What The F.....

John Tenuta to Notre Dame? What in the fuck is going on?! According to Irish Illustrated he has been hired and Bill Lewis will retire and will be announced after National Signing Day.

I really have no commentary on this development, other than to think that the timing is fucking horrible. If this effects any recruit to rethink their commitment to ND, than I am going to go apeshit all over Rivals. Sampson, Prister, Farrell, Ashley Russell... all of them. Rambo style.

Here is the LINK to the story. After I let all of this sink in I will produce more commentary.

I will say this however: This can be a good thing, but the timing. Do you really think that Tenuta will just coach DB's as Lewis did? What is to become of Corwin Brown? This is fucked up. And Mike and I have some of our recruiting post for signing day already done. I might need to edit a few posts. Shit.

(Note the crazed look in John's eyes. Scary.)

The Game That Changed Football

Most Irish fans know about the 1913 meeting between the University of Notre Dame and Army. At the time, Notre Dame was an obscure program located in the Midwest that utilized the forward pass when most other schools had barely heard of it. Army was a program looking for an easy win and the Irish, lead by a young coach by the name of Jesse C. Harper, was the team that could give it to them. Supposedly.

What happened on that November day however was anything but ordinary and would become the start of something very special for the University of Notre Dame. Harper's team shocked the college football world by utilizing quarterback Gus Dorais' unique passing talents and the receiving skills of a tight end named Rockne. Army was on their heels and with no prior experience against this type of aerial attack, they folded under the Irish by the score of 35-13.

There's a new book out by author Frank P. Maggio, entitled Notre Dame and The Game That Changed Football, and you'll probably find it a little different than some of the other recent Notre Dame related releases. This isn't a Lou Holtz motivational speech (not that there is EVER anything wrong with one of those) and it's not a story of Charlie Weis and his ascent into Super Bowl glory. This isn't a chronicle of events throughout Notre Dame history, although you will be treated to a plethora of historical facts and information that would satiate even the most ardent Irish enthusiast. What this book is is the tale of the very foundation that Notre Dame football was built on.

You will read about the early days of football in South Bend, but you will also be taken on a historical roller coaster that details the very life and times of that era. You'll learn about team travel in the early 20th century and how the game news and results were communicated via telegraph to the South Bend gymnasium where one of the male students would read the play-by-play aloud to eager fans. You'll learn of the lasting friendship between Harper and Rockne, but more than anything you will read about the turn of events that created the foundation for the most storied program in college football history.

Author Frank P. Maggio graduated from the university's School of Law in 1963 and presents this story in a way that only an alumnus of his era can. The introduction is written by legendary college football broadcaster Keith Jackson.

The Final Countdown

With a week left to go until National Signing Day, the countdown is ON! The Fighting Irish have 22 verbal commitments right now, and all is quiet on the western front. Meaning: all 22 should/will fax their letters of intent next Wednesday.





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The Irish do, however, have a chance to lock in two more recruits. DE/LB Keith Wells and RB Milton Knox are visiting the Irish this weekend. Last minute commitments from big name recruits have not been the forte of the Irish in seasons past. However, both prospects seem genuinely interested in the Irish and are not just throwing the Notre Dame name around for "status" as some have in the past.

Milton Knox is committed to UCLA, but had been working feverishly to improve his test scores and receive an offer from Notre Dame. He did just that. Just a short while ago, Knox got the offer he has been working for and scheduled an official visit with the Irish. Knox committed to the Bruins back in June, but after a coaching change and a very disappointing season for the Bruins, Knox has been looking to go elsewhere. I think it is between ND and UCLA although I will never rule out Florida when the clock is ticking. A pledge from Knox would solidify the running back corps for years to come. At least at tailback... fullback is a whole other nightmare.

Keith Wells is a former verbal commit to Florida State. In short, he didn't like what he saw from the program and decommitted from the Seminoles and isn't considering them at all. Wells has been long considered an Ohio State lean. After the Buckeyes, Tennessee is right in the mix. It has been, basically, those two schools out in front for Keith's signature. That changed recently, when the Irish told Wells they would offer the 4 star prospect if he made a visit to South Bend. So although Wells is not officially offered a scholarship right now, he will be offered on Saturday. Wells would be a very welcome addition to the Irish front 7 after Notre Dame was spurned by Kapron Lewis-Moore and was unable to get Datone Jones qualified. Wells can play the weakside DE or at an outside linebacker spot. He is a good athlete and very versatile. I believe Wells has the Buckeyes on top right now with the Volunteers right on their heels. However, his desire to seek out the Irish and truly see what Weis and the program has to offer is very intriguing.

