One Foot Down - All PostsA never-ending discussion about Notre Dame and the greater CFB landscapehttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52610/ofd_fav.png2024-03-28T11:46:15-04:00http://www.onefootdown.com/rss/current/2024-03-28T11:46:15-04:002024-03-28T11:46:15-04:00Throwback Thursday: Former Notre Dame Fighting Irish Football Player - Oscar McBride
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<figcaption>EVANSTON, IL - SEPTEMBER 15: Oscar McBride #80 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrates a touchdown during the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Dyche Stadium on September 15, 1992 in Evanston, Illinois. | Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Mentor, Author, Speaker, and Coach</p> <p id="PGfh9U">Last week, I shared the tale of <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com/2024/3/21/24103412/throwback-thursday-former-notre-dame-football-player-marv-russell-ara-parseghian-oscar-mcbride-nd">Marv Russell</a>, whose guidance illuminated the path of my literary endeavors. Now, it’s time to shine the spotlight on Oscar, whose unwavering support and encouragement served as the catalyst for turning a mere idea into a tangible reality. When the seed of the “Where Are They Now?” series sprouted in my mind, Oscar was the first person I sought out, and his generosity in sharing his story was matched only by his fervent belief in my ability to transform these narratives into something greater. Without his gentle push and unwavering faith, I may have never embarked on this writing journey. Much like <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com/2024/3/21/24103412/throwback-thursday-former-notre-dame-football-player-marv-russell-ara-parseghian-oscar-mcbride-nd">Marv</a>, Oscar’s chapter holds a special place in my inaugural book, “<a href="https://www.echoesfromnotredamebooks.com/product-page/echoes-from-the-end-zone-the-men-we-became">Echoes From the End Zone</a>,” a book that signifies not just a milestone but the very genesis of my authorial voyage. Join me now as we catch a glimpse of Oscar’s chapter—a tribute to his impact and the power of belief in oneself. Welcome to the world of Oscar McBride.</p>
<h3 id="Ny8xEa">The Mentor, Author, Speaker, and Coach - Oscar McBride</h3>
<p id="aqsQ0H"><em>Kristene Burns-Saraiva, a writer and expert on role modeling and mentoring, wrote, “ Mentoring is an understanding between two or more people. It is a way for people to learn from each other. Even though most think mentors are older, I think it’s a bond and no matter age, race, or gender. It’s a way for people to communicate!” It is Oscar McBride who is in constant pursuit of creating this mentoring relationship to help young people find their role in life. Through his non-profit organization Fit4Life Youth Foundation, and coaching high school football, Oscar is the role model every parent desires for their child. Oscar’s message is not just behaviors but also the words in his book, “</em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Relentless-Wisdom-Collection-Thoughts-Opinions/dp/1463539371?tag=sbnation-20" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><em>Relentless Wisdom: A Collection of Thoughts, Ideas and Opinions</em></a><em>.” His book examines the world of sports and athletics and encourages the reader to critically think about its evolution. Oscar’s written words encourage coaches, parents and athletes alike to “step up” their level of responsibility with regards to sport and the powerful impact it has on society.</em></p>
<p id="EbfHrZ"><em>Oscar was born on July 23, 1972, in Gainesville, Florida. Growing up in Florida, he had always had his heart set on going to </em><a href="https://www.tomahawknation.com/"><em>Florida State</em></a><em> University. That is until he made his official visit to </em><a href="https://www.onefootdown.com"><em>Notre Dame</em></a><em>. It doesn’t matter how well you thought you knew what Notre Dame was all about or stood for, you never completely understand all that is Our Lady’s University until you make your first visit to the campus and meet the people who collectively are called the Fighting Irish. And each one of us whose path ended up under the Golden Dome has a specific moment that made us realize that ND was our destiny. Oscar’s moment can be described quite simply. “Two words … Irv Smith.”</em></p>
<p id="My7u8X"><em>For all intents and purposes, Oscar was headed to Florida State. His aunt had attended Florida State and it was at the top of his list. “When Bobby Bowden came to the house to visit my family, he helped my mom bring in the groceries and stayed for dinner. We were all sold on the idea of me going to Florida State. My official visit to Florida State was for the 1989 FSU - Miami game, a rivalry game that everyone looks forward to, and Florida State beat Miami that year in convincing fashion, 24-10. But when I made my official visit to Notre Dame, in the ever so appealing South Bend, Indiana (he says sarcastically), I met this dude with this big smile and dimples (Irv Smith) who just lit up the room. I met his best friend Nick Smith, and the rest of the guys on the team. I had an amazing weekend and left Notre Dame immediately feeling like I was already part of the Notre Dame family. Bye-bye Florida State.” It’s that family mentality that gave us that instant connection to Notre Dame and drew us into her clutches.</em></p>
