Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1483505
BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM NOV. 12, 2022 13 UNDER THE DOME "He's really good, like, extremely good. He's really patient with his hands. He knows how to punch his hands. He's very violent with his hands and has great footwork. I really can't knock anything off him. He's a really hard worker in run blocking. I don't even know if there's anything negative to say about him. He's just an all-around perfect left tackle." — Notre Dame senior defensive end Isaiah Foskey on his teammate, sophomore left tackle Joe Alt "We're trying to find simple ways to get the ball in his hands, let him be explosive, let him be good after the catch. We have to continue to find those opportunities for 'Zo' in matchups where he can use his speed down the field. He's worked hard. … He's been really good for us. We just have to continue to help him find ways to help [junior quarterback] Drew [Pyne]." — Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Rees on sophomore wide receiver Lorenzo Styles "We're always trying to manipulate something. Usually you're going try to win a one-on-one matchup. And then you're just trying to figure out how easy of a one-on-one matchup are we're go- ing to get. The UNLV one-on-one matchup was the long snapper versus Foskey, and the long snapper had no idea where he was. That was more advan- tageous than other weeks." — Notre Dame special teams coordinator Brian Mason on his unit's suc- cess blocking punts "We've got a new group, a talented group and I think, honestly, the sky is the limit. I think if we play the right way on both ends of the floor, there's no reason why this team shouldn't be a Final Four team, and I've said that. I believe that wholeheart- edly. That's obviously a lofty goal, but it's attain- able for us. I think keeping that grit and that fire focused on those goals is important for us. I think everyone in that locker realizes that, and it's time to go get it." — Notre Dame graduate student guard Cormac Ryan (UND.com) "The ACC would love to have Notre Dame join the league full time, but since 2014, when the Irish agreed to play five football games per year against the ACC in exchange for membership in all non- football sports, it was pretty clear the conference was strictly in the friend zone. Notre Dame is Molly Ringwald in 'Pretty in Pink.' The ACC is Ducky — sweet, funny, and not nearly as rich as the Big Ten. "It's one thing for Notre Dame to simply note that the ACC is nice and all, but it's just not the Irish's type. It's another thing to keep showing up for dates with the ACC and leaving the league alone, miser- able and wandering a Food Lion at 1 a.m. looking for a gallon of ice cream and some cheap red wine. "… Notre Dame will send the league a text late one night this week with a simple 'U up?' message, and against its better judgment, the ACC will reply. That's how these relationships go, of course. And maybe if the ACC just picks up Notre Dame's dry cleaning on the way home from work and doesn't mind dog-sitting for a few days while Notre Dame gets away for a long weekend at USC later this year, maybe then the Irish will finally notice that, yes, they love the ACC, too. "Right up until Notre Dame hits them with an 'It's not you, ACC. It's us. We just really cherish our independence.'" — ESPN's David M. Hale PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER TOP TWEETS THEY SAID IT THEY SAID IT "I know they had a couple of tough ones. Look, I love those kids because I recruited most of them. I win with them, and I lose with them and feel it. I know they are not where they want to be, but they overcome adversity. Those are tough kids. They bounce back. … They're built for this. They're built for adversity. I'm sure they're going to come out on top." — LSU head coach Brian Kelly on the Fighting Irish