Any ideas on availability of Navy game in Ireland tickets? Everything right now online says you can only get them if you’d buy the travel packages.
Shayne Simon done for the year. Expected to recover fully but may not be back in time for Spring ball. That’s a bummer. Did he burn his redshirt?
ToT offense Spoiler MAKING NAVY, NEWBERRY PAY Aggressive defensive coordinators don’t earn their reputations by backing off when the momentum starts to go against them. Aggressive defensive coordinators concern most offenses because of the havoc they can wreak. Irish offensive coordinator Chip Long attacked Navy defensive coordinator Brian Newberry’s defense and made him pay dearly as Ian Book continued to build upon his confidence and riddled the Midshipmen, who steadfastly remained in man-coverage with an aggressive approach attacking the line of scrimmage from the second and third level. The end result was four first-half touchdown passes, five touchdowns and a field goal total, and a 38-point first-half outburst in what eventually would become a 52-20 victory. “My theory to attack this defense it let ‘em blitz, get it to your athletes in space on the corner, and see if they can make the tackle,” said NBC analyst Doug Flutie after Book’s first pass to Chase Claypool led to Claypool running around Navy cornerback Michael McMorris for a 23-yard gain. The other thing Long did was get speedy Braden Lenzy and Lawrence Keys III on the edge with the football, the latter of which picked up a late hit after an 11-yard jet sweep. Long then followed with a matchup nightmare for Navy – Claypool in the slot, which generally means a safety or linebacker coverage – that coincided with a safety blitz by Navy’s Evan Fochtman from the opposite edge. Will linebacker Tyler Pistorio was no match for Claypool and the Irish were up 14-0 less than 12 minutes into the game. “Brian Newberry, all that aggressive stuff that had worked so well, but not today,” said NBC play-by-play man Mike Tirico when the Irish took a 28-0 lead on Book’s fourth touchdown pass less than 25 minutes into the game. It wasn’t until that fourth touchdown pass that Navy began to use more zone coverage to combat its inability to defend the Irish receivers. Safety Kevin Brennan was the frequent victim. Fochtman, who had impressed on film in the games leading up to Notre Dame, was ineffective on blitzes on at least two of those four first-half touchdown passes. Cornerbacks McMorris and Cameron Kinley were no match for Claypool. Newberry schemed his defense out of a potentially competitive game. “You’re just running against exceptional athletes that are going to win the one-on-one matchups,” Flutie said. “(Newberry) hasn’t been able to get anybody home to the quarterback with all the movement and blitzes.” A NEW BOOK TO READ It was the Ian Book we saw in his first start of the 2018 season against Wake Forest. The Book that completed at least 71.4 percent of his passes in his first five starts of the 2018 season. It was the Book who deftly led Notre Dame on the game-winning touchdown drive against Virginia Tech a couple of weeks earlier. The Book that ran the operation at Duke while running a bit more than usual. Ian Book’s 14-of-20 passing for 284 yards and five touchdowns in Notre Dame’s 52-20 victory over Navy in his 19th career start was the Ian Book that was expected all along. It’s taken him a while to get back on track, but it’s certainly back to trending in that direction against a Navy unit that began the day as a top 20 pass efficiency defense. “Ian Book’s relaxed,” said NBC analyst Doug Flutie. “He’s relaxed and just turning it loose.” Book’s body language, which has been trending away from the skittish quarterback from earlier in the season, said that he could do whatever he set out to do against the Midshipmen. He didn’t hesitate to throw it. When he released it quickly in the route, he did so with confidence and, the ultimate end result, accuracy. To be sure, Book has had plenty of time to throw it the last couple weeks against Duke and Navy. That makes for a more secure quarterback. But there’s now a patience to his pocket presence when the open receiver doesn’t materialize (or he doesn’t see him, which is still happening to some degree). The true test is how Book responds against a legitimate pass rush, which Notre Dame’s offensive line and running backs negated against Navy. Navy came into the game with 23 sacks and exited the game with 23 sacks. Boston College won’t provide a pass rush this weekend either. It’s forgotten because it ended up being such a one-sided game and got out of control, but Book’s 15-yard scramble on 3rd-and-16 that set up the fourth-down conversion that kept the opening drive alive and propelled the Irish to a fast start as Chase Claypool caught the first of his four touchdown receptions. Otherwise, most of what Book did in this game – contrary to the previous week against Duke – was done with his arm and not his feet. Book showed his improved pocket awareness by seeing Claypool on a shallow cross early in the second quarter, turning away from him and then coming back to him for 14 yards. The 70-yard touchdown pass to Lenzy was absolutely perfect. On his fingertips with arms/hands slightly extended. It literally is a perfectly-thrown ball where Lenzy didn’t have to break stride at all. That became four touchdowns on eight snaps of the football. Book’s throw was 54 yards in the air. “Your vision opens up, you’re relaxed, and you can throw the ball with ease,” said Flutie after the deep ball to Lenzy. “When he is relaxed on the field, his ability takes over.” A great example of why too much is made of Book’s arm strength was the 27-yarder to Lawrence Keys III along the Navy sideline. Book had peeled off and was running hard to his left when he threw across his body. The football was in the air for 37 yards. If he can throw that kind of ball nearly 40 yards in the air with authority, it’s not the arm strength that’s the issue. Chip Long needs to dial it up a bit more, which translates into Book needing to earn Long’s trust to call them and then delivering the football on time and accurately. Another great example of Book’s arm talent was the 28-yard corner route to Chris Finke. It’s always been a throw he’s capable of making. He just hasn’t always pulled the trigger. If Book can now take this level of confidence/performance into a game against a quality defensive opponent – that likely won’t happen until a bowl game with Boston College 125th in yards passing allowed per game and Stanford 118th – there’s really something to look forward to with the odds of Book returning in 2020 on the rise. JURKOVEC’S JOURNEY As is usually the case with the quarterback position, when one is moving forward, the other generally is ground to a halt or moving backwards. Brian Kelly inserted Phil Jurkovec into the game after Notre Dame’s touchdown drive to open the second half. He was given little opportunity to throw it around, due partly to the imbalance of the score, the desire to run clock to wrap things up, and the “unfortunate” fumble return by Paul Moala. Jurkovec threw a 17-yard dart to Braden Lenzy on his second snap at quarterback in which he was drilled in the chest by Striker Jacob Springer. He made a bad decision to throw a swing pass to Jafar Armstrong that was defended from the get-go. It wasn’t that Kelly didn’t play him enough unless you absolutely expected him to take the opening drive of the second half, which most coaches – Kelly included – do not like to do. He wants his starting quarterback to open the second half, lead the team on a touchdown drive, and end on that high note, otherwise it can be an entire half of sputtering offense with the backup line. What really threw a wrench into the plans was the 27-yard intercepted pitch by Moala that kept Notre Dame’s offense off the field for an extended period of time. When three running plays netted just seven yards on Jurkovec’s second series, Navy took over at its own 33 at the start of the fourth quarter. Moala’s theft hurt the offense because it put Navy’s offense back on the field for what would be an 18-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that ate up 9:08 of the fourth quarter. By that point – Notre Dame regained possession with 5:31 remaining – it didn’t make sense to keep slinging the football. The Irish tried to maintain possession to run out the clock, but Jurkovec’s 4th-and-1 run fell short. Jurkovec would finish 2-of-2 for 21 yards with two carries for three yards. Flutie noted the many travails of Jurkovec’s throwing motion. They slowed his release down to reveal a long, stiff throwing motion with very little bend in his arm, and yet he still can wing it with authority. The stiff throwing motion often leads to some less-than-aesthetic throws and inconsistency with his accuracy. The ceiling of which many speak won’t be as high unless the football can come off his hand cleaner and with a more free-and-easy throwing motion. Now Book is playing well, which pushes the Jurkovec talk further to the background. RUNNING BACKS Tony Jones Jr: The notion after his fourth 100-yard rushing game against USC that Jones was en route to a 1,000-yard rushing season has fizzled big time. Since the 176-yard effort against the Trojans, Jones has had eight carries for 14 yards against Michigan, a DNP (ribs) versus Virginia Tech, seven attempts for 14 yards against Duke, and nine carries for 26 yards against Navy. That’s 24 carries for 54 yards in the last month. And yet Jones is a valuable commodity for the Irish and a guy they would welcome back for a fifth year, if for no other reason – and there are other reasons like short yardage and the ability to catch the football – to serve as a pass blocker for Ian Book. Jones was spectacular in his role as blocker against Navy, throwing the seal block on Book’s 15-yard run on 3rd-and-16 that helped keep the opening touchdown drive alive. He picked up blitzing safety Evan Fochtman on Claypool’s 47-yard score. On Book’s seven-yard run for a first down to the two-yard-line at the end of the first half, Jones understood the protection and just steered pass-rushing Bandit Elan Nash to the side. Jones also used Navy Will linebacker Paul Carothers as a launching pad into the end zone for Notre Dame’s lone rushing touchdown. Jones had a rare drop on a sure touchdown on an angle route out of the backfield, but that’s the exception to the rule. Notre Dame could create an additional H-back type role for Jones next year to utilize his blocking and pass-receiving skills. C’Bo Flemister: This offense needs more Flemister, which means Flemister has to earn the trust of running backs coach Lance Taylor, who pretty much decides which running backs play in accordance with Chip Long. Flemister needs to prove himself on the practice field to get more reps/touches in games. Flemister is the most natural running back on the team. If Jones can’t accelerate away from defenders and Jafar Armstrong isn’t going to break tackles, the Irish need Flemister to continue to emerge. He’s more likely to see and probe because he has running back instincts whereas Armstrong just crashes, which is good, too, but there are times when it’s necessary to be a bit more discerning in choosing your gap and when to hit it. WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS Chase Claypool: Claypool caught seven passes for 117 yards and four touchdowns, duplicating Maurice Stovall’s feat from the 205 season. Of those seven receptions, six were impactful. 1) Claypool runs around cornerback Michael McMorris for 23 yards. 2) On his first touchdown, a seven-yarder, Claypool motioned from right to left and then ran a shallow cross against safety Kevin Brennan, who was late to the party. 3) On Claypool’s second touchdown, the 47-yarder, he was aligned against Will linebacker Tyler Pistorio. Breaking from the slot, there aren’t enough defensive backs on the field to cover him, particularly when the Irish caught Navy in a blitz with Fochtman. This is the perfect play call for the defense as Brennan shaded the wideout opposite. 4) His fourth reception was another shallow cross for 14 yards in which Book saw him, turned away and then came back to him. His fifth reception was the three-yard score with cornerback Cameron Kinley giving him a cushion. Claypool just ran the three yards into the end zone and opened up. Book was a touch late getting it there, forcing Claypool to win the battle with Kinley. The sixth catch was the only one that wasn’t impactful. Running yet another crossing route – it was interesting how many shallow crosses Claypool ran, obviously a (correct) notion that Navy couldn’t defend it – he gained just three yards. The seventh grab came in the opening drive of the second half. It was a back-shoulder twist and turn for the football in which he easily secured it with vice grips, prompting Finke to hold up four fingers for Claypool’s fourth touchdown. “He’s a guy that’s difficult to defend because he can catch the ball on a drive route and score a touchdown,” Kelly said. “He can catch a ball on the sideline. He can catch a vertical route in the seam...A fade…He has all the weapons, so why wouldn’t you throw him the football in those situations?” Added Flutie of Claypool: “He didn’t miss an opportunity to make a play. He made them all.” Chris Finke: Finke is undergoing a resurgence. He added three more receptions for 57 yards – 14 on an under route, 15 on an underthrown pass that could have led to more yardage, and 28 on a corner route from the middle of the field. Much like Book, only for different reasons, we’re now seeing the real Finke emerge. Braden Lenzy: The speed is unmistakable and now the production is matching it. Lenzy caught two passes for 87 yards, including the 70-yard touchdown. He also had a rushing attempt for 10 yards. On the 10-yard run, Cole Kmet motioned to the right where the Irish had wideouts bunched. The fake to Tony Jones set up Lenzy coming back across the formation for a 10-yard gain and a first down. A tremendous play-call. (Did anyone note the tremendous play-call?) The 70-yarder was just a post pattern in which he ultimately was matched up against whipping boy Kevin Brennan. Lenzy easily ran past him and Book dropped a dime. “He’s one of those guys you can’t out-throw” said Flutie, comparing Lenzy to ’85 Chicago Bears great Willie Gault, a former teammate of Flutie’s. Lawrence Keys III: The Irish are gradually getting more production from Keys with two catches for 32 yards, including the pretty 27-yarder in which Keys made himself available along the sideline and got both feet down. OFFENSIVE LINE Is it the running backs or the lack of run-blocking push? It’s usually a combination of both, but it was another lackluster performance against – to be fair – a rush defense that was allowing just 3.2 yards per attempt. (Notre Dame averaged 3.4 yards per attempt against Navy.) There’s no denying, however, that the Irish offensive line is a tremendous pass-blocking unit, particularly when Tony Jones Jr. chips in. Book was not sacked and rarely was threatened. Left tackle Liam Eichenberg earned high praise from his head coach after the Navy game. “Liam Eichenberg is playing lights out right now,” Kelly said. “That’s only making him a better player for next year.” SPECIAL TEAMS Jonathan Doerer’s 32-yard second-quarter field goal was another free-and-easy boot for the Irish junior. He’s now 8-of-10 on field goals with two games remaining. It’s a testament to Notre Dame’s red-zone offense that’s he’s attempted just 10 field goals. But when the Irish have needed him the most – think USC – he’s come through brilliantly. Breaking down Chris Finke’s 62-yard punt return for a negated score, the block in the back by Temitope Agoro came early and sprung Finke. Agoro running alongside the Navy player and just playing interference probably would have gotten the job done. Finke broke left where Shayne Simon, TaRiq Bracy and Jonathan Jones formed a wall that allowed Finke to cut it back to his right. Finke then kicked it even wider to elude two Navy defenders and then picked up a wall from Avery Davis and Paul Moala with Agoro now back into the play. Finke accelerated up the sideline as he stepped out of a tackle from behind and picked up blocks from Moala (again) and Houston Griffith. At this point, he was now inside the 25 and scampered in easily with Mick Assaf bringing up the escort from behind. AROUND THE GRIDIRON (Offense) When I see the joy of Notre Dame fans touching the Play Like A Champion Sign during the NBC broadcast, I feel bad for the vocal minority of fans who have sapped the joy out of being a Notre Dame fan by finding fault with every little thing that goes wrong with Notre Dame football. May you one day recapture the thrill of being a Notre Dame fan, like those who literally try to hug/cuddle up to the Play Like A Champion sign. Being a Notre Dame football fan really is something to embrace and savor, unless you choose the opposite route…Speaking of which, an Equanimeous St. Brown citing tapping the sign… 2COMMENTS Navy has quarterbacks Malcolm Perry and Perry Olsen. They have defensive linemen Jackson Pittman and Jackson Perkins. Just saying…Ian Book always has so much fun when he’s played well, Notre Dame is winning big, and he gets to watch the game from the sideline. He soaks up that down time and really savors the moment.