Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are back for another episode of The Independent. The guys talk about the Big Ten's proposed 24-team College Football Playoff format and how that would have affected Notre Dame this past season (and in seasons to come). They also evaluate the assistant coaching hires that Marcus Freeman and Chris Ash made for this year's Fighting Irish assistants: Charlie Partridge, Brian Jean-Mary and Aaron Henry. Plus, it's never too early to look ahead to the 2026 schedule and break down the makeup of future Irish opponents.

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Football never sleeps and neither do Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson. Join them on the latest episode The Independent, where the fellas talk about Notre Dame's NFL Draft prospects, look back at the Fighting Irish players who starred in the Super Bowl and have some fun talking scheduling hypotheticals for Marcus Freeman's squad.

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The offseason is in full swing and Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to chop it up about the latest happenings around Notre Dame. Marcus Freeman and Chris Ash have rounded out their defensive staff by hiring Aaron Henry from Illinois and Brian Jean-Mary from Georgia Tech. National signing day featured the addition of re-classified QB Teddy Jarrard. Mock drafts look favorable on some Fighting Irish skill players. And the future odds from our friends in the desert have a very positive outlook for Notre Dame in 2026.

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The 2026 offseason is finally, officially upon us and Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to catch you on all things Notre Dame football. Where does Marcus Freeman turn to replace DBs coach Mike Mickens? Could more Fighting Irish assistants be on the move? Plus, the full Notre Dame schedule has been released for this fall. The guys will preview that and talk much more as they turn the page to Year 5 of the Freeman Era.

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It's already been a long offseason, no? Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to debrief after Marcus Freeman's first press conference since Notre Dame's season ended, as the Fighting Irish coach talked portal additions, staff changes, NFL interest (or lack thereof) and much more.

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The offseason already seems long, doesn't it? Marcus Freeman made it seem a little shorter on Monday, tweeting his indication that he is staying at Notre Dame for a fifth season, with sources telling The Independent that the coach has indeed agreed to a contract extension to stay in South Bend. The Fighting Irish figure to be a national title contender in 2026, and Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to talk about that and more.

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The long offseason has already begun. Notre Dame has had several NFL Draft declarations, linebackers coach Max Bullough is off to Michigan State and there has yet to be definitive clarity on Marcus Freeman’s future with the Fighting Irish. Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to talk through it all, to break down future ND schedules and much more.

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Pete Bevacqua has gone on a media blitz since Sunday, when Notre Dame was left out of the College Football Playoff. Matt Fortuna and Pete Sampson are here to react to the Fighting Irish AD's Tuesday news conference, talk about the decision of Marcus Freeman's squad to opt out of a bowl, discuss Jeremiyah Love making it to New York as a Heisman Trophy finalist and much more.

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