FROM OUR SITE

• Notre Dame at Texas: Predictions from deep in the heart of Texas

PODCASTS

• Irish247: Notre Dame-Texas preview
• Irish247: 1-on-1 with Jeff Howe of Horns247

NEXT GAME: at Texas (7:30 p.m. ET Sunday, ABC)

• Austin American Statesman: Texas countdown to football: 5 Texas-Notre Dame games to remember
• Burnt Orange Nation: Five non-QBs to watch on Sunday
• Burnt Orange Nation: How to watch Texas vs. Notre Dame: Game time, TV, live streaming and more
• Burnt Orange Nation: Showing improvement in 2016 is the biggest goal of all
• Chicago Tribune: Notre Dame linebacker Nyles Morgan returns to starting role at Texas
• CSN Chicago: Three keys and a prediction
• The Football Brainiacs: It’s here, finally!
• Hook ‘Em Headlines: Notre Dame game a recruiting event for Longhorns
• Houston Chronicle: Preview: Texas vs. No. 10 Notre Dame
• Irish247: Crawford confident heading into first start
• Irish247: Luke preparing young players for hostile environment
• Irish247: Staff predictions: Notre Dame at Texas
• Irish247: Keys for a Notre Dame victory
• iSportsWeb: Season opener and the two quarterback system
• KVUE: Tailgaters lining up early for UT-Notre Dame showdown
• SB Nation: Notre Dame vs. Texas, 2016 odds: Irish the road favorites on Sunday night
• Slap the Sign: Notre Dame’s X-factor player of the week: Nyles Morgan
• UND: Notre Dame-Texas 2016: Five things to watch
• USA Today: Notre Dame huge test of Charlie Strong’s future at Texas

OFFENSE

• Irish247: McGlinchey has high expectations for offensive line
• Irish247: Folston, Irish offense ready to run

RECRUITING

• Irish247: Jurkovec leads team to come-from-behind win
• Irish247: Jamire Calvin continues to dominate on the field

SCHEDULE

• Mercury General: Insurance and USC athletics offer Trojan football fans a chance to win a Notre Dame game VIP experience

IRISH IN THE NFL

• Dolphins Report: Miami Dolphins make cuts: Track them here (Sam Young)

MISC.

• Fox7: Notre Dame fans help Austin homeless
• UHND: #3 Leon Hart: Notre Dame football’s top 25 players

The post Morning Roundup: Sept. 4, 2016 appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

FROM OUR SITE

• Good Fridays with Padre: Sunday Services
• Revisiting ND-Texas ’96: A Win and a Wedding (guest post from Jamie Reidy ’92)
• Friday Roundup: The “We Made It!” episode
• Scouting report: Texas

NEXT GAME: vs. Texas (7:30 p.m. ET Sunday, ABC)

• Barking Carnival: The Q&A: Texas vs. Notre Dame
• Bleacher Report: Get fired up as No. 10 Notre Dame takes on Texas in CFB’s huge opening weekend
• Blue & Gold Illustrated: Notre Dame-Texas: Irish not taking anything for granted
• Burnt Orange Nation: Staff predicts the Texas vs. Notre Dame game
• Burnt Orange Nation: How Texas can isolate the vulnerable Notre Dame secondary
• Burnt Orange Nation: Texas is seeking validation vs. Notre Dame, not redemption or revenge
• Burnt Orange Nation: Trench warfare will loom large in Texas-Notre Dame game
• Burnt Orange Nation: Texas preparing for both Notre Dame quarterbacks
• CBS Sports: Notre Dame at Texas line, game pick: Longhorns seek revenge against the Irish
• Chicago Tribune: Notre Dame’s two-QB experiment is about to go into the lab
• CNN Money: The most expensive college football ticket can be found here
• CSN Chicago: For Notre Dame (and Texas), plenty of questions to be answered Sunday night
• CSN Chicago: Notre Dame feels better prepared for turned-up Texas tempo
• Goshen News: Still much to learn about Irish, Texas ahead of opener
• Hook ‘Em Headlines: Texas football: Week 1 schedule, preview, prediction vs. Notre Dame
• Hook ‘Em Headlines: Trent Domingue X-factor for Longhorns vs Notre Dame
• Horns Digest: Call your shot: Texas vs. Notre Dame
• Inside the Irish: Pregame six pack: Sunday night special
• Irish247: Onwualu looking for repeat of last year’s Texas game
• Irish247: Rochell, team prepared for Texas’ tempo
• Irish247: Irish pore over Tulsa tape in advance of Sunday’s opener
• KVUE: Georgetown man plays at Notre Dame to coach at home
• ND Insider: How the game day shift from Saturday to Sunday may affect Notre Dame
• ND Insider: Notre Dame Club of Austin offers an array of events for Irish football fans
• NESN: Notre Dame or Texas: Which school has a better college football tradition?
• NewsOK: Tough Texas schedule starts with Notre Dame
• N2K Sports: Keys to victory: Notre Dame at Texas
• One Foot Down: Game preview: Notre Dame at Texas
• One Foot Down: Notre Dame vs. Texas: Staff picks
• Slap the Sign: When does Notre Dame vs Texas kick off and other questions
• SportsChatPlace: Pick, odds and prediction
• The Players’ Tribune: Dear Longhorns
• UHND: Frankie V’s prediction: Notre Dame vs. Texas
• USA Today: Week 1 games that most affect the College Football Playoff
• WIBC: Four arrested Notre Dame players suiting up for season opener
• ABC57: Notre Dame’s quarterbacks ready to play their first game of the season
• Armchair All-Americans: Big 12 road trip: Notre Dame at Texas
• Irish Sports Daily ($): The bigger picture: The importance of the Texas game

