As Notre Dame heads to the National Championship against the Ohio State Buckeyes, the team has plenty of reasons to be proud.
But starting quarterback Riley Leonard credits an unusual and heartwarming habit for the team’s success and tight unity:
One of the biggest bragging points about this team is that we have like 40 guys show up to our Bible study every Thursday. And that’s really a credit to them… This team is just so close, and everything we do, we do as a unit.
Catholic identity makes a comeback
Longtime Fighting Irish fans know the heartbreak not only of football’s ups and downs but also of seeing the Catholic identity of the nation’s foremost Catholic college seem to be pushed to the side at times.
It’s incredibly heartening that our quarterback sincerely loves Jesus and credits him for his success in every interview. In a recent ESPN interview, he said, “First and foremost, I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Without Him, I wouldn’t be here, and we wouldn’t be here as a whole group.”
Prayer during the playoff
When asked how he clinched a win in the very close playoff game against Penn State, Leonard shared how he prayed during the game for God’s will to be done, saying:
Shoot, I just started trusting the Lord. I looked up and said, “Jesus, whatever your will is for my life, I trust it 100%.” And I know that this offense and this team trust in Jesus and His plan for the season.
A powerful connection with the past
In an era when many Catholic institutions seem affected by mission drift, Leonard is proudly going back to Notre Dame's roots as in the days of Knute Rockne and other Catholic football greats.
It’s no coincidence that Leonard’s faith and humble leadership recall the early days of Notre Dame football. Blue and gold are in his blood.
Leonard’s great-grandfather, James Curran, played for the Irish in the 1940s glory days and young Leonard rooted for Notre Dame all his life: “Legit I watched Rudy every single day growing up,” he said.
Watching Leonard’s unashamed love of Jesus and football prowess feels like we’ve stepped back in time to the days of his great-grandfather.
This is Notre Dame as it’s meant to be, where faith and football come together under the watchful eyes of "Touchdown Jesus." Leonard transferred from Duke because Notre Dame meant so much to him, and he’s doing his part to pass the torch of the Catholic mission to the next generation.
“I walk around campus and just wearing this logo on my chest means so much to me and hopefully I can represent it the right way,” he said.
It’s safe to say he’s representing the Irish in a way that would make his great-grandfather proud — and all the rest of us fans, too.
Keep the faith, Riley and team. Our Lady's university is in good hands.
