Corey Robinson’s football playing days should be over. I make this assertion not because I think he’ll hear my advice (he doesn’t follow me on Twitter), nor because he’s short on mentors (his father’s face rings a bell), but because it’s in his best interest as an individual. Should you disagree with my conclusion above, I’ll happily give you my reasoning for your consideration:

Football is a Platform

Notre Dame Football is a grand stage, but it’s and end in itself as well as a means to a greater end. It’s why the program espouses the “4 for 40” slogan — the four undergraduate years in South Bend provide an inflection point to a life of greatness. For some, that translates to athletic success in the National Football League. Yet there are countless others who seek success elsewhere — you can look at Jeff Samardjiza on the pitcher’s mound in Major League Baseball, or as far afield as Steve Elmer‘s recent foray into political consulting.

Life After Football

If Corey Robinson hangs them up, “life after football” has already begun. As student body president, he has a unique set of responsibilities before him this coming academic year. Those finicky admissions folks strive to balance a well-rounded class each year, and Robinson’s an embodiment of this diversity of interests. I have no doubt that he’d deftly juggle both tasks with equal aplomb, but there’s no gaping void if he steps away from football — he’ll merely fill that time with similar work that leverages his work ethic and desire for leadership.

Return on Investment

As with any endeavor (athletic or otherwise), football is a labor-intensive process. The hard work is done behind the scenes and away from the bright lights. Improvement (and recovery) are accomplished in relative obscurity. Football may be a mental game, but it’s a physical one as well. There’s a far greater likelihood that Robinson’s history of concussions would manifest itself in practice rather than in a game. The long-term risk of persisting mental health is too significant to be cast aside. The dude caught the go-ahead pass vs. USC last fall…he’s done his fair share in my book.

My Advice to Corey Robinson

From a financial standpoint, if you’re having second thoughts about football this year, NFL scouts will pick up on that and your draft status will suffer. If you *really* want to go on one last ride with your football brethren, that’s your prerogative. But I perceive you have much more than football that you want to accomplish in life. In the past year you’ve started a non-profit, studied abroad, and successfully run for student government. You’re not quitting as much as you’re refocusing your energies into activities that are even more fulfilling than football.

Time, and its passage, changes all things. There’s no shame in acknowledging new seasons in life and adjusting priorities accordingly. Most of us do not get to set our terms on when we walk away from a job or an athletic career. In your early 20s, this is a new phenomenon…but it’ll become a bit more familiar as life moves along. If you’ve given football your best and your body and external forces still won’t cooperate, what else is there to do?

The post Debate This: Thanks for Playing, Corey Robinson appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Devin Butler / Credit: 247 Sports

Senior cornerback Devin Butler, junior running back Justin Brent and junior cornerback Nick Watkins are among Irish injured during recent football activities, with Butler’s injury expected to sideline him until late September.

Coach Brian Kelly revealed Monday that Butler sustained a second fracture to his left foot. After starting in place of the injured KeiVarae Russell, Butler missed the Fiesta Bowl after breaking the long bone on the outside of his foot that connects to his little toe.

Kelly said Butler has had “a great semester academically. We really see him trending in the right way. And then to have an injury like that was very disappointing for him. And we’re disappointed for him.”

The 6-foot-1/2, 200 pound senior was expected to compete for an open position opposite fellow senior cornerback Cole Luke. Watkins, who suffered a fractured left humerus April 2, was also vying for the position. The junior is expected back when camp reconvenes in August.

Redshirt freshman Shaun Crawford, who may have already hopped Butler before his recent injured, is now a favorite to open the season with Luke at cornerback. Irish Sports Daily’s Jamie Uyeyama said sophomore Nick Coleman, who played primarily on special teams last year, and redshirt freshman Ashton White will probably get more attention for a spot behind Luke, Crawford and Watkins.

The Irish certainly lack experience at the corner position, with Butler giving them a little more than they’ll obviously have without him.

Justin Brent / Credit: 247 Sports

Butler started against Arizona State and USC in 2014; against the Trojans, he recorded a career-high 7 tackles. The junior also made seven tackles on special teams last year, third highest among the Irish. Butler also recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff of the second half against Navy, which ultimately resulted in a touchdown. He started against Stanford last year, recording three tackles.

Brent, who has struggled to crack the depth chart at running back, suffered a Lisfranc injury and had a screw inserted into his foot.

“He could be slowed for the first week or two,” Kelly told Blue Gold Illustrated’s Lou Somogyi.

Other injury news:

• Corey Robinson, who suffered multiple concussions during his football career, will announce Wednesday if he will continue to play. Robinson, who is the university’s student body president, is a senior with one year of eligibility remaining.
• Sophomore wide receiver C.J. Sanders is progressing nicely from surgery to repair a hip flexor. Kelly told Blue Gold Illustrated that “CJ is ahead of schedule by almost three weeks, which is really good news.” Sanders is expected to compete for the starting role at the slot position with redshirt sophomore Corey Holmes and may also be the Irish’s primary kick and punt returner.

