Notes & thoughts on what happened this week and what's to come for Notre Dame in the 2021 class.

Notre Dame is 12-4 all time on this date, most recently a 40-7 rout of Boston College last year. In 1963, it also cancelled the game at Iowa because of the previous day's assassination of President John F. Kennedy. This is the only time in this feature we feature a loss, too:

Bronze Medal, 1974: The 38-0 defeat of Air Force was a snoozer, but it was the last one at home for 1964-74 head coach Ara Parseghian, who had privately made the decision to step down one year after leading his second consensus national title, and third overall, at Notre Dame. The win also set up the 9-1 and No. 5-ranked Fighting Irish for a potential national title showdown for the second straight season against unbeaten Alabama, this time in the Orange Bowl.

Silver Medal, 1996: Unlike with Parseghian, this time the whole world knew that another 11th-year head coach, Lou Holtz (1986-1996), was stepping down. A day later, his defensive coordinator, Bob Davie, would be named his successor.
The game itself was a mismatch, a 62-0 blowout of Rutgers (Holtz had referred to them as "Ruptures" during the week), but the emotion in the stadium was palpable. Holtz's speech at the end is among the highlights.
Login to view embedded media
Gold Medal, 1887: This is the day it all began, ladies and gentleman. Notre Dame's first football game was played when it hosted a team from the University of Michigan to instruct them on this game that was invented 18 years earlier, with Rutgers and Princeton the participants.
Notre Dame lost 8-0 (touchdowns were worth four points back then), to begin and end its season at 0-1.
How many people watching or participating or hearing about it back then might have said, "10, 20, 50, 100 ... 133 years from now, who will know, or care?"

• All thoughts on COVID, statistics, speculation, updates, etc. should be posted in the daily thread.

• COVID threads that pop up separately on the board will be merged into our daily thread — with the exception of sports news items that are related to COVID (school testing updates, announcements, etc.). These can have their own threads but our staff has final discretion.

• As always, political posts – whether in the COVID thread or not – will be deleted.

The Notre Dame football team had one positive test out of 232 administered from Nov. 10 through Sunday, it announced this Tuesday . That player is in isolation and did not travel to the 45-31 win over Boston College. There were no close contacts identified through contact tracing.

As of Nov. 16, there is one player in isolation and two others in quarantine who were previously identified as a close contact. The fall semester ended Friday, and the 8-0 and No. 2-ranked Irish begin prep work for next Friday's game at 6-2 North Carolina, which also is off this weekend.

How fragile this can always be showed again this weekend with numerous postponements and cancellations, including Clemson versus Florida State.

I've mentioned him on a few occasions recently, including a thread earlier today. Not surprised to see this offer go out. Low three-star at the moment but he'll probably be bumped up to four-star by the start of next fall.

Login to view embedded media
Login to view embedded media

have you guys heard about this? Troy Vincent an Exec with the NFL has gotten owners to agree with what has to be the dumbest rule ever. When I first read it I thought Jason Whitlock was writing an article for The Onion because it was so ridiculous. Here's what it says, if a team hires away a black front office person, or coach from another team, that team will receive two compensatory third round picks in the next draft. So, if KC should win the SB again this year, and Eric Bienemy is hired from say, Houston to be it's HC, KC will receive two third round picks. Does that not sound like the most stupid thing you have ever heard? Coaches of course were not consulted.

Here's the question. It seems like many are receiving inside information here, and I'm wondering where you're getting it. I'm always on Singer to throw something out my way, but I can never break him. I'm beginning to think it's just me. So here it is - how do we know that Zeke will be starting at center and Lugg at guard? Now I'm not saying that can't happen, but keep in mind what we see on Saturday could be what we see for the rest of the regular season, and possibly the ACC championship game.
There were some of us that thought Lugg was going to play center, that is until Kraemer went down. He could still play it because if you remember it was Dillan Gibbons who filled in at LG earlier in the season, and we could possibly see Lugg at center and Gibbons at RG. What about Colin Grunhard at center? I'll guess we'll find out tomorrow.

