Great Notre Dame Moments: October 15, 1988

Say the date, October 15, 1988. Notre Dame fans will know what that signifies. As a matter of fact, in a poll taken on Notre Dame's official site, UND.com, the game versus Miami of Florida on that day was voted the greatest in Notre Dame Stadium history.

Let me set up what made it a great game. First, Miami came into Notre Dame Stadium, on that beautiful Fall day (it was 75 degrees and sunny as I recall. I should know - I was there!), ranked number 1. The Irish were ranked number 4. Imagine what could happen if the Fighting Irish could pull off the upset. It could vault the Irish near the top of the polls. It could also pave the way for their first National Championship since 1977.

Secondly, Miami had become a hated rival of Notre Dame. This was due to rising as a program in the 1980s as well as owning the Irish during a lot of that decade. To put it mildly, some of the games were not even close.

In 1983, Miami shut out a Gerry Faust coached team, 20-0. In 1987, in Lou Holtz's second season at Notre Dame, the Hurricanes blew out the Irish, 24-0. But, perhaps, more than any game that caused ill feelings on the part of the Irish towards Miami, was what happened in coach Gerry Faust's last game. In 1985, Miami blasted Notre Dame, 58-7. Many thought the Hurricanes ran up the score, needlessly, in the second half.

So, Miami came into Notre Dame Stadium on October 15, 1988 with all the confidence in the world. They had risen to one of the top programs in the entire country. They also had proven success against the Irish. But, Notre Dame had something to prove.

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The Domer Sports Report Store

I know, I know - a shameless plug! I just wanted to let everyone know that we, at Domer Sports Report now have a store. We are now in the affiliate program over at Amazon.com.

We know you will enjoy our store if you are a Notre Dame fan. We have included many products. So, whether it is apparel (tee shirts, sweatshirts, jerseys and more!, accessories, books (a good variety!) or videos ("Rudy", "Knute Rockne All-American" and lots more), we probably have what you are looking for. The prices are reasonable, too.

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As usual - Go Irish!

Indy Attorney to be Named Next Notre Dame A.D.

Surprise, surprise! After most people compiled a list of well-known, popular names of Notre Dame athletic director candidates, apparently, the University of Notre Dame will name someone that no one had on their list.

In an announcement that could come as early as Wednesday, Notre Dame will name Indianapolis attorney, Jack Swarbrick, as the next athletic director. Swarbrick will replace departed, and now, Duke athletic director, Kevin White.

So, what do we know about Jack Swarbrick? For one, he is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame. He received his undergraduate degree there in 1976. After Notre Dame, Swarbrick achieved a law degree from Stanford University. He is currently an attorney for the Indianapolis law firm of Baker and Daniel.

Swarbrick has been involved in amateur athletics. He's been involved with the Indiana Sports Commission for the last 20 years. He was also a candidate for the position of Presient of the NCAA, a position that later went to Indiana University's Dr. Myles Brand.

Swarbrick has also been involved in promoting Indianapolis sports. Two major areas he helped in was getting the Super Bowl to Indianapolis and helping the city to host the NCAA Final Four. The latter, presumably, could be good news to Notre Dame coach Mike Brey and the basketball program. Perhaps, Swarbrick will recognize that, besides the football program, Notre Dame basketball can rise to a power again.

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Walls' Departure Reinforces Why I Love Notre Dame

By: Joe Pierce

When I tell people that I'm a Notre Dame fan, the following conversation usually occurs:

Person: "Did you go to school there?"

Me: "Nope."

Person: "Well then why do you root for them?"

Me: "I'm Irish-Catholic, I went to college and played football at a small Division III school in VA, so my childhood allegiance to Notre Dame remains intact, no one in my immediate family went to college, so I have no family allegiances, Rutgers is a North Jersey school, I hate Temple, and as I get older, Penn State annoys me more and more. Most importantly, though, the place is just special. There's no other place that can offer such religious and football tradition, matched with a mystique that you just can't explain. Plus, their athletes aren't dummies. It isn't like USC, where you can take ballroom dancing (*cough*, Matt Leinart, *cough*) and coast through to the NFL. You have to be a good person and good citizen to make it through."

