Bowen led Andrean to State- they pulled an “upset” of Eastside to make the 2A finals in Indiana. The entire Andrean coaching staff is kids I played high school football with, pretty weird. None of them played college ball either Andrean’s soph WR just got Pitt and Miami OH offers- he’s one to watch for ND. I’m sure they will have him camp this summer
Also Medina got smoked in Ohio and Upper Arlington stunned Pick Central if you want to feel better about losing out on Styles and Allar
So right now it looks like either the Playoffs vs Georgia or Fiesta vs Michigan depending on the most likely scenarios Not bad, fuck it lets roll
msot likely yes. Wed be one of the 4 at larges, together with whoever wins the ACC, probably SEC3 and probably B1G3 if i had to guess. Clemson/Pitt/Sparty feel like the most logical opponents currently if i had to guess
ToT Spoiler “There was a lot of talk about creating their own energy this week. Playing for the love of the game itself and not carrying too much baggage, whether it be the playoffs or Senior Day. They went out there, played fast and free, and it showed itself.” “For those that are interested in style points – and I know you don’t like me for this, but I’m not (interested in style points) – I covered that one, too. I’ve got to be popular today.” -- Brian Kelly • Three full games, 12½ quarters, 187:23 on the game clock. Upon the completion of Notre Dame’s 55-0 victory over Georgia Tech in the 2021 home finale, the Fighting Irish defense hasn’t given up a touchdown since the 7:23 mark of the fourth quarter against North Carolina the day before Halloween. Against the Yellow Jackets, defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman employed an ultra-aggressive approach by attacking the line of scrimmage with his linebackers and nickel/cornerback TaRiq Bracy to harass Georgia Tech’s backup quarterback, Jordan Yates, who took a physical beating from the Irish. Yates was sacked six times, hurried nine times and absorbed hits from the very first snap of the game when JD Bertrand drilled him, nearly creating a turnover that would have started the onslaught even sooner than it did. • That’s now 35 straight possessions without a touchdown from the end of the North Carolina game, through Navy, through Virginia and through Georgia Tech. The Irish played like a rejuvenated team against the Yellow Jackets, not one that had played on the road at night the previous weekend with injuries and illness infiltrating the operation. The Notre Dame defense was active, confident, physical and flying around the football field. Georgia Tech’s greatest threat – running back Jahmyr Gibbs – was limited to 58 yards rushing on 12 carries with a long run of 17 yards. He came into the game with 34 receptions for 469 yards for an average of 13.8 yards per catch. He was targeted just one time in the passing game and it was incomplete. • Freeman apparently wasn’t overly concerned about Malachi Carter, Kyric McGowan and Adonicas Sanders – Georgia Tech’s top three receivers – making the Irish pay for their aggressiveness. Or perhaps it was quarterback Jordan Yates that didn’t strike fear as the backup to injured Jeff Sims, although Yates came into the game with considerably more experience that Brennan Armstrong’s backup at Virginia – Jay Woolfolk. Notre Dame repeatedly attacked the line of scrimmage, did not give up a reception to a wideout of longer than 12 yards, and limited that trio of wideouts to 10 catches for 62 yards on 16 targets. That’s 6.2 yards per wideout reception and 3.8 yards per wideout target for a trio that came into the game with 94 receptions, for 1,261 yards and 12 touchdowns. The number of receptions in the game was about the average of the trio, but the 62 yards was less than half of their 126.1 per game through 10 games. The pass rush was outstanding, led by Isaiah Foskey and Howard Cross III. The run defense was not compromised by the attacking approach toward Yates. It was another overwhelming performance by Marcus Freeman’s defense. • Over the last three games, Notre Dame’s defense has allowed 125.3 yards rushing per outing (and 3.1 yards per carry), 103.3 yards passing and 228.6 yards total offense. The unit has recorded 15 sacks and 24 tackles for loss in those three games. By virtue of limiting the last three opponents to nine points in 12 quarters, the defense has shot up to No. 12 in scoring at 18.6 points per game, which was 24.5 following the 44-34 victory over the Tar Heels. At 138.2 yards rushing per game, Notre Dame is now 40th nationally. The Irish are 26th in yards per pass attempt (6.7) and 40th in total defense