Notre Dame in Final 2 for Keivarae Russell

Notre Dame received a little bit of more good recruiting news on Monday when running back Keivarae Russell whittled his list of schools down to two with the Irish being one of his finalists along with his home state Washington according to ESPN’s Greg Biggins.

Here’s an excerpt from the free portion of Biggins’ report on Russell’s decision to eliminate Cal and select between the Irish and Huggies.

““I’m down to Washington and Notre Dame,” Russell said. “Cal was cool too, and I had a good visit, but I like my opportunity to play early better at these two schools, and I have a better relationship with the coaching staffs at those two schools, as well.”

This looks like a classic “State U” battle for Notre Dame.  Because of the uniqueness of Notre Dame, it’s common for the Irish to find themselves in recruiting battles with a recruit’s home school.  Unfortunately we’ve also seen over the years that these recruiting battles are very tough for Notre Dame to win.  This isn’t to say that Notre Dame doesn’t have a chance here.  Quite the contrary actually, the Irish are sitting in pretty good position here.  Historically though, being a finalist against a home state school hasn’t always bode well for Notre Dame.

Adding Russell to this class would be a great pickup for the Irish.  Notre Dame could really use another running back in this class in addition to Will Mahone with limited depth at the position in 2012. Notre Dame will have Cierre Wood, Cam McDaniel, and George Atkinson back, but will lose Jonas Gray and the return of Cameron Roberson is still uncertain after his injury suffered last spring.

Bringing in two running backs in this year’s class could also allow the staff to move George Atkinson back to wide receiver, the position he was originally recruited for should they decide he can have a bigger impact at receiver.

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180 Comments

  1. One thing im thinking about is what has stirred all this sudden movement? I wonder if big things are about to happen tomorrow…do these kids know something we don’t? Maybe its wishful thinking but wow the movement here feels different…like something big is about to happen…the armsteads, wright, kiel, even shaq thompson…hmmm..could be a good day to be irish tomorrow

  2. Happy New Year everyone! We have some interesting developments coming very soon. Lots of high anxiety as everyone gets their “prom dates” ready before signing day. Saw some posts about USC earlier – they have to transfer out 8 people to get down to their mandated number of 75 with 15 recruits maximum coming in. Amir helped. Armond Armstead is moving on (and hopefully into a dorm at ND with his little brother tomorrow). Kyle Prater (was very high on our list) has announced transferring as well to “a school close to his suburban Chicago home”. Rumors of Kiel starting at ND tomorrow and Yuri Wright seriously considering joining his high school teammate here are all making for an interesting next couple of weeks. ENJOY!

  3. @NDFanGurus- “If” Kiel come to ND will the O even fit his style? Maybe I need one of you gurus to make me feel better about Kiel coming to ND. IMO he doesn’t fit the O but maybe I need someone that knows how to “really” break it down to tell me otherwise. More than anything I wanted to see EG in the helm. Any info on why GK will or won’t fit our ND team would be great.

    GO IRISH!!!

    1. I don’t know if I’m excited about him coming to ND. Maybe he’ll prove me wrong but I want EG as qb. GK coming to ND clouds the qb situation up more IMO and not that it isn’t cloudy already.

      1. Im right there with you man…i just happened to see his name trending on twitter..i clicked on it and boom there it was “gunner kiel to enroll at nd” and i just was like “whoa what the hell is going on here” but hey if he is as good as advertised then welcome aboard…but im an eg5 guy too…really liked what i see in that kid. Competition will only make him better though and you have to admit after decker and darby this is some positive news

  4. FAME AND ADULATION RETURNS TO USC FOR THE 2012 SEASON!! It’s already started with ESPN, NBC sports and others stating USC is the team to beat!

    Thanks to the NCAA, cheating seems fashionable in their book to maintain a storied program.

    A two year bowl ban and other minor slap-on-the-hand violation cures have USC already vociferously bragging: “We could have scored against Alabama!”

    It is perversely ironic USC by all indications will be ranked the pre-season #1 favorite. Especially after two years of NCAA sanctions?? What’s wrong with this picture? Business as usual at USC:

    #6 – 2011 AP Ranking finishing the season 10-2.

    Matt Barkley returning.

    Likely #1 pre-season favorite for 2012

    18 out of 22 starters returning.

    35 players two deep returning except for tail back thanks to ND!

    NOW HOW’S THAT FOR AN IMMEDIATE RETURN TO GLORY? Think about it!

    1. And the same will go for Ohio State in swift order. If you infractions are as serious as these schools were, they should be punished to the extent that the program has to rebuild and not reload.

  5. Darn that Urban Myer. We lost Tyler Decker yesterday! Signing day can’t come quick enough. I wish the kid luck & hope his vacancy opens up some room for a surprise letter!

    1. I’m not surprised he left. I’m sure we can get another guy to come in on the O line. My main concern is the secondary guys decommiting likeDarby did. I hope we can get him back. I know he’s meeting with the Irish coaches today but from what I heard is that Florida St is in the lead for his services now.

      1. Florida State used to be in the lead for Aaron Lynch. Now, I do have to say how do switch from ND to Florida State? I can understand switching to Stanford or Northwestern. Shows how fickle teenagers are. Although, I don’t follow other teams does this seem to occur with us more frequently or is it like this everywhere?

      2. It happens to everybody. I’m just a “homer” and hate when it happens to us and love it when we can steal kids.

        GO IRISH!!!

  6. The way I see it friends, there’s little or no upside for BK starting TR. If he doesn’t play well, BK will take the heat for it. If TR plays well, then TR gets most of the credit and not BK. On the other hand, if BK starts AH or EG, then he gets some slack form most of the ND Nation who wanted this move. Even if EG or AH play poorly, most ND fans will make excuses for them (e.g., first-year starters) and will give BK a pass. If they play well, then BK once again becomes an O guru and takes all the credit.

    I just don’t see the upside to BK giving TR the starting job. He has very little to gain and a lot to lose. If he goes with AH or EG, then BK has very little to lose and a lot to gain.

    Thoughts?

    1. I agree with you on this. I think having Martin become the OC plays into Kelly going with Hendrix or Golsen because Martin likes a running QB as much as Kelly does.

      You are also right that most fans will give Kelly the benefit of the doubt by having the new QB’s in there.

      One more thing, think about the schedule ND plays next year. If Hendrix or Golsen gets a chance and can have some success, imagine what that could mean for 2013 and beyond.

    2. Dead on SteelFanRob,

      Zero upside with TR, time for a Clausen moment for Golsen and live with it.

      However, it would be nice not to drag this derby out and name Golsen early rather than later.

      It’s not like we can’t spot the rookie 1 TO per game for exciting play. I’m sure we will see the Golsen upside we been hearing about.

      Otherwise, If it doesn’t pan out, I suggest we tar & feather B-dub and run him off this board for his endless promotion of Golsen. LOL!

      Go Irish!

      1. B-dub,

        I think either Golson or Hendrix fit the system. I think Golson provides a better fit for the running option and allows the offense to look more like Oregon, where Hendrix will make the offense look closer to a spread passing attack, like PSU’s Spread HD

  7. I mentioned in an earlier post that I think the coaching changes are going to play a significant role in the improvement of the offense. I’m getting the impression that BK and Charley M didn’t see eye to eye on the offense. If you remember, Jeff Quinn was Kelly’s OC at Cincy. Martin used to run a similar spread at GV State, so I think there might be some consistancy to build on.

    I don’t think we can really judge Kelly until we see him running the offense with Golsen. I still think we are going to see Tommy because of his experience, but hopefully Golsen will get his shot sooner than later.

    The question is does ND try to win big right away and stay with an experienced Rees or does Kelly decide to install the high-tempo spread at the risk of mistakes against a pretty good schedule. Maybe Jack and Brian have had this discussion and Jack gave Kelly the extension as a way of saying I’ll give you the time, just continue building the program the way it has to be built.

    I’m of the belief that ND needs to takes it’s time and build the program correctly and like I posted earlier, this team is a lot more competitive than in years past. When they can learn to play mistake-free football, they are going to be hard to beat. I think the loss to Florida State will be a great reminder this off-season on how this team is close, but not there yet. I felt after last season, this team thought they had arrived and didn’t know how to handle the adversity of the South Florida game. I believe the coaches are going to keep this team grounded and humbled, which should make them hungry.

    Is it time for Spring Practice yet?

  8. this story says diaco has some drive. old news but good news

    A topsy-turvy recruiting season ended in celebration for Notre Dame on Wednesday. Even war stories were instant classics.

    Defensive coordinator Bob Diaco’s ‘‘interception’’ of Brooklyn, N.Y., defensive end Ishaq Williams already is bigger than life in South Bend. When Notre Dame discovered the 6-5, 225-pound Williams — ranked 42nd nationally by ESPNU — was getting ready to visit Penn State two weeks ago, Diaco flew to New York overnight, went to Williams’ home at 4:30 a.m. and made his best pitch.

    Williams never made it to Penn State. Two days later he was on his way to South Bend. Four days later he was enrolled in school. The only way the Diaco-Ishaq story could become any bigger in Notre Dame lore is if Williams is as good as people think he is.

    ‘‘This is starting to sound like a miniseries — the Bob Diaco miniseries,’’ coach Brian Kelly said Wednesday while announcing Notre Dame’s 23-player recruiting class.

    ‘‘Bob did a great job in the recruiting process. But [defensive line coach] Mike Elston was involved. Mike was sitting in the car in front of [Williams’] house for four hours waiting for him after he played in the state championship game. In Bedford-Stuyvesant [in Brooklyn] .  .  . you don’t want to stick around anywhere for four hours..’’

    The enrollment of Williams, plus the late re-commitments of 6-6, 240-pound All-America defensive end Aaron Lynch of Island Coast, Fla., and 6-5, 255-pound defensive end Stephon Tuitt of Monroe, Ga., gave Notre Dame a group of defensive line prospects that recruiting expert Tom Lemming called ‘‘the best in the country and the best they’ve brought in since 1990 [Bryant Young, Jim Flanigan, Oilver Gibson].’’

    With the last-minute signing of 6-7, 240-pound tight end/defensive line prospect Troy Niklas of Servite, Calif. — who chose the Irish over USC and Stanford — Notre Dame’s recruiting class was ranked No. 1 by MaxPreps.com, No. 8 by Lemming, No. 9 by Rivals.com and No. 12 by ESPN.com.

    Lynch switched his commitment from Notre Dame to Florida State before reconsidering. Tuitt de-committed and visited Auburn before re-committing to Notre Dame; linebacker Ben Councell of Asheville, N.C., wavered and considered South Carolina before re-committing.

    ‘‘Notre Dame did an absolutely fantastic job,’’ Lemming said. ‘‘They proved they would recruit with the big-time schools, which was a question because [the coaches] came from [smaller schools] .’’