This, my friends, is why I root for and love Notre Dame. They refuse to compromise their stringent academic and moral standards for athletes, and while they occasionally lose out on a recruit or have a player jettisoned out of the program for not keeping their grades up or acting like a schmuck, it's frankly the right way to do business.

Although it's painful and will hurt the program, Darrin Walls withdrawing from Notre Dame was the only choice. Although the Irish staff isn't confirming this, insiders say that Walls was asked not to return because of poor grades. Cornerback is a position of strength for the team, but losing Walls, who had nine pass deflections and one pick as a sophomore last year, and who many consider to be the best athlete on the team, would hurt any program. Over the years, how many times have we heard stories of crooked coaches like Jim Tressel and Jimmy Johnson pulling strings to keep their top athletes on the field? It makes me sick to hear these stories, and I'm happy Charlie Weis doesn't play those games.

Notre Dame has no choice but to make the best of a bad situation. Let's be honest, although they'll be much better, 2008 is considered another building year, and if the Irish compete for the BCS Championship this January, I'll think it's the work of the Blessed Mother, not Charlie Weis and his staff. Walls' departure gives Raeshon McNeil, Gary Gray, and freshmen Jamoris Slaughter & Robert Blanton a chance to step up the plate, compete for a starting job, and gain valuable experience on the field. The best case scenario would be for Walls to take a page out of Julius Jones' book, work hard to gain readmission in the Spring, and return for the '09 season, where I think Notre Dame has a legitimate shot to compete for a National Championship. If Walls returns, the Irish would find themselves with a talented and experienced group of veteran corners.

Although not having Walls for '08 hurts, take solace in the fact that the team you love wins and loses with class and dignity, which is certainly more than most fans can say.

Watt Makes it an Even Dozen for the Irish

By: Joe Pierce

The Notre Dame roller coaster is cranking its way back up the track, and after the sudden departures of Darrin Walls and D.J. Hord last week, Chris Watt's commitment is a major piece of good news for shell-shocked Irish fans.

After a back-and-forth battle with Ohio State, Notre Dame secured what some consider to be their most important commitment to date in the form of Chris Watt, a 6'3" 280 lb. powerhouse offensive guard from Glen Ellyn, IL (Glenbard West).

Watt, rated the #2 offensive guard in the country, fills a significant need on the anemic Irish offensive line, which has had a heck of a time maintaining depth during the Charlie Weis era. If Watt and fellow verbal commitment Alex Bullard do indeed sign on the dotted line in February, Notre Dame will finally have stability and depth at guard.

Want to talk about Watt's commitment? Click http://domersportsreport.proboards84.com/index.cgi?board=recruiting&action=display&thread=61 and let your voice be heard!

ND Basketball: 2007-08 Highlight Video

I am posting a video of YouTube goodness, Notre Dame-style, right here. I hope all Notre Dame fans enjoy it.

The Irish were successful for the 2007-2008 season. They finished the season with a record of 25-8. Notre Dame finished 4th in the Big East Conference at 14-4. By finishing 4th (as far as seeding), achieved a bye in the first round of the Big East Conference Tournament. The Irish made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. In addition, Notre Dame has now won a total of 37 straight home games. For the first time in Big East history, a team went undefeated at home for two straight seasons (Notre Dame). They were 8-0 and 9-0, respectively, for the last two seasons in the conference.

The Irish were a well-balanced team in 2007-08. They placed three players in double figures in scoring for the season. They were led by Luke Harangody, who averaged a double-double in all games. He averaged 20.4 points per game and 10.6 rebounds per game. He increased those numbers in conference play, averaging 23.3 ppg and 11.3 rpg. Kyle McAlarney (15.1 ppg) finished second in scoring, while Rob Kurz (12.5 ppg) finished third.

Mike Brey seemingly won a lot of Notre Dame fans over during the 2007-08 season. After going to the NCAA Tournament in each of his first three seasons, he followed that up with three straight NIT appearances. But, for the last two seasons, Brey has led Notre Dame to two NCAA appearances. He was voted Coach of the Year by Big East coaches for 2007-08. That makes it two in a row for Brey as far as Coach of the Year in the Big East.

