Colleges: Texas Longhorns
It's time to take a look at what's on your minds with the regular season over and a trip to the Champs Sports Bowl remaining.
Roald "Roe" Gonzalez from Austin, Texas, writes: Our 105,000 DKR memorial Stadium is awaiting for Notre Dame to Drop by annually for out Turkey Day Shoot out with Notre Dame. Any chance Notre Dame is even considering the invite from De Loss Dodds?
Matt Fortuna: Roe, I don't see that happening in the near future. Notre Dame plays Stanford until 2019, and the Irish's series with USC doesn't seem to be going anywhere. At least for the next eight years (imagine what the college sports landscape could look like in 2019?), I can't see Notre Dame adding Texas on an annual basis.
Ryan from McSherrystown, Pa., writes: Hi Matt,Love your work. Just finished reading your last chat on ESPN and just wanted to see what you think about my optimism for ND next year. This is mostly about the schedule. You point out these games as being the tough ones. USC, OU, STANFORD, MSTATE, MICH, MIA..right? Here is my case. The top 3 QB's in next years NFL draft will come from 3 of those schools. Barkley, Jones, Luck will all be gone and all those schools will be playing with new or young QB's. We are due to beat Mich and Cousins is gone at MSTATE..I don't see MIA as being that tough and they weren't very good this year. Mich is the only one of those teams who brings back their QB and we had them beat at MICH this year. Thoughts...Thanks
Matt Fortuna: Thanks, Ryan. You bring up an interesting point with the quarterbacks, but I still don't see Notre Dame entering 2012 as a better team than most of the ones you mentioned. I think we'll learn a lot about Stanford when it no longer has Andrew Luck, so the Cardinal remain up in the air. Being due to beat Michigan means nothing when the Irish have lost three close ones to the Wolverines the last three years. Michigan will only get better in Brady Hoke's second year and with one more year of Denard Robinson. Michigan State, even without Kirk Cousins, is a program that is on the rise. None of this is to say the Irish can't win any of those games, but they do face an awful lot of opponents who are at least capable of beating them — even more than this year, and this was a more experienced team that lost to South Florida.
Joe from Telsau writes: Re: Crist article - REALLY?A rent a player is OK, Wow!!Please shut up, why do we always have to hear bspn peoples opinion. I hope the ncaa does away with this stupid LOOP HOLE.
Matt Fortuna: Sorry, Joe, I'm having trouble hearing you over all of those capital letters. Seriously, though, I see some instances where the rule is taken advantage of and not used for its intent (see: Jeremiah Masoli). And yes, clearly academics are not the main factor in players taking advantage of this rule. But since when did academics dictate where recruited athletes go to college? Sure, academics are often one of several factors. And yes, some schools adhere to higher academic standards than others while recruiting. But a player who graduates and lives up to his end of the bargain academically should be entirely free to go wherever he wants to after, provided the interest is mutual. What does Dayne Crist stand to benefit from staying one year at Notre Dame as a backup while already having a degree? He graduated early, before his scholarship would have expired, and he should be rewarded for that.
Mitch writes: Ok, Matt. We know all about where FSU's defense is ranked. But doesn't their schedule put them in a position to do just that? Looking at the rushing attempts from the opponents they played, you see teams only having 10-15 rushing attempts all together. Seems to me like they haven't really been worn down since they allowed 100+ yards to Wake.
Matt Fortuna: Great point, Mitch. The best rushing offense Florida State played all season was Maryland's, which ranked 44th in the nation. I'm curious to see what Notre Dame can do with Jonas Gray no longer back there, and if Theo Riddick can make a difference at running back. Considering the Irish averaged just 1.8 yards per carry as a team against Stanford, the nation's No. 5 rush defense, they have some work to do.
Roald "Roe" Gonzalez from Austin, Texas, writes: Our 105,000 DKR memorial Stadium is awaiting for Notre Dame to Drop by annually for out Turkey Day Shoot out with Notre Dame. Any chance Notre Dame is even considering the invite from De Loss Dodds?
