Sep 5 | Texas

[NDinTEXAS]

Wow they really don't like us huh? Wtf did we ever do to Texas?

Its the Bible belt not the Catholic belt.

 

[ACamp1900]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Asked if any players are unavailable this weekend for disciplinary reasons, Brian Kelly replies, “No."</p>— BlueandGold.com (@BGInews) <a href="https://twitter.com/BGInews/status/638753327497498628">September 1, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kelly says no players will be unavailable on Saturday for disciplinary reasons.</p>— Irish Sports Daily (@ISDUpdate) <a href="https://twitter.com/ISDUpdate/status/638753507521220608">September 1, 2015</a></blockquote>
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LOL.. I can imagine the mood of the room there... "ah, coach, it IS that time of year, and this IS Notre Dame... do you, like, know of the next disaster yet??"

 

[texbender]

Hey, not to interrupt, change the subject, and/or, but does anyone know whether there is a good place on campus to watch the game if you don't have tickets? I have a friend who is going up for a tailgate with her son, and I told her I would try to find a good place to watch the game. Anyone help? I tried to look on UND dot com and got more confused than answered!

The Huddle seems like a decent place. Has all the amenities, and the Golden Dome is right outside the door when you stretch your legs during the parade of commercials.

 

[Irish2155]

Hey, not to interrupt, change the subject, and/or, but does anyone know whether there is a good place on campus to watch the game if you don't have tickets? I have a friend who is going up for a tailgate with her son, and I told her I would try to find a good place to watch the game. Anyone help? I tried to look on UND dot com and got more confused than answered!

Everything is going to be packed. I suggest taking your beer to one of the tailgates that has a big screen TV setup. Grab a seat and watch it from the parking lot.

 

[NDbrbkny]

how tall is charlie strong?
Texas players can't stop making fun of Charlie Strong's height - SBNation.com

 

[NDdomer2]

Everything is going to be packed. I suggest taking your beer to one of the tailgates that has a big screen TV setup. Grab a seat and watch it from the parking lot.

Joyce lot doesn't let u hang out after game starts if u don't have a ticket. Want ticket holders parking there.

 

[pkt77242]

how tall is charlie strong?
Texas players can't stop making fun of CharlieÂMichiganStrong's height - SBNation.com

Supposedly about 5'7" but I think that might be a generous number.

 

[Ndaccountant]

Pm me if you are going to be tailgating at Burke on Saturday. I've got a small one but it looks like the people joining me may be a bit later in the afternoon before they arrive. Looking to sip a few if you want.

 

[NDdomer2]

Supposedly about 5'7" but I think that might be a generous number.

Is he shorter than Diaco?

 

[pkt77242]

Is he shorter than Diaco?

I don't know for sure (I can't find Diaco's height) but I am pretty sure that Strong is shorter than Diaco.

 

[Redbar]

Coach seemed like a very confident guy in his press conference, I am excited to see what happens.

 

[BleedBlueGold]

I didn't think the comment about the OL was bad either.

I took the "nothing special" as "they don't do anything weird or different as blockers," not "they aren't that great."

I think the context, when he talks about how it's game over if ND's OL gets their hands on you, supports the fact that they weren't trying to talk smack.

Right. "If they get hands on you, it's going to be hard to get off the block and make a tackle, which isn't anything special/unique/different than the way we coach our guys to defend against any opponent."

bingo. we arent tricky. we line up and come at you.

Fair enough. I'll refrain from reading into anymore Twitter statements. Totally wasn't my line of thinking upon first glance.

 

[BleedBlueGold]

ISD seems cautiously optimistic about this game. Mentioned Swoopes as an athlete who can make plays (although no one else seems worried about this kid...so perhaps it's battered fan syndrome). Discussed their talented backfield as well, in hopes that they don't eat up yardage on the ground against ND's DL.

Cage doesn't have to be an AA, but he needs to play well enough to take pressure of of Day and the others. An inadequate Cage could allow the OL to double team guys like Sheldon. The safeties need to be solid. Schmidt needs to play at a high level athletically.

Offensively, don't turn the ball over. Score TDs in the redzone. Start fast. I'm sick of seeing ND struggle early.

 

[RDU Irish]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">DE Shiro Davis on ND: "...Your typical OL- nothing too special about em. If they get their hands on you, you're done. So you can't let them"</p>— Anna Hickey (@AnnaHScout) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnnaHScout/status/638739183989686272">September 1, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Texas DL Poona Ford said DL coach Brick Haley has told the d-line Zaire is a "running back playing quarterback"</p>— Anna Hickey (@AnnaHScout) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnnaHScout/status/638740185274970113">September 1, 2015</a></blockquote>
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Bulletin board material right here. I hope Zaire shoves that right back up their ass

Shiro Davis may have just set himself up for the worst game of his life.

 

[BobbyMac]

Who's going to be in tailgating? What lot and when? Wouldn't mind putting a face to the names and tip a few.

 

[dublinirish]

https://notredame.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1798135

Daniel Cage, Jerry Tillery Provide Noses For The Ball
Lou Somogyi
BlueandGold.com Editor

When Notre Dame's base defense takes the field against Texas on Saturday night, 10 of its 11 projected starters will have had at least eight starts under their belt, and nine have a minimum of 12. That's not even including 23 by reserve safety/nickel and captain Matthias Farley.

Even the one with only eight - fifth-year senior Mike linebacker Joe Schmidt - was named Team MVP last year.

And then there is the nose guard/tackle position. That's where senior Jarron Jones with his 12 career starts was pegged as the anchor in the middle, until his season-ending MCL tear on Aug. 14.

Now, the men at nose feature the duo of sophomore Daniel Cage (6-0, ¾, 315 pounds), who for a while was not even on Notre Dame's recruiting radar after his high school senior year, and freshman Jerry Tillery (6-6 ½, 315), who originally was projected as the heir to Notre Dame's NFL-prized tandem of Zack Martin and Ronnie Stanley as a left tackle on offense.

Listed as the starter versus the Longhorns this week, the three-star recruit Cage did not even receive a Notre Dame offer until less than a month prior to the 2014 signing day. The only reason it came at all was 2010-13 Fighting Irish defensive coordinator Bob Diaco was hired as the head coach at the University of Connecticut, and the Irish were scrambling to find bodies in the defensive interior. New coordinator Brian VanGorder, who was seeking some girth in the front line, gave the green light to recruit Cage.

In horrid weather conditions, the Cincinnati native Cage, from Winston Woods High School, drove up with his family to take his official visit to Notre Dame on Jan. 22, and on signing day (Feb. 5), opted for the Irish over long-time front-runner Michigan State.

"It was actually quite shocking when Notre Dame wanted to recruit me again," Cage told Blue & Gold Illustrated shortly after signing. "Coach Diaco didn't like me. I wasn't tall enough."

Because of the graduation of nose guards Louis Nix III and Kona Schwenke, the early departure to the NFL by Stephon Tuitt, and Notre Dame signing only two defensive linemen in 2012 (Jones and Sheldon Day) and in 2013 (Isaac Rochell and Jacob Matuska), playing time was available in 2014. Cage took advantage of it by appearing in 11 games (one of six Irish true freshmen to do so), but missed the home finale versus Louisville because of a knee injury (he also dressed for the Music City Bowl but did not play). Cage was credited with four tackles while undergoing a huge learning curve, especially when it came to stamina at the major college level.

"Last year he would give us a couple of plays - and then fatigue would lock up his brain," said Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly. "He would be in the wrong gap. He would release a gap, and we're trying to work five-man spacing versus a spread offense, and you know they are going to run the ball up through that gap because he's in the wrong gap.

"A lot of that had to do with the inability to maintain the mental awareness of what he was doing because he was fatigued. He's in much better condition."

Next to junior cornerback Devin Butler, Cage was listed by BGI as the top defensive surprise from the Aug. 7-21 training camp for the Fighting Irish.

"He's so much more mature, understands our defense so much better," Kelly said. "He was always off the charts in terms of his strength and foot quickness. Now he's bringing a lot of that for much more of the game in terms of number of plays."

Exactly what Cage's work volume in a game will be - 20 plays, 25, 30?... - is uncertain, and some of it will be predicated on scheme and personnel packaging. The mandate will be to maintain gap integrity and be able to hold the point of attack.

Adding to Cage's surprise ascent was that once Jones suffered his injury, it was assumed, at least on the outside, that Tillery would automatically step in as the new starter. As an early enrollee he had a strong spring in place of Jones (who sat out the spring because of Lisfranc surgery) and took virtually all the reps with the first team.

It appeared the Louisiana man-child would join the venerated duo of Steve Niehaus (1972) and Ross Browner (1973), along with second-round draft pick Anthony Weaver (1998), as the lone Notre Dame freshmen defensive linemen in history to start in an opener. However, Kelly stated that Cage's progress was good enough to merit the start.

"We wouldn't be hesitant - if Jerry was the best player, Jerry would play," Kelly said. "He's a really good player and he's going to play a lot, and we need him to be in there for us. But Daniel has definitely shown that he should be listed ahead of Jerry right now."

