Brandon Joseph details first months at Notre Dame: ‘It’s exactly what I needed for my body’
There are transfers, and then there are Brandon Joseph-level transfers.
With the onset of the one-time transfer rule, players with immense success at mid-level programs now have the opportunity to take their skills to the next level of college football, usually with the intention of winning a national championship and heading to the NFL.
Joseph, a 2020 All-American, took advantage of the situation after two complete seasons at Northwestern and was the No. 4 defensive transfer in this most recent class per the On3 2022 College Football Transfer Portal Rankings.
According to Irish safeties coach Chris O’Leary, he fits in seamlessly with his new team.
“He’s a Notre Dame guy,” O’Leary said. “He’s blue-collar, he works hard, he leads by example. He’s been an awesome fit. I’ve been pleased with where he’s at.”
The seven spring practices Joseph has been through have been heavy on the install, understandably, but he’s getting the hang of things with an eye toward perfecting his technique as Notre Dame moves toward fall camp. According to O’Leary, he has picked off a pass in every practice thus far.
Adjusting to life with the Irish
So what has the day-to-day been like in South Bend, approximately 100 miles east of his old home in Evanston and more than 1,100 miles from Joseph’s hometown of College Station, Texas.
“That offseason program I just went through, it’s exactly what I needed for my body, for my mental strength, for all of it,” Joseph said. “It’s been better than I can imagine, honestly.”
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Unsurprisingly, the workouts Irish director of football performance Matt Balis put together were excruciating.
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“It was not easy, to say the least,” Joseph said, laughing. “The mental edge Coach Balis pushes you to, I think it’s necessary to be a great player. I feel like I’ve gained so much.
“Then the fact that all of us are doing it, we understand the whole team is in pain and pushing through this. That’s the type of thing I think you need to take your team to the next level and to create that brotherhood.”
On the topic of brotherhood, Joseph felt the Spring Workout Accountability Team (SWAT) activities helped him get to know his teammates, adding one of his favorite things is the fact that teams can get points for going to events, such as basketball and hockey games, together.
“It was just different ways for me to engage with my teammates.”
For the last handful of practices, Joseph will soak it all in and continue being a menace in the backfield while dreaming of what’s to come.
“I’m just so excited to get out on that field,” Joseph said, gesturing toward Notre Dame Stadium from his seat in the Irish Athletic Center. “I can’t wait to play out there.”
