Blood Brothers: Notre Dame v. Navy

“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 Scholastic, “Football Review,” 1928

No rivalry holds as much history as that between the University of Notre Dame and the United States Naval Academy.  Fierce contests between the powerhouse Midshipmen and the underdog Fighting Irish during the Rockne era helped Notre Dame gain respect and grow from a largely unknown football program into the greatest of all time.  Since then, the two teams have played annually without interruption for over 80 years.  One of the longest continuous series in the history of college football, the rivalry has seen domination on both sides.  Navy had its way for many of the early years before Notre Dame went on to win 43 straight times.  Recently, the tables have turned and I have personally never seen the Fighting Irish beat Navy at home.  


The brotherhood between Notre Dame and Navy is one that deserves recognition and respect from all fans of both schools.  As a preview of the 2010 edition of a continuing saga that began in 1927, I hope to shed some light on the historical significance of the bonds we share:

Frank Leahy after returning from active duty in the Navy
 during WWII, where he proudly served
God, Country, & Notre Dame

    
    The Second World War proved to be pivotal in the evolution of Notre Dame. Those who returned home from the war reentered society as All-American heroes.  At Notre Dame, the “Fighting Irish” became national icons due to their commitment to the war effort and their domination on the football field.


    The wartime era brought sweeping changes to Notre Dame.  The draft depleted enrollment numbers and consequently forced the administration to request transfers of over 1,000 midshipmen from the Naval Academy to attend Notre Dame through the newly created V-7 Naval Training Program.  In addition, the naval ROTC unit expanded dramatically and newly constructed naval drill halls appeared across campus.  By the start of the 1943-1944 academic year, over 85 percent of the students on campus were Navy trainees.


    Not only did the war alter the physical appearance of campus, but it also brought uncertainty to a football program that lost players and coaches to the draft.  Most importantly, though, it cemented the already strong commitment to American values at Notre Dame.  In turn, the public came to view the university as a prominent symbol of American patriotism.


    On a page labeled “For God, Country and Notre Dame” in the 1944-1945 volume of The Scholastic, a tribute was made to the “Notre Dame men who made the supreme sacrifice for our final victory” by listing all 272 individuals associated with the university who had died or gone missing during the triumphant war effort.  Through the life-stories of these brave individuals, American society came to associate Fighting Irish Football with those remarkable Notre Dame men who had served their country honorably during the war.  For all those men returning to play football at Notre Dame after the war, the name “Fighting Irish” now symbolized an American fighting spirit, especially to all those who had fought for the honor of God, Country, and Notre Dame.


    The post-war era saw Notre Dame put together the most dominant dynasty in the history of college football.  Coach Frank Leahy was already known as a legendary figure due to his prior successes as a coach and the respect he earned nation-wide when he voluntarily joined the war effort by enlisting in (you guessed it) the Navy.  Returning to play for him were several of his dominant players from before the war who came back from active duty with years of eligibility remaining. In addition to his former players, a horde of fresh football recruits joined Leahy’s ranks after becoming attracted to Notre Dame because of the widespread recognition that military men with ties to Notre Dame Football had gained during the war.


    In 1943, star quarterback Angelo Bertelli’s season had been cut short by active duty with the U.S. Marines.  Though he had only competed in six games, he was awarded the Heisman Trophy while on active duty overseas. Future Notre Dame recruits undoubtedly remembered this remarkable episode while deciding which football offer to accept after returning home from war.  Thus, when Leahy ended his tour of duty in 1946 he essentially returned to two full teams of talented players.  Under his direction, the Fighting Irish would go on to win 39 straight games, claim four National Championships, and produce another Heisman winner. John Lujack, who had been Bertelli’s replacement during the second half of the 1943 season, returned to Notre Dame in 1946 after service in (you guessed it again) the Navy and was recognized as the most prolific player in all of college football in 1947.


    The success stories of Bertelli, Lujack and Leahy represented just a few of the many that came from the home of the “Fighting Irish” during this period.  As both football stars and noted veterans, the most visible heroes of the day at Notre Dame were doubly considered to be All-Americans.  The Fighting Irish had become America’s team, and Notre Dame was now America’s school.

Angello Bertelli, the epitome of an All-American,
receives his Heisman Trophy while on active duty
in the Pacific.

All information and photos researched through the Archives of the University of Notre Dame

The Holy War: ND v. BC

Irish Creed would like to welcome a new member to our team. With experience as an accomplished writer and photographer during her time as a student at Notre Dame, Lauren Cook offers professional quality material and a unique perspective for our readers. Be on the lookout for her upcoming posts written under the name IrishGirl10. You can find Lauren's Bio and first post below:

Bio for IrishGirl10:  Native of Hudson, Wisconsin; Notre Dame Class of 2010; Political Science Major; Former Executive Photo Editor, Photographer, and Writer for Notre Dame’s Scholastic Magazine; Aspiring sportswriter and sportscaster

The Newest Member of Irish Creed:
Lauren Cook (IrishGirl10)

The Holy War: ND v. BC

It often seems that nearly every game played by Notre Dame constitutes a rivalry: Michigan and Michigan State - relatively legitimate claims, Purdue – only from the Boilermaker perspective, and USC – well, it doesn’t get more intense than that. When it comes to our Holy War series against Boston College, however, the nature of the rivalry beast changes.

