Stiffler Aims to Replicate Football’s Success with Notre Dame Baseball

Notre Dame baseball coach Shawn Stiffler found inspiration close to home as he prepared his team for the upcoming season. Looking for a recent example of success and resilience, Stiffler turned to Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame football team and their College Football Playoff run.

“I actually created a PowerPoint prior to the start of team practice here in the spring of clips and highlights of examples of Marcus’ team and the championship run,” Stiffler explained. “I thought it was one of the best examples I’d ever seen in 25 years of being in the business of everything you’re looking for from a coaching standpoint.”

Stiffler wasn’t just impressed by the team’s 14-2 record and 13-game winning streak that propelled them to the title game; he was more interested in how they achieved that success.

“First off, you have a tough loss (to Northern Illinois) that could have ended your season, but all those guys did was rally around each other and strengthen their unity and come out on top,” Stiffler noted. He also highlighted the team’s “next man up” mentality, with players being ready to contribute even when not in starting positions, and their willingness to change positions as needed. He then focused on the Penn State game as a key example.

With quarterback Riley Leonard sidelined and “wobbly,” backup Steve Angeli stepped up, leading the Irish on a crucial drive that resulted in their first points of the eventual 27-24 Orange Bowl semifinal victory. This specific moment provided Stiffler with a powerful message for his baseball team: be prepared, regardless of your current role.

“Angeli comes into the game and leads us down in probably the biggest drive of the year to get those three points and turn the momentum around,” Stiffler said. “I just think it’s such a testament to what college athletics is all about and what team is all about. I used that whole season as an example for our guys to understand that’s how we have to be.” The Notre Dame football team’s journey served as a model for Stiffler and his baseball program, emphasizing the importance of unity, resilience, and readiness.

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