Expectations for Notre Dame in the upcoming 2008-2009 season are high. In the past, expectations within the program were much higher than those on the outside. However, many prognostications for the upcoming season place the Irish in the top 5 in the nation, starting out.

Notre Dame will get an early head start to living up to expectation for the 2008-2009 season. They will begin playing basketball in August. That is because the Irish will be travelling to face - the Irish. Yes, Notre Dame will be going to "the motherland", Ireland. They will play six games while there.

Enjoy the video and the Irish song, "The Rocky Road to Dublin".

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Updated Recruiting Master List (2009 Recruiting)

Here is the latest, updated Domer Sports Report recruiting master list. There have been some additions to this update as far as content. We have now included, not only the list of players who are considering Notre Dame. But, we have also included their stats where possible. You will see the player's 40 yard dash times, their height and weight as well as their bench and squat results. You will also notice that some players are listed twice. That is due to being recruited for a couple of different positions.

We know that Fighting Irish fans enjoy recruiting news. We will keep you updated as soon as we get news in terms of recruiting. Wd also know you like to discuss all things pertaining to Fighting Irish sports. Why not join our message board? It is absolutely free. You may or may not be able to see the various boards unless you are a registered member. A link to register is http://domersportsreport.proboards84.com/index.cgi?action=register. We sure hope to see you on the boards!

Notre Dame Recruits – 2009

Committed (11)
Alex Bullard, OL, 6-3, 275, 5.0, Bench: 305, Squat: 440, Brentwood, TN
Carlo Calabrese, ILB, 6-2, 214, Bench: 300, Squat: 400, Forty: 4.7 Verona, NJ
Tyler Eifert, TE, 6-6, 220, 4.62, Fort Wayne, IN
Dan Fox, OLB, 6-4, 219, Bench: 260, Squat: 400, Forty: 4.6 , Cleveland, OH
Jake Golic, TE, 6-4, 216, Bench: 220, Squat: 300, Forty: 4.7, West Hartford, CT
Marlon Pollard, CB, 6-1, 160, San Bernardino, CA
Theo Riddick, RB, 5-10, 185, Bench: 250, Squat: 500, Forty: 4.4, Somerville, NJ
Tyler Stockton, DT, 6-1, 290, Forty: 4.98, Princeton, NJ
Nick Tausch, K, 6-1, 180, Dallas, TX
Ben Turk, P, 6-0, 175, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Cierre Wood, RB, 6’0, 192, 4.5, Oxnard, CA

Offense

Linemen
Alex Bullard, OL, 6-3, 275, 5.0, Bench: 305, Squat: 440, Brentwood, TN (committed)

Nick Alajajian, OT, 6-4, 280, N/A, Naples, FL (offered / committed to Florida)
Everette Benyard, OT, 6-6, 318, 5.1, San Diego, CA (offered)
Stavion Lowe, OT, 6-5, 294, 5.2, Brownwood, TX (offered)
Zach Martin, OT, 6-5, 270, 5.0, Indianapolis, IN (offered)
Xavier Nixon, OT, 6-6, 263, N/A, Fayetteville, NC (offered)
Xavier Su’a Filo, OT, 6-4, 285, N/A, Provo, UT (offered)

Chris Watt, OG, 6-3, 280, N/A, Glen Ellyn, IL (offered)