The post A Trio of Irish Injuries appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

I don’t know anything about each player’s rapping and singing skills, so instead I’m going to assign players based on how similar their personal traits are to each character in the musical.

GEORGE WASHINGTON

“Here comes the general!”

Senior Isaac Rochell is a likely pick for captain of the 2016 Notre Dame football team, which makes him the perfect person to play our first commander-in-chief.

Washington prioritized the health of the country more than his own ambition. In the musical, he’s assured in his convictions and has a strong sense of ethics that he will not violate. Hamilton looks up to Washington, and the general responds in kind by putting Hamilton under his wing.

Christopher Jackson as George Washington in “Hamilton.”

With the graduation of Sheldon Day and Romeo Okwara, Rochell has stepped into a leadership role on the defense. Rochell is also looking to make his mark off the field, securing an internship with Street Bean Coffee. It’s a nonprofit that helps young, homeless individuals receive job training they need to become employed and improve their situation.

Rochell, like Washington, recognizes the platform that he has been given and intends to make full use of it for the greater good.

THOMAS JEFFERSON

I’ll have sophomore defensive tackle Jerry Tillery play the role of Thomas Jefferson.

Jefferson rivals Hamilton in intellect. He’s well-traveled, having spent several years in France as an American diplomat. If there’s a word that comes to mind, it’s ambitious. Jefferson drafted a version of the Declaration of Independence, served as Secretary of State during Washington’s tenure and later became vice president and president of the United States.

Daveed Diggs as Thomas Jefferson

Ambition is also a characteristic of Tillery. He has designs to be a doctor and a professional football player.

“Plenty of people have done it before me,” Tillery told NDInsider.com last year. “I don’t think I’m the first one with those aspirations. I’m handling the coursework, and I’m doing pretty well on the field. Why can’t I have both?”

Tillery is an avowed supporter of Hillary Clinton and seems very interested in political discourse, having served as campaign manager on a student body ticket that ultimately fell short. He’s also traveled to Ireland and Germany during his brief breaks from the gridiron.

ELIZA SCHUYLER HAMILTON

Redshirt junior tight end Nic Weishar is my pick for this role. Eliza was Hamilton’s wife, a kind-hearted, moralistic woman who prioritized family over self. She had a well defined sense of purpose, throwing herself into the founding of New York’s first private orphanage.

Weishar helped establish The Andrew Weishar Foundation, a charity in memory of his brother. Andrew, a victim of colorectal cancer, wanted his family to “pay forward” the kindness and generosity he experienced while fighting the disease. The foundation provides financial donations to families who have a member battling cancer to pay bills, take a vacation or whatever they deem appropriate.

The foundation throws an annual WeishFest in Chicago to bring awareness of the charity and to raise funds. About two dozen of Weishar’s teammates attended last year’s music festival and signed autograph for attendees.

ANGELICA SCHUYLER

I choose senior wide receiver Corey Robinson for the role of Hamilton’s sister-in-law. If you’ve heard the musical, you know Angelica has the wattage of Beyoncé. She is a strong, witty, independent woman who is an equal to many men in intelligence and foresight. Angelica is also very well read and, from her introduction onward, is “looking for a mind at work.”

Robinson typifies many of these characteristics. The university’s student body president, Robinson matches his on-field achievements with excellence in the classroom. Robinson has started a non-profit, composed an album’s worth of songs and briefly considered leaving school early to help the homeless of Brazil.

Robinson is an obvious choice for the role of Angelica.

AARON BURR

My choice for Hamilton’s chief adversary and our county’s third vice president is redshirt junior DeShone Kizer. Unlike the outspoken Hamilton, Burr is decidedly more reserved. Burr, an artful and intelligent man, is a man of fewer words. But don’t mistake his silence for a lack of ambition. Burr definitely wants to be in the mix and to get ahead. Burr is also a man who is proud of his accomplishments and wouldn’t stand for anyone slighting them.

I see a lot of these attributes in Kizer, who is more soft-spoken than his counterpart at quarterback. Like Burr, Kizer didn’t exactly know what he wanted – until opportunity presented itself. Both made the most of it when given their shot.

ALEXANDER HAMILTON

My choice for the protagonist of the show is senior quarterback Malik Zaire. The musical is a story of an ambitious, driven individual who surprises adversaries who continually underestimate him. Hamilton is a leader, unafraid to offer his opinion even when it may be politically advantageous to hang back and see which way the winds blow. The Founding Father was obsessed with leaving his mark on the young country and being remembered long after his political career ended.

It’s no coincidence that I’ve cast Kizer in the Burr role and Zaire in the Hamilton role. Burr and Hamilton were friendly, although they approached similar challenges in different ways. Hamilton and Burr began to grow apart when Burr defeated Hamilton’s father-in-law for a U.S. Senate seat. Hamilton would vigorously campaign against Burr whenever the latter sought political office. Their acrimony was settled on the dueling grounds, with Burr fatally wounding Hamilton.

