Jermaine Santana-Diaz said his campus tour at Notre Dame set the standard for other schools.

“I went to A&M and the guy that gave me the tour on campus was like, ‘We carry a pretty big tradition,’” Santana-Diaz said. “But I look at how their tradition is, and I look at Notre Dame, and Notre Dame is the tradition.

“I look at A&M and they’re rebuilding stuff and making it look new. At Notre Dame, obviously they’re making stuff look better, but they’re making it look the same. Small stuff like that stands out to me.

Nate Tice, who does some NFL Draft analysis for Yahoo Sports, seems to be looking into 2025 draft prospects, because he just tweeted a couple of Riley Leonard highlights.

Login to view embedded media

The queue is open now. Here's a shortcut ... just please remember to include you name and hometown with your question(s).

https://live.jotcast.com/chat/notre-dame-football-live-chat-april-24-2024-18221.html

Former Notre Dame offensive lineman Bob Morton (2002-06) discusses his biggest takeaways from the Blue-Gold Game, his thoughts on the offensive line, how the offensive tackles can improve, who he likes on the Irish line, how good CJ Carr looks, his expectations for Riley Leonard, the impact of a new football facility and more.

Then @Eric Hansen and I answer questions from Twitter and The Insider Lounge (32:08).

Login to view embedded media

and now it is looking like it won't be his last.

I got a heads up this morning from our Missouri site, Power Mizzou, on this:

Notre Dame WR commit Shaun Terry visited Missouri on Thursday of last week. I'm working to learn more on this, but this is what they wrote: "Word we're getting is that Missouri feels good about its chances to flip him from the Irish."

Login to view embedded media

Michigan finally has its first commitment since Sherrone Moore took over as head coach. It's a name Notre Dame fans in the area are familiar with: Chicagoland's Nathaniel Marshall.

Marshall received an early Notre Dame offer in the 2025 cycle, but there never was much mutual interest after his visit in April 2023.

Login to view embedded media

@Eric Hansen and I plan to record our next Inside ND Sports podcast on Tuesday. Send us some questions you'd like us to discuss. We like to give priority to questions submitted on The Insider Lounge.

If you have multiple questions, try to be succinct and ask them separately. Thanks!

Join us Monday at 7 p.m. EDT on YouTube as @Eric Hansen and I go live for the next weekly edition of "Football Never Sleeps."

We'll discuss Saturday's Blue-Gold Game, what we learned about Notre Dame football this spring, how that informs what comes next and the latest recruiting news while answering questions from viewers.

Football Never Sleeps is sponsored by Legacy Heating & Air.

We hope you join us live with questions or submit some ahead of time. Hit the bell to set a reminder to get notified when we go live.

Login to view embedded media
If you'd like to submit questions, make sure you click through so you're watching on YouTube's site or in the YouTube app if you're on mobile. You can do so by clicking the headline at the top of the embedded video above. So where it says "Football Never Sleeps: ..." Or there should be spot that says "Watch on YouTube" in the bottom left.

Then to submit questions, there's a chat box to the right of the video on desktop or below the video on mobile.

Click here to subscribe to Inside ND Sports on YouTube.

From the NCAA:

Effective immediately, Division I student-athletes have access to additional school assistance with name, image and likeness activities and more flexibility to transfer, the Division I Board of Directors decided Monday when it affirmed action taken last week by the Division I Council.

Schools can identify NIL opportunities and facilitate deals between student-athletes and third parties. Student-athletes are not obligated to accept assistance from the school and must maintain authority over the terms in their NIL agreements. Beginning Aug. 1, member schools will be permitted to increase NIL-related support only for student-athletes who disclose their NIL arrangements.

Also effective immediately, Division I student-athletes who meet certain academic eligibility requirements will be immediately eligible at their next school, regardless of whether they transferred previously. Specifically, to be immediately eligible after a transfer, undergraduate student-athletes must have left their previous school while academically eligible and in good standing (not subject to disciplinary suspension or dismissal) and meet progress-toward-degree requirements at their new school before competing. For graduate transfer student-athletes to be eligible, they must earn a degree from their previous school, leave while academically eligible and be enrolled as a full-time postgraduate student while satisfying minimum academic standards.

