Mark Zackery IV is making a return to the gridiron.
The Notre Dame cornerback is no longer suiting up for the Irish men’s basketball team and has rejoined the football program as it begins its winter conditioning phase, according to team media relations.
Zackery, a two-sport athlete with legitimate talent on both fields, saw limited action on the hardwood this season. He appeared in four games for the Irish, averaging just under five minutes per contest and contributing 0.5 points per game. While his time on the court was brief, Zackery’s athleticism and versatility were never in question-traits that now shift back into focus as he recommits to football.
This isn’t a new lane for Zackery. In high school, he was a standout on both sides of the ball and both ends of the court.
As a sophomore, he helped Den Davis secure a 4A state basketball championship. By his 2023-24 season, he was averaging 11.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.4 steals-a stat line that reflects his all-around impact and basketball IQ.
But it’s on the football field where Zackery has already carved out a role at the collegiate level. As a freshman defensive back, he played in 11 games and made three starts-against Purdue, Arkansas, and Boston College.
He totaled 10 tackles, including 0.5 for loss, and broke up two passes along the way. That kind of early contribution speaks volumes about his instincts and readiness, especially at a position that demands both physicality and precision.
His return to football comes at a time when the basketball program is searching for answers. After a promising 10-4 start that included quality wins over Rutgers, Missouri, and TCU, Notre Dame has hit a rough patch.
A surprising home loss to Purdue Fort Wayne halted the early momentum, and since then, the Irish have gone 1-5 in ACC play. Their lone win in that stretch came in a low-scoring battle against Stanford back in December.
As the basketball team looks to rebound against Boston College, Zackery is shifting his focus entirely to the offseason grind that defines college football’s winter months. Conditioning, weight training, and positional development will now take center stage for the young cornerback as he prepares to build on a solid freshman campaign.
For Notre Dame football, getting Zackery back in the fold full-time is a quiet but meaningful development. His experience, athleticism, and early flashes of playmaking ability give the Irish another promising piece in the secondary-and a player who’s clearly all-in on making his mark where it matters most.