Marcus Freeman throws first pitch at New York Yankees game
Fall camp is right around the corner for college football teams across the country. But in the meantime, coaches get to enjoy some much needed vacation time. Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman had the opportunity to toss out the first pitch for one of the most storied franchises in all of sports, the New York Yankees.
Freeman threw the first pitch as part of a promotion for the Shamrock Series. This year, on November 23rd, the game returns to Yankee Stadium as the Fighting Irish take on Army. It will mark the 100th anniversary of the Four Horsemen–four of the more iconic players in Notre Dame program history.
Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish were lucky enough to land one of the most coveted prizes in the transfer portal this offseason in Duke quarterback Riley Leonard. He was one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in college football the past few years for the Blue Devils. Leonard has shown that he’s not scared of the immense pressure that comes with being the signal-caller for such a high-profile program like Notre Dame. “This is what every kid dreams of,” Leonard said in an interview this summer.
Leonard missed most of last year due to an ankle injury, but he showcased his ability to be one of the most gifted quarterbacks in all of college football in 2022. He completed 63.9% of his passes for 2,967 yards, while tossing in 20 touchdowns with six interceptions. As a runner, Leonard racked up 699 yards and 13 touchdowns. He’s been touted as a “dark-horse” Heisman candidate heading into the 2024 campaign and his odds are currently listed at 30-1 to bring home the hardware.
Freeman also returns tight end Mitchell Evans. He earned the honor as being named the No. 2 returning tight end in all of college football from Lindy’s Sports. Last year, he hauled in 29 catches for 422 yards and a touchdown. Notre Dame also returns weapons like receiver Jaden Greathouse, a former four-star recruit who was impressive in his freshman campaign. The Texas native hauled in 18 catches, but five of them were touchdowns. He hauled in two touchdowns against Navy on August 26th.
Notre Dame starts off the 2024 season against Texas A&M. That one will be played on Saturday, August 31st. Kick is set for 7:30 PM EST.