ESPN college football reporter Molly McGrath said she had a positive experience covering Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff national championship game on Monday.
McGrath said she was treated with “kindness and grace” by Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman and his players, even after the Fighting Irish lost to the Buckeyes, 34-23, at Mercedes Stadium -Benz of Atlanta.
Other reporters inside the locker room painted a much different picture.
Dan Wolken, national columnist for USA Today Sports, described it as a tense environment, with players yelling at reporters.
“Bizarre scenes from the Notre Dame locker room, players yelling at reporters, coaches warning people not to ask certain questions,” Wolken wrote on X, adding “Amateur Hour.”
A separate report from On3, titled “Inside Notre Dame’s devastated locker room after national championship loss,” detailed a specific incident with Notre Dame senior forward Jayden Thomas.
Thomas allegedly shouted expletives at a group of reporters over a question asked of his teammate, second-year cornerback Christian Gray, about Buckeyes first-year wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.
Smith beat Gray for a 56-yard pass that virtually sealed the game with less than three minutes remaining.
“Have a heart!” ” said Thomas, as Gray covered his head with a towel and headed towards the players’ food station.
CBS Sports also reported that a few Notre Dame players became frustrated with reporters and yelled profanities at them in the locker room after the game.
McGrath didn’t have that experience.
“It was an honor to cover @NDFootball during this run to the championship game. Their players, staff and Coach Freeman handled every media request and interview with kindness and grace,” McGrath wrote on X. “After interviewing Ohio State on the field, I was assigned to interview Marcus Freeman outside their locker room after he spoke. to his team. He was kind and patient with my questions, then stood in the hallway and watched the Ohio State trophy ceremony on a TV across the hall. He looked heartbroken and determined. Freeman and the Irish will be back. The look on his face said it all.
McGrath explained in a follow-up article that she never entered the Notre Dame locker room.
“To be clear, I posted this before seeing @DanWolken’s tweet,” she wrote. “I don’t know his experience last night, but he reported what he saw and I reported what I saw. I’ve never been in the locker room, but my experience with this team has been incredibly positive.
Some players were seen kissing each other, while others looked somber and had tears in their eyes, according to On3.
Sophomore receiver Jaden Greathouse spoke to reporters before he’d had enough.
“I think I’m done with interviews, guys,” Greathouse said after answering a question about Freeman’s message to the team. “I’m sorry.”
Added senior tight end Mitchell Evans: “It’s just going to be a bloody wound for the rest of my life.”
Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard and Co. fought back to cut the lead to eight in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Buckeyes.
Ohio State quarterback Will Howard’s huge third-down pass to Smith helped the Buckeyes win their first national title since 2014.
