by Leprechaun Express & Steve Welsh
“Notre Dame defensive lineman Jerry Tillery has tweeted an apology for kicking USC running back Aca’Cedric Ware in the helmet while Ware was on the ground with an apparent head injury and stomping on the foot of USC offensive tackle Zach Banner while he was on the ground.”
“Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick has maintained all season long that coach Brian Kelly would return to South Bend in 2017, but Swarbrick can only guarantee that he has no plans to fire Kelly. He doesn’t know what might be in Kelly’s plans, and according to one report, Kelly’s plans just might involve leaving on his own. Yahoo’s Pat Forde is reporting that Kelly ‘has reached out through representatives to explore coaching options outside Notre Dame.'”
“In a hotel room in California late Saturday night, doubling down on recruiting and auditing the existing spring practice structure, Brian Kelly was eventually nudged out of his cocoon. … ”
“In three words, Brian Kelly expressed his desire to return as Notre Dame’s football coach …. ‘I’ll be back,’ he said with … Jack Swarbrick, nodding and smiling in the audience at the … Coliseum after a 45-27 loss against USC. But when all was said and done with the Irish’s forgettable 4-8 season … more was said than done. Then, in the wee hours of Sunday morning, even more was said about how Kelly does not intend to be done as head coach of the Irish. In a tweet sent after 2 a.m., the school released a statement in wake of a Yahoo report … suggesting Kelly had been putting out feelers for other jobs. …”
“Notre Dame defensive lineman Jerry Tillery apologized Monday for his actions in Saturday’s loss at USC, in which the sophomore appeared to nudge one injured Trojans player in the head and step on the foot of another during a fourth-quarter drive. ….”
“Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly says he is ”fully committed” to staying at the school after the Fighting Irish finished with their second-worst record in five decades. An embarrassing 45-27 loss to USC left Notre Dame with a 4-8 mark. Kelly stated his intentions in a statement released by the school early Sunday ….”
“Notre Dame has a young team, and a talented team. We found out this year that both sides of the ball simply just don’t quite know how to win, but this team can be turned around. New faces will be plentiful next season, and I believe that to be a good thing. Despite Deshone Kizer, the quarterback and arguably team MVP most likely heading to the NFL Draft, I believe that this team can absolutely find its footing. …
“Inside Notre Dame Football” with Brian Kelly, Jack Nolan and Notre Dame players, after the conclusion of Notre Dame’s 2016 campaign.
“‘I want to take full responsibility for my actions on Saturday. I am truly sorry. I acted in a way that was out of character for me. What I displayed in those two instances were completely unbecoming and not indicative of the kind of player or person I am. My actions in those two instances do not represent what my family or Notre Dame has molded me to be. I want to especially apologize to Aca’Cedric, Zach, their families and anyone else affected by what I did. I assure you I will learn and grow from this moment and become a better man because of it.'”
“Notre Dame finished this season with a 4-8 record, its worst mark since 2007, leaving head coach Brian Kelly’s future with the program up in the air. ….”
“A lot of things have to go wrong for a preseason 10th-ranked team to fall to 4-8 at season’s end. Notre Dame’s 12th losing season in a century, and fourth this millennium, featured breakdowns on multiple levels. Here are 10 reasons to help explain what went wrong ….”
“Inside the Notre Dame football locker room, on what became a dark and drippy Saturday in Los Angeles, Irish coach Brian Kelly — very late in his postgame remarks to his squad — allowed a thought about what’s ahead: ‘We’ve got guys that care, guys with big hearts that will do whatever is necessary to win football games here. That’s the card we’re going to play. That’s a good card to play.’ …”
“Just a year ago, Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly nearly made the college football playoff. However, he sits in a much different position currently, after a disappointing 4-8 season. While The Fighting Irish were still reeling from a 45-27 loss at USC, it was reported first by Yahoo, and later by ESPN, that Kelly’s representatives were exploring options for the coach aside from being on the sidelines in South Bend next season.”
