Test post

This is a test post

G.I.F.T. 2012

The 12 teams heading to Ireland for GIFT 2012 go ‘Under the Spotlight’ #8: Hamilton High School from Arizona heading for Parnell Park The focus on American high school teams taking part in the Global Ireland Football Tournament (GIFT) 2012 showcase of American football this week shines its spotlight on perennial powerhouse Hamilton High School from Chandler, Arizona, playing at Parnell Park on Dublin’s northside. Thousands of followers of the 12 participating GIFT schools have made summer travel plans to be at the games in Dublin on Friday, August 31. But to help the neutral fan attending games at Donnybrook Stadium and Parnell Park in Dublin and Pairc Tailteann in Navan looking for a reason to cheer one of the 12 teams visiting Ireland, Global Football will point the spotlight on a different team every week during the build up to GIFT 2012. GIFT 2012 Teams Under the Spotlight – Part Seven of 12 Team: Hamilton High School Huskies Hometown: Chandler, Arizona Head Coach: Steve Belles 2011 record: 13-1, State Championship runners up Colours: As the designated away team, will wear white jerseys Website: http://hamiltonhuskiesfootball.com/ Opponent: Notre Dame High School from Sherman Oaks, California, at 7:30pm, Friday, August 31 Venue: Parnell Park, Dublin northside Tickets: www.Tickets.ie/GIFT2012 €15. Hamilton High School, led by head coach Steve Belles, is one of the top football programs in Arizona and won three consecutive titles from 2008 to 2010. Last season the Huskies won 13 games before losing in the State Championship game. The Huskies claimed the Fiesta Region Championship in ten of the past 11 years and nine straight since 2002. The school’s record since 1998 is an impressive won 171 – lost 15 during a 14-year span. Coach Belles has a special link to the Emerald Isle Classic weekend in Dublin having played for the 1988 Notre Dame national championship team under legendary head coach Lou Holtz. “We are excited to take our team overseas to take on a challenging opponent and look forward to showing the people of Ireland what top-quality high school football is all about,” said coach Belles, whose team will have already kicked off their 2012 season, away to Mountain Pointe on August 24, a week before they arrive in Dublin. “The visit will be about more than just the game we play under Friday night lights. It will be a wonderful cultural experience for our players, coaches, staff and family who travel.” The Hamilton football program has enjoyed some national attention through its players including Christian Westerman, Gerell Robinson, Kerry Taylor and current Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs. Belles has been the head coach at Hamilton High School since 2006. During his five seasons with the Huskies he has lead them to four state championships (2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010). The Huskies were also region champions all five seasons. Following the championship in 2006, Steve was elected as the Arizona 5A Coach of the Year and after the 2010 season was voted the 24-7football.com Coach of the Year. Prior to Hamilton, Coach Belles was the head coach at Mountain Ridge High School from 2000-2005 and appeared in one state final game vs. Hamilton. He was also the head coach at Desert Mountain High School from 1995-2000 and guided the 1997 team to a region championship. Coach Belles was also a part of two other state championship teams