Faith Restored: The Resurgence of Notre Dame Football

Faith Restored: The Resurgence of Notre Dame Football

Faith Restored: The Resurgence of Notre Dame Football

Faith Restored: The Resurgence of Notre Dame Football

eBook

$10.49  $11.99 Save 13% Current price is $10.49, Original price is $11.99. You Save 13%.

Available on Compatible NOOK Devices and the free NOOK Apps.
WANT A NOOK?  Explore Now

Related collections and offers

LEND ME® See Details

Overview

A 35-year veteran of Notre Dame’s athletic department chronicles one of the most exciting seasons in Fighting Irish football history, providing details on the team’s rise to a number 1 ranking and offering insights and anecdotes on team stars like Everett Golson and Manti Te’o as well as AP Coach of the Year Brian Kelly. Taking readers inside the locker room, to the practice field, and on the sidelines for game days, this book covers all aspects of the historic season—from the season opening with over Navy in Dublin, Ireland and the thrilling overtime win over Stanford to the ousting of rival USC to complete a perfect, undefeated season and secure a spot in the national championship game. Providing unprecedented access to the Notre Dame football program, this guide includes interviews with Irish coaches and staff, making it the book no Domer will want to be without.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781623683313
Publisher: Triumph Books
Publication date: 09/01/2013
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 192
File size: 7 MB

About the Author

John Heisler is in his 35th year as a member of the University of Notre Dame athletics staff. He was named to his current post of senior associate athletics director for media and broadcast relations in 2004 after spending 16 years as sports information director. He has written or edited eight other books on Notre Dame football, including collaborating with Lou Holtz on the New York Times bestseller The Fighting Spirit. He’s a member of the College Sports Information Directors of America Hall of Fame. Brian Kelly became head football coach at Notre Dame following the 2009 season. In his third year, he led the Irish to a 12-0 regular season record and an appearance in the BCS National Championship Game. They both live in Granger, Indiana.

Read an Excerpt

Faith Restored

The Resurgence of Notre Dame Football


By John Heisler

Triumph Books

Copyright © 2013 John Heisler
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-62368-331-3



CHAPTER 1

The Off-season

Tuesday, January 10

Notre Dame athletics director Jack Swarbrick announced that the University has exercised an option in football coach Brian Kelly's contract and extended it for two years, now through the 2016 season. That came eight days after contract renewals were announced for returning Irish assistant coaches.


Wednesday, January 11

Notre Dame ranks 23rd in the early 2012 football preview poll by ESPN.com's Mark Schlabach. The 2012 Irish schedule features more than its share of expected top-flight opponents — and here's where they ranked in three published 2012 preseason polls:

Opponent
ESPN.com CBSSports.com Yahoo! Sports

USC
No. 2
No. 2
No. 2
Oklahoma
No. 5
No. 7
No. 5
Michigan State No. 9
No. 18
No. 13
Michigan
No. 11
No. 10
No. 8
Stanford
No. 17
NR
No. 20


The Irish in 2012 face Michigan (September 22) and Stanford (October 13) at Notre Dame Stadium — while going on the road to meet Michigan State (September 15), Oklahoma (October 27), and USC (November 24).

All the various bloggers for ESPN.com took an early look at the major football conferences for 2012 — and here's where they rated teams Notre Dame faces in 2012:

• Michigan State: No. 1 in Big Ten

• Michigan: No. 2 in Big Ten

• Purdue: No. 8 in Big Ten

• Wake Forest: No. 7 in ACC

• Boston College: No. 9 in ACC

• Miami: No. 10 in ACC

• Pittsburgh: No. 6 in Big East

• USC: No. 1 in Pac-12

• Stanford: No. 4 in Pac-12

• Oklahoma: No. 1 in Big 12


Yet another (very) early preseason top 25 poll for 2012 college football came from Andy Staples at SI.com — and it lists Notre Dame 22nd. Irish opponents in 2012 on that same list include USC (second), Michigan State (sixth), Oklahoma (eighth), Michigan (11th), and Stanford (20th).


Friday, January 20

Irish tight end Tyler Eifert spent the weekend in New Haven, Connecticut, for the Walter Camp awards dinner, honoring 2011 Camp All-America selections.