“After an unexpected 4-8 season – the second worst in program history in over five decades – Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick faces a crossroads project with far more long-term implications than the $400 million renovation project of Notre Dame Stadium with the same name. Whatever direction Notre Dame takes over the next several weeks there is one thing that is absolutely certain: the program cannot have a repeat of the 2016 season. Given Swarbrick has only two options moving forward, it’s time to evaluate what must be done to be successful moving forward regardless of which path is chosen. …”
“… Notre Dame’s first sack didn’t come until junior linebacker Nyles Morgan got one in game four versus Duke Sept. 24. …”
Brian Kelly met with reporters after Notre Dame’s season-ending game against Southern Cal in the Los Angeles Coliseum.
Video highlights from Notre Dame’s season-ending game against Southern Cal in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
“2 Losing seasons suffered by Brian Kelly in his 26 years as a college head coach. His first year at Central Michigan in 2004 produced a 4-7 mark, and his seventh at Notre Dame resulted in a worse 4-8. …”
“… The list of breakdowns is long. The fixes are necessary. And a failure in the finale felt like par for the course. 4-8. No explanation necessary.”
“[Notre Dame] finished their worst season since 2007 with their largest margin of defeat this year. It all appears to be sending coach Brian Kelly into the job market. According to multiple reports, Kelly’s representatives are looking into coaching opportunities at other schools. Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick has said that Kelly’s job is safe. Yahoo! Sports was first with the report. …”
“… Items: Notre Dame’s Chris Finke caught a 14-yard touchdown pass from Kizer on the opening drive of the second half to cut the USC lead to 24-14. On the ensuing drive, Jackson took a Darnold pass 52 yards for a TD. With 1:01 left in the quarter, ND’s Kevin Stepherson caught a 29-yard touchdown. ….”
“Adoree’ Jackson returned a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns and also scored on a TD pass, and Southern Cal’s aggressive defense had some success as the No. 12 Trojans (9-3) were dominant in the season finale Saturday, sending the Notre Dame (4-8) to a 45-27 defeat.”
“… This will be the fourth of Kelly’s seven seasons that the Irish finish outside of the AP Top 25. The negative energy burdening some of those teams has been palpable, and an obvious problem. …”
“#NotreDame football coach #BrianKelly is exploring options through his representatives to possibly leave the Fighting Irish program, a source said Saturday. Kelly’s representatives have had contact with other universities, a source told ESPN. Yahoo! Sports first reported Kelly’s interest in the possibility of leaving Notre Dame. ….”
“….. A season coach #BrianKelly described as a ‘nightmare’ ended unmercifully in the shadows of the Hollywood hills with a 45-27 loss to USC. ….”
“By The Numbers … 2 Losing seasons suffered by Brian Kelly in his 26 years as a college head coach. His first year at Central Michigan in 2004 produced a 4-7 mark, and his seventh at Notre Dame resulted in a worse 4-8. … 3 Teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision, since the divisions were established in 1978, that still have never played a Football Champions Series opponent (formerly lower than Division 1-A): Notre Dame, USC and UCLA. …”
“… #NotreDame (4-8) … struggled to keep up with No. 12 USC (9-3), dropping its season finale, 45-27, on Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Notre Dame held a 7-3 lead in the first quarter, but USC quickly regained a 10-7 lead and did not trail for the remaining three-plus quarters. The Irish were within 10 points in the third quarter, but Notre Dame’s two turnovers proved to be too much to overcome on the road against a top-15 opponent. …”
ABC LIVE VIDEO STREAM: Notre Dame vs. Southern Cal
#NotreDame vs. Southern Cal live boxscore/stats – ESPN
In Lou Holtz’s first year at #NotreDame, when current Notre Dame assistant coach Greg Hudson was an underclassman player, the Irish had close games all year against elite opponents, only to take a 4-6 record into their finale against a top-20 #SouthernCal in the Coliseum. After falling behind, and still trailing 17 points in the fourth quarter, the Irish staged a furious comeback to beat the Trojans in the final moments, including contributions by future Heisman-winner and NFL great Tim Brown, future long-time NFL veterans Steve Beuerlein and John Carney, and an intense game for the ages from up and down the roster.
