Tag: Notre Dame Fighting Irish

2 Notre Dame players selected in Draft Wire’s 2020 NFL mock draft

Notre Dame stars Tommy Kraemer and Julian Okwara were both mocked within the first three rounds of Draft Wire’s latest 2020 NFL mock draft.

USA TODAY’s Draft Wire put together a three-round mock draft during Week 15 of the NFL season, and two Notre Dame players were projected to get selected.

First up was right guard Tommy Kraemer, who was mocked in the late second round (no. 63 overall) to the Baltimore Ravens.

Kraemer sprained his MCL and has not played in the final five games of the 2019 season. As of now, it is unclear if he will play in the Camping World Bowl. It’s also unclear if he will even declare for the NFL Draft, or if he will stay for a fifth season in South Bend.

If he does decide to go the professional route, landing in Baltimore with a chance to protect future MVP Lamar Jackson would certainly be desirable.

Next up is Julian Okwara, another injured Irish player who has played his final game of the season after suffering a broken fibula.

Okwara has seen his name pop up in the first round of a lot of draft boards, but this one has him all the way down in the third round, falling to the Kansas City Chiefs at no. 90 overall.

Okwara has all the potential in the world to be an elite pass rusher off the edge, and how he recovers from this injury will have a lot to do with his draft stock, and potential future earnings, in the NFL.

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Brian Kelly Won’t Be Calling Plays Anytime Soon…or Ever Again

Much has been made of who will be the next OC. Another question that has been asked is who will call plays? Could it be Kelly who has done so in the past?

We hadn’t heard from Brian Kelly since the end of the regular season as he hit the road recruiting right after the win against Stanford.

Saturday he met the media after the first practice to prepare for the Camping World Bowl took place. He began by discussing the news of the week, confirming Chip Long’s departure as offensive coordinator.

Much has been made of who will be the next OC. Another question that has been asked is who will call plays? Could it be Kelly who has done so in the past?

As for the Camping World Bowl it’ll be Tommy Rees coordinating the passing game while running backs coach Lance Taylor coordinating the run game. As for who actually calls the plays December 28 is yet to be hammered out.

I don’t want to discredit the importance of a good play caller – clearly look at LSU, Oklahoma and other top offenses around the nation and tell me that it doesn’t matter.

But when you’re essentially the CEO of a powerhouse college football program I can see how that can get in the way of other big-picture obligations.

Is his time best-spent calling plays and planning all of that or would he be better served spending time in recruiting, General game planning or anything else?

Safe to say we know Kelly’s answer to that question.

Brian Kelly Confirms Chip Long Out as Offensive Coordinator

Kelly said he would not give any further details of why it’s in everyone’s best interest for Long to move on.

Brian Kelly met the media on Saturday ahead of practices resuming in preparation for Iowa State and the Camping World Bowl on December 28.

The story around the Fighting Irish the last week has been in regards to Chip Long and the Offensive Coordinator position. Kelly confirmed the news that has been out for the last week.

Kelly said he would not give any further details of why it’s in everyone’s best interest for Long to move on.

He did seem to indicate the offensive coordinator position won’t simply be handed to Tommy Rees.

Again, I’m not saying Tommy Rees would be bad at the job but how do you know what else may be out there if you don’t look?

That’s the latest on the search for a new offensive coordinator at Notre Dame. Stay with us at FIW as we’ll have coverage on any news that breaks in regards to this story and anything else regarding Notre Dame football.

Notre Dame Football: Ian Book Named OPOY

But wouldn’t the most valuable player on the entire team, who also happens to play offense, be the offensive player of the year by default?

At the annual The Echoes Banquet on Friday night, Notre Dame handed out their annual team awards.  Earlier we mentioned that Chase Claypool was the resipiant of the Team MVP award and that we agreed with him getting it seeing as it felt like whenever a huge play was needed, he was called upon.

So assuredly, the Team MVP would be named the Offensive Player of the Year then, seeing as he is an offensive player, right?

Think again.

Ian Book was instead awarded the Offensive Player of the Year.

I guess there is logic in this but I never pretend to understand it.

Just like in the NFL when a player wins Offensive Player of the Year but then a different offensive player wins MVP.  If he wasn’t the best offensive player then how is he MVP?