<p id="c8sSRW"><em>Oscar still remembers going to the </em><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/orange-bowl"><em>Orange Bowl</em></a><em> scrimmage with his mom. “I saw Chris Zorich tackle Ricky Watters, and saw a huge fleck of gold fly off his helmet, and thought … dude … there is no way that I can play here. Rocket Ismail came over to the sidelines and said to me, ‘We can’t wait to have you here! We are going to win a National Championship next year!’ And that’s all it took!”</em></p>
<p id="UmZmZG"><em>Being a part of something such as Notre Dame is never easy. You have to do more than just show up to succeed. You have to put in the work day in and day out. There is no phoning it in on days you don’t feel good. You still have to get up, go to class and go to practice every day. No excuses. But all the hard work is not without its rewards. Oscar shares the rewards that he reaped during his senior year at Notre Dame. “During the 1992 season, I played with a broken jaw and a fracture in my foot. There were all of these questions coming into the 1993 season. What kind of team will Notre Dame bring out this year? They don’t have a quarterback. They don’t have a tight end. They don’t have a running back. Ron Powlus was new to the scene. There were just so many unknowns, and nobody expected us to be as good as we were that year. We just completely played for each other. We had an amazing bunch of guys ... Jeff Burris, Lake Dawson, Marc Edwards, Jim Flannigan, Derrick Mayes, Aaron Taylor, Kevin McDougal, Bryant Young, and Ray Zellars among others, and Coach Holtz did his best to downplay all of the questions and we just went about our business.”</em></p>
<p id="nc0Nmh"><em>“In December of 1991 we were down in New Orleans getting ready to play in the </em><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/sugar-bowl"><em>Sugar Bowl</em></a><em>. No one expected us to win this bowl. No one even thought we belonged in this bowl. They kept telling us that we belonged in a cereal bowl. Our last team practice before the game was held in the convention center in full pads, on concrete, because it was raining outside. Coach Holtz calls us together after practice and gives us his rallying pep talk. Lou began, ‘We have a big game coming up and I want to tell you about Steve Spurrier and our opponent. Now here is what is going to happen tomorrow. We are going to get the ball on offense, we are going to give the ball to Jerome Bettis, and he is going to score on the first drive. Then we are going to come out on defense, we are going to get the ball back on a turnover, Jerome is going to get the ball back on offense, and he is going to score again. Then I want you to look across the field and you will see Steve Spurrier throw his headset on the ground and start to pout.’”</em></p>
<p id="JQm7dz"><em>“January 1, 1992 … we take the field and Jerome gets the ball on offense. Jerome then scores on a 45 yard touchdown play. The Gators get the ball back on offense, and Demetrius DuBose gets the interception giving us the ball back. Then Jerome comes back out and scores again. We look across the field and right before our eyes Spurrier throws down his headset, crosses his arms and starts to pout.”</em></p>
<p id="9ignCe"><em>“We all look at each other and say … ‘What just happened??’” </em></p>
<p id="pkg2pb"><em>“After that moment, my level of respect for Coach Holtz went through the roof. I knew that not only had he studied the team and knew their tendencies, studied what they were going to do on offense, defense, and special teams; but he also had studied the manners of Coach Spurrier as well. He really went above and beyond in doing his job.”</em></p>
<p id="kYdL6i">To delve further into Oscar McBride’s compelling chapter and explore the vibrant stories encapsulated within my debut book, “<a href="https://www.echoesfromnotredamebooks.com/product-page/echoes-from-the-end-zone-the-men-we-became">Echoes From the End Zone: The Men We Became</a>,” I invite you to obtain your copy, accessible on my website or through various <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Echoes-End-Zone-Men-Became/dp/1735348805?ots=1&tag=sbnation-20" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">major retailers like Amazon</a>.</p>
<p id="6OPGWS">Cheers & GO IRISH!</p>
https://www.onefootdown.com/2024/3/28/24109920/throwback-thursday-former-notre-dame-fighting-irish-football-player-oscar-mcbride-lou-holtz-smithLisa Kelly2024-03-27T13:10:52-04:002024-03-27T13:10:52-04:00Notre Dame Men’s Basketball: Fighting Irish Player Data Review
