Print Edition for The Observer for Friday, November 19, 2021 by The Observer

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The observer | friday, November 19, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

KEVIN AUSTIN Jr.

DJ BROWN

Austin Jr. plays valuable role By EMILY DeFAZIO Associate Sports Editor

Editor’s Note: A version of this story ran online Oct. 22. Senior wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. has had an explosive start to the season. In the season opener at Florida State, Austin notched a career-high of 91 yards in four catches. That same game, he scored his first touchdown in the third quarter, demonstrating that he could be an invaluable force on the field for the Irish. And he has proven to be so. Austin has become a go-to receiver for whichever quarterback is at the helm, consistently facilitating key plays in the Irish’s road to victory. To date this season, Austin boasts 18 receptions, three touchdowns and 317 yards to his name. Most recently against Virginia Tech, the receiver was instrumental in securing the comeback road win. Freshman quarterback Tyler Buchner completed a 46-yard pass to Austin, setting the team up at the 4-yard line for their first touchdown of the night. Austin later soared into the endzone for a two-point conversion that would tie the score 29-29 and ultimately springboard the Irish towards the win. Austin spoke about his role in this 2021 offense, and what it means for him going forward. “I’m always trying to be the guy to go in and try to make plays happen,” he said. Being a force in an inconsistent offense is perhaps Austin’s greatest strength in his role, as well as for all receivers. Most notably in the Shamrock Series against Wisconsin, when the quarterback shifted constantly, he focused on the trust shared among the team that kept the game moving forward. “It was the same type of conversations that we’ve had,” he said. “Just trust. Trust your bros, trust me, trust

all the receivers on the team and that we’re going to make the play and come down with the ball.” Though the team has been dubbed a “work in progress,” Austin noted the determined mindset that keeps him and his teammates going tirelessly. According to the receiver, Kelly has been pushing his players to step up each day to be “that team of being physical, and fast, and tough and mentally strong,” and it provides motivation to continue to progress. Whether it be in blasting opponent fight songs in practice, to rebounding after an incomplete play, the notion is always the same: Keep moving forward and keep getting better. “We’re non-stop. We’re gonna continue to grind. We’re gonna continue to fight,” Austin said. “We’re gonna continue no matter what quarter it is, what down it is, no matter how bad we’re down or whatever the case may be. We’re gonna continue to just keep driving and keep fighting to get to our goal.” Austin himself is thankful to play the part he does in this process. Being a playmaker on the field, he is able to aid his team and contribute to the victory, a task he does not take lightly. After being sidelined with an injury for a decent part of last year, he is not taking any moment for granted in this new season. He thinks he has taken a large step forward with respect to how much he can contribute, and looks forward to continuing to prove himself as the season progresses. “Obviously the ultimate goal is helping my team win, and being able to be a part of that,” he said. I just feel great being out here, great competing with all my brothers.” Contact Emily DeFazio at edefazio@nd.edu

ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer

Irish senior wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. runs up the field with the ball after a wide open catch during Notre Dame’s 34-6 win over Navy.

Next man up: DJ Brown in with Hamilton’s absence By AIDAN THOMAS Associate Sports Editor

Editor’s Note: A version of this story ran online Oct. 29. Listening to senior safety DJ Brown talk with the press ahead of UNC, one could have easily mistaken the Annapolis, Maryland product as a seasoned starter. It was not obvious that Brown, and his role on this team, have undergone some massive changes in the past week, as All-American junior safety Kyle Hamilton went down with an injury. After a rough season start, Brown worked his way back and ultimately replaced Hamilton on the field last Saturday night. And now, with the potential top-5 draft pick sidelined once more, Brown is prepared to take the field as a starter against a lethal North Carolina offense that averages 37 points per game — a big change from his role earlier in the season, but Brown is taking it in stride. “I’m trying to go hard every day, [and] prepare like I’m the starter,” Brown said. “Not much has changed for me — just have to keep doing what I’ve been doing for seven weeks.” Brown’s season got off to an undesirable start. After graduating sixth-year Shaun Crawford, Notre Dame didn’t have a clear second starter alongside Hamilton for safety. The room had a lot of talent with not a lot of experience. So, Brown settled into a prominent reserve role. However, in the opener at Florida State, the senior missed a big tackle that allowed the Seminoles to break off an 89-yard scoring run, catapulting the hosts back into the game. Coaches immediately pulled Brown off the field and he finished the game with just a single tackle. He also didn’t see the field against Toledo in the home opener. However, amidst defensive struggles as a unit, Brown stepped back in against Purdue. There, he put together the best effort of his career. He notched seven tackles against the Boilermakers and collected his first career interception to help seal the 27-13 victory. Brown also combined for nine tackles and a pass breakup against Cincinnati and Virginia Tech, as he worked his way back into a big role in this improving Irish defense. W hen asked about his biggest improvement throughout the year, Brown kept it

simple: “For me, it’s been tackling. I’ve been trying to work on that every day in practice.” Against USC, Brown’s improvements and confident preparation became undeniably necessary as the lights shined at their brightest. Facing a dangerous USC offense and arguably the best receiver in the nation in Drake London, Notre Dame played well but watched Kyle Hamilton pull up lame after a play in coverage. Brown immediately stepped in, and while it’s difficult to fill an AllAmerican-sized hole, the senior did his best Hamilton impression. He notched seven tackles and, although not credited on the scorecard, secured a huge end zone pass breakup with a thundering finishing hit in the second half. Brown played a major role as the Irish kept the Trojans out of the end zone until the fourth quarter. “W hen I’m on the field, I just lock in on what I have to do. Everything else is just distractions,” Brown said. “I prepared in practice every day like I was the starter, so it wasn’t a big deal. To me, it was just like playing Purdue during the day, or any other game we played.” For a game that most Notre Dame players and coaches note as the biggest of the year, the Irish’s biggest rivalry, such an inthe-moment attitude from Brown is impressive. The coaches treated the moment much the same way, according to Brown. “They didn’t really say anything [when Hamilton went down] ... I think they had trust and faith in me to go out there and help the team win. So I just went out there.” And the longtime reserve safet y delivered w ith a career performance in a prime setting. Brow n played an important role throughout the USC game, as the Irish featured the epitome of a “bend but don’t break” defense. W hile the Trojans bested the Irish at 428-383 yards, the Irish featured fantastic red zone defense. They grabbed an early interception and forced a few field goal attempts, one of which USC missed. Part of that was due to Notre Dame’s success in their dime packages, which feature an extra defensive back. Brow n was part of a dy namic effort in this package, forcing

