*Notre Dame* - On Vacation

Discussion in 'The Mainboard' started by Thoros of Beer, Feb 3, 2016.

  1. Voodoo

    Voodoo Fan of: Notre Dame
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishTottenham HotspurSan Francisco Giants

    A poster on II took offense to Holland’s captain tweet and responded with this:



    :laugh:
     
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  2. IHHH

    IHHH Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishCleveland BrownsMontreal Canadiens

    Holy shit, someone got into an argument with coach dick...lol oops meant coachd
     
    chase538 likes this.
  3. Wicket

    Wicket Fan: ND, PSV, Pool FC, Cricket, Urquel, Dog Crew
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishSan Francisco GiantsNew Orleans SaintsChicago Cubs

    honestly he is informative so as long as its a podcast i actually kinda like what he offers but he has the longest toes in the world
     
  4. NDfanPSUgrad

    NDfanPSUgrad Well-Known Member
    Penn State Nittany LionsNotre Dame Fighting Irish

    MCND1 is probably a Loy burner account

    Edit Maybe another trump account. Read some of his replies. Everyone is a clown and he will just call out peoples looks in their profile picture.
     
    #38504 NDfanPSUgrad, May 20, 2019
    Last edited: May 20, 2019
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  5. This new douche nozzle coming to challenge Loy is wonderful; the catty fights between 'grown' men offering info on teenagers (that I consume daily) will be awesome. Should make up for the last two seasons of GOT.
     
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  6. IHHH

    IHHH Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishCleveland BrownsMontreal Canadiens

    I was kidding about the stupid « oops I meant seaman » I like coachd, he is very passionate and he gives a ton of content. He is a weird dude though and my guess is that he sometimes drives customers away because he is so fucking sensitive.
     
  7. Voodoo

    Voodoo Fan of: Notre Dame
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishTottenham HotspurSan Francisco Giants

    Not!
     
    IHHH likes this.
  8. a1ND

    a1ND Bold & Spicy
    Donor

    Gold Standard

    The Gold Standard: Latest Intel On Notre Dame Recruiting

    EJ Holland, Mike Singer
    Recruiting Insiders
    Get a FREE 60-day trial and four FREE copies of the BGI digital magazine using promo code Irish60


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    Four-star cornerback Clark Phillips remains a key Notre Dame target
    The Gold Standard is Blue & Gold's all new recruiting piece, which will run every Monday morning. Expect significant Notre Dame recruiting scoop in every edition from insiders EJ Holland and Mike Singer.

    Here is this week's edition.


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    Insider Nuggets From California
    *** Let’s go ahead and start with four-star Fresno (Calif.) San Joaquin Memorial wide receiver

    Jalen McMillan
    . Notre Dame offensive coordinator Chip Long stopped by to see him last week, and we were told the trip was successful. Notre Dame is continuing to chip away at McMillan, and the longer this goes, the better for the Irish. As I reported, McMillan - the nation's No. 73 player - wants to make a decision at some point during the season, but his recruitment could last until December. I am told by sources close to his recruitment that Washington still holds the edge over Notre Dame. But if there is any program that can top the Huskies, it’s ND.


    *** So what has Washington out in front? McMillan wasn’t shy when I asked him why UW was so high on his mind. He expressed that his mother loves Washington, and I’m told she really prefers to have him closer to home. McMillan added that she dislikes the fact that Notre Dame is so far away. McMillan himself isn’t really concerned about distance, and neither is his father for that matter. In order for Notre Dame to win this recruitment, it must win over his mother, especially on his October official visit. Unfortunately for the Irish, Washington is currently slated to have the last OV.

    *** McMillan goes to a private Catholic high school in Fresno and feels comfortable with the environment in South Bend. He talked about embracing the challenge of rigorous academics and meshing with the players already on the Irish roster. Notre Dame also has a weapon in its corner in San Joaquin Memorial head coach Anthony Goston, who joined McMillan on his recent unofficial visit. Goston has a daughter at Notre Dame, and his office has plenty of Irish memorabilia. I’m not saying Goston is pushing McMillan, but it can only help to have a coach that is very fond of the program.

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    JALEN
    MCMILLAN


    RANK
    5.9
    6'2" | 175 LBS | WR
    SAN JOAQUIN MEMORIAL
    FRESNO, CA
    CLASS OF 2020
    UNDECIDED
    *** Here is what Goston had to say about Notre Dame: “I think the thing that stood out when we went out there and visited was that they were upfront and honest with the expectations of Notre Dame and how he fits in with the program. (McMillan) got to see the real Notre Dame. That was important for him as he deciphers through all the information that’s out there. He saw how his life would be if he were to go there. Notre Dame is always looking for the right fit socially, academically and athletically. That’s how you should recruit. That’s what separates elite academic schools like Notre Dame and Stanford from the others. Notre Dame told Jalen that Notre Dame isn’t for everyone. They said ‘this is what we are about.’ Being honest and upfront might get lost in the recruiting process, but Notre Dame does a good job of it.”

    *** Goston had this to say about McMillan as a player: “Jalen is one of those special guys that you get to coach. His physical abilities are off the charts with his size, speed and body control. It’s very rare to get an athlete his size that runs the way he does. Usually, smaller guys run that fast. He’s a bigger athlete and just a unique talent. I think he’s progressing on his strength and his explosion. He’s always working on his craft with route running and things like that. He’s becoming a more physically mature athlete.”

    *** Notre Dame currently has zero defensive back commits, which makes four-star La Habra (Calif.) High School cornerback

    Clark Phillips
    an even bigger priority. Phillips has been tough to read throughout the entire process and knows how to play the game in terms of telling people what they want to hear. From what I have been able to gather, I would give Ohio State the overall edge right now. The Buckeyes will host him for an official visit on June 21, and he loves the recent defensive back success in Columbus. I feel like Oregon and Notre Dame are running second and third, respectively. Oregon offers him an opportunity to stay out West, and the Ducks have really impressed him this offseason. With USC in a state of disarray, Oregon is really taking advantage in Los Angeles.


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    CLARK
    PHILLIPS


    RANK
    5.9
    5'10" | 178 LBS | CB
    LA HABRA
    LA HABRA, CA
    CLASS OF 2020
    UNDECIDED
    *** Notre Dame absolutely has to figure out a way to get Phillips on campus this summer. He doesn’t want to wait very long to pull the trigger and a game day experience against New Mexico isn’t going to make a huge difference. The Irish don’t want a situation where Phillips gives a verbal somewhere else before making it back to Notre Dame. Like I reported last week, Phillips is still in the process of setting up an OV to South Bend but is having trouble nailing down an exact date. Getting him on campus again will be huge. The Irish are doing a good job of pitching him on early playing time and need at the position. He also has a strong bond with Todd Lyght, who is slated to see him this week.