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<p>A look back on the men’s 2024 player-level performance by the numbers.</p> <p id="5gdD5k">One of the biggest questions coming into the 2024 season for <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com">Notre Dame</a> Men’s basketball was roster depth. The Irish’s 2023 roster consisted of three freshmen, one sophomore, two juniors and six seniors. By comparison, the 2024 roster was made up of four freshmen, five sophomores, four juniors and three seniors. </p>
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<p id="upqsXo">Coupling a notably younger group of players and a new head coach, a lot of the early concerns were understandable and as the season played out proved to be somewhat valid. Notre Dame’s season wasn’t the smoothest road but the improvement over time was apparent in terms of both qualitative and quantitative information. For more on the quant side, check out my <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com/notre-dame-fighting-irish-basketball-news/2024/3/20/24107323/notre-dame-mens-basketball-fighting-irish-team-data-review-advanced-stats-nd-news-cbb-acc-burton">team-level review</a>. </p>
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<p id="LKbfZR">When I started digging through the player-level data I focused a lot on gauging how the team performed by age/classification. The idea was that even if the team-level performance wasn’t where we hoped it would’ve been, the player numbers might give us a better idea of what we could expect from our roster now that they’ve got some more experience under their belts.</p>
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<h2 id="FGUTLV"><strong>Playing Time</strong></h2>
<p id="f2cDYg"><em>Games Played</em></p>
<p id="3SWYma">Head coach Micah Shrewsberry definitely made sure that the younger players saw their court time. </p>
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<p id="RCUJJX">All of the freshmen on the roster played thirty or more games, with Markus Burton, Carey Booth and Braeden Shrewsberry topping out at 33 total games played. Sophomore Kebba Njie played in 29 games and Tae Davis played in 32 games. While juniors and senior play a lot of games throughout the season, the young guys really claimed a sizeable share of court time.</p>
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<p id="eKl1H3"><em>Game Starts</em></p>
<p id="2qzFCW">Game starts varied for the 2024 MBB roster. Freshman Markus Burton started all 33 of the season’s games and sophomores Tae Davis and Kebba Njie trailed somewhat closely behind him. Of the seven players with ten or more starts, five were freshmen (3) or sophomores (2).</p>
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<p id="9P6EQv"><em>Minutes Played</em></p>
<p id="yTX5yJ">The four freshmen tallied up total of 3,250 minutes played during the 2024 season. The freshmen and sophomores, with some notable contributions from juniors Julian Roper II and J.R. Konieczny, accounted for the lion’s share of the team’s minutes on the court.</p>
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<h2 id="Fdik1F"><strong>Performance</strong></h2>
<p id="jeA8cq"><em>Overall Scoring</em></p>
<p id="ovr29C">In terms of overall scoring, freshmen Burton and Shrewsberry led the team. Burton averaged 17.5 points per game and a total of 577. Shrewsberry averaged 10.2 per game and racked up a total of 336. Collectively, the freshman group scored 56% (1,186) of the team’s points. </p>
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<p id="ivFlyV"><em>Assists</em></p>
<p id="PZdVa9">Markus Burton was also the team’s standout when it came to assists. The freshman averaged 4.3 per game and a season total of 143 assists. Freshmen (3) and sophomores (2) comprised the squad’s top 5 assist list.</p>
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<p id="8SExoC"><em>Total Rebounds</em></p>
<p id="Ahw0NG">When it came to total rebounds, the sophomores led the way. Kebba Njie and Tae Davis had 5.4 TRB and 5.1 TRB, respectively. The remainder of the TRBs were primarily contributed by juniors, with freshman Carey booth getting in the mix with 4.3 per game and a total of 142. </p>
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<p id="Va4qG0"><em>Blocks</em></p>
<p id="Gdr9gQ">Sophomore Kebba Njie led the team in blocks. He averaged 0.7 per game and had a season total of 20 per game. Freshman Carey Booth occupied the #2 spot with an average of 0.6 blocks per game and a season total of 21. Collectively, freshman and sophomores accounted for 51% of the Notre Dame’s total blocks in the 2024 season. </p>
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<h2 id="IevL45"><strong>Final Thoughts</strong></h2>
<p id="919sZh">The quant analysis reveals a significant contribution from the Irish’s freshmen and sophomores during the 2024 season. Freshman Markus Burton stood out in a range of metric categories, and it makes all the sense in the world why he was named the ACC Rookie of the Year. With signs so far leading to this young core sticking around (sending tribute/sacrifice to the NIL and Transfer Portal gods), I’d say that Irish basketball fans have a lot to look forward to from the 2025 MBB team. </p>
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<p id="qRSd0V"><strong>Cheers and Go Irish!!</strong></p>
<p id="HgBfhW"></p>
https://www.onefootdown.com/notre-dame-fighting-irish-basketball-news/2024/3/27/24109670/notre-dame-mens-basketball-fighting-irish-player-data-review-nd-irish-news-stats-updates-cbb-ncaaJoBro132024-03-26T22:47:02-04:002024-03-26T22:47:02-04:00Notre Dame Women’s Basketball: March Madness Week 1 in Review
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<figcaption>Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>So far, so easy</p> <p id="nQcSqu">Your <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com">Notre Dame Fighting Irish</a> are cruising into the Sweet Sixteen after a pair of relatively easy wins in the first two rounds of the women’s NCAA Tournament. With the Irish now headed to Albany to take on the no. 3-seed <a href="https://www.buildingthedam.com">Oregon State Beavers</a>, let’s get into what drove this pair of easy victories at Purcell Pavilion.</p>
<p id="gfqq8l"><strong>Notre Dame 81, Kent State Golden Flashes 67</strong></p>
<p id="3ja7xm">The Irish were paced by a dominant scoring performance from Sonia Citron, who racked up 29 points on 13 of 20 shooting and made Kent State pay for selling out to stop Hannah Hidalgo (Hidalgo still notched 14 points and 11 assists in spite of the extra attention from the Flashes, along with an incredible <strong>six</strong> steals). Credit the Flashes with keeping things somewhat interesting as the Irish led by 19 at half and actually opened the game with a 22-5 run, but foul trouble among key players forced them to switch to zone defense and open up some holes that Kent State exploited.</p>
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<cite>Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<p id="vfiZSz">But while the Flashes never gave up, they also never got closer than 12 points as between Citron’s shooting and Hidalgo’s dynamic defense, they were never able to make a significant run. The Irish built the lead back out to 20 with 3:41 left and cruised from there to the second round.</p>
<p id="nqwvDC"><strong>Notre Dame 71, </strong><a href="https://www.redcuprebellion.com"><strong>Ole Miss Rebels</strong></a><strong> 56</strong></p>
<p id="jzV5gH">It was a second senior day in South Bend as Maddy Westbeld took center stage for the Irish, leading them with 20 points and adding five rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Hidalgo and Citron were as consistent as ever and rounded out a three-headed Irish scoring monster with 19 and 17 points, respectively. Similar to their first-round tilt with Kent State, this was a game that the Irish pretty much controlled from start to finish, leading by 12 at the end of the first quarter and by over 20 for most of the middle of the game before letting off the gas juuust a bit and letting the Rebels get the margin down to 15.</p>
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<cite>Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<p id="t1DXJZ">The biggest key to the Irish victory was energy on both sides of the ball, as an uptempo offense mostly played on the run paired with an aggressive and physical defense that racked up nine steals and forced 22 turnovers. </p>
<p id="uqCmCZ">The energy Notre Dame has played with is all the more impressive considering they have only six scholarship players after the loss of Kylee Watson. With dates with high-seeded to come in Albany, here’s hoping they can keep it up. </p>
<p id="Bl9Wnx"></p>
https://www.onefootdown.com/2024/3/26/24112093/notre-dame-womens-basketball-march-madness-week-1-in-review-nd-ncaa-tournament-irish-ivey-hidalgoMatt Boomer2024-03-26T15:01:11-04:002024-03-26T15:01:11-04:00FAN POLL: The “Notre Dame Things” Bracket, Mod Quad Region Round of 32
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<img alt="COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEP 23 Ohio State at Notre Dame" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/iVzQGttIfxjRFDtV85A--rcjE0E=/0x0:4852x3235/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73234523/1690467701.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The second round comes to a close</p> <p id="tsXIoJ">After a <em>long</em> opening “weekend,” the “<a href="https://www.onefootdown.com">Notre Dame</a> Things” bracket finally begins the final slate of second-round matchups, this time in the Mod Quad region. On with the tournament!</p>
<h2 id="CnNqxG">Elminated</h2>
<ul>
<li id="t27e9e">No. 5 Fr. Pete McCormick’s fandom</li>
<li id="5mFBZn">No. 7 Matt Cashore photos</li>
<li id="NXAPL1">No. 9 Finnies Next Door (a.k.a. Newf’s)</li>
