Print Edition for The Observer for Monday, September 30, 2024
Fans, players go green in yearly tradition
Green-clad fans cheer on the Irish in the stadium, at the drummer’s circle and during the players’ walk
By ZACK POHLMAN Staff Writer
The annual “Irish Wear Green” game led Notre Dame to a three-game winning streak as Irish defeated the visiting Louisville Cardinals 31-24. Home fans were asked to wear green, turning Notre Dame Stadium into a green-out.
The football team returned the gesture by wearing their popular green, alternate jerseys for the first time this season. The last time the team took the field in their green jerseys was on Sept. 23, 2023, in the game against Ohio State at Notre Dame Stadium.
“I was totally expecting to be wearing green on green,
Howard Hall hosts Totter for Water
By SOPHIE HANAWALT Staff Writer
Running for a total of 24 hours, Howard Hall’s signature event, Totter for Water, began at 5 p.m. on Thursday.
Members of Howard Hall operated a teeter totter on South Quad throughout Thursday night and into Friday to raise money for Engineers Without Borders. Engineers Without Borders designs volunteer-coordinated projects to
address global infrastructure needs including clean water initiatives.
Passersby could pay $5 to ride the totter, and for $20, they could purchase a ride and also receive the event’s T-shirt.
Howard residents signed up for 30-minute slots to ensure that the totter was ridden for 24 hours straight. They were also responsible for facilitating rides for those who donated.
see TOTTER PAGE 3
Observer interview causes controversy
Observer Staff Report
Comments on immigration made by former Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar during an interview with The Observer last week have sparked controversy in Ireland from an opposing party.
During the interview, Varadkar, although touting the economic benefits of
immigration and warning against populism and prejudice in Ireland, criticized the rising levels of immigration in the country.
“The majority of people think that the numbers have been too big in recent years, and they’re right,” he said. “A country of 5 million people
see INTERVIEW PAGE 3
so it was a cool surprise to see we were going to be green on white,” sophomore tight end Henry Garrity said.
Green pom-poms were distributed to students and fans throughout the stadium cheered while wearing their Irish green.
“I loved the idea of the green out,” Garrity said. “It looked really cool from down on the field. I thought it was the best [Notre Dame Stadium] has been this season.”
And the visitors certainly thought so too. Crowd noise was a major factor on Saturday. With less than two minutes left, the Cardinals offense took a
Water irrigation systems cause student frustration
By GRACE TADAJWESKI and MADYSON CASIANO Associate News Editor and Staff Writer
The fall semester has been graced by student applause for the newly inaugurated president Fr. Robert Dowd, cheers for the 3-1 Notre Dame Fighting Irish and, unfortunately, complaints about sprinklers. The water irrigation systems at both Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s campuses have been catalysts for frustration and
nervous fervor.
According to the Notre Dame director of grounds and landscape Beau Barnett, the water irrigation system has been operating on a higher frequency on account of the drought last month. While the grass around campus has been green, students have been soaked.
“They make me so mad,” Notre Dame sophomore Kaitlyn Dooley said. “There’s got to be a way to make them actually hit the grass
rather than the path half the time.”
According to Dooley, the consistency of the sprinklers compare similarly to the 2023 fall semester.
“I don’t think it’s gotten better or worse,” Dooley said. “I mean having God Quad sprinklers on while everyone was taking first day of school pictures, that was quite inconvenient.” see SPRINKLERS PAGE 4
CHANCELOR GORDON | The Observer
Students wearing green jerseys, T-shirts, costumes and body paint fill the bleachers in Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday. The Irish win over #15 Louisiville drew 77,622 fans despite windy and rainy conditions.
GRACE TADAJWESKI | The Observer
Sprinklers water the grass in front of Hurley Hall, located on God Quad near LaFortune Student Center. The first month of the semester had been exceptionally dry until thunderstorms hit the area last week.
The Observer regards itself as a professional publication and strives for the highest standards of journalism at all times. We do, however, recognize that we will make mistakes. If we have made a mistake, please contact us at editor@ndsmcobserver.com so we can correct our error.
The legacy of ND presidential inaugurations
By THOMAS DOBBS, ALYSSA SIRICHOKTANASUP and LILYANN GARDNER
Assistant Managing Editor and From the Archives Researchers
Notre Dame’s presidential inaugurations have historically provided moments for reflection, celebration and new beginnings. With the recent inauguration of Fr. Dowd, we see a continuation of that tradition. From Rev. Theodore Hesburgh’s leadership in 1952 to Rev. John Jenkins’ vision in 2005, ceremonies have evolved from a speech at opening Mass to multiday affairs involving high-profile performers. Fr. Hesburgh, Fr. Edward Malloy and Fr. Jenkins each outlined their vision for the University at their inaugurations, often touching on academic excellence and the University’s Catholic identity.
In 1952, Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C., began his tenure as the newly appointed president of the University of Notre Dame, marking the 80th opening Mass with his leadership. Hesburgh, whose name now adorns the campus library, studied theology at Holy Cross College and was ordained at Notre Dame in 1943.
Hesburgh left for a brief period to complete his doctorate at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. Still, he returned to Notre Dame in 1945, where he would remain until his retirement in 1987.
Totter
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Howard freshman Megan Ebinger signed up to work the 3-3:30 a.m. and 5-5:30 a.m. shifts.
“Campus was very quiet, but we had our music on, and we invited the few people walking by to totter with us, which was so fun … it was definitely the best dorm event so far,” Ebinger said.
Howard sophomores Sarah Castillo and Olivia Burke were commissioners for the event. They coordinated the event’s logistics, which included filing paperwork with the student activities office, getting approval, arranging for a Kona Ice truck to be at the event on Friday afternoon and coordinating with Howard Hall Council.
Howard’s merch commissioner designed the shirts, which were sold out by the end of the event.
His rise through the ranks was steady. He served as chaplain of Vetville (a housing area for veterans and their families on Mod Quad), director of Farley Hall, head of the religion department, executive vice president and eventually President.
Hesburgh’s presidency began with the question, “Which way Notre Dame?” as reported by Scholastic magazine. With a student population growing to 5,400 and significant faculty changes, Hesburgh was immediately faced with the challenge of steering the University forward.
During the opening Mass, Fr. Hesburgh addressed the students and staff and described the physical and spiritual evils that had to be overcome for mankind and Notre Dame to thrive.
“True Catholic wisdom in which men have the common sense to live lives ordered to purity and peace, not the material, professional wisdom: dispensed at so many of our schools today,” he said.
Fr. Hesburgh’s unwavering confidence and faith in God’s presence at Notre Dame made him one of the most influential priests of his time, cementing the University’s reputation as a leading academic institution.
Fr. Edward Malloy’s inauguration: Catholic identity and academic vision
Sept. 3, 1987 | Pat Healy | Sept. 24, 1987 | Chris Bednarski | Researched by Thomas Dobbs
On Sept. 23, 1987, Rev. Edward A. “Monk” Malloy, C.S.C., was inaugurated as the 16th president of the University of Notre Dame.
“I wanted to get more involved with Howard’s community and culture,” Castillo said. “It was cool to see the other side of what it means to run an event for Notre Dame. Planning an event made me have an appreciation for everything the halls are doing.”
Castillo also added the planning process left her with a greater appreciation for the University encouraging students to host events like Totter for Water.
Totter for Water took place as families and Irish fans descended upon campus for Saturday’s game against Louisville. While some students rode the totter in the early hours of the morning, others opted to stop by after class.
“Going in the late afternoon is the best time,” Castillo said. “Especially this Friday, because it was a gameday weekend, a lot of families and kids were able to ride the totter.”
Howard alumni Kate Horanburg ‘02 was on campus for the game
As the first president to receive a formal inauguration, Malloy set a precedent by using his address to lay out a vision for his presidency, emphasizing Notre Dame’s Catholic identity while championing academic freedom and a commitment to service.
Malloy affirmed the University’s religious mission, stating, “Notre Dame has a mission of service to society and the Church,” and vowed to preserve its Catholic character.
“Notre Dame will continue self-consciously and proudly proclaiming itself to be a Catholic university,” Malloy said, while also stressing the institution’s openness to diverse perspectives. “Notre Dame is an open forum where diverse viewpoints can be freely and critically discussed.” This balance between faith and academic excellence became a central theme of his presidency.
Also emphasizing the importance of teaching, Malloy said, “It is not acceptable at Notre Dame to engage in teaching in a perfunctory or indifferent fashion. Our students deserve a total commitment of their mentors to providing a lively and stimulating educational environment.”
This focus on academic rigor extended beyond the classroom, as he prioritized academics over athletics, noting, “We will attempt to excel in every form of intercollegiate athletics, but not at the price of distorting our primary role as educators and moral guides.” Interestingly, Notre Dame won its most recent football national championship the very next year, in 1988.
Malloy’s key priorities included
and expressed her excitement to see that the event was still happening. She brought her son over to support Howard and ride the totter.
Horanburg praised Howard’s fundraising efforts. She said, “I think it’s great that dorms have the opportunity to host events that are supporting things outside of the Notre Dame bubble, granting a bigger picture of the world and [encouraging students to consider] life doesn’t stop here.”
The tradition is an important part of Howard Hall’s culture and community.
“The totter has names and handprints of alums and the older girls. It’s a really sweet tradition,” Castillo said.
