Tag: Chris Zorich

Notre Dame fans have a chance to meet Riley Leonard and Chris Zorich today

A great opportunity to meet Zorich and Leonard today!

Name, Image and Likeness has changed the way college football fans can interact with players and on Friday afternoon, Notre Dame fans will have a chance to meet a current and former player.

Former Irish All-American defensive tackle [autotag]Chris Zorich[/autotag] announced today that he will be joined by current starting quarterback [autotag]Riley Leonard[/autotag] at Dicks Sporting Goods in Mishawaka, Indiana today between 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m EST.

Both of them will be signing autographs and taking pictures with Irish Nation, and there will also be a number of prizes to be won including four locker room tour tickets and a merchandise prize pack.

https://twitter.com/chris_zorich/status/1832041242911277212

It’s a great opportunity for Irish fans to interact with a former and current player. If you are in the area, it will be a fun event.

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Marcus Freeman not kidding around about improving Notre Dame talent

Is there a number of players Notre Dame should be putting into the NFL annually?

A fine catch was made by Blue-Gold Illustrated reporter Tyler Horka recently as he watched [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag]’s discussion at the Rockne Gala in Chicago last week. Freeman did a roughly hour long Q&A session with Notre Dame legend [autotag]Chris Zorich[/autotag] and covered seemingly all things regarding Fighting Irish football.

One thing that came up was Freeman’s time at Cincinnati, Notre Dame’s loss to the Bearcats last season, and the fact the Bearcats had seven more NFL draft picks this spring than Notre Dame.

“Cincinnati had nine guys drafted, right, and we had two, and don’t think talent didn’t have anything to do with that, and so that goes back to why recruiting is so important.” Freeman said. “Nine NFL players on that team and two on ours and that shouldn’t happen at Notre Dame and hopefully for the future that won’t ever happen again”

You can check out the full interview below.

Next: Let’s talk about it…

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How Twitter reacted to Notre Dame-Syracuse: Irish side

How are you feeling after that win?

This was supposed to be the front half of a tough back-to-back for Notre Dame. Sure, Syracuse had just lost to Clemson, but it still looked like a tough opponent. All of that went out the window when [autotag]Brandon Joseph[/autotag] had a pick-six on the first play from scrimmage, and the Irish almost never looked back in a 41-24 win. It gives them momentum they absolutely needed ahead of when they face Clemson themselves next week.

Although any chance of something significant coming out of this season has passed, Irish fans are waiting to see what can be salvaged. This win means there’s a good chance the Irish will finish with seven wins, and that surely would be welcome considering the disappointments that have happened this year. That fact is not lost on Irish fans, and they took to Twitter after the game to express their happiness. Here are a few examples:

Listen: Frank Stams talks about nearly losing his scholarship

What if Frank Stams hadn’t switched to defense?

Chris Zorich had former Notre Dame teammate Frank Stams on his podcast Thursday. It’s really fascinating to hear if you want to know about the Irish in the mid-to-late 1980s (Warning:  Contains some NSFW language):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTs-nPXIF4g

There’s one moment in the podcast during which Stams mentions that Lou Holtz, who was not the coach when Stams arrived in South Bend, came very close to taking away his scholarship in part because he missed the entire previous season because of injury:

That “first-year coach” who pretty much saved Stams from becoming an afterthought was Barry Alvarez. With help from the future Wisconsin legend, Stams was able to transition from fullback to linebacker. That’s how he became a key cog on the Irish’s 1988 national championship team, and it ultimately led to a seven-year NFL career. It’s amazing how a simple raise of a hand can change someone’s life for the better like it did here.

88 Days Until Notre Dame Football Returns

In 88 days we get Notre Dame football back. In the meantime, relive the last national championship team at Notre Dame!

[jwplayer wcheWLNP-er0jUifI]

In 88 days we’ll gladly all welcome Notre Dame football back when they take on the Navy Midshipmen in Annapolis.  In the meantime, we have rosters to break down, opponents to preview and position battles to discuss.

