Shamrock Series: Washington D.C.

"You know what the difference is between you and me?  
I make this look good."

The Fightin’ Irish might want to borrow Wil Smith’s classic line from "Men in Black" when they take the field against Maryland in Washington D.C. this Saturday.  Both teams will be wearing alternate versions of their standard uniforms, with Notre Dame rocking the two colors that all Leprechauns love (Green and Gold), and Maryland featuring the look of their unique state flag split down the center in an ensemble that Harvey Two-Face would be proud to call his own. 

These Terps are wearing the same jersey...

Since Maryland lacks any significant sense of football tradition, no one really cares about the ridiculous changes they continue to implement with their uniforms each week. At Notre Dame, on the other hand, so-called “purists” and “traditionalists” of the less-than-enlightened sort tend to exclaim that the end is near every time a single stitch appears contrary to their liking.  What these naysayers fail to understand, however, is that shamrocks and holographic helmets do not equate to the end of all tradition. Rather, these uniforms provide a fresh way to celebrate the highly successful “Home Away From Home” games each year while staying true to the FIghtin’ Irish brand.  Plus, when viewed in their entirety, these Emerald Green and 24K Gold beauties purvey a sense of badass Fightin’ Irish swagger that should prove to be really really ridiculously good-looking under the lights in FedEx Field. If it’s true that the way you look impacts the way you feel, which in turn impacts the way you play, then the FIghtin’ Irish are going to be really really ridiculously good in all respects on Saturday night. 

Putting all bias aside, it's clear to see that Adidas and Notre Dame have outdone UnderArmour and Maryland in this one.  You should expect a similar outcome on the scoreboard at the end of the game as well.  Here's why:

Defensive Analysis:

Maryland’s offense has enjoyed spurts of success this season by catching defenses off-guard as they utilize a dual-quarterback system. They have shown a lack of consistency against well-prepared opponents, however, and I trust the Notre Dame coaching staff has made sure to take the element of surprise out of the equation, especially considering the talented scout team quarterbacks at their disposal during practice. The Fightin' Irish defense may be pretty banged up, but Ethan’s return will provide the veteran leadership that has been lacking along the line. One area of weakness that may be a cause of concern is the lack of depth along a Fightin’ Irish secondary that will be forced to line up against multiple WR sets early and often.  Even so, this should give Jamoris plenty of opportunities to continue his ball-hawk ways from the nickel position.  If I was a betting man, I would put some money on another INT for #26. Finally, Manti will continue to assert his presence as the anchor of Diaco’s defense despite being hobbled by an ankle injury.



Offensive Analysis:

Year one of the Randy Edsall era has been less than smooth for the 2-7 T(w)erps of Maryland. Much of this can be attributed to his defense (or lack thereof). It's more than fair to say that they have done little if anything to stop the run this year, serving up huge helpings of yardage to far less physical offensive lines blocking for far less talented running backs (reference: Backup College). They can’t tackle, they can’t shed blocks, and when they stack the box to stop the run they can’t seem to cover wide receivers (which presents a problem when faced with the likes of Mike). This will be a great game for Mike Golic Jr. to get his feet wet in his first career start by doing what offensive linemen love most: run-blocking all day long. I’ve been itching to see the special edition “Swagger” gloves that allegedly have Golden palms with a shamrock printed across them. Luckily, I shouldn’t have to wait too long for Cierre Wood to flash them into the camera in signature style after his first trip to the endzone. 

Score Prediction:

Fightin’ Irish: 41

Fightin’ Turtles: 13

Offensive Game Ball: 

Cierre Wood – The shiftier of our two prize ponies will make Maryland defenders miss time after time as he gallops his way to well over 100 yards against a team that had trouble making tackles all season.



Defensive Game Ball: 

Jamoris Slaughter – The ball-hawk / X-factor of our nickel defense will see ample playing time against an offense that uses multiple WR sets regularly. Unfortunately for Maryland, this will only present him with more opportunities to make big plays. Pick 6 anyone?

Do you think this Terp wears matching socks to class?

Irish to Invade Nation's Capitol

The Band of the Fightin' Irish will perform on the U.S. Capitol Lawn and Notre Dame Football will go GREEN on Saturday.

Notre Dame will be rocking an interesting look in what has been dubbed the
"Shamrock Series" against Maryland in Washington D.C. on Saturday

Before the Fightin' Irish took on the Demon Deacons in Winston Salem last Saturday, Coach Kelly delivered a pregame speech that described the season as a "journey" that every player and every coach must go through together in order to reach the level of championship-caliber football that is expected at Notre Dame.  After the hard-fought victory, one that the casual observer would have reason to call "ugly," Kelly congratulated his team on its "gritty, tough performance."  


