Inside Notre Dame's Fighting Irish

Brian Kelly gets his third season under way as the head of Fighting Irish football with a new QB at the helm in Sophomore Everett Golson. Golson beat out Andrew Hendrix in fall camp after last years starter, Tommy Rees, was suspended for the season opener.

The game also marks the debut of Chuck Martin at offensive coordinator. Kelly has handed over the reigns of the offense to Martin, last seasons defensive coordinator, in camp.

Both sides meet last year with the Fighting Irish rumbling to a 56-14 win. Here is a review of that game:

Irish American Football Association Press Release – 10th August 2012

Emerald Isle Classic – Legal Situation

Initially reported by Steven O'Rourke in thejournal.ie , the Irish American Football Association (IAFA), regarded as the national governing body of American Football in Ireland, are at loggerheads with officials from the Naval Academy in dispute of legal conditions signed between IAFA and Navy (designated home team) in March of 2011 during the sanctioning of the event.

While the finer details of the dispute are not understood at this time, O'Rourke reports that the agreement was designed to facilitate the grassroots development of American Football in Ireland, the most prominent of which was to be a ‘flag-football’ programme for 1,500 Irish schoolchildren.

Rees pleaded guilty to illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor and one count of resisting law enforcement. A 2nd count of resisting arrest and one county of battery were dropped.

I recently posted how a bowl tie-in with the ACC and Orange bowl would be of huge benefit to Notre Dame.

So it is not surprising then to hear that a group of ACC presidents is meeting today with Notre Dame, a source with inside knowledge close the situation tells Tigerillustrated.com.

IrishIllustrated.com have posted on their website; At this point we have not been able to confirm specifics as to the purpose of the meeting. But it is known that the ACC has been courting Notre Dame to join the conference.

The BCS lords will meet this week to decide the future of a possible BCS play-off or plus-one game.

Clements played for the Irish where he was the starting quarterback for the Notre Dame football team from 1972 to 1974 and led the team to a national championship in 1973. He also served on the Notre Dame coaching staff as quarterbacks coach under head coach Lou Holtz from 1992-1995.

In the press conference on Friday at the Gug, Alford had the following to say about the interest shown by the 2011 World Champions:

Sheldon Day

This is the second of a 17 part series on the 2012 recruit class, the second under head coach Brian Kelly. We will look at each recruit, their strengths, weaknesses, and how soon we should see an impact on the field.

This week we will focus on DL Sheldon Day

Jonas Gray's 79yd TD vs Pitt

Fighting Irish running back, Jonas Gray, has been invited to the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine. Gray will join fellow Fighting Irish players DB Robert Blanton, OL Taylor Dever, LB Darius Fleming, WR Michael Floyd and DB Harrison Smith, to showcase their talents to the NFL experts.

But it is Gray's invitation alone that has so many Notre Dame fans relieved. Last season Jonas Gray had a breakthrough year in the Irish backfield along with fellow senior to be running back Cierre Wood. Both players combined for almost 1,900 yards and 21 rushing touchdowns between them.

Louis "Irish Chocolate" Nix III

In the seventh of a 13-part series, looking at each position prior to signing day on Feb. 1, here is a quick rundown of the nose guards: those departed, those still on hand, those recruited, what the future holds among current junior recruits, and what the future holds at the position.

(Note: The number listed in parenthesis is the years of eligibility remaining and the listing of a player's class is based upon the upcoming 2012 season.)