As of Sunday afternoon, Castillo was unsure of the amount raised from the fundraiser, but their goal was $5,000.
Contact Sophie Hanawalt at shanawal@nd.edu
significant investments in research, computer facilities and the University Libraries, alongside a commitment to combating inequality within the Notre Dame community.
In a striking parallel to the present, the front page of The Observer on Sept. 24, 1987, not only highlighted Fr. Malloy’s inauguration but also carried an AP story announcing Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the 1988 presidential race. This moment foreshadowed events 37 years later, when Biden again stepped back, this time from the 2024 contest.
Fr. Jenkins’ inauguration: Tradition and progress
Sept. 22, 2005 | Katie Perry | Sept. 23, 2005 | Mary Kate Malone | Sept. 26, 2005 | Observer Staff | Researched by Alyssa Sirichoktanasup
Rev. John Jenkins was inaugurated as Notre Dame’s 17th president in September 2005, launching a series of celebratory activities across campus. In his inaugural address, Jenkins emphasized the University’s Catholic identity and the unique educational perspective it offers.
“I don’t think Notre Dame needs a radically new direction,” Jenkins remarked. “It needs an understanding that it has a distinctive role to play in American education, and it’s got to realize that and play it in the best possible way.”
As part of the inauguration, a forum featuring global changemakers and religious leaders explored the role of faith in a global context, echoing Jenkins’ theme of integrating faith and
Interview
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
seeing its population rise by 2% a year, which is what’s happening at the moment, is too fast.”
Varadkar attributed the difficulty in controlling immigration to the country’s single labor market with both the United Kingdom and the European Union, the war in Ukraine and the influx of asylum seekers in recent years.
Varadkar’s remarks were reported on by numerous media outlets in Ireland, including RTE, the Irish Times and the Irish Independent. The publicity of his comments prompted a response from the leader of the Irish Labour Party, Ivana Bacik, during a Labour Party event Friday. Bacik described Varadkar’s
education.
However, Jenkins also outlined several areas for development, focusing on undergraduate research, improving faculty standards and increasing diversity within the University. He placed particular emphasis on boosting the number of women in faculty roles, noting that diversity is essential to Notre Dame’s character.
His remarks paralleled Fr. Malloy’s promise to “recruit female faculty members in all disciplines and to promote women to positions of administrative responsibility.”
Many of Jenkins’ inaugural activities were arts-oriented, making full use of the newly opened DeBartolo Performing Arts Center. Activities included a poetry cafe night featuring local spoken-word poets and blues musicians, live music performances at six venues across campus and screenings of “Babette’s Feast,” one of Father Jenkins’ favorite films, in Browning Cinema.
A highlight of the festivities was a performance by acclaimed pianist Leon Fleisher, who, despite a neurological condition affecting his right hand, garnered two Grammy nominations and performed with major orchestras such as the San Francisco Symphony and Berlin Staatsoper. Fleisher performed in Leighton Concert Hall with the Notre Dame Symphony Orchestra and choral groups as a kickoff to Jenkins’ inaugural activities.
Contact Thomas Dobbs at tdobbs@nd.edu, Alyssa Sirichoktanasup at asiricho@nd.edu and Lilyann Gardner at lgardne2@nd.edu
comments as “deeply inappropriate” and “a really new low in political narrative.”
Bacik specifically attacked Varadkar for not taking into account humanitarian factors driving immigration and the economic needs of the country.
“Every hospital, every healthcare facility, every school, every childcare facility is looking for staff,” she said.
The Labour Party is one of the smaller parties in the Irish Parliament, with six seats in the Dáil Éireann and four seats in Seanad Éireann; however, the current President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, served as president of the Labour Party before assuming the office of President of Ireland in 2011.
DIANE PARK | The Observer
SMC hosts FBI office employee
By SYDNEY EIDELBES and MONICA SCHAFER Staff Writers
On Thursday, Saint Mary’s College welcomed L. Christopher Knight from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to campus for a lecture on forensic accounting. Knight works in the Indianapolis field office and is a certified public accountant and a certified fraud examiner. During his lecture and presentation, Knight informed students about career opportunities with the FBI.
The FBI is the primary sector of federal law enforcement with the largest jurisdiction over both national and criminal security. The FBI has 56 field offices in the U.S. and around 63 international legats. International legats are offices that represent the FBI but are located outside of the U.S. Even though the FBI operates all over the U.S., much of the FBI’s research is done in Indiana, Knight said.
According to Knight, the FBI employs around 37,000 people. Of that number, onethird work as special agents while the other two-thirds work as professional staff.
Knight began his talk by discussing the benefits of working for the FBI.
“There is a good work-life balance,” he said. “You know you’re going to get the best of everything.”
In addition, he said many careers in the FBI offer a higher level of autonomy compared to similar jobs in the public sector.
Knight’s primary work is related to criminal investigations.
“Typically, they are fraud cases, but they could be other priorities, or other violations the FBI works,” he said.
Although Knight specializes in fraud, there are many other areas of practice within the bureau.
“Potential fields include areas involving litigation
Green
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
delay of game penalty before a crucial 4th and 1.
“I’ll give the crowd the credit,” Louisville head coach Jeff Brohm said in a press conference after the game. “It got loud, and they couldn’t hear the call in from me.”
The support of the Notre Dame faithful was also present at other gameday events, starting at midnight with the Notre Dame drumline performance. Hundreds of people gathered on and around the front steps
support,” Knight said.
The scope of litigation support contains fraud prevention but also encompasses practices such as family law, bankruptcy and valuation.
Knight shed light upon the role of forensic accountants in bankruptcy cases.
“They’re going to help gather those assets, determine what creditors they’re going to look through financials,” he said.
A key role of forensic accountants is investigating fraudulent activity in bankruptcy cases.
“If somebody was to commit a fraud on the bankruptcy court, they’re gonna try to hide assets,” Knight said. “The most common type of bankruptcy scam we see is when creditors want relief but don’t disclose all their assets.”
As the primary federal law enforcement agency within the U.S., the FBI has a very large jurisdiction.
“Outside of working criminal cases … [which includes] fraud and public corruption, think about international terrorism,” he said.
Knight emphasized the importance of thinking about these issues from both a criminal standpoint and a national security standpoint.
“The FBI will want to help, maybe prevent those next domestic terrorism attacks,” he said.
However, domestic terrorism is not the FBI’s only public safety concern.
“Another national security thing would be espionage,” Knight said.
As well as espionage, the FBI works with corporate, investment, healthcare, bank, bankruptcy, mass marketing and money laundering fraud. Out of these, bankruptcy is the most common type of fraud.
Contact Sydney Eidelbes at seidelbes01@saintmarys.edu and Monica Schafer at mschafer01@saintmarys.edu
of the Main Building to kick off gameday.
“With downbeat at midnight, it’s the first event of each Notre Dame football Saturday,” senior director of operations Mike Fremeau said. “The drumline has a saying, ‘Victory Begins at Midnight.’”
Fremeau, a member of the class of 2010, played bells and tenor drums when he was a student. At that time, the midnight performance only happened a few times per season. Now, the event is one of the most popular gameday traditions.
“To see the production grow
Sprinklers
On Aug. 27, the morning of the first day of class, many students gathered on God Quad in front of the Main Building to take photos with their friends. Some students dodged sprinklers as they shot photos, while others waited in line for coveted sprinkler-free photo spots.
“Sprinklers are very similar across our quads,” Barnett wrote in an email. “The frequency of distribution is determined by perception rates. We focus on all areas of campus.”
Saint Mary’s freshman Isabella Cicak recalled her own frequent encounters on the College campus.
“I have had 9 a.m. classes, and while I’m walking past the library, the sprinkler system turns on,” Cicak said. “And, you know, when push comes to shove, I get pretty wet.”
Cicak further noted sprinklers not only cause frustration, but endangered her academic equipment as well.
“My books have not gotten wet, but my bag certainly has,” Cicak said. “I bring my computer bag with me, and that is pretty dangerous.”
Saint Mary’s freshman Colleen Kelley believes that the purpose of the sprinklers seemed unfounded on account of their “wasteful” direction.
“I think they are pretty wasteful because half the water goes on the sidewalk,” Kelley said. “Why are they aimed at the sidewalk in the first place? That’s where people walk.”
According to the Campus Safety and University Operations website, the current irrigation network replaced a 15-year-old system.
“Over the years, the sustainability team has helped Notre Dame prioritize mindful water use, especially via our architectural and utility-related planning and operations,” senior director of sustainability Geory Kurtzhals wrote in a statement. “Specifically regarding the irrigation system, Notre Dame replaced its sprinkler system with a new, high-efficiency system.”
According to Kurtzhals, the system defers irrigation when it is raining, which results in water savings between 25% and 35%. On top of the weather monitoring feature, the system also can shut
to what it is now, and to see it officially part of the gameday event guide is pretty remarkable considering how it started,” Fremeau said.
The festivities continued later on Saturday with another musical performance. Each home football weekend, the Notre Dame Glee Club puts on “ND in Revue” on Library Lawn three hours before kickoff.
“We sing in front of Touchdown Jesus, and typically anywhere from 100 to 1,000 people show up,” glee club member and freshman Tim Browdy said.
down a central location water supply in the case of broken pipes or flooding.
Students, however, have noted the sprinklers being on during rainy weather.