…Hard to imagine but four games from now, Notre Dame plays Navy…without quarterback Malcolm Perry…Notre Dame’s players showing Brian Kelly some love. Aaron Banks put an arm around Kelly at the end of the game with Liam Eichenberg peeking in… Another cool offensive line moment with running back Tony Jones Jr. Jones knew he had scored on a short run because he surfed across the back of a prone Navy defender. He shared the moment with his offensive linemen while calling for the touchdown. First, it was Josh Lugg and Trevor Ruhland. When the officials finally declared it a touchdown, Jarrett Patterson and Banks joined in with Jones…Braden Lenzy was too busy looking at himself on the video board to notice Brian Kelly come over to congratulate him on his 70-yard score…Backup center Colin Grunhard takes the fair catch over Brock Wright as the offensive players chirp from the sideline. He should have returned it! That would have really gotten a reaction… A Notre Dame student body tribute to Bob Ross, the mild-mannered, Brillo-haired artist. Who would have thought?
defense Spoiler WINNING UP FRONT In Notre Dame’s last three games against Navy, the Irish have held the Midshipmen to 17 points in 2017, 22 points in 2018 and now 20 in 2019 with Saturday’s 52-20 victory that wasn’t that close. Last year, Notre Dame held a 27-0 halftime lead before surrendering all 22 points in the second half. Notre Dame led 38-3 Saturday before allowing 17 points in mop-up time. In other words, Navy has scored just three points in the first half of the last two games combined against Notre Dame. That’s dominating defensive football. As great as Navy quarterback Malcolm Perry can be, no skill-position player can survive on his own. Put Perry in open space and he’s going to win a large majority of the battles. Get a body on or at least near him behind the line of scrimmage and even one of the nation’s most elusive playmakers is no match. It took a few plays for the Irish to catch up to the speed of Navy’s offense/Perry as several designed runs seemed to launch Perry in the opening drive. But with four-, five- and six-man fronts, the Irish aggressively took on Navy’s undersized offensive line with a solid plan on the second and third rungs to bring tacklers in waves at Perry and the slotbacks on the edge. Taking the fullback away also worked for the Irish. Starting fullback Jamale Carothers managed just 41 yards on 11 carries (3.7-yard average). Carothers came into the game averaging 9.9 yards per carry. By aggressively attacking the line of scrimmage and shooting gaps, Notre Dame was able to alter the point of attack. Instead of a couple yards upfield, which is what Navy’s low-pad, torpedo-shooting offensive linemen do to most opponents, Perry now had defenders in the backfield with him. Notre Dame’s second and third lines of defense were prepared to fill gaps and/or scrape off the edge to work their way toward the ball carrier. The Irish defense looked as if they knew exactly what coordinator Clark Lea wanted them to do. Whereas Navy’s offensive line generally looks to be the quickest unit on the field, Notre Dame’s defense filled that role, which disarmed Perry and gummed up the works. Of Perry’s 25 rushing attempts, an astonishing 13 went for three yards or less, including a pair of sacks. Seven other rushing attempts went for three yards or less by the time Notre Dame built a 45-3 lead early in the third quarter. “Playing fast, playing physical and executing at a high level right now,” said Brian Kelly of his team in general. “Pretty good tenets to play winning football. Any time you execute at a high level, which we are, good things happen. “We controlled the line of scrimmage again. Against the No. 1 rushing team in the country, you do that with a physicality. I think they played outstanding against Duke as well. Both the offensive line and the defensive line controlling the line of scrimmage definitely was a highlight.” Even during the Lou Holtz era, there was give to the slotbacks as Holtz prioritized the fullback and the quarterback. Navy got to the edge a couple times in the second half with their slotbacks. But when Notre Dame’s No. 1 defense was on the field, players such as Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Asmar Bilal, Drew White and Kyle Hamilton were rotating to and scraping off the edge to close off any outside avenues. The 46-yard run by Perry was something to be feared. But as Irish Illustrated noted leading up to the game, the team that wins the line of scrimmage will determine how successful Perry would be. Few opponents have been on-body with him this year. Perry was wearing Notre Dame defenders like his snug-fitting white Navy jersey. THE TURNOVERS/THE TOUCHDOWNS Navy came into the game with eight fumbles lost in eight games, which is a solid number for a triple-option attack. The very nature of the offense makes it susceptible to putting the football on the ground. That number is now 12 after Malcolm Perry fumbled twice and lost a third at the mesh point with the fullback, followed by a fourth fumble on Perry Olsen’s pitch into the hands of Irish Rover Paul Moala. Navy has now fallen to 125th in the country in fumbles lost with only Colorado State and Central Michigan losing more. (Note: Notre Dame has lost five fumbles – tied for 32nd nationally – including just one by a running back.) The Irish converted those four fumbles lost by Navy into 24 points. Of course, Moala’s theft led directly to one. It was Notre Dame’s third defensive score of the year. (Kyle Hamilton and Ade Ogundeji have the other two.) After the first fumble, the Irish scored on a two-play, 73-yard burst. After the second fumble, Notre Dame scored four plays and 39 yards later. After the third turnover, it was eight plays for 24 yards and a field goal. Moala handled the fourth one by himself. “It’s one thing to turn the ball over, but we capitalized offensively,” Kelly said. “Our defense did a great job of rallying around the football, taking it away, and then capitalizing on it offensively. That changed the whole scope of the game early.” DEFENSIVE LINEMEN Khalid Kareem: Playing his first full game without tag-team partner Julian Okwara, Kareem was the dominant defensive presence up front for the Irish, causing a pair of fumbles, a pair of tackles for loss, a pass broken up and three very key unassisted tackles. The first fumble Kareem caused was with Perry’s back to him. Kareem stripped the football from behind. He later admitted that he didn’t know he actually had stripped the ball. Perry had to relinquish security of the football as he was about to pitch. Kareem tugged at his right arm and pulled the football free. On the second fumble, Kareem was taking on a nuisance block (at the ankles) by center Ford Higgins. Kareem reached a paw out to strip the football from Perry. At the risk of jinxing him, you can hurt Kareem but you can’t injure him. This time it looked like he was