In the end, the only thing that really matters is the future. If we lock up both or one of the two prospects, Notre Dame has a very likely chance of finishing with the number one recruiting class for this year. And while that is very enticing to be able to say that, it doesn't change the fact that Notre Dame already has its best class in over 20 years. The balance of the class is phenomenal and is filling up true needs at needy positions. The countdown is on, and I'm counting every second.

Douche Tats

After reading this article on how Nebraska kept 4 star linebacker, Will Compton, Urban The Liar ran out to a tattoo parlor at 3:30 in the morning and had his entire wish list of recruits for 2009 tattooed on his back.

This is the look he gave when he heard the Compton tat was... temporary.

True.

NBC Is Cheap

I think this guy has almost no idea what is going on. But, he still collects a paycheck. Anyways, this video is put together pretty well and shows the recruits. Rothstein makes a guest appearance to help save these two.

A Weak Response

I don't really have a long and potent post planned for this, but here goes...

SHUT THE FUCK UP. A lot of posters across the web on message boards, chat rooms, and in the blogosphere have been complaining about Notre Dames weak finishes when it comes to recruiting. Put your head in a tub of boiling water, for you are fucking clueless and deserve to have your face melted off.

I fully agree with the last years class finishing weak. We lost 2 commits on signing day and lost another a few weeks before LOI day. Two 4 stars and a 5 star recruit that were committed and then lost in the last few moments of recruiting IS a shitty outcome.

However, this year is a whole new subject. Yes we lost 5 star Omar Hunter a few weeks ago. Bummer. This isn't the death of the class or even the death of our D-Line class. The Irish still have done very well on the defensive line class this year and by all accounts, is the BEST we have had in a very long time. Shut the fuck up.

Recently, some Irish targets have made their decisions on what school to go to. And they aren't coming to South Bend. Bummer. Let's see... Mike Martin, a verbal commit to Michigan since June, has chose the Skunkbears after a few weeks of deliberations on maybe checking out ND. Kapron-Lewis Moore, a verbal commit to A&M since August, did the same and stayed at A&M. A few other prospects didn't have the grades and went elsewhere. And a big offensive lineman, Kenneth Page, decided to stay close to mommas cooking and chose in-state Clemson over the Irish. SHUT THE FUCK UP.

This is a GREAT 22 man class as it is right now. Period. If a few more want to jump on board, even better. But recruiting is not the playoffs (if Div-I had them), it is not how you finish exactly. Weis does not need to just offer plan B and C guys to get more numbers. Recruiting is about filling needs with top quality guys and perhaps nabbing a few instant impact players. The Irish have done that already. Anything more this year wouldn't be the icing on the cake, it would be the fucking baker presenting it to you. Please, shut the fuck up.

Updating For Updates Sake

My apologies. Things have been really slow on all fronts and I don't quite feel like regurgitating all of the "stories" surrounding Irish football. I have noticed a lot of hits lately on the site, and realize that all the die-hards are out and seeking every nugget of news there is. Quite frankly, there hasn't been much. The Dana Jacobson story has been well versed, but still, no definitive video evidence has been displayed. (Although I hear that she/ESPN has issued an apology).

What is going on, is WAR. With two weeks left until Signing day, college coaches are pulling out all the stops to keep, receive, and poach prospects. I am purposely staying away from speculation on certain recruits because most of the reports out there are bullshit.

Take Tom Luginbill at ESPN for instance... This guy is a hack. ESPN is now in the recruiting game and have pushed Luginbill, Craig Haubert, and their "150" on us as if they were Mike Frank, Tom Lemming, or even Mike Farrell. They may be able to evaluate talent... maybe. But everything else is a load of crap. They are the leader in rumor-mongering. Luginbill does not talk to any of these recruits, except for the players that were in the Under-Armour All-American Game. If I called or e-mailed him right now and said "Word is, Thaddeus Brown has talked teammates Dayne Crist and Anthony McDonald into decommitting from Notre Dame and teammate Wes Horton into decommitting from USC and then, together, sign with Eastern Michigan on signing day", he would turn it into a story. He is a douche and his prognostications should be treated as such. So pay NO attention to the "Jonas Gray might visit Michigan" stuff. Not gonna happen. ESPN is a corporate giant that is simply just looking for another way to generate more profit. Whores.