USC quarterback Kedon Slov is into an ugly 1-for-7 stat line for 11 yards and an interception. “It was really tough — always tough to see someone go dow n,” Brow n said of seeing Hamilton leave the game. “Some of the stuff he does, you see why he’s an A ll-American. But I just wanted to prepare in case something like that ever happened ... Kyle’s there for us; he’s doing ever y thing he can to help us out.” But Brow n’s breakout performance is in the rear v iew mirror. That effort lifted Notre Dame to 11th in the AP Poll. The Irish claimed a fourth straight w in over USC and a 6-1 record on the season. Now, the focus is on 7-1 and another night game in South Bend. Sam Howell is one of the best quarterbacks Notre Dame w ill see all season. And the Tar Heels bring in an offense that has exceeded 50 points t w ice and has notched at least 38 points in four games. “Sam Howell is good. I didn’t realize he was as good a runner as he was,” Brow n noted of Howell’s evolved skillset. That’s certainly true, as Howell has nearly doubled his rushing attempts per game. After largely being a scrambler last season, Howell runs it about 14 times per game. Now he averages nearly six yards per pop, after notching just 1.6 yards per carr y last year. Brown in particular will be responsible for Howell’s top target, though. Even in RPO (run-pass option) situations, his focus has to be on the pass, which Brow n described as his “main responsibilit y.” That target is Josh Dow ns, who notches 8.5 catches per game and has eight touchdow ns. But beyond Dow ns, the Tar Heels have a few receivers that get less volume but average over 20 yards per reception. Keeping an explosive offense to minimal big plays is going to be critical. Should they accomplish that, coupled w ith a solid offensive output, the Irish w ill be in the driver’s seat for a third straight v ictor y as the pursuit for an 11-1 record continues. “It’s a challenge for our defense, but I think we’ll be up to the task,” Brow n said. Contact Aidan Thomas athoma28@nd.edu

insider

ndsmcobserver.com | friday, November 19, 2021 | The Observer

2:30 p.m. ET notre dame stadium on nbc

notre dame

HEAD TO HEAD

GEORGIA TECH

WR Avery Davis WR Joe Alt LT Andrew Kristofic LG Jarrett Patterson C Cain Madden RG Josh Lugg RT Michael Mayer TE

DE DT NG DE

WR Malachi Carter WR Adonicas Sanders RT Jordan Williams RB Jahmyr Gibbs RG Ryan Johnson QB Jeff Sims C Mikey Minihan LG Paula Vaipulu LT Devin Cochran TE Dylan Leonard WR Kyric McGowan

(Sr.) Braden

Lenzy

(Fr.) Lorenzo Styles Jr. 21

(Gr.) (Jr.) Kyren Williams 23 (So.) Chris Tyree 25

(Gr.) Jack Coan 17

(So.) Drew Pyne 10

8 Tobias Oliver (R-Jr.)

(Sr.) Matt Salerno

(Jr.)

DE NB DT

(Jr.) Zeke Correll 52

(Sr.)

(Fr.) Pat Coogan 78

(Gr.)

OLB

(Sr.) Tosh Baker

Zamari Walton (R-So.)

(Fr.)

(Sr.) John Dirksen 56

(Gr.)

Juanyeh Thomas (Jr.)

21 Jalen Huff (Fr.)

Jordan Domineck (R-So.)

31 Kyle Kennard (Fr.)

Keion White (Jr.)

ILB ILB SS

15 Jared Ivey (Fr.)

Wesley Walker (R-Fr.)

20 Miles Brooksk (Fr.)

90 Makius Scott (Fr.)

(Fr.) George Takacs 85

(Gr.) Kevin

Austin Jr.

(Sr.) TaRiq Bracy 28

(Jr.) Jack Kiser 24 (Gr.) Isaiah Pryor 10

(Jr.) Bo Bauer 52

(Jr.) DJ Brown

(Jr.)Isaiah Pryor 10

(Gr.) Kurt Hinish

(Jr.) Isaiah Foskey 7

(Sr.) Justin Ademilola 19

(So.) Ramon Henderson 11

(Gr.) Jonathan Doerer 39

Salerno

Notre Dame Passing After giving up 124.3 passing yards per game in their first three contests, Georgia Tech has struggled mightily against opposing quarterbacks. Every signal-caller since Week 3 has notched at least 250 yards, with all but two surpassing 300. They’ve given up 22 touchdown passes while securing just three interceptions. That was previously an 11:3 ratio, but in their last four contests, Georgia Tech has allowed 337.25 passing yards per game and 11 total touchdowns through the air - with zero picks. Meanwhile, since Jack Coan returned as the full-time starter for the Irish, he’s completed passes at a 73% clip with six touchdowns and just two interceptions. His efficiency is the perfect complement to a dynamic ground game, and he should be able to have his way against the Yellow Jackets’ leaky secondary.

EDGE: Notre Dame Notre Dame Rushing Georgia Tech’s run defense is more of a strength than its pass defense, but they’ve still given up more than 150 yards on the ground in each of their past six contests. The

(R-Jr.)

(Fr.)

70 Ryan Johnson (Gr.)

79 Williams Lay III (R-Jr.)

(R-Jr.)

72 Weston Franklin (Fr.)

55 Kenny Cooper

19 29

PK P PR

34 Jack Coco (R-Jr.)

(Jr.) Jay Bramblett 19 (So.) Chris Tyree 25 (Jr.) Michael Vinson 65

Irish rushing attack has finally hit its stride thanks to a revamped offensive line, averaging 215 yards per game since their bye week. Kyren Williams is finally looking like his old self. Adding Logan Diggs to the mix has kept Williams fresh and provided a change of pace for opposing defenses, and the freshman has played like a veteran so far. The Irish are definitely the best rushing attack Georgia Tech has faced all season, and they will struggle to control the line of scrimmage. I sure don’t env y the Yellow Jackets attempting to stop the Irish in South Bend and then facing top ranked Georgia the following week.

EDGE: Notre Dame Notre Dame Coaching

Offensive

Tommy Rees has been putting on a clinic recently. Yes it helps to have improved performance from the offensive line, but Rees has seamlessly adjusted to an entirely new offensive style, integrated a third running back into the rushing attack with little to no issue, and, if the first test was any indication, absorbed the

Jahmyr Gibbs (Fr.)

Cade Long (R-So.)

EDGE: Notre Dame Notre Dame Special Teams

(Gr.)

Austin Kent (R-Jr.)

loss of one of his top receivers in Avery Davis. Rees got three productive performances from Kyren Williams, Logan Diggs, and Chris Tyree last week, while mixing in some creative reverse calls for Lorenzo Styles and Braden Lenzy. The tempo offense has been the key behind Coan’s success, who thrives under quick dropbacks. Rees has flown slightly under the radar but has improved greatly in his second year. He opposes Andrew Thacker, another young coach at age 36. Thacker spent one year as the defensive coordinator at Temple, leading a mediocre Owls’ unit. He’s followed it up with leading Georgia Tech defenses ranked 104th and 110th in his first two seasons. He gets a little bit of an extension due to Georgia Tech’s program overhaul, but he hasn’t shown much so far in the ways of coaching prowess at the higher levels.

Offensive

Jonathan Doerer has made his past five field goal attempts, and the graduate student kicker continues to be

(Fr.)

13 Jordan Yates

(So.)

8 Nate McCollum (Fr.)

H KR LS

(Gr.)

H KR LS

(Fr.)

27 Jordan Mason (R-Jr.)

(Fr.)

(Gr.)

Buck

(Jr.) Cam Hart 5

(Sr.) Matt

(Jr.)

76 Wing Green (Fr.)

(Fr.) Prince Kollie 35

Bramblett

(Jr.) Howard Cross III 56

(Jr.) JD Bertrand 27

(Jr.) Jay

(So.) Riley Mills 99

Mike

Tre Swilling (R-Jr.)

16 Myles Sims (R-So.)

18 Peje’ Harris (R-So.)

(Jr.) NaNa Osafo-Mensah 31

Tariq Carpenter (Sr.)

Mike Lockhart (R-Fr.)

Rover

14 Jaylon King (R-So.)

88 Zeek Biggers (Fr.)

5 Kalani Norris (So.)

(Gr.) Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa 95

(Sr.) Drew White 40

(Sr.) Jayson Ademilola

(Fr.) Deion Colzie 16

(So.) Clarence Lewis 6

(Jr.) KJ Wallace 16

(So.)

Quez Jackson (Jr.)

40 Trenilyas Tatum (Fr.)

Dijmon Brooks (R-Sr.)

Ayinde Eley (Gr.)