Part of it, though, is that Tillery cross-trained at the three-technique, where he is expected to give Day a breather on occasion.

"We've asked Jerry to do a lot more, and that's not necessarily an easy thing to do as a true freshman, but he's pretty unique," Kelly said. "We needed that."

With Tillery helping both at nose and three-technique, chances are he and Cage will share a similar number of snaps.

"I think you will not know, as you watch the game, you won't be able to count up, 'Well, Cage played more than Tillery,' " Kelly said. "It's going to be pretty seamless."

 

[koonja]

who's the 3rd man in the middle behind Day/Hayes and Cage/Tillery? Cause that man is going to get snaps. Is it Matsuka? How's he been in fall? Looked good in spring and haven't heard a peep since.

 

[dublinirish]

who's the 3rd man in the middle behind Day/Hayes and Cage/Tillery? Cause that man is going to get snaps. Is it Matsuka? How's he been in fall? Looked good in spring and haven't heard a peep since.

i'd argue it'd be Rochell moving inside. But yes Matuska most likely

 

[#1rish]

Cage is a beast in my NCAA '14 dynasty season

 

[Irish Insanity]

Fair enough. I'll refrain from reading into anymore Twitter statements. Totally wasn't my line of thinking upon first glance.

I took the quotes as slights against ND too. They may not be meant as harsh, but they weren't meant as compliments.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

who's the 3rd man in the middle behind Day/Hayes and Cage/Tillery? Cause that man is going to get snaps. Is it Matsuka? How's he been in fall? Looked good in spring and haven't heard a peep since.

Perhaps Elijah Taylor or Dew-Treadway? I thought I remembered Kelly saying Elijah Taylor would likely be activated because he's already the strongest guy in the gym? Did he misspeak when he meant Cage?

 

[dublinirish]

Jay Hayes probably in the mix too

 

[PANDFAN]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sign of the times? Probably not, but 3 of Notre Dame’s 6 official visitors this weekend were at one time committed to another school.</p>— Andrew Ivins (@BGI_aivins) <a href="https://twitter.com/BGI_aivins/status/639149015737716741">September 2, 2015</a></blockquote>
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[Luckylucci]

i'd argue it'd be Rochell moving inside. But yes Matuska most likely

This is who I'd say as I think he'll end up getting a lot of snaps inside. Isaac has been an iron man of sorts the last two years. I'd expect him to play a ton of snaps and when we move around Day, he'll move inside. I think he could end up getting as many if not more snaps than Hayes inside.

 

[ulukinatme]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kelly calls the night game atmosphere at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NotreDame?src=hash">#NotreDame</a> “electric.” Says it’s noticeably different from afternoon games.</p>— BlueandGold.com (@BGInews) <a href="https://twitter.com/BGInews/status/638753211055230976">September 1, 2015</a></blockquote>
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That's certainly true, it's noticeably louder in the night games I've been to. I like to think the blue hairs give away their tickets to younger fans because night games run late past their bed times.

 

[woolybug25]

This is who I'd say as I think he'll end up getting a lot of snaps inside. Isaac has been an iron man of sorts the last two years. I'd expect him to play a ton of snaps and when we move around Day, he'll move inside. I think he could end up getting as many if not more snaps than Hayes inside.

I would drool over a Trumbetti-Rochelle-Tillery-Okwara front.

 

[GrangerIrish24]

That's certainly true, it's noticeably louder in the night games I've been to. I like to think the blue hairs give away their tickets to younger fans because night games run late past their bed times.

The night games are always enjoyable. The crowd just seems more into it.

 

[gkIrish]

I would drool over a Trumbetti-Rochelle-Tillery-Okwara front.

You have an unhealthy obsession with Trumbetti.

 

[ulukinatme]

Wow they really don't like us huh? Wtf did we ever do to Texas?

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 4 using Tapatalk.

Denied Texas of a NC and unbeaten season ending their 30 game win streak when Ara's Irish won the '71 Cotton Bowl.

Denied Texas of a NC and unbeaten season when Devine's Irish stopped Earl Campbell and trashed the #1 Horns 38-10 in the '78 Cotton Bowl.

In each of those games ND crushing defense caused about a half dozen fumbles.



Oh, and ND has beaten Texas 8 out of 10.

No Texas opponent has a better record against them than The Irish!

BGIF hit it on the head, but shutting down Earl Campbell in '78 really stung for them. Earl was their god, and getting embarrassed by the Irish when he was on top of his game still sticks with them.

 

[woolybug25]

You have an unhealthy obsession with Trumbetti.

Trumbetti:

Wooly: