Notre Dame v. Navy: Photo Recap

If you attended the 2013 edition of Navy v. Notre Dame, you had the honor of partaking in a timeless tradition filled with respect, mutual admiration, a shared commitment to excellence, and far far more than just a football game.  It was a glorious weekend enjoyed by all, and neither team failed to impress by displaying a hard-fought battle on the gridiron.  

For a more in-depth look at the significance of Notre Dame's historic rivalry with the Naval Academy, read this post from the Irish Creed archives.  You can also check out the Notre Dame v. Navy chapter in my recently released book "Life as the Notre Dame Leprechaun" available at www.LeprechaunBook.com.

Photo Recap:

Notre Dame Stadium stands ready on Friday night

Navy arrives on campus

Moose Kraus enjoys his game day cigar
while repping the World Series Champion Boston Red Sox

The Admiral makes his current allegiance known

Irish Guardsmen hoisting the Stars and Stripes

Fans await the familiar call of "Heeere come the Irish!"

Cam McDaniel's Modeling/Game Face

GAIII getting serious

Tommy Gun licks his chops
while preparing to light up the scoreboard

KeiVarae Russell looking forward to locking it down

Middies take the field

Captains utilizing the luck of the Irish to win the coin toss

Just BK being a wise guy

TJ Jones celebrates another touchdown

Both teams come together for the Alma Mater of each school

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Anchors Aweigh for Fightin' Irish

After a short lived panic attack late last week leading up to the game against our historic rival, rumors of mutiny quickly turned out to be nothing that a little smash-mouth football couldn't fix.  In fact, the controversial comments made by Kelly and the even more controversial reactions made by several players may have provided exactly what this team needed to turn the corner.  It presented an opportunity for the players and coaches to sit down and clear the air that has tasted sour to some all season long.  With that behind them, they can cut the proverbial anchor loose and focus on winning football games.

Last Week's Win over Navy may have allowed the Fightin' Irish
 to Finally Cut the Anchor Loose

Speaking of focus, Kelly's teams have accumulated a 6-2 record on the road while playing without all the distractions that accompany football weekends at Notre Dame, compared to a 7-6 record at home.  Take that stat for what you will, but the only two games Kelly has lost away from Notre Dame Stadium were to MSU last year (they ended up with 11 wins) and the Skunkbears this year (in a game we literally gave away).  This bodes well for the remainder of the regular season, which includes games on the road at Wake Forest and Maryland prior to senior night at home against Backup College and the season finale at Stanford.  

While Wake and Maryland have both been dangerous at times this season, we drastically outmatch them.  In true fashion, a horrible BC squad poses no threat.  With a 4 game winning streak at our backs, we will have a real chance to take advantage of our newfound confidence and renewed focus in order to chop down the trees on Thanksgiving weekend.  Not convinced?  Let me remind you that Kelly's teams have not been beaten in the month of November for 3 years.  Luckily for us, Thanksgiving weekend falls in the month of November again this year.

And now to the game at hand, an interesting matchup against a traditionally basketball-centered Baptist school that has recently shown glimmers of potential on the football field.  Wake LB and leader of the Demon Deacon (which is a lame attempt at something as badass as the Fighting Irish, if you ask me) defense Nikita Whitlock had this to say about his first time playing against Notre Dame: "We're little Wake Forest... but don't expect us not to come out and try to punch them in their mouth.  That's what we do."  

There's no way we lose to a school
that such ugly "mascots" call home.

I like the fire of those fightin' words, and I'm expecting a well played game out of Wake.  That still doesn't change the fact that we should be able to dominate if we continue to emphasize our dangerous running attack as we did against Navy.  In his press conference following that steamrolling performance featuring 7 rushing TDs, Kelly admitted that he "put more of an emphasis on the run game in [the red zone], and I think that is the direction we want to keep moving."  I hope he stays true to those words so we can share in the joy of watching a consistently tough team that represents "...a brand of football that [Kelly is] starting to see."

Tonight's Score Prediction:

Fightin' Irish: 38

Demon Deacons: 20

Offensive MVP:  Jonas - The senior back will continue to play like he has something to prove.  Look for him to break a long TD to keep his scoring streak alive.

Jonas playing smash-mouth football against Navy

Defensive MVP: Manti - I've been waiting patiently for the leader of our defense to get his hands on a loose ball with running space ahead of him. Will this be the week?

Get this man the football!