as a coach for St. Mary’s High School in 1991 and 1995. Coach Belles played at variety of positions (QB, RB and WR) at the University of Notre Dame under legendary coach Lou Holtz. He also was a member of Notre Dame’s last National Championship team in 1988. Coach Belles played professionally in Europe for the Revenna Chiefs in 1991 and later moved on to the Arena Football Leagues’ Arizona Rattlers in 1992. The following season he became the offensive coordinator of the Arizona Rattlers for one season before heading to the high school ranks to coach. Parnell Park is a Gaelic Athletic Association venue in Donnycarney on the northside of Dublin, which has a capacity of 11,500 and is nicknamed The Nell. The ground hosts the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, Railway Cup Dublin Cup Championships and is used by Dublin’s inter-county teams and as a training ground for major games being played at Croke Park. This is where GIFT Honorary Chairman and UCD Director of Sport, Brian Mullins, played so many memorable matches in his stellar career. Mullins will be handling coin-tossing duties to begin the games there on August 31, ensuring a fun return to his home stadium. Patrick Steenberge, President of Global Football, “Steve Belles and I first met back in 1999 when I helped organize a Notre Dame Alumni team to play in Germany. We have been friends ever since, and he was the first high school coach I contacted about the GIFT idea, which he wholeheartedly embraced. Another personal link is that the Hamilton Athletic Director, Rick Baniszewski is from my hometown of Erie, Pa.! With so many private schools coming to Ireland, they have demonstrated that a public school can also take advantage of this special athletic and educational opportunity.” Tickets are on sale through www.Tickets.ie/GIFT2012 priced €15 for adults and may be printed from home after purchasing. Admission is free for children aged 12 and under and a €10 student ticket will be available at the venues on game day. Fans back home in Arizona can catch all the action by tuning into a webcast produced by TodoCast Live Internet Broadcasting. A package offering all six games live and available on-demand following the GIFT 2012 event will be available through www.GlobalFootball.com and www.GIFT2012.com priced $19.95 and fans will also be able to order games in advance. Hamilton High School was established in 1998 and is a four-year (grades 9-12) comprehensive high school located in the southeastern part of the City of Chandler, Arizona. The school follows a district-wide modified year round calendar. Hamilton High School offers outstanding curriculum, comprehensive fine arts and athletics programs, and a wide variety of extra curricular activities. State of the art technology enhances students’ learning, presentation, and research capabilities. Students at Hamilton High School are expected to make use of an array of technological tools to enhance their learning. Computer labs are available and allow students to develop their own interactive presentations using sound, video, animation, graphics and texts. In keeping with the school’s philosophy, an integrated curriculum is a primary goal. Media may download action photos of Parnell Park and the GIFT 2012 event logo, here. GIFT Partners / Supporters: University College Dublin, Trinity College, Education in Ireland, Failte Ireland, IAFA, Play Like a Champion Today, Abbey Tours, Anthony Travel, Rogers Athletic.