    *** Key defensive line target

    Braiden McGregor
    is scheduled to make his decision this week. If Notre Dame misses, the Irish could make a harder push for Bakersfield (Calif.) Christian product
    Ben Yurosek
    . While I would give Stanford the slight edge right now, Notre Dame is in Yurosek’s Top 4 and could easily move to the top of his list following his June 21 official visit. Mike Elston has continued to work on Yurosek, and he loves the academics offered in South Bend. The door is wide open here, especially with Stanford not accepting official visits before January.


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    BENJAMIN
    YUROSEK


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    5.7
    6'5" | 230 LBS | ATH
    BAKERSFIELD CHRISTIAN
    BAKERSFIELD, CA
    CLASS OF 2020
    UNDECIDED
    *** Notre Dame is in a very strong position with elite 2021 wide receivers

    Beaux Collins
    of Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco and
    Cristian Dixon
    of Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei early on. Collins has already been to South Bend twice and like I noted on the board, the Irish are in his Top 3 at this point in the process. Collins has blown up on the recruiting trail, but Notre Dame will always be a constant in his recruitment. If I had to pick an early leader for Dixon, it would be Notre Dame. He has a budding relationship with Del Alexander and loved his game day visit to South Bend last fall. Dixon said he can’t wait to get back to campus soon.


    *** Malik James runs Premium Sports, arguably the best 7v7 program in Southern California. James played under Brian Kelly at Cincinnati and his team is littered with national prospects like Bryce Young and Justin Flowe. The aforementioned Dixon is expected to be on his team next year. I had a brief conversation with James, who gushed about Notre Dame and said Del Alexander, a fellow California native, does right by the kids in LA and is well liked in the area. If I were Notre Dame, I would utilize this connection a lot more. James is a power player in the Los Angeles recruiting scene.

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    CRISTIAN
    DIXON



    RANK
    N/A
    6'2" | 185 LBS | WR
    MATER DEI
    SANTA ANA, CA
    CLASS OF 2021
    UNDECIDED
    *** Notre Dame received an early commitment from 2021 San Diego (Calif.) The Bishop’s School quarterback

    Tyler Buchner
    . There is nothing to worry about here. Buchner is completely locked in with the Irish and is focused on helping Notre Dame recruit for next cycle. I’m told Buchner was always going to pick a high academic school and that Notre Dame was by far the best fit. Buchner is fully recovered from a torn ACL and has been hard at work this offseason with private quarterback coach Danny Hernandez, who, by the way, is also part of James’ Premium Sports.


    *** Here is what Hernandez had to say about Buchner: “He’s a very dynamic athlete. There are a lot of things that we’ve done to tighten up his mechanics. The kid is a perfectionist. He’s done his best to fix every little thing. We always record our sessions, and he gets instant feedback. He wants to do every rep again. He’s got a little bit of everything because he’s so twitchy, and his throws are effortless. The ball flies off his hand. He’s very clean with off platform throws as well. He’s in a league of his own, to be honest with you.” (Holland)

    Intel From The Mid-Atlantic
    *** I'm told that Olney (Md.) Good Counsel defensive end

    Mitchell Melton
    is more of an important target for the Fighting Irish than most believe. He's not far below McGregor on the board. The Irish would love to land Melton's commitment this summer if McGregor lands elsewhere on Friday when he announces.


    *** Notre Dame likes both prospects as a drop end, and while it's possible they could take both McGregor and Melton, McGregor brings enough position flexibility that both could play together at Notre Dame. However, that won't be easy with Michigan fighting hard for McGregor. Melton is highest on Michigan, Notre Dame, and Ohio State.

    *** Notre Dame will have Melton on campus for an official visit on June 7, and he visits Ohio State and Michigan the following two weekends, respectively. I'm told that Notre Dame wanted to get the first crack at him to separate itself from the rest of the competition early. Melton told me last week that he will be announcing his commitment on July 3.

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    MITCHELL
    MELTON


    RANK
    5.6
    6'3" | 218 LBS | OLB
    GOOD COUNSEL
    OLNEY, MD
    CLASS OF 2020
    UNDECIDED
    *** While at Good Counsel, I got to talk to head coach Andy Stefanelli for a bit. We were chatting about 2021 offensive lineman

    Landon Tengwall
    , who unfortunately wasn't able to make their college showcase that evening. Stefanelli told me that Tengwall, a top target for Notre Dame's 2021 class, has drawn rave reviews from college coaches. University of Florida defensive backs coach Torrian Gray saw Tengwall and thought that the rising junior already looked like a starting NFL guard. Tengwall stands at 6-foot-6, 315-pounds. Look for Tengwall to visit Notre Dame this summer; he's considering an Irish Invasion visit.


    *** I also made a stop to St. John's College High, home of Notre Dame safety target

    Mordecai McDaniel
    . I've reported recently that Notre Dame is still targeting McDaniel, who officially visited ND in April, but the Irish haven't been making a ton of headway. McDaniel is enamored with playing in the SEC and running track. Notre Dame will continue to recruit him and hope that the Irish can gain more momentum in his recruitment. One thing that may help Notre Dame's favor are a couple of St. John's alumni and current Irish players in DJ Brown and Kofi Wardlow. A source at St. John's told me that Brown and Wardlow will be "actively recruiting Mordecai while they are home on break from South Bend." It will be very interesting to see what the Irish players can do in recruiting McDaniel.


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    20
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    MORDECAI
    MCDANIEL


    RANK
    5.7
    6'1" | 195 LBS | S
    ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE HIGH
    WASHINGTON, DC
    CLASS OF 2020
    UNDECIDED
    *** Notre Dame cornerbacks coach Todd Lyght was at St. John's on Wednesday. There are tons of notable prospects there, but I'll run through some that I heard Notre Dame has interest in. I'll start with

    Greg Hudgins
    , who I don't think will ultimately land an offer from the Irish but there is some interest there .... 2021 running back
    Colby McDonald
    is a name to know. Notre Dame is interested in him, and I could tell why by watching him practice. He's just a rising sophomore but his lower body is built very well... A couple of other 2021 prospects who Notre Dame is interested in are wide receiver
    Caleb Coombs
    and offensive lineman
    Colin Henrich
    .


    *** Keep an eye out on

    Jamareeh Jones
    , a 2021 athlete from Highlands Springs (Va.). He informed me that he's set to visit Notre Dame for Irish Invasion on June 9. Notre Dame became Jones' first offer on May 1, and the Irish are in a very strong position for him early on.


    *** Lyght visited Episcopal H.S. while in the DMV area last week. Rising 2021 safety

    Bryce Steele
    is a big-time prospect in his class and holds an early offer from the Irish. Steele will visit Notre Dame on June 23. He'll also take visits to Duke, UNC, and N.C. State from June 2-4; Penn State on June 12; and Michigan on June 21.


    *** I'm hearing that Notre Dame may extend an offer to 2021 Chester (Va.) Thomas Dale defensive end

    Bryce Carter
    , teammate of
    Chris Tyree
    . Carter holds several early Power Five conference offers, and the Irish may be next to join the list.
     
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  9. a1ND

    a1ND Bold & Spicy
    Donor

    Loy on Mcgregor today

    It’s decision week for Port Huron (Mich.) Northern four-star defensive end Braiden McGregor. The 6-5, 248-pounder will make his announcement on Friday, May 24.

