Over the past twelve months -- since leaving Notre Dame and starting The Small Things Consultancy, LLC -- I've had the great honor of working with Purdue's College of Engineering on the planning for the celebration of their 150th Anniversary.
I learned a great deal about the consequential impact Purdue Engineering has had on our country and our world. Came away EXTREMELY IMPRESSED -- with this University and the people I worked with. What a treasure for the state of Indiana.
If you make the trek to West Lafayette tomorrow for the game -- you'll see this being commemorated in both end zones -- and you'll be treated by Purdue's All-American Band celebrating 150 years of Purdue Engineering during their halftime show.
It's ironic that we're kicking off their 150th Anniversary celebration tonight and tomorrow with events while the Fighting Irish are in town.
Notre Dame Football selected two Transfer Portal QB's these past two seasons from schools with low expectations for their respective football programs. Sam Hartman played for a Wake Forest program and Riley Leonard for a Duke program, where if you won more games than you lost -- YOU WERE CELEBRATED.
That is fact.
Now they walk onto one of the biggest stages in all of sport, where there's only one goal and that's a National Championship -- and you have to question, were they both ready for this?
I truly don't believe Hartman was and I'm now thinking Leonard isn't either.
Riley Leonard is a quality young man. He's the kid you want your daughter to marry someday. Yet, he's a "deer in headlights right now." He's indecisive / afraid to make a mistake.
He's missing WIDE OPEN THROWS by yards, not feet. In both games he's had Notre Dame wide receivers wide open, 15 yards away -- and his throws were not even close to the receiver.
Yesterday's BIG MISTAKE -- was missing an open receiver BY TEN YARDS that would have put the game away. To add insult to injury, the underthrow led to an interception and one of the worst losses in the history of the Notre Dame football program.
When you're TIGHT, INDECISIVE AND AFRAID -- this happens.
There's only five programs in college football who haven't thrown a touchdown pass in their first two games. And, the school that invented the forward pass IS ON THAT LIST!
I do not believe Riley Leonard is equipped for the bright lights of Notre Dame Football. He's a great young man, he's just not the guy to LEAD Notre Dame Football to the College Football Playoffs.
Look at the difference between Riley Leonard and Howard Cross' post game comments in the video above. Look at the body language of both -- who would give you confidence to follow?
We've experimented with turning our offense over to "renters" and it's not working -- let's give the "owners" a chance to lead.
Give the ball to Angelli or the young stud C.J. Carr.
Here's a look at the voters in the AP Poll and how they ranked our Fighting Irish. The high was David Jablonski (Dayton Daily News) who ranked Notre Dame #2 this week -- and there were three voters who slotted us at #10: Bob Ballou (CBS Austin, TX), John Clay (Lexington Herald-Leader) and Kirk Kenney (San Diego Union-Tribune).
Took a lap around the worldwide web this evening (early morning) to see what's being said about Notre Dame's 'gut-check' win over #20 Texas A&M on the road...
Shane Gillis, one of the hottest comics in the world right now, is a huge Notre Dame fan. Here he is in the post game locker room celebration with Irish WR Jayden Thomas and Riley Leonard. Looks like Gillis has scored a game worn jersey...
Photos posted by IRISH INSIDER on Instagram and ND Football on "X."