As of late Tuesday night, tickets are still available for Notre Dame vs. Southern Cal in the Los Angeles Coliseum, Saturday afternoon of Thanksgiving Weekend. Kick-off is at 12:30 p.m. PT/local time (3:30 p.m. ET).
Partly sunny and a chance of rain, with a high of 65, is predicted for the Los Angeles Coliseum on Saturday of Thanksgiving Weekend, when Notre Dame takes on Southern Cal at 12:30 p.m. local time, 3:30 p.m. ET. Below are links to L.A. Coliseum weather and full-sized embedded Accuweather widgets for 90037 (the widgets might take longer to load). (And if you’re curious to compare, you can also click here for Notre Dame, Ind., weather)
Los Angeles Coliseum Weather – National Weather Service
Los Angeles Coliseum Weather – Weather Channel
Los Angeles Coliseum Weather – Accuweather
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“Irish Head West For 88th Meeting With USC; 3:30 p.m. ET; Saturday, Nov. 26; Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (93,607); TV: ABC national telecast … RADIO: IMG College Sports is the exclusive national rights-holder for Irish football radio broadcasts … to 117 affiliates …. This broadcast can be heard live on SiriusXM Satellite Radio (channel 129). The broadcast will be preceded by a one hour pre-game show hosted by Tony Castricone with interviews conducted by Jack Nolan. It will be followed by a national post-game show hosted by Castricone, Criqui and Pinkett.”
BrianKelly meets with reporters on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2016, as Notre Dame prepares for their road game at Southern Cal. Notre Dame also is reacting to the NCAA’s announcement of wide-ranging sanctions against Notre Dame in connection with an academic cheating scandal. If the sanctions hold, Notre Dame will vacate their wins from their 2012 run to the BCS title game as well as from 2013.
“Brian Kelly’s worst season at Notre Dame took an embarrassing turn … the NCAA announced that academic misconduct orchestrated by a student athletic trainer will cost the storied program all 21 victories from the 2012-13 seasons, including the 12-0 run that vaulted the Fighting Irish into the national championship game against Alabama. … just the fourth time the NCAA has cited Notre Dame for a major rules violation. … The school ripped the NCAA for its decision to vacate the wins and immediately said it would appeal. … The Division I Committee on Infractions panel also put Notre Dame on probation for a year and ordered a $5,000 fine, penalties the school agreed with. There were no bowl or scholarship punishments. … Kelly … said he doesn’t believe he has any culpability in the case and has no reason to believe he won’t be back as Notre Dame’s coach next season. …”
“Notre Dame will be forced to vacate victories in the 2012 and 2013 football season due to NCAA violations by a student-trainer.
The NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions panel ruled the trainer violated ethical conduct rules when she committed academic misconduct for two football players by completing their coursework. The two players and another also committed individual academic misconduct, and Notre Dame ruled they violated the school’s academic integrity policy.
The student-trainer also provided six other players with impermissible academic extra benefits in a total of 18 classes. …”
“A former University of #NotreDame student athletic trainer violated #NCAA ethical conduct rules when she committed academic misconduct for two football student-athletes and provided six other #football student-athletes with impermissible academic extra benefits, according to a Division I Committee on Infractions panel. One additional football student-athlete committed academic misconduct on his own.
The panel prescribed one year of probation, a two-year show-cause order and disassociation for the former student trainer, and a $5,000 fine for the university. During that time, if a member school hires the former student trainer in an athletically related position, she and the school must appear before a Committee on Infractions panel. ….”
