Irish Blogger Gathering: Converting the Unconvertable

Domer Law brings the questions this week and I bring the answers from an Einstein Bagel in Chicago while I wait for my ride to South Bend/Tailgate-a-geddon/Notre Dame-Southern Cal. Let's get to it.

1. I'm taking an old friend of mine to the USC game. They were born and raised in South Bend near Notre Dame, and developed a dislike for the University at a young age from dealing with the frustrations and messes that come from Notre Dame home football weekends. She's never been to a Notre Dame game before (she's an Ohio State fan). We're going to go tailgate and do all the usual tailgating stuff. Any suggestions on what I could do to help her let go of her animosity towards Notre Dame?

I hate to be the one who breaks this to you, but she’s a Buckeye fan. She’s not salvageable. But for the sake of denial, let’s pretend she can be saved. Take a trip to The Grotto (soften the heart out of the gate) followed by a raging tailgate where she can bond with Irish fans over a mutual hatred of Michigan. Finding things you have in common breaks down barriers. My boys and I will be under the giant “Yard Sale” flag next to Legends with all the Michigan hate in the world to share with her if you need a hand.

2. On a related note, do you have any suggestions for improving the Notre Dame game weekend experience generally? Are there traditions lost that you'd like to see restored, or new ideas that you'd like to see implemented to improve the gameday experience?

I love gameday at Notre Dame, but my biggest beef with the experience of the entire weekend has been the completely obliteration of the pep rally. The “Rally on the Green” is indescribably horrendous and embarrassing. The administration has officially waved the white flag on having students play a role in it or caring an iota about it. It’s catered to little kids—which is not the way it should be—and it’s outdoors—which is terrible.

One of the best moments of the weekend used to be when the band flooded into the JACC through the tunnels blasting the Victory March. In my eyes it officially kicked off a Notre Dame football weekend. It was worth sitting through the rest of the rally—no matter how good or bad it was (and it was usually bad)—just for those two minutes.

3. (a) USC is (and always will be) our biggest rival. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? And if you agree, why do you feel that this is such an important rivalry? (b) Rank your top 10 college football rivalries and provide justifications for each.

There will be others that arise in spurts that will be more meaningful in the moment than Southern Cal (ex: Miami in the late 80’s), but over time the Trojans will always be our chief rival. The history runs incredibly deep, laced with heartbreaks and glorious triumphs on both sides. Memorable contests cement great rivalries and there isn’t another opponent in Notre Dame’s long history that’s delivered as many as Southern Cal. The Irish victories in ’73 and ’77 are two of the most celebrated victories of all-time while the ’64 and ’05 losses are almost undoubtedly the two most heartbreaking losses in school history.

Top 10 Rivalries

These are the ten rivalries that I'll go out of my way to make sure I watch every year:

Army-Navy...I mean, come on.
Ohio State-Michigan...Far and away the biggest game in the Big Ten.
Texas-Texas A&M...Always an entertaining contest on Thanksgiving weekend. Way to ruin it, Aggies.
Oregon-Oregon State...Love the Civil War.
Alabama-Auburn...Roll Tide.
Clemson-South Carolina...There is an underrated amount of hate in this rivalry which is so necessary.
UCF-UConn...brought to you by the braintrust of the Big East Conference.
Georgia-Georgia Tech...Any game called "Good Ol' Fashioned Hate" is worth watching.
Oklahoma-Oklahoma St...Bedlam.
Oklahoma-Texas...Loses points because it's always at a neutral site.

4. Southern Cal is 5-1, with their only loss on the road at Arizona State. They are unranked, sitting right behind us in the "also receiving votes" category. How good is Southern Cal this year? How do you see this game playing out?

They’re very middle of the road, way down by Southern Cal standards. There are still studs on both sides of the ball, but for the first time in over a decade Notre Dame has a clear advantages in the trenches on offense and defense. If both teams play their best game, the Trojans cannot keep up with the Irish. It felt so good to type that.

That being said, Notre Dame displayed an otherworldly ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in the first two weeks of the season. Southern Cal is far better than South Florida and Michigan and is more than capable of walking into Notre Dame Stadium and leaving with a victory.

That’s not happening on this night though.

As much as I’d like to see Notre Dame blow the doors off Southern Cal and rub Lane Kiffin’s face in the turf, I think it’ll be a close game where we get down early due to a stupid mistake or two and have to claw back. David Ruffer snaps back and drills three field goals that prove to be the difference. Notre Dame 23, Southern Cal 20.

5. It appears that with a win over USC, we'll re-enter the Top 25 rankings. Now that we're halfway through the season and have some actual evidence available to us from real games, how do you see the rest of the season playing out? Predict:

(a) Notre Dame's final record (indicating where we will lose if at all) – 10-2…I think Stanford is overrated and that’s the only team other than So Cal that can scare us.
(b) Notre Dame's bowl destination, opponent and outcome – Fiesta Bowl vs Boise…Notre Dame 34, Boise State 33
(c) The BCS Championship game and result – Alabama 31, Oklahoma 13
(d) Notre Dame's final AP ranking – #6
(e) The winners of the major awards, including:
(i) Heisman Trophy – Trent Richardson
(ii) Home Depot Coach of the Year - Dabo Swinney
(iii) Davey O'Brien Award (best QB) – Kellen Moore
(iv) Doak Walker Award (best RB) – Trent Richardson
(v) Fred Biletnikoff Award (best WR) – Ryan Broyles
(vi) Chuck Bednarik Award (best defensive player) - Donta Hightower

Irish Blogger Gathering: Role Play Edition

1. Let’s go ahead and talk about the big pink elephant in the room. After two absolutely horrid, heart-breaking, and downright mind-boggling performances, how do you feel about this team moving forward? Are we simply a bad team or a team that just hasn’t put it together yet? This is your chance to talk Irish fans of the ledge…or push them over.

The fact that any chances of a dream season have been completely shattered by mid-September puts a pall on the rest of fall. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't used to it happening each September--which is depressing in and of itself--but it doesn't make it any easier to swallow. The maddening thing is this is one of the most complete Notre Dame squad in years. There's talent on each side of the ball and the potential for greatness on both lines, but much like the high octane 2009 squad this one seems completely hell-bent on self-destructing in the most excruciatingly torturous ways possible.

You can't say we're a good team because good teams don't commit 10 turnovers. Good teams don't commit 10 turnovers in a year, let alone two games (see: the 2000 Fiesta Bowl squad). But there is undeniable potential on this squad. If Kelly can coerce some discipline out of it then--as ridiculous as it sounds--10-2 is not out of the question. Has there been anything in the first two weeks that suggests suddenly we're going to squash those mental lapses and realize the potential? Noooooope.

I'm not here to sugarcoat anything nor am I here to push anyone over the ledge. The silver lining right now is the fact that Notre Dame has the talent to compete on an elite level. There are still some positions that are lacking depth (see: cornerback...please for the love of God don't bail on me Ron Darby), but at its core in terms of personnel and direction this is a healthy program.

Yes, just like in the last couple years of the Weis Era a toxic cloud still hovers around it thanks to an unrelentingly negative and vocal section of the fan base. The difference right now though is the chasm between mediocrity and elite is more mental than physical. It’s not easy to take that last step, but if Kelly can drill the necessary discipline, focus, and mental toughness through his kids’ skulls through teaching, yelling, paddling, or any other means necessary then this team is still at least in theory capable of making some noise on a national level. That’s not something you could legitimately say about any other Irish squad since Brady Quinn graduated.

