Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM MARCH 2026 3 THERE IS NO ISSUE OF BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED NEXT MONTH! The next issue of Blue & Gold Illustrated will be mailed on April 10* *SUBJECT TO CHANGE MARCH 2026 ✦ VOL. 45, ISSUE 15 IN MEMORY OF Lou Somogyi, Editor 1985-2021 MANAGING EDITOR Steve Downey CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Stu Coman, Matt Herb, Cathy Jones, Chris Riffer STAFF WRITERS Eric Hansen, Tyler Horka, Tyler James, Jack Soble RECRUITING REPORTERS Mike Singer, Kyle Kelly CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Todd D. Burlage, Jim Lefebvre PHOTOGRAPHY Michael Miller, Chad Weaver COVER PHOTO Mike Singer DESIGN Jeanette Blankenship, Chris Miller, Shelby Cragg ✦ ✦ ✦ PUBLISHER Mark Panus BUSINESS ANALYST Sarah Boone CIRCULATION Beverly Taylor ADVERTISING SALES Maria Taustine (502) 552-4390 CUSTOMER SERVICE Shelby Cragg, Macduff Henry, Cathy Jones (800) 421-7751 ✦ ✦ ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED (USPS 667650) is published 18 times annually — weekly Sept.-Dec. and monthly Jan.-Aug. (no issues in March, June and July) — by Coman Publishing Co., a division of On3 Media, Inc., located at 922 Broad St., Suite D, Durham, NC 27705 (www.comanpub.com). A one-year (18 issues) subscription is $74.95. BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED (ISSN 0746-2557) is printed by The Papers in Milford, Ind. Postmaster: Send address changes to Blue & Gold Illustrated, P.O. Box 2331, Durham, NC 27702. Periodical postage paid at Durham, NC 27702 and additional offices. For advertising or subscription information call 1-919-688-0218 or write BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED, P.O. Box 2331, Durham, NC 27702. MOVING? Don't miss an issue! Let us know your new address. Log into your account at BlueGoldOnline.com Or call 1-800-421-7751 (Monday to Friday, 10 am to 4pm ET) ✦ INSIDE THIS ISSUE Upon Further Review ✦ Todd D. Burlage ..... 4 Golden Gamut ✦ Tyler Horka ....................... 5 Fan Forum ..................................................... 6 Under The Dome ........................................... 7 Transfer Portal Recap ................................... 14 Marcus Freeman.......................................... 18 Coaching Changes ....................................... 20 Recruiting Roundtable ................................. 42 Recruiting Notes .......................................... 80 2027 Recruiting Offers ................................. 82 Football Recruiting Roundup/Master List .... 85 Women's Basketball .................................... 87 Men's Basketball .......................................... 89 ND Sports .................................................... 91 Irish In The Pros ........................................... 93 Irish Echoes ✦ Jim Lefebvre ........................ 94 First And Last ✦ Tyler James ....................... 96 Off The Dome ✦ Jack Soble ........................ 97 The Deep Read ✦ Eric Hansen .................... 98 SPRING PRIORITIES An overview of personnel decisions and schematic tweaks ✦ PAGE 22 PHOTO BY MICHAEL MILLER FROM CONFUSION TO CONVICTION How Notre Dame football's College Football Playoff miss is motivating the 2026 class ✦ OUR RECRUITING COVERAGE STARTS ON PAGE 34 PHOTO BY KYLE KELLY