How Do You Improve The Irish Offense?

Some simplistic ideas from a non-football mind to help the lethargic offense.  If somebody doesn’t do or say something, we’re not going to run the table with just our defense.

** Figure out a way to get TE Tyler Eifert the ball.  Sure he contributes as a WR, TE, and blocker; however he is not getting the ball.  Kind of a waste of a huge All-American tight end.

** With Eifert double-teamed find the open receiver.  It would appear that some pretty good matchups have to materialize with all the attention Eifert is receiving.

** George Atkinson III has got to be given the ball in space.  End-a-rounds, screens, passes in the flats or in space, something better than having him struggle along with the offensive line blocking.

** In the Michigan State game Everett Golson over threw a couple of passes.  He’s got to be given the chance to try again.  On the first play Chris Brown on another fly pattern deep, deep.

** If you have a mobile quarterback and you don’t use him in that capacity at least to keep the defense honest, what have you gained?  Does the threat of injury out-weigh loosening up the defense? 

** Help from special teams.  Punt returns Davonte’ Neal is ranked 77^th.  Kick-off returns Notre Dame is not even listed in the NCAA statistics.  Neal is not going any more than John Goodman did last year in calling for fair catches.  On kick-off returns, the Irish to some extent are a victim of their own success on defense.  Between touchbacks and not giving opponents many kick-off opportunities, Notre Dame has only ran back 5 kick-offs for 106 yards.

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Manti Te'o Graces Sports Illustrated

Irish Linebacker Manti Te'o

The last time a Notre Dame player graced the cover of SI was August 2006 when Brady Quinn, Tom Zbikowski and Travis Thomas proclaimed the Irish were back after a 9-3 season.  In 2006 the Irish went 10-3, but of course fell apart the next three years under Charlie Weis.

Check out our newly posted Manti Te'o Heisman Watch List on the top right side of the Blog. 

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Irish and Da U

When the Irish and the Hurricanes get together fashion goes out the window.  On October 5, 2012 in Chicago, Notre Dame will do it's part by wearing the 2012 version of the Shamrock Series uniform.



 

 

Team Captains Manti Te'o and Tyler Eifert show them off for Coach Brian Kelly

Nike put together this great looking orange bomb and puke green helmet for Miami.  Since this is a off-site home game for the Irish it is unknown if the Hurricanes will be able to don these beauties and instead be forced to where a typical white away uniform.  We surely hope not.

December 31, 2010 it got a little nippy down El Paso way for the Sun Bowl.  While a number of Notre Dame players came out for kicking practice and warm ups in T-shirts and shorts, boys from Da U, were spotted looking like aliens from Florida.  We knew right then they didn't have chance.  Some enterprising person even came up with a T-shirt after the game.

 

 

Students today were not even the twinkle is someone's eye when one of the most famous fashion statements came out for the 1988 game.  The unfinished business had to do with good ole Jimmy Johnson in 1985 (last time prior the two teams had met) ramming it down our throats 58-7 and scoring unmerifully late into the 4th quarter against a luckless and lame duck coach Gerry Faust.  Lou Holtz and team beat then #1 Miami 31-30 in 1988 on their way to our last National Championship.

 

The shirt also had two other versions with a II and III printed on them replacing the ND which had gotten the original designers and sellers in deep hot water over the little issues of selling on campus without a licence and illegal use of the trade mark ND logo.

We expect to see some to these worn in Chicago was well.

 

 

Little too bland?  Well step right up.  Adidas has everything you could possibly need or want.  All kinds of shirts, pants, hats, helmets (yes those pictured on top), etc.  Here are couple of the nicer T-shirts.

 

 



Notre Dame thoughtfully will drive over a concession stand/truck loaded with swag to Chicago to ensure you look your best when we once again pound Miami into the lush green natural grass of Soldiers Field.  This ones for you Gerry.

Hey come on.  We put a lot of time into this post. 

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Irish Heisman Candidate Manti Te'o

Notre Dame Middle Linebacker Senior Manti Te'o

 

Awarded To:

The outstanding college football player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity.

 

Ok, someone has to start it.  Come on, jump on the Red Line to the New York Downtown Athletic Club, we are campaigning for Manti Te’o and having his name placed on the 2012 Heisman ballot.  It should be the local beat reporters in South Bend with a wink and a nod from the media office in the ND Athletic Department doing this; however we are not sure those reporters are up to the task.  (Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun Times, South Bend Tribune, Gary Post Tribune, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette)

Only one primary defensive player has ever been awarded the Heisman (1997); cornerback Charles Woodson from Michigan.  He also was a kick returner and played some wide receiver.  In the NFL Woodson was an outstanding cornerback. 

Usually the award goes to the quarterback or running back and occasional wide receiver from a team that relied on the winner to propel them to a BCS Bowl or National Championship game.  The other candidates on the ballot did the same thing only to a lesser degree.

