Archives › Keith Arnold
-
Before even getting hired as the head coach at Notre Dame, Brian Kelly compared the high-profile position to that of a city mayor. It’s not a surprise that with Kelly’s background in politics, he’s taken to his new job quite well. Kelly hit the court at halftime of the Irish women’s basketball game against UConn,…
-
As the Irish prepare to shift philosophies back to a 3-4 defense, no position seems better equipped for the change than the defensive line. With Kapron Lewis-Moore, Ian Williams, and Ethan Johnson, the Irish have three returning starters that played significant minutes, and also fit the physical dimensions needed to play in defensive coordinator Bob…
-
As the Olympics close, and American hockey fans everywhere but Pittsburgh curse Sidney Crosby, let’s catch up on an eventful weekend for a few former members of the Irish. * Any questions about Golden Tate’s speed were answered today, as the Biletnikoff winner blazed times that were measured as fast as a 4.36 (but officially…
-
For those of you reading this at work, you probably have a pretty relaxed IT filter on your computer. Join me and a few thousand other people and stream the USA hockey game online at NBCOlympics.com. Honestly, nobody even forced me to tell you this, I’m just giving people a friendly reminder to tune in…
-
If it feels like beating a dead horse to say that the Irish defense played below expectations last year, I apologize. But trying to put the linebacker play into context is difficult, because each position grouping in a defense depends on the other. Without a great pass rush, the secondary looks bad. Without tight coverage,…
-
The big news of the day is that Notre Dame football players Jimmy Clausen, Kyle McCarthy, Eric Olsen, Golden Tate, and Sam Young are in Indianapolis for the annual NFL Scouting Combine, which starts today. Draftniks and people like Todd McShay and Mel Kiper will talk about the importance of the Combine and give stock…
-
If you missed our first two installments of “Stepping Up,” where we talked about the offensive line and the wide receivers, be sure to check them out. It wasn’t hard to identify the secondary as a massive problem area last season. A perceived area of strength going into the season, the Irish defensive backs were…
-
I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve said the NFL Scouting Combine is one of the most important days in Golden Tate’s (albeit short) professional career. Yet I’ve also said that what he does in 40 yards on a track in Indianapolis won’t be more important than the magical season that he put up…
-
Other than last night’s terrific USA victory over Canada, it was a pretty slow weekend for news, especially news coming out of South Bend. Here are a few tidbits that caught my eye: * Late last week, Brian Kelly picked up another award for his fine work last season with the Cincinnati Bearcats. Kelly was…
-
Apologies for the late edition of the Friday notes, but I was chasing a few stories for next week and hopefully they’ll come through. It was a fairly slow week news wise for the Irish, so I’ve expanded this a little bit to take a look at a few key Irish opponents as well. *…
-
If there was a undisputed area of strength for the Irish last season, it was the wide receivers. Yet if you looked at this position going into the season, you might not have been so sure. While many (me at the front of the line) were high on the potential of Michael Floyd, he was…
-
Brian Kelly’s keynote speech at the Opening Night Dinner for Notre Dame Baseball was a smashing success, and another reason why many are incredibly excited for Kelly to take the reins of the Irish football program. Kelly’s attention to detail and methodology behind building a championship team was incredibly detailed. And while some have compared…
-
While we caught up with Golden Tate, ESPN sent a crew to check-in on the progress Golden’s made during his postseason training. (Show offs.) Here’s a quick look at the video they put together: I really expect Golden to impress at the Combine, especially when people watch the tape and see just how many positions…
-
The fine folks at UND.com put together an excellent video with your first look at the new Strength & Conditioning program that Paul Longo brought with him to Notre Dame. It’s pretty clear the guys are getting after it. Here’s the video that was put together, if you’re in the mood to see some 300-pound…
-
In a move not entirely unexpected, both Jimmy Clausen and his agent, Gary Wichard, announced that the quarterback won’t be working out at the NFL Combine next week. “I’m planning on doing all the interviews and, obviously, being seen by the doctors so they can see my toe, but my toe isn’t ready to go…
-
While I wasn’t able to attend, the South Bend Tribune’s Eric Hansen caught up with football coach Brian Kelly at Notre Dame Baseball’s Opening Night dinner. Kelly was the keynote speaker, and thanks to Hansen’s Twitter feed, we got some very good dirt: * Chris Stewart has been a winter workout warrior. This is incredibly…
-
While his name won’t move the needle like the previous defensive graduate assistant, Brian Kelly has decided to bring former Cincinnati Bearcat linebacker and graduate assistant Jon Carpenter to Notre Dame to fill a similar role. Carpenter spoke with his hometown newspaper, the Lancaster Eagle-Gazette after the move was determined, and he was in high…
-
We’re starting a feature here that should get everybody ready for Spring Practice. “Stepping Up” (not to be confused with the Channing Tatum/Jenna Dewan tour-de-force dance movie) looks at the holes on the depth chart and who is likely to fill them. I hope everybody enjoys… If one position’s inconsistency defined the Charlie Weis era,…
-
As we settle into the relaxing time between recruiting and spring practice, there’s still plenty of good Notre Dame news out there, you just have to dig a little bit deeper to find it. Here are a few good reads worth checking out as you get your fix of speed-skating, ski-jumping, or women’s hockey. *…
-
Golden Tate walked away from Notre Dame after one of the most electric seasons in Irish history. The Biletnikoff winner dazzled fans with nearly 1,500 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns, to go along with electric touchdowns on the ground and as a punt returner. While the Irish’s late-season swoon cost Tate an invitation to the…
-
The Irish will face a familiar opponent when they open the 2011 season. And for the first time in — well, eternity — Lou Holtz might not be cheering for ol’ Notre Dame. That’s because Skip Holtz’s South Florida team has agreed to move their date with the Irish from October 1st to September 3rd,…
-
Jon Tenuta has resurfaced at the collegiate level, after being rumored everywhere from USC to the NFL. North Carolina State made it official today that Tenuta joins head coach Tom O’Brien’s staff as linebackers coach. This from the official release: NC State head coach Tom O’Brien announced today that Jon Tenuta has joined the Wolfpack…
-
It’s never too early to talk about recruiting, and with a lull in the football cycle right now, I thought it’d make sense to talk a very early look at who Brian Kelly and staff are targeting for next year’s recruiting class. Kelly already said that defense would be a priority. I couldn’t agree more…
-
With a bit of time to breath between the end of recruiting and spring practice, Brian Kelly has decided to fill his social calendar. Kelly will deliver the keynote address at the grand opening of the Eddie Robinson Museum in Grambling, Louisiana this weekend. This from the official release: “Everybody knows about the incredible number…
-
On the day that Brian Kelly introduced his coaching staff to Notre Dame nation, Mike Elston was absent, out with the very legitimate excuse that his wife was delivering their new daughter. Since then, the defensive line coach jumped head first into recruiting, helping to solidify recruits like Prince Shembo, Justin Utupo, Louis Nix, and…