Here's my concern. It's not about the quality of the player as much as it's going to be about communication. Losing 2 linemen who play next to each other is a big deal, and especially if one is your center. Putting 2 players in that don't have much game experience is concerning as well - especially at center.
I watched Michigan last night and I saw that they started the kid from Moeller at center for the first time. I wasn't focusing on him, but I did every time that Rutgers ran a stunt or had a delayed blitz for a sack or QB hurry and they showed the play again. It was clear that they were on their blocks, but the problem was 2 guys blocking 1 and no one looking for a stunt or blitz. It was clear to me that the defender being blocked by the center should have been passed off once the guard was engaged. Communication problems. I'm not saying it's going to happen Saturday, but am I concerned? Sure I am, but hopefully coach Quinn can get them all playing as one.

So lets be honest. If there was one game where we had to break in 2 new starters, this would be it. Nothing about the front 7 of this North Carolina defense scares me, and especially up front. The interior players are not overly big or quick, and the starters play a bunch of snaps during the course of the game, and that's mainly due to having freshmen as the back-ups at both DT spots and at DE. They'll mix up their fronts from what looks like our defense to a 3 man and a 5 man. Again, there will be times that the center is going to have someone directly over him, and he needs to handle it.

It's a pretty simple game plan. Do what you do best and that's run the ball right at them between the tackles. They have not seen a running game like this all season, and their lack of depth is going to hurt them even worse ion Saturday. NC is giving up 152 rushing yards a game, and that includes playing teams who rank 12/15/, 14/15 and 15/15 in rushing yards in the ACC. Our backs are well rested and we'll be able to throw 3 fresh ones out there.

New offer by Notre Dame in the state of Georgia... Kojo Antwi picks up an ND offer. He also holds offers from Auburn, Georgia, FSU, Oregon and others.

Login to view embedded media
Login to view embedded media

I am watching the Tennessee vs Baltimore game. I read where Jim Nance this week demanded that he be paid 'Tony Romo' money. I don't know what Romo's thoughts are, but I am sensing some tension in the booth today - but maybe I am just imagining this.

He is having a huge day vs Pats. Free Agent at end of season ... big $ await!

CJ Procise getting some carries and Nick Martin in there as always.

Interesting answers to some playoff ranking FAQs here in advance of the first ranking reveal on Tuesday.

I know he hates ND and would never consider it, but the first call I would make if ND needs a coach would be to Fitzgerald.

Login to view embedded media

The Irish are 15-3 on this date, but the last two resulted in stunning home losses to first-time visitor Louisville in 2014 and a setback to 2-8 Syracuse in 2008.



Bronze Medal, 1941: First-year head coach Frank Leahy completes the first of his six unbeaten seasons in 11 years at Notre Dame with a 20-18 victory versus USC to give the Irish a final 8-0-1 ledger and No. 3 ranking.

Meanwhile, sophomore Angelo Bertelli becomes the first player in school history to eclipse 1,000 yards passing in a season, completing 13 of 21 for 156 yards to give him 1,027 for the season. He finishes as the runner-up in the Heisman Trophy balloting.
Login to view embedded media

Silver Medal, 1973: Having accepted a bid to play in the Sugar Bowl against either SEC champ Alabama or LSU, No. 5 Notre Dame in its home finale defeats Air Force, 48-15, to move to 9-0 on Senior Day — which also happens to occur on the last time the Irish play on Thanksgiving Day. Until 2019, the listed 57,236 in attendance (59,075 capacity) for this game was the last “official” non-sellout, per the school.

Notre Dame jumps to a 28-0 first quarter lead after three Air Force turnovers. That evening, No. 2 Alabama wins at No. 7 LSU, and two days later No. 1 Ohio State and No. 4 Michigan play to a 10-10 tie. That moves Alabama up to No. 1 — and a showdown for the national title versus the Fighting Irish.


Gold Medal, 1930: With the national title hanging in the balance and one more week to go, Knute Rockne’s 8-0 Notre Dame team defeats 8-0-1 Army in front of 110,000 spectators at Soldier Field.

The conditions were among the worst ever for a Notre Dame game, but a second straight national title was on the line. Famed New York Daily News writer Paul Gallico, as recorded in Murray Sperber’s book “Shake Down The Thunder,” wrote of this contest: “It is cold, it is dark. It is alternating between a smoky drizzle and pouring rain. Snow, muck, and straw lie banked around the field…all I saw were twenty-two figures, unrecognizable as human beings and certainly not to be identified with any particular institution, squirming about in the muck.”

With only 3:30 remaining, Marchy Schwartz broke free, followed his downfield blockers and tallied on a 54-yard TD run. Frank Carideo’s PAT made it 7-0 and would prove to be crucial. Army would block an Irish punt to score in the closing minute, but the drop kick for the PAT was blocked, leaving Notre Dame ahead at the end, 7-6.

The run against Army was the highlight of a brilliant season for Schwartz. His 927 yards on the ground averaged 7.5 yards per carry, and he also was the leading passer with his 17 completions totaling 319 yards and three TDs. His single-season rushing total would stand for 46 years.

To me he is not a running back. I think he is there for short term purposes, but I feel he is a strong safety all the way.

If the running back recruitment finishes strong with any 2 of the four guys that are “committed” or recruiting.

Is there any knowledge of how he is looking at RB?
In my opinion if ND is taking a second RB and Jafar moving to WR that should be a sign of what the future looks like.

Just my thoughts.

The addition of two home grown products this year prompts us to look back at how Notre Dame has done through the years on the recruiting circuit in its home state.
https://notredame.rivals.com/news/notre-dame-basketball-recruiting-in-indiana

In the preseason, cornerback, running back and receiver were among the top question marks. Which has emerged most during the 8-0 start?
https://notredame.rivals.com/news/point-counterpoint-notre-dame-s-top-2020-surprise-position-group

I’ll bet anyone a grand that some ass hat on the Michigan board is staying, as gospel, that with McNamara the dipshits from the north would be undefeated and splitting number one votes with bama. Eyes clearly set on their first half championship in 50 plus years

The top 8 was unchanged, with Alabama, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Clemson seemingly on a collision course for the four-team College Football Playoff.
https://notredame.rivals.com/news/notre-dame-remains-no-2-in-ap-poll

“Today’s not the day for me to reflect on things like that,” Weis said after his final game in Notre Dame Stadium. “Today’s the day for me to be worrying about those guys, those 33 [seniors]. I really feel absolutely miserable for those 33 guys. … I’ll worry about me tomorrow.”

To now

Brian Kelly won his 100th game at Notre Dame a week ago, nine more than his three predecessors did across 13 seasons. He has lost 37 games across 11 seasons with the Irish, 30 fewer than they stumbled to.

Of Kelly’s 100 wins, 31 have been part of an active streak of wins against unranked opponents, an Irish record. The Irish haven’t lost at home in 23 games. Kelly an understanding of how to handle those lesser foes, and that gave him a runway to find the dominance Notre Dame (8-0, 7-0 ACC) has now reached, sitting at No. 2 in the polls with an inside track to its second Playoff appearance in three years.

McNamara looks very good tonight. Decisive. Accurate. Michigan may have a chance to turn their offense around. Their defense? Meh.

Michigan can’t lose this game can they?

Rutgers is 8-48 in Conference games since they joined the Big Ten. 5-43 since the first year. They have lost 39 games by double digits.

Michigan has outscored Rutgers 256-37 since Harbaughs been the coach.

On the other side

Michigan hasn’t had the lead at anytime in their last 3 games

Michigan is coming off their worst home loss in 85 years.

Michigan hasn’t started off 1-3 since 1967. The year before Bo Schembechler

Michigan is 1-5 in their last 6 games getting outscored 148-229


I guess you can throw out all the records when it comes to a rivalry game?

Who would have thought after 6 years in the Big Ten, Harbaugh would only finish higher than 3rd place 1 time............in the East Division.

Replay just started on NBCS. Caught it just in time to record since everything got jacked up switching channels on the night of the game.

It looks like these two are going undefeated. They are both highly ranked. It begs the question of IF nd gets to the acc championship game undefeated, but loses to Clemson, who gets in? Both Clemson and nd? Its beginning to feel quite unlikely that both one loss teams would be taken over an undefeated cincy, and possibly byu as well. It really sucks that these two teams are likely going undefeated this year of all years, with the acc having two really good teams that could be deserving of getting in. Its 2020, covid, and i would not be surprised to see this be the year a non-power 5 team gets in. And not to mention if of all things florida beats bama and they are both sitting at one loss as well. They too both would be deserving of getting in. The committee may really have a tough job this year.

TOS reporting he had an appendectomy. So Lugg will play guard and Correll is the center.

If OSU is anywhere near the top 4 when the CFB Playoff rankings come out on Tuesday then ND, Clemson and Alabama should just cancel the rest of their regular season and conference championship games. They’ve already played more games that OSU will under any scenario. No need to risk getting hurt or losing another game — there’s apparently no reward for it per the Playoff Committee. Would be the smart move.