2016 TEAM

• Irish Sports Daily (Part free, part $): ISD Intel
• The Wave: Notre Dame football preview 2016

OFFENSE

• Irish247 ($): Hunter, Irish wideouts have something to prove
• Irish247: Folston looking to show he’s a top back nationally
• Irish247: Now a veteran, Hunter looks back at first time in Irish uniform
• ND Insider: Video: DeShone Kizer: “This is why you play football at Notre Dame”

DEFENSE

• Irish Sports Daily: Crawford ready for showtime

RECRUITING

• Irish247 ($): Notre Dame commit update (Sept. 2)
• Irish247 ($): Sharpley’s Notre Dame offense recruiting board No. 10-18

SCHEDULE

• Huffington Post: Notre Dame, Ohio State are college football’s priciest teams in 2016
• Irish Sports Daily ($): Frank’s 2016 predictions
• Irish Sports Daily ($): McCollum’s 2016 predictions
• Irish Sports Daily ($): Freeman’s 2016 predictions
• Irish Sports Daily ($): Uyeyama’s 2016 predictions
• Slap the Sign: Predicting Notre Dame football: Record and bowl game
• UND.com: All 2016 Irish home football games sold out
• Inside the Irish: Notre Dame announces sellout streak continues

IRISH IN THE NFL

• State of the Texans: The Houston Texans need to address some roster issues (Nick Martin)
• Viking Update: Minnesota Vikings teammates visit Teddy Bridgewater in the hospital (Kyle Rudolph)

MISC.

• Irish Sports Daily: ISD looking for passionate fans
• UHND: #4: The Four Horsemen: Notre Dame football’s top 25 players

The post Morning Roundup: Sept. 3, 2016 appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

For the Irish: Tarean Folston (Sr.), Josh Adams (Soph.) & Dexter Williams (Soph.)

Heading into the 2015 with the questions at quarterback, I felt reassured that Tarean Folston would be stabilizing factor for the Irish. As a sophomore, Folston accounted for nearly 900 yards and a solid 5.1 yards-per-carry average.

Of course, that optimism ended in week 1 vs. Texas when Folston tore his ACL. Folston now returns to a backfield that is much more crowded. Freshman sensation Josh Adams, who set the Notre Dame freshman rushing record with 835 yards, will see a great deal of action. Dexter Williams, who was very impressive in the spring, also looks to play an increased role for the Irish this fall. However, it will be interesting to see if his recent arrest will cut into his playing time.

It will also be interesting to see if Coach Brian Kelly names a starter prior to the Texas game. So far, he has suggested the Irish will ride “the hot hand.” That means that, at least in the early season, all three backs are likely to have opportunities until one clearly separates himself from the group.

For the Enemy: Texas’ D’Onta Foreman (Jr.) and Chris Warren (Soph.)

Credit: 247Sports.com

D’Onta Foreman and Chris Warren – the Smash Brothers – will both present unique challenges for the Irish.

Both are big backs, as Foreman checks in at 6-foot-1, 250 pounds and Warren is 6-foot-2, 250 pounds. I suspect both will probably come into the opener closer to the 240 pound range.

Foreman last year rushed for 681 yards and a gaudy 7.2 yards-per-carry average. Warren put up 470 yards and a 6.6 yards-per-carry average. Both are also described as physical down-hill runners and they are clearly the strength of the Texas offense.

Texas Offensive Coordinator Sterlin Gilbert remarked in the spring that he had never had running backs that big in his offense before. A factor that will likely impact their overall effectiveness will be the quarterback play, which was very inconsistent last year. At this stage, Texas has yet to name a starter.

