Notre Dame Winter

Discussion in 'Sports Board' started by Terry O'Keefe, Dec 6, 2021.

  1. Terry O'Keefe

    Terry O'Keefe Well-Known Member Administrator

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    New topic, football only has 1 game and Dec 15th early signing period.

    But we still have basketball and hockey!

    Things not looking very good for Irish Basketball, they looked very outmatched vs Boston College and they have Kentucky coming in this Saturday followed by Indiana on the 18th.

    Irish women are looking like they will be a good team this year, not likely a Final Four team but a very competitive team. They were beaten by UConn this weekend but take that as a middle of the pack top 25 team vs a top 5 team. I think this team has some young stars in the making. Sonia Citron a true freshman looks like a player who will be an AA, Olivia Miles also a freshman looks like one of the best at her position. Maddy Westbeld was a top freshman last year and will be even better this year. We have some good upperclassmen to help this youngsters. I do think we'll be one of the better ACC teams and could certainly make the sweet 16 if things go well.

    Irish Hockey is 11-4 on the season and 5-3 in the Big 10 good for 4th place behind Michigan, Minnesota and Ohio State. They don't seem like a Frozen Four team, but probably will have a good season.

    I think everybody is happy with the Irish in the Fiesta Bowl vs Oklahoma State. They are a team we have never played. They are #9 in the CFP committee rankings and came within a whisker of being the B12 Champions, their RB stretched for the goal but missed the pylon by about 6 inches or they would have beaten Baylor. Should be a good game, they have had a great defense all year and their offense has been a bit spotty.

    There is currently a love fest going on between the Irish fans and Marcus Freeman, I haven't seen anything like it since Lou Holtz was named the Irish HC. It's a bit of a risky hire that's for sure given his lack of experience. No doubt we'll see a much different effort from the Irish staff in recruiting, and while I don't expect to out recruit Alabama and Georgia and Ohio State. I do think we'll start to see a consistent Top 10 recruiting classes if he can win on the field.

    Men's basketball coach, Mike Brey, is experiencing the opposite. While on a personal level most fans really like Mike Brey. He's a very likeable guy, and he's worked hard and had success in the past. But right now, he's in a slump has lasted several years and fans who wished he'd retired after last year's disaster really want him to retire now. A positive is that his freshman class that is coming in next year is his best in quite a while, so I don't expect him to give up and retire.
     
  2. gipper

    gipper Well-Known Member

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    And, the Irish men's soccer team plays Wash. for the National Championship next Sunday.
     
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  3. Terry O'Keefe

    Terry O'Keefe Well-Known Member Administrator

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    Semi-Finals in the Mens College Cup for Soccer

    Friday Dec 10th
    Clemson vs Notre Dame
    Washington vs Georgetown.

    Washington was #2 seed
    Georgetown was the #3 seed
    Notre Dame was the #4 seed
    Clemson was the #8 seed ...they took out the #1 seed Oregon State.
     
  4. gipper

    gipper Well-Known Member

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    Oops a little wishful thinking on my part.
     
  5. Terry O'Keefe

    Terry O'Keefe Well-Known Member Administrator

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    This from Marcus Freeman in his Press Conference...will get Tim's blood pumping!!

    ON WHAT HE WANTS TO CHANGE TO PUT HIS STAMP ON IT
    "Well, I think it starts with we're going to recruit at the highest level, and we're going to recruit the best football players in the country that fit Notre Dame. You're not going to change the standards at Notre Dame, but there are certain players out there that fit Notre Dame that they might not know it. So our job as a coaching staff is be able to communicate with these young people what Notre Dame can do for your life and that's what I plan on doing."
     
  6. Tim Gentry

    Tim Gentry Well-Known Member

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    Looks like both Quinn and Polian are gone. Won’t miss either.
     
  7. Terry O'Keefe

    Terry O'Keefe Well-Known Member Administrator

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    I saw that Polian has gone to LSU, previously guys like Prister have said it was common knowledge that Polian was going to take the HC job at Lafayette College a small school in Pa a member of the Patriot League. But I imagine money talks.

    On Quinn the only thing I've seen is that Nebraska needs an OL coach and that somebody speculated that Quinn would be a good fit for the Huskers.
     
  8. Terry O'Keefe

    Terry O'Keefe Well-Known Member Administrator

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    A couple of Irish recruits are their state's Gatorade Player of the Year.

    Josh Burham is Michigan's
    Drayk Bowen is Indiana's.
     
  9. Terry O'Keefe

    Terry O'Keefe Well-Known Member Administrator

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    1 — Today’s Takeaway: Asked what he’ll look for in future staff hirings, Marcus Freeman offered today, “No. 1, you have to be a leader of young men. You’re going to have to treat these guys the way I believe you have to treat young people.



    “No. 2, you have to be a relentless recruiter. If you can’t recruit…probably not going to be the best fit for our university and football team.”
     
  10. Terry O'Keefe

    Terry O'Keefe Well-Known Member Administrator

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    8 — Should he stay or should he go? Hey, it’s my favorite Message Board Question each December. Let’s roll it out here instead.



    Beef54 asked today: “I'm interested who or if any locks there are to return, and then who is still on the fence?”