Saturday, January 21

With assistant coaches Tim Hinton and Ed Warinner departing to join Urban Meyer's new staff at Ohio State, Brian Kelly filled one of those vacancies by hiring veteran assistant Bob Elliott, who most recently has coached the secondary at Iowa State the last two seasons. Elliott has been in the business 33 years, working with defensive backs in 22 of those seasons. He's been a defensive coordinator for 11 combined seasons at San Diego State, Kansas State, Iowa, and Ball State — and he also has coached at Kent State and North Carolina. Elliott comes from a football family — he played at Iowa, where his father, Bump, was athletics director. And chemistry with the current Irish coaches comes ready-made: during Elliott's stint at Iowa, he coached current Irish assistant Kerry Cooks (a Hawkeyes captain in 1997) and also worked with current Irish assistant Bob Diaco when Diaco both played (1991–1995) and coached (graduate assistant in 1996–1997) at Iowa. Elliott's time at Iowa mirrored that of current Irish football strength and conditioning director Paul Longo.


Wednesday, January 25

Brian Kelly took care of the second staff opening by adding veteran Harry Hiestand as offensive line coach and run-game coordinator. With 29 years of experience behind him, Hiestand has spent the last 15 years either in the NFL or at Big Ten or Southeastern Conference schools — including stints with the Chicago Bears and at Tennessee and Illinois. Hiestand most recently has been at the University of Tennessee for two seasons and also has coached at Missouri, Cincinnati, Toledo, USC (graduate assistant), and Penn. He played at both Springfield (Massachusetts) College and East Stroudsburg. Hiestand and Elliott combined represent a solid influx of experience for the Irish staff.

As it relates to the challenges of different jobs, every one poses a new challenge, that Coach Kelly, in short order, figures out and assimilates. [Former Iowa] Coach [Hayden] Fry used to say, "Scratch where it itches." Going from Grand Valley to Central Michigan and Division I-A recruiting, he dove into that. Then moving from Mount Pleasant, Michigan, to a spectacular city in Cincinnati, he assimilated into that culture. Then Notre Dame and Notre Dame's distinctions fit him and his world nicely. So I would say it's been about the normal growth he's had at every institution where he's worked.

— Assistant head coach and defensive coordinator Bob Diaco


Wednesday, February 1

Brian Kelly and his staff put the finishing touches on their third recruiting class by signing 17 high school seniors to national letters of intent, while also adding one transfer student to the Irish roster. Four of those 18 players — transfer running back Amir Carlisle (from USC), early-enrollee freshmen defensive lineman Sheldon Day, quarterback Gunner Kiel, and defensive back Tee Shepard — began taking classes at Notre Dame in January. They will participate in Notre Dame's spring football practices that begin March 21. The other 14 players will arrive on campus by June 18 for the start of summer school. Among the 17 players who will be freshmen for the Irish this fall are four who were selected for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio: defensive lineman Jarron Jones, Kiel, running back KeiVarae Russell, and defensive back Elijah Shumate.

"Last year was about the power position. This year was about the skill level, especially the defensive backfield and the wide receiver positions. We feel like we addressed those needs," said Kelly.

Signing day is generally a giddy scene, yet there's no way to know how quickly or when any of the individual players will play a part. By the end of the 2012 campaign, six of these newcomers will play enough of a role to win monograms — Romeo Okwara, Russell (he ended up playing at cornerback after originally being listed as a running back), Shumate, Day, receiver Chris Brown, and defensive back Nicky Baratti.


Tuesday, February 21

The Athlon 2012 college football early top 25 has Notre Dame 18th — with Irish opponents USC second, Oklahoma fifth, Michigan seventh, and Michigan State 14th. Here's what the preview says about the Irish: "Is 2012 the year the Irish get back into a BCS bowl? Although Notre Dame has some key pieces returning, this team is probably ticketed for a spot in the lower half of the top 25 next year. Settling on a quarterback is priority No. 1 for coach Brian Kelly this spring. True freshman Gunner Kiel is already enrolled and will have a good shot to beat out Tommy Rees, Andrew Hendrix, and Everett Golson in preseason practices. With uncertainty at quarterback, expect running back Cierre Wood and a solid offensive line to carry the team early on. The defense will have a revamped secondary, but the line — led by Aaron Lynch, Louis Nix, and Stephon Tuitt — could be one of the best in college football."


Saturday, March 3

Irish defensive back Chris Salvi fought tonight for the 188-pound title in the Bengal Bouts (he won in a three-round split decision), Notre Dame's club boxing tournament that benefits the missions of Bangladesh. And his younger brother, Will, also advanced to the finals, though another commitment kept him from competing. That's the sort of toughness any football coach can appreciate.

From a player's point of view, coach [Kelly] this past off-season and in the winter took time out of his schedule to just meet with his us — not to talk about Xs and Os. He just talked to us as individuals, about school and how we're doing, how we're doing socially. It was an opportunity for us to get to know him better and an opportunity for him to get to know us. That has definitely shown itself on the field and in the bond that we have with him, and the trust that we have in him, not only in the things he does, but how he leads this team. Every player trusts him, not only for the success that we've had as a team, but what he's done for us off the field."

Linebacker Manti Te'o

CHAPTER 2

Spring Drills

Tuesday, March 20

The day before the Irish began spring drills, coach Brian Kelly offered his thoughts on the formal start of his third year on the field with the Irish. Kelly confirms six fifth-year applications that have been approved by the Faculty Board on Athletics — meaning that on an official basis veterans Mike Golic Jr., Jamoris Slaughter, Kapron Lewis-Moore, Braxston Cave, John Goodman, and Dan McCarthy will play in 2012.

Not surprisingly, the first question out of the box — and it's one Kelly will address regularly for the next five months — involves the quarterback situation, with incumbent Tommy Rees, Andrew Hendrix, Everett Golson (he didn't play at all as a freshman in 2011), and early-enrolled rookie Gunner Kiel all on the roster. The Irish coaches will attempt to give all four a chance to compete, though as Kelly noted, "If we started the spring with page 50 of the playbook, Tommy would be ahead of everybody."

Here's more from Kelly from when he met the media:

• "It starts and ends with the quarterback position. It's important they are going to get an equal opportunity to compete for the position, so they all have to start with a very similar knowledge base. So we've kind of taken a step back. We want the ball to come out of the quarterback's hands in a timely fashion and for good decisions to be made. We threw way too many interceptions last year, and it certainly affected our win-loss record."

• The Irish held their own combine and created measurements and timings in a variety of pro-day areas for their players (10- and 20- and 40-yard dash times, broad jump, vertical jump, cone drills, etc.).

• "In year three it's a comfortable feeling because I'm confident I know my football team very well going in."

• Sophomore-to-be Troy Niklas moves from outside linebacker to tight end.

• Sophomore-to-be receiver DaVaris Daniels produced the best testing numbers of all the Irish skill position players.

• Look for Theo Riddick and John Goodman to start as the punt returners.


The offense at that point was still a legitimate four-horse race at quarterback, which is not exactly what you want. Starting the spring was about how we practiced, how we developed a mentality on offense, and how we're never going to turn the ball over. With the quarterback scenario, you're trying to give more kids reps and understanding that long-term we've got to figure this out. Short-term it would be easy to go with the guy who's ahead now because we need to get reps and get better.

— Chuck Martin


Saturday, March 24

All four of the Irish quarterback candidates were available to the media after today's noon practice, so the analysis of the Notre Dame signal-calling derby is ongoing.


Thursday, April 5

The Notre Dame Monogram Club added 61 new members, including 20 Irish football players, to its roster tonight at Club Naimoli at Purcell Pavilion in its letter-jacket ceremony for fall sports. Deputy athletics director Bill Scholl represented the athletics department and compared the Irish athletics program to an Olympic village: "It's not for the faint of heart. If you want to compete at the highest level, this is the place to be." Former Notre Dame football All-American Allen Pinkett served as the guest speaker, saying, "No one can represent the University the way you do." Senior football player Brandon Newman represented the monogram winners, saying, "All of my life I wanted to be part of something special. When I was a junior in high school, I received a call from the Notre Dame football program. I knew nothing about Notre Dame. I had no idea how that phone call would change my life." Notre Dame president Reverend John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., offered the benediction and remarks: "Some day your participation in athletics is going to come to an end. Friendship, courage, dedication, sacrifice, a willingness to work — that's what you'll take from your experiences as a student-athlete. In the end, those qualities are the true victories."


Friday, April 13

Brian Kelly traveled to Chicago tonight and spent a half-hour addressing the 650 attendees at the Notre Dame Club of Chicago's 54th Rockne Awards Banquet — with Kelly making some opening remarks and then participating in a lengthy Q-and-A session with WNDU-TV sports director Jeff Jeffers.

Here are some of Kelly's offerings:

• On the quarterback situation: "We must eliminate turnovers. It's exciting to work and teach these guys as we go through that process."

• On Notre Dame's starting tight end: "We think we've got one of the finest offensive talents in the country in Tyler Eifert. We're going to make it difficult on teams — we're going move him all over the place, like we did with Michael Floyd last year."

• On what he likes about the spring so far: "I like the development of our offensive and defensive lines. They continue to be the strength of our football team."

• On the Notre Dame job in general: "I wanted this challenge — it's about bridging to the past by achieving success in the present. If you own any stock in Notre Dame football, you're going to start seeing some dividends."

• On the 2012 schedule: "You've got to start with a win, you've got to win your home games, and you've got to win your rivalry games. If you can do that, you're in pretty good shape."


Though Kelly assessed the individual talents of each of the four quarterback candidates, he offered no hints as to which one might have staked any sort of claim to the No. 1 slot.


Friday, April 20

There's plenty of interest in Irish football this weekend. The ESPN college football bus is on campus today to do interviews with Brian Kelly and Irish players. Kelly also meets with the announcing crew in advance of the NBC Sports Network live telecast of the Blue-Gold game on Saturday.

Former Irish players Sergio Brown and Golden Tate will serve as honorary captains for the flag football game featuring former Irish players at 11:00 am Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium.

Almost 200 former Irish players and their families attend the dinner tonight at Purcell Pavilion, sponsored by the Notre Dame Monogram Club. The current Notre Dame team also takes part in that event.

Notre Dame vice president and athletics director Jack Swarbrick takes note of the celebration of 125 years of Notre Dame football in 2012, saying, "That's a legacy and culture worth celebrating." He detailed the origin of Notre Dame football in 1887 when the Irish played their first game against Michigan. "So, collectively, the culture of Notre Dame football has been built for 125 years — and, more so than anything else, I think we have the culture right to build for the next 125 years."

Kelly, addressing the former players, said, "This isn't meet the team night. This is our opportunity to thank you for what you've done for Notre Dame football. We continue to build our program on a day-to-day basis. Our players understand what it takes to maintain the standards you've set. We're excited about the schedule — our players have embraced it."

Kelly introduced current players Zeke Motta and John Goodman, who offered brief remarks. Motta suggested that the former players in attendance "set the bar on and off the field." Goodman noted that the current squad is modeling itself as the A Team — emphasizing accountability, achievement, and appreciation.

Former Irish star and two-time Super Bowl champion Justin Tuck offered some moving remarks (and received a standing ovation when he finished speaking) about the meaning of being at Notre Dame: "When they ask what Notre Dame means to you, you can get five different answers and they're all right."

Tuck recalled hearing former Irish defensive lineman Mike Golic (who happened to be sitting a table away) a few years back talking about finishing up at Notre Dame, packing his car, driving past the main circle, seeing the Dome in the rear-view mirror, and realizing he was no longer a student-athlete at Notre Dame. Said Tuck, "And you pulled over and cried?" Offered Golic, "No, I cried and just kept driving."


(Continues...)

Excerpted from Faith Restored by John Heisler. Copyright © 2013 John Heisler. Excerpted by permission of Triumph Books.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Table of Contents

Contents

Foreword by Brian Kelly,
Introduction. A New Start,
1. The Off-season,
2. Spring Drills,
3. Summer in South Bend,
4. Fall Camp,
5. September,
6. October,
7. November,
8. Run-up to the BCS,
9. South Bend to South Beach,
Epilogue,
Credits,

From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews