Tag: pac-12 football

Report: Clay Helton Out at USC

Helton entered the year very much on the hot seat and no-doubt an 8-4 record with a bad loss at BYU, another loss to Notre Dame and a blowout loss to Oregon didn’t help his cause.

After an up-and-down season it appears change is on the way in Troy.

Sports Illustrated is reporting USC will let Clay Helton go, creating a very interesting job opening for Notre Dame’s biggest rival.

Helton entered the year very much on the hot seat and no-doubt an 8-4 record with a bad loss at BYU, another loss to Notre Dame and a blowout loss to Oregon didn’t help his cause.

The article lists Urban Meyer as USC’s top-target.

Even with the off-the-field issues he carries with him everywhere he goes, Meyer is a legendary football coach who would be a knockout hire.

Helton ends his USC run with a 40-21 overall record and a Rose Bowl victory at the conclusion of the 2016 season.

Helton started 21-6 in his first two full-seasons in charge but finished just 13-11 since the start of 2019.

Helton went 1-4 in his five games against Brian Kelly led Notre Dame, losing his debut in 2015 and winning in blowout fashion in 2016 before dropping the last three rivalry match-ups.

Stay tuned to FIW as this story and coaching search at Notre Dame’s biggest rival continues to develop.

No. 16 Notre Dame Beats Stanford: 5 Quick Thoughts

The 2019 regular season comes to an end and 10-2 ends up the final record and along with it come some different feelings than we’d probably have expected had most of us been told 10 wins was happening back in August

It wasn’t the prettiest of starts but Notre Dame settled down impressively well, specifically after a blocked punt late in the first half that set up a touchdown to draw the Irish within a 17-14 deficit.

Shortly after Chase Claypool and Ian Book did what they’ve done so well together this year and gave the Irish their first lead of the game, 21-17 just before halftime.

From there the ball just rolled for the Irish who walked out with their tenth win of the season and first win at Stanford since all the way back in 2007.

The 2019 regular season has come to an end and in all likelihood a date in the Camping World Bowl awaits.  Here are your five instant thoughts from Notre Dame’s 45-24 victory at Stanford.

First up – More praise for Clark Lea

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No. 16 Notre Dame/Stanford: First Half Thoughts

Mercy, what a start and not in a good way. Don’t know if it was too much wine with the turkey or what but the first roughly 25 minutes or so were about as flat as a team trying to give any reason to get elevated in the CFP rankings could look. A …

Mercy, what a start and not in a good way. Don’t know if it was too much wine with the turkey or what but the first roughly 25 minutes or so were about as flat as a team trying to give any reason to get elevated in the CFP rankings could look.

A blocked punt while trailing 17-7, capped by a quick touchdown from Ian Book to Tommy Tremble bailed out an offensive line who was unable to help punch it in from the one before false starting.

The touchdown pass to Tremble was an incredible throw by Book, one he made while moving away.

The then 41 yard touchdown pass from Book to Chase Claypool put the Irish ahead for the first time today. Claypool took a while to find his feet at Notre Dame but is an absolute beast of a playmaker who is going to be missed next season.

5 First Half Thoughts:

Stanford might be young and bad at 4-7 but this game clearly means something to them. They came out guns a blazing while the Irish needed 25 minutes to get warmed up it appeared.

If it ain’t Lenzy, it ain’t working in the running game. I know the offensive line is beat up and regulars are and have been out for sometime but even on a sloppy track I expected a lot more out of the run game early today.

Notre Dame’s pass defense entered today as the third most efficient unit in the nation but don’t tell that to Stanford. Have been impressed largely by Davis Mills, specifically his willingness to stay in the pocket, deliver a strike while knowing a huge hit was coming on the second Cardinal touchdown of the day.

Defensive line took this game over the last few Stanford possessions. Tell me how they play the rest of the way and I’ll tell you if Notre Dame wins and/or covers.