<li id="I2G5Ra">No. 11 Parietals</li>
<li id="nMOyGd">No. 13 The Chicago suburbs pipeline</li>
<li id="UOWNN2">No. 14 The “ring before spring”</li>
<li id="TvuWOR">No. 15 South Bend’s freezing cold</li>
<li id="AwvN2N">No. 16 Jason Garrett on <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com">Notre Dame</a> broadcasts</li>
</ul>
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<div id="2Yt0Cw"><div data-anthem-component="poll:12288800"></div></div>
<p id="UQvDii">All is right and just with the world because, if nothing else, 16th-seeded Jason Garrett was eliminated swiftly. (To the two people who voted for him to advance, I pray you get the help you need). So now the gold helmets of every Irish sports team that wears a helmet faces the Linebacker Lounge, which posted a strong win over Finnies Next Door (a.k.a. Newf’s). Can the party at The ‘Backer keep going or is it time for last call?</p>
<div id="lYH44P"><div data-anthem-component="poll:12288808"></div></div>
<p id="lKLm8v">I thought for sure that Matt Cashore Photos would triumph in the first round, just because green jerseys have been so inconsistent throughout the decades. But the uniforms managed to pull their act together and borderline dominate in the opening round. But now they have to take on “Rudy” — a film that made me, my father, and every other person with a heart cry. Can the green jerseys overcome?</p>
<div id="KWFCoZ"><div data-anthem-component="poll:12288810"></div></div>
<p id="49BbUd">There’s a lot of statues on the Notre Dame campus — and several with football-themed nicknames — but there’s only one Notre Dame Marching Band. Fresh legs shouldn't be an issue after an easy first-round victory for both seeds, but has all that marching been training for a run during the postseason? (I don’t know how many puns I just included and gave up on in that sentence). </p>
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<p id="NphI20">I have to hand it to the Chicago Suburbs pipeline. It put up a valiant fight and nearly took down Clashmore Mike in the opening round. After such a scare from the 13-seed, I would think Mike is on red alert to the 12-seed that blasphemously demolished Fr. Pete McCormick’s fandom in round one. Will Mike survive, or is it time to face the music?</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="GGGAkI">
<p id="ARGoPJ">Second-round voting for the final region ends on Friday, Mar. 29 at 9 AM. Next up is the Sweet Sixteen as bracket season rages on.</p>
https://www.onefootdown.com/2024/3/26/24111394/fan-poll-the-notre-dame-things-bracket-mod-quad-region-round-of-32-nd-tourney-march-madness-irishHayden Adams2024-03-26T12:22:25-04:002024-03-26T12:22:25-04:00CB Benjamin Morrison OUT for Spring following shoulder surgery
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<figcaption>Photo by Michael Miller/ISI Photos/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The (injury) hits just keep on coming...</p> <div id="O5JyHs">
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Junior cornerback Benjamin Morrison underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder Monday, March 25, with Dr Brian Ratigan. <br><br>Morrison is expected to return for the 2024 football season.</p>— Notre Dame Football PR Team (@NDFootballPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/NDFootballPR/status/1772624567242027069?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2024</a>
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<p id="JYF12A"><a href="https://www.onefootdown.com">Notre Dame</a> football announced Tuesday morning that All-American cornerback Benjamin Morrison will miss the remainder of spring practice and “is expected to return for the 2024 football season” following shoulder surgery. The announcement comes after last week’s revelation that <a href="https://www.dukebasketballreport.com">Duke</a> transfer quarterback Riley Leonard will <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com/2024/3/24/24110348/notre-dame-football-transfer-qb-riley-leonard-sidelined-spring-stress-fracture-prognosis-excellent">miss multiple weeks</a> due to an ankle procedure.</p>
<p id="chEqRr">Shoulder surgeries plagued Morrison’s running mate, three-year starter Cam Hart. Those operations undoubtedly tanked Hart’s <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft">NFL Draft</a> stock despite stellar play the last two years, and he likely would have left for the NFL following the 2022 if not for concerns over his shoulder’s durability. The surgeries never seemed to have an effect on Hart’s play on the field, but it’s still a worrisome circumstance at the cornerback position, and with Morrison in particular.</p>
<p id="HcH8SG">Morrison, a rising junior, is arguably Notre Dame’s most talented player on the 2024 roster. The son of an NFL pro — former Washington Redskins safety Darryl Morrison — Ben arrived as a relatively unheralded three-star recruit and immediately impressed with a six-interception freshman season that earned him freshman All-American honors. He finished his sophomore campaign with another three picks, including one of 2022 Heisman winner Caleb Williams in Notre Dame’s 48-20 win over USC.</p>
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<p id="I5nQys">The most reassuring aspect of the situation is that the cornerback position is probably Notre Dame’s deepest on the defensive side of the ball thanks to coach Mike Mickens’ impressive recruiting and development. </p>
<p id="ly4Iyp">Morrison’s classmate Jaden Mickey has had his ups and downs but has plentiful experience and recorded a pick-6 last season, as did rising-fifth-year Clarence Lewis (who started a College Football Playoff game as a true freshman for Notre Dame against Alabama). That doesn’t even mention rising sophomore Christian Gray, who many project to supplant Hart opposite Morrison in 2024, or <a href="https://www.houseofsparky.com">Arizona State</a> graduate transfer Jordan Clark, who’s played in 40 career games and recorded three interceptions.</p>
<p id="m6DDc5">In short, the situation may resolve itself with no issues for Morrison, but Notre Dame appears to have some answers in the worst case scenario.</p>
<p id="S4RPCV"></p>
https://www.onefootdown.com/2024/3/26/24112447/notre-dame-football-cb-benjamin-morrison-out-for-spring-following-shoulder-surgery-cornerback-ndHayden Adams2024-03-25T17:50:29-04:002024-03-25T17:50:29-04:00MARCH MADNESS: Notre Dame advances to Sweet Sixteen after taking down Ole Miss
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<img alt="NCAA BASKETBALL: MAR 25 Div I Women’s Championship Second Round - Ole Miss vs Notre Dame" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/WIjcq94D42pFVshlQAaFYs4IawA=/0x0:5184x3456/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73232520/2105333270.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Joseph Weiser/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Winning time</p> <p id="Nzku8v">The <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com">Notre Dame Fighting Irish</a> are headed to its third straight Sweet Sixteen appearance in the NCAA Tournament after taking down the <a href="https://www.redcuprebellion.com">Ole Miss Rebels</a>, 71-56.</p>
<p id="xa1Jcq">From the ND press release via Ashton Pollard:</p>
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<p id="fiI7RM">Make that three consecutive Sweet 16 appearances for Notre Dame.</p>
<p id="cm95wK">On Monday, No. 2 Notre Dame (28-6) used a stifling defensive performance and 50 perfect shooting performance from the floor to shut down No. 7 Ole Miss (24-9), 71-56. In doing so, The Irish advanced to the program’s third Sweet 16 in as many years and 20th overall in program history. </p>
<p id="9UhDT2">The “Big 3” led the way for Karen and Kevin Keyes Family Head Coach Niele Ivey. Maddy Westbeld went 8-13 from the floor and dropped 20 points in an NCAA Tournament game for the second time in her career. Hannah Hidalgo had 19 points, and Sonia Citron put up her first double-double of the season with 17 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists. Hidalgo and Citron were a combined 13-15 from the charity stripe. </p>
<p id="Ur7Q8l">As far as game flow goes, the Irish set the tone early and didn’t allow Ole Miss to crawl back within single-digits.</p>
<p id="xZwvIe">Notre Dame started hot, going 3-4 from the floor and putting together an 8-0 run against a stout Ole Miss defense. They made the Rebels uncomfortable on the other end of the floor and held them to a 2-7 start. Also of note, Ole Miss starting center Rita Igbokwe had a pair of fouls less than 5 minutes into the game. </p>
<p id="LLdfb7">The Irish kept their foot on the pedal to close out the first frame, going on an 11-3 run capped off by a Westbeld 3-pointer. She also had 2 blocks and 2 steals in the first 10. Ole Miss shot just 23.5 percent in Q1 and had 7 turnovers. </p>
<p id="323R6B">Ole Miss struggled to score to start the second quarter, as the Irish held them scoreless for 4 minutes. The Rebels started to see shots fall, but Notre Dame always had an answer. It was 43-26 in favor of the home team at the half, and the Irish made 16 of 27 shot attempts. Westbeld led all players with 14 points, while Citron and Hidalgo had 9 each. The nation’s steal leader, Hidalgo had 3 swipes at the break and had drawn 4 Ole Miss fouls. Three of the Rebels’ starters had 2 first half fouls. </p>
<p id="qIfW1J">The momentum carried out of the locker room as Citron drained a long 2-pointer on Notre Dame’s first possession. Notre Dame opened up the half 4-6 from the floor while holding Ole Miss to just two field goals in the first 5 minutes of play. The Notre Dame lead stretched as big as 23 before Ole Miss went on an 8-0 run of its own. </p>
<p id="mENu3b">Back-to-back fast break layups with near-coast-to-coast passes from Citron to Hidalgo got the crowd on their feet as they erupted for Notre Dame’s 19-point lead with 1:30 left in the third. The Irish took a 61-42 advantage into the final frame.</p>