Lawrence Adams, OG, 6-6, 322, N/A, Madison, AL
John Anevski, OG, 6-4, 277, 5.1, Bench: 365, Cincinnati, OH
Cody Bohler, OT, 6-6, 284, N/A, Somerville, NJ
David Born, OT, 6-8, 329, N/A, Bakersfield, CA
Christian Brandt, OT, 6-5, 250, N/A, Orchard Lake, MI
Joe Calderone, OT, Mishawaka, IN
Nicholas Cattolico, OG, 6-3, 341, 5.5, Delran, NJ
Adam Citko, OT, 6-5, 321, 5.6, Warminster, PA
Ricky Clemons, OT, 6-4, 298, 5.7, Flint, MI
Colby Duranleau, OT, 6-4, 272, 4.9, Wichita, KS
Tom Freeman, OG, 6-3, 273, 4.86, Kansas City, MO
Denzelle Good, OT, 6-4, 295, 5.0, Gaffney, SC
Llyod Hill, OG, 6-3, 295, 5.2, Steelton, PA
Dominique Jackson, OT, 6-3, 267, Washington, DC
Kyle Koehne, OT, 6-6, 290, N/A, Indianapolis, IN
Edmond Kugbila, OT, 6-5, 320, N/A, Lawrenceville, GA
Rio Mares, OG, 6-6, 350, N/A, Albuquerque, NM
Neil Moloney, OG, 6-3, 244, 5.48, Mohnton, PA
Liam Murray, OT, Walnut Creek, CA
Gavin Pascarella, OT, 6-4, 260, N/A, Corona, CA
Cody Sanders, OT, 6-5, 265, 5.3, Littleton, CO
Dan Schatz, C, 6-1, 292, 5.5, Palatine, IL
Charles Siddoway, OT, 6-6, 314, N/A, Eugene, OR
Jaleel Taylor, OG, 6-0, 282, N/A, Elizabeth, NJ
Brennan Williams, OT, 6-5, 255, 5.25, West Roxbury, MA

Running backs and fullbacks
Theo Riddick, RB, 5-10, 185, Bench: 250, Squat: 500, Forty: 4.4, Somerville, NJ (committed)
Cierre Wood, RB, 6’0, 192, 4.5, Oxnard, CA (committed)

D.J. Adams, RB, 5-10, 210, N/A, Norcross, GA (offered)
Tyler Gaffney, FB, 6-1, 215, 4.44, San Diego, CA (offered)
Stepfan Taylor, 5-11, 205, 4.5, RB, Mansfield, TX (offered)

Diante Drake, RB, 5-11, 198, 4.48, Lawrenceville, GA
Raymond Graham, APB, 5-9, 177, N/A, Elizabethtown, NJ
Dalton Hilliard, RB, 5-11, 182, 4.48, Honolulu, HI
Anthony Urbania, RB, 5-11, 203, 4.45, Bench: 285, Wickliffe, OH

Quarterbacks
Drew Allen, QB, 6-5, 205, 4.7, San Antonio, TX
Chandler Browning, QB, 6-2, 225, 4.7, Raleigh, NC
Antone Exum, QB, 6-0, 198, 4.4, Glen Allen, VA
Kurt Hess, QB, 6-3, 215, 4.83, Dayton, OH
Darren Jones, QB, 6-3, 195, N/A, Harvey, IL
Charley Loeb, QB, 6-4, 210, N/A, Groton, MA
Jordan Roberts, QB, 6-0, 194, 4.7, Yorkville, IL
Nathan Scheelhaase, QB, 6-3, 184, 4.53, Kansas City, MO
Victor Scott, QB, 6-2, 185, N/A, Chicago, IL

Tight ends
Jake Golic, TE, 6-4, 216, Bench: 220, Squat: 300, Forty: 4.7, West Hartford, (committed)
Tyler Eifert, TE, 6-6, 220, 4.62, Fort Wayne, IN (committed)

Gabe Ikard, TE, 6-4, 246, N/A, Bench: 265, Squat: 400, Oklahoma City, OK (offered)

Patrick Bade, TE, 6-8, 220, 4.8, Indianapolis, IN
Josh Lovell, TE, 6-4, 260, 4.78, Christchurch, VA
Taylor Nelson, TE, 6-5, 230, N/A, Minnetonka, MN
Shaun Pratl, TE, 6-7, 230, N/A, Oak Lawn, IL
Dion Sims, TE, 6-5, 230, 4.6, Orchard Lake, MI

Wide Receivers
Marlon Brown, WR, 6-5, 205, N/A, Memphis, TN (offered)
Corey Cooper, WR, 6-2, 200, Maywood, IL (offered)
Shaquelle Evans, WR, 6-0, 203, 4.45, Inglewood, CA (offered)
Uzoma Nwachukwu, WR, 6-0, 186, 4.42, Allen, TX (offered / committed to Texas A&M)
Jamal Patterson, WR, 6-2, 194, 4.5, McDonough, GA (offered)
Rueben Randle, WR, 6-3, 195, N/A, Bastrop, LA (offered)