    Notre Dame’s recruiting class includes eight players ranked among the top 100 prospects by Lemming: Lynch (22), Tuitt (42), tight end Ben Koyack of Oil City, Pa. (54), offensive lineman Matt Hegarty of Aztec, N.M. (56), Williams (70), wide receiver DaVaris Daniels of Vernon Hills (75), quarterback Everett Golson of Myrtle Beach, S.C. (79) and wide receiver George Atkinson of Livermore, Calif. (83).

    Lynch, Williams and Tuitt are considered candidates to play as true freshmen. Wide receivers Atkinson and Daniels and tight end Koyack also should get a shot. The wild card is Golson, a 6-foot, 170-pound quarterback who is enrolled in school and will participate in spring practice. It’s unlikely he’ll beat out Dayne Crist or Tommy Rees, but because his skills fit Kelly’s offense better than anyone else on the roster, he’ll get the chance in spring football.

  9. ND should never forget why it exists. A comment by some whack job evangelical university president in South Carolina let us all know why. In statements made during the republican primary campaign, he referred to Mormons and Catholics as members of cults. Manti Teo, know that you are one of us and we you. Every Notre Dame fan, student, and alum should remember statements about us that seem to still be in vogue in America. “You want a piece of us? Well Here Come the Irish!” Notre Dame unfortunately is a little too comfortable for the administration. But I have not forgotten. Our football team is a banner for all who are subject to predjudice by the establishment. Someone needs to teach our boys to go kick them in the a$%#. We’ve become too classy and PC. They don’t like us and never will. So let’s fight. We are ND!!

  10. Bj,

    Your post was inspirational, but the sad reality is that the Notre Dame you write about doesn’t exist anymore and it died while Holtz was still the coach. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, college football has passed ND by. While ND continues to “hang on” to it’s traditions, other teams like Stanford are moving to the top of the college football world. The things that made ND so special in the past are now the things that hinder their growth. Football independence, tough admission standards, and their own TV contract are now hurting the program. The Independent status of Notre Dame tells the football world that they do not need a conference. Well guess what, the college football world doesn’t need Notre Dame anymore and ND seems to be the only one that doesn’t see it. Look at the power conference that are forming and if ND doesn’t get their act together, they will be on the outside looking in.

    The old ND is gone, it is time to let the coach build a program. Building a program takes time and Kelly was given an extension because he is building the program the right way. You can’t tell me that even though this team was 8-5, there wasn’t some things to be excited about. Just look at the young players on this team that were really good as Freshmen. I know you keep saying to fire Diaco, but your reasons don’t measure up to the stats. ND was a Top 30 defense last year and have improved both years he was in charge. Again, what this defense needs is stability, not a new DC every year.

    I’ll be the first to admit that ND is not a Top 25 team, but they are moving in that direction. I’m not even concerned about a BCS game or a NC at this time, I would like a team that finishes in the Top 25. We do not see what goes on in the day to day affairs in the program, but Jack does and he likes what he sees. All I know is that ND had a chance to win EVERY game they were in this year and that hasn’t happened in 20 years.

    Mark my word, these staff changes are going to be more significant than we even realize. With Martin at OC, we will see a running QB and we will see a faster tempo team on offense. Once that happens, things will be jumping on the ND campus. The defense will be fine under Diaco and they will be exciting to watch.

    Instead of rooting against Kelly, you should be rooting for him because if he doesn’t succeed, I’m afraid that no one of significance will want this job anymore. He had the courage to take this job when Stoops, Meyer, Gruden, and Saban said they didn’t want it.

    Given him 5 more year and see what he can do because he can’t rebuild the program, I’m afraid no one will even want to try.

    1. Well said Scav, that is exactly the current affair. We can’t keep thinking that doing the same thing is going to get us back to elite status. It will not, things in the world are changing and ND needs to evolve to be able to keep up. If we don’t then we will be left behind, an after thought of a forgotten past. We will be the example of what football used to be. Remember that it is important to always look at yourself and reinvent yourself to adapt to the current situation. That is what ND is doing, they are getting the facilities, the uniforms, the music, “the Jumbotron”, hopefully joining a conference, they are reinventing themselves.
      And I truly belive that under Coach Kelly we will be relavant again. we have improved greatly already. But it is going to be a process.

    2. Scav,
      I do agree with most points made in your post except one, conference affiliation. Conferences ate ruining college football. There will never be a playoff b/c of those conferences, b/c of automatic bids to bowl. All those conferences are the reason why a team like Boise gets snubbed for a good bowl. Now how does that relate to ND, of ND can win as an Indepedent it may change this super conference crap. Finally, I also disagree with the state of the program. I feel a good QB changes how this team is viewed and ranked. A good leading QB gets this team 2-3 more wins this past year. The odds of being an elite team with a sophmore QB are not good.

      1. Bama & LSU don’t have elite QB’s. What they do have is unbelievable depth. They are 3 deep with stud athletes at every position. We do NOT have that. Our front seven on D is trending that way with yet another great year of recruiting defensive talent. A good QB makes a world of difference I’ll agree.

    3. You completely said everything that I believe about the state of the Irish. Irish fans should recognize we are no where close to BCS games & Championships.

      The Irish program is being built up again the right way. We need quality depth at nearly every position. Not 1-4 superstars to hang our championship dreams on.

      I’m 100% invested in Kelly & Diaco. I see him making the changes that are necessary to compete with the big boys. Teams like Bama & LSU would absolutely destroy us on any given Saturday at the present moment. BUT, we’re trending to be able to really compete within the next few years.

  11. I have pretty much given up. Sorry Rudy. But,it appears the Administration
    and the Board of Trustees have learned to accept defeat. Here is my last prayer for our team. Maybe they will post it in the locker room close to “Play like a champion today.”

    For more than two decades, Notre Dame has neglected its greatest teaching instrument-its football team. At one time the team’s success made Notre Dame unique. You learned that on any give day you could rise to the challenge and beat anything, no matter what the odds. Everyone learned Rudy’s lesson: you never ever give up. You learned about teamwork and that people who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defenses, or the problems of modern society. The team’s striving for incredible excellence permeated everything at Notre Dame. Every graduate believed that in his life he could take all those lessons and apply them to politics, to public service, to his family life and his faith.

    But two decades of neglect have put all that the University stands for in jeopardy. Who could not watch dumbfounded as the University (Malloy & Jenkins)let one athletic director hire one loser after another. The first an assistant coach- you never ever hire an assistant coach for the toughest coaching job in the nation. He then tried to hire the rambling Irish wreck, who was not even much of a coach, and didn’t even vet him properly. It was a huge embarrassment for the University. To save face he hires another, whose uniqueness as a black head coach makes him initially immune from criticism; but ultimately he is not a great coach. Finally, he tries to buy a big time professional coach, whose waddling across the field is an embarrassment to all great athletes. Even more embarrassing watching him yell at Brady Quinn on national TV. In the end the players gave up on him. The result was the worst football season in a forty years year. Someone was a completely poor judge of men. How could they let this go on year after year and not accept responsibility?

    We get a new athletic director who says maybe Notre Dame might win a national championship one day. Hardly a commitment to excellence, when at one time the team fought for the national title every year. Then he hires a new head coach from a second rate football school in ten whole days, hardly an auspicious beginning. He has no football experience.

    If you want to be the best, you take time, you prepare, you find the best coach in America. Even then the odds are long.

    It becomes quickly apparent the new offense is some quick start gimmick. There is no Joe Montana, Jerome Bettis, Rocket or Larry Conjar. The defensive coordinator the new coach brings allows the opposition 21 points a game on average. There are no shutouts. They lose more games in half a season than Ara Parseghian lost in four years. And this coach too humiliates his players on national TV by yelling at them. Such a lack of dignity and grace under pressure. Imagine, John Wooten, having ever having done such a thing. If they had been coached and trained properly, there would have been no need to yell. He is clearly over his head.

    Even worse the new athletic director says the new coach is like a great corporate ceo. I am reminded of the JFK quote: “My father always told me that all businessmen were sons of bitches, but I never believed it till now.” The team’s integrity has been sold: a new plush stadium, a TV contract, Notre Dame sports productions, mass marketing of tee shirts, autographs; even a commercial where the sacred fighting Irish leprechaun is used as a prop. Shades of the gecko. Notre Dame football has become a business, not an instrument for learning, self sacrifice, excellence or teamwork.

    Imagine how the players must feel. THEY ARE NOT INSPIRED OR COACHED. So,so many penalties. So little Fighting Irish. Opponent after opponent says it, they quit on us. When I was there you never ever criticized the team. That was gospel. I do not do that now. But, many of the best players in the nation believe Notre Dame has lost its will. And go somewhere else. There are scores of articles about Notre Dame being a flop year after year.

    Something is terribly wrong. Not just football, but the University’s acceptance of this bumbling toward pathos. Vince Lombardi said it this way: “Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit.” This failure, this acceptance of failure, this benign neglect affects all the University does and the way it presents itself to the nation.

    Father Hesburgh once said: “ My belief is and always has been that the University ought to do everything, academics, athletics, you name it in a first rate manner.”

    But, the athletic director, the University’s President, the Board of Trustees, the Alumni and the Holy Cross Fathers have accepted something less.

    Unless that changes, what set Notre Dame apart and above, Duke, Yale or Harvard or Stanford, was its belief in itself. At one time the University’s team was an inspiration for poor and middle class kids all across the country, and no other school had such a faithful feeder system or a subway alumni. No other school had such a rich legacy. No other school had Notre dame’s true grit, or its indomitable spirit.

    America’s greatest President Franklin Roosevelt knew the value of spirit:

    “It is not enough to clothe and feed the body of the nation, and instruct and inform its mind. For there is the spirit and of the three, the greatest is the spirit. Without the body and mind, as all men know, the nation could not live. But, if the spirit of America were killed … the America we know would have perished.”

    Our spirit, our legacy is at risk.

    I have been hard. Dale Carnegie teaches us that genuine appreciation and seeing things from the other fellow’s point of view are the keys to personal success. All the efforts of every member of the Notre dame family are appreciated and we can see that many of these people did their best and often above their best. But, another coach said it this way: “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.” Of course that means winning in the old Irish tradition, not cheating like scores of other schools.

    Its time to regain our legacy of winning and make sure that the spirit of Notre Dame never perishes. Where is the commitment, the leadership? Where is the Board of Trustees? The future is now. Make it happen Brian!

    1. This is a cut and paste from another post. Not original. It didn’t include fire Diaco, fire Kelly, fire Swarbrick!

  12. Bj,

    I don’t think we are stuck with anybody, the Board of Trustees will decide without this board. Further, considering that BK only received a 2 year extenstion vs a 10 year like CW is a moot point for the record. It’s a token acceptance of moderate improvement and it’s cheaper to give an extenstion after two years rather than say four.

    An extenstion only adds stability to the program and not a guarantee of employment. CW wasn’t worrying about job security and that was his demise. One must realize this is not a marathon event at ND of whenever we get there.

    Inasmuch as I love Lou, BK’s mega-ego would not allow for Lou looking over his shoulder. Let BK live or die on his own merits.