Speaking of signing day, I will be posting the 2008 Subway Domer Recruiting Spectacular a day or two after. Look for a little bit more this year and Colonialhead will be adding his thoughts as well. (I assume). Also, if any of you have any questions that I might be able to answer about this years class, please e-mail me at subwaydomer26@gmail.com with your inquiries. I will answer them and publish them in the recruiting piece.

There will be a lot more to report on leading up to the spring game and even throughout the summer. I have PLENTY of Dick-Rod stuff lined up. That guy is truly an asshole. But, we need a pick-me-up. After a 3-9 season just remember, anybody can bounce back...

Doesn't The Word "Depth", Imply Deep?

With the departure of Pat Kuntz this spring, and the future of Darrell Hand a question mark (Hand has been linked to rumors about heart problems that may end his football career) where do the Irish go to find its defensive lineman?

For argument sake, let's take Hand out of the equation even though nothing has been officially announced. This leaves the Irish with only 6 scholarship players on the defensive line for the Spring game. That includes early enrollee Freshman, Sean Cwynar. Including Sean are: DE Paddy Mullen (JR), DE Justin Brown (5SR), NT Ian Williams (SO), DE Kallen Wade (JR), and offensive line covert DT Emeka Nwankwo (SO). Of these players, only Ian Williams and Justin Brown have started for the Irish and those were due to an injury pushing them into the lineup. Not very deep, is it? For the past few years, Notre Dame has had to use a rotation system with the offensive lineman and play them for both the Blue and Gold teams. It looks like this year, the defensive line might have to play the Iron man role. This does not look good for a defense looking to improve during the second year of Corwin Browns system.

There is hope on the way however. Come summer and fall, the Irish D-Line will be infused with more talent and youth. 3 more players will be suiting up and will be looking for significant playing time due to the lack of depth...and their own talent. DE Ethan Johnson, NT Brandon Newman, and DT Hafis Williams will be ready to go and might have that impact that Freshman All-American Ian Williams had last year. Plus, Kuntz might be able to return to ND as soon as this summer. That is starting to look a lot better. The Irish are still hammering away at possible commitments from two other D-Line prospects for the freshman class with signing day only 17 days away. DE Kapron Lewis-Moore is on campus right now, and DT Mike Martin will be visiting the Irish next weekend. Both are rated as 4 stars and could be impact recruits. The Irish already have their best D-line haul in almost two decades and it could be significantly better if one OR both commit to the Irish. We will have to wait and see.

Any way you look at the situation, the Irish should be in a lot better shape come Summer. In the meantime, watch the progression of the players at the Spring game. Hopefully, they will all improve and help create a real solution to a terrible problem. Doesn't the word "depth" imply deep? Not quite yet, but soon.

Pat Kuntz Is Leaving...For Now

After weeks of rumors, it finally has come out in the open. Pat Kuntz is leaving ND for personal reasons. Here is the AP story. I will have my reaction on this in a post tomorrow.

Associated Press - January 17, 2008 5:24 PM ETSOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) - Notre Dame starting nose tackle Pat Kuntz is not enrolled in school for the spring semester. He says he dropped out for "personal reasons."The 6-foot-3, 285-pound junior from Indianapolis won't elaborate on why he's not at school. And the university can't comment because of privacy laws.Kuntz says he plans to return to Notre Dame, possibly as early as this summer, and hopes to play for the Irish this fall.Kuntz started 10 games as the Irish went 3-9 last season, but missed the final two games with injuries. He tore ligaments in his left knee against Air Force and found out a back injury from the previous game against Navy was a cracked bone in his spine.

You Tube Rocks

I found this on NDNation.com and had to post it and share for everyone that hates Florida. And if you read this blog, I'm sure you hate Florida and that douche fuck Urban Meyer.

A Cornucopia Of Randomness

The College Football season is over. Allow yourself a few minutes to stop screaming and find some composure. But just as in the NFL, the programs are cranking it up and preparing for the future. Whether that be roster moves, recruiting, hitting the weight room, or snorting a kilo of coke and beating up strippers. Well, maybe that last part is reserved for the SEC. Either way, expect big changes for ND over the next few months. With that said, expect more posts from Subway Domer that are filled with a mix of information. Such as these...