    Here’s the latest intel that has been gathered.

    As we’ve been reporting for a long time, the feeling is that he’ll end up at Notre Dame or Michigan. His recent top group included Alabama, Florida, Penn State, Miami, Clemson and others, but nothing has ever made us believe he’ll end up playing for any program other than the Fighting Irish or Wolverines. In checking out for the past 24 hours or so, that remains the case today. One source mentioned Florida as a dark horse fresh off the visit, and even added that the feeling was that this was a Notre Dame-Florida battle, but that’s not just something I can buy into at all.

    So, what I’ve gathered so far is that neither Notre Dame or Michigan have been informed of his final decision. I’ve talked to multiple sources connected here and while there is more optimism from those in Ann Arbor, neither staff knows exactly what McGregor is set to do when he commits on Friday. With Notre Dame, the fact that they don’t know what he’s doing is giving them some pause and has them concerned. That’s natural. The unknown will always make you unsure or nervous. However, on the flip side, I’m told Notre Dame defensive line coach Mike Elston and McGregor have continued to have great dialogue and a source added that they had one of their best conversations ever just last week. In addition, I’m told there was even talk about moving up his timeline to make sure he secured a spot in the class because he’s very coveted by the staff in South Bend and they don’t want to run into a case where too many players want in before McGregor is ready to make a decision. While his decision to announce less than a week later could truly be nothing more than a coincidence, that’s all factual and at least is something worth knowing.

    Regarding those surrounding the Notre Dame program, there is still optimism. The staff plans on talking to with him this week ahead of his announcement and wants to make sure they leave no stone unturned. The commits, who are all optimistic as well, will be talking to McGregor too. They want to add him to the class and genuinely felt over the past few weeks that he was leaning toward Notre Dame over Michigan. They are very close with him and have struck up a tremendous bond throughout the process, especially four-star defensive line commit Rylie Mills.

    In addition, multiple sources have told myself and Irish Illustrated's Kevin Sinclair that the timeline of McGregor's commitment surprised not only the Notre Dame and Michigan staff because it hit Twitter first, but also the McGregor family as well. Everyone seemed to expect something soon, but not necessarily this week. Again, it's just something worth knowing.

    My take? It’s never good when the in-state school is more confident than the other top contender. However, Notre Dame has done an outstanding job with McGregor since day one and shouldn’t be counted out quite yet. There are still plenty of twists and turns to play out on this one in the coming days. It makes sense for him to pick Notre Dame, as there truly isn’t a defensive line coach that has been on him longer or has a better relationship with him than Elston and there is no denying that his closest bonds regarding classmates are with the Notre Dame commits. Michigan has a ton to offer and regardless of where he ends up, McGregor will be successful on and off the field. He has a great work ethic and a bright future no matter where he ends up. Notre Dame was never going to be the easy decision, but the staff laid it all out on the table and McGregor has been receptive the whole time. In a couple of days we’ll see if the hard work, long hours, continuous phone conversations, and way-too-tight No. 17 jersey’s for Elston paid off. If not, the defensive staff will turn its attention to others on the board including Cullen Coleman, Ben Yurosek, Mitchell Melton and Cam Large.

    Per 247Sports, McGregor is the No. 27 overall player this cycle, No. 3 strong-side defensive end nationally and No. 1 prospect in Michigan from the class of 2020.

    39COMMENTS
    The 247Sports Composite Rankings have him rated as the No. 87 overall prospect this cycle.

    McGregor will play his final high school games at the Under Armor All-America Game in Florida and the Polynesian Bowl in Hawaii.

    not sure what Freeman at ISD is saying today on Mcgregor but it really sounds like no one knows what is going on here
     
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  10. a1ND

    a1ND Bold & Spicy
    Donor

    also, Botehlo sounds like he is going to try to EE. Would be a pretty big deal to get him on the field early
     
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  11. Juke Coolengody

    Juke Coolengody One name. Two men?
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishIndiana PacersIndianapolis Colts

    Seems pretty clear to me that it's gonna be Michigan
     
  12. chase538

    chase538 Well-Known Member
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishBarcelonaAtlanta United

    Yulp. Sucks. He’s going to be good. Congrats to them
     
  13. Red Rover

    Red Rover Neck water faucet, mockingbirds mocking
    Donor TMB OG
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishPhoenix Suns

    Thinking the same. Holland said he is close to switching his pick to Michigan
     
  14. Bert Handsome

    Bert Handsome I'm sorry, the card says Moops
    Donor TMB OG
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishMilwaukee Brewers altMilwaukee BucksGreen Bay PackersTiger Woods

    I have no congratulatory sentiments for Michigan
     
  15. R2d2

    R2d2 I been told a big-legged woman ain't got no soul
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishChicago CubsChicago BullsChicago BearsChicago Blackhawks

    Just got served papers in my office... wish it could’ve been at home. Now I have to explain this to coworkers.
     
  16. laxjoe

    laxjoe Well-Known Member
    Donor
    San Diego State AztecsSan Diego Padres

    upload_2019-5-20_14-29-56.png
    https://theathletic.com/985352/2019...eve-lopes-senior-associate-athletic-director/

    nothing much more of interest from an ND perspective. but just in case anyone else feels like reading the whole article
    Setting the slate: USC’s daunting 2019 schedule and how the Trojans plan to map out the future
    By Antonio Morales
    LOS ANGELES — USC’s aspirations as a football program are pretty straightforward. It wants to win Pac-12 titles and national championships.

    “The way you win a Pac-12 championship is to win your Pac-12 games,” Steve Lopes, USC’s senior associate athletic director, said. “The way you win a national championship is to go through the (College Football Playoff). That’s the system now. You can’t adapt (your schedule) overnight because we have these games scheduled but as we sit here today, that’s the system. The (question) is what’s the best way to get to the CFP?

    “We think, knowing what we know and having to play Notre Dame and nine Pac-12 games, is to play as many home games as you can. Because your record at home, you can look over time, is always better.”

    Lopes is the athletic department’s point man when it comes to football scheduling and this, essentially, is the philosophy that will guide the Trojans’ approach to scheduling in the very near future.

    On Friday, he sat down with The Athletic and explained why USC is pushing for seven home games three out of every four years, how the program will approach neutral-site games, and how the 2019 nonconference slate, which is fairly difficult, came to be.

    Nonconference approach
    In the age of the College Football Playoff, there’s a balance between scheduling harder and scheduling smarter.

    Of the 20 teams who have reached the CFP to date, 19 have played either nine or 10 Power 5 opponents in their respective playoff seasons (Florida State played 11 in 2014). Seventeen of those 20 playoff teams played seven home games as well (2015 and 2017 Oklahoma and 2018 Notre Dame were the exceptions).

    Since the introduction of the CFP in 2014, USC has played 11 Power 5 opponents in four of the five seasons, including last season when it faced Notre Dame and Texas in nonconference play. It’s played six home games in three of those five seasons and will play six home games this fall as well.

