 2 (48:47):
Especially. I think.
Speaker 8 (48:50):
Receivers is that like the the quarterbacks coming up, the Angel's,
the cars, the midchies. Well, I don't know how much
about I don't know as much about like they are
pocket passers more so than runners, and so receiver talent
is a lot more important. I think important also is
tight end, yeah talent, which I think we might but
(49:14):
I don't know if we.
Speaker 2 (49:15):
Have Evans coming back.
Speaker 4 (49:18):
Evans is gone, but even behind him, Like I just
like so rare that.
Speaker 2 (49:27):
Yeah, rare.
Speaker 4 (49:28):
It is tight end one because Cooper Fanning against done
for the year and then we have a transfer, but
we might need maybe two more transfers.
Speaker 2 (49:37):
At tight end. Yeah.
Speaker 8 (49:38):
So that's where I like, I'm a little bit Yeah,
I'm a little work with an Irish name.
Speaker 1 (49:45):
Yeah, And and you know I respect it that, you know,
not for nothing. I get the concerns about the wide
receiver room. It's they're kind of in a I still
you know, you can't can't fully believe until you actually
see them do it.
Speaker 2 (50:00):
But I do think.
Speaker 1 (50:03):
With a past like because every time Angelly went in,
all of a sudden, the receivers started to pop, you know.
So it's like I do think with a pass first offense,
I think they're going to be more productive and actually
start to scare opponents and that and like I said,
if Great House can do that against Penn State and Ohio,
state with Riley Leonard. I think he can do that
against anyone, and.
Speaker 2 (50:26):
You know if they are.
Speaker 1 (50:27):
If our other major concern is our tight end room,
I think that's a decent position to be in. You know,
everyone everyone's going every team is going to have flaws
and problems, but it's not terrible. Uh, Final thoughts fellas
anything you guys want to get off your chest here last,
let's put a bow on the twenty twenty four season
and right, I'll start with you anything you want to
(50:51):
say here about the year. Final thoughts before we all
take a break heading into twenty twenty five.
Speaker 7 (51:01):
Yeah, I want to apologize to Riley Leonard. In week
three or so, I know we had an open discussion
about whether or not he should be benched. We talked
shit for so long about his inability to throw the.
Speaker 2 (51:16):
Ball, especially deep you're wrong.
Speaker 3 (51:17):
We talked about how I couldn't throw on the run.
Speaker 7 (51:18):
We gave him, We gave him so much ship, I mean,
and to a certain extent rightfully so. But dear God,
if if he didn't do the things that he did
this year, we would have been shipped out of luck.
Speaker 3 (51:30):
So sorry and thank you for all that you've done.
Speaker 2 (51:34):
For US Riley Preach Amen Robbie. Final thoughts.
Speaker 6 (51:40):
This is my favorite team until we won a national championship.
Speaker 8 (51:43):
I think this a game could take to be the
favorite team. I don't know that there's a better. H Weirdly,
here come the iris for the series. I don't think
there was a better way to get me like reinvolved
in the season because I was done after Northern Illinois
and that series like brought me back into it. Marcus Freeman.
(52:06):
There's not a player on this team that I would
say like brought me back into it. Maybe Jeremy Love,
but like, there's no Brady Quinn, there's no Tao, there's
no like favorite player about this team. It's just this team.
So this is gonna be my favorite team until we won.
Speaker 2 (52:23):
A national championship.
Speaker 8 (52:24):
And I'm gonna miss Rady Leonard a lot, right up
to your point about apologizing for like wanting to bench.
I'm gonna miss Avir Watts. I'm gonna miss Benjamin Morrison,
who barely played this year, and I'm gonna, like, I
feel like he had an impact on the season. And yeah,
I'm glad that we did not take a second of
(52:44):
this for granted. And I guess I'll say what I
didn't say in the last podcast is like this podcast
also helped me. So thank you everybody who listens, our friends,
I know you were gonna listen to anything. My family listened,
but eighties guy, you're the bomb, like the like that
helped get that helped this.
Speaker 2 (53:04):
Be a real season this year. It in a way that.
Speaker 8 (53:09):
I haven't felt since in like college, like even the
twenty twelve season, but like since college.
Speaker 2 (53:14):
So thanks well, said Robbie Chase. Final thoughts on the
twenty twenty four season.
Speaker 4 (53:21):
Yeah, mostly, I mean sixteen weeks, sixteen or seventeen. However
many I don't know how many football games we played
this year. It was a fucking a lot. It was
a lot of fun, mostly high some loads. Restored my
faith in believing in the optimism of Notre Dame football
(53:41):
because it had been taken away from me for quite
some time, just after getting stiff armed, you know, after
during every big football game. So now it's fun to
like go into a big football game and thinking, yeah,
we can win. We can win all of these. So
that was the biggest takeaway that I got from twenty
(54:02):
twenty four. It started with Texas a and m The
playoff is one hell of a ride. It is a
it is it is now the dragon I'm going to
chase for the rest of my life, but I'm ready
to do it. Whether it's twenty twenty six Miami or
twenty twenty seven Las Vegas. I'll never forget this season.
(54:23):
I just I know there's I know there's more in
store because it's Marcus Freeman. So we got to hang
on to him, and we're going to find you know,
we'll find the magic at some point.
Speaker 2 (54:35):
I just hope it's sooner rather than later. Well said.
Speaker 1 (54:39):
I am going to steal a quote from our excellent
producer Chris Kapner, you know miss Newman. After the game,
he said, this felt like a beginning more than an end.
And I truly believe that with the Freeman era, I
just call it, say what you will. I have faith
that he he has the culture in place to survive
(55:04):
various player transfers and coaching changes, and I'm here for
the ride. To any fans out there where your Notre
Dame gear with pride, you can go into any stadium,
any dangerous opposing team bar venue, and know that the
(55:27):
twenty twenty four team has restilled confidence. We went into
your point chase on the road, SEC beat Texas A
and M cap that off with beating the SEC Championship Georgia.
In the South, we beat Penn State, came back. I mean,
Notre Dame has exercised the demons. Freeman is for real
(55:50):
and you should be proud to be a Notre Dame fan.
Final thoughts here about the podcast in general to all
of our various fans out there, Thank you, Hi mom,
How you doing. We are going to do a rebrand
in the off season, try and find a name that
may not have violated trademark laws and may not get
(56:11):
us sued, so it will still be the same profanity
laden content that you come to know and love, just
with a different name.
Speaker 2 (56:17):
We still have to figure out and nobody here's anything.
Speaker 1 (56:24):
This This will be what we we four or five
collective will be fighting over all off season. Uh, And
I know there was something else I was supposed to
talk about. Our schedule. Our schedule, that's right. Yeah, so
uh you've heard here we are. We are, we are
limping to the finish line. This is this has been
tough on us. We're taking a much any break as
(56:45):
much as I would love to say. This is my
day job and I can give you daily and or
weekly content. That's just not that's just not where we're
at right now. Hopefully you know, click the link and
subscribe to the comments and get us there one day maybe,
but we are going to take some time off just
just states tuned. Maybe you know, maybe post spring game,
maybe sometime over the summer, once you know all the
(57:06):
random transfers are in and out. But certainly get ready
at a minimum next August for the pod that started it,
all our preseason rankings with the position groups and all
the good stuff to get ready for the twenty twenty
five season.
