Save for Weis making quite the debut against a very unprepared Pitt led by Dave Wannstedt, the ND/Pitt series has been defined by a single possession contest as of late. To be honest, it’s really hard to explain why. For the most part, Pitt has been a medicore team that Notre Dame is usually better than. Last year’s game was probably the best example of this: an undefeated Irish squad hanging on for dear life against a team that finished 6-7 with a BBVA Compass Bowl loss.

It would stand to reason that tomorrow night we will see yet another game that’s too close for comfort. Vegas agrees too. As of this morning, Notre Dame is only favored by 4 points.

But you know what? I say bring on the heart attack.

Notre Dame is 10-0 the last two seasons such contests. Keep the Irish in the game, and this team will find a way to win. It’s playing to our strength.

So while I would prefer that Notre Dame party like its 2005 against Pitt tomorrow night, I embrace the close game and the heart attack that comes with it. After all, that’s why the good Lord blessed us with alcohol.

The Roundup

Texas has hired a new AD. And it isn’t the guy that was almost a certainty last week.

So obviously, a new AD means NICK SABAN TO TEXAS. The rumor mill around this just won’t die.

And while we are on the topic of backing up a Brinks truck to convince coaches to move, here’s USA Today’s annual guess at what each coach in the FBS makes. Be warned, these aren’t exact for various reasons.

I can see it now, the first NCAA violation for contact lenses. After ABC made such a huge deal about Jameis Winston squinting at the sidelines, he got fitted for some contact lenses, although the company might have jumped the gun in using his likeness on their Facebook page. Bonus points to them if they gave him the lenses and service for free because that would be a hilariously stupid way to get in trouble.

Defensive end emeritus, Kapron Lewis-Moore is back. He saw his first NFL practice this week after his knee injury in the BCS Championship game. Welcome back to the field, Kap!

Now, let’s switch over to current defensive linemen. Louis Nix III is doing that whole student-athlete thing.

And now your moment of zen…

[youtube id=”bFKp2PEwnCY”]

Put These Games on Your Radar

Last week was one of those weeks that I would just want to light on fire and forget forever as 1-5 is simply horrid. I’m glad I didn’t pick Thursday’s games because I would’ve been 0-2 to start this week.

With the disaster now behind me, I’ve fallen below .500 to 12-13. Let’s turn this back around, shall we?

As always, picks are in bold and have the spread listed next to them (Firefox won’t show the bold).

Predictions

The old Subway Domer staff is on the board! One of the Irish Twins (#1), came threw with the closest Navy prediction this week. It’s still anyone’s game.

NDtex (@HLS_NDTex)

REVERSE PYSCOLOGY TIME: I made an entire post dedicated to how close this game will be so I say ND survives 30 – 24.

Naturally, we’ll win by 30.

Biscuit (@HLS_Biscuit)

Via:

Genac this! As always!

Pitt’s another program that (finally) made a good hire in Chryst. Dude knows what he is doing and while Pitt will never again be a powerhouse, they’ll be competitive. They need to figure out the QB position, but they have a stable of good receivers and a couple raw but talented QBs duking it out. This was the trap game last year that is ASU for us this year. But I don’t think the Irish will let it happen again.

It’s a long season and I could see the Irish needing to rest up and heal up a bit in the 2nd half of the season, but Air Force and Navy should allow for that in the 2nd halves of those games. Pitt won’t sneak up this year.

ND Wins 24-17

  2 Leprechauns. Not a landslide, and Pitt always plays their best against us.

Bayou Irish (@HLS_BayouIrish)

Because it’s Pitt, it’s heart-attack city. Or maybe it’s the result of eating what passes for cuisine in a city where grease is a recognized condiment. I’m clearly looking for ND to “click” in all phases, at all times. Maybe it actually happens in a game away from the distractions of the Dome and after two weeks of option football. If so, the Irish win 28-20. If not, and if the O-Line can’t handle Pitt’s Aaron Donald, we’re in for a loss, actually, 17-10.

[Tex: Yeah, you’re totally only getting .5 if you hit one of these.]

Twibby (@HLS_Twibby)

ND 31, Pitt 24

Irish Elvis (@IrishElvis)

1st Quarter: Start Fast
Irish offense clicks early and notches TDs on the first 2 possessions.

The Irish Twins (@HLS_IT1 & @HLS_Podcast)

Twin 2 “The Younger” (@HLS_Podcast):

A win against Pittsburgh is more likely than not. So we got that going for us, which is nice. Tallying eight wins on the year probably checks off the minimum acceptable requirement for most Irish fans. There is plenty to love about this team going into this game, and everyone hopes to see a continued unveiling of talent from guys like Folston, Fuller, and Smith. All this being said, when faced with a beatable team, ND has deferred more often than not to making that team look better than they are. Night lights and travel plans are thrown into this week’s stew, but it won’t change the reality that the next step for this team toward championship caliber is to handily beat inferior teams from kickoff to buzzer. They haven’t shown they can do that against anyone but Air Force.

Irish win 27 – 17 

Twin 1 (@HLS_IT1): 

Probably requires a special teams TD to get here… 42-24 Irish, and I wake up in a new Bugatti

Blog Davie (@BlogDavie)

Conventional wisdom suggests that this will be a close game, so I’ll go out on a limb and say ND 49 Pitt 6.

Steve in Iowa (@SteveInIowa1)

I think I would have won pick’em if not for Irish Twin 1 last week. Sigh.

The last five Pitt games have been decided by six or fewer is that correct? Sigh.

While ND has a statistical edge in most team stats it’s still pretty close with Pitt? Sigh.

Pitt is still smarting after a big choke job in double OT last year and so is motivated for revenge? Sigh.

