83rd Annual Notre Dame Blue - Gold Game

Well the 83rd annual Notre Dame spring Blue – Gold game is tomorrow Saturday April 21, 2012.

The good folks at the National Weather Service are doing their part in calling for 50 degrees and some strong breeze (10-20 MPH) coming out of the North (natch).  Bring a good jacket or better yet, pick something comfortable at the Bookstore.  I’m sure it will be well-stocked.

I guess I’ve been to half a dozen spring games.  Got sunburned at one, drenched and frozen out at another.  You never know about the weather at the Bend in April.  Live too far away now to make the trip.

The world champion Crimson Tide had 70,000+ attend their spring game.  Our nemesis Boston College, had 200.  Yes, I typed that correctly.  Apparently, the problems with the program run deeper that player suspensions, scandal and new coaches.  The Irish can expect 20,000 – 25,000.

Why attend?

**  Well it only costs $15 bucks to get in.  Compared to the $175 to watch a real game (Miami at Soldiers Field this fall).  Man are the fans bitching and complaining about that fleecing.  It will really be something to listen to if the Irish coming limping into the game with two or more losses.

**  Parking is free, which of course is a rarity at Notre Dame.

**  Chance to drop some serious money at the Bookstore.

**  Be one of the first to own the 2012 version of “The Shirt”.

**  See one of the most beautiful college campuses in the springtime.

**  Get some autographs.  The players are very accommodating before and after the game if you go down to the first row seating.  Between 150 and 200 former players will be on campus, most to support a charity event by former player Brian Smith.  You can expect a pack of former alumni and notables walking around as well.

**  Take some pictures of players either early in the morning at the Gug or get seats right behind the team.  This is your best chance to get really good seats in Notre Dame Stadium.  Go early and watch the flag football game, some old players will be participating.

**  You can soak in the atmosphere on campus and in the stadium.  Man, if I could bottle it we all would be rich.

**  Tailgate and have a few brewski’s and grill some brats.

**  A bunch of high school recruits will be there.  Some who have verbally committed and some who just want to get out of high school classes or dreary towns.  You can recognize them by their varsity jackets.

What not to expect.

**  Chances are you will see the starting quarterback play who will lead the Irish in Dublin.  Unfortunately you and I will not know it until sometime this fall.

**  Do not expect to see recent defector, Aaron Lynch.  He is visiting USF this weekend and is expected to sign a letter of intent with Skip Holtz.  Bet his girlfriend will be with him.

**  High powered offense or smash mouth defense.  Got save those for Dublin and beyond.

**  Dinged players will not be participating.

Two things to watch.

**  If given the opportunity to throw deep, which quarterback does and how successful.

**  Watch the accuracy passing of Everett Golson.   It has called into question this spring.  The velocity, not the strength.  Accuracy.

Lou Holtz half-heartedly tried to discontinue the Blue-Gold Game.  His argument was that he would use the time for a straight practice and that the chances of meaningless injuries was too great.  He lost that argument just like he did trying to put achievement decals on the gold helmets.

The game is the next to last event before the dreaded DEAD ZONE arrives.  The last event is the NFL draft and where the Irish seniors end up.

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Go Blue beat Gold!

Go Gold beat Blue!

Notre Dame's Aaron Lynch - Let's Move On

The recent Notre Dame announcement concerning the spring semester transfer of defensive end Aaron Lynch has led to a tremendous amount of waling and grinding of teeth.  Even Lynch’s mother got involved in defending her son on Tweeter and the internet.  Way to go mom!  Her responses sounded very intelligent and coming from the heart. 

After all is said and done.  Phooey.  Let him go in peace.  It was not a good fit.  So be it.  Let’s move on.  Aaron will be missed however he was not dominant.  Not anywhere close.

Here are a few defections that the SAS staff pulled together over a couple of Cigar City Beers that really did impact the Irish.

Jimmy Clausen – Had a year remaining of eligibility and left a Team needing an experienced quarterback.  The Irish suffered through an 8-5 season with humiliating loses to Tulsa and Navy.  Some wins that got away, especially Michigan all due to poor quarterback play.

Golden Tate – Left early as well, just like Clausen.  Did not want to learn a new offensive, put up with a new coaching staff and smelled the NFL money and issues with a rookie salary cap.  We can only speculate what a receiving corps with Floyd and Tate could have been with Clausen throwing to them one more season.

Jerome Bettis – Left early and could have made the difference in another championship for Lou Holtz.

Rocket Ismail - Left early to support his mother and family.  Made some bad professional decisions and never achieved his athletic potential.  He also left Holtz with an offensive hole and possible championship run he could not fill.

Notice we picked playmakers, skill position guys who make a scoring difference.

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Editors Note:  The Blue – Gold Game is being televised by NBC Sports Network, on Verizon it is channel 590.  See if your cable or satellite company provides it for your viewing pleasure.