    If, BIG If, we are only one good QB away from a 9-10 win season as many have stated here; BK better be finding an additional option quick. Relying solely on a new and improved Rees and two inexperienced practice QB’s seems extremely risky for next year.

    Stunningly, since we just lured a high quality USC running back transfer; why not a high quality QB transfer from somewhere else? It’s not like we don’t have any neophobic QB issues.

  13. no you miss the point, if we are stuck with him, put lou on staff, he just wants to help nd, to recruit, keep kelly and bring in a real defensive coordinator, get us some great catholic hs recruoits, i think the outland trophy player from stanford was from a catholic high school, how did we miss him, i just think they dont think outside the box. or should i say quad.

    1. Bj,

      Sticking Lou on the staff is a bad idea. Two chefs in the kitchen never works. Kelly needs to run the program the way he sees fit. If he doesn’t do a good job he will be fired. Hiring a new defensive coordinator is also a bad idea. That was Weis’s downfall three different coordinators in 4 years. Defense was thinking rather than reacting. I don’t have a problem with the defense as much as the QB situation. If ND scores 24 points a game which they should this is a mute point. Finally, I agree with you on your point of recruiting Catholic High Schools, but this isn’t the 60’s or even the 80’s for that matter and most of the Catholic High School teachers are not priests and nuns. The students aren’t hearing as my father heard that you route for ND if you are Catholic. Most of your teachers in these schools are lay people and could careless about the Catholic tradition.

  14. the neurotic defenses of jack swarbrick. i just dont get this guy. when everybody is worried that brian kelly may be the wrong guy; a guy that refuses to can a second rate defensive coach and screams at his players like crist rather than calming them down; and delivers two mediocre seasons, he extends his contract and gives him more money. this is the same neurotic mistake kevin white made trying to buy a big name coach with charlie weiss after his many poor picks for coaches. its a chip on his shoulder move. criticize me and i will show you. he should be looking to hire the defensive coach from alabama, he should be trying to get lou holtz involved in recruiting, he should be involved in visiting every catholic high school in the nation that once sent the best players in the nation to the irish. i see these guys from catholic high schools that end up going to stanford, or wisconsin. my god. he should get the chip off his shoulder and get to work. “Motivation is simple. You eliminate those who are not motivated.” lou holtz

    1. BJ,

      Lou Holtz can become involved with the recruiting he works for ESPN and it would be a NCAA violation to use him in recruiting unless he is on the staff. Lou Holtz is also in his 70’s and can’t be barnstorming the nation for recruits. Hiring a defensive coach from Alabama doesn’t necessarily mean he will be a good head coach either. Nick Saban runs that defense not the defensive coordinator. My question to you BJ is who would be your top five people to replace BK and Swarbrick. If you say Holtz to replace Swarbrick that would be a disaster.

  15. My confusion is why we were omitted from this list. Not with whether it was espn or not. Thats where i got the names i mentioned. Was it you that exluded nd from the list trying to make a point of somekind? Or was it whoever produced this list? If its a case of the latter thats just irresponsible.

    I am with you though, it would be great if we were at the top of the chart but as jack said its not the end all be all. You have to snag some of these high level recruits but you don’t have to be number 1 on this list to succeed. Get a handful of these guys and some rkg’s and we will be in business!

    Again i am with you GO IRISH!!!

  16. SORRY FOR THE CONFUSION,THE 150 MEANS THE ESPN TOP 150 HS RECRUITS, WE ONLY GOT 5, HOW MANY DID BAMNA GET. 12, FSU 9, LETS GET TO NUMBER 1. GO IRISH.

    1. How many of the top 150 could get into ND versus Bama. Lets see 150 can get in to Bama and I would guess maybe 50 could get in to ND. I bet 7 or 8 is the most we could ever get. That is why when smart stud is available at an impact position we better get them.

  17. Either way, it doesn’t matter to me. We have had good classes before and how much did it do for us? Considering how well we have done the last 7 or so years should provide enough evidence. I really believe it is about having the right guys to do what you need to do, which is why Kelly has had success. Weis could get the talent but both him and them could do nothing. Also, I wouldn’t rush to judgement just yet on Kelly. We are all to accustomed to seeing programs turned around almost overnight and in reality that is more the exception than the rule. Now, if we have the same issues a couple years down the road with Kelly’s recruits than I will certainly change my story, but right now, time will only tell.

  18. Bj forgive me if i am confused but i am assuming the number on the left is number of 150 recruits. We have ferguson, day, jones,shumate, and shepard all listed as top 150 recruits giving us 5 at least. So that is more than michigan and osu and same as oklahoma and georgia. So why we are not on this list/chart doesn’t make any sense to me.

  19. this chart says it all
    recuiting classes 2012, we dont even show up among those getting the best recuits

    espn top 150, commits
    1. Alabama 12 26
    2. Texas 9 24
    3. FSU 9 15
    4. Florida 8 18
    5. Clemson 6 20
    6. Michigan 3 24
    7. Georgia 5 16
    8. Texas A&M 4 25
    9. Oklahoma 5 18
    10. Ohio State 4 19

    1. BJ,

      ESPN list? Look at scout ND is in the top ten. I put no value in recruiting rankings, ND under Weis was top ten every year.

      1. Last time I checked the national signing day didn’t already happen. And also recruiting is not the deciding factor in how well a team plays. Yes it helps but it is not the final say. But thank you for the insight BJ, you are right we need to fire everybody, maybe we should just move the school to Texas or Florida so that more recruits would want to come to ND. I am not sure though, will you please let us know what we should do BJ.

      2. If BJ says that heads should roll! Than Clean house!

        We have put up with this malfeasents long enough and we aren’t going to take it any more!

        If that’s the case, lets not forget about that Andy Frainer at gate 12 who is as slow as a turtle.

        The food vendor at the south end of the stadium who has a bad habit of selling day old wieners!

        And lets not forget about that trombone player in the marching band on the outside of row 3 with the gimppy leg.

        Yeah, We you know who you are.

        Who really wants to see a crooked “D” when the band spells out the ” ND” at midfield?

        You have let us down one too many times pal!

        It is time for all of you to go!

        The tribe has spoken!

  20. forgive my harsh criticism, but i have heard this same delusional pap for two decades, kevin white, destroyed nd football, swarbrick has done nothing to change that. holtz had been a big time coach at four or five schools before he came to nd, central michigan and cincinnati are just not kind of experience, the first article i read about kelly said that if he brought the inexperienced young diaco to nd just because they coached together at cinnci he would fail. i just do not see it. how could they let darby get away. have lou or father jenkins go see him. they just dont want to win bad enough. i do. former roommate of all american nd player. i know it when i see it. go team.

  21. Kyle Prater transferring from SUC. I wish this kid would have been Irish from the beginning. ND does take a lot of S Cal kids so I guess them picking one from NDs back yard should be expected. I wonder if he’ll reconsider and come to ND now?

    1. As much as I would like to have Prater, I just read that, given upon his release he could join any Big Ten school (which he more than likely will), but he could not join ND. What a shame. We could have taken another SC player right from under them. Go Irish.

      PS. SC players keep leaving. Down with Lame Kiffin.

      1. prater wanted to come to the irish. its ridiculous that a school can release u but tell u where u cannot play. he will be a great receiver when he gets healthy.

  22. Bj,

    I agree with you that the focus should be on your points instead of on you.

    I just happen to disagree (as do many others here) with your points. But that’s OK. People here disagree with me all the time.

    Diaco may not be the best D coordinator in the FBS. But he is the best we have for now. Give him another season to see if he can grow into his job and develop the young talent he has on D. If we regress next year on D, then I think more people will join you on the fire Diaco bandwagon.

    Did you mean a 34 or 43 D? I couldn’t figure out what you were saying ND should run. I like a hybrid 34. ND has the front seven to run it now. With ND’s D current personnel we can go from a 34 or 43 to the other pre-snap. That’s a nightmare for QBs since they can’t get a good read of who’s coming and who is dropping into coverage.

  23. This was posted yesterday. Almost 24hrs ago. And you are just getting around to complaining about it now?

    Did you fall in a well? Get your foot caught in a bear trap? Washed out to sea perhaps?

    What gives?

    1. BJ was spending half the day on every ND website and explaining why ND should fire diaco. the other half of the day looking at stats of other teams and explaining why we should hire them.lol

      1. JC himself could coach this team and BJ would want to fire him. BK is going no where. He will be here for the duration of his contract. The only coaches BJ would be satisfied with will never come to ND, Nick Saben and Urban Meyer. They don’t want to not be able to get JC transfers like Cody or guys with a little weed bust in on their team.

  24. the totally incompetent swarbrick gives the loser another two years for a mediocre performance, now that is a lesson in how not to negotiate to get what you want. this decade is gone too!

  25. Patrick ,
    My point wasn’t to dump on the institution, my point is they are student atheletes. In that phrase student comws first. You go to college to get a degree and prepare you for your career. I believe the figure is 8% of college football players make it in the NFLIf you as an institution and coach aren’t pushing them to graduate, you are just using their talents to make money for the university. There is no reason why a major college football and basketball program shouldn’t have at least an 80% graduation rate and have a 2.5, GPA as a team. Look at some of these schools and tell me what they are doing to prepare these kids for life after football. That was my point, players like Kerry Collins who had an alcohol problem should have gotten help like Floyd, not overlooked because of their talent. Collins and guys like Chris Carter were forced to deal with problems because the Universities they attended chose to overlook their issues. That is my problem with schools and the system.

  26. Ok here’s the thing, I hear about this bend but don’t break style of defense that kelly touts as “Championship” caliber. What a load of crap, there still breaking, it’s just death by a thousand paper cuts instead of getting the occasional gouging by a big play…. This type of defense makes it crucial for the drop linebackers and secondary to be constantly glued to their receivers/zone, there are very few corners and linebackers who can maintain that type of assignment football for 4 quarters. And this isn’t a turnover creating machine like other attacking defense you see. We don’t have linebackers who are athletic enough right now to play this system, however we do have the line and backers and occasional corner/safety that can bring pressure to the quarterback and force some costly turnovers. There is nothing like a turnover to cause a sesmic shift in momentum. Lastly I think Kelly ultimately runs the show and I am not yet ready to blame this on Diacco, I think kelly says jump and he says how high. But could be wrong on that last point just my personal opinion based on other decisions Kelly has made in the past…

    1. Ahhh BJ, you must’ve missed the Weis years and our stellar defense under him. You people need to wake up. Notre Dame has gone from the bottom half of D-1 in defense to the upper 1/3rd.

      I hate to break the news to you, but Alabama was not ranked #1 in every category during Saban’s first or second year.

      And our problem isn’t defense . . . but you’d know that if you watched ND games on Saturday.

    2. BJ,

      I’d like to congratulate you on your fantastic insight on every post. I think you should email your ideas to Coach Kelly because it would solve all of our problems.

      Even better, you should be named head coach or AD and solve all of our problems.