Speaker 3 (57:21):
Thank you wives for letting us keep these despite our work.
Speaker 1 (57:24):
Yeah oh yeah, thank you. Yeah, it's all the wives
out there. You guys are the best. I couldn't have
done it without you. Thank you for watching all of
our respective children while we talk for sixteen plus hours
about not name football at random times during the weeks.
I'm Squid, that's Chase, he's Robbie, that's Rhino. Good luck,
got speed, go Irish. This is not dame freaking podcast.
I'm jenn and Thomas, and you're watching a Notre Dame
freaking podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
This is Notre Dame Freaking podcast. He's got the foundation
for a solid season, he just needs to execute. Let's
get into it. I'm angry now.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Right who doesn't normally do it like an American?
Speaker 2 (00:20):
I hate you right now. I cannot wait to for
a new face.
Speaker 4 (00:24):
We're talking about massive white boys.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
This is a Notre Dame Freaking podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Hello and welcome to the final final episode of the
twenty twenty four season The Notre Dame Freaking Podcast. A
little more somber tonight, but I am your host, Jonathan Spaedea,
you know me as Squid, joined by the OG team Robbie,
Ryan Smith, Ryan Downey, and Chase Gunn.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
We're here tonight.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
We're gonna recap the National Championship from our perspective, talk
about the season as a whole, and do a very
very early preview of the twenty twenty five upcoming season
with some notable offseason moves at least as of not
to date ourselves. But Saturday, January twenty fifth, So first
(01:14):
and foremost, let me start Congratulations to Ohio State. Congratulations
to Ohio State fans, and congratulations to Ryan Day with
your painted on beard.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
You get your dance and mock at me at my expense.
You guys won.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
They were the better coach team, the mortalented team, and
they deserve to win. With that said, that's all I'm
going to say about Ohio State, at least all.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
The nice things I gotta ask right off the jump
is did you purchase that starlet red sweatshirt in the
last three days?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Or he said, just I you know what I I.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Did not, but it is it could be just a
you know, if a so conscious, I can't you know,
I have to keep hurting myself. But yeah, So if
anyone's watching, Notre Dame lost to Ohio State, obviously we
were all there and except for Rhino. Rhino was a
smart one state at home, saved himself some money and
(02:15):
got to see the experience from the TV. I'll just
start and shout out to Chase Roxanne all of your
Atlanta friends. What a great welcome, what a great tailgate.
I had a great time when I was in Atlanta.
Getting in and out was a little crazy, but you know,
(02:38):
if you can check with all the media about that.
But let's just jump right into the game itself. You know, look,
I actually kind of enjoy that we are doing this
about a week removed, and you know, I want to start,
obviously with the loss. But if there's one theme I
want to get out to the podcast and everyone listened
(02:59):
to Notreame fans do not for a second feel bad
about this team. This still stands as one of the
best seasons I can remember as a Notre Dame fan.
And I say that to Robbie Chase and Rhino. This
cannot go unsaid. But it was thirty one years since
Notre Dame won a major bowl game. That is literally
(03:22):
basically all of our Notre Dame fandom lives. I was
five when they won in eighty eight. I don't really
remember it, and that, you know, eighty eight to ninety
three was kind of the last Golden Era punintended of
Notre Dame football. So for Notre Dame to come back exercised.
The Demons of the Big Bowl Game won two of
(03:46):
them in seven days, beating top ten Indiana, number two, Georgia,
number five Penn State in consecutive weeks. I mean, it
was unreal, what a great what a great season. So
I I am. That is what I will remember about
this year as much as the loss hurts.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
With that said, getting to the game my big takeaway.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
And it sucks because I loved him and he's moving on,
but Al Golden got worked.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
It was the defense. It was our bedrock all year.
Speaker 1 (04:22):
And look they were going up against the best offense
in the nation statistically with weapons all over the place,
but credits Towell Howard, we just could not get off
the field on third down. They rattled off thirty one
straight points in the first well the twenty eight in
the first half in that field goal to start, but
it just we just couldn't, you know. Our defensive line
(04:44):
down with the injuries, just could not get pressure or
could not get home. And to me, it was just
the defense that was the big story for me.
Speaker 5 (04:52):
It just did you guys? Did you guys? Did you
guys go home? And rewatch a little bit? What's up?
Speaker 6 (04:58):
Could?
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Yeah? Good? As you know as you heard on the
text chain. Uh.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
I went out for a happy hour Yester or Friday
and it was the game with the exponity game was
on at the bar and it was God that was paidful.
Like I watched the first drive and it was beautiful,
and then it just started going downhill all over again.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
And so.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
The rewatch, it wasn't like there wasn't like a lot
that we missed and you know, after seven hours of
tailgating or whatever, but it was just had an answer.
It was hard. It was hard to watch. It was
like holy ship, like Will Howard runs for freaking first downs.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Now, like and we yeah, and we couldn't that.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
He credits Will Howard, He impressed the ship out of
the Yeah, played an amazing game and he beat us
at our own hoisted by our ow guitar.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
So that's the saying, uh beat us.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
How many of those six seven eight yard scrambles for
first downs did he have?
Speaker 2 (06:05):
And it was just killer all night. Just could not
get off the field on third down.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Always seemed like the defense was just you know, a
step slow, a step out of sink.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
And then I'm not the first.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
To say this, but the backbreaking third and eleven end
of game bomb to Jeremiah Smith, it was poetic because
al golden first game against Ohio State loss on a
all out safety blitz and then yet again lost again.
(06:39):
So yeah, I you know, as much as Kennedy said,
you know, the offense didn't do us any favors by
going into you know, going into a hole.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
There in the first half after that first drive.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
But I really just do think that Chip Kelly worked
out golden and we just didn't have the dogs up
front on the defensive line to get one of the
pressure where we needed to and prensa they did to advantage.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
That's great.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
I mean, it's crazy because like my takeaway was that, yeah,
we didn't play well enough to win. They played played
better than we did and we but crazy enough like
we we could have That's a third and eleven stop
away from the game being I don't know, the momentum
was all in our directions. Yeah, like put put a
(07:27):
two minute drive, uh with Riley Leonard and Jayden Greyhouse
like on the I don't know in the fourth quarter,
like sign me up right, Like that was that was
we can ask for and we were there. It was
so close, so you know, revision necessory. This is the
last I'll say, but like put that third and eleven
(07:48):
stuck to Jeremiah Smith in the annals with the fourth
and nine bro from Matt Liner to Dwayne Jarrett.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
As to getting kicked out undername stadium. I'll tell that
story some other day.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
It's just like one of those it's third eleven is
going to be a weird number for me the rest
of my life.
Speaker 5 (08:07):
But like that's because that's how close I thought. I
thought that that's how close the game was. But yeah, yeah,
go ahead, go ahead, Chase.
