Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com FEBRUARY 2021 13 UNDER THE DOME THEY SAID IT THEY SAID IT "When you really look at it, this is a pretty significant hire for Notre Dame. There have not been many instances in the recent past where Notre Dame has been able to go against an SEC power for a talented coach and win what we'll assume was a pretty heavy financial battle. I don't want to say Notre Dame 'outbid' for Marcus Freeman, because that's not correct and we'll never know for sure because FOIA laws don't apply to private institutions like Notre Dame. But what we do know is LSU was aggressive in wanting Marcus Freeman, and Notre Dame was able to put on its big boys pants and hang with an SEC power and one of the wealthiest athletic departments in the country. "For the athletic department at Notre Dame to step up and get the hottest defensive coordinator on the board — a young guy with Midwest ties, a terrific recruiter and a great strategist — it's a really significant moment for Notre Dame and Brian Kelly." — Yahoo! Sports Pete Thamel on Notre Dame hiring Marcus Freeman as defensive coordinator (BlueandGold.com) "Quarterback recruiting can be a crapshoot, so it's possible Kelly and company haven't hit upon the perfect one just yet. Book dramatically outperformed his recruiting ranking, so we know Notre Dame's coaches can develop a QB. They just need to keep hunting, and perhaps that ideal QB will emerge. That's the only way for Notre Dame to break the ceiling the Irish currently find themselves wedged against." — The Athletic's Andy Staples on what Notre Dame needs to do to compete with the best college football programs on a consistent basis "Tight end was a crucial position in the Notre Dame offense this season with true freshman Michael Mayer breaking out as the second-leading receiver on the team and Tommy Tremble contributing in a multitude of ways for the Irish. Mayer is back next season, but Tremble and Brock Wright are gone, which means someone is going to have to step in to help along with Mayer next season. "That means we could see a breakout season from Bauman or Takacs, or potentially both. Takacs had only three receptions for 30 yards this season and Bauman had one catch for five yards, but with Tremble gone, someone is going to need to help replace what he brought in terms of blocking and receiving. With Mayer solidified as the main option, both Takacs and Bauman have a chance to fill the two voids next season and keep some consistency at the position." — ESPN's Tom VanHaaren on why tight ends Kevin Bauman and George Takacs are potential breakout stars for Notre Dame in 2021 "The 5-foot-9, 195-pound sophomore from St. Louis will be the crown jewel of the Notre Dame offense moving forward after his stellar 2020 season. Williams turned Notre Dame's pandemic-caused pivot to join the ACC into a performance that secured him ACC Rookie of the Year honors. He averaged 5.3 yards per carry while totaling 1,125 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. That made him one of just 10 running backs from major conference programs who surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark this season. Only two, Williams and Alabama star back Najee Harris, played for College Football Playoff teams." — Columnist Ben Frederickson on the rise of sophomore Kyren Williams at Notre Dame in 2020 (The St. Louis Post-Dispatch) OF THE MONTH ➤ "RT to vote and support our NFL alum who are up for the #WPMOY ! #WPMOYChallenge + @thejaylonsmith #WPMOYChallenge + @Isaacrochell90 #IrishInTheNFL" — Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) Jan. 13 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED PO Box 2331 Durham, NC 27702 www.BlueGoldOnline.com 1-800-421-7751 DELIVERY LIMITED TO CONTINENTAL U.S. PLEASE ADD SALES TAX FOR ITEMS SHIPPING TO: (NC 7.5%, IN 7%, MI 6%) Made to order & shipped direct from manufacturer, returns not related to damage may incur fee. GRILL MAT $49.95 + FREE S&H Available in 2 Styles: ND or Leprechaun (Item #6622-ND or #6622-LEP) (Item #6621) CUSTOM GRILL COVERS Hand-made in USA using the finest com- mercial grade breathable vinyl featuring double-stitching, buckle clasps and mois- ture vent. Logo printed with UV-resistant ink in official school colors. AVAILABLE IN 2 SIZES & 3 LOGOS: Small: 60" wide x 36" tall x 21" deep $51.95 + $15.00 S&H Large: 72" wide x 36" tall x 21" deep $54.95 + $15.00 S&H Please allow up to 2 weeks for delivery.