    • Kyren Williams: Was rumored (and logically should be) ready to leave, and while I doubt that’s changed due to positional logic/math/future prospects/health/longevity, I assume he has now developed at least passing second thoughts with the Freeman situation in play.
    • Jarrett Patterson: 50/50 but my heavy guess is “back."
    • Kevin Austin: Conflicting reports. I thought he'd leave for the last two years in this spot...now I'm not so sure
    • Joe Wilkins: Almost guaranteed to return
    • Avery Davis: Totally up to him. Rough spot, man. Guys don't love the 6th year situation if you were unaware.
    • Braden Lenzy: I assume the change brings him back, nowhere better to go, etc.
    • Jayson Ademilola: Was planning on leaving with a big year. Then he had a big year...but is he better served returning? Especially now? I think so…but the NFL Draft Grade speaks a little louder than, say, a Monday football column writer, so…
    • Isaiah Foskey: Have always hoped for a return, after speaking with him three weeks ago, that is now my logical assumption.
    • Bo Bauer: I assume back after seeing how he fits in Freeman’s defense. The other option would be starting his professional career as a ST demon. (But also as a free agent.)
    • TaRiq Bracy: I assume back after playing his best ball. (And where’s he going? Why leave for a lower level starting role?)


    • I’ll add Justin Ademilola as a player likely to return for a pseudo-starting role as a multi-positional defender for Freeman’s various packages.


    • Josh Lugg has expressed interest, so I see no reason why he wouldn’t. Ademilola is a standard fifth year while Lugg, already a fifth year, has a COVID season for 2022.


    • Tight end George Takacs (who would play plenty, but most likely less than in 2021), and Houston Griffith have decisions to make. (Griffith is in a similar station regarding playing time.).


    • Takacs is a standard fifth-year; Griffith has a Covid-afforded fifth.


    • DJ Brown is assumed to return as a starting safety.
     
  11. Terry O'Keefe

    Terry O'Keefe Well-Known Member Administrator

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    The Irish if all the current "verbal's" stick will have 12 early enrollees' .

    That list includes QB Steve Angeli who will be at least the #3 QB next fall and maybe higher if Drew Pyne decides to leave after the bowl game rather than enroll for the Spring Semester. Ron Powlus is the only other QB on the roster other than clipboard holders.
     
  12. Tim Gentry

    Tim Gentry Well-Known Member

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    Davis needs to return to up his NFL stock after the injury.

    Takacs will have to go. Not enough TE room. Maybe he transfers and starts somewhere else?
     
  13. Terry O'Keefe

    Terry O'Keefe Well-Known Member Administrator

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    One of the things that we'll have to see how it works out, but given the rise of Joe Alt at LT what happens to Blake Fisher this Spring? Will he be open to moving to RT or other OL position? LT is that position that gets the big $$$ in the NFL.

    When healthy is he the better option at LT even given that Joe Alt has done a great job, if so will Joe Alt be open to moving to RT?

    Josh Lugg has been hinting around that he wants to return next year. I'm not sure a lot of fans are eager for him to return as a starter as a lot of people thought he was a weak link at RT this year.

    All of course depends on who is the OL coach and how he see's things. It's seems clearer and clearer that Jeff Quinn will not be returning to Notre Dame though.
     
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  14. Terry O'Keefe

    Terry O'Keefe Well-Known Member Administrator

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    Irish Women went to Valpo last night and it was a much tougher game than anybody thought it would be considering Valpo was 0-7. Tied 25-25 at the half, pulled away in the 3rd qtr and finished them off in the 4th qtr. But they were a scrappy bunch that weren't intimidated by the Irish. In the 1st qtr they were killing us from the corners with 3's and backdoor cuts for layups. This team continues though to impress me with their young talent. Westbeld, Citron, Miles all look like future AA's to me.
     
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  15. George Krebs

    George Krebs Well-Known Member

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    re: Possible returnees

    None of them are locks to make it to the NFL. Williams has the best shot. Love to have him back but we will be OK if not. Patterson may benefit from one more year. Foskey could be a real good one but could stand some more pounds. Bauer probably lacks NFL speed but I really like him. Austin really needs another year and it wouldn't hurt the Ademinolas either. Josh Lugg? He may be better off hitting the portal.

    I see Kelly is starting to bleed players. Lost a RB, his QB and a WR to the portal and one prospect
     
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  16. Tim Gentry

    Tim Gentry Well-Known Member

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    Let's hope he doesn't.
     
  17. Terry O'Keefe

    Terry O'Keefe Well-Known Member Administrator

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    Everybody is expecting the Wisconsin OL, Billy Schrauth, to sign with the Irish, and also after some nervous moments OL Ty Chan who some thought might have flipped to Penn State has reconfirmed that he is 100% Irish. This is quite a nice OL class if everybody signs along with Schrauth. Kudo's to Quinn and Tommy Rees, too bad Quinn wasn't a better coach that we could have confidence in going forward.
     
  18. Tim Gentry

    Tim Gentry Well-Known Member

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    Notre Dame has secured another big-time commitment in the 2022 recruiting class as St. Mary's Springs (Wis.) offensive lineman Billy Schrauth‍ has committed to the Fighting Irish.

    This is a huge commitment for the Irish! It only takes a minute when you look at his film to see he is one hell of a football player!
     
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  19. Terry O'Keefe

    Terry O'Keefe Well-Known Member Administrator

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    Well Billy Schrauth, is Irish! Big win for us and backs up the really good OL class from last year. OL is well stocked with young talent. New guy will have a lot to work with when he arrives.

    Bummer note.

    Kyren Williams is going to the NFL, not a surprise, but he's also opting out of the Fiesta Bowl. That's disappointing, but it's happening everywhere.

    No big surprise that Kyle Hamilton is also going to the NFL and opting out of the Fiesta Bowl. In his case we've been playing without him since
    the 2nd half of the USC game so the defense has adjusted to not having him. Williams though was an emotional leader of the offense. He will be missed. It will be a chance to get a preview of Diggs and Estime as the rbs for 2022. They both showed a lot of promise.
     
  20. Terry O'Keefe

    Terry O'Keefe Well-Known Member Administrator

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    Oklahoma State DCoord will not be coaching the Cowboy defense in the Fiesta Bowl.