place your vote today here: http://promo.espn.go.com/espn/contests/theheismanvote/2009/index

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http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti...

Nearing the conclusion of an eight-week process to prove that he belongs among basketball's best, second may be good enough for Notre Dame power forward Luke Harangody.

Harangody update from the South Bend Tribune...

good read on Luuuuuke...

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=katz_andy&id=4221005


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February 4, 2009


Punahou's Manti Te'o signs letter of intent with Notre Dame

Advertiser Staff
Punahou School’s Manti Te'o, widely regarded as the country’s best linebacker prospect and probably the most heralded high school recruit Hawai'i has produced to date, signed a national letter of intent this morning with Notre Dame.
Te'o made the announcement at a ceremony at the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall’s Pikake Room and before a nationally televised audience as ESPN broke into coverage to telecast his decision.
"It came down to USC and Notre Dame and I could see myself at both," he said on ESPNU, which hosted a "Recruiting Insider" show.
Te'o, who became the first Dick Butkus high school award winner, had narrowed his choices to USC, Notre Dame and UCLA.
Earlier, he had eliminated Brigham Young.
Te'o, a Mormon, said he would play his freshman year in college and then decide whether to go on a mission.
He called Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis a great man who's been "so supportive of my faith."
Te'o addressed the audience, parents and players before making his announcement. He thanked the media for "bringing attention to Hawai'i." He also had a message to the athletes, asking them to remember where you came from.
Later, he said, it's a "blessing for me to be among all these young men" signing his letter of intent.
Te'o also played running back for the Buffanblu, leading them to their first state football title in December.
Te'o was one of 48 Hawai‘i athletes — including 29 NCAA Division I-bound football players — invited to Blaisdell to put their commitments in writing to accept scholarship offers from colleges all over the country.
Te'o’s signing was so highly anticipated, ESPN decided to cut into its live broadcasting on SportsCenter. CBSsports.com was expected to show a video clip at about 10 a.m., according to Doris Sullivan, who is helping to coordinate today’s Signing Day Event.
Honoluluadvertiser.com also streamed the signing day live.
Sullivan, director of the non-profit scholarship-seeking service Pacific Islands Athletic Alliance, said about 40 news outlets have requested press credentials to attend today’s event.
Irish Illustrated, a fan-generated Web site dedicated to Notre Dame athletics, hired a freelance photographer to shoot pictures of Te'o signing his letter.

Debunking myths about Notre Dame's Luke Harangody

is not the best player in college basketball**And other debunked myths about the Notre Dame All-America forward, in four parts.

By Brian Hamilton

Tribune reporter

November 16, 2008

Copyright © 2008, Chicago Tribune

 

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33-7 win

October 3, 2008
BY NEIL HAYES nhayes@suntimes.com
Summer turns to fall in the time it takes an apple to fall from a tree, and just as quickly, amid the tumult of a September late afternoon at Notre Dame Stadium, the biggest question dogging coach Charlie Weis dries up and blows away, perhaps forever.

If you're looking for a reason to feel better about Weis' ability to lead the Irish back to national prominence, look beyond their 3-1 record. The playmakers most responsible for Notre Dame's resurgence are mostly sophomores and freshmen.

In fact, a third of the way into the season, 12 of Notre Dame's 14 touchdowns have been scored by freshmen or sophomores. If the progress continues, Weis' ability to develop talent might never again be questioned.

''Charlie's recruiting is starting to pay off,'' former Ohio State coach John Cooper said. ''I don't think there's any question that Notre Dame is starting to get athletes that can play with other people on their schedule. It's amazing how much better you can coach when you're coaching great talent.''

This year's freshman class is making an impact more seamlessly than last year's for a variety of reasons, a less daunting schedule ranking high among them. Perhaps the biggest factor is that this year's freshmen are making the transition at their pace, while last year's class didn't always have that luxury.

''These guys have been able to get eased into it instead of thrown into it,'' Weis said.

Michael Floyd has emerged as the star of the class, already beginning to rewrite the Notre Dame record books. Floyd set a freshman school record with seven catches against Michigan State and added his first 100-yard receiving game against Purdue.

Floyd's athleticism comes as no surprise, considering recruiting experts ranked him among the top prep wideouts in the country. It has been his ability to quickly absorb Weis' complex offense that has most impressed coaches and teammates.

''Michael Floyd was one of my top three receivers, but I'm a little surprised he has taken to it so quickly,'' CBS College Sports recruiting expert Tom Lemming said. ''He looks like a veteran already. I thought he was a superstar, and he's proving that.''

It's more common for skill-position players to make an immediate impact, especially if they are as athletically gifted as Floyd. Weis is receiving contributions at virtually every position, however, including on the offensive and defensive lines, where freshmen are less likely to earn playing time because they are usually not as physically mature as the juniors and seniors they line up against.

