Woodberry's Armel Mukam ’23 Playing in National Championship Game

When Notre Dame takes on Ohio State in the National Championship football game on January 20, all of Woodberry will be tuning in — not just because Tiger Nation  loves football but also because Woodberry alumnus Armel Mukam ’23 will be suiting up for the Fighting Irish. Armel’s time at Notre Dame thus far has had highs and lows, but it’s a journey he was prepared for because of his experience at Woodberry. 

“Academically, it has not been hard because Woodberry created great habits for me and I knew how to lock in when I needed to finish some work,” said Armel. “For example, during my freshman year we had mandatory study hall three times a week. This was a burden on some people, but for me, I had been doing that six days a week for two years. Some of the classes are hard, but I usually do a little bit of studying after practice and stay ahead of my work.”  

He also wasn’t intimidated by being in classes with really smart kids because his classmates at Woodberry were also smart and he was still able to thrive. Knowing he has his schoolwork under control has helped reduce Armel’s stress so that he’s been able to give his full attention to Notre Dame football. 

“My freshman year was pretty challenging because I was coming in during the summer at a disadvantage compared to those who enrolled early,” said Armel. “I was getting whooped by some of these guys. It was basically an all-star game every practice because most of the new guys were All-Americans in high school. Then, there were the old cats, people who have been there for one year, two, three, and even four years in the strength program. Most of the guys were stronger than me. It felt like a slap in the face, honestly. After my first padded practice, I remember walking back to my room with tears in my eyes asking myself ‘am I really made for this?’ Thankfully, I was able to speak with my mom, and after that I had a different mentality." 

Despite being a member of Notre Dame’s team, Armel has only been playing football for about four years. He is originally from Quebec, Canada. Growing up, his main sport was hockey. He started playing football when he arrived at Woodberry as a fifth former. He did not have much time to learn the game and certainly didn’t expect to get to the collegiate level. 

“I think when Armel first got here, he was unsure about football,” said Woodberry’s football coach Jackson Matteo. “He also definitely had a lot to work on. He did not understand how to move or torque his body in the ways that he needed to. But the thing about Armel was his effort. He needed to learn the fundamentals of football and work really hard to catch up to the other athletes that have been playing for much longer than he had. Armel was the perfect guy for that job. His effort was close to obsessive.” 

Armel's recruiting process was intriguing. He had a fairly short time to get the offers he wanted. 

“Armel was committed to Stanford at first,” said Matteo. “I asked him if anything would ever change that. He told me that if Notre Dame offered him, he would take it. And next thing you know, Notre Dame called two weeks later and offered him. It’s absolutely amazing what Armel accomplished in such a short time. When he decided to commit to Notre Dame, he was committing to competing against the best of the best. He knew that it would be a lot harder there than some other schools, but that’s what he wanted.”

In his first season at Notre Dame, Armel ended up spending most of the year on the scout team, but he did get in for three snaps against Wake Forest. Armel was not a small guy when he was at Woodberry. Standing at 6' 4” and weighing 250, he was a big high school athlete, but on the division 1 football field and particularly at Notre Dame, there are people much bigger than that. 

“After my freshman season, I tore the labrum in my left shoulder and had to get surgery,” said Armel. “Of course I was extremely frustrated because I already felt behind compared to everyone and now I would be out for six months due to the surgery. However, I took this time to get stronger, faster, and get the right nutrition. I made a promise to myself I would change my body for next season … and I did. People were questioning why I was putting in so much work. Studying plays and putting in the extra time outside of practice. All I know is when I get the opportunity I will be ready. I won’t ever put myself in a position where I have to look back and say ‘I wish I tried a little harder.’ So throughout that process I got to 305 pounds and my body fat percentage is lower now than when I weighed 250. I put all my faith into Jesus. There is a reason why I got whooped all freshman season and there is a reason I had to get this surgery and there is a reason I am at this school.”

This season, Armel has been on the field for twenty snaps and has been a solid contributor. At his position, he is behind two All-Americans who are most likely going to the NFL. 

“Once I get my chance, I’m going to take it and run with it,” said Armel.

>> Reporting by Jayvion Rosemond ’25