Forget all that. This week ND puts it all together on offense and defense to get those much needed style points. Vegas says ND -3 1/2, I’d take that and a lot more as this group is tired off all the questions and will assert their will. Notre Dame wins it walking away 35-17. 

ManCaveQB (@ManCaveQB)

ND 27-24

SuperManTDJesus (@SuperManTDJesus)

ND starts strong, scores twice, and then stalls for a nice aggravating chunk of the game keeping things interesting into the 4th quarter. A touchdown by Pitt early in the final stanza makes us all drink in excess as we contemplate life and whether or not we’ve made the right decisions up to this point, but a pair of rushing scores down the stretch aided by a turnover help us forget all that shit and blackout with smiles on our faces.

ND 34 Pitt 17

The Beer Booze

We’re playing a game in Pennsylvania, this one’s easy: ALL THE YUENGLING!

The post Friday Roundup: The “Embracing a Heart Attack” Edition appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Send three volleys of cheers on high for our Seniors! Hurrah! Hurrah! Hooray! As final exams end today, so begins your last week at Notre Dame. Be proud. Be gracious. Be generous. Be humble. But above all, be happy! For you have achieved something great. And you have achieved it together. When you arrived here as a herd of freshmen in 2009, did you think that in your Senior year you would see your classmates lead your football team to an undefeated season and a #1 ranking? Probably not. And so you have learned something – you have learned to believe. You see, we use football not just as a diversion, we use it as a teaching device. That’s the only way to be #1 on the field and #1 where we are now…graduation.

What, then, did you learn on the field and in the stands over the past four years? You learned that the only way to achieve victory is through very hard work, every single time. You learned that success is not instant – it is gradual and it requires both dedication and change. And you learned that to any goal which you ardently desire, you must devote your intelligence, your courage, and your strength.

In the classroom, which you have occupied far longer than the Stadium, and which you have shared not just with your classmates from the football team, but from every one of our tremendously successful teams, you have learned to think and to reason, to calculate and to deduce. In the classroom you learned to use your mind; in the stadiums and arenas, you learned to use your heart. And that is why, when you graduate, you wear a mortarboard on your head and a black robe across your chest. You are clothed in the uniform of achievement and victory.

But this cap-and-gown is really the Shamrock Series uniform of your life – it’s pretty funny looking, it’s comprised of a combination of odd colors, and you only wear it once. It also leaves out something essential…it leaves out your hands. You’ve learned to use your intelligence and your courage, your mind and your heart. But what about your strength? That’s in your hands. Hands that will write, compose, and design; hands that will care, heal, and cure; hands that will instruct, admonish, and encourage; hands that will pile up treasures and give away gifts; hands that will hold your children or be anointed with the oils of holy orders.

And it is onto your hand that is placed the most important symbol of Notre Dame graduation: The Ring. A beautiful ring that at graduation is taken off, flipped around, and put back on for the rest of your life. Our Lady’s Golden Dome on one side; Our Life, Our Sweetness, and Our Hope on the other; sprinkled throughout with the Irish symbol of blessing, the shamrock. It is not a symbol of graduation – it is a symbol of life.

Whenever you have the chance, look at the ring of an older alumnus. It is nicked and dinged, and there are chips missing here and there. So, too, will your life be marked by tests and trials, failures and losses. But these blemishes do not diminish the overall beauty of the ring; they make the ring unique to the wearer. And neither will these travails diminish the overwhelming beauty of your life; they will make it your life.

Whenever you have the chance, look at the ring of an ancient alumnus. It has been made smooth by age and years of hard wearing. All the sharp features are gone, along with all the scratches and scars, and it shines brightly all over. Let that happen to your life, too.

Make no mistake, your hands haven’t spent all of the last four years bent to work or folded in prayer. Your hands have caught footballs on the quad and held beer cans at parties. Your hands have clapped when your teams have won and when your friends have made fools of themselves in ridiculous situations. Your hands have stashed things in pockets, and executed pranks and dirty tricks. Your ring doesn’t somehow consecrate all these exploits, but it reminds you of all these good times that you’ve enjoyed under the Dome etched in its side – and in your hearts forever.

When you arrived here as a herd of freshmen in 2009, we said, “Welcome to Notre Dame!” As you graduate in 2013, we say, “Welcome to your lives!” No matter where you’re going, whether it’s across the country or around the world, you won’t be far. Because this place will always be here. And a good part of you will always be here…forever.

EFS CSC

The post Good Fridays w/Padre: Last Hurrah appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

My weekend started out on Thursday with a day of research in Notre Dame Archives sifting through decades of Notre Dame football photographs. It was a lovely walk down memory lane for me, along with some bitter sweet memories of those who are no longer with us, but I was able to get my work done with time to spare!

Notre Dame Archives

Notre Dame Archives

Then I made a side trip to the second floor of the library for a little editing work on the manuscript. Oh the hours that I’ve spent in this building! Look familiar Miss Quinn?

Second Floor – Hesburgh Library

Thursday night I caught up with friends, regrouped, and got ready for another hectic day. Friday got off to a busy start with a photo shoot on campus for the upcoming book.

(Photo Credit: Lynne Gilbert)

Then I got the chance to meet USA Network’s “The Moment” star Vince Moiso and his lovely family.

USA Network’s Vince Moiso from “The Moment”

And producer Charlie Ebersol …

USA Network producer, Charlie Ebersol

Followed by a delightful 45 minute conversation with Notre Dame head photographer, Matt Cashore.

My best pal Lynne and Matt Cashore!

Quick outfit change and off to the Alumni Football Dinner we go!

Football Alumni Dinner

At my table I got to sit with current football players Austin Collinsworth and Ben Councell. A pair of delightful young men that I am proud to call Notre Dame men.

Ben Councell and Austin Collinsworth, oh and me!

At the table next to me was my best pal and classmate, Irv Smith, sitting with Big Lou, Louis Nix III.

Louis Nix III and Irv Smith. (Photo Credit: Lynne Gilbert)

Dinner was awesome. The keynote speakers included TJ Jones, Bennett Jackson, Kyle Rudolph and head coach Brian Kelly. I am so very proud of these young men, especially TJ Jones. He has really stepped up, not only as a true Notre Dame man, but as the man of his house since the passing of his father, Andre. God bless you TJ!

TJ Jones

I had the chance to catch up with one of my Dad’s classmates, Heisman Trophy winner John Huarte. What a truly wonderful man.

Heisman Trophy winner, John Huarte

And I also had the chance to catch up with my classmate, Irv Smith. It seems like not a day has passed since we were in school!

Irv Smith

Following dinner I had the opportunity to go to a reception in the stadium which included a tour of the locker room and a chance to touch the “Play Like A Champion Today” sign. Yep, I could die right now a very happy girl!

The Notre Dame locker room!

Cindy and I in the locker room!

See, Notre Dame and St. Mary’s girls can get along!

The sign!!

Play Like a Champion Today

All this and I’m not even to the game yet! Saturday was another bright and early day! First stop, the TNNDN tailgate and some time with classmate Oscar McBride.

Oscar McBride

Then a quick stop to the monogram lunch to catch up with a few more friends …

Oscar McBride, Kapron Lewis Moore, Irv Smith

And …

Former teammates Irv Smith, Lee Becton and Oscar McBride

Game time and I had the honor of being down on the field with some of my pals. You could not have asked for better football weather … sunny, crisp air, blue sky … perfect.

2013 Notre Dame Blue-Gold Game

On the sideline with the boys …

Irv Smith and Oscar McBride

Tight End U …

Wide Receiver Bobby Brown and Tight Ends: Irv Smith, Kyle Rudolph, Oscar McBride

THE moment of the game? Manti Te’o coming over to hug my friend Lynne … Amazing. The Notre Dame family is truly just that … family.

This says it all … Notre Dame is family. (Photo Credit: Matt Cashore)

It was a truly amazing weekend. I love my Notre Dame family more than words can express, and I have absolutely no complaints when football is part of my weekend schedule. Now I am just more in need for football season to get here.

My Notre Dame ladies!

How many days until Temple?

Sigh.

Cheers!

The post Blue-Gold Game Photo Journal appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Eight Notre Dame football stars took to Indianapolis to try and boost their draft fortunes and their results are after the jump.

Tyler Eifert

Before the combine, Eifert was already thought of as one of the best TEs available in the draft. After the combine, Eifert has likely sealed a spot in the first round.

Eifert remained steady in the top five of every drill that he participated in. No other TE was able to claim such well-balanced top honors. His 40 time and vertical jump alone would be enough to make coaches salivate, but considering that he was in the top three in the bench press was just icing on the cake.

I doubt any team will draft him as a “classic”, smash-mouth TE, but with the way NFL teams are using TEs split wide and as receiving threats (much like Kelly did all season), there will be a team that will gladly snatch Eifert up.

Prediction: 1st Round

Manti Te’o

Let’s just get this out of the way: Te’o didn’t impress at all in the combine. John Harbaugh agrees.

That being said, he still likely didn’t hurt his draft stock. Te’o was always slated as a possible 1st round pick, but in the middle to late part of the round at best. The simple fact is that linebackers just aren’t drafted that high. For Te’o to break that mold, he was going to have to amaze and he didn’t.

Even though it was a storyline during the combine, I think it’s safe to say the entire Leenay/Catfishing thing wasn’t really a focus for most NFL teams considering him.

Te’o didn’t help his draft status much, but I don’t think he did much to hurt it. He still has a chance at ND’s pro day to make a final impression.

Prediction: Late 1st Round – Early 2nd Round

Cierre Wood

Cierre left a potential year of eligibility on the table to chase down his NFL dream. Thus far, it appears that he made a decent gamble.

No one really expected Wood to have a stellar 40 time, yet he turned in a top-15 time. His biggest victory though was tacking on top-5 performances in the vertical and broad jump, showcasing that he has more than enough athletic talent to justify a mid-round draft pick.

Enjoy the payday, Cierre, you’ve earned it!

Prediction: 4th-5th Round

Theo Riddick

There is no doubt that Theo Riddick was just as much a part of the strong Irish running game as Cierre was, perhaps even more so when the tough yards were needed. However, Riddick simply didn’t come up with great numbers in his combine drills at all.

Theo is on the lower end of the NFL’s “draftable grade” rating, coming in at 51.05, with 50 being the cutoff for a draftable player.

The real question is what role a team thinks Theo could fill: third down back? Slot receiver? Backup/third RB for a changeup?

Theo definitely turned a lot of heads this season after a rather mediocre couple of years in the slot. Perhaps he will do so yet again, but most teams may just hope he slides into free agency and use their late round picks for other areas of need.

I have little doubt he’s going to find a way on a NFL roster, but whether that happens during or after the draft is still very much up in the air.

Prediction: 7th Round – Undrafted Free Agent

Braxston Cave

Cave was far from one of the more athletic linemen at the combine and not participating in the bench press makes it impossible to really compare his strength to other top talent.

Of all the Irish players to make a prediction for, Cave is by far the toughest. There were only 9 true centers at the combine so that alone works in Cave’s favor. Hell, I watched I think three centers attempt to play for the Cowboys this season alone*.

(*Do not get me started on how atrocious the Dallas offensive line is…)

Someone will definitely scoop him up. He’ll make a solid addition to a two-deep.

Dallas, please pick him. He at least knows how to pull of a shotgun snap which is already a huge improvement!

Prediction: 4th-5th Round

Kapron Lewis-Moore

KLM was at the combine simply to interview as he is still recovering from his awful ACL injury suffered at the title game.

I feel awful for the guy as he probably would’ve been drafted had that not happened.

Get well soon, Kap. I want to see you destroying people in the NFL.

Prediction: Undrafted Free Agent

Zeke Motta

Saying Zeke could’ve had a better day at the combine is an understatement. He had the lowest bench numbers of all safeties and the slowest 40 time of all DBs; in fact, he only bested linemen, a handful of LBs & TEs, and a couple of QBs & RBs in that category.

He did, however, end his day strong with top performances amongst all safeties with a top-5 performance in the 3 Cone Drill and was just .06 away from a top-5 finish in the 20 Yard Shuttle.

Hopefully, he has a much stronger showing at ND’s pro day because his draft stock absolutely plummeted today. Originally, I thought he would have a chance to be an early round pick…now, I just hope he gets drafted.

Prediction: 6th Round – Undrafted Free Agent

Jamoris Slaugther

Another unfortunate casualty to injury. There’s simply no way a team is going to take a risk picking him with the 2013 draft class being well-stocked with DBs.

Prediction: Undrafted Free Agent

The post NFL Combine: Eifert Impresses, Te’o Disappoints appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

In order to pass the intervening month in a joyous spirit, especially for those holed-up in the library during finals week, I have taken the liberty of reimagining an old Christmas song with some inspiring figures, making it wholly Notre Dame’s own.  I haven’t tried to force this into a singable meter – I’ll leave that for some creative students passing their “reading days” in a local tavern.  So even if this doesn’t get your toe tapping, it should lift your spirits as we eagerly anticipate the glorious festival of our salvation, the National Championship…oh, and Christmas.

Sung to the Tune of The Victory March The Twelve Days of Christmas – sort of – you know, “On the first day of Christmas, the Irish gave to me:”

12 Regular Season Victories

If you had asked a good number of “experts” and “journalists” in August of 2012, this entry should have been 12 losses…or at least six…but certainly five.  The Mayan Jaguar Priests didn’t disappear – they work as sports broadcasters now.

11 National Championships

That’s 11 undisputed, hands-down American college football titles.  Alabama lists something like 34, but that’s because they claim championships awarded by such groups as the Daughters of the Confederacy Chapter of Toad Suck, Arkansas.  And as we all know, they’re not very good as activities like counting.

10 Unbroken Commandments

No one is saying our lads are perfect.  As Catholics, we know very well how much we all sin (except the BVM).  But this is a figurative reminder that we continue to try very hard to produce good football players and Good football players, who go to class, avoid evil, and graduate.  And they certainly don’t covet any neighbors’ wives.

9 Different Decades at  #1

This is not some numerical manipulation or stretching of facts (see Alabama, Toad Suck, AR, above).  This reflects the fact that since the 1920s, Notre Dame has been the nation’s #1 team at least once a decade in every 10-year sequence, except from 2000-2010…and we will never speak of that again.  Besides, the BVM appreciates whenever I can work in a Rosary plug.

8 Undefeated, Untied Seasons

Brian Kelly and his lads have already achieved something that’s even more rare than an undefeated season.  They never even tied an opponent.  Of course, that has more to do with the rules change which instituted a bizarre trench-warfare overtime system that more so resembles two boxers squaring up to punch each other below the belt until one goes down than it does a tiebreaker.  But the fact remains that this Irish squad would have had two ties on its record, but instead slugged it out to pick up two wins…and caused their fans to age several decades in the process.

7 Heisman Trophies

This number is subject to change very shortly.  All that’s required for this entry to move up to eight, is a fit of honesty on the part of some voters.

6 Awards for Manti

I’m still not clear on how our big Hawaiian lad got to Northern Indiana, but with all these commemorative sculptures, we’ll have to pay some serious shipping charges to get him home.  Hawaii has given the Church two Saints in the last three years – and Hawaii has given Notre Dame one big hero.

5 Championship-Winning Coaches

This number is subject to change in one month.  What’s nice for Brian Kelly is that his Notre Dame “Dad” and “Grandpa” are still around to celebrate this with him.  Though I don’t think Lou or Ara would be eager to sit Brian on their knee and tell him stories about winning a championship, I’m sure they have shared their encouragement with the new kid.  And maybe they’ll take him fishing come spring when the lakes thaw.

4 Bear Bryant Losses

A legendary figure in American college football, he was responsible for six of Alabama’s championships that are real, not fever dreams.  But Bear Bryant never beat the Irish.  Not once.  Just ask Grandpa Ara.

3 French Priests

Let’s not lose sight of how we all got here.  If it weren’t for Fr. Basil Moreau and yours truly, there would be nothing to celebrate – literally.  And my nephew Fr. Auguste Lemonnier makes three Frenchmen.  The rest of the presidents have been Irish.  Except Ted Hesburgh who is a Luxembourger.  Which is close to France, but not close enough.

2 Mascots

Keep in mind that this will only be the Leprechaun’s fifth championship.  That’s not to say the little elf hasn’t earned it.  But all those Irish Terriers pulled their weight for the first seven championships, most famously Clashmore Mike.  Sure they smelled a bit, made a filthy mess, and were difficult to train.  But the dogs didn’t bite as hard as the Leprechaun.

1 Crystal Football

As trophies go, it’s not the most majestic.  It looks like it should be full of jellybeans or cigarette butts.  But it’s easy to hoist above one’s head.  Over the next month perhaps Papa Lou can lend Brian, Manti, Tyler, Kapron, and Zack his crystal football so they can practice the victory lift.

EFS CSC

The post Good Fridays w/Padre: Sing-Along appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

At HLS, this now means we start the process of breaking down as much Alabama information as possible for the next month as well as bracing for some newfound SEC visitors that happen to stumble upon us. For now though, less enjoy some reactions from Brian Kelly and the players in celebration of this great moment.

Some highlights from the EPSN show, including an interview with Brian Kelly and Nick Saban, who, much to the dismay of SEC fans I’m sure, compared us to his Alabama squad:

Some of the players react to the news:

And finally, Kelly addresses the media and chats a bit on ND injuries and the future matchup:

Oh, and just in case you still can’t believe this is real, here is the official press release from Notre Dame:

#1 Notre Dame and #2 Alabama to Meet in BCS Championship Game in South Florida

Top-ranked Notre Dame (12-0) will meet second-rated Alabama (12-1) as the top two teams in the final Bowl Championship Series poll square off Jan. 7, 2013, in the Discover BCS National Championship Game at Sun Life Stadium (71,540 capacity) in Miami Gardens, Fla. Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. EST.

For Notre Dame, it’s a first-ever trip to the BCS Championship Game. The Irish previously played in BCS gamesfollowing the 2000 (lost to Oregon State in Fiesta), 2005 (lost to Ohio State in Fiesta) and 2006 seasons (lost to LSU in Sugar).

For Alabama, it’s a second straight trip to the BCS Championship Game (and a third in four years) and the Tide’s fifth overall BCS appearance. Alabama is 2-2 in BCS games—with both its wins coming in championship games (after 2009 season over Texas, after 2011 season over LSU). The Tide also played in BCS games following the 1999 (lost to Michigan in Sugar) and 2008 (lost to Utah in Sugar) seasons.

For Notre Dame, it marks the first time any institution has been ranked number one in the current NCAA Graduation Success Rate football standings (at 97) and also played in the BCS Championship Game.

ESPN will nationally televise the game. ESPN Radio will carry the game nationally. Notre Dame’s IMG Radio Network also will carry the game to a limited number of affiliates.

It’s a matchup of the top two scoring defenses in the country–with Notre Dame ranking number one (allowing 10.33 points per game) and Alabama second (10.69).

It’s Notre Dame’s first appearance in a de-facto championship game since 1988 when the unbeaten andtop-rated Irish defeated third-ranked and unbeaten West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl to claim their 11^th consensus national title.

This game mirrors the 1973 Sugar Bowl in which top-ranked and unbeaten Alabama lost 24-23 to second-ranked and unbeaten Notre Dame at old Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, La.

For Notre Dame it’s a 32^nd postseason bowl appearance (15-16 record). It’s the third straight season under Brian Kelly the Irish have played in the postseason—following appearances in the 2010 Sun Bowl and the 2011 Champs Sports Bowl.

The Irish have played seven times previously in the Cotton Bowl (following 1969, 1970, 1977, 1978, 1987, 1992 and 1993 seasons), five times in the Orange Bowl (following 1972, 1974, 1989, 1990 and 1995 seasons), four times in the Sugar Bowl (1973, 1980, 1991, 2006), four times in the Fiesta Bowl (1988, 1994, 2000, 2005) and once in the Rose Bowl (1924).

Notre Dame has never played a game in Sun Life Stadium. All five Irish Orange Bowl games (two wins, three losses) were played at the old Orange Bowl Stadium. The Irish also played 13 times (6-6-1 record) at the Orange Bowl Stadium against Miami.

This marks the third time Notre Dame and Alabama have met in bowl games. In addition to that 1973 meeting, the two teams met a year later in the Orange Bowl following the 1974 regular season. The Tide again came in unbeaten at 11-0 and ranked number one, while the Irish were 9-2 and rated eighth (both UPI rankings). Notre Dame won that game 13-11 in Ara Parseghian’s final game as Irish head coach.

Overall, Notre Dame boasts a 5-1 record against Alabama. In addition to the Sugar Bowl and Orange Bowl wins following the 1973 and 1974 seasons, the Irish defeated the Tide 21-18 in 1976 in Notre Dame Stadium, 7-0 in 1980 at Birmingham’s Legion Field and 37-6 in 1987 in Notre Dame Stadium. Alabama’s only win over Notre Dame came in 1986 (Lou Holtz’s first season at Notre Dame) in a 28-10 victory at Legion Field in Birmingham.

Among connections between the two programs is Alabama director of athletics Mal Moore. He was the Notre Dame running backs coach from 1983-85 under Gerry Faust and also served as Irish assistant head coach in 1984 and 1985.

Both teams receive 17,000 tickets to the BCS Championship Game. There will be no public sale for any of the seats allocated to Notre Dame. A lottery system will be utilized to distribute the tickets to various University constituents. Please visit www.und.com/tickets for more information.

The Irish travel party is expected to arrive in South Florida on Jan. 2.

The post It’s Official: Notre Dame and Alabama in BCS Title Game appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

But one enemy stands in the way – and let him!  For to achieve this zenith without defeating the adversary who dragged us down to the nadir would fail to be a climax.  This is the opponent that has cheated and abased and maligned the Irish for too many long years.  This is the opponent that has handed the Irish more defeats and robbed them of more championships than any other.  Yes, this is the final battle against the last, worst, most desperate and despicable rival of them all.

Whatever may come tomorrow, there will be one more game.  But not this year.  It will be against a powerful opponent.  But not this one.  We must finish what we started here and now with a signal victory that signifies our days are getting longer, our sun is shining brighter, Notre Dame is triumphant once again and golden is our fame.

And these men can do it.  For these men have done it.  They have beaten this, their archrival, on their field, before their fans, as part of this long and arduous trek back up the mountain.  This coach has done it.  He has outmaneuvered and outwitted his most outrageously duplicitous opposite number at this time of year on just this sort of night.