I have nothing against Ian Book and think he gets a raw deal from a certain percentage of the Notre Dame fan-base simply because he’s not Joe Burrow or Trevor Lawrence.

He’s the quarterback and when the going gets tough he’ll be called on to make a play or a read in order to get the ball in a play-makers hand.  He isn’t perfect but he executes a lot more often than he doesn’t.  That’s worthy of praise.

But wouldn’t the most valuable player on the entire team, who also happens to play offense, be the offensive player of the year by default?

With all of that said and I’m not trying to be funny when I say this, congrats to Ian Book for winning the award even if I think Chase Claypool wasn’t only the most valuable player on the team, but also the best and most valuable player on the offense.

With all that said, winning the award is a clear sign of the respect Book’s teammates and coaches have for him and there is no-doubt value in that, especially when you’re talking about a veteran starting quarterback.

Irish in the NFL: Ronnie Stanley Key in Lamar Jackson’s MVP Caliber Season

Not only has Stanley not allowed a sack through fifteen games but he’s only allowed his quarterback to be pressured six times all season.

When you hear about Notre Dame players in the NFL you usually hear first about offensive linemen and then about tight ends. Or first about tight ends and then about those on the o-line.

When discussing the linemen, Quenton Nelson is seemingly always the first player brought up because he’s downright nasty and has the attitude that matches his play.

He’s not the only dominating offensive lineman from Notre Dame in the pros this year, however. And in fact, he might not even be the best Notre Dame lineman in the pros this season.

That title may just deserve to go to former Irish star and current Baltimore Raven, Ronnie Stanley.

Pro Football Focus did a fine job breaking down his play this season after Thursday night’s dominating win over the New York Jets.

Not only has Stanley not allowed a sack through fifteen games but he’s only allowed his quarterback to be pressured six times all season.

Yes, against the best pass rushers in the world Stanley has not only held his own but entirely dominated.

Listen, Lamar Jackson is lights-out on the field and easily the NFL MVP this season. He would probably still be more than just passable even behind an average or so offensive line.

It’s worth praising Stanley however for having his young quarterback’s back, literally, and helping to create one of the most memorable years we’ve ever witnessed by an NFL quarterback.

Notre Dame Football: Never Fear, Tyree Will Be Here

Tyree is ranked by 247Sports to be the No. 1 overall all-purpose back nationally and 25th best player nationally in the 2020 class.

Whenever you shuffle a coaching staff you wonder if it’ll effect recruiting efforts, especially if you’re replacing your offensive coordinator who was helping recruit one of the most sought after running backs in the nation.

Never fear Notre Dame fans: Chris Tyree is 100% on board with his commitment and plans to sign on day one of the Early Signing Period which comes next Wednesday.

Tom Loy of 247Sports had the full report and recap which can be found here. You can find out when Tyree will be enrolling if you click there and be able to read a few quotes from the future Notre Dame back.

Brian Kelly, Lance Taylor (RB), DelVaughn Alexander (WR) and Brian Polian (ST) all joined in on the trip to Chester, Virginia.

Tyree is ranked by 247Sports to be the No. 1 overall all-purpose back nationally and 25th best player nationally in the 2020 class.

Notre Dame Football: Iowa State Sells Out Camping World Bowl Allotment

If they traveled to San Antonio by the masses to see their Cyclones play Washington State you could bet your rear end they were going to travel to Orlando to see them take on Notre Dame.

We told you on Sunday that part of the reason Iowa State was so appealing to the Camping World Bowl was because they’ve got a passionate fan-base that makes up for a less-than-stellar team history.

We mentioned how Iowa State fans helped pack the Alamo Bowl last year and the Liberty Bowl previous to that.

You can go ahead and add the Camping World Bowl to that list.

It’s hardly surprising. If they traveled to San Antonio by the masses to see their Cyclones play Washington State you could bet your rear end they were going to travel to Orlando to see them take on Notre Dame.

In case you’re curious there are tickets available on the Notre Dame Athletic website at the time of this posting, listed between $79 and $190.

College Football Playoff Expansion: Would you Want It?

What does nobody have a logical complaint about this year though yet is still complained about regularly?
The College Football Playoff and how it needs expanded.