Speaker 4 (08:17):
But like the there the takeaway that I come, you know,
come back to is like we unfortunately played the same
a very similar.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
Game of offense that we have.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
Actually this is our best least statistical offense ave output
all year. But like it was that two quarters of
just disappearance, right, and it was just that we've seen
that a lot all year. The defense allowed that to
not be an issue all year. But uh, there's I mean,
Ohio State was like they had an answer for everything.
(08:48):
They had a run game that was effected. They had
a passing game that was just slicing us apart, and
then and then when it needed to they had Will
Howard of all people, like rushing for first down. So
it's just it exposed us to the extent that you know,
we we just we couldn't sustain it.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Any any other the whipped in the middle. Yeah, but
that's I think and another subsentate Rhyder.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
Then I want to get your take from watching at
home on TV the TV copy it was weird, like
I was, we lost the coin toss, and obviously you
know that that's not why we lost the game, but
we had won all three playoff games. Winning the coin
toss differring. And it's hard to win the middle egue,
(09:37):
which we didn't even come close. But it's hard to
win the middle eight when you don't get the ball
cold out of the second half, Rhino, you were watching
at home, watching on TV, I mean, is there anything
that's stuck out to you? And I'm specifically curious as
there was there was. I couldn't tell from the stadium,
but after that first drive and I did watch that
(09:57):
at the bar Ryley, Leonard got beat the f up,
Like did you say, like he was puking on the
sideline or something.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Did he get hit in the ribs?
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Like did they ever talk about that? Like? So they did.
They did.
Speaker 7 (10:10):
They did a lip reading of him and he said,
I landed on the ball, but that doesn't make you
ralph on the sideline And then they said he was
stumbling to the bench too, So I mean landing on
the ball doesn't make you do those things. It makes
you lose, makes you lose your breath. So he gave
more than what he had and obviously that's not sustainable.
And then I mean, I think that that took a
(10:30):
lot out of him. It seemed like second, third, fourth
drives he had nothing left. It was crazy how much
he gave him that first drive, Like there was a
there was a commercial timeout after during before our second drive,
and he was barely moving, like he barely got from
the bench to the sideline. And they had so many
(10:51):
consecutive TV timeouts because they had they had a TV timeout,
kickoff TV timeout. If they didn't have that second TV
time not he might have just collapsed on the field.
That's that's how bad he looked just walking through the field.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
I mean, And I don't know, like is that is that?
Speaker 4 (11:11):
Is that just because he had three or nine like
really like physical Russias in the in the first drive.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
He was getting he was getting beat at like literally,
but you know, you know it is.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
Longer than three yards.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
It is disconcerting when like that, you know, he's what
six three six four, And I mean, clearly, I will
have nothing but love respect and admiration for ryley Leandard
Clever get the chance. You know, I'm raising drinks and
he drinks for free if I ever see him. But
you know, if he's our mobile quarterback and he can't run,
(11:50):
you know, it wasn't the entire reason, but we had that.
I don't know if it's the second or third drive
where we got backed up on two stupid penalties and
then it was like first twenty five or something, and
you know that was just a loss series. And then
with i'll how to say it, just scoring every time.
It was just not gonna happen. Let me quickly touch
(12:11):
on a couple of things. This is the point of contention,
at least for us in the stand. I mean, we
were all in agreement. Shout out to Luke and Nick.
They were they were on this immediately. But I still
I don't know why we went for that field goal
on fourth and eight late with seven minutes left. There
was other fans we were kind of Notre Dame fans
that we were debating with, arguing with you know.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
I just but I just to go.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
Even if we had made it, which we should have,
we're still in a we need what three possession of
seven minutes left or something like that.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
So yeah, we're down.
Speaker 4 (12:48):
So we're down at that point in time when I
think we were down thirty one fifteen because we had
we'd scored and then put and made the two point conversion, right,
so we're down. We're down sixteen. So it's still a
two touchdown game.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Yeah, you turn out.
Speaker 8 (13:05):
The way I heard it put was like you turned
a two possession game into a two possession game.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
Yeah. Yeah, I just and like, I don't know, I
didn't I didn't like it.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
There was no way we were going to get two consecutive.
Speaker 8 (13:17):
Stops, yeah, right right, and we I like I've heard
the explanations, like I understand why, like from a statistical standpoint,
we were fourth and nine, but like it seemed out
of character and that was the problem. I think, like, yeah,
that's what that's we came to expect. Marcus Freeman put
(13:40):
the pedal of the metal there. But frankly, like fourth
and nine or fourth and goal from the nine is tough.
But yeah, to me means that like it was second
and third down, it was first, second and third down.
Speaker 5 (13:51):
That that's the biggest Yeah, that's that's the biggest like
like takeaway that I had that first second third down
was was poor because it was from first and like
first some goal from the five, and there was I
believe the.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
Third down play where Riley missed h Jeremiah who was
wide open.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
That was that singular play more than the Jeremiah Smith
and Jeremiah that Jeremih Smith made. But that singular play
just because from my seats in the other other end zone.
But like I had perfect view of this field. I
saw him uncovered out of out of the backfield. I thought,
oh my god, he's going to walk in untouched. And
(14:33):
you know Leonard, he has the tendency to lock aner
players and he was going for a great house and
it was great house was covered and it just didn't
connect and he just missed him.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
That that would I think.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
That's when I think, more than any any point, I
was like, well, that was our chance. And to your point,
I mean, we came back and scored another touchdown right
into dev Rock too, two of the prettiest two point
conversion plays you know, I've seen.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
They had some uh also to like it.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
You know, in the grand scheme of things, didn't matter,
but I hated that fake punt that everyone knew was
going to be a fake punch. Just leave her, leave
your offense on the field to try and get two yards.
Speaker 8 (15:11):
Yeah, I mean maybe that was like Riley Leonard was
too tired, like or we're trying to give him a
break or something like we didn't think he could do it,
but like it was, it works like it.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Was a good thing. It was an effective call and
they had Jordan.
Speaker 8 (15:25):
I don't really like the idea of like putting a
jelly on the run to throw the ball, but.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
It was I mean I rewatched that rewatching that play.
That's like perfect, crazy enough, perfect execution. Like terrible call
because everybody saw Kevin, but like good execution just to
catch the ball like he almost did, and he almost did.
It's not like he whiffed.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
He just like.
Speaker 8 (15:50):
It wasn't bad. It wasn't a terrible time, like we're
talking like the Jeremi Smith. It was obviously like the
backbreaker to end the game. Backbreaker that seventy yard on though, was.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Like yeah, absolutely can't. Also, I felt like that was
also third down.
Speaker 8 (16:06):
I think it was second down we came out, or
we might have been third down because we had maybe
it was second. We came out looking okay on defense,
like we covered needing. You just missed, uh missed the
run fit. And like Leonard Moore Man, he showed that
he is quite the athlete.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
Yeah, well, well.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
Let's let's let's put a let's put a tag on
that because he's definitely gonna come up here as we
look ahead.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Uh right. The last question I have, at least about
watching the game.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
It was hard for me to tell, but I heard
others pretty said like we're able to It seemed like
the linebackers did not have their best game. Uh listening
to some of the beat I guess they played better
second half. Obviously you started to get some stops, but
just bad run fits, seemed out of position, just maybe
a step two slow.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
I mean, could you tell watching the game live?
