Notre Dame football came out with a 31-24 victory over the Louisville Cardinals on Saturday, avenging their 33-20 loss to them last season, a game that was not nearly as close as that final score would indicate.

When Riley Leonard transferred from Duke to Notre Dame, things did not go as planned. In a bit of ultimate Notre Dame irony, Leonard ended up missing almost all of Spring ball due to medical work being done to care for an injury the Irish created in 2023.

A glimpse around Fairhope High School indicates the legacy Leonard left behind in the community. When students walk inside the school counselor’s office, their eyes widen and mouths gape in awe at the sight of a helmet and football card signed by the former Fairhope quarterback.