Tag: Trojans

USC lands prized quarterback Caleb Williams

Huge get for a huge rival

Notre Dame plays at USC to close the 2022 regular season and today Lincoln Riley officially found his quarterback at USC both for the future and for the present.

Caleb Williams, a five-star recruit who began starting for Oklahoma midway through the 2021 football season entered the transfer portal shortly after the year.  Early speculation was that he’d wind back up with his former coach at USC and that’s exactly what Williams announced on Tuesday.

Williams completed over 64% of his passes in 2021 while throwing for 1,912 yards, and 21 touchdowns to just four interceptions.  He added an additional 442 rushing yards and six rushing scores on the year.

The writing was on the wall as USC lost a pair of quarterbacks to the transfer portal this off-season so this is hardly a surprise but is certainly newsworthy for being completed.

Buckle up Notre Dame and USC fans, the rivalry between the two is about to get as heated as it was in the seventies.

Related:

Fun facts about epic Notre Dame-USC rivalry

Notre Dame transfer portal tracker (2022)

Notre Dame football coaching staff tracker

An early look at Notre Dame’s 2022 football schedule

What is a fair expectation for Notre Dame under Freeman in year one with this schedule?

Notre Dame football always draws attention entering a new season but will have even more eyes on it than normal this fall when new head coach Marcus Freeman settles in for his first year in charge.

Notre Dame’s schedule again has a handful of marquee games that will likely draw massive interest nationally.

What does Notre Dame’s 2022 schedule look like and what will the storylines for those games be?  Here is a quick look at what Freeman and the Irish have ahead of them in 2022.

Kedon Slovis chooses Pitt over Notre Dame

Did you agree with targeting him?

Former USC starting quarterback Kedon Slovis recently entered the transfer portal and Notre Dame was among the first teams to reach out.  However, the junior will instead be playing the remainder of his college football at Pitt, as he announced the decision Tuesday in the Players’ Tribune.

Slovis stated:

USC will always be a special place to me. But now it’s time for me to start a new chapter. For my next two years of eligibility, I’ll be playing quarterback at the University of Pittsburgh.

To everyone at USC including my coaches, teammates and the entire staff: Thank you for everything. I’m glad I was a Trojan. I’ll always be one.

And to everyone at Pitt: I’m feeling incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be a Panther — and I can’t wait to prove myself again on this stage.

Let’s go win some football games.

-Kedon Slovis

Slovis went 51/72 passing for 554 yards for two touchdowns and one interception in two career starts as USC’s quarterback against Notre Dame.

Notre Dame won both those games by a combined 61-43.

Notre Dame and Pitt have met 71 times all-time but are not scheduled to meet in 2022.  Slovis could possibly set what we assume would be a record though as he’ll potentially have a chance to lose his third game as a starting quarterback in Notre Dame Stadium as Pitt makes the trip to South Bend in 2023.

Related:

Best images from Notre Dame’s 2021 win over USC

Best images from Notre Dame’s 2019 win over USC

Notre Dame-USC rivalry just got a bigtime boost

It’s on and it’s about damn time, @trojanswire.

Rivalry weekend came and went this weekend as the college football fan’s Saturday started with Ohio State and Michigan before Alabama-Auburn provided a thriller.  Beyond that, seemingly the rest of the nation played for a rivalry trophy of some sort, including Notre Dame, who once again took home the Legends Trophy after the 45-14 thrashing they gave Stanford, and Oklahoma-Oklahoma State lived up to the hype in Bedlam.

Related: Did Notre Dame FINALLY make Kirk Herbstreit’s weekly rankings?

Little did we know when Lincoln Riley left the stadium in Stillwater that he’d soon be named the next head coach at USC, easily Notre Dame’s biggest rival.  When both teams are peaking there isn’t a better rivalry in college football based off impact, dislike, and overall talent. The Irish and Trojans have met 92 times and really outside of winning football games, are each others yin and yang based off plenty of perceptions.

Related: 2021 college football head coaching tracker

In recent years though, Notre Dame and USC may have kept playing  (outside of 2020, stupid pandemic) but the rivalry took a significant hit.  Not that the teams and fans don’t still have a deep disregard for the other, but the national impact hasn’t been there because rarely have both teams simultaneously been good.