Matt Fortuna: Roe, I don't see that happening in the near future. Notre Dame plays Stanford until 2019, and the Irish's series with USC doesn't seem to be going anywhere. At least for the next eight years (imagine what the college sports landscape could look like in 2019?), I can't see Notre Dame adding Texas on an annual basis.
Ryan from McSherrystown, Pa., writes: Hi Matt,Love your work. Just finished reading your last chat on ESPN and just wanted to see what you think about my optimism for ND next year. This is mostly about the schedule. You point out these games as being the tough ones. USC, OU, STANFORD, MSTATE, MICH, MIA..right? Here is my case. The top 3 QB's in next years NFL draft will come from 3 of those schools. Barkley, Jones, Luck will all be gone and all those schools will be playing with new or young QB's. We are due to beat Mich and Cousins is gone at MSTATE..I don't see MIA as being that tough and they weren't very good this year. Mich is the only one of those teams who brings back their QB and we had them beat at MICH this year. Thoughts...Thanks
Matt Fortuna: Thanks, Ryan. You bring up an interesting point with the quarterbacks, but I still don't see Notre Dame entering 2012 as a better team than most of the ones you mentioned. I think we'll learn a lot about Stanford when it no longer has Andrew Luck, so the Cardinal remain up in the air. Being due to beat Michigan means nothing when the Irish have lost three close ones to the Wolverines the last three years. Michigan will only get better in Brady Hoke's second year and with one more year of Denard Robinson. Michigan State, even without Kirk Cousins, is a program that is on the rise. None of this is to say the Irish can't win any of those games, but they do face an awful lot of opponents who are at least capable of beating them — even more than this year, and this was a more experienced team that lost to South Florida.
Joe from Telsau writes: Re: Crist article - REALLY?A rent a player is OK, Wow!!Please shut up, why do we always have to hear bspn peoples opinion. I hope the ncaa does away with this stupid LOOP HOLE.
Matt Fortuna: Sorry, Joe, I'm having trouble hearing you over all of those capital letters. Seriously, though, I see some instances where the rule is taken advantage of and not used for its intent (see: Jeremiah Masoli). And yes, clearly academics are not the main factor in players taking advantage of this rule. But since when did academics dictate where recruited athletes go to college? Sure, academics are often one of several factors. And yes, some schools adhere to higher academic standards than others while recruiting. But a player who graduates and lives up to his end of the bargain academically should be entirely free to go wherever he wants to after, provided the interest is mutual. What does Dayne Crist stand to benefit from staying one year at Notre Dame as a backup while already having a degree? He graduated early, before his scholarship would have expired, and he should be rewarded for that.
Mitch writes: Ok, Matt. We know all about where FSU's defense is ranked. But doesn't their schedule put them in a position to do just that? Looking at the rushing attempts from the opponents they played, you see teams only having 10-15 rushing attempts all together. Seems to me like they haven't really been worn down since they allowed 100+ yards to Wake.
Matt Fortuna: Great point, Mitch. The best rushing offense Florida State played all season was Maryland's, which ranked 44th in the nation. I'm curious to see what Notre Dame can do with Jonas Gray no longer back there, and if Theo Riddick can make a difference at running back. Considering the Irish averaged just 1.8 yards per carry as a team against Stanford, the nation's No. 5 rush defense, they have some work to do.
Irish's Texas deal could signal change
August, 5, 2010
8/05/10
4:46
PM CT
By Wes Morgan | ESPNChicago.com
The university perhaps most responsible for Notre Dame retaining its treasured football independence is reportedly the latest program to agree to take on the Fighting Irish.
Texas and Notre Dame agreed to a four-game series that begins on Sept. 5, 2015 when the Longhorns travel to South Bend. The Fighting Irish will visit Austin in 2016 and 2019 before Texas returns to Indiana in 2020.
