And Our Hearts Forever
By Tyler Buchner
Notre Dame ’24
I began my trip from Tuscaloosa to South Bend in a rented U-Haul, filled with memories packed tightly into cardboard boxes and duffel bags. A few days before, I was at the Rose Bowl, and the refrain of Dixieland Delight at Bryant-Denny Stadium still echoed in my ears. The open road stretched ahead as I headed northward, a ribbon of asphalt leading me back to Notre Dame and the snow-draped streets of South Bend. As I approached the familiar bend in the road, my heart quickened, a blend of anticipation and nostalgia swirling within. The towering presence of the Golden Dome loomed ahead, a beacon guiding me home.
Pulling into the Gug, I felt the cold and crisp air envelop me, each breath a sharp reminder of what I had missed. I felt the weight of the past season lift as I left the truck and entered the building. Unlike the steps my body had instinctively taken for the last two years, I did not go to my left to the football facility. Instead, I turned right to the lacrosse offices. I asked for a lacrosse stick.
Alabama had been an adventure, a place where I had tested my limits and discovered both my strengths and vulnerabilities. Nothing felt familiar when I arrived in June: from the Southern drawls to the burnt ends and sweet tea, to the “yes sirs” and addressing women as “Miss First Name,” and to a locker room with teammates whose primary aspirations were to play in the NFL. My new environment felt foreign, and the stifling summer heat was a constant reminder that I was not in South Bend anymore. Even so, I embraced my new landscape and started competing upon my arrival.
I got the green light to start in the third game of the season and had the best week of practice of my career leading up to it. Unfortunately, I played poorly and was benched for the first time in my life by Coach Saban on ESPN. I was devastated and fell into a deep emotional hole. What I had been working so hard for all these years suddenly felt like a pipe dream. And over the following weeks, I felt hopeless and hated football. I had to dig deep to realize that I would have to seek new goals there in Tuscaloosa. I had never played scout team before, but ahead of LSU, I pulled myself out of my funk and volunteered to run scout. After the game, Coach Saban found me and thanked me for helping the team beat the Tigers. I had discovered a new role on the team and recognized that one bad game would not define my contribution. I learned to truly appreciate having shared goals in the common pursuit of excellence, even if I was not playing.
What I also realized at this time was that I had left my heart at Notre Dame.
You see, I had been lured to Alabama by opportunities that glistened like gold in the Southern sun. When I transferred, it was with a heavy heart and a mind clouded by uncertainty. There were whispers in my ear, persuasive voices, and the glittering prospect of opportunity. As a 20-year-old, the ache of leaving behind the Fighting Irish was overshadowed by the pull of the transfer portal and the promise of playing one season for Coach Saban as the next logical step towards playing in the NFL. But I had forgotten why I chose Notre Dame in the first place, and it took a season away to realize what I had and why I loved Notre Dame.
As I returned to campus and joined lacrosse, I quickly realized my journey was not merely a return to a game I had not played since 9th grade but a renewal of my spirit and love for competition. It was an opportunity to play for the defending National Champions and to reset my goals and priorities. As one would expect from a Notre Dame team, they embraced me and pulled me into their culture despite my time away from lacrosse (and lackluster stick skills). It was easy for me to see why this team is special, as my teammates are relentless in how they live their lives. They embody the spirit of Notre Dame with their unwavering commitment to each other, to the game they love to play, and to their studies. It is no wonder a back-to-back national championship was in store. With teammates headed to medical school and earning PhDs in aeronautical engineering, my team challenged me in ways I never expected. I recommitted myself to excelling in the classroom and set out to make the Dean’s List. I took 21 credit hours (9 classes) this past spring so I could reach my goal of graduating in 3.5 years. My days were a balancing act of practice, classes, and studying. Each moment was fueled by a purpose to make the most out of my experience and by a belief in something bigger than myself.
Notre Dame has always been a place of faith and redemption, but I never imagined the extent of its generosity until the day Coach Freeman allowed me to rejoin the football team as a walk-on. Being able to play the game I have loved since I can remember and playing for Notre Dame had been my dream. I risked it all and believed I had lost it all, as I did not think even returning to football at Notre Dame would be in the cards. As I was leaving Alabama, I had scholarship opportunities to play quarterback elsewhere. Even though I knew I was potentially giving up on my football dreams, I turned them down and told my parents that I would pay my way through school because I only wanted to be at Notre Dame. It would have been easy for the football coaching staff to see me just as a player who had left, but instead, I am grateful they were able to see me as a young man eager to return and contribute in any way I could for the greater good of the team.
Now, as I stand on the threshold of another season, my heart swells with a fervent desire to help Notre Dame achieve the glory we all dream of — a National Championship in football. I am driven by the determination to give my all, to push beyond my limits, and to be a part of something greater than myself. The journey back to Notre Dame has been one of reflection and redemption. It has taught me that home is not just a place, but a feeling of belonging, of being part of a family that stands by you, no matter where the road leads.
