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Volume 56, Issue 33 | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
Brian Kelly leaves Notre Dame
ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer
Kelly accepts head coaching job at Louisiana State University By Observer Sports Staff
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story was published online on Nov. 30. In a move that has turned the college football world upside down, the LSU Tigers have hired Brian Kelly away from Notre Dame. The Tigers had a head coaching vacancy after parting ways with Ed Orgeron this season. National champions in 2019, LSU has gone just 11-11 in their past two seasons, with an upcoming bowl game to finish their 2021 season. LSU’s pursuit of Kelly was reported on Monday afternoon, with the first sources reporting that Kelly had accepted an offer that night around 8 p.m. A few hours later, a text from Kelly to his team was leaked, apologizing for the news being broken over social media and announcing a team meeting at 7 a.m. the following morning. By Tuesday morning, Kelly had not made any public
NEWS PAGE 5
statement but changed his Twitter bio to “Head Coach, @LSUFootball. #GeauxTigers,” while also changing his cover photo to an LSU graphic. Shortly after that, LSU released a statement, introducing Kelly as their new head coach. “Kelly, who will receive a 10-year, $95 million contract, plus incentives, will be formally introduced as the 34th head coach in LSU Football history at a press conference [at] noon CT on Wednesday,” the statement read. LSU’s director of athletics Scott Woodward commented on Kelly’s legendary status in the world of college football. “Brian Kelly is the epitome of a winner. He has built and sustained success at every program he’s led, from multiple undefeated regular seasons and National Coach of the Year honors to national titles and College Football Playoff berths,” Woodward said. “His see KELLY PAGE 3
VIEWPOINT PAGE 7
Swarbrick doesn’t name interim head coach, expresses confidence in football program By AIDAN THOMAS Associate Sports Editor
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story was published online on Nov. 30. In a press conference Tuesday morning, Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick addressed questions regarding both the immediate and long-term implications of the recent Brian Kelly news. The press conference lasted about 30 minutes. Prior to it, Notre Dame President Father John Jenkins issued this statement for immediate release: “On behalf of the University of Notre Dame, I want to thank Brian Kelly for a wonderful 12-year run as our head football coach,” Swarbrick said. “He led our program to great success and we wish him and Paqui [Kelly’s wife] the very best. Notre Dame Football is one of the most storied programs in the nation and our next coach will
SCENE PAGE 10
continue a winning tradition that reflects the University’s values.” Swarbrick expanded on some details, but some key decisions have not been made at this point. “Twelve years ago, this week, I was involved in a search for a new coach for the football program, and twelve years later, I find myself in the same role,” he said. “But the circumstances couldn’t be more different. 12 years ago, I was looking for a coach to fix a broken program. In my 14 years, this program has never been in better shape.” Certainly, coming off of five straight 10-win seasons, the football program is thriving. However, the lack of a head coach throws things into disarray, and solutions will need to be found soon. Swarbrick not stunned by Kelly news
While the news surprised many
SPORTS PAGE 16
see SWARBRICK PAGE 3
SPORTS PAGE 16
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TODAY
The observer | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
Question of the Day: ndsmcobserver.com
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What was your favorite cartoon show growing up?
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“‘Blues Clues’.”
“‘Tom and Jerry’.”
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“‘The Backyardigans’.”
“‘Scooby-Doo’.”
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“‘Spongebob’.”
“‘Magic School Bus’.”
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Notre Dame football traveled to Palo Alto, California, over Thanksgiving break to play the Stanford Cardinal. The Fighting Irish won the matchup 45-14, ending the season with a 11-1 record. The Irish have won the annual rivalry game the past three years.
The next Five days:
Want your event included here? Email news@ndsmcobserver.com
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Holiday Grief Drop-In 301 Coleman-Morse 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. Discussing challenges during the holiday season. Open to all.
Chorale 2021 Performance of Handel’s “Messiah” Leighton Concert Hall 8 p.m. Annual Chorale event.
“Educational Inequality” virtual 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Lecture with professor Anna Haskins.
Glee Club and Symphony Orchestra Concert Leighton Concert Hall 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Ticketed event.
Basilica Mass Basilica of the Sacred Heart 10 a.m. and noon Gather for mass inperson or online.
Discrimination and Harassment Module Training Saint Liam Hall 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. A GreeNDot event.
Acousticafe Hagerty Family Cafe 9 p.m. - 11 p.m. A night of live music featuring student performers.
Noel Miller Stand-up Comedy Special Mendoza’s Jordan Auditorium 7 p.m. Free, ticketed event.
Carroll Christmas Carroll Hall 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. Carroll’s signature event featuring horsedrawn carriage.
Winter Wonderland Pop-up Morris Inn 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Featuring food, drinks and live music.
News
ndsmcobserver.com | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021 | The Observer
Kelly
Swarbrick
Continued from page 1
Continued from page 1
credentials and consistency speak for themselves.” Woodward also commended Kelly’s efforts off of the field. “Most importantly, Coach Kelly’s players and programs exemplify excellence in all aspects of the student-athlete experience — in competition, in the classroom, and throughout the community — and he shares our values and vision for elevating our university and our state. We’re thrilled to welcome him and his family to Baton Rouge, and we are excited to work with him as we add to the championship legacy of LSU Football,” he said. In the statement, LSU included a note from Kelly himself. “I could not be more excited to join a program with the commitment to excellence, rich traditions, and unrivaled pride and passion of LSU Football,” Kelly said. “I am fully committed to recruiting, developing, and graduating elite student-athletes, winning championships, and working together with our administration to make Louisiana proud. Our potential is unlimited, and I cannot wait to call Baton Rouge home.”
fans, Swarbrick mentioned throughout the press conference that he wasn’t shocked by Kelly’s decision. Whether it was to save face for a program that is trying to maintain its status among the country’s elite or the truth, Swarbrick stuck to his guns. “There had been enough in the weeks leading up that led me to believe there were other things attracting Brian. I was not surprised.” Swarbrick noted that several “Freudian slips” from Kelly indicated to him that the former Irish head coach was open to new opportunities. He also said that Kelly had not discussed specific conversations with universities prior to Monday. Despite that, Swarbrick put more emphasis on moving on, rather than lingering on the recent developments, throughout the press conference. “It’s not Brian Kelly’s culture – it’s the culture built by the 118 young men on that team. Nothing they built will be diminished or lost as we move forward.”
Swarbrick won’t name interim, embarks on coaching search Swarbrick got this one out of the way early, and he reiterated the point throughout the press conference. “I feel less of a need to have a designated interim coach,” he said. “The staff is structured so we don’t need one. But if we feel a need to put someone in that position, they would not be a candidate for the job.” Swarbrick went on to say that any naming of an interim coach would be strictly in an operational capacity. It would be someone to make the “jump ball decisions.” This is particularly interesting with a potential Playoff appearance approaching for the Irish. Notre Dame needs a couple of results to fall their way this weekend to have a chance at cracking the top four. However, even if that happens, Swarbrick offered few details as to their plan. But as far as coaching in a bowl game, Swarbrick was sure to highlight and then reiterate that “Brian won’t be a part of that.” In regards to the long-term solution, Swarbrick said he had not reached out to anyone, although he has received a lot of
interest. He said, rather than keep a list of people, he has a list of characteristics. At the top of that list? The fit at Notre Dame is the crucial element. “It’s important that you understand and appreciate the uniqueness. That’s a critical element,” Swarbrick said. “Clearly understanding your approach to building and managing staff. What’s your approach to playing the game, what’s your style,” he said of some of the key characteristics he was looking for in the next Notre Dame coach. Marcus Freeman Up Next?
Shortly after that, LSU released a statement, introducing Kelly as their new head coach. The initial expectation was that the purpose of this press conference would be to name current defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman the interim head coach, although it became clear that wasn’t going to happen. Meanwhile, reports are beginning to surface that Kelly is trying to bring Freeman to Baton Rouge with him. The attempt promises to make him the highest-paid defensive coordinator in college football. LSU also seems to be aggressively pursuing Irish offensive coordinator
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Tommy Rees. Rees has been completely silent amidst the news. Freeman’s only action remains a retweet of Nolan Ziegler. The 2022 linebacker commit stated that he was still committed to the Irish. Notably, when asked multiple times on Tuesday whether head coaching experience was a necessary qualifier for consideration, Swarbrick refused to give a straight answer. “I don’t want to put a boundary on that.” Freeman looks to be the popular choice among recruits and players right now. The Irish’s top commits for each of their next two classes, linebackers Jaylen Sneed (2022) and Drayk Bowen (2023), are among a host of recruits to tweet their support for hiring the current defensive coordinator as the next head coach. Given the outcry for a Freeman hire, and how fast LSU appears willing to move to bring Notre Dame’s top coaches down South, Swarbrick may need to make a decision faster than he indicated in Tuesday’s press conference. Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu
BUSINESS
University partnership creates affordable housing By COLIN LINNEN News Writer
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story was published online on Nov. 22. Four students participated in a n internship t hrough Notre Da me’s Center for Civ ic Innovation (CCI) t his past summer to create affordable housing in t he loca l communit y. According to its mission statement, t he primar y goa l of t he CCI is “to promote t he common good by building pa rtnerships bet ween Notre Da me facult y, staf f a nd communit y organizations t hat foster innovative resea rch a nd educationa l programs.” W hile t he CCI focuses on a w ide va riet y of communit y investment initiatives, t he prima r y focus of t his specif ic program was work ing w it h Sout h Bend to create more af fordable housing in f ive areas of t he cit y: t he Nea r Nort hwest side, t he Near West Side, Kennedy Park, t he Sout heast Side and Rum Village. CCI internship program ma nager Lauren Lounsbur y noted collaboration bet ween t he Cit y of Sout h Bend, numerous mentors a nd t he interns was
v ita l to t he success of t he initiative. “Liz Meredit h and Tim Corcoran from [t he cit y’s] planning [of f ice] had t his project w it h t his specif ic Sears cata log of houses a nd pre-approved building plans,” Lounsbur y said. “They were working w it h consultants who wanted student involvement so t hey t hought [working w it h Notre Dame’s CCI] was a good pa rtnership.” Lounsbur y said t hat she “helped t he students on a reg ular basis” but t he project was “ver y student driven.” Managing director for t he Fit zgera ld Institute for Rea l Estate Jason Arnold also served as a mentor to students. Various private consultants and cit y planners met w it h students to of fer insights as well. W hile t he cit y has been work ing on t he project for severa l years, interns collaborated w it h t he planners and consultants to share t heir insights for eight weeks during t his past summer. Lounsbur y noted t he primar y goa l of interns was to “test t he consultants’ designs to see if t hey would work on lots in Sout h Bend.” W hile t he consultants were ma k ing t he site
designs, Lounsbur y said t hey “wanted t he interns to rea lly test t heir work.” In addition to testing feasibilit y of t he plans, interns sought to increase t he energ y ef f iciency of t he plans. The goa l of testing of t hese plans was to reduce sof t costs and augment sustainabilit y for homebuyers in t he long-r un, Lounsbur y said. Isabella Botello, a t hird year architecture student w it h a rea l estate minor, discovered t he internship opportunit y when she was emailed by A rnold. The project opened Botello’s mind to “t he af fordable housing rea lm of architecture” which she hadn’t t hought about before t he internship, she said. Botello said her favorite part was seeing t he f ina l project and being able to present it toget her w it h her teammates. She a lso noted she was shocked by what t he group delivered in a good way. Sophomore A ngelique Mbaba zi a civ il engineering major from Rwanda, learned about t he internship from her f irst year adv isor. She liked t hat t he project would help a lot of people. “The fact t hat t his project was impact-based is somet hing t hat resonates w it h
me t he most,” Mbabzi sa id. Mbaba zi k nows her experience on t his impact-based project w ill help her when she returns to her communit y in Rwa nda. “My countr y is a developing countr y,” she sa id. “This is somet hing I ca n actua lly go back a nd apply … The ma in goa l [of my career as a civ il engineer] is to have a n impact in my communit y.” Lounsbur y believes t his project was v ita l because students “lea rned a lot about t he communit y of Sout h Bend, interacted w it h professiona ls who ca re deeply about Sout h Bend a nd got to see more of t he loca l communit y outside of what t hey may be experiencing at t he Universit y.” Lounsbur y hopes t he interns v iew Sout h Bend as “more t ha n just a place where t heir universit y is located or where t hey even grew up t heir whole lives but didn’t get to rea lly experience it.” The progra m did cha nge t he Botello’s perspective of t he Sout h Bend communit y, she sa id. “As we a lways say Notre Dame is a litt le bubble sometimes,” Botello sa id. “I g uess I never t hought about ot her people outside of Notre Da me in t he surrounding neighborhoods …
It was a rea lization moment for me. A nd t here’s so much work to be done.” Botello a nd Mbaba zi bot h agreed t hat communication bet ween t he interns and t heir super v isors was t heir ma in cha llenge. They bot h believed t hat t he internship improved t heir abilities to clea rly express t heir t houghts to professiona ls. Lounsbur y believes t hat t he interns should wa lk away w it h a sense of conf idence because t hey were w illing to “t hink critica lly, work ha rd a nd stick w it h somet hing to solve a problem.” Mbaba zi noted t hat she now has t he sk ills to solve problems wherever she lives. “If I’m liv ing in a place where t here is a problem, I should actua lly tr y to f i x t he problem,” Mbaba zi sa id. Lounsbur y k nows her ma in ta keaway was relationship building. “There’s a lot of va lue in ta k ing time to rea lly build relationships a nd to get to k now t he people t hat live in t he communit y,” she sa id. Botello encouraged students to reach out to t he Center for Civ ic Innovation. “They’re wonderf ul a nd it was rea lly a n a ma zing experience.” Contact Colin Linnen at clinnen@nd.edu
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NEWS
The observer | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
BUSINESS
Investment Club invests in Leslie’s pool supply By MAGGIE EASTLAND Associate News Editor
As a por t ion of t he Universit y’s endow ment, Not re Da me’s Invest ment Club ma nages a $1.2 million por t folio of long equit y posit ions. The invest ment club boa rd invests in long equit y posit ions w it h t he intent to sel l securit ies when t hey reach a higher ta rget price. In t he last Invest ment Club meet ing of t he semester, sophomores Kev in Prata, Joe R iorda n a nd Lu ke Eversole pitched Leslie’s Inc. (NASDAQ : LESL), a sw imming pool supply store t hat hit public ma rkets in 2020. Leslie’s sel ls pool chemica ls, equipment a nd recreat iona l items, a nd t he compa ny saw a huge spike in revenue during t he COVID-19 pa ndemic as ma ny fa mi lies t raded t heir t ravel pla ns for pool const r uct ion pla ns. In t he wa ke of t his increase in home pools a nd t he ex pected f uture dema nd for pool ca re products, Prata, R iorda n a nd Eversole ex pressed a belief t hat Leslie’s has cont inued potent ia l for g row t h a nd a more t ha n 30.5% upside. The Invest ment Club boa rd ag reed a nd decided to init iate a posit ion. In t heir invest ment t hesis, t he tea m highlighted Leslie’s posit ion a nd compet it ive adva ntages in t he indust r y, t he compa ny’s room for ex pa nsion t hrough acquisit ions
MAGGIE EASTLAND | The Observer
Sophomores Kevin Prata, Joe Riordan and Luke Eversole, members of the Investment Club’s Leslie’s, Inc. pitch team talk through their financial model. Leslie’s Swimming Pool Supplies is the largest retailer of swimming pool supplies and related products. The company went public in 2020.
of more loca li zed compet itors a nd current underva luat ion due to sell-of fs resu lt ing f rom rest ricted stock ag reements. A mong sw imming pool equipment stores, Leslie’s holds more t ha n t hree qua r ters of t he ma rket, dominat ing a high ly f ragmented la ndscape, t he tea m sa id. They added t hat Leslie’s is t he on ly direct-to-consumer pool a nd spa bra nd w it h nat iona l sca le. Audience members cha llenged t his assumpt ion by suggesting t hat Pool Cor porat ion (NASDAQ : POOL) might
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be a compet itor; however, t he tea m ma inta ined t hat Pool Cor porat ion is not compa rable because it has no brick-a ndmor ta r stores a nd does not address t he resident ia l ma rket. Leslie’s of fers on line plat forms a nd brick-a ndmor ta r locat ions to capita li ze on e-commerce a nd inperson sa les oppor tunit ies. The compa ny a lso has a mobile app w it h more t ha n ha lf a million dow n loads. “We’re pilot ing t hat over 60 % of a ll on line pool a nd spa t ra f f ic is captured t hrough Leslie’s dig ita l plat form,” Eversole sa id. The tea m sa id Leslie’s has compet it ive adva ntages t hat w ill ensure t he compa ny cont inues to ga in ma rket sha re. These ad va ntages include ver t ica l integ rat ion t hat keeps costs low a nd ma rg ins high as well as st rong customer relat ions t hat drive recurring sa les. Specif ica lly, t he tea m sa id 80 % of Leslie’s sa les a re recurring, suggest ing Leslie’s of fers exper t ise a nd convenience t hat keeps customers coming back when t hey need to ser v ice t heir pools. The tea m compa red t he reg u la r sa les of chemica ls a nd ot her needed products to a n a nnuit y, or f i xed st rea m of f uture pay ments. “A crit ica l aspect of t heir business model is customer relat ions t hat create a nnuit y-like dema nd,” Eversole sa id. The tea m added t hat
Leslie’s operat ing ma rg in is more t ha n double t he indust r y average. They credit t his dif ference to ver t ica l integ rat ion, or compa ny cont rol over more steps of t he pool supply ma nufacturing a nd dist ribut ion process. “Leslie’s is a lot more cost ef f icient ma in ly because of its si ze,” Prata sa id. Leslie’s a lso boasts st rong past f ina ncia l per forma nce w it h 57 consecut ive yea rs of revenue g row t h a nd enough ea rnings before interest, ta x a nd a mor t izat ion to cover debt t w ice over. Despite t hese adva ntages, t he tea m sa id Leslie’s lagged behind t he S &P 500, a measure of t he overa l l ma rket’s per forma nce, a nd t he S &P 400, a measure of t he consumer ser v ices ma rket. “It’s a prett y bold cla im, but we believe t here is a ma rket inef f iciency,” Prata sa id. “If you have a n opportunit y li ke t his you have to ask why t he ma rket’s g iv ing you t his oppor tunit y.” Despite record revenues a nd ea rnings t hat beat expectat ions for t he last four qua r ters, Leslie’s is underper forming t he ma rket, a nd t he tea m sa id t hey believe equit y issua nces related to rest rict ion on when sha res ca n be sold a re responsible for t his. They demonst rated how t he t hree dips in Leslie’s price a l l fol lowed equit y offerings — or public sa les of sha res. The tea m ex pla ined t hat prev ious sha reholders may have been sel ling t he stock in a n ef for t to ma ke
a quick prof it but cla imed t hat “t he sel ling pressure isn’t necessa rily economic.” In ot her words, Leslie’s actua l va lue may be g reater t ha n t he current sha re price, creat ing t he potent ia l for invest ing ga ins. Look ing to t he f uture, t he tea m high lighted t hat Leslie’s ma nagers pla n to cont inue merger a nd acquisit ion act iv it y, enter t he professiona l pool supplies ma rket, innovate products a nd cont inue a push towa rd susta inabi lit y w it h products desig ned to conser ve water a nd chemica ls. The tea m believes Leslie’s w i l l mit igate potent ia l risks, such as substa nt ia l debt obligat ions, potent ia l new compet itors, increasing commodit y prices a nd a decrease in dema nd for pools fol low ing t he pa ndemic. The tea m predicts revenue w i l l decrease f rom t his yea r’s high but rema in above pre-pa ndemic levels as pool ow ners cont inue to dema nd supplies for upkeep. Fol low ing t he pitch, t he Invest ment Club boa rd decided to buy Leslie’s, adding to t heir reta i l indust r y holdings. “Even t hough t here a re risks associated w it h a ny invest ment, we were u lt imately comfor table w it h t hem a nd appreciated t he discount Leslie’s was t rading at relat ive to peers despite st rong ma rg in a nd g row t h prof i le,” sa id Jack ie Fletcher, a n Invest ment Club boa rd member. Contact Maggie Eastland at meastlan@nd.edu
News
SMC to require masks indoors Observer Staff Report
In an email Tuesday morning from COVID Response Team Chair and executive director of retention strategy Mona Bowe, Saint Mary’s announced immediate changes to its masking policies. “Effective immediately everyone on campus will be required to wear a mask indoors, regardless of vaccination status,” Bowe said in the email to students. “This protocol includes employees and students in any indoor space, including but not limited to academic buildings, residence halls, all common areas, and Angela Athletic & Wellness Complex.” This policy change is due to an increase in COVID-19 cases the school has seen in the past weeks, she said. “We have seen a notable increase in COVID cases in our Saint Mary’s community, with 9 student and employee cases reported between last Thursday and today,” Bowe said. Bowe noted that with only a couple of weeks left in the semester, the College is trying to avoid having students quarantined in the Mother Angela Care Center past finals weeks as they would not be able to travel home due to the quarantine or isolation period. The email added that employees can remove masks when alone in private areas and students can remove their masks when they are in their rooms and no guests are present. Bowe also reminded students the visitor policy has not changed. “The College will continue to welcome visitors to campus, asking that they honor the guidelines of Saint Mary’s and local health officials,” Bowe said.
ndsmcobserver.com | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021 | The Observer
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Notre Dame celebrates Advent By MEGAN FAHRNEY News Writer
Campus Ministry is planning a number of opportunities for the Notre Dame community this Advent season, from special prayer opportunities to masses. Advent Lessons and Carols is one prayer service that anyone may attend. It is a celebration of the Advent season that combines scripture readings and music from the Folk Choir, Liturgical Choir, Magnificat Choir and Basilica Schola. The service will take place Sunday, Dec. 5 at 7:15 p.m. in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. Another event, called Las Posadas, will take place Dec. 7 at 9 p.m. in Coleman-Morse Center. Las Posadas is a traditional re-enactment of Mary and Joseph’s search for a place to stay for the birth of Jesus. Participants walk door to door encountering rejections
until finally they are joyfully accepted. Fr. Brian Ching, rector of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, said while it may be tempting to rush right into Christmas, Advent is an important season itself. “There’s a very thoughtful intentionality to designating the four weeks prior to Christmas as weeks of preparation and weeks of expected hopeful waiting,” said Ching. “I think, for us as Christians, that journey is really beneficial to us.” Fr. Pete McCormick, director of Campus Ministry, said these next few weeks are very busy for students with final exams, but it is an important time to slow down and celebrate the coming of Jesus Christ. Ching said Campus Ministry tried to keep its Advent offerings simple because they know this is such a busy time of year.
“Rather than trying to give you six other things to do in the midst of preparing for finals, we try to keep it meaningful but relatively simple,” Ching said. The Basilica has quiet hours Dec. 13-17 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. During this time, except for masses and confessions, the Basilica will be open for anyone to come in for quiet prayer and reflection. McCormick said he encourages students to stop by the Basilica amidst the stress of finals to take a minute for prayer during the Advent season. “The Basilica is there for folks,” McCormick said. The Basilica continues to offer masses and confessions at the normal times. The schedule can be found on Campus Ministry’s website. Three Sundays of Advent remain — two of which will take place before winter break. The Solemnity of the
Immaculate Conception of Mary, a Holy Day of Obligation, takes place during the Advent season, on Dec. 8. The Basilica will have its usual masses at 11:30 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. to celebrate. Brett Perkins, assistant director for evangelization and religious education, said Advent means “coming,” which is important to embrace in the past and future to fully grasp the significance of the season. “I love Advent because of its way of drawing us out of the regular pre-Christmas hubbub and errands, to focus on two central Truths of our Christian faith: the Incarnation, God becoming man in the person of Jesus, and the Parousia, the Second Coming of Jesus at the end of time,” Perkins said. Contact Megan Fahrney at mfahrney@nd.edu
New dean sets goals for College By BELLA LAUFENBERG News Writer
“I imag ined myself on my deat hbed t hin k ing, ‘Oh, what did you do w it h your life ? I made ha ir more shiny a nd beaut if u l’ — I cou ldn’t be doing t hat.” Sa nt iago Schnell, t he new dea n of Not re Da me’s College of Science, bega n his ca reer work ing in t he beaut y ca re depa r t ment of Procter a nd Ga mble. It was t here t hat he rea li zed he had a dif ferent ca lling, he sa id — to cont ribute more to t he world t ha n just super f icia l beaut y. Prior to becoming a dea n, Schnell cont ributed substa nt ia lly to a n up-a nd-coming a rea of science : mat hemat ica l biolog y. Schnell sa id his unique underg raduate t ra ining at Universidad Simon Boliva r in Venezuela helped him in his chosen f ield of study. “[Universidad Simon Boliva r] forces ever yone to go t hrough a n adva nced mat hemat ics deg ree rega rd less of t he subject you ta ke,” he sa id. “The philosophy is t hat mat h actua lly prov ides you t he tools to be a n ef fect ive scient ist, ef fect ive eng ineer or a n ef fect ive schola r. So, it g ives you cla rit y of mind.” Schnell sa id t he universit y in Venezuela a lso required students to pursue a minor in a nonscient if ic discipline. He a lso ended up complet ing a minor in philosophy, which he
sa id helps him have a more comprehensive v iew of t he world. It was a f ter his underg raduate yea rs t hat Schnell brief ly worked at Procter a nd Ga mble a nd sa id he rea li zed his ca reer was mea nt to ta ke on g reater cha llenges. He t hen completed his doctorate in mat hemat ics at t he Universit y of Ox ford — a n easy t ra nsit ion, he sa id, due to t he adva nced deg ree in mat h he obta ined during his underg raduate yea rs. At Ox ford, Schnell specia li zed in mat hemat ica l biolog y. He sa id t his f ield a ims to contex tua li ze biolog ica l processes in mat hemat ica l models to help laboratories work more ef f icient ly. “I specia li zed on a f ield t hat was relat ively new at t he t ime t hat’s ca lled mat hemat ica l biolog y. It is where you a re t r y ing to f ra me biomedica l problems a nd chemica l products in mat hemat ica l terms,” he sa id. “If you have a ver y complicated hy pot heses t hat you need to test in t he laborator y, somet imes what you ca n do is you ca n test it f irst w it h a mat hemat ica l model.” During his doctora l studies Schnell focused on improv ing models for biochemica l pat hways, he sa id. On t he side, he a lso resea rched mecha nisms in t he format ion of t he backbone during development ca lled somitogenesis. This beca me t he basis for t he resea rch he
wou ld do for t he rest of his ca reer a nd t hat he cont inues to do at Not re Da me. “I ma in ly focus on doing hy pot hesis-driven resea rch, which I do as a tea m scient ist,” he sa id. “But what I do as a n indiv idua l scient ist is a l l measurement science.” Schnel l spent 10 yea rs complet ing his doctora l deg ree. He ex pla ined t hat it is a long process because, in order to receive a doctorate, a scient ist must cont ribute new k nowledge to t heir f ield. “W hen you’re doing t he Ph.D., you create t he informat ion in your tex tbook,” Schnel l sa id. “You ca nnot teach in t he classroom how to create new informat ion. The on ly t hing t hat ca n be taught is work ing closely w it h a not her scient ist.” Schnel l cont inued his ca reer resea rching a nd holding va rious posit ions unt i l he was hired as t he head of t he depa r tment of molecu la r a nd integ rat ive physiolog y at t he Universit y of Michiga n. He sa id t his posit ion leading a depa r t ment helped shaped t he rest of his ca reer. “It was a good ex perience for me because I lea rned how to impose st rateg ic pla nning w it h dea ns a nd facu lt y, negot iating a nd work ing w it h t he president’s of f ice, I end up gett ing a better ex perience of how t he resea rch enter prise works f rom t hat point of v iew, but as wel l f rom ot her
points of v iew, such as improv ing your prog ra ms, improv ing resea rch centers,” he sa id. At Not re Da me, Schnel l sa id he has a mbit ious pla ns he’d li ke to ca rr y out to improve resea rch centers a nd col laborat ions across colleges. “I’m in love w it h t his inst itut ion, t here’s so ma ny g reat t hings t hat ca n be done here t hat I wou ld li ke to have t he oppor tunit y to ma ke suff icient cha nges, a nd I have a n a mbit ious pla n,” he ex pla ined. “One t hing t hat actua l ly is missing is hav ing a uniform home where [a l l scient ists t hat] a re work ing w it h biomedica l processes ca n a ll communicate more of ten.” Schnel l a lso sa id he intends to f ind new ways to “ma ke more Domers,” such as increasing post-doctora l fel lowship posit ions w it hin t he Col lege of Science. Overa l l, Schnel l sa id he hopes to help foster a communit y of wel lrounded students who ca n ma ke good cont ribut ions not on ly to t he sciences but to societ y in genera l. “We need to create good huma n beings a nd understa nd how life works,” he sa id. “The mysteries of life, t hey don’t boi l dow n exclusively to t he chemica l components a nd t he physica l — t hey’re ... bigger t ha n t hat.” Contact Bella Laufenberg at ilaufenb@nd.edu
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The observer | Wednesday, December 1, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
Under the influence
Inside Column
Embrace the holiday spirit Sophia Michetti Scene Writer