25 Charlie Thomas (Jr.)

(Jr.) Quinn Carroll 77

(Sr.) Houston Griffith 3

extremely impressive from distance. Despite a 3-5 statline on field goal attempts between 30 and 39 yards, Doerer is 5-7 on efforts from 40+. In the kick return game, the Irish have the alwaysdangerous Chris Tyree, and they’ve got starting running back Kyren Williams returning punts. Both are capable of big plays, and both have broken off impressive returns including Tyree’s touchdown against Wisconsin. Special teams continues to be an Irish strength in 2021.

EDGE: Notre Dame Georgia Tech Passing It remains to be seen who w ill start at quarterback for the Yellow Jackets. So far this season, Jordan Yates has started four games and Jeff Sims has started six, but Yates got the nod last week w ith Sims being banged up after the Miami game. Regardless of who starts at quarterback for the Yellow Jackets, the passing game is not their strong suit, as they have under 2000 passing yards on the season, and they don’t possess a reliable w ide receiver to throw

PK P PR

Brent Cimaglia (Gr.)

29 Evan Davis (So.)

David Shanahan (Fr.) 3

Rey Azende (R-Sr.)

to. The Irish secondar y has been improv ing since losing safet y Kyle Hamilton to injur y, and they should be able to match up well against a subpar Yellow Jacket passing attack. The Yellow Jackets have a banged-up offensive line as well, so the Irish should be able to get pressure on the quarterback to disrupt the Yellow Jackets’ rhy thm in the passing game.

EDGE: Notre Dame Georgia Tech Rushing Despite its struggles in the passing game, the running game has been the Yellow Jackets’ bread and butter all season. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs has put together a special season with 687 rushing yards off of 129 attempts for four touchdowns. If Jeff Sims is given the nod at quarterback this week, he will prove to be difficult in the run game as well, as he has 70 carries for 372 yards and four touchdowns. The Yellow Jackets also have two other running backs behind Gibbs that have averaged over five yards per carry on the season. The Irish run defense will look to build off of one of its most impressive

Insider Sports

The observer | friday, November 19, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

H2H Continued from page 3

performances of the season where they held the Cavaliers to 82 rushing yards. The Irish run defense has looked much improved as of late, but they will face a stiff test against a Georgia Tech run game that has big play potential nearly every play.

EDGE: Georgia Tech Georgia Tech Coaching

Offensive

In his third season w ith the Yellow Jackets, Dave Patenaude is hitting a bit of a slump after such a big jump

in 2020. The Yellow Jackets averaged 389.9 yards of total offense and 23.9 points per game, an increase of 103.6 yards and 7.2 points per game from the prev ious season. This change came w ith help from 3 then true freshmen, now sophomores: Williams, Gibbs and Sims. Freeman is in his first season w ith the Irish which used to be much more obv ious at the start of the season. He has since settled in w ith the team who can’t say enough about him and his methods. Respect like that from your players creates an env ironment capable of breaking dow n any offense,

especially one that’s had a rock y year as it is.

EDGE: Notre Dame Georgia Tech Special Teams

Offensive

The mere presence of Jahmyr Gibbs makes this a dangerous unit for the Yellow Jackets. Returning kicks at 26 yards per effort and with a house call already, Gibbs is an electric presence. The punt returns are nothing to write home about, and the kicking game is limited. Brent Cimaglia is locked in from 37 yards (his seasonlong) and in. He’s 11-11 from that range, but he’s 0-5 from anything further out. That

long-range weakness becomes a major problem for the Yellow Jackets, who face an Irish defense that’s been exceptional in and around the red zone. Because the Irish have been solid in kick coverage, and they may force longer field goal tries from Georgia Tech, this advantage is a slight one for Notre Dame.

EDGE: Notre Dame. IRISH SCHEDULE (9-1) Sept. 5 @Florida State (W 41-38) Sept. 11 Toledo (W 32-29) Sept. 18 Purdue (W 27-13) Sept. 25 Wisconsin (W 41-13) Oct. 2 Cincinatti (L 24-13) Oct. 9 @Virginia Tech (32-29)

Oct. 23 USC (W 31-16) Oct. 30 UNC (W 44-34) Nov. 6 Navy (W 34-6) Nov. 13 @Virginia (W 28-3) Nov. 20 Georgia Tech Nov. 27 @Stanford

YELLOW JACKETS SCHEDULE (3-7) Sept. 4 Northern IL (L 22-21) Sept. 11 Kennesaw State (W 45-17) Sept. 18 @Clemson (L 14-8) Sept. 25 UNC (W 45-22) Oct. 2 Pittsburgh (L 52-21) Oct. 9 @Duke (W 31-27) Oct. 23 @Virginia (L 48-40) Oct. 30 Virginia Tech (L 26-17) Nov. 6 @Miami (L 33-30) Nov. 13 BC (41-30) Nov. 20 @Notre Dame Nov. 27 Georgia

Opponent Preview

Gritty Georgia Tech looks to rebound from another devastating loss By AIDAN THOMAS Associate Sports Editor

Georgia Tech’s 3-7 record doesn’t fully tell the tale of their 2021 season. The Yellow Jackets have actually been decently competitive in most of their games. Of those seven losses, six have come by 11 points or less, with four by one possession. The Yellow Jackets also boast an impressive 45-22 win over UNC. In the last five games, the offense has notched 30+ points on four occasions. Unfortunately, this streak was only good for a 1-4 record. It’s really been about bad timing for the Yellow Jackets. In the first five games, the defense held the opposition to 22 or fewer points, but the offense sputtered and Georgia Tech won just two games. So the Yellow Jackets have talent, but putting it together into complete performances has been an issue for this rebuilding program. “Frustrated, disappointed. But you look at the tape — the effort, the togetherness that you look for as you build a program, all that was there,” Georgia Tech head coach Geoff Collins said regarding another tough loss, 41-30 to Boston College. That clash with the Eagles was a one-point battle into the final three minutes, but BC got a late score, turnover and field goal to ice the result. “This year, there’s been one game that we haven’t been in it down to the last couple of minutes,” Collins affirmed, before quoting the legendary Bobby Bowden. “There are four stages to rebuilding a program. You lose big, you lose close games, you start winning close games, then you win big games ... unfortunately we’re still stuck in that second phase, trying to get over the hump, but we are closer to it than are far away.”

Gibbs leads inconsistent offense The main source of offensive talent is Jahmyr Gibbs, whose roster spot as a running back is a technical designation only. Gibbs

does lead the team with 687 rushing yards on 5.3 yards per carry, but he’s also tied for the team lead with receptions and leads in receiving yards. He’s got 35 catches for 474 yards for two touchdowns. On Monday, Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly said that Gibbs would receive his vote for ACC player of the year. Gibbs is also a special teams contributor — he averages 26 yards per kick return and has taken one to the house this season. The Irish defense has not given up a touchdown in two games, but they’ll have their hands full with Gibbs. The jack-of-all-trades has been held under 100 total scrimmage yards just twice all season. Doing so would be a win, but another victory would simply be limiting explosive plays for Gibbs. He’s ripped off plays of 50+ yards in five different games. This past weekend, Boston College allowed 125 all-purpose yards to Gibbs, but his longest play from scrimmage was 14 yards — his least explosive effort since playing Clemson in September. Elsewhere, there are certainly question marks for the Yellow Jackets. Quarterback is a bit of a question mark. Jeff Sims has handled the brunt of the action under center, but he’s been mediocre or worse all year with some highlightreel plays being covered up by an ugly topcoat of inaccuracy and inefficiency. Against BC this past weekend, the Yellow Jackets rolled with Jordan Yates. Sims was held out with an undisclosed injury, making it Yates’ third start of the year under those circumstances. The difference between the two signal-callers has been marginal, with Sims’ quarterback rating of 54.1 just edging out the 52.9 mark of Yates. Sims is the more dangerous playmaker for the Irish defense, which has struggled at times with dual-threat quarterbacks. Although they looked superb against the Navy triple option and Virginia’s backup dualthreat quarterback, signal-callers like Desmond Ridder and Sam

Howell have punished the Irish this season. Sims averages 5.3 yards per carry. In his season-best effort against UNC, Sims ran for 128 yards and three touchdowns, so the playmaking ability is there.

Slumping Defense Faces Big Challenge Defensively, it’s been a struggle recently for Georgia Tech. They’ve surrendered at least 40 points three times in their last six appearances while allowing at least 26 points in each contest. They’re vulnerable everywhere, having given up 278 passing yards and 177 rushing yards per game. Notre Dame’s tempo offense has featured efficient passing and a dominant run game over the past five games, so expect the Irish to do more of the same. Sophomore tight end Michael Mayer figures to again command a large share of the targets. He had seven receptions against Virginia, while no one else exceeded three. “He certainly becomes a target on third down. He’s their leading receiver — he is elite — can’t imagine there are many that are more talented than him,” defensive coordinator Andrew Thatcher said, also lauding Mayer’s versatility. “That young man is as physical a blocker as anyone in the country.” Thatcher noted that Notre Dame has ‘too much talent’ to doubleteam Mayer on every play, but they’ll be really focusing on the tight end on third down. When the Irish aren’t going through the air, Thatcher knows his defense has to find a way to stop Kyren Williams, a task that not many have figured out. After a slower start to the year, Williams’ workload has increased from 18 to 24 touches per game over the last five contests. With the increased workload, Williams’ performance has soared. “Kyren Williams is elite. He has a patient style, he’s electric, he’s another NFL back with elite body control,” Thatcher said of the Irish junior. “You have to wrap, squeeze and tackle — with this dude, you cannot leave your feet.”

Notre Dame’s big focus will be avoiding turnovers. Last year, Georgia Tech hung with an undefeated Irish team by notching a fumble return for a touchdown with Notre Dame in the red zone. This year, the Yellow Jackets have forced 13 fumbles, recovering eight, and notched three interceptions. They’re vulnerable, but the offense is good enough to capitalize if given opportunities, and defensive touchdowns are instant momentum-switchers. The Irish have allowed two defensive touchdowns this season, and they need to avoid that on Saturday. Linebacker Charlie Thomas has 10 tackles for loss, three sacks, two interceptions, and a fumble recovery. He’ll lead the struggling defensive unit. Elsewhere, Jared Ivey and Quez Jackson each have six tackles for loss, and Jordan Domineck leads the Yellow Jackets with three forced fumbles. Similar to the offense, the

defense has playmakers, but consistency for 60 minutes has been elusive for the Yellow Jackets. 60 minutes is what will be needed on Saturday, and Collins knows there is no question the Yellow Jackets will need their best effort of the 2021 season. The No. 6 Irish are hunting for a CFP berth and want to dominate a struggling opponent and impress the committee. Georgia Tech has been a hard team to blow out, but they also haven’t been able to frequently put together a complete performance. “They’re a really good team. We saw them in person last year... we know how talented and wellcoached they are” Collins said of Notre Dame, “A tremendous level of respect for them. We have to be ready to go and play at a really high level”. Contact Aidan Thomas athoma28@nd.edu

ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer

Irish junior running back Kyren Williams stiff arms a Trojan defender during Notre Dame’s home win over USC, 31-16 on Saturday, Oct. 23.

Sports Insider

ndsmcobserver.com | friday, November 19, 2021 | The Observer

Jack Coan

JONATHAN DOERER

Doerer eyes succes Coan faces Badgers as Shamrock Series opponent By NATE MOLLER Sports Writer

By EMILY DeFAZIO Associate Sports Editor

Editor’s Note: A version of this story ran online Sept. 24. Graduate student quarterback Jack Coan has certainly not had the traditional experience of a Notre Dame quarterback. Between transferring in for his final year of eligibility, battling it out among two other contenders for the top spot and ultimately sharing field time with a true freshman, Coan’s journey has been one of uncertainty and, in many respects, excitement. The quarterback has continuously mentioned how much of a dream it is to be playing in the house that Rockne built, both for him and his family, and he is not taking a single day for granted. In many respects, it is that reverence of his position that has been fueling the mentality he maintains: Fight to win. Despite missed opportunities on the field, Coan has focused on his effort and the ultimate objective: winning. Kelly has mentioned that he is one of the hardest working members of the team, and that translates into the QB1’s gameplay. This is especially true in the match against Toledo, when Coan’s finger popped out of place midgame. After rushing to the sideline to have it pushed back in, he immediately threw the winning touchdown pass, exemplifying his grit in leaving everything on the field. “I mean, it was an unbelievable moment,” Coan said of the play. “The line did a great job protecting, and you know obviously Mike [Mayer] made a great move to get open and an unbelievable catch and finish. It was pretty crazy.” That idea of only focusing on what he himself can do has helped Coan manage the season and its stressors. Especially with the introduction of Tyler Buchner into the fray, Coan has had to laser in on what really matters. “The only thing I care about is winning,” Coan said. “Now whether that’s me, Tyler, Drew [Pyne], anyone. Whoever gives us the best chance to win, I’m all in favor of them.” That is not to say that Coan does not care whether he is on the field; on the contrary, capitalizing on and appreciating his time are of the utmost importance. Coan recalled what it was like for him to play in Notre Dame Stadium for the first time and the significance of the day for him. “It was amazing. I mean, it was definitely a dream come true,” Coan said. “It didn’t even feel real at moments, just with the player walk and hitting the sign for the first time, hearing

in the band playing, the crowd. It was an unbelievable moment that I’ll always remember and cherish.” Especially given how close the contests have been early on in the season, living in the moment and taking it day by day is the only way to move forward. Looking too far down the line can make one lose sight of the tasks at hand. “I mean, you look at the first few games, everything’s been coming down to the wire, so obviously you can’t look too far out about anything,” Coan said. “All you have is the game in front of you, and you never know what can happen, whether it’s injuries or things like that. So you just try to cherish every moment and stay in the moment.” Looking ahead now, however, the elephant in the stadium will be the team in red that Coan and the Irish face on Saturday. The quarterback has been asked about this game against his alma mater from before the season even began, and with the moment at hand, his mentality has not changed. Many people have asked Coan whether or not he has an added incentive to win this weekend, with personal reasons coming into play. He was steadfast in saying he has no reason to take one game more personally than others, and that he simply wants to win this battle as equally as the rest of them. “Yeah, I mean, it’s definitely gonna be weird,” Coan said on the topic of playing against his friends. “But I think at the end of the day it’s just another football game, and I like to think I don’t get too excited, or more excited, for one game than the next. But it’ll certainly be a pretty cool atmosphere, and we’re playing against a great team, so it’ll be fun.” Despite playing against his friends and former teammates, Coan says he wishes them nothing but the best and is looking to have fun competing against them this weekend. However, there is still a job to get done, a job that Coan fully acknowledges. He noted that the Badgers have one of the best defenses in the country, which will make them a challenge for him and the Irish offense. As someone who went up against this unit at practice every day for four years, Coan is familiar with their style of play, but by no means knows all of the stops they are going to pull. “I had a general sense of what they like to do, but I never really paid attention to what they do in games, really, how they gameplan and why they switch things up,” Coan said. “I’m definitely going to have to continue to study them, but also, try to help out as much as I can in the game plan.”

