Bowl season can beget silly season, a month of idle time leading to far too many conversations about April’s draft, roster decisions, unlikely offensive wrinkles and so forth. In that respect, Notre Dame making the College Football Playoff diminishes those concerns. With so much at stake, there is no chance the Irish have to worry about any players sitting out the bowl game to declare for the NFL draft earlier than early.
West Virginia quarterback Will Grier, for example, has opted to miss the Camping World Bowl to prep for the draft process. A first- or second-round pick, Grier’s decision has merit, and it is one undoubtedly somewhat inspired by the injury to former Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith three years ago.
“My situation has affected college football forever,” Smith recently told Sports Illustrated. “I’m going in the history books.”
Judging Grier or Michigan defensive end Rashan Gary, a possible top-10 pick, is an exercise in ego for anyone who has not been in those shoes. Rather, simply accept it as a fact of life in 2018.
The Irish do still need to put up with the agents and natural wonderings inherent to the NFL draft being within sight on the football calendar. Notre Dame tries to ready the pertinent players for that process for months so as to lessen the load now.
“We lay out a timetable where we don’t get into distractions,” Irish head coach Brian Kelly said Saturday. “We’ve had some success with players that have had to answer these kinds of questions of when you deal with the agent and how you deal with it. We take the time in spring to sit down with all of our guys and talk through a timetable of how to handle it and how we will help them with it.
“They’re in no stressful situation as we prepare right now. Their parents can handle any decisions for them relative to representation. We will handle evaluations for them and inquiries. They know that we will put them in the best position moving forward, so they can focus on what’s most important.”
Those evaluations will help inform the decisions of five players in particular — presumably those requests were on the behalf of receiver Chase Claypool, cornerback Julian Love and ends Julian Okwara and Khalid Kareem with a fifth included, as well — while the coaching staff balances those expected results and the returns of a few current seniors with the pending haul in next week’s early signing period.
Kelly said 10 incoming freshmen will enroll early among 21 current commitments. Just like last offseason, there will be subsequent roster math, but that can wait until those national letters of intent have arrived signed and sealed.
The AP names #NotreDame cornerback Julian Love a first-team All-American; defensive tackle Jerry Tillery on the second team; linebacker Te'von Coney makes the third team.
— Douglas Farmer (@D_Farmer) December 10, 2018
Opponents’ bowl dates, times, spreads, etc.
With Navy’s 17-10 loss to Army on Saturday, so ends the regular season. Now eight Notre Dame foes ready for seven bowl games, listed in chronological order:
Wake Forest vs. Memphis in the Birmingham Bowl on Dec. 22 at 12 ET as a 5-point underdog with a combined point total over/under of 73.5.Vanderbilt vs. Baylor in the Texas Bowl on Dec. 27 at 9 ET as 3.5-point favorites with an over/under of 55.Syracuse vs. Grier-less West Virginia in the Camping World Bowl on Dec. 28 at 5:15 ET as a 1.5-point underdog with an over/under of 68.5.Michigan vs. Florida in the Peach Bowl on Dec. 29 at 12 ET as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 51.Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati in the Military Bowl on Dec. 31 at 12 ET as a 5-point underdog with an over/under of 53.5.Stanford vs. Pittsburgh in the Sun Bowl on Dec. 31 at 2 ET as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 52.Northwestern vs. Utah in the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 31 at 7 ET as a 7-point underdog with an over/under of 45.
Pure hypothetical, but a fun one that was proposed to me by someone at the American Athletic Conference: If Navy did what UCF has done, would the committee still tell the Midshipmen no?
— Matt Fortuna (@Matt_Fortuna) December 8, 2018
What is going to be remembered as the most memorable moment of the 2018 season? 2012 had the goal line stand and the triple-overtime Pittsburgh game. — @cmupensfan
This question has percolated in my mind for two weeks, and I have yet to land on an answer. Dexter Williams’ 97-yard touchdown at Virginia Tech? Jalen Elliott’s pass breakup against Vanderbilt? Maybe that moment has yet to arrive?
If 2018 will be remembered for any singular item, it will be the quarterback change three weeks into the season. Kelly made a gutsy move, and it paid off better than could ever have been hoped.
What stat of the season (aside from the W-L record) are you most surprised/shocked by? — @TheBookofChaz
Again, no ready answer presented itself, but in combing through the season book, two did stand out. They never became season storylines like Ian Book’s historic completion percentage or Williams’ undeniable success once he got on the field.
Did you realize Notre Dame gave up only seven passing touchdowns this year? Let’s give context to that number: Last year the Irish gave up 12 scores through the air, including two to LSU. In 2016? Twice as many as this season. And in 2012? A total of 11, with four coming against Alabama.
In other words, this defense has played as well against passing attacks as 2012’s did.
Secondly, a season like this can be skewed by the slightest of things. In a game with a misshapen ball, that is often forgotten, and it is worth remembering that when realizing Notre Dame lost only three fumbles this season, having laid the ball on the ground eight times.
A condensed version of #Echoes18 will air on NBCSN next Saturday, Dec. 15 at 3 p.m. EST. I would expect @NDFootball to release some of the videos, including the coaches meeting spoof, at some point after that. That's my educated guess for those asking last night.
— Tyler James (@TJamesND) December 8, 2018
INSIDE THE IRISH READING
— The ‘Notre Dame can do this, right?’ Mailbag— A statistical comparison: The Best Notre Dame offense of the decade— A statistical comparison: How much better is Notre Dame’s defense than last year’s?— Kelly wins Coach of the Year honor; Love, Mustipher up for positional awards— Projecting Notre Dame’s Echoes awards— Notre Dame names Ian Book as MVP
OUTSIDE READING
— Notre Dame and Clemson’s redemption stories clash— Notre Dame unveils ‘Rush 4 Gold’ uniform for Playoff— Drue Tranquill named 2018 Wuerffel Trophy winner— Let’s talk Clemson ($)
— The moment Alohi Gilman knew Notre Dame was the right choice
— Jaylon Smith on skipping bowl games
— Injured Duke DT Cerenord gets extra year from NCAA— Mike Gundy reimburses better who lost money on Oklahoma State win total
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