"Starting a series with the Texas Longhorns is great not just for Notre Dame, but college football, and we couldn't be happier about it," Irish coach Brian Kelly said in a statement. "When I look at the job Coach Brown has done at Texas in reviving a once proud tradition, I see many parallels to what our staff plans to do at Notre Dame. The addition of Texas to our future schedules is just another example of the type of high-profile programs we plan on playing as an independent. We look forward to embracing our unique status within college football and continuing to schedule games against similar programs down the road."
Which likely means soon abandoning its 7-5-1 scheduling model.
The Longhorns, who temporarily staved off widespread conference realignment earlier this summer by remaining in the 10-team Big 12 conference, bring serious weight to an Irish schedule that added a few pounds just last month. Notre Dame renewed its storied rivalry with Miami beginning on Oct. 6 of 2011 at Soldier Field followed by a home-and-home series.
Though former coach Charlie Weis was unable to take advantage, Notre Dame's schedule in recent years hasn't resembled the murderer's row it boasted for decades.
Combined with ongoing appearances by spotty service academies over the past three seasons, the 2009 slate featured Nevada -- the Western Athletic Conference's second-best team -- and Connecticut, a non-factor in the Big East that waltzed into South Bend and knocked off the Irish in double-overtime and sealed Weis' fate.
In 2008, a narrow victory over San Diego State to start the season and an embarrassing loss to Syracuse near the end were both surprising results against teams few ever expected to see play at Notre Dame Stadium. Duke wiggled its way on to the schedule in 2007, an Atlantic Coast Conference squad that last cracked the Top 25 in 1994.
Despite four consecutive bowl appearances prior to last season, Tulsa comes to South Bend on Oct. 30 lacking real marquee value.
Last September, the Irish had an unexpected vacancy in its 2010 schedule and filled it with Western Michigan, the first MAC program since the league's formation in 1946 to square off against Notre Dame.
"We put notice out to a number of schools," Irish athletic director Jack Swarbrick told the Kalamazoo (Mich.) Gazette last October. "Western did a great job on it and were a great partner in trying to make this work. ... Frankly, how much effort they put into it and how responsive they were to the situation made it very easy. ... With a lot of other programs, it got pretty complicated."
It worked mostly because an eager WMU didn't dare ask for anything in return other than the $800,000 check for traveling 75 miles to South Bend.
Akron appears willing to do the same, according to a recent report at themacdaily.com.
"I think you might be hearing something positive in that regard very soon," said Zips first-year coach Rob Ianello, a former assistant on Weis' staff at Notre Dame.
When reached Wednesday, before the series with Texas was made official, Notre Dame associate athletic director John Heisler would not confirm that a deal with Akron was being discussed.
"Neither of those items is official or has been announced," Heisler said in an e-mail. "Our policy has been to announce complete season schedules as they are finalized. We have not formally announced individual series."
If Notre Dame continues to add heavyweights like Miami and Texas to the mix, there will be fewer opportunities for one-off dates in the future and the Irish might have to settle for the traditional six home games -- a tradeoff that appears worthwhile to Swarbrick and Kelly.
Texas and Notre Dame agreed to a four-game series that begins on Sept. 5, 2015 when the Longhorns travel to South Bend. The Fighting Irish will visit Austin in 2016 and 2019 before Texas returns to Indiana in 2020.
"Starting a series with the Texas Longhorns is great not just for Notre Dame, but college football, and we couldn't be happier about it," Irish coach Brian Kelly said in a statement. "When I look at the job Coach Brown has done at Texas in reviving a once proud tradition, I see many parallels to what our staff plans to do at Notre Dame. The addition of Texas to our future schedules is just another example of the type of high-profile programs we plan on playing as an independent. We look forward to embracing our unique status within college football and continuing to schedule games against similar programs down the road."
Which likely means soon abandoning its 7-5-1 scheduling model.
