Notre Dame CB Leonard Moore Not A Typical Freshman

Notre Dame freshman cornerback Leonard Moore isn’t a stranger to the field at this point. 

Entering Saturday’s game against Georgia Tech, Moore had seen 152 plays on the season, including his first start against Louisville last month. 

Yet, Moore found himself with bigger shoes to fill this weekend as All-American Benjamin Morrison is lost for the season and Notre Dame is counting on him to fill that void. 

“It’s definitely crazy circumstances,” Moore stated. “It’s sad to see. I’m still praying for BMo right now. We love him to death. You never want to see that, but you have to be prepared and ready for your opportunity when the time comes, especially on a week like this, playing a good opponent with good receivers. We had to be locked in and prepared.”  

Morrison, who had hip surgery earlier this week, took it upon himself to make sure he was helping Moore throughout the last few days despite not being in the facility. The captain sent film and notes to the freshman from the hospital to make sure Moore was as prepared as possible for the Yellow Jackets offensive attack. 

“It means a lot,” said Moore. “He’s going through it, but he’s still taking his time and talking to me. He sent me a message before the game that he has his trust in me. That was good to see.” 

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman appreciated Morrison’s willingness to stay engaged with the team. After seeing Moore prepare over the last few months for this opportunity, he knew Moore would be up for the challenge. 

“You can’t replace him with one guy and Leonard did a great job,” explained Freeman. “We knew Leonard was special from the time we got him on campus. It’s just when the opportunity really presents itself.” 

Moore’s maturity has been highlighted by his teammates but also by defensive coordinator Al Golden. Where does it come from? That’s his personality. 

“It comes from being a level-headed individual,” Moore said. “I know my assignment and I know I have to execute my assignment. Just always being locked in and focused on what I have to get done.” 

In his second start, Moore finished his day with seven tackles and two pass breakups, which is impressive considering Georgia Tech threw the ball 36 times and frequently ran the ball to the boundary. 

Moore had little doubt he was ready for another big game and he doesn't view himself a freshman. 

“You definitely have to be confident as a cornerback,” Moore explained. “Ben told me not to make it about being a freshman. Just go out there and play football. Don’t give yourself any excuses and go out there and guard your man.” 

Now, Moore is also able to play a bit free as one of the better safety duos in the country is playing behind him. All-American Xavier Watts had another interception, and Adon Shuler recorded a pick six on Saturday. 

“It helps a lot,” said Moore. “We play middle of the field closed defense, so I always know they have my post. It helps me a lot to cover more intermediate routes. They always have my right leverage and I know they got my back.” 

Notre Dame’s defense did take a few drives to get in the flow as Georgia Tech scored on a 13-play, 71-yard drive on its second possession, which included quarterback Zach Pyron starting 9-for-9. 

Pyron ended his day going 20-of-36 for 269 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions as Golden quickly made the right tweaks to fluster the redshirt sophomore. 

“It’s definitely crazy to see how we make adjustments,” Moore stated. “He calls it the first 15. They are going to come out with their best plays, so we make adjustments to that and we stay focused the rest of the game.” 

As for the future, Moore will look to build on his the first two starts of his career, but his preparation won’t change as he’s found a routine and it’s not changing despite becoming a key piece to the Irish defense. 

“Even in the weeks I wasn’t starting, I was preparing like a starter,” said Moore. “When the opportunity arises, BMo has been shaken up a lot during the season, so I always had to be ready for my time to come.” 

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