Laura, Domer Sports Report

Notre Dame Men's Basketball
Game Notes

Ayers was incredible tonight. He's caught the 3-pointer bug in a very good way, making a whopping nine shots from the outside.

The team maintained a comfortable lead without throttling their opponents. For a moment midway through the second half the Coyotes broke the twenty point barrier, but the Irish put a stop to that with another 3 points.

In the last few minutes, Kopko and Andree both got playing time. It was also nice to see more minutes for Nash and Scott through the second half.

The leprechaun was throwing free t-shirts into the student section after three pointers, but soon had to stop because the team was scoring so many.

Free throws looked much better (7-of-11). Good for them.

A group of high school-aged kids came to the game in body paint, spelling out Go Fighting Irish. The leprechaun joined them for some cheers in the second half.

Also spotted at the game: Golden Tate.

All in all, a solid game for the Irish. We were outshot in the second half, 46-42, but the team had the situation firmly in hand. Others might say otherwise, but I don't see any cause for concern here.

Final score: Irish 102, Coyotes 76

By Mark Allen, Domer Sports Report

Notre Dame Football
Breaking News

Rumors have circulated among the media and around the various message board regarding the future of Charlie Weis. Would be stay or be let go? Popular opinion was that, if money could be collected to pay for his buyout, that he would be replaced. Even new athletic director Jack Swarbrick was sort of vague regarding what would happen. He said he'd meet with Weis on December 8 for a review.

Now comes word of comments made to a Notre Dame recruit. Charlie Weis, on the surface, at least, seemed defiant when he said he could not meet with Swarbrick. He said he was staying on the west coast to recruit. But, was he being defiant or out-of-touch with reality regarding his future status as Notre Dame's head coach? Or, did he know something?

Words spoken to recruit, wide receiver Shaquelle Evans, seems to indicate that Weis might have been assured the job was still his in 2009. "I asked him about his job status," Evans said. "He told me he's good to go; he'll be there. He said he made sure he's good before he left and it's just the media spreading that he's going to get fired. He said if he didn't know if he was going to be there or not he would tell me. It makes me feel good that he'll be there."

So, out of Weis's own mouth, it seems that he will be back in 2009. But, stay tuned. The flip side of all of it is that he wants to keep his recruits. Would he say those words in order to keep his recruits? Or, did Swarbrick actually reassure him that his job was safe?

By Michael Rubin, Domer Sports Report
Edited By Mark Allen

Notre Dame Football
2009 Recruiting

Charlie Weis might be in his office right now planning on how to take care of the Naval Academy and become bowl eligible this coming Saturday, but in the back of his mind he has to be thinking about the talent that he has coming in next year. Five of the Irish's 2009 verbal commitments were invited to play in the prestigious Army All-American Bowl in January.

The Irish's most recent commit, Shaquelle Evans (WR) will join Cierra Wood (RB) and Chris Watt (OG) on the West roster and Zeke Motta (OLB) and Tyler Stockton (DT) join the East squad. The U.S. Army All-American Bowl features 90 of the best high school football players in the nation.

Another Irish commitment, Zach Martin (OL) will represent the Irish in the ESPN Under Armour game (80 of the nations best).

The Army All-American Bowl will take place on January 3rd at 1pm and can be seen on NBC and the ESPN Under Armour game can be seen January 4th at 8pm on ESPN.

By Michael Rubin, Domer Sports Report

Notre Dame Football
2009 Recruiting

Earlier today, during a press conference in which he was officially invited to participate in the Army All-American Game, wide receiving prospect Shaquelle Evans also made his college selection. Evans' choice came down to two schools, the Irish and in-state USC. The time came and........Evans donned an Irish baseball cap and committed to be a part of an already talented Irish receiving corps.

Evans has game changing speed (4.45 40 yard dash) and is one of the top ranked receivers in the 2009 class. Evans said the Notre Dame fans were a huge part of his decision. We all know the Irish have some of the most passionate fans of any team in the country and it is nice to know that recruits are noticing that as well. He also said that South Bend was a place where he felt he could accomplish all of his goals and he cannot wait to step foot on campus.

Evans is the second receiver for the Irish in the 2009 recruiting class, the other being Nyshier Oliver. Looks like the Irish could have one of the most talented group of receivers in the country next year.

Now lets go take care of BC!!!

By Michael Rubin, Domer Sports Report

Notre Dame Men's Basketball
Recruiting

Coach Mike Brey and the Irish received a commitment today from Thomas Knight. Knight, a 6'8 245lb power forward/center from Dixfield, Maine, chose Notre Dame over Rutgers, Northeastern, Maine and Davidson.

Knight is a very good scorer down on the blocks and also brings a lot of strength to his game. Last year, Knight averaged 17 points and eight rebounds as he led his high school team to the state semifinals.

He took his official visit to South Bend October 31st and came away very impressed. Once he arrived on campus for his visit, he connected immediately with the Irish players and Coach Brey.

Knight adds an added dimension to his game that not many men his size bring and that is his ability to hit the three.

Welcome to the Irish family Thomas, you will look good in a Notre Dame uni. Knight joins Joey Brooks (guard), Jack Cooley (power-forward/center) and Mike Broghammer (power forward) in Notre Dame's 2009 recruiting class.

Domer Sports Report

After a giveaway of a game a week ago Notre Dame goes on the road this week to take on the hated Boston College squad who has won the previous five contests against the Irish, dating back to 2000 when Notre Dame upended the Eagles while being led by the likes of and Matt Lovecchio and Bob Davie. Yeah, its been too long and the Irish are in need of a win in this series. With the obvious stated, what must Notre Dame do in order to walk out of Chestnut Hill victorious this Saturday night?

