Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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IN THE TRENCHES ANDREW OWENS "There are young guys out there that are playing for this football team, and we have embraced that. It's a group of kids that has bonded really well together on both sides of the ball. "It's not really just one side. It's not just the defense. It's not just the of- fense. When we won 12 games, it was definitely a defensive group that led that. This year, they feed off of each other on both sides of the ball." For at least a day, the five players re- moved from action during the possible case of academic fraud became little more than footnotes following Notre Dame's 31-point beat down. These Irish have yet to show signs they miss any of senior defensive end Ishaq Wil- liams, senior wide receiver DaVaris Daniels, senior safety Eilar Hardy, fifth-year senior linebacker Kendall Moore or junior cornerback KeiVarae Russell. The fact that Notre Dame can sweep such losses aside and remain focused on the task at hand is a sign of the re- solve the players — led by their head coach — put forth. During eight- and nine-win seasons in 2010, 2011 and 2013, the Irish had to make do without a mobile quarter- back, which represents the best fit in a Kelly offense. Now, senior quarterback Everett Golson is back, and Notre Dame might be as well. It's too early to forecast just how far this Irish team can go or what kind of individual accolades might come Golson's way in December, but Notre Dame's young and exciting approach has also made the team better. After Notre Dame conveniently an- nounced a 2022-23 series with Ohio State two days before its final game against Michigan, Wolverines athletics director Dave Brandon told The Detroit News that neither program is depen- dent on the other. "We'll miss the rivalry — it's a great rivalry," Brandon said. "Neither team needs the other. We're not having trou- ble scheduling big-time opponents that historically we haven't been able to play. We don't need Notre Dame, and they obviously don't need us." Brandon is right. Notre Dame has replaced the Michigan slot with home- and-home series' against Texas, Geor- gia and Ohio State. The Wolverines, meanwhile, will play Florida, Wash- ington and UCLA as Irish replace- ments. While the talk shifts away from the "Chicken Dance" and what con- stitutes a rivalry in South Bend and Ann Arbor, the two programs appear to be headed in different directions right now. Notre Dame seems poised to welcome Stanford to town as a 4-0 team, while Hoke's job performance again becomes an issue. The annual matchup between the Midwest heavy- weights has provided its share of thrilling moments over the years, but now that chapter has closed. It's time for both to head their separate ways. Notre Dame's path appears more promising these days. ✦ Andrew Owens has been a writer for Blue & Gold Illustrated since August 2013. He can be reached at aowens@blueandgold.com