reaching for his lower abdomen, which makes one think of Jafar Armstrong and the tear against Louisville that required surgery. But when the second half started, there was Kareem, answering the bell. The guy is an incredibly resilient football player. Jayson Ademilola: In terms of plays made per snap, no Irish defensive lineman is as consistently productive as the sophomore three-technique, who had another three stops and a tackle for loss before exiting the game with a left leg injury. Ademilola was the unfortunate recipient of an inadvertent leg whip by Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. Ademilola would not return to action, but he was seen laughing it up with teammates along the sideline in the second half and sharing conversation with the opponent after the game. Kelly did not mention Ademilola’s name among those who would be impacted against Boston College this weekend. Ovie Oghoufo: This guy is active and very quick-twitch. I would expect him to be an integral and effective part of the Shark end position next year with Daelin Hayes. He is going to be a quality pass rusher because he has that elusiveness in space. He picked up a half-sack with Owusu-Koramoah and had two passes broken up. His football instincts and ability to be around the football seem reminiscent of Jamir Jones, another guy who hasn’t played much but has been productive when he has. “I thought Ovie did a nice job in his first real assignment,” Kelly said. Jacob Lacey: Battling a shoulder issue – in fact, it wouldn’t have been a surprise if he hadn’t played against Navy – Lacey finished with four tackles, including a couple of tackles within a three-snap sequence with one against quarterback Perry Olsen at the line of scrimmage. “Jacob Lacey was outstanding,” Kelly said. Howard Cross: Called into duty against Navy, particularly once Jayson Ademilola went down, Cross finished with an impressive five tackles. “Howard Cross plays really physical with heavy hands,” Kelly said. “He’s going to be a really good football player.” LINEBACKERS Drew White: His development has been taken for granted. His 10 tackles against Navy – five more than any other Irish defensive player – lifted him into the No. 1 spot on the team with 65. His eight tackles for loss put him at the top of the heap with Khalid Kareem (nine), Owusu-Koramoah (8½) and Asmar Bilal (eight). White’s diagnostic skills are so good that he plays faster than he really is. He was on point with the Navy fullbacks while using his athleticism to defend the run on the edge. White really cracked Perry on a delayed pass rush. He was the beneficiary of the mishandled mesh point on Navy’s third fumble of the first half. Asmar Bilal: His play makes one wish he were returning for another season. But it took until his fifth year in the program – and a switch to Buck linebacker – before Bilal emerged as a true standout on the Irish defense. He’s second on the team in tackles and tied with White for third in tackles for loss with eight. He added a tackle for loss and his first fumble recovery of the season against Navy. What was once hard to watch because of a lack of football instincts, Bilal has learned how to play college football and play it well. Paul Moala: It wasn’t just the “intercepted” pitch that Moala returned for a touchdown. It also was the pressure he applied on Perry in the backfield before corralling him for a three-yard gain and a play that stood out to Kelly. “He’s a really good football player,” Kelly said. “We’ve got to find a place to get him on the field because Owusu-Koramoah is a really good player, too. Paul is smart, he’s savvy, he’s athletic…The play he made on the halfback pass was even better. “I know the ball went into his hands and he scored a touchdown. That’s the highlight. But the play he made on the reverse pass was as good as it gets…He’s a really good player. Trusted. He’s going to play a lot of football for us.” DEFENSIVE BACKS Shaun Crawford: Irish Illustrated called this correctly during the week. Crawford, not the bigger Donte Vaughn, was the right guy to get the start for the Irish opposite Troy Pride Jr. at cornerback. If you were going to play Vaughn against bigger receivers, this made sense to go with Crawford against Navy’s bevy of 5-foot-9 and under ball carriers. (Note: Their top five ball carriers, including their two fullbacks, are 5-foot-9 or under.) Crawford’s numbers didn’t jump off the board, but he clearly was an integral 1/11 of the defense. Kyle Hamilton: The play in which he dumped Perry for a loss on 4th-and-1 with the score 28-0 saw him come from right side of the formation and take a direct line to his left toward Perry for the tackle. Yes, he’s physically talented. But his football IQ is in line with his physical talent. He saw his key and went for it. He finished with a pair of tackles and a pass breakup. It’s worth keeping an eye on him this week. It appeared that he wrenched his right shoulder in the third quarter on the pass defensed. Alohi Gilman: He got” Navyed” on Malcolm Perry’s 46-yard run. He had the run fit on Perry. He was proactive getting to it and then Perry cut it back, allowing Gilman no chance whatsoever. But Gilman teamed up with Pride for a 3rd-and-8 stop of Tazh Maloy to open the third quarter. Gilman had four stops on the game and an invaluable contribution with his insight into the triple-option scheme. Houston Griffith: Can’t say for sure because we don’t know the exact responsibilities. But considering he was on the field with veteran Jalen Elliott, odds are much greater that Griffith was the one who misdiagnosed the coverage on the 43-yard third quarter pass for a touchdown as Elliott broke on a completely different key. There also was the dropped deep ball by Navy wideout Ryan Williams in which Elliott looked around for help after the ball fell incomplete. Griffith’s read took him elsewhere. Now nearly halfway through his Notre Dame career, Griffith doesn’t look any closer to putting it all together than he did as a freshman when he repeatedly was burned as the nickel. Opportunity is knocking as both safeties are expected to go out the door. AROUND THE GRIDIRON (DEFENSE) Interesting to hear that Navy came into the game having led for 92 percent of their games. They trailed for 54:21 against the Irish and never led…Few things are more annoying than when you’re watching triple-option football, they line up and then they collectively look toward the sideline for a play adjustment. Fingernails on a chalkboard equivalent. Football is less fun to watch when the coaching staff has to dictate every move, every audible…Navy benefitted from the additional 31 seconds the officials put back on the clock following the lengthy review of the Tony Jones Jr. touchdown. Instead of 0:59 remaining, the Mids had 1:30, which gave them enough time to get in field goal range for their only points of the first half. It was a Navy player who lost his helmet on the 46-yard run by Malcolm Perry…Found it interesting that Kelly would tell Kathryn Tappen at halftime not to expect substitutions until late in the third quarter, early in the fourth quarter. You have to have a sense that that is the last thing your constituency wants to hear. Why say it when you’re up by 35 in the 10th game of the season?…I’m impressed to hear that Navy center Ford Higgins is captain of all the captains across the 33 sports at the Naval Academy…Bo Bauer comes in aggressively at Mike linebacker. There’s a shock. He finished with five tackles, at least one of which came on special teams…Shayne Simon goes down with what ultimately is announced as a dislocated kneecap. Kelly said they put it back in place on the field and that he’s likely out this weekend. Can’t see him back for Stanford, either…Sounded like Mike Tirico was trying to make up for saying Moala’s high school was Mishawaka earlier this season. He’s from Mishawaka, Ind., but played for Penn High School. Tirico mentioned Penn High School several times…Pretty cool to see Irish nose tackle Kurt Hinish and Navy center Ford Higgins – two head-to-head combatants all day -- walking off the field together.