“The NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions (COI) is an independent administrative body of the NCAA comprised of individuals from the Division I membership and the public. The committee decides infractions cases involving member institutions and their staffs.1
This case involved academic violations in the football program at the University of Notre Dame. A panel of the committee considered this case through the cooperative summary disposition process in which all parties agreed to the primary facts and violations, as fully set forth in the summary disposition report (SDR). The panel proposed further penalties to the institution, including vacation of team records. The institution challenged the appropriateness of the proposed vacation of team records at an expedited penalty hearing. The institution has the opportunity to appeal that penalty. ….”
“… The loss clinched a losing season for the Irish, just the 14th time in 128 seasons of playing football and the first since going 3-9 in 2007. They also failed to win back-to-back games for the first time since 1960. …”
“… Twice … Saturday, Notre Dame led Virginia Tech by 17 points. Once again … the Irish couldn’t hang on … in what ended in a 34-31 loss …. The defeat most likely spelled the end of any hopes the Irish (4-7) had of a bowl bid in what has been season stuffed with ‘what ifs’ and seven losses by eight points or fewer. With one game against USC standing between the Irish and a long offseason, Kelly could only rewrite in his head what has been a trying season in South Bend. …”
“Notre Dame … (4-7) could not hold off a second half Virginia Tech (8-3) comeback, as the Hokies escaped with a 34-31 win …. The Irish led by as many as 17 points in the first half but Virginia Tech managed to score 27 of the game’s final 34 points to earn the victory in the first matchup between the two programs. …”
Notre Dame Weather – National Weather Service
Notre Dame Weather – Weather Channel
Notre Dame Weather – Accuweather
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Notre Dame vs. Virginia Tech – Live Box Score/Stats
[PDF] Notre Dame vs. Virginia Tech extended game notes
DeShone Kizer and the Irish look to continue their late push to become bowl eligible at home against the Hokies
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish take on the Virginia Tech Hokies, Saturday Nov. 19 at 3:30 pm ET in The House That Rockne Built, televised nationally on NBC.
Brian Kelly hosts his radio show heading into Notre Dame’s match-up with Virginia Tech, featuring Brian Kelly, Jack Nolan and Notre Dame players.
“The Irish are on the brink of bowl elimination …. Notre Dame may have the two toughest games of their season left. 3. Can the Notre Dame defense stop Jerod Evans? … 2. Watch the run game … 1. Will DeShone Kizer keep Notre Dame alive? …”
Brian Kelly talks to reporters after Thursday practice heading into Notre Dame’s game against Virginia Tech.
“After two weeks away from home … Notre Dame … returns to Notre Dame Stadium … for its final home game of the year against Virginia Tech. … the last of five Atlantic Coast clashes … the last of six home contests … the first time the Hokies and Irish have met. … five things to watch … 1. The weather forecast is not great. … 2. It’s Senior Day. … 3. How will Virginia Tech react? … 4. The Hokies pride themselves on defense. … 5. Whatever it takes to win.
“In the four games against modern offenses since defensive analyst Greg Hudson took over coordinator duties once Brian VanGorder was fired, Notre Dame has displayed steady defensive improvement. The defensive line is more active and applying more pressure, while the youth injected into the secondary has limited the frequent big plays through the air. …”
“In previewing Virginia Tech, we spoke with Tim Sullivan of HokieHaven.com and Mike Barber, who covers the Hokies for the Richmond Times-Dispatch.”
“… This was a team in the Top 10 to start the year and one that won 10 games and played in the Fiesta Bowl just last season. How the heck do the Fighting Irish have a 4-6 record? ….”