For himself and his offense, their leg up will be that “fight to win” mindset. Coan noted that improvements have to be made to sure up their system, and that everyone’s hard work is showing in their performances. Though they took a step forward against Purdue, he said, they need to focus on getting more consistent. Should they get secure in both the running and passing game, Coan asserts that they are “gonna be a pretty difficult offense to stop.” Coan himself threw a few passes just out of reach of his receivers in the game against Purdue, and he is focusing on fixing his timing and accuracy heading into Saturday. “I think I could do a lot better job helping out as well, just getting the ball out of my hands and communicating better,” Coan said. “I might have been a little impatient in the beginning, just trying not to take sacks and getting the ball out of my hands, but I definitely could have been a little more patient.” Despite some off throws, Coan utilized wide receiver Avery Davis consistently against Purdue, an avenue that he may have missed in previous games. He said that the talent among the receivers is widespread, and that he does not have to rely on one person to move the ball forward. Instead, he should be focusing on making the right reads and getting through progressions, and he is excited to continue to expand their arsenal in terms of playmakers. “I think the game plan changes every week,” Coan said. “Different stuff happens in the game as well and you can’t always feed the same guys over and over again. I think we have a lot of weapons on offense that we could utilize.” The offensive line, on the other hand, has been a talking point of the season. Many have commented on their inexperience and struggles, but Coan stands behind his teammates. “I think they’re doing an unbelievable job,” Coan said. “They’re truly working as hard as any unit in the country right now, and I know they want to get better, just like I want to get better too. So I think they’re right where they should be right now and I have total confidence in them with everything.” Again, it goes back to that same mentality of putting in the work — the grit — to get the win. Though sometimes it falls short, the effort itself is not diminished. “I think that’s the cool part about football is it doesn’t always have to be perfect,” Coan said. “It’s just got to be a complete game you just gotta fight till the end.” Contact Emily DeFazio at edefazio@nd.edu

Editor’s Note: A version of this story ran online Sept. 10. Graduate student Jonathan Doerer was the hero for Notre Dame last Sunday in Tallahassee by making a 41-yard field goal in overtime to give the Irish a thrilling 41-38 victory over Florida State. This year will be Doerer’s third season as the placekicker for the Irish, and he looks set to have a very successful year. Doerer discussed Sunday’s game-winning kick and how he prepared himself for the moment. “Once we got the ball back in overtime, I really played it through my head a couple of times. I felt comfortable with the way I was kicking the ball that day,” Doerer said. “So I was visualizing that, and I just kind of relaxed and just tried to get my mind ready to go out there. When we’re on offense, I’m usually over by the net making sure I’m ready, depending on where we are on the field. On defense, there are a lot of ups and downs, but there’s not a lot of time because it’s so quick, so I’m kicking the whole time. I was kicking when [Florida State] was on [offense],” Doerer said. “Nothing changes in terms of how I think about my process. You don’t want to add any pressure that doesn’t need to be added. It’s just another kick for me.” Doerer made a field goal from the same hash earlier in the game, which gave him more confidence. “It was the same type of kick as the one I made earlier in the game. It was just seven yards closer on the same hash, so I picked the same spot as I did and just let it go,” Doerer said. “I think having one from there early on in the game certainly helped.” Doerer did not let the crazy crowd of Doak-Campbell Stadium affect his kicking abilities on Sunday. “We did a really good job of preparing for [the crowd]. We had the Tomahawk chop going all week long [at practice]. When I heard it, it was almost calming because I’d heard it all week long. We had done field goal periods at practice with it,” Doerer said. “It almost kind of helped me. It was calming in a way. I was so glad the fans were back. It was a great atmosphere. In circumstances like that, it almost kind of helps. There’s noise, but it’s white noise. It was a great experience for me,” Doerer said. “I’m not a young guy. I’ve played in college with fans before, so I’m more used to that than not having fans. I welcomed the fans in those types of atmospheres, and I have always enjoyed playing in those types of games.” Doerer’s game-winning field goal was the first game-winning kick for the Irish since Justin Yoon made one to beat Miami 30-27, in 2016. Doerer discussed how important Sunday’s game-winner was to him. “I don’t think it was more memorable because it was a game-winner, so to speak,” Doerer said. “I

remember each kick, and some mean more to me than others. That one obviously meant a lot to me. I won’t get to reflect on it truly for a while, but it’s definitely one of my more memorable kicks. I think I had a similar kick in high school. It was like 43 yards from the right hash, and I kicked a really good ball and it went over the right upright and they said it was no good. I was kind of thinking about that a little bit when I went out there. I was thinking I can finally exorcise those demons,” Doerer said. The second that Doerer’s foot connected with the ball on Sunday, he knew that the kick was going to be good. “I felt pretty comfortable with the way that I was hitting the ball that day. So once I saw it go up, I felt pretty good about where it was going to end up,” Doerer said. “I’ve kicked a lot of balls in my life, so I have a general idea of if I hit it well or if I don’t. There were no conditions and no wind to catch me by surprise, so I felt pretty good about it.” After making the game-winner, Doerer ran across the field. “I didn’t want to get dogpiled,” Doerer said. “I’m kind of a skinny guy. I don’t think that would have been too good for me. I wanted to bring everyone over to our fanbase. We had a lot of fans who traveled.” Doerer discussed how meaningful it was for him to hear from friends and family members after the game, congratulating him on his kick. “I heard from a lot of my buddies who I haven’t seen in a little while. That was good to hear from them,” Doerer said. “You hear from a lot of people that are close to you who have been a part of your journey that kind of reach out to you again in that situation. It’s really special.” Despite not having a chance for a game-winning kick before, Doerer has proven to be a clutch option for the Irish in years past as well. In his junior season, Doerer made three field goals of over 40 yards to lead the Irish to victory against USC. Also, in last year’s victory over first-ranked Clemson, Doerer made four field goals to ensure an eventual Irish victory. Doerer and the Irish have their eyes set on the home opener this Saturday against Toledo. Doerer emphasized the importance of taking care of himself and resting up for Saturday, especially without an extra day of rest due to the Sunday game. “We have to take care of ourselves. That’s the biggest thing this week. It’s the same type of week of practice. But without that extra recovery day, we have to spend more time off the field taking care of ourselves,” Doerer said. The Irish will definitely rely on their veteran kicker to make some kicks in high-pressure situations going forward. Doerer has proven in his career that no stage has been too big for him, and he will be ready for any situation he faces. Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu

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The observer | friday, November 19, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Joe Wilkins Jr.

KURT HINISH

Wilkins Jr. is key leader for Irish By MATT SMITH Sports Writer

Joe Wilkins Jr. was ready to be a difference-maker for the Notre Dame offense this season. After a promising junior campaign where he caught seven passes for 63 yards and a touchdown, the senior wide receiver from North Fort Myers, Florida, put in the work during the offseason in preparation for a breakout year. “I’ve kind of been the guy just to get by,” Wilkins said during fall camp. “I’ve been in the backseat, I did what I had to do just to be a role player and to be relevant, but I always had people in front of me.” Wilkins Jr. continued, saying how his confidence has been reaffirmed by his coaches. “For [coach Rees] to sit me down and talk to me, it showed me that he has confidence in me. Coach Kelly has confidence in me,” he said. “My wide receivers, my brothers, everybody has confidence in me. They know what I can do. They’ve seen me do it in practice, so now it’s time for me to just take it to the field now on game day.” Wilkins Jr.’s offseason effort paid off in the season opener against Florida State. He caught a massive 23-yard touchdown to propel the Irish to a 41-38 victory, and his role continued to grow early in the season. He was well on his way to surpassing last year’s receiving

numbers with four catches for 61 yards and a touchdown through five games. Unfortunately, Wilkins Jr.’s season was cut short due to a torn MCL that he suffered against Cincinnati. As was the case last year when he dealt with a myriad of lower-body issues, an injury once again derailed a promising start to the year for Wilkins. Even though Wilkins won’t be able to get on the field again this season, it doesn’t mean he will be less involved with the team. As one of the veteran receivers in the locker room, Wilkins knows that he has an important role as a leader to guide the freshmen that are stepping up in his absence. With two seasons of eligibility remaining due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a redshirt year in 2018, Wilkins will likely return next season. By keeping the same mindset that he had coming into this year, he knows that he will be able to make game-changing plays for the Irish offense. “The first two years, for sure, [I was] just a renter,” Wilkins said. “You’re just getting by, just checking the boxes. That’s a terrible mindset to have, but that’s what I had. Now, it’s the details. You’re doing it for a reason. It’s your time.” Contact Matt Smith at msmith88@nd.edu