Speaker 3 (16:58):
Yeah, yeah, all that's absolut accurate.
Speaker 7 (17:00):
So in the first half, a lot of their success
was those underneath passes of the crossing routes. There was
not a linebacker to be seen for all that the
touchdown where Will Will Where Will Howard scrambled? All three
of them were back in coverage and then he takes
two steps forward, and then he takes two steps forward and.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
Then all, oh no, he passed a touch that's that's.
Speaker 7 (17:27):
And then all all three linebackers simultaneously.
Speaker 9 (17:33):
Yeah and again like they just they're just they had
they had everything, like I kind of, I don't.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
Know, like they did. It was.
Speaker 8 (17:52):
It was a good game. They have obviously, like like
do you put it on the coordinators, like you put
it on the game plan? Do you put it on
the coordinators not adjusting?
Speaker 2 (18:06):
Yeah, I have to put I mean not I mean
to late. Blame is tough.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
But what I will say, Chip Kelly got out coached
by Al Golden. Uh and this was the game. Yeah, sorry,
thank you. Al Golden got out coached. Chip Kelly won
in that battle versus Al Golden.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Yeah yeah yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:26):
And you know they has the running backs and the
wide receivers and when the quarterbacks playing that, well, it's
it's tough.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
No matter who you are.
Speaker 1 (18:33):
You could have I don't know the second company of
Meet Rocket called the defense. It wouldn't matter much, but
that coupled with this was the game I think more
than any for the whole game where the defensive line
injuries finally caught up to us because Will Howard was
great about getting the ball out quickly, but even still
(18:53):
there were there were some plays that felt like where
he just sat back there forever and had all day
to throw. And this is the game where we really
missed a fully healthy Howard Cross, Rivy Mills and one
of the two and trailer. I mean, I not to
say we would have won, but give us to give
us three of those four you pick, and.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
That that's a pree point game either way. Like, so
we wanted to have. So I was sitting with.
Speaker 8 (19:22):
Our buddy Dan Keyo, who admittedly like is up and
down kind of a fair Weather fan throughout the season.
He was saying this and so like I was talking
with him and much loved Dan. One of the things
that like was killed in the first half was like fuck,
(19:44):
here we go again, like and yeah, Like all I
could see was.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
Like fucking Paul find Bomb.
Speaker 8 (19:50):
All I could see was like, yep, no name, just
can't hang zee every time they didn't even deserve to
be here, didn't even deserve to be here, all the bullshit,
and so like, I was honestly like despondent, Like, but
I was like, Okay, I went to the Penn State game.
It seems over we were we were down fourteen, not seven.
(20:10):
But I was also kind of like, all right, we
got to stick this out. Our guys have shown they've
they've played three this before, so let's stick it out.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
There were like Dan and I literally had a conversation.
Speaker 8 (20:22):
Of like probably eight times throughout the second half where
it was like, all right, if this happens.
Speaker 6 (20:28):
On this play, we're leaving, like or this play is
the game.
Speaker 8 (20:31):
They like, this plays the game, And we kept pulling
it out and I was like, oh my god, I
think we're gonna win because because we kept saying it
and we kept like rising to the occasion over and
over again. And I don't know, like it sucked. I'm
not gonna lie like it was awful. It was a
gut punch. Hated it, but like it's guad to go
(20:55):
back to your point, like this.
Speaker 6 (20:56):
Team, like, my god, what they like.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
I was the only like I stayed because of the season, because.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Of the way that they the way that they fought
all year, the.
Speaker 8 (21:06):
Way that they just like came back from Northern Illinois
and they just kept flighting all damn year and it
was awesome, like to have a chance to put ourselves
in a position of respectability, like despite being getting just
boat raced.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
For yeah.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
Point, I have to say I have to say thank
you Robbie for bringing that up, because this is one
of the one of the main points I wanted to
bring up from the start.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
I just I loved it.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
We have all seen Notre Dame in these big games
lose that exact game by forty points or thirty points
where the other team takes to put off the gas.
Credit to Freeman, credit to the players. They fought like
fucking hell. They came out and yeah we lost by
double did just lost by eleven, but not for nothing.
That's the closest Natty in seven years. And it could
(21:58):
have been that game could have been forty nine to
ten and it wasn't.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
And they came back and they fought.
Speaker 6 (22:06):
And I don't know if they did a forty nine ten.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
Well they fought when they could have just thrown in
the towel.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
And there were I was getting text from some of
my Penn State buddies in the first half h there
was some you know, social media types jumping ready to
jump on the course of Notre Dame. And they came
back and they fought, and not for nothing, but we
needed three touchdowns and three two point conversions.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
We got two thirds of the way there.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
Yeah, a team, and we felt short, but like, holy fuck,
like that was fucking awesome coming back and scoring that.
Speaker 7 (22:43):
If you had the displeasure of Harry Freeman's interview going
into halftime, I mean he answered the questions were what
are you going to change in the second half, it was, well,
we got to change some things in the second half.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
So he answered all the questions with the question himself.
He looked completely clue with what to do.
Speaker 7 (22:59):
And I think one of the those remarks was we
got to play like we like we like we've been
there before, something to that effect. So he he squarely said,
like our our players are blinded by the bright lights
of the stage. So I don't know what happened at halftime,
but based on seeing the play in halftime, hearing that
interview going into halftime where coach Freeman's like, I don't
(23:20):
know what the hell to do, I'm surprised that it
turned out the way it did.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
Good.
Speaker 8 (23:25):
No, that's one of the things probably that we could
transition to this. But like I think the Pinhun it
is like this is a rare occurrence we shouldn't take
it for granted. I don't think I'm taking it for granted.
I don't think any of you guys are taking it
for granted. I haven't heard anybody who's like on the
Notre Dame podcast beat that, like the fans of Notre Dame,
who do media that seem to have taken this for granted.
(23:49):
But I think one of the things that we have
to acknowledge is like, how do you how do you
maintain that when you lose Jack Peiser, when you lose
your wats, when you lose, when you lose Benjamin Morrison,
when you lose We can believe it at that because
we got to like friendsish, because Chase, you had something
more to say about this.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
But yeah, final thoughts, those final thoughts in the game,
and rather let's put a pin in the act, because
I do have thoughts moving in the next year, but
final thoughts in the game, Chase anything, We just like it.
Speaker 4 (24:20):
It cannot be not stated on the on the wrap
Up podcast, like that first drive it took ten minutes.
Oh my god, it was awesome, and it's never it
never I didn't know how to, you know, absorb it
at the moment but it was like that that did
not happen the last time we played, you know, the
(24:42):
big dogs in twenty twelve or for you know, for
the for the really big games and coming out and
just putting it on them. And you know, again, credit
will how to say for responding so quickly, but like
the fact that that Notre Day put on an absolute
just just I.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
Don't, I don't know what described. I don't know. There
needs to be a new.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
Uh eighteen play ten minute drive running down I think
at least one maybe two fourth down conversions. Yeah, it
was like den Brock's masterpiece, as Pete Stampson said it was.