Others have been nominated but are almost as rare as hen’s teeth:

Dick Butkus Illinois – Linebacker 1963 and 1964

Tom Brown Minnesota Offensive Guard 1960

John Hicks Ohio State Offensive Tackle 1973

Rich Glover Nebraska Defensive Lineman 1972

Hugh Green Pittsburgh Defensive End 1980

Ndamukong Suh Nebraska Defensive Tackle 2009

Kurt Burris Oklahoma Center 1954

Orlando Pace Ohio State Tackle 1996

In this sad college football era of:

A Heisman winner returning his trophy for NCAA rules violations.  (USC)

A head coach lying over knowledge concerning illegal selling of uniforms and memorabilia.  (Ohio State)

A head coach crashing a motorcycle with his paid mistress hanging on for dear life.  (Arkansas)

A pedophile scandal that destroyed a coach’s reputation and laid low a storied school program. (Penn State)

A systemic problem of academic fraud and ineligible participation of players.  (North Carolina)

Pending investigation into illegal booster payments and compensation to recruits and players. (Miami)

Pending recruiting scandal investigation, illegal payments and kickbacks.  (Oregon)

The whispered take around college football is that Notre Dame is on its’ way back and it can only be a good thing for the Sport of College Football.  It is secretly somewhat encouraged through the media.  Although the Notre Dame distracters and haters are definitely out there in the media questioning and making fun of the comeback. 

Too much money, too many cheaters, too many Bowls, too many grabs for cheap fame, too many street thugs, too many out to promote a school or a conference all at the expense of integrity. 

 



We do not personally know Manti Te’o but by gosh he appears the real deal and we really respect him.  Strong in Faith.  Dedicated to completing his education.   Loyalty to his Team and school.  Believes in family and true friends.  Manti is undergoing some hard and troubling personal issues over the death of loved ones and has to be admired and is an example in faith to be emulated.

Notre Dame is four games into a pretty tough schedule.  Te’o has produced some decent statistics.

Tackles – 38 (16 unassisted and 22 assisted) Including 2 for loss

Fumbles Recovered – 2

Interceptions - 3 

Manti Te’o is a Notre Dame Team Captain and a quiet leader by example.  Younger players on the Team (and recruits) don’t look to him for the rah-rah, the head butt or the slap on the butt.  They look to him by the way he goes about business in the class room, weight room, the practice field and on Saturday.

So should the movers and shakers at the New York Downtown Athletic Club.

Check out our Blog.  Recent posts.  Injury List.  Basher List.  Verbal Recruits.  Campus Photo’s.

Go IRISH Beat The U.

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Some Notre Dame Statistics to Chew On

A little Irish coffee this a.m.

Feeling melancholy right now.  Knowing the Irish are 4-0 and that a third of the regular season is over already.

Here are some numbers from the NCAA official statistics after four games:  Most everything is defensive for obvious reasons.

Total defense 16^th

Scoring defense 4^th

Red zone defense 8^th

Sacks tied for ninth with 14 and 91 loss yards

Turnovers gained – tied for second with 13

Turnover margin 5^th  5 fumbles and 8 interceptions

Passes intercepted 2^nd  8

National player rankings:  Irish players who show up in national NCAA FBS rankings

Passing efficiency – Everett Golson – 95^th

Interceptions – Bennett Jackson and Manti Te’o – tied for 6^th  (3 each)

Punting – Ben Turk 63^rd (40.74)

Punt Returns – Devonte’ Neal T-82

Field Goals – Kyle Brindza – T-25

Solo Sacks - Stephon Tuitt - 1 (6)

Sacks (OA/A) – Stephon Tuitt – T-4, Prince Shembo – T- 91, Shelton Day – T-91

Tackles – Manti Te’o – T-31

Tackles for Loss – Stephon Tuitt – T-33

This was gleamed off the Notre Dame statistical records.

In the Michigan game, 60 players saw action.

Chris Brown earned his first start against Michigan.

Chris Badger, Joe Schmidt and Will Mahone saw their first action.

Jalen Brown for the first time did not get in the game.

Hanratty, Hendrix, and Heggie have not played since Navy.

Manti Te’o – Some Heisman numbers in the making:

Tackles – 38  16 OA / 22 A

Fumbles Recovered – 2

Interceptions – 3

Odds and Ends:

Notre Dame has not been scored upon in the first quarter.

Running back Theo Riddick leads the team in rushing (63/251/2) AND receiving 14/117/0

12 receivers have caught passes.

Opponents have returned 2 punts for 6 yards.