  27. Memo to Brian Kelly, Notre Dame Is Not Playing Championship Defense.
    8th
    Jan
    Written by admin — Leave a Comment

    It has been a little over a week since myself and others faithful to the Notre Dame football team sat in the stands at the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando.

    Blue and gold clad sheep which we were, we had to watch helplessly as the Fighting Irish squandered a 14 point second half lead during a demoralizing 18-14 loss to Florida State.

    After the game Irish head coach Brian Kelly said that it was nice to be able to talk about a Notre Dame team that plays championship defense.

    Come again?

    A championship defense does not give up an 11 point fourth quarter lead, no matter what the state of the offense. A championship defense does not give up 272 yards of total offense in the second half with their season hanging in the balance.

    The sad part is that the Irish, led by a brilliant performance by star linebacker Manto Te’o, actually were playing championship defense in the first half. Notre Dame gave up a mere 18 total yards before the break and I agree that that’s as good as it gets.

    Much maligned Seminole quarterback E.J. Manuel was largely ineffective in the first 37 minutes of the game. He was constantly harassed while being sacked four times in the first half alone, thanks to a blitzing, stunting Notre Dame defense which played aggressively and fearlessly.

    Then midway through the third quarter Notre Dame defensive coordinator Bob Diaco inexplicably changed tactics.

    Instead of staying on the attack, the Irish called off the blitzes in favor of three or four down linemen sets and soft zones. Manual, who must have felt as if he’d just stepped off a tilt-a-whirl, had an opportunity to gather himself and regain his composure.

    The result was that he now had time to stand in the pocket and pick apart an Irish secondary which has been the butt of every joke north of the Michigan/Indiana border for the last four months.

    Down 14-3, Manual and the Seminoles embarked on a ten play, 84 yard drive right through Notre Dame’s championship defense.

    True, the Irish offense was not any better and the quarterback tandem of Tommy Rees and Andrew Hendrix is not working.

    As much as I hate to admit it: Rees is regressing, and the insertion of Hendrix on the next drive after Florida State had narrowed the margin to 14-9 was as ill timed a quarterback switch as I’ve seen in any game all season.

    Kelly really rolled the dice by putting an inexperienced quarterback into a pressure packed, crucial game situation. And when you flirt with disaster, sometimes calamity kisses you on the lips.

    This happened on the third play of that drive when Hendrix’s ill-advised pass was intercepted by the Seminoles Nigel Bradham who returned the ball 17 yards to the Notre Dame 16.

    The Notre Dame coaches often talk about the “Quick Change”. A term used to describe shocking turnovers deep in their own territory. This is something the ND defense prides itself on: stopping the opposition in these quick change situations.

    This would have been the perfect time for Notre Dame’s championship defense to reassert itself and hold the Seminoles to a field goal attempt.

    But it didn’t happen as Champ Sports Bowl MVP Rashad Greene hauled in a 15 yard scoring toss and in just over a minute and twenty seconds Notre Dame’s 11 point lead was gone.

    In fairness to the Irish defense, I place more of the blame on Diaco and Kelly himself than I do on them.

    All season I have thought that Te’o was an overrated player, but after seeing him play in person I have to admit that he was all over the field.

    Aaron Lynch is another real good player, although I think comparisons to Irish legend Ross Browner are premature.

    Still Lynch was repeatedly held by FSU’s beaten and inexperienced offensive line, although the only holding penalty which was called in the game was on the last deep Notre Dame offensive into Seminole territory.

    A questionable flag which put the Irish in first and long and possibly influenced Rees’ thinking on the final game clinching interception.

    This left me and my Notre Dame brethren to witness yet another heart breaking collapse. Forcing us to contemplate the cloudy future of an Irish football team who is still a long way from championship caliber in any phase of the game.

  28. After watching Alabama’s impressive win last night two things stood out to me. One penalty for five yards and Zero turnovers. Discipline, Discipline, Discipline. Are you paying attention Brian Kelly? All the talent in the world will not help if we look like a bunch of circus clowns out there!

  29. Jack,

    Your term ” It is more about College football in general” caught my eye.

    In college football, “college” should come first and football second.

    I don’t like seeing a senior QB from a west coast school, take one class, ballroom dancing his senior year, get college credit for that class, then put on a suit and tie, go to New York, and proclaim to be worthy of a throphy.

    I don’t like these big time programs who preach honor and pride load up on little 1AA schools in non conference play so they will be assured a place in the sugar bowl.

    I don’t like this so called BCS computer. I have never seen it. Don’t know where it is located, or the people who program it.

    I don’t like conference officials. There should be only one pool of officials goverened and administred by the NCAA only.

    I don’t think football programs should be ranked based primarily on record. I think rankings should include acedemic achievement, classroom attendance, player / team behavior, sportsmenship, community service, senior and Junior college transfers and difficulty of schedule.

    I don’t think active and employed college coaches should be allowed to broadcast other college games. It gives them an unfair advantage in recruiting.

    I think the NCAA should restore its integrity, level the playing field, then format a playoff system.

    1. I agree with everything you said except:

      “I don’t think football programs should be ranked based primarily on record. I think rankings should include acedemic achievement, classroom attendance, player / team behavior, sportsmenship, community service, senior and Junior college transfers and difficulty of schedule.”

      To me, that moves college “football” into the realm of US News and World Report “best colleges” categories. There’s a place for that, but it has nothing to do with football. It has nothing to do with who has the best defense, QB play, who can control the line scrimmage, who has the strongest non-conference schedule, margin of victory, etc.

      If that portion of your comment was to be used as criteria for football rankings and national titles, I think people would find just as corrupt a system, but instead of complaining about Auburn, LSU, Alabama or USC, we’d be complaining about Yale, Harvard, MIT or Brown.

      If you want to crown college football national champions based upon how many meals they serve to the poor, who can or cannot transfer there and who raises their hand in class, go for it.

      That’s not for me – and I’d say several million college football fans would agree. I watch college football for just that – football. Not to judge their personal involvement in the community, their school’s position on transfers or whether they got a 3.8 or 3.3 this semster.

      1. Patrick is see your point.

        I guess it comes down to what “college” football means to each person.

        I was always lead to believe that football (and all sports in general) were added to the the college experience because it re-enforced the the college core values of team work, dedication, school pride and sprit, fair play and sportsmenship.

        All valuable lessons for our students who one day will head out into society.

        Our society.

        Without acedemic achievment standards, accecptable behavior, fairness, integrity, and sportsmenship
        what do you have.

        The NFL?

        I bet you have figured by now that I’m kind of old school when it comes to college football.

        That’s probably because I was around when student athelets achieving excellence in the classroom, the community, and on the footbllfield were the norm, not the exception.

      2. Gentleman,

        I believe that the schools should get scholarships awarded by graduation rate. Are your renting these kids to make money for the University or are you trying to make their lives better? If you look at some of these SEC players 10yrs after the fact you will see a majority of them no better off then when they stepped foot on the University. College is to prepare your for a job in the real world whether it is football or another profession. If these kids are only going there to play football and don’t make it in the NFL, what are they going to do. Look at the graduation rates of the players from both teams. Look at some of the alums from both teams. LSU produced a fine citizen in Jamarcus Russel.

      3. I see your point too Shazamrock. I’m fairly traditional as well, when it comes to athletic excellence and I judge it by performance on Saturdays.

        Making it more academic-based (as you suggested) would also put some schools at a disadvantage, specifically those in smaller areas, with smaller budgets and less wealthy alumni networks. Right now, we have a bias towards NFL factories . . . Alabama, USC, LSU, Florida, etc. But switch the rules of the game, and we’ll see a different kind of bias emerge.

        I prefer a much simpler game where excellence is judged by performance, specifically the performance of what these men were given scholarships to do – and that’s play football.

        Jack – I’m not going to judge the alumni networks of other schools. Why? Because I’m sure there are some Notre Dame grads out there who failed to live up to accepted moral standards/achievements. Likewise, just because someone goes to LSU or Alabama doesn’t mean they cannot or don’t live up to excellent standards. That’s too wide of a brush and I’m not prepared mentally, emotionally or physically to defend someone simply because they have a piece of paper from Notre Dame.

        Likewise, I’m not here to condemn or look down upon someone for attending LSU.

    1. I’m not sold on Smart. Alabama’s D is great and he is undoubtedly quite good. But the Bama D is run by Saban. It was even mentioned by Mussberger that, at the practice they watched, Saban didn’t watch a single offensive play but never left the defense.

  30. I am going to throw this out there and believe me I want to see what people on this board think. It is more about college football in general than the Irish. I have a huge problem with the BCS and super conferences. LSU is crying because they had to play Alabama again, but this system was designed by the SEC and conferences. I am sick of hearing how we need to protect the regular season. The only reason why the regular season needs to be protected is to protect conferences. The NFL regular season is a big deal. When Pittsburgh plays Baltimore or Dallas and the Giants play it is a big deal. This bullshit of protecting the regular season is to protect the conference cash cows period. I look at the SEC this year and the only two teams that were better than other conferences was the two that played in the NC. If we want a true play off and see the teams run threw a gauntlet than have a playoff, get rid of conference automatic bowl qualifiers and see what happens. Sixteen team playoff and the top ranked sixteen teams. Get rid of conference championship games and don’t start rankings until October, that way you get rid of this preseason crap. Teams like Florida and Mississippi State being in the top 25. Rank them in October to the middle of November. Play your first playoff game Thanksgiving Weekend when the conference Championship games are at four sites like NCAA regionals in Basketball. Play the following weekend to get to the final four. The final four play during normal bowl season. Have the rest of the teams that don’t make the final 16 play in the Carquest Bowl and season be done. You can even use the four BCS bowl game as the elite 8 round. Your thoughts!

  31. Irish would have been chewed up and spit out had they played either team last night. That is the current state of ND football. Sad indeed! One QB away my butt (see earlier comment)!

    1. Any team would have been chewed up and spit out. Lets see Oregon, Standford, Oklahoma State, SC, Wisconsin, MSU, FSU, Clemson, WVU, the list goes on. There is no team in college football in the league of those two programs. ND I would consider a 2nd to 3rd tier team right now. We will see what year three has under BK. If he is the coach of the future ND should be in a BCS game next year and depending on the other team should win. If not he plays out his contract and it doesn’t get renewed.

    2. Are you serious? The only team that could have kept the game within 21 points last night was LSU. Put ANY other team in America on that field last night, and it’d have been worse.

      Before you go trying to throw ND in the game last night, realize you just witnessed one of the greatest defensive performances in BCS history.

  32. it was depressing watching the game last night. love the irish but saban is cooler and more mature than kelly, hard tough man to man defense, the defensive coordinator was on the field cheering his guys on, not in the press box, alabama offensive line averages 320, people who really like to hit, there was a day when alabama football was a joke to every notre dame team, but now average 8.8 pts a game give up and a shut out in the bcs, shades of duranko, page, hardy, mccoy, stonebreaker, bobo olsen, jim lynch, without a new defensive coordinator on the field, we go nowhere. god protect us.