The fact of the matter is that the Irish, although very unimpressive in six of their last eight quarters of football, are playing a team they are very likely better than. They were the better team a week ago and squandered a two touchdown lead and are a better team this coming weekend against the 5-3 Boston College Eagles.

BC comes into Saturday losing their previous two, a 45-24 shellacking from North Carolina, before a 27-21 loss a week ago against Clemson. In those games BC has allowed nearly eight yards per pass attempt in both as well as right at three yards a carry. Against better offenses this defense has struggled this season, but after the second half a week ago, it is obvious this Irish offense is far from exceptional.

Chris Crane will be under center for Boston College and to say that he has struggled this year would be a major understatement. Crane has completed 56% of his passes for 5.6 yards/attempt while throwing eight touchdowns to twelve interceptions. Crane is a far cry from Matt Ryan, PS3's NCAA Football '09 cover boy and NFL first round draft pick from last April.

Crane's favorite targets include Brandon Robinson (27 Rec, 444 Yds, 2 TD's) and Rich Gunnell (26 Rec, 236 Yds, 1 TD). Like most teams Notre Dame has faced, the defensive secondary should be too strong of a match for these gentleman. What that means is that the game will once again come down to if Notre Dame can stop the running game or not.

In the three Notre Dame losses, the likes of Ringer, Draughn, and McCoy have run wild. It is of utter importance that Montel Harris (411 yds, 5.6 ypc, 4 td) and Josh Haden (273 yds, 4.3 ypc, 1 td) do not get into a groove and pace the Eagles offense on Saturday night.

The Eagles bring one of the better defenses to the game this Saturday, ranking 10th overall in fewest yards allowed per game and 27th in points per game given up with 19 being allowed per contest. The good news for Notre Dame is that the defense has not been as good as of late for BC as they have allowed 27, 45, and 23 points in their last three contests, respectively. Much of the reason for such a high ranking, statistically, is because of matchups against Kent State, Rhode Island, and UCF who combined for seven points in three games against BC. Outside of those three contests BC gives up an average of 29 points per game, much better looking for Notre Dame.

Defensively, the Eagles are led by BJ Raji who enters with four sacks, Mark Herzlich who ranks seventh in the ACC with 68 tackles and three interceptions, and Paul Anderson who has also picked off three passes.

Notre Dame needs to establish the run this week if they hope to win. They must establish it with themselves and stop Boston College from doing so. It is as simple as that for Notre Dame if they want to become bowl eligible this Saturday night.

One thing is very true and it is that BC sees this game as their Super Bowl to some degree. They dislike Notre Dame more than anything in life and like nothing more than ruining, or further frustrating, Irish seasons. Another thing that is true is that Notre Dame brings in a more talented team to this Saturday's game.

Notre Dame is winless against above .500 teams this year and in need of a win against one sooner than later. Boston College presents a great chance to win on the road and I feel that they will walk away with one, albeit by skin on their teeth.

Prediction Time:

Nick (6-2): Notre Dame 27 Boston College 26
Mark (7-1): Notre Dame 31 Boston College 24

By Michael Rubin, Domer Sports Report

Notre Dame Football
2009 Recruiting

The Irish are looking to bolster their offensive tackle position as they prepare for life after Mike Turkovich. Turkovich is a three year starter who moved from guard to tackle this year and is one of the Irish's biggest surprises so far in 2008. The Irish already have one offensive tackle commitment for the 2009 season and are eyeing another.

Offensive Tackle

Zach Martin, 6'5 270, an offensive tackle from Indianapolis, Indiana committed to the Irish in the middle of July.

Martin attends Bishop Chatard HS and also held offers from Stanford, UCLA, Virginia, Illinois, Michigan, and Northwestern.

Martin, a Rivals 4-star athlete, said that he had a list of things he was looking for in a school and Notre Dame fit that. He also stated that he felt Notre Dame was the most comfortable place for him. Martin is a could be one of the most versatile offensive tackles in the 2009 class and could come in and make an immediate impact.

Here is his ESPN.com evaluation:

"Martin may be one of the most versatile linemen in the 2009 class. He is an outstanding offensive tackle and defensive lineman that has a great motor and being 6'5' 275, it's no surprise he is being highly recruited. Offensively, he comes off the ball low and hard playing with great leverage. Demonstrates great leg drive and locks hands into the defender's body; big meat hooks really clamp on. Could give a little more punch but this aggressively football player does a great job of sustaining his block. Alert and picks up inside stunts and blitzes like seasoned veteran. Very mobile for a big man; pulls with authority and athletic enough in the open field to lock on to linebackers and defensive backs. Has no trouble getting turned upfield and gives that little bit extra to get downfield block. Very solid at pass protection and anchors down with weight underneath him. Uses his hands very well and delivers a jarring blow on the pass rusher. On defense this huge athlete also gives great effort and is very physical. Wrong arms the trap and destroys the double team. Powerful at the point of attack and absolutely cannot get knocked off the line by one blocker. Extremely quick on line stunts and is a menacing pass rusher. Uses hands and to separate from the blocker then disengages to get to the football. Takes good pursuit angles and demonstrates excellent lateral movement. It's amazing how this big guy can go both ways and never tire. Martin is truly a workhouse that is equally effective both sides of the football. We love his motor on defense, but in the long run his best fit may be on offense as a tackle."