at 349.5. They’ve come a long way since allowing 428 yards to USC and 564 to North Carolina. • Jack Coan’s passing numbers continue to rise. In the last six games, Coan has completed 98-of-133 passes (73.6 percent) for 1,198 yards (199.6 per game) with two interceptions and nine touchdown passes. He’s averaging 12.2 yards per completion and a sizzling 9.0 per attempt. He’s been sacked just eight times in six games after getting dumped 19 times in the first four games. Coan’s shortcomings are Coan’s shortcomings, and they can be maddening, particularly in early series when he appears to be more vulnerable than he is once he gets rolling. He took a pair of sacks in the red zone in the opening drive against Georgia Tech, including 1st-and-goal from the Yellow Jacket 10. “The protection breaks down, but as a quarterback, you want to find a way to get the ball out of your hands, even if you’re just throwing at someone’s feet,” said NBC analyst Drew Brees. “Avoid the sack, avoid the negative play.” Coan apparently is so focused on finding a receiver that he has very poor peripheral vision when it comes to a blitzing defender or a defensive lineman that pops out of the rubble. What appears to be a clear sign of danger for those observing the game from the stands, pressbox or TV is unforeseen by Coan. Over 11 games, he’s established that he has a very slow first step when it comes to evading a sign of danger. Without much mobility to begin with, it’s play over at that point. But he’s done a better job of getting the ball out of his hands quickly while the offensive line has done an infinitely better job of providing a wall from which to work behind. All that being said, it sure would be nice if the Irish had the option to bring Coan back in 2022. • While many will be ready to turn the page to Tyler Buchner as the starting quarterback in 2022, if you had a choice, would you want Coan back in 2022? The point is moot. Coan cannot come back for another year, which seems like a COVID loophole that goes against him while hundreds of other FBS players benefitted. But it sure would be nice to have a veteran quarterback returning behind an improving offensive line that could return all, if not the majority of its starters, depending upon some decisions by upperclassmen. • Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa’s final appearance in Notre Dame Stadium had a fairytale ending with his 70-yard scoop-and-score against Georgia Tech. MTA is one of the most beloved players on the 2021 team. His spirituality and caring nature toward others has repeatedly shined through during his five years with the Irish. He’s battled through a move to tackle when he arrived too heavy for end as a freshman, a season-ending injury, waiting his turn to emerge as a starter, and the sudden death of his father, Tuli, at just 53-years old on Aug. 8. MTA’s fumble return for a touchdown was impressive on a couple of levels. He’s 6-foot-2½, 268 pounds. He was coming off the flu, which kept him out of the Virginia game. He still hadn’t regained his voice on Tuesday of Georgia Tech week when he had to cancel his scheduled gathering with the media. And he had some athletes on the Georgia Tech defense chasing him. But with the assistance of defensive tackle Jayson Ademilola (who could have been called for a block in the back) and Isaiah Foskey, who caused the fumble by Jordan Yates and then led the charge with MTA downfield, the Ewa Beach, Hawaii product would not be denied two seasons after falling short of a scoop-and-score opportunity in Notre Dame Stadium against Virginia. In Kathryn Tappen’s in-the-stands interview with MTA’s mother, Sai Amosa, she said something about completing the journey (to the end zone) after coming up short against the Cavaliers. It sounded as if she was saying that the last time Tuli had been to Notre Dame Stadium was that Virginia game in ’19. And then his mother said what everyone around the Notre Dame football program knows about her son. When asked how Myron would be remembered, she said: “His love for his school, his peers, coaches, teammates and especially his professors.” The essence of MTA…in addition to his spiritual life. “First and foremost, all praise to the Most High,” says Tagovailoa-Amosa at the start of every interview he’s conducted as a member of the Notre Dame football team. • Tyler Buchner’s long-awaited extended play finally came in the second half of the Georgia Tech game. After Jack Coan’s one series to start the third quarter, Buchner was inserted. “What Tom (Rees) and I decided at halftime was we wanted to run the entire offense,” Brian Kelly