Weis' Future Being More Clear: The Wheels are in Motion

The Charlie Weis clock is now ticking to its preverbial ending. It all started on Saturday night after the Irish lost to Pittsburgh 27-22 and it's long flight back to South Bend. Sunday morning Weis was called in to Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick's office at 9:30 am, where he was told something. Whether he is staying or going, has not been made publicly, but the final nail seems to have been nailed shut.

Here are a few tidbits which should uncloud the Irish Nation's mind about the future of Coach Weis:

~ Weis calls off his Sunday media press conference. This is the first time in five years he has called off a press conference.

~ The media try to contact both Swarbrick and ND President Fr. Jenkins for comment on Weis future, but are not able to be reached, due to both being away from campus.

~ 12:00 p.m. South Bend Private Flight carrying Swarbrick and Jenkins is headed South to Florida.

~ The same plane also has scheduled flights this week to Cincinnati and Oklahoma.

~ Bob Stoops of Oklahoma has been reported as being intersted in the Notre Dame job if it becomes available, according to Brian Hamilton of the Chicago Tribune.

According to one of the Board of Trustees and a source inside the Athletic Department has both confirmed that both Swarbrick and Jenkins have put a package together to lure Urban Meyer back to South Bend. Here are the main details that are on the table as of yesterday:

1.) A 10-year $50,000,000 base salary, which doesn't include endoresment and university incentivies.

2.) 3 "special" projects a year, which may include JUCO transfers.

3.) A contract with Nike (football only)

4.) Additional incentives:

(a) $550,000 for Top 10 Finish
(b) $750,000 for BCS Bowl appearence
(c) $1.2 million for BCS National Championship
(d) $400,000 for 90% or better graduation rate

The carpet is ready to roll out for Meyer for the taking, whether Swarbrick and Jenkins can get it done, will be the trick. If not, Brian Kelly, seems to be the next logical choice.

These next two weeks will be a roller coaster for media and Irish fans alike. But one thing is for sure, the Weis era clock is about to hit midnight!

NCAA 09 Coming Soon

It's about that time again for the new NCAA 09 game to be released. Depending on which gaming unit you have, EA Sports has a different person on each game cover. For instance, if you have the PSP, West Virginia's Owen Schmidt is on the cover. Below is the rest of who is on which game cover:

PlayStation 3: Matt Ryan (Boston College)
Wii: Sparty (Michigan State mascot)
XBox 360: Darren McFadden (Arkansas)
PlayStation 2: DeSean Jackson (California)

Well with the creativity of photoshop, anyone can create their own custom cover like the Jimmy Clausen one above. Since I own an XBox 360, I did one for myself. If anyone is interested in getting their own custom cover made for NCAA 09, leave me a message.

Here's a photo of the game:

ESPN Conspiracy?

If anyone missed viewing ESPN.com's college football chat with columnist Bruce Feldman today, you better sit down. Like all ESPN.com chats, fans can ask questions to the ESPN assclown who is hosting that particular chat. Well today, Bruce got several questions regarding the Urban Meyer, Omar Hunter decommitment. Here's the direct script:

jim (santa cruz): any truth to the stories that urben myer told omar hunter to lie to ND about his picking them?

Bruce Feldman: (12:52 PM ET ) I seriously doubt that. If he did, I think Hunter would probably have not wanted to play for a guy so preoccupied to do something like that.
________________________________________

Brian (Newmarket, NH): Bruce, I have a good friend who is a ND fan. This is not the first time Myer has acted inappropriately while competing against ND. From all accounts he sounds like a scumbag in recruiting wars. Am I offbase with this?

Bruce Feldman: (12:59 PM ET ) I think almost all coaches will do some negative recruiting, regardless of what they say they do or dont do. ND fans hate Meyer because he took the UF job over ND and because he beat them on Justin Trattou and now on Omar Hunter. He's an aggressive recruiter no doubt, but he's got a big-time program he can sell.
________________________________________

Brian (Atlanta): Isn't ND always whining about someone recruiting unfairly against them? I seem to remember alot of moaning about Zook last year too.

Bruce Feldman: (12:59 PM ET ) Interesting point.

I'm not sure what type of man crush Bruce has on Urban, but the facts are facts. Urban is a liar and a cheat. Once ESPN can acknowledge it, the better college football will be.

After the chat, I wanted to get some more insight on Urban's recruiting prowess and how he lies, err, I mean, lures recruits to come to florida. For instance, I referred to Justin Trattou on how he was told that he would be a stand up, rush end. But instead was turned into a defensive tackle. So I emailed Mr. Feldman, and this is the response I got:

Mr. Weisgipper,

I don't know what Coach Meyer told Trattou, and I don't want to speculate either. What I do know is that Urban is one of the sexiest coaches in the SEC, if not all of college football. His master of persuasion is of jedi proportions. To get top notch recruits to play for him, and to get the media to turn its head on his lying and cheating, is truly magical.

As for the Hunter situation, they (Urban and Omar) are made for each other.

Thanks for the email.

Bruce Feldman, ESPN

I guess they were right that you can't teach a dog new tricks. In the form of ESPN, it's more of the same: Hate on Notre Dame!

Jackass of the Month

Once again it is time to reveal the Irish Band of Brothers' Jackass of the Month. After careful consideration, the IBB and fellow posters Face Mask and Sir John, dub Mark Allen as our Jackass of the Month.

Many can see Mark's dubious work trolling on several ND message boards as either MKAllen3, GrangerIrish, or many other bogus and pathetic names. Mr. Allen is trying to beat the world record of being banned from every single Fighting Irish message board. Some might ask, how can he do this at work? Good question, Mark was a so called "counselor" that went off the deep end when he stalked current head basketball coach Mike Brey. It got so out of hand that Allen was caught at the JACC sniffing the men's team’s jocks. Talk about a literal jock sniffer!

So with plenty of time on his hands and behind the keyboard, Mark is hard at work doing what he does best, being the fat piece of shit that he is! Mark Allen is such a fat ass; he couldn't laid with a fist full of fifties! Way to go Marky Mark, you're well on your way of making the record books. HEE-HAW, HEE-HAW!

CONFIRMED: It Will be Stoops

According to multiple sources from within the Athletic Department and several football players, Oklahoma's Bob Stoops will be the next football coach at the University of Notre Dame. It could be released as soon as tomorrow that Stoops will be the next head coach. As for a press conference, that could be later due to the fact that his Grandmother just passed away.

Coach Weis is letting the team know at 3:00 pm Monday that he will not be their coach for next season. The Assistant Coaches found out about Charlie's fate earlier at 1:00. The team's vote on whether or not to play in a postseason bowl game has yet to be announced.

If they do decide to play in a bowl game (most likely the GMAC against a MAC school)the Irish will be coached by Associate Head Coach Corwin Brown.

More details on Stoops and anything football related will be posted once I hear something.

Here's more about the Weis firing:

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/college/2009/11/30/2009-11-30_source_notre_dame_fires_head_coach_charlie_weis_.html

IBB Weekly Motivator: Week 12

Hopefully Coach Weis made the right move in keeping this guy!

IBB Weekly Motivator: Week 3

Just in time for the anticipated build up of Saturday's Blue and Gold Game, I felt it was my duty and obligation to post this motivator! Here's to you Steve Urkel, err, I mean Mark May, to your bold and brash predictions of the Irish. What will it be this year Mark, -1 and 12?

He went so far to predict that we will lose on Saturday. I just can't wait for September to roll and around for the Irish to start their Shock and Awe campaign on College Football!

All in the Family: Reggie Bush Developments Could Spell Trouble for USC

Poor, poor Southern Cal. With all the attention of Reggie Bush and now O.J. Mayo is receiving, it's like kicking a poodle, err, I mean dog when it is down. Whatever the outcomes may be, it definitely does not bode well for the Men of Troy.

Bush might actually go to trial in March 2009 and possibly drag Pete Carroll's program through the mud. It's about time, because no way in hell is a program that good, squeaking clean!

The farther the Bush case is distanced from 2004 and 2005, the better for the Trojans, but the damage assessment scenarios remain unchanged.

If it's determined USC had nothing to do with an alleged off-campus money grab from a dubious hanger-on, the NCAA won't hit USC with major sanctions. If USC is involved, well, that would be a good day for Notre Dame and UCLA fans!

The secret in Trojan football is to win first and ask questions later.

Trap Game Awaits Irish in New Jersey

Even though Seton Hall is 15-7 overall and 5-4 in league play, the Pirates pose a great challenge for the Irish tonight. Mike Brey has stressed to his team after the DePaul game not to overlook Seton Hall before Saturday's rematch with Marquette. The Pirates had won five straight prior to their loss last Saturday at Georgetown.

This will be the fifth time that the Pirates have faced a ranked opponent. So far Seton Hall is 1-3 in those games. They defeated #23 Virginia, 74-60, on Nov. 24 and lost to #15 Marquette, 61-56, on Jan. 8 and #20 Pittsburgh, 84-70, on Jan. 12. Then lost their contest with the Hoyas. Virginia, by the way, is currently the last place team in the ACC with an overall record of 11-9, while Pittsburgh has lost three of their last five games; which includes losses at Cincinnati and home to Rutgers!

Tonight's game features a matchup of the top two scorers in the BIG EAST Notre Dame’s Luke Harangody and Seton Hall’s Brian Laing. Cool hand Luke is averaging 28.3 points and 12.7 rebounds in last three games. Laing is leading the Pirates with 19.3 points per contest. Shutting the senior captain down might not be as big as a concern as shutting down the rest of the Pirates. Seton Hall is one of the top scoring teams in the country with an 80.9 average. They're also good with the ball and making good decisions, with a 10.2 turnover average, which is fifth in the nation.

Seton Hall can be a streaky team from the floor, but the Irish will try and force the Pirates to shoot from the outside, as they are one of the worst 3 point shooting teams at 33.6%. Look for Coach Brey to confuse Seton Hall with different defensive looks.

The key to tonight's contest, like all the Irish away games, is to get off to a good start. Just like their win over Villanova, the Irish have to establish the inside with Harangody and Rob Kurz. Kurz will be very instrumental on the offensive boards for second chance opportunities, as he has grabbed 10-plus rebounds in nine games this season. Kyle McAlarney and Tory Jackson have to keep their composure getting the ball in the right hands, as the Pirates are very pesky on defense. Look for Zach Hillesland to get plenty of tries taking the ball up the court.

Ryan Ayers has played with a lot more confidence as of late since Brey has made him the first off the bench. The fourth-leading scorer has netted double figures in seven contests, including two straight against Villanova and Providence. If Ayers can get it going from the outside, the Irish should be in good shape.

Notre Dame will come out swinging and not look back in this one. The Irish have won four straight, including last season’s 88-76 win at the Joyce Center.

Prediction: Notre Dame 79 Seton Hall 66

Baseline Bits

~ Notre Dame’s current three-game BIG EAST regular-season win streak is its longest of the season.

~ The Irish are off to their best start in BIG EAST play since 2002-03 when that squad was 7-2 through its first nine games.

~ Notre Dame leads the all-time series 13-7.

Blue & Gold Game Halftime Entertainment

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Yeatman's Journey Still Has Plenty of Forks in the Road

He was going back and forth for quite some time with his decision, but Will Yeatman is officially transferring from the University of Notre Dame. While he has made up his mind of leaving, there are still a few other entanglements involved here.

As we all know Yeatman is a good football player and an exceptional Lacrosse player, where he earned All-America honors as a Freshman. He requested permission to talk to some schools on this past Monday, Dec. 15, and was granted that permission to do so.

Will's indecisiveness has been going on since December 5th and has been in talks with both coaches and administrators about possibilities. There were a lot of NCAA rules he had to navigate, as well as, some Notre Dame policies which will make any one's head spin.

He definitely will be playing both football and lacrosse at some institution in the near future. The question now will be how soon?

Many will be wondering if whether his decision was based on the coaches or his teammates. Rest a assure that Yeatman's decision was 100% based on the non-athletic related issues. Basically what happened is that Will feels that both sets of coaches and teammates were extremely supportive. What he can't get past and what tried to do was serve his suspension and move forward. Yeatman is not a kid that is trying to duck any punishment.

He just felt like that he couldn't start over. He did take it upon himself and said numerous times to everyone that he wanted to start over and show everyone that he's of good character and can make significant contributions to the university on and off the fields. But there were other folks on campus that wouldn't let Will do that (Student Affairs and Residence Life Offices).

So Will thought maybe a fresh start is what everybody needs so that's when he decided to talk to his respective coaches. Coach Weis was very understanding and knew that North Carolina was a school that he always wanted to go to. In fact, when Yeatman was on his recruiting trip to Chapel Hill, Charlie called him and convinced him to come to Notre Dame. So UNC is the top school of where he wants to be.

The stickiness is that North Carolina is also a powerhouse in lacrosse, which happens to be on the Fighting Irish's schedule this spring. There are not a lot of schools, in fact there's 11 of them that play high level football and lacrosse. So once you take Notre Dame out of the mix, then the list narrows down to 10, and then you look at both the Irish's lacrosse and football schedules. After that, then you're pinpointing to 4 schools, which I'm not sure is real fair.

Banned List for Football
Navy: Definitely out because ND and the Middies play every year
Army: Play the Irish at Solider Field in 2010
Syracuse: Details are in the works, but definitely out as well

Banned List for Lacrosse
Air Force
Penn State
Ohio State
North Carolina
All of these schools play the Irish this season

Schools Left
Duke
Maryland
Rutgers
Virginia

This decision was something that came to Yeatman fairly recently. When everything came down originally after his latest arrest, which those charges were never filed for mind you, his first instincts were he should have left South Bend on the next plane. Instead he decided he's not going to run away from this and serve his punishment and try to start all over again here at Notre Dame. Basically he was taking his medicine and seeing how this thing wold play out.

But once October turned to November and November turned into December, the same kind of negative attitudes were coming at him. He felt that he could never start over again here, so then he decided why not go someplace where he can be happy at.

Again it had nothing to do with the football coaches or his teammates. They couldn't have been more supportive throughout this entire ordeal. Yeatman felt that another place of scenery would be the best for his well being. That's when he got the ball rolling on December 5th and met with both coaches. Coach Weis told him that he wouldn't stand in his way whatsoever.

But again there might be some entanglements that won't allow him to play lacrosse this spring and sit out another year. This will be the second year that Yeatman will be away from his best sport.

When he did speak with Coach Corrigan, there was a lot of tension because Corrigan stated a number of reasons why he should continue and stay in South Bend. Coming into this meeting, Yeatman was still undecided on whether or not he was leaving for another school. But after his meeting with Corrigan, he made up his mind and decided on another program.

When reached for comment yesterday, Coach Corrigan did not release anything about Will's status and North Carolina, except that he said this issue is still not over. So you can decide for yourself how he feels about Yeatman's decision.

Make no mistake about it, Will Yeatman loves Notre Dame, but he felt that this is not a good fit for him anymore. This was finally one of the better decisions he has made since he arrived to South Bend.

Best of luck Will on your future endeavors.

Beasts in the East: Irish Land #5 Seed

All the speculation is finally over and now let the debating begin. From who was the biggest snub to some interesting seeds, one thing is quite certain. The East Region is stacked! And for Notre Dame Fans, the Irish have a tough road to hoe.

After a wild weekend that saw the Georgia Bulldogs win the SEC, including winning two games in one day, and Pittsburgh making Madison Square Garden their second home court, the NCAA committee dished their seedings with force. In the East, you have the 10th ranked team in the country, Butler, as a #7 seed. Or Indiana, who's tied for 24th in the nation, land as the 8th seed, with a possible second round matchup with the overall # 1 seed, North Carolina looming.

To put it in perspective the East Region has six regular season champions (eight if you include both Mt. St. Mary's and Coppin State), six conference tournament champions (eight again with both play-in game participants), seven Top 25 ranked teams, which include three in the Top Ten, and an average RPI rating of 49.

Below is how the other regions stack up:

Midwest
4 - Top 25 teams
2 - Top 10 teams
8 - Regular Season Champions
9 - Conference Tournament Champions
38.6 - RPI average

West
5 - Top 25 teams
2 - Top 10 teams
5 - Regular Season Champions
7 - Conference Tournament Champions
50.1 - RPI average

South
6 - Top 25 teams
2 - Top 10 teams
4 - Regular Season Champions
6 - Conference Tournament Champions
43.5 - RPI average

As for the Irish, they get the dreaded 5/12 game. One thing in their favor is that this George Mason squad is only a shell of their 2006 Final Four squad; but I'll get more in-depth about the Patriots later this week. Now the other 5/12 games are more daunting: Michigan St. v. Temple; Clemson v. Villanova; and Drake v. Western Kentucky. Usually a general rule of thumb when picking an upset of this magnitude, you look for veteran squads and injuries. With that in mind, I'm looking at both the Villanova and Western Kentucky to pull off the upsets.

George Mason is actually the lowest RPI 12 seed at 61. Western Kentucky (39), Temple (47), and Villanova (51), have a higher average than the CAA Tournament Champs. So when the ball tips off slightly before 10 pm on Thursday night, the Irish will start their second season at silencing their critics. If they do so, it will be against a murders' row of who's who in college hoops.

Tar Heels, Vols, Cardinals, Cougars, Sooners, Bulldogs, Hoosiers, Razorbacks, OH MY!

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Projecting the NCAA Tournament Field

I know it is the middle of December, but it's never to early to discuss March Madness. With the Irish in the midst of final exams, Notre Dame's current five game winning streak has taken notice of several coaches and media alike. If the selection committee chose today, the Irish would be in at a #12 seed. With last week's impressive wins over Kansas State and Northern Illinois, the Irish were one of the last four in, while Big East rival Syracuse didn't make the cut. The Orange suffered another loss at the Carrier Dome to Atlantic 10 Conference member Rhode Island. Two weeks ago, SU lost a stunner to UMass.