The Longhorns, who temporarily staved off widespread conference realignment earlier this summer by remaining in the 10-team Big 12 conference, bring serious weight to an Irish schedule that added a few pounds just last month. Notre Dame renewed its storied rivalry with Miami beginning on Oct. 6 of 2011 at Soldier Field followed by a home-and-home series.
Though former coach Charlie Weis was unable to take advantage, Notre Dame's schedule in recent years hasn't resembled the murderer's row it boasted for decades.
Combined with ongoing appearances by spotty service academies over the past three seasons, the 2009 slate featured Nevada -- the Western Athletic Conference's second-best team -- and Connecticut, a non-factor in the Big East that waltzed into South Bend and knocked off the Irish in double-overtime and sealed Weis' fate.
In 2008, a narrow victory over San Diego State to start the season and an embarrassing loss to Syracuse near the end were both surprising results against teams few ever expected to see play at Notre Dame Stadium. Duke wiggled its way on to the schedule in 2007, an Atlantic Coast Conference squad that last cracked the Top 25 in 1994.
Despite four consecutive bowl appearances prior to last season, Tulsa comes to South Bend on Oct. 30 lacking real marquee value.
Last September, the Irish had an unexpected vacancy in its 2010 schedule and filled it with Western Michigan, the first MAC program since the league's formation in 1946 to square off against Notre Dame.
"We put notice out to a number of schools," Irish athletic director Jack Swarbrick told the Kalamazoo (Mich.) Gazette last October. "Western did a great job on it and were a great partner in trying to make this work. ... Frankly, how much effort they put into it and how responsive they were to the situation made it very easy. ... With a lot of other programs, it got pretty complicated."
It worked mostly because an eager WMU didn't dare ask for anything in return other than the $800,000 check for traveling 75 miles to South Bend.
Akron appears willing to do the same, according to a recent report at themacdaily.com.
"I think you might be hearing something positive in that regard very soon," said Zips first-year coach Rob Ianello, a former assistant on Weis' staff at Notre Dame.
When reached Wednesday, before the series with Texas was made official, Notre Dame associate athletic director John Heisler would not confirm that a deal with Akron was being discussed.
"Neither of those items is official or has been announced," Heisler said in an e-mail. "Our policy has been to announce complete season schedules as they are finalized. We have not formally announced individual series."
If Notre Dame continues to add heavyweights like Miami and Texas to the mix, there will be fewer opportunities for one-off dates in the future and the Irish might have to settle for the traditional six home games -- a tradeoff that appears worthwhile to Swarbrick and Kelly.
Longhorns to rescue for Notre Dame
June, 15, 2010
6/15/10
4:28
PM CT
By Wes Morgan | ESPNChicago.com
Right about now, the mother of all gift baskets is en route to Austin, Texas, courtesy of the Big East Conference. Kansas State's College of Agriculture is devoting its entire research budget to Bevo's diet. Affluent Notre Dame alumni are trading their Mercedes-Benz hood ornaments for gold-plated longhorns.
Texas announced Monday it was sticking with the Big 12 and the league's other feared defectors, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, followed suit. Order, so it seems, has been restored to what was beginning to look like an apocalyptic free-for-all that would have made "Mad Max" look like a cute bedtime story.
Read the entire story.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Scott Powers
Powers is an award-winning journalist and has been reporting on preps, colleges and pros for publications throughout the Midwest since 1997. He joined ESPNChicago in May 2009 and lives in Chicago.
Adam Rittenberg
Rittenberg joined ESPN.com in 2008 after four years at the Daily Herald, where he covered sports at Notre Dame, Northwestern, DePaul and several other colleges. He lives in Chicago and writes for the Big Ten blog.
Brian Bennett
Bennett joined ESPN.com in August 2008 after nine years at The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Ky., where he covered college sports and the University of Louisville beat. He lives in Louisville and writes for the Big Ten blog.
Matt Fortuna
Fortuna joined ESPN.com in 2011 after working for MLB.com and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, where he covered college sports. He grew up in New York and is a Penn State graduate. Fortuna's Notre Dame blog is here.
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