The Irish are also recruiting Rivals.com four-star offensive tackle Xavier Nixon.

Nixon, 6'6 265, has offers on the table from Clemson, Florida, LSU, Miami, North Carolina, N.C. State, South Carolina and WVU.

Nixon, from Fayetteville, North Carolina is the number three ranked offensive tackle in the 2009 recruiting class and has been playing defensive end as well as tackle on his Jack Britt High School football team.

Nixon has had an eventful past couple of weeks, visiting the University of Florida, and being named to the North Carolina-South Carolina Shrine Bowl. He is pretty up in the air about where he will attend next year, but we will keep our ears open.

Here is ESPN.com's evaluation on Nixon:

"Nixon has the athletic skills to be one of the better offensive linemen in the class of 2009. With a tall frame, he has long arms and is light on his feet of a tackle pushing 300 pounds. His mobility isn't an issue. Pulls a lot and gets out of his stance quickly. Loses very little speed when turning upfield, especially for a big man. Sometimes misses in space. Needs to more consistently come under control and avoid overrunning the defender. Shows super effort getting across the field from the back side. He's still learning to use his legs and upper body as one weapon. He has a tendency to over-stride and lose some power when delivering a blow. He's aggressive at the point of attack and can come out low with a lot of force and punch, but he needs to do it more consistently. He's impressive on combination blocks. SHows good hip roll and leg drive once he engages the defender. Executes the down block with perfection. Has no trouble getting his head across and in front of a defensive lineman because of his quickness off the ball. Has good football sense and rarely takes plays off. has quick feet in pass protection, but he sometimes gets his weight too far forward. Needs to keep his hands inside consistently delivering the first punch to a pass rusher's chest; tends to go too high or miss with his initial blow. Nixon is undoubtedly athletic enough to be a very good blocker at the next level, but more body control and work in the weight room could transform him into a complete tackle."

***************

Update...

It appears the Irish have lost out on tight end prospect Gabe Ikard. Ikard has decided to attend the hometown University of Oklahoma. Ikard said that he has been to OU over 500 times and that the coaching staff has said that they see him fitting in very well. Ikard did not want to sit on the bench and with the depth at tight end at Notre Dame, it would appear that he would have had a tough time seeing the field next year.

By Michael Rubin, Domer Sports Report

Notre Dame Football
2009 Recruiting

Wide receiving prospect Shaquelle Evans plans to announce the winner for his college services November 7th. Evans, a 6'1 203lb receiver from Inglewood, California says that he has decided on the university that he will attend next year, but plans to wait until the 7th to declare his allegiance during a ceremony that will include his official invitation to participate in the U.S Army All-American Bowl in January.

Evans has said that the decisive factor in choosing the school he would attend would be finding the place where he feels the most comfortable. After his recent visit to South Bend on September 27th to watch the Irish defeat Purdue, Evans said how comfortable he felt on the Notre Dame campus and how special of a place it was.

Irish assistant coach Brian Polian made one last pitch for Evans services when he was in attendance last week to watch Inglewood play. Evans, however, was sidelined due to a suspension the previous week for excessively celebrating a touchdown.

Shaquelle holds offers from USC, Michigan, Colorado, California and UCLA but rumors have it that USC and Notre Dame are the finalists. Keep counting down the days until November 7th and keep your fingers crossed that Evans will be donning an Irish cap at his ceremony.

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By Michael Rubin, Domer Sports Report 

2009 Notre Dame Football Recruiting

The Irish have two verbal commitments at tight end already and have their eye on a third. The Irish, who already have good depth at the tight end position have their eye a few guys that could come in and play multiple positions.

Tight Ends

Tyler Eifert, a 6'6 220lb tight end from Fort Wayne, Indiana committed to Notre Dame in early July. Eifert is better described as an athlete than a tight end. Charlie Weis has said he has the possibility of playing multiple positions during his time in South Bend.

Eifert also held offers from Purdue, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, Cincinnati, Indiana, Minnesota, and Northwestern. He caught a huge 27-yard touchdown pass this past weekend on a 3rd and 19 with only 19 seconds left to give his Bishop Dwenger team a 21-17 win in their sectional opener. Eifert said that the tradition at Notre Dame played a huge role in his decision.

Notre Dame also received a commitment from 6'4 202lb Jake Golic. Golic, the son of Irish grad Mike Golic Sr., will join his brother, Mike Golic Jr. who currently plays center for Notre Dame.

Golic, who attends Northwest Catholic in West Hartford, Connecticut, also held an offer from the University of Connecticut. Golic, who was the first member of the Irish's 2009 recruiting class to commit, did so in early April. Here is his evaluation from espn.com:

"Like his brother (Mike Golic, Jr.) before him, Jake Golic is an undersized but talented player. He has the frame to add bulk and the tools to be a productive college player. Hes a tall, rangy frame, but lacks the burst and separation speed to stay at wide receiver. Has the frame, ball skills and physical nature to develop into a well rounded college tight end. Has good hands and very good ball skills. Can be a bit of a body catcher, but has shown the ability to #### away from his body. Can locate the ball and make over-the-shoulder grabs. Displays very good concentration in traffic and will take the hit to make the grab. He's competitive and will elevate to go get the ball at its highest point. Has the height, leaping ability and attitude to be a solid red-zone option. Has adequate speed and runs solid routes. Needs to build speed and will be most dangerous in short and intermediate zones. He isn't especially elusive, but he's savvy enough to make a defender or two miss when he catches in stride. Has eye-opening blocking potential. Plays a physical game despite being light in the pants. Has some experience as an in-line blocker, and shows promising toughness and technique. Makes good initial contact and quickly establishes good hand placement. Golic needs to hit a college weight program to add alot of bulk, but he could be a difference-making college player if he adds enough size without losing any speed."

The Irish also have an offer out on Gabe Ikard. Ikard is 6'4 246lb tight end from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He currently holds offers from Tulsa, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Stanford, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and Kansas.

It appears that hometown University of Oklahoma is currently the school of choice for Ikard. Gabe was in Dallas to watch the Sooners take on the Texas Longhorns several weeks ago and comes from a long line of Sooner graduates in his family. Both of Ikard's brothers are graduates of OU and he plans on becoming a doctor.

Due to the depth that Notre Dame has at the tight end position along with the fact that they already have two tight end commitments for the '09 class, it is said that Ikard could come in and play defensive end. He came on an official visit to South Bend to watch the Irish dismantle the Michigan Wolverines and left impressed with the turn around from last years team. Time will tell on where Ikard will attend college and we will be sure to keep you posted.

By Nick Shepkowski, Domer Sports Report

Notre Dame Football Game Preview

As Notre Dame welcomes the Pitt Panthers and Dave Wannstedt to South Bend, the Irish will be playing with a chance to become bowl eligible with a victory. Both teams enter the game with 5-2 records, but are coming off polar opposite outcomes. A week ago Notre Dame defeated Washington 33-7 in what turned out to be Tyrone Willingham's final game before being let go by the Huskies (It should be mentioned, however, that Willingham will coach the rest of the season). On the other hand Pitt lost its second game of the season at Heinz Field, a 54-34 contest against what is now a 3-5 Rutgers team.

Something was exposed last week in Pittsburgh - something that should have Panthers fans nervous entering this weekend. Mike Teel of Rutgers completed only 14 passes on the afternoon, but for an electric total of 361 yards and six touchdowns. Average it out and thats over 25 yards per completion. Needless to say, expect to see the likes of Michael Floyd, Golden Tate, and Kyle Rudolph amongst others used fairly often. Jimmy Clausen is coming off of a very mediocre showing as he went 14/26 for 201 yards and a score while throwing one interception as well against Washington a week ago. A weak secondary like Pitt's is just what the doctor ordered for the sophomore quarterback.

A question mark leading into Saturday will be whether or not Pittsburgh's junior quarterback Bill Stull, who received a concussion last Saturday against Rutgers and remained motionless for nearly ten minutes before being carted off of the field and spending the night in the hospital, will play. If Stull is unable to go, it will be up to Pat Bostick for the Panthers who went 5/10 as Stull's replacement, throwing for 69 yards and one pick.

Pittsburgh will enter 37th in the nation, overall, in total yardage on offense, going for 395 yards a game while scoring over 28 points per contest. They are led by LeSean McCoy who has rushed for 835 yards and 14 touchdowns so far in 2008. Notre Dame will have to keep McCoy from getting the wheels going on first and second down and make Stull or Bostick throw the ball. La-Rod Stephens-Holwing will also see touches as he has carried the ball 55 times for 247 yards and four more touchdowns this season.

It is extremely important the Irish contain the running game of Pitt on Saturday, because I have doubt either of the two quarterbacks of the Panthers will be able to beat Notre Dame, especially because of the lack of playmakers Pitt brings to the table. The favorite targets this year for Pitt have been Jonathan Baldwin and Derek Kinder who have pulled in a combined 34 receptions for just under 500 yards and three touchdowns.

On defense the Pitt Panthers will come after Clausen as they have gotten to the quarterback 21 separate times this year and walked away with a sack. Notre Dame will have to have a good game from the offensive line this Saturday in order to rack up the point total that many Irish fans expect them to be able to do. Jabaal Sheard and Scott McKillop lead the Panthers with 8/5 sacks between the two. McKillop leads the Big East in total tackles with 67, so the Irish must be wary of him. Teams attempt roughly 25 passes a game against Pitt who enters with six interceptions defensively. However I truly feel that this set of DB's was exposed last week against Rutgers and that Jimmy Clausen will come out firing on Saturday.

Expect to see Notre Dame use the short pass to set up the deep ball in this contest. What does that mean exactly? A lot of throws to Armando Allen on swing passes out of the backfield, Golden Tate on slant routes, and Kyle Rudolph on quick outs for yardage. Expect to see that early on, how many teams try and use the run to set up the pass. Instead, I feel Notre Dame will use the short pass to set up the deep ball and would be shocked if Clausen throws for less than three touchdowns on Saturday

What scares me this week is how Notre Dame has been against the run so far this season. Sure, last week, steps were taken in the right direction against Washington, but at the end of the day they are a bad football team. Pitt, although not great, is still plenty competent on the field. They will try to run the ball and make it a much shorter game than Notre Dame wants to. If the Irish can stop the run it will get ugly. If not, the Irish will be sitting at 5-3 that evening. I have all the confidence in the world that Notre Dame will put points on the scoreboard but as for stopping Pitt, I have my concerns.

Prediction Time:

Nick (6-1): Notre Dame 45 Pitt 35

Mark (7-0): Notre Dame 35 Pitt 20

Michael (1-0): Notre Dame 28 Pitt 14

From Domer Sports Report

Notre Dame Football
2009 Recruiting

After a big win this weekend against former Irish coach Tyrone Willingham, the Irish hope to close in on some key recruits at the Wide Receiver position.