<p id="VrHqG1">Despite some late foul trouble, Notre Dame ran the clock in the fourth quarter and held on for the 15-point victory, 71-56. </p>
<p id="anpBHn">The Irish will head to Albany later this week for a Sweet 16 clash against No. 3 <a href="https://www.buildingthedam.com">Oregon State</a> (26-7). The game will be Friday and the time is TBA.</p>
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https://www.onefootdown.com/2024/3/25/24111942/march-madness-notre-dame-advances-to-sweet-sixteen-after-taking-down-ole-miss-nd-news-irish-ncaaJoshua Vowles2024-03-25T16:11:01-04:002024-03-25T16:11:01-04:00FAN POLL: The “Notre Dame Things” Bracket, North Quad Region Round of 32
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<figcaption>Set Number: X162597 TK3</figcaption>
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<p>The first “weekend” is almost over</p> <p id="UzHCW4">We’re halfway through second round games in the “<a href="https://www.onefootdown.com">Notre Dame</a> Things” bracket. The matchups are getting juicy, so let’s see who advances.</p>
<h2 id="L4SgzY">Eliminated</h2>
<ul>
<li id="fNLopB">No. 5 Big Ten Hate</li>
<li id="biLesg">No. 8 Bengal/Baraka Bouts</li>
<li id="vfAxLu">No. 10 Mendoza College of Business</li>
<li id="oPHdRe">No. 11 Zahm House</li>
<li id="oy3r7J">No. 13 Purcell Pavilion</li>
<li id="M5ZFc7">No. 14 The Shirt</li>
<li id="G4ayMj">No. 15 The Reflecting Pool</li>
<li id="KesBVF">No. 16 <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com">Notre Dame</a> Bookstore</li>
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<div id="iuXBFf"><div data-anthem-component="poll:12287411"></div></div>
<p id="2GlhKg">Notre Dame’s independence in football has lasted more than one hundred years. But how much longer can it last in this bracket? My money would be on it to advance past Bookstore Basketball, but the 5-on-5 tournament dealt with Bengal/Baraka Bouts fairly easily in the opening round, so perhaps the challenge is greater than it seems.</p>
<div id="uGqjBy"><div data-anthem-component="poll:12287412"></div></div>
<p id="XnO9ru">George Gipp put the Mendoza College of Business’s upset bid to rest, but now he tries to pull his own long-shot upset of the Victory March. “What though the odds be great or small,” as the song goes...</p>
<div id="Y1mQtj"><div data-anthem-component="poll:12287413"></div></div>
<p id="W7twHU">Speaking from personal experience, these two things can be polar opposites on either side of the spectrum. The Grotto is often a bastion of peace and tranquility while The Observer staff often has to scramble to publish breaking news. However, the Grotto can also be very busy when tourists descend upon it while The Observer office can be a nice, quiet place to get work done (after six hours of late-night work to produce the paper). I’d love for that versatility to make this a competitive matchup, but I have an inkling that the Grotto will run away with this one.</p>
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<p id="er7ydI">Two things that often go hand-in-hand. After all, mascots are perfect B-roll material for a TV broadcast. But now the stereotypical, mythical encapsulation of the Irish must compete with Notre Dame’s 30+ year relationship with a single network. This feels like a win for the higher seed, but after a strong showing in the opening round the NBC Deal may be a true Cinderella.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="DLjbPB">
<p id="eP5kc8">Voting in the North Quad region closes Thursday, Mar. 28 at 9 AM. The final slate of second-round games begins tomorrow in the Mod Quad region.</p>
https://www.onefootdown.com/2024/3/25/24109590/fan-poll-the-notre-dame-things-bracket-north-quad-region-round-of-32-nd-march-madness-irishHayden Adams2024-03-24T22:21:00-04:002024-03-24T22:21:00-04:00Notre Dame Baseball: Irish drop last game of series against Miami
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<p>Had to put the brooms away</p> <p id="5lyFmj">The <a href="https://www.onefootdown.com">Notre Dame</a> baseball team had a chance to sweep Miami this weekend but fell short on Sunday in extra innings.</p>
<p id="VZKSOW">From the ND press release via Claire Kramer:</p>
<blockquote>
<p id="pfEyBq"><strong>Irish Drop Series Finale to Miami 12-10 in Extra Inning</strong></p>
<p id="x7UR9Y"><strong>SOUTH BEND, Ind. – </strong>Notre Dame (14-9, 2-7 ACC) dropped the series finale to Miami (13-10, 5-4 ACC) 12-10 in extra innings. The Irish pulled out to a 7-1 lead in the fourth inning, but an eight-run inning for Miami made the difference in the eventual Irish loss. Notre Dame moved to 2-1 on the series, their first ACC series win of the season. </p>
<p id="nPLZUV">Sunday’s game marked Notre Dame’s first extra-inning game of the season. Notre Dame’s last game that went to extras was May 16, 2023 vs. Northwestern at Wrigley Field (8-7 loss in 11 innings). </p>