Additionally, flow meters are installed across Notre Dame’s campus, which increase savings up to 55%. Flow meters measure the rate of water passing through.
“Due to its high efficiency, the new system will count as a credit toward achieving LEED certification for new buildings,” Kurtzhals wrote. “In May, 2021, landscape services updated its nursery irrigation system, replacing the old overhead operation, resulting in an 80% savings in water.”
According to the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certifications are used by over 180 countries and territories in order to implement “a framework for healthy, highly efficient and costsaving green buildings.”
“The sustainability office has had a long history of collaborating with our operators on campus,” Kurtzhals wrote. “Notre Dame makes it easy to integrate sustainability-minded decision-making into our ongoing processes through the leadership of our Sustainability Strategy Standing Committee, which includes students, faculty, and staff.”
In response to a question about the sprinklers operating during the day more frequently and on walking paths, Barnett pointed to the drought.
“We have been in a drought situation over the last month [which] creat[es] tough situations for our turf and plant material,” Barnett wrote.
With the past month’s heat wave, Saint Mary’s College conducted a ‘Beat the Heat!’ initiative on Aug. 27. This involved cooldown spots, free coffee and a visit from Kona Ice. Additionally, a Sprinkler-Run on Library Green was held to conduct a cooler environment with a light misting along the sidewalks.
Because of these previous events, many Saint Mary’s students assumed the sprinklers’ direction was set to increase cooling in the outdoor heat. However, these suspicions proved false as cooler weather set in.
Notre Dame sophomore Suzanne Santiago compared the sprinkler spraying the paths on
Saturday’s draw was on the larger side, with green crowds stretching back towards the stadium on one end and circling the Word of Life mural’s reflecting pool on the other.
“We just perform a pretty casual set with some of the Glee Club’s classic songs,” Browdy said. “Of course, we end with the Alma Mater and the Victory March.”
Immediately after the Victory March concluded, the crowd already assembled on Library Lawn lined the sidewalk to cheer on the football team as they walked into the stadium.
hot days to a waterpark.
“I didn’t interact with them too much,” Santiago said. “Honestly, when it was really hot, I didn’t mind them sometimes getting me wet a little bit because it was like a fun refresher. But now, not as much because it’s not as hot.”
Cicak also recounted the sprinkler system not only impacting her academic activities, but also her social activities. During Morrissey Hall’s signature first football game watch-party on South Quad on Aug. 31, the sprinklers began spraying students while gathered on the quad with blankets, futons, chairs and even a bed.
“I remember the first away game, against Texas A&M, the sprinklers went off during the watch party while everyone was sitting on the grass,” Cicak said. Kelley also commented on the event.
“I was there too,” Kelley said. “People had to move. We left after that.”
Notre Dame junior Jane Miller described her experience being hit by unexpected sprinklers early in the morning as being “ambushed.”
“Why was the sprinkler going in the wee hours of the morning?” Miller said. “I’m confused by that. Maybe they do it at nights, so people don’t get wet during the day.”
However, Miller noted people still get wet from the sprinklers during the day. She stated the sprinklers are always going.
“Sprinklers are usually scheduled to operate during the night, but [they] have been on during the day recently because of the drought,” Barnett wrote.
Barnett noted that the sprinklers are kept on a schedule.
Hayle Jean Baptiste, a senior at Notre Dame, offered a different student perspective on the sprinklers.
“To be honest, it has only happened to me once,” Jean Baptiste said. “I just decided to go around.” According to Barnett, the sprinklers will remain in operation until about mid-October, in which they will be shut down for the winter season.
“Sprinklers are turned on when added moisture is needed for turf health, typically during dry periods,” Barnett wrote.
Contact Grace Tadajweski at gtadajwe@nd.edu and Madyson Caisano at mcasiano01@saintmarys.edu
“The walk is one of my favorite parts of gameday,” Garrity said. “To me, it gives me time to reflect and really appreciate the situation I am in.”
After the team walked into the stadium, the crowd dispersed. Many green-clad fans headed off to tailgate and enjoy the gameday atmosphere.
“It’s cool to see how many people come together to watch our team play,” Garrity said. “I feel like we are truly connected to our fans.”
Contact Zack Pohlman at zpohlma2@nd.edu
Hannah Alice Simon Views Without Vision
Don’t just look at me!
When you see me walking across campus, would I be wrong if I said that the first thing your eyes rested on was the cane that I held in my hand? And then, your eyes would travel up to meet mine, and you would realize that they were different from yours. Would I be wrong if I said that the first thing you noticed about me was that I am blind?
What do you feel when you see me?
Are you overwhelmed with pity for a girl who will never be able to see the beauty of the world as you do?
Do you say to yourself, “I don’t know how she lives every day, every moment, with the weight of her allconsuming disability. I would be devastated if I was her.”
Do you see me as the helpless heroine of a sad story? Or, do you look at me and say: “I wouldn’t be able to do what she does.”
Do you see me as the brave warrior who overcomes every challenge that life places before her with the sheer strength of her will?
But, I am not the helpless heroine of a story that fate wrote for me. Neither am I the undaunted warrior who never gives in to weakness and despair.
I am much more than that.
Do you know that “Anne of Green Gables” is my favorite book? Do you know that growing up, I wrestled with my brothers just as you did with your siblings? And do you know that math exams have made me cry more times than I can possibly count?
For a long time, I was angry at the world because it made assumptions about me. I was angry at the people who wanted to know how I ate, studied, clothed myself and lived my life, just because they assumed that these simple tasks were impossible to perform
without sight, because they found it hard to believe that a blind person could live a life of joy and fulfillment. I saw myself as an angry, rebellious victim of a heartless, thoughtless world steeped in ignorance and prejudice.
But at some point, I looked deep into my heart. And I was shocked at what I found there.
I have always experienced the world through my ears. Sounds have carried stories to me. And so, when I hear the approach of a wheelchair user, I catch myself wondering: “I don’t know how they do it! Not being able to walk, to run, to stride confidently.” When I interact with a person who is deaf, I say to myself: “I would never be able to be happy in a world where I cannot listen to music, or listen to the voices of my loved ones. I could never be as brave as they are.”
And every time I allow these thoughts to rise from the ignorance and prejudice that I secretly hold in my heart, I forget that the friend who is a wheelchair user, the friend who is deaf, does not need my pity or my admiration. I forget that their lives are as beautiful, imperfect, joyful, sorrowful, full of adventures and misadventures as mine is. When I create stories about them, I forget that only they can share themselves and their stories with the world.
So, this is not about anger at the world that refuses to see me. But this is an admission.
I too am guilty. I too closed my ears to the stories that needed to be heard. I too embedded myself in a false world in which I could look down or gaze up at those who were different from me. I too am guilty of the same condescension and admiration that I accused the world of.
So, to all the people that I judged and made assumptions about even before I had come to know you, this is the only thing I have to say:
I’m sorry. I am sorry for every unworthy thought, and every assumption that denied you your dignity as
a beautiful, complex human being. I am sorry for all the times when the sound and texture of your voice, your accent and the language you speak, made my heart turn away from yours, as if you were unworthy, as if I was somehow superior. I am so sorry that my heart wasn’t big enough to embrace you.
Today, I confront the painful realization that I too still continue to have shameful moments when my heart refuses to free itself from the years of prejudices and stereotypes that it has amassed against the other. So, I am not here to point an angry finger, but to admit that I too have failed. I am here to own up, but also to challenge myself to be better, to slowly become someone who refuses to be defined by the stereotypes of a heart too small to hold love.
And I offer you the same challenge. The next time you see me walking across campus, look at my eyes and know that I am blind. But don’t stop there. Don’t just look at me and turn away, allowing your heart to cage me into something I am not. Look deeper, because I want to be seen. I want to be known, not as the blind girl, but as Hannah Alice Simon.
And, I promise to listen. I promise to truly open myself up to the person that you are, and the stories that you can tell. Because I believe that a person is not one unique story, but many, and each story deserves to be heard.
Hannah Alice Simon was born and raised in Kerala, India, and moved to the U.S. for college with the dream of thriving in an intellectual environment that celebrates people with disabilities. On campus, you will mostly see her taking the longest routes to classrooms with her loyal cane, Riptide, by her side. She studies psychology and English with minors in musical theatre and theology. You can contact Hannah at hsimon2@nd.edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
The art of adulting
Gracie Eppler
The Soapbox
In August, I started drinking oat milk. Sometimes I listen to jazz. Other times, ‘70s yacht rock, but never today’s top hits. Gone are the days when I’d allow myself to listen to today’s top hits. I drink rosé out of tastefully procured antique glasses (oh yeah, I go antiquing now). I like to peruse aisles and point at ugly ceramics and say, “Wouldn’t that look amazing with our backsplash?” (because I totally know what a backsplash is). I use words like “juxtaposition” and “je ne sais quoi,” while casually weaving into the conversation that, this morning, I listened to NPR, just because that’s a thing I like to do sometimes.
Why am I so sophisticated, you ask? What made me so grown up, so well-spoken, so capable of discussing adult topics like jazz and backsplashes? It’s because I’m a senior now. I live off-campus. I pay for utilities and shop at Aldi.
The only thing worse than being an adult is the fact that it has a special verb dedicated to this most miserable of states. Yes, I’m talking about the terrifying and unappetizing “adulting.” As in, “Why did you just spend two hours at the post office?” The response: “Oh, I was adulting.” The word sends literal shivers down my spine.