Kyle Brindza leads the Irish in scoring with 23 points.  6/7 FG and 5/5 PATs

FOR MANTI TE'O

 

In Loving Memory for your Loss

 

Annette Santiago  &  Lennay Kekua

John L. Smith’s Cry for Help

Arkansas Head Coach John. L. Smith

We tend not to discriminate here at Subway Alumni Station.  We are an equal opportunity basher.  The staff will beat up Brian Kelly as needed and as seen fit.  I have called out Les Miles for his snide remarks concerning Gunner Kiel flipping to the Irish.  Jim Harbaugh for just being a plain jerk.   Even got after the venerated idol of many, Lou Holtz for his sorry, degrading Mutt and Jeff routines with Mark Mays on ESPN.  

When the Jim Tressel and Tattoo U story broke we had fun with it.  Here’s one.

The shame of PSU and the cover up was sickening and it appears those chickens have not all come home to roost.  We sadly wrote about JoePa and his arrogance.

We felt sorry for former Michigan star and Notre Dame coach Corwin Brown and wrote about it Here.

Now John L. Smith.  He is the butt of jokes and even a number of startup campaigns to fire him.  He needs help and we hope he gets it.  Hey he was 2-2 aginst the Irish.

Of course who can forget what John L. probably considers his signature career victory?  The 2005, 44-41 OT victory over the Irish and the infamous flag planting in Notre Dame Stadium by a group of Sparty street thugs?  It has taken Mark Dantonio nearly four years to clean house of those morons.

 Reference to the beating Alabama gave the Hogs

The sad story in a nut shell.  Smith is bankrupt after $25,000,000 in bad decisions/investments.  Sports Illustrated story.  Guess the word investments should be changed to greedy gambling.

Let's go to the video history.

The Slap  This came about from a false allegation by Charlie Weis who claimed he had been slapped by a Spartan player who got up after being knocked into Irish sidelines.

 

The Melt down  Notice how John L. almost threw his headset on the ground but thought better of it.  So he's not THAT crazy.

The AK press conference

John L. fell into the Arkansas job after Bobby Petrino rode into the sunset and a ditch with his mistress hanging on for dear life riding on the back of his motorcycle.  He had been Bobby's Special Teams coach but departed for Weber State to take on the coaching duties there.  John L. got the 11th hour call and thumbed Weber taking the job for the Hogs.  Yes they were desperate who wouldn't be in April?

Seriously his family and benefactors need to get him out of football and straightened out before he REALLY does something stupid.

The final nail in his coffin could be as early as this Saturday when the Hogs visit 3-0 Rutgers.

 

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A Subway Alumni Goes To Dublin

Sorry about the delay in reporting.  Between cracking a couple of ribs, closing down a house for the winter, helping a son get settled in new digs, Purdue, MSU and driving to Florida, it’s been busy.  Anyway, here goes……..

Tickets.

Got two tickets off the Navy website for $50 each.  Sat about half way up in the upper tier on the Navy side.  Exactly on the 50 yard line.  My seat was the last number of one sequence and the seat next to me started another.  Just great seats.  About 60% Navy and 40% Notre Dame fans in the section.  Interestingly the lady and man sitting next to us were Irish!  He explained the rules of play to her however she was more interested in the leprechaun and the Notre Dame band.  No idea where he learned American football.

The Aviva Stadium is enclosed so you don’t have to worry about the Irish weather.  Seats 50,000 however they had to give up 2,000 seats down close the field because of the teams and staff were blocking the view.  Beautiful venue, clean well supervised with ushers, modern restrooms and plenty of refreshment stands.  The 80,000 Croke Park where Notre Dame played last time was not available because of an Irish football match the next day.

Irish Pep Rally 02 Arena Dublin Ireland

 

Pep Rally.

Paid $50 for two tickets to the pep rally in the O2 Arena.  What the heck!  I thought pep rallies were free!  The rally lasted 90 minutes and was televised throughout Ireland.  It was actually more Irish music, dance and singing than pumping up the 9,000 Irish faithful on hand.  Mostly old Irish faithful at that, the young crowd was supporting the Irish economy at numerous pubs throughout Dublin.  For cryin out loud the Prime Minister of Ireland spoke for ten minutes.  Also interviews with Father Jenkins and AD Jack Swarbrick were conducted.  Only saw the band and cheerleaders for a total of 15 minutes or so.  No team or coaching staff.  Guess they were scheming on how to pound Navy.  Strangest thing.  9,000 thirsty Americans and what is the only beer being hawked in the stands?  Budweiser.  Needless to say, his sales were way off.  Most of us were sampling the Guinness on tap.

Bud Vendor 02 Arena Dublin

 

Game.

Our hotel lined up a bus, 5 Euro to get us to the stadium, mix of Navy and Irish fans.  There is zero parking at the stadium and almost no vehicle access areas to unload.   The driver while grinning dropped us off about ¾ of a mile away.  Walked with huge crowds to the stadium, passing numerous pubs filled with overflowing fans of all college colors.  Guinness must have been brewing overtime waiting on the Americans to show up.  The Irish people do a lot of walking and let me tell you they walk fast.

