by Leprechaun Express & Steve Welsh
#NOTREDAME #FOOTBALL: It was 1958 when Notre Dame lost most recently to the Army West Point Black Knights in football, a 14‑2 setback. That was the final season Army had under coaching legend Earl “Red” Blaik, who led the Cadets to an 8‑0‑1 record and a No. 3 finish in the Associated Press poll, with Heisman Trophy winner Pete Dawkins leading the charge.
#NOTREDAME #FOOTBALL: Notre Dame vs. Army, 3:30 p.m. ET; Saturday, Nov. 12; Alamodome (72,000); San Antonio, Texas.
#NOTREDAME #FOOTBALL: Video from July unveiling Notre Dame’s custom alternative uniforms for this year’s Shamrock Series game against Army — including a Celtic font; a dark, understated forest green; understated burnished gold trim on the uniform; and a somewhat clashing helmet. (The uniform looks like a stylish moisture-wicking, post-modern t-shirt, while the helmet arguably has a kind of 1970’s industrial equipment look with a tacky glossy finish, perhaps calling to mind background images from 1970’s crime dramas like Dirty Harry or Starsky and Hutch).
#NOTREDAME #FOOTBALL: Brian Kelly met with reporters early in the week as Notre Dame prepared to take on Army.
Notre Dame vs. Navy live boxscore/stats – ESPN
Brian Kelly spoke with reporters after practice on Thursday, heading into Notre Dame’s game with Navy in Jacksonville on Saturday.
(featuring Navy beat writer and sports editor from the Annapolis Capital Gazette)
“… Obviously, Ken Niumatalolo and what he’s done at Navy has been well documented. This year they’re already beating a top five team in Houston, a team that we know quite well in terms of playing them over my past six years here. A ton of respect for what they do offensively, defensively, and special teams. So it will be a great challenge for our football team.
They just keep — they keep rolling offensively. They lose their starting quarterback. Will Worth comes in and picks up where they left off. You think they lose Keenan Reynolds and there’s going to be a dropoff, but the production has been unbelievable. I think it’s 500 yards per over the last few games, and 40-something plus, and they’re throwing it even better than they’ve ever thrown it with a multiple offensive formational set. So it’s a challenge for us and one that, you know, obviously will test us. …”
… When Bob Elliott was hired as a special assistant to the head coach at Notre Dame, one of his first tasks was to conduct an in-depth study on option football. Notre Dame plays Navy every year and also had Georgia Tech and Army on the 2015 and 2016 schedules. Elliott, who had previously coached the safeties and linebackers for the Fighting Irish, took a close look at opponents that did a decent job of defending the option. He visited those schools, talked to defensive coordinators and compiled a list of strategies that had worked against the unique attack. …
Brian Kelly met with reporters on Tuesday, to preview Notre Dame’s upcoming game against Navy in Jacksonville.