The only thing worse than having a special verb to describe the state you’re in is actually having to enact said verb. As in, I have to go through all the Tupperware in my fridge because: adulting. As in, I have to schedule my senior pictures myself because: adulting. As in, I like to buy my gas on the Indiana side because I heard on NPR this morning that the Michigan side is more expensive and because: adulting.
The only thing worse than being an adult is the fact that, while I may legally be one, the rest of the world seems to think I am still a small child, or at least something adjacent to it. Take, for example, the National’s Baseball game I attended with my cousins last summer. When my 13-year-old
cousin went up to claim her “Kids eat free, 13 and under” burger, the lady behind the counter gave me a toothy grin and handed me a burger too. “Kids eat free!” She repeated as if the original offense wasn’t damaging enough to my pride. Or, take for example, the fact that nearly every solo flight I schedule leads to me getting stopped by a flight attendant and asked where my “adult” is. The adult is me, of course, but no one on the plane seems to know that, and so they’ll help me lift my bags into the overhead compartment and give me a small, knowing smile when I ask for an extra packet of Milano’s. That smile quickly fades into confusion when my drink of choice is a sauvignon blanc. Being mistaken for a kid has its perks. But, what’s the point of being mistaken for a kid if you really are an adult? And, what determines if you’re an adult or not anyway? If being an adult means that you have a lot of worries, then I suppose I’ve been grown up since kindergarten. If being an adult means you have a lot of duties and tasks, then I suppose I’m not one yet, not really anyway, since the majority of my responsibilities consist of feeding myself and making sure I turn in my assignments before 11:55 p.m. EST.
On Thursday, my three best friends and I went out to celebrate Anita’s 21st, the last of our quartet to become legal. We chose “The Cellar” — a classy downtown wine bar whose menu consists of various charcuteries and pinot noirs. We sat outside on the patio and played a dice game while sipping on blueberry-infused cocktails and espresso martinis (with oat milk creamer, naturally). The waiter suggested we check out an art gallery nearby that combines paintings with drinks and jazz music, which seemed to me to be three of the most adult things in the world. Supposedly, the juxtaposition between art and alcohol fuses together to create an eccentric and erudite experience. The bar also happens to be on the inside of an abandoned apartment, just to ensure its edginess and adultness, in case someone wasn’t convinced of this by the whole art gallery-combined-with-alcohol-and-DJs thing.
At closing time, our little quartet were the only customers left inside “The Cellar.” As we walked across St. Joseph’s River together — chatting and giggling and enjoying what it feels like to be freshly 21 — I wondered if we should take the waiter’s recommendation. Was an art gallerycombined-with-alcohol-and-DJs inside an abandoned apartment the kind of place adults went to? Were we doing the kinds of things adults did — closing down wine cellars and walking over rivers while discussing grad school applications?
On the Uber back, we sighed about what assignments we still had to finish before Monday. I felt like such a kid, talking about classes and group projects and books to read. Sometimes I look at the freshmen — the class of 2028 — and admire how adorable they are. Was I ever really that small? Though, to them, I’m sure I still look naïve and unsure. It’s only me that knows the difference.
On Thursday, my maternal grandmother (my lola) turned 89. Before going to “The Cellar,” I facetimed her. I asked her if she felt her age. “Physically, yes,” she said. “But mentally, I feel sixty. I never forget a name.” Maybe age really is just a number. Maybe we’ll never be able to fully accept the stage of life we’re in. If I’ve learned one thing by being poised on the precipice of adulthood, it’s that adults are mostly the same as kids, except that they have to pretend that they’re not. This act of pretending, this implementation of the verb adulting, is really hard to explain to anyone who’s not an adult yet. It just has a certain je ne sais quoi.
Gracie Eppler is a senior business analytics and English major from St. Louis, MO. Her three top three things ever to exist are ‘70’s music, Nutella and Smith Studio 3, where she can be found dancing. You can reach her at geppler@nd.edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Hatred is bought, not taught
What does your country’s flag mean to you?
For some, it is a symbol of pride, of belonging. For others, a culture, people, a place, a meal, a laugh and a cheer. A handful would go as far as to say that they find themselves in it, willing to murder and die for it. Another group would say they see God in it. And many would say they see the Devil in its details.
Yet, regardless of the colors it dons, is it not just a piece of cloth? Sustained atop a pole, soaring only and exclusively due to nature’s wind that blows. We instill its meaning. We transform its fabric into semantics, bleed consequences at its behest, feel its embrace and, in turn, make it feel us.
A flag is valuable not for what it is, but for what it means. It is that meaning that spurs us into action. Is that how it ought to be?
What about your school’s songs? Your company’s mottos? Your family’s crest? Your team’s dances? These are naught but symbols, artificial idols to pray to and, above all else, represent you. Critical sections to denominate your groups, to demonstrate to the world who you are. But one ought to realize that it, too, does the opposite. In the process of begetting membership one, too, must discriminate. One cannot belong to a non-universal group without excluding another. We seek to clearly distinguish between “you” and the “others.” Your companions, and the rest.
Of course, to create groupings is a natural facet of existence, to turn blind to dissimilarities would be ridiculous. Truly, I don’t speak of “not seeing race,” but rather, I acknowledge that, in the material world, there is nothing beyond these arbitrary
distinctions we actively choose to value. I merely wish to ponder the fact that my being part of a group means nothing, at least, not in any materially meaningful way. I may give it as much or as little meaning as I wish, but while that amount is up to me to decide, that does not modify my standing as opposed to the rest of humankind. To think otherwise would be genuinely ridiculous. And thus, I can only keep asking questions. What does a dollar bill on hand mean to you?
For some, it is a symbol of power, of being. For others, an opportunity, a future — hope. A handful would go as far as to say they find themselves in it, willing to kill and die for it. Another group would say they see God in it. And many would say they see the Devil in its details.
And yet, it is a sheet of paper with silly drawings and numbers atop it, is it not?
How curious that we have designed such a world of abstraction.
What does another human life mean to you? For some, it is all we got. For others, it is worth nothing at all. Why?
People have, again and again, demonstrated that, on average, the lucid are not born hateful. Hatred is not an inherent, innate quality of human existence. It is sown within us as a product of our environment. Nevertheless, I would like to take it a step further and admit that hatred is bought, not taught. Not purchased with money — for money is only a vehicle of this evil — but by something arguably much more powerful: a promise. A desperate, self-whispered promise to belong, a promise of survival and thriving which is only possible by the oppression of others, a blind, unilateral protection of our own group following a narrative spawned from thin air. And thus, we attain our cursed fruit, the inevitable child of division: institutionalized hatred. We draw sporadic lines in the sand, distinguish ourselves
into groups at our own discretion and are promised that hating those on the other side will bring safety into our lives. We see it in politics, we see it in sports, we see it in the big and the small: our simian impulse to always be part of something and fight against something else. What a disgrace to our human potential.
Who are we to select such a story? Who are others to be robbed of choice? And yet, we must realize that we, too, are “others.” There is no true difference.
The state of the world, with limitless variables and parameters, will always overwhelm our senses. To care for every living being in this universe is too much for our hearts to bear. Groups are illusions meant to assist our weak disposition. And yet, we must attempt to care. Are we not creatures of reason? To overcome our instincts carved onto our flesh, to willingly become more, to embrace thine enemy, is that not what we are capable of?
How funny to pretend a piece of cloth or a sheet of paper matters more than your fellow man.
Carlos A. Basurto is a junior at Notre Dame studying philosophy, computer science and German. He’s president of the video game club and will convince you to join, regardless of your degree of interest. When not busy, you can find him consuming yet another 3-hour-long video analysis of media he has not consumed while masochistically completing every achievement from a variety of video games. Now, with the power to channel his least insane ideas, feel free to talk about them further at cbasurto@nd.edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Carlos Basurto
Eudaemonic Banter
Peter“Gesamtkunstwerk” Mikulski
PRO: IT’S A MIRACULOUS SPECTACLE
Ostensibly, “art lm” is for exploring all the cinematic possibilities that blockbuster audiences won’t put up with. In reality, however, “art lm” has become a whitewashed sepulcher — it’s all about realistic depictions of mental illness, unpacking generational trauma and not much else. Its virtue used to be its breadth, but recently, it’s hemmed itself in.
at’s why I loved “Megalopolis”: its sheer scope. While I can’t deny its rough edges and loose threads, I can’t deny the way it made me feel either. I sat on the edge of my seat in awe of the spectacle and pageantry playing out before me, thinking “Is that allowed?” and “I never would’ve expected that” and “I didn’t realize that was possible!” Director Francis Ford Coppola frames his movie with title cards in Roman capitals etched on marble and a narrator — the sultry-voiced Laurence Fishburne (who sounds exactly like Ron Perlman, who narrated “Fallout: New Vegas”). One of these title cards declares that “Megalopolis” is a fable. is detail has proven a stumbling block for critics, who take it to mean that the movie should be read allegorically and then hunt for one-to-one correlations between its plot and the news. Is Shia LaBeouf’s character (named Clodio Pulcher) supposed to be Donald Trump? Who, then, is Hamilton Crassus (played by Jon Voight) — a symbol of old money elitism, perhaps? If Giancarlo Esposito’s Mayor Cicero is supposed to represent a well-meaning establishment liberal, does that make Adam Driver’s Cesar Catalina a gure of Trumpian right-wing populism? None of these analyses quite t, so the critics blame the movie and call it unclear. Maybe the problem isn’t the movie itself but instead this stilted way of reading it.
Coppola’s “fable” is less like “Animal Farm” — which invites you to declare “ is pig is Trotsky and this pig is Stalin” — and more like a legend, set ambiguously in the future and placed in a semi-recognizable world. He’s not literalistically moralizing about current events but wrestling with images. e audience is supposed to recognize something of Donald Trump in a character, something of fascism in a set, something of 9/11 in a plot point, some-
thing of New York in the setting, but “Megalopolis” has higher aims than simply retelling the evening news while disguising it in an allegory.
Its detractors, who think the movie is a puzzle to be solved or a test question to be answered, can’t see what’s good about “Megalopolis.” Busy trying to nd a Marvel Cinematic Universe-type explanation of what “Megalon” is and preoccupied with leveling CinemaSins-level critiques of the time travel plotline, they ignore the moments of pure visual spectacle and genuine interpersonal hilarity.
I’ll concede that “Megalopolis” isn’t Coppola’s best plot work, but the acting direction is incredible. As sharp as always, Coppola can characterize a group of people and their world with just a handful of words and images — I was particularly entertained by the Pulcher sisters. He also gives Aubrey Plaza room to breathe as a comic and dramatic actress, which she is so often refused, and as a result, he gets a performance out of her that’s great, big and refreshing. Adam Driver is well-suited for his mysterious leading man role, equal parts Kylo Ren and Adam from “Girls.” Esposito’s voice is perfect for Cicero, orator maximus. LaBeouf and Voight make a meal out of their depraved plutocrats schtick. Grace VanderWaal’s popstar character and her musical interlude are a nice touch. Maybe he could’ve gotten more mileage out of Dustin Ho man and Jason Schwartzman, but the movie is so jam-packed as it is that I don’t know where he might’ve t them.
Pauline Kael — the sort of critic whom I try to be — loved Coppola’s “ e Godfather.” She wrote, “If ever there was a great example of how the best popular movies come out of a merger of commerce and art, ‘ e Godfather’ is it.” While she would have hated “Megalopolis” and all its extraneous thrills, she insisted that criticism must start with a gut feeling and follow from there. As I watched “Megalopolis,” my jaw agape with shock and awe, I felt in my gut that it was great. I think if you watch it with an open mind, resist the urge to pick it apart and let its glitz and glam wash over you, you’ll feel that way too.
$150 million which will never see a return on investment, blacklisting from Hollywood studios, sexual misconduct allegations and a trailer with fake AI quotes, Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis” has arrived in theaters to the utter bewilderment of audiences. However, factions are already forming within the lm community. On one side, you have the vehement auteurists who believe “Megalopolis” is a stunning, uncompromising late-style masterpiece from a singular visionary. Others deem it as incoherent rubbish from an octogenarian who has gone insane. While I love auteurism and take pride in championing polarizing work, I fear that I fall in the latter camp. “Megalopolis,” while commendable for its audacity, is often a tedious mess that collapses under the weight of its imagination and ideas.
e lm’s bizarre story stems from Coppola’s fascination with Rome’s past and America’s future. As such, the lm takes place in “New Rome,” a New York City that is part of a hypothetical continuation of Ancient Rome, the “American Republic.” It’s an intriguing slice of alternative history, and the lm’s gaudy costuming and set design fully capitalize on the idea. However, Coppola’s narrative in this setting is full of squandered potential and nonsensical detours. It centers on Cesar Catalina (Adam Driver) — a brilliant, strange architect who aspires to build a utopia, Megalopolis, within New Rome using a newly invented substance, Megalon. Catalina is rivals with Mayor Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), who admonishes his progressive ideals and advocates for more conservative governance. Cesar is also a member of the uber-wealthy Catalina banking family led by patriarch Hamilton Crassus (Jon Voight) and his grandkids, including nemesis Clodio Pulcher (Shia LaBeouf).
One would think the man who made “ e Godfather” would be able to once again tell an engrossing tale of political intrigue and familial drama, yet “Megalopolis” is somehow both overly complicated and simple. e characters of Megalopolis are goofy and absurd, which can be amusing, but it leaves the lm with minimal dramatic stakes. And their motivations, which are often feelings as
ere are also so many digressions and bits of exposition that introduce information that adds nothing and leaves you even more confused about the characters and their past.
e political commentary of “Megalopolis” has its focus in the right place, but it’s woefully imprecise. Coppola advocates for progressive ideals uncompromised by the status quo and reactionary sentiments, and condemns billionaire rabble-rousers who use populism to placate the masses and convince them to betray themselves. ese are strong ideas, but their execution is annoyingly lackluster and daft. Cesar delivers breathless screeds full of archaic syntax that fail to stir, and characters inexplicably don confederate ags and Nazi black suns because Coppola can’t think of a more subtle way to portray fascism. e lm’s defenders will say these traits are features, not bugs, but I nd such crude political messaging to be bad and a disappointing copout from the very rich potential of the world Coppola has crafted. While most of the performances are shockingly good and attuned to the lm’s idiosyncratic wavelength, one central performance really brought the lm down: Nathalie Emmanuel as Julia Cicero, Cesar’s love interest and Mayor Cicero’s daughter. I can tell Emmanuel was trying to deliver a campy performance that aligned with the crazy script she was given, and while this approach worked for her castmates, I think she utterly failed. Her performance was grating and obnoxious, and only exacerbated the lm’s bombastic lines and vapidness. Emmanuel made some scenes unbearable and distracted from the incredible work her frequent screen partner Adam Driver was doing.
I could go on and on about “Megalopolis,” but I’ll leave it there. e lm is a bold, earnest and imposing work that exists outside all conventions and industry standards. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good movie. It frequently becomes high on its own grandiosity and fails to deliver on its premise and lofty themes of art, love and society. I wish I could see it as the masterpiece its fans think it is, but sadly just view it as brave nonsense.
MARISSA PANETHIERE
Luke “The Duke” Foley
Five key moments: Notre Dame vs. Louisville
By JOHN BAILEY Associate Sports Editor
Heading into the game, Notre Dame’s Week Five matchup with the Louisville Cardinals felt eerily similar to last year’s. The Irish entered both bouts against the Cardinals with a disappointing loss under their belt (albeit disappointing for completely different reasons) and College Football Playoff hopes on the line. A loss would eliminate all postseason hope while a win would keep that dream alive.
Though the piercing talons of the fierce Cardinals defense ripped out Notre Dame’s heart last season, this battle-tested Irish squad overcame early adversity to triumph over their avian foe. Perhaps this victory can be attributed to the revenge factor or home field advantage generated by an “Irish Wear Green” game at Notre Dame Stadium.
But most likely, it comes down to the quarterback play. In last year’s game, Sam Hartman held onto the ball for too long, taking five sacks, losing two fumbles and tossing three interceptions. In the offensive line’s worst performance of the season, senior quarterback Riley Leonard relied on his athleticism to evade pressure, consistently climbing the pocket and rolling out past the tackles before delivering a strike down the field or taking off for a big run. Leonard’s breakthrough performance in the first half combined with defensive dominance in the second half carried the day for the Irish. Five key moments capture the spirit of Notre Dame’s victory and instill confidence that this team will continue to grind out wins the rest of the season, no matter the means, stakes or opponent.
Special teams struggles continue
A few specks of red in a sea
WRITE SPORTS.
of green, Cardinals fans were swallowed up by the roaring, verdant wave at Notre Dame Stadium minutes before kickoff. Louisville kicker Brock Travelstead booted the ball 55 yards to start Notre Dame’s biggest home game of the year. Graduate running back Devyn Ford received the kickoff at the 10-yard line and took off, weaving from the right to the left side of the field. At the 24-yard line, Louisville linebacker T.J. Capers upended Ford, jarring the ball loose and allowing defensive back Tamarion McDonald to recover the fumble.
Notre Dame special teams has struggled with muffed punts, blocked field goals and costly holding penalties throughout the season, but no mistake had the potential to take the Irish out of the game like this fumble on the opening kickoff.
Quarterback Tyler Shough followed a 15-yard dart to wide receiver Ahmari Huggins-Bruce with a 10yard passing touchdown to running back Isaac Brown. This perfectly-placed lob found the soft spot of the Irish zone in the back left corner of the end zone, splitting sophomore vyper Boubacar Traore, graduate will linebacker Jack Kiser and graduate safety Jordan Clark. Now, the fans in red drowned out those wearing green. Such a drastic shift in momentum sapped the crowd and sidelines of all energy and had the potential to derail the rest of the game for the Irish, necessitating a convincing response from Notre Dame’s offense.
Riley Leonard commands offense with confidence
“You worry about [the fumble on the opening kickoff], but you don’t worry about it too much,” Leonard said after the game. “We had the urgency to start fast on offense, but that urgency starts every single day in practice.”
On Notre Dame’s opening drive, Leonard continued to build on his success from last week against Miami (Ohio), leading the Irish to their most complete, balanced drive all season. Offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock called an early screen to sophomore wide receiver Jordan Faison and a designed quarterback run for Leonard to help his senior signal caller feel comfortable. Though he has struggled with deep passes most of the season, on second-and-5, Leonard stepped up in the pocket to avoid the edge rush while keeping his eyes down field and delivered a 19-yard strike to sophomore wide receiver Jaden Greathouse.
