Forgive me if I am repeating myself but years ago somebody wrote an unflattering book about Holtz and I wrote him a short letter of support. About two weeks later I received a letter from him thanking me and a personalized autographed photo which hangs in my office. Then I took my son to see him speak and we were both overwhelmed with his message. Needless to say I am a huge disciple of Coach Lou.
And I wonder if that means anything to him or not? I wondered the same thing about Whatshisname that left Alabama for Texas A&M. Not only is he not welcome in this state but some of us try not to even use his name.
I believe it's the result of the persona he projected his entire time at ND. I never disliked him (unlike my wife, who referred to him as Fat Boy), but I never warmed up to him despite his success and longevity. He's an outstanding head coach, but in my opinion, to be a true legend, a coach needs to project a persona to which fans and players can relate; can get behind; can feel they'd like to know him. I never had those feelings like I did for Lou and Ara. Can't explain why. It just wasn't there. Leaving like he did was not helpful to an already - in my opinion - blah image.
Kelly had some good qualities as a HC. He was organized, found good assistants and made proper game decisions. He consistently beat teams he had talent superiority to. However, he lacked the critical motivational skill that Ara and Lou had. They were able to get more out of their teams than just the talent that they had. It seems that Freeman may just have that ability, we will see. Kelly was successful enough that ND fans clung to the hope that he'd finally add another national championship. He left without ever delivering. No statue, no love, just goodbye.
The women took care of business vs Purdue - Ft Wayne. Today Muffett McGraw went into the Ring of Honor and Swarbrick promised that a statue will be next. Muffett is also having the court at Purcell Pavillion named after her. She's the greatest basketball coach in ND history, well deserving of all the honors
The Irish lost one of their top recruits yesterday, a wide receiver. Thought to be headed to USC and Lincoln Riley. With the coaching carousel and the transfer portal I suspect we will see increased departures like this every year. Its the purest form of free agency. The players really have no obligation whatsoever.
Amorian Walker has been a pain in the butt recruit. WR from Louisiana who is talented, keeps saying he's committed to ND, but then does all sorts of stuff that makes you believe that tomorrow he'll do one of those "shock" the world type of things where he surprises everybody and signs with Michigan or Alabama or somebody else. Likes the attention. If he signs with the Irish great I hope he's not a kid who will be a constant problem when he gets to campus and leave after one year because he doesn't get enough attention.
There's been some warranted criticism of the ND WR coach. Regardless of whether or not he comes, Walker has all the markings of a prima donna pain in the ass. I assume that coach Freeman will be replacing him right after the bowl game. Alabama, Ohio St. and other playoff contenders have stables of stud receivers. That's one of ND's weaknesses.
The kid from California, C J Williams, always wanted to go to USC as do most of those Mater Dei kids, but verballed to ND because of the coaching situation at USC. He evidently never liked our QB's and even commented that we should go after another QB besides Steve Angeli. Once Riley got to USC and immediately got a 2022 5 star kid who was previously an OU verbal, then he bailed on ND and is expected to end up at USC. Although somebody pointed out that Riley passed on him when he was at OU, and what if he passes on him again!! That would be sweet!!
That QB who I compared to Jack Coan, mainly because he was verballed to Irish Baseball and hoped to walk-on in football as a QB, just like Coan was with Lacrosse/Football at ND. Well just like Coan who decided on a full scholarship in football to Wisconsin over the partial scholarship in Lacrosse at ND, Jack Lausch of Brother Rice did the same thing and took the full ride to Northwestern in football. I'm not really upset from the football standpoint, he was very good HS QB but that Northwestern offer was his only Div1 offer, but he was reportedly an even better baseball player and I wish he'd stayed and played for the Irish baseball team. But a lot of difference in the $$$ between a full ride and a partial scholarship.
They really need to change baseball and softball over to full ride sports. Would make a big difference in the quality of baseball at the collegiate level.
