Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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Game Preview: Alabama one-game season,��� Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban said of what amounts to the FBS version of ���delay of game.��� For both Saban and Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly, the extra time will be segmented into two categories: pre-Christmas practices and postChristmas game preparation. In the two weeks after the USC game and up to the Dec. 7 Football Awards Banquet, Notre Dame was primarily in a decompression stage. While healing from an arduous 12-game season, the Fighting Irish engaged in strength and conditioning work before finally holding practice sessions Dec. 7 and 8. ��� Final exams took place from Dec.�� 10-14. There was a practice scheduled Dec. 11 unless more time was needed for an individual on academics. ��� Practices were slated Dec. 14, 16, 18, 20 and 21. Those sessions are often when younger players are looked at more in preparation for next season, while the front-line talent continues to rest and build up strength. ���We���ve got a nucleus of some great young players that are going to get a chance to develop during this period of time,��� Kelly said. ���It���s going to be a little like preseason camp where we���re going to get a chance to do a lot of fundamental work. ��� We���re going to get a chance to see some guys that haven���t played this year. ���If you���re��a senior, you don���t have to be out there taking 60, 70 reps the first couple weeks.��� ��� The players depart after the Dec.��21 practice for Christmas vacation. ��� There is a team meeting back on campus Dec. 27, and earnest gameplan preparation for Alabama begins Dec. 28, 29, 30 and 31. ���We don���t want to be better than Alabama on the 27th of December,��� Kelly said of peaking too soon. ���We���re just trying to be better than Alabama on Monday, Jan 7 ��� our entire focus will be on a one-game season.��� The Irish head coach also said he spoke with the last two BCS runnersup ��� Oregon (2010) and LSU (2011) ��� and both coaches informed Kelly that the practice blueprint and schedule he has is the right approach with such a wide gap between games. ���We were pretty much right on with what we thought the schedule should look like leading into the championship game,��� Kelly said of the feedback he received from Oregon and LSU. ��� The team has New Year���s Day off and then flies to Miami Jan. 2. ��� Jan. 3, 4 and 5 practices are like a regular game-week, with Jan. 6 a walk-through on the eve of the showdown. Overall, Notre Dame is scheduled to have 15 practices., the bowl game preparation maximum allowed by the NCAA. Strength Vs. Strength During CBS��� telecast of the SEC championship game Dec. 1, it was revealed that since 2008, Alabama is 49-0 when it rushed for at least 150 yards in a game. Meanwhile, Notre Dame���s 2012 defense has allowed only two rushing touchdowns (fewest in the FBS). Over the past 34 games, only five running