2025 4-Star QB Blake Hebert Flips Commitment to Notre Dame from Clemson
Oct 14, 2024
SOUTH BEND, IN - SEPTEMBER 07: A detail view of a Notre Dame Fighting Irish helmet is seen on a table in action during a game between the Northern Illinois Huskies the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on September 7, 2024, at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, IN. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Four-star quarterback Blake Hebert, has flipped his long-time commitment from Clemson to Notre Dame for the 2025 season.
The No. 29 ranked QB in the class, according to 247Sports' composite rankings, committed to the Irish shortly after they lost 2025 commit Deuce Knight to Auburn on Oct. 2.
🚨 Notre Dame has flipped four-star QB and longtime Clemson commit Blake Hebert, ESPN's No. 6 dual-threat QB in the 2025 cycle.
The Irish went to work on landing a '25 QB after Deuce Knight's Oct. 2 flip to Auburn. They've got one now in the 6-foot-3 passer from Connecticut. https://t.co/TVHnXKFKmg
The 6-foot-3 QB is committing out of Brunswick High School in Greenwich, Connecticut.
Hebert had offers from several schools including Auburn, Ole Miss, Penn State and Pittsburgh before ultimately deciding to hard commit with the Fighting Irish.
Following his decommitment from Clemson, Herbert took to social media to address the situation.
I’d like to start by thanking the Clemson coaching staff as well as the program itself for all they have done for me. With that being said, I have chosen to withdraw my commitment and will spend my next 4 years at another institution.
During Hebert's Junior season in 2023, he suffered a fractured ankle in his team's season opener and was sidelined for the rest of the season according to 247Sports, but has since fully recovered.
Benjamin Morrison NFL Draft 2025: Scouting Report for Notre Dame CB
Oct 9, 2024
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN - SEPTEMBER 14: Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive back Benjamin Morrison (20) lines up on defense during a college football game against the Purdue Boilermakers on September 14, 2024 at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
HEIGHT: 6'0"
WEIGHT: 193
HAND: 9¼”
ARM: 30⅜”
WINGSPAN: 75⅞”
POSITIVES
— Smooth athlete with good short-area quickness and lateral movement. He plays with a fluid backpedal and controlled balance.
— In coverage, he keeps very good leverage and positioning on receivers. As he works downfield he squeezes off their lane and looks to attack the ball.
— Has shown flexibility in playing both outside and slot cornerback positions.
— Shows the necessary timing and ball skills to decipher what is needed at the high point when playing the ball.
Ad Placeholder
— Shows good physicality and willingness to set the edge and get involved in the run game.
NEGATIVES
— Morrison can be inconsistent with his transitions, giving up separation. He can also be bumped off the top of routes at times.
— Lacks ideal closing speed when giving a step or two.
— Morrison can get antsy in zone coverage. He looks for big plays and can lose threats in his zone.
2024 STATISTICS
— 6 Games, 20 Tackles, 4 PBU
NOTES
— Born Mar. 11, 2004
— Games Started: 26
Ad Placeholder
— 4-Star recruit in the 2019 class, per 247 Sports
— 2024 Injured his hip in week 7 against Stanford. Required hip surgery that kept him out the remainder of the season.
— 2023 First-Team All-Independent; Independent Cornerback of the Year
— 2022 First-Team All-Independent; Freshman All-American; Independent Cornerback of the Year
Ad Placeholder
OVERALL
Ad Placeholder
Benjamin Morrison is a versatile cornerback prospect out of Notre Dame, known for his quickness, fluidity, and ability to play both outside and in the slot. Standing at 6' and weighing 190 pounds, Morrison brings a well-rounded skill set to the position. His athleticism, combined with his physicality and football IQ, make him a compelling option for NFL teams looking to bolster their secondary. He is a former Freshman All-American with a ton of playing experience under his belt.
Ad Placeholder
Morrison is a smooth athlete with good short-area quickness and lateral movement, which allows him to maintain a fluid backpedal and controlled balance in coverage. He excels at keeping leverage and positioning on receivers, often squeezing them off their lane as they work downfield and positioning himself to make a play on the ball. Morrison's ball skills are well-developed, showing the necessary timing and understanding to play the ball at its highest point, whether he's playing outside or in the slot.
However, Morrison can be inconsistent with his transitions, sometimes leading to more agile receivers gaining separation. Additionally, while he has good size, his closing speed isn't ideal, making it difficult for him to recover if he loses a step. Morrison can get antsy in zone coverage, occasionally prioritizing big plays over maintaining discipline in his assignment, leading to lost threats in his zone.
In the run game, Morrison shows good physicality and a willingness to set the edge, actively getting involved in run support. Despite his solid frame, Morrison sometimes plays like he's lighter than he is, occasionally struggling to disengage from bigger blockers who can push him around or shield him off the edge. This inconsistency in shedding blocks can limit his effectiveness in stopping runs that bounce to the outside. Nonetheless, his overall effort and willingness to engage in run defense are positive traits that can be further developed with proper coaching and strength conditioning.
Benjamin Morrison projects as a late first-round to early second-round pick with the potential to be a first-year starter in the NFL. His combination of smooth athleticism, versatility in coverage, and physicality in the run game makes him a well-rounded prospect capable of fitting into multiple defensive schemes. While he needs to improve his transitions and maintain discipline in zone coverage, Morrison's skill set offers a high ceiling. With continued development, particularly in his ability to shed blocks and refine his coverage techniques, Morrison has the potential to become a reliable starting cornerback at the next level.
GRADE: 8.0 (Year 1 Starter — Late 1st - Early 2nd Round)
SOUTH BEND, INDIANA - SEPTEMBER 28: Riley Leonard #13 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish looks to pass against the Louisville Cardinals during the first half at Notre Dame Stadium on September 28, 2024 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Riley Leonard led No. 16 Notre Dame football to a 31-24 home win over No. 15 Louisville on Saturday afternoon and helped keep the Fighting Irish's College Football Playoff hopes alive in the process.
Notre Dame scored 21 unanswered points in the first quarter after Louisville opened the game on an Isaac Brown 10-yard touchdown reception. The Fighting Irish's scores were courtesy of a Jeremiyah Love six-yard run, a Jaden Greathouse 34-yard reception and a Leonard four-yard run.
The Leonard rush was set up after a bad snap on a Louisville punt led to a fumble that got knocked backward and eventually settled into Kennedy Urlacher's hands inside the 10.
Jordan Faison making plays 😤
AND @NDlacrosse was waiting for him in the end zone 😂☘️
Louisville stayed in the game, though, and got a score back in the second quarter after a Ja'Corey Brooks five-yard touchdown. The two teams traded field goals before Love scored his second touchdown on a 32-yard catch for a 31-17 lead after the PAT.
The Cardinals fired back again with 5:17 left when Brooks caught a 24-yard touchdown pass. Louisville got the ball back after forcing a three-and-out, but its drive stalled at midfield, effectively ending the game.
Leonard completed 17-of-23 passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns while adding 52 rushing yards and another score.
Notre Dame's College Football Playoff hopes took a massive hit in Week 2 when the team fell 16-14 at home to Northern Illinois, which has lost games to unranked Buffalo and NC State since then to fall to 2-2 this year.
However, the Fighting Irish have now responded with three straight wins against Purdue (66-7), Miami (Ohio) (28-3) and Louisville. Notre Dame has seven games remaining, and the only one that features a ranked team is the final one at No. 13 USC on Nov. 30.
The table could very well be set for Notre Dame to still make the CFP if the team runs the table. For now, though, fans discussed the team's playoff chances in the meantime.
I have no idea how good Notre Dame is but they’re going to be in the playoff with a loss to Northern Illinois
Notre dame taking the Ville to the woodshed is great to watch but I can’t help but feel even angrier about that northern Illinois loss. That never happens and this team is walking into the playoff sweat free after this game . SMH.#goirish
Notre Dame putting together an impressive effort to catapult back into the College Football Playoff hunt. Just took a two score lead over Louisville with 9:16 to play.
This offense stinks. No one can convince me Leonard is team's best QB. No one can convince me this team is CFB playoff worthy. They're not even the best team in the state. #NotreDame
If this Notre Dame team makes the playoff they’ll get EMBARRASSED in their first game vs a competent opponent. Ole Miss. UT. LSU. Michigan. Teams that don’t get the auto bid but make it will EMBARRASS the “best ND team” in decades. It’s a joke. I’m sick of it. SICK OF IT.
Notre Dame gets completely bailed out by the zebras. They’ll probably need help like that if they are going to make the playoff. https://t.co/CtE6w4syRC
What a Huge Win for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish over 15th Ranked Louisville this afternoon, the Irish Faithful needed this much needed win to keep their #CFP Hopes Alive.
Notre Dame now has the week off before hosting Stanford on Saturday, Oct. 12.
Riley Leonard, No. 17 Notre Dame Applauded By CFB Fans After Win vs. Miami (OH)
Sep 21, 2024
SOUTH BEND, INDIANA - SEPTEMBER 21: Riley Leonard #13 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish scrambles with the football in the first half against the Miami (OH) Redhawks at Notre Dame Stadium on September 21, 2024 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
The MAC's brief reign over Notre Dame has come to a close.
Northern Illinois shocked the world with an upset victory over the Fighting Irish in Week 2, but fellow conference member Miami (OH) was unable to contain Notre Dame in Week 4 and fell 21-3.
The Redhawks are now 0-3 but that doesn't necessarily describe the talent on the team. Miami fell to Northwestern out of the Big Ten and Cincinnati out of the Big-12 prior to the loss to the Fighting Irish, so the schedule has been loaded with power programs.
Additionally, Miami is the reigning champion of the MAC and could be a top contender in the conference once again. With this in mind, the Fighting Irish should feel pretty good about exorcizing the demon from the loss to Northern Illinois.
Quarterback Riley Leonard went 16-of-25 for 154 yards and a touchdown while adding 143 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries. His strong play has fans praising his growth during his first year as the team's signal-caller.
Good lord. That block by Love on that Riley Leonard TD run. Devastating. #GoIrish
Riley Leonard’s 50-yard touchdown run on 4th-and-1 removes any lingering doubt. Leonard has accounted for 298 yards total offense and three touchdowns today. Entire Irish offense revolves around No. 13.
He led the Fighting Irish in rushing, but tailback Jeremiyah Love did contribute 60 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.
Beaux Collins led Notre Dame receivers with four catches for 60 yards and a touchdown. The Fighting Irish defense allowed just 229 total yards and forced two interceptions while the special teams blocked a field goal attempt.
Fans took to social media to praise Notre Dame and declare that the team is truly back on the right track.
Notre Dame Wins!!! ☘️☘️☘️ 28-3 Fighting Irish!!! After a slow start Notre Dame takes control of the game in the 2nd half and Riley Leonard finally throws a TD Pass in the win over Miami Ohio! ND goes to 3-1 on the season #GoIrish ☘️🏈 pic.twitter.com/bvYM96hKZa
The win improves the Fighting Irish to 3-1 on the season and they will hope to continue to build on the momentum.
Notre Dame will host Louisville in Week 5 with hopes of avenging last season's loss to the Cardinals. That game will kick-off at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Report: Notre Dame's Riley Leonard Has Shoulder Injury, Expected to Play vs. Purdue
Sep 10, 2024
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS - AUGUST 31: Riley Leonard #13 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish warms up prior to the game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field on August 31, 2024 in College Station, Texas. (Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images)
Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard is expected to play Saturday at Purdue despite suffering an injury to his non-throwing shoulder, Pete Nakos reported for On3.
Leonard suffered the posterior labrum injury to his left shoulder during last Saturday's loss to Northern Illinois, per Nakos.
Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard injured his posterior labrum on his non-throwing shoulder in Saturday’s loss against Northern Illinois, multiple sources tell @On3sports.
Sources tell On3 that Leonard is expected to play on Saturday at Purdue.
Leonard underwent a MRI on the shoulder over the weekend, Nakos reported.
The former Duke star has yet to throw a touchdown through two games with Notre Dame.
Leonard began Saturday's game against Northern Illinois with an 11-yard rushing touchdown, but later struggled with accuracy as he threw two interceptions in the 16-14 loss.
The quarterback took responsibility for the second pick in the loss, which he called a "completely bad read," per The Athletic's Pete Sampson.
Head coach Marcus Freeman told reporters on Monday that Notre Dame, then ranked No. 5 in the AP poll, did not consider putting in backup quarterback Steve Angeli during the upset, which marked the first time Northern Illinois had defeated a top-ten team.
"No, there was no consideration of that," Freeman said after the loss. "We have a lot of belief in Riley and him running our offense."
Notre Dame fell to No. 18 in the AP rankings following the upset.
Leonard will be set to start again against Purdue, although if his struggles continue there is still a chance Angeli could make his season debut. The junior quarterback made eight appearances for the Fighting Irish last season.
When playing for the Blue Devils in 2023 Leonard was limited to seven games after suffering foot and ankle injuries that necessitated multiple offseason surgeries. When healthy last season he completed 57.6 percent of his passes for 1,102 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions, while rushing for 352 additional yards and four touchdowns .
Leonard is still looking to return to the production rates he recorded during his breakout 2022-23 season with Duke. He led the Blue Devils to a 9-4 record that season while passing for 2,967 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions, adding 699 yards and 13 scores on the ground.
After opening the season with a victory over Texas A&M, Notre Dame will now look to make it back to the win column while Leonard seeks his first passing touchdown of the season against Purdue.
Marcus Freeman: Notre Dame 'Failed' with Mental Approach in Upset Loss to NIU
Sep 9, 2024
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS - AUGUST 31: Head coach Marcus Freeman looks on prior to the game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field on August 31, 2024 in College Station, Texas. (Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images)
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman didn't believe that his team was mentally prepared ahead of a shocking 16-14 upset loss to Northern Illinois on Saturday.
"There is a physical approach to preparing for a game, and I think physically we prepared the right way, but there's also a mental approach and a mindset that you have to have every single week, and I think that's where we failed," Freeman said, per ESPN's Heather Dinich.
After losing to Ohio State in Week 1 of the 2022 season and Week 5 of the 2023 season, the Fighting Irish defeated Texas A&M to open their 2024 campaign. The Aggies owned the No. 20 spot in the Week 1 Associated Press Top 25 poll.
"This is the first time in my three years as a head coach that we have won the big game early in the season," Freeman said, via Dinich. "Two losses to Ohio State and then all of a sudden, we win and everybody says, 'Hey, you're going to the playoff. You've got an easy schedule.' We all hear it, and I think we started to believe that."
Notre Dame's passing attack struggled mightily against the Huskies, as Riley Leonard threw for just 163 yards and two interceptions without recording a touchdown through the air. The Fighting Irish were also unable to stop Northern Illinois on the ground, allowing 190 total rush yards.
Freeman's squad will attempt to get back on track physically and mentally in the team's next matchup, a clash with Purdue on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Marcus Freeman Says No. 5 Notre Dame Has 'Been Here Before' After Upset Loss vs. NIU
Sep 7, 2024
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS - AUGUST 31: Head Coach Marcus Freeman of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish looks on prior to the game against the Texas A&M Aggies Kyle Field on August 31, 2024 in College Station, Texas. (Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images)
Marcus Freeman believes his team can rebound.
The Notre Dame head coach spoke with reporters following his team's 16-14 upset loss to Northern Illinois Saturday and said "we've been here before" in reference to the situation that lies ahead.
