Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1532365
24 MARCH 2025 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED HEAD COACH MARCUS FREEMAN … On what Riley Leonard and Notre Dame's seniors have meant to the program: "I'm tremendously grateful. … Week 2, it was a rough outlook. You go from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. The reality is we all had a little bit of doubt, but we all chose to work, and we all chose to trust each other and choose to love each other and be selfless and put the team in front of ourselves. "And we did it every week, and every week, and you still had to trust beyond knowing if your work was going to get you the result that you wanted, and they continued to do it. They put this program in a position to play for a national championship." On Ohio State building a 31-7 lead: "There were some things on both sides of the ball that we don't normally do and some communication mistakes, self-inflicted wounds that we haven't been doing the past few weeks. You're always making mistakes, but those type of detrimental mistakes when you play a really, really good football team cost you points. "That's probably the biggest thing that has stuck out to me even in between series, the communication. Hey, we're good, we got it. Well, we can't make mistakes. It falls on my shoulders. And as the head coach, we have to prepare and be better prepared for this moment. These guys gave everything they got." SENIOR QUARTERBACK RILEY LEONARD … On looking gassed on the sideline after scoring an opening-drive touchdown: "No, I just landed on the ball funny a couple of times. I wasn't feeling sick. I felt fine. Just landed on the ball, felt a little awkward. No problem at all for me." On carrying the ball nine times on the first drive: "If Coach wants to call my number and have me run the ball every single play, I've got no problem with it. You've seen me put my body on the line for this team over and over again. "Whether I'm running the ball or passing the ball, it doesn't matter. I'm going to do everything I can to help the team win. Hit a little lull there in the first half, but like I say, I've got to live with it." DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR AL GOLDEN … On what made Ohio State difficult to defend: "They can stretch you with their speed and three wideouts that can beat you at any given time and the numbers don't equate when they have the running backs in there, too. "There got to be a point where we said, 'OK, where are we going to put our chips?' And go that way, because in the first half we were playing a little bit more zone and that wasn't working, and the run game was going for them. But it's a pro- lific offense, obviously, and the quarterback played really well today." OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR MIKE DENBROCK … On sophomore running back Jeremiyah Love carrying the ball only four times for 3 yards: "I think he felt like he was in a position to really do his best and give it a try. Unfortu- nately, probably had too many limited opportunities to really show how healthy he was today." On what made sophomore wide receiver Jaden Great- house so effective: "Just the fact that he's a guy that works at his game constantly. He's been there for us all year when we've needed him. He was there again tonight and obviously put us back in a position where at least we were able to make a game of it down the stretch." On Leonard giving it his all: "It's the way he plays the game, and I can't say enough about his effort and what he's given to this football team, and this university and this football program." GRADUATE STUDENT LINEBACKER JACK KISER … On what Notre Dame has meant to him over the past six years: "I think when you look at the six years I've been here, what I remember is the people. "From when I was a small underclassman just trying to learn the ways, looking at a Drew White, Bo Bauer, to being a guy running with my boys in JD and Marist, and then this year coming back and feeling like I had a chip on my shoulder and getting to meet amazing guys like Riley coming in and just kind of going on the journey we went on." FROM THE LOCKER ROOM Graduate student linebacker Jack Kiser played in 70 games over his six years at Notre Dame, the most in program history. PHOTO BY MICHAEL MILLER