Riley Leonard Shares Marcus Freeman’s Inspiring Message After Notre Dame’s Loss to NIU
Notre Dame’s road to the College Football Playoff wasn’t without its challenges. The Fighting Irish, led by quarterback Riley Leonard and head coach Marcus Freeman, faced a pivotal setback early in the season. On September 7, Northern Illinois delivered a shocking 16-14 upset in South Bend, shattering Notre Dame’s hopes for an undefeated season and raising doubts about their playoff chances.
Amid the adversity, a memorable message from Freeman helped the team bounce back. Speaking to Nicole Auerbach of NBC Sports, Leonard reflected on Freeman’s fiery but motivational words after the loss—a message that transformed their season. Surprisingly, Leonard admitted that he became “thankful” for the heartbreaking defeat, as it set the stage for growth.
“It’s hard for me to even say I’m thankful for it, but I am,” Leonard said. “(Coach) said he was thankful for similar losses in past years because they helped him grow as a person. At the time, I thought, ‘There’s no way I’ll ever feel that.’ But here we are.”
Freeman’s mantra, “Keep the pain,” became a rallying cry for the team. “He always told us to ‘keep that pain’ before every game,” Leonard shared. “He said, ‘Keep that pain, because you don’t want to feel that way again.’ It drove us the rest of the year.”
Now, Leonard and the Irish are making history as the seventh seed in the first-ever College Football Playoff. Standing in their way is the Indiana Hoosiers, one of the season’s biggest surprises.
For Leonard, this game represents more than a shot at the title; it’s a defining moment for the state of Indiana. “It’s huge for the state — we’ve been talking about it becoming a football state,” Leonard said. “It’s known for basketball, for obvious reasons, but this is a big deal.”
The matchup marks the first postseason clash between Indiana’s two major universities, with both eyeing the College Football National Championship. The winner of Friday’s game in South Bend will face No. 2 seed Georgia on New Year’s Day. For Notre Dame, a loss would end their title hopes, but Freeman’s message has them prepared to fight until the end.
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