2. It’s time to put on the headset and step into the shoes of Brian Kelly. In the first quarter, it seemed like your message and plan to recover from the USF disaster worked, and then the rest of the game happened. How do approach this week? What message do you give your players?

It all comes down to mental focus. If Notre Dame didn’t self-destruct in each of the first two games they would be 2-0 and ranked in the top ten. Instead, the Irish sit at 0-2 and the majority of national media and fans are having a funeral for the future of the program. Focus and play with discipline. A 10-game win streak is not impossible if they can start winning the game played on a six inch field between the players’ ears.

3. Keep that headset on, you are still playing Kelly. Based upon what you’ve seen these last two games, do you see players that need to start riding the pine or are you still confident in your depth chart?

Sorry, let me put the headset back on. I’d taken it off to unhinge my jaw and eat Ben Turk whole. One cause of my aneurysms solved. In all honesty, think I just ate the only player I really would liked to see planted on the bench through the first couple games. Gary Gray has had a HORRENDOUS start to the season, but I still want him out there. Prior to this year I thought he was the best corner we’ve fielded since Shane Walton. He’s done everything in his power to try to kill that claim, but I still have a little faith left to spare on him.

I just want everyone to start playing smart. Apparently that’s a lot to ask.

4. Overall, how do you feel about Rees’ performance against Michigan?

The kid is mistake prone and his unforced fourth quarter error in the red zone was a colossal turning point in a game that was still completely in Notre Dame’s control. That being said, he does a fantastic job keeping his poise in the pinch. The offense clearly moves better with him at the helm, it’s just that turnovers will continue to be an issue as long as he’s the trigger man. If I were to give it a grade I’d go with B—great out of the gate, sputtered in the middle, a terrible turnover in the fourth quarter, and a clutch drive that should have been the game-winner.

5. Let’s talk about something happy: the Irish running game. After a 198 yard performance by the Irish do you feel that this rushing attack led by Cierre Wood (134 yards) is for real or have we not run into a tough enough defensive test yet?

It’s legit with a caveat. Stats don’t lie—Notre Dame is running the ball effectively out of the spread, especially on first and second down. The eyes don’t lie either though: we’re still atrocious in short yardage situations where we line up under center. Yes, it’s incredibly predictable as to what we’re going to do. But elite offensive lines and elite running games can line up and will their way to a single yard even when everyone in the world knows where it’s going.

Currently, the Irish are acres from being elite.

When ND gets to the point where fans expect them to come through and get a yard when they need it, we can start talking about an elite running game. Until then we can tip our cap to marked improvement while hoping for more.

6. Looking ahead to Michigan State, how do you gauge them? Is this the best team that we’ve faced off against yet or is this just an untested team that beat up on two cupcakes in Youngstown State and Florida Atlantic?

They’re definitely better than Michigan, which may be one of the five worst teams we’ve lost to in the past decade (and that’s an brutal label to carry). They haven’t been tested and are overrated as of right now in terms of ranking (Vegas agrees…line open at ND -3.5 and jumped almost immediately to -5 which means the sharps loaded up on the Irish), but they’re no pushover by any stretch. If Notre Dame plays well they should handle Sparty. That’s a huge “if” though, compounded by the fact that Sparty normally throws their best game of the season at the Irish. Look for another tight slugfest.

7. Is the key to winning simply not turning the ball over or do you see other crucial keys to beating Sparty?

DON’T SHOOT YOURSELF IN THE FOOT. JUST STOP DOING IT. It’s not just turnovers, it’s mental mistakes in general. Stupid penalties, missed blocking assignments in short yardage situations, broken coverages that lead to 60-yard passes with under 30 seconds left that are stroke-inducing.

8. Obviously every week should be a must win, but I think there is definitely more of an urgency this week. How crucial is this game for the rest of our season?

Believe it or not, this season is salvageable if we win this game. The team needs to get things snowballing in the right direction and it starts with one win. A victory over a team ranked in the Top 15 is just what the doctor ordered.

Irish Blogger Gathering: Heal Me, Britney

I know it's last second, but I can't just let an IBG pass me by without weighing in. Thanks to HLS for putting them together. Head over there for other responses.

1) Well that result really sucked. Please describe how you feel about the loss using lyrics from a pop diva (eg Brittany Spears, Rihanna, etc) song. Bonus points for video or pictures. (something good has to come out of last week)


Do I need to expand on the song? Or are you just busy watching and rewatching the video? It's self-explanatory. I got my hopes up and once again they came crashing down before October 1. Bollocks.

2) While we all want to move on, last week's game can teach us many things about the '11 Irish. After seeing what Week 1 brought us, do you find yourself more confident, less confident, or still confused as hell about our chances vs the Skunkbears? Why?

I think we are a far, far superior team to Michigan at every single position except quarterback. If we don't take a shotgun and unload it on our feet and head like we did last week we will win this game.

3) Other than QB, which position group pleasantly surprised you this past week? Which disappointed? What player absolutely MUST see more time in Week 2? Again, no QBs.

I guess you could say I was pleasantly surprised with the offensive line. They basically mauled the South Florida line, giving Tommy plenty of time in the second half (with only 1-2 exceptions) and giving Cierre some serious real estate to play with when BK called his numbed.

The disappointment was the special teams crew. I had a terrible feeling about Ruffer getting Nick Setta'd early on (Setta went through a huge cold spell once everyone realized he was the best offensive weapon we had before bouncing back) and in a game where everything went wrong he pulled his only field goal attempt. Riddick was the most unnatural looking returner I have ever seen and I don't even really know who I'd put at #2. Throw in the shankopotomus Ben Turk and you've got yourself a giant disappointment.

I'd like to see Robby Toma out there getting some reps instead of Riddick at PR and WR. Why? Because he's Riddick Lite in terms of slipperiness and he has great hands, something Theo does not.

4) Tommy Rees will lead the Irish Offense this week. Do you agree with Coach's call? Either way, what part of Crist's game will the Irish O miss the most, if any?

Yes, I agree with him. Obviously the team responds better to Rees. I was in the "Crist Camp" just because I don't think Tommy has the ceiling to be a national championship quarterback and will always struggle against elite defenses (go prove me wrong, TR), but I'm pulling hard for the sophomore now.

The one thing they'll miss about Dayne's game is his ability to stretch the field vertically. It's not that he throws a necessarily great deep ball, but arm strength a clear weakness of Rees (weakness in the sense that there are just some deep throws you can't expect him to make). I don't think they'll miss him much though.

5) What's the key to beating the Wolverines this week? Just 1 thing. Not 2. 1.

Don't beat yourself. Don't beat yourself. Don't beat yourself. Michigan cannot win this game, we can only lose it. That's how big the talent gap is.

6) Make your Over-Under Picks:

Over-under on Floyd's receiving total for this coming weekend: 154 - OVER...Floyd Fest 2011!

Over-under on Robinson's rushing total: 100 - OVER...'Nard Dog will get his.

Over-under on ND Number of Turnovers: 2 - UNDER...Only one stupid throw from Tommy.