According to CBSSports.com's Garry Parrish, the Big East leads the way with 8 teams: Georgetown, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Villanova, West Virginia, Connecticut, Louisville, and Notre Dame. Syracuse and Providence are currently sitting on the fence with identical 6-3 records. Notre Dame opponents and Big 12 counterparts, Baylor (11th seed) and Kansas State (9th seed) both made the field of 65.

With the way the Irish have been playing as of late, my prediction of 22 wins is definitely achieveable and hopefully surpassed! Parrish's field is strong with the usual suspects: #1 seeds Memphis (south), North Carolina (east), Kansas (midwest), and Texas (west). Georgetown (2 seed), Marquette (3 seed), and Pittsburgh (4 seed) are the tops in the Big East. In fact, the Big 12, ACC, and the Big East each have three teams seeded in the top four.

What's more interesting is what possible #5 seeds the Irish could face in the NCAA Tournament if it ended today. Currently, Parrish has Indiana, Vanderbilt, Villanova, and Oregon as his potential candidates. Wouldn't it be something if the Irish faced the Hoosiers in the first round.

Here's Parrish's Projected Field by Seeds:

1. Memphis, North Carolina, Kansas, Texas
2. Georgetown, Washington St., UCLA, Duke
3. Michigan St., Texas A&M, Marquette, BYU
4. Xavier, Pittsburgh, Clemson, Tennessee
5. Indiana, Vanderbilt, Villanova, Oregon
6. Gonzaga, Butler, Arizona, Southern California
7. Dayton, Rhode Island, Arkansas, Miami
8. West Virginia, Stanford, UConn, St. Mary's (CA)
9. Louisville, Wisconsin, Kansas St., Southern Illinois
10. Boston College, California, Missouri, Virginia
11. Ohio St., George Mason, Baylor, Florida St.
12. Florida, Creighton, Notre Dame, Western Kentucky
13. Davidson, Miami (OH), Nevada, Sam Houston St.
14. Winthrop, Belmont, Holy Cross, Hampton
15. Siena, Austin Peay, UC-Santa Barbara, Oral Roberts
16. Maryland-Baltimore County, Montana State, Robert Morris

Opening Round Game: Cornell vs. Alabama St.

Once the New Year comes around, the Irish will be going full-throttle on their way towards a second consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. This time it will not be a one and done performance. You can count on that!

Note: Notre Dame opponents are in Italics

History of the 5 vs. 12 Matchup

When the NCAA Tournament selection show was announced, Notre Dame didn't have much time to fill in their brackets. Within the first few pairings, the Irish were handed a #5 seed against the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament Champs, #12 seed George Mason. Yes, the dreaded 5 vs. 12 matchup that everyone and their mother wants to avoid come March. But for the Irish, is it really that bad?

The media pundits are convinced that George Mason will beat the Irish. In fact the Patriots are the "sexy" pick of the tournament. I guess going 14-4 in one of the toughest conferences in the country doesn't prepare you for the Big Dance. How about having one of the best big men in the country? Or two 3pt. shooters that can drain their shot over 40% of the time? Notre Dame is definitely going to need the Luck of the Irish to win, right?

Well luck has it, Notre Dame has reached the Sweet 16 both times the Irish were a #5 seed. The last time, 2003, Notre Dame escaped the first round beating Bruce Pearl's Wisconsin-Milwaukee squad on a last second tip in goal by Torin Francis at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. The Irish then went on to beat the 4th seed Illinois en route to their Sweet 16 appearance against top seeded Arizona. Overall the Irish are 4-2 in the #5 slot, winning both the first and second round games.

History is still on the Irish's side. Since the field expanded to 64 teams, the #12 seed team has won 29 times out of the 92 games vs. #5's. That's the same percentage as the 6 vs. 11 during that same stretch of time, while the 4 vs. 13 matchup is not too far behind (18 wins).

As for the CAA's history of the NCAA Tournament, George Mason has made the biggest splash when they squeezed into Cinderella's slipper all the way to the 2006 Final Four. Here is a breakdown of the CAA's tournament history:

9-18 (33%) First Round
3-6 (33%) Second Round
2-1 (66%) Sweet 16
1-1 (50%) Elite 8
0-1 (0%) Final Four

Maybe you should look elsewhere for that 5 vs. 12 upset this year!

Here's More Fuel for the Fire

A day after Gene Smith declared his allegience to the dark side, or should I say Scarlet and Grey side, he was named the top collegiate AD by the National Football Foundation (NFF).

Here's the exerpt from the NFF:

GENE SMITH
Director of Athletics, Ohio State University


In only three years at Ohio State University, Gene Smith has successfully continued the legacy of Buckeye sports, quickly establishing himself as one of the country's most respected athletics directors in college sports.

Smith oversees the nation's largest Division I-A athletics program, featuring 36 varsity sports, more than 900 student-athletes and an operating budget of $97 million. OSU's athletics department is completely self sufficient, receiving no tax dollars, university money or student fees. In the fiscal year 2007-08, Buckeye athletics will contribute nearly $22 million in assessments to the university, including more than $12 million in grant-in-aid reimbursements. Equally impressive, the OSU athletics department has recently been selected to receive one of the NCAA's Diversity in Athletics Awards in the category of Overall Excellence in Diversity, which is based on achievement in the areas of diversity strategy, gender and racial diversity of departmental employees, minority graduation rates and more.

Under Smith's watch, Ohio State has garnered three straight Big Ten titles and has been invited to three BCS bowl games, including the last two national championship games. The Buckeyes have finished in the Top 5 nationally since 2005 and boast the 2006 Heisman Trophy winner, Troy Smith. OSU players have been named First Team All-America picks seven times and First Team All-Big Ten selections 23 times.

Named one of Black Enterprise Magazine's "50 Most Powerful African Americans in College Sports," Smith was named the first African American president of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) in 2007. He serves on numerous NCAA committees, including the Football Rules Committee, the Committee on Infractions and the Management Council. The Cleveland, Ohio, native attended Notre Dame on a football scholarship and joined the Irish coaching staff following graduation. He has also served as the athletics director at Eastern Michigan, Iowa State and Arizona State.

Voter's Response to Trevor Laws AP Snub

I guess we can finally get some closure to the whole AP All-America Team fiasco. Like I promised, here's South Bend Tribune and AP voter, Eric Hansen's response as to why Trevor Laws was not on any of the AP All-American Teams:

"I think Trevor had an amazing year and his numbers were better than most defensive tackles. But in ND's system, they labeled him as an end. And in that light, his numbers didn't compare. We could not just simply vote for defensive linemen. We had to vote for two tackles and two ends on the first and second teams. (We did not vote for the third team or honorable mention -- those selections came from the points system associated with the voting). I think Trevor was hurt by playing on a 3-9 team and not on a dominant (although improved) defense.

Hope that helps.

Eric"

There are a few things that just don't sit well with me on this issue. First, every All-America Team can decide whether they can just choose any defensive linemen like AFCA Coaches All-America, FWAA Football Writers Association of America All-American, CBSSportsline.com All-America, Rivals.com All-America, and the Walter Camp All-America; or be more specific like the AP squad. Also where is the Honorable Mention team? It is nowhere to be found!

Secondly, I thought in the 3-4 scheme, there was a Nose Guard and two defensive tackles. Maybe I'm wrong in that terminology, but that's what we called it during my playing days. Why did ND label Trevor an end? It's not right, and every Irish fan will agree. This just frustrates the heck out of me. Oh well, that's it about this whole BS we call the All-America Teams!

In the end, Trevor will get his time to shine on Sundays. Here's to the Bears making a great first day draft selection!

77 Years Ago Today

The great Knute Rockne was killed in a plane crash in Bazaar, Kansas. Rockne, a convert to Catholicism due to the witness of his players and Holy Cross priests, was the head football coach at Notre Dame in the 1920s and early 1930s. His record of 105-12-5 is unsurpassed in college football history. He lived a couple blocks from where I am typing this. Though flawed in some ways, he was known for his great love for people. I got the following list from a blog named Fighting Irish Thomas. He has an very interesting post on Rockne. It is linked by the headline above.