Speaker 4 (25:15):
It was, yeah, yeah, den Brock's masterpiece. Fine, we'll go
with that. But like that, you know that that gave
me hope. The rest of the game in a weird
way was like this is not it can't it can't
quite be a blowout, like if our offense just decides
to like stay in front of the chains and and
it didn't for two and a half quarters, which we've
(25:36):
seen all year, and then we started to come back
to life a little bit and it was it was
justifying in too, you know, an unsuccessful title run. But
we just we we just ran into a buzz off,
but we fought back.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
This time, we fought.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
We gained a lot of respect nationally throughout that playoff.
Run my again my final thoughts on the game, and
I'll leave it there. It's an amazing season. We finished
better than one hundred and thirty two other teams in FBS,
and we earned it. And we had a chance against
Ohio State even late, even the way we played the
first half.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
Small mini rant.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
So watching the game live in the stadium, this is
a PSA to all Notre Dame fans when your team
has effectively lost the game. There's a minute left after
Jeremiah Smith scores a touchdown and the fucking buffoon of
the hype man in the stadium. The worst part of
my entire trip is that fucking clown running the running
(26:42):
the hype videos during the game, and he hands to
Notre Dame fans to get you to fucking dance when
you're losing and you just lost a national championship, go
fuck yourselves. You guys should lose all relity. This was
and this wasn't. I'm sure no one saw this on TV,
but he was. He was awful like and I get it.
Speaker 8 (27:04):
It's an act like there there were some like that
was what I was looking for, Squid. To your point,
I was looking for the Notre Dame fans who were
like acting appropriately.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
I was there. There were a good number of them.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
I was more than anything I saw. I kept I
just kept screaming at you, and I'm not talking. This
wasn't even like kids or like. This was like grown
ass adults. Depth out Notre Dame gear and your team
literally just second lost the National championship on that cheremizedmith
backbreaking bomb down the field and the fucking announcer is
(27:37):
gonna play Don't Stop Believing, and you're dancing to the stands.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
Fund yourself.
Speaker 8 (27:41):
The best part of the Don't Stop Believing was John
bon Jovi's in the house.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
The most of anyone. He looked pissed watching. He was
the best, most most legit Notre Dame fan reaction.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
If there are any fans, better day fans listening and
this this hits home and you're pissed off right now,
take a long look in the mirror, save yourself the money,
and don't go to the next Natty because we need
true but we need true believers.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
Next time. So like that said, uh, we lost Rhino.
Maybe he was one of those dancing.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
Let's let's transition it here so we we don't need
to get into all the offseason moves. But obviously the
big one, Al Golden God bless him, he's taking the
NFL job. I think we all saw come and he's
going to the Bengals as the DC. The latest rumblings
I've seen on the boards is that we're down to
two options. Jim Leonard, former excellent DC at Wisconsin, or
(28:50):
Mike Mickens are amazing defensive secondary coach. It's most or both.
It's seems like there's a possibility that they could do
the co d defensive coordinator thing. Uh, Robbie Chase, do
you have a preference? Do you have thoughts.
Speaker 4 (29:14):
Both the number two teams in the country, Like what,
I don't think like, I don't think both.
Speaker 8 (29:19):
I don't think both keeps mckens around. I think it's
gotta be Mickens if they.
Speaker 4 (29:24):
Can pull off the smoke, Like the smoke is that
there's a that both is like a legitimate it could happen.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
I just it's one more right now, welcome back.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
We're talking about we moved on to the defensive coordinator discussion.
Speaker 2 (29:42):
It looks like it's going down to.
Speaker 3 (29:44):
Finish National championship DJ discussion.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
Yeah, sorry if I say about it, but it's sorry
if I offended you.
Speaker 4 (29:52):
This is before before I get all the way into
like my thoughts on that this is this is the
whole reason that I got like, I'm I have a
tough time like now post National Championship. I don't know
if I can watch sports for a little while, like
I am, I am stat out, Like I don't know
if it's gonna take a very long time to like
get It might be like four or five games into
(30:13):
the next season to be like starting to get like
energized to watch more in football again because of how
much this title run took out of me and how
like it's such an emotional dream to like lose. Especially
to me, it's the coaches that when they leave, that's
you know, a Jack Kaiser could be. I think they
(30:34):
can be replaced, like we have Jadie Bertran last year.
So like every year we're gonna get you know, it
might be Drake Bowen next year, and it might be
who knows, Madden Faremo, who's you know, is a true freshman.
Maybe he looks like the next coming of Anti Tail.
Like the players come and they reload. The coaches are
a different story. And that's where I'm I'm just trying
(30:55):
to like be the you know, forever optimists and saying, yeah,
let's get the best thing we can because I don't know,
it sounds like Bavak was willing to spend the money.
And we're the number two, so we're the number two
team in the country, so we should pre we should
be pretty attractive. And oh, by the way, look at
all the talent that we have on the team anyways,
especially in the secondary, So like, can we just can
(31:18):
we just like not have a bad news offseason like
we normally do.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
Yeah, that's just my first So no, it's a really
good point because look, I this off.
Speaker 1 (31:30):
Season took it, or this whole season took a toll
on me, and I wasn't even fucking playing. I can
only imagine the players. I literally I caught the everywhere
I've heard the last pot. I caught the fluid. It
like wipe me the fuck out, Like, and I have
a million kids, So I've been sick for ten years
and this was the worst I've dealt with in a while.
But to your point, Chase, this, so this season was
(31:51):
I think looking back on it, we can say Marcus
Spreen was established and getting some credibility, exercising some demons.
This next season will be proving that it was him
and maybe not the coordinators per se, or at least
can you was it a flash in the pan? And
this this kind of gets back to what I asked before,
(32:11):
like what is Freeman's identity as a head coach? What
does he do really well? Is it sustainable? You know,
you look at Saban every year he was changing offensive
coordinators and it was just the machine kept Roland versus
the Dabo Sweeney types where he caught you know, Sweeney
had Elliott and what's his face Megatron skeletor for thirteen
(32:37):
years the same two coordinators.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
Is Freeman the result of his coordinators or not? You're
talking about.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
It's so like obviously I'm optimistic too, especially you know
Jim Leonard. I think would be a home run higher,
especially if we can keep Mickens. I you know, before
I heard the names, I wanted Nickens just to keep him.
I think he's one of our best recruiters. And assistant
coaches period. I get the concerns that he's never been
(33:08):
a DC before, but Freeman's a defensive minded coach their buddies.
So yeah, if you can bring in Leonard, who worked
magic at Wisconsin with arguably you know, equivalent or slightly
lesser than talent than Notre Dame, I think it's fair
to say, sorry, Wisconsin fans, I'm excited about what he
(33:29):
could do at Notre Dame, but if there's anything I
will like, he was.