NATHANIAL GEORGE | The Observer

Irish senior wide receiver Joe Wilkins Jr. hypes up Notre Dame fans in the crowd during ND’s 41-38 win over FSU on Sept. 5 in Tallahassee.

Hinish cites more tackles, small tweaks for success By MANNION McGINLEY Sports Editor

Editor’s Note: A version of this story ran online Oct. 22. In his fifth and final season as a starting Notre Dame defensive lineman, Irish graduate student Kurt Hinish is one of the longeststanding pillars on Notre Dame’s defensive roster. As one of the seven captains in his final season, Hinish has taken the weight of the season directly onto his shoulders. That is at least the weight of the defense, and especially the weight of the defensive line. Hinish finds himself at nose guard again this year, so when any opponent breaks through the line he holds it personally. “I gotta hold my gap,” Hinish said in a press conference on Wednesday. “I have to keep ever ybody next to me accountable for holding their gap, getting off the blocks and making tack les upfront. I feel like if one of the players gets through one of our gaps and it leads to the middle, you know, I take responsibilit y for that. Even if it’s on the opposite end gap, I feel responsible for that because it is in the middle of the defense.” He’s seen some of the trouble he and the rest of the defense have been hav ing after the t wo close games to open the season. Both games were decided by three points: a missed Florida State field goal in overtime during the season opener (41-38), and a successful Notre Dame t wopoint conversion against Toledo (32-29). Again, Hinish has put a lot of that weight on his ow n shoulders and found indiv idual things he’d like to work on. If he doesn’t catch them himself, teammates like fellow defensive lineman senior Jayson Ademilola keep him in check for too. “Me and Jayson Ademilola, we’ll hold one another accountable,” Hinish said. “For example, last week I missed a tack le for loss against Toledo, we’re sitting in the film and watching it the other day and that play came up and Jayson just turned around and gave me like a look, you know, and I looked at him back and I was like, right, you know, I’ve got

to, we’ve got to make those plays.” The Irish defense has a definitive goal mov ing forward though and Hinish has it in his sights. “Just being a detail-oriented defense,” Hinish said. That’s what the Irish are focused on, but he said he knows that it isn’t a given but rather something to work toward. “W hen you play fast mistakes are gonna happen right that comes w ith play ing fast,” he said. “So, when you can find the balance and the medium of play ing fast and playing detail-oriented you can have a ver y dangerous group.” Despite that fact, Hinish knows the defense has it in them. “I mean, we’re still a baller defense, right, and have we given up a couple of points? Yeah, but we’re still a group of ballers, and we’re gonna be a group of ballers, we just need to find the mix, find the medium and that’s what it takes. Like I said, when you play fast, mistakes are gonna happen, but when you can find the happy medium of play ing fast and play ing detail-oriented we’ll be a dangerous group, so I know we’ll be alright.” How does the 2021 squad break into that “dangerous group” bracket? Hinish says it won’t happen w ith any sort of lack of intensit y. Energ y has to be high and the Irish have to be ready to work. “Coach Mickens and coach Freeman and coach O’Lear y, they’re doing their part in the secondar y to get ever ybody going just as much as coach Freeman and coach Helsingo are getting us going upfront,” Hinish said. “No one in that facilit y is taking any thing easily right now, we’re all working extremely hard especially coming out on the practice field and even in the meeting rooms. There’s a v ibe in the facilit y that can be felt that we need to have a sense of urgency and intensit y when we come outside for practice.” He says that intensit y needs to be explicitly present as they work on tackling, specifically in his ow n stats. With only one tack le and one sack on the season so

far, Hinish hopes to see a cleaner performance from both himself and the rest of the defense. “W hen we go back and watch the film, it’s always one missed tack le, one missed assignment,” he said. “And that comes w ith getting those details, and that comes w ith playing fast and that’s something that we have to clean up and that’s something that we’ve been cleaning up. We’ve been harping on this. One of the things we’ve been harping on during practice is going against and doing scatter work, tagging off on the hip, getting fitted up in a position to where you’re going to make that tack le.” “You can tr y to play mistake-free, which isn’t possible, but we tr y to do our best at it,” Hinish said. “We’re working on our details so we can find the happy medium of play ing fast and play ing free that’s going to be great.” They’re hoping to see some of this work pay off this weekend. Hinish said he knows that won’t be an easy feat but that doesn’t diminish his excitement to see the field and do the work he knows he can do. “They [Purdue] are a good football team,” Hinish said. “They have a great quarterback, they have a good offensive line. I know their running back just got hurt. Hate to see anybody get hurt, but you know he was a big part of their team. And not to say the second team running back isn’t great, he’s really good too. We’re gonna see a really good football team on Saturday and I’m excited to play them. I don’t know too much about their defense. I’ve been talking a lot about their offense guys. I’ve just kinda been staring at their O-line and their quarterback, but they run a lot of trick plays and we’ll be ready for it, we’re ready for anything their ready to throw at us.” His faith in the Irish defense to be ready when it comes dow n to it has yet to waiver. Hinish, the Irish defense and the offense take the field again in Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday. Kick off is at 2:30 p.m. Contact Mannion McGinley at mmcginl3@nd.edu

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ndsmcobserver.com | friday, November 19, 2021 | The Observer

DREW WHITE

JARRETT PATTERSON

‘Bring the extra juice’: White improves through season By MANNION McGINLEY Sports Editor

Editor’s Note: A version of this story ran online Oct. 22. Drew White has been on the field for the Irish since 2018. Back then, he played four games on the season with 2 tackles of his own and 6 assisted. Since then, he’s had only one goal: to improve. In 2019, White saw all 13 games. 8 total tackles became 80, 48 of them on his own. His career total is currently 171 tackles, 95 on his own and 19 for a loss (TFL) with 3.5 sacks. None of his stats compare to this year though where, in six games alone, he’s had 27 tackles, 16 of them solos with 2 for a loss. He can expand that tally to include 2 deflected passes and one interception that he was able to take back to the house for a touchdown. The interception came during Notre Dame’s 41-13 win over Wisconsin. The numbers shape up to improvement, but despite his individual success, White notes that every guy on the defense, including him, has to really execute. Especially now that he’s a captain, he says they’ve done the work, they just need to get the results. “We were prepared for everything,” White said about the home loss against Cincinnati, “But at the end of the day, you just got to make plays.” White said the adjustment from the loss would be within reach though, as it was an execution issue more than anything else. “Really, at the end of the day, I think Notre Dame beat Notre Dame, made too many mistakes. Didn’t execute well, that was that.” Specifically, White said they found themselves caught in the red zone, a space where the defense can usually make the stop and hold a team to a field goal, but Cincinnati was able to convert on their first trip down. In the spirit of improvement though, White highlighted that

the second drive they were able to hold the Bearcats better. “We stopped them to a field goal, the second time. The first time they were down there, we got to be better than that. Held them to third down and then they were able to do a pop pass, which we practiced all week. We were prepared for and we just got to execute,” White said. In true captain fashion though, White kept the team focused on their games and goals ahead, letting the Cincinnati game fuel them but not hang over their heads. “I told the guys it’s the 24hour rule,” White said, “Same as a win. So you know, we’ve had a lot of wins. We celebrate that win for 24 hours, then we’re back into work. And that’s exactly how we’re gonna handle this loss. For 24 hours these guys are going to be down. We’re going to be watching film, we’re not going to feel good about it. But coming in Monday, and Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday, we’re going to be ready. We’re going to prepare, we’re going to be ready for Virginia Tech because it’s going to be a good game. And they’re going to try and beat us too. And so we can’t let one game define the rest of our season. We need to continue to battle and come back.” Cut to a week later on the Virginia Tech field. Come back is exactly what the defense did and White was proud of what they could accomplish. It was a turnaround for the Irish from the week before. “I thought we prepared really well,” White said. “I think we had a good idea of what kind of game plan they were going on with or going to come in with you know, at some point guys are gonna make plays. Their offensive players, made plays. I thought Burmeister was great. The way he’s able to use his feet. You know, but I thought the defense played really good. The best part about it was the reciprocalness of the offense and

defense kind of bouncing off of each other is great and it really tells the story of what kind of guys we have.” One of those guys White says is integral to both the entire team’s success and his own success is fellow graduate student, Kurt Hinish, the Irish’s starting nose guard. Hinish was back for the first time against Virginia Tech after a concussion that took him out before the Wisconsin game. White was thrilled to have his best friend back. “It’s amazing. I mean Kurt’s one of my best friends on team I’ve played with the guy for like three years, maybe four years now and just to know that he’s in front of me taking on double teams, and he ain’t moving so yeah, you were able to see him making TFLs and disrupting the running game. So it’s great.” White said. “It just, it feels better when one of your best friends is lining up right in front of you. Like, just personally. I mean, all of our defensive tackles and nose guards are capable, but having a veteran guy in there, a captain on our team, to just have that look in his eye and have him communicate with us through the line is very useful.” Now, looking to the rest of the season, White wants to continue to push the team and to execute and that requires being on their A-game. “We have the mindset to come in and be physical, every game,” White said. But, he says the work is not over yet either and he intends to take the good and work on the bad. “We have a lot of things to work on,” White said. “But you can’t sell yourself short for you know what you can accomplish and it’s a W on the schedule. That’s a lot better than an L so it’s easier to take lessons from the covenant of being positive and bring the extra juice you got to keep keep improving during the season.” Contact Mannion McGinley at mmcginl3@nd.edu

ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer

Irish graduate student linebacker Drew White maneuvers around the Cincinnati offense after coming up with a fumble recovery on Oct. 2. White had an interception in the Shamrock Series against Wisconsin.

Patterson leads young o-line By AIDAN THOMAS Associate Sports Editor

Editor’s Note: A version of this story ran online Sept. 17. Jarrett Patterson has been a force to be reckoned w ith for opposing defenses since his arrival in South Bend. He saw action in three games his freshman year and would have an immediate impact on the team in his sophomore season. He has always filled big shoes on an offensive line that for the past few years has been notoriously impressive, but now the senior offensive lineman is filling in a different role. In his sophomore campaign, Patterson would start ever y game at center. He was surrounded by NFL talent, filling in a line w ith Miami Dolphins starter Liam Eichenberg, the Bucs’ Robert Hainsey, Detroit’s Tommy Kraemer and the 49ers’ Aaron Banks; now, Patterson is the only returning member of that star-studded position group. The Irish finished the 2019 season ranked 13th in scoring offense, averaging 36.8 points per game. Patterson did not allow a sack and gave up only t wo QB hits on 854 offensive snaps played in 2019, and he ranked in the nation’s top 20 centers w ith an offensive grade of 74.2, per Pro Football Focus. Patterson would only progress alongside this line corps in his junior season and he would help to establish a long-needed and heav ily desired run game for the Irish. After the season opener against Duke in 2020, the Irish ranked first in the ACC while they still played in the conference, and 11th among all FBS teams in tack les for loss allowed. They were awarded Pro Football Focus’ offensive line of the week in both this game and the next, which saw a 52-0 blowout over South Florida. He would also start in the w in over then-No. 1 Clemson that saw the offensive live car ve 518 yards of total offense into the top-ranked Tigers defense. Unfortunately, Patterson would miss the last four games of the 2020 season w ith a left foot injur y. With Patterson being the

only true veteran returning on the Irish line, more pressure has been put on his shoulders. The line has already show n a stark contrast to their performance last year. Through t wo games last year the line had given up 3 sacks and 8 tack les for loss against Duke and South Florida; this year Notre Dame has already surrendered 10 sacks and 20 tackles for loss against Florida State and Toledo. To make matters worse, the line is slowly dissolv ing as thirdstring sophomore Tosh Baker might get the start against the Boilermakers this weekend after freshman starting left tack le Blake Fisher got injured in the opener against Florida State and his backup, sophomore Michael Carmody, went dow n against Toledo. Though their backs are up against the wall, Patterson is not shy ing dow n from leading this group. “We definitely have some younger guys in key positions, but we have a lot of good football players and a lot of really good senior leadership as well on the offensive side of the ball,” Patterson said in a press conference Tuesday. “So really it’s just ever y day coming out and tr y ing to get one percent better. I think that’s what the mindset needs to be for ever yone on the team.” A lthough this group certainly has a lot of pressure on them for the moment, they have the full support of ever yone up and dow n the roster to nav igate through to find their identit y. Graduate student quarterback Jack Coan explained where he thought the line, headed by Patterson, was at. “I think they’re doing an unbelievable job,” Coan said Tuesday. “I mean, they’re truly working as hard as any unit in the countr y right now. I know they wanna get better, just like I want to get better too. I think they are right where they should be right now, so I have total confidence in them w ith ever y thing.” Patterson has the responsibilit y to head the charge for this Notre Dame offensive line, and has filled that role throughout the season. Contact Aidan Thomas athoma28@nd.edu

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The observer | friday, November 19, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

BO BAUER

JUSTIN ADEMILOLA

Bauer posts standout senior year ahead of postseason By EMILY DeFAZIO Associate Sports Editor

Although The 2021 season has proven to be a breakout one for senior linebacker Bo Bauer. After posting consistent stats during games early on in the year, his best performance came in none other than the highly-anticipated rivalry game against USC, when the linebacker intercepted the ball and ran it all the way to the four yard line. Despite the lighthearted teasing that came with ultimately being taken down by the Trojans quarterback — which Bauer admitted to — the defender cemented himself as an integral part of the Notre Dame defense. His success did not end after the opponent in red departed South Bend. This year, the linebacker has already surpassed his previous stats in every category; he has notably posted 35 total tackles, coming in at sixth overall on the team. Despite these impressive personal stats, Bauer emphasized his place among his fellow defenders, and how they work together as a functioning unit as opposed to several moving parts, especially during impressive plays.

