It’s late, I’m tired and full of filet and beer and ND good vibes and a whole lot of awesomeness. So, tonight’s post is going to be needfully basic. It’s bullet point time. So, in no particular order:

1: Coach Hinton. Coach Hinton loves the game of football. He doesn’t care if he’s coaching an aging blogger or an All-American, he simply loves the game. When something goes right, he is fired up and happy. When it goes wrong, he’s fired up and not that happy with you. But, he’s always having a good time. On one play today I picked up a blitz from the RB spot (Heels Formation, Coach) and popped a solid lick on that Sam LB. Whap. Coach freaking LOVED it. So excited. Great guy, and a lot of fun to be around.

2. Coach Alford. Coach Alford is ND incarnate. The man completely and utterly gets the University, and it’s been great getting to know him. I had to try to convince him that’s he a fan favorite, and that he’s a legend for his recruitment of LNIII when we had no head coach. Per usual, he was super humble and demurred, crediting ND and LNIII (who literally cannot get any more credit, lest there be no more credit left in the Universe). Super, super nice guy, and a guy that I think will always carry a bit of Our Lady with him, wherever he goes in life.

3. The trainers. Yeah, I yanked that muscle yesterday. It’s a bit better today. Some other guys have more consistent, nagging injuries and the training staff has been great in helping us out. BIG shout out to Liz and Beth! WASSUP GIRLS? Good work this week!

4. Dinner. Dinner tonight was at Maury’s Pub, where filet and surf and turf and other fine cuts of meat were on the menu. Awesome joint, check it out next time you’re in town. Anyway, a star-studded dinner. Frank Stams, Pat Terrell, and Derrick Mayes regaled the group with awesome stories of recruiting, playing at ND, and (again) Coach Holtz.

Derrick Mayes

Pat Terrell

We also had Vagas Ferguson, Anthony Denman, Lance Legree, Jerome Heavens, Bob Crable, Tom Gatewood, Matt Kunz, George Kunz, and I am sure I am missing a few others. The Big Guy BK also stopped by to take some pictures with us, chat us up a bit, and offer a final pep talk for the game tomorrow.

All the ‘frosh’ at camp also had to sing the fight song. David Grimes did a bang-up job leading us, and I have to admit we didn’t sound half bad.

5. Training Talk. Coach Longo spent about 45 minutes with us talking about the art and science of his training regimen for the team.

It was fascinating to learn about his overall approach, and how it has evolved over his 25 year career. Suffice it to say, the guy knows what he’s talking about, and he is constantly working on ways to improve his program through his own education, and by simply inventing new stuff. Badass. He also had one of his assistants, an Olympic-level power lifter, demonstrate a few things for us. This guy weighhs a buck-80 and was throwing 285 around like he was lifting Tinker Toys. BAD. ASS.

6. Practice. As far as the football went today, we worked on some defensive fundamentals (driving sleds, zone blocking, strip-tackling the QB, etc) and we were also focused on prepping for the game – locking down formations (Treys, Trips, Doubles, etc), play offensive play calls (81), and coverages (50-weak, sky RITA RITA RITA!!!!) and the ST operations.

At one point in a meeting, I sat in Manti Teo’s chair. I immediately felt strong and very non-haole.



7. Campus. Finally, I had some time to walk campus after lunch. To soak in my alma mater in all its infinite glory. I strolled down around the Lake and to the Grotto. Walked South Quad and West Quad. I headed through God Quad and caught a great picture of the Dome.



Man, I love this place.

Tomorrow, we smack that Play Like a Champion sign and run out of that tunnel. Game. On.