ND <t>I'm anxious for the spring game just to see Golson in action again if nothing else. Also expect to see Zaire with a lot of snaps as I'm sure he's going to see plenty of time on the field this year too.</t>
Rashad Kinlaw has been dismissed from the team. I don't even know who he is to tell you the truth. I looked him up and he's a CB from NJ, who didn't play much in HS due to broken legs so he was a bit of a reach I guess. Kelly supposedly said in his statement that he didn't live up to expectations of the football program. I don't think I've ever heard a ND football coach give that reason for a player being dismissed. I don't know what it means.
It could be related to academics. In the article I read, Kelly said he wasn't sure if the kid was still enrolled in classes. Like you, Terry, I did not recognize his name.
Very nice article on Joe Schmidt in the Ft. Wayne Journal-Gazette. He could be one of the team leaders. http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20140404/BLOGS02/140409673/1008/SPORTS
:idea: Size is important, but it isn't everything. The coach at Mater Dei HS has probably sent more players to D-1 colleges than any other coach in the country. It's a school that has sent Heisman Trophy winners to BOTH USC and Notre Dame, and has dominated HS football in this state since the 1950's. So when their coach, Bruce Rollinson, began pounding the table like I've never heard before about this Schmidt kid, it got my attention. In a school dedicated to winning at everything, including academics and community service, Schmidt stood out as maybe, "Our greatest captain ever." Rollinson doesn't normally try to over-sell his players, but in this one case, he spoke openly and often about how this kid could be a program changer for someone and about how he was being overlooked in recruiting. We also owe a debt to former Irish player and Servite HS grad Troy Niklas for encouraging Schmidt to walk on.
BTW- Coach Rollinson is a graduate of USC. He played for John McKay in the late 60's. His wife is a graduate of Notre Dame. They have two daughters. One graduated from USC and the other from Notre Dame. He always attempts to place his players at USC first, but the Irish are always able to sneak a few players out of there...
Nico Fertitta , out of Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas is our newest verbal. His dad is the UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta. He's a bit undersized at 5'9" and he hasn't got a lot of offers from big time programs. So you have to assume the staff see's something in the kid they like, but fans are ho hum over this one. I can't believe though with a name like that he's not from Joisey.
OG Trevor Ruhland from Illinois scored an offer this weekend. He's a 2015 kid. Some discussion on why he was offered as we are supposedly looking for another OT to go with Tillery and Hoge and Ruhland is an OG. Heistand supposedly loves the kid though. He's 6'4" 270...and all the OG's on the roster are 300+. Of course the kid has some growing to do so I guess by the time he arrives as a freshman (assuming he eventually verbals) he could easily be in that neigborhood. Plus I think, barring injuries, transfers, leaving early, etc we have finally built up some good depth on the OL so he won't have to play as a freshman. You always wonder what might have been different is guys like Sam Young had a couple of years on campus before they were counted on to produce as starters.
It was tight for about 5 minutes then the Irish just pulled away. On to the National Championship Game on Tuesday night. I thought it was interesting that Geno said when asked about his coaching strategy in the tournament, he said it was to beat you really badly so that t he next team didn't really want to play you. He said a lot of coaches say, lets just win this game and worry about the next game, he wants to destroy the team he's playing. When he has a great team, which is pretty often, he does have a large margin of vicotory, I guess he never really thinks about taking his foot off the gas when he gets a big lead.
Anthony Rabasa? Remember him? Maybe he'll be a contributor on defense finally! Good article on him in the Trib. Anthony Rabasa
Tues night will be ND vs UConn for the Nat'l Title. Man I would have liked to play them with Anchowa starting, but injuries are part of the game. Got to over come them. I did notice that UConn only played 7 last night, while through out the tournament the Irish have played as many as 10 every game. So maybe we'll be fresher and if they get into foul trouble that could hurt them more than if we get into foul trouble...theoretically.
Uconn has two very big and very good players, one of whom is the national player of the year. Heard on one sports talk show that Uconn likely will be a prohibitive favorite. It's a huge challenge for the Irish. Wouldn't have it any other way.
This one will drive Tim Gentry crazy!! Jerry Tillery continues to say he's solid to ND, while visiting LSU, wearing an LSU T-Shirt, and saying he wants to take all of his visits!! I'll be shocked if this kid signs with us in Feb 2015. Could happen, but it's starting to smell like he's a Louisiana kid who likes LSU and likes the attention you get when you have a date for the prom but other guys keep asking you to go with them anyway.
ND <t>Re: Tillery.<br/> <br/> Terry, <br/> <br/> Doesn't really drive me crazy anymore or at least not near as much as it use to . I wondered about this kid from the beginning being from Louisiana.</t>
April 7th 6:30 New Strong and True. I'm a sucker for these things... <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/u1Re0KWzN64?list=UUAMR05qSc5mfhVx20fDyAoQ" frameborder="0"></iframe>