Top Ten Telegrams/Eulogies Mourning Knute Rockne's Death

10 "Mr. Rockne so contributed to a cleanness and high purpose in athletics that his passing is a national loss."—President Herbert Hoover

9 "One man like Rockne means more to our country than a million reformers, and if football produces one Rockne in each generation, the nation can ill afford to curtail football."—James L. Knox (President of Harvard)

8 "He was a king among men. We have never met a man with greater personal magnetism, not even William Jennings Bryan."—North Carolina Christian Advocate (Methodist)

7 "I read that youth has no idols nowadays. But they had one at Notre Dame."—Sportswriter Westbrook Pegler

6 "Knute Rockne was a strong moral force and an inspiration to the youth of our land. Fourteen hundred orphan children of Mooseheart Illinois will always remember his timely and inspiring talks to them."—James J. David, President of Mooseheart

5 "When I heard of Rockne's death, something unusual happened; tears came into my eyes that I thought long ago had shed all they could hold. Now I know I was only one of a multitude who never spoke a word to Rockne but loved him. Rockne was Sorin without a cassock or breviary."—Rev. Francis Clement Kelley, Bishop of Oklahoma

4 "In the past generation, it was Buffalo Bill. For this generation, it was Knute Rockne. The boy had a profound respect for Knute Rockne, and Rockne for the boy. Each read each other's minds, and they were heroes to each other. Millions of boys (and men, girls and women) bow in grief at the news that Rockne is dead, because for millions he was greater than the president."—Cleveland Press

3 "No other death could have brought more universal sorrow than this. Knute Rockne's name was a household word. Boys who could not yet read could tell you about Rockne ... there have been big figures in sports but none who have attained the size of Rockne ... the game has ended, but in every department of play, Knute Rockne has won."—The Denver News

2 "We thought it would take a president's death to make a whole nation, regardless of age, race or creed, shake their heads in real sincere sorrow ... Well, that's what this country did today Knute for you. You died a national hero ... Notre Dame was your address, but every gridiron in America was your home."—Will Rogers

1 (tie) "Knute Rockne has had a wider influence in developing the ideals of fair play than any other man in his generation, and he did it under the banner of the Mother of God."—Rev. John F. O'Hara, University of Notre Dame

1. (tie) "What was the secret of his irresistible appeal to all sorts and conditions of men? I do not know the answer. But in this hour of piteous loss and pained bewilderment, I find myself recalling the words of Christ, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart ... and thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.' Knute loved God and neighbor with a genuine deep love, and his case verifies the Christian paradox—he has cast away to keep, he has lost his life to find it."—ND President Charles O'Donnell, from his eulogy at Knute Rockne's funeral Mass

Spring Game Blues

The 79th Blue and Gold game came and went and left somewhat of a bad taste in a few fan's mouths. Even though the contest itself was intense as the Blue (offense) defeated the Gold (defense), 47-46 on a last second touchdown, my overall impression of the team was not too optimistic. A lot of factors played into that sentiment, but it leaves one wondering, did the Irish show or reveal much? To sum it up briefly, not really.

Here is the IBB report card for the Irish after the game:

Quarterback
Jimmy Clausen definitely is 100% healthy and it showed with some zip! Clausen's numbers weren't stellar, 10-of-27 for 183 yards and 1 Touchdown and 1 interception. He definitely would have better numbers if it weren't for a few drops here and there. One trend that will have to be straightened out before the start of the season will be Clausen's ability to not "Lock" on a receiver too soon. He didn't look off any receivers and it showed on several throws, including the 22-yard interception return by Harrison Smith.

Overall Jimmy is improving and will only get better!

Grade: B

Running Back
The Blue rushing attack started and ended with offensive MVP Robert Hughes. Hughes picked up where he left off last season by gaining 100 yards on 22 carries, including the first touchdown of the game. He put in a workmanlike effort and was rewarded for his output.

Armando Allen gave a good change up for the bruising Hughes with 11 rushes for 53 yards. Just like last season, Allen was a tackle or two away from breaking a big one!

James Aldridge saw limited amount of carries, which makes me wonder if A) he's not fully 100% healthy, or B) he's slipping down the depth chart. Either case, Aldridge didn't provide much spark when he did carry (3.0 average per carry).

The Barry Gallup Jr. experiment at running back turned into just that, an experiment. Even though he got almost as many carries as Aldridge, Gallup Jr. is probably not going to get much time on the field next season unless the injury bug hits either the backs or receivers.

Grade: B

Full Back
Asaph Schwapp didn't touch the ball at all, which might not be a bad thing. He did a so-so job of lead blocking or protecting Clausen on a few pass plays. Not too much to go off of for Schwapp's evaluation.

Grade: Incomplete

Receivers
This was a unit I felt showed a bit of everything on Saturday. It had its ups of great catches (Ragone's spectacular 23-yard reception; Tate's 57 yarder to set up the game winner, and Kamara's jump ball TD) and its downs with several dropped passes.

When it did matter, the receivers stepped up against the best unit on the Irish squad (secondary). New captain David Grimes will spearhead this group in the right direction, as incoming freshman Michael Floyd will add more depth and star power to the Irish's arsenal.

Grade: B+

Offensive Line
I think I was more dumbfounded than anything with the o-line's performance on Saturday. First off, all that you hear and read about Sam Young's poor play was pretty much on the mark. Mental mistakes of false starts, holding calls, and allowing a few missed assignments, didn't bode well for a player that wants to be a leader of this team.

With that said, there were signs of life from the offensive line, especially when the little skirmish broke out. Eric Olsen has a little, Jeff Faine, mean streak about him that is much needed. Chris Stewart looked fairly decent, but still the offensive line gave up four sacks to a defense that is missing some valuable parts.

Help is on the way, but will it be enough? Time will tell.

Grade: C-

Defensive Line
The defensive front was the hardest hit from graduation (Trevor Laws), suspension (Patrick Kuntz), and injury (Darrell Hand); however they had a pretty good outing. End Morrice Richardson and tackle Justin Brown led the charge with 12 tackles, including one and a half sacks, respectively. Incoming freshman Sean Cwynar and Freshman All-American, Ian Williams, had three and two stops as well.

They clogged up the middle and put some pressure on Clausen, which means the arrow is definitely pointing up on this unit, especially with the return of Kuntz in the fall.

Grade: B+

Linebackers
It was all Smith, all the time for the linebacking corps, as Harrison Smith shored up the game's defensive MVP honors after returning an interception for a touchdown. Jon Tenuta's placement of Harrison Smith as a linebacker proved to be genius as he was everywhere on the field for five tackles.

Scott Smith led the group with six tackles, while Brian Smith (3 tackles) headed the charge with two sacks and Toryan Smith added three stops.

The non-Smiths, Kevin Washington had four tackles, and both Kerry Neal and Maurice Crum each had two stops apiece.

Grade: A-

Secondary
This was Notre Dame's strength last season and should be the pillar once again. Kyle McCarthy will fill in nicely for Tom Zbikowski at safety, while David Bruton should be on a few preseason honor lists. Depth will also be a valuable weapon for this unit, as Ray Herring, Raeshon McNeil, Jashaad Gaines, Sergio Brown, and Gary Gray, will be battling more this fall for playing minutes.

The hit of the day went to senior Terrail Lambert. Armando Allen ran into the brick wall of Lambert to stop the Blue from scoring. That hit definitely woke up the crowd from its early slumber! The only knock of this group was that it let up at the end for the Blue to escape with the win and the Steak dinner.

Overall this unit is going to be solid and will improve on last year's numbers!

Grade: B

Special Teams
Brandon Walker looked a lot better than last season, which isn't saying much, and Eric Maust had some good punts and some not so good punts. If Walker didn't hit the upright of his 46 yard field goal, this unit would have had a better day.

Grade: C+

Overall I'm not sure if the Irish showed a lot because of adjusting to new personnel assignments (Mike Haywood calling the plays) and lack of depth problems. There were signs of improvement at several positions, but was it enough? We shall see in 136 days!

Record Setting Night In Store for the Irish

Tomorrow night's contest with Northern Illinois will be one for the records as the Irish try to make it 25 consecutive victories at the JACC. After their resume building win over Kansas State last Tuesday, the Irish start the first of a six-game homestand- their longest of the season. ND will roll on Saturday, as NIU is very young and doesn't really have a consistent scorer. In just eight games this season, six different players have led the Huskies in scoring.

As for the Irish, the team has been hitting lights out since their losses to Baylor and Georgia Tech. Notre Dame has shot 119-244 (.488) from the field and 35-80 (.438) from three-point range. Leading the way so far has been Kyle McAlarney and Luke Harangody. McAlarney was brilliant in New York, scoring the final nine points for Notre Dame in their win over Kansas State. The junior guard is averaging 21.8 points in his past four outings, and that's probably why the Irish have rebounded from a 2-2start and reeled off four consecutive victories. The new streamlined Harangody single-handidly took control of the game against the Wildcats by scoring scoring 19 points and pulling down 14 rebounds in front of a national audience.

Harangody leads the Fighting Irish in both scoring (17.5 ppg.) and rebounding (8.9 rpg.). McAlarney is chipping in 14.6 points-per-game, followed by 12.9 points from senior forward Rob Kurz.

Notre Dame 94
NIU 73

Keys to the Game
1) Pressure the young Huskies. NIU has sent out a starting line-up of three freshmen guards over the past two games that includes Darion Anderson, Jeremy Landers and Michael Patton. If the Irish can rattle them early, this contest should be over by half.

2) Run at will! Notre Dame needs to push for an uptempo game. NIU currently has a streak of three consecutive halves of holding their opponents under 30 points. This will be the only streak broken on Saturday.

Notes
~ Notre Dame holds a 2-1 advantage over the Huskies in their all-time series.

~ Northern Illinois is 2-3 all time against Big East opponents. Their last win over a Big East opponent was a 77-68 triumph over DePaul at the NIU Convocation Center on November 28, 2005.

~ Irish teams are 52-17 (.754) all-time versus teams that now comprise the Mid-American Conference.

Spreading the Holiday Cheer....Irish Style

Click on the Title and enjoy! Happy Holidays and as always GO IRISH!
If the title doesn't work, cut and paste this: http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1118121647

Holtz Makes it to the Pinnacle of College Football

From the national ballot of 75 candidates and a pool of hundreds of eligible nominees The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame announced the 2008 College Football Hall of Fame Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) Class, which includes the names of 13 First Team All- America players and two legendary coaches. Notre Dame Legend Lou Holtz was among the chosen few to be enshrined to College Football immortality.

Archie Manning, Chairman of the NFF and CFOH said,

"The 2008 class represents six decades of football's finest athletes, and they are all exceptionally worthy of having their accomplishments preserved forever in the College Football Hall of Fame."

The only coach in NCAA history to lead six different programs to bowl games, Coach Lou Holtz was a fixture in the college football coaching landscape for more than three decades.

Best known for his tenure at Notre Dame, Holtz led the Fighting Irish to the 1988 National Championship and 100 wins. He won conference championships at William & Mary, North Carolina State and Arkansas and is the only coach to guide four different programs to final Top 20 rankings. The Follansbee, W.V., native produced the best four-year win-loss record in NC State history and led Arkansas to six straight bowl games and four Top Ten finishes.

Holtz received Man of the Year laurels from the Walter Camp Foundation in 1997 and twice earned the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Academic Achievement Award, which annually honors the school with the highest graduation rate among members of its football team. He also coached Heisman Trophy winner Tim Brown and College Football Hall of Fame inductees Chris Zorich and Billy Ray Smith.

Here is the list of the 2008 class:
Players
TROY AIKMAN- QB, UCLA (1987- 88)
BILLY CANNON - HB, LSU (1957- 59)
JIM DOMBROWSKI- OT, Virginia (1982- 85
PAT FITZGERALD- LB, Northwestern (1994- 96)
WILBER MARSHALL- LB, Florida (1980- 83
RUEBEN MAYES- RB, Washington State (1982-85)
RANDALL McDANIEL- OG, Arizona State (1984-87)
DON McPHERSON- QB, Syracuse (1984- 87)
JAY NOVACEK - TE, Wyoming (1982- 84)
DAVE PARKS- SE, Texas Tech (1961- 63)
RON SIMMONS- NG, Florida State (1977- 80)
THURMAN THOMAS- RB, Oklahoma State (1984- 87)
ARNOLD TUCKER- QB, Army (1944- 46)
Coaches
JOHN COOPER- 192-84-6 (.691) -- Tulsa (1977-84), Arizona State (1985-87), Ohio State (1988- 2000)
LOU HOLTZ- 249-132-7 (.651) -- William & Mary (1969-71), North Carolina State (1972-75), Arkansas (1977-83), Minnesota (1984-85), Notre Dame (1986-96), South Carolina (1999-2004)

Speaking of Brown, Tim was just short on his first try of making the Hall of Fame. Only one Heisman Trophy winner, Billy Cannon (LSU), was selected for the 2008 class. Below is a breakdown of recipients' accomplishments:

- One Heisman Trophy winner (Cannon)
- Three players who placed in the Top Three in Heisman Trophy voting
(Cannon - 1st and 3rd, McPherson - 2nd, Aikman - 3rd)
- Nine consensus First Team All-Americas
(Aikman, Cannon, Fitzgerald, Marshall, Mayes, McDaniel, Novacek, Simmons, Thomas)
- Three unanimous First Team All- Americas (Cannon, Dombrowski, McPherson)
Four multiple-year First Team All-America honorees (Cannon - 2, Fitzgerald - 2, Marshall - 2, Simmons - 2)
- One Maxwell Award winners (McPherson)
- One Walter Camp Player of the Year (Cannon)
- One Sullivan Award winner (Tucker)
- Two Davey O'Brien Award winners (Aikman, McPherson)
- One Nagurski Award winner (Fitzgerald - Two-time recipient)
- One Bednarik Award winner (Fitzgerald - Two-time recipient)
- Two members of National Championship teams (Cannon, Tucker)
- Five conference Players of the Year (Aikman, Cannon, Fitzgerald, Mayes, Thomas)
- Eight multiple-year First Team All- Conference selections
(Cannon - 3, Dombrowski - 2, Fitzgerald - 2, Marshall - 3, Mayes - 2, McDaniel - 2, Parks - 2, Thomas - 3)
- Six first round NFL Draft picks
(Aikman - 1st Overall, Cannon, Dombrowski, Marshall, McDaniel, Parks - 1st Overall)
- Six Decades Represented: 1990s (1) - Fitzgerald; 1980s (8) - Aikman, Dombrowski, Marshall, Mayes, McDaniel, McPherson, Novacek, Thomas; 1970s (1) - Simmons; 1960s (1) - Parks; 1950s (1) - Cannon; 1940s (1) - Tucker

Would You Like Syrup With That Pancake?

This was definitely a good weekend to be an Irish fan, that's for sure. Flipping back and forth watching both the US Army and Under Armor High School All-American games became quite a treat as the Irish verbal commitments stood out. All of them had some shining moments, but here are a few that made the Weisgipp's weekend highlight reel:

1.) John Goodman became a main weapon in the East's arsenal in the US Army Game with his arm and legs. During the week, the East's coaches implemented trick plays to surprise the West. Trying to find out who had a decent arm, besides their Quarterbacks, Goodman let it be known that he too played QB this season for Ft. Wayne Bishop Dwenger. In the first quarter, Terrelle Pryor threw to Goodman on a quick out, then Goodman looked back and tossed a perfect throw to a wide open Pryor, who then let the ball slip through his hands.

Pryor redeemed himself by tossing a 25 yard touchdown pass to a wide open Goodman.

2.) The West team was full of playmakers, but the one that made the biggest plays in the game was St. Paul (Minn.) Cretin-Derham Hall receiver Michael Floyd. The 6-foot-3, 195-pounder had four receptions for 118 yards and two touchdowns. Throughout the week in San Antonio, everyone knew who the best receiver was, and on gameday, Floyd didn't disappoint. He made it look easy out there by getting separation from the East defenders, including one touchdown catch against an impressive Robert Blanton.

3.) Hello Newman! All week long Brandon Newman proved to everyone his inclusion to the US Army High School All-American game. His dominance over others in practice was evident as several commentators mentioned his efforts during Saturday's telecast.

4.) Although there were only two players (three if you count decommit Omar Hunter) of significance at the Under Armor All-American game; both made huge impressions on both the Irish faithful and the national media. The first being receiver Deion Walker's verbal commitment. Walker chose the Irish over Penn State, USC, and Texas Tech. Good thing that happened, because earlier in the day Gerelle Robinson decided to stay home at Arizona State.

5.) Last but not least, Penn's Braxston Cave showed why he is the best center in the country. Cave had good practices all week leading up to Saturday's contest, but what happened during the game, no one saw coming! Cave not only pancaked Irish decommit Omar Hunter once, but he did it again a second time for good measure. All week long everyone touted Hunter's performance as a man amongst boys. Hunter did play well on Saturday, however, his flops against Cave made what is a bittersweet ending to this whole decommitment saga. Ahhhhh, justice is served!

Insane in the Membrane

Puff, puff, give! Puff, puff, give! Don't mess up the rotation.

Hawaiian Punch...Fighting Irish Style

Watch CBS Videos Online

Hard Lessons Learned: ND Regroups after Tough Loss to Buckeyes

If there was any doubt, Luke Harangody erased them in the first few minutes of last Saturday's game. He put forth an incredible effort in the five point loss, and he still wasn't at full strength.

In fact he wasn't around 80-85% healthy. During timeouts and stop in play he was really working hard to catch his breathe. Laphonso Ellis had pneumonia three times, and talked about it on the radio broadcast. Your stamina is basically shot, and what Luke did against the Buckeyes, 25 points and 16 rebounds, was amazing. Right now, no one can stop this guy, which bodes well for the Irish.

The rest of the team, however, did not play very well at all. Nobody was happy of the way they played, and it was not at all near the way I think they could play. And yet with 28 seconds left in the game it was still a one point contest after being down by as many as 10.

Ohio State, not ranked at the time, is a very talented team with a couple of young McDonald's All-Americans. They just beat a ranked Miami squad on the road and played with nothing to lose. That was abundantly apparent from their tenacious defense.

The Buckeyes 1-2-2 zone was so active that I wasn't sure if they were in zone or man defense. That's how effective it was against the Irish. OSU's players are long, quick, and played together as a team. They also effectively took Kyle McAlarney out of the game, as none of the other Notre Dame players stepped up. Ohio State deserved to win this game.

But if you could trade this learning lesson for an important Big East conference game in January or February, I'll take it. It's better to get these tough goings out of the way now so they can be prepared in the next months ahead.

What Saturday's game came down to was physical and mental toughness. The Irish weren't tough enough on the boards on either end of the court. They have to be more physical, tougher at getting rebounds off the glass, and getting to loose balls. That's probably the biggest thing that came out of this game. And it's something Coach Brey said after the game to his team.

If they don't show up tough rebounding and executing better on offense, then they're just an average team. They need to do those two things to be a good team now and later down the line.