<p id="zZe9Kz">RHP Rory Fox earned the start for the Irish, going a career-high 4.0 innings, posting three strikeouts and allowing just one run. RHP Bennett Flynn (1-1) shouldered the loss for the Irish. </p>
<p id="ICwOoW">OF David Glancy had the offensive play of the day, with a two-out grand slam in the bottom of the fourth to put the Irish up 7-1. </p>
<p id="6Lcg6U">Over the course of the series, OF T.J. Williams led the starters with a .500 batting average, posting seven hits, five runs and five RBI, in addition to six putouts in center field. </p>
<p id="EVAxyL"><strong>HOW IT HAPPENED</strong></p>
<p id="SA7Yix">Miami led off the first with a double, and after two outs and a walk, Fox faced his fifth batter with runners at first and third. A fielder’s choice to INF Jack Penney ended the inning and held Miami away from home. The Irish were retired in order in the bottom half. </p>
<p id="jkRvmp">Fox posted two strikeouts in the second inning, with the Canes going three up, three down. OF Tito Flores notched a two-out double in the second, but a popout kept the Irish scoreless. </p>
<p id="jnvHha">In the third, Miami singled to lead off, and a bunt single placed two runners aboard. A flyout pushed the lead runner to third, and a sac fly scored Miami’s first run of the day. A groundout sent the Irish up to bat. C Carson Tinney led off the bottom of the third with a double, and INF Estevan Moreno followed with a single. Moreno reached second on a passed ball, and Williams sent an infield single to score Tinney and even the game at 1-1. Glancy drew a HBP, and INF Connor Hincks hit into a fielder’s choice to score Moreno; on the throw back to first in an attempted double play, Miami posted an error, and Williams scored. The Irish ended the inning up 3-1. </p>
<p id="cs7bjE">Keeping the momentum, Fox and the Irish kept Miami from scoring in the fourth, with a double play on the third batter ending the inning. Flores led off the bottom of the inning with a single, and after a strikeout, Tinney walked. Another strikeout meant two outs for the Irish, as Wiliams followed with another single to load the bases. Glancy stepped to the plate and fired a 412-foot shot for a grand slam, putting the Irish up 7-1 to end the fourth. </p>
<p id="r6sSmv">Miami responded in dramatic fashion in the fifth, drawing a leadoff walk and following with a single to bring two runners aboard. RHP David Lally entered in relief of Fox. A walk loaded the bases with no outs, and a HBP brought in a run. Two infield balls brought in two more runs, while a groundout scored another. Another single scored Miami’s fourth run of the inning, and RHP Nate Hardman entered to take over on the mound. Miami’s next batter homered for three runs, and the Irish went to bat down 9-7. The Irish were unable to add any runs in the fifth. </p>
<p id="8LyAKD">The Irish sat the Canes down in order in the sixth, with Hardman earning a strikeout for the last out. Moreno drew a walk to lead off the sixth, reaching second on a passed ball. Williams walked, and Glancy hit into a fielder’s choice, tagging out Moreno. The Irish attempted a double steal, with Glancy reaching second and Williams tagged out at third, but a flyout ended the inning. </p>
<p id="OmkL13">RHP Radek Birkholz entered to pitch for the Irish in the seventh, and both sides were retired in order in the inning. In the eighth, a HBP and walk put two runners on base, and a sac bunt moved both another base. Flynn entered to pitch, and a passed ball scored another run for Miami. Flynn earned a strikeout and was able to limit the damage, as the Irish went up to bat down 10-7. </p>
<p id="NKmAH4">DM Jefferson entered to pinch hit and singled to lead off the eighth, and C Joey Spence also entered to hit a single. After a strikeout, a Williams double scored Jefferson to pull within two. Glancy fired his second home run to even the score, his second homer of the day. </p>
<p id="rykSzI">Both teams were held scoreless in the ninth to send the game to extra innings. Miami led off the 10th inning by drawing a walk, the runner getting to second on a wild pitch and a sac bunt moving him to third. A single drove in Miami’s go-ahead run, and after another single, a sac fly scored an insurance run to put Miami up 12-10. Williams posted a two-out single in the 10th, but a strikeout ended the game with Notre Dame’s first home loss. </p>
<p id="CvaIaN"><strong>UP NEXT</strong></p>
<p id="I7vCMJ">Notre Dame will host Bowling Green on Tuesday, March 26, for a midweek game at 4:30 p.m. ET. The Irish will then head to Raleigh for a three-game series at <a href="https://www.backingthepack.com/">NC State</a> March 28-30. Thursday’s and Saturday’s games will be broadcast on ACCNX, while Friday’s game will be nationally televised on ACC Network. </p>
</blockquote>
https://www.onefootdown.com/notre-dame-fighting-irish-baseball/2024/3/24/24111852/notre-dame-baseball-irish-drop-last-game-of-series-against-miami-nd-acc-sweepJoshua Vowles