The transfer portal and NIL have reshaped college athletics. On this episode of The Playbook, host Ian Book sits down with Coach Micah Shrewsberry and Ethan Roberts to talk about navigating both, and what it takes to hold onto Notre Dame's culture while everything else in the sport is changing.

Ethan opens up about his own path through the transfer portal — the uncertainty, and what ultimately made him excited about Notre Dame's program. Coach Shrewsberry brings the other side of it, discussing what it means to protect a culture built on trust and accountability when the landscape keeps shifting. Together, they dig into how Notre Dame's identity shapes the way both of them approach NIL and the portal — and why culture is still the thing that has to hold, no matter what else changes.

The Playbook is a Rally Podcast, presented by Priority Commerce, and distributed by iHeartPodcasts.

#ThePlaybook #NotreDame #NIL #TransferPortal #CollegeSports #Podcast

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Playbook, host Ian Book sits down with Notre Dame women's soccer's dynamite strike force: Izzy Engle and Annabelle Chukwu. Izzy finished her freshman season with 19 goals, tied for the most in the country that year, and went on to become the first Notre Dame striker to win ACC Offensive Player of the Year. Annabelle, playing for Canada on the international stage, holds the Canadian youth record with 39 goals across 42 international youth appearances and scored the championship-winning goal for Canada at the U-20 CONCACAF tournament in extra time.

The two get into what it's being teammates and the very different paths that brought them to South Bend — one a Minnesota native chasing a childhood dream school, the other a Canadian international balancing college ball with senior national team call-ups — and the chemistry that's made Notre Dame's attack one of the most dangerous in the country. They also talk NIL, life as student-athletes representing two different flags, and what it takes to keep scoring at the highest level on both sides of the border.

It's a conversation about talent, trust, and what it means to build something special together on the front line.

The Playbook is a Rally Original Podcast, distributed by iHeartPodcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Playbook, host Ian Book sits down with Henry, Danny, and Sammy Nelson — three brothers who share one thing almost no Division I roster can claim: the same locker room, the same season, the same last name on the back of the jersey. Danny, a second-round NHL draft pick, turned down a shot at a pro contract and a playoff run just to spend one more year skating alongside his brothers. Sammy, the youngest, reclassified to arrive a year early and make it happen.

The brothers get into what it actually took to make this season real, the very different NIL landscape hockey players navigate compared to football and basketball, and what it means to build a brand as three guys sharing one legacy. They also open up on family dynamics, the Minnesota hockey roots that nearly pulled them elsewhere, and why continuity and brotherhood still define what makes Notre Dame hockey different.

It's a conversation about sacrifice, timing, and what it's actually worth to share a jersey with your own blood.

🎙️ The Playbook is a Rally Original Podcast, distributed by iHeartPodcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Playbook, host Ian Book sits down with Notre Dame's Shawn Lyght, who this year became the first defenseman in the history of college lacrosse to win the Tewaaraton Award. Shawn breaks down what it took to become the game's ultimate "eraser," consistently shutting down the nation's best attackmen while anchoring a Notre Dame defense that helped carry the Irish to the national championship game.

He gets into the mentality behind covering elite offensive talent night after night, what it means to be only the second player in Notre Dame program history to win the award, and how he's approaching life as one of college lacrosse's most decorated and recognizable names in the NIL era.

It's a conversation about defense, discipline, and defining a new era for a position that's never had this kind of spotlight before.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

College athletics has changed forever—and the role of the general manager is changing with it. In this episode of The PlayBook, Ian Book sits down with Notre Dame Football GM Mike Martin and Men's & Women's Basketball GM Pat Garrity to discuss how NIL, the transfer portal, and athlete compensation are reshaping recruiting, roster building, and player development. They explain how Rally helps create meaningful opportunities for student-athletes while preserving Notre Dame's commitment to academics, leadership, and long-term success. From salary-cap strategy and recruiting battles to financial literacy and preparing athletes for life after sports, this is an inside look at the future of college athletics.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cole Kmet. Julian Love. Ian Book. Three Notre Dame teammates. One question will always linger: what if NIL existed when they played at ND?

Cole was a Mackey watch-list tight end. Julian was a Thorpe Award finalist. Ian went to a Super Bowl. They all left South Bend just before the money changed everything.

Now they're back together — talking about the program that made them, the era they missed, and what they'd tell the next wave of Irish players walking through the door. Oh, and if ketchup belongs on a bratwurst ... sorry Cole. 

The Last Class Before NIL.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.