Wide Receiver

One of the most recent verbal commitments Notre Dame has received was that of athlete Nyshier Oliver. Oliver projects to be a wide receiver when he steps on to campus at South Bend. Oliver, (5'10 175lb 3-star recruit from Rivals.com) originally committed to Tennessee in June, but then decommitted in mid-August. Oliver said he felt like he rushed the recruiting process when he initially committed to the Vols.

Nyshier was on campus taking his official visit to watch the Irish manhandle the Michigan Wolverines in September and committed to Notre Dame on October 1st. Oliver, who plays for St. Peter's Prep in New Jersey, said that the academics, the tradition, and the fact that Notre Dame has the best fans in college football was a deciding factor in his decision. Charlie Weis currently sees Oliver playing slot receiver.

Nyshier is willing to do whatever it takes to get on the field, whether that means playing safety, running back, or wide receiver.

Besides Tennessee, Oliver had also received offers from Penn State, Rutgers, Virginia, Wake Forest, Boston College, and Maryland. Nyshier, who runs a 4.4 forty yard dash, will join an already solid group of wide receivers. Here is his scouting report from ESPN.com:

"Oliver should be nicknamed Houdini being he can slip through the smallest of places without being touched by the opposition. Even though he's not the biggest skilled athlete in the country, he is a very talented football player. Colleges might tend to recruit him as a safety, but he is very good running back and overall offensive skill player. He is equally as effective running inside or outside. He can cut the isolation play back against the grain for big yards or bounce it all the way out to the perimeter then use his great speed to take it down the sideline. Sometimes can bust a run up the middle and go completely unscathed and often times maintains his balance when hit by would-be tacklers. Hits and spins for extras yardage showing great balance and body control. Can catch the football out of the backfield and turn a short reception into a homerun. Very light on his feet; his quick moves and agile feet often leave defenders flat on their face after they miss. Equally as talented as a return specialist. Shows a real burst in the open field and makes his cuts going full speed. Reads his blocks well as a returner. Oliver has great hips and can change direction in an instance. The colleges like him as a safety but I think it's going to be impossible to keep this talent from handling the football."

The Irish also have offered a scholarship to the #2 overall prospect in the 2009 class and the #1 ranked wide receiver Rueben Randle. Randle (6'3 195, 5-star Rivals.com), plays for Bastop HS in Bastrop, Louisiana. Randle has offers from Alabama, FSU, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Ole Miss, Oklahoma as well as Tennessee. He is the do-it-all type, similar to Terrelle Pryor last year.

Currently, Randle is playing quarterback for his high school team and is completing 74 percent of his passes. Beyond the incredible arm and accurate touch, Randle is blazing fast. Through five games this season, Randle has thrown nine touchdown passes and only one interception.

Reports say that Randle is currently leaning towards in-state favorite LSU, but time will tell. I personally think he would look good donning a Gold helmet and smacking the "Play like a Champion" sign in South Bend. Here is his evaluation from ESPN.com:

"Explosive and fluid for a size receiver, Randle resembles a taller Josh Jarboe (class of 2008). He is big and strong, but athletic for his size. Plays fast and has explosive playmaking skills. His size and speed make him a legitimate deep threat. He's versatile and able to play multiple spots in a formation to create mismatches. Struggles to get off press coverage against talented, savvy cornerbacks--like most young receivers. He's tough and fearless over the middle. Makes tough catches in traffic and secures the ball even when absorbing a big hit. He's a bit high-cut, but shows little stiffness in his hips. Has more explosiveness running vertical routes than he has after the catch, but his initial burst and second gear still make him a threat to go the distance. Shows surprisingly fluid athleticism with the ball in his hands and isn't strictly straight-lined in his movements. He isn't exactly shifty in space, but he has natural cutting ability. Catches the ball in stride and has enough elusiveness to make multiple defenders miss. Can turn a short catch into a big play. Has very long arms and can high-point the ball in traffic. His size gives him natural red-zone tools, and he can make the acrobatic catch. Has a wide catch radius and very impressive focus. Has very good return skills and vision in the open field. Needs to polish his route-running skills, but that should come with time and experience. Randle has the blend of size, speed and playmaking ability to create mismatch problems on the perimeter or in the slot at the college level."

If you hear whispers of "Shaq Diesel" on campus at South Bend, it's not the students of Notre Dame reminising about former L.A. Laker Shaquille O'Neil, it's that of standout wide receiver Shaquelle Evans. Evans is a 6'1 203lb wide receiver from Inglewood, CA, a 4-star recruit from Rivals.com and most recently a decommit to the coveted brain trusts at USC. Evans is the number 3 ranked receiver in a very talented 2009 class. Evans was in Trojanland to watch USC rout Ohio State earlier this year and reportedly gave coach Pete Carroll a verbal commitment. However, those close to the situation report that Evans' commitment was a "soft" commitment, meaning that he was still going to visit other schools.