My love for the holiday season stems from my excitement at seeing anything bright and shiny: the Christmas tree, the lights on houses in the neighborhood, the gleam off of the little plastic bows that my dogs try to tear off of presents every year. The holiday season is a time of giving and embracing the good will in the world and that sentiment can’t help but manifest itself in glittering lights and cheery music. In my dorm room, I embrace the holiday spirit by putting up an obnoxious amount of Christmas decorations because, after all, our busy schedules occupy ourselves away from all of December’s holly jolly glory. For college students, December has another association that stands out in our minds: finals season. Nearly three out of every four students experience some sort of mental health crisis throughout their college career, and this everyday stress that comes with being a full-time student is compounded in December when final projects, exams and papers start popping up on our calendars. Plus, with students’ workloads and schedules becoming immensely heavier this year as the University transitions back to normalcy on-campus, it seems like time’s slipping away this semester, so how could there possibly be any time to enjoy this festive time? The Christmas season is a time of renewal as we start looking toward a new year — and a new semester, too. Even though we’re all focused on our classes coming to a close, we also need to take some time to destress and appreciate all of the joy and hope in the world around us. There’s a lot going on this December. Trust me, I get it. Still, there are still ways for us to feel the seasonal magic for these next few weeks oncampus before we leave Notre Dame for winter break, so here’s my tips on embracing the holiday spirit: Watch holiday episodes from your favorite show. Notice how I said “episodes from your favorite show” and not Christmas movies. It can sometimes be hard to commit to taking the time out of our days to plan a movie night, but students often find moments in their days to put on Netflix or watch quick episodes while multitasking with their homework. When you find these moments, take a second to google the holiday episodes from your favorite shows, whether it’s “Forgiveness and Stuff” (1x10) from “Gilmore Girls,” “The One With the Routine” (6x10) from “Friends” or “Dwight Christmas” (9x09) from “The Office.” Streaming services are at your fingertips, so use them! Listen to Christmas music whenever you can. When I say “whenever” you can, I mean whenever you can. Make a Spotify playlist with your favorite holiday tunes to listen to when you’re walking to class or doing homework. One of the fastest papers I have ever written was a USEM paper freshman year that I banged out in the library on a Friday night while listening to the Christmas iHeartRadio station. That was the night I learned the magical secret of how Christmas music can raise your productivity. Spend time with your friends! We have less than three weeks on-campus during this fall semester, so take advantage of your best friends being in one place. Take some time to get dinner with your friends, study together or plan a couple of hours where you can just chill together. One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is spending time with family and friends and appreciating having those people in my life, so try to find a few minutes of peace with the people you love during the time we have left together. If you’re feeling stressed about what’s to come as the semester winds down, you’re not alone. In addition to finding comfort in your fellow students, the University Counseling Center and University Health Services are available as resources on-campus to help students get through stressful times. I implore all of you to take advantage of these resources if you need someone to talk to or are concerned about your health during finals. One of the hardest things to do as a college student is to have the confidence in yourself to blow every single assignment out of the water when the time comes for finals week, but we all have it within ourselves to finish strong. Remember the special nature of the time we’re in now, and embrace the holiday spirit to brighten your final days at school this semester a little bit more. Go Irish, beat finals and happy holidays! You can contact Sophia at smichett@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Eva Analitis The Flip Side
Ever y yea r, I ca n never help but not ice t he sta rk cont rast bet ween t he Thursday a nd Friday of Tha n ksg iv ing brea k: On Thursday, we gat her a round t he table laughing w it h loved ones a nd passing a long stea ming dishes of homemade foods, going to sleep w it h our stomachs f u ll a nd our hea r ts g ratef u l, on ly to wa ke up t he nex t morning a nd swa rm t he stores as t hough we don’t have enough. It’s a lmost as if Tha n ksg iv ing Day is a prepa rator y purge for t he g reed we’l l let over ta ke us in t he mont h t hat follows. The average adu lt is surely quite fa mi lia r w it h t he Black Friday f ren z y a nd has a lready come to terms w it h t he materia lism t hat ma rks t he biggest shopping day of t he yea r. It’s a lways ex isted in our lifet imes a nd is ing ra ined in our cu lture. Ever ybody k nows t hat Christ mas has become a high ly commercia li zed holiday a nd it’s preceded by a season of sa les a nd shopping. If you wa nt to stay out of it, just stay home — don’t hit t he stores ! I w ish it were rea lly t his simple to stay on t he sidelines of t he materia list ic madness. But it’s no longer a matter of just going to stores ; stores come to us. The rea lm of reta il has ex pa nded its reig n, a nd we’re stuck in t he midd le of it whet her we like it or not. We f ind products a nd adver t isements cont inuously t hr ust upon us, a nd shopping k nows no bounda ries of t ime or place. I cou ld ma x out my credit ca rd f rom t he comfor t of my couch at 4 a.m. if I wa nted to, long a f ter t he doors to t he ma ll close for t he night. Not to ment ion, I ca n’t even read a resea rch a r t icle for a histor y paper I’m work ing on w it hout a PacSun ad popping up on my screen. The sta r t of t he holiday season has felt especia lly suf focat ing t his yea r, t ha n ks to t he rise of socia l media inf luencers. In t he pa lm of our ha nds, we f ind a n end less ma rketplace of products a nd a n end less st rea m of people encourag ing us to purchase t hem. “Ta ke a look at my new hau l f rom Za ra ! ” “RUN to H&M a nd get t his jacket ! ” “You NEED t hese sunglasses f rom A ma zon,” we hea r t he second we open a n app on our phones. We’re consta nt ly bomba rded w it h show ings of shopping sprees a nd made awa re of new t hings we lack, a nd before we k now it, we have a dif ferent coat for ever y day of t he week even t hough t hat one f rom t wo yea rs ago works just f ine (or maybe t hat’s just me). Now, I’d be disingenuous if I t ried to por t ray myself as some sor t of minima list who shuns shopping a nd is per fect ly content w it h what she has. Shopping is one of my favorite past imes — I love to look a round stores w it h my f riends, my mom a nd even by myself a nd admitted ly f ind pleasure in building a wa rdrobe t hat ex presses myself a nd ma kes me feel conf ident. A nd to be clea r, t here’s not hing w rong w it h seeing a popu la r item, f inding it appea ling a nd wa nt ing one for yourself. But lately, I’ve been feeling consumed by consumerism. The worst pa r t is t hat a ll of t his consumpt ion breeds unf u lf illment. You’d t hin k t hat a f ter you buy severa l sweaters
a nd a new pa ir of jea ns f rom t he ma l l, you’d feel sat isf ied — excited to wea r your new clot hes. But in rea lit y, you go home w it h v isions of mercha ndise sw irling in your mind a nd beg in ma k ing a menta l list for your nex t shopping t rip. A nd you open up Instag ra m on ly to f ind inf luencers post ing discount codes to t he new loungewea r set ever yone is wea ring, a nd Ti kTok to a v ideo of someone tel ling you to r un to Ta rget immediately to get your ha nds on t heir f resh ly stocked products. Under t he inf luence of inf luencers, you ca n never have enough; your purchases w i l l pi le up unt i l t hey absorb you. The cu lture of consumpt ion not on ly ma kes us feel as t hough our wa rdrobes a re inadequate, but t hat our ver y selves a re, too. Rat her t ha n dressing in t he clot hes we t hin k suit us best, we feel t he need to get t he t rendy items f looding our For You Pages. A nd when t hey don’t look as stunning on us as t hey did on t he inf luencer w it h ten mi l lion fol lowers a nd a tea m of professiona ls edit ing her photos, we feel cr ushed inside. Looks li ke we’l l just have to buy a not her pa ir of jea ns in hopes t hey’l l f it us better. I’m not sure of t he best way to nav igate our new world of inf luencers a nd ex t reme commercia lism, but it is clea r t hat consumerism has crept into ever y corner of our lives a nd t hat t he more we accumulate, t he more we feel we lack. Of course it’s okay to shop on line a nd to wa nder a round t he ma l l ever y once in a whi le — I cer ta in ly do. But we must not let ourselves fa l l dow n t he rabbit hole of t he holiday season or Ti kTok fashion f inds. For myself, I k now t his w i l l mea n limiting my ow n use of socia l media a nd pract icing mindf u l rest ra int when I encounter t he inev itable slew of adver t isements a nd inf luencers. Sure, I cou ld delete my socia l media accounts a ltoget her to evade t he comma nds to consume. But why must I choose bet ween inundat ion a nd isolat ion? I orig ina l ly joined Ti kTok to sha re f unny v ideos a nd cook ing recipes w it h f riends, a nd Instag ra m to post photos a nd stay in touch w it h high school classmates. No one asked for t hese t wo plat forms to become shopping centers t hat show more adver t isements f rom inf luencers t ha n content f rom f riends. We cou ld a l l use a clea nse f rom consumerism, especia l ly as we enter t he t ime of yea r when it r uns most ra mpa nt. In a period when so ma ny t hings a re easier t ha n ever, it ca n actua l ly be more diff icu lt to engage in hea lt hy behav iors. The new conveniences t hat ex ist when it comes to shopping have lef t us w it h t he new cha l lenge of curbing our consumpt ion. W hi le it’s g reat to have people on socia l media whose content we enjoy a nd whose st yle t ips or product recommendat ions we va lue, we must be conscious of how much we let t hem a f fect our lives. It fa l ls on us to escape t he inf luence of inf luencers. A former resident of Lyons Hall, Eva Analitis is a senior majoring in political science and prehealth. Even though she often can’t make up her own mind, that won’t stop her from trying to change yours. She can be reached at eanaliti@nd.edu or @evaanalitis on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.
The observer | Wednesday, December 1, 2021| ndsmcobserver.com
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My Notre Dame bucket list 14. Be my ha l l’s (v ice) president 15. L ive w it h my best f r iends
Julianna Conley In My Own Words
During t he w inter brea k follow ing t he f irst semester of my f reshma n yea r, I created a Not re Da me bucket list. Ta lk ing w it h ot her classmates, t his creat ion is not unusua l. A g irl in my ha l ls made a check-list of dorms, to ma ke sure she made a f riend f rom ever y corner of ca mpus. A not her boy told me he ca lled up a n a lumnus cousin a nd ta l ked about t he ND “musts” t he summer before he even moved in, because he was so worried about not achiev ing t he ent ire Not re Da me ex perience. A f ter I got a taste of a ll ND had to of fer, rea li zing t here was so much I wa nted to do I cou ld ba rely keep t rack, I opted for t he bucket list. Met icu lously, I resea rched Not re Da me t radit ions, t hought about stories I’d hea rd f rom upperclassmen in my dorm, a nd contemplated a l l t hat I wa nted to ex perience during my four yea rs under t he dome. As I cont inued t hrough my school yea rs, hea ring about f riends’ ex periences a nd memories, I added new to-do’s. Now, rev isit ing t he list as I w rap up t he f irst semester of my senior yea r a nd head into my last semester ever, I rea li ze my list isn’t just a check list for what I’ve accomplished during my four yea rs, but a lso a gauge by which to measure how my idea of “college” has cha nged during my four yea rs. I’m a ma zed by how much I’ve checked of f w it hout even rea li zing, but a lso pleasa nt ly sur prised by how much I st ill have to look for wa rd to. To-Do’s I’ve Accomplished : 1. Do touchdow n push ups 2. See t he m id n ig ht d r u m mer’s ci rcle a nd t r u mpets u nder t he dome 3. Visit Duck Isla nd 4. Watch t he Keena n Rev ue 5. Ma ke it i nto co-recreat iona l i nt ra mu ra l spor ts tea m 6. Play f lag footba l l i n t he stad iu m 7. Compete i n t he Fisher Regatta 8. Attend a nd stay u nt i l t he end of ever y home ga me 9. Pa r t icipate in t he m id n ig ht snowba l l f ig ht a f ter f i rst snow fa l l 10. Stor m t he f ield a f ter a n excit ing footba l l ga me 11. Ju mp i nto t he la ke 12. For m a close relat ionsh ip w it h at least one professor 13. Travel to a n away footba l l ga me
Things I Still Wa nt to Do : 1. Watch t he su n r ise over St. Joseph’s La ke 2. Visit ever y dor m on ca mpus (must go into a person’s room — lobby doesn’t cou nt) 3. Pa r t icipate in at least one of each dor m’s sig nat u re events 4. Step foot in ever y bu i ld ing on ca mpus 5. Go to t he top of t he bel l tower on t he Basi lica 6. Ru n t he Holy Ha lf 7. Win a n interha l l cha mpionsh ip 8. Tr y out t he rock climbing wa l l 9. Go dow n in t he t u n nels 10. Ma ke a snow ma n 11. Conv ince my f r iends to en rol l in a da nce class at St. Ma r y’s w it h me. 12. Do t he Pola r Plu nge 13. Attend a Ma rch Mad ness ga me 14. Stor m t he cou r t? 15. Ta ke a rea l ly, rea l ly f u n class about somet h ing ra ndom. Just because. Of course, look ing at t he list in my notebook, t here a re items I’m no longer interested in, like becoming a tour g uide or f ight ing in Ba ra ka Bouts (a lt hough I did t ra in w it h t he women’s box ing club for one season !). There a re cha llenges t hat a re no longer impor ta nt to me, like sing ing on a “big stage” (a bold desire for f reshma n Ju lia nna, considering she never joined a choir or audit ioned for musica ls), or seem f un but a ren’t a priorit y, like da ncing at “Sa lsa’s Night” at Legend’s. There were some bucket list items, too, t hat were a litt le sad to read, k nowing t hey ca n never be checked of f, whet her due to poor pla nning or unforeseen circumsta nces, like pa r t icipat ing in a n (I)SSLP. Reading t hrough t he list, t hough, I a lso rea li ze how ma ny shining high lights of college weren’t on my bucket list. Sure, I didn’t study abroad as I had hoped to, but I did get to w in a n ice crea m eat ing contest aga inst st ra ngers at 2 a.m. in t he basement of La Fun, which I never wou ld have even t hought to w ish for. My lack of pla nning may have kept me f rom gett ing to play ever y interha ll spor t, but it a lso a llowed me to disrega rd prev ious obligat ions to attend Glee Club’s impromptu midnight t roubadour concer ts by t he dome. My dorm may not have won Ha ll of t he Yea r while I was here (as of now… I believe in you, Genie ! !), but I was pa r t of t he execut ive boa rd t hat created a n env ironment t hat won PE “most suppor t ive communit y”.