Alex Blake, WR, 6-0, 169, 4.5, Fort Washington, MD
Emory Blake, WR, 6-1, 194, 4.6, Austin, TX
Ernest Boateng, WR, 5-10, 171, 4.68, Columbus, OH
Jeff Burke, WR, 6-1, 195, 4.54, Westlake, OH
Justin Chappell, WR, 5-11, 180, 4.6, Cleveland, OH
Jarrett Fleming, WR, 6-4, 185, N/A, South Bend, IN
Bennie Fowler, WR, 6-2, 185, Beverly Hills, MI
Andrew Hebert, WR, Lafayette, LA
Jordan James, WR, 6-2, 189, 4.6, Lafayette, LA
Christian Kuntz, WR, Camp Hill, PA (committed to Penn State)
Terrell Malley, WR, 5-8, 148, 4.74, Portland, OR
Joey Parris, WR, 6-0, 185, 4.6, Olmsted Falls, OH
Delvon Purvis, WR, 5-10, 177, 4.5, Los Angeles, CA
Jemari Roberts, WR, 6-3, 205, 4.5, Long Beach, CA
Billy Ray Stutzmann, WR, 6-1, 160, 4.5, Honolulu, HI
Drew Terrell, WR, 5-10, 175, 4.5, Chandler, AZ
Vondrae Tostenson, WR, 6-4, 215, 4.5, Omaha, NE
Sam Williams, WR, 6-1, 180, N/A, Brandon, MS
Duwyce Wilson, WR, 6-2, 175, N/A, Columbus, IN
Wesley Winkle, WR, 6-3, 185, 4.62, Muncie, IN

Athletes
Ray Ray Armstrong, ATH, 6-4, 218, Sanford, FL (offered)
E.J. Banks, ATH, 5-11, 181, 4.5, McKees Rocks, PA (offered)
Logan Thomas, ATH, 6-6, 233, 4.65, Lynchburg, VA (offered)

Rex Burkhead, ATH, 5-11, 190, 4.46, Bench: 325, Squat: 500, Plano, TX
Jordan Cotton, ATH, 6-1, 170, 4.47, Mount Pleasant, IA
Antone Exum, ATH, 6-0, 198, 4.4, Glen Allen, VA
Travis Hawkins, ATH, 5-10, 181, 4.42, Bench: 340, Gaithersburg, MD
Bryan Head, ATH, 5-11, 190, 4.4, Colleyville, TX
Jordan Love, ATH, 6-0, 185, 4.41, Bench: 225, Baltimore, MD
Theron Norman, ATH, 6-3, 190, 4.59, Richmond, VA
Rynell Parsons, ATH, 5-9, 155, 4.3, San Antonio, TX
Tim Phillips, ATH, 5-5, 168, 4.45, Bench: 350, Squat: 515, Louisville, KY
Anthony Young-Wiseman, ATH, 6-1, 185, 4.63, Bethesda, MD

Kickers
Nicholas Tausch, K, 6-1, 180, Dallas, TX (committed)

Dustin Hopkins, K, Houston, TX (offered)

Punters
Ben Turk, P, 6-0, 175, Fort Lauderdale, FL (committed)


Defense

Linemen
Tyler Stockton, DT, 6-1, 290, Forty: 4.98, Princeton, NJ (committed)

Corey Adams, DT, 6-3, 277, 4.9, Scottsdale, AZ (offered)
Chris Bonds, DE, 6-4, 262, 4.7, Columbia, SC (offered)
Davon Custis, DE, 6-5, 220, 4.58, Columbus, OH (offered)
Isaac Holmes, DT, 6-3, 295, N/A, Bench: 315, Squat: 505, Hoboken, NJ (offered)
Gabe Ikard, DE, 6-4, 246, N/A, Bench: 265, Squat: 400, Oklahoma City, OK (offered)
Nick Kasa, DE, 6-7, 245, 4.6, Broomfield, CO (offered)
Devon Kennard, DE, 6-3, 257, 4.7, Phoenix, AZ (offered)
Anthony LaLota, DE, 6-6, 260, 4.64, Princeton, NJ (offered)
Jamarcus McFarland, DT, 6-3, 280, 4.9, Lufkin, TX (offered)
William Ming, DE, 6-4, 250, 4.8, Bench: 300, Squat: 450, Athens, AL (offered)
Pat Muldoon, DE, 6-4, 250, 4.81, Bench: 345, Squat: 475, Cincinnati, OH (offered)
Craig Roh, DE, 6-5, 230, 4.75, Bench: 260, Squat: 380, Scottsdale, AZ (offered)

