The aftermath of Notre Dame’s heartbreaking 34-23 loss to Ohio State in the national championship game on Monday night sparked controversy, as accounts emerged describing a tense and hostile atmosphere in the Fighting Irish locker room.
Dan Wolken, a national columnist for USA Today Sports, characterized the scene as chaotic and unprofessional in a post on X.
“Bizarre scenes from the Notre Dame locker room, players yelling at reporters, coaches warning people not to ask certain questions. Amateur hour,” Wolken posted.
Wolken later elaborated on his experience, claiming that “a few [Notre Dame] players said some pretty threatening and insulting things to me” as he exited the locker room.
According to Wolken, his intention was to speak with sophomore cornerback Christian Gray, who had been beaten by Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith for a 56-yard pass late in the fourth quarter – a pivotal play that sealed the Buckeyes’ victory.
“I was going to write a piece about Jeremiah Smith’s game-clinching catch,” Wolken explained. “When I walked into the locker room, there were a small number of reporters in there. But some of them had already approached Gray and tried to ask about the play.
“As I walked in, a few players were shouting obscenities at the reporters who had been there and complaining about the fact that Gray was asked about Jeremiah Smith.
“I noticed that a staff member had walled off access to the locker and said that he wasn’t going to answer questions about the play. So I turned around to leave because there was no point wasting my time and was going to go over to the Ohio State locker room.
“As I was leaving, a few players said some pretty threatening and insulting things to me as well.”
“I don’t really care, but it was ugly and unbecoming and unprofessional,” he added. “It was also seen something that a few other media members and people working for the CFP staff saw, so any suggestion that this didn’t happen is – quite frankly – complete and utter bullsh*t.
“It was also something I’ve never really seen in 20-plus years of covering these situations, even in some of the most distraught and heartbroken locker rooms you can imagine.
“The reality is, whether people like the locker room situation or not, this is the opportunity that is given to media members to ask questions of players who are not chosen to go to a press conference. Is there a better way to do it? Maybe, but that’s not something I have control over.
“I always feel like when a player is involved in the biggest play of a game, even if they are on the wrong end of it, giving them the opportunity to explain it from their point of view is the right thing to do.
“And I think 100 [percent] of the blame goes to the Notre Dame sports information staff and the CFP staff for not preparing players for what they’ll face in these postgame situations,” he concluded.
Other reports echoed similar accounts of tension.
A report by On3 noted that senior wide receiver Jayden Thomas shouted expletives at reporters who questioned Gray about Smith’s play.
“Have a heart!” Thomas reportedly yelled, while Gray, appearing visibly upset, covered his head with a towel and walked to the food station.
However, not all accounts painted the same picture.
ESPN sideline reporter Molly McGrath offered a contrasting perspective, praising the Fighting Irish players and coaching staff for their conduct throughout their entire playoff run.
“It was an honor covering @NDFootball during this run to the championship game. Their players, staff, and Coach Freeman handled every media request and every interview with kindness and grace,” McGrath posted on X.
“After interviewing Ohio State on the field, I was tasked with interviewing Marcus Freeman outside of their locker room after he spoke to his team. He was kind and patient with my questions, and then proceeded to stand in the hallway and watch Ohio State’s trophy ceremony from a television across the hall.
“He looked heartbroken and determined. Freeman and the Irish will be back. The look on his face said it all.”
McGrath clarified that she was not in the locker room itself.
“To be clear, I posted this before I ever saw @DanWolken’s tweet,” she wrote. “I don’t know his experience last night, but he reported what he saw and I reported what I saw. I was never in the locker room, but my experience covering this team has been incredibly positive.”
Anyone who’s been close to this Notre Dame team knows that they’ve been nothing but classy and professional every single step of the way.
Perhaps we’ll get more information from what exactly took place insider the locker room that night. But at the end of the day, the situation is understandable from both sides.
Assuming his account was accurate, Wolken has a point that it’s fair game to ask Gray about the biggest play of the game.
Gray has every right to answer the question however he likes (or not at all), but to think that simply being asked about the play is somehow “crossing a line” is flat-out wrong.
It’s a hard truth to accept, but the fact is Gray’s blown play cost Notre Dame their season. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying it’s all his fault or that the Irish would have ended up winning, but his blown coverage was the final nail in the coffin. That’s just a fact.
The argument that college football players are “amateurs” and shouldn’t have to answer tough questions no longer holds up in this day and age of NIL where players are getting paid big bucks to play.
If players want to be compensated as professionals, they need to handle being treated as professionals. Simple as that.
Now, having said all of that, let’s not pretend like Gray and the Irish being frustrated in the immediate moments following a heartbreaking loss in the national championship game is the worst thing in the world.
As a matter of fact, it would be more concerning if they WEREN’T frustrated.
You can make the strong argument that Notre Dame is the closest-knit team in the entire country. The coaches and players all care deeply for each other and you have to respect the hell out of that.
In other words, what allegedly happened in the locker room on Monday night is completely understandable. It’s not the first time something like that has happened. And it won’t be the last. And that’s okay.
What are your thoughts on the situation???
