Digger Phelps Firing Up Notre Dame Students!

ESPN's Richard "Digger" Phelps -- returned home to Notre Dame last night to visit the dining halls on campus to motivate the "Leprechaun Legion" to turn-out for tomorrow's COLLEGE GAMEDAY SHOW at Purcell Pavilion.

Here's a story and video of Digger doing his thing:

LINK:  DIGGER BACK ON CAMPUS

Photo of the Day: ESPN's Rece Davis at ND!

ESPN's Rece Davis is on campus today with his cohorts from COLLEGE GAMEDAY -- preparing for tomorrow night's hoops game between the IRISH and Louisville.  Here Rece is "prepping" for tomorrow's show in the ND Training Room with Jack Cooley...   

Tonight at 10 PM -- a College Gameday Campout in the JAAC will be held -- click here for details.

Photo "tweeted" by @NDSportsBlogger -- Josh Flynt

Coach Brian Kelly -- Lowest Round of the Day!

The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is in its second day and Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly's pro-am team is currently sitting in a tie for 22nd with a score of -11 after two rounds of play. 

Coach Kelly contributed 4 strokes today to their team's 9 UNDER PAR score -- the lowest score today!

The teams with the top 25 scores and ties -- after tomorrow's third round -- will advance to Sunday's final round!   Look for Coach Kelly during tomorrow's telecast of the tournament:

• Golf Channel from 1:00 PM ET to 2:30 PM ET
• CBS from 3:00 PM ET to 6:00 PM ET

LINK:  LIVE LEADERBOARD

Eight Notre Dame Football Players Get Invite

The NFL has invited eight Notre Dame football players to participate in their NFL Scouting Combine -- February 20 - 26 in Indianapolis.  This annual "talent show" will bring together more than 300 college football players to showcase their athletic, personality and character skills in front of representatives of each of the NFL's 32 franchises.  The eight ND football players are:

• Manti Te'o
• Braxston Cave
• Cierre Wood
• Theo Riddick
• Zeke Motta
• Tyler Eifert
• Kapron Lewis-Moore
• Jamoris Slaughter*

*Now, Jamoris Slaughter is hoping he'll be given a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA -- which if he does -- he won't be down in Indy.

The photo above is of Harrison Smith -- the former Notre Dame captain used last year's NFL Scouting Combine to turn a lot of heads and move up into the FIRST ROUND of the NFL DRAFT!


LINK:  OFFICIAL NFL INVITE LIST

Day 2 -- Coach Kelly Pebble Beach Pro-Am

Stay tuned to the ND GO IRISH BLOG for updates on the media coverage surrounding Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly's efforts to "make the cut" at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

Today -- Coach Kelly will be teeing off at 11:00 AM ET on Spyglass Hill Golf Club in a foursome that includes New England Patriots' Bill Belichick.   Just click on the links below for the media coverage.

LINK:  PERFECT EXCUSE FOR POOR PLAY

LINK:  COACH KELLY'S CADDIE 

LINK:  SECOND ROUND LEADERBOARD

Coach Kelly @ AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am

You can tune in here to the ND GO IRISH BLOG to follow how Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly is doing this week in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.  Coach Kelly is playing with PGA Tour player James Driscoll.

Thursday update -- First Round:

• Driscoll shot a 2 over par 74 on Monterey Peninsula Country Club's Shore Course
• Team score was 2 under par -- so Coach Kelly contributed four shots to the team with his 13 handicap
• Tied for 116th

Other football coaches and their team scores:

• Jim Harbaugh and his partner are tied for 3rd at 9 under par
• Bill Belichik (who played in the same group with Brian Kelly and partner are tied for 72nd with a 4 under par score

LINK:  FIRST ROUND LEADER BOARD -- PRO-AM

Rankings of Football Recruiting Classes

Here's a look at all of the media properties that rank college football recruiting classes.  Now before you get too excited...

Just listen closely to a Monday Night Football game when the players announce where they went to college -- you'll see then how important high school recruiting rankings are..

