Chuck Martin -- He Gets It...

On a day when we secured the signatures of sixteen of the top high school football players in the country -- many IRISH fans turned their attention to the one that got away...

That's life.  If it was easy, there wouldn't be a need for a place like the University of Notre Dame.

Notre Dame's offensive coordinator, Chuck Martin -- gets it. 

I encourage all of you to watch Jack Nolan's interview of Coach Martin.  You'll feel much better for it.

LINK:  COACH MARTIN INTERVIEW

Coach Kelly Introduces ND's Recruiting Class

Sixteen high school football stars -- and one transfer from USC -- will make up the new faces on the 125th football team in the history of the University of Notre Dame.  Coach Kelly met with the media this afternoon to talk about his new players on National Signing Day for college football.

LINK:  COACH KELLY -- NATIONAL SIGNING DAY

Notre Dame's National Signing Day Coverage

Folks, you need to tune-in on the web to UND.COM's -- LIVE COVERAGE ALL MORNING -- of National Signing Day for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football program.  The live coverage begins at 7 AM ET -- TODAY!  You can expect to hear from Coach Kelly and his coaching staff throughout the morning commenting on all of the future Irish football stars.

Rough Schedule this AM:

• Coach Kelly is expected to appear three times today on the show.  First time -- around 8:30 AM
• Coach Kelly's Press Conference is scheduled for 1 PM ET -- Today 

You will find all of this coverage only on UND.COM

LINK:  WATCH IT LIVE -- RIGHT NOW!

"STRONG OF HEART" -- Teddy's Story

I wrote about this story many months ago on this very blog...

Today, the gang at UND.COM and Fighting Irish Digital Media shared Teddy Roger's story -- a story for all of the Notre Dame Family to see...

Nowhere else but Notre Dame.

LINK:  A NOTRE DAME STORY

Muffet's Irish Beat #14 Rutgers by 30!

The #2 ranked Fighting Irish of Notre Dame keep on rollin'...

Tonight, they were in New Jersey taking on the #14 ranked Rutgers Scarlet Knight and they beat them by 30 points!  The largest margin of victory ever for the IRISH against a Rutgers' women's basketball team. 

NINETEEN WINS IN A ROW!  It's a special season...

LINK:  ESPN BOX SCORE

National Signing Day Commitment Schedule

Here's the projected National Signing Day Schedule for players we expect to sign with the IRISH and players we still have an outside chance with.  ESPNU will be running a National Signing Day Special tomorrow (beginning at 9 AM ET) as will the gang at UND.COM.  The Notre Dame Signing Day coverage will begin at 7:00 AM ET at UND.COM -- click here!  Here's the schedule:

7:00 AM:
Will Mahone
CJ Prosise
Mark Harrell
Romeo Okwara
John Turner

8:00 AM:
Scott Daly

9:00 AM:
Elijah Shumate
Ken Ekanem

10:00 AM:
Deontay Greenberry
Ronnie Stanley
Nicky Baratti

11:00 AM:
KeiVarae Russell

12:00 PM:
Nelson Agholor  -- USC, FLORIDA STATE or NOTRE DAME

12:45 PM:
Brian Poole -- FLORIDA or NOTRE DAME

2:30 PM:
Ronald Darby -- FLORIDA STATE or NOTRE DAME

The Game of Recruiting -- Anything Goes...

The NCAA's decision this week to allow UCONN's Ryan Boatright to play basketball after he and his mother admitted to taking $8,000 in cash, airplane tickets and a car -- just goes to show you why some coaches don't concern themselves with these things called NCAA RECRUITING RULES.

Another case in point -- here's the drama being played out in Louisiana over the recruitment of Landon Collins, one of the top safeties in the country.  Here's a link to the latest development:

LINK:  DID SABAN OFFER TO HIRE A RECRUIT'S GIRLFRIEND?

Impressive Stat of the Day!

Last night, the folks at ESPN ran this stat along the bottom of the TV screen.  Notre Dame is now 5 - 2 in their last seven games against ranked opponents on the ROAD.  That's Notre Dame Men's Basketball they're talking about!  IMPRESSIVE!

Irish Beat #19 UCONN 50 - 48 on the Road!

What was expected to be a down year for the Fighting Irish -- now looks more like a Notre Dame team that could be headed to the NCAA TOURNAMENT!

For the fourth time in a few weeks, NOTRE DAME has beaten a ranked opponent -- the second time on the road!  The Irish have beaten #12 Pittsburgh, #10 Louisville, #1 Syracuse and now #19 UCONN.

The Irish have now won four of the last five against UCONN.

IMPRESSIVE WIN!

LINK:  BOX SCORE

LINK:  NOTRE DAME LOCKER ROOM

LINK:  POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCE

LINK:  GAME HIGHLIGHTS

LINK:  ESPN (IT'S ALL ABOUT UCONN) HIGHLIGHTS

$8,000 in Cash, Airplane Tickets and a Car...

That's the benefits that UCONN freshman basketball player Ryan Boatright and his mother "admitted to" receiving for committing to play basketball for Jim Calhoun's program.

And, he's playing today against the IRISH -- serving only a nine game suspension for the $8,000 in cash, free airplane tickets and car... 

You can't make this stuff up.

So, what's the lesson learned here:  You might as well take the money, tickets and cars -- because if you get caught, you'll only miss a few games... 

UNBELIEVABLE.

LINK:  UCONN PLAYER REINSTATED -- NCAA REPORT

ND's "Mad Bomber" -- Daryle Lamonica

ND GO IRISH BLOG friend Cappy Gagnon -- was kind enough to forward me this YOUTUBE video this morning of former Irish QB Daryle Lamonica, from his days in the AFL and NFL.  Lamonica, a three-year starter for Notre Dame -- left his professional football career as one of the all-time greats.  Take a look at this resume:

• 78.4% winning percentage as a NFL starter (66 - 16 - 4) -- 2nd best all-time!
• 90% wining percentage a a AFL starter (40 - 4 - 1) 1st all-time!
• 2 Time AFL MVP:  1967 & 1969
• 3 Time AFL All-Star:  1965, 1967, 1969
• 2 Time NFL Pro Bowl:  1970 & 1972
• 3 Time AFL Champion:  1964, 1965, 1967

Please note:  the photo above was from Super Bowl II -- Lamonica threw 2 TD passes in the game.

LINK:  DARYLE LAMONICA HIGHLIGHTS

Best Selling Domer -- Takes Questions...

Former University of Notre Dame track star Nicholas Sparks '88 -- has been busy writing BEST SELLER AFTER BEST SELLER -- since his days in South Bend.  Six of his books have been adapted to movies; Message in a Bottle, A Walk to Remember, The Notebook, Nights in Rodanthe, Dear John and The Last Song. Two more are in various stages of development. The Lucky One will be released as a film April 20, 2012. "Safe Haven" is expected to be in theaters February 2013.

ABC purchased the TV rights to a Spark's archangel love story drama called The Watchers -- which will be his first foray into a television series.  We'll have to keep an eye out for this...

A few weeks ago, the folks at CNN.COM were able to get Nicholas to sit down and take some questions from his fans.  Enjoy!

LINK:  NICHOLAS SPARKS TAKES QUESTIONS

George Atkinson III Takes 7th in 60m Dash

University of Notre Dame's George Atkinson III competed this afternoon in the Men's 60 Meter Dash at the Indiana University Relays in Bloomington, IN.  Atkinson III, who showed off his speed during his rookie football season with the IRISH (running back two kick-offs for TD's), finished 7th in a time of 6.92 seconds.  He ran a 6.88 in the Semi-Finals.  His brother Josh Atkinson, finished 13th with a time of 6.97 in the Semi-Finals.  Photo:  You've just got to love the ND Leprechaun in the background on this TD against USC.

LINK:  INDIANA UNIVERSITY RELAYS

Is this the "NEXT" Great Hoops Star @ ND?

The name is Demetrius Jackson and he plays basketball at nearby Marian High School (Mishawaka, IN).  He's ranked by Rivals as one of the TOP TEN point guards in the country and it appears to be a battle between Michigan State, Butler and Notre Dame for his commitment.  THE VIDEO BELOW IS MUST SEE! 

GO IRISH!

LINK:  A SLAM DUNK YOU MUST SEE

LINK:  HIGHLIGHT VIDEO

Harrison Smith Playing in Senior Bowl Today!

Notre Dame fans can see former Irish football captain, Harrison Smith, wear his GOLD HELMET for the last time today at 4 PM ET on the NFL NETWORK -- as he suits up for the NORTH in the Senior Bowl.  Good luck Harrison!

LINK:  HARRISON SMITH -- ESPN INTERVIEW

LINK:  CHICAGO TRIBUNE STORY

Will There Be More Wearing the Gold Helmet?