OTHER ROLES

• Jarron Jones as James Madison – frequent collaborator with Jefferson (Tillery).
• Corey Holmes as Lafayette – Who is faster? Holmes on the field or Lafayette with the raps?
• Torii Hunter Jr. as Hercules Mulligan – Smooth, fun fellows who can command a presence
• Cole Luke as King George III – Ruler of an island; keeps close tabs on enemies

Thank you to Lin-Manuel Miranda for inspiration.

The post Recasting “Hamilton” With ND Football Players appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver William Fuller (7) catches a pass for a touchdown in front of Stanford Cardinal cornerback Terrence Alexander (11) in the second quarter at Stanford Stadium. Matt Cashore/USA TODAY Sports

Welcome to a series of posts we’re calling “Five Question Marks.” In this inaugural entry, BJ Konkle answers a question on the minds of many Notre Dame fans: Is there another star wide receiver waiting to emerge?

Notre Dame football has recruited, developed and ultimately produced extraordinary college football wide receivers. Some of these athletes – Jeff Samardzija, Michael Floyd, Golden Tate, T.J. Jones, and most recently Will Fuller – have gone on to successful (and lucrative) professional careers.

While Irish fans are proud to celebrate these “Domers,” it’s human nature to wonder: “Who’s next?”

Thankfully for the Irish fandom – and for quarterbacks Malik Zaire and DeShone Kizer – Notre Dame currently has an embarrassment of riches in regards to talented wide receivers. The position is probably the most well recruited of any in the recent past (with offensive line nipping at its heels.)

Here’s the talent currently on the roster, with their 247sports.com composite rankings:

• Recruiting class of 2013: Torii Hunter Jr., 4 stars; Corey Robinson, 3 stars
• Class of 2014: Justin Brent and Corey Holmes, both 4 stars.
• Class of 2015: Equanimeous St. Brown, Miles Boykin and C.J. Sanders, all 4 stars
• Class of 2016: Javon McKinley and Chase Claypool, both 4 stars; Kevin “K.J.” Stepherson, 3 stars

This provides 9 scholarship wide receivers to potentially pick from – 10 if you throw in talented walk-on Chris Finke, who I believe is likely to earn a scholarship.

K.J. Stepherson

As talented as this group is, they lack experience as Fuller, Chris Brown and Amir Carlisle took the lion’s share of snaps in 2015. Among those remaining, three are realistically poised and positioned to be the next potential standout wide receiver (and I’m going to throw in a dark horse candidate). It will be difficult for the incoming freshman – even one as impressive early as Stepherson – to be physically and mentally able to crack the depth chart and contribute meaningful snaps. With that being said: Purchase a nice pair of shades, because the future is bright.

Robinson’s current health concern – multiple concussions within a year – likely removes him from this conversation. Sanders introduced his slippery elusiveness in the return game last year with a punt return against UMass and a huge kickoff return against Stanford. The possibility of Sanders’ distinct threat in special teams being converted to an offensive threat makes any Irish fan grin, but he will likely remain a return specialist with the current talent that is in front of him. Brent is now fighting for carries at running back. This leaves us with a diversely talented foursome.

Torii Hunter Jr.

Here’s the case for senior Torii Hunter Jr.: He has the most game time experience and possesses the unique mental and physical ability to play all three wide receiver positions. Playing all three wide receiver positions is nothing when you consider Hunter also found himself on defense last year, contributing as a situational defensive back. He also makes time to run down fly balls in the outfield for the Notre Dame Baseball program (#NDBB). Torii’s versatility oozes out of him and is unmistakably his most attractive attribute. After graduating three seniors, Hunter finds himself in a leadership role among the wide receivers. In a candid interview on WatchND, he elaborates on this role, his ability to play multiple sports, his versatility, and his expectations entering 2016. For these many reasons, he may be the next great wide receiver to emerge from Notre Dame.

Credit: Matt Cashore

The praise that Corey Holmes has received from coaches this spring has been a pleasant surprise to many Irish faithful. The decision to redshirt Holmes last year (his sophomore season) raised questions about his ability to contribute in the future. Holmes credits his father for helping him work through the frustrations of redshirting as a sophomore. “It wasn’t until halfway during the season when I finally stopped worrying about other people and worried about my own game,” Holmes explained. This mindset paid off and the questions were answered when Holmes posted a spring 40 yard dash time of 4.39 – officially making him the fastest player on the roster. Confidence will be key for the Florida wide out as he continues to progress into fall camp. If he can translate his raw speed into football speed – similar to Will Fuller’s path to success – he may become a go-to threat and poised for a breakout junior season.

Notre Dame’s Josh Equanimeous St. Brown celebrates a touchdown during the Fighting Irish’s game against the University of Massachusetts. (SBT Photo/ Becky Malewitz)

Holmes may be the fastest player for the Irish, but Equanimeous St. Brown may be the most polished receiver on the team. “EQ” played sparingly as a freshman as a back-up to Fuller, a future first round NFL Draft pick. The sophomore is listed at 6’4 and weighs 205 lbs. Brian Kelly alluded to the California blue chip’s athleticism stating, “(He) runs like a deer!” Kelly continued his praise during the 2015 season, “I think (St. Brown) would start for a number of power five teams. He’s ready to play right now. I’m just not taking Will (Fuller) off the field unless I have to.” “EQ” has the size and athletic abilities to become a transcendent wide receiver and 2016 may be the year the country learns how to correctly pronounce “Eq-uan-i-me-ous.”