gold standard Spoiler Nuggets From The Road: 2021 Georgia WR Jayden Thomas I was in Atlanta on Friday to see Pace Academy take on Greater Atlanta Christian. The primary purpose of this visit was to see Pace's Jayden Thomas , a 2021 receiver who Notre Dame offered following the Virginia Tech game Nov. 2. Unfortunately, Thomas was out with a turf toe injury, but I still wanted to meet him and talk to his coaches. Here are nuggets from those conversations. *** In my hot board article from two weeks ago, I put Thomas, who ranks as the nation's No. 20 receiver and No. 108 overall prospect, in the "warmer" category, meaning that he has high interest in Notre Dame and is potentially nearing a commitment watch. I asked Thomas point blank what his interest was in Notre Dame. Here's his response: "High. When I went up there, it was a shock," Thomas said. "I visited last year for a camp, but I didn't get a whole feel for it. But when I went up there and talked to some of the players and I really enjoyed the atmosphere, all of it." *** Thomas' school, Pace Academy, is one of the best academic institutions in Georgia. Per the school website, 100% of Pace graduates attend four-year colleges and the average ACT score for the 2019 class is a 30, which is very high. To go to Pace, you have to value academics, and when I asked Thomas what he's looking for in a school, he said that education is the No. 1 thing he's looking at, and next is a team that competes for a national championship. Notre Dame is great in both aspects, and Thomas has very high interest in the Irish because of it. 108 NATIONAL 0" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: 10px; width: 7px; background: url("https://cdn.rivals.com/production/a...bfb264f545034d3f8a342e9632778ca65a3af8278.svg") left center no-repeat; margin-bottom: 3px;"> 11 STATE 20 POSITION JAYDEN THOMAS RANK 5.9 6'2" | 188 LBS | WR PACE ACADEMY ATLANTA, GA CLASS OF 2021 UNDECIDED *** There are a couple of teachers at Pace who graduated from Notre Dame, and the school has three students who went to ND from the 2016-2019 classes. Also, the head of school at Pace is Frederick Assaf, the father of Notre Dame walk-on running back Mick Assaf. And per Notre Dame, Assaf has three brothers who attended or attended Notre Dame. The point to all of this is: there are Notre Dame connections at Pace, and Thomas' school will get him ready for Notre Dame. From my conversations with Thomas, it really doesn't feel like he wants to get out of the high academic realm either, which really makes me believe that the Irish have an excellent shot of landing him. "I loved the culture [at Notre Dame]," Thomas added. "It just felt like it was home. It was small and felt like everyone knows each other. I liked it a lot." *** Speaking of the Assaf family, Thomas visited Notre Dame Nov. 2 and was accompanied by Tommy Assaf, a fellow class of 2021 football player at Pace. Thomas visited Notre Dame for a camp last summer, but he didn't get the full scope of the campus and facilities during that trip. He's looking to get his family up to Notre Dame soon so they can also experience what Notre Dame has to offer from the academic side of things and get to spend more time with the coaching staff. *** The four-star talent doesn't seem to be close to making a commitment. When I asked him the schools he's most interested in, he mentioned Alabama, Georgia, and Notre Dame, and added that he's open to all schools. I believe Notre Dame has as good of a shot at landing his commitment as any school does, and the Irish may be the leader right now. Can Notre Dame Complete The 2021 Peach State Trifecta? *** Thomas has more connections to Notre Dame than just his school. His receivers coach at Pace is Terrence Edwards, who also runs his own wide receiver training academy and is the all-time leader in receiving yards for the Georgia Bulldogs (1999-2002). Thomas works out the Terrence Edwards WR Academy in the offseason with Notre Dame 2021 commits Deion Colzie and Cane Berrong . Colzie and Thomas have known each other since middle school, and Berrong started training with Thomas about a year ago. I spoke with Edwards about Thomas, Colzie and Berrong. *** Edwards on Deion Colzie: "Deion is just that monster. He's almost 6-foot-5, and when I met him, he was about 6-foot-2 as an 8th grader. His game has just continued to grow over the years. He's so big, but he can sink his hips and catches the 50/50 balls. He can catch a hitch and break a tackle and take it 80 yards. He's one of those guys who may not look that fast, but he's a long strider. He breaks a defensive back's cushion very fast." *** Edwards on Cane Berrong: "He hasn't even scratched his potential yet. He's so freaking athletic and fast. He's going to the right situation at Notre Dame with how they use their tight ends. You look at the guys they have in the league right now, and he's going to fit right along with them. He catches the ball effortlessly, but stands out about him is his athleticism. That sets him apart from everyone else." 95 NATIONAL 0" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: 10px; width: 7px; background: url("https://cdn.rivals.com/production/a...bfb264f545034d3f8a342e9632778ca65a3af8278.svg") left center no-repeat; margin-bottom: 3px;"> 9 STATE 0" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: 10px; width: 7px; background: url("https://cdn.rivals.com/production/a...bfb264f545034d3f8a342e9632778ca65a3af8278.svg") left center no-repeat; margin-bottom: 3px;"> 6 POSITION DEION COLZIE RANK 5.9 6'4" | 205 LBS | ATH ATHENS ACADEMY ATHENS, GA CLASS OF 2021 VERBAL COMMIT 10/12/2019 NOTRE DAME *** Edwards on Jayden Thomas: "His IQ of the game is very high. He hasn't even tapped into his potential. He still has a lot of growing to do. His ball skills are off the charts right now. He can run every pattern on the route tree, and he's deceptively fast. He's not a twitchy kid, but with his straight line speed, people will be very surprised how fast he is." *** Edwards' response to how Thomas would fit in at Notre Dame: "That would be a good fit. He's a Pace kid, and what I mean by that is academically, he is strong. He is used to the rigor of handling athletics and academics. That won't be a test for him." Scoop From Notre Dame's Recruiting Weekend *** Coming into the weekend, Notre Dame only had three offers out in the 2022 class, and the Irish