Over-under on Number of Times Kelly is caught Purple Monstering Out: 2 - OVER...Way over.

Over-under on ND Total Yards: 425 - OVER...South Florida has a better defense than the Skunkbears.

7) Michigan: Just Another Opponent, Enemy, or Rival? Explain. 1 Bonus point for each use of the word 'suck'.

Enemy and Rival. Every Notre Dame fan cares about this game more than any game except Southern Cal. Michigan Sucks.

8) It's Michigan week. Name 1 thing in the world that sucks as much as Michigan, if you can.

Carlos Mencia's standup.

9) RichRod is back, announcing for CBS. Can't wait to see how that goes. Bet he's horrible.

Bet you're right. Bet he cries.

Irish Blogger Gathering: KICKOFF

1. The big news of last week was Dayne Crist winning the starting QB spot. Are you happy with the outcome and how comfortable are you with Crist as the starting quarterback for the 2011 season?

I'm very pleased with the outcome. My horse in this derby was Crist from day one simply because I feel he has a much higher ceiling than Tommy Rees. People's opinion of Dayne tends to be jaded by the memories of the Navy debacle and the first drive of the Tulsa game. The reality is that he flashed real promise at times last year. It's unfortunate that he ended his campaign on such a sour note, but let's not forget the fact that he had spurts where he looked like the 5-star stud he was billed to be.

There are two main things that will determine just how successful Dayne is this season. The first is the most obvious one: he has to stay healthy. I won't go so far as to say he's completely made of glass but...the ligaments in his knees are made of glass. He has to stay on the field even though Kelly is unleashing him in the running game.

The second thing is he needs to iron out the inconsistencies from last season. The biggest problem Dayne had was he'd go 7 of 12 in a quarter, but it'd be seven completions in a row followed by five consecutive incompletions. While you love the hot streaks, those cold spells kill drives and break any rhythm the offense hopes to obtain. He's never going to be deadly accurate like Clausen was, but if he can limit those cold streaks Dayne can be a very, very effective quarterback in Kelly's offense.

2. A lot of people say you see the biggest improvement between year 1 and 2 after a coaching change. What area do you hope to see the biggest improvement in 2011?

This is tough because the improvement from the first part of last year to the final four games was so drastic. Where do you choose to go from there? I suppose I'll head back to the quarterback position. In Kelly's offense, the signal caller is the guy who can be a flat-out superstar with monster statistics (see: Collaros, Zach and Pike, Tony). When Notre Dame was so effective with Rees all they did was ask him to manage the game and not screw up. I want to see quarterback go from a question mark to a strength. Based on Kelly's track record I don't think that's particularly far-fetched.

3. I think we've all covered this year's highly touted freshman class quite a bit this off-season already so instead, who do you see as this year's Corey Mays? Mays played primarly special teams for 3 seasons before a breakout season as a 5th year senior in 2005. Who on the Irish roster can pull off a similar performance this season?

There isn't a Corey Mays that will emerge as a relatively high profile starter, but there is a senior who has done little to date that'll emerge as a major (albeit relatively silent) contributor: Andrew Nuss.

Nuss had a great spring and was just barely beat out by Chris Watt (who is a MONSTER). He's versatile enough to swing between the guard positions and tackle and will play major minutes even though he's not billed as the starter. It's a huge coup for this staff to have the depth and flexibility Nuss provides.

4. Theo Riddick is a player I've been touting all off-season and think the is ready to become a big name in college football. What player on Notre Dame's roster who hasn't yet broken out are you expecting to put up big numbers in 2011?

I was on his bandwagon last year and I'll stick with it this season: Jamoris Slaughter. He couldn't stay healthy last season, but now that he's 100% Slaughter is primed to show exactly why he was tapped as the clear-cut starter last season. Yes, Zeke Motta improved drastically over the last part of the season and seems to finally be fulfilling the potential he flashed as a 4-star recruit...but Slaughter is even better. He's a fluid athlete and a big hitter; if he stays healthy he'll be an unexpected star that finishes top five on the team in tackles. If he doesn't, the Irish have a more than capable backup ready to step in.

5. Notre Dame plays a legit opponent in South Florida unlike a lot of teams around the country. How do you see this game playing out and does it help or hurt Notre Dame that they play a BCS conference opponent this weekend while Michigan plays Western Michigan?

South Florida is a very good team with a very, very good up-and-coming coach. They also have an offensive line that's been completely overhauled and will be facing an Irish defense that is bloodthirsty after five consecutive stellar performances to end the 2010 campaign. Many people are wary of this game and I understand why, but in the end this won't be as tight as many predict.

I think that ultimately this game helps Notre Dame. A solid test out of the gate forces the team to focus from day one--there's no sleep walking through a Kent State or a I-AA school the first couple weeks. Let the Skunkbears feast on a cupcake before our showdown next week. The Irish will be fresh off a victory over a legitimate Top 25 level team. A win over the Bulls means a confident team will be entering The Big House. A win over Western Michigan will still leave plenty of question marks for Brady Hoke's boys--especially when Denard Robinson looks mediocre at best under center.

6. Stealing this one from my IBG pre-season questions from last year - who is the Notre Dame player the Irish can least afford to lose this season? For the sake of getting some different response, you can't use Michael Floyd or Manti Te'o here.

As tempting as it is to pick Cierre Wood, I'll go with Gary Gray. The depth at cornerback is frighteningly thin and if Gray gets knocked out then there could be a gaping hole on one side of the field. Some fans still seem slow to appreciate Gray, but I'm here to tell you he's the best cornerback to suit up in blue and gold since Shane Walton--and by season's end there won't be anyone arguing with me.

7. Obligatory pre-season prediction question:

Notre Dame's final record (noting the losses): 12-1...I really don't know who it'll be against though. Not Stanford or Southern Cal.
Notre Dame's bowl game and opponent: Fiesta Bowl vs Boise State
Final ranking for Notre Dame: #4
Best opposing offensive and defensive player ND will face in '11: Andrew Luck, QB - Stanford (Duh)....Shayne Skov, LB - Stanford
Best opposing coach ND will face: Mark Dantonio
Notre Dame game you won't miss for anything: Southern Cal...nothing short of a coma will keep me from this game.
Notre Dame game you could watch on DVR: Southern Cal...because I'll be at the game. It's Notre Dame football, don't insult me by acting like I'd DVR a game.
National Champion: Alabama
Heisman Trophy Winner: Landry Jones

Irish Blogger Gathering: The De Ja Vu Redux

Her Loyal Sons has thrown up the opening tip of the IBG season. Let's get to it.

1. Go to youtube, pick a song that a) applies to your life in some way and b) will serve as the unofficial 2011 Fighting Irish Football Anthem. Extra points if you entirely avoid any band with members born in Ireland. Disqualification for any use of Freekbass. Embed the video for that song in your answers and explain why it’s so fitting under both qualifications A and B.

After much deliberation, I'm going with: "Ali in the Jungle" - The Hours

How does it pertain to my life? This isn't a forum you visit to read tales of woe, you come here to read about ND football and wonder how Bill gets to keep his name on the site when he posts once for every lunar eclipse. Let's just say some unexpected events turned my world upside down in May and put me at rock bottom.

How quick did I get up? On the golf course it took about five days.
Off the course? Upgrades everywhere. The swagger is back.