Weekend notes: Swarbrick, Watch Lists, Life after Floyd, and more

G.I.F.T. Press release.

Oak Park and Villanova College will play by different rules when Canadian High School teams meet at Pairc Tailteann in Ireland on August 31 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Thursday, July 5, 2012 – GRANBURY, TX – When two top high school teams from Canada meet at Páirc Tailteann, home of Meath Gaelic Football and Hurling, on Friday August 31 as part of the Global Ireland Football Tournament (GIFT) 2012, they will be playing by different rules of ‘American’ football. The Canadians will naturally play by Canadian rules. To causal fans of the gridiron game who will be curious observers at the GIFT 2012 games this summer, the rules and intricacies of the sport will be something they have to digest while enjoying the spectacle of some of the best American and Canadian teams playing on Irish soil. Some might not notice the apparent differences between the Oak Park vs. Villanova College clash at 4pm and the game featuring Notre Dame Preparatory High School from Scottsdale, Arizona, and Father Judge High School of Philadelphia at 7.30pm. But there will certainly be differences. For starters, the Canadians will line up with 12 men on the field, which for the Americans would incur a penalty flag the moment the ball is snapped. The number of big guys fighting up front in the trenches remains the same as extra man traditionally lines up in the backfield, giving the Canadian quarterback an extra offensive weapon. Canadian rules give the teams only three downs to move the ball a minimum of 10 yards, compared with four downs allowed by the Americans. So expect Oak Park and Villanova College to come out firing offensively and passing the ball because there is a greater sense of urgency when it comes to advancing downfield. Fans at Páirc Tailteann can expect an exciting game full of passing and points. Backfield players other than the quarterback can also be in motion forward prior to the ball being snapped, meaning a wide receiver might sprint towards the line of scrimmage and have a head start on his defender as he races downfield to catch a pass. The Americans simply don’t allow such things. The Canadian game also moves quicker because only 20 seconds are allowed on the clock that clicks down between plays, compared with 40 seconds in the American version. There are multiple rule differences governing fumbles out of bounds, fair-catching the ball, the defensive line, and the positioning of the ball for some plays, but the most unique rule difference is probably the one known as the ‘Rouge’. Any kicked ball that lands in the end zone and is not a successful field goal or extra point, is considered live and if a player from the defending team then fails to return the ball out of the end zone, the kicking team scores one point – known as a Rouge. The field for Canadian football is also a different size, but the Canadian teams will both play on the American-sized gridiron, 100 yards by 53.3 yards, with 10 yard end zones in front of the goal posts, painted onto the hallowed field at Páirc Tailteann, and will adjust accordingly. “It makes perfect sense for the two Canadian teams to play by the rules that they practice for and are used to, rather than ask them to play the American version,” said GIFT organizer Patrick Steenberge, President of Global Football. “It will be something different for the fans who come out in Navan to see and enjoy and it should produce an exciting high-scoring game.” The clash between Oak Park High School from Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Villanova College from King City near Toronto, Ontario, will kick off a double-header of two games being played at the 20,000-capacity venue in County Meath, on Friday, August 31. One of the nation’s top-ranked high school teams, Oak Park suffered only one defeat in 2011 and reached the final of the Winnipeg High School Football League ANAVETS Bowl for the third year in a row as defending champions. Head Coach Stuart Nixon, who has led the Raiders fortunes since 2003, said: “Everyone involved in our program is so excited to have the opportunity to take part in this tournament and showcase our team across the pond. A trip of this magnitude has involved a great deal of work on the part of the coaches, parents and players but I am sure it will be an unforgettable experience that will be well worth it.” Villanova College was established in 1999 and the football program was started in 2002 under head coach Marcello Lio, who played American football with Bergamo and Nuremburg in Italy and Germany. Last season the Knights posted a 2-4 record. “This is a great step forward in our young football program and we are very grateful to be one of only two Canadian high schools taking part in this historic international event,” said Coach Lio. “This is going to be a global event our football team will never forget. Our coaching staff has worked tirelessly at making this remarkable opportunity come to fruition. I sincerely have to thank our school administration and parents for their support.” Tickets are on sale through www.Tickets.ie/GIFT2012 priced €15 for adults and may be printed from home after purchasing. Admission is free for children aged 12 and under and a €10 student ticket will be available at the venues on game day. Fans back home in Canada can catch all the action by tuning into a webcast produced by TodoCast Live Internet Broadcasting. A package offering all six games live and available on-demand following the GIFT 2012 event will be available through www.GlobalFootball.com and www.GIFT2012.com priced $19.95 and fans will also be able to order games in advance. Media may download action photos of Oak Park High School and the GIFT logo for media use only here. Media may download action photos of Villanova College and the GIFT logo for media use only here. About Páirc Tailteann: The Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in Navan, County Meath, Ireland, is the home of the Meath Gaelic football and Hurling teams. The ground has a capacity of between 20,000 and 23,000 and is the venue of the annual Meath GAA club championship finals of which the winners receive the Keegan Cup (for Football) and the Jubilee Cup (for Hurling). It is the principal GAA stadium in County Meath, which boasts 60 GAA clubs, and was opened in 1935. GIFT Partners / Supporters: University College Dublin, Trinity College, Education in Ireland, Failte Ireland, IAFA, Play Like a Champion Today, Abbey Tours, Anthony Travel.

Death to the BCS !

It is a done deal people!

We will have a playoff system in College Football.

The presidential oversight committee met in Washington on Tuesday to BCS commissioners’ plan for a four-team playoff system which will begin in 2014 and run for an estimated 10 years.

The TV package deal has yet to be finalized, but it is expected to be worth in the region of $5 Billion in revenue over the lifetime of the contract.