Speaker 4 (33:35):
Also Marcus Freeman's first choice for defensive coordinator before I'll go.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
Good point, like a historical point.
Speaker 1 (33:44):
But yeah, just you know, and it's again, it's tough
to your point, Chase, Like you know, I said I
was detaxing from football amboos after the game and it
took me, took me two days.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
And I'm back. But like.
Speaker 1 (34:00):
I feel you, it is, especially looking at what the
playoff run would take to like get back to the Natty,
just seems insanely daunting to do it again. But just
you know, right, I'll go to you, like, what are
your thoughts on Was this just a down year for
the SEC and they will be back or do you
(34:21):
buy into the narrative that Notre Dame is now part
of that tier SEC. The talent has spread out more
with thanks to Nil And I guess my question is
I've heard that you know this was Notre Dame's best
year or best chance given the DOWBT, you know, Alabama
being down, Georgia being down. Do you buy into that
(34:45):
or do you go the other way?
Speaker 7 (34:52):
I actually think everything you said was true. So while
I do think this was our best chance in a while,
or maybe our best chance for a few years, especially
with the new stetup where where even though the playoff
kind of levels the playing field, some more teams have
a shot, it's also harder to win that many games
to get to the championship. So I do think this
(35:13):
is our best shot in a while and maybe four
a while. But I also believe that the playing field
is leveled across the board.
Speaker 2 (35:20):
Now.
Speaker 7 (35:21):
I don't think there's gonna be any There's not gonna
be a single powerhouse conference. There's not going to be
the two three teams that just run away their.
Speaker 3 (35:31):
Head and shoulders above the rest.
Speaker 7 (35:33):
So I so I do think we have we have
where we're gonna be in the discussion, uh moving forward.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
Yeah, and and my thoughts and I'll turn it over
to you Robbie. Like before this season, you know, I
when Michigan won last two years ago and Iard the
last one before, I have a state I was on
the camp of it was a fluke. They caught the
easiest fucking schedule Bamos down at Centered Center. But then
it kind of happened two years in a row, you know,
(36:02):
for me once, for me twice type of deal.
Speaker 2 (36:05):
Uh, where do you follow in this?
Speaker 1 (36:07):
Because I think, you know, I think it's important for
our outlook, at least for the Freeman era or the
foreseeable future.
Speaker 8 (36:15):
I think that that NIL is going to definitely level
the playing field because there I just I can't get
over the fact that, like I feel like there's been
a ton of talent hidden on the three deep of
the SEC for decades and that's not there anymore because
you can go. So I think they're honestly, the transfer
(36:35):
portal is probably more of it than than NIL. But
NIL helps because like you always had the hope of
stating the SEC and like getting a shot and like, oh,
the NFL scouts are going to see you, and like
it's like a resume, like Oh, I'm not going to
leave the SEC because it's on my resume.
Speaker 6 (36:52):
I don't want to do that. But now you can
like go easy not miss a year.
Speaker 8 (36:56):
So I think that the talent pool is is gonna
spread out a lot more and continue to What I
think is that we're structurally in a place that we've
never been before. With Babakua, like from everything the athletic
director he seems to like, and all I hear is
that he's just a fan. Like he's not gonna not
(37:19):
let us be competitive because of some kind of monetary disadvantage,
because of some kind of like facilities disadvantage.
Speaker 2 (37:29):
We're gonna be Notre Dame.
Speaker 8 (37:30):
But honestly, like for the first time, like like the
SEC is gonna do what the SEC does. They always
have found advantage or they but they've always like pushed
the limits. I don't know what limits are are to push,
but I'm sure they'll find them.
Speaker 6 (37:42):
But I feel like we're kind of on there.
Speaker 2 (37:44):
We're the we're on.
Speaker 8 (37:46):
The front edge of whatever the advantages are, so we're
gonna like push further. Like I keep coming back to this,
and this is probably because of the what's his name,
uh Bowden Boden that just got MSc of like this
moneyball aspect of like you did it first. Like my
hope is that we are like the Tampa Bay Rays,
(38:08):
but like of college football, where we just keep finding
those advantages and we're gonna like be ahead of the
curve and just keep pushing ahead of the curve. Like yeah,
sure in the SEC might be coming up and it's
gonna be tough to play against them. Once the Yankees
adopted moneyball, once the Red Socks adopted money ball, they
started winning, Like it's probably gonna be like that, But
I feel like we can like maybe stay ahead.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
Of the curve here and we've got the honestly, Like
I just can't get over.
Speaker 8 (38:35):
Like the thing I keep coming back to is like
all these NFL former NFL players sending their kids to
Notre Dame and what they're talking about with the culture
around Notre Dame and what Marcus Freeman like as a personality,
has brought to the university.
Speaker 6 (38:51):
That I'm just I'm so optimistic.
Speaker 8 (38:55):
Again not taking it for granted, and it's gonna be
really hard, but I don't I've never felt better about
our chances to do it again.
Speaker 4 (39:04):
And yeah, yeah, because I and maybe to unfortunately continue
the baseball analogy.
Speaker 2 (39:11):
But I think it's a apropos.
Speaker 4 (39:13):
It's like maybe maybe Notre Dame is not ever going
to be the Dodgers, right, maybe Ohio State is just
gonna be the Dodgers for you know, for a while.
But like I can see this kind of makes me sick.
Speaker 2 (39:27):
I'm gonna flick myself and the balls for saying this.
Speaker 4 (39:29):
I could say, I could see myself like the our
analogy is like the Phillies, right, Like let's go like
stack it, like have some serious talent and use competitive
like we're gonna have some serious competitive advances.
Speaker 2 (39:48):
It's not I don't think that. I don't think that.
Speaker 4 (39:49):
Notre Dame is going to be like the Tampa Bay Race,
like I think that's gonna be. I think we're gonna
be elevated past that a lot of talent. I think
we're gonna spend. I think there's the culture, right, so
that the culture breeds these seniors and fifth year guys
for staying another year, and those are our those are
(40:11):
our five star guys, right, so like you build on that,
you fill the gaps with n I L and maybe
not every year. So that you know, the Dodgers in
the in the and the Buckeyes are gonna have the
opportunity to win every like maybe Notre Dame has has
the opportunity to win three out of every five. And
(40:32):
it's just like, I think, there's so much there's so
much good there's so much good talent right now, and
this is when this is when and maybe i'll slight tangent,
this is when we absolutely need to push the pedal.
And this is this is the difference between Marcus Freeman
and Brian Kelly because when when Brian Kelly got to
the National title game, he fucking struck out. The next
(40:55):
three years we sucked. And that is I don't believe
that Marcus Freeman is not going to take advantage of
us being in the National Championship game.
Speaker 3 (41:03):
Like tangent on your tangent.
Speaker 7 (41:07):
It's funny because the whole time I've actually I've actually
thought that Marcus Freeman has reminded me a lot of
Joe Madden when the when the Cubs started getting to
the playoffs and started making deep runs that and Joe
Madden kind of is Marcus Freeman too. He's a he's
a players guy. Everybody believes him.
Speaker 3 (41:30):
Let the World Series year so almost you could tell,
like the pressure not to him.