It should be obvious how the song can serve as an anthem for the 2011 Irish. All you need to make a YouTube video to pump you up is lace in highlights from the horrendous first nine games and back them up clips from the final four. Notre Dame Football was seemingly dead in the water (again) when Tommy Rees was picked off in the endzone against Tulsa.

The team was being shredded in the media, destroyed by the majority of Irish Nation, and ridiculed by its own student body. Brian Kelly went from savior to the worst coach since Kucharich seemingly overnight. The suggestions that he was in over his head, that he was just too "small timey," were running wild.

But it's funny what a four game win streak and a loaded defensive recruiting haul can do to flip perspective. The players and coaching staff deserve all the credit in the world for staying the course and not closing down shop after the disastrous month of October. Unlike Weis' teams the previous two years, they put their noses to the grindstone and found a way to finish the season strong despite being completely ravaged by injuries.

Let's keep that momentum rolling into 2011. The giant that is Notre Dame football is awakening...it isn't quite Lazarus reborn, but for Irish fans who have suffered through the Davie, Willingham, and Weis Eras it sure feels like it.

2. Now that you’ve got your unofficial anthem rocking the home office, predict the single biggest play, positive or negative for the Irish, that will occur this season in a Notre Dame football game. Color this prediction with situation, players involved, opposing team, and even weather conditions. It’s the pre-season. Let’s see what your imaginations are doing.

First, let me set the scene for you:

With 2:04 remaining in the final quarter, Dayne Crist scrambles right on a quarterback keeper and barely gets over the goal line in the north end zone to take a 31-28 lead over Southern Cal. The undefeated Trojans, led by their insufferable head coach and golden boy quarterback, burn their first three downs and gained only one yard on their final drive. With 1:32 left, they call timeout facing a 4th and 9 from their own 26 yard line.

An electric crowd fueled by countless shotgunned beers and unhealthy levels of adrenaline rises up for one last stand. The sense of de ja vu is almost too much; every last fan in the stands knows how this movie ended last time, when a Notre Dame Moment was snatched away. They dig deep and summon whatever is left of their voice and energy and unleash it toward the field as Matt Barkley comes to the line.

Manti Te'o and Harrison Smith wave their arms, egging the Irish Faithful to get even louder. It's completely deafening as Barkley gets under center, yet he looks to his left and decides to audible.

The crowd gets louder.

The ball is snapped. Robert Woods breaks down the left sideline and gets separation from Robert Blanton. Barkley sets his feet and gets ready to deliver another crushing blow to the Notre Dame Faithful.

Until Manti Te'o buries his helmet into the chest of the Southern Cal quarterback. The ball is jarred loose and floats gently into the hands of freshman Aaron Lynch. With a full head of steam Lynch makes a beeline for the endzone, angling right toward the student section. The stadium explodes with a sound that had been absent from the House That Rockne Built since 1993.

A sound signaling Notre Dame is officially back.

3. I’m a fan of the cinematic hit, “Kicking and Screaming.” I know, it’s a film you all love too. So naturally we’d all like to re-live that moment when they’re playing “Would You Rather.” So let’s do so: Would you rather suffer a humiliating loss to Michigan this year, or a humiliating loss to Southern Cal? Why? And stop eyeing that chicken across the street, perv.

Wow, talk about pick your poison. I'll have to go with Michigan and the main reason is because I plan on October 22nd being one of the greatest days of my life. That can't happen if the Irish lose, let alone get blown out.

4. Great teams require leadership, and with Notre Dame being the only truly national college football program in the country, a great Notre Dame football team requires national leaders. So pick one. Name a player on the Irish roster in 2011 who will lead the nation in a particular, official NCAA category. Also specify how much he’ll lead the nation by indicating his national rank in that category. Note: You must be predicting this leader to finish at least as high as 10th in the nation in your chosen category. Bonus Points: Don’t pick David Ruffer – the best player on the Irish Roster.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Michael Floyd finds a way to stay healthy. If that turns out to be true, he's going reel in an Irish record 19 touchdown receptions which will place him tied for first in the NCAA with someone who lines up out wide for Hawaii.

5. You’ve already done more parsing of Brian Kelly’s words than is healthy since he first took a podium in this pre-season. What’s the single most surprising thing he’s said in that time?

"We're so focused on the run game right now." - August 10

Why? Because I think the heads of half the people on ND Nation exploded.

Irish Blogger Gathering: Gettin' SPRUNG

Alright, we've seen a couple different sets of responses to this round of the IBG. Now it's time for the correct answers.

Let me show you how it's done.

1. The biggest story of the spring was the quarterback competition between Dayne Crist, Tommy Rees, and to a lesser extent Andrew Hendrix and Everett Golson. Crist and Rees donned the red jerseys while the youngins were fed to the wolves with live contact. How would you rate each signal caller's performance in the scrimmage? Then put on the Swami hat and predict what we should expect from each of them this fall and in the long term.

I won't sugarcoat it: I was very disappointed with Dayne. I expected something along the lines of Brady Quinn's 2005 spring game, which essentially acted as a coming out party. Instead I saw a quarterback who still has miles to go before he's considered "elite." Yes, it was a crummy day in terms of weather, but I wanted to see more progress than I witnessed in the Blue & Gold Game. Crist's Grade: D+

Tommy Rees moved the ball a little better than Crist did, but he also threw an interception and should've been picked off on at least two other occasions. He did nothing to change my opinion that he's a great backup, but he lacks the necessary ceiling to be a top level quarterback at the collegiate level. Rees' Grade: C

Andrew Hendrix started out slowly, but got in rhythm as the game wore on despite the deteriorating conditions. On the ground he bulled his way to a pair of touchdowns and showed that he's more than capable of being an effective runner. The vast majority of people speculate that Golson and he are battling for touches in red zone packages. If that is indeed the truth then Hendrix put himself in a great position to win that job because of his surprisingly physical running style that would be perfect for grinding out an extra yard or two near the goal line. Hendrix Grade: A-

The early enrollee Everett Golson had a nice debut in Notre Dame Stadium. He showcased a surprisingly lively arm while flashing an ability to make defenses pay with his feet. There were plenty of mistakes made in coverages and overall technique, but he's got a bright future at Notre Dame. Golson: Grade: B

What I see happening is Dayne Crist winning the starting job and Tommy Rees being his primary backup. While I'd like to see Golson redshirt this fall because he clearly needs to bulk up a bit (and he's not someone who will leave to go pro early), I believe he'll earn the nod as the first man in for the change of pace packages that involve more running. Common logic says if that's the case that Hendrix will likely look elsewhere. Eventually I see the winner of the Hendrix-Golson battle passing Rees on the depth chart once he's clearly comfortable with the entire scope of the offense.

2. Freshman defensive end Aaron Lynch burst onto the scene with seven tackles, including 1.5 for a loss. You might as well have attached his hype and expectations to an Apollo rocket and launched them into orbit they're so high right now. Is he that good or should Notre Dame fans temper expectations like Brian Kelly keeps saying?

Aaron Lynch is that good. He's an elite talent unlike anything Notre Dame has seen in decades. I don't think that ten sacks in the first year is a reasonable expectation because he won't beat out upperclassmen. Ethan Johnson or Kapron-Lewis Moore for a starting spot.

