A Notre Dame Football Blog
With the NFL Combine half over, here are some of the emerging story lines regarding former Notre Dame players: JAYLON SMITH'S INJURY EXAMINED Linebacker Jaylon Smith gave contradictory - or confusing - answers to reporters' questions about possible nerve damage in his left knee. Smith tore his ACL and LCL during the Irish's Jan. 1 loss to Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. NFL team physicians were allowed to examine Smith today to evaluate the extent of his injury. Doctors will need to ...
I'm admittedly a fan of prospects out of California that go on to become great college football players. I especially love it when they buck the trend and go out of state, and take a chance on Notre Dame. From my days of cheering on Kory Minor, I have always had a soft spot for guys on our roster from the Golden State. Fresh off signing day 2016 and the anticlimactic Caleb Kelly announcement, I wanted to know how Brian Kelly has fared recruiting wise compared to his predecessor, Charlie Weis. ...
Good morning! I'm here to catch you up on all that has transpired with the Notre Dame football program in the last 24 hours. Here are your headlines: PODCAST Irish Illustrated (F): Irish hit spring stride (50:55) ND Insider: Podcast: ND Insider recruiting update 4-2 (10:42) RECRUITING - OFFERED Bruin Report Online ($): Video: Lucas at The Opening (⭐⭐⭐⭐ AZ RB Chase Lucas) Dawg Post (F): Big get for Dawgs - Price commits (⭐⭐⭐⭐ GA OT E.J. Price) Irish247 (F): Robinson, family ...
As we gather with our families today to celebrate our mothers, I not only reflect on what my own mother has done for me over the years through her love and sacrifice ... but I also reflect on all that Our Lady has done for me. I think about who I am today as a person, and how much of that is due in part to the time I spent in the shadows of Our Lady on top of the Dome. I grew, changed and developed into the woman I am today as a result of the not only my studies but also the experiences that I ...
(AP Photo/Joe Raymond)
Apparently, Notre Dame felt like releasing just about everything possible on January 9th. Sports Illustrated reported that Troy Niklas will forgo his senior season at ND and enter the NFL draft. He now joins juniors Stephon Tuitt and George Atkinson III as well as senior Louis Nix III as Irish players leaving early for the chance at a NFL payday. I would wager Niklas lands in the third round, fourth at worst. He's an incredible talent and his measurable alone will make this beast of a TE a ...
With two touchdowns in the last three games, Ben Koyack is quietly emerging as a legitimate offensive threat for Notre Dame. While his season stats will not turn many heads, Koyack's emergence does something more important for the Irish than filling up the stat sheet—it allows the offense to use more multiple tight end formations. As I have previously written, multiple tight end formations create mismatches that defenses cannot easily counter with changes in personnel or formation. ...
Notre Dame quarterback Tommy Rees (11) passes against Air Force in the first quarter of an NCAA football game in Air Force Academy, Colo., Saturday, Oct. 26, 2013. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Notre Dame met the Air Force Falcons on Saturday, the 30th meeting between the two teams in the last fifty years, most of them ending in a similar outcome, a Notre Dame victory. And this meeting was no different. While the results of this series may be lopsided, a program like Air Force built on service and honor always has a chance. The 2013 Falcon squad, however, was no match up for Notre Dame’s impressive offensive showing. Coming into the game there was some talk that the altitude and ...
Mike Denbrock was one of the Irish coaches who spoke at the 2013 Notre Dame Coaches Clinic last spring. During his presentation, he discussed some of Notre Dame's staple route concepts, including the "Knife" and the "Switch." Because the Irish had some success with both the Knife and Switch against USC last Saturday, I decided to breakdown a few plays that illustrate these concepts. What is the Knife? The Knife is a two-man route concept. The outside receiver runs a 14-yard dig route, ...
After rushing for nearly 190 yards per game in 2012, Notre Dame is averaging a meager 137 yards per game this season. While there are a number of reasons why the run game has struggled (graduation of key personnel, playing from behind, etc.), it is clear that the Irish miss Everett Golson's mobility. Defenses are attacking the line of scrimmage with little fear that Tommy Rees will make them pay for over-pursuing the Irish running backs. Although Rees will never be a running threat, Brian Kelly ...
The Michigan Wolverines defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Saturday night, 41-30 — and then celebrated by playing some polka. Here, the Irish's Chris Brown is tackled by Michigan's Delonte Hollowell after making a catch. (Photo:vGregory Shamus/Getty Images)
No one likes to lose to Michigan. Ever. But I don't think the end of the world is any closer either. While the defense still has much work to do, the offense actually looks pretty good ... and will only get better from here in my humble opinion. Lets take a look at how the offense produced on Saturday. Tommy Rees - Rees completed twenty-nine of fifty-one passes for 314 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. This was also the first time in his career that he had back-to-back games ...