Bad News Coming Out of South Bend

Well the bad news coming out of South Bend just keeps getting worse.  Check out the injury list on the left side of the Blog.  Suspect John Goodman will be held out of the Blue-Gold Game.  Well at least I would hold him out.  Prince Shembo and Amir Carlisle should be ready for summer drills and training.  Luke Massa appears a medical red-shirt candidate.

Question:  What does the below list of guys have in common?

Ron Darby – RB/DB

Deontay Greenberry - WR

Aaron Lynch – DE

Tee Shepard – RB

Answer:  All in one way or another recently spurned the Irish.

Darby verbally committed to Notre Dame then decommitted and signed with FSU.

Greenberry left Brian Kelly at the altar on National Signing Day and went with Houston.  (Yes, Houston)

Lynch just left for apparently the Team that beat us opening day last year.  USF.

Shepard lasted six weeks and is taking a visiting tour of all the PAC-12 schools looking for a home.

It will be fun to watch these four guys over the next 4-5 years and see if any of them make it.  We refuse to honor any of them with blue lettering.

Our next fear is over losing Devone Neal WR, incoming class of 2012.  Remember him?  Held off signing until 2 weeks after NSD, postponed the announcement leaving everyone hanging, then transferred high schools.  Odds are this guy will be a no-show or early transfer as well.

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LSU Coach Les Miles is an Idiot

A Happy Les Miles

Les Miles is a bonafide moron.  Would you expect no less from a “Michigan Man?”  No pun intended or implied.

In fact he is downright squirrely. 

Les Miles is Nuts

Why does the change of heart and decision made by now Notre Dame quarterback Gunner Kiel stick so deep in Les Mile’s craw?

Read the two comments HERE in a nice recap article by Eric Hansen of the South Bend Tribune.

Les needs to grow up and get over it.  It appears he can’t let it go.  You don’t hear other coaches bitching and attempting to belittle a young man if he changes his mind about were in intends to get an education and play football. 

We respect Coach Brian Kelly for publicly staying away from the nasty barbs being flung by Mile’s and keeping above the fray.  Of course a private phone call is a different matter.

I suspect if that were either of my sons, Les would know about it up front and personal.

Congratulations Notre Dame Ladies!

We are stepping out of our normal role of Notre Dame Football opinionated commentary and reporting. 

Instead, regardless of the final outcome Tuesday night in Denver, we here at Subway Alumni Station want to congratulate the Notre Dame Women’s Basketball Team.

Ladies, way to go. 

Good Luck.  Best Wishes.  God Bless.  Go Irish.

You have set the bar for both the men’s basketball and football teams.

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 21^st.  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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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.

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.

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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Notre Dame Football Roster Shaping Up

The awarding of an athletic scholarship to walk-on Chris Salvi and the announcement of 5^th year seniors returning for their final year of eligibility appears to have solidified the 2012 Irish football roster.  Those soon to be grad students are:  Braxston Cave – C, Mike Golic Jr. – C, John Goodman – WR, Kapron Lewis-Moore – DE, Dan McCarthy – S, Jamoris Slaughter – S.  The only thing lacking is the assignment of jersey numbers to the freshmen in the fall.

You can read the entire article Here.

The idea of awarding a walk-on with a one year scholarship is great for morale and incentive to the lads on the scout team and those serving as tackling dummies.  Just ask David Ruffer and now Salvi.

Cave and Lewis-Moore went down with injuries last year.  Golic stepped in at center and can play tackle as well.  Slaughter had a lot of playing time as did Goodman.  Although Goodman became the goat for a lot of fans because of his duties as punt returner fair catching the ball on Brian Kelly’s orders.  We here at the Station have a different take on John.  We believe he is going to have a breakout year after toiling in the forgotten shadows of Golden Tate and Michael Floyd.  McCarthy did not see much playing time at the safety position however he did play special teams.

The class breakout is as follows:

GS – 7

Seniors – 15

Juniors – 19

Sophomores – 26

Freshmen – 17

Hmmm.  That’s 84 by our count with a maximum of 85 allowed.  Does Kelly keep a scholarship in his back pocket for contingencies and rainy day chances of picking up a transfer or awarding another walk-on?  Snatching up Jordan Presswood last year was a good example of having an extra scholarship to award.

So which seniors were not asked to come back for a fifth year.  They too have a year of eligibility remaining on the books and can play anywhere immediately.  Some battled injuries and others just got flat out beaten out of playing time.

Deion Walker – WR

Brandon Newman – NG

Lane Clelland – OL

Hafis Williams – DL

Anthony McDonald – LB

David Posluszny – LB

Also nose guard Sean Cwynar has decided to put his masters in business administration to the test and of course quarterback Dayne Crist who will play for Charlie Weis at Kansas.  Also rumor has it that Newman is headed to Ball State.