While most fans would have rather witnessed a blowout victory than a 60 minute grind-fest, winning that type of game will prove to be valuable for our team down the road.  The total domination of Navy brought confidence back to our Boys in Blue and Gold, but thie far-from-sexy win over Wake may have taught them much more valuable lessons about maintaining a consistent approach after falling behind, and finishing strong once in the lead.  


Each time the players took the field against Wake, they rallied around the phrase "Count on me."  With two easy Ws coming up against Maryland and Backup College, we should all be tipping out hats to the Deacs for reminding our players how essential it is that they count on each other no matter how any particular game plays out.  


Speaking of Maryland, the Fightin' Irish will be invading our nation's capital for their third annual "Home away from Home" game, this time against the Terrapins at Fed Ex Field.  Prior to Saturday night's game, the Fightin' Irish Faithful will get a chance to show their support along with guest speakers Joe Theismann and Reggie Brooks as the Pep Rally on Friday night will be held at the National Mall.  On Saturday, Unviersity President Fr. John Jenkins will celebrate mass at 10:00am in St, Matthew's Cathedral, followed by a performance featuring the entire Band of the Fighting Irish on the U.S. Capitol Lawn at 12:00pm.  All of these events are free and open to the public, so go celebrate "God, Country, Notre Dame" if you are in the area.


Finally, the Fightin' Irish will take on the Terrapins in a battle of unconventional uniforms at 7:30pm.  After recently revealing our new Golden disco ball helmets with green face masks and shamrock accents, I wouldn't be surprised if we take the field in some sort of funky take on "throwbacks" that feature much more of my favorite color than usual.  Not to be outdone in terms of ridiculous attire, I'm sure that Maryland will come out with their latest Ninja-Turtle look while also incorporating their state flag in the least fashionable way possible per usual.  Regardless, it will be interesting to see what both sides come up with.  Oh yeah... they're going to play football too...


In all seriousness, this game should provide a nice confidence boost and an overall enjoyable experience for Kelly's banged up squad.  Hopefully it leaves them feeling refreshed prior to their final tune-up game against our little brother school from New England on Senior Night.  All in all, Saturday will bring us one step closer to the West Coast, where we hope to capture some Luck and harvest some timber over the Thanksgiving holiday.

Official Press Release Explaining New Changes to Uniforms:
This marks the first in a series of uniform features that will be utilized for Notre Dame's Shamrock Series contests. After the 2011 game at FedExField, the Shamrock Series in 2012 moves to Soldier Field in Chicago for a game against Miami. In 2013 the Shamrock Series matchup against Arizona State will be played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Irish will showcase uniform variations in their annual Shamrock Series games but otherwise will wear their standard uniforms the rest of the season. 


(For the record, I am 100% behind such efforts to inject new elements into the Notre Dame Football experience as long as they stay in line with our traditions of excellence, class, and honoring our rich heritage.  I look forward to the continuation of the "Shamrock Series" as well as alternate uniforms used specifically for those games, while keeping the traditional look intact for the remainder of each season).

Wearin' o' the Green

What do the Emerald Isle, the shamrock, St. Patrick's Day, Brian Kelly's last name, the Official Banner of the Fighting Irish, and the prettiest jerseys in all of college football have in common?

GREEN: a color worth fighting for.

The Notre Dame student section will be representing their true Fightin' Irish heritage on Saturday night by wearing green as their boys in Blue and Gold take on the Ketchup and Mustard wearing Trojans from the University of Sanctioned Cheaters.  The students have called for a stadium-wide "Wearin' o' the Green."  Do your duty for Fightin' Irish Nation by donning some Kelly, Emerald, Lime or Forest in a show of unity.  Why is this color so important, you ask?  Read on.

Pushups look sexy in green

Irish history directly influenced the Irish-American experience during the Civil War when Thomas Francis Meagher, an Irish rebel leader who had escaped to the United States, formed a brigade made up entirely of Irish soldiers which quickly gained a widespread reputation as one of the bravest and best fighting units in the entire Union force. Commonly rreferred to as the “Fighting Irish,” and marching under their notorious green flag which never seemed to fall from its position in the front line of every battle, these Irish-Americans established themselves as a widely celebrated symbol of both Irish pride and American patriotism. Both the original Banner of the Fighting Irish, as well as Meagher's sword (which I have held!) are currently in possession of the University of Notre Dame Archives.


Rev. William Corby, C.S.C., chaplain of the Irish Brigade and later president of the University of Notre Dame, also gained wide renown as a Catholic, Irish-American, and American figure due to his reputation for bravery on the battlefield. In 1863, moments prior to the Battle of Gettysburg, he “performed an act that seized the imagination of his countrymen” by granting general absolution to all of the Union troops about to engage the enemy. Matching statues commemorating that moment stand on the memorial sight in Gettysburg and outside the aptly named Corby Hall on campus at Notre Dame (you may know of it as "Fair Catch Corby").

