I am not saying Sampson hasn’t been wrong - I guess another way to say it is I take his optimism about guys really seriously means he has some info that they will be good - I mean, after 2016 we would have said he was insane if he predicted better for 2017 and before 2018 we had a lame duck qb. Take the point tho
yeah, so it was so annoying about that first half to me. We were their equals like 95% of the first half, they just were able to make a few gamebreaking plays, beyond that, most things were a stalemate. Honestly that is the class of clemson as well but the trenches were competitive, our starting DBs were competitive, the team actually showed up. Clemson was just more explosive
ow for sure, he was awful, was talking at a team level, but your point is fair. Didnt feel like the miami game for instance
so good news/bad news kinda story. I have a work retreat during football season, so im gonna miss week 2. Good news is that its a ND bye game, bad news is that army-michigan game and clemson-aTm game were both not primetime and wouldve been great to watch during the actual evening instead of the middle of the night, which is normally the case with solid games
if anyone needs tickets to any games this year and doesn't want to go the secondary ticket route, let me know. happy to buy any tickets wanted
Assuming you mean just home games, I'd take two to USC. I'll probably wind up going to more, but I'm not sure I want to commit to more than USC.
What's everybody doing before hand? I assume because it's not a traditional ND game and is expected to be like 138° that most won't be tailgating?
I believe AHebrewToo has a small setup going. I may come down for a bit and just wander. Not sure if laxjoe is going, I think Beeds07 is.
clark lea interview Spoiler Blue & Gold Illustrated: How did your first season running the defense go? Clark Lea: “It was a little bit what I expected. I knew it was going to require new levels of awareness and big picture thinking, but also knew that it wasn’t going to require me to deviate from what my personality has been as a position coach. “The direction needed to be set as a staff, and that to me is less about controlling or the manipulation of people and more about the setting of agendas and making sure we’re checking off the things we need to do each week. “I had a lot of fun doing that, and I think that would have been true even if the year had not turned out how it did, which is a great way to start. “In year two as a coordinator and year three with this overhaul, you just feel like as a unit we’re closer to the spirit and alignment that makes for a really energized environment, and that’s exciting.” Get a FREE 60-day trial and four FREE copies of the BGI digital magazine using promo code Irish60 BGI: Last year, you had 14 players with starting experience. Heading into 2019 there isn’t as much experience coming back. Does it change your approach having a less veteran roster? Lea: “Any time the people change, the unit has to adjust in subtle ways, and maybe draw more from certain areas of the package than others. “Te’von [Coney] and Drue [Tranquill], the middle two positions, got into a comfort level of how they played and the calls they performed best in. As we turn the page on them and into this new order of second-level people, we’re going to have to adjust a little bit of how we play. “It really ties back to the initial structure and functioning of linebackers in this package. … These guys will be different. “n some ways, we’re going to experience the evolution of young players that will be markedly better by the time we finish the season than when we start. They could become a really special core over the next three to four years.” BGI: So you are saying your changes will be more scheme related than philosophical adjustments? Lea: “Where we felt really good about funneling inside to two guys [Tranquill and Coney] that were really, really good tacklers, we can play the same call and just the tempo and how aggressive its fit in the middle may spray the ball out to where we feel like our best defenders are. “That is a little more how the package is built. It’s second-level speed and athleticism. “Our two starting ends [seniors Julian Okwara and Khalid Kareem] are elite players. [Senior] Daelin Hayes is coming into his own, and we feel he can be a dynamic physical presence. [Redshirt junior] Ade [Ogundeji] has grown into being a player. We feel great about how those guys fit. “I think we do less this year versus last year. It’s more about is this going to work with this group. If they do this really well on the second level. … If they take that gap as fast as possible they are going to single up the [defensive tackle] and be disruptive to the running back. They are going to push him out and funnel him to players who are fitting off the perimeter blocks and will be effective that way.” BGI: You lost two starters at defensive tackle, including first-round NFL Draft pick Jerry Tillery. How is that group coming along? Lea: “[Junior] Kurt Hinish is becoming his best self. I think we’re seeing him grow into the player that we thought he could be. He’s very close to closing off that last little piece of development. He’s way more physical in the run game than he was, particular in 2017 where we felt like he got moved around. “Last year, he made strides … In the spring, we went against a pretty good offensive line every day, and he showed he was continuing that progression. Through experience, he’s growing into an effective run-stopping defensive lineman. “I thought