said. “We didn’t want it to be hokey…This was an important half for him to continue to develop.” On his first snap, Buchner beautifully executed a 68-yard read-option run that happened for three reasons – the decisive nature by which Buchner saw it and hit it, the blocking up front, and then the explosive speed Buchner can flash until a defensive back with a bit more speed – Juanyeh Thomas -- ran him down. Buchner completed 3-of-6 passes for 17 yards while absorbing a sack, fumbling (recovered by Chris Tyree) and mishandling an under-the-center snap that Buchner himself fell on. The extended time and the running of the “entire offense” revealed some of the issues that cause concern moving forward. At 6-foot-1 max, his pocket presence can be swallowed up by the size around him. A pass intended for Lorenzo Styles sailed on him, which is what happens when he doesn’t keep his throwing motion tight and over the top. When he’s throwing between the hashes, the throwing motion stays consistent. Sometimes when he throws outside the hash mark, his arm angle changes and he does not have the same accuracy. Drew Brees articulated what most are concerned with as the Irish move from Coan to Buchner, questioning “his ability to throw the football from the pocket” and “his ability on 3rd-and-10, 3rd-and-12.” That’s no trifling concern. It will be better when the Irish truly are running the full gamut of plays with Buchner. His fleet feet will make him more productive in the passing game because opponents will not be able to zero in on one aspect of the quarterback game over the other. And yet there will be times as a full-time player when you must win games – win plays, win series – with your arm. Buchner’s one year of high school action in his last three on the prep level shows. He needs seasoning. Maybe he can get a bit more this weekend at Stanford. • In what was expected to be his final game in Notre Dame Stadium, Kyren Williams had a relatively quiet day with 11 carries for 56 yards, a long run of 26 yards and two touchdowns to raise his total on the season to 928 yards on the ground and 40 receptions for 339 yards through the air. Williams was his typical feisty self. He and Georgia Tech safety Tariq Carpenter butted heads after Williams’ first run, which is a game-by-game thing for Williams. He always makes his presence known to the opposition physically and verbally. His blitz pickup on a 16-yard pass to Michael Mayer was stout. He’s really mastered the stiff arm, which served him so well on his 91-yard run against North Carolina. It was in effect against Georgia Tech in fending off contact from Carpenter. A sign of the great respect the opposition has for Williams’ elusiveness came on his 19-yard reception. As he approached the Notre Dame sideline, neither Carpenter nor defensive end Noah Collins wanted to commit for fear he dance out of their grasp. Williams stepped out of bounds without contact from either defender. Got a kick out of Williams “signaling plays” from the sideline after signaler Cole Capen went into the game at quarterback. Walk-on wide receiver Greg Mailey was the player flashing “live” signals. But Williams is willing to try his hand at just about anything. Despite a 2020 season that most would consider a better, more consistent version of Williams because of the veterans on Notre Dame’s offensive line, the Irish junior has scored 15 touchdowns (12 rushing, three receiving), which is one more than he had last season (13 rushing, one receiving). Note: I’ve been watching Notre Dame football for 55 yards and reporting on it for 40. Jerome Bettis is an NFL Hall-of-Famer, so obviously, he’s at the top of the list, although the talent was so abundant then, Bettis wasn’t relied on nearly as much as Williams is now. Reggie Brooks’ 1992 season in which he averaged eight yards per carry was incredible. There have been other great running backs during that time frame such as Vagas Ferguson, Allen Pinkett, Ricky Watters, Autry Denson, Julius Jones, Darius Walker and Josh Adams. Dexter Williams was pretty spectacular in 2018. But better than Kyren Williams? Perhaps equal. But not better on this level, certainly in terms of the whole package of rushing, receiving, blocking and now punt returns. • Isaiah Foskey will have a decision to make upon the conclusion of the 2021 season. He picked up his 10th sack of the season against Georgia Tech, which makes him the sixth player in Notre Dame history to reach double-digit sacks in a season. He joined Justin Tuck (13½ in 2003), Stephon Tuitt (12 in 2012), Victor Abiamiri (10½ in 2006), Bertrand Berry (10 in 1996) and Mike Gann (10 in 1984). (Note: They didn’t keep sacks when Ross Browner played for the Irish from 1973-77, only tackles for loss. Trust me when I tell you that Browner holds the un-tabulated record for sacks in a season and a career.) Foskey has already said he’ll ask for a draft evaluation, as he should. He has a very bright future in professional football. And yet this, his true junior season, is his first as a full-time starter. He has work to do as a run-stopping defensive end. If he chooses to jump to the NFL because the evaluation says he should, it’s understandable. There’s a short shelf life for all football players. His development might come a bit more slowly in the professional ranks if he leaves after this season. But the NFL craves pass rushers and Foskey is a great one. I don’t see Foskey as a first-round NFL pick in 2022. But with another full season of pass-rushing dominance and an improved approach to stopping the run? Now we’re talking about first round, which means millions upon millions of guaranteed money. It would behoove Foskey – his game and his bank account (long term) – to return in 2022. • In tandem, nickel TaRiq Bracy and cornerback Clarence Lewis are really starting to play with confidence, physicality and even some swagger. They combined for 11 tackles against the Yellow Jackets. Lewis had two pass breakups and Bracy showed a real knack for blitzing off the edge. They were ultra-physical in the run game and in defending the pass. They weren’t facing a great receiving corps, but a good one. Coupled with Cam Hart, it was a great day for Notre Dame’s cornerbacks. • It was a long time coming, but Audric Estime (pronounced like estimate, only take the t sound out of it) was very impressive on his six carries for 61 yards, including a 21-yarder. Granted, it was mop-up time for both the Irish and the Yellow Jackets. But running behind Notre Dame’s backup unit of (left to right) Michael Carmody, Rocco Spindler, Zeke Correll, John Dirksen and Quinn Carroll, Estime looked big, strong and nimble, whether it was running between the tackles or showing his quality foot speed on the edge. Estime showed elusiveness, vision and an emphasis on protecting the football. The effort to hurdle a defender – a la Logan Diggs against Virginia – is something that should be placed on the backburner…forever. It’s unnecessary and outside of his toolbox. Keep those fleet feet on the ground and gobble up yardage that way. I can’t imagine running back coach Lance Taylor not telling Estime to stay within the parameters of his skillset. Losing a great player like Kyren Williams will hurt tremendously. He’s too great for it not to. But a backfield of Diggs, Chris Tyree, Estime and incoming freshman Jadarian Price (who has had a spectacular senior year of high school) has the makings of a dynamic group. (We expect C’Bo Flemister to grad transfer.) • Three games, three performances to like about safety Xavier Watts. He fought off the block of running back Jahmyr Gibbs by keeping his outside shoulder free to execute a perfect hit on quarterback Jordan Yates. It was perfect in that he thoroughly wrapped up Yates, avoided helmet contact, drove his shoulder into Yates’ chest and launched him without driving Yates into the turf, which can be flagged. Physically, Watts has all the tools to be a great safety. • The word on the street is that Bo Bauer just may be interested in returning for the 2022 season. He would step into the starting lineup in place of Drew White in 2022. Bauer had a team-leading nine tackles against Georgia Tech and did what he does in just about every game. He executed his interior wrap-around blitz to put a hit on Jordan Yates. He sifted through the weeds on a screen to blow it up. He was impactful as he always is on kick coverage. Bauer makes a difference every…single…game. He had an uncharacteristic whiff in the open field on Yates, but that’s an extreme rarity. His draft status would be much better next year after playing as a full-time starter. • Chris Tyree’s inability to break tackles with any degree of consistency is a concern, which is why – along with a diminished wide receiver room – at least a cross-training regimen at slot receiver would appear to be in order…Right tackle Josh Lugg has difficulty at times moving his feet in pass protection. It generally happens early in a game, such as the two sacks he allowed out of the chute. He also had to hold (make that tackle) Georgia Tech defensive end Keion White on another pass pro. If Lugg comes back for another year, which he reportedly has considered, he’d have to be prepared to compete at guard with the future of Joe Alt and Blake Fisher at tackle… • Jack Kiser’s left ankle sprain occurred on the first play of the second quarter on a backside blitz out of a 3-4 defensive front. His right foot landed on guard William Lay III’s left foot. He should be ready to go against Stanford…Speaking of Kiser, it’s no coincidence that he was in the right place at the right time on Isaiah Foskey’s fumble caused that turned into a 43-yard score. There’s nothing coincidental about Kiser being around the football. He is always around the football. Two more years of Kiser at Notre Dame?