Review: \

USA Today

a day ago

Peek behind the curtains of the Fighting Irish football program
Those Notre Dame fans who need something to watch before training camp starts might want to tune into the "Here Come The Irish", a documentary about the 2024 Notre Dame football season that is streamable on Peacock.
Fighting Irish fans who feel the need to get fired up for the 2025 season will enjoy this look back on the Irish's 2024 campaign, from the uncertain optimism of training camp to the gut punch that was the loss to Ohio State in the national championship game.
Head coach Marcus Freeman is the most prominent figure, getting plenty of interview time, and the camera follows him to various off-field functions, especially in the first episode. Several players get to do interviews, with former quarterback Riley Leonard and former linebacker Jack Kiser -- both now in the NFL -- getting the most airtime. Kiser's family life even gets featured in one episode.
We see a lot of the Irish off the field, including a memorable trip to New York City, but the focus tends to be on the field. The practice field, that is. Much of the series centers around team meetings before practice, with Freeman speaking to the whole team, though we also see meetings with Freeman and his captains, as well as position-group meetings. Most of the B-roll is shot at practice on campus.
The doc is, for better or for worse, a bit of Notre Dame propaganda. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but some things are ignored or glossed over. For example, alum Manti Te'o comes to speak to the team, and there is no mention of the fake-girlfriend scandal that surrounded his time on campus.
While the doc may be clearly pro-Irish, it doesn't shy away from adversity such as the loss to Northern Illinois, injuries to key players like Benjamin Morrison, family tragedies, or the season-ending letdown. Freeman, Leonard, and Kiser are honest and transparent with their answers, though no one says anything too different from what they told the media in season. Nothing uttered by any player or coach will make news.
Still, there are interesting peeks behind the curtain, such as Freeman's halftime and post-game speeches during the NIU loss.
Freeman comes across the same way he does when doing a press conference or an on-field interview -- honest without being needlessly transparent. He sees what we're seeing when it comes to on-field play. He appears to be a good motivator -- his message is consistent, yet players don't seem to tire of it.
Leonard, meanwhile, comes across as a happy-go-lucky goofball who nonetheless understands his role as a team leader and quarterback at one of the nation's most-watched programs. Kiser is clearly a team leader, as well -- he's more serious than Leonard but still able to crack a smile or a joke.
Other players show a mixture of personality -- at times, it's clear these guys are still just college kids figuring things out. Other times, you see their off-field academic or career interests, and how they seem ready for the adult world, should they not make the NFL. And other times, it's pure football.
There are eight episodes, ranging from about 30 to 45 minutes in length. The first episode features Freeman heavily, and sets up the season -- and there's an appearance from legendary head coach Lou Holtz. Episode two focuses on captain choice, the third episode centers around the highs of winning at Texas A&M and losing to NIU at home, the fourth episode deals with the aftermath of the NIU loss and the fifth episode centers around the rash of key injuries that hit Notre Dame.
The sixth and seventh episodes center around the late-season playoff push and the playoff game against Indiana. The finale focuses on the playoff run and that disheartening ending.
"Here Come the Irish" is the type of sports documentary that will get die-hard fans pumped up, and casual and new fans will learn things about the program. Even long-time fans like this author learned a few things, mostly concerning phrases and chants the team uses at practice. The peek behind the curtain is always nice, though outside of some locker-room speeches, little is learned that fans didn't already know.
It would be nice if the show didn't shy away from darker chapters in Notre Dame history, and if there was any behind-the-scenes drama that didn't get reported on by the media, well, we don't really see it here. That said, the show doesn't gloss over the failure against NIU.
If you come for X and O breakdowns, team infighting, intersquad drama, or an unvarnished look at Notre Dame, you'll be disappointed. If you want to learn a bit about the players and coaches, even if what you see is sanitized, you'll be happy. If you want to see what Freeman says in halftime and post-game speeches, you'll be satisfied. And if you want to get pumped for the season, well, then this is for you.
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