doubled that total on Saturday. The Irish joined Iowa, Iowa State and Nebraska on the offer list of Pleasant Hill (Iowa) Southeast Polk defensive back Xavier Nwankpa . This is a young man who has five-star potential, and Notre Dame made a smart decision by offering him early. My vibe from talking to him is that Notre Dame has positioned itself in good position early on, but it's so, so early in his recruitment. *** Notre Dame extended its first two offensive line offers in the 2022 class. Whitefish Bay's (Wis.) Joe Brunner stands at 6-foot-5, 270-pounds as just a sophomore and now holds offers from Iowa, Northern Illinois, Notre Dame and Wisconsin. This was Brunner's first visit to Notre Dame, and he admits that he didn't expect to receive an offer. He got to talk to Irish offensive line coach Jeff Quinn before the game, and in the locker room after a dominating performance by the Irish against Navy, Quinn chatted with Brunner again and informed him of the scholarship offer. Brunner spoke very highly of the Notre Dame program. - NATIONAL - STATE - POSITION JOE BRUNNER RANK N/A 6'5" | 270 LBS | OT WHITEFISH BAY WHITEFISH BAY, WI CLASS OF 2022 UNDECIDED *** The other 2022 offensive line offer went out to Hammond (Wis.) St. Croix Central's Carson Hinzman , a 6-foot-4, 275-pounder who I believe will be an interior guy at the next level but there's still a ways to go before that is determined. Hinzman sat down with Coach Quinn in his office before the game. This was Hinzman's first time at Notre Dame, and he certainly didn't expect to land an offer during his visit either. As mentioned, these are the first two 2022 offensive line offers sent out by Notre Dame, and the fact that Hinzman was one of the first sophomore OL recruit to be offered by the Irish meant a lot to him. "I didn't even know that. That's awesome," Hinzman said. "That's really cool; I had no idea. Joe [Brunner] is a great athlete too. He's a big dude. If we got to play together, that'd be a fun time too. *** There were a couple of notable 2022 quarterback recruits on campus. Sicklerville (N.J.) Timber Creek gunslinger Donovan Leary enjoyed his time at Notre Dame and getting to meet quarterbacks coach Tommy Rees. Leary holds early offers from Central Michigan, East Carolina and Maryland. "I really like coach Rees and how he coaches and how he develops quarterbacks," Leary said. "He’s a great coach and his quarterbacks are doing extremely well." - NATIONAL - STATE - POSITION GUNNAR SMITH RANK N/A 6'4" | 173 LBS | PRO QB LAKE MARY LAKE MARY, FL CLASS OF 2022 UNDECIDED *** Gunnar Smith made it to South Bend from the Sunshine State, and he was very encouraged about how his visit went. The 6-foot-4, 173-pounder from Lake Mary (Fla.) caught up with Rees and running backs coach Lance Taylor, who is the Irish's main recruiter in Florida, before the game. Smith noted that he felt like the ND coaches prioritized talking with him and that Notre Dame would be down to see him in January. Smith, who holds an offer from Kentucky, visited Notre Dame over the summer for Irish Invasion and had another great time in South Bend. *** Notre Dame hosted a potential preferred walk on in the 2020 class. Pittsford (N.Y.) Mendon tight end Tommy Birmingham holds a handful of FCS scholarship offers, but he seems set on taking a PWO offer at a big time program. Birmingham hasn't been offered a PWO offer from Notre Dame yet and thinks that it may be a couple of more months before he receives word on that opportunity. Boston College and Syracuse are also interested in Birmingham as a PWO. *** According to O'Fallon's (Ill.) Ian Wagner , the Irish plan to take a scholarship kicker in the 2021 class. Could that be Wagner? He had a really good conversation with special teams coordinator Brian Polian, and the Irish want to see Wagner kick in person over the summer. "I think that I am a top recruit on their list in my class for the kicker position," Wagner said. "I hope to pick up an offer this offseason." - NATIONAL - STATE - POSITION IAN WAGNER RANK N/A 6'3" | 185 LBS | K O'FALLON O'FALLON, IL CLASS OF 2021 UNDECIDED *** Minneapolis (Minn.) Minnehaha Academy 2022 running back Trevon Howard experienced his first game inside Notre Dame Stadium and loved it. While listed as a RB by Rivals, it looks like the Irish are looking at the 6-foot, 175-pounder as a defensive back. He spoke with Joseph and Lyght during the visit and gave him some good tips about playing defensive back. Notre Dame started expressing interest in Howard a couple weeks ago through his high school coach. Howard holds offers from Iowa State and Minnesota. *** Rose Hill (Kan.) 2021 offensive lineman Noah Bolticoff got a good look at Notre Dame and chatted with Coach Quinn. Kansas and Kansas State have already offered Bolticoff, but it doesn't seem like the Irish are close to offering him at this point. This was his first time meeting the Notre Dame staff. "It was a really great opportunity to talk to Coach Quinn," Bolticoff said. "I think he’s a really great coach. The facilities are very new and top of the line, and the atmosphere was electric." *** Kenosha (Wis.) Indian Trail receiver Kameron Lee doesn't hold any scholarship offers but I'm not expecting that to be the case much longer. At this point, I don't expect the 2021 prospect to land an offer from Notre Dame but we'll see how his spring goes. The Irish obviously have limited receiver spots as they already have two 2021 commits. But Lee is someone who I believe will end up playing at a P5 school. Note: I haven't gotten a chance to catch up with defensive end Aaron Armitage or wide receiver Dekel Crowdus , a pair of four-star 2021 recruits, about their weekend visits to Notre Dame. It does not appear that either landed an offer during the weekend.
having no mooney was huge for sure. carmody as well. just no flow to the offense and bad defense. the issues with the team from last season are still there unfortunately. glad we won though
Oh for sure they are. Outside Carmody and Mooney, they are very soft. Conference play could be a struggle
Seems Hubb and Gibbs are really struggling shooting the basketball. Hopefully this is something they can break out of. We need them to find their stroke before league play.
Vandy is not firing their coach. Lea probably would have been a candidate, so that's nice. Might just be kicking the can down the road to next year though.
