Beyond the action on the field, a college football weekend is compelling in many ways, especially in this era of a new playoff system, name, image, and likeness.
But many stories would not otherwise be told if it weren’t for behind-the-scenes crews who put together video packages that not only pull in the audience but could have long-lasting effects long after the fans file out of the stadium.
That’s where ‘What Would You Fight For?’ comes in, a series produced by NBC Sports for Notre Dame football. The series is in its 18th year, and NBC Sports senior producer Lindsay Schanzer says it highlights Notre Dame’s commitment to finding solutions to the many challenges facing the world.
‘Sometimes – as is the case with the story airing this weekend for the Army game – there is a natural tie-in for that game’s audience,’ Schanzer, a six-time Emmy winner, who also produces the College Countdown college football studio show on NBC, told USA TODAY Sports.
The Fighting Irish play host to Army on Saturday night in one of the biggest games in the series’ history, and this week’s ‘What Would You Fight For?’ will feature walk-on kicker Eric Goins and head coach Marcus Freeman.
The latest installment will air before the third quarter of Saturday night’s game, airing on NBC and Peacock at 7 p.m. ET.
‘We knew that coach Freeman has his own ties to the military, and having his voice speak to Eric’s story and the impact he would have as a member of Notre Dame’s football team and student body at-large would be even more powerful,’ Schanzer said. ‘As for the magnitude of the game from a rankings perspective, we had no idea when we finished the story that it would be between two top-20 teams, so that’s an added bonus.’
Goins served seven years in the U.S. Army and at 30 years old is one of the older players in college football. Freeman’s military ties are due to his father serving in the Air Force, and he says he was happy when Goins joined the team and thought Goins’ experience would be a ‘huge addition’ to the football team.
‘There is no substitute for experience,’ Freeman said in the two-minute video. ‘And that experience Eric has, he can share with the younger players on our team.’
‘When you think of a college football player, a 30-year-old former Army infantry and communications officer typically doesn’t come to mind,’ Goins, who is pursuing his master of global affairs/master of business administration degree at Notre Dame, said in the video.
So what is Goins fighting for as he pursues his next step in life?
‘Fighting to serve others above self,’ he says.
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.