Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1174242
www.BLUEANDGOLD.com OCT. 12, 2019 13 UNDER THE DOME "The Fighting Irish stuck around against Virginia before ultimately pulling away and Hainsey was integral in both facets for the Notre Dame offense. He didn't allow a single QB pressure on his 37 snaps in pass protection while finishing with the nation's fourth-highest run-blocking grade among all tackles." — Pro Football Focus' Cam Mellor on why he put junior right tackle Robert Hainsey on his College Football Week Five Team of the Week following Notre Dame's 35-20 over UVA "The current favorite to play in the Cotton Bowl opposite the Group of Five qualifier is No. 9 Notre Dame, whose only loss was a nail-biter at national title contender Georgia. A date with the Fighting Irish would energize fans locally, draw a monster TV rating and give the [Boise State] Broncos what they missed out on in the 2010 and 2014 Fiesta Bowls — a chance to line up with one of college football's most storied programs. This week, USA Today, Sporting News and one of two ESPN writers had Notre Dame versus Boise State in the Cotton in their projections."— Chad Cripe, assistant editor of The Idaho Statesman on a possible matchup between Notre Dame and Boise State in the Cotton Bowl "Cold-weather football teams to me, feel like they don't have the advantages in high school personnel [as] warm-weather teams. But with that said, this is the best Notre Dame team I've seen in years." — Colin Cowherd on his Fox Sports Radio Show The Herd "I don't really have much comment on it at this point, only because for me, I stay in the present and don't get too far ahead of myself, and that's four years down the road. I think if it was next year I would probably have some more formulated opinions on it. Four years allows for a lot of maneuvering, if you will, relative to negotiations and talking back and forth amongst the NCAA and universities. So, I think there is plenty of time for dialogue. I don't need to really comment on something that is that far down the line." — Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly on the Fair Pay To Play Act in California "More than his voiced respect for Loeffler, Kelly's relationship with former Irish defensive coordinator and current Bowling Green defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder is the story peg of the week. Notre Dame fans may begrudge VanGorder and his defensive approach for torpedoing the 2016 season and, perhaps even more aggravating to many, not holding up at the end of a 2015 season on the edge of big- picture goals. If Kelly does as well, he does not show it and never has aside from dismissing VanGorder four games into the 2016 debacle." — Douglas Farmer of NBC Sports on VanGorder, whom Brian Kelly fired in 2016 "Had an interesting exchange with a scout on Sunday that led me to this developing opinion: Brian Kelly, underrated. He's in his 10th year at Notre Dame now. He's a good bet to post his fifth 10-win season, and third straight. In the 16 years before his arrival, the Irish had just two 10-win campaigns. At the very least, he's the best coach in South Bend since Lou Holtz. And I wonder if NFL teams kick tires on him again—despite the fact that some think he's too much of a drill sergeant for the league." — Sports Illustrated writer Albert Breer OF THE WEEK ➤"Thank you @DaelinHayes_IX for taking time out of your day to chat, take a picture and give a high five! Best of luck on your recovery. #GoIrish @Sharon2599" — a Notre Dame fan (@bowlby87) thanking defensive end Daelin Hayes, who tore his labrum in the win over Virginia and is out for the rest of the season, Sept. 30 PHOTO BY MIKE MILLER