But what is more – so very much more – is that this team, leader and lads alike, has battled against eleven formidable foes, through games that have stretched well beyond their allotted time, in stadiums friendly and hostile, in daylight and darkness, in masterful performances and determined bids to win on the final play.  And they have never lost.

For this team has never failed to believe.  When nearly all others did not believe that this very result was even possible, this team, leader and lads alike, never gave up and never faltered in their boundless hope.  But why would they?  Their University was founded on nothing more and nothing less than a daring hope.  These men of Notre Dame represent to the nation the hope that educational and athletic excellence can and do march hand in hand.  But they do so with humility, not arrogance.  This is not a group of chest-thumpers and big-talkers.  This is a group that has worked and struggled and lost – only to return again and again, year after year to the battle, armed with that most indomitable weapon: Hope.

We are so close now to tasting the sweetness of ultimate, conclusive victory.  Perhaps we are already enjoying a foretaste of that incomparable confection.  But let us not forget that the bitter bile of loss lies not far away if we fail to defeat this enemy which has caused us to taste the foul tang of failure too often.  The team must fight on every down, capitalize on every opportunity, deny every advantage to the adversary.  The Irish faithful in the coliseum tomorrow night must cheer and support the team with full hearts and full voices – as must every student, alumnus, and believer around the country, if all of us are to taste the sweetness of victory.

For this is the life we have chosen.  To believe in an ideal.  To hope against the odds.  To remain loyal when all others have fallen away.  Notre Dame is reviled when its fortunes fade.  Notre Dame is doubted when its lot improves.  But not by those who believe, never by those who hope, for whom life is not one endless progression of success building upon success, but a tempering, harrowing march that makes the ultimate victory worth the fight, and makes the fight that much more heroic.

And so we have arrived at this place, at this time, with these men.  We would have it no other way.  Let the charge sound and let the battle be joined!  Let the hope that first created Notre Dame 170 years ago surge in every loyal heart! 

Nostra Domina Victoriae, Ora Pro Nobis!

EFS CSC

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While the defense excelled, the Irish offense sputtered, a FG was missed, a costly turnover was made, and Tommy Rees found his way under center. It seemed like it was about to turn into 2011 all over again. However, the Irish held on, and Rees went 3-8 for 35 yards allowing Kyle Brindza to redeem himself from his earlier miss with a game winning field goal.

Of course after the game there was only one question: “Has Brian Kelly gone back to Rees as his starter?”

Irish fans not named Grantland-X collectively exhaled as Kelly made sure there was no confusion and got that question “out of the way” saying that Golson is indeed the starter (and he reconfirmed this in his presser). There will be no 2011 knee-jerk reactions by Kelly here. On his fumble, Everett Golson banged up his hand. That lead Kelly to take no chances on his young QB’s health and inserted Tommy into the game.

Rees didn’t light the world on fire, but he got the job done. My only concern with the move was that Golson’s confidence would be crushed and Kelly would settle back into going with Rees as his QB. Thankfully, this doesn’t appear to be the case and ND can move forward with focus as they prep to head to Michigan State next week.

At the end of the day, this is what we’ve been looking for from Kelly and QBs. His system has been lauded for being able to insert any QB and find success. Golson went down, Rees went “next man in” and the Irish came away with the W.

M*A*S*H: South Bend

The biggest story of these game were the injuries. At the end of the game, Kapron Lewis-Moore, Tyler Eifert, George Atkinson III, Everett Golson, Davaris Daniels, Sheldon Day, and Ishaq Williams all found themselves banged up.

In his presser, BK said that he didn’t expect any of these injuries to be overly serious. Hopefully all of these guys will find their way back for Michigan State as the Irish will definitely need all hands on deck.

Running the Damn Ball…

…was quite a bit difficult this week. Purdue made their defensive gameplan clear, they loaded the box with eight men and were going to force Golson to beat them.

Despite this the Irish countered by spreading the field with perimeter plays and more of a passing attack. At the end of the day, the Irish came through with a rather balanced attack with 36 rushes and 39 passes. The success of both aspects of the game weren’t balanced at all as the Irish had only 52 rushing yards in comparison to 324 passing yards.

Purdue’s line was definitely stout and caused issues, then again, if you’ve been paying attention to the posts here, you wouldn’t have been too surprised.

From the Box Score

• Despite Eifert’s injury, he managed to have 4 catches for 98 yards — tops for the Irish
• Bennett Jackson had 2 INTs, pushing the Irish to a +1 turnover margin
• Notre Dame was solid on third down once again, going 11-19
• In the not so good column, ND was awful on 4th down defense as Purdue went 3-3

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Outside of Tuitt’s touchdown (we’ll get to that in a second) none of the linemen – including Prince Shembo and Ishaq Williams, who lined up as ends – put up gaudy statistics. But, against an option attack where the main assignment is to crash and prevent the fullback dive from even being a possibility, this is exactly the result you’d be hoping for.

The highlight of the game was big Stephon Tuitt not rumbling, not stumbling, but straight-up hauling-ass 77 yards for a touchdown to put the Irish up 27-0 in the second quarter. Ishaq Williams set the stage for his fellow sophomore by kinda/sorta forcing a Trey Miller fumble that bounced directly in Tuitt’s path. I really can’t explain the joy I was overcome with while I watched Tuitt glide down that Aviva Stadium pitch like a 300-pound gazelle. This type of athlete is one we have not seen in a loooong time on the defensive side of the ball for the Irish (the last one wears a similar facemask and plays for the New York Giants)…and he’s only a sophomore. That, folks, is a beautiful thing.

As Tuitt bolted away from Trey Miller and Darius Staten, a run-first quarterback and a running back that both weigh more than 100 pounds less than him, I couldn’t help but wonder how much of the relative ease he scored with was due to simply being a freakishly fast 300 pound man and how much was due to playing against a slower team. So, I did the only thing I could do: I timed his run.

After a multitude of stopwatch trials, it appears that #7 ran 77 yards in about 9.45 seconds. If he kept that pace against Usain Bolt in the 100m dash, he would finish in 13.5 seconds. Not quite Bolt-type speed, and over 3 seconds slower than teammate George Atkinson (10.36 seconds) but still phenomenal speed for a defensive lineman [Also, this is clearly not comparing apples to apples as you don’t run track meets on grass wearing football pads].

Since nobody runs a 77-yard dash, how about a 40 yard dash? Breaking down his time, you are looking at a forty time of around 4.6 seconds for Tuitt at full speed and of just over 5.0 seconds for the first forty yards he had the ball in his hands. By comparison, George Atkinson ran the last 40 yards of his kick return against USC in between 4.0 and 4.1 seconds. For some context, Bruce Irvin of the Seahawks led defensive linemen at the 2012 NFL Combine with a time of 4.50 seconds, while the Bears’ Shane McClellin had the second best time with 4.63. The difference? Irvin weighs 58 pounds less than the 303-pound Tuitt, and McClellin weighs 43 pounds less than Tuitt. In fact, only one D-lineman with a top 10 forty time even weighed more than 270 pounds at the time of his run (the Jets’ Quinton Coples). For a multitude of reasons – grass, football pads, holding a ball, having a running start, not necessarily running in a straight line, ineptitude of guy trying to time another guy running on TV – this is a very rough comparison, but it is incredibly interesting nonetheless.

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Bob Diaco (and his flowing locks), has taken the schizophrenic Irish defense from the Weis era (seriously, three defensive coordinators in five years) and molded it into a true 3-4 anchored by a front seven that is a wrecking machine.

While it would be impossible to describe Diaco’s entire scheme or the intricacies of the 3-4 defense in a single post (if you’d like to do that, I suggest some serious reading), I decided to put together a primer instead. Think of it as your cheatsheet to the ND defense, allowing you to know the purpose of the “Cat”, why the “Dog” isn’t found in the nickel, and the benefits that a 3-4 defense brings to the table.

Positions

Below is a picture of the 3-4 defense at its most basic building blocks (aka its “base” formation) with the nomenclature that the Notre Dame staff uses. To better understand the role of each position, let’s take a brief look at each one.

Nose Guard (NG)

Also called the nose tackle (NT) or simply a defensive tackle (DT), the NG is the unsung hero and lifeblood of any good 3-4 defense. The ideal player for this position is a 300+ pound monster–no I’m not exaggerating. The NG is expected to draw a double team every snap to so the inside linebackers can make plays unblocked. They do this by clogging any interior holes that the opposing line tries to open. Good NGs are able to plug these holes at will, but the great NGs are a special breed all their own as they can also penetrate and wreak havoc behind the line.

Irish NGs You Should Know: Louis Nix III (#9, aka Irish Chocolate), Kona Schwenke (#96)

Defensive End (DE)

In a traditional 4-3, the DE is the pass rusher, the sack machine. In the 3-4, they must be more than that. Much like the NG, more often than not, the DE will have to act almost like a DT/DE hybrid that can both draw a double team to free up the linebackers (the outside linebackers in this case) and also have the skill set to rush the passer.

Irish DEs You Should Know: Stephon Tuitt (#7), Kapron Lewis-Moore (#98), Sheldon Day (#91), Jarron Jones (#94)

“Cat” Linebacker

The Cat (also known as the “Jack” on some teams), is the true pass rushing specialist of the 3-4. This is actually a role the Irish have yet to truly fill in previous iterations of their defense as the defensive ends have been the primary sack machines. For an example of an ideal Cat linebacker, think DeMarcus Ware of the Dallas Cowboys. Often times, you will see the Cat line up as if he were a defensive lineman as seen below:

Much like other positions in the 3-4, the Cat linebacker must also have the ability to preform more than one function as they are expected to drop into coverage from time to time.

Irish Cats You Should Know: Prince Shembo (#55), Ishaq Williams (#11)

“Will” Linebacker

The Will, or weak side linebacker, gets its name from the side of the offensive line that they line up against. This “weak side” of the line is most often the side of the line (bisecting at the center position) that does not have the tight end. The job here is simple: make plays on your side.

Irish Wills You Should Know: Dan Fox (#48), Carlo Calabrese (#44)

“Mike” Linebacker

The “Mike” (traditionally the middle linebacker in a 4-3 front) functions much like the Will. Their job is to make plays on the “strong side” (the side with the TE) of the line. Additionally, the Mike is often the quarterback of the defense, calling audibles and making pre-snap adjustments. The player filling this position is most often the best linebacker on the team and will often lead their squad in tackles.

Irish Mikes You Should Know: Manti Te’o (#5), Manti Te’o (#5), Manti Te’o (#5)

“Dog” Linebacker

The “Dog” (sometimes called the “Sam” or strong-side linebacker) is the coverage specialist of the linebacker corps. Most often matched against an opposing tight end, back, and, at times, a wide receiver, they are somewhat of a LB/CB hybrid in this style of defense.

Irish Dogs You Should Know: Danny Spond (#13), Ben Councell (#30), Romeo Okwara (#45)

Cornerback (CB)

Fairly simple here–these are the guys that try to break up passes and cause all of ND fandom to have heart attacks like we did last year against Michigan (nope, still not over it).