Every year from 1972-1980, when Notre Dame and USC met, both teams were rated in the top 25.  In fact, five of those nine games were matchups between teams ranked in the top 10.

Recently though, this rivalry simply hasn’t been between two teams anyone has viewed as regularly great. Notre Dame and USC have met 40 times since 1981 with both being ranked ahead of those games just nine times.

Sure, we remember some of the years or moments in that time like the 1988 1. vs. 2. game or the “Bush Push”, but the annual showdown has for the most part been anything but.

Brian Kelly has turned what was a fluttering Notre Dame program back into a national powerhouse.  It’ll be a surprise to almost everyone if Lincoln Riley doesn’t quickly do the same at USC.

It may be fun as a Notre Dame fan to poke at USC during their down time but let’s face it, the Irish need USC to be good.  For instance, if this year’s USC squad was the top 10 team it should be competing to be each year, how much better would the Irish resume for the College Football Playoff be?

Instead, that October win for Notre Dame is viewed as just a victory over 4-7, Power Five team.

If Lincoln Riley is able to make USC great again, it’ll elevate the Notre Dame-USC rivalry to what it was back in its heyday.

We’ll be blessed as college football fans that this rivalry should finally have both teams annually being legit championship contenders for the first time in decades.

And if USC gets better it’ll only force Notre Dame to have to keep getting better as well.

It’s on.

Related:

Notre Dame-USC…fun facts about epic rivalry

Brian Kelly’s great success all-time vs. USC

Notre Dame-USC: greatest moment from a rivalry low point

Keyshawn Johnson appears to not be a fan of Notre Dame football

Watch: Behind the scenes of Notre Dame’s win vs. USC

Fact: Beating Southern Cal never gets old.

Notre Dame’s 31-16 win over USC moved the Irish to 6-1 on the 2021 season and marked their fourth-straight win over Southern Cal.  That winning streak is Notre Dame’s longest in the rivalry since the program won 11-straight from 1983-1993.

The win was Brian Kelly’s eighth in eleven tries against USC since taking over the Notre Dame job.  Now what is the rivalry like from the perspective of Notre Dame’s players and coaches?

This week’s Notre Dame ICON video is out and details that a good amount as last Saturday’s victory over the Trojans is showcased in grand fashion.  Take five minutes and watch the entire video below:

Notre Dame now leads the all-time series with USC, 50-37-5.  Now let’s all just hope Brian Kelly doesn’t leave South Bend for Southern Cal.

Related:

Notre Dame’s updated national bowl projections following win vs. USC

Fighting Irish-Tar Heels: Prop bets for Saturday’s night game

Notre Dame’s updated depth chart ahead of North Carolina game

 

Kirk Herbstreit names Brian Kelly as a USC possibility – really

No chance in hell, right?

I thought I had heard it all in regards to the USC coaching search on Tuesday when Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin fired any belief that he may leave his post for Southern Cal or any college job directly into the sun.

But an even more ridiculous name has been named as a USC possibility by a college football analyst I like and respect.

Notre Dame’s all-time wins leader, Brian Kelly.

Notre Dame-USC: fun facts about epic rivalry

I’m going to guess you just went back and reread the last two sentences and before you ask, no that’s not a misprint.

And I’m guessing we’re sharing the same thoughts, but I’ll proceed anyway.

Kirk Herbstreit, a man I really enjoy the work of, said on the Pac 12 Network on Sirius XM Radio Tuesday that Brian Kelly is a possibility to be USC’s next head coach.  Take a listen to the full quote below and we’ll try to make sense of this.

“I keep going back to, I think Brian Kelly would be an interesting hire and an interesting name.  I’m not saying Brian Kelly would leave Notre Dame but if I’m USC I might knock on his door and talk to him.  I don’t know if Brian Kelly would leave (for) anywhere.  You know, I think he’s in a really good spot, but it’s worth asking, so anyway, I think he could be a possibility.”

Herbstreit would go on to mention Luke Fickell of Cincinnati as a USC candidate as well.

Is Kirk baiting me?  Seriously.  Did he do a news search of his name and come across Fighting Irish Wire’s posts about his weekly top six teams or the love he recently gave Tommy Rees?  Is he trying to get me to react to this comment?