“… while Brian Kelly will greet and appreciate 28 seniors who’ll run out of the tunnel in the season’s final home game, he’s hopeful that this won’t be goodbye for most. … while Jarron Jones, James Onwualu, Isaac Rochell, Cole Luke, Mark Harrell, Scott Daly and Avery Sebastian are saying goodbye, there’s plenty of eligibility remaining. … ‘We don’t have as many seniors that have used up their eligibility,’ Kelly explained when asked about the emotions of the upcoming weekend. ‘I’m crying right now because I don’t have Will Fuller. He didn’t have a senior day. Jaylon Smith, Ronnie Stanley, Kavari Russell, is that enough? … then there’s a number of guys that have eligibility remaining. … it’s a lot grayer as to who is a senior and who’s not a senior.’ … a source of optimism, especially for a staff looking to build on the tail-end of the season. … decisions on staying or going will be left until later …”
“… just eight ND players who will run out of the tunnel … are exhausting their eligibility …. Only six of them came to Notre Dame as recruited high school prospects. … Increasingly, a share of the elite seniors on a five-year track and true juniors are going to cannonball into the NFL Draft pool early. … of the 13 ND three-and-out juniors in the 26 years the NFL Draft rules have allowed them, eight have happened [under] Brian Kelly … and five have come in the past three drafts. … those blocked on the depth chart by younger players often will seek grad transfers or will put the “40-year decision” mantra to work before their NCAA clock elapses. … on top of that, there’s … medical hardships, transfers and dismissals.”
“In the nine seasons from 2007-15, Notre Dame has consistently gone through what has been referred to as ‘The Navy Hangover.’ …”
“THREE KEYS TO VICTORY FOR VIRGINIA TECH 1 Get going early … easy for outsiders to say this game means nothing. … a nonconference game … next week, Tech takes on its rival, Virginia, with a chance to clinch the ACC’s Coastal Division …. The Hokies say they’re focused on this game, but minds will wander if Notre Dame jumps ahead early. 2 No big plays: Georgia Tech ripped off two touchdown runs of more than 50 yards against the Hokies. The Fighting Irish have much more offensive firepower than the Yellow Jackets, especially on the edge at wide receiver. 3 Get the offense back on track ….”
“On the whole, #NotreDame hasn’t gotten the job done on the field this season. But the Irish’s 4-6 record doesn’t mean coach Brian Kelly will be without one once the season ends. … Nonetheless, barring a sweep of the final two games — Saturday against Virginia Tech and Nov. 26 at USC — this will be the first season Kelly won’t finish with a winning record at Notre Dame. …”
“Today, Notre Dame is 4-6 — and yet there were inquiries during head coach Brian Kelly’s weekly press conference about whether the team would be receptive to going to a bowl game, even with a possible 5-7 record. … ‘I haven’t given it much thought, to be honest with you,’ replied Kelly when asked if the school would play in a bowl with a 5-7 mark. “I think those scenarios I would address at the end of the year.’ …”
Inside #NotreDame #Football covers some of the latest news, featuring Brian Kelly, Jack Nolan and some Notre Dame players, including a Notre Dame vs. Army recap and Notre Dame vs. Virginia Tech preview.
“Virginia Tech has a very good football team. Justin Fuente, head football coach and Bud Foster, the defensive coordinator, put together a very good year, some really good wins; North Carolina I really thought probably as complete a game as they played all year. Turned the ball over a few times, but a really good football team. Defensively it’s what you expect from Bud Foster’s team, they keep the pressure on you.
Experience in the back end of their defense I think is the key to their defense, returning starters across the board can play man, can mix it up, play some zone coverages. They’ve lost some guys up front, but Eron and Edmunds, extremely productive tackles. What you see with Virginia Tech is negative plays. And most offenses get into long yardage and Virginia Tech is one of the best in the country on third down. ….”
Notre Dame vs. Virginia Tech: Senior Day Marks First-Ever Meeting With Hokies; Kickoff set for 3:40 p.m. ET on NBC ….
“… After Sanders completed his 92-yard dash in 12 seconds, the Irish were off running to a 44-6 victory over Army in a Shamrock Series game. ….”
