GCND One on One :- Justin Brent

Photo: Rivals.com

GCND was able to catch up with the second overall 2014 recruit to commit to the Fighting Irish, Justin Brent.

The 6-3 WR from Speedway, IN, is regarded as a 4* wideout by rivals.com.

Justin was kind enough to facilitate GCND staff wtih an interview of his recruitment process, an what he is most looking forward to at Notre Dame.

Measurables

• Ht:6’3″
• Wt:193 lbs
• 40:4.6 secs
• Bench Max:270
• Squat Max:375

GCND: What can you bring to Notre Dame on & off the football field?

Justin: I’ve always been known as a kid that stays extremely polite to all and always has a smile on his face. So off the field I will always be the extremely nice, humble guy. On the field Notre Dame will be getting a kid that will always be the one to work his hardest, and keep a positive attitude. One that loves to do a little extra.

GCND: What played the biggest part in you making the decision to pick Notre Dame and exactly how close was the recruitment process?

Justin: It came down to them and Ohio State in the end. I went to Notre Dame June 22^nd and Ohio State June 23^rd. I performed great at each camp and had one on one talks with both Coach Kelley and Coach Meyer. I’ve always been a huge Tim Tebow and Urban Meyer fan when they were at Florida. But even after being wanted by Coach Meyer I felt that Notre Dame was the place for me, everything felt so comfortable, and with my mom being a teacher, she loved the academic part of things. After the OSU camp I even called Coach Martin and let him know. After they got from vacation ND got my transcript, got me, my little sister, and my mom up for a visit and offered.

GCND: Redshirting, if this situation arises, will it be an issue for you?

Justin: Definitely wouldn’t be an issue, I’m the type of teammate that wants to win and do whatever helps the team the most, so if that’s what the staff thinks would be best, that would be fine. But of course I would love to make a contribution as soon as possible.

GCND: Have you decided what you will Major in ?

Justin: I was always 50/50 between business management and broadcasting but with Notre Dame having one of the best business management schools, the decision became I will do that.

GCND: Have you had a chance to experience game day in Notre Dame stadium ? If so what were the highs & lows of the event ?

Justin: Went to Spring Game. The way they treat and great their recruits was amazing so that was a high. I really couldn’t say there was a low at all. Maybe the need of a jumbotron at some times haha. But seriously no negatives I can really think of.

GCND: What do you think of this years schedule, care to predict the outcome ?

Justin: Well everyone knows I am rooting for ND to win every game haha. That’s what I’m rooting for.

GCND: What are you most looking forward to at ND?

Justin: Building a relationship with my teammates, friends and coaches. Definitely looking forward to winning a lot of football games.

GCND: Tell me a bit about the coach who recruited you, what was he selling that the other recruiters were not?

Justin: I was recruited by Coach Elston in the beginning and Coach Martin sort of took over after camp. Education and the success that a student from ND can have without going to the next level football wise is what definitely sold me.

GCND: So, fill in the gaps between now and settling into campus life at Notre Dame, what is on the agenda?

Justin: Well I have two more years before I will even be able to be there. So on the agenda is just winning football games for my high school and continuing to get better. In the mix will for sure be going to ND practices, game and knowing the coaching staff even better.

GCND: Was there any negative recruiting towards Notre Dame, and if so what made you see past it ?

Justin: Not one negative at all. That’s probably why I pulled the trigger so fast.

GCND: What would you like to improve, academically & athletically before enrolling in ND ?

Justin: Grades have never really been a problem for me so I would definitely like to just keep improving speed and winning games in high school.

Court date changed for Fighting Irish quarterback Tommy Rees

Court date changed for ND QB

The court hearing for Notre Dame Junior quarterback, Tommy Rees, will now be held on July 24th instead of this Tuesday after a request from Rees’ attorney.

Rees was arrested in early May along with Notre Dame linebacker Carlo Calabrese outside a house party off campus after Rees had attempted to flee the scene.

