Fueled by playoff heartbreak, Moore and Notre Dame's secondary aim for dominance, rewriting their narrative and targeting championship contention in 2026.
The end of the 2025 season is one that's going to stick with Notre Dame fans for quite some time. After rattling off a ten-game win streak to end the season, beating every opponent by double digits, the Irish were left out of the College Football Playoffs for an Alabama team who lost by 21 points in the SEC Conference Championship game and had a 14-point loss to a 5-7 team back in week one.
Still, the Irish didn't handle business in their first two games which ultimately put them in a position to be snubbed from the playoffs. Star cornerback Leonard Moore is using last season's ending to fuel him this offseason, along with the rest of the Notre Dame team. This is going to be a big season for the Fighting Irish and their returning Unanimous All-American cornerback is gearing up for the long haul.
"Every game on our schedule is circled," Moore shared. "The Miami game hurts a little bit more because it's Miami, that's the biggest game, that's a rivalry. So obviously, it's going to be a little about revenge this next year. But we're looking forward to every game. You can't look forward to any certain game or schedule and look past other games, which is not what we're doing. You definitely have to be mindful of the game and the mistakes we made that game that cost the season."
Moore exploded onto the scene in 2024 replacing All-American cornerback Benjamin Morrison who was lost for the year after a hip injury. The 6-2, 197-pound Texas native entered the starting lineup and never looked back. Now, looking ahead to the 2026 season, Moore has the opportunity to be one of the most decorated Notre Dame corners in program history, and he attributes it to the work that's been put in.
"Just being intentional every snap," Moore explained when asked what he's working on ahead of this year. "It's also my IQ of the game and knowing certain situations. I feel like a few times last year, twice, I think Boston College and Miami, I was beat in a two-minute situation over the top. I have to understand that two-minute, offense getting in the like 30-yard line and in area, they're going to the end zone because they already got a field goal. So stuff like that, like just knowing situational football, knowing when and where when I can't get beat."
The rising junior corner is a part of a secondary that has the potential to be the best in the country. Moore, along with safety and 2025 captain Adon Shuler, Freshman All-American Tae Johnson and multi-year start Christian Gray all return this season. There's no ceiling for this unit, and they have the potential to be the best coverage unit in the country.
"This secondary can be tremendous," Moore shared. "I've said that this secondary can be tremendous. But, regardless of how much talent we have in the room, it's about how focused we are how much we can lock in on each given rep. So even with all the talent in the room, there's still so much room to grow. And there's a lot of room if we get complacent to also have failure."
Moore has the potential to be the best cornerback that's come through Notre Dame in a very, very long time and that's not a slight at the other tremendous cornerbacks that have come through South Bend over the years. He's just that good. The 6-2, 197-pound cornerback has a very important role to play for the Irish this season and there's no telling how good this unit will be as a whole. All we know, is that the outlook on Notre Dame's secondary heading into 2026 is exceptionally high.
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