Fan’s of college football have been crying out to the footballing heavens shortly after the inception of the BCS system in 1998.

Controversy flourished in the current BCS system in an attempt to match the number #1 and number #2 ranked teams in the country.

In 2001, for example, Oregon, second ranked in the AP poll, was bypassed in favor of Nebraska despite Nebraska’s loss in its final regular season game to the University of Colorado by a score of 62-36.

In 2003, USC was not included in the BCS Championship Game, but beat Michigan in the Rose Bowl and ended up #1 in the Associated Press final poll.

The following season, in 2004, undefeated Auburn University, Boise State University and University of Utah teams were left out of the National Championship Game (the FedEx Orange Bowl), although those teams were undefeated as well.

In 2008, the University of Utah was excluded from the BCS championship for a second time despite being the only undefeated Division I-A team at the end of the season and finished second behind 13–1 Florida.

In 2009, five schools finished the regular season undefeated: Alabama, Texas, Cincinnati, Texas Christian University, and Boise State; however, the BCS selected traditional powers Alabama and Texas to participate in the BCS National Championship Game as they were the top two teams in the BCS rankings.

It was the end of the 2009 season that served as the catalyst in having the powers that be eventually concede to the fact that the BCS solution was flawed and they had to come up with a way to put a fairer and more transparent way to determine the #1 team in the nation.

Not only did the fans voice their discontent with the current BCS selection process, but the controversy had even reached congress. Utah Senator Orrin Hatch asked President Barrack Obama for a probe of the BCS, stating that the postseason selections process violated antitrust law.

President Obama had said at the time he favored a playoff series, as undefeated teams such as the University of Utah, Boise State University and Texas Christian University recently weren’t able to qualify under the BCS system to play for the national title

The proposed system will make such controversies a lot less frequent……but not impossible. Should five teams remain undefeated, just like the 2009 BCS standings, then we would be faced with similar controversies.

Instead of matching the nation’s #1 and #2 teams in a BCS championship game after the regular season, the new format will have two national semifinals where #1 will play #4, and #2 will play #3.

The sites of those games will rotate among the four current BCS games – Rose, Orange, Fiesta and Sugar with two more bowls that have yet to be determined.

The winner of both semi-finals will contest the National Championship game.

“By making this change we felt we could enhance the regular season but at the same time provide the fans with the kind of postseason that will contribute to the regular season” SEC commissioner Mike Slive said.

Jason is owner and author of godcountrynotredame.me and writes for both IrishCentral and domersportsreport You can find Jason on twitter at @jayomahony

GIFT 2012 American Football event in Ireland expected to make a €4.5 million positive impact on the local economy in Dublin and County Meath

DUBLIN, IRELAND – The Global Ireland Football Tournament (GIFT) American football event being organized by Global Football in Dublin and County Meath this summer is expected to have a positive €4.5 million economic impact in Ireland.

GIFT 2012 will feature 12 high school and college teams from the United States and Canada playing a series of ‘Friday Night Lights’ double headers at 4pm and 7:30 pm on Friday, August 31 at Donnybrook Stadium and Parnell Park in Dublin and at Pairc Tailteann in Navan, County Meath.

The competitive regular season games are being held on the eve of the September 1 Navy versus Notre Dame clash at the Aviva Stadium. The list of games are outlined below:

College Game: 
John Carroll (OH) vs. St. Norbert (WI)

High School Games: 
ND Prep. (AZ) vs. Father Judge (PA)
ND HS (CA) vs. Hamilton (AZ)
Jesuit College Prep. (TX) vs. Loyola (IL)
Kent School (CT) vs. UK U19 All-Stars (Ireland/UK)
Oak Park (MT) vs. Villanova (ON)

It is estimated that more than 2,300 visitors associated with the participating schools will arrive in Ireland specifically because of the GIFT 2012 spectacular, and would not be coming to Ireland if not for these games.

