Light at the end of what started as a pretty dark tunnel...GO IRISH!

A wise man once said...."Wake up every day and thank 

God for the good times, but also thank him for the bad 

times...Why? It's the bad times that make the good times 

feel so much better!" 

This season has been like riding on a roller coaster with 

a pit bull sitting next to you!

You're up.....Then you're down!

You're thrown from this side...to that side!

Your stomach at times feels queasy...then 

celebratory happiness kicks in...but you never have

a real safe feeling that the ride is gonna end without you

being bit...HARD!

So here comes Air Force...to give us the MUCH needed

break in the gauntlet known as the 19th toughest schedule

in college football!

Now normally I'd break down a bit of the Air Force 

team for you...but at 1-6, and the teams they 

beat  resemble a Big Ten out of conference 

schedule...So I figured why break this game down?

I mean they are BAD...not just a little bad...

But really...really bad!

So instead I'd like to talk about my MID-Season

surprise players...and what impact I think they 

will have moving forward!

OFFENSE:

RONNIE STANLEY

At this point...I didn't expect to be talking O-Tackles!

But Ronnie has asserted  himself as a first year starter

and as reliable and mean!

He plays with no fear...and just seems to always 

be part of the "big plays" on game day!

There are times when I see the OLB ready to blitz,

he'll seem to have wide angle on Stanley and then

he flexes out with the speed a 6'6 320 lb kid 

normally doesn't have...he's an All American before 

he leaves Notre Dame!

With Steve Elmer and Ronnie Stanley caliber of talent, 

our drop off with seniors graduating should be 

minimal next season!

WILL FULLER

With the return of Everett Golson just around the 

corner and the departure of TJ Jones, young players 

like Fuller are exciting not only to watch...but to imagine 

what could be possible with a QB extending 

plays!

Fuller is a burner with GREAT hands!

He gets off press coverage with ease and has demonstrated 

the play making abilities that have made the coaches

want to put the ball in his hands!

His transition from freshmen to sophomore year should 

be an exciting one...especially with finally having all 

the pieces in place to run a "Brian Kelly" offense!

Combine Everett with Fuller and Robinson sprinkle in some

Daniels with Niklas, and the emergence of 

Tori Hunter?....Lord..that's a top 5 passing game!

DEFENSE:

DEVIN BUTLER

The easy choice would have been Jaylon Smith!

But I think...when you land the "HIGHEST" rated recruit

Notre Dame has landed in 20 years...You kinda figure he'll 

be a game changer!...and HE HAS!

But when you see a kid like Devin Butler CRASH 

onto the scene, it's exciting!

With Jackson graduating the need for a corner to step 

up...is essential!...Butler is that guy!

Sometimes I watch him and my mind will say...

"DAMN!...RJ looks like he's picked up some speed 

in the off season!" 

He's not lost...he's not confused, and again plays with 

a motor and aggression that is a breath of fresh air!

Most frosh CBs are just concerned with not getting burned...this 

kid wants to make plays!

COLE LUKE

The thing that jumped out to me with

 Cole is his pursuit!

He PROWLS a runner coming out of the backfield!

He closes....and then tackles!

He's experienced some growing pains this season, good QBs 

have picked on him here and there...but every game 

you see less and less of that....he's a big play waiting 

to happen...a tackle for loss, a QB sack...a pick!

He brings sideline to sideline speed to ND!

The defense with Grace returning...and Jaylon with an 

entire season under his belt...we need some D line 

talent to be born!...But the future is gonna be very 

fast and hard to control for teams facing

the D-Boys!

Next year will be, in my opinion the first season 

that we don't feel the HUGE drop off due to 

graduation!

We will need some answers for NIX & TUITT no 

question...they are once in a decade type of talent!

But the cupboards are stocked...and the current 

recruiting class looks to be shaping up nicely...and

from what I'm hearing...there are some REALLY 

exciting additions that will be joining the 

GOLDEN ARMY!

On to the :

 JAMESON IRISH WHISKY 

DOUCHEBAG OF THE WEEK!

This one might not make sense to all of you...but 

there are a select few it will make perfect sense!

Some people are very upset the way their life has turned

out...to the point, that with every breath and every 

bit of dishonesty they will attempt to spread 

negativity about others...

It's sad..but the bottom line is, and the moral

to this story...don't let your buddies have your 

password to forums where they can make you

look like an idiot trying to spread fiction!

If your not happy the way life is turning out...CHANGE IT!

Air Force-Navy-Pitt-BYU-Stanford

When the history books are written...will this season be 

the "rebuilding year" because of the loss of Teo and Golson?

Or will this be the year that a team was born!

A year that the young talent rose up!

A year where at the darkest hour...the brightest light was born? 

We have an opportunity ahead of us....

We have the chance to show that our two fluke losses,

where exactly that!

We have a mission....The Future of Notre Dame football 

is very bright...

So...the big question is this....What does this CURRENT

team have the ability to do..by taking ONE game 

at a time....?

That's gonna be the Real light at the end 

of this season's tunnel!

This season and next...the IRISH are, and will 

remain a force to be reckoned with!

GO IRISH & GOD BLESS!