Kenneth Agee, DE, 6-3, 189, 4.7, Bench: 240, Squat: 4.65, Shaker Heights, OH
Nate Barnes, DE, 6-4, 230, 4.7, Newport News, VA
John Brewer, DT, 6-4, 250, N/A, Lake Zurich, IL
Justin Brown, DT, 6-2, 256, 4.8, Compton, CA
Michael Buchanon, DE, 6-6, 220, N/A, Homewood, IL
Denzel Burrell, DE, 6-1, 213, 4.6, Charlotte, NC
Austin Crawfis, DE, 6-4, 235, 4.8, Dublin, OH
Chris Davenport, DT, 6-4, 318, 5.27, Mansfield, LA
Tyler Dippel, DE, 6-4, 248, 4.8, Hartford, WI
Mike Douglas, DT, 6-2, 270, N/A, Hoboken, NJ
Trevor Foy, DE, 6-7, 255, 4.9, Louisville, KY
Dominique Jackson, DT, 6-3, 267, Washington, DC
Josh Jackson, DE, 6-2, 260, N/A, Gainesville, GA
Alanzi Langstaff, DT, 6-4, 321, 5.33, Bench: 325, Squat: 400, Las Vegas, NV
Jamari Miller, DE, 6-2, 254, 4.99, Bench: 290, Squat: 360, South Plainfield, NJ
Duan Perez-Means, DE, 6-3, 220, N/A, Richmond, VA
Christian Reed, DE, 6-1, 214, 4.65, Bench: 270, Squat: 540, Lawrenceville, NJ
Deion Roberson, DT, 6-3, 270, 4.9, Bench: 335, Tucker, GA
Brent Urban, DE, 6-7, 266, 4.9, Bench: 300, Mississauga, Ont
Joseph Williams, DT, 6-3, 287, N/A, Bench: 335, Squat: 450, Houston, TX

Cornerbacks and safeties
Marlon Pollard, CB, 6-1, 160, San Bernardino, CA (committed)

Ray Ray Armstrong, S, 6-4, 218, Sanford, FL (offered)
E.J. Banks, CB, 5-11, 181, 4.5, McKees Rocks, PA (offered)
Corey Brown, CB, 6-1, 180, N/A, Monroeville, PA (offered / committed to Ohio State)
Terrance Bullitt, S, 6-3, 178, 4.58, Bench: 235, Squat: 335, Garland, TX (offered)
Brandon McGee, CB, 5-11, 186, 4.59, Lauderhill, FL (offered)
Zeke Motta, S, 6-2, 207, 4.6, Vero Beach, FL (offered)
Darren Myles, S, 6-1, 175, 4.49, Bench: 260, Squat: 525, Atlanta, GA (offered)

Dijon Benton, S, 6-2, 180, 4.7, Bryant, AR
Shamari Benton, S, 6-0, 194, 4.4, Bench: 315, Squat: 530, Birmingham, MI
Alex Bonczyk, S, 6-3, 175, 4.5, Las Vegas, NV
Kevin Brent, S, 5-11, 196, 4.42, Dallas, TX
A.J. Cruz, CB, 5-8, 183, 4.49, Bench: 275, Squat: 415, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Michael Dobson, S, 6-0, 185, 4.4, Bench: 280, Mount Airy, NC
Vladimir Emilien, S, 6-1, 186, N/A, Lauderhill, FL
Brad Heldt, S, 6-0, 175, 4.6, Bench: 230, Squat: 320, Omaha, NE
Mose Hogan, S, 5-10, 196, 4.6, Bench, 315, Detroit, MI
Donteris Huggins, CB, 5-10, 181, 4.5, Madison, FL
Perry James, CB, 6-0, 180, 4.4, Mocksville, NC
Mike Jones, S, 6-3, 200, 4.5, Orlando, FL
Riyahd Richardson, CB, 5-8, 160, 4.5, Bench: 230, Squat: 380, Duncan, SC
Brent Seals, S, 6-1, 190, 4.6, La Puente, CA
Branden Smith, CB, 5-11, 171, 4.4, Atlanta, GA
Jawanza Starling, S, 6-2, 195, 4.55, Tallahassee, FL

Linebackers
Carlo Calabrese, ILB, 6-2, 214, Bench: 300, Squat: 400, Forty: 4.7 Verona, NJ (committed)
Dan Fox, OLB, 6-4, 219, Bench: 260, Squat: 400, Forty: 4.6 , Cleveland, OH (committed)

Jordan Barrett, ILB, 6-3, 225, 4.7, Bench, 275, Sherman Oaks, CA (offered)
Glenn Carson, ILB, 6-3, 220, 4.6, Manahawkin, NJ (offered)
Jelani Jenkins, OLB, 6-1, 212, 4.45, Wheaton, MD (offered)
Jonathan Stewart, OLB, 6-4, 221, 4.64, Shreveport, LA (offered)
Frankie Telfort, OLB, 5-11, 197, 4.5, Miami, FL (offered)
Manti Te’o, ILB, 6-2, 230, 4.6, Honolulu, HI (offered)

Robert Bell, ILB, 5-11, 225, N/A, Grand Rapids, MI
Brandon Fjerstad, OLB, 6-2, 228, 4.75, Hemlock, MI
TyQuan Hammock, ILB, 6-1, 220, 4.7, Bench: 325, Squat: 450, Fort Wayne, IN
Evan Harris, ILB, 5-11, 213, 4.6, Bench: 275, Squat: 525, Waldorf, MD
Mark Haskell, OLB, 6-2, 198, 4.86, Encino, CA
Curt Hutchins, ILB, 6-2, 225, 4.7, Bench: 305, Squat: 425, Kokomo, IN
Kelvin Jackson, OLB, 6-3, 240, 5.12, Sugarland, TX
Anthony Jones, WLB, 6-2, 200, 4.56, Chandler, AZ
Shaquille Marshall, ILB, 6-0, 225, N/A, Bench: 335, Squat: 560, Birmingham, MI
Peter Miller, OLB, 6-3, 231, 4.6, Locust Valley, NY
Barkevious Mingo, OLB, 6-5, 209, West Monroe, LA
Stephon Robertson, ILB, 5-10, 195, 4.53, Bench: 255, Squat: 405, Alexandria, VA
Tyler Scott, OLB, 6-4, 220, 4.7, Warren, OH
Nick Sizemore, ILB, 6-1, 218, 4.7, Bench: 350, Squat: 450, Lancaster, PA
Will Studlien, ILB, 6-2, 220, 4.68, Sunbury, OH
Brian Townsend, ILB, 6-1, 241, 4.8, Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Chris Williams, MLB, 6-1, 225, 4.5, Abilene, TX

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Eifert Makes it 11 for the Irish

By: Joe Pierce

In what has been a whirlwind couple days in South Bend, as predicted yesterday on our message board, 6'6" 220 lb. Fort Wayne, IN (Bishop Dwenger) TE Tyler Eifert has committed to play football for Notre Dame and becomes the 11th commitment and 2nd in two days.

Eifert is a fine athlete, but doesn't forecast to any obvious position in college. I think he'll provide a capable set of hands on special teams right away, and will get a crack at tight end, wide receiver, and safety. This is a feast or famine recruit, and Charlie Weis will either hit the jackpot with an under-the-radar grab or look like a fool for taking a chance on him. If he can find a position that fits his strengths, I think he can be a solid college player with some development.

Eifert will join former high school teammate John Goodman in South Bend, and chose the Irish over offers from Indiana, Purdue, Vanderbilt, Minnesota, Northwestern, Wake Forest, & Cincinnati.