Consider Miles Boykin the dark horse candidate to break out in 2016. Boykin is listed at 6’3 and an overpowering 225 lbs. He has been linked to lapses of inconsistency, whether that is drops or mistaken routes. But the sheer girth Boykin adds to the receiving corps is apparent in his frame. Boykin referred to his size in a recent interview, saying, “Knowing how to use (size) is the difference between knowing how to use it in the high school level, and knowing how to use it in college. People are stronger and you just have to fight through that, like running through friction and going up and getting balls and being physical with them.” Stepping up to the learning curve has been a process. If the consistency can begin to shine through, Boykin could immediately become a red zone threat, utilizing his size to essentially box out defenders in the end zone. Boykin has the summer and fall camp to convince position coach Mike Denbrock and ultimately Coach Kelly that he belongs on the field come game time.

The talent, especially young talent that #NDFB has at its disposal entering the 2016 season is second to none. The question still remains: Who will Zaire or Kizer turn to when the game is on the line…?

The post Will Another Star Receiver Emerge In ’16? appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

I’m told this fellow attended no fewer than three colleges. Though he learned about criminal justice at one of them, he obviously did not major in communication studies at any of them.

I understand that newspapermen can be a tough crowd. Plenty of Notre Dame officials and student-athletes have had to face the glare of the bright lights and the shouted questions of the rabble, defended by nothing more than a podium and their wits. As an educator, I will take this opportunity to show how one should handle the loyal opposition…er…I mean the media. I present to you a hypothetical press conference.

[We enter in medias res.*]

Coach Kelly’s contract was just renewed for another five years. Since he hasn’t won a championship, hasn’t produced a Heisman winner, and lost his most recent bowl game to a far superior coach whom you couldn’t lure to Notre Dame, isn’t it clear that you’ve settled for annual mediocrity and given up on Irish football greatness?

You must have graduated from the University in the 1960s. Brian Kelly is an excellent coach. He has over 200 victories, 55 of them with the Fighting Irish. We competed for the National Championship in 2012, a season in which we were ranked first on the football field and first in graduation success rate. That had never been done before. He is a good family man, a pillar of the community, and a snappy dresser with a dazzling array of tartan sport coats. Though in the past he may have toyed with the idea of coaching a professional football team, he has come to appreciate what Ara Parseghian knew, Dan Devine experienced, and Lou Holtz learned the hard way – it’s far more rewarding to stay at Notre Dame than to go anywhere else. The NFL isn’t for everyone…just ask Nick Saban.

I have a follow-up screed. But Kelly obviously can’t recruit. He had a lackluster class this year, falling far behind the likes of Alabama, Florida State, and even Michigan. By the way, did you see the glory and majesty that was Michigan’s “Signing of the Stars?” You must admit that Jim Harbaugh is indeed touched with the purest magic.

Since there was no interrogative sentence in there, I can’t really answer a question. But I can reflect on your flight of fancy. Coach Kelly recruits what he needs, and develops what he recruits. Isn’t that the goal? Coach Kelly does not oversign, does not revoke scholarships, and does not deceive his players. They will have to work as hard in the classroom as on the field, and graduation is their ultimate goal. After all, this is Notre Dame, not Alabama.

Since I’m fixated and rude, I’ll continue my panegyric to The Harbaugh, blessed be he. How could Notre Dame have fallen so far, that no less than Lou Holtz joined The Harbaugh on stage to serenade the Michigan recruits and fans with a ballad to the greatness of Big Blue? Clearly Notre Dame’s shameless and dastardly cancellation of the series with Michigan caused one of its most devoted acolytes to convert to the one true faith in The Harbaugh, all praise and honor to him.

While you befoul yourself in ecstasy, let me point out once again, that scheduling difficulties on both sides of the Notre Dame-Michigan series necessitated a temporary hiatus. It is out of the ordinary that Notre Dame initiated this pause in the action, since it was Michigan that created the original 33-year rift after Fielding Yost became inconsolable in the face of his first defeat by Notre Dame. But Michigan fans really need to have some self-respect and stop acting like jilted lovers who hate their former paramours so much that they can’t stop thinking and talking about them. Harbaugh should be happy that he has had the opportunity to get his (clay) feet under him without having to fight the Irish. The series will commence again, and Harbaugh will have his shot, since his electronic leash doesn’t allow him to be farther than 50 feet from his Michigan keepers.

As for Lou Holtz, he was returning a favor as any man of integrity is expected to do. Michigan had him for a day, but since Holtz has a reservation in Cedar Grove, we have him for eternity. Besides which, Holtz was talking about his experience coaching against the Wolverines; he had no part in recruiting players for Michigan. He remains loyal to Notre Dame, but he is free to participate in events of his choosing. That said, I will not be joining in Jesuit Vocation Awareness Week.