Does he think if simply says anything about Notre Dame football that I’ll react to it, no matter how outrageous it sounds?

If so then congratulations Kirk, you got me hook, line, and sinker.

I’ll say this: Herbstreit is right that it’d be an interesting hire.  That’s simply undeniable.

But there are a lot of people who would be interesting hires that would be more likely to take the job than Brian Kelly.

I don’t think Bill Parcells is up to much these days, he’d certainly make things interesting.

Charlie Weis is a new grandpa but him taking the USC job would be interesting.

Lane Kiffin would be interesting to put it subtly.

Mike Price has had a history of success out west as he led Washington State to a pair of Rose Bowl appearances.  His name would certainly be interesting, too.  As would the reality TV show that could follow his potential fun nights out in Los Angeles.

Tyrone Willing…who am I kidding?  He’d find a way to make “The Sopranos” uninteresting.

Perhaps Kelly’s agent, Trace Armstrong got in the ear of Herbstreit and got him to float the idea.  Then Kelly’s camp can go to Notre Dame brass and ask for more money, something that Kelly was asked about back in 2015 when Steve Sarkisian was fired by the Trojans.

But why on God’s green Earth would Kelly, at this point in his career and seemingly as close as he’s gotten Notre Dame to their ultimate goal, leave to go and rebuild a USC program that has so much catching up to do?

I hope Kelly at least gets himself and his assistants a couple extra bucks with all this silliness.

Related:

Brian Kelly’s all-time results vs. USC

Notre Dame’s updated bowl projections trending upwards

Notre Dame’s updated depth chart for North Carolina clash

ND-UNC: Eight prop bets for Saturday’s game 

Notre Dame’s statistical leaders through seven games

Watch: Notre Dame debuts new light show in USC night game

Seems pretty boring, doesn’t it?

When Notre Dame played at Georgia in 2019 much of the viewing audience walked away in awe of the light show that was put on by the hosts.  Shortly after Alabama debuted something similar and countless teams in different sports have followed suit since.

Saturday night was Notre Dame’s chance to debut their fancy new light show which meant for a new team entrance and tradition to start the fourth quarter.  Check out both below.

The video of the team’s entrance is from Tyler James of ND Insider:

The start of the fourth quarter was something special featuring music from Kanye’s “All of the Lights” into DJ Kool’s “Let me Clear my Throat”.  I wasn’t in attendance but it looked awesome.

And I can only imagine how well it went over for the portion of the crowd that appeared scared and offended when “Jump Around” was blared a month ago at Soldier Field against Wisconsin.

Related:

Best still images from Notre Dame’s win over USC

Notre Dame beats Southern Cal again – 5 quick takeaways

Five biggest plays from Notre Dame’s win over USC

Five stars: best and worst from Notre Dame’s win over USC

Notre Dame knocking on top-10’s door in new USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll 

The five plays that loomed large in Notre Dame’s 31-16 win over USC

These five had huge impacts on the present and future of Irish football

During the course of every football game, there are plays that stand out that make or break a team. Three to five seconds every game that can completely change the outcome. For Notre Dame and their 31-16 win over visiting USC, it was some good, and a little bad. Find out which five plays decided Notre Dame’s win over the Trojans.

5 Stars: The best and worst of Notre Dame’s win against USC

More good than bad tonight for the Irish

The Irish got a very nice win against USC, 31-16, extending their winning streak against the Trojans to four games. There was a lot to like about what Notre Dame accomplished throughout the game, but there were still some areas that they could have been better. Here are the best performances, 5 stars, and worst performances, 1 star, from the Irish in their win over USC.

Watch: Buchner’s TD runs extends Notre Dame’s lead over USC

Buchner for six

It seemed like the Trojans were on their way to making a comeback, after back-to-back touchdowns to cut the Irish lead from 24-3 down to 24-16. The Irish needed an answer and that’s exactly what they did.

Over eight plays, the Irish gained 75-yards and used up just short of 4 minutes on the clock and found the end zone on a Tyler Buchner 3-yard scoring run. It was sorely needed and it gave the Irish a cushion heading into the final 5 minutes of the game. It wasn’t the greatest drive, but two Trojan 15-yard penalties gave the Irish what they needed to find a way to pay dirty. Take a look at the scoring run by Buchner below.