Even though he had a rough go at the beginning of the game, Tory Jackson remains the heart of this team. He's the one that makes them go by being a leader and becoming more vocal on the court. He personally had the last 11 of the Irish's 12 points. Jackson was the one that brought them back to within one by connecting on several 3-pt. buckets.

Tory has to be on his game and has to be confident. This was the first time I'm seen him make two, back-to-back mistakes since his first game he played after McAlarney was suspended two seasons ago. I've never seen him go into a funk like he did on Saturday. And that has to be a learning experience for him too. He has to be the leader on the floor, as well as, through his actions. He emotionally charges them up with his play. He's done it well to this point, and I know he'll do it again. I'm pretty sure he's already addressed it since.

I'm definitely not pinning this loss on Tory, because his numbers were that bad: 13 points, 5 assists, a couple of steals, and 3 turnovers (2 in a span of 30 seconds that changed the momentum of the game).

Notre Dame has to realize that they are no longer under the radar by any means. They have made a living out of exceeding expectations. Well when you're a Top 10 team, and when those expectations are awfully high, you don't sneak up on anyone. Ohio State was ready and played their game to perfection. They're going to be one of the top teams in the Big 10, especially if they can keep that pressure zone and play that 1-2-2 zone defense to perfection.

I'm glad Notre Dame got to play at Lucas Oil Stadium and get that big time atmosphere out of the way. First of all it is a massive building. The ceiling is so high that it is one of the biggest buildings that I've ever been in . That fact that is is not round, but rectangular makes it even bigger. Because the Midwest Regional is there, as well as, other Regionals being played in these big facilities, I'm glad the Irish got this one under their belts.

Now the Irish can regroup and get the kinks out the next few games before they face DePaul in Chicago on New Year's Eve.

Notre Dame at Southern Cal: Tale of the Tape

The fifth-ranked USC Trojans and Notre Dame Fighting Irish hook up for the 80th time on the gridiron this weekend, as they clash at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

With a 9-1 overall mark and a lofting ranking, the Trojans are very much alive for the national title race, although they are going to need some help down the stretch. Since losing its only game to Oregon State in late September, the Trojans have ripped off seven straight victories, posting three shutouts during that stretch. The program was last in play on November 15th, when it defeated Stanford 45-23 on the road.

"I was happy we got the win tonight," stated head coach Pete Carroll. "I was really happy to win this game."

The victory exacted some measure of revenge for when Stanford pulled off one of the biggest upsets ever with a 24-23 victory at USC last season. The Trojans now head back home, where they have won 27 straight night games and are 26-0 in November under Carroll.

As for Notre Dame, it has fallen apart down the stretch and it may have hit rock bottom last weekend with a shocking 24-23 setback at home to lowly Syracuse. It was the third loss in the past four outings by the Irish, which dipped to 6-5 overall. The team hasn't had much success on the road either, boasting just a 1-3 mark on the year.

ND and USC are meeting for the 80th time this weekend in one of the premier intersectional rivalries in college football. The Irish lead the head-to-head series, 42-32-5, but the Trojans have won the last six meetings. Last season, USC blanked ND, 38-0, delivering the program its most decisive win ever in the series.

The Irish has been up and down on offense all season long and enter the weekend averaging a modest 24.5 ppg and 367.9 total ypg. The unit has had more success through the air (248.7 ypg) than on the ground (119.2 ypg), but has had some issues hanging onto the ball, committing 25 turnovers.

Despite avoiding any turnovers last weekend, ND wasn't able to defeat Syracuse behind its 332 yards of total offense. Jimmy Clausen guided the team in the loss by throwing for 291 yards and two touchdowns on 22-of-39 tosses. Like the rest of the offense, though, Clausen has struggled with consistency this season and has thrown for 2,730 yards and 20 scores, but with 15 interceptions as well. With Michael Floyd out for the season with a knee injury, Golden Tate is now the team's top option in the passing game and he showed off his skills by making seven catches for 146 yards and two touchdowns last weekend. It was a great effort from Tate, who paces the squad with 50 catches for 888 yards and seven scores on the year. Armando Allen is the team's top runner with 569 yards and he also ranks third on the team with 45 catches out of the backfield.

ND has been pretty solid on defense this season and is holding its opponents to 20.8 ppg and 316.5 total ypg. The Irish is limiting foes to 139.7 rushing ypg and 176.7 passing ypg, while generating 20 turnovers.

Last weekend, ND's defense was stout until the fourth quarter, when it allowed Syracuse to score a pair of touchdowns, including the game-winner with 42 seconds left. Both scores came on drives of 68 yards, as Syracuse posted a majority of its 317 total yards in the final period. ND came up with a pair of sacks and two turnovers, but the defense couldn't make the big play when it needed to most. Kyle McCarthy finished the contest with six tackles, giving him 96 on the year and that is good enough for the team-lead.

The Trojans have excelled on both sides of the ball this season and on offense they are scoring 38.4 ppg and gaining 451.0 total ypg. The offense has displayed good balance between the run (208.8 ypg) and pass (242.2 ypg) and is converting 45 percent of the time on third down.

In its last game, USC racked up 418 total yards, including 282 on the ground, in a victory over Stanford. Stafon Johnson led the charge with 115 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 14 carries, while C.J. Gable went for 85 yards and a score on the same amount of attempts. The duo have been a nice complement to one another and have combined for 1,143 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground. Quarterback Mark Sanchez also got involved in the win over Stanford, throwing for 136 yards and two touchdowns on 11-of-17 tosses. It was a modest performance by Sanchez, who has flourished this season, converting 64.8 percent of his pass attempts for 2,258 yards, with 26 touchdowns against seven interceptions. Damian Williams has been one of the top targets in the passing game with 38 catches for 553 yards, while Patrick Tuner has posted 503 yards and a team-best eight scores. Against Stanford, Williams led the team with four catches, including one for a touchdown.

While USC's offense has certainly been prolific, it takes a back seat to the defense, which leads the nation in scoring (8.3 ppg) and ranks second in total yards (225.5 ypg). The Trojans lead the nation in pass defense, allowing just 132.3 ypg, and they have been every bit as good against the run, yielding a mere 90.2 ypg.

Last game however, USC wasn't as dominant as expected, allowing Stanford to gain 367 total yards, including 202 on the ground. The Trojans, though, made some adjustments at the half and allowed just six points after the break in the 45-23 triumph.

"Defensively, the guys came through and just stopped them series after series after series and it wasn't like that early on," stated Carroll.

Rey Maualuga led the way with nine tackles, while Brian Cushing had six stops and his first pick of the season. On the year, Maualuga tops the roster with 66 tackles and Cushing ranks second to him with 60 stops.

The Trojans are the clear choice here, as their offense and defense are far superior and they should have a relatively easy time blowing this one open early.

Southern Cal 41
Notre Dame 10

Southern Cal Injury Report
RB Broderick Green (11/10, personal) has decided to transfer
DB Kevin Ellison (10/31, right knee surgery) is expected to miss 2-4 weeks
LB Luthur Brown (11/23, separated shoulder) is questionable
RB Allen Bradford (10/17, hip surgery) will miss the remainder of the season DB Shareece Wright (9/23, fractured vertebrae) is out indefinitely
OL Michael Reardon (8/14, right hip) is out indefinitely

Notre Dame Injury Report
DB Terrail Lambert (11/23, sprained ankle) is questionable
WR Michael Floyd (11/17, knee) to miss the remainder of the regular season
OL Chris Stewart (11/23, leg) is questionable
FB Luke Schmidt (10/1, headaches) is out indefinitely
TE Will Yeatman (10/1, disciplinary/legal) will miss the remainder of the season DB Jashaad Gaines (9/12, personal) is out indefinitely
TE Mike Ragone (8/23, left knee surgery) will miss the entire season

Team Leaders
Receptions: Williams (38), ND Tate (50)
Rec. Yards: Williams (553), ND Tate (888)
Rushing Atts: S. Johnson (102), ND Allen (127)
Rushing Yds: Gable (574), ND Allen (569)
Pass Atts: Sanchez (267), ND Clausen (392)
Pass Comp: Sanchez (173), ND Clausen (235)
Pass Yards: (2,258), ND Clausen (2,730)
Comp %: Mustain (69.2), ND Clausen (59.9)
TD passes: Sanchez (26), ND Clausen (20)
INTs: Sanchez (7), ND Clausen (15)

Kiper Says Meyer Should Leave Florida for Notre Dame

Here's a snippet of Mel Kiper's chat today on ESPN.com

Do you think Weis desewrves to stick around for one more yr.? He seems to come closer every yr. I understand the prestige of ND. I have been a fan all my life. But to get rid of him do you already have to have another BIG name in the works?

Mel Kiper (1:07 PM)


I think the decision's been made. I think Charlie defined the Notre Dame job when he took the reins when he said 6-5 is not good enough. To be 6-5 on the cusp of 6-6 with a loss to Stanford. I think he'll go back to the NFL and do a good job there. The beginning of the tenure was good the end was not. They couldn't build a defense. What surprised me was Urban Meyer being proactive and saying no to Notre Dame. If I were him, I'd leave to go to Notre Dame. How many times do you have four full years of a player as good as Tim Tebow, arguably the greatest college football player of all time. You could never duplicate the success you've had with Tim Tebow. Add in Percy Harvin and the great defense. Am I ever going to find another Tim Tebow? Maybe, but I'm not counting on it. National recruiting at Notre Dame. They're down right now and there's no where to go but up. I would jump at the opportunity to go from Florida to Notre Dame. So, that was surprising to me. It opens up opportunities for Brian Kelly, Pat Fitzgerald, Chip Kelly, Jim Harbaugh. Also, Jim Harbaugh, he's beaten USC, who Notre Dame plays every year. Recruiting with the high academic standards, recruiting nationally. Pat Fitzgerald same thing. And he has the Northwestern background like Parsigian did.

Pete (Chicago)


Is Jimmy C and Golden Tate gone for sure now?

Mel Kiper (1:13 PM)


I think they were before. I said that a month ago when we were doing the chat. Jimmy Clausen will be a top 10 pick in the draft. That OL is a question mark. It was a disappointing line this year, especially the LT position. I don't know if it will be any better next year. Golden Tate is not a first round pick in my mind. He's a 2-3 round pick. If he comes out, he has to be OK with that. And I don't think that changes next year.

Pep Talk

Just like the Irish, Peyton Manning's season didn't turn out the way he liked it to be. So with that said Mr. Manning has given us a cheerful pep talk. Click on the title and enjoy!

Buzz Around Team Camps 12/11/08

Here's the latest Buzz Around Team Camps for this Thursday, December 12th:

San Diego St. via http://www.signonsandiego.com

Former Texas A&M head football coach Dennis Franchione interviewed as an apparent finalist yesterday for the vacant coach's job at San Diego State. Franchione was in San Diego with his wife, Kim, and received the VIP treatment while he was in town. Both were at dinner yesterday evening with SDSU Athletic Director Jeff Schemmel.

Franchione, 57, has a reputation as a program builder after helping breathe life into troubled programs at New Mexico (1992-97) and TCU (1998-2000). TCU was 1-10 in 1997 before he took over and went 25-10 over the next three years, including 10-1 in 2000, when TCU was led by current Chargers star LaDainian Tomlinson.

“He was good for me and good for the TCU program,” Tomlinson said. “We won a whole bunch of games. We went to three straight bowl games. If San Diego State decides to hire him, I think they'll be pretty pleased with the coach they're going to get.”

Asked if he had talked to Franchione, Tomlinson said, “I'd rather not say.”

No contact for Edwards

Chiefs coach Herm Edwards, who played at SDSU, said he had not been contacted by his alma mater. Asked if he was interested in the job, he said, “I'll say it again for the hundredth time: We gotta play the Chargers this week and that's all that's on my mind right now.”

Michigan via http://www.mlive.com

Tailback Sam McGuffie's status remains unknown as he deals with several family- and health-related issues.

"He's still looking at what he needs to do," Rodriguez said. "But we have several concerns - Sam has concerns with home and we have concerns because he's had multiple concussions.

"But until we talk to him and see all of his options, we'll keep discussing everything."

Rodriguez wasn't overly specific on the topic of if his coaching staff will remain the same. When asked if the fact he has completed evaluations of his assistants means everyone will return, Rodriguez replied, "It means I'm evaluating everything."

Stanford viahttp://gostanford..com

The Pacific-10 Conference announced its year-end awards and all-conference teams today and senior offensive lineman Ben Muth has been named to the conference's first team offensive squad.

Muth started all 12 games at left tackle and helped pave the way for the second-most productive rushing attack in school history. Stanford's 2,395 yards gained on the ground this season ranked second only to the 1949 squad that rushed for a school-record 2,481 yards. Muth is the first Stanford offensive lineman to first team all-conference honors since Kwame Harris in 2002.

Running back Toby Gerhart, center Alex Fletcher and special teams standout Wopamo Osaisai earned second team all-conference marks.

Six Stanford players earned honorable mention selections, including defensive ends Tom Keiser and Erik Lorig, fullback Owen Marecic, offensive tackle Chris Marinelli, linebacker Pat Maynor and place kicker Aaron Zagory.

North Carolina via http://www.newsobserver.com

North Carolina's football players are taking final exams this week, but they're not the only ones at the school who may have to solve a potential math problem.

The Tar Heels will lose 12 scholarship seniors after they complete the 2008 season vs. West Virginia at the Meineke Bowl on Dec. 27. But coach Butch Davis and his staff have already secured 24 verbal commitments for next season -- and they're still recruiting.

Football Bowl Subdivision teams are allowed a maximum of 85 scholarship players on the roster and can sign a limit of 25 athletes each year. So how does the equation work?

"It may seem like a large number of extra players right now, but it's hard to judge ... because at the end of the season, guys might leave, some of [the recruits] might not qualify; it's just a fact of football," said Allen Wallace, editor of SuperPrep magazine. "... It's incredibly complicated, managing a football team in that regard. You have to weigh a lot of different factors -- injuries, transfers, borderline academic problems."

Washington via http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com

There aren't expected to be any official announcements on new coaches until early next week, according to what Steve Sarkisian has said several times in recent days.

However, sources have indicated tonight that there may be a few done deals. Specifically, current Idaho assistant Johnny Nansen is reported to have been hired as the new defensive line coach, Demetrice Martin as the secondary coach and Charlie Camp as the linebackers coach.

I'm hearing conflicting things on the defensive coordinator job with both Rocky Seto and Ron English said to be involved. Official word out of USC on Seto is that nothing has happened with him and UW and he is currently on a recruiting trip for the Trojans. A Louisville source also said there didn't appear to be anything imminent with English.

I was also told tonight that Ivan Lewis will be the new strength coach and that current USC graduate assistant Yogi Roth has been interviewed for the QB job but that nothing official has happened on that.

Also, heard one new name on the offensive side of the ball --- Al Dorsey, who is currently an administrative assistant at USC. Word is he could be a candidate to become the O-line coach.

Pittsburgh via http://www.post-gazette.com

Pitt linebacker Scott Mc-Killop yesterday was named the Big East Conference defensive player of the year and West Virginia quarterback Patrick White -- its offensive player of the year the previous two seasons -- highlighted an array of Panthers and Mountaineers on the all-conference first and second teams, league officials announced.

Pitt placed five players on the first teams, including unanimous selections McKillop of Kiski Area High School, running back LeSean McCoy, guard C.J. Davis of West Allegheny, tight end Nate Byham of Franklin and place-kicker Conor Lee of Upper St. Clair, who beat out his friend West Virginia's Pat McAfee of Plum, relegated to the second team. McKillop is the second Pitt player in three years to win the top defensive honor, with linebacker H.B. Blades winning in 2006.

Navy via http://navysports..com

Navy senior fullback Eric Kettani (Kirtland, Ohio) has been selected to the 2009 East-West Shrine All-Star Game, which will be played Saturday, January 17 at the University of Houston. Game time is 3 p.m. (4 p.m. in Annapolis).

Kettani is the 22nd player in school history to be selected for the game, including the sixth in the last seven years. Fullback Adam Ballard played in the contest last year.

Kettani, who is the ninth leading rusher in school history, has rushed for 2,041 yards and 15 touchdowns in his career. His career average of 5.4 yards per carry is the sixth-best rushing average in school history. He enters next Saturday's EagleBank Bowl just 68 yards shy of 1,000 yards rushing for the season. If he can eclipse that mark, Kettani will join Shun White as the first backfield in school history and second in Service Academy history to have two running backs over 1,000 yards in the same season.

Syracuse via http://blog.syracuse.com

East Carolina University plans to put out a statement later this afternoon regarding the future plans of head coach Skip Holtz, who interviewed for the head coach vacancy at Syracuse. Holtz spent an extra day in New York City on Tuesday talking with Syracuse athletics director Daryl Gross about the Orange job.

An ECU official said today Holtz is still scheduled to fly from New York to Memphis this morning where he will participate in a press conference for the Liberty Bowl, where East Carolina will play Kentucky next month. East Carolina director of athletics Terry Holland returned to Greenville Wednesday and is scheduled to travel with a contingent from East Carolina to Memphis today.

The Daily Reflector of Greenville, N.C., posted a story this morning that mentions two local television stations reporting that Holtz has turned down the Syracuse job. One of the TV stations is WITN, which had a brief statement posted on its web site.

Meanwhile, University of Buffalo head coach Turner Gill is expected to attend a press conference today in Toronto to promote his team's appearance in the Independence Bowl. A school spokesman said this morning that Gill will be in Toronto for the 1:30 press conference.

Southern Cal via http://www.latimes.com

Pete Carroll met with receivers coach John Morton on Sunday to discuss the possibility of becoming offensive coordinator. After the Trojans' victory over UCLA on Saturday, Carroll said Morton was the front-runner to replace Steve Sarkisian, who is Washington's new head coach but will also remain with the Trojans through the Rose Bowl.

Morton, 39, worked for the Oakland Raiders from 1997 to 2004, coached at the University of San Diego in 2005 and worked on the New Orleans Saints' staff in 2006. He has been receivers coach at USC for two seasons.

"I've earned my stripes," Morton said, citing his experiences with head coaches Jon Gruden, Bill Callahan, Jim Harbaugh, Sean Payton and Carroll.

Quick Kicks
Carroll said he encouraged all draft-eligible players, including quarterback Mark Sanchez, to fill out paperwork that would allow them to receive a projected draft evaluation from the NFL . . . The Trojans are off this week for finals but are tentatively scheduled to practice Friday and Saturday.

Hawaii via http://www.starbulletin.com

Coach Greg McMackin said the coaching staff has started studying Notre Dame game tapes and the Warriors will get back on the field on Monday to prepare for their Christmas Eve game.

The Warriors' return to their morning practices next week coincides with final exams on the Manoa campus.

"A couple of guys have said they have things they have to do, so we'll be flexible with that," McMackin said. "Academics will come first."

University of Michigan: The Leaders of Harsh Punishments for their Star Football Players!

Michigan Tuition: $0
New Lincoln Navigator: $ 48,745
Bag of Pot Smoked at UM: $60
Punishment: 1 game suspension (Eastern Michigan)
UM Administration and Athletic Department: PRICELESS!!!!!!!!!!!

Editor's Note: Click on the title to get the link of Manningham's story!

For the Tarnished Heisman Doubters

Don Yeager is definitely not a liked man amongst the Irish faithful. I, for one, used his book as a leveler to even out my desk at home. That's how much I thought of his Under The Tarnished Dome. Now, Don is trying to re-invent himself with his soon-to-be released Tarnished Heisman.

I know there are skeptics out there that think, what is so different about this book, this time around? Well for starters, Don is not the only person who wrote and investigated for this book. Several people had a hand in it, and there is well documented PROOF. Yes, PROOF, that Don Yeager actually has a book that is not speculation or fabrication of the truth.

If you click on the title of this piece, you'll find documents that Yahoo! Sports attained during its investigation of Reggie Bush and his family for alleged improper benefits from New Era Sports & Entertainment, which was used as evidence for Yeager's book.

Way to go, DON! You might not be that big of a jackass, after all. Wait a minute, you're still half a jackass!

Go IRISH!

Big Ben a Closet Irish Fan?

From the archives, I found this picture of Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger partying it up like it was 1999! Notice his shirt? Yeah, he's an Irish fan at heart.

Stayin' Alive

When it rains, it pours, and for junior Kyle McAlarney, it was a tsunami against the Orange en route to the Irish's 94-87 victory. McAlarney set a school record nine 3pt. field goals to keep the Irish on pace for the Big East regular season championship. At 21-5 overall and 11-3 in conference play, Notre Dame is in the drivers seat to be a major player next month in the Big East and NCAA Tournaments.

The Irish extended their Joyce Center winning streak to 36 games with the win. McAlarney's nine 3-pointers were one short of the BIG EAST record, as he finished with 30 points. Note Dame has reached the 90-point mark five times this season. ND currently sits in third place in the BIG EAST with an 11-3 record. Sophomore forward Luke Harangody registered his league-leading 15th double-double of the season with 14points and 14 rebounds.

As Thursday's showdown at Louisville looms large not only in the conference standings, a win will boost either teams possible seeding for the big dance. According to the Bracket Matrix (http://bracketproject.atspace.com/comparison.htm), both the Irish and Cardinals are #4 national seed. The other two #4 seeds have a state appeal with the Irish, as Kelvin Sampson-less Indiana and Purdue round out those respective slots. So if McAlarney can continue his torrid shooting, and Tory Jackson can continue his steady play, the Irish could be in great shape.

NCAA Tournament Seed Projections:

# 2 Seed: Georgetown (22-4, 12-3), 7 (RPI)
# 3 Seed: Connecticut (21-6, 10-4), 14 (RPI)
# 4 Seed: Notre Dame (21-5, 11-3), 20 (RPI)
Louisville (22-6, 12-3), 14 (RPI)
# 6 Seed: Marquette (20-6, 10-5), 17 (RPI)
# 7 Seed: Pittsburgh (19-8, 7-7), 26 (RPI)
# 10 Seed: West Virginia (19-8, 8-6), 35 (RPI)
# 12 Seed: Syracuse (17-11, 7-8), 48 (RPI)

Last Four Out: Villanova (17-9, 7-7), 50 (RPI)

These four remaining contests will test the mettle of the Irish, as Notre Dame cannot afford to take DePaul, St. John's, or South Florida lightly. A slight slip of going 2-2 or 1-3, in the remaining four contests will not only cost them a good seed, but a first round bye in the Big East Tournament. But with the heart and determination these Fighting Irish are displaying, Notre Dame is making believers out of the media with their goals of winning the Big East and making the Final Four!

Hunter the Hunted (A Gator,err, I mean Wolf in Sheep's Clothing)

So I'm back from my Holiday excursion, Good Times, Good Times. Now back to business, which is Fighting Irish athletics, and more importantly, Notre Dame football. During this holiday season of cheerful bliss, the Irish verbal commitments held still at 22 until yesterday. Omar Hunter, quite possibly, the best defensive recruit of the bunch, decommitted and opened up his search to three schools: Florida, USC, and Auburn.

Here's the skinny from ESPN.com:

Under Armour All-American Omar Hunter has dropped his pledge to the Fighting Irish and is now only considering Florida, USC, and Auburn.

He told Bob Redmond of ESPN affiliate GatorCountry.com Tuesday, "Just watching Notre Dame, their style, and how they played [were reasons for Hunter's decision]. It doesn't really fit the way I play. I am not sure about the coach staff there, I know they are good guys and I love them, but I am not comfortable with the decision I made. I am officially decommitting from Notre Dame."
Additionally, Hunter's high school coach, Jess Simpson, stated that his former defensive stud wished to play closer to home so that his parents can attend his games.

I understand the whole, I'm a 18 year old kid and can change my mind everytime the wind blows. Omar has to be comfortable with his decision, and I don't disagree with that aspect. HOWEVER, I do not like his response about ND's style of play and how it fits with his style. You mean to tell me he didn't know the Irish's defensive style of play in the 3-4? Wasn't it just two weeks ago, that Jess Simpson said Omar's indecisiveness didn't have to do with ND's record or style of play. He's been an Irish verbal commit since this past summer and he finally is realizing ND's style of play? Come on, Hunter is playing us for the fool. I'm not sure about the coaches? Once again, how long has Omar been a verbal commitment? HMMMMMMMM. Makes you wonder if the new swirling rumor of Hunter being a silent verbal to the Gators and that Urban Meyer told him to not let the cat out of the bag until later is true. If it is true, shame on Omar for not being truthful and fully grasping the concept of commitment. I guess only true Notre Dame men and women know that! Also it shows how much of a dirt bag Meyer and his minion, Greg Mattison, really are.

When Charlie went down last month to visit Omar on a whim, that should have been the telling sign that he wasn't going to be Irish. Fact is, that Hunter was being sneaky, got caught, and Charlie called him out on it. Weis pulled his offer last week, according to several sources from the Notre Dame football office. Even though he made several attempts to sway him to stick to his original verbal commitment, Weis made the right move. One guy isn't going to break, what is still considered the #1 recruiting class. Heck Brandon Newman is turning heads this week with his play at the All-Star practices. Hafis Williams and the play of Ian Williams this season, has made Omar's decommitment, not as devastating as some Irish fans make this out to be. Yes, it sucks, but do you really want someone that doesn't have morals and values of a Notre Dame man? I sure as heck don't!

Omar definitely isn't the only one to blame on this whole situation. Florida is just as bad by trying to be as sneaky. Urban must laugh when everyone does all the hard work of finding diamonds in the rough, like Hunter when only two schools at first (ND and Michigan) were on his radar. Meyer just sits back with his ears pinned and then cherry picks verbal commitments. More power to him that he can con kids into backing out of their original commitments. It builds a lot of character. YEAH!

Speaking of Florida. Isn't Karma a bitch? Before the opening kickoff of the Capital One Bowl, ABC showed footage of several Gator players stomping on the Michigan logo. Not that Michigan needed anymore M O for this game already since this was Lloyd Carr's last game as the Wolverine head coach, but damn, are Florida players that stupid? Or does Urban Meyer not care what his players do, except win football games? If it wasn't for Mike Hart bumbling and fumbling twice on the 1 yard line, Michigan could have won by several touchdowns.

Before watching this contest, I didn't want to see Michigan win, 'cause, quite frankly, I don't like the Maize and Blue. But after seeing that display of poor sportsmanship, I rooted for UM. I guess I sold myself to the devil for three and a half hours yesterday, and actually liked it.

So in the end, being true to your word is what is really key here. If Omar was truthful the whole time, I wouldn't of cared less if he decommitted. But being sneaky, getting caught in the act, and giving out bogus remarks about playing style and coaches, is complete and utter bullshit!

Paging Mike Martin, Mike Martin, the Irish are awaiting!