Fr. Corby blesses the green Banner of the Fightin' Irish at Gettysburg

Legendary Coach and expert promoter Knute Rockne made use of the color green as he put Notre Dame on the map by building the greatest football franchise in history. He highlighted the color as a prominent symbol of Irish nationalism when he had his teams dress in blue to begin their toughest games before instructing them to reveal the fiery green sweaters they wore underneath at the right moment. This tactic worked more than once against heavily favored foes, eliciting praise from The Scholastic - 1928 Football Review: 
“Mr. K. K. Rockne may, or may not, be a psychologist. But, he did array his Fighting Irish in bright green jerseys for their battle with the United States Naval Academy. Mr. Rockne evidently surmised that garbing a band of native and adopted Irish in their native color is somewhat akin to showing a bull the Russian flag.” 

The tradition lived on at Notre Dame when the color green played an integral role in our 1977 national championship run, which included the legendary “Green Machine” game (Ironically played on October 22) against our arch rival Southern Cal Trojans (click the link for a great video recapping that game). 


The Trojans came into Notre Dame Stadium in 1977 riding a 7-1-2 record over the past ten contests against the Fighting Irish. Recognizing that “something special was going to be needed to get the Fighting Irish back in the winning trend,” Coach Dan Devine reached back to the days of Rockne and beyond in order to give his team the edge they needed.


After their final practice leading up to the game, he spoke to the team as a whole about the name “Fighting Irish” which they shared with the famous Irish Brigade of the Civil War. He told them the story of the Irish Brigade’s notorious green flag that brought fear to the hearts of Confederate soldiers while inspiring the Union forces to "fight like Irishmen." He then explained how the color green symbolized a great struggle for freedom in Ireland during which brave men had "died so that Ireland might be free."


Devine’s history lesson left his team feeling confused as they left practice, but when they arrived in the locker room before the game after warming up in blue, they were greeted by the sight of bright green uniforms hanging in each of their lockers. The players’ adrenaline began to pump at that moment, and when they came charging out of the tunnel into a surprised Notre Dame Stadium they overawed their fans and their opponents alike with “Fighting Irish” bravado.


Their newfound swagger led them to a 49-19 annihilation of the Trojans, and the momentum generated by that game carried them all the way to the Cotton Bowl, where they defeated Texas to claim their spot atop the college football world once again. The “Green Machine” game engineered by Devine would become a legendary symbol of the “Fighting Irish” spirit. 

Green Fire: ND v SC midnight drum circle tradition

From Irish Rebels like Meagher, to legendary Irish-Americans like Corby, to National Champions like Rockne and Devine, the color green has remained central to the history of the Fightin' Irish.  Honor this history on Saturday night by wearing green in solidarity with the students who proudly call themselves the Fightin' Irish.

Even Jesus loves rocking Kelly Green

Kelly visits Center of Universe

Coach Kelly ventured into the Center of the Universe last week to honor the Dawgs of Alumni Hall, who he thanked for setting the standard in terms of support and enthusiasm on football game weekends.  He commended the men of Alumni for playing such an integral role in the tradition, sense of family, and spirit that can only be found at Notre Dame, adding that he quickly learned to expect a lengthy delay while all the Dawgs in the house go berserk every time the word "Alumni" is uttered at a pep rally.  

Located on Main Circle at Notre Dame,
Alumni Hall is the "Center of the Universe"

Coach challenged the Dawgs to make a valid attempt to “at least make it to the game” on Saturday night despite the late 7:30 start.  Echoing the sentiments of Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick, who challenged the student body to tailgate responsibly and get loud once inside the stadium, Kelly asked the Dawgs to hydrate themselves thoroughly prior to bringing the ruckus come game time.

When asked about the typical game day atmosphere at Notre Dame, Coach again agreed with Swarbrick in admitting that Notre Dame Stadium is one of the quietest venues his team plays in from week to week.    While he commended the students for their commitment, he spoke out in full support of a jumbotron and piped-in music to make up for the small size of our student section, as well as the lack of noise coming from the rest of the stadium.  

Coach maintained that he understands the "tradition" argument against a jumbotron and/or "canned" music, but that he believes in our ability to make such improvements in a way that enhances the unique tradition and spirit of Notre Dame, rather than detract from it.  He pointed to the way music and classic footage were used at the first night game ever in the Big House in a way that added tremendously to the "strength of the collegiate atmosphere" of the game without the clutter of advertisements or any other unnecessary distractions.  He also made it clear that our fanbase should not expect to be held back by stubborn adherence to the status quo any more, citing the need for several changes which have already been made and will continue to take place in order to revive the most central of all our traditions... the tradition of winning football games.