    “If you look at some of the SEC schools, if you said you had six home games, they’d laugh at you,” Lopes said. The point here is you want to have as many home games as you can.”

    Lopes said this serves a couple of purposes. The first being seven home games is a more advantageous route to the CFP. The second is that the school just put $315 million into Coliseum renovations and wants to play games at home, in front of its own fans.

    USC basically starts every season with 10 games on its slate, nine Pac-12 games and its annual rivalry game with Notre Dame, which means it’s scheduling two additional games per season.

    So as the program moves forward, the schedule it wants to establish is this: seven home games in three out of every four seasons and a neutral-site game against a Power 5 school once every four years.

    “It doesn’t mean we don’t want to play more Power 5 conference schools,” Lopes said, “but you have to be careful when you do those and sprinkle them throughout because we already have Notre Dame.”

    This means you can expect to see fewer home-and-home series pitting USC against Power 5 opponents, going against a recent trend of some major programs (like Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma and Georgia) scheduling home-and-home affairs with other high-profile schools.

    In the coming weeks, USC hopes to announce three nonconference home games — season openers in 2021 and 2023 and the second game in 2024. The Trojans opened the 2017 season with Western Michigan and open the 2022 season with Rice but those are essentially outliers relative to how USC usually fills its nonconference slate outside of Notre Dame.

    “If you look at the games, it’s UNLV, it’s Fresno, it’s New Mexico, it’s Nevada-Reno, it’s Utah State,” Lopes said. “You want some of their fans to come, you want there to be some regional interest.

    “For us, it’s seven home games, seven home games, seven home games, seven home games. You have a finite list of places you look at and we’re going to test the waters when we announce these three games because we’re going to do something a little bit different but we want to try to make sure we have those seven home games from here.”

    Lopes wouldn’t reveal whether those home games were against Power 5 programs, which seems unlikely, or Group of 5 schools.

    Since Division I split in 1978, USC is one of three FBS programs — along with Notre Dame and UCLA — that have never played an FCS opponent. But as the seven-home-game threshold becomes a priority, there is a possibility that could change.

    “If you start looking at the teams that are available, it’s very limited,” Lopes said. “We’re looking at schools that might not even be FBS, which I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. We may get criticized if and when we do it, but everybody does it. … Are you going to die on that sword? You can play very good FCS schools that are better than some of the FBS schools you’ll play, the directional schools you’ll play.”

    Neutral-site games
    USC opened the 2016 season against Alabama at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas and will do the same in 2020. As mentioned earlier, the Trojans will have some high-profile nonconference games outside of Notre Dame, but they’re going to come every four years in the form of neutral-site matchups.



    USC opened the 2016 season against Alabama at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Matthew Visinsky / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
    Lopes said a neutral-site game against a major Power 5 program in 2024 is currently in the works with the destination still undecided, and talks are starting for a 2028 game. The participants in these high-profile kickoff games have to sort things out with the stadiums and television partners.

    Major programs tend to play these games in Arlington, Houston, Orlando, Fla., or Atlanta —USC has already worked out those two aforementioned agreements with the folks at AT&T Stadium.

    But the Raiders will open Las Vegas Stadium next year, opening up the possibility of neutral-site games on the West Coast and that could be a possibility for USC in 2024.

    Los Angeles Stadium at Hollywood Park, which will be home to the Rams and the Chargers, opens next year as well. While it won’t make much sense for USC to play neutral-site games there, it will likely be an attractive option for other West Coast programs.

    “I think the West Coast schools will gravitate toward those,” Lopes said. “We’ve had the opportunity, we’ve talked to Atlanta a couple of times. What happens is we used to play the old kickoff classic in the Meadowlands but you have to be really careful. You call those neutral-site games but they’re really home games. If you go to Atlanta, they’re going to be pulling in an SEC school. It’s not a neutral-site game. We felt in Dallas, we’re playing Alabama, and we’re sort of meeting them halfway.

    “Vegas and L.A. (stadiums) for the West Coast teams will actually be good for the West Coast teams because they’re neutral-site games but theoretically will be better for your fans. … Vegas is a very popular place. It’s easy to get to from L.A. We think that’s an interesting concept out there.”

    2019 schedule
    USC’s first six games are daunting. It opens the season with the defending Mountain West champion Fresno State at home. Then hosts Stanford before traveling to BYU, which figures to be plucky in Provo, Utah. The next week, USC hosts Utah, which will be the preseason Pac-12 South favorite, on a Friday night, and play at defending Pac-12 champ Washington the week after. The Trojans follow the Huskies with an off week, then play at Notre Dame, which is coming off a CFP appearance.

    Fresno State and BYU aren’t Power 5 schools but Fresno State finished last season ranked 18th in the AP top 25 and has remerged as a strong program under Jeff Tedford. And BYU won a bowl game last season.

    How exactly did those two nonconference games come together? Well, let’s start with Fresno State.

    Lopes has ongoing conversations with several schools — basically Mountain West schools who are willing to travel for one-off buy games — on a regular basis. Four or five years ago, he said, he approached Fresno State, which was in the midst of three consecutive losing seasons. Now it could possibly serve as a tough opener for the Trojans.

    “They’re a good school, they’re a good solid program,” Lopes said. “When we had that conversation with Fresno State and they were willing to come here three times over a six-year period, I thought that was a good get to have on our schedule.”

    The Bulldogs will visit the Coliseum in 2022 and 2025 as well.

    There’s risk and reward with the three-game BYU series. The reward is USC will host BYU twice (once in 2021 and again in 2023) but the risk is that it comes with a road trip to Provo this fall. A trip one could argue is a lose-lose for a brand-name program like USC. If the Trojans win, well, they were supposed to. If they lose, it’s a faceplant.

    Lopes said the Pac-12 typically wants its teams to play its nonconference games within the first three weeks of the season. But with USC and Stanford playing Notre Dame in either October or November every year, it complicates things a bit.

    “It’s forced teams to play 12 games in a row because somebody’s bye comes in the last week,” Lopes said. “The conference has asked us to try to minimize that by finding a game you could play in the 12th week. When we play Notre Dame away in the odd years to try to find a home game at the end of the year. Well, first of all, everyone’s in their conference schedule so you have to find an independent. You have to look to Army (or) BYU, which is an independent. They became a natural fit.”

    USC will play BYU in the last week of the season in 2021 and 2023, seasons when it faces Notre Dame on the road. Stanford will host BYU in late November in 2020 and 2022 — seasons in which it travels to South Bend.

    “Basically, BYU has become a school for us and Stanford (to play because) we were asked by the conference to not leave a game open in the 12th week so you’re very limited,” Lopes said. “They have the freedom because they’re independent. The fact they were willing to do a two-for-one was beneficial at the time. Yeah, the year you have to go there is a tough road but if you look at this over the long view, you have two games (to fill the schedule). Will we do that going forward? I don’t know. We’ve looked at renewing that game into the future.”