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A Royal Departure
Notre Dame announced this week that sophomore cornerback Munir Prince will transfer to Missouri. This news is not all that shocking as I and a host of other bloggers and posters on the message boards have posted this. What it is though, is devastating. Over reacting? I don't think so. Prince came to ND as a RB and saw action right away as a freshman. And right away, Irish fans could see that Prince just did not have the physical size to play as a running back. What he does have is tremendous speed and great hip action. He was moved to cornerback for his sophomore year and saw decent playing time and played well. With ND returning Lambert and Walls as the probable starters at corner, McNeil having played well as a nickel back, and Gary Gray being touted as a great one in the wings, Prince would of had a hard time seeing a lot of playing time this year. Maybe. The greatest jump a player makes upward in his skill set, is from his TRUE sophomore year to his TRUE junior year (more on this in a minute). So we don't know exactly what all we will be missing until 2009 when Prince takes the field for Mizzu. What we will be missing is competition at not only cornerback, but as a punt and kick returner. Not only that, but after the 2008 season, ND's depth chart at CB may look a little thin. Good luck to Munir.

Webb Out
Sophomore offensive lineman Bartley Webb is no longer able to play football due to injury. He will remain at ND as a student because ND is an institution of integrity. Had this been say...Florida, Meyer would have Bartley shunned, Amish style.

The Disappearing Class
After the Prince transfer and the Webb incident, the incoming class of 2006 is falling in numbers... again. That puts the total number of '06 kids that are no longer on the team to 6. It could have been 7 if it wasn't for Chris Stewart's dad. Plus, the other names that have been tossed around as possible transfer candidates are ALL from this class. It was Charlies first recruiting class that he put together. It was ranked in the top 8 and produced 28 commits. What is truly disappointing is what I stated in the Munir Prince piece. Historically, the biggest improvement for a player is between his sophomore year and his junior year. This means a big loss in depth and quality play out of the Irish roster. Now I can say with total confidence that Demetrius Jones and Zach Frazer would still be sitting on the bench next year, they (along with Reuland, Carufel, Webb, and Prince) would still provide the depth, competition, and scout play that is needed for a team to improve in the off-season and the season itself. In no way is this class shaping up to be like the incoming class of 2004 in which 10 out of the 17 commits were no longer on the team last year... more than HALF!!! (Of those 10, Banda was a medical release as Webb is now and Darius Walker left early for the NFL) That class was also one of the worst in Irish history on a talent basis alone. Notre Dame faced a lot of problems this year because of that 2004 class. The Irish must retain the rest of this class if it wants to avoid a similar situation (although not nearly as severe) in the future.

Fifth Year Fever
Notre Dame released 3 names of players applying for graduate school that would make them eligible for a 5th year at the university. Maurice Crum Jr., Justin Brown, and Terrail Lambert are the 3 players. This will put ND at an 80 man roster right now, if the recruiting class stays intact. The quota is 85. This means that ND, which has 22 commits right now, can add 5 more recruits to its class. (The max class is 25 unless there are early enrollees and ND has 2 this year in Cwynar and Robinson). This is highly unlikely as ND has only 5 other REAL offers (Datone Jones, Kapron Lewis-Moore, Mike Martin, Kenneth Page, and Cyrus Gray) out to prospects right now. I really only see 2 maybe 3 of these guys committing to ND. 3 of the 5 (Jones, Kapron, and Martin) are already committed elsewhere but have visits scheduled with ND for this month. Weis spoke before the '07 season and said after this year he would probably not be able to offer schollies to walk-ons next year. It looks as if that will be changed. Look for Mike Anello to receive one as a special teams phenom.

IAN!!!
Ian Williams was named to the Football Writers Association of America's All-American Team. This is a little bit of a surprise. Not that Ian played great and deserved this recognition, but the fact that 2 other Freshman A.A. lists had Ian no higher than 3rd team. The writers finally got something right. Ian played well on the field and showed great emotion and vigor as well. Williams should be the starting NT next year if they move Kuntz out to DE. Even if Pat stays at NT, this will create a solid rotation at the position. Congratulations Ian, on this achievement.

Oatmeal
Rumors have surfaced about the head coaching job at Purdue. It seems as if the Athletic Director is sniffing around for a possible heir to the toilet as early as 2009. Nothing has been officially released and the University is only saying that Wilford Brimley will be their coach in 2008. Brimley needs only two wins next year to become the all time winningest coach at Purdue. It got me thinking. W.B. has been there 11 years. This has been their best 11 year run in school history. Arguably. And in that time, Purdue is 5-6 against the Irish. ND has had their worst 11 year stretch and still Purdue could not even get above .500. Medicrity is best served warm... like oatmeal.