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The New 35 Yard Line Rule And Notre Dame



Kyle Brindza

Well the NCAA is following the NFL and moving forward five yards the kick-off to the 35 yard line.  Additionally it is requiring the kicking team to a five yard running start.  This is all in the interest of protecting players from the collisions of racing at each other hell bent for leather full speed.  I have personally only known one legitimate NFL football player and that is exactly what he did.  They called it the suicide squad and this was 35 years ago.

So what does this mean for Notre Dame?

First off it can complicate the return for both the kicking team and receiving team.

Second, it is another good reason to have a full-time, knowledgeable Special Teams coach.

Kicking off:

Do you let Kyle Brindza kick it as deep as he can?  Last year Kyle kicked off 71 times for a 65.3 yard average, with 4 OB (that’s not good), and 12 TB’s.  He kicked 17 % out of the range and comfort zone of the opponent return guys.  Given five more yards that number will improve, he was injured some last year so his distance was not as good.  We are hoping for at least 90% TB’s.

An interesting possibility is Nick Tausch.  Nick did not step foot on the field during a game in 2011.  In 2010 he kicked off 8 times for a 55.4 yard average, with 2 OB (that is terrible) and 0 TB’s.  You can see why David Ruffer did most of the kicking off that year.  Anyway, Nick is a more directional and aerial type kicker.  This leads to the possibility of the perfect kick off, a high floater to about two yards deep in the end zone forcing the return man to make a tough decision.

Receiving:

The Irish are sitting in the cat-bird-seat with George Atkinson III.  Last year George electrified the fans with two returns for touchdowns and a couple of almost-bees.  With his great speed and teammates willing to block, GAIII could be taking it to the house and flipping the ball to the referee some more.  As member of the suicide squad you are a lot more willing to sacrifice your body if you know the receiver is running behind you with the ball.  Put a second speed demon back there with GAIII and kick returns still can be fun to watch instead of seeing the ball get blasted through the end zone like in the NFL.  They can accept a kick five yards deep in the end zone and still manage 20+.

Trivia:

1926 For kick-offs the ball was placed at the 40 yard line.

1986 Ball placed at 35 yard line.

2007 Ball placed at 30 yard line.

2012 Ball placed at 35 yard line.

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Who Will Quarterback the Irish in 2012?

If you are a loyal reader previously you have read it here on Notre Dame Subway Alumni Station (our formal moniker).  On just about every Irish website, competing Blogs, on national sports websites, in the printed media and it’s been talked to death on Notre Dame friendly Bulletin Boards.  Bleacher Report spins a shallow story at least daily concerning it.  Most speculate or lay out the options.  Instead of that dribble here is what we think.

Who Will Quarterback the Irish in 2012?

Of course the dismal quarterback play of 2011 is still fresh in all our minds.  The picks in the red zone.  The picks in the end zone, the numerous almost picks, the fumble and subsequent touchdown on the four yard line, the numerous bonehead QB decisions.  They collectively cost us at least three games, maybe four, you never know since the errors simply put the games away and out of our reach.  You could tell they were bad QB decisions by Coach Brian Kelly going ballistic and turning purple on the sidelines.

The Irish start spring practice March 21^st and play the Blue-Gold Game April 21^st.  15 authorized practices.  Expect some potential crappy late winter “Bend” weather to contend with, limiting the Team to the Loftus Center.  Not much time.  Four quarterbacks to evaluate.  We have a new offensive coordinator looking to assert himself.  A junior, a sophomore, a redshirt freshman and a freshman all vying to be the next “Golden Boy”.  A wide open competition according to Kelly and his statement about Gunner Kiel getting a chance this spring.  At least that is what we should expect after that we went through last year.

If freshman Gunner Kiel starts for the Irish, we are in big, big trouble once again.  What does that have to say concerning our QB talent and experience?  Suffering through a freshman quarterback starting yet once again could be deadly for the Irish considering the schedule.

If junior Tommy Rees starts in Dublin, we are déjà vu all over again and folks will be jumping off the bandwagon often and early.

If sophomore Andrew Hendrix starts, he has progressed a long way and the offense can grow with him.  That appears the message.

If redshirt freshman Everett Golson starts, stand back and look out Michigan, USC, Oklahoma and the rest of the 2012 schedule.  He has got to be the QB derby winner.

Most of the limited time has to be devoted to Kiel and Golson this spring.  We pretty much know what Rees and Hendrix can and cannot do.  Expect no decision, no announcement after the Blue-Gold Game.  Why invite transfers, unrest, and the development of poor work and improvement habits during the off-season?  Competition is a good and healthy thing.

Last year Rees and Crist wore red jerseys during the Blue-Gold Game.  It will be a sign who if anyone wears one this year.