…Michael Mayer did not score his seventh touchdown of the season Saturday, as indicated by NBC play-by-play man Mike Tirico. It was his fifth, which leaves him one score shy of the tight-end school record set by Ken MacAfee (1977) and equaled by Cole Kmet (2019)… • The 20-yard touchdown pass by Jack Coan to Logan Diggs was another example of beautiful play design by offensive coordinator Tommy Rees. The pre-snap motion on Diggs’ receiving score brought Georgia Tech’s defensive eyes to Chris Tyree going left. Michael Mayer and Josh Lugg executed quality blocks to the right side. Diggs had traversed the 20 yards before most of the Yellow Jacket defenders knew where the football was…Now here’s a rarity. No. 16, wide receiver Deion Colzie, caught a pass that gained 16 yards with Georgia Tech defensive back Myles Sims – No. 16 – making the tackle… • Good to see Rover Prince Kollie getting extended playing time. He started a bit slowly, but he attacked the run, found his run fits, and even got up the sideline in pass coverage to disrupt tough-assignment slot receiver Kyric McGowan…To see and hear Isaiah Foskey’s unbridled laughter at the podium during post-game when describing Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa’s post-touchdown celebration dance was a feel-good moment…Wow, from the press box view, had no idea Jonathan Doerer’s 41-yard field goal started left and just snuck inside the left upright…Not as noticeable of a game for Ramon Henderson in his second start at safety. But a nice degree of physicality on a hit on tight end Dylan Leonard and one helluva block on Kyren Williams’ 19-yard punt return. Henderson’s length really shows itself at safety. • Seriously, and we can joke about it now that Kyren Williams took over as Notre Dame’s punt returner in 2021. But Matt Salerno has the softest, easiest hands on a fair caught punt that you’re ever going to see…When you have a guy that broke a 98-yard return the previous week against Boston College, why wouldn’t Georgia Tech slide Jahmyr Gibbs over with ball in mid-air instead of allowing Azende Rey to return three of five kickoffs?...I didn’t know Mike Graves – a senior cornerback from Los Angeles -- was on the roster until Mike Tirico pointed him out for a block in the back on a Notre Dame kick return. Can you imagine the reaction of friends and family hearing his name on national TV for one of the most blatant blocks in the back you’ll ever see?...Well done, Stuart Mullins. The referee for the Notre Dame-Georgia Tech game was thorough but concise in his description of penalties/on-field rulings… • Enjoyed the reaction by Kyle Hamilton, Jayson Ademilola and Shayne Simon as they watched the replay of Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa’s fumble return on the video board. Priceless… “You could make a case that this is Brian Kelly’s best coaching job,” Mike Tirico said. “We were able to get to the right people at the right time,” said Kelly when discussing with NBC the maneuvers along the way to get the Irish playing their best football. Well, it didn’t happen before the Cincinnati game. It came after the loss. But point taken…As a reporter, I object to Georgia Tech head coach Geoff Collins not releasing a depth chart but rather, only those “above the line” of doing what’s necessary to play. You’ve got a long way to go as a program if the culture is such that players don’t react well to a real depth chart…Collins always looks like he’s hiding a secret along the Georgia Tech sideline. Maybe it’s the depth chart… • Jay Bramblett is a junior, but he’ll be getting his degree as an early entry and apparently wants to play closer to home in the SEC. He’s from Tuscaloosa. Alabama didn’t offer him a scholarship out of high school, but now he wants to play for the Crimson Tide? Okay. Have at it. It’s why the news of the verbal commitment from punter Bryce McFerson (Indian Trail, N.C.) was significant for the Irish this week…At least NBC has met Notre Dame special teams analyst Todd Leitschuh, a 34-year member of the United States