More concerning for the running game has been injuries along the offensive line. In the last two weeks, three of the five projected starters on the offensive line for Texas have been injured. Zach Shackelford (center), Tristan Nickelson (tackle) and Patrick Vahe (left guard) have all sustained recent injuries. Though it appears they will return for the Notre Dame, that is not set in stone at this point.

With the inexperience at quarterback, it is extremely likely that we will see a large dosage of the physical running of both Foreman and Warren. Given what the last physical runner on the schedule did to Notre Dame (Ezekiel Elliott), I’m very concerned heading into Sunday night!

The post Running Back: Know Thyself, Know Thy Enemy appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Depth, baby! Everything this fall will revolve around the exceptional depth that has slowly been built year over year. The coaching staff has recruited exceptionally well over the past few years (the 2017 class aka #IRISHEL17E and the 2018 class aka #IrishBouND18 are stacking up quite nicely as well) especially addressing specific positional needs.

The depth is far and above where it has been in years past. The offense returns multiple assets at every position. Proven running backs Tarean Folston and Josh Adams will lead the ground game along with Dexter Williams guaranteed to be fighting for carries.

The offensive line depth is nothing short of incredible considering it lost two future NFL starters from last year in Ronnie Stanley and Nick Martin. Junior guard Quenton Nelson has been named a Sports Illustrated preseason All-American and senior tackle Mike McGlinchey is garnering elite status as the 64th best player in the nation – according to ESPN. These two woolly mammoths will anchor the left side of the offensive line, and the right side anticipates a battle between junior Alex Bars and seniors Hunter Bivin and Colin McGovern.

Tight end, once a surging position of depth, took a hit in the academic ineligibility ruling against Alize Jones. As reported, Jones will miss the entire 2016 season. The return of transferring/not transferring Tyler Luatua provides the group with a huge (255 lbs. pun intended) veteran h-back, and his decision to not transfer now proves to be vital to the position group. Nic Weishar and Durham Smythe are both capable and consistent targets from a three point stance and split wide – this groups presence and overall utility within the red zone should not be understated.

Credit: Matt Cashore

The wide receiver cupboard is full – yet unproven. The only shoe-in to start is senior Torii Hunter Jr. Behind him will be an intriguing battle between Equanimeous St. Brown, Corey Holmes, Miles Boykin, C.J. Sanders, and potentially true freshman/early enrollee Kevin Stepherson. Finishing on the offensive side of the ball, who could forget the quarterback situation, in which the Irish arguably have the most collective talent at the position in the entire nation (including Brandon Wimbush)? *Insert your own opinions about the QB situation* and find my own here.

The defensive line (also unfortunately known as the Irish’s Achilles heel in recent years) is loaded with talent and (FINALLY) depth. Isaac Rochell, Jarron Jones and Daniel Cage are battle tested veterans while Andrew Trumbetti, Jay Hayes, Jerry Tillery, Jonathan Bonner, Micah Dew-Treadway and Elijah Taylor all look to make significant impacts and potentially break out. Also, look for the word “sub packages” to be thrown around as highly talented true freshman defensive ends Daelin Hayes and Khalid Kareem could be utilized as pass rushers in such schemes.

Nyles Morgan (Credit: Chicago Tribune)

Nyles Morgan is an automatic upgrade at the Mike linebacker position, and while replacing the “once in a century” freakish athleticism of Jaylon Smith is no small task, the linebacker corps is well stocked with young talent. Te’von Coney saw limited action last year and is reported to be fully recovered from a shoulder injury suffered in the Fiesta Bowl. His classmates and other blue chip linebacker recruits, Asmar Bilal (2015 defensive scout team player of the year) and Josh Barajas redshirted last year. This young talent will push upperclassmen, Greer Martini and James Onwaulu for reps.

The secondary returns Jekyll and Hyde aka Max Redfield along with sixth year Cal transfer Avery Sebastian and fan favorite Drue Tranquil – all at safety. Garnering spring ball notoriety was true freshman and early enrollee Devin Studstill, who was my “most likely to make an immediate impact” of the 2016 recruiting class.

Rounding out the secondary at cornerback is senior multi year starter Cole Luke along with juniors Nick Watkins and Devin Butler. They are surrounded by younger talent in sophomore Nick Coleman and Shaun Crawford, who was slated to be the team’s starting nickel back last year until suffering a torn ACL in fall camp. Crawford drew incredibly high praise during the 2015 fall camp before his injury, and his return provides a massive athletic boost to the secondary.