National Signing Day is next Wednesday (February 1) and as of this very moment, the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame can expect to add a class of seventeen talented high school stars.  Three of them are already on campus taking classes;  Gunner Kiel, Tee Shepard and Sheldon Day. 

Here's some of the accolades/achievements bestowed on these young men:

• Top QB in the country -- Gunner Kiel
• Top DB in the country -- Tee Shepard
• California's Mr. Football -- Deontay Greenberry
• Top Long Snapper in the country -- Scott Daly
• Top Triple Jumper in the country -- Chris Brown
• High School All-American honors:  Gunner Kiel, Tee Shepard, Deontay Greenberry, Sheldon Day, Elijah Shumate, KeiVarae Russell, Mark Harrell, Ronnie Stanley, Jarron Jones, Justin Ferguson

Here's a look at a highlight video of every player who's verbally committed to ND:

LINK:  GUNNER KEIL, QB

LINK:  TEE SHEPARD, DB

LINK:  SHELDON DAY, DL

LINK:  DEONTAY GREENBERRY, WR

LINK:  JARRON JONES, DL / OL

LINK:  WILLIAM MAHONE, RB

LINK:  KEIVARAE RUSSELL, RB / WR

LINK:  ELIJAH SHUMATE, DB

LINK:  RONNIE STANLEY, OL

LINK:  NICKY BARATTI, DB

LINK:  CHRIS BROWN, WR

LINK:  JUSTIN FERGUSON, WR

LINK:  MARK HARRELL, OL

LINK:  ROMEO OKWARA, DL

LINK:  C.J. PROSISE, DB

LINK:  JOHN TURNER, DB

LINK:  SCOTT DALY, LS

Are You Smarter Than an NFL QB?

Over the next few months we're going to be hearing about NFL hopefuls and their "WONDERLIC SCORES."  Some of the more famous Wonderlic scores among QB's:

• Ryan Fitzpatrick:  48
• Blaine Gabbert:  42 
• Alex Smith:  40
• Eli Manning:  39
• Colin Kaepernick:  38
• Matt Stafford:  38
• Tony Romo:  37
• Sam Bradford:  36
• Aaron Rodgers:  35
• Matt Leinart:  35
• Christian Ponder:  35
• Tom Brady:  33
• Matt Ryan:  32
• Matt Schaub:  31
• Rick Mirer:  31
• Phillip Rivers:  30
• Brady Quinn:  29
• Andy Dalton:  29
• John Elway:  29
• Mark Sanchez:  28
• Peyton Manning:  28
• Drew Brees:  28
• Josh Freeman:  27
• Joe Flacco:  27
• Ryan Mallett:  26 
• Carson Palmer:  26
• Jay Cutler:  26
• Ben Roethlisberger:  25
• Colt McCoy:  25
• Jamarcus Russell:  24
• Jimmy Clausen:  23
• Tim Tebow:  22
• Brett Favre:  22
• Cam Newton:  21 
• Michael Vick:  20
• Jake Locker:  20
• Dan Marino:  16
• Terry Bradshaw:  15
• Jim Kelly:  15
• Randall Cunningham:  15
• Donovan McNabb:  14
• Jeff George:  10
• Chris Leak:  8
• Terrelle Pryor:  7
• Vince Young:  6

LINK:  TAKE THE TEST!

Harrison Smith Impressing @ Senior Bowl!

Former University of Notre Dame football captain, Harrison Smith -- is turning NFL heads this week at the Senior Bowl.  So much so, that the ESPN gang decided to report on this!  HINT:  Quite a testament to Coach Longo and his team!

LINK:  HARRISON SMITH -- NFL'S FIRST TEST!

The Best Campus in College Football!

The folks at Bleacher Report came out today with their rankings of the top-50 college football campuses in America -- and, to no surprise here -- the University of Notre Dame campus was picked #1!   Special thanks to ND GO IRISH BLOG regular contributor Ken Devine for alerting me to this!

Here's a link to their rankings of the top 50:

LINK:  TOP FOOTBALL CAMPUS IN AMERICA!

NIKE Calls it Platinum -- I See Gray...

 

Here's the latest "creative" look coming out of the folks in Beaverton -- the NIKE PLATINUM uniform.  The gang at Adidas must just shake their head -- how do they get ahead?

UCONN will debut the new uniform this Sunday in their game against Notre Dame.

LINK:  THE NIKE PLATINUM -- ESPN STORY