Tag: Notre Dame Fighting Irish

How Do You Build the All-Time Greatest Notre Dame Receiver?

I’ve only been contributing to the Irish Wire for a short time, but in that time, I feel like I’ve used it as a forum to serve as President of Chase Claypool’s fan club. And guess what? I’m ok with that! But during the course of our frequent …

I’ve only been contributing to the Irish Wire for a short time, but in that time, I feel like I’ve used it as a forum to serve as President of Chase Claypool’s fan club. And guess what? I’m ok with that!

But during the course of our frequent exchange of e-mails and direct messages, Irish Wire Grand Poobah Nick Shepkowski brought up the idea for the following: How would you build your perfect Notre Dame wide receiver?  He says it was because of something Golden Tate tweeted in regards to Claypool earlier this week.

Me, being the sucker for any article idea with historical context, started mapping out my ultimate pass-catcher. A few rules before we get started on my list. First, each player can only be used once for the various characteristics. Of course some of these guys could be on there for various things, but we’re trying to spread the love. Next, my own historical reference dates back to right around 1990. Sorry Tim Brown, Tom Gatewood and Jack Snow fans. Finally, this is my list. I’m not going to pretend like I know everything. I welcome the debate. Now, on with the construction.

We start with my most important trait for a wide receiver. 

First up: Best Hands

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7, Page 8, Page 9, Page 10, Page 11, Page 12, Page 13

Must-Watch: Ruhland on Injured Line-Mates

Imagine being in your last year of eligibility and not getting to play the game you love, or at least not getting playing time because your buddies have beaten you out for the job.

Imagine being in your last year of eligibility and not getting to play the game you love, or at least not getting playing time because your buddies have beaten you out for the job.

Then suddenly a couple of your buddies get hurt and you’re called upon to fill in as they’re done for the season.

Are you happy for the opportunity or sad for your friends being hurt?

It’s easy to think in hypotheticals but what if you’re actually living that very situation?

That is indeed the case for Trevor Ruhland, a fifth-year, enjoying his final few weeks in the blue and gold. Now how does the Notre Dame veteran offensive lineman feel about getting playing time because of injuries to his teammates?

As former NFL executive Phil Emery used to call it – “great teammateship” was shown here by the Cary, Illinois product.

CFP Rankings: Notre Dame Done No Favors by Committee

Auburn clearly has a better win to its name than Notre Dame has as the Tigers knocked off now No. 6 Oregon way back on opening weekend.

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The latest College Football Playoff rankings were released Tuesday night with little actual movement at the top as Nos. 1-6 all remained the exact same as a week ago.

What will perhaps anger some Notre Dame fans however is what happened to the Irish after dismantling previously No. 23 Navy:

The Irish remained at 16 with three-loss Auburn coming in a spot above them at 15.

Auburn clearly has a better win to its name than Notre Dame has as the Tigers knocked off now No. 6 Oregon way back on opening weekend.

The Irish have one win over a top-25 team, that being in mid-October over No. 23 USC. They also knocked Navy out of the top-25 last week while Virginia Tech is knocking on the door to enter the rankings.

Is it frustrating that you see three losses next to Auburn’s name and two next to Notre Dame’s yet see the Tigers ranked ahead?

Absolutely.

But the problem here isn’t an Auburn/Notre Dame problem, it’s a Notre Dame/Michigan problem.

If Notre Dame shows up for that game and simply doesn’t get routed they’re not sitting at 16 right now, they’re a couple spots higher and the path to a Cotton Bowl is much easier to figure out.

But get blown out in a game where a 45-14 was somehow worse than the score even indicated.

I wish I could work up the energy to be upset but it’s as simple as that late-October date in Ann Arbor will probably cost the Irish a New Year’s Six date, which sucks for Irish fans but is plenty deserved.

Vanderbilt Keeping Mason Good News for Notre Dame

What it means for Notre Dame is that defensive coordinator Clark Lea won’t be leaving to take that head coaching vacancy that many feared he would.

Derek Mason is returning to Vanderbilt for a seventh year, Pete Thamel of Yahoo! Sports reported today which means good things for the Notre Dame football program.

You may be asking or saying to yourself “How the heck does it matter, they play Vandy once every 20 years or so, if that, so it’s not like an easy win is coming anytime soon for the Irish…”

Not that the last two times the two met were any walks-in-the-park for Old Notre Dame.

What it means for Notre Dame is that defensive coordinator Clark Lea won’t be leaving to take that head coaching vacancy that many feared he would.

Lea walked onto the football team at Vanderbilt after spending time early in college playing baseball at a couple of smaller schools. He wound up at Notre Dame as linebackers coach in 2017 before taking over the defensive coordinator position a year later.

With the success Lea’s defenses have had at Notre Dame the link to him taking a next step and becoming a head coach, specifically at his alma mater is obvious.

Right now the Notre Dame defense ranks in the top-20 nationally in fewest points per game, fewest yards per play, third down conversion percentage, passing yards per game, completion percentage and yards per pass-attempt.

As frustrating as the run defense was at times this year, you can’t argue the unit overall has produced yet again.

This isn’t an athletic director giving out a “yeah, we love him, he’s our coach” type of line, it’s an actual report that Mason will be back at Vanderbilt, who currently sits 2-8.

Which means Lea should in all-likelihood be back at Notre Dame in 2020, a great thing for the program.

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.