Since my colleague from Ann Arbor has collapsed in a spittle-flecked trance, I’d like to redirect our focus to Notre Dame’s real rival, USC. Pat Haden is stepping down as athletic director, meaning that the momentary stumble before Notre Dame in football will immediately return to a decade of Trojan victories. Ready?

Allow me to wish Pat Haden well. He is a gentleman and a scholar. For several years he called Notre Dame games from our press box along with that older Hammond lady who, I presume, is his wife. May they both have a happy retirement together. Pat did the best he could at USC, but he was truly like Daniel in the Liars’ Den. I would need medical attention, too, if I tried to do that job. As for a replacement, I understand the Manziel fellow is looking for work these days. I know he doesn’t have a college degree, but let’s face it – USC athletics has never been about education. And Manziel’s lifestyle would fit quite nicely with the USC campus ethos. In the alternative, Urban Meyer could take over as USC’s athletic director, since he’s been at Ohio State for four years, and that’s far too long for him to remain at any dream job. Besides, if Urban left the Big Ten, Harbaugh would sleep better…in whichever recruit’s bunk bed he is camping out.

A junior on the football team has just been elected Student Body President. How can he do both?

If Knute Rockne could teach chemistry; serve as athletic director; run the business office and the ticket office; coach track and football; design football equipment, uniforms, and the Stadium; write newspaper columns and books; broker stock and sell Studebakers, all while raising four children, I think our Robinson lad can make the Dean’s List, make the catches to score the touchdowns, and faithfully execute the office of Student Body President all at once. That’s why we recruit scholar-athletes – they’re just more interesting.

Back to Harbaugh. Michigan will be holding football practice over Spring Break in Florida. Isn’t that a hoot! How brilliant of them! But the University of Florida is saying that’s not fair. What’s their problem, and why is Notre Dame so backward?

After a long and cold first half of the semester studying and keeping themselves fit, our scholar-athletes have earned a week’s respite. The University of Florida is angry because it is school policy that Spring Break is for lewd and lascivious behavior, hospitalizations, and arrests, not football practice. And Harbaugh needs to get a life and let his players have their own – one of them is going to take out a restraining order against him sooner or later.

At a recent basketball game, your students stormed the court after defeating top-ranked North Carolina. But don’t Notre Dame students rush the field and storm the court too much? Isn’t it too dangerous?

It’s a game, it’s excitement – deal with it. If we have rules for when and how to spontaneously express emotion, we’ve really gone way too far (though I wouldn’t put it past the Oberkommando der Student Affairs). Games are for cheering, yelling, and when you come from behind to win, running onto the court to celebrate. If you don’t like that, betake yourself up to that quaint little club overlooking the court where you can enjoy a genteel aperitif and canapés without those obnoxious students and fans. And just wait until we open the Decadence Boxes in the Stadium addition – fainting couches and intravenous booze delivery will make it more silent that a church on Good Friday.

How can a supposedly Catholic school permit an event like the Keenan Revue which annually manages to insult everybody and crosses every boundary of taste and decorum?

It’s vulgar, obscene, and bawdy. It’s just what this place needs. For those offended, I have extra Holy Water to use as eye-wash and ear-rinse. I would make the Holy Oils available, but the dancing lads would just grease themselves up for that smutty kick-line. It’s filth…but it’s our kind of filth.

That’s all the time I have for now. Your questions have been patronizing, condescending, and offensive. I have tried to respond in kind.

And now I’m going to drink a lot of Budweis cheap red wine.

EFS CSC

* This is Latin, students. You would be able to translate it if we still required you to study the great Classical Languages. If you don’t think it’s cool to study Classics, I would remind you that the Englishman who sang at halftime of the Super Bowl graduated with a degree in Latin and Greek…trusa illud in fistulam tuam et id fuma!

Padre’s book Father Sorin Says: The Founder Comments on Today’s Notre Dame, is available from the Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore and Amazon. Don’t give it to a Michigan or USC fan…or may be you should…

The post Good Fridays w/Padre: Bad Question appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Courtesy of @RobinsonBlais16

Corey Robinson, a rising senior wide receiver, was elected Notre Dame’s student body president for the 2016-17 academic year, according to the Observer, Notre Dame’s school newspaper.

All 3 tickets declined to release final vote percentages. There will not be a runoff, meaning Robinson-Blais won at least 50%

— The Observer (@NDSMCObserver) February 11, 2016

Robinson and Rebecca Blais, his running mate, received the Observer’s endorsement before voting began Wednesday. The editorial board wrote:

Overall, we believe the Robinson-Blais ticket provides the most innovative and exciting approach to best serve Notre Dame students and act as an effective link between students and the University administration. Their focus on building upon existing resources and opportunities to make further progress in strengthening a relationship with South Bend and combatting sexual assault makes for an ambitious yet attainable vision for the coming year.

Robinson has said his duties as student body president would not diminish his commitment to the football team. He told the newspaper that “he would be able to minimize class commitments because he will have already completed his senior thesis and attained enough credits to graduate and thus be able to fully dedicate his time and attention to student government and football.”