Hunting Wolverines
It is official. According to The Detroit News, Manningham, Arrington, and Mallett are no longer skunkbears. Mario and Adrian are entering the draft and Mallett is looking to transfer. But, no official word has come from the players themselves. This comes from R. Rod. He is such a prick, these guys won't talk to him. This is a disaster for Michigan... and I'm laughing my ass off.

Buckeyes Are The Bills of College Football
Once again Ohio State was in the title game this year. And once again, they got their ass kicked. Allow me to be the first to predict the national champs for next year. It's Georgia's turn to kick the Bucks in the nuts.

All-American Weekend Roundup

If you were among the many thousands of Notre Dame fans around the country monitoring the Army All-American Bowl and the ESPN/Under Armour High School All-American Game, you had to be laughing your ass off at Braxton Cave's dominance over "arguably the best defensive tackle recruit in the country" on Saturday.

Cave not only won virtually ALL of his battles with Hunter, but his first quarter pancake of the Florida bound nose tackle became one of the highlights of the day for Domers and Subway Domers across the country.

Meanwhile, back in San Antonio, Brandon Newman was stealing the show in the practices leading up to the Army All-American Game.

"Beyond Marcus Forston (Miami), I don't see another lineman who can compare," CSTV recruiting analyst Tom Lemming commented to The South Bend Tribune on Newman, a 6-foot-1, 300-pound nose tackle from Louisville poised to sign with Notre Dame.

Suddenly, the word "arguably" seems to be the functional adverb when discussing who is "arguably the best defensive lineman recruit in the country". Incidentally, Forston looked pretty damn dominant himself on Saturday, so maybe even the use of the term "arguably" is now inappropriate. In my opinion, Hunter probably played himself out of the top three this weekend.

Not that one game a player makes, but as we all know, this was the national stage that would pit college-level player against college-level player and if a young man wants to boost his stock, this was the weekend to do it.

The likes of Tom Lemming don't really care, despite knowing that this was merely one game, what these recruits did before this weekend, and neither do the "powers that be" who will decide which program lays claim to the top recruiting class in the country. As we all know, that would be Notre Dame as of right now, however there was some speculation that it might change after the defection of Hunter. Somehow, I don't think that will be the case.

Straight from the "More Great News" Department

The Irish received their 23rd verbal commitment from 6-foot-4, 186 pound WR Deion Walker. Some fans have voiced a preference for "athlete" Gerell Robinson, but I couldn't have been happier about Notre Dame landing true wide receiver Walker, who will pair with Mike Floyd for one of the most potent freshman receiving duos in 2008.

"He (Weis) is an offensive-minded coach who knows the game and how to get the ball to his wide receivers." Walker told ESPN "Coach sees me as a receiver who can play in the slot and also split out wide. He said I have the green light to come in and challenge for a starting job."

Robinson, who had maintained that he would not announce his decision at the All-American game, changed his mind during the course of the week and decided to make his decision official. Many fans felt that Robinson was swayed by the pressure of the 15 Notre Dame recruits surrounding him in San Antonio, but Gerell shocked the recruiting world by choosing Arizona State.

Rivals.com had Deion Walker ranked as the No.35 ranked recruit in their top 100, Gerell Robinson was ranked at No.52.

The best part of Walker choosing Notre Dame? It's another small recruiting victory over PSU and USC.

Injury Front

Notre Dame came out of All-American Weekend virtually unscathed in the injury department (knocks on wood), however there was a small setback for the recruiting class when four-star Irish corner prospect Jamoris Slaughter tore the meniscus in one of his knees in the practice week leading up to the game.

Slaughter was set to start in the game after a solid week of practice until the injury sidelined him for the game.

"It just kind of happened," Slaughter told Mike Frank of Scout.com. "I'm just trying to stay off it right now. They took a look at it. It's just a meniscus. (The recovery time) is pretty quick. I've just got to go in and get it scoped and I should be back within a month or so. I was just glad that was all it was."



Surprise of the Weekend

Who would have thought that Bishop Dwenger sensation John Goodman would haul in the winning touchdown in this weekend's U.S. Army All-American Bowl?