Credit: UHND.com

Over the past few years the Notre Dame special teams have often been regarded as the “not-so-special teams.” Last year, however, the group made great strides and improvements. Returning “The Big Three” key specialists in kicker Justin Yoon, punter Tyler Newsome, and long snapper Scott Daly should pay dividends for the special teams in 2016. DeShone Kizer has been relieved of his holding duties and he will be replaced by Montgomery VanGorder. The Irish also have the luxury of Sanders’ electric and ever-elusive return skills. As a true freshman, Sanders returned both a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown last season. The special teams should continue to build off of last year’s success.

With the well-rounded depth in place, #NDFB is primed for an entertaining fall. Don’t forget that it is your civic duty as a Domer to recite one Hail Mary each day of camp for the shake of keeping this vital depth healthy!

Cheers and Go Irish!

The post Analyzing the Fall Camp Depth Chart appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Mike Vorel wrote the magazine’s cover story, “Avoiding A Split Decision,” on the quarterback competition between redshirt sophomore DeShone Kizer and redshirt senior Malik Zaire. Vorel interviewed former Texas head coach Mack Brown, former Notre Dame quarterbacks Joe Theismann and Brady Quinn and ESPN’s Austin Ward, who covered a similar competition at Ohio State last season. These experts have all previously endured summer-long speculation on who starts and who sits, and know how the student athletes will be evaluated, what intangibles will give one the lead over the other and importance of establishing an identity around the player ultimately chosen.

Brown’s probably got the most interesting tidbit, in explaining to Vorel how Vince Young got the starting nod at Texas in 2003.

Chance Mock was the No. 1 passing efficiency quarterback in the country, but we were really young up front and we couldn’t pass protect. … Chance wasn’t a great runner. So we put Vince Young in when we had the No. 1 passing efficiency quarterback in the country, because we needed to run the ball. We just couldn’t throw. Then we won 30 games and lost two. Was it fair to Chance? Probably not. But it was the best thing at that time for our football team.

Eric Hansen, the Tribune’s ND Football Insider, writes about middle linebacker Nyles Morgan, who was blocked from playing time by captain Joe Schmidt. Now that Schmidt has graduated, great things are expected of Morgan at the middle linebacker position. Morgan, from Crete, Ill., told Hansen:

Even though I was playing behind him, people assumed we had bad blood, but I loved Joe. If I had a question, Joe would answer it anytime.

I love Hansen’s writing style, especially when he described Morgan’s practice partner, Quenton Nelson, as a “garage with arms and a snarl.”

In a separate article, Shane Walton shares with Hansen what he sees from the current Notre Dame secondary. Walton, a 2002 graduate, is the Irish’s last All-American at cornerback. Will this be the year that senior Max Redfield consistently displays the talent that earned him five stars from recruiting services in high school?

Hansen also got an one-on-one interview with Coach Brian Kelly, including his insights on quarterback gurus, academic suspensions and playing the Shamrock Series overseas. Tyler James, the Tribune’s football recruiting expert, offers a piece on the risks and rewards of offering scholarships to three-star recruits. He also talks to three of the recruiting world’s most respected analysts about how Notre Dame can become a consistent top 10 powerhouse.

The magazine also includes smaller stories written by Vorel, Hansen, James and Tribune columnist Al Lesar about freshman quarterback Ian Book, senior running back Tarean Folston, sophomore wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown, nose-guard-turned-tight-end Jacob Matuska, junior offensive guard Alex Bars, junior defensive tackle Jay Hayes, sophomore linebacker Asmar Bilal, freshman safety Jalen Elliott, redshirt freshman cornerback Shaun Crawford and fifth-year senior long snapper Scott Daly. There’s also a preview of all 12 teams on Notre Dame’s 2016 schedule.

Lesar has a lead-off column that, frankly, befuddled me. He argued that, in light of a “dead heat,” that Kelly should pick Zaire because he is “brash,” the “biggest talker” and has “attitude” and “swagger.”

Trailing Michigan State by five with four minutes to play and the ball at the Irish 20, the Notre Dame offense won’t be able to look at a blueprint of how to mount a comeback. It’s going to take a unit determined to get the job done, led by a guy who defines the word moxie. He might not always have the most accurate passes or the most seamless execution, but Zaire isn’t timid about improvising his way to a successful outcome.

Perhaps Lesar missed last year’s Virginia and Temple games?

The digital edition contains audio and video segments that just can’t be included with the magazine. I’d definitely recommend paying the $4.99 for the digital version, although I’d do so only if you have an iPad or comparatively sized tablet. Even with a generous text size, it’s impossible to read the stories on an iPhone without zooming in, which in turn makes scrolling a hassle. If you’re old school, the magazine is available for $9.95 on local racks in the South Bend area. (It costs $12.95 for a mailed copy.) I’ll definitely be dog-earing my copy as the season progresses.

