25 Teams in 25 Days: St. Patrick Fighting IrishThe St. Patrick Fighting Irish enter the 2026 football season with something they haven’t had in several years: momentum. Head coach Nathan Encrapera believes the turnaround started long before the wins showed up on Friday nights. I think that’s the biggest difference,” said Nathan Encrapera. After getting a taste of postseason football, the Irish aren’t satisfied with simply making the playoffs—they want to become a consistent contender. The leadership has come a lot way and it really shows in the games and how older guys can influence the younger ones.”