DON'T GIVE UP THE SHIP

If you look closely at the crowd of Middies in Notre Dame Stadium tomorrow, you may see them holding a flag that reads, "DONT GIVE UP THE SHIP."  The Fighting Irish will need to draw some inspiration from this famous Naval battle cry as they take on a fierce opponent in the wake of a humiliating defeat.


After a brutal loss at the hands of our bitter rivals from Southern California, several Trojans spoke out about the lack of fight in the Fightin' Irish when it came to the fourth quarter of that contest.  Chris Galippo, a linebacker who is still bitter over being passed up by Notre Dame after visiting on a recruiting trip with Jimmy Clausen, claimed, "At the end there, when they didn't call those timeouts, they just quit.  And that's what Notre Dame football's about.  They're not anything like U$C."  Running Back Marc Tyler (of TMZ fame) chimed in with less-than-perfect-English by sputtering, "That's what happens when you beat them down.  We wore them out.  They didn't want to play us no more.  We out-physicalled them and beat them down."  While such statements do little more than prove the lack of class spewing forth from the Kiffin-run program, they do sting somewhat when their impact is considered. Perception often is reality, and right now much of the country perceives the Fighting Irish as weak.


Lou Holtz was famously quoted as telling his National Championship team, "One thing nobody in this world can give you, men, is respect... the self respect you have for yourself, the way you play the game, and the way you believe... the way you do things.  This is a game of respect.  You are Notre Dame.   You are special.  You represent Notre Dame.  You represent everybody that came before you and everybody that will come after you.  At Notre Dame there is a spirit.  The spirit is something that's within ya.  Ya gotta listen to that spirit, and you gotta fight for it. Ya gotta believe."


On saturday, the Fighting Irish need to find the fightin' spirit within them, listen to it, and earn the respect that is needed to turn this program around for good.  They're on the cusp of greatness, but they stand at a crossroads.  This classic matchup against our historic rivals stands as the perfect opportunity to prove that we have not and will never give up the ship.

Kelly’s Unwavering Vision

The only way last Saturday’s 35-17 loss to Navy could have ended worse would have been if Kelly, his team, and his staff adopted the doom-and-gloom outlook that much of Notre Dame Nation has exhibited in the days since.  Fortunately for our school, our football program, and all of us fans, Kelly’s refusal to be phased by the loss has his team looking in the right direction (hint: not backwards). 

Despite recent growing pains,
Kelly leads with an unwavering vision that will have
Notre Dame back on top in the years to come.

In his press conference immediately following our loss to Navy, Kelly acknowledged that he and his staff didn’t have an answer to their opponent’s strategy.  When that happens, as he so simply put it, “you get what you deserve.”  While Kelly did voice expectations of improved execution during the weeks to come, at no point did he throw his players under the proverbial bus or claim (as so many “critics” have without warrant) that his guys played without heart.  Interestingly enough, he made it clear that he approved of the way his team played with toughness throughout the game.

After four days of reflection, I finally agree with Kelly on these points.  The easy conclusion to jump to in reaction to such a loss is one claiming that our players just didn’t care, had no heart, or gave up.  After taking a step back, though, I can’t come up with any real evidence of that happening.  What I did see, however, was a team that appeared to be flat due to confusion and an inability to overcome gaping holes created by injuries.  Without the proper scheme, our defense was unable to step up and make stops when it needed to (or at all, for that matter).  Without Floyd, Rudy, Theo, or a 100% healthy Allen, our offense was unable to find its rhythm.  We simply aren’t talented enough (YET!) to be able to overcome such deficiencies. 

Enough about last week.  Our coaches and players know how hard they fought and they know what they must do during the remainder of the season, so last week no longer matters.  As Coach Kelly said in that same press conference, he likes his guys and trusts his coaches, the necessary changes are taking place, and no matter how viciously the team comes under fire from outside criticism, they “have each other’s backs.”

Rather than hang his head, Kelly is remaining steadfast in his confidence that Notre Dame is well on its way to returning to “where it should be.”  His current perspective stands as proof that he is exactly the type of leader we need to help us climb out of the basement back up to the top floor.  Right now, at this very moment, he is injecting strong leadership and a focused vision into a program that has seemed lost at sea lately (especially after 3 losses to navy… get it?!)

During his first press conference focusing on this Saturday’s matchup between the Fighting Irish and the Golden Hurricane, Kelly stayed true to the message he has been preaching all year.  He stressed player development, the need to remain “focused on the right things” no matter what, and continuing progress “as we move forward.”  Of his inherited senior class, he is proud of the way they are “building a foundation” for the resurgence of our program. 

In sharing all of this information, I hope to send a message to all the doubters and doomsday “analysts.”  I would advise that you hold your tongues for now, in hopes that no one is keeping your faithless statements on record to remind you of your disloyalty when we are finally back on top.  It will take a lot for us to get back “where we should be,” no doubt.  Not only must the team show sacrifice, resolve, and mental toughness, however, but every student, alumni, and fan must as well. 

We need to change our attitude, our mindset, and our overall culture as a community.  Disenchantment and submission to mediocrity must not be tolerated, this is true.  The road won’t be easy, though, and resolve will be a key factor in our return to glory.  In the words of the great prophet Steve Miller, sometimes “you know you got to go through Hell before you get to Heaven.”  I honestly believe that Coach Kelly’s vision for Notre Dame can help us find our way.  Here’s to hoping all you of little faith can find it within yourselves to believe as I do (and as Lou does).

Sending out an S.O.S.

I have to admit that I was unable to review Saturday's loss to Navy, the post-game comments made by either side, or pretty much anything related to Notre Dame football until three separate events changed my perspective today.

http://www.allisonwagnerphotography.com/

The first took place in South Dining Hall, where I happily ate my go-to meal between law school classes after a long fall break without the mexican wraps I have perfected over the 5 years I have been eating there.  As I went right-right (you Domers know what I'm talking about) I saw one of my friends on the team.  After we talked and laughed and went our separate ways, I realized that I hadn't even thought about how badly the team had just gotten beat or how miserable I had been afterwards.  I know this particular player goes all out every game and invests a tremendous amount of emotional energy into every play.  If he can keep his head up and his spirits high, so can all of us fans.  After all, as fans, the only way we can contribute to the success of our team is by showing loyal support and getting loud at the games (I'll save my thoughts on our consistent failure to fulfill either of these duties as of late for another post).  I guess my message to everyone wallowing in their own pity-parties is this:  Help us Save Our Ship by keeping the faith and staying loyal.

The second took place when I got home from class and checked our blog for comments.  I wasn't expecting anything profound due to the pessemistic vibes I've been catching from ND Nation lately, but instead I read these words from a self-proscribed "Navy Type":

"As a kid in the 1940's I never missed a radio broadcast of Notre Dame's football games - never thinking that someday I'd be at a school that played them.  Some years later, then a Mid, I clearly remember sitting in the stands and feeling the deep respect we all had for ND.  Sure - we wanted to win, but no matter, we always came away with a respect for what ND was, is - and I know, always will be, not only in football, but in all you do."    -Jim ... USNA '54

Opposing fans don't usually post very nice things on enemy blogs.  Navy fans and Notre Dame fans don't follow the "usual" trend, though.  I'd like to thank Jim for reminding me of the big picture.

The third event was simple.  Since the weather is changing quickly in South Bend and shorts will no longer be an option in a few weeks, I went for a run.  Nothing in the world can compare to our campus on a crisp fall day when the leaves are changing and the crisp smell of autumn is in the air.  Nothing, that is, except the perfect moment when the Band of the Fighting Irish unexpectedly strikes up the Victory March just as you are passing between Notre Dame Stadium and Touchdown Jesus.  Let's just say my vision was a little blurrier during the remainder of my run.  I still have no idea how it happens, but every time I begin to doubt the continuing power of the Notre Dame mystique, a moment like that comes along and unexpectedly rocks my perspective back into focus.

We may have been shipwrecked by Navy on Saturday, and our football program may be sending out an S.O.S. right now, but something tells me that staying the course will prove worthwhile once we weather the storm.

GO IRISH!  BEAT HURRICANES!  

(No, not those Hurricanes, the Golden ones)

GO IRISH! SINK NAVY!

Notre Dame v. Navy 1941 Game Program
University of Notre Dame Archives

Game Notes:

• The Fighting Irish haven't won 4 straight since 2006.
• WR Theo Riddick (ankle) will not play on Saturday.
• WR Michael Floyd (hamstring) will be a game-time decision.
• Look for WRs Goodman, Toma, and Jackson to get opportunities in a depleted WR core.

Score Predictions:

IrishGirl10:

ND: 27

Navy: 17

FightinIrish1313: 

ND: 30

Navy: 24

TheNDleprechaun:

ND: 37

Navy: 17

tendomer:

ND: 23

Navy:14

Overall Average Prediction:

ND: 29

Navy: 18

Traditions:

For an in-depth look at the Notre Dame v. Navy rivalry, read our recent post: "Blood Brothers: Notre Dame v. Navy"

Although Notre Dame and Navy are currently represented on the field by a Leprechaun and a person in a goat costume, the traditional rivalry included a clash of two fierce animals.  Navy's "Bill the Goat" was a favorite target of "Clashmore Mike," Notre Dame's Irish Terrier who, legend has it, was sustained on a diet of goat meat and trained to attack "Bill" on sight.