Though a bad drop by graduate receiver Beaux Collins on third-and-3 threatened to halt Notre Dame’s growing momentum, Leonard rewarded Freeman’s confidence in the offense by converting on fourth down the next play. On a designed rollout to his left, the offensive line provided Leonard with ample time to square his shoulders, set his feet and find senior wide receiver Jayden Thomas for a 5-yard reception and a first down. This play served as Leonard’s redemption for missing two consecutive sprint-out passes against the RedHawks last week. Having already shown off his arm, Leonard relied on his legs to set up first-and-goal after a 12-yard rush. On the very next play, sophomore running back Jeremiyah Love kept his legs churning after first contact to plow into the end zone and even the score. This crucial drive reenergized the crowd and shifted momentum back in Notre Dame’s favor.
Turnovers
cause chaos throughout first half
On the kickoff after Love’s touchdown, Brown fumbled after a huge hit from sophomore linebacker Drayk Bowen, though the Cardinals jumped on the loose ball and retained possession. On the following play, freshman cornerback Leonard Moore stripped Shough on a 46yard rush off the read option. This blessing from the football gods sent the surging Irish offense back on the field, where Leonard continued to put together his best game of the season. His patience stood out most of all on this drive, waiting for running lanes and passing
plays to develop before pulling the trigger. Greathouse used his elite combination of speed and route-running to generate significant separation and an easy 34yard touchdown pass from Leonard.
Highlighted by a big hit from graduate safety Jordan Clark and a deflection by junior cornerback Benjamin Morrison, the stout Irish defense forced a quick punt. A high snap over punter Brady Hodges’ head gave Faison time to speed past the outside blocker and punch the ball out when the Louisville punter tried to scoop it up. Faison proceeded to celebrate the success of his first snap on the punt block unit with his lacrosse teammates on the sideline, who were there to receive recognition for their second consecutive national championship. On the very next play, Leonard punched it in for six on a 4-yard rush.
Not every turnover worked in Notre Dame’s favor, however. At the start of the second quarter, junior running back Jadarian Price fumbled on his own 9-yard line. Though the Irish defense kept Louisville out of the end zone on the first two plays, the Cardinals broke through on third down with a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks.
After graduate kicker Mitch Jeter extended the Irish lead to 10 on a 48-yard field goal, Louisville quickly drove down the field with hopes of cutting its deficit to single digits heading into halftime. Deep in Irish territory, Louisville chose to forgo a 32-yard field goal attempt and handed the ball off to running back Donald Chaney Jr. on fourth-and-1. Chaney stretched his run off tackle all the way to the sideline before graduate safety Xavier Watts and junior defensive lineman Donovan Hinish forced him out of bounds for no gain and a turnover on downs to keep the score at 24-14 in Notre Dame’s favor.
Defense dominates third quarter after halftime adjustments
Notre Dame and Louisville struggled to move the ball in the second half, giving the punters ample opportunity to stretch their legs. Combining for two punts in the first half, both teams punted four times in the third quarter alone. The Irish and Cardinals averaged
well over 5 yards per play through the first two quarters but saw this drop in the third period of play to 3.1 and 4.2 yards per play respectively. Strong performances in the secondary kept this quarter scoreless, though the Irish linebackers, led by Bowen and sophomore Jaiden Ausberry after Kiser’s injury, stepped up to limit Louisville’s running the football. Freshman linebacker Kyngstonn ViliamuAsa punctuated his position group’s masterclass with a 6-yard sack of Shough that pushed the Cardinals out of field goal range.
Irish 12th man frazzles Louisville offense
A three-and-out from the Irish offense after Shough’s perfect 24-yard back shoulder touchdown to Brooks gave Louisville the chance to tie the game with two minutes and 44 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Three runs between the tackles set up fourth-and-1 for the Cardinals on the Irish 46-yard line. With the game on the line, thousands of Irish fans rose from the cold, wet bleachers to sacrifice their vocal cords for the sake of the team. Though often criticized for not having the roaring, intimidating atmosphere of other top college football programs, Notre Dame Stadium proved overwhelming for Shough and the Cardinal offense. Unable to communicate with his linemen, Shough failed to snap the ball before the play clock expired.
“We wanted to make sure we got the first down, so we did switch the personnel,” Louisville coach Jeff Brohm said. “It got loud, [Shough] couldn’t hear the call in from me. He finally got it ... unfortunately, the clock was winding down, and he couldn’t see it.”
What started as the perfect opportunity for a quarterback sneak now became an obvious passing situation on fourth-and-6 following the delay of game penalty. The Irish secondary locked down every receiver, forcing Shough to throw up a prayer to wide receiver Caullin Lacy. Watts flew in to break up the pass at the Notre Dame 10-yard line, forcing another turnover on downs and allowing the Irish to run out the clock in victory formation.
Contact John Bailey at jbailey9@nd.edu
Happy Birthday: Focus, discipline, and intelligence will help you bypass angst and parlay your way to achieve what you want this year. Set your goals and target what’s most important to you. Detail and precision will help you map your way to victory. A domestic change will help you declutter your life emotionally and physically. Trust your instincts, be a leader, not a follower. Your numbers are 7, 12, 21, 26, 30, 32, 48.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Keep personal information a secret. Look for solid investments that put your mind at ease and give you something to look forward to. An intelligent choice over a snap decision will pay off. Take your time and sort through your mixed emotions before you move into fast-forward.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Survey the possibilities and what will match the expectations you face. Claim your position, and disclose what you are willing to offer. An enthusiastic approach will appeal to someone who has the means to help you advance. You have plenty to gain if you stay on course.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Consider the consequence of your actions. A well-thoughtout approach will help you dodge a precarious situation. Socialize, network, and scope out the possibilities, but get offers and promises in writing before you start. Someone will send mixed messages regarding pertinent information. Make fitness and health a priority.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Take care of unfinished business. Let your creative mind lead the way, and you’ll come up with ideas that will lighten the load and make you look like a genius. Your dedication and tenacity will encourage others to give you the necessary space to complete your mission.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Communicate with experts, adjust your timetable to fit your agenda, and follow through with your plans as if your life depends on what you complete. A give-all, take-all attitude will give you the edge you need to succeed and encourage onlookers to see you as a leader.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Tally up the importance of what you want to accomplish, and you’ll find a path that helps you reach your anticipated destination. Put time aside for a heart-to-heart talk with someone you want to help excel. Encouragement is favored; taking over will make matters worse.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Use your imagination to flourish. Put a strategy in place and follow through. Have faith in yourself and your ability to get things done. Refuse to let what others do, think, or say bother you. Doing what’s best for you before reaching out to help others is essential.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Show off your skills, embrace what’s available, and use your imagination to devise viable alternatives that separate you from anyone who challenges you. A passionate display will grab views, allowing you to influence others. Hold your head high and let your actions lead the way.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Approach each job with the mindset to do your best. How you handle matters will affect the outcome and how others perceive you. Refrain from investing time in inconsequential things, leaving you empty and frustrated. Set your pace and follow through with what matters.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Refrain from giving in or compromising yourself mentally or financially. Maintaining equilibrium in your life will make a difference in your attitude and the outcome. Put your energy where it counts most and encourage you to look, feel, and do your best.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Take better care of yourself and meaningful relationships. Take the initiative to let others know how you feel. An investment opportunity looks good if you put in the time necessary and follow through to completion. Say no to changes others make that disrupt your plans.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Slow down, consider the desired outcome and how to make it happen. Refuse to agree to something indulgent or unnecessary. Be willing to do the work yourself and save money. Distance yourself from anyone using pressure tactics to push you in a direction you don’t fancy.
Birthday Baby: You are brave, thoughtful, and proficient. You are intuitive and persuasive.
Crow: Notre Dame needs wins, not style points
By MATTHEW CROW Sports Writer
Three weeks ago, Notre Dame was on the losing end of the biggest upset in all of college football to date when it suffered a 16-14 defeat at home against Northern Illinois. On that Saturday night in South Bend, it was hard to imagine that the Irish would be where they are today – 4-1, ranked No. 14 nationally and holding claim to a pair of top25 wins that give them one of the more impressive resumes in the country. On Saturday, they took down undefeated No. 15 Louisville while showcasing a complete – albeit mistake-filled – performance on both sides of the ball.
Yet despite the three straight wins, the elite defensive play and the consistently improving efforts offensively, it’s easy to get the sense that the perception of this Irish team among media and fans alike hasn’t changed much since that loss to the Huskies. Those that counted Notre Dame out and dismissed them from national relevancy after a single loss haven’t changed their tune that the Irish are overrated, are being propped up by a weak schedule and aren’t true College Football Playoff contenders.
Part of that impression is no doubt the own doing of the Irish. Notre Dame did indeed lose at home to Northern Illinois and was held scoreless for nearly the entire first half of its eventual win against Miami (Ohio). The inconsistency in the Irish passing game is a legitimate cause for concern, and their frequent mental miscues in the form of costly penalties and key turnovers have been very real.
But another part seems to come from the fact that, at least on the surface, this Notre Dame team isn’t one that wins with flash. The Irish are widely viewed –and have been for the last several years – as a team that wins on the basis of strong defensive play that’s supported by a rugged, run-first offense that is not enough to truly compete with the nation’s best in comparison to the gaudy passing numbers being put up by teams like Miami (Florida), Oregon and Tennessee this season.