Charlie Weis and Brian Kelly before have gone into spring practice with four quarterbacks competing for depth chart positions and repetitions in the fall.  The results have been mixed trying to placate for everyone wanting to start.  Both have complained that by the time fall camp rolls around, they do not have the time to train and develop four quarterbacks with time and meaningful repetitions leading the offense. 

Here is something we have never understood.  Something that has always bothered us was the fact that there is not enough time or resources to develop four quarterbacks.  We keep hearing not enough repetitions are available.  Why can’t the number 3 and number 4 quarterback spend time with a hobbled together offense and defense instead just standing and watching the 1 and 2 quarterbacks work with the number one offense and the scout team defense.  Tape all work and repetitions for later review and comment.  While its’ not the same as standing under center with the first team defense it will help with rhythm, reading defenses, snap counts, checking off, learning plays, etc. 

No one here at the Station has ever played college football.  So just maybe we are the biggest fools of all.

Without the benefit of watching limited playing time and vanilla play calling opportunities during the Blue-Gold Game, here is our early predictions.  Barring injuries, personal problems, and the like.

Everett Golson will start in Dublin.

Andrew Hendrix will be second on the depth chart but may transfer.

Tommy Rees will be third on the depth chart, accept his new role however may transfer.

Gunner Kiel will red-shirt.

Everett Golson

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Brian Kelly Pulls Recuiting Coup and Rabbit Out of Hat

Davonte Neal

Well apparently the Notre Dame Football recruiting class of 2012 and the graduating class of 2016 is finally in the bag. 

Coach Brian Kelly for the second year in a row has pulled the recruiting rabbit out of his ND baseball cap.  This year it is Davonte Neal, the top rated athlete in the nation.  This guy can play wide receiver, cornerback, and is a return specialist.  Goodness we can sure use a return specialist.

High light reel here.

Neal was a no-show for his televised announcement this morning at his old elementary school.  This got heads scratching and I’m sure it will all come out eventually.  Read it here.

Here’s hoping he does not get homesick or have a change of heart.

Welcome aboard Mr. Neal.

Street Thug U

While trolling through the sports websites for news on college football, I stumbled across an article on Florida tight end freshman A.C. Leonard.  Seems Mr. Leonard beat up his girlfriend and through her out of their apartment.  Ended up getting arrested for domestic battery.

What struck me as a different culture at Florida than at Notre Dame were these two nuggets.
Freshman at Notre Dame live in dormitory halls.

Leonard is the TENTH (10^th) football player arrested and suspended since head Coach Will Muschamp took over from urban Meyers fourteen months ago.  Didn’t Meyer suspend something like 30 players during his tenure at Florida?  Obviously these guys get reinstated our Florida couldn’t field a team.  Neither Meyer or Muschamp would still be coaching at Notre Dame.

You recruit street thugs and common criminals, you pay the price I guess?

A Stupid Pre-Preseason Prediction (guess)

Well Mark Schlabach over at the ESPN website must be bored or experiencing college football withdrawals.  His pre-preseason top 25 rankings are hot off the keyboard and he has the audacity to crown Notre Dame #24.  You can read the entire dribble here. 

Why is it always team speed that is lacking and a sore point?  Where does this guy get this stuff?  Is he out there at practice with a stop watch?  Why is team speed always an overriding issue that needs to be constantly addressed?

If our defense is such a plus, how come FSU came from 0-14 down to beat us 18-14?

Ok, though, let’s get this straight and put our thoughts in order on this under deserving honor.

Notre Dame finished out of the rankings in 2011 after giving away the Champs Sports Bowl to FSU.

Throughout the 2011 season Notre Dame fumbled, threw to the other team, and performed inept at quarterback.

One of the best wide receivers in Irish history as in Michael Floyd has graduated.  No one appears on the radar with the hands or size to replace him.  Not incoming freshmen or rostered players.

Notre Dame has no quarterback as of this moment and it is a shame that so much time again this spring and fall is going to be devoted to scraping together something.

The 2012 killer schedule was put together for a team coming off a BCS win and a 10-2 record, not 8-5.  It’s a tough one and with the inevitable injuries to key players, it could be a disaster. 

Coaching.  Two new coaches.  A third promoted from the grad assistant ranks.  No fulltime Special Teams Coach.  A third year head coach that has not won the hearts and minds of Domers let alone Subway Alumni.  Coaching and coaching decisions have been an issue both last year and the year before that.

Normally these predictions are based upon the previous year, I don’t know what year Schlabach is looking at, and the Irish were out of the top 25 the past two years.

They don’t start the BCS rankings until, what the fifth week because of cupcake scheduling and pure guess work that ranked teams to begin with.

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The Gray-Shirt System – The Alabama Way

Obviously unless you just popped up from a hole like Punxsutawney Phil, you are aware that in the college football system there is a way around signing more recruits than unscrupulous schools have scholarships.  It is called Gray-Shirting.  It is something Notre Dame and other reputable colleges and universities do not practice.  The SEC does and has for a long time.  They are very good at it. This year, the SEC decided to clean house a bit and limit over-signing and put a cap at 25 signees per year.  It sounds good on paper.