“C.J. Sanders 92-yard kickoff return to open the game set the tone in Notre Dame’s 44-6 win versus Army West Point. …”
“… That feeling of respect could be felt everywhere in the stadium. Patriotism buzzed around the building on this Veteran’s Day weekend, creating an inclusive atmosphere. The Notre Dame band performed the hymns of all five branches of the military, marching in the formation of each branch’s abbreviation during halftime. The show ended with a spectacular arrangement of the outline of the country while the band played ‘America the Beautiful.’ …”
“Remember the Alamo for the experience, not necessarily the football. The Irish were good. Effective. Efficient. Army just happened to be the worst team on Notre Dame’s schedule. The Black Knights have feasted on the likes of Rice, UTEP, Lafayette and North Texas, and will become bowl eligible by beating Morgan State next week. …”
“A brief recap of Notre Dame’s 44-6 win over Army at the Alamodome ….”
#NotreDame and Army met in the latest Shamrock Series outing Saturday in San Antonio—with the Irish roaring to a 38-6 halftime lead on their way to a 44-6 victory. … 1.The Irish have regained some confidence. … 2. There has been measurable progress on defense. … 3. The Irish had a great day on offense. … 4. Freshman wide receiver Kevin Stepherson has a chance to be a star. …
“The Shamrock Series was a snoozer. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t refreshing. After all, that’s what a good nap does. Recharge the batteries, unplug for a moment, and wake-up refreshed and ready to tackle what’s ahead. … “
ND’s 44-6 victory over Army on Saturday … broadcast in the 3:30 p.m. ET time slot, earned a 1.0 overnight rating, according to SportsMediaWatch.com. That’s lower than last year’s Shamrock Series game (1.3) on NBCSN that ended in a sloppy 19-16 ND win over Boston College and aired on [cable’s] NBCSN in primetime. Two late November games broadcast on NBC in the same time slot–ND’s 28-6 win over Wake Forest last November and a loss to Northwestern in 2014–delivered ratings of 1.4 and 2.0, respectively. SportsMediaWatch.com believes the 1.0-mark could be ND’s lowest overnight rating on #NBC in the 25 years since it signed a contract with the television network.
“… 8 Players in Notre Dame history who have returned two kickoff returns for a touchdown in the same season, with sophomore C.J. Sanders the most recent after his 92-yard touchdown return on the opening kickoff. The others were: Paul Castner (1922), John Lattner (1953), Nick Eddy (1966), Tim Brown (1986), Raghib “Rocket” Ismail (1988 and 1989), Allen Rossum (1997) and George Atkinson III (2011). …”
“Someone forgot to tell all these folks Notre Dame’s football team is struggling …. More than 45,000 fans amped up the energy of the Alamodome – and the rest of the city of San Antonio … – as the Irish (4-6) celebrated their Shamrock Series event Texas style, with a bigger-than-life 44-6 victory over Army (5-5) …. The Irish exploded with 38 points in the first half, their biggest production in the first 30 minutes in five years, and coasted the rest of the way. …”
Brian Kelly meets with reporters after Notre Dame’s 44-6 victory over Army in San Antonio.
Highlights of Notre Dame’s 44-6 Win Over Army at the Alamodome.
“… Notre Dame’s 32-point halftime lead was its largest lead at intermission since the Irish led Stanford 34-0 on November 29, 2003 … Notre Dame had 11 different players register a catch, a team season high. …”
“Notre Dame … improved to 4-6 … with a 44-6 victory over Army (5-5) in a Shamrock Series game at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas on Saturday afternoon. The Irish utilized a balanced attack to take down the Black Knights, rushing for 261 yards while passing for an additional 215 yards. DeShone Kizer threw three touchdowns in the contest and rushed for an additional 72 yards. Two of Kizer’s scoring tosses ended up in the hands of native Texan Durham Smythe in the first half. Notre Dame returns home next week for senior day to face Virginia Tech at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC”
Notre Dame vs. Army live box score/stats – ESPN
Go Irish! Beat Army!
[PDF] Notre Dame vs. Army extended game notes
#NOTREDAME #FOOTBALL: “… Army and Notre Dame have at least one thing in common this season: Each has had trouble against option attacks. When they meet on Saturday in San Antonio at the Alamodome, Army (5-4) just might have a small edge. The Black Knights use the clock-chewing triple option, and the Irish (3-6) are reeling from a one-point loss to Navy, their third setback in four games in what so far is the worst of Brian Kelly’s seven seasons as head coach. The chance to play in a bowl game is still a possibility for both teams. Kelly said he planned no changes. …”
1. Notre Dame Defensive Adjustments to Defend the Option … 2. Army Pass Defense vs. DeShone Kizer and the Notre Dame Receivers … 3. Waiting for the Notre Dame Special Teams Mistake … This season has a chance to be one to remember for Army and already is a season to forget for Notre Dame. But there is still a huge talent disparity, despite the records of the two teams. The Irish are bigger and faster. Of course, Notre Dame was bigger and faster than Navy too, but the Black Knights are just a notch below the Midshipmen. Army will make it competitive, but Notre Dame will control a good portion of the game and get an elusive win.
“… In commemorating Notre Dame’s 125 years of football history in 2012, Blue & Gold Illustrated’s Football Preview that summer compiled a top 50 countdown of the most iconic moments in Fighting Irish football lore. ….”
“According to Edgar Allen Poe — the wide receiver from Tucson, not the macabre poet — a much brighter aura surrounds the Army football team this season, and not just because the Black Knights are finally winning more games than they lose.”
#NOTREDAME #FOOTBALL: “…. ‘I talk mostly about Notre Dame, and where does he want to be as it relates to the Notre Dame quarterbacks?’ Kelly said. ‘Most quarterbacks are judged by not their numbers, but by their wins. And we’re all, right now, 3-6.’ ….”
#NOTREDAME #FOOTBALL: Brian Kelly talks with Jack Nolan and Notre Dame players, and covers the latest in Notre Dame football as the Irish prepared for West Point.
“Notre Dame heads to San Antonio, needing a win …. in the Black Knights, the Irish have a foe that’s fitting—a double-digit underdog, but one who presents some of the same challenges that made Navy so difficult. Jeff Monken’s third Army team has shown considerable improvements. They’ve won big games, beating Wake Forest and Temple while hanging tight with Duke. But coming off a tough loss to Air Force that ends their chance at winning the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, The Black Knights come to the Shamrock Series hoping to spring an upset, the latest opponents to add to Notre Dame’s nightmare season. …”
#NOTREDAME #FOOTBALL: “… Junior linebacker Greer Martini is a player that is suited to play against the triple option. He thrived in last week’s game against Navy, and should again play a major role this week against Army. ….”
“The mission is clear, and it is critical. Win a football game, or stare a school record for futility straight in the eyes.”
#NOTREDAME #FOOTBALL: “… 5 Brian Kelly – Notre Dame: The Irish will have a hard time finishing this season with four wins. Kelly might have received a vote of confidence from his athletic director, but coaches in good standing don’t need that. It’s awfully hard to justify three wins…
#NOTREDAME #FOOTBALL: “… when it comes to having profound and lasting impact on an entire sport, it’s tough to argue that any rivalry matched the Notre Dame-Army rivalry of the 20th century. The two teams met for the first time 103 years ago, when the upstart Notre Dame team traveled east to play the powerful Cadets at West Point. To counteract Army’s superiorities in size and strength, Notre Dame coach Jesse Harper unleashed a potent passing attack, facilitated by new rules intended to make the game safer. …”
“… immersed in … the worst of his 27 seasons as a … head coach, it would be easy for … Brian Kelly to make wholesale changes within his program. He did so last month by firing … Brian VanGorder, but from a personnel standpoint, Kelly has decided to stay the course even after losing for the sixth time in nine games …. ‘If you look at the six games that we’ve played,’ Kelly said, ‘what needs to change is a little bit better play calling here, maybe a little bit better execution there, and the players just maturing.’ … To Kelly’s point regarding the ‘maturing’ of his team, the Notre Dame depth chart listed 39 players out of 59 that were either in their first or second season of being on the field. …”
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#NOTREDAME #FOOTBALL: “Notre Dame is hoping that its second game against the triple option goes better than its first. The Irish are coming off a 28-27 loss to Navy, but Army has put up better numbers on both sides of the ball than has their arch-rivals at Navy.”
#NOTREDAME #FOOTBALL:
“The vision Brian Kelly is selling to recruits of how Notre Dame’s defense will evolve … ‘Quite frankly, we’re going to be in both (3-4 and 4-3 fronts), because I’m not going anywhere,’ he said. ‘So it’s going to be a three-down, four-down defense, and they’re going to have to be somebody that can do both.’ They are the eight defensive recruits already committed in the 2017 class, the four defenders in the 2018 group, and … prospects Kelly and his staff are still chasing [for 2017]. The nuances and even some of the basic tenets of the next scheme … attacking vs. read/react, how much man vs. zone — will and should likely have to wait until Kelly makes perhaps the most momentous hire of his head coaching career, deposed defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder’s permanent replacement. Interim Greg Hudson … remains in the running.”
#NOTREDAME #FOOTBALL: The Fighting Irish return to the field with a matchup against the Army Black Knights. Kickoff is slated for 3:30 p.m. (ET) in San Antonio, Texas.
#NOTREDAME #FOOTBALL #NotreDamevsArmy:
1. Expect minimal possessions (again). … 2. Quarterback play will be critical. … 3. Another Notre Dame-Army connection. … 4. Notre Dame might be one of the better opponents Army has faced. … 5. Check out the military angles. Anytime Notre Dame plays one of the service academies, the military connections are front and center … Joining the captains and officials for the coin toss will be former standout Notre Dame running back and 1967 team captain, four-time Super Bowl champion with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Vietnam veteran Rocky Bleier. Retired U.S. Army Major General Patrick H. Brady will be recognized at the end of the opening period and presented with a framed Irish jersey. … the only living Notre Dame alumnus to receive the Medal of Honor, Brady commanded an ambulance helicopter in Vietnam. He flew more than 2,000 combat missions and helped evacuate more than 5,000 injured soldiers stranded near enemy lines …
#NOTREDAME #FOOTBALL: “When Army battles Notre Dame on Saturday, Black Knights head coach Jeff Monken will be looking across the field at a head coach he knew a long time ago. And it can’t help but trigger a trip down Memory Lane.”
#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: “Whenever Navy’s football team needed a big play, quarterback Will Worth made it happen one way or another. Worth rushed for more than 170 yards and two touchdowns, then also orchestrated a triple-option offense that gained more than 320 yards on the ground, to lead the Midshipmen (6-2) to a 28-27 victory over Notre Dame (3-6), Saturday at EverBank Field.”
#NOTREDAME #FOOTBALL: The Fort Wayne News-Sentinel’s Tom Davis comments:
“Notre Dame is a bad football team. That is the problem. Poor coaching, poor coaching decisions, and poor execution by its players (which is certainly related to the poor coaching) are merely the symptoms. ‘I love the way we compete and play hard,’ Kelly said. ‘We’ve lost six close games that easily could have went our way.’ It is true that Notre Dame has had many opportunities to win games this year in the final minutes. But good teams – well-coached teams – find ways to win games, while poorly coached teams do the opposite. We now have enough data gathered since Labor Day to show that Notre Dame isn’t just a young team that is enduring hard luck, it is a bad team led by a coach that is doing a bad job this year.