Keeping Lea for 1 more year seems like a pretty big win in my book. That guy is working miracles to turn Asmar Bilal and Drew White into legit players this year
74 things to say... Spoiler 1 — USC and Navy. Twice a year we hear the phrase “Intersectional” and then not again…well, most of us. I’d like to poll adults of other fan bases and see if they could define that word. 2 — Opening touchback and the mutual respect between the programs continues to grow… 3 — Claypool runs like a gazelle, except violently. Maybe a Wildebeest? I should probably ask Declan how fast a Wildebeest actually is, but it sounds better, and that’s 23 yards off the jump on the type of simple out route that Ian Book completed throughout his ’18 debut season. 4 — Third-and-long and Tony Jones UNLEASHES a block in space to spring otherwise dead-to-rights scrambler Ian Book. Wow. Let’s see Adrian Peterson do THAT! Right? AmIrite?! But seriously, great field awareness by Jones to leave the pocket with Book as he escaped. 5 — A fake Jet Sweep to is going to result in a touchdown in the bowl game. This one picks up 13 yards to set up a Book to Claypool crossing route touchdown. That was easy, and resembled something all of us drew up in 8th grade. Nice defense, geez. 6 — Actually, maybe Jamir Jones drew that one up?! I can’t tell you enough how pleased I was to hear that Jamir spent his youth drawing up football plays. That’s awesome. Relatable. At the same time I assume Jarron was playing Minecraft or something, but I digress… The Irish lead 7-0. 7 — Malcolm Perry’s first carry results in a fumble as he hits the ground…portent, my friend. Portent. 8 — Perry rushes for three first downs but fumbles on an attempted end around to the field side. Live I thought it was a simple boundary pitch, but the Mid’s had misdirection set up. If you’re wondering, it was well-blocked backside but Shaun Crawford kept his assignment and would’ve had a one-on-one opportunity albeit in sprint mode on the potential half-back pass or keeper. Khalid Kareem with the first haymaker of the game defensively to force the fumble recovery by Asmar Bilal. 9 — Keys on the Jet Sweep gains first down yardage plus 15 for the late-hit out of bounds. You can feel where this one is headed. Uncle Mo is all about the Irish right now… 10 — Touchdown. I don’t think Navy’s inside linebacker is the best matchup to run with Claypool for half of a football field but hey, I don’t coordinate defenses for a living either. (The training linebacker’s ‘dive’ inside the 10-yard line is worth your re-watch if you have the DVR copy.) 14-0 and Tony Jones with great blitz pickup on the touchdown. 11 — Really wish I could see what hand gesture Book made to his face while running to celebrate so I could break Notre Dame Twitter for a day… 12 — Chris Simms indicates Navy might not have the type of athletes to matchup with Chase Claypool…or Colin Grunhard. 13 — Shaun Crawford starting this game at cornerback over Donte Vaughn should tell you all you need to know about Clark Lea. COMMON FREAKING SENSE rules the lives of intelligent humans 14 — Drew White TFL on the option pitch to the boundary. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah with a TFL (sack) vs. Perry on a scramble to the field. It’s a shame we’re wasting Clark Lea’s intelligence and teaching ability on a mere game. There are all walks of like that need this man’s guidance. 15 — Into the second quarter and Perry now has five rushing first downs….and two fumbles lost. It’s Kareem again and Jamir Jones recovers the fumble. Of course he does. This is a dream season for a THIRD STRING defender!! 16 — I do love that Navy still has a JV program. Kind of wondering why they brought them for this matchup, but whatever… 17 — Book short-arms a crossing route to Finke so it’s 15 yards instead of 45…Book to Claypool for another crossing route-catch-and-run…Imagine being a normal sized human and trying to tackle that guy? 18 — Touchdown Claypool. No.3 of the day this time from 3 yards out on a back-shoulder fade that is, in this case, just a lob pass to the best player on the field who’s being covered by a mortal. 21-0 Irish. 18 — My level of the mutual respect afforded to the Mid’s defensive coordinator is dwindling… 19 — Jayson Ademilola with the TFL on Perry. That kid is a scrimmage-playmaking machine. I saw it all spring in drills and scrimmage situations. That’s a lethal 1-2 punch for next season with MTA. 20 — JOK around the edge and Ovie Oghoufo shares the sack. Speaking of tandems: Daelin Hayes and Oghoufo next season. And Foskey. 21 - Finke returns a Navy punt 62 yards for a weaving score. A career highlight reel capper after coming close on three prior occasions…and Temitope Agoro is flagged for a block in the back at the outset of the play. Man that hurts. I also need one more Finke touchdown to reach the season projection, so there’s that. 22 — Fake Jet Sweep to Armstrong, fake handoff to C’Bo Flemister (who went the wrong way), and a 54-yard moon shot down the pipes to Braden Lenzy for a 70-yard touchdown. 28-0 Irish and this one’s over. Braden Lenzy’s different-kind-of-fast is unleashed. Claypool ran a convincing decoy route dig to draw the backside safety and it opened up the entire middle for Book to drop it in there. 23 — Dr. Selking has a smile for Chris Finke who clearly would like his touchdown back. That was pretty funny… 24 — Joe Wilkins (#18) looks a little bit like Matthias Farley. 25 — Doug Flutie with the Willie Gault reference! ‘I’m Speedy Willie and I’m world class…I like runnin’ but I love to catch a pass…’ (It’s in your head now, isn’t it?) 26 — I think Chase Claypool is going to win the Monogram Club MVP Award and Khalid Kareem will win the Defensive Player of the Year…but that unbreakable senior should be in line for another: The Nick Pietrosante Award (player who best exemplifies courage, loyalty, teamwork, dedication and pride). 27 — Speaking of future award winners, that’s Kyle Hamilton STALKING and chasing down Perry on a 4th-down keeper. Right now Coach Niumatalolo is thinking: ‘Wait…that’s not Max Redfield back there…” Hamilton is RIDICULOUS. I can’t wait to talk to him in a couple of years about his freshman season… 28 — C’Bo Flemister looking speedy to the boundary for 12 yards. Here’s my 2018 incoming Top 15 freshmen ratings: Kevin Austin, Phil Jurkovec, Shayne Simon, Houston Griffith, Jayson Ademilola, Jack Lamb, Lawrence Keys, Derrik Allen, Tommy Tremble, Jarrett Patterson, Braden Lenzy, C’Borius Flemister Tariq Bracy, Jahmir Smith, Bo Bauer… If nothing else, I’m glad Flemister can indeed play. He ran hard on film. 29 — Armstrong motions into a two-back shotgun set, crosses to the boundary post-snap and catches the first down pass from Book out of the backfield. At his moment, Tim Prister announced defiantly to no one in particular “Good Play Call.” (I then explain Twitter cannot hear him in the press box.) 30 — Book is stopped on a read-option keeper on 3rd-and-6 (must’ve been a bad play call). Jonathan Doerer knocks in a field goal and it’s 31-0. We need the Blue Gold Game running clock in the second half. 31 — Paul Moala is held on a sack attempt, no call, but at this point, mercy from the officials is probably warranted. By the way, I uh, had Moala at No. 27 out of 27 on that 2018 freshmen list reference above. Grainy film, probably. 32 — Perry fumbles out of habit and Drew White dives on it. Flash to Clark Lea’s bald dome that contains utter genius. 33 — I can’t imagine the middle-school experience Diego Fagot must’ve had. It’s no wonder he took up hitting people as a pleasant diversion. 34 — I love this three tight end heavy jumbo look. Can’t wait to see Wright, Tremble, Kmet and Liam Eichenberg try this against the Eagles and Cardinal and see if they can match the brutality shown against the Mid’s. Touchdown Tony Jones (per replay). 35 — You know how they always say, “Football is the easiest part of the day for these guys!” Not today. 38-0 Irish. 36 — Oghoufo with the leaping PD unblocked off the edge. I have a feeling his spring growth will be the chief storyline this off-season. (If you recall, he was a great special teams player last spring.) 37 — To echo a topic on this message board, I’m likewise enjoying Flutie’s observations today. Let’s see, who do the Irish play this weekend? 