Basically you recruit the guys you want and tell them they are headed for your program, you want them.  Welcome aboard.  Blah. Blah. They quit looking and taking visits to other schools and are pretty much in your pocket and not in your opponents.

Alabama, you know them.  They just won the National Championship AND just signed the number one recruiting class for 2012.  Dang.  How do they do that?  Easy, Gray-Shirting.

After you have lied to the recruit, you tell him you ran out of scholarships and you still really want the kid but they have to Gray-Shirt.  It is told that maybe by January a scholarship will come available and can be awarded to him.  In the meantime he has a number of options.

a.  Get a job
b.  Enroll in a junior college
c.  Enroll at the Gray-Shirt school at his expense
d.  Try and get a scholarship on or after signing day
e.  Disappear
f.  Hope for a phone call in January

How do schools like Alabama then “find” scholarships in January to offer guys like Darius Philon?  At Alabama there is no such thing as a four year scholarship, a guarantee of playing football and getting an education.  No honoring any commitment to the student athlete.  Actually the same can be technically said for Notre Dame.  Scholarships are renewed annually.  The difference is that Notre Dame does not dump underperforming players or those injuried.  Alabama does and uses any guise and excuse.

Anyway, you have got to read the story about Darius Philon from Prichard Alabama and then watch the two-minute video where he is humiliated and embarrassed to death.  He ends up finding a scholarship at Arkansas on Wednesday, National Signing Day.  He has never visited Arkansas and it is assumed he has no idea on a course of study.

HERE is the story.  Darius has basically become a piece of meat.

His coach Kerry Stevenson should be outraged; instead he acts as an apologist for Alabama.  What a moron.  He probably gets free tickets to Bama games from the recruiting coaches and does not want to lose that perk.

Wrong Kind of Guy and Other Opinions

So Notre Dame Head Coach Brian Kelly got stiffed in the worst way.  Long time WR verbal commitment Deontay Greenberry changed his mind and signed a Letter of Intent with the University of Houston.  That’s fine.  It happens in the recruiting game.  These are kids who are still trying to find themselves in life.  What was in extremely poor taste and shows a complete lack of upbringing and respect was the way Kelly received the news.  Greenberry’s high school coach called Kelly during the morning of National Signing Day and told him.  That’s kind of like the guy who texted his fiancée broke off the engagement and asked for his ring back.

The Notre Dame Football Team doesn’t need guys like Greenberry.  Best of luck playing for the Cougars.

Congratulations former Notre Dame Quarterback Tom Clements and former quarterbacks coach for the Green Bay Packers.  Tom was just promoted to offensive coordinator for the same Packers.  That’s what happens when you interview for a head coaching job, don’t get it, but the offensive coordinator gets a similar job and the Packers figured they’d better cut their losses and keep a great guy.

So the Big Ten coaches are a little upset with Urban “recruit poaching” Meyers.  The gentlemen’s agreement about not messing with another’s recruits has just gone by the wayside.  Ask Kelly he lost two coaches and a start lineman to one of the greatest poachers of all times.  This is another example as to why Jack Swarbrick and the good Holy Cross fathers would not want Meyer’s as a coach, bad publicity for all the Notre Dame haters out there.

Well let’s get this straight.  Jim Tressel is being hired to a ‘created position’ as vice president for creative engagement at the University of Akron home of the “Zips”.  Salary $200,000.  Wow!  Gee, isn’t there a big push and complaining concerning the rising costs of college?  Allegedly ‘Tattoo Jim’ will be working in public relations.  It appears he needs a few more years of tenure working for the state of Ohio to max out his retirement package.  The Zips must be loaded.

13 - 3 - 1 - 3

Well we updated the 2012 verbal recruits and are now calling them student-athletics class of 2016.  Although that’s probably not entirely true.  Some will graduate earlier and some maybe a little later, hopefully all will graduate. 

The left side of the Blog is now accurate again. 

You can read about Brian Kelly’s haul in at least half-a-dozen blogs and media websites and we won’t cut and paste any of that gibberish.

The usual and typical wailing and grinding of teeth is going on over at NDNation.  Those guys that comment need full time jobs.

The numbers are 13-3-1-3.

13- Enrolling this summer for Longo Beach

3 – Enrolled and chasing co-eds

1 – Former enemy (USC) and now friend

3 – That got away and is probably best for them and Notre Dame

17 - Not a very big class.  The issue now turns to the fifth year seniors and now many can and will return. 

John Goodman’s high school coach kind of let the cat out of the bag a couple of weeks ago when he mentioned to the local media that John had been offered and accepted a fifth year.  Lots of head scratching and comments concerning “wasting a scholarship on a guy best known for fair catching punts”.  In Goodman’s defense, those were in most cases Kelly’s calls, though a few times John had plenty of room to run and called a fair catch anyway.  Who knows what the rules were laid down by Kelly.  Goodman does have very good hands, however his feet appeared mired in cement.

