WELCOME IRISH FOOTBALL FANS

WELCOME IRISH FOOTBALL FANS!
We have established this Blog to share any and all thoughts and discuss issues relating to Notre Dame Football.
We are Subway Alumni Notre Dame Fans who love IRISH Football and The University of Notre Dame Du Lac. This is the place to interact, learn, discuss, perk interest, argue, keep you informed, have some fun and maybe help perpetuate the traditions and history of Notre Dame Football.

Check out the archives, for some great posts or scroll down the right side for the most popular. At the bottom of the Blog, we have added 50+ neat pictures of the Notre Dame Campus.

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Welcome Aboard!

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Congratulations Notre Dame Walk-Ons 2012!

Welcome on-board.  Free passes on the Green Line to South Bend for life!

Brian Kelly conducts walk-on tryouts in the spring during spring practice and the Blue-Gold game rather than during fall camp.  Reasoning is that fall camp can then be dedicated to preparing for the fall campaign and rigorous schedule without distractions.
The below six made the cut.  Consider they could have played football for a lot of schools rather they went for the education and the opportunity to try-out.

So here are the latest to join the Fighting Irish and so honored with blue high-light:
Kevin Carr – Defensive End 6’ 7”  325 lbs. (Junior) Nashville Montgomery Bell Academy

Charlie Fiessinger – Quarterback 6’1” 185 lbs. (Sophomore) Cincinnati Moeller
Grant Patton Defensive End – 6’6” 256 lbs. (Senior) Louisville St. Xavier

Dominic Romeo Defensive End – 6’6” 245 lbs. (Junior) Turlock CA Pitman HS
Andre Smith Wide Receiver – 6’ 2” 190 lbs. (Sophomore) Davie FL Broward Prep

Will Salvi Cornerback – 5’ 10” 176 lbs. (Senior) Lake Forest IL
Way to go lads.

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Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moe Pick a Notre Dame Quarterback


Please kitty pick one that does not have a screw on cap
Well Brian Kelly is half way through undoubtedly the most important process of this his third season at the helm of The Fighting Irish. Settling on a starting quarterback to lead the Team and sticking with him.  Let’s repeat the last phrase: sticking with him.  Kelly and Dayne Crist lasted exactly all of one half of the first game in 2011.  This is after Kelly announced that Crist was his man for the season.  Anyway, that left him in the same boat as the year (2010) before when Crist went down in the Michigan game and then again for the rest of the season during the Tulsa debacle. 

He has not done a very good job preparing his quarterbacks, especially during periods of injury, poor play and critical mistakes that cost the Irish wins.  Backups and substitutes have struggled (with the exception of Andrew Hendrix during the Air Force game).  The next man in philosophy apparently is not working at QB for Notre Dame.  This is head scratching after Kelly’s success at Cincinnati and multiple quarterbacks.
This spring Kelly has emphasized and hinted that no QB decision is forth coming from the Blue-Gold Game come April 21st.  We here at the Station readily agree.  Keep the pressure on, keep the competition alive, and keep all four of them on campus.

Three issues bother us greatly.
One.  Kelly is dumbing down the offensive this spring to give Gunner Kiel a level playing field with the three upper class quarterbacks.  Whoa.  What does that do for improvement and progress of the rest of the Team?  Is Kiel really in the mix?  If by some remote chance he is, kiss Hendrix and Golson goodbye.  What does that say of the skills and abilities of the other three?  It is assumed that Kelly promised Kiel a fair shot when he stole him from Les Miles, OK we grant that.  However, dumbing down during an excellent time to evaluate all your players is risky.  Especially after two 8-5 seasons and a nasty 2012 schedule on the fall horizon.

Two.  Last year Kelly complained that he was unable to feed enough of the playbook to Hendrix who was the number three quarterback for most of the year.  This was due to lack of repetitions and Hendrix’s inability to absorb the playbook.  Hendrix was given a package of plays which as it turns out he never really had a chance to execute.  Crist was never really in the mix and Hendrix should have gotten the reps.
Three.  Repetitions and practice time.  If you want to give four quarterbacks equal time with the first team offense (plus some individual offensive position rotations) all four quarterbacks are getting screwed.  Kelly has complained in the past (last year) that he and his staff cannot train and prepare four quarterbacks.  What is wrong with working with two quarterbacks with the first team offense and working two quarterbacks with an offensive line, wide receiver set and backs left over?  Video it all as usual.  Spread the coaching staff between the two groups.  Then rotate the quarterbacks between the two offenses.  This greatly increases the repetitions for all four quarterbacks.  Is it much better than having three of them stand around and watch?

There has been considerable discussion that the Kelly offense and playbook takes way too long to absorb and master.  We have yet to see the true spread offense and no huddle-hurry up offense.  The complaint has always been that the Team is not comfortable or proficient in dealing with the offense and playbook.  Maybe we need a new playbook?
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Sunday, March 25, 2012

Notre Dame Recruit Update

Well the Fighting Irish upped the number of 2013 verbal recruits to 7 as of Sunday night, March 25, 2012.  You can gaze at their mug shots on the left side of the Blog.

The most interesting addition is of course quarterback Malik Zaire.  Guess he decided when he met the four offensive tackles during junior weekend.  Those will be the dudes that will join and help protect him in a couple of years.  Of course those OT’s if not careful at the dinner table will turn into guards and centers.  Considering these guys are just starting to finish up their junior years and are 6’ 7” and around 280, my that will be a huge line for the Irish.
7 recruits, that probably is about 25% of what Coach Brian Kelly wants to bring in for 2013.  The numbers and position requirements got a little out of whack with late defections and withdrawals here in 2012.  It will be interesting to see if the “Right Kind of Guys” can step up and fill those cornerback positions and add depth to the defensive backfield.  Heaven knows we do not need any more blunders that doomed us in the Michigan game last year.

We cannot remember the last time we heard the tom-toms beating so loud from the media over the Notre Dame quarterback depth chart.  Expect them to keep banging after spring ball and into the summer.  The only telltale sign will be the transfer of one of the four candidates.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

James Onwualo Makes Three

The Irish landed their third recruit with James Onwualo verbally committing recently.  Nice article can be found Here.  See high light video Here.  Mug shot over on the left side of the Blog.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Welcome Aboard Jacob Matuska


Well Coach Brian Kelly finally added a second verbal commitment to the 2013 recruiting class.  You can view Jacob Matuska’s mug shot on the left side of the Blog.  A junior in high school, 6’ 5” and 240 pounds.  Hmmm.  Projected as a defensive end?  Possibly a tight end or offensive tackle protecting the quarterback?  Jacob has a lot of growing to do.  Let's see what a training table and Longo Beach will do for Jacob.
A Right Kind of Guy with many possibilities.

Stolen from Ohio and Urban Meyers.  You got to like that.

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