    The conference schedule is front-loaded, but there’s not much USC can do to control that. The Trojans play twice on Friday this season (Sept. 20 vs. Utah and Oct. 25 at Colorado), which is not ideal. Lopes said the school doesn’t have much input in regards to Thursday or Friday games, though.

    “The conference looks at those games,” Lopes said. “The TV partners look at those games to try to determine what makes sense for these Friday or Thursday games. We don’t have much input into who it is or when they are.

    “We were effective this year in lobbying for having our bye during the season before we play Notre Dame. We think that that’s beneficial. We know Notre Dame has done that in the past when we’ve played out there. We pushed hard and were able to work with the conference. And if you think about it, it’s really in the best interest in the conference to do that as well. For them to make it harder for USC to go play a non-conference game like Notre Dame in South Bend and not have a bye before it is really difficult. That was our priority this year.”

    Attendance
    USC drew at least 60,000 fans to every home game from 2003 through 2017. Last season, when the Coliseum was undergoing renovations and the team posted a losing record for the first time since 2000, the Trojans failed to draw 60,000 in any of its six home games.

    “It’s getting tougher and tougher, if you look all over the country, to attract fans to games,” Lopes said. “Professional teams are having trouble. … Now what we would say is we have six or seven opportunities to come back to campus, to be here and be part of an experience that’s bigger than just the game. You don’t know when something great is going to be happening but you don’t want to miss that.

    “What you have to do is put a good product on the field and that’s what our focus is on, put a good product on the field and people will come support us. I’m confident in that.”
     
  17. Killy Me Please

    Killy Me Please I lift things up and put people down.
    Donor

    Not reading that. Still want them to play ND at home late in the season. Make those southern Cal boys freeze.
     
  18. Red Rover

    Red Rover Neck water faucet, mockingbirds mocking
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    Sheesh, sorry man. That’s cold. Keep your head up
     
  19. IHHH

    IHHH Well-Known Member
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    What does this mean? You got fired?

    If so just take your time and find the right situation. My bil was fired a couple of years ago and he was freaking out but he got a better job and now he has perspective on what he could do if this job is not what he wants. Just saying, and yeah keep your head up.
     
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  20. NilesIrish

    NilesIrish Not a master fisher but I know bait when I see it
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    Share if you want, hope the job is safe. You'll be good.
     
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  21. R2d2

    R2d2 I been told a big-legged woman ain't got no soul
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    Sorry wrong thread, divorce papers. After 19 years and 3 kids, my wife has decided that our only option is divorce.
     
  22. laxjoe

    laxjoe Well-Known Member
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    Sorry to hear that man. And doubly sorry if you didn't intend to share that in this thread. But you ND tmb family is here for you if you need us.
     
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  23. R2d2

    R2d2 I been told a big-legged woman ain't got no soul
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    On the plus side, weekends she has the kids in the fall will give me a reason to get out to a game.
     
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  24. R2d2

    R2d2 I been told a big-legged woman ain't got no soul
    Donor
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    Thanks, I am heartbroken that I won’t see my 3 daughters everyday. They mean everything to me.
     
  25. chase538

    chase538 Well-Known Member
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishBarcelonaAtlanta United

    Damn, I absolutely hate that for you. Like laxjoe said, we are here if there is anything we can do.
     
  26. Beeds07

    Beeds07 Bitch, it's Saturday
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    Damn bro. Sorry
     
  27. R2d2

    R2d2 I been told a big-legged woman ain't got no soul
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishChicago CubsChicago BullsChicago BearsChicago Blackhawks

    Thanks guys, I will need it.
     
  28. SD_Irish

    SD_Irish El Mas Chingon
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    Dude, from one Dad to another, I am really sorry to hear this. Keep your head up.
     
  29. Killy Me Please

    Killy Me Please I lift things up and put people down.
    Donor

    I'm sorry to hear that.
     
  30. NilesIrish

    NilesIrish Not a master fisher but I know bait when I see it
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    We are here buddy. As another dad who has odd circumstances with his daughter. I feel you. You'll be good.
     
  31. a1ND

    a1ND Bold & Spicy
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    that's rough man, please let us know if you need anything
     
  32. Wicket

    Wicket Fan: ND, PSV, Pool FC, Cricket, Urquel, Dog Crew
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    Sorry to hear that man. I wist you all the strength in the world
     
  33. R2d2

    R2d2 I been told a big-legged woman ain't got no soul
    Donor
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishChicago CubsChicago BullsChicago BearsChicago Blackhawks

    I will be fine, just need to get passed this divorce, sell the house, find a house big enough for me and my 82 year old father and enough room for my girls when they visit. Thankfully we are both staying in the area, so I should be able to see them hopefully on a regular basis. I just don't like the games that are being played at the moment. I have been with her for over 1/2 my life (43 years old and we have been a couple for 22 years), some of the things going on are just petty at the moment. I know I am not a saint and that actions that I have made have led us here but I don't think those actions justify all of this.
     
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  34. NilesIrish

    NilesIrish Not a master fisher but I know bait when I see it
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    Dude, fucking fight. Sounds like you are, and I'm not trying to be an ass, being sad instead of finding your fuck that bitch mentality. Those are your kids. I don't know anything about this but you saying "hopefully" makes me feel like you have given in. I don't know how this works, but just fucking fight man. Those kids also need their grandpa. I have an aunt who is a recently retired family lawyer, if you want just simple info let me know.
     
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  35. AbeFroman

    AbeFroman You touch me, I yell RAT!

  36. a1ND

    a1ND Bold & Spicy
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    Recruiting Scoop

    Notre Dame has landed 10 commitments from the class of 2020 and more are on the way. Irish Illustrated and 247Sports want to take a look at the Top Targets board and share some of the latest rumblings on where things stand with some prospects.

    Here we go.

    — I’m going to go ahead and remove Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic five-star running back MarShawn Lloyd from the Top Targets board. Obviously we’ve made it very clear where Notre Dame stands with its No. 1 target at running back, Chris Tyree, and if everything goes as expected on Thursday, the Fighting Irish could very well be done at running back this cycle. Tyree is expected to choose Notre Dame over Alabama and Oklahoma later this week.

    — I’m going to remove Portsmouth (Va.) I.C. Norcom four-star defensive end Antwaun Powell from the Top Targets board. My 247Sports Crystal Ball is on Michigan. Virginia Tech is also a dark horse here as well. Notre Dame likes him a lot, but there are other priorities at the position.

    — Bakersfield (Calif.) Christian high school three-star defensive end Ben Yurosek is on the visitor list for June 21, but I’m told that things could get rescheduled on that front. The staff is high on him, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Notre Dame slowed down a little regarding additional pass-rushers this cycle. Yes, Notre Dame is hopeful it lands Braiden McGregor on Friday and if not him, Mitchell Melton is the guy the staff wants to add to this class. I just believe things could slow down a great bit after these two.

    — I really like my 247Sports Crystal Ball for Notre Dame regarding Rye (N.Y.) Country Day School defensive end / linebacker / running back Cullen Coleman. I’m not adding him to the group right above this because he’s so versatile and is truly being recruited as an “athlete” right now. He kind of stands on his own at this point. Either way, I just think Coleman eventually ends up with the Fighting Irish when he visits on June 21 or shortly thereafter.

