Notre Dame Football Power Rankings: Big mustache energy season from Ian Book

Now that we’re a couple of weeks into camp season for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, I think it’s time to drop another set of power rankings.

It’s a top 10 of the best stuff of course (or something like that), and will be updated weekly throughout the season. What kind of stuff? Well... stuff.

1. Brian Kelly is a college football coach

That’s kind of a funny thing to say — right? It’s just so incredibly obvious, and yet, it could have been much different at several points over the last decade. As we are at the dawn of Kelly’s 10th season at Notre Dame, I am reminded of something that I thought about in the fall of 2009... how jealous I was of other programs with coaches that lasted longer than 5 or 6 years. Seeing what Kelly has done since the 2016 season, I’m glad he was able to stay a college coach (at Notre Dame).

2. CAPTAINS

Now that the deed is done, I can’t really see any other way that it should have been, While a lot of people questioned the fact that the Irish have seven captains for the season, when you look at each and every one of them — individually, they are more than worthy for the captaincy. There’s a lot of leadership on this team, and Notre Dame is looking to maximize all of it... good.

3. Ian Book’s powerful mustache

I won’t spin a tale here with a bunch of flowery language about Ian Book’s marvelous mustache. Instead, I offer this list:

• Sam Elliott
• Tom Selleck
• Wilford Brimley
• Teddy Roosevelt

Keep the power Ian.

4. Pants people

The unveiling of the 1988 throwback(ish) uniforms the Irish will wear against the Boston College Eagles was met with a fairly warm reception. Basically... most people are happyu that they don’t look like pure garbage like the pinstripe fiasco. It also provides hope to those that want the pants color that Notre Dame normally wears to that of a shinier gold. Personally, I like the pants as they are now — but if they went to the pants they plan to wear against Fredo as a full-time option, I wouldn’t mind either.

5. Asmar Bilal

Much has been made about the senior linebacker since the spring. Bilal was moved from Rover to the Buck and then to the Buck to the Mike. Now, all of that moving around seems to have paid off a bit as it’s highly likely that Bilal will be the starter at both with a caveat of “depends who the guy next to him is.” Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah has the rover locked down, and Bilal has one of the other spots locked down (seemingly). Who will really emerge as the best option left?

6. Niele Ivey

I realize this is supposed to be all about football — but I have to give another HELL YES to Coach Ivey as she gets set to coach in the NBA for the Memphis Grizzlies. She’s out here living her best life right now.

7. Kyle Hamilton

Kyle Hamilton is making as much of a splash in fall camp as I can remember a true freshman make over the last decade or so. There is an incredible amount of hype surrounding Hamilton... BUT IT SEEMS TOTALLY LEGIT! Seriously. The Irish have the best safety tandem in the country already, and when you add Hamilton to that mix, it’s the best trio of safeties in the country. IN FRIGGIN SOUTH BEND.

8. Gyros at Arby’s

Look... don’t even start with that “you have to be kidding me shit.” The closest place to get a decent gyro (other than Arby’s) is at least a 45 minute drive for me. Arby’s is a mere 15 minutes away in two different directions and 25 in another. I love gyros, and there are times when I absolutely crave one. Bravo to you Arby’s for taking care of that for me.

9. The disrespect of Daelin Hayes

No one is intending to disrespect Daelin Hayes, but it’s going on throughout the media. It ain’t their fault (or mine). He is technically the backup to Julian Okwara, and opposite Khalid Kareem — there just isn’t going to be enough stories about Hayes going into the season. At any rate, I have no doubt that Hayes is going to BALL TF OUT in 2019. We will all be like, “why weren’t we throwing more praise in August?” And then someone will say... because it’s August.

10. The quarterback summit

I have no idea what was said during this intense meeting of quarterbacks, but I like to think that Brady Quinn told Doug Flutie to “shut up” while Ian Book laughed and Tommy Rees flexed as only the great Reesus can do.

Seriously... WTF was going on here?

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