Irish are back on the field this Saturday after missing a game with Wake Forrest and having a bye week last Saturday. They needed it to overcome an outbreak of Covid-19 on the team. They finally got back to work and had a scrimmage this past weekend. No word yet on how many players will be out for FSU, there are bound to be some but not enough as of now to delay or postpone the game. Missing 2 weeks where you basically can't practice at all is different from having a week or 2 off sort of like what you have for a bowl game. Team can practice and workout and hopefully maintain the football conditioning and timing. But we got none of that, so it's bound to show up in the game vs FSU. FSU isn't very good this year you can see that, they had a QB switch vs Jacksonville State and that juiced their offense and they scored the next 5 times they had the ball and got the win over FCS Jacksonville State. We are 21 point favorites and at home, so we should win. Naturally it'd be nice to blow them out like Miami did a few weeks ago, but given the circumstances I'm not sure that'll happen. Kelly will have a press conference today, I'm sure he'll be asked about the squad and will they be at full strength for the game. Probably will be pretty vague and I doubt seriously he'll name any players who will be missing, although those names will probably come out later in the week.
This is not good for the Irish. NOTRE DAME, Ind.—Two more Notre Dame Football players have tested positive for COVID-19, the university said Monday. A total of 287 COVID-19 tests were administered to Notre Dame Football student athletes last week and of those tests, two were positive. The two players are in isolation and no close contacts were identified, the university said. As of Monday, a total of seven players remained in isolation, with four others in quarantine as a result of contact tracing.
FSU named Jordan Travis as the starter at QB for the ND game. He came in during the Jacksonville State game and lead the comeback win for FSU. ND will be his first start.
Irish should have little problems in this game. At this point FSU is only a shell of what they once were.
For all who are devotee's of recruiting rankings and 5 star players...which I am one...we have to chew on this...FSU has had the higher rated recruiting classes 6 out of 7 times since the 2013 Nat'l Title by FSU. They have had almost triple the # of 5 star rated players. So they have had plenty of talent based on that, but clearly they have had issues with coaching. Maybe Mike Norvell will get that turned around.
One thing for sure, is that the Irish can not take FSU lightly because they haven't played well this year. They have to come ready to play and get out fast like they did against USF. Bottom line is you never want to give an underdog a break, worst thing is to come out sleep walking and find your self in a 4 quarter game.
Bobby Bowden back to the hospital for Covid treatment. He seems in good spirits, I hope he gets well and is back home soon.
Well this is kind of good news, Johnathon Doerer, our kicker has announced he's taking advantage of the freebie that the NCAA has given players for this fall and will return to ND football in 2021. Under normal circumstances he would have exhausted his eligibility, but now he gets another year. I have to think the NCAA is going to have to make temp policy change and allow athletes like him who are coming back for another year to not count against the 85. Otherwise if you have very many of those guys it reduces the number of kids you can bring in the 2021 class and stay under the 85 limit. I also imagine that not every player who wants to come back for another year will be invited back even if they don't count against the 85. While ND probably can afford the extra scholarship, but I woouldn't be surprised if a lot of schools strapped for money would do it. Probably would have to be a player who is significant and critical to team success, no bench warmers.
I don't know if you saw this Doc but the FSU president John Thrasher and his wife have both tested positive for Covid and are quarantining themselves. Seems like they could share a box in the stadium with Jenkins if they could get there.
I learned recently that Jenkins doesn't live in Corby or in a Dorm, like Fr. Malloy did at Sorin and still does. He lives in those new high tone condo's they have for Graduate Students! Do you know where Fr. Hesburgh lived when he was alive? Dorm, Corby or other ? Fischer, O'Hara-Grace Residences | Apartments in Notre Dame, IN
I know Hesburgh's office was at the top of the library. He might have lived in the same Sorin room that Malloy lives in now.
Several years ago, I read that Fr. Hesburgh lived in a simple room in Corby Hall, adjacent and attached to the Basilica.
Next Man up star, Jack Kiser, from the USF game will not be available Sat. So that likely means he's in quarantine, also Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa (MTA) not available. I hope that Shaye Simon and Marist Liufau who were the co-starters have physically recovered enough to be able to handle the duty. MTA being out also hurts, but he has some young guys behind him who are pretty good so might be another good shot at a Next Man up story.
He is a Cousin. MTA also has a brother who played at the Naval Academy....odd story on their last names being flipped. Navy senior offensive tackle Adam Amosa-Tagovailoa and Notre Dame sophomore defensive lineman Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa are brothers despite the fact their last names are flipped. Adam and Myron are the sons of Tulileie and Saipeti Amosa, who reside in Ewa Beach, Hawaii. Their mother's maiden name is Tagovailoa. Adam was born with the last name Amosa while Myron was born with the last name Tagolvailoa-Amosa. That is because their mother's father, High Chief Seu Tagovailoa, wanted one of his grandsons to hold the family name. When High Chief Seu Tagovailoa died, Saipeti Amosa decided she wanted all of her children to hold their grandfather's name. After graduating from the Naval Academy Prep School, Adam legally changed his last name to Amosa-Tagovailoa.
That's a real shame about Kiser, he had such an impressive debut as a starter vs USF. His performance showed us that we have some good depth and we need it.
Irish women's basketball got good news today, transfer Dara Mabrey was granted immediate eligibility. She is the last of the Mabrey sisters from Krebs area! If she's like her sisters not only did we gain a great player but a leader as well.