Mike Denbrock on his love and hate for the progress of Notre Dame's offense, finding an aggressive mindset, figuring out the right personnel to lean on, quarterback progress, confidence in the offensive line and more.

Notre Dame was interested in guard/wing Luke O'Brien from Colorado. He just committed to Georgia Tech.


I think post/wing help is where Notre Dame's biggest focus will remain. We'll see if Grace College's Elijah Malone or Michigan's Terrance Williams II become answers.

I just got off the phone with 2026 linebacker Cincere Johnson, who the Irish have offered and considering as a potential vyper defensive end fit. Here are some of the notes from my interview.

Login to view embedded media
Cincere Johnson made two Notre Dame visits one month apart from each other. That's how serious the sophomore linebacker from Cleveland (Ohio) Glenville is taking the Irish interest.

Why visit twice so close together?

"Notre Dame caught my attention overall as a program," Johnson said. "I wanted to experience the game-like energy and see the campus again.”

He got a taste of that with Saturday's Blue-Gold Game.

"The first time I went down there, I was with a guide. This time, they kind of allowed me to look at the fans, look how they carry themselves, the students that go and walk on the campus by myself. At the same time, I talked to coach Bullough. That was a major thing. Just watching the team have fun and seeing them compete.”

He's grown a relationship with linebackers coach Max Bullough over the past few months. He learned a lot more about the history of Notre Dame on this visit.

The question I asked that he spoke the longest in response to was when I asked him to describe his interest in Notre Dame as a university and what it can do for him off the field.

“It’s awesome," he said in part of his answer. "When somebody says they have a degree from Notre Dame that means something. It stands a lot in the business aspect. Football’s going to come to an end one day, so you need something to rely on. Notre Dame gives that to players."

Johnson has also grown an appreciation for head coach Marcus Freeman.

“He’s great," Johnson said. "Coach Freeman’s from Ohio. He went to Ohio State. He played linebacker. We connect. He’s a great coach. He has a lot of IQ. I’m from Ohio, so we relate on many different levels. He played the position. He’s a wonderful guy. He’s a great coach. Everybody says if something happens to Ryan Day, he’s going to be the next coach of O State. I don’t know.”

Johnson said he hears all the time that his recruitment is going to end with Johnson playing at Ohio State. But the Buckeyes have yet to offer, and he's interested in exploring other options.

When I asked if he had anything else he wanted to say about his Notre Dame visit, this was his response:

"Go Irish."

As noted in my recruiting intel, Notre Dame loves what it sees in Johnson.

Updated with story:


Login to view embedded media

Player in portal.

2025 WR target Javyan Boggs

Login to view embedded media
Login to view embedded media
Login to view embedded media

I just got off the phone with 2026 linebacker Tai'Yion King, who made his first visit to Notre Dame since his Pot of Gold Day offer. Here are some of the notes from my interview.

Login to view embedded media
King said he wanted to get up to Notre Dame to "see the facilities, meet the coaching staff and get to know the tradition.”

The highlight of the visit was "the amazing campus."

He spent time talking with head coach Marcus Freeman, defensive coordinator Al Golden and linebackers coach Max Bullough.

“Coach Freeman is young and excited about football," King said. "Coach Golden knows a lot about defense. He’s a great coach to learn from. Coach Max is the best linebackers coach that I know right now.”

King has already drawn in-state offers from the likes of Texas and Texas A&M. Can a school really pull him out of Texas?

“I’m always willing to consider others," King said. "I just need the right football program. It’s something that needs to be seen.”

As noted in my recruiting intel, Notre Dame felt that its program really resonated with King.

Updated with story:


Login to view embedded media

In @Adam Gorney's Recruiting Rumor Mill, he highlights three Notre Dame targets: 2026 LB Markel Dabney, 2026 LB Tai'Yion King and 2026 LB Samu Moala


Login to view embedded media
Login to view embedded media
Login to view embedded media

Junior-to-be Tyson Ford was not spotted at Notre Dame's practices on Tuesday on Saturday this week, so head coach Marcus Freeman was asked about his absence.

“He’s taking some personal time off, just to figure out what he wants to do," Freeman said.