Buy the digital version (Android or Apple) and the hard copy here.

Disclosure: The South Bend Tribune provided Her Loyal Sons with a complimentary hard copy. I paid for the digital version.

The post HLS Review: The 2016 ND Insider Football Preview appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

SEASON OUTLOOK

WR/CB Adoree Jackson is fast — just not fast enough on this play.

“The Trojans’ entire schedule is a meat grinder,” said FOX Sports’ Bruce Feldman. “Eleven of their 12 opponents played in bowl games last season. The opener is against defending national champion Alabama in Texas. The closest of their three non-conference games to being seen as a breeze is against a Utah State team that has won 36 games the past four seasons and is 3-3 against ranked opponents under coach Matt Wells. The third game is against Notre Dame, which like Bama should be a top-15-caliber team this fall.”

Nick Saban’s Tide are currently 10.5 point favorites in the Week 1 matchup with the men of Troy. SB Nation’s Bill Connelly projects USC will win 7.7 games this year, with the Trojans entering as underdogs against Alabama, Stanford, Washington and UCLA.

Vegas has placed 7-to-4 odds on the Trojans winning the Pac-12’s south division and 11-to-2 odds on them prevailing in the Pac-12 championship game.

NEW FACE AT QB

Credit: Scout.com

Quarterback Cody Kessler has graduated and has been placed in a real unfortunate situation: Competing for the same job with the Cleveland Browns. In all seriousness, Kessler had a pretty good senior season. He completed 66.8 percent of his passes for 3,536 yards, threw 29 touchdowns and just seven interceptions.

Although the Trojans have four quarterbacks on their roster, the competition is considered to be between junior Max Browne, a former 5-star recruit, and redshirt freshman Sam Darnold. Both have similar builds, but Darnold is more mobile and impressed coaches and fans with a strong spring. Browne has made the most of limited playing time, completing 11 passes out of 19 for 143 yards over two seasons backing up Kessler.

I’d imagine Browne gets the start against the Tide. But the Irish may face Darnold, depending on how the season plays out.

SIMILAR STORY AT RB

Trojans running back Justin Davis (22) runs the ball against the Utah Utes Credit: Gary A. Vasquez – USA TODAY Sports

It’ll be interesting to see which tailback on the Irish squad gets the majority of carries this year. Senior Tarean Folston is returning from an ACL injury, but led the team in rushing the prior year (889 yards on 175 carries). Sophomore Josh Adams made an unexpected splash last year, rushing for 835 yards in 117 carries – a record for a freshman at Notre Dame. Folston is the considered the back that can get the hard yards on 3rd-and-2, while Adams is faster and flashier.

A similar situation is playing out in Los Angeles, with senior Justin Davis and sophomore Ronald Jones. Davis is considered the reliable one, with Jones being the flashier of the two. Both are projected to eclipse 1,000 yards, the first Trojan pair to accomplish this feat since Reggie Bush and LenDale White in 2005.

Coach Clay Helton will likely rely on his two talented running backs to get crucial yards if his quarterbacks begin to falter.

WIDE RECEIVERS ARE DEEEP

USC has one of the most talented receivers in all of college football – junior JuJu Smith-Schuster. He was the Trojans’ go-to receiver last year, catching 89 balls and amassing 1,454 yards after being targeted 135 times. USC also returns their No. 2 and No. 3 receivers from last year: junior Steven Mitchell (37 catches for 355 yards) and senior Darreus Rogers (28 catches for 289 yards). We simply cannot overlook notorious speedster Adoree’ Jackson, who caught just 27 passes last year – but torched the Irish on an 83-yard catch-and-run during Notre Dame’s 41-31 win last year in South Bend.

The Trojans can afford to have a game manager at quarterback if that individual can get the ball in the hands of Smith-Shuster or Jackson, who can take any seemingly inconsequential gain and turn it into six points.

GUESS WHO’S BACK? (CLANCY’S BACK)

Clancy Pendergast has returned from his two-year stint as the San Francisco 49ers’ linebacker coach to re-take the reins as USC’s defensive coordinator. Pendergast was, by all accounts, successful in his first time with the Trojans, leading a defense that was ranked #13 nationally in 2013. Steve Sarkisian opted not to keep Pendergast, but the Trojans’ defense struggled under the tutelage of Justin Wilcox. Pendergast is back, and with him comes a transition from a 3-4 defense to a “really aggressive” 5-2 formation that requires little thought, according to players. (Read more about that here.)

