Yeah I seriously doubt they will do it now, only guy I can remember being let go during the season was the infamous Brian Van Gorder. Who they should have fired at the end of the previous season and not brought him back. As I said the problem is what will they do to replace him? I hope they don't just elevate Gino (QB Coach). I hope the AD (Swarbrick or the new guy) Tell him to go out and find the guy he thinks is the best. Then support paying, last year there were rumors that the reason Ludwig (Utah guy) didn't come was that Swarbrick balked at paying his buyout. This also brings up that if a new OCoord is hired will that guy bring in some of his guys? That's not unusual, but also not something that is a deal breaker. Tommy Rees took was Saban gave him as an offensive staff and I'm sure he's not the only Coordinator who was told he'd have to work with the existing staff.
We all remember Jeff Faine who was an AA Center at ND and the #1 draft pick of the Browns in the 2003 NFL draft. He played 9 years in the NFL. What's he done with his life, well it turns out a lot. Here's a good story about him. Faine, an NFL veteran and former All-American center on the Fighting Irish football team, received the Harvey J. Foster Award for his dedication to providing life-changing mentorship, education and support for young people transitioning out of foster care. Notre Dame Alumni Association Executive Director Dolly Duffy, from left, alumnus Jeffrey Faine, wife Brittnie Faine and children Breck and Kai Faine and President of the Alumni Association Board of Directors Liz Trantowski. Thomas Jorling, Jeffrey Faine recognized with Alumni Association awards
Last weekend was filled with losing, football lost and both soccer teams lost in the ACC tournament and the Irish women were hammered by So.Carolina in Paris. This weekend is off to a better start as Irish Hockey got the win last night over Ohio State. Irish women's soccer hosts Valpo in the NCAA 1st round. Men's Basketball plays a good Western Carolina (in the Southern Conf) at home this afternoon. Women's Basketball plays New Jersey Institute of Technology, which would seem like it would be played at home but they travel to Newark of all places for the game Sunday.
Irish men lose to Western Carolina. 71-61. As expected with this team, we had some good, but not enough as Coach Shrewsberry works to rebuild the program.
Irish women soccer beat Valpo in the 1st round game of the NCAA tournament Irish Hockey sweeps Ohio State on home ice, Friday night was a solid 4-1 win and tonight was another win, a 3-0 shutout. Not sure how good this squad is to tell you the truth, we are 6-3-2.overall and 2-0-2 in the Big 10.
For those who believe there may be a shakeup among the offensive coaches. The Penn State OC just got fired and is available.
Irish women's basketball had an easy win at NJIT in Newark. One thing that is clear, Hannah Hildalgo is a star in the making, she is a force to be reckoned. I do wonder what coach will do when Olivia Miles is ready to play? Also the Irish picked up a 2025 DL, he's not a top 100 player or even a 4 star. So it's a case of the staff has seen him and believes he can come in and develop and play. Elmhurst (Ill.) Immaculate Conception LB Dominik Hulak Height: 6-3 Weight: 225 Commitment date: Nov. 10, 2023 On3 Ranking: No. 52 LB and No. 13 player from Illinois Notre Dame was always going to be tough to beat for Hulak, a Chicagoland prospect who visited South Bend four times prior to his decision, with each trip occurring this calendar year. Hulak also was high on Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin, visiting those three programs at least two times each. Hulak fills the “money” position vacancy for Notre Dame’s 2025 class. Graduate student Marist Liufau currently primarily plays linebacker. However, Liufau has also played a healthy dose of defensive line snaps. During his sophomore season, Hulak had 57 solo tackles, 3 for loss, 2 pass breakups, 2 fumble recoveries and a sack. He even blocked a field goal.
I know this is a ND thread and Tim is not the biggest Purdue fan there is but if you'll let me post this I'll bug out and leave y'all alone. (And by the way that was a GREAT catch!).
Well Marcus Freeman is on record now that the Irish will looking at the Portal for a QB. He's apparently already talked to Angeli, and Minchey about it and the need for 4 scholarship QB's. The problem is of course that he could easily lose Angeli and then he'll be back to 3 QB's. The transfer portal is a two-way street. Players must leave one program to join another. Within the last year Notre Dame lost two QBs to the portal in Drew Pyne and Tyler Buchner. Every position must be bolstered to protect against potential exits. A surefire starter could be in the cards, but with the position Notre Dame finds itself in somebody is better than nobody. Freeman made that clear. “As I told Steve and Kenny, who have done a really good job in practice, we owe it to this program to try to put four quarterbacks on scholarship,” Freeman said. “That’s the number we have allotted for.” In other news, Rocco Spindler is out for the season with a knee injury and Zeke Correll is in the concussion protocol. Ashton Craig filled in for him in the Clemson game when he went down and it's expected that Billy Schrauth will take Rocco's spot. On the plan with Rocco Spindler out and Zeke Correll questionable “I think what we would do right now is you will see how we finished the game with Billy Schrauth coming in at the right guard position. Then Ashton Craig did a really good job filling in at the center position. I was really impressed with what he did. Now, Andrew (Kristofic) played well. He still has a high ankle sprain, didn't practice much last week, but I think if we played today, it would be Aston Craig and Billy Schrauth, and we'll see how Zeke progresses this week and then even Andrew Kristofic, how he progresses.” In other news, Men's Soccer earned a #2 National Seed and will play the winner of Xavier/Kentucky at Alumni Field on Sunday. The women will play Memphis in Fayetteville Ark this Friday in the next round of the NCAA tournament.
The final game of the regular season at Palo Alto will only be on the PAC 12 Network. From what I am reading only FUBO TV and Sling TV carry the Pac12 network. Both are available on my ROKU device and offer free 7 day trials. So that's what I'm going to do to watch the Stanford game.
From Tim O'Malley. 8 — Point Spread…and it’s a Whopper: Notre Dame is favored by 25 points vs. (4-6) Wake Forest on Senior Day. A few thoughts: Only Florida State has scored in excess of 30 points vs. the Demon Deacons this season. Notre Dame’s last two home games have featured 106 points scored by the hosts Notre Dame’s last five Senior Days: 44-0, 55-0, 45-21, 40-7, 42-13 I have no idea (less than ever regarding a Notre Dame team, it seems), but considering how the Irish have performed at home of late, I’m inclined to give those points, as Wake Forest has not played good football of late. A 25-point favorite in a 47.5 O/U game suggests a 37-10 final for the Irish to cover and be at the total.
I would take WF and the points in this one. We have a sketchy OC, a QB in the midst of a serious slump playing against his old teammates, two interior linemen out and Senior day where Freeman will want to empty his bench late. And ND has no reason to post a substantial win, that ship has sailed.