    — As I've said before, Jersey City (N.J.) St. Peters Prep four-star linebacker Cody Simon is a guy the staff is taking a wait and see approach with. Neither side seems to be in too much of a hurry. Depending on how numbers shake out along the defensive line and in the secondary, the door could be open for Simon in this class. Right now, my feeling is that he ends up elsewhere because of that, but a final decision hasn’t been made quite yet. He’s still absolutely someone to keep an eye on, but that’s kind of where things stand right now. Linebacker isn’t the biggest priority right now.

    — The feeling regarding La Habra (Calif.) four-star cornerback Clark Phillips III is that Ohio State leads as of today. Notre Dame needs to get him on campus as soon as possible, because there is a chance, as always, that he could visit Columbus in June, be blown away, and commit on the spot. Notre Dame is hoping he takes his time, visits early in the fall, and makes a decision at that point but there are some sources close to Phillips that believe he is kind of itching to make a decision in the near future.

    — Muskegon (Mich.) high school three-star cornerback Cameron Martinez tells me that he’s in the process of locking in his official visit to Notre Dame for either June 7 or June 14. He is planning on visiting Ohio State on June 21, so that date doesn’t look to be an option. Some sources believe he even made a silent commitment to Northwestern over the weekend, so that’s something to monitor. My 247Sports Crystal Ball is on Ohio State because I believe they are going to be tough to beat, but there is some reasons for optimism at Michigan and Notre Dame. Needless to say, this one is all over the place depending on who you talk to.

    — Notre Dame absolutely loves Danville (Ky.) Boyle County three-star cornerback Landen Bartleson. The staff believes he has a ton of potential in the secondary and should be able to play early in South Bend. His size, speed and toughness is coveted by the staff and I expect him to end his recruitment this summer with good news coming to the Fighting Irish. He’ll visit in June.

    — Notre Dame is very high on Middleton (N.J.) Mater Dei three-star cornerback Clarence Lewis. They are working hard to get him on campus because he’s very coveted by the defensive coaches. Dialogue has been consistent and positive. I’m told he’s a great fit for what Notre Dame wants in its players. The staff expects him to visit before the end of summer and will look to get him on board at that time.

    — Ocoee (Fla.) high school three-star cornerback Lovie Jenkins is claiming Notre Dame as his leader. His mother is already pushing for him to land with the Fighting Irish. Sounds pretty good, right? My 247Sports Crystal Ball is firmly on Notre Dame and I expect the staff to get this one done if they want to get him on board. There are some questions about his speed, but they are hoping that all gets resolved when they see him again in person. He’s likely a cornerback at the next level, but the staff is open to him playing safety as well. His official visit will take place on June 21, which comes after trips to Louisville and Pittsburgh. Notre Dame would likely add him to the class if they want.

    — Notre Dame just offered Delran (N.J.) high school four-star defensive back RJ Moten and the staff believes it can land him. Michigan is the favorite, but people need to watch the Fighting Irish very closely here. He's looking at an official visit in June, but could very well make his way to campus before that.

    — Frederick (Md.) Tuscarora three-star cornerback Jordan Addison is another excellent athlete that Notre Dame likes a lot. The staff watched him workout recently and was blown away. This kid has great speed and quickness. The staff believes he has ridiculous upside on the defensive side of the ball. He’s a talented wide receiver and has opportunities to play on that side of the ball elsewhere, but Notre Dame would love to see him end up in South Bend as a defensive back. He's got some work to do, so that's something worth monitoring. We'll see how big of a factor that is if and when he visits next. For what it's worth, Virginia Tech offered on Tuesday, so keep an eye on that as well.

    — I don’t expect Notre Dame to land Duncanville (Texas) high school four-star safety Chris Thompson Jr. or Lanett (Ala.) high school four-star safety Kristian Story. I'm confident in reporting that neither will end up with the Fighting Irish, so fans should probably focus on other defensive backs in the 2020 class. My 247Sports Crystal Ball is on Texas for Thompson and I don't have a pick in on Story.

    11COMMENTS
    — Shreveport (La.) Calvary Baptist four-star safety Eric Reed is a player that we’ve mentioned often at Irish Illustrated and a target Notre Dame likes a lot. The staff wanted to get him on campus much earlier in the process, but Reed kept pushing back the visit. Things are starting to heat up again and that trip could take place later this summer. Getting Reed on campus could be a game-changer in this recruitment. Terry Joseph has done well here and has him at least considering the Fighting Irish as a top program right now. With an expected decision coming right before his senior year, Notre Dame could be the team to beat if he visits in June.

    — Mars (Pa.) high school four-star offensive tackle Michael Carmody still may visit on June 6-7, but there is a chance he comes to campus the following weekend in an either/or situation or maybe both weekends. Carmody is looking to get to campus as soon as possible, so the family may come to campus that first trip, but his older brother Robby Carmody is supposed to get back to Notre Dame on June 14. It's just something worth watching. Obviously getting to campus on back to back weekends would bode well for Notre Dame, but either way, getting to campus one of those weekends will be great news for the Irish. Landing him and four-star offensive guard/center Reece Atteberry is exactly how the staff wants to finish this offensive line class.
     
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  37. Rise

    Rise Well-Known Member
    Donor

    That is great. Good for him.
     
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  38. Red Rover

    Red Rover Neck water faucet, mockingbirds mocking
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  39. npndne

    npndne Well-Known Member
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    Notre Dame Fighting IrishDenver BroncosMinnesota VikingsColorado Avalance



    Jaylon and BK both looking so smug. Looks like BK is having fun being more of a players coach.

    At this point the media team should do a documentary on Jaylon (4 for 40 style) for all of us & recruits to inject into our veins.
     
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  40. Wicket

    Wicket Fan: ND, PSV, Pool FC, Cricket, Urquel, Dog Crew
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    Coach dickhole making tyree and rocket comparisons. Thats dangerous territory
     
  41. beist

    beist Hyperbolist
    Donor

    Have any of the recruiting people said anything new about McGregor? I still don't think we're getting him but the fact that there hasn't been a rush of crystal balls for Michigan since he set his announcement date is a positive.
     
  42. a1ND

    a1ND Bold & Spicy
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    Coach D on Mcgregor

    If Port Huron (Mich.) Northern end Braiden McGregor has made his decision then the odds are good that you could count the number of people who know what that decision is on one hand.

    Here's the latest I know after spending the last three days talking to every single source I could possibly imagine about this one.

    * As of about an hour ago, neither the Notre Dame staff nor the Michigan staff know where McGregor is going. Talking to a source on the Notre Dame side of things this has made them skeptical, which I reported on Sunday, and they remain so. Usually when a prospect sets a date and the staff doesn't hear from him for days that's a bad sign. On Sunday, the Michigan staff was positive they were getting him talking to a source on the UM side of things. Talking to that same source today and he said the staff hasn't heard a peep from McGregor. Was told they are hopeful, but not certain.