Credit: Conquest Chronicles/Draft Breakdown

The Trojans defense has battled injuries this spring, but there’s a lot of talent ready to step up. I’ll be keeping an eye on sophomore Porter Gustin, who replaces Scott Felix at the weak outside linebacker position. Felix lost his appeal to play another year after testing positive for a banned substance. Gustin is a five-star recruit who had an outstanding freshman season – 19.5 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks – in 14 games.

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY

Josh Webb, Athlon Sports: “The past five seasons for USC have been a mix of impressive, unimpressive, and impressively unimpressive. Sanity requires a wait-and-see approach with this team. … As usual, how far USC goes is largely dependent upon the players. The past several offseasons have been littered with bad press, suspensions, dismissals and growing pains for young Trojans. On the field, self-inflicted mistakes did more damage to USC than anyone not named Christian McCaffrey. The Trojans have been the kings of getting in their own way and any success they plan to have in 2016 must start with them getting out of their own way for a change.”

Bill Connelly, SB Nation: “If USC is somehow 2-1 after three games, the Trojans will probably be the Pac-12 favorite. But a 1-2 start won’t be the end of the world. USC will have a lot of time to recover before a brutal three-game stretch to finish the season. In a way, this schedule is a blessing. USC could lose three to five games while playing at a top-10 or top-15 level, and it’s so blatantly tough that all but the least tolerant USC fan would probably give Helton a grace period.”

Pete Fiutak, Campus Insiders: “8-4 might be a major disappointment most seasons. But seriously: Alabama, Stanford, Arizona, Washington and UCLA all away from home and several tough home games, get ready for the grumbling.”

Eric Murtaugh, One Foot Down: “Barring a complete collapse with Helton fighting for his job by mid-October or earlier this should be a very difficult game for Notre Dame. One of the USC quarterbacks will have enough experience in the offense by the finale and if that production is paired with Pendergast-led improvement on defense it would make sense if the Trojans are favored.”

The post Scouting Report: USC appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

2015 starters lost: C.J. Prosise – 156 attempts, 1032 yards, 54.1% of snaps
Incoming freshmen: Tony Jones and Deon McIntosh

Photo: Robin Alam/Icon SMI

Tarean Folston was supposed to be the foundation that supported a very inexperienced backfield. Seven plays into the 2015 season, it was on to Plan B.

Folston, the team’s leading rusher in 2014, tore the ACL in his right knee on his third carry from scrimmage. C.J. Prosise, newly converted to the backfield, entered the game having amassed just 10 career carries.

Prosise turned out to be the first welcome surprise, shouldering most of the load left behind. Freshman Josh Adams turned out to be the second one, when Prosise was felled by injuries late in the year.

Now, in 2016, Prosise is gone – leaving a year early to chase his NFL dream – and Folston is back, but still recovering. Instead of there being an elder statesman and “everyone else,” Folston and Adams are competing for first team reps.

Coach Brian Kelly said Folston, Adams and sophomore Dexter Williams all have an important role to play in the upcoming season.

Dexter Williams (34) runs drills with his teammates during Notre Dame spring football practice inside the Loftus Center. (Tribune Photo/BECKY MALEWITZ)

“What we’re trying to do is really get Folston back into as much of a competitive environment relative to 11-on-11 team work,” said Kelly during his April 1 news conference. “He’s got some strengths. He runs the inside zone play very well. When we get into some of our spread offensive sets, he’s very, very good at keeping the ball inside the tackles and getting some box looks that are very favorable. He runs the ball extremely well inside where Josh runs the outside zone extremely well. Dexter has the speed that we’re looking for. It’s really all three of those guys and balancing their work over the past couple days.”

And although Folston isn’t back to 100 percent yet, Kelly has seen great improvement in the tailback – due, in part, to Adams’ emergence.

“He’s making great progress in the weight room and the realization that this game is one where you are being challenged now by some younger players has really been good for him. I think the competition has brought out the best in him,” the coach said.

Justin Brent, a five-star recruit, has been bouncing between wide receiver and running back. He has been splitting second team reps with Williams. Josh Anderson is a walk-on who received a scholarship last year. He played in the waning minutes of the season opening blowout of Texas and then wasn’t seen again. Tony Jones and Deon McIntosh will join the team after graduating from high school this spring.

The post Blue Gold Game Preview: The Running Backs appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Pope Francis has called for a Year of Mercy. He is also very keen on physical demonstrations of merciful works. The Irish have already embraced this Papal exhortation to follow the path of mercy by allowing a losing Georgia Tech team to score two touchdowns, a two-point conversion, and to collect an onsides kick in the final minutes of the game. But to aid in this Spirit of Mercy, as well as to demonstrate to the extraordinary nexus between our faith and our love (Catholicism and Irish Football) I will demonstrate how the Notre Dame family can implement Catholic Mercy through football.