It’s that time of year that there are no major college football games to react to for a couple weeks aside from Army/Navy so in the tradition of the internet we’re left with a lot of venting of frustrations.

Some people are mad their coach is still around (Looking at you, USC…).

Some people are mad about the inferior bowl game their team got selected to (what’s up Fighting Irish fans?).

And others are mad about recruits flipping commitments and instead choosing a rival (Hey, Auburn!).

What does nobody have a logical complaint about this year though yet is still complained about regularly?

The College Football Playoff and how it needs expanded.

Each time I look on Twitter (I swear if it wasn’t for work I’d drop it and Facebook faster than Braden Lenzy could run past a Navy defender) it’s as if another “New and Improved” playoff format is being proposed.

Ross does great work and I have no doubt these talks have been had. I only have one question about it though:

Why?

This year’s playoff was perfect. Do we really need to see a two-loss Oregon team get added for winning the Pac-12? Does Baylor deserve in because they lost close twice to Oklahoma? Should LSU have to beat Alabama or Georgia a second time to prove they’re title worthy?

The answer to all of these is an emphatic “NO!”.

The ideas to include even more – 12 or 16 squads?

Ridiculous.

Who in their right might mind wants to see three-loss Auburn, Wisconsin, Michigan or Notre Dame get a shot?

They’re all in the top 16.

I like the idea of the regular season mattering in a big way. Rewarding good but great teams for good but not great play takes away the importance.

LSU versus Alabama was great a month ago but you know why? Because it was essentially an elimination game for the CFP.

I get the lack of excitement over heading to the Camping World Bowl but would you rather see an undeserving Notre Dame team get a playoff chance and get smoked by LSU?

I don’t see the point of that.

Because they come close to earning it and LSU shouldn’t have to beat yet another top 25 team and risk another week of injuries since its football after-all, to try to win a title.

Expansion to six teams could make sense in my eyes because it protects against the extremely unlikely chance that all five Power Five Conference champs end a season unbeaten yet one gets left out.

Beyond that is simply rewarding good, not great and I couldn’t be more against it.

All Decade Top 25: Notre Dame Good, Not Great

From a national perspective however, what is the biggest win Notre Dame had the last ten seasons?
At Oklahoma in 2012?

As the decade wraps up we’ll have more and more discussion as to the best this, that and the other in regards to college football.

Here on Fighting Irish Wire I’m working with contributor Jeff Feyerer on a ton of lists in regards to the last day decade that we’re excited to soon share and discuss with everyone of our loyal readers.

In the meantime, I stumbled into this list tonight – the top 25 programs of the decade.

I was curious how Notre Dame would rank and I think Berry Werner at Touchdown Wire did a pretty fine job.

No. 16 Notre Dame (91-37)

There are a lot of wins but the losses feel like they always come in the tougher games on the schedule, which has a load of soft spots. Brian Kelly has done a nice job getting the team to bounce back from off-years.

I have trouble arguing much with the ranking. For those curious Werner put the Irish one spot ahead of Michigan and one spot behind Michigan State.

For those curious Alabama was one while Ohio State, Clemson and Oklahoma all checked in just behind.

Oklahoma State was a little curiously ranked ahead of Notre Dame at 13 but it’s easy to forget how good their start of the decade was. It’s also hard to get to upset about a team who has won 10+ games six times in the window being ranked above, especially since they haven’t missed a bowl game since 2005 but for those interested, they have won just one more Big XII Championship in that time than Notre Dame.

Notre Dame has played for one national championship (and gotten destroyed) and made one College Football Playoff in that time, which alone gets them easily in the top-25.

From a national perspective however, what is the biggest win Notre Dame had the last ten seasons?

At Oklahoma in 2012?

Taking Florida State to the wire in 2014 or Clemson to the gun in 2015? Heartbreaking thrillers sure, but still losses.

They’ve had a seat at the table but until they knock off one of these top-five or so teams the perception will remain.

The good news however is that if you were to simply do this same top 25 over the last three seasons how many teams would come ahead of Notre Dame?

Clemson, Ohio State, Alabama, LSU, Georgia, Oklahoma and who else?

It’s the looks of a very good program on the cusp of joining the elites but until that top-five or so matchup is won, you won’t see many chirping for the Irish to be seen in quite the same class.