First and Gold Podcast

YouTube Link: Official Podcast of @TheIrishTribune • Brought to you by Clayton Stohler & Connor Reagan

[First and Gold Podcast @FirstandGoldPod]

Love this look back. The roster Marcus Freeman inherited in 2022 was questionable at some positions. The vision was always there. But the talent gap had to close. Now, in 2026, it’s there.

At all positions.

[ND Wine n Cheese @nd_winencheese]

In light of Notre Dame taking on UNC this season, here is the last time Notre Dame played the Tar Heels ☘️

A struggling Notre Dame team finds its footing and takes down undefeated UNC at their place

[First and Gold Podcast @FirstandGoldPod]

@JoshPateCFB They have that smoke for ND but don’t have the space on their schedule for ND.

[First and Gold Podcast @FirstandGoldPod]

@NBCSports I want you to feel and hear how electric the TV copy sounded at this time. The crowd noise, Tom Hammond’s announcing. It’s not too late to get back to this-

https://t.co/dfFOakyyNv

Also, Irish fans, watch this game. It’s a hidden gem.

[First and Gold Podcast @FirstandGoldPod]

@RiseNDraft Most important Player: CJ Carr, QB

Most Underrated Player: Jason Onye, DT

Most Overrated Player: Micah Gilbert, WR.

Breakout Star in 2026: Ian Premer, TE.

[First and Gold Podcast @FirstandGoldPod]

This play of course highlights how special Jeremiyah was. He and Jadarian were erasers. They masked some pretty mid-offensive lines under the freeman era. Especially from a run blocking perspective.

That said, the ground production in 2026 may very well increase. And it’s because the offensive line won’t have as many moments that look like this.

Freeman has stated this is an offensive and defensive line driven program. It has to be that in 2026 for it to reach its full potential.

[Brian Baldinger @BaldyNFL]

.@AZCardinals @NDFootball @JeremiyahLove i sure hope we see more highlights like this in the desert this season. #BaldysBreakdowns

[First and Gold Podcast @FirstandGoldPod]

That FG at the end by Porath was massive. Our entire season of 2024 was dictated by red zone yips. Having a kicker that’s automatic there makes a massive difference.

[First and Gold Podcast @FirstandGoldPod]

@HorsemenPod By the way I fully agree with this. I’m a BIG Hebert proponent. Could be something at ND. Just a lot of factors to contend with.

[First and Gold Podcast @FirstandGoldPod]

Devin Fitzgerald is the type of WR that QB’s love throwing to. I’m excited to see him claw his way through the depth chart to earn real playing time. It’s gonna be a really tough task.

The WR depth has been on display today.

(Imagine being in the year 2022, taking a Time Machine to now and reading that tweet)…

[First and Gold Podcast @FirstandGoldPod]

Damn!!! Blake Hebert is really impressive. When it’s good? It’s GOOD. That was a dime to Elijah Burress. TD Blue.

[First and Gold Podcast @FirstandGoldPod]

Brings me back to the Sun Bowl vs Oregon state when Price and Love got to give Irish fans a first glimpse of what ND was going to look like out of the backfield for the next 2 seasons.

After that game, you knew the Irish had something special. Somehow, ND was able to keep that backfield together. And they made history.

Price and Love were special players from the jump. But more importantly, they come across as simply good people.

This also proved to future recruits- at ND, you can have 2 elite players at RB, and be drafted round 1. That’s a CRAZY story to get to tell.

[Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter]

With the final pick of Thursday night’s first round, the Seahawks selected Notre RB Jadarian Price.

There never had been a year in which the top two running backs were selected from the same school. Now both Jeremiyah Love and Price accomplished that feat for the Fighting Irish.