Corporal Works of Mercy:

Feed the Hungry – Share at your tailgate parties. Welcome starving undergraduates. Even welcome Minutemen fans – it will be the only highlight of their day. If you have a lavish spread pouring out of your conversion van like a mobile Sacred Heart blowing flame, share even more (besides, if you keep it until the next home game, it will be a lovely shade of Kelly Green). On the field, I urge our Kizer lad to feed passes to our Fuller, Hunter, and Robinson lads, for truly they hunger for touchdowns.

Give Drink to the Thirsty – Again I say to you, share at your tailgate parties. I’m sure there is plenty of juice and sparkling water…as well as sauce and fermented grape and barley water. Give drink to thirsty undergraduate…Seniors. Even give drink to Minutemen fans – for truly they will need it. And remember, the more you quench your own thirst, the more generous you will be in giving drink to others. On the field, I again urge Kizer to give the fortifying drink of the football to our Prosise lad, as he thirsts deeply for yardage AND touchdowns…thirsty fella, that CJ.

Clothe the Naked – The gentlemen at Under Armour have taken care of this quite handsomely (although trying to get out of a rain-soaked Under Armour cassock is quite the challenge). But if you have loved-ones who lack proper garments – and by that I mean Notre Dame garments – make a pilgrimage to the Bookstore so you may clothe them in glory. If you have enemies with hatred in their hearts, give them Blue & Gold clothing to hide the darkness of their souls; and if they are fortunate, to convert them to faith, hope, and love…in and for the Irish.

Shelter the Homeless – This doesn’t just count when we have to shove everyone into classroom buildings during violent storms. Students, if you find a very sleepy alum seeking a friendly couch late at night after visiting the…sights…of South Bend, show mercy and give him a pillow, too. This could even be a very sleepy older or younger brother or sister…or dad or uncle. In the Stadium, we will shelter the Minutemen in a locker-room throughout the day – until we send them packing back to Massachusetts.

Visit the Sick – Well, the Minutemen are 0-2, which is a rather sickly start, and we’re letting them visit. But in that an injury is just as bad as a sickness, students, you’ve got a lot of visiting to do. Flowers and cards aren’t necessary, and you don’t have to take turns at nursing duties, but when you see our lads Jones, Crawford, Zaire, Folston, Tranquill, and Smythe, whether in your dorm, or the Dining Hall, or in class, give them words of encouragement…and at the Grotto or in the chapel, a few prayers.

Visit the Imprisoned – Stop by Zahm or Morrissey, if not for a sloppy party, just to show solidarity with those poor souls incarcerated (or quarantined) there. And be sure to visit the lads in Carroll, so that they may know we have not forgotten them as they dwell in the wilderness.

Bury the Dead – Will start tomorrow by burying the Minutemen, and proceed to bury the Tigers, Midshipmen, Trojans, Panthers, Deacons, Eagles, and…Trees. We’re going to need a bigger cemetery.

EFS CSC

The post Good Fridays w/Padre: Working Mercy appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

The junior running back has officially been ruled out due to a torn right ACL for the rest of the season following his Sunday MRI. The injury occurred during Notre Dame’s second offensive possession and the 2014 leading rusher never returned to the field.

While one of the many bright spots in Saturday’s dominant performance on both sides of the ball included the performances of red-shirt junior CJ Prosise and true freshman Josh Adams, the backfield is now officially a thinned area of the Irish depth chart with the loss of Folston adding in with Greg Bryant’s season-long suspension.

Prosise (98 yards on 20 carries) and Adams (49 yards on 5 carries) thrilled the home crowd with smart, explosive and sound runs against the Longhorns, but the injury to Folston begs the question: Can they continue to be productive for an entire season?

We saw last year that Prosise could switch between a running option and a slot receiver as a speedy, elusive, yet big body. It’s unknown whether Prosise was going to be used mainly in the run game before the injury but now it’s certainty. Luckily, for the Irish, the wide receiver position is about as deep and as talented as it has been in recent memory; the spot left open in the passing game will certainly be filled by a capable next man in.  That said, Prosise will now see far more consistent contact and wear as the season progresses. It’s imperative for Notre Dame’s playoff chances that he not only stays healthy, but that he stays fresh.

That second part will be largely in the hands of the young Adams. Josh Adams only got five carries Saturday, but it should be a pretty safe bet that his touches will increase as the season moves on. Head Coach Brian Kelly has often praised the freshman’s maturity and intelligence, citing his ability to pick up the playbook not only in regards to running plays but also in the pass game with routes and protection schemes. It’s this maturity that will allow Kelly to trust in the young player to give Prosise more spells on the sidelines in order to keep his legs fresh.

