WORCESTER, Mass. - This Saturday at Gillette Stadium, Navy and Notre Dame will square off and for Navy strength coach Jim Kiritsy who grew up about 30 miles away in Northbridge, Massachusetts, it's extra special.

"It's just awesome because you grow up a New England kid," said Jim Kiritsy, "you know, and the Patriots are your team and Gillette is their home and so you get to go home."

Kiritsy has been at Navy for four years and is honored to work with these men and this program.

"I get to work with smart, tough, committed young men that really inspire me to be my best for them every day, there's no transfer portal here and there's no NIL so with all the crazy landscape of college football, we're doing it the old way." said Kiritsy.

Kiritsy knows Navy will be a big underdog against the Fighting Irish and welcomes the challenge.

"Obviously, they're a super talented team with a $40 million roster and ours is a $0 roster. I just hope people want to watch that game and support who they are right now and what they're going to go do for the next five to 30 years in leading our country."

Saturday at high noon, Jim Kiritsy will be on the Navy sideline, with friends and family cheering him and the team on from the stands. He'll be home again, leading young men that he admires, men that say the same thing about him.