Welcome to the latest episode of the Shamrock. I'm Pete Sampson, joined as always by Matt

Fortuna. He's in Chicago. I'm here in South Bend. We're recording the evening, so I'm Pete Sampson, joined, as always, by Matt Fortuna. He's in Chicago.

I'm here in South Bend.

We're recording the evening, so I'm closest I came into Chicago is enjoying a Chicago beer from Pipworks Brewery.

Matt, we've got, by the time you listen to this podcast, the open practice may be underway on Thursday.

So we'll talk a little about what we would like to see and what I sort of expect to see.

But worth recapping some of the news of the last week, captain, seven of them.

Jack Cohn named starting quarterback, Notre Dame ninth in the AP poll, I believe. Correct. So I guess let's start with the captains. I sort of had a Twitter threat of sorts when they were

announced. And to me, it was just, it was interesting about their different backstories. And I think we always sort of think about

captains as, well, it's the best player. It's a four or five star prospect. And, you know,

for Jared Patterson, it was a kid who was committed to Arizona State and chose Notre Dame when

Notre Dame barely had an offensive line coach. You know, Kyle Hamilton was a four-star prospect, who everyone expected to be really good, but it's even better than that.

So some good backstories there.

And also, I think it was interesting, like, for the first time in a while, there's no returning captain.

So it's even though you have seven, it's seven first time guys,

which I think is sort of an interesting subplot to the whole story. Yeah, I mean,

he really had like all shapes, sizes, classes, positions, and as you tweeted backstories,

I mean, Kyle Hamilton, who's, you know, snap your fingers and is there and is going to be

a high draft pick. If Kurt Heinish, who is really kind of embodied the growth of and tenacity

of that defense, particularly that defensive line, and, you know, was no one's idea of, I mean,

he's a super, super senior. He was no one's idea of a five-star, you know, future great player coming out of high

school. We thought I'd be a solid player. And then, you know, just reading your thread now,

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