    1. Not to mention that Saban is an absolute MASTER OF PREPARATION. The guy is meticulous in every detail. Guarantee you he reads Sun Tzu and understands the OODA Loop (look it up).

      Kelly gets outcoached by what’s-his-name from Florida State.

      1. “To be ignorant of your enemy and of your self, will lead to certain defeat.”
        -Sun Tzu

        “The universe is divided into positive and negitive furies. When the furies are out of balance, it will lead to confusion and Kayos”
        -Egg Chinn

        “Soft zone, and the receiver will roam”
        -Ghimm Bho

  33. Anyone hear that Tee Shepard may not have enrolled last week? I don’t know this for a fact. I am just inquiring because I have not heard any news on his enrollment to ND after his latest verbal last week. Thanks.

  34. I just read the article about the transfers of this Carlisle kid from USC and some OL from FSU to ND. I always thought ND would not allow transfers or recruited from junior colleges. When did this stop if it ever was in place? Anyone know? And if this standard was in place when was the last transfer to ND’s football team? (I know they have done it in basketball with the Hansbrough kid but i never heard of it for the football team). Lastly was i wrong to believe ND did not do red shirts for a long time if ever?

  35. yes, the recruiting is great but the record is,lousy, 16-9 (.640) to date.
    the defense gives up almost 21 pts a game. A third rate effort. no championship team does that, ND 1966 3.6, alabama 2011, 8.3 pts, nd 1993, 17.8 pts, we need a new defensive coordinator, a man to man defense and a 4/4/3 defense. diaco is a disaster

    1. Bj – you are being unfair the D got left in a hole a number of times by the O this year. My take is they played poorly in only 3 quarters all year ie 4th quarter v Michigan, 1st against USC and last against FSU. You can not count junk time against Air Force etc + you fail to credit where it is due eg Irish D gave up 1 TD in the third quarter all season.

    2. here we go again fire diaco. id like to see some of those coaches take a d that gave up 30 pts a game when clausen was the qb, and see how fast it turns around. we had 2 frosh and 1 soph. starting on the d line at the end of the year, the secondary was so bad they had to play zone. can’t play man to man unless you have the players. changing coaches all the time hurts continuity and recruiting. if the d is mediocre again next year then you can post ever week fire diaco and fire everybody all the way down to the equipment manager like u like to post. do things need to get better? yes but i see enough signs pointing up to give him another year.

    1. Elijah Shumate committed at the army all american bowl. he is the #5 saftey according to scout. i heard the comments from the announcers say that the coaches had to ask him to tone it down at practice, but he didnt know how. they also said he tackled everything. Yuri wright is his teammate at do bosco prep and this could lead to his commitment.
      Amir Carlisle transferred from USC he was expected to sign with ND last year but last second committed to USC. USC is having a terrible recruiting year for their standards(27th according to scout ) and now losing Carlisle and probably Armond Armstead really weakens them.im wondering if they are realising kiffen talks out his ass. without Barkley they are a mediocre football team, again proving why ND needs to find a qb.go ND keep recruiting and getting players.

  36. Eifert has the capability to be more than a great TE, but a sensationa TE. Glad he is returning. He had an AA season in 2011 as far as I was concerned. Schedule for the fall campaign is indeed challenging, but, like anything, it can be overcome with good planning and execution. Apply the 7 p’s of Life-Proper Previous Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance. Hopefully, the 2012 edition will do this. It’s a long wait until fall.

    Go Irish

  37. Eifert has decided to return, a good thing. I don’t want them to rush but I hope they resolve the O-line coach soon.

      1. I am 100% on board with that. Especially after the comments he made earlier this year. Seems to be a guy that gets it and can express it to the team

  38. JDH,

    I also understand your view.

    This kid got a full ride scholarship to play for one of the most storied programs of all time.
    He screwed it up. He made his bed and now should have to sleep in it.

    But I think there comes a time when the powers that be need to decide what is best for everyone.

    This kid had gotten in trouble numerous times, AND, made little to no effort to change his behavior.

    Maybe the best thing for him was to be home with those who care the most for him. If they did that, he might not be in jail tonight.

    Why did Michigan keep him on the team all this time when he wouldn’t change?

    Was it for his benefit, or for the team’s benefit?

    If the answer is the latter, shame on them.

    1. Floyd was given clear guidelines to correct his conduct. He may have gotten a break by having two head coaches. But even with that break, Floyd was givem both support and clear corrective action that needed to take place.

      That is what you want to see. Tough love which balances a helping hand with a stern announcement of the consequences if that hand is rejected by lack of response, aka improved and acceptable behavior. That’s how you teach.

  39. Was just over at the ESPN college football site reading about Darrell Stonum, the troubled WR for Michigan.

    The story about a troubled young man who came to college with a world of talent, but couldn’t get his life on the right path is sad, and all too common any more.

    DUI,driving on a revolked licence, lying to the courts and his paroll officer, not paying any of his court costs, missing his manitory meetings.
    In 2010 He had gotten a 3 day jail sentence for not compling with the terms of his probation.

    The latest offence was he drove himself to his court appearence on a revolked licence and got 10 days in jail for it.

    My question is, where was the so called “Michigan family” during all this?

    I can see if he was back home in Texas, but these latest arrests and violations happened in Ann Arbor. Right under their nose.

    Is there no one at the UM that could give the guy a ride to court?
    Is there no one looking out for this young man? Or maybe they just don’t care. Or maybe there are more important things to take care of… like recruiting?

    On Thursday, Hoke said Stonum’s status with the team had not changed(remains with the team, but suspended) and would not “until we know everything.”

    Be carefull what you wish for Brady Hoke… or should I say Brady Joke!

    If you are going to keep the kid, than help the kid. If you can’t be bothered to help him, then cut him loose so someone else can.

    1. Not the program’s job to give him a ride to court etc. Those are legal issues that he/his family need to deal with himself. They impact the program to be sure and the program should/will discipline him for the infractions. And of course the team/coaches should try to provide guidance and support to make him a better young man. You have no idea as to whether they are doing that or not. My guess is that they are.

      Michael Floyd’s DUI problems in no way necessitated someone from the ND football program taking him to court etc. It’s Floyd’s legal issue to deal with. The team issues are another matter. Like Michigan, I’m guite sure Floyd has received the support and love from the team he needed.

      “On Thursday, Hoke said Stonum’s status with the team had not changed(remains with the team, but suspended) and would not “until we know everything.” All coaches do this. BK did the exact same thing in regards to Floyd’s issues.

      My point is not to alibi Michigan, but to disagree at your premise Shazam. As if ND always takes care of their own and our rivals don’t – I believe that is not true and it’s hypocrisy.

      I played a D1 sport in college for four years. The only time the team is responsible for you is when you are at team duties, team functions etc. That’s it. The rest of the time you are an adult and on your own.

      1. JDH,

        I agree 100% with what you are saying.

        Stonum’s legal issues are just that. His legal issues.
        It is not the programs job to give the kid a ride to court.
        And yes, he is 21 years old and should be held accoutable for his actions.

        All very true and valid statements.

        But when a coach goes into a high schooler’s home, and tells the kids parents that they will take good care of them, and look over them, then I believe there is at least some level of moral obligation regurdless of who’s right or wrong.

        You are right, I don’t know what Michigan did, if anything, other than keeping him on the team, as a way to help him.

        I know very little of what ND did for Floyd.

        But I do know they had him move back into the dorms where coaches, fellow players, students and friends could keep an eye on him and provide support every day.

        I think that’s a heck of a lot more than what should have been a simple car ride to court.

        If Stonum was a 5 star high school recruit this year, and was considering Michigan, I’m willing to bet they would drive him to a strip club if he asked them to.

        But once he signs his LOI the rules change?

        I can’t tell you how many times Desmond Howard used his posision on ESPN game day to mention the “Michigan Family”.

        Michigan can benefit from that but not live up to it?

        That is hypocrisy as well.

        After reading about his case and what Brady Hoke had to say (and I know he is restricted when it comes to legal matters)didn’t you get the impression that they were just keeping this kid around because he might still be of some benefit to the ball club?

        Maybe, just maybe, he might have been better off back home with is family instead of a possiable future comodity for the Michigan football team.

      2. Shazam,
        You make good points and you’ve elucidated your first premise. I can completely understand what you are saying.

        This is only my opinion, but UM (unlike ALOT of schools out there) does not strike me as a school that doesn’t take care of its players- I could be wrong though. I completely agree that any program should do its best to TEACH and GUIDE their players about life, not just sports.

        I was just separating the responsibilities (legal vs. moral) of a program.

        I think we’re on the same page. 🙂

  40. I stuck w/ Rees for a long time, admitting full well his weaknesses, but keeping them in the perspective that he was a 12-3 QB. I was thinking/hoping/praying that his vision (i.e. not throwing into double or triple coverage) and his turnover-prone (many times catastrophic turnovers) psyche would improve. But he has lost me completely.

    I don’t give two @#$%s about his passing efficiency, TD passes, shoe size, favorite color etc. Any QB who turns the ball over as much as he did in 2011 should sit, period. He is an average game manager that can make good short passes.

    1. You want to see that completion percentage dip a few points, take away all of those goofy dump-offs that occurred behind the line of scrimmage for a loss. I bet he threw more completions for a loss than any QB in the country.

  41. After watching WV and Clemson last night and seeing a ton of Freshmen playing on both teams, I realized sadly that ND who used to eat teams like this for breakfast dont even deserve to be on the same field with teams like this currently. Irish are making strides but so many other teams simply put them to shame with the energy and intensity with which they play and doing so with young players who will just get better with each year. ND looked much much better the first year with the fast paced offense. They regressed since then and have no real identity on offense. It is to the point where we are once again waiting for the spread offense much like we were waiting for Tyronne’s west coast offense to show up. Neither ever made it to South Bend. We are in a perpetual rebuilding phase with no leader – no guts to build an offense around one guy and no end in sight.

    1. Chris,

      I disagree. I think that ND is one QB away from making a run. If you look every year ND has won a NC it has had a great signal caller. The years of Alabama and LSU winning just on defense are few and far between. Look at all good teams in college they have one thing in common, a great QB. 77 Montanna, 88 Rice. Even the past 10 win season were with Quinn.

      1. Jack,

        Having a great signal caller is certainly needed in today’s college game, no question about it.

        But with LSU, BAMA, and the rest of the SEC now on the verge of their 6th straight National title. I think 6 years in a row doesn’t really qualify as few and far between.

        Clemson makes it into the Orange Bowl then gives up 70 points!!!… 70 points to WV?

        I can just imagine how the Clemson fans are feeling right now.

        I remember when we lost to Michigan 38-0 a few years back.

        I was sick for a week.

        I’ll take a team with a great defense any day of the week.

        Right now our defense looks to be headed in that direction.

        An improvement on special teams wouldn’t hurt either.