As Adams feels more confident and stable on the field as a runner, Kelly may also look to speed up the progression of fellow rookie Dexter Williams. Williams is the speedy, “exciting” back for the Irish, but, unlike Adams, Kelly has spoken of Williams’s need to develop schematically. He should get more looks in earlier parts of the game just to aid in the rest of the two top running backs, but likely will not be getting many meaningful playing time until he can prove he is trustworthy within the playbook and not just athletically.

All things said, Notre Dame fans saw plenty against Texas to keep them optimistic for now. It was about as dominating a performance from all eleven positions on the offense as they’ve seen, and the running backs were just as much a part of that as anyone. As long as Prosise and Adams continue to develop and perform, Irish eyes should continue smiling .

The post Tarean Folston Tears ACL, Out For Season appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Greg Bryant will be carrying the rock for the SilverStorm in 2015 @ASACollegeMiami for Florida's 1st Juco program. pic.twitter.com/3REV6UgDIq

— Coach Roger Mitchell (@FBcoachMitchell) August 12, 2015

Remember the days in which Moons waxed poetic regarding the expectations for Bryant in 2015? Those were happier days.

Now, before I go much further, I should note that Bryant can return to the Irish if he so wishes. As Keith Arnold reported yesterday, Nate Montana did just that and gave Notre Dame another shot before finally deciding to transfer. Julius Jones went down something of a similar path as well before his final season with the Irish; however, he simply took classes at Arizona State and never really flirted with playing football in anything but blue and gold.

Now, while there is certainly a path for Bryant to return, there are some troubling circumstances surrounding this decision. Namely, HIS FATHER DIDN’T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THIS:

Just spoke to Greg Bryant Sr. If the news of the ASA move is true, Greg Jr. hasn’t told his father about it.

— Pete Sampson (@PeteSampson_) August 12, 2015

Greg Bryant Sr. found out about this latest development from an ESPN reporter calling him for comment.

— Pete Sampson (@PeteSampson_) August 12, 2015

I have a feeling there is a very, very awkward family meeting in the near future.

All signs pretty much point to this being the end of Bryant at Notre Dame. The move to ASA is for football and nothing more. Until yesterday, Bryant was set to return to Notre Dame as a student. While his grades fell short of the mark for athletic eligibility, he didn’t have any other academic or honor code violations that would’ve forced the University to suspend him. In fact, according to this father, he was damn close to pulling himself out of the academic ineligibility hole this summer:

Father said Bryant needed a B+ in a summer school course to stay eligible. Received a B- “It was that close,” Bryant Sr. said.

— Pete Sampson (@PeteSampson_) August 4, 2015

Now, there is another small ray of hope in this situation and that’s the fact that there is a ND connection at ASA:

ASA’s head coach is Ernest Jones, former ops guy/assistant coach for Brian Kelly. Briefly employed by Bob Diaco at UConn.

— Pete Sampson (@PeteSampson_) August 12, 2015

Now, that being said, Roger Mitchell, the assistant coach that broke this story, had this to say to BGI about Bryant’s move (emphasis mine):

“He’s going to go to school for a year, graduate with an [associate degree] and then go back to Division 1,” Mitchell said. “I don’t know if he’s going to transfer [back to Notre Dame] that’s between him and his parents, and I don’t want to speculate on that.”

…

“He has been very pleasant,” Mitchell said of Bryant. “He’s excited. He wants to get back on the field. He struggled with the academic rigor at Notre Dame, that was the only thing, it wasn’t a character issue or anything else.”

Simply put, there are just too many red flags waving in my face for me to believe that Bryant will be headed elsewhere for his final season. Even if Bryant decided to take the year at ASA to get his feet back under him, I am not sure that is the best path to correcting whatever struggles he had in the classroom at ND. Now, I’m not trying to slam ASA and whatever academic programs they offer, but when their own coach is more or less implying that he won’t have a hard time academically at ASA, I don’t think I’m making an unfair conclusion.

The silver-lining in this whole situation is that this is all still a whole lot of hand-wringing over a backup. Certainly, Bryant was a backup with loads of potential, but ND had yet to see that potential fully realized. With Tarean Folston and the recent move of C.J. Prosise in the backfield, the two-deep for the Irish still feels quite safe. Remember, the depth beyond that includes freshmen Josh Adams and Dexter Williams and another WR-turned-RB, Justin Brent.

So, while we can certainly hope that Bryant does make a return to South Bend, a potential departure would not be the end of the world for the Irish.

Still, I am ready for this offseason to end because I am sick of bad news. Let’s get to football, please.

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