The Brian Kelly Radio Show Tonight @ 7 PM ET

University of Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly will be hosting his final radio show of the season TONIGHT at Legends.  Rumor has it he'll have a SPECIAL GUEST!  The fun begins at 7 PM ET -- and you can watch it here LIVE:

LINK:  BRIAN KELLY RADIO SHOW -- WATCH IT LIVE

ND Mongoram Club -- Jacket Presentation

This is a special moment that many Notre Dame fans know very little about -- it's the awarding of a Notre Dame Letter Jacket.  Here's a video produced by UND.COM of the ceremony.  Click on the link below:

LINK:  FALL LETTER JACKET CEREMONY

ND Football Awards Show -- Highlight Video

The folks at UND.COM produced a highlight video for the 2011 ND Football Awards Show -- which was held this past Friday night at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center on the University of Notre Dame campus.  It's good!

LINK:  ND FOOTBALL AWARDS SHOW

Irish to Play in China? -- New York Times Article

The New York Times' Pete Thamel is reporting that the University of Notre Dame and Stanford University are in talks to play their 2013 football game in CHINA!  If true, this would represent the first time American football will be played in China.  BIG NEWS!  Here's a link to the story:

LINK:  NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL IN CHINA

Manti Teo Gives IRISH Fans an Early Present!

University of Notre Dame star linebacker, Manti Teo -- announced last night at the Lott Impact Trophy awards banquet, in Los Angeles, that he would be RETURNING for his senior season!  Many had speculated that Manti was headed to "NFL Millions" with a pick in the mid first round-- not so fast my friends!!!!  Here are links to the South Bend Tribune and Chicago Tribune stories -- along with an interview of Manti and Coach Kelly about the GREAT NEWS!  Irish fans will enjoy the Chicago Tribune and South Bend Tribune interview of Manti's Dad -- good stuff here!:

LINK:  MANTI TEO TO RETURN TO ND!

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE STORY 

LINK:  ERIC HANSEN STORY -- SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE

LINK:  MANTI & COACH KELLY INTERVIEW

My Favorite ND Commit From This Next Class!

His name is Tee Shepard and he's a defensive back from Fresno, CA.   The folks at FOXSPORTS recently caught up with Tee to tell his story.  All I will tell you is this -- Notre Dame fans are going to fall in love with Mr. Shepard, who committed to ND back in March.  Here's a direct link to the story.  THIS IS A MUST WATCH VIDEO!

LINK:  TEE SHEPARD

Mike Lee Wins Fight -- Now 8 - 0 as a Pro!

Notre Dame alum, Mike Lee '09 is now 8 - 0 as a professional boxer after his fourth round knockout of Allen Medina in his light heavyweight bout in front of 22,000 at Madison Square Garden Friday night.  Here's a link to some of the coverage:

LINK:  MIKE LEE INTERVIEW

LINK:  CHICAGO SUN TIMES

Notre Dame Football & the Heisman Trophy

Last night -- Robert Griffin III, from Baylor University, became the 77th recipient of the Heisman Trophy.  If you regularly follow the ND GO IRISH BLOG you'll know that a week ago, we cast our Heisman vote for Griffin.  Congratulations!

Now, some fun and "not so fun" facts as they relate to the Heisman Trophy and the University of Notre Dame:

• Notre Dame's seven Heisman Trophy winners; Bertelli, Lujack, Hart, Lattner, Hornung, Huarte & Brown (pictured) -- still the most from one university!
• 22 of the 70 other Heisman Trophy winners played against the University of Notre Dame during their Heisman trophy season (including bowl games).  23 if you count the Heisman Trophy winner formerly known as Reggie Bush.
• The University of Notre Dame is (5 - 15 - 2) all-time in games played against teams with a player that won a Heisman Trophy that season (including bowl games).
• The past six winners of the Heisman Trophy did not play that season (including bowl game) against the University of Notre Dame -- the longest streak in the 77 year history of the Heisman Trophy without a ND player winning or an opponent's player winning the Heisman in a season.
  
• The worst team in history to have a Heisman Trophy winner was the 1956 Fighting Irish who won just 2 games during Paul Hornung's Heisman campaign.
• The last Heisman Trophy winner the Irish defeated was the 1993 game against Charlie Ward and the Florida State Seminoles.  ND fans will remember the Irish dropped the game the next week to Boston College, yet won their bowl game - only to see Florida State claim the National Championship with the same record as the Irish (even though ND beat them "head to head.").  I still haven't gotten over this!
• Notre Dame has now gone 24 seasons without a member of the Fighting Irish football team winning a Heisman Trophy -- which is now the longest consecutive season streak without a Heisman winner in a ND uniform, surpassing the 23 seasons between Huarte's and Brown's Heisman trophies. 