Even after Notre Dame’s 66-7 decimation of Purdue – a game in which the Irish led 42-0 at halftime against a Big Ten opponent on the road and looked virtually unstoppable on offense – a primary postgame talking
point was that Irish senior quarterback Riley Leonard still had yet to throw a passing touchdown three games into the season, never mind the three he scored on the ground in the first half alone.
And as the Irish move into the next stage of their season following their upcoming bye week, that narrative is not one that’s likely to change. Many of the doubts about Notre Dame’s ability to reenter the CFP race stem from a schedule that is not considered to be particularly challenging, especially in comparison to those of teams in the new “superconference” SEC or Big Ten. But Notre Dame’s upcoming slate includes a trio of games against ACC opponents playing at a very high level this season in Stanford, Georgia Tech and Virginia, neutralsite matchups against Navy and Army – a pair of undefeated squads that are both still in playoff contention –and a primetime duel with a struggling Florida State team that was expected to be a top-10 team entering the year and still fields an extremely talented roster that could hit its stride at any moment. And that’s not to mention their regular season finale against No. 11 USC on the road.
These would all be tough games for any team. Games in which coming away with a win by any margin is a clear success, and games in which the Irish aren’t likely to hang 40 points on the scoreboard or win by three possessions. But because they come against unranked opponents, the expectation will likely be for Notre Dame to dominate, and any failure to do so will be just one more reason why they wouldn’t be competitive with the nation’s top teams.
The good news for the Irish, though, is that none of that really matters as long as they keep winning. Over the past three weeks, that’s exactly what they’ve done, and they’ve started to develop their identity along the way.
After the win against Louisville, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman made reference to resilience and toughness several times during his postgame remarks. Those characteristics have shown through for the Irish in a number of ways, ranging from getting up off the mat after the devastating loss against Northern Illinois to quickly recapturing control of the game against the Cardinals after losing a fumble on the opening kickoff to withstanding the absence of
several key defensive players on Saturday and still delivering winning plays down the stretch.
That mindset, instilled by Freeman and the Notre Dame coaching staff, has reverberated throughout the entire Irish program. On Saturday night, a banged-up Leonard said with a laugh that it was “kind of soft” for him to have to be subbed out for even just a single play after having the wind knocked out of him against the Cardinals. Freeman disagreed with that characterization, referring to Leonard as a “tough, tough guy” and calling his desire to return to action so quickly and get involved in the run game “the competitor he is.” He spoke in similar terms about his team’s ability to overcome any adversity and “get the job done” against a top opponent.
So it is true that Notre Dame’s primary strengths lie with its defense and rushing attack, but those would likely be the strengths of any team with the talent and depth that the Irish feature on the defensive side and in the backfield. Maybe they won’t suddenly start lighting opponents up for 300 passing
yards per game, although Leonard and Co. have taken significant strides forward in that area every week, with sophomore wide receiver Jaden Greathouse and sophomore running back Jeremiyah Love each recording long touchdown receptions against Louisville and graduate wideout Jayden Harrison adding a 34-yard pickup on a downfield shot.
Either way, though, if the Irish continue to play with grit and toughness and find ways to finish games with more points than their opponents, they’ll go home happy and keep rising up the national polls. As the teams perched above them drop more and more games, this three-game winning streak has repositioned Notre Dame firmly in the playoff race, despite how unlikely that may have seemed after the Northern Illinois defeat.
As the autumn weeks pass by, the Irish will continue to be doubted and discounted, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. And if they do play well enough down the stretch to find themselves in the playoff, they’ll almost assuredly be considered underdogs against teams that are perceived as being more
explosive or dynamic.
But gaining those style points and altering its national perception isn’t on Notre Dame’s radar. They’ve turned the page from their early defeat not by dramatically shifting their mentality or gameplan, but simply by playing tough and winning games. And for the Irish to get to where they want to go this season and reach their lofty goals, continuing to stack one win on top of another – whether in a 66-point offensive rampage like they had against Purdue or a grind-it-out, low-scoring dogfight like they one they opened their season with against Texas A&M – is all that counts.
The Irish don’t need to win in a certain style, they just need to win. And if they can do that just like they have on each of the past three Saturdays, they might wind up surprising some of the people who have counted them out since that fateful home-opening loss.
Contact Matthew Crow at mcrow@nd.edu.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
CHANCELOR GORDON | The Observer
Senior quarterback Riley Leonard loads up a pass during Notre Dame’s 31-24 defeat of Louisville at Notre Dame Stadium on Sept. 28. Leonard threw for a season-high two touchdowns, helping the Irish reach 4-1.
ND MEN’S SOCCER
Roou’s late goal seals key win against Clemson
By TYLER REIDY Sports Editor
In recent years, men’s soccer matches between Notre Dame and Clemson certainly haven’t lacked drama. Penalty-kick shootouts, back-and-forth barnburners, championship stakes — the series has had it all since 2021. Friday night added yet another thriller to the list, as the Irish toppled the 12th-ranked Tigers at Alumni Stadium by a 2-1 score. Senior forward Matthew Roou, talisman and leader of Notre Dame’s recent offensive surge, scored the 86th-minute goal that made the difference — his seventh goal in the last three games. Now at 4-1-3 on the season and 2-1 in Atlantic Coast Conference play, the Irish have their eyes on rejoining the national rankings.
Notre Dame’s takedown of Clemson marked its third consecutive victory and second consecutive weather-delayed win. Due to the lingering effects of Hurricane Helene down south, the Tigers encountered issues in making their way to South Bend, forcing a 30-minute travel day. When the match finally began, both teams took a little while to pick up the pace and intensity of play.
Notre Dame developed the evening’s first series of chances
in the opening 25 minutes. Twice the Irish found Roou, who entered the match on back-to-back hat tricks, making threatening runs through the Clemson back line.
On the first occasion, he trickled in behind the defense on a bouncing ball atop the 6-yard box. However, the hip-high apex of the ball forced Roou to slow down, allowing his defender just enough time to recover and deaden his shot with pressure. Later on, he found himself in a footrace with Adam Lundegard to track down a through ball at the penalty spot, but Clemson keeper Joseph Andema smothered the chance.
When the Tigers played in South Bend last year, they scored twice in the final five minutes of the first half. So, sure enough, Clemson began to turn momentum in its favor with several quality looks right before halftime. Two dangerous free kicks, one that zipped past numerous reaching Tigers at the back post and another that freshman goalkeeper Blake Kelly snagged with his fingertips, bookended a close-range shot on goal for Clemson. In the 34th minute, Antonio Illuminato wove through the Irish defense to receive a pass and form a shooting lane at the 6-yard area’s left corner. There, he whipped a leftfooted strike that Kelly, with no reaction time whatsoever, kicked
away for a corner kick.
As the scoreless match carried into the second half, Clemson maintained its pressure in the attacking third. In the 56th minute, that pressure paid off. Titus Sandy Jr. soared cross from the right sideline in toward the penalty spot, where Illuminato leapt to guide a header on goal. The redirection targeted the left post on one bounce, catching Kelly favoring the opposite post due to the origin of Sandy’s service. Still, Kelly recovered to nearly make a remarkable save, pushing the ball off to his right side on a dive. But the force behind Illuminato’s header kept the ball moving into the side netting, resulting in a 1-0 lead for Clemson.
The lead, however, would last all of 160 seconds. Freshman forward Stevie Dunphy created a bad turnover on the Clemson back line and stepped around his defender to go in on a breakaway from the left side. After initially backing off, Andema came out to greet him at the corner of the 6-yard, but Dunphy swept his leftfooted shot underneath him. The ball trickled just inside the right post, finishing Dunphy’s first career goal and tying the match at 1-1.
Less than a minute later, Clemson worsened its situation. Upon losing the ball near
midfield, Lundegard attacked sophomore midfielder Wyatt Lewis with a sliding, two-footed challenge that left referee David Erbacher without a choice. The official reached into his back pocket and displayed the red card that would leave Clemson down a man for the game’s final half hour.
The Irish had seen this situation before. Only 13 days earlier, in their ACC opener against Stanford, they had played essentially the entire second half with a one-man advantage while down a goal. Notre Dame, however, could not find an equalizer, as Stanford survived by parking the bus and defending to perfection for 44 minutes.
For the 25 minutes that followed Lundegard’s ejection, it seemed that the Irish wouldn’t generate enough to capitalize on Friday night, either. Notre Dame played very cautiously and ended up only outshooting Clemson by a 4-3 margin in the second half.
In fact, the Tigers countered with a noteworthy chance in the 84th minute, but Remi Okunlola sent a screaming shot high from 20 yards out. Notre Dame marched right back the other way, only for a heavy touch by Roou to kill off a prime 2-on-1 setup from sophomore forward Jack Flanagan.
Fortunately for the Irish, Roou wouldn’t miss out on the next look
at goal.
Just as he did to set up Roou’s first goal last Tuesday against Detroit Mercy, senior midfielder Bryce Boneau flicked a feed through multiple opposing defenders, sending the leading Irish scorer in ahead of the three-man Tiger back line. Once more, Roou waited on the bouncing ball, affording Clemson’s defenders a chance to regain their positioning. But Roou’s opportunity to fire from 12 yards out remained and would suffice. The senior forward’s half-volley caught the backside of a Tiger, setting it up to spin precisely beyond Andema’s reach and inside the left post. With less than five minutes remaining, Notre Dame had taken its first lead of the night.
