Tag: Matt Freeman

Notre Dame baseball loses commitment from top 2025 player in Iowa

The good news for Notre Dame baseball is there are plenty of commitments still for the 2025 recruiting class.

The good news for Notre Dame baseball is there are plenty of commitments still for the 2025 recruiting class. There’s bound to be a few players in that class who will become very viable to the program. However, the Irish will have to press on without one of the more notable commitments in that class.

Tatin Gray is one of the more versatile players in his recruiting class and the top-ranked player in Iowa. He can play pretty much any position in the field and is athletically gifted in general.

Although the Irish had a commitment from Gray, that appears to no longer be the case. According to Matt Freeman of Irish Sports Daily, Gray has de-committed from the program.

While we wish Gray well in his feature endeavors, this has to be a tough blow to the Irish. Alas, they have no choice but to move on without him and hope someone else can replicate what he would have brought.

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Receiver commit Cam Williams enrolling early at Notre Dame

Why wait to start your Irish career when you don’t have to?

Sometimes, when you’re about to play college football and have accomplished all you can in high school, you just can’t wait anymore. 2024 Notre Dame quarterback commit [autotag]CJ Carr[/autotag] already has done that. Now, he’s being joined by one of his targets in that same recruiting class.

Hopes are high that 2024 receiver commit [autotag]Cam Williams[/autotag], who attended the Irish’s win over Wake Forest, will be one of many players to revolutionize that position for the program. Well, he’s decided to get an early start on that per Matt Freeman of Irish Sports Daily:

By graduating early, Williams’ time as a student at Glenbard South in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, will end sooner than that of most of his classmates. There might not have been a more talented player ever to don a Raider uniform, and he now gets to begin the next chapter of his football life. Here’s to what hopefully will be a nice collegiate career for him.

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Watch: Notre Dame commit Cam Williams stars in debut, reaffirms Irish commitment

He’s going to be something special with the Irish.

2024 Notre Dame receiver commit [autotag]Cam Williams[/autotag] has entered his senior season at Glenbard South in Glen Ellyn, Illinois with high expectations. Not the least of those is living up to his No. 2 ranking on 247Sports’ list of 2024 recruits in the Land of Lincoln. So Matt Freeman of Irish Sports Daily attended Williams’ season opener and did not come away disappointed. Take a look at how smoothly Williams cuts and how he uses that to his advantage:

These touchdowns all happened in the first half. Williams would tack on two more in the second half for a total of five scores in a 56-21 victory. As you can see from the above clip, he just makes it look too easy at times.

Last year, I noted that Williams and I share the same high school. After I shared this with him in order to interview him for the site, I checked in on him periodically to see how he was doing. When the above clip was released, this Raider alumnus asked the current Raider how he’s able to cut so smoothly after a catch. He said the following:

“To be honest, I think it’s from my running back days with vision and stuff.”

How many of you knew that he used to be a running back? It definitely explains why clips like this one of him exist. And for those of you worrying that he might change his mind about attending Notre Dame, don’t. He also said this:

“You know, I find a true peace to how I am knowing what I want. … Nothing can keep me away from South Bend.”

So opposing fan bases can try all they want to sway Williams. He’s sticking with the Irish. You have to admire a recruit who refuses to give into more financially lucrative opportunities he might find elsewhere in the NIL era. More recruits should follow his example.

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Second 2023 Notre Dame recruiting class member asks for release

Another signee out the door as a result of Brey’s pending retirement.

SOUTH BEND – Once again, [autotag]Mike Brey[/autotag]’s plea for Notre Dame’s signees to meet a new coach has gone unheeded. Less than a week after losing 2023 signee Brady Dunlap, the Irish now find themselves without the future services of shooting guard Parker Friedrichsen. Matt Freeman of Irish Sports Daily is reporting that Friedrichsen, who hails from Bixby, Oklahoma, has asked for and been granted his release from his National Letter of Intent. That leaves only [autotag]Markus Burton[/autotag] in the upcoming recruiting class:

Brey’s retirement announcement already has almost completely decimated the incoming group of freshmen. There’s no telling at this point who, if anyone, will commit to the Irish for next season or even beyond. All that’s certain is that the 2023-24 Irish are going to look almost completely different with players who mostly are lucky to see garbage-time minutes this season. Given that and players who aren’t used to game action with each other, lean times for the program aren’t far away.

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Twitter reacts to Braden Lenzy’s incredible touchdown catch

Did you see this?!

Just when [autotag]Braden Lenzy[/autotag] seemed forgotten this season, he emerged as a key figure in the first quarter of Notre Dame’s game against Navy. Through two offensive possessions for the Irish, Lenzy was leading all receivers with four catches for 67 yards. One reception came on the first drive for 21 yards. Another was made possible by a 38-yard pass from [autotag]Drew Pyne[/autotag], and it was, well, just look at it:

This catch that you only see a few times a season at most throughout college football gave the Irish a 14-0 lead. Even a few of the sailors in attendance had to look at each other in disbelief. You know you’ve done something special when the opposing fans have no choice but to give you credit for what they just saw. Twitter couldn’t believe what had happened either, and you’ll see it from these folks, many of whom undoubtedly still haven’t picked their jaws off the floor:

Sneak peak of new turf at Notre Dame Stadium tweeted

Think you’ll like this?

The 2022 season is coming, but not fast enough. We know you want to see the field at Notre Dame Stadium sooner rather than later, either in person or on TV. Well, when the season does arrive, the field might look a little different than it has recently. If this tweet from Matt Freeman of Irish Sports Daily is to be believed, new turf has been put down:

If there is anyone out there who somehow believed that Notre Dame Stadium has had the exact same playing surface since [autotag]Knute Rockne[/autotag] coached there, I’ve got a bridge to sell you.

All joking aside, it’s nice to see this happen and also appropriate given that [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] is about to coach his first full season. There’s just something about symbolism in sports that makes all of it more romantic. If you can’t find the beauty in that, maybe it’s time to find a new hobby.

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Tommy Rees grows mustache amid pressure from Notre Dame quarterbacks

What do you think of this ‘stache?

I personally never have been a fan of facial hair. I can’t go more than a day without shaving. Even if I decided I wanted to grow a beard, I wouldn’t have the patience to put up with the itchiness that comes with it. That’s why in this regard, I’m glad I’m not Tommy Rees.

Per a tweet from Matt Freeman of Irish Sports Daily, Notre Dame’s offensive coordinator was “bullied” by his quarterbacks to grow a mustache. Here is the result:

It’s not a bad mustache at all. In fact, it fits the Chicago-area native well. All that’s missing is those goofy sunglasses and Bears attire, and he would fit right in with the Superfans. The only question is if he could nail that stereotypical Chicago accent.

All of this said, I’m still not going to grow anything out. Beards and mustaches might work for some people, but they just are not for me. If Rees ends up keeping his mustache throughout the season, good for him. Just hand me my razor.