Sure, my four yea rs have been f i l led w it h touchdow n push ups a nd f lag footba l l a nd so ma ny of t he ot her Not re Da me t radit ions I hea rd about during my tour, but t he hea r t a nd sou l of my t ime rests w it h t he ex periences I never cou ld have imag ined when ma k ing my lists. W hen I t hin k of t he memories I’m most t ha n k f u l for, I t hin k of me a nd my roommate snea k ing a f u l l si zed t ree into our room for “a mbience”. I t hin k of blow ing f reezing bubbles a nd eat ing brow nies in bla n ket for ts during a n unex pected snow day my f reshma n yea r. I t hin k of play ing nood le hockey in t he basement of Lew is Ha l l as a residence counselor during Summer Schola rs a nd apply ing last minute to a n Appa lachia semina r t hat int roduced me to f riends who now feel li ke fa mi ly. I t hin k of how a last minute inv itat ion for Sunday night pasta dinner f rom a g irl I ba rely k new f rom w rit ing class turned into a week ly t radit ion t hat even remote lea rning during COV ID cou ldn’t stop. I t hin k of racquetba l l ga mes in t he Rock, where not one of my f riends k nows t he r u les. A nd of seeing t he Ecumenicha l Pat ria rch Ba r t holomew in Sout h Bend, India na, of a l l places, a f ter spending ma ny a Sunday School lesson lea rning about him at my Greek Or t hodox church back home. I t hin k of Zumba classes w it h my litt le sister, whose presence at Not re Da me is a n unex pected high light in a nd of itself. A nd of long wa l ks a long St. Joseph river last yea r during “t he pause” t hat made me rea li ze for t he f irst t ime how beaut if u l Nor t hern India na is. As I look for wa rd to my senior yea r, I st i l l wa nt to check of f as much of my bucket list as I ca n, but I must confess, I’m most excited for t he act iv it ies a nd occasions t hat a list cou ld never predict. The ridicu lous t hemed pa r t ies, t he sponta neous drives for Cu lver’s chocolate custa rds, t he too long ta l ks in t he libra r y t hat inev itably occur when bot h pa r t ies most need to get work done. W hen I t hin k of t he t ime I have lef t at Not re Da me, I’m excited for a l l t he t hings I’ve been look ing for wa rd to, but I’m most excited for a l l t he t hings I’m not.
Julianna Conley is a senior studying sociology and pre-health studies with a minor Journalism, Ethics and Democracy. Though she is forever loyal to Pasquerilla East B-team athletics, Julianna now lives off campus. She can be reached for comment at jconley4@nd.edu or @JuliannaLConley on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.
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The observer | Wednesday, December 1, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
The delivery requirement Devin Humphreys Law, Life and the Lord
“For your penance, offer a prayer of gratitude for your Catholic faith.” I was given this task by a priest in the confessional a couple of weeks ago, and after offering that prayer, I kind of fell down a philosophical rabbit hole: what does it mean that the faith is my own? The possessive pronoun “your” implies that my faith is a thing I have, or a possession I have acquired. What if there were an entire body of law dedicated to mediating the relationships between people and their things and possessions … Sure enough, such a body of law does exist. Each spring, first-year law students at Notre Dame Law School take Property, a survey course on the wide variety of legal frameworks dealing with the stuff we have and the relationships people have with each other where that stuff is implicated. You name it, property law probably has something to deal with it. How could Taylor Swift legally re-record “Fearless” and “Red?” Look to intellectual property law and its separation of the copyright of a song from the copyright of a recording! How do we decide who gets to use how much water for what? Look to water law (yes, that’s a thing), with its different rules in West Coast and East Coast states on that very question. Oil, gas, minerals, dinosaur bones, name/image/likeness, visual art … all of these have bodies of law with more or less internally consistent principles of their own! But during the semester, students learn at least two important things (more go unmentioned here) that are relevant to my internal philosophical dialogue about “my” Catholic faith. First: all title is relative. Traditionally, the common law would not recognize an absolute owner of anything; the law would only recognize someone as having a better property right than another. So, for instance, if I sue Matthew claiming that I own a parcel of land (keeping with the tradition of every 1L Property casebook ever, let’s call it Blackacre), and Matthew counterclaims saying he’s the actual owner, the court could find for me and say that against Matthew, I’m Blackacre’s rightful owner. Great, I have a property right … not so
fast. If Mark then sues me saying he’s the actual owner of Blackacre, the court could come right back and affirm that claim instead. The court wouldn’t have just pulled a legal flip-flop – the whole point is that Mark has a better “claim of right” than I do to Blackacre, but I have a better claim of right than Matthew. But if all title is relative, then who has the best claim of right in all the land? In the United Kingdom, that would be the king. So, the government, acting in the name of the Crown, could declare any property royal and that would be the end of it, for all title is relative. (Here in the States, while the ability to do this is restricted by the Fifth Amendment’s requirement that the holder of a property right infringed by the government be given “just compensation,” federal and state governments both retain and use this authority, and a majority of states still use the philosophical underpinnings of relative title to justify the move.) And so it goes with my faith: while I might have better title to the Catholic faith (though not by much) than someone who isn’t Catholic, all title is relative, and at the end of the day, we only have the faith that we do because we were given that faith by God. Given, I say? Yes, indeed, which gets us to the second thing: when gifts are given among the living (inter vivos), these three requirements are all that remain: intent, acceptance and delivery, and the greatest of these is delivery. While Lucius Malfoy (of the Harry Potter series) might have a case at common law that his “gift” of a sock to Dobby the house-elf fails for lack of intent, the vast majority of salty givers of things are going to make the case that the gift was not delivered properly. So the common law recognizes three (four, if you have a sense of humor) ways that a gift can be delivered. The first is “actual delivery” — if I literally hand you the thing I mean to give you, and you take the thing from me (thereby accepting it), that’s it; you have been given the thing, no ifs, ands or buts about it. But what about things that can’t be handed over like that, like cars or land? There, the law recognizes “constructive delivery.” If I give you the keys to my car, intending by that delivery to give you the car itself, then you own the car. Likewise, if I convey land to you by writing up a deed and handing you the deed, then you own the land. This is simple enough.
But what if it’s not land (so I can’t write a deed) and there’s not some connection to the item, like keys to a car? Sometimes, courts will recognize the “symbolic delivery” of a gift, like giving “keys” to a painting that the gift-giver has decided to hold on to for safekeeping. And then there’s “B.S. delivery,” describing the times where courts want to find that a gift was given but kind of have to make up how it was “delivered” to satisfy the delivery requirement. So how does the common law of inter vivos gifts apply to faith? The answer is this: since it is through Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Communion that we are initiated into the faith; Holy Communion, Confession and Anointing of the Sick that we are nourished while of faith; and Holy Orders and Matrimony that we unite our faith with our life vocation, each of these sacraments constitutes the delivery of the gift of faith from God to us. The Catechism calls the sacraments “efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us” (CCC 1131). This isn’t B.S. delivery. It’s not symbolic delivery. It’s not even constructive delivery — if the Catechism says the sacraments are efficacious, the only conclusion is that we’re dealing with actual delivery here! Further, it’s clear, from these sacraments’ having been instituted by Christ, that our Heavenly Father intends to give us this gift. So all that’s left is for us to accept. As the season of Advent (my favorite liturgical season!) begins, finals approach and the temptation to fall into the Culture of Busy becomes ever more present, may we claim the faith as our own this week, accepting delivery of that gift which God has intended to give us all along. Devin is a member of Notre Dame Law School’s class of 2023. Originally from Farwell, Michigan, he is a 2020 graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College. In addition to serving as a teaching assistant at the law school, in his free time, he sings with the Notre Dame Folk Choir and discusses the legal developments of the day with anyone who will listen. He can be reached at dhumphr2@nd.edu or @DevinJHumphreys on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
The Notre Dame football paradox The Irish fa n a nd t he Irish Cat holic a re in ma ny ways t he sa me : a lways st riv ing for a n impossible sta nda rd, look ing eterna lly for wa rd for days when t he pea k of ea r t h ly joy w ill come. In t he Bria n Kel ly era, t his rea lit y has become pa lpably pla in. Kel ly, t he w inningest coach in school histor y. Kel ly, t he leader of a tea m who made t he playof f t w ice in t hree yea rs. Kelly, t he jov ia l a nd reformed head of a prog ra m he seemed to be inva riably committed to. But too, Kel ly, t he red-faced a nd a ng r y. Kelly, t he ca n’t-w in-a-big-ga me-to-save-his-life. Kelly, t he sta ndof f ish leader, who ca n’t seem to connect w it h his players in t he way a Dabo Sw inney or Nick Saba n ca n. The Not re Da me fa n a lways wa nts what she ca n’t have. I’m not sure t hat a nyone rea l ly appreciated Kelly — t r u ly, mad ly, deeply — unt i l he was gone. Were we rea lly going to erect a statute of him outside of Not re Da me Stadium? Or a re we just mad because we got dumped? At t he hea r t of Kelly’s depa r ture lies a simple t r ut h, unfat homable in t he eyes of t he Irish fa n: t hat Sout h Bend is not t he f ina l dest inat ion. W hat ma kes Bria n Kelly’s depa r ture sur prising is not t hat it happened at a ll, but t hat it happened when it did. Kelly wasn’t f ired — his 2020
ex tension made it seem like he’d be in Sout h Bend unt il 2024. The rema rkable rea lit y is t hat Kelly, seemingly at t he height of his colleg iate coaching ca reer, wa nts to be somewhere else but Not re Da me. That, in t he hea r ts a nd minds of t he Irish fa it hf u l, is unfat homable. In t he lore of college footba ll, t he elusive na me, nature a nd t radit ion of t he Not re Da me ma ke t he job as its head coach seemingly t he pinnacle of a ll t hat is good a nd holy in t he world. That Kelly wou ld priorit i ze a ny t hing over t hat — be it money, recr uit ing f reedom or even wa rmer weat her — is a shock to t he Not re Da me fa n’s system. The depa r ture of Kelly reminds us of a sta rk yet indisputable t r ut h: for as lauded a nd fabled as his job was, it is one more ta x ing a nd dif f icu lt t ha n a rg uably a ny ot her in college spor t. The recr uit ing rest rict ions, t he academic const ra ints, t he mora l sta nda rds, t he endowment considerat ions — Not re Da me’s Cat holic ident it y, classroom sta nda rds a nd v ir tue prove inva riably rest rict ive. I’m not sure a ny of t hose t hings a re present at LSU. The last t ime a Not re Da me coach lef t Sout h Bend for a not her college tea m was 1907, when Thomas Ba rr y (t wo seasons) latera led to Wisconsin. Since t hat t ime, t here have been 22 Irish head coaches, a few notable na mes — like
K nute Rock ne, Fra n k Lea hy, A ra Pa rseghia n a nd Lou Holt z — a mong t hem. Of t hose 22, 12 of t hem, a f ter leav ing Not re Da me, never coached col lege footba l l aga in. It’s t he Not re Da me pa radox — never sat isf ied, but a lways t he gold sta nda rd. The most fabled prog ra m in col lege spor ts, but one t hat’s impossibly dif f icu lt to ma nage. Perhaps, as Irish fa ns, we’ve subjected ourselves (in some ways) to eterna l miser y. A re we forever subject to our Stock holm Sy ndrome ? Wit h Ma rcus Freema n, I t hin k not. A f ter 133 seasons, a nd on ly one Black head coach, it’s t ime for Not re Da me to recog ni ze ta lent, poise, leadership where its appa rent. Freema n has t he t r ust of players a nd recr uits, has proven he k nows how to w in a nd of fers a smoot h t ra nsit ion in t he Kel ly’s seismic wa ke. Freema n represent a reunif icat ion of t he prog ra m t hat a n outside hire does not. Perhaps t he key to t he pat h out of t hat eterna l miser y lies is a lready in t he ha nds of one of Not re Da me’s ow n — t hat his na me is Freema n is preposterously poet ic. Ellen Geyer class of 2021 Nov. 30
The observer | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
By RACHEL HARTMANN Scene Writer
In “Hellbound,” the world is thrown into chaos when huge, terrifying demons appear and drag sinners to hell. These demons appear on the date and time specified by a mythical creature who appeared to the sinners before. As these demons appear more and more, religious extremism grows as individuals call these events the will of God. The show opens with a group of teenagers watching a video of the religious cult leader of the New Truth Society, Jeong Jin-soo (Yoo Ah-in), which claims the demons are the work of God and shows the demons beating a man to the pulp. A man nearby stares at the clock and as it strikes 1:20 p.m., the demons appear and charge at him. People around the area scramble for cover as the demons tear apart the cafe and attack the man witgch viciousness. It is bloody, horrific and terrifying as we watch the man try to escape the three demons before they send him to “hell” with a bright light. Created by Yeon Sang-ho (“Train to Busan”) and based on the Webtoon of the same name, this horrorthriller follows those who oppose the religious cult and are trying to get to the truth behind the demons, like
By ROSE ANDROWICH Scene Writer
Christmas movies are an interesting genre to explore. You have the utmost Christmas classics, and then you have the genre I like to call “horrible Christmas films.” The irony of “Love Hard” is that in some ways, it’s a failure to even the horrible Christmas films. Have you ever watched a horrible Christmas movie, but loved it for that exact reason? I admittedly can enjoy a “bad” movie by spending the whole time poking fun at it. But the problem with this movie is that there’s nothing to poke fun at. It’s a ton of cliches strung together, and it severely lacks characters that you can enjoy watching. Natalie, for example, is one of the most annoying characters I have ever watched. Admittedly, my favorite part of the movie was her humiliation. When Natalie (Nina Dobrev) meets Josh (Jimmy O. Yang) and realizes that she had been catfished, she immediately goes to a bar and sees Tag (Darren Barnet), the guy Josh catfished her with. She accepts Josh’s help to set them up, but in doing so, lies to Tag. The single most satisfying scene in the movie is when Tag calls her a hypocrite — her response to being catfished is to catfish. Natalie is a character that is easy to dislike, which is a flaw in any movie. The main characters should be sympathetic. I at least found it easier to sympathize with Josh’s struggle than Natalie’s. He was a guy who tried to be
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police detective Jin Kyeong-hoon (Yang Ik-june). As we watch the world grapple with the supernatural, we too wonder what would happen if demons suddenly came and started violently dragging people to hell. Would we too rely on our religious faiths to explain the situation, claiming that all the people are sinners who got what they deserved? Or would we fight against the supernatural to figure out what is really going on? “Hellbound” is a social commentary on religious extremism as well as on what humans do in the face of the unknown. In just six episodes, we watch society fall apart as it confronts the supernatural. These bloody, horrifiic and somewhat cartoonish creatures are imbued with spiritual meaning — without any proof that this is the case — and are accepted as the natural work of a higher being. Humans like to believe that only bad people would be sent to hell, so they try to logically explain this phenomenon. Thus, the doctrine proposed by extremist groups such the New Truth and perpetuated by militant groups like the Arrowheads is accepted and held as fact. In a sense, it is a criticism of the manipulation of people by organized religions, as well as how extreme religious zeal can get. For me, I found it hard to watch “Hellbound” at many moments. It was very graphic and violent, qualities I do not tend to enjoy. I did, however, find myself deeply
contemplating the social commentary the show provides and watching more to see what would happen next. I was thoroughly disgusted by both the supernatural and human characteristics in the show, but that was the point. At times, I also found it hard to keep up with all the different characters and the smaller plot lines. However, the director did a great job of keeping the show fast paced and keeping us on our toes. I never knew what was going to happen next, as there were many twists and turns. You should definitely watch this show if you are into dark fantasies which are gripping, violent and binge-worthy.
