You can order the print version or the iPad version using the links. You must have iOS 6.0.

The Annual is broken down into a “Features” component and an “Analyses” component, with “Extras” thrown in as lagniappe. But whereas, on the bayou, lagniappe is extra pickles on your po’boy, the Extras section here includes very good profiles on the Golden Army, who make their debut this fall, a very good “Recruiting Roundtable” featuring the thoughts of Mike Farrell, Tom Lemming, and Steve Wiltfong, and opponent previews. If there’s a weakness, the 2013 Statistics are presented in an unappealing format that begs for some sort of stylistic upgrade.

The Features are terrific, with Eric Hansen’s piece on Everett Golson, “Unfinished Melody,” the best of them. The strength of this magazine, perhaps the strength of the writing, comes from the familiarity with the subject. These are not distant scribes, penning thoughts based on internet research. Instead, the writers use their proximity to the campus and the players to their full advantage. Bob Wieneke lets you tag along on a day in the life of Jaylon Smith. Eric Hansen doesn’t just give you Brian VanGorder’s take on his defensive philosophy, he gives you Malik Zaire’s and Lou Holtz’s and Steve Beuerlein’s observations and experiences to put the new DC in a larger, more thoughtful context.

The Analyses of the position groups, whether unique pieces, or compilations from other Tribune sources, are good to very good. Each provides a Depth Chart while a companion article,highlights a key player, or in the case of Quarterbacks Coach Matt LaFleur, a member of the staff critical to the group’s development.

Throughout the magazine, the writers go out of their way to get inside the personalities that make up the Fighting Irish. You can’t help but feel more connected to the team and its coaches and if you devour Tyler James’ article on what goes into an official campus visit, you come away with a deeper understanding of what goes into the recruiting cycle. The “Visit Itinerary” is a treat to study and sheds light on how choreographed these visits are.

The NDInsider iPad app is a fantastic, easy-to-use and navigate alternative to the magazine. All the features you would expect on such an app are available: searchable content, embedded links, two different ways to quickly view magazine content (a table of contents view and a scrolling thumbnail view), the ability to bookmark pages via the “Favorites” option, and bonus videos and photo galleries that can only be found on the app.

As a blogger, I keep the 2014 Notre Dame Football Preview next to my laptop throughout the season. It’s heavy-duty paper and glossy finish handle my marginalia, post-it notes and coffee stains with ease. The 2013 Statistics aside, the data is presented attractively and in convenient format, positioned where you’d want to see it on the page. This is clearly a magazine designed for the professional writer, or the dedicated fan who wants to be “that guy” at the game watch.

The 2014 Notre Dame Football Preview is a must have item that belongs on your shelf. It’s available on newsstands, the App Store, and for home delivery.

The post Get Inside: NDInsider’s 2014 Notre Dame Football Annual Review appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Yesterday, against BYU, the Irish offered up a complete performance, whether tribute to themselves as seniors or as apology for last game’s clanger against Pitt is for them alone to know. It was also perfectly balanced, on the production end, as forty-seven rushing attempts and twenty-eight passing attempts turned out 235 yards in each column for a total 570 yards. And, it was perfect, too, as seniors shared the highlight reels with underclassmen Jarron Jones, Jaylon Smith, and Sheldon Day.

It was imperfect, though, if you believe, as I do, that the term “home-field advantage” should begin, at least, with the actual field itself. Yesterday, amid the romance of swirling snow and the dying of a blue November light, chunks of turf gave way to stymie TJ Jones and stifle runs by Folston and Atkinson. The 2013 BYU game should be remembered for many reasons. The deplorable turf should be one of them.

Notre Dame’s defense, maligned for reasons valid and not this year, played certainly well enough. They contained BYU’s quarterback, Tayson Hill, when they needed to, and held the BYU offense to 13 points, one touchdown and two field-goals, spread over the first and third quarters. In critical spot after critical spot in the fourth quarter and with the contest very much in the balance, the Irish front four were as stout as they were in any magic moment in the 2012 season of magical moments. They shattered Hill’s pocket on BYU’s final possession. Stephon Tuitt , who harried the BYU line all game, notched his sixth sack on the season by fighting through the Cougars’ left tackle and causing a six yard loss from the Notre Dame forty yard line with three minutes left. Sophomore Jarron Jones blocked what should have been a gimme field goal. Senior Austin Collinsworth picked up a timely interception.

Jaylon Smith, who wore Danny Spond’s number in his honor, was bright future in a snow globe as he continued to show why he electrified the recruiting services not that long ago. He blocked a pass and picked up three solo tackles, being everywhere at once. That he failed to sack Tayson Hill is probably less due to Smith’s inexperience than it is to Hill’s ability to run. It bears noting that Hill ran for 101 yards in Notre Dame while Johnny Football only managed fifty-four yards in Baton Rouge.

The touchdowns, perhaps due to the turf, the snow, the dark of night, or Notre Dame, all came in the first quarter. Tommy Rees, in his final home appearance, connected for sixty-one yards to Davaris Daniels, who then stunned fourteen year old girls around the country by breaking out a Hunger Games 2 salute or something. That’s what the kids on Twitter said. Daniels appeared to be Tommy’s target du jour, but TJ Jones, also for the last time on the auld sod, collected a couple of long passes, the first of which was a thirty yard toss that set up a short touchdown run by Tarean Folston. From that point, it was Kyle Brindza’s day (or night) (however you classify a game played out under the lights in the pitch dark) and he responded by connecting twice from twenty-six yards and once from eleven hundred and six, with storm force winds in his face and icicles hanging from his facemask.

The Irish ran the ball well, despite the field conditions. Folston and Atkinson gashed the Cougars for long gains, with Atkinson specifically turning out a noteworthy and uncharacteristically tough run. Cam McDaniel had 117 yards on the day and was only denied a long run for a touchdown by his lack of break-away speed. That any of this, or Tommy’s day, was done against a very well-regarded defensive unit is credit to Zack Martin and the Irish offensive line, who are playing as well as any in the country.

As time expired along with their final appearance, emotions took over. For Schwenke and Fox, Shembo and Tuitt and Rees, this was the final singing of Notre Dame, Our Mother and for the fans, the last time to chant their names. That the crowd chose to sing for Tommy and whether they meant fond farewell or good riddance or some combination of the two is for them, individually, alone to know.

The post Snap Judgment: BYU appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.