For the religiously inclined, it becomes a battle between the only two Catholic universities competing in NCAA Division I-A Football. For the brainy student bodies, it becomes a matter of Back-Up College and Notre Dream School (self included). For the glory-hounds, it’s all about possession of the Frank Leahy Memorial Bowl (once Head Coach at both universities) as well as the Ireland Trophy (created in 1994 by the ND student body – supposedly as a signal of goodwill and ‘friendly’ rivalry). But where these populations merge with the rest of society, via their intense, overzealous fandom is when things really start to get heated. Before we go into that, however, let’s take a closer look at the Holy War series over time:

            Relative to other great college football series, the Holy War is still in its adolescence. The Irish first met the Eagles in September of 1975 at Foxboro Stadium, where they emerged victorious with a final score of 17-3. Notre Dame would go on to win the next three games of the series in the 1983 Liberty Bowl in Memphis (19-18), South Bend 1987 (32-25), and South Bend 1992 (54-7). From 1993-1994, the tables turned, granting the Eagles a road victory in South Bend (41-39) and a win for the hometown crowd in Chestnut Hill (30-11). Throughout the next four years, Notre Dame rallied and responded with four consecutive wins: South Bend 1995 (20-10), Chestnut Hill 1996 (48-21), South Bend 1997 (52-20), and Chestnut Hill (31-26). In 1999, Boston College was able to just squeeze by with a 31-29 win in South Bend. The next year, the Irish reclaimed their dignity at home with a 28-16 win. From 2001-2004, and following a two-year break, 2007-2008, Boston College made a run for series dominance with 6 consecutive wins evenly divided between Alumni and Notre Dame Stadiums. Thankfully, just in time for my senior year, the Irish broke a 9-9 tie in the series record with a 20-16 home victory. Currently, Notre Dame leads the rivalry with a highly tenuous 10-9 record. They also lead in overall points, 486 to the Eagle’s 394.

That brings us to 2010 and this Saturday’s ESPN primetime game in Chestnut Hill. Both teams are desperate to prove themselves to a doubting public and they’re ready to do whatever it takes to leave with the win. In the case of Notre Dame, after defeating Purdue in their first game under new head coach Brian Kelly, the Irish have consecutively fallen to Michigan, Michigan State, and Stanford (ranked 24, 19, 9 respectively by AP as of week 5), leaving them with an extremely disappointing record of 1-3. On the other hand you have Boston College, who, despite beginning the season with victories over unranked teams Kent State and Weber State, fell scoreless in response to Virginia Tech (also unranked) last week, leaving them 2-1 overall. For the players, coaches, and the fans, this Saturday signifies a huge turning point in this year’s season as well as the rivalry, but also the future of two teams. As, both are experiencing the growing pains that accompany staff changes, volatile depth charts, injuries, and young players.

In a press conference this past Tuesday, Coach Kelly addressed concerns over minor changes to the special teams depth chart (tweaks attributed to the failure of players to fulfill his staff’s ‘higher expectations’ for ‘dynamic’ kick returns), in addition to the continued development of an impressive, but inconsistent Dayne Crist, to which Kelly responded: “How do you get consistent? You gain confidence. When he’s confident now, he’s really, really good. He loses a little bit of confidence at times, that’s where we’re working.” Referring to the Eagle’s defensive capabilities, Kelly commented on the challenges that players Herzlich, Kuechly, and Pierre Louis represent with their strong abilities against the rush. In an interview this past Wednesday, Dayne Crist responded to concerns about B.C.’s defense by stressing his plan “to be prepared for everything and be patient as an offense in general and just go and play our game and play aggressively.”

As for the defensive side of Notre Dame’s performance against Stanford, Kelly strongly praised inside linebackers Manti Te’o (who tallied a team-leading 21 tackles) and Carlo Calabrese. Kelly emphasized “the difference between playing hard and playing with that will, that tenacity, that attitude of I'm going to just lay it on the line,” which, besides tackles, is Te’o’s main contribution to the team. With the uncertainty surrounding the Eagle’s starting quarterback for this weekend, the defense – though preparing for multiple quarterback options – has remained sharply focused on simply doing all they can to secure the win. In a Wednesday press conference with Manti Te’o, senior safety Harrison Smith discussed the low moods and silent locker rooms that have followed the past three losses, likening game outcomes to “life and death” situations and that losing “feels like the worst thing in the world.” Te’o agreed, saying “[losing] is the closest thing to dying.”

Although this Saturday’s battle is only one of many in this Holy War, its victory is more than capable of breathing life back into this struggling Irish team. Here’s one fan that believes it will.

