Mylan Graham spent two years at a program that develops the best wide receivers in the country. They dream of making it to Columbus, not leaving it. Graham sparked quite the commotion when he entered the portal this year, because he was a five-star prospect ditching the Buckeyes. Now with the Fighting Irish, Graham is discovering the most significant difference isn’t on the field but in an area head coach Marcus Freeman once controversially highlighted himself.

“I mean, the biggest difference would just be class and just a smaller campus, stuff like that,” he said at a presser on February 18. “But nothing too major. In Notre Dame, obviously, everybody knows how it is with academics. So just being able to lock in with stuff like that, that’s about it.”

While Graham highlighted Notre Dame’s academic culture, he himself comes from an academically strong program. In fact, Ohio State’s football team recently posted a perfect Academic Progress Report (APR) score, the only FBS program to do so.

But at Notre Dame, things are different. The Irish are renowned for balancing high academic standards with a successful football program. The program has a story of applying the internal Honor Code irrespective of how it might affect the team.

Before the 2014 season, Notre Dame held out five of its key players, including WR DaVaris Daniels and CB KeiVarae Russell, for “suspected academic dishonesty.” They self-reported the issue to the NCAA. The investigation found the program guilty, and as a result, they had to vacate 21 wins over the previous two seasons.

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That reflects a space where the academics never take the back seat. However, it won’t be an issue for Mylan Graham. He was a scholar-athlete at Columbus and was majoring in real estate and urban analysis. This factor, coupled with Notre Dame’s proximity to home, made the team a great fit for Graham. Moreover, he will also have a chance to climb the depth chart and line up on the field.

Less time on the field was the reason why he left Columbus, having recorded only six catches for 93 receptions. His departure saddened the entire WR room. Jermiah Smith tweeted, “Nooo 5,” with a broken-hearted emoji. Carnell Tate also shared the same reaction. Smith and Graham are both from the 2024 cycle.

But it was tough for Graham to break out at Ohio State because of Emeka Egbuka, Smith, and Tate. Notre Dame was offering him a golden opportunity, and Graham was willing to pay the price of going through the academic grind.

Marcus Freeman knows just how Graham feels.

Marcus Freeman was once caught in controversy, talking about academic standards

The Notre Dame head coach is in the same boat as Graham, being an OSU graduate himself. But when he commented on the academic differences between the two programs, he landed himself in a lot of trouble. OSU fans were up in arms against the former Buckeye, whose words seemed to downplay the school’s standards.

“If you don’t go to class [at places like that], OK, take some online classes, show up for your appointments,” Freeman was quoted in the CBS Sports story. “At Notre Dame, you’re forced every day to go to class.”

Freeman had to explain later that he meant the pressure is high because the number of students is low. Ohio State recorded 67,255 students in 2025, while Notre Dame had around 13,000. The low number is why students are forced to attend in-person classes at Notre Dame.

But the head coach is also the reason behind the Fighting Irish’s successes in the classroom and on the field. He broke the myth Brian Kelly established about not having talented players because they don’t want to play for a team with strict academics. Freeman has completely turned around Notre Dame’s recruiting, which now attracts not only top talent but also academically successful students. Mylan Graham is now one of them.