In the meantime why not take a moment to remember the last national championship football team at Notre Dame?

(19) 88: Notre Dame’s last football national championship

After Reggie Ho’s heroics helped Notre Dame to a win over Michigan in the opener the Irish rolled with wins over Michigan State, Purdue and Stanford to move to 4-0.

A win at Pitt in early October moved Notre Dame to 5-0 before the greatest Notre Dame football game many have ever seen, a 31-30 thriller over powerhouse and No. 1 Miami on October 15.

Wins over Air Force, Navy, Rice and Penn State followed before a battle with the top two ranked teams in nation when No. 1 Notre Dame traveled to No. 2 USC for the regular season finale before a 27-10 win despite being significantly out-gained by the Trojans.

The Irish then knocked quarterback Major Harris out of the game early in the Fiesta Bowl as Notre Dame won that contest 34-21, earning their first national championship since 1977 and their last claimed title on record.

Got an hour?  Check out the highlight video recapping that magical 1988 season below.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A5sT_YARUk&w=560&h=315]

How to watch the 1990 Orange Bowl with Notre Dame greats tonight

Notre Dame spent New Years Day 1990 knocking off No. 1 Colorado, ending the Buffs title dreams. Relive that game with some ND legends tonight!

Thursday night offers a pretty cool experience for Notre Dame fans looking for something different to do.  Not only can they re-live a classic Fighting Irish performance by watching No. 4 Notre Dame end No. 1 Colorado’s title dreams in the 1990 Orange Bowl, but they can watch that with a few of their favorite former Irish stars, too.

The game will be re-shown at 9:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Originally airing on NBC, we’ll get a good look at a younger Bob Costas doing pre-game while Dick Enberg is on the play-by-play.

You can also take in the game with the audio down and your internet up as Chris Zorich will be hosting a Q & A on Facebook with some of his former teammates during the game.  I don’t know exact names of those who will join him but it should bring back some good memories of an incredible run Notre Dame was in the middle of come the end of the 1989 season.

Also airing Thursday evening will be the 1992 “Snow Bowl” versus Penn State, which starts at 7:00 p.m. ET.  The night caps with the 1991 Orange Bowl between Colorado and Notre Dame again.

Maybe this time they won’t call a phantom clip.

 

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CI7mmzi07Cc&w=560&h=315]

Notre Dame Should Take Extra Step when Throwing it Back

Don’t ask me why I remember this so vividly because I don’t honestly remember. Nor do I remember what year it was that they went away but I assume when the stadium was opened post-renovations in 1997.

When No. 15 Notre Dame hosts Boston College on Saturday afternoon they’ll do so as a significant favorite in a series the Irish haven’t lost in since 2008.

They’ll also be wearing throwback uniforms made to honor the 1988 national championship team when they do so.

Unfortunately I don’t think anyone will be showing off their bare midriff quite like Chris Zorich used to, but I wouldn’t object if someone chose to.

Instead the playing field at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday should give a nod to not just the 1988 team but the entire Lou Holtz era.

No, they shouldn’t cut the capacity down to under 60,000, even if it’d mean a new sellout streak beginning, but a small, formerly unique characteristic should return Saturday afternoon.

I’m talking about the font of the yard-line markers that used to be one-of-a-kind to Notre Dame Stadium.

There are probably plenty of people reading this who are so young that they have absolutely no clue what I’m talking about. Heck, some that are old enough to remember probably don’t, either. If you’re in that boat, watch the video below and take notice of the yard line markers when you can.

Don’t ask me why I remember this so vividly because I don’t honestly remember. Nor do I remember what year it was that they went away but I assume when the stadium was opened post-renovations in 1997.

It’s an odd request from me I’m sure and I probably sound very old-school in making if. I however I promise I’m not always: I swear I love the video board and am all for the field turf as well as the “ND” on the 50 yard-line.

I just want Saturday for the actual yard-markings to get painted back to how they used to look.

And then left that way forever.