That lead, unlike Clemson’s, would survive to the final whistle and seal Notre Dame’s second ranked win of the season.
Up next, the Irish will take on Division III program Trine at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at Alumni Stadium. Competing in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletics Association, the Thunder are 2-5 and on a three-match losing skid. When they last faced Notre Dame in 2021, the Irish attempted 36 shots and won by a 13-0 score.
Contact Tyler Reidy at treidy3@nd.edu
DECLAN HUGGINS | The Observer
Senior forward Matthew Roou chases after the ball during Notre Dame’s 6-1 defeat of Chicago State at Alumni Stadium on Sept. 20. After depositing the game-winning goal in Friday’s 2-1 upset of No. 12 Clemson, Roou has seven goals in his last three matches, including hat tricks in back-to-back games, and is up to 29 goals for his Notre Dame career.
FOOTBALL
WRAP
Irish ride early surge, late stop to 31-24 victory
By MATTHEW CROW Sports Writer
The phrase “must-win game” can often be overused in sports, but it’s hard to find any other way to describe No. 16 Notre Dame’s home matchup against No. 15 Louisville on Saturday afternoon.
The Irish needed a win to stay in the College Football Playoff hunt, avenge last year’s defeat and rebuild their confidence at home after a shocking loss to Northern Illinois in their season opener at Notre Dame Stadium — along with plenty of other reasons.
Whatever the motivation, Notre Dame took the field and got the job done: they won. It wasn’t always pretty, but each unit delivered when it mattered most — whether it was the offense opening the game with their best quarter of the season, special teams forcing a critical turnover or the defense sealing the victory with a game-saving stop in the final minutes. When the dust settled, the scoreboard read Notre Dame 31, Louisville 24, marking the Irish’s third straight win and pushing them to 4-1 on the season. On this day, nothing mattered more than getting the result.
“Great win. Obviously wasn’t perfect as everybody saw, we saw, our players saw. [But] you find a way to get it done when it matters most,” Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman said postgame. “At the end of the day, we are evaluated [based on whether we] win or no. Did you get it done? We found a way.”
While they eventually indeed did find a way, it only took one play — and six seconds — for the chances of that outcome to appear to be on the ropes. With Notre Dame Stadium packed to the brim for the biggest home game of the season against a top-15 opponent, and fans decked out in all green to match the team’s uniforms for the “Irish Wear Green” game, the energy in the air was palpable as the Irish were set to receive the opening kickoff. But graduate running back Devyn Ford fumbled on the kickoff return and Louisville recovered. Just three plays later, the Cardinals took a 7-0 lead on a touchdown pass from Tyler Shough to Isaac Brown, and all of the excitement and anticipation in the stadium was sucked out just as quickly as it had arrived.
That single play could have had the Irish on their heels for the rest of the game, but having the resilience to shake off moments like that is exactly what Freeman and his coaching staff preach to their team every day.
“You’ve got to reload … You know, your frustration, you want to get mad and scream … but
you’ve got to reload and you’ve got to refocus on the next play,” Freeman said about responding to adversity like the early turnover.
“That’s a message I’ve always said. No matter what happens the last play, take the emotion out. You don’t control probably the first thought, but you control the second thought. You first thought is to be upset and feel sorry for yourself, and the second thought is the most important, and that’s to reload and refocus.”
When the Irish offense got on the field — slightly later than expected — the mentality of that “second thought” was the one they played with, as they delivered arguably their most impressive drive of the season. Against a highlevel defense, Notre Dame calmly and methodically marched 75 yards down the field in 12 plays to level the score after a 6-yard score from sophomore running back Jeremiyah Love. Senior quarterback Riley Leonard completed five of six passes on the drive in addition to picking up 24 yards on the ground while looking like the elite dual-threat version of himself that Irish fans have been hoping to see all season. Just like that, the bad energy was gone and the Irish were back.
“That’s the offense I want to see, that’s a perfect drive on offense,”
Freeman said about the Irish’s opening scoring drive. “It was great to see our guys reload and our offense be able to go out there and drive 75 yards down the field and score.”
With the score knotted at 7-7, the defining characteristic of the remainder of the first quarter was chaos. Any Irish fans who worried that special teams miscues and turnovers might prove too much to overcome didn’t have to wait long to have their fears assuaged as Louisville’s struggles in that facet of the game matched Notre Dame’s and then some in the first quarter alone.
On the ensuing possession, it was the Cardinals who fumbled while returning the kickoff. While they did recover, Notre Dame was able to gain possession when Shough fumbled on a quarterback keeper on the very next play. Shortly after, Leonard hit a wideopen sophomore wide receiver Jaden Greathouse over the middle for a 34-yard touchdown, and the Irish were out in front.
After the Irish defense forced a three-and-out on Louisville’s next possession, a high snap on the punt attempt led to a fumble, giving Notre Dame the ball on the Cardinals’ 4-yard line. One Leonard rush into the end zone later, and the Irish — despite the nightmare start — found themselves up 21-7 with the first quarter
still not over.
“We played lights out [in] the first half, especially offensively,” Freeman said. “Riley, man, he had a great week and performed really well.”
The second quarter was a similar story, as a fumble from junior running back Jadarian Price set Louisville up in prime position to score a touchdown, and a right-place, right-time interception by ball-hawking graduate safety Xavier Watts set up a Notre Dame field goal. When all was said and done, the Irish led 24-14 at the break, and apart from Notre Dame’s first long touchdown drive, every other score came on the heels of a turnover.
Notre Dame’s success on offense also came from its willingness to play aggressive. The Irish converted twice on fourth down, and according to Freeman, the willingness to take those types of risks rather than settling for field goals or punting comes from the trust the coaching staff has in the team’s defense, even while it faced a litany of injuries to key players on Saturday.
“We have a lot of confidence in our defense. It’s why I’m so aggressive as a coach on fourth down,” Freeman said. “I want our team to be aggressive. We have to be aggressive, [have] an aggressive mentality. That was a reflection of that.”
In the second half, though, both teams seemed to settle down. After the frenetic first half, the third quarter was scoreless. Notre Dame’s offense was unable to find the rhythm it had established early on, while defensively, the Irish struggled at times but effectively employed a “bend-butdon’t break” mentality by making big plays at opportune moments. Louisville racked up nearly 400
yards of total offense, over 100 more than the Irish, but was unable to finish the job and get the ball into the end zone.
Despite that, the Cardinals managed to stay in the game. And when Louisville kicker Brock Travelstead drilled a 56-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter, Notre Dame’s lead was down to one possession and the onus was back on the Irish offense that had stagnated as of late. More than 33 minutes after the game’s previous touchdown had been scored, Notre Dame delivered. Offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock dialed up a perfectly timed screen pass, Leonard put the ball on the money and Love made the catch and took it 32 yards to the house for his second touchdown of the day and the score that would ultimately be the game-winner.
“[In the] half, we weren’t as successful,” Freeman said about Notre Dame’s play on offense. “Punt, punt, turnover on downs, and then J-Love has a great play. That’s something we worked on all week. That was a big screen.”
Leonard has faced a steady stream of criticism from fans and media all season about his struggles in the passing game but finished Saturday 17 of 23 with a pair of touchdowns through the air and three completions of at least 30 yards, in addition to his customary 52 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
“[Leonard] played really well in the first half. Our whole entire offensive [unit] didn’t play great in the second half. It’s easy to point the finger at Riley, but I’m proud of the way he performed today and led our offense to victory,” Freeman said. “It’s the competitor he is. He’s a tough, tough person, man.”
Louisville responded with a touchdown to cut the score to 31-24,
and after forcing an Irish punt, had one last chance to push the game to overtime in the final minutes. But Notre Dame’s defense — the same unit that has earned so much confidence from Marcus Freeman and the entire team — proved its worth when it mattered most.
Watts, who jokingly lamented after the game that he should have snagged his second interception of the day, broke up a long fourthdown pass from Shough to seal the victory, handing the Cardinals their first loss of the season.
Notre Dame still has a lot of work to do, and a lot of areas to clean up.
“Yeah, we have to get better. That’s the most important thing,” Freeman said. “The main emphasis of this week is how do we improve … Got to look at schematically where can we continue to enhance.”
On Saturday, Notre Dame was exactly the team it needed to be and got exactly the result it needed. While every game from here on out may feel like a “must-win” for their College Football Playoff hopes, the Irish can take pride in knowing they toppled one of the nation’s top teams and delivered some of their best football of the season.
As for what’s next as the team enters its bye week that will be followed by a rivalry game against Stanford? Keep moving forward, keep getting better. And keep finding a way to get it done.
“We know we’ve got to improve. [We have] seven [more] guaranteed games, I told them,” Freeman said. “We’re going to need everybody. [We] have to continue to get better, but it’s a great feeling going into the bye week with a big win over a good Louisville team.”
Contact Matthew Crow at mcrow@nd.edu
CHANCELOR GORDON | The Observer
Junior quarterback Steve Angeli (18) lines up alongside the Notre Dame offense during a 31-24 defeat of Louisville at Notre Dame Stadium on Sept. 28. Angeli joined the game for a play during the second quarter.