Notre Dame has had better special teams the majority of this season than its opponents. The blocked punt was huge in waking up the Irish but that’s something that has felt like a rarity during the Brian Kelly era and deserves praise again early today.

Enjoy the second half.

No. 16 Notre Dame at Stanford: Fighting Irish Wire Predictions

They’re like west-coast Boston College without being a Catholic school.

Playing at Stanford stinks.

From afar it appears nobody in the home-crowd cares, the field is reminiscent of Notre Dame Stadium’s pre-field turf and there have been plenty of nightmares there for the last decade.

With that said, No. 16 Notre Dame has to go there and win if they’re going to finish the regular season with ten wins and have even the smallest of chances of getting to the Cotton Bowl (which I declared them dead for Tuesday night).

So what happens when 9-2 Notre Dame hits the wet and torn up turf at 4-7 Stanford at 4 pm ET today?  Here’s our best guesses:

Jeff F:

It’s fitting that again Notre Dame, needing to put on a show for the playoff committee, ends up in Stanford. This place has been full of nightmares the last decade but after last season’s playoff experience they’ll be better equipped to handle today, regardless of how mediocre Stanford has been.  Time to erase a decade of heartbreak clean and get a victory today.

Notre Dame 34, Stanford 13

Nick S.:

Like some people complain about the Navy game and want to see it gone, I say the same for Stanford.  They’ve been good for ten years, otherwise just been mostly-trash that has only caused trouble once this series began being played annually.  They’re pretty much west-coast Boston College without being a Catholic school.

Show me where this beat up Stanford team is better than Notre Dame because I’m having trouble thinking the Irish don’t walk in and push around this Cardinal defense for 60 minutes with Ian Book going crazy for 150+ in the run game.

All Irish who make the Cardinal quit, yet Brian Kelly keeps it respectable against David Shaw.

Notre Dame 38, Stanford 10

 

Notre Dame/Stanford: Get Ready By Reliving Two Classics

Enough with the negative ends, how about we get ready for game day and a chance at another ten-win regular season with something positive that’s happened against Stanford instead?

No. 16 Notre Dame finishes up their regular season at Stanford today in a game that should feature plenty of rain, wind and a sloppy track.  As we discussed earlier this week, Stanford has been a house of horrors for the last decade with Notre Dame losing each of their last five games there.

Enough with the negative ends, how about we get ready for game day and a chance at another ten-win regular season with something positive that’s happened against Stanford instead?

Or, even better than that  – how about two classic finishes against Stanford?

We all remember the 2012 season.  5-0 and No. 7 Notre Dame was hosting No. 17 Stanford in a match-up the Irish had lost the last three meetings between.

Trailing late the Irish rallied to send things to overtime where an all-time finish awaited:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpK7QUG3cbE&w=560&h=315]

Two years later the Irish were off to another hot start, sitting at 4-0 and No. 9 when No. 14 Stanford returned to South Bend.

Although 2014 didn’t end with a 12-0 regular season like two years previous did so this one gets more forgotten about in Irish lore, but for one afternoon Ben Koyack was a legend.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWEJy5hUZfc&w=560&h=315]

Here’s to hoping today’s game ends that five game losing streak out there, but doesn’t require any last second heroics, either!

Storm A Brewing for Notre Dame’s Stanford Trip

Although I’m guessing the final score won’t quite reach 57-7 like it did in 2003, the traditionally sloppy track at Stanford Stadium will probably mean for a lot of strict running plays.  

Last time we saw Notre Dame play in a heavy rain storm was when they were getting dealt a slice of humble pie in Ann Arbor.  If the mood of the night for the Fighting Irish could be described by a kind of weather it’d be the cold (almost) November rain that fell on them during that 45-14 loss in late-October.

Saturday’s game won’t be played under the lights in Stanford but it will offer plenty of rain between the Fighting Irish and Cardinal.

The Weather Channel lists the chances of rain at 70% for early Saturday in Palo Alto, California with the chances of it only increasing as the day turns to night.  The forecast also calls for a solid 16-18 MPH wind throughout the afternoon.

