Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1349365
www.BLUEANDGOLD.com APRIL 2021 13 UNDER THE DOME One week where sixties politics and literature converged on the Notre Dame campus. chicagoreviewpress.com @ChiReviewPress K E N N E DY. V O N N E G U T. E L L I S O N . THEY SAID IT THEY SAID IT "I learned a lot of that from Brian Kelly. I think his style of leadership allowed for me to flourish. So many times in these environments, we want everything to be so plotted out and so structured, and yet he gave us the autonomy to really over- see our sides of the ball to set schedules. And what that allows for is the freedom to also be a husband and a father. And to take care of the people involved in this operation, too … "Also, watching him manage. Notre Dame is such a big operation. And there's a lot of stress, and I've said this to you in the past, I don't think he gets the credit he deserves for the excellence he's sustained there, and the durability and the toughness that is required of him in that role. Just watching him let go of the things that he couldn't control or take the adversity that we were facing and steel himself to it and not let it impact the rest of his day." — CLARK LEA, the new Vanderbilt head coach and former Notre Dame defensive coordinator, on what he learned from Brian Kelly (The Athletic) "I always thought what hurt Notre Dame was they didn't offer kids early enough. You're losing a third of the top kids nationally if you don't. You don't have to wait on academics. Offer them early, then if they eliminate themselves later because of academics, so be it. You've got to stay on top of these kids, and that's what they're doing now. They're offering a lot more guys than they have in the past, and I think their new philosophy is fantastic. It's going to pay big dividends for the class of 2023 and even more so the class of 2022. "I think Marcus Freeman and Mike Elston combined are a great team of recruit- ers, and the mindset they bring and give the other coaches is invaluable. When you combine that and the way Jeff Quinn and Lance Taylor, for instance, are recruiting on offense, I think the future is super bright for Notre Dame. And this could be their best era since the late '80s." — CBS Sports recruiting analyst Tom Lemming (The South Bend Tribune) "Coan was ninth in Total QBR over the final weeks of 2019 while playing for Wisconsin. In his final two games of the regular season, easy wins over Purdue and 10th-ranked Minnesota, Coan completed 30 of 41 passes for 483 yards, four touchdowns and one pick. The efficiency trailed off a bit against Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship and Oregon in the Rose Bowl, but the Buckeyes and Ducks ranked second and eighth, respectively, in defensive SP+ that season." — ESPN's Bill Connelly on the breakout potential of Notre Dame graduate transfer quarterback Jack Coan "Coan, with 18 starts at Wisconsin under his belt including a Big Ten Championship Game and Rose Bowl appearance in 2019, is enrolled and will be available for spring practice. Still, the most intriguing competitor for the job is freshman Tyler Buchner. "The four-star member of Notre Dame's 2021 recruiting class is enrolled early and will also get a shot to push for his spot on the depth chart, and maybe even playing time. Brendon Clark and Drew Pyne were solid backups to Ian Book, but Brian Kelly's decision to bring Coan on in the wake of Buchner's signing suggests he's looking for a high-floor quarterback with major conference experience to hold down the offense until the youngster is ready." — CBS Sports' Chip Patterson on College Football's most intriguing quarterback competitions heading into spring practices PHOTO BY MIKE MILLER OF THE MONTH ➤ "Worst kind of heartbreak for anybody who had the pleasure of knowing Lou Nix. His smile, laugh, and aura will live on forever. Rest In Peace" —NBC sideline reporter Jac Collinsworth (@JacCollinsworth) Feb. 27