Lynch still has a long way to go in figuring out what his roles and responsibilities are as a defensive end in coordinator Bob Diaco's defense. Right now he's relying strictly on pure, raw talent and ability to win battles at the line of scrimmage and get to the quarterback. He just has so much of it that he's still able to be dominant despite the fact he still has a lot to learn.

The bar of expectations is set high for a reason: he's the best pass rushing presence to step foot on campus since Ross Browner. I realize that it's borderline blasphemy to mention anyone, let alone a freshman who has never played a down, in the same breath as Browner. But trust, me, there's a erason for the comparisions.

I'm not saying he's the second coming of Ross Browner, but mark my words this kid is bound for greatness at ND.

3. Pick two players that surprised you this spring--one pleasantly and the other unpleasantly--and explain yourself.

The pleasant surprise was the combination of Prince Shembo and Danny Spond. The DOG linebacker position was the only position where there wasn't a lot of experience returning this fall so I was a bit worried about who would fill the role. We still don't know who the starter will be, but what we have learned to this point is there are two more than capable replacements for the graduated pair of Kerry Neal and Brian Smith.

There was some fear that Shembo was a bit of a "one-trick pony." All he was asked to do last season was go after the quarterback. He shifted outside this spring and showed some surprisingly fluidity as a drop backer while still maintaining the ability to wreak havoc in the backfield when the situation called for it. Spond was probably an even bigger surprise than Prince because many hadn't paid much attention to him last season. He's a great athlete that's a capable pass rusher (though not quite as good Shembo) and very adept at dropping into coverage. No matter who wins this competition Notre Dame will be in a good shape. That's a pretty surprising conclusion considering how big a question mark the position was entering spring.

The unpleasant surprise was Jonas Gray. He had a colossal opportunity to step in and earn a serious chunk of carries, but he didn't do much to impress before or after the injury he sustained. He's an incredible specimen that's built like a brick house, but for how strong he appears his running style is relatively soft and indecisive. The Irish depth chart at running back is non-existent which meant Gray needed to step up not just for himself, but also for the good of the team. That didn't happen this spring and unfortunately I'll be surprised if it suddenly does this fall.

4. Over/Unders for 2011!

Cierre Wood Rushing Yards: 1000....UNDER...I don't buy that there will be enough devotion to the run game to get him up over 1000 yards. Expect more in the 850 range.

Jonas Gray Rushing Yards: 300....UNDER...My faith in Jonas Gray has just about bottomed out. There's nothing that I see (or have seen) that leads me to believe things are about to click either.

Games Michael Floyd Will Miss: 1.5....UNDER...Kelly will suspend him for the opener, but he'll be back for Michigan.

Dayne Crist Passing Touchdowns: 19.5....OVER...I do think he'll improve from last season and in 2010 he averaged 1.9 touchdowns per game. He'll be around 25 this year.

Games Started by Tommy Rees: 3.5....UNDER...This is if Dayne stays healthy, which is a monster, MONSTER if. I do not believe Crist will get the hook unless he's injured.

Combined Games Started by Golson/Hendrix: .5....UNDER...Their time will come, it's just not this year.

Aaron Lynch Sacks: 5.5....OVER...I've got him penciled in for 6

Victories in ND Stadium: 5.5....UNDER...They haven't finished a home slate undefeated since 1998. They should run the table at home, but frankly I need to see it to believe it.

5. This offseason athletic director Jack Swarbrick added two teams to future schedules: Temple and Northwestern. There's a chunk of people who are outraged about the Temple games, but the vast majority approve of Northwestern. What are your thoughts on each of these scheduling moves?

Personally I liked them both a lot. Temple isn't the most glamorous opponent by any stretch, but it's in a major metropolitan area where ND has a huge presence. It should be a nice cream puff game amidst some brutal upcoming schedules. Who knows, maybe Steve Addazio will pick up with Al Golden left off and the Owls may be a legitimately tough team by the time the Irish face them.

For as much as I like the Temple series, I love the Northwestern one for a couple reasons. First of all, it's nice to see a new Big 10 opponent on the schedule. We haven't faced off since that ill-fated upset in 1995 which catapulted the Wildcats to a Rose Bowl. More importantly though, it debunks another huge myth about how Notre Dame survival if major conference realignment occurred.

One of the biggest sources of leverage people thought the Big 10 had in trying to lure Notre Dame was the fact that the Irish were going to have a very tough time finding opponents moving forward, especially late in the season. I called that bluff last spring and it took just one year for a team from the Big 10 to cave and play Notre Dame in November.

Why would Northwestern stick he Irish on the schedule so late in the year despite being right in the thick of conference play (much to the chagrin of commissioner Jim Delany)? Because Notre Dame would sell out Northwestern's stadium, something that happens on average once every ten years. It's all about the Benjamins and whenever Notre Dame is involved there are plenty to go around.

6. Irish Illustrated senior editor Tim Prister, one of the most respected and longest tenured journalists in the Notre Dame community, had this to say in article following the Blue-Gold Game:

"How would NBCSports.com's Keith Arnold know that "there's a different feeling around Notre Dame" when he's rarely at Notre Dame to report on its football program? Reporters have a feel for the program because they are immersed in it; bloggers take the feelings/opinions formed by those on the scene and make it their own."

You're an esteemed member of the Irish blogosphere. What are your thoughts on Prister's jab?

I've read Prister since my Dad started subscribing to Blue & Gold Illustrated in 1995 after our first trip to Notre Dame. He's probably one of the two most respected journalists in the ND community (along with Lou Somogyi) and certainly the most tenured. He knows his stuff and I've always enjoyed his insights.

I don't understand why he felt the need to take a shot and belittle bloggers, especially one like Keith who does such a great job at Inside ND. I feel like he is--or at least should be--above that.

My guess is he never has and never will read a blog. He discredits them as useless on the topic of Notre Dame (at least to him) because he's one of the utmost authorities on Irish Football. As he points out, he has "a feel for the program because (he's) immersed in it." Hell, it's his job to follow Notre Dame Football and report on it.

Because he discredits them, he completely dismisses the notion that some could actually be packed with worthwhile insights and quality writing. I bet he's never read one of Keith columns and I guarantee he's never read mine. He may be pleasantly surprised if he did, but there's also a chance he'd still completely blow them off.

I've never had the pleasure of meeting Tim or interacting with him via email because he's never responded to anything I've ever sent him. As a fellow alum that I admired growing up, I had hoped he would help steer me in a direction to help me pursue a similar career path to what he's done over the past 30+ years. While the rest of the ND journalistic community was incredibly responsive and willing to offer advice and opinions (Jake Brown, Pete Sampson, Lou Somogyi, etc.), Prister never gave me the time of day and most likely deleted my correspondence far before he reached the part where I thanked him for all his hard work and articles through the years.

In summation, I think the jab was unnecessary and classless. There's no need for someone who is so respected among the Notre Dame Football community to lower himself to that level.

*****BONUS TIME*****

Outline what your day will be like from the moment you wake up until the moment you go to sleep on October 22nd, the day Notre Dame faces off against Southern Cal under the lights of Notre Dame Stadium.

My buddy Brad "They Call Me Mr. Balls" Blomstrom put it best in an email chain the day the game was announced. We'll both be following this schedule pretty much to a T:

8:01am.
The 8:01 shotgun. We do it every 8:01.

8:39am.
Full Beer Flip Cup against a group of SC fans that were giving us the stink eye at 8:01.

9:15am.
Salt all SC fans in range. None of us will enjoy this, but frankly it will need to be done.

9:47am.
Attempt to light grill. Forgot to buy matches.

9:51am.
Borrow lighter from old person tailgate two cars over after apologizing for hitting them with stray salt crystals.

10:01am.
Begin cooking delicious meats. Some asshole pours Natty Light on the grill saying it adds flavor. Everyone knows true tailgate chefs use keystone ice.

10:17am-11:59am.
Jerry's Kids, Flip Cup, assorted yarding activities.

12:00pm.
Party in the USA comes on. Put your hands up, they're playing your song.

12:04pm-4:30pm.
This period intentionally left blank.

4:31pm.
Wake up face down in Legends beer garden.

4:32pm
Put pants back on.

4:37pm
The 4:37 shotgun. We do it every 4:37.

4:38pm
NOS up to get back in the zone.

5:31pm
Visit a friend's parents' tailgate. Impress all fellow revelers with your kempt appearance, steady speech, and cogent thoughts on the university's academic direction.

6:17pm
Can of shame. Honestly, who throws salsa?

7:17pm
Trip in front of an usher. Pretend you are actually one of Jerry's Kids to avoid the drunk tank.

7:20pm

Band comes out. Mega-adrenaline rush begins.

7:35pm
Team comes out under the lights.

7:36pm
Karate chop my bench in half.

11:30pm
Sprint to Backer to celebrate victory.

Subway Domer Promises Sausage Burritos

Subway Domer has posted his responses to the IBG. While his answers were all good, his blow-by-blow of what October 22nd will be like (and depiction of what a perfect, functional marriage) is why you should read it.

Go over to SD and check it out. Now. Or else he'll find you.

Her Loyal Sons: Serving You Since the Tulsa Game

The second blog out of the blocks is Her Loyal Sons. How dedicated to Notre Dame is Domer_mq? He's willing to spend the entire day of the Southern Cal game beating up on strangers' children so he doesn't jinx the Irish. Thank him by sending him a picture message every time you shotgun a beer that day.

Head over yonder to see his answers.

One Foot Down is One Step Ahead

Eric from the blog One Foot Down was first to put his pencil down and hand in his test.

Head over to OFD to read all the responses and for the love of God, HOOK HIM UP WITH A SOUTHERN CAL TICKET! He writes articles for you; the least you can do is make sure he's having a hard time making work the Monday after the game.

In an somewhat related story, if you have a Southern Cal ticket I will pay $1 more for it than Eric from the blog OneFootDown.

Irish Blogger Gathering: Gettin' SPRUNG

Subway Domer is busy preparing for war with the stork that's about to attack his house so I stepped in and delivered this edition of the IBG questions. I'll post links to each of the blog's responses as they come in. Then at the end of the week I'll blow your mind with all the right answers.

And now, zee questions.

1. The biggest story of the spring was the quarterback competition between Dayne Crist, Tommy Rees, and to a lesser extent Andrew Hendrix and Everett Golson. Crist and Rees donned the red jerseys while the youngins were fed to the wolves with live contact. How would you rate each signal caller's performance in the scrimmage? Then put on the Swami hat and predict what we should expect from each of them this fall and in the long term.

2. Freshman defensive end Aaron Lynch burst onto the scene with seven tackles, including 1.5 for a loss. You might as well have attached his hype and expectations to an Apollo rocket and launched them into orbit they're so high right now. Is he that good or should Notre Dame fans temper expectations like Brian Kelly keeps saying?

3. Pick two players that surprised you this spring--one pleasantly and the other unpleasantly--and explain yourself.

4. Over/Unders for 2011!

Cierre Wood Rushing Yards: 1000
Jonas Gray Rushing Yards: 300
Games Michael Floyd Will Miss: 1.5
Dayne Crist Passing Touchdowns: 19.5
Games Started by Tommy Rees: 3.5
Combined Games Started by Golson/Hendrix: .5
Aaron Lynch Sacks: 5.5
Victories in ND Stadium: 5.5

5. This offseason athletic director Jack Swarbrick added two teams to future schedules: Temple and Northwestern. There's a chunk of people who are outraged about the Temple games, but the vast majority approve of Northwestern. What are your thoughts on each of these scheduling moves? 6. Irish Illustrated senior editor Tim Prister, one of the most respected and longest tenured journalists in the Notre Dame community, had this to say in article following the Blue-Gold Game:

"How would NBCSports.com's Keith Arnold know that "there's a different feeling around Notre Dame" when he's rarely at Notre Dame to report on its football program? Reporters have a feel for the program because they are immersed in it; bloggers take the feelings/opinions formed by those on the scene and make it their own."

You're an esteemed member of the Irish blogosphere. What are your thoughts on Prister's jab?

*****BONUS TIME*****

Outline what your day will be like from the moment you wake up until the moment you go to sleep on October 22nd, the day Notre Dame faces off against Southern Cal under the lights of Notre Dame Stadium.

Irish Blogger Gathering: The Most Interactive Edition EVER!

Subway Domer has delivered the final IBG of the 2010 season and as always we're more than willing to answer the bell. This edition is the most interactive yet. Below should be a poll supplied by the Subway Domer that you can participate in. The results will be calculated and sent back to SD for a giant compilation of how the Irish Faithful feel.

So pull your weight and be a part of the IBG and then enjoy the correct answers below.

GIDDYUP!

Quizzes by Quibblo.com

1. What is your biggest “FEAR” going into the bowl game?

For whatever reason as we approach this game I keep having terrible flashbacks to the 2001 Fiesta Bowl. Freshman quarterback Matt Lovecchio rode a seven game winning streak (throwing just a single interception during that stretch) into that contest against Oregon State. Over the course of 60 minutes Lovecchio demolished most of the fan base's confidence, turning the ball over three times in the third quarter that saw Notre Dame's deficit balloon from 9 to 38 points.

His final stat line read 13/33 for 138 yards, 2 INT's, 1 Fumble, and 6 Sacks. It was so horrendous that friends of mine who were on-campus at the time gave him the nickname "Father Matt" (the thought was he might as well become a priest because there was no way he was going to reel in another female). Nine months later Carlyle Holiday usurped the starting job and shortly thereafter Father Matt took his talents to Indiana.

My biggest fear Tommy Rees doing anything that resembles that giant turd Lovecchio laid on the field at Sun Devil Stadium (to be fair it wasn't all his fault, but he certainly compounded the problems to the n-th degree). I like Tommy Rees and I applaud the way he's responded to the very difficult situation he was thrown into down the stretch, but I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop on him.

Of course I hope it doesn't. I have no agenda or preference for who leads Notre Dame, I just want them to win. My humble opinion is that Tommy isn't capable of being that guy in the long-term. Yes, he won three consecutive games including over a ranked Utah team and an archrival, but he hardly spearheaded those victories (in fact, ND won that last one despite his performance).

He'd be the perfect backup for whoever emerges from the Crist-Hendrix-Golson trio. Rees can step into the fire and calmly lead the team in a crisis and he's proven he can get the job done if called upon, but his ceiling is light years closer to Evan Sharpley's than Joe Montana's.

2. Will Michael Floyd and Kyle Rudolph enter the NFL draft?

Good News: I have some close, well connected family friends that talked to Rudolph's parents and they said he was coming back. I assume they have some good insight on that decision so I'll predict that Kyle stays.

Bad News: Everything I read and hear says that Floyd will be gone.

The biggest reasons for Floyd to come back would be a chance to prove he's actually durable (he's missed time every year of his collegiate career), he'd avoid the potential NFL labor issues, and he'd duck what could be one of the most loaded receiver classes in recent memory (AJ Green, Julio Jones, Jonathan Baldwin, etc). If Floyd stays another year and blows up--which is very possible and even likely with the entire offense becoming more comfortable with the spread--he could skyrocket into the first round discussion. This year the best case scenario seems to be late 2nd, early 3rd round.

It's a tough decision but my guess is all signs point to ND getting back only half of their potentially All-American duo.

3. Duval Kamara did not make the trip for personal reasons. This is very bad – true or false?

In terms of production/gameplan? It's not a huge deal. The fact that he's going to miss the game though is absolutely a bad thing. Who the hell would want the Bard of Bergen County's career to end a game early?

Kamara had done a very nice job of reestablishing himself as a contributor the last few weeks of the year and you always want to see a senior go out on a high note. Unfortunately it sounds like his actions in some way have cost him that opportunity. I hope everything is ok with him and it doesn't turn out to be a big deal.

4. Which senior will have the biggest game?

I'll go with Harrison Smith. I don't know if anyone's watched Miami much this year, but Jacory Harris has a tendency to make some god-awful decisions. Smith has steadily trended in the right direction over the course of the season and turned in some gritty performances while banged up at the end of the year.

My guess is that (at least) one of Jacory's passes finds Hayseed's hands and sticks. Combine that with another solid all-around performance that he's consistently handed in over the second half of the year (I'm knocking on every piece of wood in my entire house right now) and I think he's your senior MVP for the game.

5. Vegas has the Irish as a 3-point dog: Wrong or Right?

It's about right. I figured it'd be right around a PICK with the Canes probably favored slightly so this falls pretty much in line with that. The deciding factors that nudge the points to Notre Dame are the Freshman QB, the mutual opponent comparison (ND squeaked out a W over Pitt at home, Miami thrashed Pitt on the road), and the general assumption that the U has a slight overall talent advantage (probably an accurate assessment across the board).

6. Does Notre Dame NEED this bowl win for a good start to 2011?

A close loss wouldn't be a killer, but keeping the positive momentum heading in the right direction would be huge for the confidence of players and fans alike (not to mention it'd give a little boost for the final recruiting push). Almost every year in recent memory Notre Dame has headed into the offseason with their heads down. If the Irish can beat the Canes it will be the longest win streak to end a season since 1992.

Find a way to finish the season with wins over Utah, Southern Cal, and Miami in three of the last four games and you give everyone plenty of ammunition to stay optimistic. Lose handily to the Canes and it'll be amazing how quickly people forget the three game November win streak.

7. In the 2010 Hyundai Sun Bowl Notre Dame will…

...win in a barnburner. Let the good times keep rollin'!

Notre Dame 27
Miami 23

Irish Blogger Gathering: Turkey, Stuffing, and Horse Meat Edition

It's Southern Cal week which means it's time for the OC Domer to supply the IBG with a slew of questions from the Left Coast. Head over there to see his answers and the other blogs' responses.

1. Notre Dame played perhaps its best game of the year in a win over the Utah Utes two weeks ago. Utah remains ranked at #23 in the Associated Press poll. Notre Dame likewise took Michigan State (AP #11) to overtime before losing on a fake field goal. Therefore the Irish should have no trouble with this unranked Trojan squad. Agree or disagree? Show your work.

Obviously I completely disagree. First of all, let's address Utah and Michigan State. The Utes a very good and well-coached team, but they're not even close to elite and their talent level doesn't measure up to the Irish. Sparty has had a great year but they've also been thoroughly unimpressive with one notable exception (beating Wisconsin handily). Their record and resume say they deserve their ranking, but I think that's more of a testament to the tremendous coaching job Mark Dantonio has done this season as opposed to how good and talented the team is.

This Saturday we'll be facing the only team on our schedule with undeniably more talent up and down the roster. Southern Cal may not be having a season that measures up to the ones the Utes and Spartans are having, but they still provide a far sterner test than those current Top 25 teams.

What's the great equalizer of great talent? Great coaching with a great gameplan. While most would argue Kyle Whittingham and Mark Dantonio have done fantastic jobs maximizing the talent on their rosters, very few would assign that distinction to Lane Kiffin in his initial campaign in LA. This contest doesn't look impossible like it did after the Tulsa debacle but the Irish still have an uphill battle to emerge victorious.

2. It is almost time for the OC Domer Player of the Year to be named. This award is intended to recognize the Notre Dame football player or players who played the best when it mattered the most. Suffice it to say that the primary criterion is a consistently high level of play, with significant bonus points awarded for exceeding expectations. Injuries have taken many of the pre-season favorites for this prestigious award out of the running. Who is your nominee for this award, and why?

Injuries really have gutted a lot of the candidates--from Carlo Calabrese to Armando Allen to Theo Riddick. Ian Williams was the anchor of a much improved defensive line and blew away my expectations going into the year. He'd be the runaway winner had he stayed healthy, but since he's one of the walking wounded that's been out for 3+ games it's tough to hand him the honor. I'll choose Gary Gray.

I always liked Gray, but even his staunchest supporters would've had a hard time predicting that he'd emerge as the best Notre Dame cornerback since Shane Walton. He's been great in coverage and the most consistent tackler on the entire team. He said after the Utah game that he'd be back for a fifth lap in South Bend--great news for all Irish fans.

3. With a delicate flavor similar to beef, though slightly sweeter than other meats, horse meat can be used to replace beef, pork, mutton, and any other meat in virtually any recipe, though most aficionados prefer it in marinated or spicy dishes. Nutritionally, horse meat has around 40 percent fewer calories than the leanest beef, while supplying 50 percent more protein and as much as 30 percent more iron; and horse fat is considered an excellent health-conscious deep-frying alternative, especially for delicately-flavored foods that are easily overpowered by heavier oils. What is your favorite horse meat recipe?

Impale Traveler, marinate him in Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce, put him on a spittle, roast him over an open fire until he's medium-well, and then eat him like a viking.

4. Do you miss Pat Haden, who left the Notre Dame television broadcasts to become athletic director at USC?

Unlike a lot of people I thought Haden did a very good job providing level-headed and unbiased analysis during his time at NBC...but Mike Mayock has been absolutely fantastic and an undeniable upgrade. Sorry Pat, I don't miss you. Good luck cleaning up a program led by Lane Kiffin.

5. USC is the Notre Dame rival I love to hate. What Notre Dame rival do you most despise, and why?

It has to be Southern Cal and the basis comes from both history and personal experience. It starts with the screwjob Notre Dame got at the hands of the referees in the ultimate game of Ara Parseghian's magical 1964 season. It continues with the most arrogant, cocky, showboating Trojan of them all, Anthony Davis. This is a man whose best moment in his entire life was when a Notre Dame loving nun approached him and said he must be the devil because he did so well against the Irish. Glad to see his life has turned out well.