honest on his dating profile, but found himself not getting matches. He was easier to forgive because I honestly would have been surprised if he hadn’t lied about something. But as I was watching the movie, it became increasingly boring because of how easy it was to figure out what would happen next. “Love Hard” took several predictable plots and rolled them together, thinking they would create something cohesive. They did not. You might think that predictability requires some basis in reality. However, Natalie returns to her job after ignoring her editor for two weeks about writing an article. These expectations for a journalist to produce content were not realistic. Which brings me to my next criticism: the characters who are the most likable get the least screen time. My personal favorite character was Natalie’s friend Kerry (Heather McMahan), who was the only person in the movie who made me laugh. But she was barely in the movie! The side characters in “Love Hard” were more entertaining than the main ones. The movie just makes mistake after mistake with what the audience wants. They think the audience will somehow care about the predictable plot lines, or that they’ll love the boring and oftentimes annoying characters. With (most of) the negatives out of the way, I can now move into the very few aspects I enjoyed. As I mentioned before, I liked the side characters such as
Kerry, Grandma June (Althea Kaye) and Josh’s parents. I found it hilarious how Josh’s brother “caught” Natalie cheating on Josh with Tag. For some reason the brother obsessed with his younger brother’s love life is hilarious. I wonder where I’ve seen that before ... oh, “Sonny with a Chance.” No wonder I liked it! See, the aspects I liked were either barely there or stolen from somewhere else. Which is why, on this day, I am choosing to give “Love Hard” zero shamrocks. They had all the opportunities to make this a good movie — they even had good actors! — but they didn’t understand what their audience wanted. I can’t even laugh at how bad this movie is, so please, don’t waste your time hoping for a Netflix original to be good.
Contact Rachel Hartmann at rhartma4@nd.edu
“Hellbound” Director: Yeon Sang-ho Starring: Yoo Ah-in, Yang Ik-june, Kim Hyun-joo If you liked: “Squid Game,” “Sweet Home,” “Train to Busan”
Contact Rose at randrowich01@saintmarys.edu
“Love Hard” Director: Hernán Jiménez Starring: Nina Dobrev, Jimmy O. Yang, Darren Barnet If you liked: “Squid Game,” “Sweet Home,” “Train to Busan”
MAGGIE KLAERS | The Observer (Image Sources: IMDb, Heaven of Horror & Soompi)
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The observer | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
By OLIVIA SEYMOUR Scene Writer
Exploding with extravagance and chaos, Ridley Scott’s new film “House of Gucci” uncovers the treacherous and oddly operatic tale of the Gucci family’s downfall, complete with backstabbing betrayal, furious family feuds and spectacular scandal. The movie manages to push aside the red-and-green-striped leather and the golden, billion-dollar trademark to expose the Gucci dynasty as a ruthless, yet strangely sympathetic, Italian family that ended up tearing themselves and their legacy apart. At times, the film is utterly ridiculous, but I also believe it to be a highly accomplished and greatly intoxicating drama about greed and glory. Lady Gaga leads the pack as the cunning and ambitious Patrizia Reggiani, a middle-class social climber who claws her way to the top of the heap after marrying into the Gucci name and claiming it as her own. All eyes were on Gaga as she stepped into this demanding role, and she has proven herself as an actress that can effectively portray both the doe-eyed young girl craving love as well as the manipulative businesswoman with a hunger for fortune. Her Patrizia is a mixture of innocence and power, vicious and vulnerable at the same time. While Gaga’s fame as a singer makes her a surprising point of interest for movie-goers, it is the raw talent and the fervor shining through her glowing eyes that makes her truly unforgettable in her fierce embodiment
By EVAN McKENNA Managing Editor
Lorde’s work has always been mindful of cohesion. Even in the New Zealand native’s first record, “Pure Heroine” — a 10-song collection hastily thrown together after the unpredicted success of “Royals” — an underlying theme feels palpable: teenage turmoil, suburban boredom and the angst of growing older. And 2017’s “Melodrama” is essentially a concept album, mapping the singer’s thoughts on love, loss, heartbreak and hedonism across the events of a single house party. So it seemed safe to assume that “Solar Power,” the singer-songwriter’s long-awaited third studio album, would follow suit, building itself from the ground up around a strong, cohesive theme. And this time around, Lorde seemed to have her sights set on a message of environmentalism. The trash dotting the otherwise spotless beaches in the album’s first music video — meant to be a celebration of New Zealand’s natural beauty — seemed to foreshadow larger conversations about the climate crisis. And in the name of waste reduction, Lorde’s team would forgo the production of CDs, instead opting for the diskless “Music Box,” a plastic-free and “forwardthinking” alternative with a digital download code. But this theory would soon be chopped down. “Solar Power” might be a lot of things, Lorde told
of such a complex character. Adam Driver is an actor with incredible range, and his portrayal of Maurizio is equally stoic and goofy, presenting the law student-turned-leader as a cautious individual who becomes dangerously fascinated with the brassy Patrizia. We see him change from someone who wanted nothing to do with the family business into … well, a Gucci. Al Pacino also shows an admirable ability to play a softer character compared to the darker, more hardened mafia men we normally see him step into on-screen. His Aldo is pushy and driven, but oddly compassionate and ultimately quite likable. Jared Leto is perhaps the most absurdly impressive of all. He is nearly unrecognizable as Aldo’s idiot son Paolo — bald and swimming in facial prosthetics that only emphasize his purely farcical character. Leto’s antics paired with Driver and Pacino’s sincerity and Gaga’s ferocity make for a spectacular mess, a movie from which it is nearly impossible to look away. Apart from the dynamic acting and the dramatized plot line, the film is also a jukebox delight. The use of music throughout the story is simply brilliant, tying in classic ‘70s and ‘80s anthems from artists such as Donna Summer, Blondie and Eurythmics. I actually laughed out loud when George Michael’s “Faith” began to play during Patrizia and Maurizio’s wedding, as well as during the final court scene, when Tracy Chapman and Luciano Pavarotti’s duet “Baby Can I Hold You”
appeared as Patrizia was convicted of murder. As preposterous as it seems, the music matches the rest of the film perfectly, creating a quirky take on the demise of one of the most notorious fashion empires. “House of Gucci” is a heap of madness. It’s long, it’s campy and the Italian accents are all over the place. Occasionally, you wonder how this can possibly be a true story. For such an over-the-top film, however, it also has its moments of surprising vulnerability. My favorite is when Aldo learns that his son has sold his shares of Gucci, and even though Paolo has screwed up for seemingly the millionth time, Aldo cannot help but wrap him in his arms and whisper, “You’re an idiot, but you’re my idiot.” I guess you could say that’s how I feel about the entirety of the film.
The Guardian in June, but it wouldn’t be her “big climate change record.” So what would it be instead? Fans eagerly awaited the album’s release to find out — but when “Solar Power” finally hit the airwaves, they realized the answer might not be as simple as they thought. For many, “Solar Power” seemed to draw a line in the sand. Critics weren’t too impressed. Longtime and hardcore fans were disappointed. Twitter had a field day, and they blamed it all on Lorde’s newfound happiness. Immediately following its release, most negative reviews of “Solar Power” condemned the vast stylistic departure from its predecessors — without much care for the consequences, the album trades the emotional intensity and skintight production of Lorde’s earlier discography for ambivalent messaging and f lowy, meandering melodies. Lyrics that once spoke to entire generations may now only resonate for those who have experienced a summer in New Zealand. And songs no longer end with a bang; they fade out without much fanfare, and often without a bridge or a second verse. But that was more than three months ago. It’s December, and the Northern hemisphere is far from “Solar Power” weather — we all had the chance to have our hot Lorde summer. Now, with hindsight on our side, an even larger problem emerges: a distinct
lack of the thematic cohesion that Lorde is known for. “Solar Power” feels like an album being pulled in two different directions. While “Pure Heroine” and “Melodrama” both stuck to their respective storylines — whether they be suburban teen angst or house party heartbreak — the tone of “Solar Power” ebbs and f lows like a riptide. This tonal discordance is manifest in the album’s tracklist: “Big Star,” an admittedly heartbreaking elegy for Lorde’s late dog Pearl, directly precedes “Leader of a New Regime,” an irreverent interlude that tells the story of a celebrity escaping to an island with her magazines and designer dresses, satirizing upper-class naivete in the face of the climate crisis. Turbulent transitions like these happen more than you would expect across the 14-track album, and they leave “Solar Power” feeling like two halfalbums mashed into one. Oscillating between these two wildly different tones, the listener is left dazed and confused somewhere in the middle — and what even is the midpoint between intimate introspection and climate catastrophe? But this doesn’t mean the album’s not worth a listen. Read the rest of this story on our website.
Contact Olivia Seymour at oseymour@nd.edu
“House of Gucci” Director: Ridley Scott Starring: Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Jared Leto, Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, Salma Hayek If you liked: “The Godfather”
Contact Evan McKenna at emckenn2@nd.edu EMMA KIRNER | The Observer
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ndsmcobserver.com | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021 | The Observer
Crossword | Will Shortz
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Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Weigh the pros and cons before you progress. Turn every negative into a positive, and keep your life simple, moderate and doable. An independent, do-it-all attitude will prove to work in your favor. Take note of what others do, but formulate and execute plans in a unique fashion. You won’t be disappointed in the results you get. Your numbers are 8, 15, 21, 24, 30, 37, 46. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Take a backseat, be patient and listen carefully. You stand to win if you understand your place, value and the best way to gain by accommodating others. Don’t take a risk with your health, reputation or investments. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A sudden change will backfire if you take on too much too fast. Take a moment to work out the logistics, and you’ll realize what’s required if you want to become successful. Self-improvement projects are in your best interest. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Explore new possibilities, and use your skills to achieve something you want to conquer. Taking a diverse approach to life, work and happiness will bring stellar results and encourage exciting partnerships. Dedicate more time to educational pursuits and a promising future. CANCER (June 21-July 22): An incident will arise if you let your emotions take over. Focus on doing the best job possible, and you will receive recognition for a job well done. Refuse to let jealousy or insecurity cause a rift with someone you love. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Spend more time nurturing what you’ve worked so hard to build and the relationships that are meaningful to you, and you’ll feel good about your accomplishments. Make arrangements that will help stabilize how you live and conduct your life. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): YAim high and refuse to let anything or anyone stand in your way. Your expectations will exhaust you, but the rewards will replenish your soul. Hard work pays off, and wasting time arguing a moot point will slow you down. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Put your heart and soul into making your surroundings more convenient and comfortable. Your strength will come from doing what’s best for you. Pay attention, expand your mind and put your energy where it will encourage prosperity and praise. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Refrain from sharing personal information or revealing how you feel. Be a good listener; it will give you the upper hand when dealing with peers, friends and relatives. Take a unique approach to life, and you’ll enjoy more and stress less. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Be clear about what you want and plan to do. Speak from the heart, and address matters that will help you get ahead. Don’t underestimate others or take on more than you can handle. Inconsistency will hold you back. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Make rational decisions. If you let your emotions take over, you will regret the promises you make. Put your health and personal needs first. Take a creative, energetic approach to work and how you handle money. Romance is in the stars. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Put more thought into investments, contracts and your lifestyle. Choose a healthy, fit way to live, and you will be happy with the results. Looking and feeling your best will give you the boost you need to do a good job. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Mull over how you feel about your relationships with others. Make a point to reach out to someone who shares your beliefs and long-term goals. A healthy conversation will help resolve issues that can hold you back. Birthday Baby: You are emotional, caring and persistent. You are unique and astute.
Sudoku | The Mepham Group
Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek
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The observer | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
football column
On the ground
Home game, warmer weather Aidan Thomas Associate Sports Editor
Editor’s note: A version of this story was published online Nov. 29. Stanford holds the dubious distinction this season as being one of two home teams to have their field stormed by opposing fans. That happened just last week against Cal, who decimated the Cardinal 41-11 in their major rivalry clash. Fans of the Golden Bears invaded Stanford Stadium and celebrated with their squad on the grass field afterward. That’s about as embarrassing as it can get on your home turf. Given Stanford’s lack of a home-field advantage, it being Thanksgiving weekend and Notre Dame’s national fanbase, perhaps it’s no surprise the Irish were a vocal presence in Palo Alto on Saturday. No, Notre Dame didn’t storm the field after handling business against the Cardinal – a third straight victory in the series by 21+ points didn’t merit such excitement – but they had the numbers to do so. The Notre Dame takeover honestly started at South Bend Airport. There, we headed to our gate (two and a half hours ahead of time thanks to a lovely series of delays) and met several Notre Dame fans who were on the same flight, ready to invade Stanford. They mostly approached us due to our Notre Dame apparel and our apparent knowledge of which gate our flight was at (shoutout to our photographer Allison for checking the board at the airport and not being an app-reliant Gen Z-er like myself). But, as we boarded the flight, the Notre Dame hoodies, hats, and general paraphernalia flooded the Boeing-787. Stanford football clearly doesn’t bring too much excitement to the area. When picking up our rental car in San Francisco, barely 25 minutes from campus, an employee asked three college-age students clad in Notre Dame gear what we were doing in town. It felt obvious, but maybe there truly was a lack of knowledge or care regarding the game. We spent Friday night in San Francisco, with no interaction with any Stanford fan. We did get to go to Inn-Out Burger, which was definitely a highlight of the trip, but I’ll leave my reviews (largely complimentary except for the fries) of the West Coast burger chain for another time. The weirdly quiet feeling continued into the next day, as the Observer traveling troupe headed to Stanford’s campus in the late morning. A gameday visit to the Notre Dame bookstore is a daunting task and requires a time commitment to wait in a long line. At Stanford, we meandered through the bookstore, running into a few fans and checking out in under three minutes. One Stanford-clad fan actually asked us what time kickoff was. Well, to clarify, he asked the bookstore cashiers – who also didn’t
know the answer and asked us. Palo Alto…not really a football town. After a breakfast stop, which revealed to us the brutal reality that is California food prices, the tour of campus continued. An eerily quiet campus was populated by a handful of students, what looked like a small wedding ceremony, and a hefty dose of Irish fans. Even walking and driving through a row of what looked like fraternity houses revealed little noise or gameday hype. Student sightings were few and far between. Only a drive closer to the stadium revealed any kind of tailgating scene – with one catch. A large number of blue and gold tents were spread through a couple of parking lots of pre-game tailgaters. As we searched (for longer than we care to admit) for the media parking lot, we passed a lot full of almost entirely Irish fans. This of course led to a spontaneous blasting of “Shipping up to Boston” in our car. The Notre Dame takeover was in full effect. In the stadium, it continued. The loudest pregame noise came from the early-arriving Notre Dame fan section, which was watching the live stream of the Iron Bowl on the big screen with great interest as Alabama nearly took their second loss of the season. Maybe the second-loudest pregame noise came as various Notre Dame positional groups took the field for warmups. Had it not been for the large, iconic Stanford logo in the middle of the field, this game could have easily been mistaken for an Irish home game. The Notre Dame invasion was met by little resistance from the Stanford home crowd. Be it the 3-8 record, a depleted student section largely still home on break, or a blowout that never was competitive on the field, the Cardinal did not really challenge the visiting crowd. When junior linebacker Jack Kiser notched a tackle for loss on Stanford’s first play, a raucous “Let’s Go Irish” chant rippled across the stadium. Maybe the only source of life seen from the Stanford fans was when Irish senior linebacker Bo Bauer was ejected for targeting and Stanford engineered their only marginally successful drive of the first half. The noise reached a high when Stanford ran a successful fake reverse for what appeared to be a touchdown, but a block below the knees brought it back. Stanford’s drive stalled, and Irish fans again reminded Palo Alto of their presence. By the end of the 45-14 victory, there was a host of blue-andgreen clad fans crowding the seats surrounding the visitor’s tunnel. The Irish threw gloves, sweatbands and other game-worn items to their supporters. Stanford, meanwhile, sang their alma mater to a small contingent of Cardinal fans.
Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu
Thomas: Root for the Irish to make the CFP Aidan Thomas Associate Sports Editor
When Notre Dame lost to Cincinnati on October 2nd, I, like most of the student body, was devastated by the result. Not only had the Bearcats talked so much trash leading up to the game, only to back it up with a strong on-field showing, but it was the first home loss I’d ever witnessed at Notre Dame Stadium. Later, hanging out with a group of friends in what amounted to be a give-and-take therapy session among Notre Dame juniors, I mentioned I was glad the loss at least eliminated Notre Dame from the Playoff conversation – the Irish had a winnable schedule and to make the CFP with the disaster of an on-field product they were putting out there sounded horrible. Why would I root to be blown out by Georgia, Alabama, or whichever team was fortunate enough to draw the Irish in the opening round? However, the narrative has changed. For one, Notre Dame has a very real chance at making the Playoff. A chance that was deemed nearly dead by college football experts across the country is very much alive. Once seemingly impossible, a second consecutive appearance in the semifinals is just one or two results away from happening. The Irish are 11-1 following Saturday’s road 45-14 victory over Stanford. Tuesday’s CFP Committee rankings will give the Irish a true idea of what needs to happen on Conference Championship Saturday. Regardless, head coach Brian Kelly was vocal about his team, stating repeatedly that they were a top-four team in the country during his postgame press conference. Think Brian Kelly wants another shot at a national championship? He’s got no interest in a moral victory. Here are a few reasons why I came around to the idea of Notre Dame making the Playoff – and why you should as well. Notre Dame is trending upwards OK, reason No. 1 is an obvious one. But Notre Dame is absolutely playing their best football of the season. Just about every metric backs that up. The offense is actually averaging more points per game than the 2020 squad. Defensively, even without All-American
safety Kyle Hamilton, Marcus Freeman’s unit has been absolutely stellar, particularly down the stretch. Offense The offense ranks in the top 30 via points per play. However, that considers a series of sluggish performances in the first five games of the year. Taking a moving average of three-game samples over the final half of the season, Notre Dame has been a top-10 offense, which figures to be much more competitive against the national powerhouses. This has been due to the evolution of the Irish’s tempo approach, improved play from the offensive line, and emerging freshmen stars such as running back Logan Diggs and wide receiver Lorenzo Styles. Defense Defensively, the Irish went three straight games without giving up a touchdown. Since giving up 34 points to UNC on Oct. 30 in their first game without Hamilton, the Irish have dominated, giving up 23 points over the final four games. This defense is peaking and getting contributions all over the field. From sophomore converted wide receiver Xavier Watts contributing at rover, sophomore Ramon Henderson switching to safety, graduate student defensive line captains Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa and Kurt Hinish starring in leadership roles, sophomore edge Isaiah Foskey terrorizing opposing quarterbacks, and a deep linebacker room filling up the stat sheet, this defensive unit is operating with the utmost confidence and obliterating opposing offenses. This team is trending the right way. Find video from Brian Kelly’s press conference after the Stanford game - that’s a confident coach leading a team that’s ready to compete for a title. Notre Dame’s most likely opponent is VERY beatable The Quarterback situation Georgia is not a lock to win the national championship this season. And honestly, I wouldn’t be betting on the Bulldogs. I stand firmly on that statement until I see them do something offensively that changes my mind. The recent trend in national championship-winning teams has been an incredibly dynamic offense. And in particular, an NFL-ready quarterback. Mac Jones, Joe Burrow, Trevor Lawrence, Jalen Hurts/
Tua Tagovailoa and Deshaun Watson - those are the six quarterbacks of the last five national champions. For those keeping track at home, that’s two No. 1 overall picks, five first-round picks and six signal-callers drafted in the first two rounds of the NFL draft. Now, let’s introduce Georgia’s Stetson Bennett. A quarterback of a similar caliber? I think not, and this Georgia offense is simply not on the same level as the teams Notre Dame has had to face in previous years of the Playoff. 2020 Alabama averaged just under 50 points per game entering the Playoff, and in 2018, Clemson was putting up about 44. The Irish held both teams to 14 and 19 points less than their season averages. Georgia is averaging 38 points per game – if Notre Dame can put up a similar defensive effort, a win becomes attainable. Strength of Schedule Yes, the Georgia defense is incredible. They are giving up under eight points a game. But who exactly have they played? Excuse my inability to rush to the SEC’s manger with gold, incense, and myrrh (a little Christmas spirit for y’all), but Georgia’s best win is… Kentucky? Maybe a four-loss Arkansas team, or a 6-6 Auburn squad? Cue the confetti, this squad must have already won a national championship with the praise it gets from the mainstream media. Georgia’s eight SEC opponents went a combined 24-40 in conference play - they didn’t exactly play the cream of the crop. Keep in mind, Tennessee scored 17 points against Georgia. The defense can be scored on, and if Notre Dame puts up a solid defensive effort against an offense that isn’t world-beating, taking a loss isn’t a guarantee. Recruiting Implications If Notre Dame were to make it to the Playoffs and get blown out again, the Irish would certainly be subject to some ridicule from the media. You’d probably have to deal with your annoying non-Notre Dame friends and family again. But honestly, if the biggest reason you want Notre Dame to miss the Playoff is that you can’t handle a couple of negative headlines and some jabs from people around you… get over yourself, respectfully. Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu
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Stanford Continued from page 16
just a mere blip in the rearview for them that they encountered during their warm-ups. Notre Dame had the mentality of a veteran quarterback who just gave up a pick-six. Even though Auburn’s heartbreaker against Alabama didn’t say anything about how this Notre Dame team has played up to expectations for this season, it could’ve been the nail in the coffin for any playoff hopes that they had. The Irish, who have been trending up in the past few weeks, wanted to give the CFP committee something to chew on as they chiseled in their rankings. The Irish would get off to a fast start as the Cardinal went three & out and punted on their first drive. Then, they committed two offsides penalties. The Irish took advantage of the flags and a 33-yard reception from senior wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. set up the first touchdown. Graduate student quarterback Jack Coan delivered a 16-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Braden Lenzy. The ball would switch possessions a couple of times with little chances on either side. It was almost beginning to look like it would need to be the Irish defense to show up in the matchup that Vegas had favored Notre Dame in by more than 20 points. Up just 7-0, the Irish would conclude the first quarter driving into Stanford territory. They would open the second quarter with a 15-yard reception to Lenzy that would put them on the Cardinal doorstep. Coan would find senior tight end George Takacs in the endzone to cushion the Irish lead, 14-0. Then it would in fact be defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman’s defense who would come up big. Senior vyper Justin Ademilola would strip the sophomore Cardinal quarterback Tanner McKee. Ademilola fell on the ball and set up the Irish with prime field position. Unable to fully capitalize, the Irish would settle for a 36-yard field goal off the boot of graduate student kicker Johnathan Doerer, adding to their growing lead, 17-0. The Irish would get the ball back after forcing another three and out. Junior running back Kyren Williams punched it in for the Irish to boost the margin to 24-0. By the end of the first half, Stanford had accumulated four first downs to Notre Dame’s 15. The Irish had put up 234 total yards of offense to the Cardinal’s 47 at the end of the first half. Stanford had also accumulated 44 yards on their six penalties. It seemed like it was all downhill sledding for the Irish from here on out. However, a Jack Coan interception set up the Cardinal inside Irish territory. With only 13 yards of field to work with, Marcus Freeman’s defense surrendered a touchdown from junior Cardinal running back Austin Jones. This would give the Cardinal a bit of life at 7-24, but it was too little too late. The veteran quarterback, Coan would answer the bell on the very next possession rocketing a ball through a narrow window to find Austin Jr. for the biggest play of the evening, a 61-yard pass that was mere inches from turning into a touchdown. Coan would finish the job on the ground
ndsmcobserver.com | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021 | The Observer
with a QB sneak that brought him into the endzone, restoring the domineering Notre Dame lead to 31-7. The Stanford offense could just never seem to get it going. Through the whole game, the Cardinal’s longest drive consisted of 7 plays good for 24 yards that ate up 3:44 of clock and resulted in a punt. The Cardinal finished the game with 11 possessions of four plays or less, 5 of which were three and outs and two of which were turnovers. On the contrary, the Irish offense flowed through the hands of the veteran Coan. Coan would finish the evening 26-35 for 345 yards with two passing touchdowns and a rushing score to boot. With 0:08 remaining in the third, however, freshman QB Tyler Buchner would take the field, replacing Coan for the first time in the game. Buchner’s presence was felt right away. Sophomore running back Chris Tyree churned out a 33-yard gain after the Cardinal were forced to respect the opposing quarterback’s legs as well as his arm. A couple of plays later the freshman would find green. The field opened up in front of him allowing him to scramble another 33 yards into the endzone for a cozy 38-7 lead heading into the home stretch. The Cardinal would be able to strike the end zone again as the Irish defense gave up a 49-yard strike from McKee to sophomore tight end Benjamin Yurosek. This would bring the Cardinal closer to the line Vegas drew, but still pretty far from within striking distance of the Irish at 14-38. A late-game strip by sophomore cornerback Clarence Lewis after a completed pass all but sealed the game for the Irish. Senior safety Houston Griffith notched the recovery. Kyren Williams would find the end zone one more time late in the fourth to seal up the Irish victory, 45-14. The dominant performance put the Irish in a sound position heading into the bowl season. The Irish were able to end their season on a strong note and were able to outperform the vast number of critics. When asked how he was able to flip the trend of his team, head coach Brian Kelly got serious. “Trust in them and then they have to trust in themselves. So building that trust in practice, that confidence that we believe in them and that we’ll put them into the game and say ‘you’re ready for this, you’re built for this.’ I think that’s probably the most important thing that we make them know that we believe in them, then they’ll go out and compete for you.” When Kelly was asked what was up with the cheers and ‘chug’ chants that were coming out of the visitors’ locker room at Stanford Stadium, Kelly was a little less serious. “Yes. So after each game, I chug a fifth of Jameson Irish whiskey. You guys didn’t know this? More folklore. We put some Gatorade in the Legends trophy, we started doing that a few years back and I like to chug the Gatorade out of the Legends trophy after we win. So you guys are now up to date.” Kelly said, slapping the table and ending his postgame conference. Contact Jimmy Ward at wward@hcc-nd.edu
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Football FEATURE
Mayer enjoys recordbreaking season By AIDAN THOMAS Associate Sports Editor
With just under ten minutes to play in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game, Notre Dame true freshman quarterback Tyler Buchner rolled right and dumped a pass to sophomore tight end Michael Mayer for minimal yardage. In a game that the Irish controlled, leading Stanford 3814, it wasn’t a very noticeable play, Mayer hasn’t always been a flashy player. He’s a gritty, go-through-younot-around-you type of player who seemingly never fails to have a major impact on the game. All that being said, there was one meaningful stat that emerged from the reception. It was Mayer’s 63rd of the season, tying the all-time single-season record for a Notre Dame tight end. For a program that has pumped out NFL tight ends with the best of them, that’s certainly a noteworthy accomplishment. It didn’t take long for Mayer to set the record either, and this one brought a little more bang for its buck. As Notre Dame orchestrated its final scoring drive of their regular season, quarterback Jack Coan found his favorite target for 34 yards to spark the final scoring drive. That was #64, giving Mayer the sole record. However, the sophomore was quick to spread the credit. “I’m so appreciative of what everyone’s done for me. Game in and game out, [the coaches] put in an awesome game plan for me and for the offense,” Mayer said. “I don’t beat this record without those coaches, without the other eleven guys with me on the field.” Even more impressive? Mayer broke the 2011 record of Tyler Eifert, who has been playing in the NFL since being a first-round draft pick in 2013. However, Eifert’s record wasn’t completed in the regular season — he needed six catches in the Champs Sports Bowl that season to secure the record. Mayer continued to pass along the credit: “This record isn’t broken by me, it’s broken by the team.” Mayer also continued to move up the leaderboard, moving into third all-time in Notre Dame tight end history in career receptions (106). He’ll need just 35 yards in Notre Dame’s postseason to set the singleseason receiving yards record for an Irish tight end. This week, it was revealed that Mayer wasn’t a finalist for the Mackey Award, which is given to the best collegiate tight end. Kelly had plenty to say about that after the game. “He’s not a finalist for the Mackey. Maybe that was … an oversight,” head coach Brian Kelly said, offering a sarcastic pause to emphasize his disdain for that decision. “Maybe they’ll get back together to revote.” Mayer didn’t lean into any extracurricular comments regarding the voting: “I think the social media reaction spoke for itself. I’m focused on the next game and not going to
worry about what I can’t control.” Mayer has been a contributor to the Notre Dame offense since playing in every game as a true freshman. Over the first eight games of his career, his presence was noticeable but not groundbreaking — Mayer averaged 2.6 receptions per game. However, over those final four games of 2020, his chemistry with quarterback Ian Book really developed, and the Irish fed their freshman tight end. He notched 5.3 catches per contest against Notre Dame’s final quartet of opponents, becoming a mainstay in the Irish offensive game plan. After Notre Dame graduated eight offensive starters, Mayer was seen as the surest thing in the offense in 2021, but he would have to adjust to a new quarterback and a new role as a leader in the tight end room. From the first game of the season, it was clear the heightened responsibilities wouldn’t make the sophomore blink. Against Florida State, under the lights in hostile territory, Mayer recorded a 41-yard touchdown reception on Notre Dame’s first offensive possession of the season. He finished with 9 catches for 120 yards. The follow-up effort? A 7-catch, 81yard effort with two touchdowns, including the game-winner on Notre Dame’s final drive. On Saturday, Mayer reinforced a comment he made after those early performances. “I don’t believe anyone in the country can cover me one-on-one,” he said. Mayer was essentially a healthy scratch this season against Virginia Tech. In every other game of his career, he’s recorded at least one reception. The 6’4, 251-pound matchup nightmare terrorizes opponents weekly. And as the receptions, yards and touchdowns piled up, the Notre Dame record books began to reflect it. No one has slowed down Mayer in recent weeks. Going into the Stanford contest, Mayer had averaged 5.6 receptions per game over the past seven contests, those numbers limited by the game script. Notre Dame had won their past three games by 28, 25 and 55 points, limiting the need for a second-half passing attack. After another strong effort on Saturday, Mayer has recorded 7+ receptions on six occasions in 2021 with five touchdowns on the season. As Notre Dame really got into their season-ending hot streak, Mayer continued to be a focal point of the offense. He did a little bit of everything; against UNC, the sophomore absolutely demolished his blocking assignment to spring junior running back Kyren Williams for a 91-yard touchdown run. He tacked on 51 receiving yards in that game. “He’s complete in every facet ... a beast,” Kelly praised Mayer. “He’s a guy that you double, and he finds
himself open — a difference-maker vertically. And he is a leader off the field.” Two weeks after UNC, against Virginia, Notre Dame targeted Mayer early and often. He produced a touchdown and an absurd highlight-reel catch. The Independence, Kentucky product trapped an underthrown pass against his defender’s back, hauling in one of his most impressive receptions of the season. He finished the Virginia game with a gritty seven catches for 84 yards. After that effort, Kelly sang his praise for the sophomore, calling him a ‘freak’ and noting that Notre Dame scripted their offensive attack around a heavy dose of targets for Mayer. Mayer is far from a secret. Even Kelly was willing to admit the Irish plan to get him the ball frequently. Yet, no one can seem to stop him. Against Georgia Tech, Mayer broke free down the seam for a 52-yard touchdown reception — a career-long. That sparked an 84-yard performance, his fifth effort of 80+ yards in 2021. He made that six against Stanford. On Saturday, in Palo Alto, Mayer continued to do Michael Mayer things. #87 for the blue and gold was all over the field. He issued a punishing block to spring another big run for the Irish in the red zone. “I take tons of pride in my blocking. I’ve definitely upped my blocking since last year,” Mayer said, before discussing his fellow tight end, senior George Takacs. “Me and George, I don’t think there’s a better 1-2 punch of blocking tight ends in this country.” The blocking was good again, but Mayer was again extremely active in the passing game. With nine catches for 105 yards, Mayer again made his presence known throughout the game. And, while Mayer continues to wow on the field, his presence as a constant threat, plus his off-the-field leadership, has opened up opportunities for the other Irish tight ends. Takacs notched his first touchdown reception of the season on Saturday, notching a 2-yard reception for the score. Mayer drew plenty of red-zone coverage on the play, allowing Takacs to exploit a 1-on-1 matchup. Mayer praised the senior: “Takacs has worked his tail off all year. I’m glad it’s coming to fruition,” Mayer said of his teammate. “I’m so happy for the dude. He finally got his.” Few words can effectively sum up Mayer’s impact on the Fighting Irish over the last two seasons. Kelly, among a lot of other postgame comments, said it best. “He’s one of the best, if not the best, tight ends that I’ve ever coached.”
Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu
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Sports
The observer | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
Fallout Continued from page 16
are the best part of this job.” Meanwhile, there’s also some immediate short-term fallout. Notre Dame’s season is very much not over. The Irish have a significant chance of playing in the College Football Playoff this year, pending a couple of results from conference championship weekend. It appears, however, the Irish will have an interim head coach for whatever major bowl game they play in. Will the College Football Playoff committee discredit the Irish for their lack of a head coach when making their final rankings? The concern is certainly a real one. ‘Notre Dame is still Notre Dame’: Social media reacts to news Current players express confusion, wish Kelly luck It’s a stunning move in every regard. Brian Kelly, just eight days ago in a press conference said this with regards to leaving Notre Dame: “No. I mean, look … Unless the fairy godmother comes by with that $250 million check, my wife would want to take a look at that first. I’d have to run it by her.” Now, barely one week and one Notre Dame win later, Kelly is out of South Bend. It’s a move that appears as shocking to the players and Notre Dame football community as it was to the general public. Some of the Irish’s top offensive players were the first to talk on social media. Freshman wide receiver Lorenzo Styles kept his thoughts short with a tweet that said “smh ..,” while junior running back Kyren Williams posted “that’s crazy.” Senior receiver Braden Lenzy expanded a bit, tweeting “Chase the bag, business first I get it. Best of luck.” Some current players confirmed their continued commitment to winning a national championship. Sophomore vyper Isaiah Foskey kept it brief, noting “Notre Dame is still Notre Dame!” in his tweet. Williams, junior linebacker Marist Liufau and senior defensive lineman Jayson Ademilola were among the players retweeting similar messages. In one of the more interesting developments of the night, the “Inside the Garage” podcast, featuring Irish safety Kyle Hamilton and cornerback Cam Hart among others, voiced their support for hiring Freeman as the head coach. Hamilton noted that when Freeman came on as defensive coordinator, it felt like “we had known him for years.” Recruits weigh in 2021 Notre Dame graduate Mick Assaf hosted a Twitter Space on Monday evening, taking input from fellow Irish alum as well as incoming recruits. In the conversation, the class of
2022 commits were largely represented by four-star tight end commit Eli Raridon. Raridon noted that many recruits were ‘scared’ to say anything publicly, but he did say: “Most of us are 100% locked in if Marcus Freeman is hired [as head coach] … a lot of us didn’t commit just because of the coaching.” He then added, “I have faith in this program.” Raridon wasn’t the only recruit to express faith in Notre Dame. Four-star offensive tackle Joey Tanona tweeted “ND no matter what,” with the signature #IrishRising22 hashtag emphasizing his continued commitment. Ziegler also reaffirmed his commitment on Twitter. Five-star linebacker Jaylen Sneed tweeted “In Freeman we trust” on Tuesday morning, seeming to imply he wouldn’t be going anywhere if Freeman wasn’t. However, it wasn’t all positive news on the recruiting front. There was noticeable silence from some top recruits. The Irish’s top offensive recruit in the class of 2022, wide receiver C.J. Williams stayed quiet, with rumors swirling about him staying in southern California to play for Irish rival, the USC Trojans. Williams’ only activity on the night was liking Foskey’s tweet, as well as one with a graphic of Williams in a USC jersey. Four-star defensive lineman Tyson Ford simply tweeted an emoji of a sad face. The recruiting implications from this crazy Monday evening will take a while to shake out. A lot of it will depend on the immediate damage control done by Notre Dame. Notre Dame football alumni give their takes A host of former players chatted with Raridon through Assaf’s stream, including discussing Kelly’s call for a 7 a.m. meeting. Former tight end Cole Kmet called that decision a “punch in the gut,” but former quarterback Ian Book noted, “We would’ve all been at that meeting bright and early.” Former cornerback Julian Love noted that, while he couldn’t speak for everyone, Brian Kelly was barely involved in his recruitment. The first time that Love spoke with Kelly was when the head coach offered him a scholarship. That seems to be good news for Notre Dame if the recruiting has largely been done through specialist coaches. Assaf ignited plenty of rumors when he tweeted that his sources told him Freeman would be the next head coach. However, despite hosting his Twitter Space for hours, the former walk-on kept hedging his words, not fully confirming what he had tweeted. Former kicker Kyle Brindza sent an encouraging tweet targeting recruits and current players: “I hope players and recruits
realize this is still Notre Dame. Academics and football will still be at the highest standard.” Former safety Troy Pride offered a similar message, and a handful of current Notre Dame players retweeted the posts. Is Marcus Freeman up next? Almost as soon as the news broke, rumors began as to who Kelly’s replacement would be. At least from the early social media reaction, it’s pretty clear who the incoming Irish want. Linebacker Joshua Burnham, the thirdranked Notre Dame recruit in the class of 2022, tweeted a picture of him and Freeman, captioned “WE WANT FREEMAN,” tagging the defensive coordinator. Burnham liked similar posts from 2023 five-star linebacker Drayk Bowen and 2023 four-star safety Adon Shuler. Considering Raridon’s comments as well as the support voiced by Hamilton, there’s a favorite among the players. Leaving how he entered: Kelly says goodbye In the last 30 years, there have been 12 instances of a coach winning 11+ games in his final season with a Power 5 school (or automatic qualifying school, a term that dates to the BCS era) per ESPN Stats and Information. Of those dozen coaches, five left for the NFL, and five retired or resigned because of NCAA violations/scandals. On Monday, Kelly became the second coach to l eave for another college football program. The first was also Brian Kelly. A little over a decade ago when he left Cincinnati to come to Notre Dame. That year, Kelly left the Bearcats before their bowl game as well. The departure was less than graceful — Kelly showed up to the 7 a.m. meeting, but videos from the scene had him driving away by 7:13 a.m., and Notre Dame players, although not many of them, were seen leaving the facility soon after the fact. Brian Kelly heads down south for the first time in his career — he had previously only held head coaching jobs at Grand Valley State, Cincinnati and Notre Dame. He went 92-39 as head coach over 12 years. Kelly’s received the most criticism for his performances in big games, as he went 0-4 in two CFP appearances, a New Year’s Six bowl game and the BCS National Championship. However, the Irish also secured their fifth straight 10-win season in 2021. With strong momentum as a program, Notre Dame will be looking to quickly find a head coach that can sustain the recent success. Contact Mannion McGinley at mmcginl3@nd.edu and Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu
ND Soccer Continued from page 16
Omar received the pass with his back to goal, created space with a nice touch towards the center, and delivered a gorgeous lefty strike that curled around the Wake Forest freshman keeper Trace Alphin, off the left post and in. That gave Notre Dame a 1-0 lead that they’d maintain through the half. Wake Forest had two solid chances throughout the remaining minutes of the period. First, Hosel Kijima ripped a 20-yard effort just wide right of the post. Then, in the final minute of the play, the Demon Deacons created a chance off one of their three first-half corner kicks. Dowd punched it away in a crowd, but the ball bounced towards the edge of the box. Tareq Shihab’s half-volley effort flew well over the crossbar, and the game went to halftime. Irish add insurance, stifle Demon Deacons Wake Forest came out with renewed intensity to start the half, and they produced an immediate chance in the first twenty seconds. A cross from the left side forced a dive from Dowd who collected it and allowed no rebound. Notre Dame got their own chance to double the lead shortly after, as sophomore forward Daniel Russo broke in alone on Trace Alphin. However the chance came from a sharp angle, and Alphin did well to cut it down, making a nifty kick save. About six minutes into the second half, the Demon Deacons really poured on some pressure. In a rare occurrence, Wake Forest sustained possession on the dribble down near the end line, and a dangerous cross forced an emergence clearance out of bounds for a Wake Forest corner kick. The Demon Deacons got a pair of corners in a 30-second span, but neither resulted in an on-target opportunity. A cross made its way to the far post, across the face of the goal, but Dowd had no issue outleaping a Wake Forest attacker to secure the ball. “It’s just a commitment from everyone from the forwards to the backline to do the dirty work,” Quinton said. “As a program, that’s what we pride ourselves on, so it was just about getting back to the basics and then defending for your life.” Five minutes later, just over 11 minutes into the second half, the Irish did double their lead. This time, it was freshman Matthew Roou building up a counterattack as he worked the ball up the left side. Roou dribbled towards the middle and was fouled hard as he dished the ball off to Shea. However, no call was made, and Roou regained his feet and charged the back post. While he did so, Shea flicked it to junior midfielder Ethan O’Brien who
delivered the ball perfectly into the stride of defenseman Ben Giacobello. The senior delivered a beauty of a one-touch cross and Roou was at the other end of it to finish with a strong header past a diving Alphin. “I got fouled pretty hard, I was kind of looking for the foul, but they didn’t give it. I got up, and I always trust Ben out there on the right to get it in there,” Roou noted on the development of the second goal. “He sent it and it hung up perfectly for me to finish. Needed that one.” On to Pitt Notre Dame had won nine straight when scoring two or more goals, and they hadn’t allowed an opposing team to find the back of the net since the regular-season finale. That combination makes for a tough comeback, and Wake Forest simply never really challenged the Irish. Their best chance came immediately after Roou’s goal, as Wake nearly generated a 1-on-1 look against Dowd from about 10 yards out. However, Giacobello closed quickly and got his foot in front of the shot to block the dangerous opportunity. That chance came with 32 minutes to play; the next Demon Deacons effort to come remotely near Dowd was a header with 7:55 remaining on the clock. That shot bounced harmlessly wide left, and the clean sheet remained for the Irish defense. The Irish headed out a couple of decent crosses, but no serious chances materialized for Wake Forest as the clock ticked down, and Notre Dame saw out a sixth straight shutout victory. They’ve now held opponents scoreless for 608 consecutive minutes of game time. “I think we tried to slow them down our best and did a decent job. Made some last-minute stops there in the second half,” Riley said. “It all comes from a collective idea of how to press them and how to defend, and the guys executed it really well, from the strikers all the way back to the goalkeepers.” A decent job is a bit of an understatement. Wake Forest had scored two or more goals in eleven straight games, dating back to Oct. 1. Interestingly enough, that’s the last time that Notre Dame gave up a second-half goal. The Irish have been nothing short of clinical in seeing out results once in the lead. They’ll look to maintain that momentum next Saturday, as they host yet another tournament contest. This one is an Elite Eight clash with No. 5 Pitt. The Irish beat the Panthers 1-0 in double overtime in the regular season and then triumphed 2-0 in the ACC Tournament semifinals. On Saturday, they’ll have to do it for the third time against a team that has scored nine goals in two NCAA Tournament games. Kickoff will be at 5 p.m. Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu
sports
ndsmcobserver.com | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021 | The Observer
15
Staff reactions
Staff Reactions: Kelly’s departure and the succeeding Irish head coach By AIDAN THOM AS, M ANNION McGINLEY, JIMMY WARD, NATE MOLLER, and EMILY DeFA ZIO
After the turbulent 24 hours follow ing the news that Brian Kelly w ill be leaving Notre Dame for LSU, members of the Obser ver Sports Staff penned their initial reactions and div ulged who they think should follow at the helm. The first prompt: Instant reaction to the Brian Kelly news. The second: Given this absolutely stunning news, in an instant reaction, what are your top three options for the next Notre Dame head coach. Aidan Thomas — Associate Sports Editor Stunning — these rumors seemed laughable when they first appeared on Tw itter on Monday afternoon. Saturday’s postgame press conference was as boisterous and energetic as I’ve ever seen Brian Kelly, and he said just eight days ago that he didn’t have any interest in leaving Notre Dame. It’s an unbelievable turn of events, and it’s one that Notre Dame must rectif y quick ly in order to sustain the momentum they’ve built as a program. Head Coach picks: Marcus Freeman, Luke Fickell, Jamey Chadwell Marcus Freeman is the obvious choice right now. He’s elevated the Notre Dame recruiting to another level, and he’s led this defense to a spectacular 2021 season. However, his lack of Power-5 coaching experience — and his having never been a head coach — makes me ner vous. Luke Fickell is a stellar option if the Irish can draw him away from Cincinnati. After all, the last time Notre Dame went after a Cincinnati head coach that had built the Bearcats into power, things went pretty well. And finally, I think Chadwell would be a great culture fit — he’s been a popular figure at Coastal Carolina and is becoming a hot commodity on the coaching market. He’s developed one of the best young quarterbacks in the nation in Grayson McCall, and he
could do wonders for an Irish offense that should have high expectations in 2022. Mannion McGinley Sports Editor
—
I have no words. With finals coming up, I absolutely did not have time Monday night to handle this kind of news, but here we are. Blindsided. Stunned. Shocked. Confused. Sad. Stressed. Angr y. Okay, so those are all the words I have, but apparently no sentences. Is it close enough to Christmas to ask Santa for a save here? Or a maybe really strong replacement? There’s nothing about this season or this team, especially in the last few weeks, that would lead me to believe Kelly would depart. Especially since he, himself, said it would take a lot ($150 million more than he’s going to get) to make him leave. W hat changed in the last week that made Kelly decide to up and leave? Head Coach picks: Marcus Freeman, Luke Fickell, Matt Campbell I would be content w ith either the former or current Cincinnati coach taking the lead job here in South Bend. I mean, what better way to acknowledge the team that beat you as a good one than to hope they’ll make your team better? And, while I firmly believe Luke Fickell could have success in Notre Dame Stadium, but that would come w ith the risk of Marcus Freeman leaving again, as he just got out from under Fickell, and that wouldn’t be worth it. Matt Campbell could also do a good job, but he’s tangled up in two contracts at the moment and I don’t know if he can be extracted from one, much less two, of them. Even if the Irish desperately wanted him to be. The best bet would be Marcus Freeman. He’s already bolstered recruiting for the Irish. In press conferences, the team can’t say enough about him and he’s turned out major defensive results in a matter of months w ith the Irish. He has the ability to make the rest of the team great, so while first-time head coaches
have yet to succeed here, there’s a first time for ever y thing.