Tight ends, for example, are required to block in Weis' offense, but that hasn't stopped Kyle Rudolph -- who caught his first touchdown pass last week -- from being productive after injuries and disciplinary actions thrust him into the starting lineup.

Defensive end Ethan Johnson has four tackles, two passes broken up and a quarterback hurry. Trevor Robinson has earned playing time at guard, and cornerback Robert Blanton, who made his debut against Michigan, had two tackles (one for a loss), one pass broken up and returned an interception 47 yards for a touchdown against Purdue.

''He's been able to get good penetration into the backfield,'' Weis said of Johnson. ''That's one of the things you need with defensive linemen, guys that besides being stout enough to play the run, can also get some penetration into the backfield and be disruptive. He's shown at a very young age he's capable of doing that.''

For many, such as running back Jonas Gray and former Mount Carmel linebacker Steve Filer, the transition starts on special teams. Both have made an impact on those units in recent weeks and could parlay that into roles on offense and defense.

As much as production is defining this freshman class, so is the bond they developed before they even began their careers at Notre Dame. They were members of perhaps the best recruiting class in the country, and they refused to renege when the Irish melted down last season.

''I've never seen, in any class coming in, camaraderie like the one with this group,'' Weis said. ''Forget about the ratings. When they were getting hammered and hammered, they stuck together. They formed such a close bond that they want to be a part of something special.''

Rookie Rampage
by LOU SOMOGYI
Senior Editor
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When all is said and done with freshmen classes, more usually gets said than done.

This year's Notre Dame group is becoming an exception.

Touted as the best football class to enroll under the Dome since the 1990 harvest that featured future first-round picks Jerome Bettis, Tom Carter, Bryant Young, Aaron Taylor and Jeff Burris, several Irish rookies already are making a profound impact:

Kyle Rudolph – In the absence of Will Yeatman (suspension) and Luke Schmidt (medical), he played every snap on offense against Purdue.


Rudolph became the second freshman to score a receiving touchdown with this catch against Purdue last weekend.



"He's probably one of the harder-working freshmen I've ever been around, and it's important to him," praised Charlie Weis. "Also, he knew that the team was counting on him. He knew that he didn't have a security blanket going into this game where we wanted to go to the next guy."

With his speed and pass-receiving acumen, Rudolph expanded the Irish passing repertoire across the middle with three receptions for 32 yards against the Boilermakers, highlighted by his first career TD.

With 107:40 playing time already through four games, he is easily on pace to shatter Derek Brown's freshman tight end standard set in 1988 (206:38).

Michael Floyd – Speaking of shattering records…

For the third straight week, Floyd saw the most playing time among Irish wideouts when he was credited with 26:06 action against Purdue, nabbing six passes for 100 yards. It's not merely superior athletic skills that have put him in the forefront.

"Some people just pick it up a lot faster, and he happens to be one of them," Weis said.

After four games, his 16 receptions were already nearing the freshman school-record 32 set by Duval Kamara last year.

Trevor Robinson – As projected in the preseason, he is beginning to work into the rotation at right guard every third, fourth series or so. Against Purdue, he played 7:51 at right guard, behind Chris Stewart, and 4:03 as a second or third tight end (see playing time chart on this page).

"He will not sit on the bench the whole game waiting for something to happen to Chris," said Weis of Robinson. "He's earned some extra playing time. We're not trying to unseat somebody that doesn't deserve to be unseated, but at the same time, Trevor is playing well enough to make sure we get him on the field."

Ethan Johnson – No. 9 has been a blessed jersey. Not only has Rudolph been the starter since the opener, but defensive end Johnson made his starting debut in Game 4, versus Purdue.

Only senior Patrick Kuntz ended up seeing more action along the defensive front than Johnson, who has been singled out by Weis for his consistent ability to get penetration along the line of scrimmage.

Darius Fleming – Through four games, his 71 special teams appearances paced the Irish. Against Purdue, he also began to have a more prominent role on defense. His 7:35 of action against the Boilermakers topped the 7:05 in the first three games combined.

Robert Blanton – The cornerback enjoyed a coming-out party versus Purdue with five tackles, a pass breakup and game-changing 47-yard interception return for a TD.

In the first three games, fifth-year senior Terrail Lambert played 81:48 compared to Blanton's 15:05. Against Purdue, there was greater parity between Lambert (12:41) and Blanton (11:36).

He provides a personality and swagger that Weis loves – but also has had to squelch on occasion.

"Sometimes you have to pull them aside and say, 'Okay, you're a freshman and if you want to do this, this is what's going to come with the territory,'" Weis said. "We have had that side of the story as well."

Steven Filer/Jonas Gray – Linebacker Filer made his debut on special teams at Michigan State, and running back Gray replaced the ailing Schmidt on kick returns versus Purdue.

"Both of those guys are good enough to help us win on special teams," said Weis, who believes they also will see action as position players as the season progresses.

