Notre Dame football might have another Rudy in new kicker

While it seemed as though the Notre Dame football team was done adding players for the upcoming season, it turns out Marcus Freeman and company added one more. This particular addition could be quite the story if everything goes just right. 

Actually, Eric Goins is already quite the story. The fun is going to be seeing where it goes from here. And there is enough there that you have to wonder if the story won’t eventually be right up there with the tale of one Rudy Ruettiger.

The Notre Dame football team already added one new kicker in the transfer portal in Mitch Jeter. Now they’ve got a bit of an insurance policy with Goins who hasn’t played college football in seven years. 

Goins started his NCAA kicking career at The Citadel from 2012-15. He then went into the Army as an active duty officer where he moved from airborne infantry officer and second lieutenant, then first lieutenant and eventually a captain. 

After a seven-year stint in the military, Goins is ready for civilian life and has enrolled in a two-year Master of Business Administration program. While he studies to get his MBA, Goins has also decided to walk on for the Notre Dame football program.

Notre Dame football could have best story of the 2024 season

Now at 30 years old, it’s worth pointing out that Goins has one thing going for him that Rudy never did. He’s got real success at the collegiate football level. 

His 16 made field goals for The Citadel in 2015 remains the school record for a single season. In that season, he hit 76.2 percent of his field goal kicks (16 of 21) and made every single one of his 42 extra-point attempts.

While Mitch Jeter is going to be the starter for the Notre Dame football team after coming over as a scholarship player from South Carolina, Fighting Illini fans are going to want to keep an eye on Eric Goins and see what he does in his final season eligibility.