Although I’m guessing the final score won’t quite reach 57-7 like it did in 2003, the traditionally sloppy track at Stanford Stadium will probably mean for a lot of strict running plays.

Perhaps the Fighting Irish can match or surpass the 320 yards and four touchdowns they rushed for in that 2003 season-finale.

For what it’s worth the Cardinal are allowing 147.2 rush yards per contest in 2019 while Notre Dame is averaging 177.3 yards on the ground per contest this year.

Kickoff is set for 4 PM ET and will air on FOX.

 

Notre Dame/Stanford: David Shaw Throws A Book of Praise

I’ll be the first to say that Book gets criticized a ton for not being as great as some of the Heisman or national championship contending guys and his performance against Michigan was inexcusable.

However, the young man is still one of the better ones you’ll find in all of college football

Stanford head football coach David Shaw was once widely regarded as among the best in the country and potentially destined for the NFL.

You don’t hear that as much the last two years as Stanford fell from the top-ten to a 9-4 squad last season before regressing to a 4-7 team this year as they enter their final game of 2019.

When meeting the media like he does every Tuesday during the season, Shaw was asked about his next opponent, No. 16 Notre Dame.

As most coaches normally do, he gave a lot of praise to this week’s foe, but saved the most compliments for the Fighting Irish quarterback.

A quarterback that just makes plays, with his legs. I told the team yesterday, I don’t know that there’s many quarterbacks in the country that about half the season he’s led them in passing and rushing. It’s not that there are a whole bunch of designed quarterback runs, it’s just the kid’s got a great feel for football. He pushes up in the pocket and can escape, can buy time with his legs, it’s hard to get your arms around and wrap him up and bring him down. – David Shaw on Ian Book

I’ll be the first to say that Book gets criticized a ton for not being as great as some of the Heisman or national championship contending guys and his performance against Michigan was inexcusable.

However, the young man is still one of the better ones you’ll find in all of college football and with what has gone on at Stanford this year, you can bet Shaw would love to have the stability of Book at his quarterback spot.

Book’s first home-start in 2018 came against then-seventh ranked Stanford last September.

Book shined bright under the lights throwing for 278 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for 47 more yards.

Here’s to hoping he does the same to Stanford on what looks like it’ll be a very sloppy track in Palo Alto.

No. 16 Notre Dame A Massive Favorite Over Stanford

Stanford will be done for the year following Saturday, failing to go to a bowl game for the first time since 2008 which was Jim Harbaugh’s second year with the Cardinal.

Two teams headed in opposite directions will meet late Saturday afternoon in California as 4-7 Stanford plays host to No. 16 Notre Dame.

A win would give Notre Dame their third straight 10-win season, something they haven’t accomplished three seasons in a row since between 1991 and 1993.

Stanford will be done for the year following Saturday, failing to go to a bowl game for the first time since 2008 which was Jim Harbaugh’s second year with the Cardinal.

Notre Dame has not won at Stanford since 2007 while Brian Kelly is 0-5 all-time in Palo Alto, California.  Despite that Notre Dame is a huge favorite against the struggling Cardinal on Saturday, currently sitting as a 16.5 point road-favorite.

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

Notre Dame marched to victory over Stanford last year 38-17 but has not won comfortably at Stanford since 2003 when a 57-7 win led by Tyrone Willingham finished Notre Dame’s 5-7 campaign.

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Notre Dame/Stanford Kickoff Time Announced

Notre Dame vs Stanford kickoff time announced

The 2019 regular season finale for Notre Dame will take place Saturday afternoon at Stanford.

The game will be played on FOX and kickoff at 4 pm E.T.

Stanford has been a big disappointment this year as they’re just 4-7 after losing last night against rival Cal.

If the dominos fall correctly Notre Dame could be playing in the Cotton Bowl for a second year in a row, assuming a win over Stanford on Saturday.

The Irish will be looking for their first win at Stanford since 2007 while Brian Kelly is seeking his first victory in Northern California.