Onward to Victory: A Notre Dame Football Podcast

Happy Mother's Day! Who would've thought that this very special holiday had such a close connection to Notre Dame football? 

Enjoy this episode about Frank E. Hering, who not only brought the football program to prominence, but others at Notre Dame as well. Additionally, he was an early pioneer of Mother's Day. What a show-off! 

Cheers!

Another Rockne themed episode? You bet! Today, in observance of the 91st anniversary of best coach in college football history's sudden and untimely 1931 death, we discuss Notre Dame football's philanthropic exhibition games in the final months of Coach Rockne's life. 

Sound boring? Phooey! You'd be missing out on this critical, not often told chapter of Notre Dame football history. Enjoy!

Irish fans, I hope you enjoy this latest installment about one of the most unheralded figures in Notre Dame football history...Chet Grant! 

Chet is...well, hard to explain in just a sentence or two. Between covering the Irish, playing for Coach Rockne, coaching under a Four Horseman, becoming the program's first historian, and writing a compelling history of early  Notre Dame football, Chet takes the cake as the biggest Note Dame fan ever. 

But he was so much more than that. He knew what it meant to be a Notre Dame man. He was a living incarnate of the spirit of Notre Dame. Even standing just 5'6 and tipping the scales at 138 pounds as a player, he was larger than life.

Sadly, Chet has been widely forgotten.  Let's start changing that today.

-Alex

Just in time for President's Day, Onward to Victory discusses the 'State of the Program' as the Fighting Irish heads into the 2022 spring season.

Oh, and a very special day - a new member of the OTV team is making a debut! Folks, you are going to love new contributor Matt Gehring's insight and knowledge into the program. Not only will Matt, who is a veteran at covering the Irish, be joining for select episodes, but he will be helping with the brand new website as well! Psst, head over to OnwardToVictory.blog! 

Alex and Matt will be discussing the new 2022 class, coaching staff, and upcoming schedule, among many other topics of interest!

Our offseason 'march' continues with Alex telling the tale of the Terry Brenna Era, including perhaps the most epic, improbable win in Notre Dame football history. 

Terry Brennan was the youngest man ever to take the reins of the Notre Dame football program - he was 25 when he succeeded the legendary Frank Leahy. Despite his age, and the obvious challenges of the position, he was always cool, calm, and collected. Enjoy, Irish fans!

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In an episode host Alex Painter calls a 'palate cleanser' after a disappointing Fiesta Bowl, pull up a locker room stool and learn about Cartier Field - which served as the home field of the Irish from 1899-1928. 

The origins of the facility are fascinating - and tell the story of the state of Irish athletics at the time. Discover how the field has ties back to the very first Notre Dame football team, and how the Irish were nearly unbeatable at home. 

Enjoy!

Is it possible? Of course, Irish fans! Join Alex as he attempts to shed, despite the former coach's dastardly exit, a bit of insight and perspective on the Kelly Era's true place in Notre Dame history...even with minimal swear words.

Enjoy, Irish fans. 

Despite all the excitement surrounding the program this week (which is lightly discussed), we have some serious work to do! Today, Alex recalls and discusses the legacy of the first Black quarterback to start a game for Notre Dame...Cliff Brown.

What challenges did he (and other Black quarterbacks) face at this time? Historically, and particularly in the early 1970s, this was not an easy proposition across college football. 

Together, we can restore Cliff's legacy as one of the most culturally significant players in Irish football history. Enjoy!

EDIT: at the approximate 15:30 mark, I mistakenly say that Brown is 'six-foot, 100-pounds'. Since Brown was not actually a twig, he was in reality 'six-foot, 190-pounds'. 

Today, Alex unpacks what life was like for a Notre Dame student...in 1871!

Sharpen up those pencils and polish those apples - we are heading to college! You don't want to miss this immersive experience as we hurtle through time to see what being a 'Golden Domer' meant in 150 years ago. 

Enjoy, Irish fans!

Well, I suppose this will blow the lid off who the host's favorite current player is!

No matter - join Alex as he breaks down the awe-inspiring career of the program-first, unflappable Avery Davis. Who, despite being one of the very best at his position in the country, has played multiple spots for the Irish, wherever he's been asked and whatever it took, all for your Irish.

Enjoy this one about a modern pillar of the program!