Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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lines (18 total) slanted at 42-degree angles. The 18 and 42 represent 1842 — the year Rev. Edward Frederick Sorin C.S.C. (who has his bicentennial birthday this year) founded the school. The lines are also intended to slant toward the Golden Dome and Sacred Heart Basilica. • The sideline border will be thicker than in past years. To Notre Dame vice president and athletics director Jack Swarbrick, achieving a balance of the new without getting gaudy was significant. "The interlocking ND is the most recognized sym- bol of our university and its athletics programs, and we wanted to communicate that to our fans and all those viewing our home games on NBC," Swarbrick said. "… We are using this opportunity to make sure that every visual element of the field is carefully considered and helps to celebrate our university and its rich traditions. "Examples of the latter will include a reworking of the planters along the sidelines to include Irish coastal grasses with the mum plantings, as well as the application of appropriate color pantones and theming to sideline equipment, pylons and yard markers." THE ONES TO WATCH How does one compete for Miss USA when she doesn't even win her own state? That's an analogy Notre Dame junior cornerback KeiVarae Russell might be making after being overlooked on this year's 39-man watch list for the Jim Thorpe Award, which is presented annually to the nation's top defensive back, despite making the cuts for the Bednarik and Nagurski Awards that are presented to the nation's best defensive player overall. Russell was one of eight Notre Dame players on the long and typically exhaustive preseason watch lists for some of college football top awards. The quartet of Russell, sophomore linebacker Jaylon Smith, senior quarterback Everett Golson and senior center Nick Martin made multiple preseason award lists: Jaylon Smith — Bednarik (Defensive Player of the Year), Nagurski (Most Outstanding Defensive Player), Lombardi (Top Offensive Lineman, Defensive Lineman or Linebacker) and Butkus (Top Linebacker) Everett Golson — Walter Camp (Player of the Year), Maxwell (Player of the Year) and Davey O'Brien (Best Quarterback) KeiVarae Russell — Bednarik and Nagurski Nick Martin — Lombardi and Rimington (Top Center) Jarrett Grace — Butkus Sheldon Day — Outland Award (Top Interior Lineman) Ben Koyack — Mackey Award (Top Tight End) Kyle Brindza — Lou Groza Award (Best Placekicker) UNDER THE DOME