38 — Perry escapes for 46 yards but is tracked down in the open field by Troy Pride who admittedly had the angle—but also caught him easily. Touchdown-saving play by Pride and Navy settles for a field goal to end the first half. 38-3 39 — Navy with the ball to start the second half but the drive is shut down after one move of the chains. Look at the pursuit by this Irish defense on the field-side pitch! Drew White, Jamir Jones, Troy Pride, Alohi Gilman…all three levels of the defense arrive to shut it down. Has Notre Dame ever played the option better? Certainly not a dangerous option such as this. 40 — IAN BOOK with a remarkable throw to a toe-tapping Lawrence Keys to move the chains! Book spun left after finding no options (Claypool was wide open to his right, by the way), then rips a cross-body gem to Keys, a 37-yard rope (27-yard gain). THE greatest arm talent throw of his season if not Irish career. 41 — 28-yard bullet to Chris Finke, in stride, on a field-side corner route. Could’ve used that at Georgia. I’ll settle for it vs. Wisconsin in Lambeau I suppose… 42 — Tony Jones drops a backfield curl touchdown—that’s the third-down conversion route Jones secured at Yankee Stadium on Notre dame’s opening drive last November. 43 — Touchdown to Claypool. Half-man, Half-amazing. You know who he plays like? Golden Tate. Tim Brown, Derrick Mayes, Golden Tate, Chase Claypool. Best with the ball in the air in tight coverage since 1981. 45-3 early in the third and it’s Jurkovec time 44 — Kyle Hamilton slow to get up…don’t tease me cruel world. 45 — I wonder if they could’ve come out and run the 4-minute drill with Jurkovec on his first series. Probably not as easy as just telling the offense to do so considering that’s not reality. But something to test him in game conditions. 46 — Speaking of the best throw of a quarterback’s college career, that was Jurkovec’s, a powerful toss to the left-side field while getting planted in the turf. 18 yards to Lenzy across the hash marks. 47 — I’m excited to watch Jafar Armstrong this spring when he’s no longer hampered by abdominal surgery, because right now, he has all the flexibility of a box car turning the short corner. 48 — Flare screen to Armstrong to the field loses yardage. Telegraphed from the jump. I’ve grown to detest all screens. I have two ripped screens on my porch and the snow gets in. Those are more effective than these Flare screens. Impossibly bad block attempt by Brock Wright in space, by the way. 49 — Jafar Armstrong is a magnet, the the defenders are steel. Irish to punt for the first time. 50 — Iowa is up 13-0 on Minnesota as we come back to the broadcast. Huh? You mean handling success can be a weekly challenge in big-time college football? 51 — For a guy that’s “too small” TaRiq Bracy tackles pretty well, don’t you think? Bracy, Crawford, Wallace…I’ll take my chances although the obvious ‘in good health’ caveat applies to Crawford even if he returns. Where’s the Cody Riggs grad-transfer when you really need it? 52 — Navy finally strikes, a deep post touchdown at the expense of Houston Griffith who it appears was caught lost in the wilderness. Griffith appeared to be locked in on the motioning slot-back who never left the backfield. (Look at his action mimic the slot-back’s pre-snap). 45-10 Irish 53 — Colin Grunhard with the fair catch. Easily. Might be the up-back next season on kickoffs he made that look so easy. (By the way, he started the game in that spot, this isn’t mop-up duty. But I believe it’s the first time he’s manned the role this season.) 54 — Last chance to run some serious Jurkovec offense here for all the Book-weary fans… 55 — Offensive line coach Jeff Quinn yells at the second string offense as they continue to congratulate Grunhard for his achievement. Relax, dude. How about gaining a rushing yard against a Top Tier team, then you can tell us when to have fun, alright? 56 — Armstrong can still lower that shoulder though! Just get him a yoga instructor for the next couple months and let Jones, Jahmir, and C’Bo run this thing 57 — That’s game No. 4 for Andrew Kristofic. Time to warm-up Logan Plantz for mop-up duties this week…(I think Cole Mabry is injured). 58 — Ugh. 3rd-and-2 and Armstrong is tackled from behind. I’m with the disgruntled minority at this point. Let Jurkovec throw, it’s still the third quarter. PUNT 59 — It’s easy to blame Griffith for this (dropped) touchdown down the post, but he sure seemed like he knew his assignment, peeling off the the sideline to cover the backfield wheel. Then again, Bracy would’ve had that easily. Also: that might be the worst drop I’ve ever seen. 60 — Houston Griffith. In position to compete for a starting safety job all off-season. Into the spring and summer. We’ll see the best of him rather than the paralysis by analysis version we have before us. 61 — Paul Moala with the best play of an option pitch since the Atlanta Men’s Wednesday Night Flag Football Semi-Finals of 2005. By the way, look at the cut block that takes out Bo Bauer charging after the pitchman. Wow. What a great moment for those other 10 backup defenders to enjoy, too, celebrating a touchdown while you were on the field at the Stadium. 62 — That’s ONE exit away from Notre Dame, Mr. Tirico, not ‘a couple’ where Paul Moala (and I) exit the toll road. Mishawaka 84. “Thoughtchyouknew…” 63 — Franklin (nose) and Lacey out there together on this series though it’s a unique, Navy-focused defensive front. I’m merely wondering if Lacey will one day play the three-technique as BK offered in the spring and this is some video evidence. 64 — Interesting tidbit from Chris Simms that Notre Dame actually suspended triple-option preparations at some point during last week’s practices to return to normal principles, techniques, etc. I wonder who’s idea that was, because it’s A.) genius, and B.) an indication that not only was Notre Dame’s defense ready, but it felt over-analysis could do more harm than good. They let the athletes play fast and free once prepared. 65 — Shayne Simon (reportedly a dislocated kneecap) likely missing the most important off-season of his career is the worst thing that’s happened this month to the program. Man that’s a tough blow for a guy at the lone open position along that front seven. 66 — Bo Bauer with the BIG impact hit on 4th-and-1 at the 2-yard line. Was that really a first down? Big-time play by the sophomore but Navy scores one snap later as a result. 67 — NBC shows Flutie’s famous Hail Mary. 35 years ago I was in an Iowa hotel room while my parents met my brother Steve’s future in-laws for the first time. I chose not to leave the room for the day and was rewarded handsomely for my 11-year-old wisdom! 68 — It will be a major disappointment/indictment if Notre Dame’s redefined standard (the last 9 quarters) isn’t met vs. Boston College this Saturday… 69 — Wait…Flutie didn’t know who caught the Hail Mary until he entered the locker room? That’s incredible! 70 — DJ Brown with a tackle “attempt” in space…yeesh. 71 — Jacob Lacey rubs his belly after a TFL. Now that’s good times! 72 — This blowout, as you well know, comes with a catch: Imagine the disparate national reaction (and fed-up Irish fan base reaction) if ND had won 52-20 vs. any other program ranked in the Top 25 other than Navy? But when it’s Navy, it’s the ultimate ‘Well you should beat Navy by that much!’ It didn’t help that Navy looked like overmatched junk, either. 73 — Catching the Niumataolo/Gilman meeting at midfield was NBC’s best work of the season. On a related note, me catching Jack Swarbrick tapping Kyren Williams on the shoulder to remind him to take his helmet off during Navy’s Alma Mater was my best work of the calendar year as well. Good times! 74 — Boston College Week. Maybe Fisher Hall can bring back the snarkiest of all Game Week, Two-Story Sized Signs outside its dorm (circa 2009) that read: “Welcome Wait-Listed Students”
Yeah just read. A lot of "would be interested" and reasons why it could happen, with no real indication that there is any substantial activity.
I just don't get what's in it for Kelly to go to FSU. He'd be inheriting some good talent, but he's worked himself into a good spot here and doesn't seem like he has the desire to aim for a 3-5 year rebuild somewhere just to retire. He can be our coach for 3-5 more seasons, maybe have 1 more serious playoff run, than end up on ACC Network for a decade. Dunno why he'd just walk away from that.