Notre Dame's Cornerback Moore: We're on a Revenge Tour After Getting Left Out of the Playoff

Leonard Moore isn't mincing words. The Notre Dame cornerback flat out said the Irish are on a "revenge tour" after getting snubbed from the College Football Playoff last year, and he's not the only one still thinking about what went wrong. When you lose 27-24 to Miami in Week 1 and then drop to Texas A&M in Week 3, you start 0-2. That 0-2 start? It cost them a playoff spot. Moore knows it. The whole team knows it.

The Losses That Won't Let Go

Moore said last year's season-opening loss to Miami used to keep him awake at night. So did that Texas A&M loss. But here's what's interesting: the players aren't hiding from it. They're leaning into it. When Notre Dame hosts Miami on November 7, it's going to feel personal, and Moore said the secondary is taking the blame for that first loss. Miami's Carson Beck completed 20 of 30 passes for 205 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. Moore said Freeman was blunt in the locker room after that game, telling the DBs they were "weak" and "soft." That stung. "That's what used to keep me up at night," Moore said, "just thinking about maybe one or two plays in that game that I could've made that would've changed the course of the season."

Coach Freeman Keeps Everyone Grounded

But Marcus Freeman isn't letting his team get too caught up in November fantasies. When Moore and quarterback CJ Carr started talking about the Miami matchup, Freeman smirked and gave them the reality check. "We spend too much time daydreaming about Miami, we're going to lose to Wisconsin," Freeman said, pointing to their September 6 season opener. He's right. If you're thinking about one game down the line, you lose focus on what's in front of you. Freeman said it's his job to make sure the team stays locked in on the task at hand, whether that's Wisconsin or whoever comes next.

CJ Carr, now in his second season as the full-time starter, called that Miami tape "probably the worst first half of football our offense played all year." But he also said the second half showed resilience that's going to help them this year. The Irish secondary is primed to be a strength this season, returning nine of its top 10 tacklers, including safety Adon Shuler. Moore put up 31 tackles last year. They're hungry. They want to make it right.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.