    * I asked a source on the Michigan side if any commits had heard anything and was told no. They have no idea where he's going. Talking with some sources connected to a few Notre Dame commits and they are more like the Michigan staff. Haven't heard one way or the other. They are hopeful, but uncertain. The UM coaches are more confident than the ND coaches, but the ND commits are more confident than the UM commits.

    * What does this all mean? Barring a change that I don't foresee we are likely going to go into Friday's announcement relatively blind in regards to knowing the decision.

    * That reality has people going crazy with theories about what this all means. I've had someone reach out to me today talking about how based on who McGregor has followed on Twitter recently it looks like he's picking Michigan. I'd be shocked if a young man this set on keeping things unknown would blow it by doing that. I've had someone say that if McGregor, who is surrounded by a bunch of Michigan fans and is getting a lot of pressure to stay at Michigan, was going to pick Michigan, it would have leaked by now. The UM staff is notorious for leaking this kind of stuff, and I would imagine it would leak by now if they knew they were the pick. The theory there is that McGregor is waiting until late Friday night to announce for Notre Dame in sort of a Friday news dump scenario. I think people are trying to talk themselves into thinking the silence is good for the school they follow.

    * It's rare that a kid is able to go this long without information or leaks getting out, so well done by Braiden and his family on this one.

    * So what does this all mean? I'm not changing my FutureCast pick of Notre Dame. The reason isn't that I'm convinced he's picking. I truly do not know what he is going to do. I felt that Notre Dame is the school he favors and I know at least one person close to him also favors Notre Dame. I know he has tighter bonds with the ND commits than he does the UM commits, and he has a much longer bond with Mike Elston than he does Shaun Nua, UM's new DL coach. Elston has done everything possible to make this one work out well for the Irish in the end, but as we have all seen over the years, sometimes staying close to home or giving in to local pressure can also win out in the end. But based on how I felt things stood prior to him announcing his commitment date and the fact I have heard nothing credible about him ultimately picking Michigan, I'm keeping my prediction the same. But it's the least amount of confidence I've ever had about that kind of prediction.

    * Obviously we will keep digging as much as we can. You have my word that if EJ, Mike or myself get anything new between now and Friday night we will share it with you. So don't start new posts asking for the latest. Unless you see a post from one of us then there isn't anything new to report on it on our end

    in the end, everyone needs to wait till Fri to find out what he decides

    in a way, this feels like Manti's announcement from 09...literally none of the ND coaches knew he was coming to ND until he announced and he didn't inform USC till just a few min before the announcement
     
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  43. a1ND

    a1ND Bold & Spicy
    Donor

    midweek musings

    Midweek thoughts about the Notre Dame football program, its recruiting efforts and college football:

    STEP UP TIME FOR DEFENSIVE TACKLE MYRON TAGOVAILOA-AMOSA
    Elite defensive line play requires a group effort. No matter how good the best defensive lineman might be, the unit can’t thrive unless it is strong across the board. There is little doubt that in 2019 Notre Dame will have one of – if not the best – defensive end units in the entire country.

    Whether or not Notre Dame has an elite defensive line – instead of just an elite defensive end group – will be determined by the play of the defensive tackles. Losing All-American Jerry Tillery certainly hurts, and starting nose tackle Jonathan Bonner was a steady player a season ago. The top three players on the depth chart have experience and potential, but just how good that group can be remains to be seen.

    Junior Kurt Hinish, sophomore Jayson Ademilola and freshman Jacob Laceyall have to play well this season, and getting sophomore Ja’Mion Franklin and freshman Hunter Spears back to good health would also provide a boost to the group. There is certainly talent, but it’s mostly an unproven group.

    An argument could be made that junior Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa holds the key to this group truly taking the next step, and not just be good enough to hold their own, but to improve upon last season’s production and lift the entire line up to elite status.

    Tagovailoa-Amosa showed flashes as a true freshman in 2017, earning an immediate rotation role. He showed potential as a playmaker, possessing the quickness to penetrate and the strength to hold up at the point of attack. 2018 was supposed to be one in which Tagovailoa-Amosa became more of a force up front, but after just 10 snaps against Michigan in game one he went down for the rest of the regular season with a leg injury.

    The Hawaiian big man returned to play 18 snaps against Clemson in the Cotton Bowl, and he played well, but the missed games and his subpar spring performance has him a much bigger question mark than he should be. The question has to be asked, just how good can Tagovailoa-Amosa be, and now that he’s a junior, is he ready to become a playmaker for the Irish defense?

    Tagovailoa-Amosa lacks the top-level penetration skills that Ademilola brings to the defense, but he is quick enough to disrupt, and he brings more power than his younger teammate. They complement each other quite well. We didn’t see Tagovailoa-Amosa use his hands well enough to get off blocks in the spring, and he looked rusty. He just didn't make enough plays.

    Notre Dame needs him to get back on track and take his game to a much higher level.

    The Fighting Irish must get better against the run, and that is going to be hard to do without Tagovailoa-Amosa reaching the level I believe him capable of reaching.

    If Tagovailoa-Amosa doesn’t improve on his spring performance or can’t stay healthy, the interior of the defense will have a much harder time being good enough for Notre Dame to have a truly elite defensive front.

    If he does reach his full potential, however, he and Ademilola could develop into a potent 1-2 punch inside, and it would also give Tagovailoa-Amosa the ability to play at the nose at times, which would allow him and Ademilola to play together. He would give the Irish the combination of force and playmaking ability it needs to have a truly elite defensive line.

    RUNNING BACK RECRUITING NEEDS TO GET BACK ON TRACK
    Notre Dame’s lack of success recruiting running backs in recent seasons has some believing that it has become a position the Irish are simply going to struggle at due to … insert tired excuse about why recruiting at Notre Dame is hard.

    From 2006 to 2015, a span of ten recruiting classes, Notre Dame landed 12 Rivals250 running backs, and that list included six Rivals100 recruits. That list doesn’t include Josh Adams, an unranked three-star player who signed in 2015 and became one of the school’s all-time leading rushers.

    Notre Dame had no problem recruiting running backs when Michael Haywood (2005-08) and Tony Alford (2009-14) were coaching and recruiting running backs. It wasn’t until the 2016 class that Notre Dame started to struggle at the position. In the 2016 to 2019 classes, Notre Dame landed just one Rivals250 back, and that player lasted just one year before transferring.

    The 2019 running back depth chart does not have a single four-star recruit on the depth chart, and the projected starter – Jafar Armstrong – was recruited to play wide receiver.

    One of the priorities for new running backs coach Lance Taylor is to turn this trend around, and to do it in the hurry. Since Chip Long, DelVaughn Alexander and Tommy Rees were hired after the 2016 season to now, Notre Dame has landed two Rivals100 quarterbacks, four Rivals250 wide receiver and four Rivals250 tight ends. Harry Hiestand and Jeff Quinn combined to add seven Rivals250 offensive linemen.