"Bill the Goat" and The Leprechaun in 2008

"Clashmore Mike" suited up in Blue and Gold

"Bill the Goat" on the gridiron

GO IRISH!  SINK NAVY!

IBG: ND v Navy

Thanks to Subway Domer for leading the IBG and writing the questions for Navy week:

1. Notre Dame routinely gets blasted by the media and other fans for scheduling Navy every year. It gets especially out of control when Notre Dame decides they want a portion- or all of the Commander in Chief trophy when they put either Air Force and/or Army on the schedule. Would you like to see this series continue or blown up? Why? If the series was forced to end, who would you replace them with that isn't on Notre Dame's schedule in the next decade. Bonus points if youcome up with someone other than Alabama or Texas.

TheNDleprechaun: My latest post, "Blood Brothers: Notre Dame v. Navy" makes the claim that no two teams in college football share a closer history than the two that will be meeting on the gridiron in New Jersey this Saturday. The football rivalry between Notre Dame and Navy goes back uninterrupted to 1927. As if that wasn't enough, many of the greatest figures in the history of Notre Dame football served proudly in the Navy (Do the names Leahy or Lujack sound familiar?) Most importantly, though, the University of Notre Dame owes much of what it is today to the United States Navy. As recounted in my previous post, over 85% of all Notre Dame students at the height of WWII were Navy trainees. Our school would have folded during the war if our brother school had not sent us thousands of transfers to keep our enrollment up and our spirits high. To answer the question, anyone who "blasts" the continuance of this rivalry (one of the greatest in all sports) is either insensitive to the values that our nation was built upon, or just plain ignorant as to the significance of the event. I guess I will be forced to settle for zero bonus points because I find it obvious that no team, not even Alabama or Texas (or USC or even Michigan for that matter), could possibly be more important to our schedule than Navy.

(On a side note: While we currently stand at 4-3, Army is also 4-3, Navy is 4-2 and Air Force was ranked as recently as last week with a record of 5-2.)

((On a side note to my side note: Check back during the week prior to the ND v. Army game for a post covering the significance of the rivalry matchup that put Notre Dame on the map as a football team and as a university.))

2. Before 2007 (and even still) Navy was treated like the neighbor kid with a terminally ill disease that does charity work and plays basketball against you in the driveway, by the media and fans when it came to their game against the Irish. Personally, if I was a Navy player, I would be pissed at the lack of respect given because of all of the "respect" given. Know what I mean? Seriously... answer that poorly phrased question. (I'm a pirate not a wordsmith).

tendomer: I don't endorse the aforementioned analogy, but the Middies come to play both mentally and physically. I think there's a chip on their shoulder, possibly from the respect that might border for some folks on pity. Now, I'm not ready to attribute their great play to that. There are a lot of things at work, such as the notion that football is the easiest part of their day, which I think also plays into their discipline and success on the field.

3. It seems like the injury bug has really hit the Irish this year. We're not talking about leg amputations or eyes popping out of the socket, but there is a trend of frontline players getting injured. Bad luck, or is this staff pushing the envelope with some of the players? Navy is skilled in the dirty tactics art of the chop block. Do you have any special concerns this week in terms of injuries?

tendomer: It's more visible because injuries have hit the offensive skill guys, but the injury bug hasn't been particularly bad this year. Knock on wood, especially with Navy looming. The high risk of injury to our defenders is a huge theme this week. Perhaps the 'coat of armor' that Longo discusses is taking longer to apply than it did at Cincinnati, where in Kelly's first year the same 22 players started at the beginning and end of the year. But I don't fault the Kelly coaching staff for the injuries, just like I don't fault the Weis coaching staff for serious injuries last year to Rudolph, Floyd, and Crist and lesser injuries to Clausen and Allen.

BONUS: Give me your prediction for this weekend. Good. If Notre Dame continues to win, when (homonyms) will they creep back into the top 25?

tendomer: Check back on Friday for our game predictions. As far as getting into the polls, ND's best chance, for once, may well be in the final poll. Three-loss teams appeared in the tenth week of the AP Poll six times in the past four seasons. ND could show up heading into the Utah game, but the schedule's weaker midseason names and the week nine bye will both hurt the cause for ranked status before Utah.

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