Additional sports fans are expected to attend the games from across Ireland, Europe, the United States and even further afield. Tickets available at www.tickets.ie/gift2012 have been sold to overseas fans from Canada, England, Scotland, Germany, Austria and even Australia. Buyers from 13 different American States and 33 towns within Ireland have already bought tickets.

“First and foremost we are showcasing high school American football at its very best and are providing the experience of a lifetime for the visiting players, coach, families and friends,” said Global Football President and former Notre Dame QB Patrick Steenberge.

“But bringing this many people to Ireland specifically for this event also has a very positive impact in that the money they spend and the investment we make in staging the games benefits local businesses, people and the Irish economy. “We believe this spending will have a positive impact on the Irish economy, and we hope in particular that local businesses benefit and that GIFT 2012 is able to leave a lasting impression for all the right reasons.”

Global Football has partnered with TodoCast Live Internet Broadcasting to make the games available through pay-per-view and on-demand online platforms. A package offering all six games live and available on-demand following the GIFT 2012 event will be available through www.GlobalFootball.com and www.GIFT2012.com priced $19.95 and fans will also be able to order games in advance.

GIFT 2012 live webcast schedule Friday, August 31:

4pm local / 11am EST: Kent School (CT) vs. Nat. School of American Football (Ireland/UK), Parnell Park

4pm local / 11am EST / 10am CST: Oak Park High School (MT) vs. Villanova College (ON), Pairc Tailteann

7.30pm local / 2.30pm EST / 1.30pm CST: John Carroll University (OH) vs. St Norbert College (WI)

7.30pm local / 2.30pm EST / 11.30am PST: Notre Dame HS (CA) vs. Hamilton HS (AZ), Parnell Park

7.30pm local / 2.30pm EST / 11.30am PST: Notre Dame Prep (AZ) vs. Father Judge (PA), Pairc Tailteann

The economic impact figure is calculated by measuring payments made by 2,300 travelers visiting for the GIFT event and their anticipated spend while in Ireland, including:

Spend at stadium concessions
Visitors for the GIFT event will stay at the Citywest Hotel, Saggart; Bewleys, Leopardstown; Bewleys Newlands Cross; Green Isle, Newlands Cross; Louis Fitzgerald Hotel, Newlands Cross; Knightsbrook Hotel, Trim; Royal Hotel, Bray and Newgrange Hotel, Navan. source

Jason writes for IrishCentral and domersportsreport  You can find him on twitter at @jayomahony

Notre Dame QB Plees NOT guilty to alcohol related charges

Rees spent less than 15 minutes in court

Notre Dame quarterback Tommy Rees made a brief appearance in court Thursday morning to plead not guilty to charges stemming from his arrest at a house party on May 3. 

 Notre Dame quarterback Tommy Rees made a brief appearance in court Thursday morning to plead not guilty to charges stemming from his arrest at a house party on May 3.

The Irish junior faces four misdemeanor charges — minor consumption of alcohol, battery and two counts of resisting law enforcement — after trying to flee from an off-campus party when police arrived.

Rees, along with four other unidentified males, jumped a fence in the back yard of the Notre Dame Ave. house when police responded to a noise complaint shortly after midnight on May 3. Police caught Rees with the assistance of a taxi cab driver and eventually had to use pepper spray to subdue him.

The initial police report said Rees kneed the arresting officer in the lower abdomen during the struggle. Rees appeared in court with George Horn, a South Bend attorney from the firm of Barnes & Thornburg, and one other middle-aged man.

They did not responded to questions about the case on their way out of the courthouse. Horn could not immediately be reached for comment at his office Thursday.

Senior linebacker Carlo Calabrese was also scheduled to be in court for his initial hearing for a misdemeanor intimidation charge Thursday. His attorney, Jeffrey J. Stesiak, made the appearance for him.