Notre Dame started the 2022 season 0-2 but rebounded to finish 9-4. The Fighting Irish are now 1-1 following the loss to the Huskies.
The 2024 season looked promising for Notre Dame after Week 1.
The Fighting Irish entered Kyle Field and took a 23-10 victory over Texas A&M in the opening game. This set the tone for the rest of the schedule, with a mostly non-ranked schedule until a major matchup against USC at the end of the year.
If Notre Dame could have remained undefeated, a playoff berth would appear all but sealed. However, this loss puts those hopes on life support.
The Fighting Irish can only qualify through an at-large bid due to their independent status. With this, a loss to a non-power conference team like Northern Illinois could hurt their case over teams with a harder strength of schedule.
It also likely signals that another loss would knock Notre Dame from playoff contention so the room for error is extremely low.
The Fighting Irish will look to rebound next week when they travel to face Purdue.
Riley Leonard, No. 5 Notre Dame Ripped as CFP Pretenders After Upset Loss to NIU
Sep 7, 2024
SOUTH BEND, IN - SEPTEMBER 07: Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard (13) runs the ball in for a touchdown against the Northern Illinois Huskies on September 7, 2024, at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Notre Dame looked like a team capable of reaching the College Football Playoff a week ago when it took down Texas A&M in College Station.
The No. 5 Fighting Irish looked far from a championship-caliber team in a 16-14 upset loss to Northern Illinois on Saturday.
Notre Dame's woes started early. Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard threw his first interception of the game in the first quarter, leading to a Northern Illinois field goal to make it 13-7.
Notre Dame's frustrations boiled over on the final play of the half as its last-second field goal attempt was blocked by the Huskies and nearly returned for a touchdown.
The Huskies close the first half with a blocked field goal. NIU's first since the 2021 season.
The Fighting Irish finally found some life on offense in the third quarter as running back Jeremiyah Love ran in a touchdown from 34 yards out, but from there Notre Dame went stagnant.
In the fourth quarter, the Fighting Irish had the chance to add some insurance and were mounting a drive, but Leonard threw another interception, haunting Notre Dame's progress. Northern Illinois capitalized on the mistake, driving down the field while ticking time off the clock before draining a field goal and leaving Notre Dame with just 31 seconds to respond.
After working their way down the field in the final seconds, the Fighting Irish's 62-yard game-winning field-goal attempt was blocked, and Northern Illinois completed the biggest upset in program history.
After the loss, fans ripped Leonard's disappointing two-interception performance while the rest of the college football world pronounced the Fighting Irish as CFP pretenders.
Notre Dame paid Northern Illinois $1.4 million to play in South Bend today.
The Huskies just beat the #5 Fighting Irish 16-14—the biggest upset in NIU HISTORY. pic.twitter.com/wDd5IqiDFZ
I don't like to be publicly critical of our guys, but Riley Leonard is a liability at this point. His arm and decision making this game is horrendous. Consider me in the "Start Angeli" club.
Notre Dame's chances of reaching the College Football Playoff took a tremendous hit on Saturday, even when considering the new 12-team format. The Fighting Irish still have three ranked opponents on their schedule in Louisville, Georgia Tech and USC. They might have to win out to make the playoff.
For now, Notre Dame will look to put the embarrassing loss behind it and focus on improving the many areas in which it struggled on Saturday.
Riley Leonard, No. 7 Notre Dame Championed By CFB Fans After Road Win vs. Texas A&M
Sep 1, 2024
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS - AUGUST 31: Riley Leonard #13 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish warms up prior to the game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field on August 31, 2024 in College Station, Texas. (Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images)
Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard's bid to lead his new team back to the College Football Playoff is off to a victorious start.
The Fighting Irish pulled ahead late to claim a 23-13 win against host Texas A&M on Saturday night in a back-and-forth battle between ranked opponents.
Jeremiyah Love ran in a 21-yard touchdown with fewer than two minutes left on the clock to seal the victory.
Notre Dame's ability to break the tie late in the fourth on enemy territory impressed fans hoping to see the Fighting Irish back in the CFP for the first time since 2020 this winter.
Notre Dame won the toughest game on its schedule and has a clear path to the CFP.
Yes, I’m tweeting this in Week 1. And I feel fine about it.
I hate to say it but Notre Dame looks for real. They won in a tough road environment and Marcus Freeman is a gutsy coach who has his team ready to run through brick walls.
It worked. Great win with a young O-Line, on the road, and in a very tough environment. Just gotta clean up the flags. #NotreDamehttps://t.co/j56Jk9yNUn
The season opener got off to a slow start as neither Notre Dame nor Texas A&M made it to the end zone through two quarters. The teams went into the halftime break tied 6-6.
Texas A&M 6 Notre Dame 6 at the half.
Probably expected a little more juice from the offenses but these defenses have been as advertised
The Fighting Irish finally sparked some offense in the third quarter as running back Jadarian Price ran for a 47-yard touchdown to put Notre Dame ahead.
Notre Dame struggled to get the ball back into the end zone following Price's score, eventually allowing Texas A&M to tie the game with a rushing touchdown from Le'Veon Moss.
But the Fighting Irish offensive line stood tall late to help get the ball down the field before Love scored his go-ahead touchdown in the final minutes.
Notre Dame finished the game with 158 passing yards compared to 198 rushing yards. Leonard connected on 18 of 30 passes for 158 yards, while adding 63 rushing yards on 12 carries.
Notre Dame must lean on their rushing attack moving forward. Key identity for their offense as they have something SERIOUS brewing w/ Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price, & even Riley Leonard.
Notre Dame returns to action next Saturday for the home opener against Northern Illinois. Texas A&M meanwhile will look for the team's first win of the season when they return to Kyle Field to take on McNeese State the same day.
WWE's Sheamus Tabs Notre Dame to Win 2024 CFP as 'College GameDay' Guest Picker
Aug 24, 2024
DAYTON, OHIO - JULY 15: Sheamus enters the ring during Monday Night RAW at WSU Nutter Center on July 15, 2024 in Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by WWE/Getty Images)
Anyone who thought Sheamus was going to bet against the Irish is feeling upset after the WWE superstar made his prediction for the 2024 College Football Playoff Championship.
Appearing as a guest picker on Saturday's episode of College Gameday on ESPN, Sheamus picked Notre Dame to win the national title this season.
Sheamus was the only one on the panel to pick Notre Dame to win the national championship. The other members were evenly split between Georgia and Oregon.
Nick Saban and Pat McAfee went with the Bulldogs. Desmond Howard and Kirk Herbstreit picked the Ducks.
Sheamus was also the only one to pick Georgia Tech to upset Florida State, which it did on a walk-off field goal, something he bragged about after the final whistle:
Georgia is the chalk pick as the preseason No. 1 team in the Associated Press Top 25 poll. Oregon came in at No. 3. The last time the Ducks were ranked that high in the preseason top 25, they advanced to the College Football Playoff Championship Game before losing to Ohio State.
Notre Dame isn't far behind those teams at No. 7, cracking the preseason top 10 for the third time in four years.
This season marks the debut of the 12-team College Football Playoff format. The five highest-ranked conference champions receive an automatic berth in the field, with the top four teams in that group receiving a first-round bye.
The seven highest-ranked teams after the top five conference champions will receive an at-large bid. Notre Dame is at a disadvantage because it doesn't play in a conference, therefore making it ineligible to receive a first-round bye if it makes the field.
Sheamus' prediction of Notre Dame is appropriate for many reasons, not least of which is because he's a pro wrestler from Dublin, Ireland. The babyface is always supposed to play to the crowd for their cheers and sympathy.
The easiest way to get a pop from the College Gameday crowd on this particular Saturday was to go to bat for the Fighting Irish, especially when the show was broadcasting in Dublin for the Georgia Tech-Florida State game.
Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode below.
