As always starting elsewhere and ending in South Bend.
This is a serious can of worms. Our increased awareness of the dangers associated with concussions has to be the biggest threat to football as we know it. Is that a bad thing?
A Colorado jury has awarded $11.5 million in a lawsuit originally brought against helmet maker Riddell and several high school administrators and football coaches over brain injuries suffered by a teenager in 2008.
The latest SBN longform takes a glimpse at one such alternate universe. Take a look at what they did at Spelman College.
Last November, the college announced it was dropping all intercollegiate sports at the end of this academic year, the first school in a decade to leave the NCAA. True to its motto of "A Choice to Change the World," Spelman is choosing to move $1 million a year previously budgeted for varsity sports into what leaders call a "Wellness Revolution" for all students-pouring resources into exercise classes and nutrition counseling and intramurals.
Okay back to football!
BOOM! UCLA Lands Impact Running Back Rushel Shell. - Bruins Nation
And so the Rushel Shell saga comes to an end in Westwood. For now.
According to Rick Kimbrel, UCLA has landed impact running back Rushel Shell.
Air Raid Playbook - CougCenter
CougCenter has a pretty cool X's and O's series going on Mike Leach and the Air Raid. Do you all think that Mike Leach will start winning some games at Wazzu any time soon? If he doesn't will people stop talking about the Air Raid?
Urban Meyer courts the Queen City: Why Ohio State fights for Cincinnati - SBNation.com
CBK sees what you did there Urbz.
Make no mistake: Ohio State abandoned the Horseshoe to play in front of 37,000 fans in Cincinnati's Paul Brown Stadium on Saturday in hopes of strengthening the Urban Empire's recruiting.
Alabama Crimson Tide makes Kirby Smart highest paid college defensive coordinator - ESPN
Bama is doing everything that they can to keep this dynasty on the tracks for the long haul.
In addition to the highest paid head coach in college football, Alabama now boasts the highest paid defensive coordinator. The school's board of trustees approved the contracts of both head coach Nick Saban and defensive coordinator Kirby Smart on Tuesday afternoon, agreeing to pay them $5.62 million and $1.28 million per year, respectively.
BCS champ Alabama makes another visit to White House | Campus Union - SI.com
So close. Yet so far away.
I wonder if Alabama will eventually end up like this?
Oregon, NCAA agree on major violations within Ducks program | Campus Union - SI.com
It looks more and more like Chip Kelly got out while the getting was good. I suppose that you can toss Lache Seastrunk into that category as well.
Oregon and the NCAA agree that the school committed “major” violations within its recruiting practices, which have been the subject of an ongoing NCAA investigation. In a draft of the summary disposition report obtained by Portland, Ore., TV station KATU, more details have emerged surrounding the Ducks’ activities and use of Will Lyles, a Texas-based scout whose firm Complete Scouting Services allegedly provided Oregon with an illegal recruiting advantage, among other violations.
NCAA lashes back at Miami, citing personal attacks - College Football - SI.com
Meanwhile the public back and forth between the NCAA and Miami rages on. How do you guys think this one will end?
The interim leader of the NCAA office that conducted the investigation of Miami's athletic department believes the Hurricanes are "grasping at straws" such as making personal attacks against investigators in their efforts to get the case against them dismissed.
Bohls: Nine things and one crazy prediction | www.statesman.com
New Texas Tech front man, and renowned master of swag, Kliff Kingsbury is also the president of the Johnny Manziel Fan Club. In fairness to Kliff with a K, I suppose that he does probably owe his current job to Johnny Footbaw. Now if he could just land Tim Riggins. Texas forever!
Asked the most impressive part of Manziel’s game, the new Texas Tech coach said, “The fearlessness on game day. Looking into those eyes and knowing he knew he was the best player on the field every time he stepped on the field, and he played like it. I don’t know if God made another Johnny Manziel. He’s pretty exceptional.”
You stats and numbers types might get a kick out of this piece from Football Study Hall.
Modeling the 2013 Big Ten Football Season - Football Study Hall
Photoshop weeps at the loss of Hammond.
Notre Dame on NBC gets new voice at the mike
Now get back to the figure skating circuit where you belong!
Golson key to Irish offense’s evolution | Inside the Irish
Over at Inside the Irish, Keith Arnold makes an interesting comparison between the inaugural seasons of Dayne Crist, Tommy Rees and Everett Golson.
On paper, Crist’s first season looked like we probably could have expected. (Though certainly not how we remembered it.) His numbers are actually pretty close to those Everett Golson put up in year one.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish see continued promise in QB Everett Golson - ESPN
This piece from tWWL on he that shall not be slept on is pretty weak overall but I thought this quote from Chuck Martin was worth sharing.
"There were times last year where people gave us looks that I was about slamming my head against the wall that we weren't throwing the ball. But we were not throwing the ball by design because we weren't as good at throwing the ball," Martin said.
Notre Dame football: McDaniel among many to vie for more carries - southbendtribune.com
Run CMC has a great quote in this article about playing cornerback last spring.
"I think I was decent at most," McDaniel self-assessed, with a laugh. "I think we have other talented cornerbacks on the team, that's for sure. Especially KeiVarae Russell, who came in and made me look silly."
Here's a little more on the Notre Dame running back situation from UHND.
Breaking Down Notre Dame's 2013 Running Backs - Notre Dame Football
Notre Dame Football: Shumate ready to become safety valve for Irish - southbendtribune.com
Kaw-Liga! Does anybody else think of that when they see Shumate's name? Weird, I know. Anyway, this Hansen piece takes a good look at the rapidly emerging safety. The stat below is pretty amazing.
Prior to the loss to Alabama on college football’s biggest stage, Shumate’s most recent defeat on the football field came with little fanfare on a Pop Warner league field in eighth grade back in East Orange, N.J. In the interim, Shumate was part of 52 straight wins, first at Paterson (N.J.) Catholic, next as a three-year starter at Jersey football heavyweight Don Bosco Prep, then at Notre Dame when the Irish ripped off 12 straight victories in 2012 to get to Miami Gardens, Fla.
Notre Dame Football analysis: Five players who have surged this spring - southbendtribune.com
Eric Hansen's Five: WR C.J. Prosise, S Elijah Shumate, C Nick Martin, RB Amir Carlisle, and MLB Jarrett Grace.
Kelly turns over play-calling to Chuck Martin | Inside the Irish
This is the biggest news of the week in the Notre Dame Football world amirite? I am actually a little bit surprised at this one. Pleasantly surprised. I think. This should take a little bit off of CBK's plate which theoretically making it a little easier for him to stay focused on the big picture. I also think this lends itself to potentially keeping Chuck Martin around for a longer period of time.
Around here Miesle talked about the commitment of Offensive Guard Sam Mustipher and Murtaugh followed that up with some hard questions about the future of Coach Brian Kelly at Notre Dame.
What else?
For those of you in South Bend don't forget that The Bald and The Beautiful is happening this week. Post a photo of yourself post haircut and win a free rec! Bonus recs if you are FORAGING and or MAULING sans hair.
Here is a quick reminder for tomorrow night. "SiriusXM's Notre Dame Town Hall with Brian Kelly" will take place on Thursday, April 18 (6:30 p.m. ET) and will air live on SiriusXM College Sports Nation, channel 91.
Also don't forget that Strong and True will air at noon Saturday on the NBC Sports Network just prior to the broadcast of the Blue-Gold game. We will have our Blue-Gold open thread open to chat all afternoon. See you there!