Just Passed the 200,000 Unique Visitor Mark!

At 10:01 PM this evening a Notre Dame fan from Baton Rouge, LA became unique visitor #200,000 to the ND GO IRISH BLOG -- THANK YOU!

This blog was launched 19 months ago as a project to prove whether I could create content that would attract an audience.  Well, the site's growing faster than I would have ever dreamed.  Just goes to prove the power of the Notre Dame brand -- no other school could generate such demand on the web for a blog created by one fan.

The ND GO IRISH BLOG is now ranked among the top 9% of all blogs on the worldwide web...

Notre Dame fans, this post will be the 1,882nd story I've written on this site -- it's been great fun!  Thanks for making the ND GO IRISH BLOG part of your daily Notre Dame 'fix' on the web!

Can we say 300,000!!!!

Michigan Week: Wednesday Report on ND

The University of Notre Dame is one day closer to erasing the memory of the GREAT GIVEAWAY GAME against USF -- and playing in the first night game at Michigan Stadium.  Here's what's happening around the Irish football program:

LINK:  COACH KELLY WITH THE MEDIA AFTER PRACTICE

LINK:  IRISH CONNECTION

2011 NCAA Offensive Rankings After Game #1

It's time for our FIRST look at where Notre Dame Football ranks in certain statistical categories amongst the 120 teams in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision -- FOR THE 2011 SEASON.  In today's analysis you'll see how Notre Dame's Offense & Special Teams currently stand; on a national basis -- as compared to their final ranking for 2010 and 2009.

OFFENSIVE TEAM STATISTICS

First Downs:  2011 after game #1:  27 first downs -- ranked #10 in the country.  2010 Rank #57 with 19.83 first downs per game -- in 2009 we averaged 24.4 first downs per game for the season, ranking us #13.

Third Down Conversions:  2011 after game #1:  28.6% -- ranked #82 in the country.  2010 Rank #76 with a 37.5% conversion rate -- in 2009 we had a 39.1% conversion rate for the season, ranking us #48.

Passing Yards Per Attempt:  2011 after game #1:  8.0 yards per passing attempt -- ranked #43 in the country.  2010 Rank #75 with 6.8 yards passing per attempt -- in 2009 we averaged 8.7 yards passing per attempt, ranking us #7 in the country.
  

Passing Yardage:  2011 after game #1:  391 yards per game -- ranked #5 in the country.  2010 Rank #29 with 257 yards per game  (3,089 yards for the season)  -- in 2009 we passed for 323 yards per game (3,882 yards for the season), ranking us #7.

Rushing Yards Per Attempt:  2011 after game #1:  4.0 yards per game -- ranked #64 in the country.  2010 Rank #83 with 3.9 yards rushing per attempt -- in 2009 we averaged 3.8 yards rushing per attempt, ranking us #76 in the country.  

Rushing Yardage:  2011 after game #1:  117 rushing yards -- ranked #83 in the country.  2010 Rank #97 with 121 yards rushing per game (1,450 yards for the season) -- in 2009 we rushed for 127 yards per game  (1,539 yards for the season), ranking us #88.

Most QB Sacks Given Up:  2011 after game #1:  2 sacks given up -- ranked #32 in the country.  2010 Rank #66 giving up 19 QB sacks -- in 2009 we gave up 25 QB sacks for the season, ranking us #66. 

Fewest Pass Interceptions Thrown: 2011 after game #1:  3 interceptions thrown -- ranked #112.  2010 Rank #105 having thrown 16 pass interceptions -- in 2009 we threw 5 interceptions for the season, raking us #4.

Fewest Fumbles Lost:  2011 after game #1:  2 fumbles -- ranked #89 in the country.  2010 Rank #31 having lost 8 fumbles -- in 2009 we lost 9 fumbles for the season ranking us #39.

Fewest  Turnovers Lost:  2011 after game #1:  5 turnovers lost -- ranked #108 (last) in the country.  2010 Rank #84 with 24 turnovers lost -- in 2009 we had 14 turnovers for the season, ranking us #7.

Total Offense:  2011 after game #1:  508 yards per game -- ranked #15 in the country.  2010 Rank #63 with 378 yards per game of offense -- in 2009 we had 451 yards per game of offense, ranking us #8.

Points Per Game:  2011 after game #1:  20 points per game -- ranked #84 in the country.  2010 Rank #73 with 25.75 points per game -- in 2009 we averaged 30.1 points per game for the season, ranking us #32.

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TEAM STATISTICS

Fewest Penalties:  2011 after game #1:  8 penalties -- ranked #85 in the country.  2010 Rank #10 with 55 penalties -- in 2009 we had 75 penalties for the season, ranking us #50.

Fewest Penalty Yards:  2011 after game #1:  73 yards in penalties -- ranked #95 in the country.  2010 Rank #25 with 511 yards in penalties -- in 2009 we had 666 yards in penalties, ranking us #60.

Net Punting Yards:  2011 after game #1:  34.6 yards per game -- ranked #73 in the country.  2010 Rank #72 with an average net of 36.9 yards per punt -- in 2009 we averaged 32.1 yards per punt, ranking us #112.

Field Goals:  2011 after game #1:  0 field goals made -- ranked #75 in the country.  2010 Rank #32 with 15 field goals made.  In 2009 we made 19 field goals, ranking us #22 -- while going 19 for 22 in the process.     

CNNSI Interview of Coach Kelly

Here's a link to a CNNSI.com interview of Notre Dame head football coach the day after the loss to the University of South Florida -- also known as the "GREAT GIVEAWAY GAME."  Here's a link to the interview:

LINK:  BRIAN KELLY CNNSI.COM INTERVIEW