However, Ford is still with the program at this time. The 6-foot-4, 290-pound Ford has played in two games in his two seasons with the Irish. He assisted on a tackle in the blowout win over Tennessee State last season. He also saw the field in the Wake Forest game in November.

Ford could opt to enter the transfer portal when it opens Tuesday. The portal will remain open through April 30.

Ford has been moving back and forth between defensive end and defensive tackle throughout his career with the Irish with no luck at moving up the depth chart.

Ford came to Notre Dame as one of the top Irish recruits in the 2022 class. Rivals ranked him as the No. 6 strongside defensive end and No. 51 overall in the class. He committed to the Irish over offers from top contenders Georgia, Missouri and Oklahoma.

Login to view embedded media

Instead of paying to watch it on Peacock, I'll be on the radio call doing the analysis with Darin Pritchett doing the play by play.

There are four ways to listen:

WSBT AM 960 (locally)
wsbtradio.com
SiriusXM Channel 381
SiriusXM Internet Channel 971

We'll have a pregame show at 12:30 p.m. ET, with the game starting right around 1 p.m.

In the final home regular-season game of the 2024 season for the No. 1-ranked Notre Dame men’s lacrosse team, the Kavanagh brothers more than rose to the occasion.

Pat Kavanagh moved to within three points of moving to the top spot on the Irish career list, with two goals and four assists Saturday, as the Irish clinched at least a share of the ACC title with a 14-6 dismissal of North Carolina at Arlotta Stadium.

The grad senior is sitting at 270 career points.

Younger brother Chris added three goals and two assists, and Devon McLane complemented the Kavanaghs’ tour de force with a hat trick as the Irish (9-1, 3-0 ACC) extended their win streak to seven games — the program’s longest since 2012.

The Irish visit No. 4 Virginia next Saturday (2 p.m. EDT; ESPNU) before heading into the ACC Tournament as the No. 1 seed.

Goalie Liam Entenmann recorded 12 saves, and the Irish defense forced 10 turnovers.

Wide receiver Jordan Faison caught the end of the Blue-Gold Dame in person after scoring his 16th goal of the season. Former Irish and Alabama QB Tyler Buchner recorded his first collegiate assist on ND’s 14th and final goal of the game.

NOTRE DAME 14, NORTH CAROLINA 6: Box Score

Login to view embedded media
For the first time since earning an offer from Notre Dame football last month on Pot of Gold Day, 2026 defensive end target Elijah Golden visited campus on Saturday for the Blue-Gold Game.

The 6-foot-4, 240-pound defender has 11 total offers including Maryland, North Carolina, Indiana, Pittsburgh, Duke and Virginia Tech. He visited the Tar Heels and Hokies in March.

Per Rivals, Golden is the No. 211 overall player in the 2026 recruiting class. He slots in as the No. 9 strongside defensive end. Rivals national recruiting analyst @John Garcia Jr. made an early prediction for the Irish to land Golden's commitment following his participation at RCS Miami.

Golden, a four-star recruit out of Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy, returned to IMG's campus on Sunday evening and took a phone call with me to give a rundown of his trip, feelings toward the Irish, bond with coaching staff and more.

On the success of his visit:

"My Notre Dame visit was very well," Golden told Inside ND Sports. "Very excellent. The time up there was great ... it was raining [and] cold, but it was good."

On early connection to staff:

"The love with them is very high. My relationship with them is very high as well. [Defensive coordinator] Coach [Al] Golden [has] been recruiting me since my freshman year ... since I was in Virginia. Our relationship with him has been very good."

On Blue-Gold Game experience:

"The fans are very, very good. That atmosphere is different. I can just tell from the spring game it's way different out there. The defensive ends are very good. Number 51 (Boubacar Traore), I don't know his name, but he stood out to me. He used his hands well and his long arm was pretty good."

In addition to his offer sheet, Golden said he's hearing from Florida, Rutgers, Michigan and Miami (Fla.). I gathered faith is very important to Golden, and he said himself he sees a cultural fit at Notre Dame on and off the field. Golden is originally from Virginia and started his high school career at King George (Va.) County High.

Golden told me Notre Dame will receive an unofficial visit this summer. He has not yet finalized dates on his schedule.

Link to full story.


Login to view embedded media
Login to view embedded media