Speaker 7 (41:42):
He was he was, he was scrambling, he was making
some some whack decisions that kind of reminded me of
Marcus in the Championship game too. And and once he
once he now that he's I feel like now that
he's been there, got the taste of it.
Speaker 3 (41:58):
Now moving forward, he can do a better job.
Speaker 7 (42:00):
And like the Cups, did they bring home a world
serious championship for the other day.
Speaker 1 (42:05):
Fuck yeah, and and and what if we said one
of one of Freeman's best attributes is his ability to
learn from past mistakes, learn, learn on the job, make adjustments,
and move forward. So let's just briefly, I know we're
hitting sitting here January twenty five. I do want to
we don't need to get into every player and all
the moves, but quickly looking ahead to the twenty twenty
(42:28):
five season. Uh, I don't know what the preseason rankings are,
but I think we are primed for, Like I do
think that another playoff.
Speaker 2 (42:38):
Getting into the playoffs should be the expectation.
Speaker 1 (42:40):
We lose a lot of players on defense, a lot
of senior players, a lot of senior leadership. But this
is something that I've been I've been sitting on since
the Matello injury. We kind of already lost those players
during the season, and this is the one benefit when
you have these massive injuries. It sucks during the year,
(43:03):
but the underclass we get a shit ton of experience
and it pays dividends moving forward.
Speaker 2 (43:09):
So obviously we lose Radley.
Speaker 1 (43:10):
Mills, Howard Cross, Benjamin Morrison I think are the big
on Xavier Wats God bless him. How can I so
like its Those are massive players to lose. We will
have gaps to fill on the defensive line. But I
do think especially if we get Jim Leonard or Mickens
w or the combination of both, I don't think we
(43:33):
will have a top five defense next year. But I
think we will still have a really good defense next year.
The secondary should still be fucking amazing with Leonard Moore
and Christian Gray. I know he got kind of picked
on at the end, but those will be seasoned quarters
and Leonard Moore can run with anyone. Our linebackers should
(43:55):
be that much better next year. They're all fucking young.
Probably the most talented position outside of maybe offensive line
as a whole that we have on the team, our linebackers,
they are all four and five star caliber players. They're
going to be fucking studs. And you know, not for nothing.
But if we can get Ptello back healthy, Treori back healthy,
(44:16):
we have a couple incoming defensive lineman transfers we can
We'll talk more about that in our next year preview.
I think the defense will be good, but I think
where we will see strides next year is the offense.
And the the potential is there. And I say this
(44:37):
after you know, two seasons of Notre Dame's offense putting
up statistically phenomenal seasons. But the potential is there for
next year to be a fucking journey Yeah, juggernaut slash,
unstoppable type offense that we've all wanted forever.
Speaker 2 (44:55):
Whether and I say this with like, I want to
see CJ.
Speaker 1 (44:59):
Carr the phenom recruit, Like I kind of pull it
for him. But even if it is and Jelly best
Man wins and.
Speaker 6 (45:07):
Jelly beats out cry hold.
Speaker 1 (45:11):
It out the wide receivers, I think, well again will
be better better next year. I think, you know we will.
We can do a retrospective later you know this summer maybe,
but not for nothing but great house. I think I
think that he turns these last two games against the
best defenses he will see four weeks. I mean, he
(45:36):
excelled against some of the best defenses he will see
in a while.
Speaker 2 (45:40):
Uh. He he hasn't caliber caliber to be a true
number one.
Speaker 1 (45:43):
We got the Malachi Fields coming in from Virginia, who
will effectively be Bo Collins but better in every aspect.
Speaker 2 (45:52):
Uh. The wide receivers will be there. We will have
Jeremiah Love back fully healthy. Uh.
Speaker 1 (45:57):
You know who knows you may see some you know,
whether price transfers or not. Yeah, those are our three
three D bring. Our running backs room will be great
whatever it is.
Speaker 4 (46:12):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (46:12):
And not our offensive line.
Speaker 1 (46:16):
Our offensive line, you know we we recently just lost
you talk about talk about Robbie. You mentioned this about
sec stacking talent. We lost Rocke Spindler to the portal,
Sam Pimbleton to the portal.
Speaker 2 (46:30):
Uh, Pat Cougan to the portal.
Speaker 1 (46:33):
Those I mean, it sucks losing all of them, but
you know they essensively are all going to get paid
to play somewhere else. But none of them, none of
the three we're projected, we're projected to start next year,
and I think that's why they transferred. I think Freeman
had those difficult discussions with them and told them, hey, look,
you're not going to start. So our offensive line next
(46:54):
year has the potential to be drow More caliber type,
like legit I know we were there this year, but
like legitimately Joe Moore caliber. We don't need a mobile
quarterback to prevent that. Like, the offensive line could be
really fucking good, like traditional Notre Dame good. And if
that happens and still young. Second, you know, look at
(47:14):
the jump that the defense made in year two of
ol Golden versus year one. I think we're gonna see
a similar jump with den Brock and the offense, even
with a first time starter, whether it be Angelly Minschie
or CJ.
Speaker 2 (47:27):
Carr.
Speaker 1 (47:28):
I think that's where Notre Dame is going to make
their bread and butter next year. And that's where I
get really excited about the team. But that that is,
and I've been rambling here, that is my like twenty
five teaser defense I think will be good again, but
I think the offense could be special.
Speaker 8 (47:47):
I still like, I just I'm a little like what
scares me the most is the offensive line and leaving.
I understand why they do. I'm not faulting them. I
love them. They're great, but like the losing depth is
probably just PTSD of a season of justice. Well, especially
after that is all year, it would be really nice
to have a three du you know.
Speaker 1 (48:10):
Uh, And that's your that was your point Robbie about
the SEC. That's what they did for years. They stacked
that talent and that depth. Yeah, when they're when their
second and third string was going in, you had potential,
you know, NFL caliber players.
Speaker 8 (48:24):
And you know, my other worry is that, like we
just don't have the wide receiver like Alan yet.
Speaker 2 (48:32):
I don't know, and I don't know how long.
Speaker 8 (48:34):
It's gonna be before we get there if we do
get there, Like we're they're solid, Like I'm glad to
have malt Fins. I think Great House is gonna be good.
I just don't there's some freshment team to k K.
Smith and Camilliams Rogan.
Speaker 2 (48:47):
Especially. I think.
Speaker 8 (48:50):
Receivers is that like the the quarterbacks coming up, the Angel's,
the cars, the midchies. Well, I don't know how much
about I don't know as much about like they are
pocket passers more so than runners, and so receiver talent
is a lot more important. I think important also is
tight end, yeah talent, which I think we might but
(49:14):
I don't know if we.
Speaker 2 (49:15):
Have Evans coming back.
Speaker 4 (49:18):
Evans is gone, but even behind him, Like I just
like so rare that.
Speaker 2 (49:27):
Yeah, rare.
Speaker 4 (49:28):
It is tight end one because Cooper Fanning against done
for the year and then we have a transfer, but
we might need maybe two more transfers.