-IrishGirl10

Frank Leahy coached at BC before returning to his Alma Mater
 where he coached his "lads" to 4 National Championships

Ten Domers Who Most Influenced ND

As Notre Dame undergraduates begin the fall semester today, let's remember ten of our predecessors who contributed the most to Notre Dame:

10. Rev. William Corby, C.S.C.

Twice served as ND president; represented ND at Gettysburg, where he conferred General Abolution to Irish Brigade; led the building of today’s Grotto after Sorin passed

9. Arch Ward

Worked as an early ND SID; corresponded with Rockne and advocated for ND in the Chicago Tribune; gave ND a recruiting advantage with saturated coverage

8. John Cardinal O’Hara, C.S.C.

Started ND’s business school; tied religion with football; initiated tradition of Communion for football players before away games

7. Frank Leahy

Played under Rockne; revived ND football as a powerhouse; four-time national championship coach, counting the legitimate ND way

6. Rev. Matthew Walsh, C.S.C.

Started at ND in ninth grade; officially accepted the “Fighting Irish” name; expanded South Quad; maintained ND’s Catholicism during early questions about its identity

5. Jesse Harper

Although he is not a Notre Dame graduate, as athletic director during the formative years he combated regional unwillingness to play ND in football by expanding the schedule nationwide

4. Rev. John Zahm, C.S.C.

1871 grad; focused ND on university instead of prep school; made ND first college lighted by electricity; Rev. J.W. Cavanaugh, C.S.C., called him “greatest mind produced by the university”

3. Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C.

Dramatically increased endowment, professors, student body, campus buildings; admitted women; brought ND honorably through Civil Rights Movement

2. Knute K. Rockne

Greatest football coach of all time; changed the game forever; turned ND football into a national institution; foresight to fund Notre Dame Stadium and build two residence halls (Alumni and Dillon), as well as South Dining Hall with surplus cash

1. Rev. Edward F. Sorin, C.S.C.

Founded and named ND; set a golden standard based on his vision; went against wishes of his superior to gild the Dome in real gold; lobbied successfully for campus post office and South Bend railroad station

New look for ND Stadium

The finishing touches of a new project are currently being put in place outside the main entrances to Notre Dame Stadium.  In years past, fans entered the house that Rock built through gates that were identified by letters.  Starting this year, five of the gates will also be named in honor of all five head coaches who have won national championships with the Fighting Irish.

The North Tunnel, which faces Touchdown Jesus, is now known as Knute Rockne Gate.  The bronze statue that was dedicated to the legendary coach last year is now located outside the tunnel as a tribute to the greatest football coach of all time who won three national championships at Notre Dame in 1924, 1929, and 1930.

Gate C, which faces the parking lot south of the stadium, is now known as Frank Leahy Gate.  Now fans lucky enough to tailgate next to the stadium can do so in honor of the new King of Tailgating, the man who won a national championship as head coach of the Fighting Irish in 1943, took a break in order to fight in WWII, then came back to win 3 more in 1946, 1947, and 1949.  The familiar statue of Leahy is now located outside this gate as well.

Gate B, along the side of the stadium, is now known as Ara Parseghian Gate.  His statue, previously located inside the stadium, now stands proudly outside this gate in honor of the man who woke up the echoes with two national championships in 1966 and 1973.

Gate A, also along the side of the stadium, is now known as Dan Devine Gate.  Although Devine is the only national championship winning coach who is not honored by his own statue outside the stadium, it is good to see the university properly honor the man who won it all during the magical 1977 season that included the famous “Green Jersey Game” against Cal Southern.

Finally, Gate D is now known as Lou Holtz Gate.  The recently completed bronze statue depicting the man who most recently coached the Fighting Irish to national championship in 1988 also stands outside this gate in its new more visible location.

Prior to this project, I never would have thought that any changes should be made to the most sacred football stadium in existence.   In the Cathedral of College Football, named after Our Lady, no advertisements or video boards get in the way of pure tradition.  Walking through the hallowed halls of our stadium is like taking a step back in time to a simpler, more pristine era.  It’s a purist’s dream, complete with its beautifully crowned emerald field of natural grass and its simply painted white stripes in each endzone.   Anyone who has experienced a game inside our stadium knows that no other tradition in the world of sports can come close to the mystique of football inside Notre Dame Stadium.  For these reasons, I initially cringe whenever I hear about new “game day initiatives” intended to “improve” our tradition.  Such efforts are usually artificial and forced.  By definition, tradition can not be “improved upon” because it grows through an organic process that comes from within.  

Even so, I appreciate the foresight that went into this project and I applaud those who completed it in elegant fashion.   I see it as a great way to pay homage to those who have carried on our tradition of excellence by leading us to the mountain top.  These new gates serve as great reminders of who we are and what we stand for.

The only question that remains… how long do we have to wait until we can hoist the words “Brian Kelly Gate” aloft?