Anyway, the logic goes that if Goodman was cleared by Notre Dame to return, offered, and accepted, so were all the other seniors.

So when is that story going to break and end the speculation?

Leaving Late or Coming Late - Greg Schiano or Charlie Weis

So which is a worse hit for “The Team”? 

A coach quitting days before National Signing Day (NSD) as in Greg Schiano formerly from Rutgers.  

OR a coach being hired and not able to truly devote recruiting and signing time because of NFL commitments and a Super Bowl as in Charlie Weis formerly of the Patriots, Irish, Chiefs, Gaters and now Jay Hawks.

We feel sorry for the Rutgers coaching staff and training staff left behind.  Especially also for the young men who committed to the Scarlet Knights to play football for Schiano.

Money and opportunity.  Opportunity and money.  Quite a combination.

Rutgers has/had 17 verbal commitments so far (same as Notre Dame this year) and it will be interesting to see who tries to poach and who tries to jump ship.  We suspect that if there is anyone Urban Meyer’s would have wanted he would have poached him already.

More interestingly where to do find a head coach this time of year?  If you rob a head coach from another school, you’ve just screwed them.  Do you hire within to try and hold the team together?  Is there anyone qualified on the staff or are you looking to tube the season?

The school is in the process of spending $$$ to upgrade facilities and enhance the football program because of Schiano and his winning ways.  Will be interesting to watch Rutgers the next few years and see if the investment pays off.

Apparently talent is in place at Rutgers, something lacking on defense and the offensive line when Charlie finally arrived at Notre Dame after winning the Super Bowl for Tom Brady.

Schiano has his work cut out for him in Tampa.  The Subway Alumni Station has a Blue Line from Tarpon Springs to Tampa and some things are known about the Bucs.  (1)  They quit last year on their coach, quarterback, and fans.  (2)  They are not very good.  (3)  Josh Freeman and Tommy Rees could be related by the number of turnovers they both committed last year.  (4)  The fan base is dissatisfied because the Bucs don’t sellout and the home games are blacked out by the NFL.  (5)  Management dicked around in waiting to fire R. Morris and lost out on all the available head coaching talent.

We think a coaching resigning just before NSD is worse than one coming in late trying to no avail to play catch up.

18 Notre Dame Does Not Have To Fret Over

Ran across an enlightening article in USA Today (1-19-12), read it Here.

65 underclassmen having college football eligibility left have declared themselves for the 2012 NFL draft.  This is the most in ten years.  The draft starts on April 26^th and it appears that Notre Dame will have at least four contenders based upon their selection for post-season all-star games.

Robert Blanton

Gary Grey

Trevor Robinson

Harrison Smith

Michael Floyd (   Has Declined To Particiape In Post Season Actitives   )

I would guess that if any of the four are not drafted, they will at least get some free agency tryouts.

Anyway, out of those 65 underclassmen, 18 come from eight different schools the Irish will play in 2012.  This can only be a very good thing.

Miami (FL)      6

Stanford           3

USC                 2

MSU                2

BC                   2

Purdue             1

OK                   1

Wake Forest     1

I won’t bore you will repeating the names, the complete list is in the USA Today article.

The interesting point is the apparent abandoning ship down in Cane Country.  Between the transfers that have taken place and now underclassmen departing the handwriting on the wall must be obvious even to those guys.  I wonder what kind of a recruiting class is coming in this year for the Canes?

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Flying Rumors and Flying Pigs

Well just when we thought things were settling down and we were beginning to lick our wounds after losing recruits Ron Darby and Taylor Decker.  Plus the coaching shakeup, defections and position changes taking place on the staff. The jokes on us.

Now these rumors!!

**  Gunner Kiel to Notre Dame!  We will wait until we can put our fingers into the wounds on his hands though.  Supposedly his mama wants him closer to home and that does not mean Bourbon Street.  Guess IF IF IF he is highly successful with the Irish, he would have to play for the Bears or the Colts.

**  The Armstead brothers on campus?  Armond and Arik.  A package deal coming together?

**  Reported that future fifth year senior John Goodman (WR) has been offered a slot?  Wow!  He was on the bubble for returning.  Returning in not returning punts that is.  So if that is true, it implies other fifth years have been accepted.  Which means the recruiting season is really over.  Numbers have been set.

**  Brian Kelly is bringing in/back Gary Darnell to join the staff.  Darnell is a former head coach at Western Michigan and Tennessee Tech and defensive coordinator at ND, Texas, Florida, Texas A&M, Wake Forest and Kansas State.  I’d like to see the stickers on his luggage.  Guess he would come in as a position coach on defense somewhere.  Man has his stock been up and down.  Lou Holtz basically ran him off if I remember correctly by taking over calling defensive plays.