[First and Gold Podcast @FirstandGoldPod]

I don’t even like DE’s dropping into coverage but like…..C’mon

[Notre Dame Football @NDFootball]

Everybody loves a big play by Boubacar 😁

#GoIrish☘️ | @24era24

[First and Gold Podcast @FirstandGoldPod]

The reports I’ve been coming out of camp go so far beyond usual spring hype…

[First and Gold Podcast @FirstandGoldPod]

@nolangoND34 2015. The depth is better, they don’t have a will fuller that we know of yet. That can change. Candidly, I think we’ll be making arguments it’s the best all around WR unit ND has had when it’s said and done.

[First and Gold Podcast @FirstandGoldPod]

Sure sounds like CJ Carr tore it up today. Excited to hear more.

Al’s consistent feedback from those that were there say Faison and Fitzgerald stood out.

Again, so excited to hear more. This scrimmage is more important than the blue and gold game.

[First and Gold Podcast @FirstandGoldPod]

@CoachD178 I was definitely one of them. He continues to prove me wrong, and is forcing me to take a second look at how I evaluate.

[First and Gold Podcast @FirstandGoldPod]

@CoachD178 I was definitely one of them. He continues to prove me wrong, and is forcing me to take a second look at how I evaluate players in general.

[First and Gold Podcast @FirstandGoldPod]

Observations I’ve been consistently having throughout spring camp, around the passing game. This is NOT just about reading into the clips:

- Cam Williams was one of my favorite WR prospects ND had snagged in the last 15 years. Genuinely believed he was a lock to be a stud and an immediate contributor. I was wrong. It’s taken time, he’s extremely raw. This spring has been massive for his confidence and I believe he is stepping into becoming a massive x-factor role for the Irish. He could be everything I ever thought he was going to be. To see glimpses? So encouraging.

- Devin Fitzgerald keeps popping up on clips, and all the feedback is that he has a ways to go but he has closed that gap rapidly during the opportunities he’s been given. This clip is just one shred of evidence. Do I think he’s a day 1 starter? No. But #11 is fun.

- As far as who might be a day 1 contributor as a true freshman. I believe that list starts and ends with Bubba Frazier. Not a knock on Finley or Fitzgerald- it’s an endorsement of the explosive, rare skillset Frazier possesses. A lot of folks on here agree with me and I want to be clear that I find it hard to believe that he gets kept off the field.

- I completely misjudged Noah Grubbs. A LOT of dimes appear to come from him in these clips. That QB2 spot won’t be decided in spring, but he is positioning himself well. That’s a big deal for this room/team.

- TE is interesting. Cooper F. And James F….are they our dudes? Or will Preston Fryzel, Ty Washington continue to raise eyebrows. To me? This discussion can’t be completed until Ian Premer, my favorite prospect in the 2026 class, comes to campus in the fall.

- The passing game at ND has more options than ever. This is an element I don’t think a lot of the country is prepared to acknowledge or talk about. But it’s real now. The room has completely made a 180 since Freeman’s first year as HC.

It’s with this evolution of the passing game, ND can now beat defenses in just about anyway that they want.

[Notre Dame Football @NDFootball]

Good things come in threes 🙌

@cam_will30 | @elijahburress | @devinfitz118

#GoIrish☘️

[First and Gold Podcast @FirstandGoldPod]

It’s been trending in this direction for years, much like the entire roster at Notre Dame. That said, I don’t know if there’s a position group that will look more different than what it did in Freeman’s first year, than the WR room.

I stand by my belief that the WR room was top 10 last year. This year? Could be top 3.

It took a long time, and a lot of bumps, but this WR room is going to be a major threat in 2026, and moving forward.

[First and Gold Podcast @FirstandGoldPod]

Very curious who threw this because it actually was a damn good ball.

[Notre Dame Football @NDFootball]

Finish the play 👏

#GoIrish☘️

[First and Gold Podcast @FirstandGoldPod]

Devin Fitzgerald is gonna be FUN…

[Notre Dame Football @NDFootball]

Look Ma, one hand! 🖐️

#GoIrish☘️ | @devinfitz118