I should have started taking notes 20 games ago.
Game day at Notre Dame Stadium is more than four quarters of football. It’s the hallway handshakes, the quick conversations, and the people who make South Bend feel like South Bend. So starting now, I’m writing them down.
Notre Dame 58, Stanford 7
The Irish handled their business Saturday, beating Stanford 58–7 to move to 6–0. The play of the day was Jonaz Walton’s 97-yard touchdown, the kind of run that gets the whole stadium on its feet before he’s even crossed midfield. Next up is a trip to Provo to face BYU this Saturday night.
But the scoreboard was only part of my day.
Jerome Bettis: The Bus Always Stops to Say Hello
You can count on one thing: a warm greeting from Jerome Bettis. Hall of Famer, Irish legend, and a genuine supermensch. Some people are bigger than life and still make you feel like the most important person in the room. Jerome is one of them.
Jim Tressel on Coaching Marcus Freeman
Out of nowhere, I found myself in a conversation with Jim Tressel, who coached Marcus Freeman when Freeman was a linebacker at Ohio State. I asked him what that was like.
Coach Tressel described young Marcus as quiet, hard-working, and a good listener.
From there we got to talking about how those same qualities make Coach Freeman a perfect fit for today’s game. The transfer portal and NIL have changed everything about building a roster, and a coach who listens first and outworks everyone is exactly what this era demands.
It’s not every day you get to hear about your head coach from the man who coached him.
The Martins
It’s always a joy to see the ever gracious and kind Mike Martin and his wife, Cari, along with their son Maddon, a standout cornerback at St. Joseph High School. Maddon keeps an active feed on X, so give him a follow at @madd_1martin and keep an eye on him.
Good people, every time.
Tim Brown Comes Through My Line
Sometimes the job hands you a moment. Saturday, I scanned Tim Brown’s ticket. I took the chance to thank him for all the great memories, and there are a lot of them: the 1987 Heisman, the punt returns, the way he made Notre Dame Stadium hold its breath every time the ball was in his hands.
A Heisman winner coming through my line. Not a bad way to start a game day.
Watching Jordan Faison Sign for Kids
One of my favorite moments of the day was chatting with Jordan Faison’s dad while we watched Jordan sign autographs for a line of kids. I told him how much I love watching Jordan play and said he must be very proud.
He agreed. Watching his son take time for every one of those kids, who wouldn’t be?
A Quick Note on the Photos
Every photo here was taken off the clock, on my own time, as a fan, not as part of my game-day work.
Here’s to keeping better notes from here on out. Go Irish! ☘️
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