Yes they do, but I wouldn't be shocked if the AD's don't want to do it as at the vast majority of Div 1 baseball schools it's a big loser already. Now you guys with a good size park and attendance not so much, same for Miss State and some others. But that's not the norm. Here's some crazy numbers ...Baseball gets 11 and Hockey gets 18 and Women's Rowing gets 20 ...doesn't make a lot of sense to me.
Well I feel bad about Losing the kid to usc even though usc doesn’t really have a class to mention, but the Walker kid going to Michigan doesn’t seem so bad now knowing a what complete pos he turned out to be in the end. Guess everyone saw him trolling ND. He’s someone else’s trouble now.
Kind of hard to not be pleased with a signing class ranked in the top 10 and that with Kelly's sudden and unexpected resignation didn't fall apart. The weakness is we didn't get enough WR's and while Steve Angeli gets a good grade as a QB, he's not that elite level QB that you seem to need these days if you are going to truly compete for the Nat'l Championship. Although of the 4 teams in the CFP, only Alabama has an elite level QB based on HS rankings. Desmond Ridder is considered an potential NFL prospect but was lightly recruited in HS, and Stetson Bennett is a former walk-on, Cade McNamara was a 4 star #15 rated. 12 of the 21 will be enrolling in January, including Angeli. The best groups are the LB and OL Men's Basketball IU vs ND Sat Womens Basketball Pitt vs ND Sunday Hockey is off till January Not that there is much interest in the Irish Volleyball team. The coach was let go, contract not renewed. I remember when he was hired it was considered a coup, but I guess things haven't worked out.
Link Jarrett's contract has been extended to 2026. This is good news if he stays despite the offers we know will come his way. The article linked below doesn't mention the details of the contract, e.g., buyout, if any. Link Jarrett Signs Contract Extension Through 2026 Season
Okay ND guys. You NEED to listen to this Ryen Rusillo podcast that he did with Tommy Rees. If you want to find out what happened starting the Sunday before Kelly announced and left for LSU here you can listen to Rees explain in detail everything about what really happened and how the decision on him and Freeman went plus a lot more about him and Notre Dame as a player and coach that I never knew. This has to be the most honest and open interview I’ve ever heard with an active ND coach. I guarantee you will enjoy this.The Ryen Russillo Podcast: Notre Dame OC Tommy Rees on Staying, Plus an Early Look at 2022 NBA Free Agency With John Hollinger on Apple Podcasts
Some troubling rumors about Lorenzo Styles and Deion Colzie looking at the Transfer Portal. Would be a huge blow to the Irish offense if those guys leave. Styles brother is a top rated Safety who signed with Ohio State, rumor is that he wants to play with his brother, not sure what's up with Colzie. Both figured to be prominent in the ND offense next year. If Lenzy and Austin don't come back as well it will be a few scholarship kids, walk-ons and whatever they can get from the portal.
Always a good story when a walk-on who has worked hard and found a role with the team gets move from walk-on to full scholarship! Michael Vinson our Long Snapper, nick named MILK I forget how he got that moniker. Notre Dame LS Michael Vinson Put on Scholarship
My opinion of Mike Elston has gone up, and it was pretty high to start with...this from Tim Prister • When I think of…Mike Elston, I see and hear a guy say things that virtually no one in his profession expresses these days. “I’ve never shied away from why I’ve (stayed at Notre Dame),” Elston said. “People think it’s loyalty to certain people. At the end of the day, my family is the most important thing in my life. “To move a daughter who is a junior in high school, starting her senior year. To move my middle daughter, Sophia, who is 14 and starting her freshman year, who is a top 10, top 15 fencer in the country and a lot of places don’t have fencing, I would be pulling her away from an area (where) she’s able to flourish. “It’s a family decision for me. It will always be a family decision for me. It’s not about money. My kids want to go to Notre Dame, too. So it’s a family decision and that’s why I’ve always turned down opportunities for myself. “I want my children to go off to college and when they say to their friends, ‘Hey, I’m going to go home for the weekend,’ they have a place to go. They know where home is, and that’s South Bend for them, and I don’t want that to change right now.”