Irish CBs You Should Know: Bennett Jackson (#2), Lo Wood (#23), KeiVarae Russell (#6), Elijah Shumate (#22), Josh Atkinson (#33), Jalen Brown (#21)–yep, all of ’em

Strong Safety (SS)

Part of the last line of defense, the SS plays a bit closer to the line than his counterpart and often lines up on the strong side. They can do a bit of everything: stop the run, cover receivers, and on rare occasions come in like a bat out of hell on a blitz.

Irish SSs You Should Know: Jamoris Slaughter (#26), Chris Salvi (#24)

Free Safety (FS)

The “center fielder” that is almost always dropped back in a zone, serving as the de facto last line of defense.

Irish FSs You Should Know: Zeke Motta (#17), Austin Collinsworth (#28), Dan McCarthy (#15)

Gap Assignments and Wreaking Havoc

So now that we’ve covered the “who” of the defense it is time to examine what exactly they do. In order to properly understand how the 3-4 (or really any defense) works, knowledge of gaps and gap assignment is a must.

As diagrammed above, there are three gaps that are mirrored across the offensive line for a total of six. The “A” gap is the interior gap between the center and guards. The NG is primarily responsible for these gaps, often attacking the center directly and then moving to the gap in which the play is going towards. The “B” gap is the exterior gap of the line in between the tackles and guards, typically falling into DE territory. Finally, the “C” gaps define the area outside the tackle box. While this is usually an assignment handled by the outside linebackers (Cat and Dog), this is also a gap that a DE chooses to attack on a straight pass rush.

Ideally, on a run, the three defensive lineman will attract the attention of all five offensive linemen, which should also plug three gaps as well. This then frees up all 4 linebackers to make a play on the ball carrier with only the TE and possible a FB to worry about.

Let’s put this theory into action with the play diagrammed below:

Moving from left to right, we see the weak-side DE attack the B gap in front of him. As we are going to assume everything is perfect here, this action draws a double team from the weak-side tackle and guard. The NG attacks the strong-side A gap and the strong-side DE attacks the B gap right next to it. This puts the highlighted guard in a very interesting spot as he now has to pick which defender to double team.

This leaves all the line backers unblocked by the offensive line. For the Dog and Cat, they will contain the C gap. The Will has a wide open shot at the weak-side A gap, allowing for easy penetration past the line, which would likely take the FB out of the equation early. The Mike is free to pick either the strong-side A or B gap, depending on how the offense handles the play. Of course should the play move away from either of these two options, he will be free to pursue it as well. The end result here is that all four linebackers have a legitimate shot at disrupting the play before it even crosses the line of scrimmage.

Again, this proposed sequence is an ideal situation, but it shows how proper gap assignments and containment can result in a scarily effective run defense; however, the true joy in my opinion, is how the 3-4 handles a pass rush.

Much like a 4-3, the 3-4 will usually rush four defenders on every play. An example of a basic pass rush with the Cat is shown below:

Unlike the 4-3, in which the defensive line almost exclusively rushes (save for some of the more exotic blitz packages), the setup of the 3-4 shines allows fourth rusher can really come from anywhere. While the Cat may be the pass rushing specialist, that doesn’t mean he will always do so.

To see what I mean, let’s look at another play:

In this scenario, all three defensive linemen are crashing down towards the strong side of the line. This leaves the weak-side tackle with a seemingly one-on-one match up with the “expected” pass rusher, the Cat. However, in this play, the Cat drops back and the Will blitzes through the B gap. Should the tackle’s focus be on the Cat, he will likely be beaten by the much quicker linebacker. As an additional bonus, the Will is shooting through a gap that has a shorter distance to the QB as well, leaving very little reaction time for the backs to pick up the blitz.

This is just one example of the myriad of combinations that Diaco can throw at an offense as the fourth rusher can come from anywhere, including the safeties and corners. This ability to create confusion on just a basic four man rush makes any additional blitzers even more effective. An opposing line that struggles with just the four man rush in a 3-4 will find themselves eaten alive by blitzes.

The final wrinkle is, of course, only rushing three and dropping eight men back into coverage. While this has been seen in 4-3 defense as well, the difference here is that the eighth pass defender is a more mobile linebacker instead of a much slower DE (or God forbid, a lumbering DT).

The Nickel

So all of the above is great, but what happens when the offense tries to spread the Irish out and comes out with three or four wide? The answer: the nickel package. The nickel derives its name from the five defensive backs in the formation (get it, a nickel!), one of which replaces a linebacker. For a 3-4 team like the Irish, this means that the Dog is sent off as shown below:

One of the first things that you will notice is that the Cat is once again lined up in as a defensive lineman, creating a four man pass rush. While the alignment is technically a 3-3-5, in practice, it is practically the same nickel package you’d see from a 4-3 team.

The “$” position replacing the Dog denotes the nickelback (no, not the crappy “rock” band). While traditionally the nickelback is the third CB on the depth chart, the Irish, and many other teams have employed yet another hybrid position in order to make up for a lack of depth. Last season, Jamoris Slaugther filled this role, which Diaco dubbed the “Star” linebacker. This position was a super-hybrid of sorts combining elements of safety, linebacker, and cornerback.

This season, expect the Irish to take a much different route. In his most recent presser, Kelly stated that he was very comfortable with all of his cornerbacks and plans to leave Slaughter at safety unless more catastrophic injures happen (please, God, no). While I do not share in Kelly’s optimism on the CB unit thus far (too many unproven guys), what this tells us is that Notre Dame will likely have a corner fill the nickelback role in 2012.

On the flipside, if you see Slaugther or another safety slide down into this position, start panicking because this means Kelly doesn’t trust CB #3 to cover a wide receiver.

Looking to Navy

So that sums up the basics on how the Irish run their 3-4 scheme against most offenses. How do they apply this to a triple option team like Navy though? Tune in next week to find out.

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