This is dated, January 17^th at high noon.  Stay tuned.

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Notre Dame and the 2012 Murderer's Row Schedule

Well Notre Dame’s 2012 Murderer’s Row Schedule is starting to look even tougher than after the first glance we gave it when it was finalized last year.  6 and 6 is becoming a real distinct possibility even this early in the year.  Rivals.com has come out with their top 25 and Notre Dame is not on it. 

No not this murderer’s row.

Unfortunately 5 of our opponents did make it:

2.  USC

5. Oklahoma

8.  Michigan

13.  Michigan State

20.  Stanford

Also consider:

**  You can bet MSU head Coach Mark Dantonio has already circled September 15^th (in East Lansing) on his calendar and is figuring out how to cream us as payback for last year.

**  We have not figured out how to beat Denard Robinson and quite to the contrary will we figure out another way to give the Skunkbears yet another game? 

***  Last year we managed to squeak by Wale Forest, Pittsburgh and Boston College by an average of five points.

**  We can’t seem to win all the “easy games” as in USF, Tulsa, Navy and always find a new and exciting way to lose.

**  Matt Barkley (QB), WR’s Marqise Lee and Robert Woods return along with 14 other starters to USC and we play in California.

**  Michigan returns 14 starters, a better yet defense and Robinson who has our number.

** Oklahoma returns 13 starters along with QB Landry Jones and we play them in Norman.

**  Do not overlook Miami or BYU, teams that we will be matched pretty close.

Some pending in-house issues:

**  The Irish do not have a quarterback and if we do, I have not seen him play.

**  Brian Kelly has not hired a Special Teams coach and there is no indication that it is in the works.  The Irish need to settle on a place kicker, improve the kick-off game and establish a punt return among other issues.

**  Proven wide receiver depth is kind of scary.  The loss of Michael Floyd (100) and moving Theo Riddick (38) back to RB hurts.  TJ Jones (38), Robby Toma (19) and a maybe returning John Goodman (7) is all she wrote.

So anyway, this schedule is going to give us fits.  You can check it out and cry over on the right side of the Blog.

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KELLY GETS TWO MORE YEARS ! POOR US !

Well the moronic outrage has begun.  God help us all.  Notre Dame has exercised an option/contract clause provision to extend Head Coach Brian Kelly’s five-year contract through 2016.

Everyone is pointing at his 18-10 record and the really stupid extension that was given to Charlie Weis after less than one year at the helm.  How could Notre Dame repeat such an ugly, terrible, historical event?

No big deal.  Let’s get real.  Grow up you idiots over at NDNation and misc. blogs.  The Good Fathers of the Holy Cross dumped Ty Willingham  and Charlie Weis early, they can/will do the same with Brian Kelly.  The $$$ makes no difference.  The fools at NDNation are still hoping that Stoops, Meyers, Gruden, JoPa, Skip Holtz, Knute Rockne, et al, etc, and anyone else in the current favor will come to Notre Dame and wake up the echoes.

Most of those guys listed above are not in lock-step with graduation rates, course grades, recruiting of street thugs, and kids that only want to play until the NFL calls.  The administration won’t even talk to those type coaches anymore.

The problem with Brain Kelly is that the individuals who for the last two years have touch the football right after the center hikes it to them have not very good.  That includes, Nate Montana, Tommy Rees, and Dayne Crist.

Whether Andrew Hendrix or Everett Golson are the answer remains to be seem, however it would appear lacking a freshman QB recruit in 2012 that Brain Kelly’s tenure remains in the balance.

Notre Dame's Tyler Eifert Decision

Well January 15^th and NFL declaration day is only 11 days away for Junior Tyler Eifert of the Fighting Irish.  Everyone here at the Station is holding their breath and hoping Tyler makes the right decision best for him.  We think that decision is also best for subway alumni fans, return for a third year.

Tyler received his NFL draft projection and got a 3^rd round possible pick.  That and $4.95 will get you a small cup of Starbuck’s coffee.  Just ask Jimmy Clausen or Brady Quinn.

Realistically, Tyler has two years of eligibility left, however no one expects him to stick around for the 2013 campaign.  2012 would sure be nice and picking up a sheepskin wouldn’t be a bad idea either.

We see three issues:

*** Draft competition and any other juniors declaring.  No sure if the 3^rd round projection takes all that into consideration or just his resume.

*** Who does Notre Dame have to toss Tyler the football in 2012?  Hmmm good point.  He did have 6 catches and 90 yards in the Champs Sports Bowl.  However we are hoping neither one of those guys will be passing the football around come this fall.

*** Not a lot of playing time.

Tyler Eifert’s resume:

6’ 6” – 249 lbs.

Mackey Award Finalist (that and $4.95 will get you another cup of Starbuck’s coffee).

Broke Notre Dame's Ken MacAfee’s single season record (1977) of 54 receptions (57), howver that is not near the NCAA record.

Started all 13 games in 2011:  57 receptions, 713 yards and 5 touchdowns

Played in 11 games in 2010:  27 receptions, 352 yards and 2 touchdowns
Statistic wise NCAA ranked #1 2011 Tight End with: 13 games, 63 receptions, 803 yards, 5 touchdowns.

Rumor has it that Tyler’s blocking technique needs work.  Hmmm, no one in the office wanted to test that rumor.

Subway Alumni Station other points of issue:

Great hands.

Can take hits.

Quiet, team player.

Does not make many mistakes (penalties), false starts, personnel fouls.

It would appear that the potential 2012 Notre Dame All American Tight End would take pressure off a fledging Irish receiving corp.

Editors Note:  About six hours after this posting Tyler Eifert announced his decision to return to Notre Dame, get his degree and once again play with his fellow teammates for at least another year.

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What’s Next on the Schedule

Musings On Where Is The Notre Dame Football Program Going.

Driving back from the debacle in Orlando I tried to find a positive spin on the 18-14 loss to an inferior FSU team and could not think of any rational theme.  It was hard enough just licking my wounds.  Then I got wrapped up in family visiting and just plain having fun around the house with them.  So no posting in over a week.

Did not listen or watch Kelly’s post game comments nor did I subject myself to the zillion stories, articles and commentary over here in Tarpon Springs on the “great FSU win”.  What the heck, I was there and watched in horror as our quarterbacks self-destructed.   Talk about the tired cliché, “snatching defeat out of the jaws of victory.”  I did read a couple of threads on Rock’s House over on NDNation but they seemed bent on jumping out the basement window or trying to slash their wrists with a butter knive over Brian Kelly.  Just checked again and they are still at it.  Why do they think Gruden, Stoops, Meyers, et al would come coach at Notre Dame when graduating is more important than playing football.  They wouldn’t last a season and rightly so.

Notre Dame and Brian Kelly have just announced some coaching changes.  Read it Here.  Knew about Charley Molnar going to UMass however did not think Tim Hinton was leaving just after he said he was sticking around.  Ed Warinner leaving was a complete surprise.  They both get one sentence at the bottom of the news release.  Reading between the lines, I guess the parting was not amiable.  What was missing was any mention of the hiring of a Special Teams coach.  That seems a huge mistake and hope a hire is in the works.

No word from Tyler Eifert.  You would think he’s leaving since if Tyler were staying he would have said so by now.  Can’t blame him.  Looking at the quarterbacks he’s got throwing at him, I’d leave as well.

Seventeen recruits, probably three or four more yet to be committing or picked.  Surprised none have jumped ship after the Stanford and FSU games.  Check them out on the left side of the Blog.

Big decision on fifth year seniors and who will be invited back.  Again, the number of spots is contingent on the number of recruits and if anyone else transfers out.  The list is long and the decisions tough.  Very few guarantees after Braxton Cave, Kapron Lewis-Moore and Jamoris Slaughter.
Looking at the quarterback situation, I don’t see the same logjam that Gunner Kiel did.  The position is wide open.  Or is it?  My youngest son said he would not watch Notre Dame Football this year (2012) if Tommy Rees starts in Dublin.  I was toying with the idea of going over to the game and some sightseeing.  Naw, changed my mind.

Well let’s see the schedule:

**  Tyler Eifert decision.

**  Finish up picking the coaching staff.

**  Finish up recruiting.

**  Decisions on fifth year seniors.

**  National signing day

**  NFL Draft and Free Agency

**  Spring ball.

Can’t wait.

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Merry Christmas, God Bless, Happy New Year

Joe Montana Scrambling In My Christmas Tree

Well here it is Christmas Eve.  A good time for a short reflection over some alcoholic spirits and a large tray of finger foods that is only going to end up in places where we don’t need it.

This Blog was started on March 26^th, 2010 and 371 posts later we are still going like that little pink bunny and the drum.

A number of Notre Dame oriented websites and blogs have folded since we started Subway Alumni Station back in March.  Bleacher Report has exploded on the college football reporting scene and they always seem to have a couple of Notre Dame stories each day.  Some pretty good, others quite lousy and shallow.  Ha! We should talk.   People in glass houses should not throw stones.

Our purpose and direction has changed a little and we still do not claim any great insight into college football.  But we are having fun.  When the fun stops so will we.  This brings us back to the title of the post.

We have been greatly blessed this year with good health (well almost except for getting thrown off a bike), beer money when we needed it, good friends, the opportunity to watch the Irish play twice, and hope for the future.

This country’s economic situation is touch and go.   At least two of the three branches of our Government are dysfunctional.  The moral decline of the citizenry in America continues.      

We hope and pray things will get better.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US.