It was a glorious day. Familiar faces from the past, present, and future dotted the landscape inside the stadium and around campus. Newly minted legend Jeremiyah Love was easily the most recognizable of these Irish football icons. The humble superstar stopped at his alma mater while making his way from Pittsburgh to Arizona. Meanwhile, Coach Marcus Freeman orchestrated a heavily scripted scrimmage while charming numerous recruits and a faithful television audience.
As for the “game” itself, it did not satisfy the overhyped expectations of the fanbase. There were precious few highlight reel plays. A handful of starters remained on the sidelines as a precaution while nursing minor injuries. Yet, the level of competition was exquisite if you looked closely enough. Neither offense nor defense dominated but that is because two very talented units fought to a standstill.
This was evident from the outset as the number one groups battled each other. Ball carriers were not tackled to the ground in this matchup, although the trench warfare was quite physical. The rules led to more pass plays than runs. An aerial circus did not materialize as CJ Carr and his receivers were out of sync. Carr’s accuracy also is a work in progress. Tight coverage forced a few incompletions but many throws were poorly timed or off target.
We did not see much in the running game, which made Love’s presence even more poignant. Aneyas Williams was as feisty as ever in limited action. Freshman Jonaz Walton runs low to the ground with noticeable power and quickness. His short touchdown run perfectly showcased these skills. Unfortunately, Nolan James had only one attempt all afternoon.
At wide receiver, newcomer Devin Fitzgerald was the star of the game. He looked polished and smooth while beating fellow freshmen defensive backs, including one impressive touchdown reception. His performance on Saturday was an extension of what has been an impressive spring session.
Mylan Graham lived up to his advanced billing as a highly skilled big play threat. Jordan Faison was open several times but the ball was either off target or thrown to someone else. One area of concern is the tight ends were not involved in the passing game. It is impossible to determine whether this was by design or a lack of execution. Going forward, the Irish must incorporate the tight end into the offense in a meaningful way.
The first team offensive line displayed a good surge and adequate pass protection against a vanilla defensive scheme. Defensively, a wave of pass rushers recorded sacks and tipped passes primarily against second or third teamers. Still, this group looked big, active, and fast. I have no doubts that the pass rush will be more productive this season. Freshman Rodney Dunham continues to play like he belongs in the rotation.
Linebacker Jaylen Sneed Snead stood out at the second level. Drayk Bowen and Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa were absent this spring as they recover from earlier surgeries. Also noteworthy is that freshman backer Ko’o Kia impressed during his time on the field.
Unsurprisingly, the secondary was excellent despite Leonard Moore’s absence. Incoming transfer Jayden Sanders stood out at cornerback. With very few exceptions, any successful pass plays came at the expense of true freshman cover men. Veterans, particularly at safety, were around the ball and ready to inflict pain.
Carr’s best throw of the day was a deep middle shot to Mylan Graham to set up Walton’s touchdown. It was a perfect throw into a tight window and a fearless catch. Adon Shuler could not resist knocking Graham to the ground on the play. Although it was a hard hit by spring game standards, Shuler appeared to hold back a bit.
Overall safety play was a joy to watch. Besides Shuler and Tae Johnson, Luke Talich and Ethan Long stood out. Long diagnosed a pass play over the middle and steeped in to make a beautiful interception. On another throw that bounced off a receiver’s hands, Long batted the ball into the arms of Sneed. This heady play appeared to be deliberate on the part of Long, who is a natural playmaker.
Regarding the competition at backup quarterback, the race is far from over. My first impression of Blake Hebert was disappointment as he stared down his receiver. Moments later, he looked off the defense and delivered a touchdown pass to Elijah Burress. It was an outstanding throw against the first team secondary.
Noah Grubbs had mixed results. He displayed a quick release and plenty of zip on the ball. His accuracy and decision-making were inconsistent, which is to be expected at this stage. Grubbs is also less mobile in the pocket than Hebert. This will become a three-way battle in June when incoming freshman Teddy Jarrard joins the team.
Another lingering question was answered on the game’s final play. Kicker Spencer Porath shut down the drama on place kicks that plagued the 2025 squad. His no-doubt 43-yard field goal to give the offense a walk-off victory brought relief to everyone. Coach Freeman had created a pressurized situation for Porath and the refugee from Purdue rose to the occasion.
There is a strong bond between players and the coaching staff.
Freeman is unquestionably the Sun around which this solar system of players, coaches, recruits, fans, and alumni revolves.
I cannot wait to see the overall talent level when the Irish are at full strength.
It was a great day for recruiting (except for prospective tight ends).
Ian Book did a great job in the booth as the game analyst. He may have a future there.
Obviously, this brief look at the 2026 Fighting Irish left us wanting for more. From a broader perspective, Saturday was only one small data point in a long developmental process. This team, particularly the offense, is not ready for prime time. I view this as positive, at least for the time being. Going forward, the players can focus on daily, incremental improvements instead of high expectations and adulatory press. As for the coaches, they will be recruiting intensively for the next two months. A lot of good news should be forthcoming during that span.