Last night's loss to Michigan State exposed Notre Dame for what it is: an extraordinarily talented and athletic football team that is at the mercy of its under-performing offensive and defensive lines. Through three games, the Irish are showing that they cannot run when they must and they cannot stop their opponent when they have to. While perhaps expected (?) along the defensive front, the decline in performance along the offensive line is surprising. No matter the side, it looks like the lines … [Read more...]
Communication: Despite the Bright Lights, Little is Clear from Kelly
You just knew that this second meeting between the University of Notre Dame and the University of Texas would be one for the ages. As Notre Dame fans, we expect such moments to go our way. As it is, at the end of two overtimes, the Irish fell just short and their season's trajectory is less than apparent. From the quarterback position, to the defense, to the meaning of "targeting," nothing is clear about what comes next. Head football coach Brian Kelly, now in his seventh season, stuck to his … [Read more...]
Offensive Line: Know Thyself, Know Thy Enemy
They used to make things in South Bend. Men, alchemists, melted and manipulated the earth's elements. They were gods. They labored under furnaces as big as freight trains to bend, cut, melt, and twist great sheets of steel into the new machines that drove the American Century. Today, the inheritors of that tradition live up the road and toil under the tutelage of Coach Harry Hiestand. For he makes linemen. In this installment of our critically-acclaimed (in Finland) series, Know Thyself, Know … [Read more...]
Devin Butler’s Wasted Opportunity
Devin Butler was born the year AFTER I graduated. Which makes him twenty-one. So he ended up at The 'Backer last Friday. His season ended shortly thereafter. He's lucky to be alive. At some point during his physical altercation with South Bend police officers Luke Pickard and Aaron Knepper, Butler punched Knepper several times, wrestled him to the ground and "physically ripped" Knepper's duty belt off his body. Knepper was subsequently able to deploy his Taser and subdue his … [Read more...]
Max Must Go: Likely Sequelae from Friday Night
Oh, what a night. As Friday became Saturday, news broke that senior cornerback Devin Butler had been arrested for battering a police officer and resisting arrest outside The 'Backer. Then, just when you thought it was safe to go back on Twitter, five (!) more players were introduced to their Miranda rights: sophomore running back Dexter Williams, sophomore lineback Te'von Coney, sophomore cornerback Ashton White, freshman receiver Kevin Stepherson, and senior safety Max Redfield. Their arrests … [Read more...]
Scouting Report: Syracuse
If this were basketball, and it were the early-Nineties, Notre Dame's recent performance against Syracuse would be somewhat understandable, for the Irish are 2-2 against 'Cuse as we approach the fifth meeting of the teams since 2003 and the second-straight at MetLife Stadium. NEW COACH Take everything you now about Syracuse and throw it away. Except for the horrible colors and the ridiculous mascot. For whatever reason, those things are staying. But under first year head coach Dino Babers, … [Read more...]
Trust Brian Kelly, He’s Good at Quarterbacking
News developed at the end of last week that Notre Dame football head coach Brian Kelly may be considering a two-quarterback system for 2016. Able to choose from Malik Zaire or DeShone Kizer (or Brandon Wimbush), can you blame him? Plenty of you do. In this post, I try to convince you to trust in Brian Kelly. Trusting Brian Kelly is, for many of you, likely more difficult to do than trusting Hillary Clinton. But since I have it on good authority from my friends inside Russia's Foreign … [Read more...]
Shamrock Series and Soldiers: Why This Uniform is Perfect
My initial impression of the 2016 Shamrock Series uniform was one of thankfulness. In the harsh glow of my iPhone, I liked mostly what I did not see. They could have been so. much. worse. #ShamrockSeries — Bayou (@HLS_BayouIrish) July 21, 2016 I am now in love with them. These uniforms capture Notre Dame's deep connection to the game's opponent, Army, while staying far away from pretending. Had the uniforms been camouflage to match today's combat uniform, it could have been taken as parody … [Read more...]
The Surprising Descent of Lou Holtz
"Like the immigrants it served, the University of Notre Dame began as an outsider -- poor, but filled with faith." "We have Irish roots, but include Africans, Brazilians, and Japanese in a common pursuit of truth." The "nickname, the 'Fighting Irish, was first used by opposing fans in the 1920s to insult Knute Rockne's football players, who were mostly Irish immigrants like the rest of the Notre Dame student body." These quotes are taken from the narrated tour of campus you can find at … [Read more...]
Nyles Morgan’s Surprising Resurgence
Nyles Morgan's surprising resurgence continues. Today, he was named to the Butkus Award preseason watch list. The Butkus Award is given annually to the nation's top linebacker. Jaylon Smith and Manti Te'o are Notre Dame's most recent award-winners. Could Nyles Morgan be the next? The Butkus Award honors the best linebacker in high school and in college. Both Te'o and Smith won at both levels. Semifinalists will be named at the end of October and finalists at the end of November. The winner … [Read more...]
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