5WF is back and always comes through even after a unforgettable forgettable Friday the 13th yesterday.
What we need to do is take a deep breath.
Exhale.
Okay, and now it's time to refocus and move on.
Notre Dame still has a football program, still has a very talented team, and is still scheduled to play Navy in Ireland in late August.
I think One Foot Down will still stick around to cover and debate Irish football.
MotS is off for the week so I'm pulling double duty today.
It ain't no thang.
It's been a while for me but here is this week's Five Wide Fullbacks.
Let's do this.
Q&A coming after the jump.
Q: Now that Aaron Lynch has quit the Notre Dame Football team, how does it change the coaching staff's recruiting for the 2013 class?
Well, obviously it frees up another scholarship and allows this 2013 class to grow even larger. If there's a silver lining out there right now it's that this class could easily be over 20 players and is inching closer to 25. A big infusion of young talent is never a bad thing, right?
And you can be sure an extra defensive end or defensive linemen has been targeted this class now.
As far as specific prospects, according to the Big Board, Notre Dame is in good position with some talented players. I would imagine that with Lynch leaving and the staff's willingness to rotate a ton of bodies, it just became a little more appealing to play for the Irish.
Smart money is on Isaac Rochell committing to Notre Dame at some point in the future---and he would be an enormous pickup for the Irish.
Donovan Munger is still in the mix and now the staff may decide to let Darius Latham play defense after apparently wanting him for the offensive line.
To replace Lynch's pass rushing skills, an extra effort could be added to Dajaun Drennon, Jordan Sherit, and Alquadin Muhammad. More focus could also be put on someone like Stacy Thomas as well.
Either way, the staff has a lot more flexibility now and that's a great thing in the world of recruiting.
Q: If you had to pick one underclassman on the Notre Dame roster that you are most sure will have the best NFL career, who would it be?
After losing one likely 3 and done talent, our focus shifts elsewhere eh?
As far as pure talent goes, Stephon Tuitt, Gunner Kiel, and DaVaris Daniels immediately come to mind. Each has the size and skill-set to be tremendous at the next level.
However, I will kind of cheat (technically he's going to be a junior) and say that it will be Louis Nix.
He plays a position in a 3-4 that is in high demand in the NFL, his first year on the field was very productive, and he already shows the tenacity to be able to take on two blockers in the middle and still make plays.
Nix' combination of size and athleticism is pretty rare for a fire hydrant nose guard, and although he may not be a 1st round draft pick, I can definitely see him having a long 12-year career with some Pro Bowls in the NFL.
Q: What is your favorite away stadium/atmosphere to watch Notre Dame play?
I've never had the pleasure of watching a game live there, but I've always enjoyed the atmosphere in the Coliseum against USC.
Yes, I know Notre Dame generally has fared poorly or worse there over the past 10 or 12 years, but there's always something special about competing in that cavernous stadium against our arch-enemy. Plus, it's always nice to have the game be at night and in the second biggest metro area in the country.
I really look forward to this year's game in L.A. because if Notre Dame is a very solid team this year it could be a very exciting tilt against what should be a powerful Trojan team.
Q: Aaron Lynch was a freshmen All-American last year after leading the team in sacks in 2011. Will there be another freshmen AA in 2012 for Notre Dame?
Yes, and it will be DaVaris Daniels after he begins to get playing time on the outside and has a ~50 catch season with half a dozen touchdowns.
That will garner some All-American recognition from some services.
Q: How long is the drive for you to South Bend and describe your excitement level for the Blue-Gold game next weekend.
I've got just around a 7 hour drive to the Bend, and that will give me plenty of time to contemplate what exactly I'll be looking to buy at Hammes Bookstore.
I'm thinking a nice golf polo shirt.
On a scale of 1 to 10 I'm probably at about a 7.4 in level of excitement for the game next weekend, mostly due to finally getting together with our OFD crew and socializing with some Irish fans.
As for the game I am very pumped to see three of the quarterbacks live, and also being in the stadium again. I'm also interested to see some of the youngsters like Sheldon Day and Werewolf can do, while a live look at Hercules at tight end should be certainly splendid.
What are you looking forward to with the game?