Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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— he absolutely loves it and will do anything for you," Cooks said. Jalen Brown, another freshman, worked exclusively with the scout team. "Once or twice a week, Coach Kelly would come to me and say, 'Jalen's going to be really special. He's long, he's got the ability to be physical, he's got great feet, and he's making plays down there on Mike Floyd, Tyler Eifert, Theo Riddick' … that's a confidence booster," Cooks said. If the 2012 corners thrive, Notre Dame's defense can be more than secondary. CATCH AS CATCH CAN In recent years, Notre Dame has had immense star power at wide- out with either rangy figures such as Michael Floyd, Jeff Samardzija or Maurice Stovall, or a game-breaker such as Golden Tate. Sans Floyd, who will it be in 2012? Senior Robby Toma and junior TJ Jones have been quality third and fourth options … but who is a '1' receiver? Sophomores Daniel Smith and for- mer quarterback Luke Massa have 6-4 size, but neither has a career catch. Junior Theo Riddick is work- ing at running back again. Sopho- more Matthias Farley is a work in progress behind Toma. A crucial X-factor could be current freshman DaVaris Daniels (6-1, 185), who was withheld from action this season, but could be to 2012 what running back Cierre Wood was in 2010 after sitting out his freshman year. "I remember when Cierre Wood got here, and he was hot [about not playing]," recalled Irish receivers coach Tony Alford, who coached the Irish running backs in 2009. "He was fit to be tied about, 'I'm not get- ting to play!' I remember telling him, 'Listen, this thing will go very, very quickly. This is going to be 12, 13, 14 weeks of work' … same thing with DaVaris." A superb high school senior year from potential five-star recruit De- ontay Greenberry (6-3, 187) also is expected to put him in the receiving fray right away. BEYOND THE STATUS QUO When will Notre Dame have a season when its followers finally say, "Wow, what an amazing sur- prise, story and finish this season was?" • Notre Dame has had a school- record 18 straight seasons with at least three defeats (1994-2001). The previous record was eight (1956-63). • The Irish have not finished un- beaten at home in 13 straight years (and just once, 1998, in the last 22). The previous longest streak was the eight again from 1956-63. • Nine consecutive seasons Notre Dame has not escaped the month of September without a loss. The previ- ous record was eight (1994-2001). • Not since Sept. 10, 2005 have the Irish defeated a top-10 team, losing nine straight since then. The previ- ous longest such drought was seven straight from the 1984 Aloha Bowl until the 10th game of 1986. You can turn the proverbial corner only so much before you go in circles. THE THIRD SHIFT The third season always has marked the destiny of a Notre Dame head coach, either with champion- ship-caliber performance or stunning regression that erodes confidence from the masses. All Notre Dame fans know "The Judgment Year" drill by now: Third-Year Magic Year Coach 1920 Knute Rockne 1943 Frank Leahy 1966 Ara Parseghian 1977 Dan Devine 1988 Lou Holtz Year Coach 1933 Hunk Anderson 1956 Terry Brennan 1961 Joe Kuharich 1983 Gerry Faust 1999 Bob Davie 2004 Ty Willingham 2007 Charlie Weis Freshman wide receiver DaVaris Daniels did not see game action in 2011, but is expected to aid a rebuilding Irish receiving corps next season. PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND 24 FEBRUARY 2012 Record 9-0 9-1 (No. 1) 9-0-1 (No. 1) 11-1 (No. 1) 12-0 (No. 1) Third-Year Misery Record 3-5-1 2-8 5-5 7-5 5-7 6-5 3-9 It's not about winning all the mar- bles but more so developing a trajec- tory in the program that makes one believe that it has evolved beyond the status quo. ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED