As he prepared to give a speech that went viral, Chris Pan asked the university for fireworks, a marching band, and permission to blow through his 10-minute time limit, emails show.
And of course, quarterback Riley Leonard is from Fairhope, Ala., southeast of Mobile. He came to Notre Dame via transfer from Duke, but he also grew up a Fighting Irish fan, his great grandfather having played for Notre Dame in the 1940s.