Notre Dame’s upset of Miami did more than shake up the scoreboard. It also gave the Irish a recruiting jolt, and one of the biggest wins came from Sacramento linebacker Julian Bruno, who pledged to Notre Dame on Sunday after visiting campus for the game.
Bruno, a Grant Union standout, said the trip and the people around the program sealed it for him after plenty of prior conversations with the staff.
“I’ve been thinking about this for awhile now, just all the conversations I had with the coaches,” Bruno told Irish Breakdown on Sunday afternoon on his way to the airport. “Getting out here and being able to see it all and meeting them in-person, it felt like home.
(The staff was) all super excited, super ecstatic. (Linebackers) Coach BJ (Brian Jean-Mary) told me he was my first verbal commit (in the 2028 class) since being there.
(Assistant general manager) Kenny Sanders was all hyped to just to hear the news.”
Notre Dame beat out 27 other programs for Bruno, and the linebacker said Brian Jean-Mary made a major impression on him.
“Coach BJ is a really good, really good down-to-earth guy,” Bruno said. “I think he really cares about me a lot and all the people on the staff.
Just the conversations we have. When I met with Coach (Marcus) Freeman his thing was like, 'We don’t know the future, I don’t care if you never play a down here.
I will still be here for you outside of football'.”
The welcome started early when Bruno arrived at Shields Family Hall on Saturday afternoon. From there, he said the day only kept building.
“We got to the indoor facility and dudes were coming up to me,” Bruno explained. “Recruiting people were introducing themselves.
I just felt really welcomed. It was great.
I mean, from the pregame all the way to the game, it was great. It was great vibes, had a good time all around.
They played really, really, really hard football. They weren’t scared of their opponent.”
The atmosphere inside the stadium left a lasting mark too. Bruno watched the game from a higher spot than some of the other recruits who were able to rush the field after the win, but that vantage point gave him a clear look at the crowd.
“Just how everybody like was focused on the game,” stated the 6-1, 210-pound linebacker. “In the fourth quarter, I see dudes with their shirts off and it’s 30 degrees, freezing.
They’re having fun in the game and at the game. I really like the crowd push-ups and everything like that.”
Bruno also pointed to Notre Dame’s balance of football and academics as a major reason for his choice.
“That is one of the big values I have with my family,” Bruno said. “Football isn’t always going to last. I still have a whole life to live ahead of me, setting myself up for the future.”
Bruno is listed as a three-star recruit by the national recruiting services, but he earned a 4.0-grade and a Top 250 caliber ranking on the Irish Breakdown board. As a junior, he has 83 tackles (50 solo), 11 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, four pass break ups and four forced fumbles in seven games. As a sophomore, he posted 109 tackles and 14 tackles for loss, and as a freshman he had 84 tackles and seven tackles for loss.
In Other News...
Notre Dame Just Got Dragged Into ESPNs Latest CFP Ranking Debate
Stephen A. Smiths latest take on the College Football Playoff rankings quickly turned into more than just another ESPN debate, and Notre Dame got pulled right into the middle of it. Smith questioned whether Utah belonged at No. 2, arguing the Utes had not stacked up enough quality wins and saying Alabama should be in the top 5 instead, a stance that immediately set off a familiar round of pushback online.
The response on social media was swift, with critics accusing Smith of bias and dragging Notre Dame into the comparison by pointing out how its schedule stacks up against Utahs. The larger issue, as usual, is less about one ranking and more about the way ESPNs college football coverage gets read through the lens of perceived favoritism, especially when the Irish are part of the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Marcus Freeman May Have A New Answer For Notre Dames Secondary
Marcus Freemans latest update on Notre Dames secondary points to a possible late-season boost, even if the timeline remains fuzzy. The Irish are working through how to bring safety Brauntae Johnson back into the mix after his injury, and the discussion around his return is already shaping how the defense might look if and when he is ready to play.
The appeal is obvious: Johnson could give Notre Dame a chance to roll out three safeties at once with Luke Talich and Joey OBrien, a useful option with injuries thinning the cornerback room. For now, though, Freeman has not put a timetable on Johnsons return, and the expectation is that any real impact may not come until late in the season or even the College Football Playoff. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Mourns A Beloved Voice Fans Had Just Welcomed Back
Notre Dame fans are mourning the loss of a familiar and beloved voice after longtime NBC Sports broadcaster Dan Hicks died at 64. Hicks was widely known for his work around Fighting Irish football, along with his coverage of the PGA Tour and Olympic events, and his death was announced by Golf Channel broadcaster Rich Lerner before being confirmed by his wife, Hannah Storm.
For Notre Dame viewers, Hicks was part of the soundtrack of fall Saturdays and a steady presence across major sporting moments for years. NBC Sports and others have already paid tribute to his career and the way he helped shape big-event broadcasting, leaving the Irish community reflecting on how quickly a voice they had just welcomed back can be gone. [Read more 🡒]