Notre Dame Opens a 19.5 Point Favorite vs. Boston College

Standing between them and a 7-0 home record and a 9-2 overall mark is Boston College who has been known to be a general nuisance over the years.

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No. 15 Notre Dame has the chance Saturday to secure their second-straight undefeated home season. Standing between them and a 7-0 home record and a 9-2 overall mark is Boston College who has been known to be a general nuisance over the years.

Notre Dame has taken six-straight in the Holy War and 15 of 24 all time versus Boston College and will be a significant favorite to do so yet again Saturday, opening as a 19.5 pick.

Odds via BetMGM. Access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated 11/18 at 2:09 p.m. ET.

Boston College is seeking bowl eligibility as they enter at 5-5. The Eagles will be coming off a bye but lost their last time out, November 9 against Florida State, 38-31.

No. 15 Notre Dame meanwhile will enter at 8-2 and winners of their last three and are still in play for their third-straight ten-win season, which they haven’t accomplished since 1991-93.

Want to get in on the action? Place your bet now at BetMGM.” 

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Irish in the NFL: Rudolph Puts Vikings in Front

Make that five times now in his last five games.

Last week we discussed how Kyle Rudolph had turned a corner after he pulled down a pair of one-yard touchdowns in Minnesota’s victory Sunday night at Dallas.

Despite a slow start that saw him fail to get in the end zone through six games, Rudolph managed to find pay-dirt four times in the four games since.

Well.

Make that five times in his last five games.

The Vikings got off to an incredibly slow start Sunday against the underdog Broncos, falling behind 20-0 on their home field by halftime.

The Vikings came marching back in the second half before Rudolph put them in front for the first time all day.

Tight End U at it again as the Vikings held on to win, 27-23.

Watch: Quenton Nelson’s EPIC Keg-Stand Touchdown Celebration

former Notre Dame stud offensive guard Quenton Nelson and the rest of the offensive line performed one of the best group touchdown celebrations to date

The Indianapolis Colts are in a dogfight for a playoff spot, battling with the Houston Texans for the AFC South lead.

In an important divisional game for the Colts on Sunday, they started slow but began to pull away from the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second half.

After the Colts scored to go up 16-7 in the third quarter, former Notre Dame stud offensive guard Quenton Nelson and the rest of the offensive line performed one of the best group touchdown celebrations to date.

Keg stands for the win.

Please never change, Q.

AP Poll: Notre Dame Back in Top 15

What it all means is that if Notre Dame wins out they’ll have a realistic chance at finishing the regular season in the top-10

The latest AP Poll is out after Week 12 concluded and Notre Dame moved up in that one as well, just like the Amway Coaches Poll Powered by USA Today, earlier today.

The latest poll is as follows:

Here is the new top 25:

1) LSU

2) Ohio State

3) Clemson

4) Georgia

5) Alabama

6) Oregon

7) Utah

8) Oklahoma

9) Penn State

10) Florida

11) Minnesota

12) Michigan 

13) Baylor

14) Wisconsin

15) Notre Dame

16) Auburn

17) Cincinnati

18) Memphis

19) Iowa

20) Boise State

21) SMU

22) Oklahoma State

23) Appalachian State

24) Texas A&M

25) Virginia Tech

Others receiving votes:

Indiana 47, Iowa State 31, Virginia 23, Navy 13, Air Force 12, Pittsburgh 9, San Diego State 7, USC 6, Washington 6, Texas 4, Illinois 1

How high can Notre Dame get by the end of the year? It’ll need help to be in the top-10 but here are a few things to take note of:

Wisconsin and Minnesota still have to play in two weeks, while Baylor has a great chance of meeting Oklahoma in the Big XII Championship which would mean a pair of guaranteed loses ahead of Notre Dame.

It’s also worth noting Penn State and Michigan both have to play Ohio State where the Buckeyes will be favored against both, meaning two more very possible losses for teams Notre Dame is within shouting distance off.

Finally Oregon and Utah meeting in the PAC-12 Championship will mean one more guaranteed loss by one of them.

What it all means is that if Notre Dame wins out they’ll have a realistic chance at finishing the regular season in the top-10 and in turn, have an actual chance at a Cotton or Orange Bowl appearance.

Stay tuned as the Irish continue their quest for a ten-win regular season and possibly a NY-6 bowl as they welcome Boston College to South Bend on Saturday.

Amway Coaches Poll: Notre Dame Moves Up

A week after dropping a spot, Notre Dame moved back up in the latest Amway Coaches Poll, Powered by USA Today

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Last week some Notre Dame fans were upset when the Amway Coaches Poll Powered by USA Today was released because the Fighting Irish dropped a spot to No. 16 despite having their way at Duke.

The Irish were rewarded for their win over previously No. 23 as they moved up one spot to No. 15 in this week’s poll.

Here is the latest Amway Coaches Poll, Powered by USA Today:

1. LSU

2. Ohio State

3. Clemson

4. Georgia

5. Alabama

6. Oregon

7. Oklahoma

8. Utah

9. Penn State

10. Florida

11. Minnesota

12. Michigan

13. Baylor

14. Wisconsin

15. Notre Dame

16. Auburn

17. Cincinnati

18. Memphis

19. Boise State

20. Iowa

21. SMU

22. Appalachian State

23. Oklahoma State

24. Texas A&M

25. San Diego State

Dropped out:

Navy, Texas and Indiana