Evans was on hand September 27th to watch the Irish defeat Purdue 38-21. At that game, Evans was hoisted in the air by the fans and followed the tradition by doing pushups after Golden Tate scored a second quarter touchdown. Evans said the tradition, the academics and the overall comfort level he felt in South Bend are a big reason why they are currently his favorite for next year. Here is Evans' evaluation on espn.com:

"Big, fast and explosive are the three words that best describe Evans. He is a true difference-maker in the return game and moves like a smaller, quicker receiver in the open field. Has good size and has room on his frame to get even bigger. Shows an explosive surge off the ball and eats up a cushion quickly. Uses his body effectively to shield defenders from the ball. He isn't afraid to go over the middle and can catch in traffic. Has big, soft, strong hands. Can pull the ball away from defenders when fighting for it in the air. Can catch over his head and pluck on the run. He's a smooth and fluid route runner and shows some explosiveness out of his breaks. Possesses a good feel for finding soft spots in zone coverage. Shows good body control and balance. Can adjust to poorly thrown balls and is effective working the sideline. He's a vertical threat because of his size and speed. Has the wide wingspan and leaping ability to be a weapon on fade routes, especially in the red zone. Like most young receivers, he may initially struggle against press coverage when matched up with cornerbacks who are better equipped to face him. Needs to sharpen his route precision and become more crisp into and out of his cuts. Evans rates among the best in his class, regardless of position. He's a very good player and an outstanding prospect."

From Domer Sports Report 

Notre Dame used a swarming defense, a five wide receiver look, and some trickery to dominate the Washington Huskies, 33-7, and improve to 5-2. The Irish, who were going up against former coach Tyrone Willingham, looked rusty on offense but played a relentless defense.

The Irish scored on their opening possession as Jimmy Clausen connected with Michael Floyd for a 51 yard touchdown reception to take a 7-0 lead. On Notre Dame's second possession, they went 65 yards on seven plays covering just over three minutes and capped it off with a 21 yard touchdown run by Golden Tate. Notre Dame took a 17-0 lead into the half and opened the third quarter with a five play 61 yard drive culminating with a James Aldridge four yard touchdown run to stretch the lead to 24-0. Aldridge scored his second touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter on a three yard run.

The Irish defense forced Washington to six three-and-outs and kept them off the scoreboard until the Huskies scored on a six yard touchdown pass with 2:56 to go in the 4th quarter.

Notre Dame dominated the Huskies in every statistical category. Notre Dame gained 459 total yards and held the Huskies to 124.

The defense continuously got into the Huskie backfield and sacked quarterback Ronnie Fouch four times.

Clausen finished the game a mediocre 14-26 for 206 yards an interception and one touchdown pass.

The majority of the Irish offense came on the ground as the Irish out gained Washington on the ground 252-26. Aldridge led the ground attack rushing for 84 yards on 13 carries. Armando Allen rushed for 62 yards on 15 carries and Jonas Gray ran the ball nine times for 61 yards.

Next week the 5-2 Irish take on the 5-2 Pittsburgh Panthers in South Bend. A victory over the Panthers makes the Irish bowl eligible.

By Michael Rubin, Domer Sports Report

Notre Dame Football
2009 Recruiting

In part two of our series, we will take a look at who the Irish are looking to bring in next year to play the fullback position. Notre Dame currently has offers out to two of the nations top ranked fullbacks.

Fullbacks

• Toben Opurum is a 6'2 230lb fullback from Plano, Texas. Currently, Opurum holds offers from Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, LSU, Nebraska, Purdue, Texas and Notre Dame. He is considered a tweener by many recruiters. Florida, Kansas, Purdue, Texas Tech and Arkansas all view Opurum as a running back and Notre Dame and LSU view him as a fullback. Toben, a running back for Plano East, prefers to play running back in college, but is still considering the possibility of playing fullback. The Irish offered him a scholarship over the summer when he came to South Bend for a visit. Opurum wants to make a decision on his position and where he will attend school after his Plano East season is over. Recruiting Coordinator Rob Ianello and Charlie Weis have been in contact with Opurum and Ianello actually went to Plano East HS to visit him this past weekend. If Opurum decides that he wants to play fullback in college he would probably schedule another visit to Notre Dame in the winter but if he prefers running back, it appears he will not be visiting South Bend. Here is espn.com's scouting report on Opurum:

"Opurum is physically impressive as a running back prospect with his great size and above average straight-line speed. He is tall, well-built and still lean enough to add another 10-15 pounds of added bulk while retaining his current speed and quickness. Hands are soft and overall receiving skills are good making full or H-back a strong possibility. Has a knack for finding the soft spots in zone defenses, snags most balls with his hands, transitions quickly upfield and can make the first defender miss. As a runner, he shows some shiftiness through the hole and possesses adequate lateral quickness for his size to sidestep the initial traffic and bounce outside. Lacks good urgency out of his stance through the hole but can be a load at the high school level to bring down once he builds speed. Runs through arm tackles with his long, strong stride and thicker thighs. However, he displays very little burst through the hole and runs without good body-tilt. Will struggle retaining current yards after contact production at the next level and could expose his body to big hits. He is a big target out of the backfield as a pass catcher, but his long body often hinders his suddenness as an in-line runner. Marginal extra gear when he gets outside or finds a north-south seam. Overall, Opurum looks good on paper as a running back prospect but lacks good explosiveness as a downhill, in-line runner and the perimeter speed and quickness to hurt you outside. Tools to develop into an effective tailback but upside may be better as a tight end, full or H-back at a BCS level program."

