For those who say we should remove this game from our schedule, who have no appreciation for history, for the depth of this relationship. I challenge you to read this article from start to finish.
Yeah the Navy game is more controversial since they went to the triple option and more than a few fans don't like playing them due to the possibility of injuries due to cut blocking technique that they use. Now the NCAA has changed the rules regarding the cut block and it's a lesser concern. They haven't been eliminated but changed. Moving forward, all blocks below the waist outside the tackle box are prohibited. Backs must be stationary and inside the box at the snap in order to throw cut blocks. This was done in an effort to cut down on knee injuries for defensive players. Beyond that ND isn't the only school to have a traditional opponent that rarely if ever wins. Fla beat Kentucky every year for a long time. Neb had long winning streaks against many of their old foes in the Big 8. I think they rarely if ever lost to KU, KState and Iowa State. So for me personally I fear the Navy game because their style of play is so different than anything our defense see's that they have to completely change their mindset. This has resulted in a lot of games where talentwise we were head and shoulders above them but they executed their offense so well that they kept games very close. We've still only lost to them 4 times since 1964. Currently we have won 4 straight games. When Navy has a good option QB they are just so tough, like Keenan Reynolds and Malcolm Perry. Both those guys were just outstanding athletes and ran the option to near perfection. They don't have one of those this year. What I do wonder though is that like Stanford was undersized on the DL, so is Navy. But Stanford came up with a scheme that frustrated the Irish running game and beat up since Pyne wasn't able to make them pay for it. I wonder if Navy DCoord has been watching that Stanford game tape.
I've always enjoyed watching the Triple Option of the Service Academies, except when they are playing the Irish. When it's going well it's poetry in motion. I was a big fan of Dee Dowis and the Morgan brothers at USAFA. Kenan Reynolds and Malcolm Perry at the Naval Academy.
You guys remember Justin Ademilola coming off at the end and was walking gingerly? I was worried of course that it was some sort of leg/joint injury that might end his season. Turned out he got kneed in the nuts! He'll be fine!
It's been expected that Cincinnati Moeller 2024 CB, Karson Hobbs, would decommit from South Carolina and flip to the irish. Well he's decommitted from the Gamecocks and it's expected he'll announce for the Irish soon. Everybody is excited about this, but it's not like he's a top 100 player. He's a 3 star kid and the #42 ranked CB in the 247 composite. But if Freeman and Golden like him then welcome to Notre Dame!
Navy lost their Starting QB for the season. Believe it or not they were getting some PASSING yards with him.
The relationship between ND and Navy is well known. My dad was a 90 wonder naval officer after he graduated from ND. The Navy game has always allowed the Irish to play in venues that they usually didn't get to. I've gone to Navy games in Cleveland, the Meadowlands and Dublin. All were a great time even though it rained at Cleveland's Memorial Stadium. I doubt that Navy will be as macho as Clemson was avoiding ND's OL head on. I expect that they'll try to attack from the corners run blitzing behind our O line. This has been successful for some teams including Stanford.
I'd expec that Navy will do exactly what gipper said, that Stanford DL was undersized and young and they gave our OL fits all night and held us to 150 yds rushing. You'd think that our QB would have been able to take advantage of them stacking the box to stop the run, but he wasn't and the passing game was awful that night. While I certainly don't expect that Navy will stump the Irish like Stanford did, if they do the same thing and execute it well it will put pressure on Drew Pyne and the passing game to make them pay. If he can't do that then this might be a low scoring game where we need the defense to give us a big boost with some turnovers and very short fields.
National Signing Day for Basketball...Mike Brey brings in a nice class. 247 Sports National Rank: No. 21 recruiting class 247 Sports Overview: Mike Brey's offense at Notre Dame values players who can shoot the ball and he hit that nail on the head with this recruiting class. Friedrichsen and Dunlap are considered two of the premier shooters in their class. A 6-foot-2 shooting guard, Friedrichsen is capable of heating up off the catch or bounce. Dunlap provides more size than Friedrichsen as a wing which will force defenses to make him a priority when he is on the floor. 2022 Signing Day NDMBB
Irish Womens Soccer gets a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The women have had a really good season and are a threat to win it all. There are a lot of very good women's programs out there so it will be a tough road. But maybe we can make it! INDIANAPOLIS – For the first time since 2008, the Notre Dame women’s soccer team has earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Therefore, the road to the 2022 College Cup runs through South Bend as the Irish could host up to four games at Alumni Stadium. The top-four seeds in the South Bend quadrant are as follows: No. 1 Notre Dame, No. 2 North Carolina, No. 3 Stanford and No. 4 Michigan State. Up first, the Irish will play Summit League Tournament Champion Omaha (7-8-6) on Saturday, Nov. 12, at 2 p.m. ET. Irish Earn No. 1 Seed in NCAA Tournament
Irish Baseball signed a nice class as well today. Lots of pitchers! Signing Day | Notre Dame Baseball Signing Loaded Pitcher Class in 2023 It’s signing day and a big day for Notre Dame baseball as the Irish will sign a pitcher heavy 2023 class on Wednesday. New Notre Dame head coach Shawn Stiffler and his staff did a great job keeping the core of the class together since his hiring in July, while also adding a few pieces in LHP Justin Mayes and RHP Keenan Mork. Seven pitchers will ink with Notre Dame today, including two 6-foot-7 pitchers in Dennis Helwig and Hagan Ward. Noah Greenseid is also another big-time arm and a big body at 6-foot-4. Perhaps the hidden gem of the class and one of the most underrated players in the entire country is RHP Jack Radel out of South Dakota.
Irish Women basketball so far is only going to have one player in the class, Floridian Emma Risch who is a top 50 player and a really good pickup for the Irish women. There is a slim possibility that another player could fall our way, but it's slim. InsideNDSports - Sharpshooter Emma Risch set to sign with Notre Dame WBB; with more to come?
It looks like Dan Orlovsky will be doing the commentary for the ND-Navy game on Saturday. I'm looking forward to hearing his analysis. By the way, this excerpt from his Twitter profile is for gipper: "Retired 12 year NFL QB. Endzones should be 11 yards <laughing emoji>."
Ironically, I heard an interview with Navy Coach Niumatalolo after the Cincy game where he actually expressed his anguish that Navy only got 3 offensive possessions in the first half. That's exactly what Navy does to most teams with their style of offense. Can't say I have much empathy for him.
• When I think of…the start of the men’s basketball season Thursday night against Radford, Mike Brey doesn’t hesitate to list the mid-major programs that he has lost to at Purcell Pavilion during his previous 22 seasons with the Irish. He had them on the tip of his tongue and rattled them off Wednesday -- Radford, Loyola Marymount, Indiana State, Ball State and North Dakota State. Loyola Marymount in December of 2009, Indiana State in November of 2013, North Dakota State in December of 2013, Ball State in December of 2017, and Radford in December of 2018. Now the Highlanders out of Radford, Virginia get another shot at the Irish. Their roster is loaded with transfers and athletes. Mike Brey said they play “with a 15-second shot clock.” In a conversation with Brey walking into Purcell Pavilion Wednesday, he suggested that Youngstown State – Sunday’s opponent – is probably better than Radford. 12COMMENTS In other words, the veteran Irish basketball team is on upset alert twice within a 72-hour period to open the season, although a pair of victories would help Notre Dame’s resume´, just as a win over NCAA tournament-bound Corpus Christi did last season.