While it seems as though a minority of Notre Dame alumni (small "a" alumni, not big "A" Alumni as in Dawgs) consistently makes the most noise in opposition of such changes, the unanimous consensus amongst the Dawgs stood in strong support of making such moves.  With our student body, Head Coach, and Athletic Ditrector on board, I wouldn't be surprised to see and hear an extra boost to our home field advantage in the near future (If you disagree, please prove that we do not need these additions by getting loud enough to make a difference in our stadium).

When asked which rivalry he considers to be most important to the Fighting Irish, Coach chose the "Greatest Intersectional Rivalry in College Football" over our series with the skunkbears, stating that Notre Dame vs. Southern Cal epitomizes everything that a rivalry should stand for.

The Dawgs told Coach that the students were planning to fill the student section with green on Saturday night before asking him whether the team would sport matching threads.  In response, he did not deny the possibility of green jerseys.  With a wink and a nudge, he said that he looks forward to continuing the tradition of green jerseys, but would not specify which game (read: we are wearing green on Saturday, and so should you!). 


Coach also explained that his newly implemented Hendrix package was here to stay, and that he plans to fully utilize this whole new side of the offense in order to prevent defenses from keying in on just a few playmakers the way Pitt was able to (we only scored 15 points in the win over Pitt).  By offering a variety of looks, our offense will remain efficient even when certain aspects aren't working against a specific defense.  Just when an opponent seems to have solved the puzzle, we now have the ability to play a wild card with potential to be game-breaking.


When one Dawg asked if his roommate, walk-on TE Arturo Martinez, will see the field this year, Coach said that by asking we pretty much guaranteed him some playing time. He also gave a shoutout to all of WOPU Nation, saying that walk-on players like Pat Coughlin and Chris Salvi have impacted the team tremendously this season.

Finally, the Dawgs gave Coach an ultimatum: whether he would rather be Johnny Depp or Will Smith.  He mulled the choices over for a minute, then decided that neither would be preferable to his current position as the head coach of the Fighting Irish.  Well played, Sir.  Well played, indeed.

Coach Kelly strikes a power stance on the sideline

Alumni Hall proudly granted "Honorary Dawg"status to Coach Kelly (who now joins Coach Brey as the only two active "Honorary Dawgs" at Notre Dame), by presenting him with a Wake Week shirt and two of our signature frosted pint glasses.  In response to the later, he happily declared, "I bet these look great filled with beer!” That they do, Coach. That they do.

Alumni Dawgs leading the charge at a football pep rally

The Blessed Men and Brothers of Alumni Hall would like to thank Coach Kelly for taking the time to pay us tribute, answer our questions, and for recognizing us as a leader and an icon amongst all halls.

CALL TO ARMS: GREEN OUT

FIGHTING IRISH FAITHFUL:  

OUR CURRENT LEPRECHAUN HAS ISSUED A CALL TO ARMS FOR ALL MEMBERS OF NOTRE DAME NATION CONCERNING THIS WEEKEND'S BATTLE AGAINST OUR MORTAL ENEMIES FROM MICHIGAN.  

DO YOUR DUTY:  

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT AT THE RALLY ON FRIDAY & WEAR KELLY GREEN TO NOTRE DAME STADIUM ON SATURDAY.

In a letter to The Observer, The Leprechaun described what will be a unique rally on Friday:

"The band, cheerleaders and fire department will be waiting at main circle by six o’clock where we want the entire student body to congregate for a walk over. The fire department will lead the students down Notre Dame Ave. and into their own reserved section right in front of the stage for the pep rally. The walk over begins at six o’clock Friday night, so get to main circle early."

He then issued a specific request for all Fighting Irish fans entering Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, asking everyone to unite with the student section by wearing KELLY GREEN in support of our new leader:

"Also, in order to unify our stadium against Michigan this weekend all of the Irish fans should wear Kelly Green to the game. The wolverines [skunkbears] (Irish Creed edit) will be thunderstruck when they encounter the angry sea of green facing them as they walk out of our tunnel."

You heard it, straight from the angry green man himself.  It all starts Friday night, as the rally gives us one last chance to give our players an extra charge of energy before game day. Most importantly, a solid wave of green inside the house that Rock built will send a clear message to the skunkbears... 

As Coach Rockne once said, "dressing a band of adopted and native Irish in their native color is akin to showing a bull a Russian flag."

Notre Dame students and football players salute Coach Kelly at the 2010 season opening rally
(Courtesy of Allison Wagner: www.allisonwagnerphotography.com)