• The other fullback the Irish are targeting is 6'1 215lb Tyler Gaffney from San Diego, California. Gaffney has scholarship offers from San Diego State, USC, Stanford, UCLA, Utah and the Irish. A 4-star fullback according to Rivals.com, Gaffney recently narrowed his choices down to three schools. Stanford, USC, and Notre Dame all made the cut. USC likes him as a running back or fullback. Stanford sees him strictly as a tailback and the Irish want to use him purely at fullback. Gaffney will take an official visit to South Bend November 21 to watch the Irish take on Syracuse. It is said that Tyler grew up rooting for the Irish and loves the tradition. Through four games this season he has rushed for more than 600 yards and 14 touchdowns. Here is his evaluation from espn.com:

"Gaffney is a load of a back at the high school level with a good blend of size, speed and determination as an in-line runner. He is tall, thickly-built but does a job of running with proper shoulder lean and body-tilt. Shows deceptive lateral quickness and burst bouncing it outside and turning the corner but most production stems off tough, explosive, between the tackles runs. Hits the hole with good urgency and is quick to square up his shoulders out of his initial cut and head north south. Generates good speed and power quickly allowing him to run through arm tackles and bounce out of traffic; this kid finishes runs. Possesses a thick and powerful upper- and lower- body and runs low to the ground with great leg drive; difficult to wrap him up solidly. However, he currently lacks the vision, suddenness and feel for the cutback lane to project well as zone runner at the next level. Struggles picking and sliding through traffic, slipping through the small creases and making something out of nothing. A true north-south back that could continue to develop the size and strength necessary to wear down a defense as a college runner and occasionally break off a long run with his good top-end speed. Overall, Gaffney could be productive in the right downhill, power running system or potentially make a slide down to fullback or over to defense as an outside linebacker with his great size to speed measurables. Great athlete for his size and should be an asset on special teams as well."

By Michael Rubin, Domer Sports Report

Notre Dame Football
2009 Recruiting

At 4-2 we know Notre Dame is having a good season on the field, but how are Charlie Weis and the Irish doing on the recruiting trail? As of right now, the Irish have 16 verbal commits with many more offers on the table. Here is a breakdown, by numbers, of the list of commits:

2 RB's (Wood, Riddick)
1 WR (Oliver)
2 TE's (Golic, Eifert)
3 OL (Bullard, Martin, Watt)
1 DL (Stockton)
2 LB's (Calabrese, Fox)
2 CB's (Banks, Pollard)
1 S (Motta)
1 K (Tausch)
1 P (Turk)

We are well into the thick of things on the recruiting trail with many offers on the table and recruits narrowing their choices and many making verbal commitments. Over the next week I will be breaking down each position and updating what recruits have verbally committed as well as where we stand with recruits in which we have offers on. I also plan to give updates on how the recruits are performing so far this season.

Running Backs

Dalton Hilliard, a 5'11 182 LB running back from Honolulu, Hawaii, recently returned from a visit to UCLA where he picked up an official offer. Hilliard, a 3-star recruit according to Rivals.com now has offers on the table from UCLA, Notre Dame, Washington, Colorado, UNLV, Nebraska, Arizona, Baylor, Stanford, Utah, Army, and his home town team Hawaii.

Hilliard said that UCLA has been recruiting him from the beginning of the process and that he was very happy when they finally offered him a scholarship on his visit last weekend to UCLA's homecoming game. Hilliard said he loved the coaching staff at UCLA and sees the program headed in the right direction with the addition of Norm Chow as offensive coordinator this year.

Hilliard, who has yet to officially visit Notre Dame, said that he "has always been a fan," of the Irish and grew up rooting for them. We will keep an eye on Dalton as he says he "wants to make a decision in the near future."

Here is ESPN.com's scouting report on Hilliard:

"Hilliard is a well-rounded, elusive back, and a kid we feel is going to start gaining big momentum on the recruiting trail. He is tall, high-cut and well-defined; should blow up to 200-pounds once he attacks a college weight-training program. Hits the hole at full speed and is very shift through traffic while losing very little in transition when cutting. Shows great balance, loose hips and body control sliding through the small creases and eluding the initial trash with great stop-start quickness. Runs with good pad level and his initial burst through the hole allows him to occasional run through arm tackles. While he shows the perimeter speed needed to turn the corner he lacks a great second gear and is not overly explosive when he gets a seam. Top-end speed is good but he is not a burner in the openfield or a true homerun threat for a non-power back. Runs with square shoulder pads and will occasionally flash a strong stiff arm but he lacks the bulk and lower-body leg strength at this time to consistently break tackles and earn good yards after contact as an in-line college runner. With that said, Hilliard possesses excellent receiving skills and can line up and hurt a defense in a number of ways as an offensive skill player. Great upside to become a productive featured back with his room for physical development."

Cierre Wood, a 6'0 192lb running back from Santa Clara, California gave the Irish a verbal commitment back in early April. Wood, who attends Oxnard High School, was on campus October 4th as the Irish beat the Stanford Cardinal. A 5-star recruit according to Rivals.com, Wood led his Oxnard team to a 21-16 victory last weekend as he scored on a 58-yard catch and run with just over a minute to go in the 4th quarter.

Here is ESPN.com's evaluation of Wood:

"Wood is a terrific athlete with the physical tools to excel on either side of the ball at the next level. He has a tall, high-cut frame that has room for plenty of additional bulk. Has the speed, elusiveness and quickness to excel on offense, especially on the perimeter. Shows the great vision to set up his downfield cuts and has the loose hips to make defenders miss in space. Flashes good balance, body lean and leg drive. Has deceptive lower-body strength and can break through initial arm tackles. Displays good receiving skills out of the backfield and in the slot. Can find the soft spots in zone defenses. Has soft hands and good concentration. Knows how to high-point the ball. Has questionable skills as an in-line runner. Doesn't attack the line of scrimmage downhill, pick his way through traffic or pick up quality yards after contact. Has an elongated lower body that makes sharp cuts difficult. Sometimes lose something in transition. High-cut frame could expose his body to big hits between the tackles at the next level. Speed is good but not elite. Tends to build up to speed and lacks elite burst and acceleration. Wood has potential on offense, but his excellent range, leaping ability, ball skills and athleticism may be better suited to safety than running back. He figures to be one of the smoother, more versatile athletes in the class of 2009."