Michael Floyd didn't look too shabby either, reeling in four catches for 118 and two touchdowns, but that was somewhat expected. With Dayne Crist tossing him the rock, the tandem teamed up for a glimpse of the future for the Irish. But Goodman was the real story, and a "feel-good" one at that.

"The game itself was one of the highlights of my life, and especially to get that touchdown," Goodman told the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. "It was just awesome altogether."

Real Quick

Deion Walker chose ND over Penn State at the ESPN All-American game.
Gerrell Robinson Chose Arizona State over ND at the Army All-American game.
I'll have more on this later. It's a work weekend...shit.

Spring Into Action

- It is January people. That's right...January. It isn't August contrary to what some of you may think out there. But that's, alright. I understand how anxious some of you are about putting together starting lineups (and for you recruiting junkies: putting freshman right in the mix) and projections for the 2008 season. I get it, I'm excited too. But first things are definitely first... signing day and then spring practice culminating with the Annual Blue-Gold Game.
With that in mind, The Subway Domer is bringing you a little foretaste of the feast to come... The Spring Game. I thought I would share with you on what I would like to see Coach Weis do with the game. Last year was kind of a bore and I think with the starting QB in place, it should make for a little better spectacle. And yes, I will give you what I think will be the depth chart... for spring.

• After having not one, but two Irish coaching legends coach the game this year, I wonder what Weis has in store? I contacted Charlie and let him know that if called upon, The Subway Domer and Colonialhead would be more than ready to take the reigns. He said that he would have to get back with me. Fair enough. If not us, I would like to take a wild guess and say Aaron Taylor (somewhere Latina is shaking) and Michael Stonebreaker (somewhere the Thunder is Shaking). Why not?
• The 2008 Irish need to be more physical and become what Weis has promised us...Nasty. With that in mind , I believe the practices leading up to the game needs to take on that role. HIT,HIT,HIT! What Weis shouldn't do is something that he eluded to during the season: QB being fair game. That would just be asking for trouble, and honestly, I don't see Charlie letting it happen in practice or at the spring game. Everyone else = snot bubbles.
• In keeping with the physical theme, Spring needs to be all about competition at every position. Play the best man. With an improving depth chart, this will be a little easier to accomplish this year than last year. Next year's Spring game will really be loaded with depth, but I digress. There are still some glaring holes, most noticeably on both the O-Line and D-Line, but there is enough to make it interesting.
• Make this years game special. Meaning: include ALL special teams play. Kickoffs, punts, all of it, and do it full bore. Special teams have been very disappointing during the Weis administration if you took away Zibby, and guess what? Zibby is gone and needs to be replaced. I think we have the personnel to do it, but it MUST be practiced. Games can be won with special teams and the 2008 Fighting Irish will need all the help we can get.
• As far as the game play itself: 2 twenty minute halves. 1st team O (Blue) versus 1st team D (Gold) and 2nd team O (Gold) versus 2nd team D (Blue). Clock runs continuously until it gets inside 3 minutes and then normal game play ensues.
• Let's show up. Last year was a record setting affair. Yes the weather was gorgeous and Clausen was making his debut, but after the horrible campaign last year, let's really get behind this team and set a new attendance record. If Weis doesn't call my number for the coaching gig, I will be there. At least I think I will. I am currently in negotiations with my wife, who can't understand why the Spring game always coincides with her Birthday weekend, about my plans to attend this year. I am devising a plan for an all-girls weekend in Chicago. If any of you in the Chicago area are fans of Subway Domer and would like to see great coverage online, please send me money, tickets to a show, paid hotel reservations, gift certificates to Tiffany's, or whatever you think would help 4 gals have a great time in Chi-Town.
• Now, the depth charts for the Blue-Gold Game. Please keep in mind that these are very rough...

