A look at games today that may interest Irish Fans.

#10 Michigan State vs. #2 Ohio State.  The only loss this year for the Spartans was against Notre Dame.  A Michigan State win makes the Irish look a little better this season.

#17 Oklahoma vs. #6 Oklahoma State.  A win over the #6 one loss OSU helps the Sooners look better making the loss for the Irish a bit better.

#25 Texas vs. #9 Baylor.  A Texas loss could back Notre Dame into the Top 25.

#7 Stanford vs. #11 Arizona State.  Either way it can be spun to make the Irish look good; a Cardinal will fortifies their greatness making the Notre Dame close loss seem like a good showing, a Sun Devil victory moves them up higher in the rankings, another top team the Irish beat this season.

Unranked Utah State (8-4, 7-1MW) vs. #23 Fresno State.  Like the Texas game a Bull dogs loss Notre Dame could back into the Top 25.

South Florida (2-9) vs. Rutgers 5-6.  A Scarlett Knights win makes them bowl eligible and a possibility for an Irish opponent in the Pinstripe Bowl.

Happy Trails… Chuck Martin

Talking Irish will give you the background of the Offensive Coordinator Coaching change in a paragraph with clickable hyperlinks to hit the information you need to save you time.

Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach for Notre Dame Chuck Martin has accepted the position of Head Coach for The University of Miami of Ohio.  Martin replaces Don Treadwell, who was fired after an 0-5 start to the 2013 season and an 8-21 record in three seasons.  Outside Wide Receivers/Passing Game Coordinator for the Irish Mike Denbrock will take the reins through the bowl game.  In terms of offensive play calling Brian Kelly will no doubt influence the staff in that area no matter who may take that roll in the fall, however coaching the quarterbacks may be a bit more important. 

There is a real possibility that next fall Notre Dame will have a pretty inexperienced field at the Quarterback position.  True freshman DeShone Kizer does have talent and potential but NO colligate experience, redshirt freshman Malik Zaire like Golson before him has had a season and a half to learn the ropes but he does not have one game snap at the college level, Everett Golson does have a redshirt year and a half (early enrollee) of experience as well as a season as a starter but he has also been out of college football for a season. Assuming Andrew Hendrix takes off to medical school that leaves the Irish with one season of game experience at the scholarship quarterback position.

Looking forward as to who may take on the long term (at least for next season) role of Offensive Coordinator there are couple of early possibilities.  Obviously Mike Denbrock will be in the hunt since we will be in that role for now.  Current Running Backs/Slot Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coordinator for the Irish Tony Alford would be a respectable choice as an internal candidate as well.  Offensive Line Coach for Notre Dame Harry Hiestand would be a good choice if you like the run.  Outside of South Bend the Offensive Coordinator for the Bulls at the University of Buffalo Alex Wood could fit the Kelly mold.

 

Stanford, not much to say.

Saturday’s loss to Stanford epitomized three of the past for seasons for Notre Dame and e3specially Tommy Rees’s career.  From the outside looking in the Irish played well as a #25 ranked team going on the road to play the #8 ranked Cardinal just not well enough.  Well from the inside (as a Notre Dame Fighting Irish Fan) it’s another scenario of not good enough and just wait until next year. 

Two late interceptions took the wind out of the sails of the Irish offense and the collective sails of Irish fans everywhere.  It’s not that anyone was overly surprised the Stanford won or even in the manner in which they lost.  We all know we would see a valiant effort by Her Loyal Sons but DO NOT mistake effort for results and that is what we as Irish fan have been doing for decades to rationalize our feelings. 

Should the Notre Dame football team be ashamed for not only their performance Saturday night but their season as a whole?  I would not go that far however even Rees knows it did (again) fall short of expectations.  “Not good enough obviously.  Proud of the guys and my teammates and how we fought all year but you don't come to Notre Dame to go 8-4, and everyone understands that.  You have to be better."

With one game to go (undecided bowl game) the Irish can finish on a positive note 9-4 and probably in the top 25 or they can finish 8-5 losing 3 of their last 4 games (75%).