With big-time transfer QB and loaded defense, Irish eyes are on a home playoff game
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Pete Thamel, ESPN
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — There are days when Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman admits he gazes over at Notre Dame Stadium and envisions a frigid December night, a packed crowd and the rarest happening in Notre Dame’s rich football history — a first.
In the 117 seasons of Notre Dame football, there have been 11 national titles, seven Heisman Trophy winners and 70 first-round NFL draft picks. It has inspired a blockbuster film, generational lore and fostered a national brand as strong as any in sports.
That doesn’t leave a lot of room for firsts. But heading into the 12-team College Football Playoff era, which starts this fall, Notre Dame is perhaps the best-positioned program to host a playoff game. And Freeman says he catches himself when he begins to think about it.
“I try not to daydream, because me daydreaming about that doesn’t really help us get there,” Freeman told ESPN recently in his office. “And the times that I do drift to that point, it’s a reminder that, OK, let’s get back to the tangible things that we can do right now to help us get to that point.”
Entering Freeman’s third season with another high-profile transfer at quarterback, there’s optimism for Irish fans to invest in a heavy coat and wool hat for some December football in South Bend.
The expanded playoff collides with what projects as Notre Dame’s best overall roster in Freeman’s three years there. There’s a flourishing NIL program to help fill the roster’s holes and hot recruiting that has the Irish with the No. 4 class for 2025 in ESPN’s rankings.
The arrival of transfer quarterback Riley Leonard from Duke combines with a star-studded defense, highlighted by projected first-round pick Benjamin Morrison at cornerback, and a salty and experienced defensive line.
That roster colliding with an expanded playoff gives Notre Dame perhaps the best chance of any school to host a CFP game in 2024. With the 12-team playoff having arrived with byes for the four highest-ranked conference champions, Notre Dame cannot get a first-round bye because it is an independent.
After winning nine games in Freeman’s debut season in 2022 and 10 games and finishing No. 14 in the Associated Press poll last year, a CFP appearance would be part of the logical progression.
“That’s got to be a realistic expectation,” Freeman said. “That we have to be one of those 12 teams is a goal. I think we are going to have a great opportunity. I think with the talent we have, with the coaching staff we have, I believe we should do the things necessary to make the playoff. And so now you got to go do it.”
Those hopes will hinge on Leonard, who has a lone season in South Bend to lead the Irish and burnish his NFL draft stock. He accounted for 33 touchdowns — 20 passing and 13 rushing — in 2022 at Duke before a flurry of frustrating injuries limited him from finishing the final three of the seven games he played last year.
Leonard knows how important it is to adjust quickly, so he arrived on campus in January already knowing the names of his nearly 100 teammates.
Leonard said he installed head shots and bios of his new teammates on the Quizlet App — think digital flash cards — and surprised many of his new teammates by addressing them by name on his first day on campus this winter. From walk-ons to All-Americans, Leonard jump-started the process of emerging as a leader. “I didn’t have one miss,” he said.
Leonard is quick to admit there’s so much more to becoming a leader in a short period of time. And the history of recent quarterback transfers has shown a big jump on the second year after a transfer, which happened for players like Joe Burrow, Bo Nix and Jayden Daniels.
But learning names is a window in Leonard’s desire to build a relationship with everyone, as he’s done everything from taking defensive lineman Jason Onye golfing to plotting some fishing ventures on local ponds.
As things warm up this spring, Leonard said he’s looking forward to trying some local fishing holes for walleye, salmon and muskie — much different than the redfish he’s used to catching in his native Alabama. “I always put hot dogs in there and the fish will swim in for whatever reason,” he said of his catch-and-release traps.
Leonard has done very little work in spring ball because of an ankle issue and isn’t expected to play in Saturday’s spring game. (Although he’s likely to take part in some of warmups as he’s back near 100%.) Leonard says not being able to earn his teammates’ respect through competing in practice has spawned creativity for making connections.
“You got to find different ways to earn people’s respect, and it’s something I’ve never had to do before, especially coming into a new program,” he said. “It creates challenges and I’m still figuring it out, but I think that I’ve done a good job of earning guys’ respect in different ways off the field.”
To land Leonard, Notre Dame’s recruiting staff earned his respect by digging deep into the school’s archives to research his great-grandfather on his mother’s side, James E. Curran, who played there in the 1930s. The staff took every mention and picture of him and put together a pamphlet for the family. Leonard, who grew up a Notre Dame fan in Alabama, jokes that his mom gave him a look when she saw the book that indicated he had no choice but to commit.
While Freeman has yet to see much of Leonard in practice, he quickly pointed out that he game-planned against him last year, which showed him plenty. Leonard hobbled through 2023 with a series of ankle and toe injuries, including a right ankle injury against Notre Dame on Sept. 30. He later injured his left toe against Louisville. “I told them they broke me,” Leonard joked to Notre Dame officials. “Now they’re paying for the surgery.”
He made that joke before a follow-up procedure on his right ankle in late March, which Freeman said was done because a stress fracture was starting to develop.
Freeman has seen plenty of Leonard’s spirit, even with his injury limitations. He used some form of competitive three times — “competitive”, “competitor” and “competitiveness” — in an answer about what Leonard can bring this year. “When you talk to him, you might not think that,” Freeman said, before stressing how he’s seen flashes in the weight room and around the facility.
There are issues for Notre Dame on offense. There are two offensive tackles who project as top-10 (Joe Alt) and top-100 (Blake Fisher) NFL draft picks. Then there’s the seemingly annual search for some high-end wide receiver play, and a new tailback needing to emerge after the departure of Audric Estime.
There is also a throwback adjustment at offensive coordinator, with Mike Denbrock returning to his old gig from LSU after calling plays for Jayden Daniels’ Heisman Trophy season. He’d been an assistant at Notre Dame from 2010-16, including a stint as playcaller, and also from 2002-04.
“Because of Mike Denbrock’s ability to mold his system around the players he has, I’m very confident in where we’ll be when it matters the most, in August,” Freeman said. “I love the mindset of making sure it’s not about the plays, it’s about the players.”
While Freeman’s on his third offensive coordinator in as many years, there’s been continuity on defense. Al Golden has been a staff mainstay, as have defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator Mike Mickens and defensive line coach and run game coordinator Al Washington.
There is a veteran defense that Freeman says is the best on paper — and he stresses only on paper — since he arrived in South Bend. With stars like Morrison (10 PBUs in 2023) and Xavier Watts (7 INTs in 2023), the Nagurski Award winner, the Irish are positioned to uphold the standard of a pass defense that ranked No. 3 nationally last year.
With productive defensive linemen Howard Cross III (66 tackles last year) and Rylie Mills (16.5 career TFLs), there’s a chance to build on a unit that ranked No. 5 overall in total defense last year.
“Where we’re starting at this year compared to the last two years is extremely higher,” Freeman said, pointing to continuity on the staff and in personnel.
Morrison pointed out that the promotion of Mickens to oversee the whole secondary has given the corners and safeties a better understanding of the scheme because they are all in better sync sitting in the same meetings. He also said it’s not uncommon for him to go see Mickens outside of normal meetings and there are already six or seven players there chatting with him. “We’re going to go as far as we want to go,” Morrison said.
And in Freeman’s third year at Notre Dame, going that far could well mean a home playoff game nearby. Morrison said that chance for history looms.
“Being here now for two years, going on three, you appreciate the university itself and the history,” he said. “You understand how special a place that it really is. So I feel it’ll be cool to be able to be part of something like that, you could tell your kids I was part of the first at something.”
There has been no shortage of excitement already this NHL offseason. Following the Florida Panthers‘ second consecutive Stanley Cup championship — and seemingly never-ending celebration — the annual period of roster modification has begun.
The 2025 NHL draft included 224 prospects finding new homes, and the weekend included trades for Noah Dobson, Charlie Coyle and John Gibson. On Monday, a slew of re-signings, and the trade of Mitch Marner, took several big names off the free agent big board.
Below you will find our continuously updated free agency tracker for 2025, featuring a list of every player signed, including average annual value of the contract in most cases. Analysis of the biggest deals can be found here.
Note that the newest deals are on top, denoted by date.
Draft recap: All 224 picks
Grades for all 32 teams
Winners and losers
July 3
The Hurricanes have signed the most coveted free agent left on the board; former Jet Nikolaj Ehlers is heading to Carolina via a six-year, $8.5 million AAV contract.
The Sharks are building an elite young core of skilled players, but the front office is also surrounding them with veterans to show the youngsters the ropes. That latter trend continued Thursday, with San Jose agreeing to terms on a two-year, $6.5 million AAV pact with defenseman Dmitry Orlov.
July 2
One of the most legendary old guys without a Stanley Cup, Brent Burns is joining the Avalanche on a one-year contract to try to fill that gap on his résumé.
Perhaps acknowledging that they will no longer be in the Nikolaj Ehlers business, the Jets added a seasoned middle-six winger instead in Gustav Nyquist, who is agreeing to a one-year, $3.25 million pact.
Defenseman Alexander Alexeyev has switched sides in the Capitals-Penguins rivalry! He’ll patrol the blue line in Pittsburgh next season, thanks to a one-year, $775,000 deal.
The Pius Suter Derby is over. The veteran forward will be plying his trade for the Blues, inking a two-year, $4 million AAV pact with the club.
The big addition for the Golden Knights this offseason was Mitch Marner, but they’re making depth moves too, including signing defenseman Kaedan Korczak to a four-year, $3.25 million AAV contract.
Winnipeg: Cold in the winter. Detroit: Slightly less cold in the winter. Mason Appleton is about to find out after signing a two-year, $2.9 million AAV contract.
The Devils saw enough out of Cody Glass during the 2024-25 season to re-sign him. His new deal is for two years, $2.5 million AAV.
Salmon Arm, British Columbia, native Curtis Lazar is headed back to Western Canada, agreeing to terms on a one-year, $775,000 contract with the Oilers.
Veteran winger Anthony Mantha has made the rounds in recent seasons, and his next NHL home is in Pittsburgh, inking a one-year, $2.5 million pact.
July 1
After a brief stint for an American-based team, Andrew Mangiapane is back in Western Canada, inking a two-year, $3.6 million AAV deal with the Oilers.
Forward Justin Brazeau has chosen the Penguins as his next NHL destination, inking a two-year, $1.5 million AAV contract.
The Devils continued adding to their forward depth, adding veteran scoring winger Evgenii Dadonov via a one-year, $1 million deal.
The July 1 goalie rush continues. The Mammoth are the latest team to make an addition in the crease, inking Stanley Cup champion Vitek Vanecek via a one-year, $1.5 million deal.
Offensive defenseman John Klingberg is headed to San Jose, agreeing to terms on a one-year, $4 million pact with the Sharks.
One of the top remaining free agents available, veteran forward Mikael Granlund has landed with the Ducks on a three-year deal.
Veteran bottom-six forward Lars Eller has chosen the Senators as his next team, agreeing to terms on a one-year, $1.25 million deal.
The Penguins have extended their business relationships with Philip Tomasino (one year, $1.75 million) and Connor Dewar (one year, $1.1 million).
As part of the effort to retake the title of Florida’s best hockey team, the Lightning have inked Pontus Holmberg to a two-year, $1.55 million AAV contract.
The Wild have added Nico Sturm. The former Panther has signed a two-year, $2 million AAV contract.
The Sabres have entered the chat! The club’s first big deal of the day is inking goaltender Alex Lyon to a two-year, $1.5 million AAV contract.
The Kraken add to their goaltending depth, adding former Stanley Cup winner Matt Murray on a one-year, $1 million contract.
The Islanders had themselves a great draft weekend, and they continue the momentum in free agency, adding veteran forward Jonathan Drouin on a two-year, $4 million AAV deal.
The Stars are on the board. Hours after announcing the official hiring of Glen Gulutzan as the club’s new head coach, the Stars have brought back forward Radek Faksa on a two-year, $3 million AAV contract.
Earlier on Tuesday the Kings lost defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov to the Rangers. To help fill that blue-line gap, they signed Cody Ceci (four years, $4.5 million AAV) and Brian Dumoulin (three years, $4 million AAV). They also signed goaltender Anton Forsberg for two years, $2.25 million AAV.
Defenseman Nick Perbix has thus far only known NHL life as a member of the Lightning. He’ll head to Nashville next, agreeing to a two-year, $2.75 million AAV deal with the Predators.
The Panthers have gone to the veteran defenseman well again, signing Jeff Petry to a one-year, $775,000 contract.
Fresh off a Stanley Cup with the Panthers, defenseman Nate Schmidt is joining the Mammoth by way of a three-year, $3.5 million AAV contract.
The NHL career of James van Riemsdyk will continue, as he has agreed to terms with the Red Wings on a one-year, $1 million deal. Separately, the Wings added Jacob Bernard-Docker on a one-year, $875,000 contract.
The Bruins add to their depth, agreeing to terms with Sean Kuraly on a two-year, $1.85 million AAV pact.
Another key member of the Panthers’ championship roster is returning. Veteran forward Tomas Nosek has agreed to a one-year deal.
After completing the 2024-25 season with the Jets, veteran forward Brandon Tanev is sticking in the Central Division, but heading to Utah by way of a three-year, $2.5 million AAV deal.
Take another goalie’s name off the big board! Kaapo Kahkonen has agreed to terms with the Canadiens on a one-year deal worth $1.15 million. In a separate deal, the club also signed forward Sammy Blais.
The winner of the 2020 Hobey Baker Award as the top player in NCAA men’s hockey, defenseman Scott Perunovich has signed a one-year deal with the Mammoth.
In need of some backup goaltending depth, the Islanders agreed to terms with “Big Save” Dave Rittich on a one-year deal.
Diminutive, versatile forward Kailer Yamamoto is the latest player added by the Mammoth, by way of a one-year, $775,000 pact.
Veteran center Nick Bjugstad has made his decision: He’s joining the Blues by way of a two-year contract.
Veteran defenseman Ryan Lindgren finished the 2024-25 season with the Avalanche, and he’ll head northwest for his next NHL home, agreeing to terms on a four-year, $4.5 million AAV contract.
The Senators haven’t been able to lure any new free agents to the club yet, but their re-signing game remains strong. After re-upping with Claude Giroux, the Sens also continued their business relationship with Nick Cousins via a one-year, $825,000 pact.
Sure to be a fan favorite in Beantown, veteran forward Tanner Jeannot has agreed to terms on a five-year contract with the Bruins, with a $3.4 million AAV.
A sixth-round pick in the 2016 draft, winger Michael Pezzetta is going from Montreal to Toronto via a two-year, $787,500 AAV contract.
Connor Brown impressed a lot of viewers with inspired play during the Oilers’ run to the Stanley Cup Final. Now, he’ll bring that energy to the Devils, who have signed him to a four-year, $3 million AAV contract.
The defenseman market is one key player smaller, as the Rangers have agreed to terms with Vladislav Gavrikov on a seven-year, $7 million AAV contract.
One of the top goaltending options available is off the board, with Dan Vladar joining the Flyers via a two-year, $3.35 million AAV contract.
Veteran feisty forward Corey Perry is switching sides in the Oilers-Kings rivalry, agreeing to terms on a one-year deal with salary and bonuses worth $3.5 million. Separately, the Kings also signed veteran forward Joel Armia to a two-year deal with a $2.5 million AAV.
One of the top available free agents has made a decision … and he’ll be re-signing. Brock Boeser is back with the Canucks by way of a seven-year, $7.3 million AAV contract.
Parker Kelly will continue his career with the Avalanche, agreeing to terms on a four-year contract with a $1.7 million AAV.
Veteran forward Colin Blackwell will be returning to the Stars, agreeing to terms on a two-year deal with a $775,000 AAV.
Christian Dvorak has moved on from the Canadiens, agreeing to a one-year, $5.4 million contract with the Flyers.
Noah Juulsen, welcome to Philly! The Flyers have inked the 28-year-old defenseman to a one-year, $900,000 deal.
Defenseman Ryan Johnson is sticking with the Sabres, agreeing to terms on a three-year deal with a $775,000 AAV.
The top-rated goaltender slated to hit free agency this offseason will not make it to market; Jake Allen is back with the Devils via a five-year contract with a $1.8 million AAV.
Veteran offensive defenseman Tony DeAngelo will be back with the Islanders for 2025-26, agreeing to terms on a one-year, $1.75 million contract.
June 30
The Red Wings will be continuing their relationship with veteran forward Patrick Kane, inking a one-year, $3 million extension.
The band is getting back together. After re-upping with Sam Bennett last week, the Panthers re-signed both Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand on Monday.
Rumors of a Mitch Marner trade popped up during draft weekend, and they came to fruition Monday, as the Maple Leafs inked Marner to an eight-year, $12 million average annual value extension, then traded him to the Golden Knights for Nicolas Roy.
The Oilers will not be allowing one of their promising young players to leave via offer sheet, as they signed restricted free agent defenseman Evan Bouchard to a four-year, $10.5 million AAV contract.
Veteran defenseman Ivan Provorov would have been one of the most sought-after blueliners on the free agent market. Instead, he’ll be back with the Blue Jackets for the foreseeable future, agreeing to a seven-year, $8.5 million AAV deal.
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