Notre Dame versus the Mountain West Conference

Notre Dame has played the teams from the Mountain West Conference 35 times over it’s history. Of course, most of those games were while the teams were in other Conferences. In those 35 games Notre Dame has been victorious 27 times with 6 losses coming to Air Force and 2 coming to Brigham Young.

Charlie Weis has had decent success against the Mountain West Conference posting a 2-1 record over his 3 years at the helm. Those three games were played against the two best teams: Brigham Young and Air Force. His lone loss was the 41-24 shellacking Notre Dame took to Air Force this past season.

During the 2008 season, Notre Dame takes on San Diego State from the Mountain West Conference. San Diego State has not been a powerhouse for some time and having graduated it’s prolific quarterback, Kevin O’Connell, should not pose a terrible threat. Look to see Charlie Weis increase his victories to 3 after facing San Diego State this season.

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Cierre Wood Video

WNDU has a nice video of Cierre Wood on their website here.

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2009 Blue Gold Game Date Set

Mark your calendars for April 19, 2009 as the date for Notre Dame’s annual Spring game. I think the football team has other dates of interest in between…Link

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Notre Dame Seniors: Where Are They Now? RECAP

RECAP

John Carlson
Seattle Seahawks

Trevor Laws
Philadelphia Eagles

Tom Zbikowski
Baltimore Ravens

John Sullivan
Minnesota Vikings

Joe Brockington
Buffalo Bills

J.J. Jansen
Green Bay Packers

Travis Thomas
Cleveland Browns

Leo Ferrine
Delaware

Junior Jabbie
Delaware

Anthony Vernaglia
Hofstra

Ambrose Wooden
Goldman Sachs

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Juan Muldoon named New Leprechaun

Football fans will see a new face on the sidelines in the fall when junior Juan Muldoon graces the field as the new varsity Leprechaun.Muldoon said his experience as junior varsity Leprechaun for the past two years has prepared him for the busy role of being the University mascot.”I have learned to communicate with a crowd and think on my feet, which are skills absolutely necessary to work a football crowd,” Muldoon said.Muldoon’s desire to represent Notre Dame as the Leprechaun began during his Freshman Orientation.”During Frosh-O I had a beard and I was about five feet tall, so some people in my section joked that I should be the Leprechaun,” he said. “In the spring as tryouts drew nearer, a cheerleader in my section encouraged me to give it a shot. It was a long shot because they generally choose older students, but I got the J.V. position.”That’s where the dream all started.”The grueling process of tryouts began in early April to replace graduating varsity Leprechaun Matt Phipps. The position of Notre Dame Leprechaun is about more than just sports, Muldoon said. The judges have to evaluate the candidates as public relations figures for the University, as the Leprechaun frequently speaks with fans, the media and participates in rallies and community service. During the tryouts, the Leprechaun candidates have to partake in mock media interviews and role-play different scenarios that they may encounter as Leprechaun, Muldoon said.And, of course, the prospective Leprechauns had to demonstrate their ability to work a crowd.”You have to conduct a Pep Rally on your own in front of a live crowd,” Muldoon said. The judges watched to see how excited the crowd became while the Leprechaun entertained, he said.”It was nerve wracking, but I put my best face forward,” Muldoon said.As an additional part of the tryout process, the Leprechauns took clinics with the cheerleaders in order to learn stunts, he said.The panels of judges conducting the tryouts was composed of representatives from different offices on campus, such as Student Activities, the Alumni Association, Marketing and Public Relations, Muldoon said. The cheerleading coaches also took part in the decision process, he said.At the end of the process, he said, each Leprechaun candidate faced the panel in a personal interview.”They are looking for someone with the right attitude, heart and ethics,” Muldoon said. “You have to be enthusiastic, positive, and have a great love for the University.”Although Muldoon has embodied these qualities for the past two years as the junior varsity Leprechaun, he will face new challenges and responsibilities as the Varsity Leprechaun. The junior varsity Leprechaun is generally in charge of working the men’s soccer games and women’s volleyball and basketball games, and the varsity Leprechaun works football and men’s basketball.”I have to start thinking about entertaining a bigger audience at the games and Pep Rallies, and traveling with the football and basketball teams, Muldoon said. “I’m used to having 30-40 fans, and during the Blue and Gold game I had 32,000 fans. I have the responsibility of communicating with a broader audience.”While moving to a larger arena is exciting, Muldoon had some nostalgia for his old position.”I’m actually going to miss J.V. because I’m used to having personal relationships with the parents and players,” he said. “However, I’m hoping to establish some new relationships as well. I look forward to working with the new J.V. Leprechaun Dan Collins. We can both learn from each other.”Muldoon will face his position as Varsity Leprechaun next year with “all the enthusiasm in the world.”"I have some big shoes to fill,” he said. “I had the pleasure of being the understudy of Matt Phipps, and I have learned a lot. I can build on that experience and bring my own personality to the table. I will be on the field next year with a smile, jump and a jig.”Link

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2008 NFL Draft

John Carlson TE 6′5″ 251 Notre Dame Pick 7, Round 2(38) Seattle Seahawks

Pick Analysis (from nfl.com): The Seahawks selection of Carlson comes at somewhat of a surprise with a player like Fred Davis still on the board. But in Carlson Seattle gets a player who has solid blocking potential, though he appears limited in his pass-catching ability.

Trevor Laws DT 6′1″ 304 Notre Dame Pick 16, Round 2(47) Philadelphia Eagles

Pick Analysis (from nfl.com): Laws is an intelligent player, who the Eagles most likely took because of his fit in their 4-3 scheme. If not for that, Laws likely would have not gone this high. But his motor and his ability to read plays will be a good addition for Philly.

Tom Zbikowski FS 5′11″ 210 Notre Dame Pick 23, Round 3(86) Baltimore Ravens

Pick Analysis (from nfl.com): A hard-nosed safety who can hit and play strong in run support. Also a special teams return man who can be a valuable contributor in the kicking game, something new coach John Harbaugh will love in Baltimore. Not extremely quick, but has a good sense of the game.

John Sullivan C 6′4″ 301 Notre Dame Pick 21, Round 6(187) Minnesota Vikings

Pick Analysis (from nfl.com): Sullivan has short arms, which is not ideal for a center, and he may lack some toughness, but he has smarts and is adept at knowing the offense. He was the leader of a Notre Dame offensive line that struggled mightily and he needs to show more tenacity.

3 Seniors to finish carreers at Hofstra, Delaware

Anthony Vernaglia will leave Notre Dame with a degree and find playing time at Hofstra, while getting his Master’s degree. Leo Ferrine and Junior Jabbie will use their last year of eligibility to play for Delaware – the same school that Ronald Talley chose, when he transferred from Notre Dame.

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Tyler “F’n” Palko

That F-bomb that you heard this weekend may not have come from your neighbor, but might have been uttered by Tyler Palko, former quarterback of the Pittsburgh Panthers. Remember him? He’s the quarterback that dropped the F-bomb on NBC after throwing for 5 TD’s against Notre Dame at Notre Dame in 2004 (an opponent record).

Why would Tyler Palko have thrown down another F-bomb on Saturday, you may ask? His backup for that 2004 season was none other than pick #18 of the 2008 NFL Draft, Joe Flacco. Flacco transferred to Delaware, where he started in 2006 and 2007, turning himself into an NFL first round pick. Tyler Palko may still turn himself into an NFL quarterback, but Joe Flacco is getting the big payday now.

Here’s to you, Tyler Palko!

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2009 Recruits

Jake Golic
Theo Riddick
Tyler Stockton
Cierre Wood

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John Carlson and Trevor Laws Drafted in the 2nd Round of the 2008 NFL Draft

With pick #38 the Seattle Seahawks chose Notre Dame tight end John Carlson and with pick #47 the Philadelphia Eagles chose Notre Dame defensive tackle Trevor Laws.

Here’s some analysis from ESPN:

Carlson had a disappointing showing at the combine and his 4.88 40 time shows that he’s going to have problems working the seam. There are also concerns about the number of passes he dropped last year. However, he has the frame to bulk up and develop into an effective in-line blocker. He also has the wide frame and body control to develop into an effective short-to-intermediate receiver and productive red zone target.

Laws lacks a prototypical size for an interior run-stuffer and he doesn’t have the burst to consistently get to the quarterback at the professional level. But he reminds us of the Energizer bunny. He works from the snap until the whistle on every play. Also, he plays with excellent leverage and is strong for his size. He’s much more stout than you would think looking at his measurables.

From CBS Sports:

John Carlson is a well-rounded, smart player who should be a good, versatile tight end in Seattle. He’s got great size (6-foot-5) but his speed is pretty average (figure him at 4.75). He could make an impact as soon as halfway through his rookie season as a blocker and red-zone receiver. He is a little injury prone.

Laws is a nice meaty run stuffer with a high motor and an ability to block kicks. He might not have been the Eagles’ first choice, but he was the best choice at this point as many people saw him as a late-first/early second-round choice.

From Fox Sports:

With Fred Davis and Martellus Bennett still on the board, I’m not sure I love the Carlson pick, here. But tight end is certainly a need in Seattle, and Holmgren and co. fill it.

Laws was ultra-productive on a really bad Notre Dame team last year. 112 tackles out of your DT? That’s unheard of stuff. He’ll be a fine pro. Philly traded back a bit here, and still got a very strong defensive tackle.

From Sports Illustrated:

The Seahawks address their tight end situation with the selection of John Carlson. The Fighting Irish standout was regarded by many as one of the more complete tight ends in the draft, but many teams were scared away by his poor performance at the NFL Combine. However, his hands and route running ability make him a nice fit in the Seahawks’ offense. Some would argue that Fred Davis would be a better fit due to his receiving skills, but Carlson’s combination of receiving and blocking ability may have made him the better choice in the Seahawks’ minds. SI GRADE: 3.57

The Eagles pick up a high-motor defensive tackle with the selection of Trevor Laws. Though he may be a little undersized by some standards, his quickness and relentless motor are a nice fit in defensive coordinator Jim Johnson’s blitz-heavy scheme. SI GRADE: 3.84

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