at one of the most storied football programs in the countr y.
Nate Moller — Sports Writer
Jimmy Ward — Associate Sports Editor
A lthough I hated Brian Kelly w ith a passion a few years ago after the 4-8 season, I had grow n to like him over the last few seasons as the Irish began to compete at a higher level. Hearing the news today was stunning, to say the least, and it feels like he is giving up on the Irish altogether. I have literally zero respect for Kelly after his decision to leave the program that he has built here. Nothing would make me happier than to see Kelly and his LSU Tigers struggle the next few seasons.
I scoffed at the news of LSU targeting Brian Kelly AGAIN, but I evidently know absolutely nothing. Brian Kelly took a program that Charlie Weis had sunk to mediocrity and took them to two CFP appearances, one for the national title. The timing seems off. ND is v ying for a spot in the playoff, and Kelly is walking away from the 247sports No. 4 ranked recruiting class in 2022 and No. 2 in 2023. However, Kelly has admittedly become a bit stale, and the Irish need a youthful face that can connect w ith recruits.
Head Coach picks: Marcus Freeman, Luke Fickell, Bob Stoops Marcus Freeman has brought in a plethora of recruits since being hired last year as the Irish defensive coordinator. So, he would be the obvious hire from w ithin for the Irish. A lthough Freeman’s defense struggled initially this season, they have improved vastly throughout the season, and they look like one of the best defenses in the countr y at this point. Freeman’s lack of head coaching experience is concerning, however. If the Irish could find a way to land Luke Fickell, who has led Cincinnati to back-to-back perfect regular seasons, that would likely be a better option. Fickell’s Bearcats were able to beat a top ten opponent on the road in Notre Dame this season, which is something that the Irish have struggled to do under Kelly. This one is a long shot, but why not bring a coaching legend like Bob Stoops to Notre Dame if he is up for it. Stoops is slated to be Ok lahoma’s interim coach for this year’s bowl game after Lincoln Riley’s departure. This might suggest that he is open to a return in the near future. This is a ver y unlikely hire, but it’s worth a phone call to see if Stoops would consider a return
Head Coach picks: Marcus Freeman, Luke Fickell, Jim Harbaugh With that being said, I think Marcus Freeman would be the best bet looking for ward. He’s a great coach and a terrific recruiter and fits the Notre Dame brand well. Luke Fickell is also one of the best young coaches in football right now, and w ith a w in over the Irish in recent memor y, it’s ironic to say he might be the outside favorite for this job. Like I said before, I am not questioning ever y thing I thought I knew about football at Notre Dame, so there ya go. You’d have to be crazy to think I’d mention the name of a particular coach dow n in Jacksonville. Emily DeFazio — Associate Sports Editor Uhhh...okay. Just when I thought this season couldn’t be any more unexpected, Brian Kelly drops this bomb. I literally just said that it should be smooth sailing for the rest of the semester for the football beat, now that the regular season is over, and then all of Notre Dame football decided to implode. Thanks for the dumpster fire, Brian. You took me away from preparing for my finals for this. The all-time w inningest coach at Notre Dame leaves after 12 years w ithout a championship
w in. And yet he leaves when he was just on the cusp of being able to compete for one in the foreseeable future. Just as he was starting to get a little more respect from people, he dips. How does that make any sense? Regardless of whether or not this was the best decision for him, the least Kelly could have done was give his guys the heads up. Instead, he has blindsided an entire program. I have to hand it to him, that’s a pretty big feat. But not in a good way. This news has also, arguably, come at the worst time. Right before playoffs, w ith signing day on the horizon? Really? Head Coach picks: Marcus Freeman, Luke Fickell, Matt Campbell Freeman is the guy to clean up this mess. For continuity’s sake alone, Marcus Freeman should be promoted. He would show that Notre Dame can stand on its ow n and fully subscribe to the “next man up” mentality. He has done wonders w ith recruiting already, and he has only been here a year; several of the recruits are already calling for him to take the helm. He has respect in the program and would be an uncontroversial option who has what it takes. Should he not get the job, the program may risk losing him completely. Fickell could also follow in Kelly’s footsteps, leaving Cincy for the Blue and Gold. He has worked w ith Freeman in the past, which could be a good or bad thing for the Irish. He’s proven he can coach and manage a championship team, and one that Notre Dame can somewhat compete w ith. Similarly, Campbell could find success in South Bend. Despite Iowa’s record this year, Campbell has that “CEO” quality Swarbrick is looking for. Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu, Mannion McGinley at mmcginl3@nd.edu, Jimmy Ward at wward@hcc-nd.edu, Nate Moller at nmoller2@ nd.edu and Emily DeFazio at edefazio@nd.edu
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The observer | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com
BRIAN KELLY
FOOTBALL
Breakdown of the Kelly fallout By MANNION McGINLEY and AIDAN THOMAS Sports Editor and Associate Sports Editor
W hen the news of Brian Kelly’s departure from Notre Dame broke Monday evening, Irish players (current, former and future), as well as fans across the countr y, were shaken up. It’s finally official: Kelly w ill take up the head coaching position at LSU. But what does that mean for the Irish? Immediate fallout: W ho else is leaving? The immediate concern at Notre Dame is who is going w ith Kelly to the bayou. Rumors are that a few Notre Dame coaches w ill join him, including offensive coordinator Tommy Rees and defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman. Freeman is also w idely considered an early favorite for the new head coaching vacancy. There was no activ it y from
Irish end regular season with defining road win By JIMMY WARD
Rees on social media, and there is a distinct possibilit y that the 29-year-old stays w ith the head coach who brought him his first offensive coordinator job. The only noise from Freeman was offering a ret weet of 2022 linebacker commit Nolan Ziegler’s post, which included a photo of Freeman w ith the caption “Crazy news but you know I’m still locked in.” Special teams coordinator Brian Polian was one of the only assistant coaches to post about the ongoing situation. He included the hashtag #NDFamily, but his tweet expressed concern for current players. “As coaches, we enter this profession know ing that transition is inev itable. This is not the case for the players,” Polian w rote. “My main concern is for the guys that have worked so hard to get our team to this point. They
ERIN FENNESSY | The Observer
On a truly wild day in the college football world, Notre Dame made the trek out to the west coast to cap off their regular season. The shakers and movers of the CFP discussion had Irish eyes watching carefully. Michigan started the day with a statement 42-27 win over Ohio State. As senior placekicker Johnathon Doerer took to the field to start his pregame warmup with a little less than an hour till kickoff, Alabama would stroke through an extra point to force overtime in Auburn. It would take them 4 overtime periods to do it but a half-hour later Alabama had swept the rug out from under an Auburn team that seemingly had the game in their hands. The collective groans rang out in Palo Alto, over 2000 miles away from JordanHare Stadium, as the Irish faithful who had descended upon Stanford Stadium realized that their playoff hopes may have just been erased. For the Fighting Irish, this was
see FALLOUT PAGE 14
Irish sophomore tight end Michael Mayer rushes the ball downfield during his record-breaking game at Stanford at Nov. 27.
see STANFORD PAGE 13
Associate Sports Editor
ND MEN’S SOCCER
Irish score victory over Demon Deacons By AIDAN THOMAS Associate Sports Editor
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story was published online Nov. 29. The Notre Dame men’s soccer team didn’t get to celebrate Thanksgiving at home like most students at the university, but that’s generally great news in the world of collegiate soccer. Because it means you’re still playing. Playing during the holidays After a Sweet 16 victory on Sunday evening, head coach Chad Riley discussed his team’s preparation following last Sunday’s Round of 32 win over Villanova. “That first Wednesday training [after the Villanova game] was just phenomenal. The quality is there – it’s the right balance of intensity and enjoyment. The week of preparation was fantastic and having a meal together as a team is always such an honor,” Riley said of preparing on the week of the holiday. “We always
say if we’re practicing around Thanksgiving and the campus is quiet and empty, what an honor it is to be competing at this time.” Notre Dame played like they practiced, pitching their sixth straight shutout in clinical fashion. The Irish held Wake Forest to one shot on target, which came in the first eight minutes of the game, and slotted home two of their four on-goal efforts – one in each half – to secure a 2-0 win. Wake Forest has been a mainstay at this stage of the tournament in recent years. Sunday marked their seventh consecutive appearance in the Sweet 16. The Demon Deacons notched a 5-1 record in their previous six Sweet 16 games – they went to the Final Four three times. But they ran into a defensive buzz saw in South Bend. Irish in peak form Entering Sunday, Notre Dame had dominated defensively. Starting with their preliminary contest in the ACC Tournament, the Irish had blanked five consecutive opponents. Even in a penalty kick shootout in the ACC
quarterfinals, Notre Dame’s goalkeeper Bryan Dowd stonewalled three straight shooters to keep the ball out of the net. Dowd’s heroics have helped, and the Irish field players have worked from the top down to keep the pressure off their sophomore keeper. At forward, seniors Jack Lynn and Tyler Shea, and freshman Matthew Roou press exceptionally well, maintaining possession and disrupting potential counters before they start. In the midfield, graduate student Dawson McCartney leads an aggressive group that is quick to the ball and creates dangerous opportunities out wide for the Irish wings. Those same wingers, while lethal in the offensive zone, track back and shore up a strong Notre Dame backline. While senior Philip Quinton was the only individual on the defense to receive any All-ACC recognition – sliding in as a third-teamer – the Notre Dame unit has meshed seamlessly here in the homestretch. “It was easy, to be honest,” Quinton said of the defense’s progress. “The early results [a 1-3-1 start to the season] were just trying to figure out our style
of play and get on the same page. The backline gelled pretty early, and everyone learns from each other.” Meanwhile, the offense hasn’t been too shabby either. Not too shabby being 48 goals on the season entering the matchup. That total ranked fifth in the nation and was tops in the ACC. While Notre Dame’s only goals in their first two ACC tournaments came via penalty kick, the Irish outscored their next three opponents 7-0. That included a thorough 3-0 domination in the Round of 32 against Villanova. After the ACC championship, Riley said the mentality of the team has remained the same – the Irish were picked last in the ACC in the preseason, and they’ve played with a chip on their shoulder all season. “It was great. Credit to the guys – sometimes when you win something big like the ACC Tournament, there’s a sense of relief, but I don’t think there was. I think there was this sense of accomplishment and justification for the team they knew they were,” Riley said. Omar gives Irish halftime
advantage For the majority of the first 45 minutes, the Irish controlled the tempo. The ball stayed largely out of dangerous areas for the first seven minutes, but as the clock ticked on, Notre Dame began to create some chances. Wake Forest actually notched the first on-goal effort of the evening. However, it necessitated an easy save from Dowd, who distributed, and the Irish went on a prolonged attack. Roou had a shot blocked, and Shea delivered a couple of dangerous crosses that failed to produce a major chance. After Wake Forest briefly reversed the game flow, earning a corner kick that produced nothing, the Irish seized control. Lynn caused some chaos with some nifty dribbling on the right side of the box, but it was about a minute later that the Irish finally put a shot on net. The ball bounced back out to Shea on the right and the winger brought the ball back before finding senior captain midfielder Mohamed Omar at the top of the box. see ND SOCCER PAGE 14