The Anti-Preview: Notre Dame Football’s Blue-Gold Spring Game

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are about to wrap up the spring practice season with the annual Blue-Gold Game inside Notre Dame Stadium. You want to watch it - YOU KNOW YOU DO! So do we. Despite spring football being just plain boring for the most part — IT’S STILL FOOTBALL.

The practice reports from media members, and really short position drill videos, are not nearly enough to quench the thirst of the average fan. You need MORE and by golly - this scrimmage is going to give it to you.

Just keep in mind that this is:

• Just a glorified practice.
• No one wants to see an injury.
• Most results should be voided out of your memory once the game ends.

Yes... you must unlearn what you have learned.

WHEN, WHERE, AND HOW TO WATCH

WHEN: Saturday, April 13 @ 12:30
WHERE: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Indiana
HOW TO WATCH: NBC Sports Network or via the NBC LIVE app

WHAT SHOULD YOU BE DRINKING?

I have two recommendations here because in the tradition of spring football... you might as well have a depth chart too (also known as “choices”).

The Golden

The Golden is a cocktail that was the signature drink at a (now defunct) Fort Wayne joint called... The Golden. It’s magnificent, and fairly easy to make.

• 2 parts turmeric infused vodka
• 1 part fresh lemon juice
• Dash of orange bitters

First of all, you can’t buy the turmeric infused vodka. You’ll have to make it yourself. Generally, just take some turmeric root throw it in a bottle of vodka (take 2 shots out first) and let it sit over night.

TROJAN BLOOD

• Gin. Any gin will do, but I prefer Tanqueray here.
• Mountain Dew Code Red.

It doesn’t really matter what proportions you decide to use. Mix it, and chug it. It’s my wonderful gift to you.

WHAT SHOULD YOU BE EATING?

Holy Week is right around the corner, and that means Easter and eggs of many types. Here are the best Easter Eggs available to the human race:

Scotch Eggs

WHAT SHOULD YOU BE WEARING?

I’ll save any derogatory views of The Shirt, before seeing it. I know that goes against MY tradition of trashing the normally trashy built-by-committee shirt — but I have a weird feeling that this year’s might not be terrible.

WILL THEY BE GREEN OR WILL THEY BE SOME WERD SHADE OF PEE? I’m going to guess and say blue — Madonna Blue.

At any rate, here’s a gentle reminder that you should never dress like The Joker if you are the head football coach at Middle Oak High School — let alone Notre Dame.

THREE THINGS TO WATCH (LIKE REALLY WATCH)

• Phil Jurkovec. Pay particular attention to what Phil does on the field (as if you weren’t already). Ian Book is, and will be, Notre Dame’s starting quarterback — and that fact is 107% accurate. Still, this is a chance to start to peek into the future a bit more and see what Jurkovec can bring to the table on the field in a “game” situation rather than practice or mop-up duty.
• The edge battle. Notre Dame should have a really good offensive line this year. That wasn’t always the case in 2018 when they actually had a pretty tough season. The guards and tackles are back and they will be facing Irish defensive end depth that maybe hasn’t been in South Bend for like ever. Watch the battles that Liam Eichenberg and Julian Okwara have. Watch the battles that Khalid Kareem and Robert Hainsey have. I mean... watch it all. The trench play on both sides has me as giddy as a school girl.
• Houston Griffith. The move of Griffith to boundary corner this spring started off well, but it has seemed less awesome in recent practices. Griffith is trying to replace one of the ALL-TIME GREATS at cornerback for Notre Dame in Julian Love — so we should keep our expectations down a bit. Still, the position has to be filled and it is vital that it is played with competency.

AT THE END OF THE DAY

This thing will come and go very quickly and you will feel a mild disappointment. It’s a practice for a team that is trying to replace a lot on defense, and its most dynamic offensive weapons from 2018. I think if we can all just agree to accept this all at face value, no one will be harmed in the making of this Blue-Gold game. The 14 practices before the game may say more than what Saturday brings us.

But... at least it’s football. Enjoy the day before the whole thing is packed up until August.