Blue Team

Offense
QB- Jimmy Clausen
TB- James Aldridge
TB- Robert Hughes
FB- Asaph Schwaap
TE- Will Yeatman
WR- Duval Kamara
WR- David Grimes
WR- George West
WR- Robby Parris
LT- Sam Young
RT- Paul Duncan
C- Dan Wenger
LG- Eric Olsen

RG- Chris Stewart

Defense
DE- Paddy Mullen
NT- Darrell Hand
DE- Kallen Wade
OLB- John Ryan
ILB- Scott Smith
ILB- Steve Paskorz
OLB- Mo Richardson
CB- Gary Gray
CB- Raeshon McNeil
S- Ray Herring
S- Sergio Brown

Gold Team

Offense
QB- Evan Sharpley
TB- Armando Allen
FB/TB- Luke Schmidt
TE- Mike Ragone
WR- Richard Jackson
WR- D.J. Hord
WR- Golden Tate
WR- Barry Gallup Jr.
LT- Matt Romine
RT- Taylor Dever
C- Thomas Bemenderfer
LG- Michael Turkovich
RG- Trevor Robinson
Defense
DE- Justin Brown
NT- Ian Williams
DE- Pat Kuntz
OLB- Brian Smith
ILB- Mo Crum
ILB- Toryan Smith
OLB- Kerry Neal
CB- Terrail Lambert
CB- Darrin Walls
S- David Bruton
S- Harrison Smith

So, there you have it. If you were wondering why I have Schwaap on the first team ,it was because of having Allen on the Gold squad. I thought Schmidt could play the RPN role and double as a TB/FB.

Please discuss. I would love to know your thoughts on this subject. Use the shoutbox, the comment link, or discuss in any forum you see this is placed. (I love pimping SD).

Random Randomness At Random

With so much going on in the College Football Universe (Bowl season, recruiting and the HS All-American Games, and everything else), I really can't put together a good post that flows and actually has a point. So instead I am just going to put a list of thoughts of what is going on in my head.

I wanna say something. I'm gonna put it out there; if you like it, you can
take it, if you don't, send it right back.

- Ron Burgandy

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• Omar is gone and isn't coming back. Sigh. To say this is a disappointment, would be an understatement. Omar was THE perfect fit for ND's 3-4 scheme. But Charlie, the constant recruiter, has offered DT Mike Martin a scholarship. Martin is not the player Omar is right now, but is a very good player with a lot of upside. This is not a "dire" situation as some people would lead you to beleive. ND still has Ian Williams coming back asfter starting a few games at NG and seeing a lot of time off of the bench, and It has commitments from Sean Cwynar, Hafis Williams, and most importantly: Brandon Newman. If ND locks up Martin and gets another quality DT next year... all is well.
• Ryan Mallett looks like he is heading to UCLA. We all saw this coming after the hire of R. Rod. I have to say that I am a little disappointed. I would have liked to have seen Clausen VS. Mallett II, III, and IV. With that said, Michigan may find itself in a HUGE jam if they do not land Terrelle Pryor. David Cone and Jason Forcier do not scare me. Michigan is in trouble... and I like it. Fuck Michigan.
• The Irish have 14 commits playing in the Army All-American game and 2 commits in the ESPN Under Armour All-American game. Hefty numbers for what is still, what most experts would agree, the #1 rated recruiting calss for 2008. The Irish are not done and it could get even better. WR Deion Walker could pull the trigger Saturday at the ESPN game or even WR/S Gerrell Robinson at the Army game. ND will also be getting visits from DE and Subway Domer favorite Datone Jones and also from Texas A&M commit, DE Kapron Lewis-Moore. Plus, there may be a suprise recruit in there somewhere.
• This Bowl season sucked ass. Blowouts seemed to be the "In" thing. I am doing decent in the Subway Domer Bowl Bonanza (2nd behind OC Domer) but after watching most of these games, my prediction of a LSU blowout win looks like crap. It might be the other way around now. Seriously, did you EVER think WV was going to kick the living shit out of Oklahoma? They did, and now the Title game looks in jeopardy. I wonder hoe the Kansas and Virginia Tech matchup will end up?
• Stop the Charlie Weis to Dolphins talk. Ain't gonna happen.

Look for more Random Shit in the near future.

All-Davieham Team... Part 2 Defense

Now it's time for the other side of the ball. I received some pretty passionate responses to my offensive selections. Remember, I am basing these choices on production and not on a man-crush. Well, most of them anyways. Again, the criteria was for the players to play in at least 2 years of this God-awful era.

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Defensive Ends: Grant Irons & Justin Tuck. Grant Irons came to ND after a heated recruiting battle with Michigan. Grants older brother played for the Skunkbears, but Grant showed his superior intelligence for choosing ND. Irons was plagued by injuries during his 5 years at ND, but was quite a force on the field. Grant was switched from OLB to DE and was a 4 year starter at ND. Justin Tuck was one of the best (if not THE best) pass rushing DE in Irish History. Justin could have been legendary. Tuck did not see the field his freshman year and was an outside linebacker. His sophomore year Tuck moved to DE and was a pass rushing specialist. He finished that year with 10 TFL and 5 sacks. His breakout year was his junior year at ND. He set the single season sack record with 13.5 sacks and also left as the career leader as well and dominated the game at times. After "The Molder of Men" was sacked himself, Tuck left ND for the NFL draft despite having 2 years of eligibility left. Tuck was truly one of the best ever and may not be remembered as well, due to his short tenure at ND.

Defensive Tackle: Anthony Weaver & Lance Legree. Notre Dame was very consistent during this era with the lack of TRUE playmaking defensive tackles. To this day, the Irish have had problems with acquiring those important hogs for the d-line. Of all of those guys that fit the mold of play making DT it would have to Weaver. Anthony was a 4 year starter at ND and was a dominant run stopper as well as a very good pass rusher. He was moved around a lot during his time at ND from DT to DE, but one thing remained: Weaver stayed on the field and produced. Lance Legree became a very good DT for the Irish during his stay at ND. Lance was moved around as well, but settled in at DT and was a force his 5th year with 50 tackles.

Outside Linebacker: Kory Minor & Rocky Boiman. Kory Minor came to ND as part of a number 1 recruiting class. Minor was a 4 year starter at ND and was a very fearsome pass rusher. He is 2nd all-time in sacks at ND and developed into a fan favorite during his time there as well. Speaking of fan favorites, Rocky Boiman made the list as well. Rocky will probably be remembered most for his love of rocking out to Metallica before a game and his fiery red hair. Boiman was a very energetic player and seemed to be around the ball a lot.

Middle Linbacker: Jimmy Friday & Courtney Watson. Jimmy Friday was a staple of the Irish defense for 2 years at ND. He led the team in tackles his junior year with 109 and was 2nd his senior year with 79. Not as well known as other Irish players, Friday was very physical and was very intimidating as a run stopper. Courtney Watson developed into a modern day Irish legend. After coming to ND to be a RB, Watson quickly found himself on the other side of the ball. Once there, Watson found his home and was a starter for 3 years. In his final 2, he led the team in tackles and was the first Irish player to do so in two consecutive years since Irish Great Demetrius DuBose (R.I.P.). Watson was undersized, but his speed allowed him to make contact quickly and once there, Courtney took his man down. Perhaps his greatest game was during an Irish loss. In 2001 ND played Nebraska. Watson was all over the field and recorded a career high, 18 tackles. Watson truly played bigger than his physical stature would have you believe.

Cornerback: Vontez Duff & Shane Walton. These two players were teammates and really helped and relied on one another to shine and be as productive as possible. Duff was a 3 year starter at cornerback for the Irish. During a time in ND history of being scorched through the air, Duff was an exciting coverman. Duff was a very quick player with a knack to find the ball in the air. Anytime Vontez picked one off, you had to hold your breath. True Story: I was at the Purdue game in 2002. Remember that year, the Irish did not score during their first 2 games (Maryland & Purdue). The Irish were ties and I was saying to my buddy, "Duff needs a pick 6 right now for us to win." Tada... Duff came through. Walton IS a legend at ND. One of the best finds of the Davie era, Shane was a soccer player for ND. Usually, when a soccer player comes over to play football it is because they need a kicker. Not so with Shane. Davie saw his quick feet and the rest is history. Walton went on to become an All-American and was a lockdown corner. Walton always found himself in good situations and was rewarded for those with being able to make big play after big play. My favorite was the INT that sealed the victory versus Michigan in 2002.

Safety: Glenn Earl & Gerome Sapp. Another teammate tandem and on top of that, they were teammates with Duff and Walton. It says a lot about the secondary that was there and about the lack of depth during the Davieham era. Sapp was a ball hawking safety who just made plays. He was in on a lot of tackles and helped keep the deep zone well covered. Ironically, he may be better remembered for his fumble recoveries than his INTs. Glenn Earl was a very physical player for the Irish. Earl was only 6'1" 205 pounds, but played much bigger. He was 2nd in tackles for the team his junior year and delivered big hit after big hit. One of Glenn's best moments came during his sophomore year against Air Force. Earl blocked a 28 yard field goal as time expired to send the game into overtime. (ND wound up with the victory).

Part 3 will be available soon and will cover Special Teams and those who missed the cut.

Happy New Year!!!