Robinson – the son of Hall of Famer David Robinson – saw a diminished role on the football team this year. He caught 16 passes for 200 yards and one touchdown, while catching 40 passes for 539 yards and five scores last year. Off the field, Robinson is the student government’s athletics representative and a Program of Liberal Studies major with a minor in sustainability.

Blais is a rising junior majoring in political science, with a supplementary major in peace studies. She is already part of student government’s Executive Cabinet and is a member of the University Committee on Sexual Assault Prevention.

Congratulations to Robinson and Blais. Best of luck in governing!

—

Our condolences to rising sophomore Jerry Tillery, who helped manage an unsuccessful ticket. There’s always next year!

The post Observer: Irish WR Robinson Elected Student Body President appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Junior hurdler Andrew Helmin and junior wide receiver Corey Robinson started the charity One Shirt, One Body. The campaign came after Helmin’s roommate was planning to throw away all of his used issued gear and Helmin had the idea to bring it back to his younger brother and his friends. The joy these kids had after receiving the gear gave Andrew the idea for One Shirt, One Body.

The program started with just Notre Dame athletes donating their used gear to South Bend’s Center for the Homeless but has expanded with the help of Corey Robinson. Robinson talked with the ACC student-athlete advisory board and was able to get other ACC schools on board. With the ACC’s backing of One Shirt, One Body, the organization was displayed in the NCAA convention in January. The movement is now supported by the NCAA and many schools in each conference and it is still expanding.

Thanks to two kind and generous Notre Dame athletes, kids in the local communities of each of the One Shirt, One Body schools will have issued gear and the chance to interact with some of their favorite athletes and mentors.

If you want to know more about One Shirt, One Body follow them on Twitter @OneShirtOneBody or check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyR0viNyjIE&feature=youtu.be&a

The post Proud To Be ND appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

For the first time in a long time, I found myself downright pissed at Notre Dame at halftime.

The 35-20 lead that the Irish took into the locker room might as well have been flipped. The effort was uninspiring. The offense sputtered far too often, including a terrible interception due to, of all people, Will Fuller trying to catch the ball with his body and not his hands. The defense looked lost, giving up three consecutive UMass drives for touchdowns, including a one-play, 78-yard drive that made Marquis Young look like Leonard Fornette.

I wanted Brandon Wimbush to start the second half. C.J. Prosise should have only needed his impressive 100+ yard first quarter before he took a well-deserved rest for the remainder of the game. Nyles Morgan should have been flying around the field while Jaylon Smith and Joe Scmidt were carefully bubble-wrapped on the sidelines. The Irish looked to be on pace for such a performance for most of the first quarter, but everything just seemed to fall apart.

Then the second half happened and everything was great again.

This game reminded me of so many other non-ND games that I have watched before. You take a top-ten team against a ridiculously weak opponent. The top-ten team falls on their face and, by halftime, you start to entertain the notion of a huge upset. More often than not, halftime is where such thoughts remain and quickly die as said superior team figures it out and just trounces their opponent like it was nothing in the second half.

I can’t tell you how much I’ve wanted a Notre Dame team to come out with a similar response. It seemed to be all or nothing with the Irish. If a blowout was going to happen, it went wire-to-wire. If there was a struggle, that too went wire-to-wire.

Something finally clicked against UMass, as the Irish dominated UMass 27-7 in the second half, mostly played by backups, to finish the day with an impressive 62-27 victory that covered any spread Vegas conceived comfortably.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3afbWJ5ufQ

By the time the final whistle blew, you could take your pick on impressive and historical stats that the Irish managed to compile. They scored 60 points for the first time since 1996 against Rutgers (man, that school is still taking in the shorts these days) and their 457 rushing yards on 51 attempts for a 8.96 yards/rush average (hell yes, I’m bolding that sexy stat) where the highest since they ran over Boston College in 1996 for 426 yards.

More run the damn ball goodness: Notre Dame has rushed for over 200 yards every game since the Music City Bowl against LSU. The last time the Irish did that was in 2000 under Bob freakin’ Davie when the Irish did it six times in a row (sidenote: I’m now cheering hard for this team to topple that mark now that I’m aware). Notre Dame also came close to having three rushers go for over 100 yards and probably would have if Wimbush didn’t stumble on one of his runs in which he had nothing but green turf ahead of him, finishing with “only” 92 yards.

C.J. Prosise led the day with 149 yards on 15 carries, notching two TDs. He now has 600 rushing yards this season with 495 in the past three games which is the most in a three game stretch since Julius Jones in 2003. Prosise is also the first ND back with three consecutive 100-yard games since Darius Walker in 2005. He was almost outdone by freshman Josh Adams who had 133 yards on 13 carries and a 70 yard TD.

Adams wasn’t the only freshman to find the endzone against UMass. The aforementioned Wimbush had a TD run. Dexter Williams found paydirt. And C.J. Sanders returned a punt for a TD (shockingly, out of what appeared to be a punt safe call) which was the first Irish punt return for a TD since Golden Tate in 2009 and the first in ND stadium since Tom Zbikowski (!) in 2006.

Oh, and that Will Fuller guy got another TD reception, the 22nd of his ND career. Minor footnote.