Rees faces four misdemeanour’s including two charges of resisting arrest by a law enforcement officer, one count of battery to a law enforcement officer, and one count under age drinking.

Rees has finished the last two seasons as Notre Dame’s starting quarterback, after taking over from an injured Dayne Crist almost two seasons ago. Entering his junior year, he’s now in a four way battle to retain the starting position with Andrew Hendrix, Everett Golson and true Freshman Gunner Kiel.

Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly has cleared Rees to participate in summer workouts while his legal situation plays out. The Irish open up camp on August 4th, and will face the Naval Academy on Sept 1 in Dublin, Ireland.

Police were called to the home in South Bend in early May due to a noise complaint. South Bend police Capt. Phil Trent says Rees was part of a group who had jumped a backyard fence and ran after officers had arrived at the party.

According to police reports, Rees ran from officer Brandon Stec. Police say a cab driver saw the pursuit and blocked Rees’s path. Then, they say Rees raised his knee into the officer, knocking the wind out of him. Officials say the cab driver then grabbed Rees and kept him from running away.

When the officer tried to arrest Rees, police say Rees scuffled with him and they both fell back on the pavement. Stec sustained scrapes to the arm in the struggle.

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

GCND One on One :- Alex Anzalone

Photo 247 Sports

GCND managed to catch up with one of the finest recruits in the nation, Alex Anzalone , to get an inside look into his recruitment to Notre Dame.

Thankfully for Irish fans, Alex de-committed from Ohio State University on May of this year.

He will enroll at Notre Dame early next season and is widely regarded as the heir-apparent to All-American Mike Linebacker Manti Te’o.

Some huge shoes to fill indeed. All at GCND wish Alex the best and look forward to seeing him on the field next season.
Measurables:

• Ht: 6’3″
• Wt: 229 lbs
• 40: 4.73 secs
• Shuttle: 4.34
• Vertical: 29 inches

GCND: So Alex, what qualities do you bring to Notre Dame on and off the football field?

One of the main qualities I can bring to ND is my leadership. I’m always trying to lead by example in the classroom and on the field. My attributes as a player are that I am big and can move well for my size, I have good range and can run side line to side line.

GCND: What played the biggest part in you making the decision to pick Notre Dame and exactly how close was the recruitment process?

Both the academics and my relationships with the commits definitely played the biggest part in my recruitment. After awhile, the decision to chose ND seemed very clear to me so it wasn’t necessarily a “coin flip.”

GCND: Have you decided what you will Major in ?

Business, I’m not sure what kind though.

GCND: Redshirting, heaven forbid, if this situation arises, will it be an issue for you?

If the situation of redshirting arises, I won’t be upset. It will give me the opportunity to get my one year MBA from ND for free. You can’t go wrong with that!

GCND: Have you had a chance to experience game day in Notre Dame stadium ? If so what were the highs & lows of the event ?

No I have not.

GCND: What do you think of this years schedule, care to predict the outcome ?

As always, ND has a tough schedule. I think it’ll only help us with the new 4 team playoff system. To me, this year is up in the air.

GCND: What are you most looking forward to at ND?

I look forward to most getting a great education, playing top tier football, and hanging out with my best friends all the time.

GCND: Tell me a bit about the coach who recruited you, what was he selling that the other recruiters were not?

Coach Hiestand recruited me. You can tell he is a genuine guy from the start. He told me straight up when I first talked to him that he was not going to ask me to call him everyday like some other coaches do. He never talked poorly of other schools.

GCND: Was there any negative recruiting towards Notre Dame, and if so what made you see past it ?

There was. The whole “there’s nothing to do in Indiana, etc.” After my last visit, I knew that was a lie. You make your own fun. If you’re around people who you like, you’ll have fun.

GCND: What would you like to improve, academically or athletically before enrolling in ND ?

Academically, I want to continue what I have done in the classroom to prepare for college. Athletically, I will continue working out and being a leader on my team. I want to compete right away when I first enroll at ND.

GCND: So, fill in the gaps between now and settling into campus life at Notre Dame, what is on the agenda?

I plan on continuing to work out for this upcoming year. My team has a chance to make it to the state championship game so that is one thing I am working hard for. I have the Under Armour All American game in January. I’m not sure the next time I’ll visit ND. I’m definitely going to multiple games though!

Six Notre Dame players make pre-season awards lists

All-american LB Manti Te’o

No fewer than six Notre Dame Fighting Irish players have made the annual awards listings for the forthcoming 2012 season.

By far the best chance for any potential winners for Notre Dame and the prestigious awards, are those who were highly considered last season.

For Notre Dame, those individuals are All-American’s LB Manti Te’o and TE Tyler Eifert.

Te’o is back for his senior year when many believed he would opt to join the professional ranks of the NFL last season.

The 6’2″ 255 lbs MLB currently ranks as the eight all time leading tackler for the Fighting Irish with 324, has made the watch lists for the best defensive player in the nation, Chuck Bednarik Award and the Bronco Nagurski Award, along with fellow senior Kapron Lewis-Moore.

Eifert continues a rich tradition and legacy at Notre Dame for producing some of the top calibre tight ends in the sport.

Eifert is hot favourite to win the John Mackey Award for the nations best tight end.

He is the only tight end in the country to make the Maxwell Award watch list and is joined on the list by fellow Fighting Irish, RB Cierre Wood.

Offensive linemen Zack Martin and Braxston Cave made the Outland Award watch list for the best interior lineman, with Cave also getting notables in the Dave Rimington Award for the best center in the country.

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

Brian Kelly – Notre Dame Spring Football Mic’d Up Feature

Hot on the heels of Cierre Woods’ “Day in the Life”, we have a very similar clip taking from the Notre Dame archives this season in April with head coach Brian Kelly mic’d at one of the teams indoor practices.

Enjoy!

Cierre Wood – A day in the life

Cierre Wood, RB, Notre Dame

I found this wonderful snippet on youtube about a day in the life of one of Notre Dame’s finest offensive weapons going into 2012. Cierre Wood, turned down scholarship offers from the likes of Florida, Auburn, Nebraska, UCLA and USC to attend Notre Dame.

Wood rushed for 1,102 yards on 217 carries and nine touchdowns in 2011. He WILL be our go to guy this season.

Potential tie-in to Orange Bowl for Notre Dame?

Photo USA Today

The ACC and the Orange Bowl Committee have reached a 12-year agreement that will annually feature the ACC Champion in the Discover Orange Bowl.

The game will be moved from its night time slot to be played on New Year’s Day at 1:00 pm beginning after the 2014 season, with the official opponent tie-in still to be determined.

It is widely rumored that a special deal may be made to Notre Dame in a bid to provide the Fighting Irish with a more stable bowl game “home”, if the Irish meet certain W/L criteria.

“The ACC and Discover Orange Bowl have a terrific relationship and, as we look ahead to the future of postseason college football, this will further an already beneficial partnership for both organizations, said ACC commissioner John Swofford.

“The Discover Orange Bowl has a rich history of prestige, is located within the league’s footprint and is a great destination for our student-athletes, alumni and fans. In addition to our continued partnership, we are very pleased to be playing annually on New Year’s Day.”

The new playoff system in 2014 has the Orange Bowl hosting four semi-final games within a 12 year stretch, and says in those years, its champion will play in one of the three other host bowls.

If the ACC champion makes the playoffs, another ACC team will play in the Orange Bowl to face either an “at-large” or a 9 win Notre Dame outfit.

The Fighting Irish have played in no fewer than five Orange bowl’s and have played a large part in making the Orange Bowl what it is today.

The ACC is now the fifth power conference to announce a tie with a bowl game that expects to be part of the pool of six bowls from which two semifinal sites will rotate.

The Big 12 and Southeastern Conference are creating the Champions Bowl, while the Big Ten and Pac-12 are both committed to the Rose Bowl.

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