    If Taylor can get the running back recruiting to match what the staff has done everywhere else, it will give Notre Dame the across-the-board talent it needs to inch closer and closer to Alabama and Clemson.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    60
    NATIONAL
    2
    STATE
    1
    POSITION
    CHRIS
    TYREE


    RANK
    5.9
    5'10" | 185 LBS | APB
    THOMAS DALE
    CHESTER, VA
    CLASS OF 2020
    UNDECIDED
    That’s what makes Chester (Va.) Thomas Dale four-star running back

    Chris Tyree
    so important for Taylor and Notre Dame. Landing him would be an immediate about face and get Notre Dame back on track at the position.


    Tyree is the No. 60 player in the country according to Rivals, but ESPN has him ranked No. 22 in the entire nation. Both services rank Tyree as the No. 1 all-purpose back in the nation. Tyree would add a speed dimension to the roster Notre Dame hasn’t had in decades.

    Tyree makes his announcement tomorrow (Thursday, May 23), and will decide between Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Alabama. He would be a HUGE first step for Taylor, but the key will be landing Tyree and then following up with more impact players in the 2021 class and beyond.

    PLAYOFF CONTENDERS IN 2019
    Notre Dame made its first-ever playoff appearance last season, and the Irish are once again expected to be at least a dark horse candidate to get back in 2019. Two preseason magazines have come out this week (Street & Smith’s, Athlon), and both have the Irish in the preseason Top 10. Street & Smith’s ranks Notre Dame No. 7 and Athlon has them at No. 9.

    Alabama has been in all five playoffs and Clemson has made it every year but the first (2014). Both are once again title contenders, and they rank No. 1 and 2 in the preseason rankings by both publications.

    A look at other playoff contenders that will battle with Notre Dame for one of the four spots.

    Georgia – The Bulldogs are contenders with Notre Dame in two ways. After earning a playoff bid in 2017 and making it to the Sugar Bowl last fall, the Bulldogs are considered a rising contender to Alabama’s SEC throne. That alone makes them a playoff contender, but when it comes to Notre Dame, the Sept. 21 matchup between the two teams will be a huge resume boost for whoever wins.

    Oklahoma – The Sooners have made it to three of the five playoffs, but losing yet another Heisman Trophy winner that carried it to the playoffs could be too much to bear. Oklahoma does get graduate transfer Jalen Hurts (Alabama), but the combination of a poor defense and Hurts not being Baker Mayfield or Kyler Murray, and the rise of Texas, could knock the Sooners down a peg.


    [​IMG]

    Ohio State– The Buckeyes have made two of the five playoffs, missing last season despite going 12-1 and winning the Big Ten Championship. That’s what happens when you get blasted by a Purdue (49-20). Losing Dwayne Haskins will sting, and Urban Meyer is no longer in charge, but Ohio State has a talented roster and the Big Ten isn’t that good, which gives the Buckeyes a chance to win enough to make the playoffs.

    LSU – The return of QB Joe Burrow and yet another salty Dave Aranda-led defense has created a lot of optimism around the Tigers. LSU is ranked No. 7 by Athlon and No. 6 by Street & Smith’s. Beating Alabama in the West will be key for the Tigers if they want to have a chance to make their first playoff berth. I’m not sold yet on LSU, who has to prove it can actually be good enough on offense to compete with the big boys on a consistent basis.

    Florida – I was shocked to see the Gators listed No. 8 in both polls. Well, considering the SEC bias I’m not all that surprised, but I was still taken aback by it. Florida went just 8-3 against FBS teams last season, and all three of its losses (Kentucky, Georgia, Missouri) were by double figures. Dan Mullen will have to get the QB situation figured out if he’s going to get over the hump in the East.

    Michigan, Texas, Texas A&M and Oregon were also ranked in the Top 10 by one of the two released magazines. All four must be considered dark horse candidates for the playoffs, and I would throw in Washington with that group as well. Jacob Eason is a better quarterback than Jake Browning and I expect the Huskies to still be really good on defense. I have a hard time taking Michigan seriously, but they are still a popular preseason pick to knock off Ohio State.

    STATS OF THE WEEK
    My initiation into Notre Dame football was 1987 when I was nine years old. I vaguely remember watching the great Tim Brown during his Heisman Trophy winning season. But it was a year later when I truly got hooked on the Fighting Irish.

    The reason was simple. There was this guy wearing the No. 25 jersey for Notre Dame that made watching football so incredibly fun. That player - Raghib Ismail - was the most dynamic player my young eyes had ever seen, and that remains true to this day.

    His numbers are always fun to discuss.

    Rushing: 131 attempts, 1,015 yards, 7.7 YPC, 5 TD's
    Receiving: 71 receptions, 1,565 yards, 22.0 YPC, 4 TD's
    Kick Returns: 46 returns, 1,271 yards, 27.6 YPR, 5 TD's
    Punt Returns: 25 returns, 336 yards, 13.4 YPR, 1 TD

    Total Stats: 273 touches, 4,187 yards, 15.3 YPT, 15 TD's

    Here's a bonus nugget from Lou Somogyi, Rocket's 15 touchdowns averaged over 60 yards per score.

    TWEET OF THE WEEK
    My tweet of the week is my own, and it involves some film watching as well, so we are doubling dipping a bit on film to watch this week. But I figured nobody would mind!

    FILM TO WATCH
    Notre Dame recently offered Muskegon (Mich.) athlete

    Cameron Martinez
    , but it remains to be seen just how hard the Irish are pushing for the local athlete. There are questions about just how big he is, but one thing I don't question is how good his film is the last two years.


    He was a dominant offensive force in 2018, and you can see that in the film on top. He was outstanding as a defensive back as a sophomore in 2017, which you can see in the bottom highlights.

    See for yourself.
     
    chase538 and beist like this.
  44. Rise

    Rise Well-Known Member
    Donor

    Impressive that they have kept it this secret
     
  45. laxjoe

    laxjoe Well-Known Member
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    San Diego State AztecsSan Diego Padres

    is this the nickname this board has for him or is this an autocorrect issue? either way: :laugh:
     
    chase538 likes this.
  46. Bert Handsome

    Bert Handsome I'm sorry, the card says Moops
    Donor TMB OG
    Notre Dame Fighting IrishMilwaukee Brewers altMilwaukee BucksGreen Bay PackersTiger Woods

    I endorse the use of the term dickhole so nice work if it's autocorrect
     
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  47. laxjoe

    laxjoe Well-Known Member
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    San Diego State AztecsSan Diego Padres

     
    #38548 laxjoe, May 22, 2019
    Last edited: May 22, 2019
  48. Wicket

    Wicket Fan: ND, PSV, Pool FC, Cricket, Urquel, Dog Crew
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    Notre Dame Fighting IrishSan Francisco GiantsNew Orleans SaintsChicago Cubs

    Thought it had a nice ring to it
     
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  49. NilesIrish

    NilesIrish Not a master fisher but I know bait when I see it
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    Notre Dame Fighting IrishChicago CubsChicago BullsChicago BearsChicago BlackhawksDemocrat

    Welp to the fucking oven Cierre. Jesus.