Here's a look at every Heisman Trophy winner who played against Notre Dame or played for Notre Dame.  You'll also see the score from that game - or, if it was an Irish player, the team record that year:

1939:  Nile Kinnick, Iowa -- Iowa 7 - ND 6
1943:  ANGELO BERTELLI, NOTRE DAME -- (9 - 1)
1945:  Doc Blanchard, Army -- Army 48 - ND 0
1946:  Glenn Davis, Army -- Army 0 - ND 0
1947:  JOHN LUJACK, NOTRE DAME -- (9 - 0)
1949:  LEON HART, NOTRE DAME -- (10 - 0)
1952:  Billy Vessels, Oklahoma -- ND 21 - Oklahoma 21
1953:  JOHN LATTNER, NOTRE DAME -- (9 - 0 - 1)
1956:  PAUL HORNUNG, NOTRE DAME -- (2 - 8)
1958:  Pete Dawkins, Army -- Army 14 - ND 2
1960:  Joe Bellino, Navy -- Navy 14 - ND 7
1961:  Ernie Davis, Syracuse  -- ND 17 - Syracuse 15
1963:  Roger Staubach, Navy -- Navy 35 - ND 14
1964:  JOHN HUARTE, NOTRE DAME -- (9 - 1)
1965:  Mike Garrett, USC -- ND 28 - USC 7
1968:  O.J. Simpson, USC -- ND 21 - USC 21
1972:  Johnny Rodgers, Nebraska -- Nebraska 40 - ND 6
1976:  Tony Dorsett, Pittsburgh -- Pittsburgh 31 - ND 10
1977:  Earl Campbell, Texas -- ND 38 - Texas 10
1979:  Charles White, USC -- USC 42 - ND 23
1981:  Marcus Allen, USC -- USC 14 - ND 7
1987:  TIM BROWN, NOTRE DAME -- (8 - 4)
1991:  Desmond Howard, Michigan -- Michigan 24 - ND 14
1993:  Charlie Ward, Florida State -- ND 31 -- FSU 24
1994:  Rashaan Salaam, Colorado -- Colorado 41 - ND 24
1997:  Charles Woodson, Michigan -- Michigan 23 - ND 7
2001:  Eric Crouch, Nebraska -- Nebraska 27 - ND 10
2002:  Carson Palmer, USC -- USC 44 - ND 13
2004:  Matt Leinart, USC -- USC 41 - ND 10

Tate Coming in to His Own in Seattle

Here's a nice story about former Notre Dame All-American Golden Tate.  Tate, has finally earned a starting spot for the Seahawaks and he's delivering!  Link to the story:

LINK:  TURNING GOLDEN AGAIN

NFL FILMS -- Feature on ND's David Ruffer!

University of Notre Dame kicker, David Ruffer is the subject of a NFL FILMS feature called "Rudy 2.0" -- this is really cool!!!

Notre Dame fans need to watch this!

LINK:  RUFFER -- NFL FILMS

Weis Introduced as Kansas Coach

Charlie Weis '79 was introduced today as the head football coach at the University of Kansas.  Here's a link to the announcement -- along with a Kasas City Star story:

LINK:  WATCH CHARLIE'S INTRODUCTION 

LINK:  KANSAS CITY STAR 

Irish OC Molnar Named Head Coach @ UMASS

The University of Massachusetts announced today that Charley Molnar has become the 29th head coach of their football program.  Molnar, an assistant coach for our Fighting Irish these past two season -- becomes a head coach for the first time.  Congratulations Coach Molnar!  Here's a link to the UMASS press conference this afternoon:

LINK:  UMASS NAMES MOLNAR ITS HEAD COACH

Notre Dame Alum Hired as Kansas Head Coach

Charlie Weis '79, has accepted the head coaching position at the University of Kansas -- according to multiple reports.  Weis, leaves the Florida Gators program where he was their offensive coordinator this past season.  Congratulations Charlie!  FYI:  Expect the media to label him as "former Notre Dame coach, or former Irish coach" -- you won't hear much about Florida...

LINK:  WEIS TAKES KANSAS GIG

Boise State Prez Compares His School to ND...

You can file this in the "You Can't Make This Stuff Up" folder...

Boise State University president, Dr. Bob Kustra met with the media yesterday about his school's entry into the Big East Conference.  During the session he made this statement:  "...we can have the same degree as success..."  -- while comparing his school in Boise to the University of Notre Dame.

All I can say is WOW...

Hey, Dr. Kustra -- you might want to first set your sights on graduating your student-athletes -- before taking on the University of Notre Dame.

LINK:  BOISE STATE COMPARING ITSELF TO NOTRE DAME

Check out ND's Football Pants in This Photo!

