Newsstand: How Notre Dame Orange Bowl win could help the Irish in recruiting
After beating Penn State 27-24 in the Orange Bowl, Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman ensured to work in a recruiting pitch in his postgame news conference. When asked what a College Football Playoff semifinal win could do for the program, Freeman recognized the talent nearby Hard Rock Stadium.
”Winning helps everything,” Freeman told reporters afterward. “There’s a lot of coaches that are on the road right now recruiting, and fortunately for us, the best recruiting we can do is winning.
“But also, hopefully, the culture that is built here attracts recruits. This is a place — we know South Florida is a hotbed. South Florida has a lot of great football players. Hopefully we find the right ones that choose Notre Dame.”
In the 2026 class — this current recruiting cycle — the Irish have offered four recruits from South Florida:
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- Boca Raton (Fla.) West Boca Raton four-star RB Javian Mallory
- Opa Locka (Fla.) Northwestern four-star WR Calvin Russell
- Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Monarch four-star WR Jabari Brady
- Boca Raton (Fla.) Saint Andrew’s School three-star WR Dylan Faison
Faison, the younger brother of Irish sophomore wide receiver Jordan Faison, is verbally committed to Notre Dame.
Notre Dame Posts of the Day
Notre Dame Quote of the Day
“Thirteen years ago, I had a daughter born on the same day as me. For the past 13 years, she gets all the birthday credit. But this is special. Again, this is a special moment that a lot of hard work has been put into it. It’s not about a birthday. This is just about a moment and enjoying this moment together.”
— Freeman, who is celebrating his 39th birthday Friday, on where this birthday ranks for him.
Notre Dame Headlines of the Day
- WATCH: ND 27, Penn State 24 postgame reaction show
- What is the projected spread for ND football in the national championship game?
- Elite recruits see themselves at ND as Irish advance to the National Championship
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- Atlanta, here come the Irish: ND completes comeback to beat Penn State in Orange Bowl
- Live updates, highlights, game score: No. 7 ND vs. No. 6 Penn State in Orange Bowl
- ND QB Riley Leonard checked for concussion vs. Penn State, returns in second half
- ND LT Anthonie Knapp suffers ankle injury vs. Penn State, ruled out for remainder of game
- Abdul Carter injury update: Star Penn State DE available for Orange Bowl vs. ND
- Pregame observations from Hard Rock Stadium: ND vs. Penn State in Orange Bowl
- ‘Jesus Bless’: How QB Riley Leonard’s faith has helped define ND football’s season
- ND football players battling flu outbreak on day of Orange Bowl
- Golden rules: How DC Al Golden’s passion, joy have ND on the brink of national title game
- ND’s future looks very bright at the Navy All-American Bowl
- ‘Pack your bags’: Why playing Penn State in Orange Bowl means everything to ND RB Devyn Ford