Myron [Tagovailoa-Amosa, a redshirt sophomore] in his first year flashed more than Kurt. He has the ability to pry through blocks, he’s athletic and he bends well. “We were really disappointed for him and for us that we lost him last year. He will probably be a little less far along in terms of reaching his potential. Fall camp will be huge for him in trying to make up for the time lost. “There were flashes last year when [sophomore] Jayson [Ademilola] really showed an ability to be a dynamic player for us. His challenge now is finding a consistency, and that will be found in hard day in and day out work.” Getting junior defensive tackle Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa back on track is key for the Notre Dame defense. (Photo by Bill Panzica) BGI: From an outsider standpoint, linebacker appears to be a question mark heading into the season. Assess that situation. Lea: “We have a group of talented players, but we need for guys to start to separate themselves. … There are a few things that I think about every day, and one of them is the linebacker depth, and just the picture of what the linebacker position is and will be. “I can’t tell you the number of combinations that I work through in my mind in terms of who is playing what position, what skill set gives us the best chance to win at certain positions, who may or may not come along to add depth, maybe replace depth or push for significant playing time. “I believe we have the ingredients there. We have talented players — we just have to keep pushing them along.” BGI: You played mostly two linebackers a season ago, but you rotated players in both 2017 (at Notre Dame) and 2016 (at Wake Forest). What is your preference? Lea: “You would like to have four. You would like to have two and two, and could you even go so far as to say five with someone that is helping you in third-down situations. “You put all your pieces on the table, and you say what gives us the best chance to win. “Playing four guys allows you to take a little bit of the pressure off the rep count of your starters. It also creates a greater sense of ownership, and that’s huge with respect to playing defensive football. “One thing you love about the D-line corps is that you see these guys taking responsibility for whatever their role. When you’re training for at least 10 snaps, you’re going to push the pedal down and the team is going to depend on you. “No matter how great of a motivational speaker I am or not, when you know you’re not going to be play it’s just hard. The more guys you play the more buy in you get, the more you get out of each player that’s training for that opportunity.” BGI: What does sophomore linebacker Jack Lamb bring to the game? Lea: “Jack is long and athletic, and he’s got a very natural feel to playing in coverage. He plays in and out of windows naturally. ”In the spring, he never got cracked, not because he didn’t get blocked, but he always seemed to bend his way around blocks and find the ball. “He has strong hands, and he uses his length by locking his arms out. That can be a jarring feeling with the length he’s got behind it. “The other thing that he has for his frame to be 6-4 is the ability to bend and get pad under pads. Not only are you dealing with his length, where he’s on you fast, he’s also coiled and underneath you. Those are things that he does naturally that make him effective. “Once you combine that with power and a little weight, you’re going to start seeing a player that you hope can physically dominate the game at the second level. “He is a smart player, too. Mistakes are made, that’s part of it and my job is to correct them and hold everyone to a standard. He’s a guy that is really good in the football classroom. He’s really in tune and in touch. “The more we can get him to act on that day in and day out, the closer he’s going to come to being what I think he can be.” BGI: Senior cornerback Troy Pride Jr. finished the 2018 season on a strong note. What is his ceiling heading into 2019? Lea: “He’s got elite speed … He’s learned over his time here, snap in and snap out, to control himself emotionally, to handle getting beat and responding. He’s still working on that. “I’ve been really impressed with his maturity. He wants this to be a legacy year for him, and not just how he plays, but how he impacts the program. Those are the kind of guys you want suiting up for you. “The way he played in the playoff game is a great launching point for him going into his senior year.”
Not sure where we will be. I’ve never parked in Joyce so don’t know how choosy I can be with the parking spot. Gonna be hot as balls.
I'd aim for the area we are normally in, good access to Purcell to cool off, and you can almost always snake your way into a spot, it can be frustrating but it can be done. Wanna say pole 13 but my memory is screwing me right now.
They have people on the lots already getting set to direct people. Depending on when you get here, you may be and to force your way to a specific spot. But at a certain time, they'll just start parking you. Also, $60 for parking! Damn
That turf and new field turf after don't pay for themselves. Speaking of paying for stuff is local intern Thoros of Beer ok? unless I'm missing stuff he has not been around a while.
I'm all good. I would encourage someone to start a new thread if you want timely updates to the thread title. Having a child this fall and trying to spend less time on the internet.
having a newborn is a draining and exhausting experience but definitely worth it in the end! congrats!
It's not too busy yet, but it's pretty cool with all the red and black and yellow on campus right now
Friday recruiting notebook Spoiler Top RB Will Shipley Sets Notre Dame Visit One of the biggest newsworthy items of a slower recruiting week was Matthews (N.C.) Weddington class of 2021 running back Will Shipley setting up a visit with running backs coach Lance Taylor to see Notre Dame on October 12 when the Irish host USC. Even though the Irish are after five-star running back Camar Wheaton and the nation's No. 4 running back in Donovan Edwards, a case can be made that Shipley is Notre Dame's top running back target in 2021. From what I'm told, the coaching staff is absolutely fired up about Shipley planning to visit Notre Dame in October. 57 NATIONAL 3 STATE 1 POSITION WILL SHIPLEY RANK 5.9 5'11" | 200 LBS | APB WEDDINGTON MATTHEWS, NC CLASS OF 2021 UNDECIDED Shipley will certainly be a tough get for Notre Dame. I've heard the likes of Clemson (his most recent offer), Duke, Northwestern, NC State, South Carolina, and Stanford are all very involved here, and that doesn't even mention some of his other big offers, including Georgia, Oregon, Tennessee, and Virginia Tech. Rivals ranks Shipley as the No. 57 recruit in the country for 2021 and the No. 1 all-purpose back. Shipley helped lead Weddington to a 15-1 record in 2018, capped off by a 3AA state championship win. Shipley ran for 1,417 yards and 19 touchdowns on 206 carries and caught 28 passes for 393 yards and six scores. Elijah Gaines Still In The Mix For Notre Dame? Notice the wording in the sub-heading above. This is not a question of whether or not Notre Dame is in the mix for Elijah Gaines, but if he's still a part of Notre Dame's plans in 2020. The three-star cornerback from Alexandria (Va.) Episcopal released a top seven in late June that included Michigan, Penn State, Notre Dame, Duke, UNC, Virginia, and Syracuse. Gaines has yet to take any official visits but will be at North Carolina on July 27 for an unofficial and has an official locked in to Michigan on November 30. Gaines plans to set up more visits and hopes that Notre Dame is one of them. His recruitment slowed down during the summer as he's been focused on his family, but Gaines communicated with safeties coach Terry Joseph earlier in June. - NATIONAL 13 STATE 62 POSITION ELIJAH GAINES RANK 5.6 6'2" | 190 LBS | CB EPISCOPAL ALEXANDRIA, VA CLASS OF 2020 UNDECIDED The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder received spring evaluation period visits from cornerbacks coach Todd Lyght and defensive coordinator Clark Lea. "I feel like I have a really good relationship with Coach Lea," Gaines noted this week during an interview with BGI. "We talked about football, family stuff, academics, and stuff like that." In talking to sources, Gaines is still on the radar for Notre Dame but does not seem to be a recruit who the staff is pushing for at this time. If Notre Dame is still searching for defensive back recruits this fall and Gaines impresses the staff with his early senior film, I'm told that he could be someone who the staff makes a bigger push for. Michigan, Notre Dame, and Penn State have the inside track for Gaines, and whichever school targets him the hardest will probably land him. Gaines is also very high on Virginia. 2021 ATH Lovasea Caroll Transfers To IMG Academy This may not seem like important news, but it could be. Lovasea Carroll, the nation's No. 7 athlete, announced last Friday that he was transferring from Warren County H.S. (Ga.) to IMG Academy (Fla.). Carroll is committed to South Carolina during the spring, but Notre Dame offered him the day after his announcement. Irish safeties coach Terry Joseph really likes Carroll and would love to make a bigger move in his recruitment. 92 NATIONAL 10 STATE 7 POSITION LOVASEA CARROLL RANK 5.9 6'1" | 190 LBS | ATH WARREN COUNTY WARRENTON, GA CLASS OF 2021 VERBAL COMMIT 4/28/2019 SOUTH CAROLINA By Carroll being down in Florida for most of the year, not only will it be harder for Carroll to get back to South Carolina for visits, but he will also be attending the same school as Greg Crippen, a Notre Dame offensive line commit in the 2021 class, and JC Latham, a 2021 Irish defensive end target who has visited South Bend and has good things to say about Notre Dame. Warrenton, Ga., where Carroll is from, is also not an easy recruiting trip, so with Carroll being at IMG, where Notre Dame would already recruit because of Crippen and Latham, it gives Joseph and Co. more opportunities to see and recruit Carroll. Again, this isn't groundbreaking news, but it could help Notre Dame's chances to land the stud athlete. Notre Dame prefers him in the secondary but Carroll could play anywhere from running back to outside linebacker to cornerback at the next level with his frame and abilities. He is committed to South Carolina to play running back. Quick Hitters *** A newsworthy item from this week was that Notre Dame dished out a new defensive back offer. Argyle (Texas) Liberty Christian School cornerback Collin Gamble announced that he landed an offer from the Irish. For the latest on Gamble, read Lucky Charms and Gamble talking about the offer. *** Notre Dame 2021 tight end commit Cane Berrong is really taking a "no days off" mentality. The Hartwell (Ga.) Hart County product is constantly working on his speed, agility, and explosion. See more in the tweet below. Cane Berrong @CaneBerrong Overspeed training ♂️ @180SportsP @Rivals_Singer @TomLoy247 Embedded video 93 9:35 PM - Jul 17, 2019 Twitter Ads info and privacy See Cane Berrong's other Tweets *** As we've mentioned several times, Virginia Beach (Va.) Princess Anne 2021 cornerback Tony Grimes is an absolutely elite cornerback but will be a tough get for the Irish. Grimes plans to release a top ten schools list soon, and early indications are that Virginia Tech and Texas A&M are a couple schools that are in strong position for him. Grimes has yet to visit Notre Dame but hopes to get to South Bend this fall. *** Lakeland Christian (Fla.) 2021 defensive end Cade Denhoff is blowing up. The dead period has been very kind to Denhoff, who has landed offers from Clemson and Florida State in July. Notre Dame extended an offer to Denhoff after he performed well at the Lineman's Challenge in June.
Also, btw TNT is carrying a Bleacher Report stream and it looks like dick. How did no one major pick this up?