“I don’t know why he wasn’t here,” White said. “It happens. It’s not unusual for an attorney come and agree to continue to the case.” Police arrested Calabrese at the same May 3 party after he allegedly threatened officers while they arrested Rees.

According to the prosecutor, Calabrese asked Sgt. Dorian Finley if he was a Notre Dame fan. Finley told Calabrese that was irrelevant, to which he responded “that it was relevant and that Officer Finley did not like Notre Dame football by how he was acting toward him and his teammates.”

Calabrese twice told Finley, “My people will get you,” according to the prosecutor’s office and pulled away from other bystanders at the party that attempted to walk him back to the house.

His status hearing is set for June 21. A third Notre Dame football player, sophomore wide receiver DaVaris Daniels, ran into alcohol-related trouble last week. Police in Vernon Hills, Ill. cited Daniels and 28 others for underaged drinking at a party early in the morning on May 13. The address in the police report is the same as Daniels’ home address.

The citation is not a criminal charge, but he will have to appear in court. “I’m aware of the citation DaVaris received and will be speaking with him about the matter,” Irish coach Brian Kelly said in a statement released Wednesday night. “Any team-related discipline that may be forthcoming will be handled internally.”

All three players are competing for starting jobs on the football field next fall. Rees has started 16 of the last 17 games for Notre Dame at quarterback. Calabrese split time at inside linebacker with fellow senior Dan Fox. Daniels is a candidate to take over the starting wide receiver role for departed senior Michael Floyd.
Jason writes for IrishCentral and domersportsreport  You can find him on twitter at @jayomahony

Notre Dame’s QB Tommy Rees arrested on campus

Images taken shortly after the incident.

In an article released by WNDU this morning, Notre Dame quarterback Tommy Rees has been arrested for resisting law enforcement, battery to law enforcement, minor consumption and public intoxication, one of which was a felony charge.

Rees and teammate Carlo Calabrese were booked into the St. Joseph County jail at 12:35 a.m. Thursday. Calabrese, a linebacker, was arrested for disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor.

Calabrese was released on $150 bond at 3:45 a.m. Rees remains in jail and could remain in custody for up to 48 hours. A judge must decide a bond since Rees is facing a felony charge.

This is all according to St. Joseph County police spokesperson Sgt. Bill Redman.

Both players were arrested by South Bend police. They had just completed their junior years at Notre Dame. Wednesday marked the end of finals for the spring semester.

“The University is aware of this incident and is confident that it will be handled in a prompt and professional manner through the criminal justice system,” Notre Dame spokesman Dennis Brown said in a statement. “Internal discipline is handled privately, in accord with our own policies and federal law.”

Rees was the starting QB for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Football team last season and is regarded as the front-runner to start for the Fighting Irish for the season opener against the Naval Academy in Dublin, Ireland this September.

Both Rees and Calabrese are due back in court May 17.

Four Notre Dame players taken in NFL draft

Michael Floyd

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish added more talent to the NFL professional ranks over the weekend, as four players were selected by teams in the NFL’s annual draft.

Wide receiver Michael Floyd was selected in the first round by the Arizona Cardinals with the 13th overall pick.

Safety Harrison Smith, who also went in the first round, was picked 29th overall by the Minnesota Vikings.

Outside linebacker Darius Fleming and cornerback Robert Blanton also secured places in the camps within the professional ranks of the NFL, as they were selected by the San Francisco 49ers and the Minnestoa Vikings in the 5th round.

Floyd is Notre Dame’s highest drafted player since defensive tackle Bryant Young was the seventh-overall selection by San Francisco in the 1994 and is the first Notre Dame wide receiver to be taken in the first round of the NFL Draft since Tim Brown in 1988.

 “I could not be happier for Michael and his family,” Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly said. “I’ve said many times I have never coached a person as talented as Michael, and his selection tonight shows that. Michael’s work ethic and passion for football are unparalleled and fans of the Cardinals will love the productivity he’ll bring to Arizona’s offense.“

Floyd is the Notre Dame career record holder for receptions (271), receiving yards (2,686), receiving touchdowns (37), average yards receiving per game (85.7) and games with at least 100 receiving yards (17).

