Notre Dame vs. Army has special meaning for Irish kicker Eric Goins

On By Littum

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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 otherwise go untold if it weren’t for behind-the-scenes crews who put together video packages that not only draw in audiences, but can have lasting effects long after fans have left the stadium.

This is 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 that airs on the weekend of the Army game — there’s a natural bond for that game’s audience.” Schanzer, a six-time Emmy winneris also producing the College Countdown college football studio show on NBC, USA TODAY Sports told.

The Fighting Irish host Army Saturday night in one of the biggest games in franchise history, and this week’s “What Would You Fight For?” will have walk-on kicker Eric Goins and head coach Marcus Freeman.

The latest installment airs before the third quarter of Saturday’s game, which airs on NBC and the Peacock at 7 p.m. ET.

“We knew that Coach Freeman has his own ties to the military and to have his voice speak to Eric’s story and the impact he would have as a member of the Notre Dame football team and student body at large would be even more powerful ,” Schanzer said. “In terms of the size 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, is one of the older players in college football. Freeman’s military ties stem from his father serving in the Air Force, and he says he was happy when Goins joined the team, believing Goins’ experience would be a “great addition” to the football team.

“There is no substitute for experience,” Freeman said in the two-minute video. “And the 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’s in global affairs/master’s of business administration at Notre Dame, said in the video.

So what is Goins fighting for as he pursues his next step in life?

“Struggles to serve others above self,” he says.

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