Game Coverage, Statistics »

By · November 2nd, 2009
Statistically Speaking: Notre Dame vs. Washington State

Head coach Charlie Weis used a bruising performance by Notre Dame’s offensive line to grind out a convincing win in San Antonio. I’m sure Irish fans would like to see more wins like this occupy the “1” of “7-4-1,” albeit against stronger opponents and in more travel-friendly destinations. The Irish had an unheard of 21:48 […]

Miscellany, News, Statistics »

By · November 2nd, 2009
2009 Elite Selection Playoff: Week Nine

There was a bit of shuffling at the top of the rankings this week. Florida remains atop the ESP but Texas jumped an idle Alabama squad with their win over Oklahoma State. There were some other teams in top 10 that shuffled around as well. Check out the latest BCS rankings for comparison purposes. As […]

Game Coverage, Statistics »

By · October 29th, 2009
Notre Dame vs. Washington State: Keys to an Irish Win

Notre Dame takes on the Washington State Cougars in San Antonio this weekend, one week before returning to South Bend to host the Midshipmen. The Irish offense looks to get on track against the Cougars, as the last two games have been the lowest production totals of the season. The defense, on the other hand, […]

Game Coverage, Statistics »

By · October 27th, 2009
Statistically Speaking: Notre Dame vs. Boston College

The Irish opened 2009 with a resounding 35-0 defeat of Nevada. While the Wolfpack offense turned the ball over three times—twice in potential scoring position—the game was a fairly one-sided affair. Notre Dame ran the ball well, controlled the clock, and displayed a dynamic downfield passing attack. Since then, games have been anything but one-sided. […]

Miscellany, News, Statistics »

By · October 25th, 2009
2009 Elite Selection Playoff: Week Eight

Many of the top teams survived scares over the weekend, but that did little to impact their ranking. The week eight ESP and AV Ranking are shown below (week seven can be found here). It is still too early to draw many meaningful conclusions from the rankings. Visit here to compare the ESP to the […]

Game Coverage, Statistics »

By · October 22nd, 2009
Notre Dame vs. Boston College: Keys to an Irish Win

After suffering a tough loss—the eighth straight—to rival USC, the Irish host Boston College Saturday. Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis will earn his pay this week, as navigating the psyche of his team and ensuring they are prepared to play will be a daunting task. The Boston College losing streak isn’t as lengthy and […]

Miscellany, News, Statistics »

By · October 21st, 2009
2009 Elite Selection Playoff: Week Seven

The BCS standings were released this week. In conjunction with this, Clashmore Mike has decided to release the first update of the Elite Selection Playoff. For AV Ranking comparison purposes, Sagarin’s ranking can be found here. This does, however, come with a caveat. In week seven virtually all rankings are meaningless. Much will change between […]

Game Coverage, Statistics »

By · October 20th, 2009
Statistically Speaking: Notre Dame vs. USC

The Irish lost another heart-breaker in South Bend Saturday. The latest defeat at the hands of the Trojans makes it eight straight and 0-5 for head coach Charlie Weis against one of Notre Dame’s chief rivals. In many respects, this game was more of the same. Numerous missed tackles and breakdowns in the secondary combined […]

Miscellany, News »

By · October 19th, 2009
670 The Score Radio Interview Audio and Reflections

After Saturday’s loss to USC, Clashmore Mike staff writer Anthony Pilcher conducted an interview with Chicago’s 670 The Score (670am). The audio of the interview itself can be found at the bottom of this article. What follows are some further responses and elaboration on topics from the interview itself. On The “Must Win” Game For […]

Miscellany, Personnel, Staff »

By · October 17th, 2009
The Problem With Hype and History

The head coaching position for the Notre Dame football team is arguably the most high-profile position in the country. Not only do you have to deal with constant exposure and criticism from television personalities, radio broadcasters, and magazine and newspaper writers, but you also have to deal with the incredible history of your position. Three […]