Unless a rash of injuries occur, the other 15 scholarship rookies likely will be withheld from action to preserve a year of eligibility. Near the end of Thursday practices, they are actively put into game-like situation to avoid getting stale while working with the practice squads to prepare the top units for the game.

Young Notre Dame players maturing early
—Brian Hamilton

October 3, 2008

Jimmy Clausen, soph., QB

The numbers: 901 yards passing, 57.3 percent completions, nine TDs

The word: "He's starting to get to the point like Brady [Quinn], where if he throws an incomplete pass in practice that he feels is his fault, he gets mad. And that's a good thing."—Irish coach Charlie Weis

Armando Allen, soph., RB

The numbers: 41 carries, 205 yards (5.0 avg.), 1 TD

The word: "You just keep on trying to put him in position where you get the ball in his hands and see where he can be productive and make big plays."—Weis

Golden Tate, soph., WR

The numbers: 20 catches, 367 yards (18.3 avg.), 3 TDs

The word: "We'd love to have the ball in his hands because he has shown he can be a playmaker every week."—Weis

Brian Smith, soph., LB

The numbers: 25 tackles, two TFLs, 35-yard fumble return for a TD

The word: "He's like the centerpiece. So he has to do well."—defensive coordinator Corwin Brown

Michael Floyd, fresh., WR

The numbers: 16 catches, 218 yards, 2 TDs

The word: "Some people just pick it up a lot faster, and he happens to be one of them."—Weis

Robert Blanton, fresh., CB

The numbers: 10 tackles, 1 TFL, 47-yard INT return for a TD

The word: "We're going to put him out there and see if he can make some plays because that's what he does. He has a knack."—Brown

Kyle Rudolph, fresh., TE

The numbers: 6 catches, 66 yards, 1 TD

The word: "He's probably one of the harder-working freshmen I've ever been around, and it's important to him. He knows his strengths and he knows his liabilities."—Weis

Underclassmen leading the way for Notre Dame
By Brian Hamilton

Chicago Tribune reporter

October 3, 2008

SOUTH BEND, Ind.—Of Notre Dame's 14 touchdowns this season, sophomores and freshmen have accounted for 12—a sturdy dozen from precocious performers. And that doesn't account for the sophomore quarterback on the front end of nine of those scores.

According to Irish coach Charlie Weis, the player with the other two touchdowns to his credit—fifth-year receiver David Grimes—made sure to point out this team indeed has had some senior moments. Including Grimes' recollection of that conversation.

"To be honest, I don't remember that," Grimes said. "I didn't keep that stat with me. I'm glad you pointed that out."

It's understandable that it might get lost in a season chock-full of early bird specials or special early birds, as it were.

Needing a bit of a lift in 2008 to quell doubts, Weis has seen his tenure at least temporarily refreshed by a fountain of youth.

Of 101 points the Irish have accrued going into Saturday's game with Stanford, underclassmen are responsible for 89 of them. They also have a hand in 1,280 of the team's 1,336 yards of total offense, a hefty 95.8 percent. The top four all-purpose yardage performers are underclassmen.

Defensively, underclassmen have not had as pronounced an impact. But two of the top six tacklers are sophomores (the unrelated Smiths, Brian and Harrison), and the Irish's two defensive touchdowns were from Brian Smith and freshman Robert Blanton.

"The biggest thing we talk about is doing whatever you can to help the team, whether you're a freshman, sophomore or a senior," said sophomore tailback Armando Allen, the team's leading rusher. "When we talk about this team, we don't look at individuals. No matter who it is, if you can help the team, we're ready for you."

Of course, the Irish were ready for anyone to contribute after the debacle of 2007. For young players, opportunity didn't just knock—it brought along a SWAT team with a battering ram. So the talent is somewhat ahead of the curve, even for recruiting classes that rivals.com ranked No. 8 and No. 2 nationally in 2007 and 2008, respectively.

But there also has been an opportunity to get ahead of the curve in the first place. With the sophomore class, some rough edges were burnished a year ago. Then freshmen such as receiver Michael Floyd and tight end Kyle Rudolph filled some remaining gaps this year.

"Even though some of them are only in their second year of playing, you're starting to get more experience built with those young guys, just coming and bringing some extra energy," Weis said.

"It's fun to watch Michael Floyd out there. It's fun to watch [sophomore receiver] Golden Tate out there. They play with such enthusiasm."

There is no shortage of that among observers, even if the Irish are a team still searching for some consistency after four games, and even if none of the first four opponents can be considered national title contenders.

Imagination from the faithful runs wild, hypothesizing about what the future might look like if the present is this promising. Meanwhile, some Irish elders are enjoying seeing the youngsters perform like it's old hat.

"I'm not sure exactly what it is, but it's still football," Grimes said. "It doesn't matter what age you are. If you can play, you can play."

just over three weeks...

10/25/08

 

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