Speaker 2 (49:37):
At tight end. Yeah.
Speaker 8 (49:38):
So that's where I like, I'm a little bit Yeah,
I'm a little work with an Irish name.
Speaker 1 (49:45):
Yeah, And and you know I respect it that, you know,
not for nothing. I get the concerns about the wide
receiver room. It's they're kind of in a I still
you know, you can't can't fully believe until you actually
see them do it.
Speaker 2 (50:00):
But I do think.
Speaker 1 (50:03):
With a past like because every time Angelly went in,
all of a sudden, the receivers started to pop, you know.
So it's like I do think with a pass first offense,
I think they're going to be more productive and actually
start to scare opponents and that and like I said,
if Great House can do that against Penn State and Ohio,
state with Riley Leonard. I think he can do that
against anyone, and.
Speaker 2 (50:26):
You know if they are.
Speaker 1 (50:27):
If our other major concern is our tight end room,
I think that's a decent position to be in. You know,
everyone everyone's going every team is going to have flaws
and problems, but it's not terrible. Uh, Final thoughts fellas
anything you guys want to get off your chest here last,
let's put a bow on the twenty twenty four season
and right, I'll start with you anything you want to
(50:51):
say here about the year. Final thoughts before we all
take a break heading into twenty twenty five.
Speaker 7 (51:01):
Yeah, I want to apologize to Riley Leonard. In week
three or so, I know we had an open discussion
about whether or not he should be benched. We talked
shit for so long about his inability to throw the.
Speaker 2 (51:16):
Ball, especially deep you're wrong.
Speaker 3 (51:17):
We talked about how I couldn't throw on the run.
Speaker 7 (51:18):
We gave him, We gave him so much ship, I mean,
and to a certain extent rightfully so. But dear God,
if if he didn't do the things that he did
this year, we would have been shipped out of luck.
Speaker 3 (51:30):
So sorry and thank you for all that you've done.
Speaker 2 (51:34):
For US Riley Preach Amen Robbie. Final thoughts.
Speaker 6 (51:40):
This is my favorite team until we won a national championship.
Speaker 8 (51:43):
I think this a game could take to be the
favorite team. I don't know that there's a better. H Weirdly,
here come the iris for the series. I don't think
there was a better way to get me like reinvolved
in the season because I was done after Northern Illinois
and that series like brought me back into it. Marcus Freeman.
(52:06):
There's not a player on this team that I would
say like brought me back into it. Maybe Jeremy Love,
but like, there's no Brady Quinn, there's no Tao, there's
no like favorite player about this team. It's just this team.
So this is gonna be my favorite team until we won.
Speaker 2 (52:23):
A national championship.
Speaker 8 (52:24):
And I'm gonna miss Rady Leonard a lot, right up
to your point about apologizing for like wanting to bench.
I'm gonna miss Avir Watts. I'm gonna miss Benjamin Morrison,
who barely played this year, and I'm gonna, like, I
feel like he had an impact on the season. And yeah,
I'm glad that we did not take a second of
(52:44):
this for granted. And I guess I'll say what I
didn't say in the last podcast is like this podcast
also helped me. So thank you everybody who listens, our friends,
I know you were gonna listen to anything. My family listened,
but eighties guy, you're the bomb, like the like that
helped get that helped this.
Speaker 2 (53:04):
Be a real season this year. It in a way that.
Speaker 8 (53:09):
I haven't felt since in like college, like even the
twenty twelve season, but like since college.
Speaker 2 (53:14):
So thanks well, said Robbie Chase. Final thoughts on the
twenty twenty four season.
Speaker 4 (53:21):
Yeah, mostly, I mean sixteen weeks, sixteen or seventeen. However
many I don't know how many football games we played
this year. It was a fucking a lot. It was
a lot of fun, mostly high some loads. Restored my
faith in believing in the optimism of Notre Dame football
(53:41):
because it had been taken away from me for quite
some time, just after getting stiff armed, you know, after
during every big football game. So now it's fun to
like go into a big football game and thinking, yeah,
we can win. We can win all of these. So
that was the biggest takeaway that I got from twenty
(54:02):
twenty four. It started with Texas a and m The
playoff is one hell of a ride. It is a
it is it is now the dragon I'm going to
chase for the rest of my life, but I'm ready
to do it. Whether it's twenty twenty six Miami or
twenty twenty seven Las Vegas. I'll never forget this season.
(54:23):
I just I know there's I know there's more in
store because it's Marcus Freeman. So we got to hang
on to him, and we're going to find you know,
we'll find the magic at some point.
Speaker 2 (54:35):
I just hope it's sooner rather than later. Well said.
Speaker 1 (54:39):
I am going to steal a quote from our excellent
producer Chris Kapner, you know miss Newman. After the game,
he said, this felt like a beginning more than an end.
And I truly believe that with the Freeman era, I
just call it, say what you will. I have faith
that he he has the culture in place to survive
(55:04):
various player transfers and coaching changes, and I'm here for
the ride. To any fans out there where your Notre
Dame gear with pride, you can go into any stadium,
any dangerous opposing team bar venue, and know that the
(55:27):
twenty twenty four team has restilled confidence. We went into
your point chase on the road, SEC beat Texas A
and M cap that off with beating the SEC Championship Georgia.
In the South, we beat Penn State, came back. I mean,
Notre Dame has exercised the demons. Freeman is for real
(55:50):
and you should be proud to be a Notre Dame fan.
Final thoughts here about the podcast in general to all
of our various fans out there, Thank you, Hi mom,
How you doing. We are going to do a rebrand
in the off season, try and find a name that
may not have violated trademark laws and may not get
(56:11):
us sued, so it will still be the same profanity
laden content that you come to know and love, just
with a different name.
Speaker 2 (56:17):
We still have to figure out and nobody here's anything.
Speaker 1 (56:24):
This This will be what we we four or five
collective will be fighting over all off season. Uh, And
I know there was something else I was supposed to
talk about. Our schedule. Our schedule, that's right. Yeah, so
uh you've heard here we are. We are, we are
limping to the finish line. This is this has been
tough on us. We're taking a much any break as
(56:45):
much as I would love to say. This is my
day job and I can give you daily and or
weekly content. That's just not that's just not where we're
at right now. Hopefully you know, click the link and
subscribe to the comments and get us there one day maybe,
but we are going to take some time off just
just states tuned. Maybe you know, maybe post spring game,
maybe sometime over the summer, once you know all the
(57:06):
random transfers are in and out. But certainly get ready
at a minimum next August for the pod that started it,
all our preseason rankings with the position groups and all
the good stuff to get ready for the twenty twenty
five season.
Speaker 3 (57:21):
Thank you wives for letting us keep these despite our work.
Speaker 1 (57:24):
Yeah oh yeah, thank you. Yeah, it's all the wives
out there. You guys are the best. I couldn't have
done it without you. Thank you for watching all of
our respective children while we talk for sixteen plus hours
about not name football at random times during the weeks.
I'm Squid, that's Chase, he's Robbie, that's Rhino. Good luck,
got speed, go Irish. This is not dame freaking podcast.
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