Floyd is expected to compete for a starting spot in Arizona immediately and will be the perfect compliment to the Cardinals All-Pro wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald.

Harrison Smith has an uncanny awareness for zone coverage and is expected to compete right off the bat within the Minnesota secondary. Smith is the earliest Fighting Irish defensive back selected since Jeff Burris was taken with the 27th pick in the 1994 draft by Buffalo.

“Harrison Smith is one of the best leaders I’ve ever had on any of my teams,” Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly said. “He is an intelligent and instinctual player on the field and a true student of the game off the field. He’ll be a great fit for Minnesota’s defense and I can’t wait to watch his long and successful pro career.“

There was also good news for other Notre Dame players post-draft. Undrafted running back Jonas Gray announced on his Twitter account that he had signed a rookie free-agent contract with the Miami Dolphins.

Gray underwent reconstructive knee surgery in November, after a stellar breakout 2011 season for the Irish.

Offensive tackle Taylor Dever followed Jones with his announcement he had agreed to terms with the Dallas Cowboys. Defensive End Ethan Johnson also agreed to a deal with Kansas City.

Offensive guard Trevor Robinson, kicker David Ruffer and Gary Gray are among the other undrafted ND players also hoping to catch on as rookie free agents.

NFL team eyeball Notre Dame assistant coach. Kelly announces changes to coaching staff for 2012.

It was an eventful Friday at Notre Dames press conference. Head coach Brian Kelly announced his coaching changes to the media, but it was the news that had been swirling around South Bend all week about the NFL’s Green Bay Packers approach Kelly and Notre Dame about the availability of assistant coach Tony Alford, that grabbed most of the attention. The Packers have recently hired Tom Clements as their offensive co-ordinator.

Clements played for the Irish where he was the starting quarterback for the Notre Dame football team from 1972 to 1974 and led the team to a national championship in 1973. He also served on the Notre Dame coaching staff as quarterbacks coach under head coach Lou Holtz from 1992-1995.

In the press conference on Friday at the Gug, Alford had the following to say about the interest shown by the 2011 World Champions:

“I foresee myself as a college football coach. Today, right now, that’s what I foresee myself doing. And I don’t want that to sound like it’s cryptic, meaning maybe tomorrow, I am coaching at the University of Notre Dame. … I enjoy the guys I work with. I feel good where I’m at.”

Alford went on to say, “My heart tells me this is where I’m supposed to be,” he said. “Can I put my finger on why? No. But this is where I’m supposed to be right now.”

Friday also saw head coach Brian Kelly shuffle his coaching staff for 2012. Perhaps the most notable move was Chuck Martin moving from defense to serve as offensive coordinator and coach the quarterbacks. The aforementioned Alford will continue to coach the running backs but will also be involved with passing game by way of coaching the slot receivers. Alford will also hold the tittle of recruiting co-ordinator.

Special teams will be headed up by Scott Booker, but each assistant coach will have an area to direct on special teams.

New additions to the coaching staff include Harry Hiestand who was hired from Tennessee as offensive line coach and serve as running game coordinator, while Bob Elliott, who was hired from Iowa State, will coach the safeties.

2012 Notre Dame Football Coaching Staff


Brian Kelly – Head Coach
Bob Diaco – Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
Kerry Cooks – Co-Defensive Coordinator/Cornerbacks
Chuck Martin – Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
Tony Alford – Running Backs and Slot Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coordinator
Scott Booker – Tight Ends/Special Teams Coordinator
Mike Denbrock – Outside Wide Receivers/Passing Game Coordinator
Bob Elliott – Safeties
Mike Elston – Defensive Line
Harry Hiestand – Offensive Line/Running Game Coordinator

Below is the full press conference: