In the summer of 1999 my Dad and I drove from Pennsylvania to Indiana, stopping at almost every college along the way.
The goal we spoke of on those highways: find a place to play college football.
The goal we never spoke of but was the underlying dream: earn a scholarship to Notre Dame.
While that never happened, I did play and coach against the Irish. But the truth looking back was that driving with my Dad allowed both of us to listen, learn and discover. Me about him as a father and him about my passion for college football.
Fast forward to the spring of 2026 and I found myself, along with Todd Blackledge, pulling into South Bend, walking the campus and reminiscing about our childhoods, drives with our fathers and both getting lost in the wonderment of the ND campus.
I also got to hear what led Todd to Penn State and what it was like growing up as a premiere player in the midwest.
The stories were endless, the laughter hearty and the connection meaningful. Reminiscent of that drive back in 1999 in many ways.
When the sun rose the following morning Todd and I found ourselves in the 2026 Irish team meeting, analyzing practice, meeting with coaches, sitting down with a Heisman candidate and Elite 11 alum CJ Carr and learning from a powerful conversation with head coach Marcus Freeman.
Afterwards, Todd and I reflected on lessons learned in South Bend and shared what we think about Notre Dame on the latest episode of Y-Option: College Football with Yogi Roth, fueled by our founding sponsor 76, keeping you on the GO GO GO so you never miss a beat.
A few high level takeaways:
The nostalgia during a walk around Notre Dame’s Stadium as the sun rises will give you the chills.
CJ Carr is elite — full ownership of the offense, deep understanding beyond just the pass game.
Clarity at quarterback = growth everywhere else.
Receiver room feels upgraded — deeper, more competitive, more dynamic.
Defense remains the backbone — experienced, physical, with added interior presence via the portal.
Charlie Partridge is a huge addition to the coaching staff. And he was on the Pitt staff back in the day so it was a full circle moment on many levels for me.
Culture is intentional — last season’s CFP decision has been used as fuel.
A key to 2026: start fast — urgency around opening the season strong is real
Finally, this leg of our Spring Tour also served as a reminder that life goes even faster than a college football season. Watching Irish wideout Devin Fitzgerald compete in practice put a smile on my face as his Dad, Larry, was one of my college roommates over 20 years ago.
I can recall the day he was born and watching him run routes had Todd and I sharing stories about our kids and our childhoods. It served as a simple reminder that sports are a catalyst for conversation, change and inspiration.
We hope today’s conversation allows you to learn about Notre Dame in 2026 and maybe, just maybe reflect on a car ride with a loved one.
Thanks for the support on this Spring Coast to Coast Tour and if you’ve missed any of our past episodes at Indiana, Ohio State, Oregon and others be sure to subscribe to our YouTube page, as Todd and I are just warming up this off-season.
Much love and stay steady,
Yogi
