Joe Schmidt -- One of Notre Dame's Middle Men

Notre Dame linebacker Joe Schmidt has gone from walk-on to starting middle linebacker for the Fighting Irish -- and he'll be a key in this Saturday's match-up with Stanford.

ESPN's Matt Fortuna wrote this nice story about Schmidt:

LINK:  JOE SCHMIDT

ESPN'S College Football Live: ND vs. Stanford

Well, if you wonder what the "experts" are saying about Saturday afternoon's game between #8 Notre Dame and #14 Stanford -- just click on the link below...

I wonder how much they've watched ND on film:

LINK:  ESPN COLLEGE FOOTBALL LIVE

LINK:  PICKIN' A WINNER

Nice Story on Notre Dame QB Everett Golson

Yahoo! Sports Pat Forde penned this story today on Notre Dame quarterback Everett Golson.

Thought you'd want to see this:

LINK:  EVERETT GOLSON

Stanford Players Talk Notre Dame Game

Quarterback Kevin Hogan (see Notre Dame lineage below), safety Jordan Richards and defensive end Blake Lueders (Zionsville, IN) -- met with the media yesterday to talk about their game with Notre Dame.

Kevin Hogan is the nephew of former Fighting Irish quarterback Coley O'Brien and tackle Ivan Brown. His father and sister attended Notre Dame, and he estimates between 10 and 20 cousins and about five or six aunts and uncles hold Notre Dame degrees.

Lueders was originally committed to Notre Dame, before switching to Stanford after Weis was fired.

Just click on their names below:

LINK:  KEVIN HOGAN

LINK:  JORDAN RICHARDS

LINK:  BLAKE LUEDERS

Stanford's David Shaw Talks Notre Dame Game

Stanford head football coach David Shaw met with the media Tuesday in Palo Alto to talk about Saturday's game with Notre Dame.  Click on the link below:

LINK:  STANFORD

Game Replay: Notre Dame 31 - Syracuse 15

Here's the full game replay of Notre Dame's 31 to 15 win over Syracuse this past Saturday at MetLife Stadium.  Just click on the link below:

LINK:  ND VICTORY -- FULL GAME REPLAY

Stanford Week: Coach Kelly Press Conference

Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly met with the media today to talk Saturday's clash with Stanford.  Here's a link to what he had to say:

LINK:  COACH KELLY

Stanford Week: Inside Notre Dame Football

Coach Kelly reviews the Syracuse game and looks forward to this Saturday's game with Stanford. 

Click on the link below:

LINK:  INSIDE NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL

Goodell Meets With Former Notre Dame Coach

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell traveled to Texas recently to meet with former Notre Dame assistant football coach Charlie Strong who's now leading the Longhorn's football program.

Charlie served on Lou Holtz's Fighting Irish coaching staff from 1995 to 1998...

Strong is cleaning house in Austin -- releasing nine players so far from his team. 

Charlie's push to find character in his players -- drew the attention of the embattled Commissioner.  Click on the link below to see the story:

LINK:  CHARLIE STRONG

A Rivarly Wedding -- Notre Dame & Michigan

My cousin Craig Doyle married Rebecca Blankenship this weekend in what you would call a "marriage of rivals."  For you see, Craig is a Notre Dame fan and Rebecca roots for that "school in Ann Arbor."

As you'll see in the photos they took the rivalry to heart -- actually getting married in football uniforms and the "justice of the peace" wore a referee's shirt...  Hopefully he wasn't from the Big Ten!

The wedding invitations were designed like a Notre Dame vs. Michigan football ticket -- and the wedding and reception was designed like a tailgate...

Congrats Craig and Rebecca!

Everett Golson Surpasses Lujack's Winning %

Notre Dame QB Everett Golson is now the "winningest" starting quarterback in Fighting Irish history with more than 15 career starts.

With the win last night, Everett is now 14 - 1 as a starting QB -- giving him a (.933) winning percentage.  Johnny Lujack was 20 - 1 - 1 as a starter giving him a (.932) winning percentage.

LINK:  STORY

Domer Dad Celebrates Tigers' Central Crown!

The Detroit Tigers' Torii Hunter Sr., celebrated his son's first TOUCHDOWN at Notre Dame last night and he celebrated an American League Central Division Championship this afternoon!

That's Torii to the left in the photo above -- see his interview at the link below...

Torri and the Tigers clinched the Central Division on the last day of the season.  The Playoffs begin for Detroit Thursday night in Baltimore against the Orioles.

LINK:  TORII CELEBRATING IN CLUBHOUSE!

Charlie Weis Fired After 23 - 0 Loss to Texas

Kansas head football coach Charlie Weis was fired -- after the Jayhawks 23 - 0 loss to Texas yesterday.

Weis was 6 - 22 at Kansas in his three seasons with the Jayhawks.

LINK:  WEIS FIRED

LINK:  KANSAS UNIVERSITY OFFICIAL RELEASE

LINK:  WEIS' POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCE

Syracuse Coach Talks Loss to Notre Dame

Scott Shafer met with the media last night after Syracuse's 31 - 16 loss to Notre Dame.  Here's a link to the press conference:

His comments -- very positive for what Coach Kelly & Company are doing at Notre Dame...

LINK:  SCOTT SHAFER

Brian Kelly's Post Game Press Conference

Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly met with the media after the Fighting Irish beat Syracuse 31 - 6 last night at MetLife Stadium -- here's a link to the press conference:

LINK:  COACH KELLY

Game Highlights: Notre Dame 31 - Syracuse 16

Here's a link to the game highlights from tonight's 31 - 16 victory for our Fighting Irish over the Syracuse Orangemen...

LINK:  GAME HIGHLIGHTS

ABC Post Game Interview of Coach Brian Kelly

Here is a link to Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly's post game on-field interview with an ABC/ESPN reporter.

LINK:  COACH KELLY

Video Replay: Torii Hunter Jr.'s First Catch a TD!

Torii Hunter Jr., has been waiting for this moment for a long time...

His first career catch, came in the 4th quarter of tonight's 31 - 16 victory and it went for a TOUCHDOWN!  It was also Everett Golson's 25th straight completion -- a Notre Dame record!

Here's the video proof -- along with a look at Torri's reaction and his teammates to TD #1!

LINK:  HUNTER'S TD CATCH

LINK:  TEAM & TORII'S SIDELINE REACTION

Everett Golson's "Imperfect - Record" Night

Notre Dame QB Everett Golson completed a school record 25 straight passes tonight on his way to a 4 TD, 362 yards of passing performance in the Fighting Irish's 31 - 16 win over Syracuse...

The 25 straight completions fell one short of the NCAA record.

Unfortunately, a fumble, two interceptions -- one a "pick six" -- gives Everett, Coach Kelly and Coach LaFleur something to work on this weeK as the Irish prepare for #16 Stanford.

Here is Everett with the media after the game:

LINK:  GOLSON WITH MEDIA

#8 Notre Dame Gets Win #4 Tonight in Jersey

The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame won a game tonight in front of the largest crowd to ever see a college football game at MetLife Stadium.

Notre Dame's 31 - 16 win over Syracuse -- marked the first time a Notre Dame team has scored 30 plus points in four straight games to start a season since 1943.  And, it included a ND record for most consecutive completions by a QB! (25 or 26 -- still waiting for final clarification)...

And, the good news -- it took me this long to bring up the five turnovers...

Here's the quick media reaction to tonight's victory:

LINK:  SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE

LINK:  ESPN NOTRE DAME BLOG

LINK:  FORT WAYNE JOURNAL GAZETTE