 

Pub Tailgating Dublin

Walked up 18 kilometers of steps to get to our seats.  Nice comfortable stadium types with arm rests and beverage holders.  Stopped first to check out the refreshments and load up.  Guinness, Carlsberg, Heinekens, Coors, Coors Light, Budweiser on tap.  No English beer.  Let me say that again, no English beer.  Saw no taps at the 02 Arena, or any pubs, guess they don’t like the English or Brit beer.  The Irish had a little bit of a harder time breaking away from England than our American forefathers did.

Aviva Stadium Dublin

I kept forgetting this was a Navy home game.  While the starting Navy offense and defense players were introduced over the PA system, ND players never were.  When a tackle was made by Navy you got the name, not so when the Irish did the pounding.  It went like that the whole game. 

 

 Nose Bleed Seats in Enemy Territory Aviva Stadium Dublin

The announcer was always hyping up Navy and they piped in music during all the stops in play.  This apparently is the state of college football.  The music did keep the Irish band (seniors) and the Navy band quiet most of the time.  I expect the same thing when I venture to ND for the Stanford game.

Irish Kick Return Practice

We have watched a ton of pregame warm ups but never specific punt and kick-off return drills.

The strangest thing!  Divot replacers!  Come half-time they swarmered all over the 'pitch' and replaced the divots.  I've seen it done at turf horse racing tracks but never during a football game.

Divot Replacers

Irish warm ups

The Irish stretching out, sure was nice to seem them again.

The Irish band was outstanding!  The Irish lady next to me really appreciated “Rakes of Mallow”, “Garry Owen”, and of course “Danny Boy”.  The shamrock and outline of Ireland didn’t hurt either. 

Irish Band Shamrock

 

Irish Band Ireland

Those pesky Bud vendors would not give up.  Why they imagined Americans would fly all the way to Ireland to drink Bud is beyond me.

Bud Vendor

Great game.  Wonderful pounding of Navy, don’t know if we can ever get even for the Navy bashing three years ago.  The team went over to the band and student section for the traditional salute to the fans and singing of Notre Dame Our Mother.

Team Salute to the Fans

It was a long walk to find a taxi with 50,000 fans having the same idea, except for those stopping off to recharge the battery.

Post Game Tailgating Dublin Ireland

These and other pictures are posted at the bottom of the Blog.

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Irish Stop Denard Robinson

Sounds like a great headline to see on the front page of the sports section come Sunday morning.

Well how do you stop/slow down or contain Denard Robinson?  This will be the Irish and Brian Kelly’s third time; will it be “a charm”?

Close like last year (2011) only counts in darts, horse shoes and hand grenades.  Robinson was not throwing darts but wounded ducks and Hail Mary’s that the secondary and Gary Gray could not stop in the fourth quarter.  He doesn’t lace up his shoes so horse shoes are out.  Hand grenades in college football are illegal.

We watched from the stands the trashing of the Irish defense in 2010 for 502 yards.  Robinson’s 87 yard run from scrimmage is longest in stadium history.  We screamed, we cried, we shook our fists and vowed revenge.  2012 is it.

What will Robinson and the Skunk Bears try? 

Test the defensive line with run plays from the RB.  Robinson is 40/373/4 and Toussaint 23/96/1.

Quarterback draw.

Ding and dunk passing to the flats, sidelines and occasionally over the middle.

Go happy feet on the Irish.

This is "Happy Feet" and Bad Ju-Ju for the IRISH

So what will Bob Diaco come up with? 

Reapply the 2011 defensive plan with the hope a young secondary can hold its’ own.

A 3-4 defense to flood the secondary with defenders and allowing no one behind them.

Go with a nickel package.

A 4-3 defense to pressure Robinson.

Mixing everything up with constant blitzing from a linebacker or safety.

Using the Alabama game play.

Use a spy to help contain Robinson.

Keep Robinson in the pocket and do not let him get outside the hash marks.

Rough Robinson up, his back up Bellomy is 0/2/1.

We suspect it will be a combination of all of the above.  But what do we know; we’re the ones sitting with a computer on our laps.

Except For the Goofy Unifroms - This is What We Want to See

 

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Most Interesting Man in the World Speaks out for the IRISH

Most Interesting Man in the World

I don’t often tailgate with the Irish rabble unless they are playing the Skunk Bears at night.  I Start early, drink excessively and hope to see Maze and Blue grounded unmercifully into the natural grass of Notre Dame Stadium.

Stay thirsty my friends.

Michigan Week - Cartoons and Pictures

Something to get us fired up over as the nasty Skunk Bears invade Notre Dame Stadium this Saturday night.  (OSU fans are particularily mean spirited)?  Don't know where the UM cheerleader got the black eye.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Former UM Cheerleader

 

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