Even with the second half freshman party, the game wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Despite Cole Luke pulling down the first INT of the season for the Irish on a Mathias Farley tip drill, the secondary had very little to hang its hat on. For quite a bit of the game, UMass receivers consistently burned Irish DBs in one-on-one coverage, which is ever-so concerning with Clemson and Southern Cal right around the corner.

I’m honestly not sure what the issue is here. Brian VanGorder could be trusting his DBs too much against inferior opponents and blitzing more than he should. Both Virginia and this game against UMass had borderline disaster moments against the pass. Perhaps the blitz rate slows down against Clemson next week (although with freshman all over that O-line, I doubt it), but even then, when the Irish drop into zone, the windows appear to be so large that I’m pretty sure I could complete a pass.

Make no mistake, the Irish are getting pressure even if the sacks aren’t coming very often. However, it appears that opposing QBs (Swoopes excluded) are able to find their open receiver quickly than BVG would like.

Whatever the issue is, I’m hoping there is another SWAG team that BK has up his sleeve that can help fix it. While Clemson has shown some holes in their game, the Irish simply can’t afford to let Deshaun Watson pick them apart and place all the pressure in the world on DeShone Kizer on the road.

But all-in-all this was a game that would drive you to drink out of anger and joy. I both hated and loved this game. At the end of the day, the scoreboard reading CFB fan/pollster will chalk this up as a dominating ND victory against a vastly inferior opponent which is exactly what the Irish want. The silver lining to the terrible moments of the first half will give Brian Kelly and staff more than enough ammo in the next week of practice.

EVEN BETTER: no one had a season ending injury. There were some injuries before the game as Tyler Luatua was held out with a concussion and Corey Robinson suffered a knee sprain during warm-ups and will have an MRI to confirm there is nothing more serious. Ronnie Stanley gave us all a scare as he went down after being rolled up on, but Kelly stated after the game it was only patellar tendonitis and not major.

(By the way, big ‘ol h/t to UND.com for all of the awesome historical information for this game.)

The post Notre Dame vs. UMass 62-27: The Game I Hated and Have Always Wanted appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

When Mel Kiper releases a big board, people pay attention (and Frank Caliendo gets an extended lease on relevancy). Kiper released his “way too early Big Board for 2016” ($$) today, and the Irish were well represented in the top 25. The players are unsurprising. Finding himself in Kiper’s top 10 is returning receiver offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley. Stanley’s draft stock rose towards the end of last season and by the time the deadline to declare for the NFL draft neared, Stanely seemed perhaps more likely to go than stay. Many draft professionals/analysts have suggested that had Stanley come out this year, he would have been the first offensive tackle off the board. With players like Laremy Tunsil (Ole Miss) and Jack Conklin (Michigan State) also draft eligible after next season, Stanley may no longer be a lock to be the first lineman off the board, but barring a serious catastrophe (someone please light a candle at the Grotto for me saying this), Stanley’s a near lock to go in the top 10-15 of next year’s draft.

The other player Kiper (and others) are already sold on is favored son Jaylon Smith. Smith’s combination of athleticism and production make him a near lock to go early in whatever draft he decides to wade into. That’s the catch with Smith. I tend to this early in the process be among the people who think Jaylon will comeback for his senior season in order to graduate regardless of what the draft report says about him. He’s had a bright light shone on him for quite sometime being a top national recruit and immediate starter for the Irish following in the footsteps of a similarly touted player, Manti Te’o. It’s a gut instinct based off of Smith’s interviews, but unless his relationship with the university sours, I view him as a guy more likely than not to comeback despite being draft eligible.

Kiper’s colleague and on again, off again lover Todd McShay put out his “Way-too-early 2016 Mock Draft” ($$) recently as well. Similar to Kiper, McShay views both Stanley and Jaylon Smith as early favorites to be first round possibilities.

So I’m not accused of being a corporate shill for ESPN Insider subscriptions, I’ll point you to another early 2016 draft big board that might have ND fans losing their damn minds. Matt Miller over at Bleacher Report’s released his early Top 50 for the 2016 draft, and ummmm…he might be receiving a paycheck from Brian Kelly.

In addition to having Stanley (4) and Smith (8) in his top 10, he also has Sheldon Day (18), Corey Robinson (!)(22), and KeiVarae Russell (28) all as (theoretic) first round caliber players. Both Day and Russell are names that I would expect to gain momentum as the season goes along. Prior to Russell’s off field problems last season, he seemed like a guy in a fantastic position to get himself into the first or second round draft conversation. Coming back to graduate and gain additional exposure while rehabilitating his character has an opportunity to reap major rewards for his stock.

Day’s another guy who I’ve seen written about multiple times. He seems destined to be drafted but has plenty riding on his on field performance this year. No one doubts Day’s technique or quickness. The question will be his weight and durability. Throughout his ND career, Day’s had a propensity to get nicked up at times. Additionally, from what I’ve read, several NFL scouts would like to see him add some weight while maintaining his quickness. A productive and healthy final season in South Bend could lead to him reaching Miller’s lofty rating, but for my taste, his early ranking feels like more of a cap than a starting point.