The Irish also received a verbal commitment from RB Theo Riddick (4-star recruit from Rivals.com) from Immaculata HS in Somerville, NJ. Riddick verbally committed to the Irish in the middle of April and was in South Bend for his official visit to see the Irish demolish the Michigan Wolverines back in September.

Rivals.com was able to see Riddick this past weekend as his team defeated Voorhees HS (NJ) 42-20 as Riddick ran for 46 yards and a td. Rivals scout Mike Farrell, who was at the game said that Riddick has "quick feet and is excellent in space. He's also physical and an active blocker, and has good hands out of the backfield." As far as weeknesses Farrell says that, "Riddick isn't that big and doesn't have the look of an every-down back at the next level. he runs a bit high and sometimes tries to do too much by reversing field." Riddick, who also had offers Penn State, Pittsburg, Rutgers, Virginia, West Virginia, Boston College and Maryland, said that he chose Notre Dame, because of the tradition as well as the high academic standards.

Nick Shepkowski, Domer Sports Report

Notre Dame Football
Game Preview

As we enter the second half of the 2008 regular season the Irish seem to be primed to make a bowl appearance, something that seems like somewhat of an accomplishment after last year. Game seven sends Notre Dame to the great northwest to try and conquer ole' Ty once again as the 4-2 Fighting Irish take on the 0-6 Washington Huskies in a primetime game this Saturday night on ESPN2.

When the 2008 schedule was put together years ago, Washington was in the midst of a run which included eight straight bowl appearances and a victory in the 2001 Rose Bowl over Purdue. Sadly for Washington fans, the Huskies have not returned to a bowl game since the Sun Bowl on New Years Eve in 2002, a loss to that same Purdue team.

In 2008 it is safe to say the 0-6 Huskies will be waiting until at least 2009 to make a return trip the postseason. What is it exactly that has caused the problems for Washington this year? All one needs to do is look at the "points allowed" column to see that the Huskies give up 40.6 PPG. Give them credit in scheduling the big dogs like Oklahoma and BYU as well as Notre Dame in the non-conference slate, especially when you compare their schedule to the likes of the Arizona's and Washington State's of the Pac-10.

The biggest worry for Huskies fans going into this Saturday is the fact that Jake Locker will not be under center, due to a broken thumb. Locker not only was the quarterback of this team, but also leads the Huskies in rushing yards as well. Needless to say, losing him has made a bad team even that much more horrendous this season.

Not only has the defense been a dark spot for Washington, but the offense hasn't exactly 'lit up the joint' either. The offense has put together 17.6 ppg on average, not great but not terrible...until you look at the fact that exactly 20% of their points this season have been scored while trailing by thirty or more points.

This Washington team is shaping up to be just what the doctor ordered to stop the Notre Dame traveling blues. With Locker out, Ronnie Fouch will be left with the quarterback duties for Washington. Fouch, a sophomore, has thrown for 782 yards and three scores this season, completing 50% of his passes and throwing four interceptions. Don't blame Fouch or Locker for any of this, but the Huskies just do not have the talent on offense to be putting up many points a game.

David Freeman leads the Huskies in rushing yards (136) outside of the versatile Locker, but has not played since their matchup with Stanford on September 27th. Freshman Terrance Dailey has emerged on the scene as a capable back, running for a 59 yard touchdown against Oregon State last week. The bad news with Dailey - his other 21 carries this season have gone for just 61 total yards. Brandon Johnson has seen the ball the most times for Washington, but his touches have diminished in recent weeks. Johnson has had 32 carries for 63 yards, but only had two carries a week ago against the Beavers. As you can tell by the numbers, this shouldn't be a team who can run all over Notre Dame. Then again, the Irish run defense has been far from great. But, expect to see improvement in that aspect this week.

D'Andre Goodwin is the weapon of choice of the wideouts for Washington, pulling in 32 receptions for 451 yards (14.1 per). Jermaine Kearse and Devin Aguilar have each compiled over 200 yards receiving, but Kearse has the only two touchdowns of the three names mentioned. As implied throughout, this is a weak offense all around and the receivers are just another example of that. Defensively, expect Notre Dame to have many successes against this Washington team.

The Huskies enter Saturday with the 115th best run defense in the nation, giving up 232.8 yards a contest alone on the ground. At 98th best, the pass defense looks that much better as they allow 250 more yards a game. Daniel Te'o-Nesheim leads the Huskies as he has come up with their only three sacks in 2008 from his defensive tackle position. Mason Foster leads the defense with 50 tackles, good for second most in the Pac-10. Nate Williams has added 43, good for 7th in the conference as well. The defense has only forced two turnovers all season long, both being interceptions.

Notre Dame is headed west this Saturday and look to make it 5-2 on the season. Washington has been a program that has hit the ruts under Ty Willingham's watch and many Irish fans would like to see nothing more than Notre Dame clobber their old coach and keep him 0-'08 another week. With the two products that will be out on the field Saturday, Notre Dame's will offer a much better brand of football. Vegas says Notre Dame by 11, we here at Domer Sports Report say:

Nick (5-1): Notre Dame 44 Washington 17
Mark (6-0): Notre Dame 42 Washington 20

Makes you just long for the days, doesn't it?