Army…Great catch by Braden Lenzy on a low, tough-to-handle Jack Coan throw on 4th-and-2 that preceded the Irish taking a 17-0 lead…On Michael Mayer’s 52-yard touchdown reception, safety Juanyeh Thomas had a choice between defending Mayer or George Takacs. Thomas – a two-time ACC defensive back of the week selection this season --- made the wrong choice…Tight end Kevin Bauman caught his first pass of the season for 10 yards and paid a price with a big hit… 10COMMENTS • For all the grief linebacker JD Bertrand has gotten from Notre Dame fans, he’s a pretty damn good player at a position that had a) limited productivity in 2020 and b) lost its starter in Marist Liufau due to a pre-season injury. And he finally made a play on the backside seam route with a pass broken up, as gleefully acknowledged by Brian Kelly post-game. If you judge a player only on the plays he hasn’t made as opposed to the all the ones he’s made – a team-leading 87 tackles, a team-leading 51 solos – he’s going to come out on the short end. The Irish need Liufau back, but Bertrand deserves some credit, particularly since he’s in the middle of a defense that hasn’t allowed a touchdown in 12½ quarters. He can’t be that much of a liability…Jordan Botelho (four tackles, one tackle for loss) certainly can play sideline-to-sideline, as evidenced by his great range on an out pass near the sideline. But he still appears to lack size and strength in the heart of the action up front… • Freshman Vyper end Will Schweitzer participated in his second game of the season and was credited with an assisted tackle of Jahmyr Gibbs on a 17-yard run. Schweitzer has a loooong way to go physically, although he’s coming back from a significant knee injury…Defensive end NaNa Osafo-Mensah has shown promise this season. He, too, needs to get bigger and stronger. That seems to be at the root of his recent tackling issues…One helluva game blocking by tight end George Takacs against Georgia Tech…It was freshman tight end Mitchell Evans’ outside seal block that helped spring Tyler Buchner’s 68-yard run…Rocco Spindler’s second appearance in a game this year – he’s listed with action against Cincinnati – was an aggressive effort. He stood up defensive end Dijmon Brooks on a successful wide run by Audric Estime. He created a hole inside on another Estime run. He looked for a second-level block on a couple of occasions. He still needs to really increase his strength between now and 2022, but he played aggressively.
Wiltfong reporting we are trying to get back in w/ Khamauri Rodgers Spoiler The family is expecting Notre Dame to come in-home following the Stanford game. An official the second week of December could happen but it's not set yet.
Burnham is under-ranked by the national media...He's an easy top 100 player in this class, maybe top 50
The vyper angle might be why Elston is not that worried about replacing the Agu decommitment...Burnham really fits into that position nicely
Supposedly USC didn’t really recruit Williams until right before his announcement. Then after Helton was canned Donte Williams turned up the heat Williams would be a shit head coach but boy can he recruit
That's why SC not being able to land dudes is a joke. They suck with 8k people going to their games but a ton of talent is waiting to go there.
I’ll wait for the CJ thing to officially happen before k believe it. That would be such a dagger because he’s so college ready and we have no one like him on the team already with his route running skills
seriously, this is recruiting season - all sorts of crazy things are going to happen buckle up kids, the real rollercoaster is about to begin
also happy to say that we have an 11-1 record and a potential playoff bid to sell to these kids in a "down" year
If CJ Williams wants to commit to USC after seeing how each program's trajectory is going then I guess alright? Sucks because I could see him immediately starting but what can you do.
Pretty much but when he did commit his quotes were pretty much textbook for guys that end up at ND which makes it all the more strange considering USC's position
exactly, given the current states of the programs if he's not coming now he was never ever gonna make it to campus still fire Del tho
He could very well flip to USC but it wouldn’t really make much sense overall unless he’s just getting buyers remorse right before enrolling early.
I really think Kelly is all in on next year. He hinted at it in his presser today when talking about recruiting foskey to come back.
I believe he's reached his ceiling. If he comes back he had better have to compete for the spot with no guarantees.