Then there’s Corey Robinson, who I’ll confess, had my jaw dropping a bit that he was mentioned in any spring early look ahead to the 2016 draft articles. Miller does not have individual write ups, so it’s tough to tell exactly what his thought process was. However, it appears to be based more on Robinson’s potential given his size than on production to this point in his career. At 6’5” and with a strong athletic background, this is not as far-fetched as it may initially seem. After all, Rob Rang at CBSSports also put Robinson into the first round of his early 2016 mock draft. Miller also likes Chris Brown as a potential sleeper candidate.

With all of these write ups, I didn’t even see guys like Greg Bryant, Tarean Folston, or Will Fuller mentioned, and well, that’s fine by me. I will be happy to keep as much talent in South Bend for as long as possible. In the short run though, people legitimately worried about 2015’s 1 draft pick should be able to put those fears to rest because in 2016 it sounds like there’ll be a lot of Irish in attendance wearing flashy suits and hugging the commish.

The post The Irish and the 2016 NFL Draft (Because, Why Not?) appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

PODCASTS

• Irish Sports Talk: DaVaris at NFL Combine & Notre Dame scholarship at 82 – Feb 23 IST153 (46:45)
• Irish Illustrated: Insider Podcast #166 – Turnover margins (44:55)

VIDEO

• StudentSports: GoPro: Manti Te’o – Hawaii linebacker coach (2:06)
• WatchND: Tire Wars (0:42)

CURRENT TEAM

• Irish Illustrated: Spring questions: Defensive line (Jarron Jones, Isaac Rochell, Romeo Okwara, Andrew Trumbetti, Grant Blankenship, Jhonny Williams, Jonathan Bonner, Jay Hayes, Sheldon Day, Kolin Hill, Daniel Cage, Jacob Matuska, Pete Mokwuah, Jerry Tillery, Micah Dew-Treadway)
• Inside the Irish: Spring solutions: Wide receivers (Will Fuller, Corey Robinson, Chris Brown, C.J. Prosise, Amir Carlisle, Torii Hunter Jr., Corey Holmes, Justin Brent)
• Athlon Sports: College football’s top 20 running backs on the rise for 2015 (Tarean Folston)
• Bleacher Report: 1 thing opponents should fear about every Power 5 college football team in 2015 (“The defense has figured it out”)
• Slap the Sign: Notre Dame spring battles: Malik Zaire vs. Everett Golson
• UHND: Where’s the rush for Notre Dame football? (Romeo Okwara, Jhonny Williams, Kolin Hill, Jaylon Smith, Andrew Trumbetti, Grant Blankenship)
• The Observer: Seniors share advice with University freshmen (Matthias Farley)

RECRUITING

• Scout: Ohio QB still adding offers (Messiah deWeaver)
• Scout: Pylon 7v7: Auston Robertson
• iSportsWeb: Michigan State football recruiting: Auston Robertson names leader
• The Patriot-News: Penn State 2016 recruiting: ‘All-wish list’ offense includes commits Jake Zembiec, Miles Sanders (Cary Angeline)
• Bleacher Report: 2016 college football recruits who could change a program instantly (Dwayne Haskins, Rashan Gary)
• NJ.com: Cedar Creek’s Ahmir Mitchell, N.J.’s top wide receiver, to visit Rutgers Monday
• Eleven Warriors: Defensive line options abound in 2016, Buckeyes searching for new bullets (Naquan Jones, Rashan Gary, Kyree Campbell, Auston Robertson, Austin Mack)
• TigerNet: 5-star DB: “I love Clemson with all my heart,” commits to LSU (Savion Smith)
• Irish Turning Point: Dwayne Haskins
• Irish Turning Point: Woody Barrett
• UHND: Notre Dame recruiting ’16 needs: Defense (Auston Robertson, Josh King, Damar Hamlin, Eric Monroe, Craig Watts, Devin Studstill, Lokeni Toailoa, Jaquan Yulee and Curtis Robinson)
• Irish Sports Daily: Gicewicz enjoys Irish brotherhood on visit (Paul Gicewicz)

COACHING

• Inside the Irish: All signs (still) point to Keith Gilmore as defensive line coach
• UConn Huskies: Strong coaching ties have influenced Verducci
• ND Insider: Archive photos: Todd Lyght at Notre Dame

IRISH IN THE NFL

• ESPN: Fantasy football combine review: Maxx Williams most likely to succeed in weak tight end class (Ben Koyack)
• Awful Announcing: Fox’s Brady Quinn making a comeback bid?

SCHEDULING

• Official Notre Dame Athletic Blog: Where will the 2015 Blue-Gold Game be played?
• FB Schedules: BYU A.D. talks future football games with Utah & Notre Dame
• Anderson Independent Mail: 2015 lookahead: Pre-spring Clemson football projections

MISC.

• Sportsnet: Greatest uniforms in Sports, No. 8: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
• NewsOK: Media report: Oklahoma State receiver Ra’Shaad Samples to transfer

The post Morning Roundup: Feb. 25, 2015 appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.