Here are the rankings as of this morning:

LINK:  RIVALS RANKS ND #3

LINK:  SPORTS ILLUSTRATED RANKS ND #3

LINK:  MAX PREPS RANKS ND #3

LINK:  247SPORTS RANKS ND #3

LINK:  SCOUT RANKS ND #4

LINK:  ESPN RANKS ND #4

Media Reaction to ND's Recruiting Class

The University of Notre Dame's football program had quite a day yesterday -- landing one of the top recruiting classes in the country.  As has become custom around here at the ND GO IRISH BLOG -- I've taken a lap around the worldwide web to see what's being said about ND Football.  Just click on the links below:

LINK:  DAN WETZEL -- YAHOO SPORTS

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE

LINK:  INDIANAPOLIS STAR

LINK:  SPORTING NEWS

LINK:  THE OBSERVER

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE

LINK:  ESPN BLOG

LINK:  NBC SPORTS

LINK:  CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

Video of Eddie Vanderdoes Picking Notre Dame!

The University of Notre Dame picked up the top defensive tackle in America when Eddie Vanderdoes announced he would sign with the IRISH this evening.  Here's a link to a Sacramento TV station's coverage of the announcement -- along with a link to Eddie picking the ND hat!

Ironically, the TV reporter admitted his wife is a "Notre Dame alum" during the segment.  Click on the link below:

LINK:  EDDIE VANDERDOES PICKS NOTRE DAME -- KCRA-TV

LINK:  HAT SELECTION!

WOW! -- What a Recruiting Class for the IRISH!

Take a look at the job Coach Kelly and his staff did in putting together one of the top college football recruiting classes in the country!

• Half of the class was ranked among the top ten at their position in the country!  

• We took the TOP TWO PLAYERS out of CALIFORNIA!  

Here's the players ranked in the TOP TEN in the country at their position:

• The #1 ranked outside linebacker in the country -- Jaylon Smith
• The #1 ranked defensive tackle in the country -- Eddie Vanderdoes
• The #2 ranked athlete in the country -- Max Redfield
• The #2 ranked running back in the country -- Greg Bryant
• The #2 ranked offensive guard in the country -- John Montelus
• The #3 ranked quarterback in the country -- Malik Zaire
• The #5 ranked offensive tackle in the country -- Steve Elmer
• The #5 ranked offensive tackle in the country -- Hunter Bivin
• The #6 ranked running back in the country -- Tarean Folston
• The #9 ranked defensive back in the country -- Cole Luke
• The #10 ranked offensive tackle in the country -- Mike McGlinchey
• The #10 ranked defensive end in the country -- Isaac Rochell

In addition -- if you look at the STATE RANKINGS of each of these Notre Dame student-athletes -- here's where they stack up in the fifteen states (and the District of Columbia) represented in this 24 player class:

• The #1 ranked player in Michigan -- Elmer
• The #1 ranked player in California -- Vanderdoes
• The #1 ranked player in Massachussetts -- Montelus
• The #1 ranked player in Indiana -- Smith
• The #1 ranked player in Minnesota -- Onwualu
• The #2 ranked player in California -- Redfield
• The #2 ranked player in Kentucky -- Bivin

Eddie Vanderdoes Signs NLI with Notre Dame!

He's one of the top players in the country -- no matter the position -- and he just announced that he's going to wear the GOLD HELMET!  Eddie Vanderdoes, Placer High School (Auburn, CA) signed a National Letter of Intent this evening to play football for the University of Notre Dame.

• #1 defensive tackle in the country -- ESPN
• #6 player in the country --247Sports
• #1 player in the state of California -- ESPN

LINK:  RECRUITING PROFILE

LINK:  RIVALS REACTION TO VANDERDOSE SIGNING

LINK:  HIGHLIGHT VIDEO

LINK:  EDDIE VANDERDOES ARMY ALL-AMERICAN

Tarean Folston Signs NLI with Notre Dame!

Recruiting experts have him ranked as one of the top players in talent-rich Florida and one of the top running backs in the country.  Tarean Folston, Cocoa HS (Cocoa, FL) signed a National Letter of Intent today to play football for the University of Notre Dame.

• #6 ranked running back in the country -- ESPN
• #66 ranked player in the country -- ESPN

LINK:  RECRUITING PROFILE

LINK:  HIGHLIGHT VIDEO

LINK:  STORY ON TAREAN FOLSTON

The "Irish Mob" - Notre Dame's Recruiting Class

The University of Notre Dame has received the commitments of twenty-four of the top high school football players in the country today -- a recruiting class generally regarded as one of the top three in the nation.  Here's a look at the future of Notre Dame football:

LINK:  NOTRE DAME'S RECRUITING CLASS

Notre Dame Coaches Talk Recruiting Class

Coach Brian Kelly met with the media today -- along with a number of his assistant coaches -- to talk about the student-athletes who signed a National Letter of Intent to play football at the University of Notre Dame.  Here's the coverage that I've come across:

LINK:  COACH KELLY PRESS CONFERENCE

LINK:  COACH KELLY UND.COM SHOW

LINK:  COACH MARTIN

LINK:  COACH DIACO 

LINK:  COACH ALFORD

LINK:  COACH COOKS

Cole Luke Signs NLI with Notre Dame Today!

He's regarded as one of the top cornerback prospects coming out of high school football by recruiting experts.  Cole Luke, Hamilton HS (Chandler, AZ) signed a National Letter of Intent today to play football for the University of Notre Dame.

• #9 ranked cornerback in the country -- 247Sports
• #77 ranked play in the country -- 247Sports

LINK:  RECRUITING PROFILE

LINK:  HIGHLIGHT VIDEO

LINK:  STORY ON COLE LUKE

Max Redfield Signs NLI with Notre Dame Today!

He's considered one of the best safety prospects and top athletes in high school football by recruiting experts everywhere.  Max Redfield from Mission Viejo HS (Mission Viejo, CA) signed a National Letter of Intent to play football for the University of Notre Dame.

• #2 ranked athlete in the country -- ESPN
• #30 ranked player in the country

LINK:  RECRUITING PROFILE

LINK:  ESPN PROFILE VIDEO

Torii Hunter, Jr. Signs NLI with Notre Dame!

The name will be familiar to baseball fans around the world -- and he's one of the top wide receivers in the country.  Torii Hunter, Jr. signed a National Letter of Intent today to play football at the University of Notre Dame.

• #12 ranked wide receiver in the country -- ESPN
• #95 ranked player in the country -- ESPN

LINK:  RECRUITING PROFILE

LINK:  HIGHLIGHT VIDEO

LINK:  TORII HUNTER JR. INTERVIEW

Jaylon Smith Signs NLI with Notre Dame Today!

Recruiting experts everywhere believe he's one of the top players (at any position) in the country -- PERIOD.  Jaylon Smith from Bishop Luers HS (Fort Wayne, IN) signed a National Letter of Intent today to play football for the University of Notre Dame.

• #1 ranked OLB in the country -- Rivals
• #2 ranked player in the country --247Sports

LINK:  RECRUITING PROFILE

LINK:  RIVALS ANALYSIS

LINK:  HIGHLIGHT VIDEO

LINK:  STORY ON JAYLON SMITH

Greg Bryant Signs NLI With Notre Dame Today!

He's what recruiting sites call a FIVE STAR prospect -- one of the very best players at his position in the country.  Greg Bryant, a running back out of American Heritage School (Delray Beach, FL) signed a National Letter of Intent today to play football for the University of Notre Dame.

• #2 ranked running back in the country -- ESPN
• #19 ranked player in the country -- Rivals

Here's some background on Greg Bryant:

LINK:  RECRUITING PROFILE

LINK:  RIVALS ANALYSIS

LINK:  HIGHLIGHT VIDEO

LINK:  STORY ON GREG BRYANT

John McGlinchey Signs NLI with Notre Dame!

He will arrive at Notre Dame as the tallest football player to ever wear the GOLD HELMET!  John McGlinchey, William Penn Charter School (Philadelphia, PA) signed a National Letter of Intent today to play football at the University of Notre Dame.

• #10 ranked offensive tackle in the country -- 247Sports
• #131 ranked player in the country -- 247Sports

LINK:  RECRUITING PROFILE

LINK:  HIGHLIGHT VIDEO

LINK:  STORY ON MIKE McGLINCHEY