Leonard Moore’s name now sits in rare company at Notre Dame, and it comes with another sign that the Irish star keeps pushing himself into the center of the national conversation. Moore was named a finalist on the Jim Thorpe Award Watch List, an honor given each year to the best defensive back in college football based on on-field performance, athletic ability, and character.
For Notre Dame, that kind of recognition doesn’t happen often. Moore became just the third Thorpe Award finalist in program history, joining cornerback Bobby Taylor in 1993 and cornerback Todd Lyght in 1989.
The unanimous All-American started 10 games last season and led the Irish with five interceptions, which ranked seventh in the country. He also finished with 31.0 total tackles, forced one fumble and broke up seven passes.
Meanwhile, Curt Cignetti keeps finding ways to put Notre Dame in the middle of his own agenda. Earlier this week, he again talked about wanting to play the Fighting Irish in a new series, though he said Indiana should get the edge with two home games for the Hoosiers and one for Notre Dame.
His reasoning was blunt: “They ought to come to our place twice, and we’ll go there once, since they’re not in a conference.” It’s the latest bit of big talk from a coach who is 0-1 against the Fighting Irish in his career.
On the offensive line, Guerby Lambert is settling back into a spot that feels far more natural to him. After spending most of last season at right guard, he’s back at right tackle this year, and he said the move has made him more comfortable, especially in pass protection.
“I’m a lot more comfortable, especially in pass pro,” Lambert told the media after a recent practice. “I was able to learn a lot at guard, especially the physicality of the game. Playing guard helped me a lot.”
There’s also a potentially significant injury situation involving Jeremiyah Love. The running back had a strong first preseason game with the Arizona Cardinals, but he injured his ankle in that outing. Head coach Mike LaFleur said he doesn’t know exactly how long Love will be sidelined, but Week 1 is now in doubt.
Elsewhere on the watch-list front, Notre Dame linebackers Drayk Bowen and Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa were both selected to the 2026 Butkus Award Watch List, which honors the nation’s top linebacker. Bowen was also on the list last season.
And if Notre Dame fans are hoping to make the trip to Provo for the matchup with BYU this fall, they’ll need deep pockets. The game is officially sold out, and second-hand tickets are starting at $600. One listing yesterday reached $20,000, and it may well have already been snapped up.
In Other News...
Notre Dame Is Back At The Center Of College Footballs Same Debate
Curt Cignettis latest comments about Notre Dames football independence have pushed the Irish back into one of college footballs oldest arguments, and this time the noise is coming from a neighboring state. The Indiana coach took aim at the programs independent status and suggested Notre Dame should be willing to play more games in Bloomington, a critique that quickly picked up steam when former Florida State quarterback and analyst Danny Kanell backed him publicly and echoed the broader complaint about the advantages independence can create.
The backdrop here matters as much as the debate itself. Indiana had previously withdrawn from a scheduled home-and-home series with Notre Dame, a move that helped set the stage for Cignettis remarks and added another wrinkle to the conversation around how the Irish schedule and compete. For Notre Dame, it is familiar territory, the kind of annual scrutiny that comes with being one of the sports last true independents, even when the argument is being driven by someone elses scheduling decision. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dames Defense Has One Huge Week 1 Question Left
Two weeks into fall camp, one of Notre Dames most important defensive health checks is looking better by the day. Linebacker Kyngston Viliamu-Asa is back in full-contact practices, and the fact that he is doing it without a knee brace is a meaningful sign after the knee ligament injury that ended his season last November. Before the injury, he had established himself as one of the Fighting Irishs top defenders, the kind of player whose presence changes the look and confidence of the entire front seven.
Marcus Freeman has made the timeline clear enough, even if the final answer is still pending: Viliamu-Asa will be cleared once he can complete everything the staff asks of him in practice. What remains unsettled is the one question Notre Dame cares about most right now, whether he will be ready when Week 1 arrives. For a defense trying to set its early-season tone, his status is more than a medical update, because it could shape how quickly the Irish can lean on one of their best playmakers again. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dames Defensive Depth Battle Is Starting To Get Interesting
Notre Dames secondary is starting to look like a real battleground, and defensive coordinator Chris Ash made it clear the cornerback and nickel spots are getting more crowded than they were a year ago. He pointed to a deeper group of options that now includes Jayden Sanders, Leonard Moore, Christian Gray and Mark Zackary, a sign that the Irish have more bodies in the mix and more reasons to push the competition well into camp.
Among the newcomers, DJ McKinney stands out for his talent and experience, but Ash said he still has to get comfortable with Notre Dames system before he can fully settle in. The same sense of upward mobility is showing at linebacker, where Jaylen Sneed has taken steps forward as a pass rusher and looks ready to fight for playing time as the Irish sort out how their rotation will come together. [Read more 🡒]