Talk about the commitment right now on our message board by following this link: http://domersportsreport.proboards84.com/index.cgi?board=recruiting&action=display&thread=52

Mike Brey Signs Contract Extension Through 2015

Notre Dame has announced that men's head basketball coach Mike Brey has been given a contract extension through the 2014-2015 season. Brey has successfully gone from the hot seat to the catbird seat, guiding the Irish to a 25-8 record, the third highest win total in program history, and a program-best 14-4 Big East record during the 2007-2008 season.

With renovations to the Joyce Center on tap, let's hope that Brey can keep the recruiting and on-court momentum going.

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We know you like reading the articles, so why not talk about them too?

By: SugarJoe

Thanks to everyone for supporting the blog so far! We've seen a heck of a spike in traffic, and Mark and I are happy to see so many people taking the time to visit. We also realize that by having such an audience, we have to keep the articles fresh and entertaining, which won't be an issue.

We Irish fans are a talkative, opinionated bunch, so why don't you take the time to click the link to your right and sign up for our message board? It's absolutely free to join and gives members up-to-date news on all things Notre Dame. You'll also feel a nice sense of community on there with a good group of people. Give it a shot - I promise you won't be disappointed.

Before I leave you, here's a shameless plug - when you need Notre Dame tickets, gear, or anything else Irish, please give one of our advertising partners a try. The site is free for everyone, and Mark and I write out of our love for Notre Dame, so why not help out fellow Irish fans when you buy stuff you were going to get anyway? Look for our fanshop, coming soon!

A couple of handy links to our message board are http://domersportsreport.proboards84.com/index.cgi (index) and http://domersportsreport.proboards84.com/index.cgi?action=register (registration).

We sure hope to see you on the boards!

I'm always available via message if anyone has any questions or comments for me, and as always, GO IRISH!

Joe

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Marlon Pollard Becomes 10th Irish Verbal

When Darrin Walls committed to the Irish three years ago, he became the lone shining star in a pitifully weak corps of corners. My, how the times have changed! Charlie Weis and crew have worked tirelessly to restock the cupboard, and took another huge step today when Marlon Pollard officially decommitted from UCLA and became the 10th verbal commitment for Notre Dame's 2009 recruiting class.

Pollard, a 6'1" 160 lb. CB from Cajon, CA, verballed to his hometown Bruins before his junior year. However, after recording 60 tackles and 4 picks as a junior, he quickly found himself on the national radar, with offers coming from Notre Dame, Washington, and Nebraska.

Pollard attended a camp in Chicago earlier this year and took a quick, unscheduled trip to South Bend. Apparently he "felt it" and decided to switch allegiances after discussing his decision with his mother.

The Irish appear done at corner after snagging the four-star athlete, but we all know that if another top athlete wants to make South Bend his home, Charlie Weis will be more than happy to welcome him with open arms.

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Big East Anounces 2008-09 Conference Matchups

The Big East Conference has released the conference matchups for men's basketball. The home and away matchups are set for the 2008-2009 season. The exact dates will be released at a later date.

For the second season in a row, the men will play an 18 game conference schedule. Each conference school will play 9 games at home and 9 games on the road. When contemplating who played who and also which teams would play return games, the Big East Conference had the following to say:

The decisions regarding repeat opponents are based on natural interest, geography, rivalries, television contractual obligations and competitive balance.

Notre Dame, per usual, has a tough conference schedule. Although, surprisingly, regional rival Marquette plays the Irish, only once. DePaul, another traditional Notre Dame rival, also appears on the schedule, only once. The three teams that Notre Dame will play home and away games against are St. John's, Louisville and Connecticut, the latter two teams expected to be in the top half of the league standings in 2008-09.

Here is Notre Dame's 2008-2009 complete Big East Conference schedule:

Away
Cincinnati
Connecticut
DePaul
Louisville
Pittsburgh
Providence
St. John's
Syracuse
West Virginia

Home
Connecticut
Georgetown
Louisville
Marquette
Rutgers
St. John's
Seton Hall
South Florida
Villanova

Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said last season that the 18 game format was an unknown as far as the impact it would have on the NCAA Tournament. Well, the results are in. Last season was a success. The Big East Conference tied its' record of having eight teams qualify for the NCAA Tournament. This season promises to be another, if not more so, wild ride. One preseason ranking has 7 Big East teams in the top 25.

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