Adam Myers, Assistant Equipment Manager (@adam_nd_myers) for Notre Dame Football in the University of Notre Dame's Athletic Department "tweeted" this photo of the Fighting Irish's football uniform combinations from this season.  Note the football pants the Irish wore in the Shamrock Series game (green jersey) -- versus the pants they wore the majority of the season.  I'd like to believe Notre Dame will start using these pants all of the time!

Champs Sports Bowl Sells Out for First Time!

The power of the University of Notre Dame...

For the first time in the 22-year history of the Champs Sports Bowl, they are SOLD OUT!  This also happens to be ND's first visit to this bowl game -- coincidence?  I think not...

Coach Kelly took a trip to Orlando today to participate in the Champs Sports Bowl press conference -- along with FSU's Coach Fisher.  Here's a link to the Orlando Sentinel story and UND.COM's coverage of the press conference:

LINK:  CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL OFFICIAL PRESS CONFERENCE

LINK:  COACH KELLY CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL PRESS CONFERENCE 

Coach Kelly and Fighting Irish Back @ Practice

The folks at UND.COM caught up with Coach Kelly after Notre Dame's first of 15 practices they're allowed prior to the game December 29 against Florida State in the Champs Sports Bowl.  Here's a link to his media session:

LINK:  COACH KELLY AFTER PRACTICE

African American Grad Rates: Bowl Teams

On the heels of the report I published yesterday concerning the Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of every team playing in a bowl game this off season, I learned of a report commissioned by The Institute of Diversity and Ethics in Sport.

This report highlighted the GSR among African American student-athletes on teams playing in bowl games. Here are the highlights:


BOWL TEAM RANKINGS -- GSR OF AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENT-ATHLETES

#1:  University of Notre Dame:  100 GSR
#2:  Northwestern University:  92 GSR
#3:  University of North Carolina:  91 GSR
#4:  Rutgers University:  88 GSR
#5:  Penn State University:  87 GSR


BOWL TEAMS GRADUATING LESS THAN HALF OF THEIR AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENT-ATHLETES

Florida International (33 GSR),  Iowa State (40 GSR), Western Michigan (43 GSR), Arkansas (44 GSR), Florida State (44 GSR), Oklahoma (44 GSR), South Carolina (45 GSR), Texas A&M (45 GSR), California (46 GSR), Houston (46 GSR), UCLA (46 GSR), North Carolina State (46 GSR), Texas (47 GSR), BYU (47 GSR), Temple (47 GSR), Wyoming (47 GSR), Louisiana-Lafayette (48 GSR) and Tulsa (49 GSR).
 

Here's a link to their entire report:  AFRICAN AMERICAN GSR OF BOWL TEAMS

Graduation Rates: 2011-2012 Bowl Games

Here's a look at the NCAA's Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of each of the 70 teams playing in BOWL GAMES this postseason.  Here's a link to the GSR for African American student-athletes -- on the same teams.

It's a sad commentary when a great number of the teams playing in the Bowl Games graduate less than 6 of every 10 of their players over a six-year period.  Until the NCAA truly does something about this -- they should suspend the term "student-athlete" when talking about many of these schools' athletes. 

Here's a quick overview of a few of the highlights and lowlights -- followed by a look at every one of the 35 Bowl Games and the respective GSR rates of the the opponents:

TOP FIVE TEAMS PLAYING IN BOWL GAMES:
#1:  Notre Dame:  97
#2:  Northwestern:  94
#3:  Rutgers:  89
#3:  Vanderbilt:  89
#5:  Stanford:  87
#5:  Penn State:  87

Sad Fact #1:  Only 9 Teams out of the 70 Teams in Bowl Games graduate at least 8 out of every ten of their players in a six-year period.

BOTTOM FIVE TEAMS PLAYING IN BOWL GAMES:
#70:  Florida International:  43
#69:  Oklahoma:  48
#68:  California:  54
#67:  Georgia Tech:  55
#67:  South Carolina:  55


Sad Fact #2:  16 of the 70 teams in Bowl Games graduate less than 6 out of every 10 of their players in a six-year period.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS / LOWLIGHTS:

• The largest disparity of graduation rates between opponents in a Bowl Game is the Champs Sports Bowl:  Notre Dame (97) vs. Florida State (56)
• The lowest graduation rates between opponents in a Bowl Game is IRONICALLY the Bridgepoint Education Bowl:  California (54) vs. Texas (57)
• The highest graduation rates between opponents in a Bowl Game is the AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Cincinnati (79) vs. Vanderbilt (89)

GILDAN NEW MEXICO BOWL -- Dec. 17

• Temple: 60 GSR
• Wyoming:  64 GSR

FAMOUS IDAHO POTATO BOWL -- Dec. 17

• Ohio:  71 GSR
• Utah State:  77 GSR

R+L CARRIERS NEW ORLEANS BOWL -- Dec. 20

• San Diego State:  56 GSR
• Louisiana-Lafayette:  56 GSR

BEEF 'O' BRADY'S ST. PETERSBURG BOWL -- Dec. 20

• Florida International:  43 GSR
• Marshall:  77 GSR

S.D. COUNTY CREDIT UNION POINSETTIA BOWL -- Dec. 21

• TCU:  78 GSR
• Louisiana Tech:  75 GSR

MAACO LAS VEGAS -- Dec. 22

• Arizona State:  64 GSR
• Boise State:  74 GSR

SHEARTON HAWAII BOWL -- Dec. 24

• Nevada:  70 GSR
• Southern Miss:  78 GSR

ADVOCARE V100 INDEPENDENCE BOWL --  Dec. 26

• Missouri:  66 GSR
• North Carolina:  75 GSR

LITTLE CAESARS PIZZA BOWL -- Dec. 27

• Western Michigan:  61 GSR
• Purdue:  59 GSR

BELK BOWL -- Dec. 27

• Louisville:  66 GSR
• North Carolina State:  56 GSR

MILITARY BOWL -- Dec. 28

• Toledo:  64 GSR
• Air Force Academy:  84 GSR

BRIDGEPOINT EDUCATION HOLIDAY BOWL -- Dec. 28

• California:  54 GSR
• Texas:  57 GSR

CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL -- Dec. 29

• Florida State:  56 GSR
• Notre Dame:  97 GSR

VALERO ALAMO BOWL -- Dec. 29

• Washington:  76 GSR
• Baylor:  62 GSR

BELL HELICOPTER ARMED FORCES BOWL -- Dec. 30

• BYU:  57 GSR
• Tulsa:  63 GSR

NEW ERA PINSTRIPE BOWL -- Dec. 30

• Rutgers:  89 GSR
• Iowa State:  63 GSR

FRANKLIN AMERICAN MORTGAGE MUSIC CITY -- Dec. 30

• Mississippi State:  62 GSR
• Wake Forest:  81 GSR

INSIGHT BOWL -- Dec. 30

• Iowa:  83 GSR
• Oklahoma:  48 GSR

MEINEKE CAR CARE OF TEXAS BOWL -- Dec. 31

• Texas A&M:  59 GSR
• Northwestern:  94 GSR

HYUNDAI SUN BOWL -- Dec. 31

• Georgia Tech:  55 GSR
• Utah:  62 GSR

AUTOZONE LIBERTY BOWL -- Dec. 31

• Cincinnati:  79 GSR
• Vanderbilt:  86 GSR

KRAFT FIGHT HUNGER BOWL -- Dec. 31

• Illinois:  76 GSR
• UCLA:  59 GSR

 CHICK-FIL-A BOWL -- Dec. 31

• Virginia:  68 GSR
• Auburn:  63 GSR

TICKETCITY BOWL -- Jan. 2

• Houston:  57 GSR
• Penn State:  87 GSR

OUTBACK BOWL -- Jan. 2

• Michigan State:  62 GSR
• Georgia:  65 GSR

CAPITAL ONE BOWL -- Jan. 2

• Nebraska:  67 GSR
• South Carolina:  55 GSR

TAXSLAYER.COM GATOR BOWL -- Jan. 2

• Ohio State:  67 GSR
• Florida:  76 GSR

ROSE BOWL GAME -- Jan. 2

• Wisconsin:  66 GSR
• Oregon:  63 GSR

TOSTITOS FIESTA BOWL -- Jan. 2

• Stanford:  87 GSR
• Oklahoma Sate:  65 GSR

ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL -- Jan. 3

• Michigan:  71 GSR
• Virginia Tech:  79 GSR

DISCOVER ORANGE BOWL -- Jan. 4

• West Virginia:  75 GSR
• Clemson:  62 GSR

AT&T COTTON BOWL -- Jan. 6

• Kansas State:  62 GSR
• Arkansas:  56 GSR

BBVA COMPASS BOWL -- Jan. 7

• SMU:  72 GSR
• Pittsburgh:  65 GSR

GODADDY.COM BOWL -- Jan. 8

• Arkansas State:  73 GSR
• Northern Illinois:  73 GSR

ALLSTATE BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME -- Jan. 9

• LSU:  77 GSR
• Alabama:  69 GSR

ND Promotional Video Message - Champs Bowl

Louis Nix and Stephon Tuitt appeared in a YouTube video last night after the Irish learned they would be playing Florida State University in the Champs Bowl.  Do you think Louis Nix just might have a career in TV someday?

LINK:  IRISH CHAMPS BOWL MESSAGE 

LINK:  HARRISON SMITH & MICHAEL FLOYD -- PRESS CONFERENCE

LINK:  IRISH -- CHAMPS BOWL CENTRAL