      2. Shazamrock,

        Good point, but I think you are missing my point. A good signal caller can take a horrible team and make it 8-4. If ND had a QB this year like a Quinn or Clausen they would have won 10 games. The reason being is the fact of the turnovers. Your great QB’s don’t turn the ball over and make stupid plays. They don’t throw into double coverage, fumble or not call the right protection. My point is if you put this ND defense with the 2005 or 2006 team they are playing for a NC. Look at the comparisents at positions. MLB Maurice Crum vs Manti Teo. OLB Darius Flemming vs Travis Taylor. I agree defense wins championships but a QB who is smart wins you a few games you shouldn’t have won.

  42. I have no fear about ND recruiting. This is the best I’ve seen since Holtz. Speed, strength and talent at every position Kelly has recruited. I also have no fear about Golson. He is the key. Rees just doesn’t have the mobility to run the spread. Hendrix, great athleticism but he’s not a passer – at least not on the level we need.

    I say start Golson and watch it all come together. He’s the real deal. With more explosive QB play, other weaknesses can be overcome – much like Denard Robinson hides Michigan’s weaknesses. Much like Luck hides Stanford’s weaknesses. You get the point. The only difference is, Notre Dame’s weaknesses (outside of the QB position) have or are being addressed (depth and talent in the secondary, OL, RB, etc).

    1. I understand your enthusiasm, but he hasn’t played a game and you haven’t seen him throw against a defense other than ND starters. Let’s see the spring game and see how he has progressed. My depth chart right now would be 1. Hendrix 2. Golson 3. Rees. Also, Golson is little and will get injured so Hendrix better be ready.

      1. So little = getting hurt? I bet to differ. 1) Have you seen how elusive Golson is? That makes a big difference in the injury department. 2) Dayne Crist was big and I saw him blow out his knee running out of bounds. 3) Golson has the better arm, plain and simple.

        I’ll take a “small” Golson simply because of his polish as a passer.

      2. I would like to quote my favorite sixer “Practice were talking practice.”. It’s different when we talk Saturdays. Rees looks good in practice. I hope whoever the QB is they realize the most important thing is ball security and not to turnover the ball. Their job is to distribute the ball to playmakers and run the offense. We will see who of the three is the best. I have learned my lesson on backing any player.

      3. Good point. There is always a love affair with fans and the back up QB’s. If he is the best guy he will play bottom line. BK knows year 3 is going to be big in terms of if he is really turning things around. I’ve played and coached, and I can tell you that the best guys always play. Everybody wants to win and there are no hidden agendas. Would any of us risk a multimillion dollar job by not playing the absolute best there is at the most important position?

      4. I have heard the coaches are very excited about Golson, but “ball security” has been an issue in practice. I don’t know how much more of that we can take.

  43. Sorry, I guess I have heard the fire coach Kelly statement made so many times by various people that I did jump to conclusions. C-Dog you are a gentleman and a scholar. We can all have our own opinion and I am sorry that I projected that upon you.
    Moving on ND will be back in the picture shortly under Kelly I have no doubt. Just read on Rivals that Yuri Wright was wearing a ND hat when he checked into Army All American Bowl. Don’t know if that means anything but just imagine. With the d-line, offensive line hauls that we have had in the last few years, then add on a top flight CB group in Darby, Shepard and Wright. Holy smokes that will be something special. We have had some good LB in Williams, Councell, Moore, Niklas, add in Odenigbo, and we can win the battles at the line of scrimage and on defense for years to come.
    When we used to win we won in those areas. Gear up for more of the same. Go ND.

    1. I have heard any statements about firing Kelly but if we dont win at least nine games next year, I will start calling for it. No reason we cant win nine games a year. I dont care if we dont play for a NC each year, usually nine wins gets us a BCS bid.

    2. B-dub, No Problem. I guess I am gettign to a point where I know all of us have little influence on the program unless it gets overwhelmingly problematic and then the administration might look to a blog for a marketing survey of fan support.

      I also don’t think pulling the trigger on a coach everytime something bad happens is proper. However, I don’t mind expressing my opinions in an analytical perspective. For instance, the firing of both Willingham and Weis were timely because neither showed that they knoew how to correct glaring problems inside their programs. Willingham proved his losing pattern when you look at what he left at Stanford, ND, and Washington. Weis will have to prove to me that he understands how to manage the entire program and that he knows defense wins ball games. I never would have hired Davie.

      Kelly is someone I would have hired. However, I’d like to see his ability to take his lumps as to current short comings and see him take steps to improve himself. His game planning is too rigid. He needs to asjust to game time conditions and his opponent. More importantly, he needs to lead and mentor, not manage and berate. Inspire leadership among the players so they take on ownership of the game.

      Now, if I were to look for the next coach, I would look for 2 things. First I’d want an up and coming head coach from a competitive program. I’d look at a Brian Kelly type when he was winning D-II championships. I’d assess his ability to put together a strong staff and his ability to teach and mentor. I’d use the athletic department to shield him from all the crap that comes along with being the ND coach.

      Secondly and as important, I’d look for a coach who looks to football as a teaching mechanism, not the end. This coach would also if not Catholic himself, would believe in the mission of Notre Dame. He would instill in the players that their entire preparation shouold be dedicated to each other, Notre Dame, and the Catholic cause. That’s what makes Notre Dame different. We are ND!!

  44. I wonder how many Rees fans still around? I recall many posting on this very board, proclaiming him the answer and now…

    1. I want Rees to succeed. But right now, he just doesn’t fit the system or Kelly’s mindset. I wish some posters on this board weren’t so “all or nothing”. I think B-dub attributed my comments to wantign to fire Kelly. I never said that. All I said was that I question whether Kelly is the guy. I am not certain about that, but I’m not 100% on board with him either. Sorry, everyone but I’m too old for all good or all bad mentality. I can say I don’t think ND should fire Kelly. But I question whether he will set in motion those elements necessary for a true run at a BCS bowl or National Championship.

      As for Rees, I believe he’d be successful in a Weis-like system, other than his footwork. MSU just had a QB like Rees in Cousins. However Cousins had his leadership developed and nurtured. Rees has a guy who wants everyone to see his disgust at every little mistake. No, I am a Rees fan. I just don’t think he should QB at ND. I’d recommend to him that he transfer, frankly.

      1. I want Rees to succeed also but he doesnt have the skill set to run ND offense. Kelly made a HUGE HUGE HUGE mistake with going with him all season. I’m slowly losing faith with Kelly with his decision making. I still cant get over that INT he threw in 2009 vs Tulsa. Horrible call and throw and it pretty much is a symbol of Rees’s play and Kelly’s decision making….Pretty awful

    2. One of the first games I saw Rees in was in 2010 agianst Tulsa.

      In that game he threw a pick in the endzone near the end of the game, when a field goal would have won the game.

      The last game I saw Rees in was the 2011 bowl game agianst FSU.

      He threw a pick in the end zone near the end of the game when a field goal would have probably won the game.

      Within the games he played in between these two, he has posted some great late game drives,and comebacks.

      But it is obvious that he hasn’t progressed with his on the field decision making, or the discipline needed to guide a major program.

      If he hasn’t learned it by now, I’m not sure he ever will.

      1. I agree with you 100%. Rees is not the answer for ND. If Hendrix or Christ starts all year we go 10-2 or 9-3. We call Rees T2. Turnover Tommy.

  45. i think u are right scav, i see kelly starting reese against navy and seeing golson get a ton of playing time. maybe he just goes with golson but if history shows us it will be reese, with a very short leash. there have been some red shirt frosh qb’s who have been very successful most notably michael vick, he lead them to the national championship game against FSU. i dont want to compare just trying to show a qb can come out of nowhere and be great.

  46. After thinking about some of things that went on this year, I think we might be seeing Golson next year. If you really think about it, why else would Dayne not be given a chance this year especially since he played last year and had a year left. When interviewed, Dayne said he knew he was not coming back early in the season. To pull Dayne in the 1st half of the first game and let Rees play thru so many TO’s, tells me that he was forcing Dayne’s hand to leave.

    Then Kelly talked about Hendrix running the whole offense leading up to the bowl game and then he played only one full series and was in on a 2-3 others. If Kelly wanted to get Hendrix ready for next year, we would have seen more from him.

    What I think is going to happen is Tommy is going to be the guy with Golson as the change of pace early in the season. Tommy has got a year and a half under his belt and Quinn and Clausen made their biggest strides in their JR year. I’m not saying that Rees is either of those guys, but he can be somewhat effective against the easier teams. This allows Kelly to bring Golson along slowly to gain confidence. Kelly has too much invested in Tommy to start over with Golson from the begining unless Golson really does excel at running the offense in the spring and fall. Kelly will have the off-season to work with Rees and his turnover problem.

    This question will not be answered until the spring, but it will be interesting to see how this shakes out.

  47. B-dub,

    No sarcasm at all! I hope Golson becomes our version of RG3 and ND wins 10 or 11 games next year. After that, the sky’s the limit.

    HERE COME THE IRISH!

    1. SteelFanRob not sure if that is good or bad! So many people want to be negative about ND’s future I am not sure if you are being sarcastic or are looking to the rebirth of ND.

  48. Ron,

    Great point!

    How is that other schools can turn things around overnight while ND has to continue to “wait for next season”?

    Patience?! If you’re still a ND fan after almost 20 years of this mediocrity, then no one can ask you to be more patient. How much longer do we settle for 8 win seasons? Is a third-tier bowl the new (low) bar for ND football?

    Yes, we need to give BK more time. At least let him have a full recruiting cycle. But at some point his team’s performance will have to match his ego and self-imposed expectations when he got the ND gig.

    (After watching Oregon beat a tough Wisconsin team in the Rose Bowl, I couldn’t help but wonder if ND didn’t get the wrong Kelly. Chip’s version of the spread sure looks a lot better than Brian’s. Of course, Chip has a QB that can actually run his system. BK meanwhile has stuck with “Turnover” Tommy.)

    1. To run an Oregon style offense would require the players to run the system. Next year Golson will take over the offense with Martin’s leadership and it will be awesome. GO ND!

    2. In all honesty, the hires by ND as coach have been one reason they’ve been mediocre. Bob Davie was a “safe” pick after Holtz. Willingham was a flash in the pan. Weis, great football mind, but had “on-the-job” head coach training. Part of it was the administration and it needing to open up a bit to catch up with the times.

      I know Kelly will get things right, but it’s not easy to turn it around instantly. Michigan was absolutely lucky this year, with scheduling, in some games (*cough* against ND), and even in their bowl matchup. Let’s see them replicate an 11-2 season next year. Remember Weis’ first year? Willingham’s first year? How’d they do in year 2?

      There’s absolutely no reason Notre Dame cannot/will not be back to what it was. If Stanford and Michigan can do it (both excellent academic institutions) so can ND.

      1. one more thing michigan was lucky with this year was injuries . only 1 player that i know of missed a game that was their RT and he was replaced by a younger more athletic player. ND again got hit hard with injuries, Tuitt out with a sickness, Teo hobbled ,Ethan Johnson out for many games, Braxton Cave out for rest of season, Darius Flemming , and also Jonas Gray. this really test your depth and toughness of younger players. one of these years ND will get lucky with injuries.

    3. SteelfanRob,

      This is a product of 10 years of horrible coaches. I hate to say this but I believe the firing of O’leary set this program back. They were forced to scramble and hired a dud as a head coach. They made a play for Urban but he shunned them and they had to hire Weis. Weis needed to understand in order to be a great coach you can’t be focused on one side of the ball and need a philosphy for defense and stick to it. ND is not the job to learn on. As far as the man’s recruiting philosphy he is actually recruiting to needs not to stars. He understands that having a top caliber defense gets you in the BCS game. I agree that he needs to at least get his contract and if there is no improvement than he must go. Also, lets remember that the majority of teams(minus Alabama this year) that start a true soph at QB are prone to these types of mistakes. Look at Clausen and Quinn’s soph years. Even look at Rice’s in 87. Like I keep saying this team goes as far as the QB does.

  49. After watching Michigan win last night I just started shaking my head. Last year they were one of the worst defenses in college football. Hoke was like their third choice for head coach and one year later they are winning a BCS game. I just say to myself why not us. How can they turn it around so fast and we go in circles? It’s hard to be patient when you see other teams do that. A lot of people say give it time, give it time, give it time. BK has all these credentials about winning everywhere. Everywhere in the minor leagues that is.

    BK clearly has upgraded the talent on this team but it remains to be seen if he can INSPIRE this team. MOTIVATE this team. We’ll see. There’s always hope!

    1. Brady Hoke is about as fat as Weis. He doesn’t sound as intelligent under all that head cheese. And frankly Michigan was lucky this year.

      They lose Roundtree to graduation. He’s big and probably used to Robinson’s wounded duck throws. Unfortuantely, defensive coaches preach formula and these little d-backs no longer look for the ball early enough. I predict next year Robinson throws a bunch of interceptions.

      All that rambling comes down to this. Michigan may be in their first or second year of their own version of Weis, albeit with better defense.

      See if Michigan is as successful with a rejuvenated Ohio State, a retooled MSU, Wisconsin, and a pissed off Nebraska.

      But here’s the thing about any comparisons fo ND and SC-UofM. ND needs to worry about being ND.

      Ron, you hit it with the INSPIRE and MOTIVATE words. Those of us who reference Holtz want the coach to do what Holtz did, inspire and motivate. He was like a tent preacher. Aaron Taylor could really help Kelly in that area.

      I will be turning to other ways to spend my time. If this team comes back and inspires, I’ll watch. I will always hope. I’d like to see Kelly have some religion infiltrate his coaching. We’ll see, I guess.

      1. I see inspiration when Teo chooses to come back his senior year, I see inspiration when Gray produces nothing but turnovers for three years and then blows up his senior year, I see inspiration when the o-line blocks like a championship caliber team for most of the year. I see inspiration when Nix drops massive weight and is able to play multiple downs. I see inspiration when multiple young recruits are able to start early and make an impact. I see inspiration when Atkinson returns two touchdowns behind a questionable special team. I see inspiration when a unqualified QB that has no real intangibles to play the position throws for almost 3000 yards, way above his expacted level. I see inspiration when although we have been down and out multiple recruits are talking about how ND is on the upswing and they want to be a part of it. I see inspiration when Coach Kelly is yelling at the kids to put some fire in em, just like Holtz did in the past and then the school made the stupidest move ever by firing Holtz. Well now we have that fire back at ND and everyone wants to pull the trigger and fire Kelly before he even gets started.

      2. Also Hoke was given the miracle maker, Robinson at his disposal. If Kelly was given Robinson it would have been game on from the bat too. But he was given the short end of the stick with QB’s, Clausen talked out of staying by the former coach, and Crist getting hurt one to many times.

      3. I’m sorry. You’re right, I was wrong. We don’t need inspiration or motivation since we already have it. And we do have that fire back. Excuse me I must be delusional!

      4. Ron, I am sorry I am not sure where you stand. I understand that ND has a long way to go,I know that they could get a lot better, but I know that we are moving in the right direction. A lot of people on this sight are very quick to think that it is time to already move on after 2 seasons with Kelly behind the wheel. I am in the belief that we are far better than we where when Weis was coach and the only motivation factor for our players was to make themselves look better for the NFL combine. Weis was all about stars and driving kids to the NFL. There is a lot of work, but the motivation is now to win and play as a team. Teo staying is an example of a player that although he was mad mid season is going to forgo millions for the team. So yes if your not speaking of doom and gloom we need more inpiration than yes we could certainly get better.

      5. B-dub, it’s just amazing. You can’t post a simple comment on this board without someone thinking you want to fire the head coach. Did you actually read my comments? Of course Notre Dame made some great runs, catches, kick-off returns, but this was an un-motivated and un-inspired team. Please tell me what happened after Kelly screamed at the top of his lungs to some of his players? Did that inspire them? Did they go out after that and play like champions?

        Like I said, we’ve got good talent and getting more but this team needs to play at a higher level emotionally.

        Did you watch the South Florida game? How about USC? We came out so dead and uninspired it was unbelieable. George Atkinson returned a great kickoff. Did that inspire the rest of the team. NO!

        Right now Kelly has not inspired this team or any of the upper classman. I want to see a FIRED UP team on offense and defense.

        Rich Rodrigez had Denard Robinson for 2 years and they sucked (except when they played the Irish) so Hoke inherited a mediocre team and won a BCS bowl. Maybe their scheule was easy but still.

        Finally just like Steelfan said it’s always wait till next year for the last 20 years. You said the motivation now is to win and play as a team. Shouldn’t that be every game and every year?

        This comes from leadership on and off the field. We’ll see next year. Although we’ve improved statistically we are what are record says we are. Mediocre!

    2. Ron,

      You need to keep in mind that a big part of Michigan’s turn around can be atributed to a very farvorable schedule.

      They played their first 4 games of the year at home.

      That’s the entire month of September at the Big House.

      Other than ND (a game they should have lost to us) the other 3 teams were real cupcakes.

      Then their first road game was agianst a woeful Minnesota team.

      ND could never, or would ever be able to live that kind of a schedule down.

    3. Ron:

      If you watched Alabama destroy LSU in the BCS title game, after one of Saban’s players would make a mistake, he would go to them and say “it’s OK –you are still the guy, shake it Off” or ” we will bring it back ” etc. His body language was positive, assuring that if a second chance came, that young man who made the mistake ( of which Alabama had darn few) would still be OK. In contrast, Kelly looks constantly constipated, disgruntled and most of the body language does not have the combo of discipline-YOU WILL do better, YOU CAN do better and let’s move on. He scowls-99% of the time. I can’t imagine the pressure he is under. However, if our administration would wake up to reality we could play with the Bama’s and what not if ND was not so anti-septic in admissions. Again, Father Sorin would shake his head at how we are shooting ourselves in the foot. If we EVEN THINK we belong on the same field with LSU or ALABAMA, we need to do some major realignment. Time will tell–and time is passing and marching on right past us.

  50. I for one am really excited for the schedule next season. That is the type of schedule that IF, like c-dog said, this team plays to potential and takes ownership puts nd back on the map.

    I personally feel that it is time for the EG5 show to begin. We need his skill set for this offense to hum. Maybe we do go 8-4 9-3 hell 6-6 whatever but i would rather take our lumps with the future than take a beating with a kid that is destined to be replaced. For the record i will have to replace alot things in my house if we go 6-6.

    This team is close just need a few more pieces to fall in place.

  51. With Martin taking over OC I really hope that Kelly will give the reigns to Martin to run the offense. Not that I do not believe in his ability to run the offense. Notre Dame is not a lower tier program that can be managed easily while running the offense. He needs to trust in his assistant, pull back and run the team.
    I think that our upside will be our defense, so pulling back Kelly could put some emphasis on the defensive side also.
    Remeber that although he is known for offense he started out as a defensive coordinator.

  52. I am sticking to my believe that Kelly has always intended for Golson to redshirt his first year and take over the reigns in 2012. Look back at the comments made about Rees and Hendrix. Kelly although he doesn’t come out and say it has doubts about Rees’s upside and he has serious doubts about Hendix’s ability to grasp the system. But on many occasions he has praised Golson. Golson looked good in the Blue and Gold game and also won the Scout Team Player of the Year Award. Top it of that he is the perfect fit for the system and was sick in High School.
    Go ND!

  53. Under our current QB dilema, maybe a quality QB transfer would be beneficial. Not sure the administration would allow it, but may be worth exploring on a one time basis. This would give the proper time to bring along Golson and Hendrix. However, even though I am not a fan of Rees, he should be given the opportunity to prove he can operate error-free. One should expect improvement after two years of struggle?

    Primarily practice QB’s will struggle their 1st year and history has proven that. I said last year, why not give John Goodman a try? At Fort Wayne his coach strongly believed he would make an outstanding QB because of his speed. Not to mention he has the strongest arm among the QB’s. I think as a 5th year senior he may be worth a look?

  54. Like a pro football coach (I believe Herm Edwards) once said: “You are what your record says you are!”

    There is no “taking away” the red-zone TOs and dumb throws into double (and triple!) coverage. Sadly, it doesn’t work that way in the real world. ND would no doubt be the consensus national champion every year if “moral victories,” “could haves,” should haves,” “would haves,” and “what ifs” were part of what the computers and human pollsters took into consideration when deciding on the polls.

    1. Hey Rob, I think that quote comes from Bill Parcells, giving it even more weight. Nice to see Michigan with a QB with 18 TD and 14 Int and a 56% completion %, on the verge a winning a meaningful bowl game and finish the season in the top 10 and Sparty beat an SEC team in a bowl. One team we destroyed and another we should have. I know we had some injuries but we seemed to have start the season asleep, briefly woke-up and went back to bed. Oh, I am about to start blithering about woulda, coulda, shoulda. Hold on to the current recruits and let’s be hopeful.

    2. I definitely agree, Rob.

      I don’t want to call it blame on Kelly, but he needs to be making it plain to the players that Notre Dame football cannot tolerate those situations. Relative to next year, they had an easy schedule. Michigan is a lucky team, not a good team. MSU IS a very good if not great team, and ND beat them. That shows me this team could play, but didn’t play to it’s potential. That should make every player sick to their stomachs.

      Kelly has to replace two important coaching spots, find a field general, instill and attitude of commitment to excellence, and be ready to face a truly grueling schedule next year.

      My desire is for ND to win every game. My expectation is that in 2012, we’ll see another 7-5 8-4 team. That is unless someone convinces the players and they take ownership of the fact that they are good enough to get to a BCS bowl or National Championship game.

      1. Well stated C-Dog. Well Stated indeed. That sums it up. Like fxm before you, I think the coulda, woulda , shoulda and we were so CLOSE to so many things but pooped out. Sadly, the killer instinct and nail in the coffin was rarely there —and we have THE POTENTIAL to do so. You put it best—a field general–a real stud, put in a defense that plays the entire game like they played first half against Florida State and Michigan- ( ENITRE game) and we have a chance to be something. The schedule is ripe for opportunity! Will the players be ready and passionate week in and week out in what COULD be a landmark season—filled to the brim with opportunities to make a statement! I hope so!!! So many hope to see Notre Dame fail or be 7-5 –again. The hope is to defy ALL of them but we must be consistent and have a real QB. 2012 will tell a lot about “if the program is getting better or not.” I hope so–my blood is true ND with so much family legacy there–so much anticipation for something ELECTRIC. You are right about the ingredients needed: Field general and instilling an attitude! Maybe the stage is set—I hope so.

      2. uumm thats ENTIRE game not ENITRE–sorry folks—
        GO IRISH ( and I mean that)
        Beat Oklahoma, hog the clock against USC, Surprise Sparty by beating them in East Lansing–( and they will be good next year) Watch out for Purdue ( not exactly a slouch) get a good running game, Beat Michigan ( like both ND and Va. Tech should have) and for the sake of all that is good –destroy the ghetto cocaines of Miami
        ( and yes, they have a ton of allegations-a history which speaks of their many errors and sins and will always be ghetto-they must be beaten without apology) GO Irish ENTIRE GAMES next year!

  55. When it comes to football, I really enjoy good play on the defensive side of the ball.

    So when the first half came to a close, I was really enjoying the teams’ play on defense.(The guys on defense were haveing a lot of fun too)

    It’s been a long time since we dominated a good team like we did in the first half.

    There was a fumble, and a return for a TD. 5 sacks, a bunch of QB hits,we stopped their running game cold, should of had a couple of picks, good coverage, hard hitting, and solid tackeling.
    Out side of a late hit by Shembo, it was the best 2 quarters of defensive football that I have seen ND play in a long, long time.

    When your defense is playing like that, all that you have to do is just keep it going. Just keep putting on the pressure.

    And what does Diaco do in the second half?

    He calls off the dogs.

    Why?

  56. Take away redzone fumbles/picks and throwing into double coverage, this is a 10-2 or 11-1 team. Plain and simple.

  57. A few random thoughts: Watching Stanford almost beat Oklahoma State tonight minus Jim Harbaugh, Toby Gerhart and a coach with what i believe to be no head coaching experience and academic standards basically the same as ours without the same talented players in skill positions (minus the QB) really made me wonder why we cant be in the same position.

    Watching the South Carolina/Nebraska game really got me thinking about QB’s. Spurrier hung onto that Garcia kid at QB like BK hangs on to Tommy Reese and it really stopped them from being great. Once he moved to the next guy they really made strides. Similarly Nebraska is a good example of a team with alot of talent but a bad QB, or at least a QB that isnt right for them, just like us. I think if Nebraska had a different QB they would be alot better. I feel the same way about ND. If we had a different QB Michael Floyd would be Justin Blackmon

    1. Chi-town Copper,

      I think the main issue is the QB position. Figure that out and this team wins ten games. The defense is definately better than when Quinn and Clausen were QB. You can win in college with a great QB and not much else.

      1. True,
        I believe with the current D the Quinn teams would have won 11 games each season and wouldn’t have been embarassed in bowl games.

    1. They were afraid of the blunt but truthful tough love comments about Notre Dame from those of us who truly LOVE Notre Dame. The Irish cannot live on the past and just “hope” for the present and future.
      The Big East is slowly lowering the numbers in membership. If Notre Dame were to Join, that conference would be SOLID and chances are that others might join us AND we would have somebody assured of a BCS tie in. That said, we would keep the USC , Navy, Big ten games and another one ( or two.) The Big East has been kind to us—we need to return the favor.
      If we do not join the( Big East ) or otherwise, we will gain more enemies than friends as the future of college football is swiftly changing. We can still be ND –with a Father Sorin approach and get the athletes from anywhere if we nurture them–regardless of their academic pass. Isn’t THAT what Notre Dame is about? If we look exclusively at 3.9 or 4.0 averages we should play Princeton and Yale. To think that we can compete year after year as both an Independent and such stringent standards in admissions is not pro-active but borderline foolish if not crossing that line.
      If we are not careful, we will not be welcome in many corners of the Nation. There are those who love to hate Notre Dame. There are bandwagon fans. Then there are those of us who have so many ties to the University and speak out on the arrogance and ostrich approach of an administration who would rather drink brandy and drink cigars in tall paneled oak rooms and say “sometime the Irish MIGHT compete for a National Championship.”
      The Current Ingredient is NOT working folks. I’m NOT saying Coaching Change. I’m saying change the approach. This is 2012 and what worked in the early 90’s is not working now. I wish it WERE-but it is not. That is NOT to say we should lower the standard of an entire University.
      Football Players could sign a contract saying they would finish a degree within a decade or so and Graduate Assistants WOULD be there to help year round. I believe in the possibility. I DO NOT believe in saying “the program is getting better” when it is obvious we can’t finish a game and have NOT had a marquee moment since 1993. This is the truth. It is time to turn to another chapter or we might as well close the book.
      GO IRISH!!! ( and NOW)

      1. Well irisheye62,

        It’s bad, real bad and it will take a major realignment of the Board of Trustees to turn this lost ship around.

        Whatever happen to EARNING your salary. If we paid on performance BK might get a hundred grand for year one and two. 5 losses is BARELY average (C-).

        Since our established mediocre club here could care less how long it takes to win a National Title; why pay millions?

        I’m all in paying a lower salary until we get there!

        There is no real incentive to win when we shower Non-National Title Head Coaches with millions and a free house, etc.

        How many 2nd rate coaches came here poor and left rich?
        New meaning to negative discovery!

        So don’t pay millions until they win a National Title. PROVE YOU CAN DO IT!

        Besides the mediocre club (OR SHOULD I SAY: EXCUSES-R-US CLUB!) said no one really wants this job so why throw away millions?

        Now in the event a National Title Winner shows up for a interview, that’s different!
        And they should be paid accordingly. A high percentage risk….like Saban!
        (Don’t get your panties in a bunch guys, just an example!)

        We need to stop this ugly marketing of: “There are football coaches and then there is the football coach at ND.”

        Who dreamed up this negative vainglorious nonsence??

        Under the current circumstances IT SHOULD BE:

        So show me the Championship you over paid Hot Dog!

      2. AMen–couldn’t have siad it better myself. Chris Zorich would not be allowed in today by the so called “standards” ND has–the admin. must change the ship. Love ND –not the arrogance and I’m sad about it as my family has generations tied to Our Lady’s University! Well said, indeed. At least COMPETE for the title—once every four years or so and be top five to ten with the usual off year most schools have. I think that is reality, fair and what not. WE ARE ND is what they say in the crowd. Do we KNOW what ND is anymore?
        JC –you are alright- and right on the money!!! ( no pun intended)

      3. show me a coach this year that lost 5 games and got as much publicity and BK. There are football coaches and then there is the head coach at notre dame

  58. Here’s a goal I hope to see accomplished next year. ND punt return team will gain at least 4 or more total yards for the season. 4 yards is better than 3 yards (3 FRICKING TOTAL YARDS THIS YEAR-UNBELIEVABLE). Yeah, hopefully that standard will be set a little higher than That.

    Go Irish.

  59. Interestingly enough, Ara Parseghian inherited a 2-7 ND team and went 9-1 his 1st year. It’s not the players, it’s the Head Football Coach period.

    BK was hired to duplicate his success at Cincy which was (.850) 34-6 vs ND 16-9 (.640) to date.

    If we have a third 8 win season or less, BK will likely find himself at odds with the runway-jet-Alums; not good.

    Ardent critical review is a way of life in college football. OSU Head Football Coach Earl Bruce said it best: “In this profession, you always have to have your bags packed!”

    Inasmuch as I would love to see a 10 win season next year; the schedule say’s no. I sincerly hope I am wrong, a miracle would be nice for a change.

    1. There is little doubt about this. We can’t have another South Florida or Tulsa loss. Period. And we need to pick up some key wins against Michigan and Oklahoma and Southern Cal.

      In short, the alumni and fan base need to be convinced that things are going in the right direction. I suppose I think they’re better than during the Weis years. This is true. But, we’re not where we need to be — or really anywhere close. If we played in the Big Ten or the SEC, we would have been in the middle and toward the bottom in both leagues.

      I never heard of Oregon or LSU (who played one another) or Alabama or Michigan saying that the “schedule” won’t allow a ten-win season. This cannot be the case. To be “back” we have to do much, much better against the great teams and we have to dominate the South FLoridas of the world. . . .

      1. Teo,
        I disagree with ND being in the bottom of the Big Ten this year. They would be a middle of the back team in the SEC. They killed Purdue, beat MSU soundly and if it wasnt for one quarter would have dominated Michigan. I actually think if in the Big Ten they could have won it. This team is one QB away from being a good team. Next year if they get good corner play and find a punt returner they can do some damage. BK made the wrong decision at QB and hopefully he can develop a QB next year that can win games not manage them.

  60. This current squad is 3/8 BK, 5/8 CW, with most of the starters being CW recruits.

    Next year’s squad will be 5/8 BK, including Everett Golson @QB, which promises a very interesting battle at that position, not to mention the possibility that Gunnar Kiel will choose ND.

    We have not yet turned the corner – we need to BEAT a ranked team. I think next year will be the turning point. Kelly and his staff are proving themselves to be top-notch recruiters, and I like the RKG concept. I’ve said this many times and I repeat here – Kelly is the man for the job.

    That is (of course) assuming that the world does not come to an end on Friday, December 21 – One year from today.

  61. I like Kelly’s approch.

    He is now coming off a season where he had 2 running backs closing in on 1000 yard seasons each. (before Gray got hurt)

    Then He secured some outstanding O-Line players to start this years recruiting process.Combine those with what he got last year and the offensive line looks pretty solid for years to come.

    That should now make selling ND, and their two running back system, much easier for some of these players to accept.

  62. Frank, I agree and I hate to say that for some recruits it is fashionable to keep ND down to the final two. However, if we were down to Standford and ND it might be more interesting.

  63. In my opinion, what has held Notre Dame back in the past is the inability to “steal” these recruits from solid, in-state programs. I remember ND going after Reggie Bush (losing to USC), Max Starks (losing to Florida), etc. Last year, we saw that change with ND getting Lynch from FSU, Tuitt from the list of ACC/SEC schools that wanted him and several others.

    What’s key is being able to snag players like this, so I’m curious to see what happens here.

    1. The best way to secure players like this is to win games. If we were 11-1 and 11-2 over the last 2 years, players would have no problem committing. I know this is obvious, but we need to put up a big time year so that the recruits really start to roll in.

    2. Patrick,

      Prying away some of these players from their in-state schools has it challenges.

      But there are those players who want to “Go away” to college and experience new places and people.

      For those players, there are few schools that can match what ND can offer.

      For example, a incoming freshmen who is able to break the starting line up next year, will get to travel to Ireland when we play Navy.

      That’s pretty cool stuff for any 18 or 19 year old!

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