Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1526111
18 SEPT. 7, 2024 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY TYLER HORKA T he buzzword meandering around South Bend early in fall camp was trust. Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman said it five times in his first press conference of camp, four times in response to one question. He was asked what boxes junior Jaden Mickey and sophomore Christian Gray needed to check to win the field corner- back starting position, a spot the latter locked up when the official depth chart was released five days before the season opener at Texas A&M. The biggest of those boxes had T-R-U-S-T written on it in bold, block letters. A second-year player emphatically crossing right through it says every- thing about this 2024 Notre Dame team. "We have way more leaders than cap- tains," Notre Dame defensive coordina- tor Al Golden said. This is an Irish squad that isn't afraid to rely on youngsters even with a wealth of elder statesmen at the coaching staff's disposal. Gray is going to start, and so is fellow sophomore Adon Shuler at safety. There were options with more experience. Freeman and Co. chose them anyway, just like the staff chose to start fresh- man Anthonie Knapp and sophomore Sam Pendleton over much older choices — graduate student tackle Tosh Baker graduate student guard Rocco Spindler and senior guard Pat Coogan — along the offensive line. To start a football game for the Uni- versity of Notre Dame, especially one on the road in front of 100,000-plus people, you've got to be trusted. You've got to be someone teammates look at and see strength, equanimity and belief. The Irish see that in Gray and Shuler, Knapp and Pendleton. They see it in sophomore linebacker Drayk Bowen and LEADING LEADING THE WAY THE WAY Notre Dame has five team captains but many more leaders Sophomore cornerback Christian Gray earned enough trust in the off- season to be named a Week 1 starter. PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER