The Independent: A Notre Dame Football Podcast

You hear that sound? It's the smashing of the pads as fall camp gets underway this week at Notre Dame. Marcus Freeman addressed reporters about what to expect as he gears up for his fifth season leading the Fighting Irish. Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to talk about that and much more. Plus, the USC rivalry is back!

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Fall camp is less than a week away, and the Notre Dame hype train rolls on. Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman sat with reporters last week to check in on where things stand as he readies for Year 5 in South Bend. Plus, some jersey news has fans talking, both good and bad. Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to discuss all of that and much more.

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Former Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly joins The Independent for this extended exclusive interview. Matt and Pete talk to the Irish’s all-time winningest coach about his Irish exit, the affection he still has for Notre Dame, why things didn’t work out at LSU, what could have been and much more. Kelly praises Marcus Freeman and the current staff for all that they have accomplished, and he talks about what life has been like these past few months without a team to coach after 35 years of running programs. Plus, will he get back into coaching? Kelly talks all that and more on the latest episode of The Independent!

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It's Fan Survey Time! Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to discuss the feedback Pete received from his annual Notre Dame Fan Survey on The Athletic. You are all incredibly high on the Fighting Irish in 2026, and rightfully so. With Marcus Freeman entering Year 5 and CJ Carr listed as a preseason Heisman contender, what's not to like about this squad? The fellas discuss that and more on the latest episode of The Independent.

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It’s been a good offseason for Notre Dame, and the vibes continue to be high as the Fighting Irish are ranked No. 1 in ESPN’s future power rankings. Adam Rittenberg, the author of the rankings, joins Matt and Pete to discuss why he loves the Irish, and what Marcus Freeman has done to position the program for so much success.

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We're less than 100 days from the start of the Notre Dame football season, and Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to catch you up on all of the Fighting Irish's offseason moves. How much does Marcus Freeman's 2026 roster cost? What did you make of Pete Bevacqua's testimony on Capitol Hill? Plus, Leonard Moore lands on the cover of EA Sports' College Football 27.

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Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are back to talk all things Notre Dame. Pete has been in Amelia Island, Fla., all week for ACC spring meetings, where he met with Fighting Irish AD Pete Bevacqua to talk about potential College Football Playoff expansion and more. Where do things stand with the Irish and the ACC? Plus, NBC announced kick times for all of Marcus Freeman's squad's home games this fall. The guys will talk about all of that on the latest episode of The Independent.

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The Notre Dame spring game was a thriller, with Irish kicker Spencer Porath hitting a field goal on the last play to give the Blue team a 41-40 win over the Gold team. Of course, the takeaways came far beyond the kicking game for Marcus Freeman's fifth Fighting Irish squad, and Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to recap the spring season. How close is this team to being a national title contender? (It already is.) How close is CJ Carr to being a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate? (Very close.) More than 45,000 folks packed the stadium for a beautiful South Bend Saturday, as excitement is high around this year's team.

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Notre Dame held its annual spring jersey scrimmage this past Saturday, and CJ Carr stole the show. Just how good can Marcus Freeman's squad be in 2025? We'll find out more in this Saturday's Blue-Gold spring game in South Bend, which Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson preview as well. Plus, how high will Jeremiyah Love and other Fighting Irish players go in this week's NFL Draft?

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Notre Dame's Blue-Gold spring game is just two weeks away. So, too, is the NFL Draft. There is lots to talk about with Marcus Freeman's squad as Fighting Irish players past and present look to make statements this month. Join Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson for another spirited discussion about all things Irish, on the latest episode of The Independent. 

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