We move on to the final game of Lou Holtz's career at Notre Dame, when a Jim Sanson missed PAT opened the door for Southern Cal to storm back and send Lou out a loser in overtime. I guess we skipped over Keyshawn Johnson talking trash about how Notre Dame didn't belong on the same field as the Trojans...and then promptly went out and got his ass beat 38-10 in South Bend. His ignorance and stupidity is now on display every week on ESPN's NFL coverage and every once in awhile he chimes in about how Ty Willingham should be coach. Gag.

In 2002 they undressed and exposed Ty Willingham as a fraud, beginning a decade of complete dominance over Notre Dame. There were multiple embarrassing blowouts ('02, '03, '04, '07, '08) and heartbreaking defeats. Last year's Irish effort that came up less than 10 yards short was a punch to the gut, but nothing compares to the devastating game played on the Ides of October 2005.

On that day Southern Cal cemented itself as Public Enemy #1 in my eyes for all eternity. We played a perfect game, did everything necessary to emerge victorious and conquer the unconquerable foe...and with one illegal push in the blink of an eye they stole a Notre Dame Moment--what should've been my and the rest of the student body's Notre Dame Moment.

So Men of Troy, I'd like to raise my glass to you as winner of the title of most hated rival...and then I'd like to break that glass over your heads.

6. Reggie Bush got a car, his parents a house. Cam Newton's Dad was looking for $180,000 in straight cash homey. Can Notre Dame compete for athletic recruits in this environment? Or do you believe these incidents are the exceptions to an otherwise clean recruiting landscape?

Listen: it's naive to think that schools paying players and providing illegal benefits is a rare occurrence. However, it's equally naive to think this didn't happen in the 60's, 70's, and 80's as well--all decades in which Notre Dame won national championships. I'm sure a lot of people watched the 30 for 30 on Marcus Dupree, a wild and illegal recruitment that happened thirty years ago.

Notre Dame is certainly at a disadvantage to schools that are willing to pony up cheddar to reel in top level talent, but it's not a crippling one. The Irish have overcome it before (Free Shoes University anybody?) and they will do it again in the future.

Irish Blogger Gathering: Walkin' on Sunshine Edition

This week the boys at Rakes of Mallow have been charged with delivering the IBG questions after the glorious throttling of Utah. Head over there to see their responses as well as the responses of others.

1) Saturday’s result against Utah was a very pleasant surprise, but an unexpected one, to say the least. What was the biggest positive you took from the win over the Utes, and what concerns you most as the Irish head into their final two games of the regular season?

Yes, Utah was vastly overrated and this wasn’t a big or historic upset by any stretch of the imagination…but that doesn’t demean just how important this game was to the psyche of the team and the fan base.

This was a dominating performance over a solid, well-coached football team. The biggest positive wasn’t just the win, it was the manner in which it took place: with smashmouth, tough, hard-nosed football. They smacked the Utes in the mouth from the opening whistle, completely shut down an offense ranked among the nation’s best coming into the game, and decisively won the special teams battle.

Everything finally seemed to click. One would hope this was the team finally turning the corner, but we’ll have to wait awhile to see whether this is the beginning of something great or fool’s gold (see: ND over Pitt in ’82).

Moving forward over the next two (three?) games, my biggest concern is still Tommy Rees. You have to give the kid all the credit in the world for his performance over the past two games. He was very efficient in his first ever start against Utah and showed fantastic touch on the pair of touchdown passes to Duval Kamara.

That being said, I’m not ready to declare him the future of the program—not by a long shot. Obviously I don’t care who is leading the team as long as they’re winning and I wish success upon every last person who steps on the field wearing blue and gold, but I see Rees as a placeholder a la Matt Lovecchio in ’00.

Lovecchio reeled off seven straight victories in the first seven starts his freshman year but was quickly supplanted by Carlyle Holiday the next season. I get the feeling that Rees’ limited physical capabilities with his arm and legs make him a prime candidate to follow in Lovecchio’s shoes—whether it’s Crist who regains his spot or Hendrix or a freshman that usurps the mantle of “quarterback of the future.”

My worry is that Southern Cal will expose Rees in Los Angeles and the Irish will be unable to put a dent in an extremely athletic and fast Trojan defense. Southern Cal is not as invincible as in years past, but in order to beat them Rees is going to have to be great and I don’t know if he’s got the chops for it.

2) The Irish will have to take a completely different approach against the Army option than they did against the Navy attack a few weeks ago. Who do you see playing the biggest role in slowing down the Black Knight attack? Who will be the big performer on offense?

It’s no secret: the key to beating the option is Bob Diaco piecing together a sound, executable game plan. Notre Dame has infinitely more talent than Army and the defense’s confidence is at an all-time high after Utah. If Diaco can put them in a position to succeed—something he completely failed to do a month ago against Navy—then Notre Dame will win this game handily.

My pick for a big offensive performer is Cierre Wood. Kelly is going to continue to try to ease the burden on Tommy Rees and that means a balanced attack with plenty of carries for Cierre along with plenty of checkdowns and screens being tossed his way as well.

The key is going to be the offensive line dominating the point of attack and giving him some lanes to run through. If they’re up to the task I’m expecting Cierre to go over 100 total yards on the day.

3) Should Notre Dame win one of their final two games, they’ll likely be going bowling. There are a lot of tie-ins that may or may not be fulfilled from other conferences that will likely end up deciding their postseason fate, but what bowl do you see the Irish playing in?

I outlined a bunch of scenarios yesterday, but to me the most likely spot is probably in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl against Nevada. The Pac-10 is not going to have enough bowl eligible teams and the fact that it’s a late bowl game (January 9th) will allow Kelly to use every one of the 15 allocated practices whereas an early game (like the Maaco Bowl on December 22nd) would not.

Also, it may just allow enough time for Ian Williams to sneak back for one last game—something I’m sure the players will take into account if they have a vote.

4) This isn’t a question any of us thought would be an issue at the start of the season, but who do you see as Notre Dame’s starting quarterback against South Florida next year?

That’s an unbelievably tough question to answer. The fact that Dayne Crist is going to be out for the entire spring will allow Tommy Rees, Andrew Hendrix, and possibly Everett Golson to get all the snaps. Suddenly, there will be an entire slew of young guys who will have caught up to him in terms of knowing and being comfortable with the offense and none will carry Dayne’s injury baggage.

I want Dayne to find a way to win the job. I want him to bounce back and I want him to be great. I think that Kelly will give him an opportunity to reclaim his spot, but Rees will ultimately take the first snap against South Florida. I don’t think Rees will have the job for very long, but he’ll get the first crack at it.

5) We’re all very excited for Saturday night at Yankee Stadium, which is a nice turn towards some pretty exciting neutral site games (Miami at Soldier Field, Arizona State at Cowboys Stadium) after a rather lackluster start (Washington State in San Antonio). What are three neutral site games you’d like to see down the road?

1. Alabama at Georgia Dome (Atlanta)…if Notre Dame ascends over the next few years this would be an epic, stop the presses showdown.

2. Wisconsin at Lambeau Field…This would be absolutely awesome.

3. Oregon at Qwest Field (Seattle)…Fun stadium, fun opponent, fun time.