“A lot of great guys on our team,” Bauer said. “Gotta be one eleventh, and so on that play, ten other guys were doing what they needed to do and I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.” He has continued to progress game by game and he uses each game to prepare for the next. For example, Bauer led to a two-point conversion against Virginia Tech the week before USC, which provided him the launching pad for even larger plays. Nine of his 35 tackles came in the Irish’s most recent matchup against UVA. “I was just kind of warming up the wheels,” Bauer said. “Maybe next time we’ll get in [the end zone].” Bauer can always be counted on to bring energy to the field. One can usually find him hyping up his fellow defenders, channeling their enthusiasm into their gameplay. Though there is that vitality that comes with the game day atmosphere, Bauer said that there is nothing but respect for the other team at the end of the day. “Respect your opponent, don’t fear your opponent,” Bauer said. “Just coming out and focusing on execution.”

He said that a lot of the time it’s like the Super Bowl for the other teams as they fight against the legacy that is Notre Dame football. Notre Dame fans have a similar energy level going into each matchup, and Bauer feeds off of this. “We’ve got the greatest fans in the world and they show out when we need them,” he said. “I love to have our fans in there.” Bauer will seek to take this momentum into the remainder of the season, as Notre Dame looks ahead to two final regular season games and a potential postseason run. No matter the outcome, the reset button has been pushed on defense, leaving the adjustments and mistakes in the past. Bauer has played a key role in this new trajectory. “We’re treating the second half as a new season,” Bauer said. “We’re trying to establish just high levels of execution and every day we just try to be great responders to what’s in front of us because at the end of the day those are the people who inherit trophies.” Contact Emily DeFazio at edefazio@nd.edu

MATT SALERNO

Matt Salerno always knew he was coming to ND By ANDREW McGUINNESS Sports Writer

Countless kids grow up dreaming of one day running out of the tunnel of Notre Dame Stadium, gold helmet gleaning in the sunlight with the roar of 80,000 fans behind them. Very few actually earn the privilege of doing so; even fewer are able to contribute to an Irish team that competes on the sport’s biggest stage. That wasn’t necessarily wide receiver Matt Salerno’s dream. While sports are the deciding factor for the college choice of many high school students, Salerno didn’t come to Notre Dame solely to live that dream. “Notre Dame was my dream place,” Salerno. “I was gonna come here regardless of football.” Maybe that doesn’t sound like the mentality of someone able to work their way onto the team as a walk-on and eventually become a consistent special teams player for the Irish. But this does: “I worked hard to reach out to the coaches and get a response and see if there was a spot on the team,” Salerno said. Salerno’s Notre Dame dream may not have been centered around football, but he worked hard to make

sure it played a large role in his time in South Bend. The results certainly reflect the hunger of the latter approach. Salerno walked on at Notre Dame from Valencia, California, where he was a three-sport athlete (football, lacrosse and soccer) and straight A-student and class president at Crespi Carmelite High School. Salerno spent his freshman season on the scout team; not the most glamorous work, but as the classic theatre saying goes, there are no small roles, just small actors. Salerno has certainly proved he isn’t the latter. After making his Notre Dame debut against New Mexico in 2019, Salerno played the biggest role of his Irish career in 2020. He returned 10 punts for 45 yards last fall, fair catching 23 more. Had Salerno returned just two more punts, he would have been eligible for the national leaderboard and ranked 36th in the nation with 4.5 yards per return. His ten punt returns were the fifth most in the ACC, helping Notre Dame reach the conference championship and the College Football Playoff. Salerno has continued to be a part of Notre Dame’s special teams this year, returning his first two collegiate kickoffs for 33

yards against Navy. However, his favorite moment playing for the Irish came when he didn’t even have the ball in his hands; it was “(Chris Tyree’s) kick return for a touchdown against Wisconsin. To be able to feel for the momentum shift was pretty exciting.” Yet for everything he’s done on the field for the Irish, some of Salerno’s most valuable moments at Notre Dame haven’t necessarily come on the field. “I learned that relationships are probably the most important thing when it comes to work and success. The positive relationships I’ve had with relationships here have been very good,” he said. Salerno is studying aerospace engineering and plans to work in the blockchain space after graduation. His degree and the lessons he’s learned at Notre Dame were his main dream. But whether he was grinding away on the scout team, or waiting for a high arching kick to land in his arms in front of 80,000 screaming fans, football was an incredible boost to the Notre Dame experience that Matt Salerno had always been working towards..” Contact Andrew McGuinness at amcguinn@nd.edu

Becoming a reliable defender By ANDREW McGUINNESS Sports Writer

An athlete’s development isn’t always linear. Some players immediately burst onto the scene as superstars, making an impact from day one. Others go through ups and downs before settling in as key contributors. But there’s something to be said for a player who just keeps getting better year after year, play after play, steadily improving to make their mark in the legendary history of Notre Dame football. Defensive lineman Justin Ademilola is that type of player. A three-star linebacker recruit out of Saint Peter’s Prep in Jackson, New Jersey, Ademilola has consistently worked his way up from a green freshman to one of Notre Dame’s best defensive linemen. As a freshman, Ademilola played in three games, where he worked on the transition from his high school position of linebacker. It was a smooth transition for Ademilola, who quickly showed the Notre Dame coaches and fans his talent with a four-tackle game in his Irish debut at Wake Forest. His role increased as a sophomore, with Ademilola playing in eight games and recording nine tackles, including his first career tackle for a loss. By his junior year, Ademilola was a regular in Notre Dame’s defensive line rotation. He recorded at least one tackle in nine contests, including Notre Dame’s 47-40 doubleovertime victory against Clemson, their rematch in the ACC Championship, and the College Football Playoff Semifinal against Alabama. Defense was a huge part of Notre Dame’s undefeated regular season and return to the CFP in 2020, and Ademilola was right there in the mix. He finished the year with 17 tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss and his first career sack. Ademilola has suited up for all ten of Notre Dame’s games so far in 2021, and his stats have continued to impress. He leads the team with 3.5 sacks, including a streak of at least 0.5 sacks in each of Notre Dame’s first three games. His four quarterback hits are tied with Isaiah Foskey and Howard Cross III for second on the team. He has made almost as many tackles so far this year (28) as his first three seasons combined (35). The secret to his improvements? “Just learning the game as a whole,” Ademilola said. “Learning why we do things the way we do on the defensive side of the ball. That leads to more production, more sacks.”

Ademilola’s time at Notre Dame has been so special, not just because of what he’s accomplished, but because he’s gotten to share all of it with his brother Jayson. The two committed to Notre Dame on the same day — June 26, 2016 — and have been by each other’s side their entire time in South Bend. “I’ve been playing with him my whole life. It’s all we know at this point,” Justin said. As the Ademilola brothers prepare for their final game in Notre Dame Stadium, they do so as two of Notre Dame’s most dependable defenders. The brothers rank two and three in tackles among Notre Dame’s defensive linemen, trailing only Isaiah Foskey. Jayson holds a nine-tackle edge, but Justin has an extra sack to his credit (which he made sure to note). The Ademilolas are also two and three in that department among all Irish defenders, once again trailing only Foskey. Their sibling rivalry may not be the most intense one, but it’s pushed both players. “Sometimes we get competitive,” Justin admitted. Even now as a starter, Ademilola hasn’t lost track of the little things that make Notre Dame so special. “As a freshman, I was looking forward to the relationships with my teammates and some of the guys in my class, kids in my dorm,” he said. “As I’m a senior, I’ve made some relationships that are gonna last a lifetime.” Ademilola mentioned Ade Ogundeji, Khalid Kareem, and Julian Okwara — all three of whom are currently in the NFL — as some of the teammates who had the biggest impact on him. “They’re my brothers,” he said. His favorite moments at Notre Dame aren’t his time on the field, but Thursday nights before games with his friends and teammates. “Me and the guys will go out to dinner. We usually go to Soho (Japanese Bistro, in Granger), me and my roommates, and a few other teammates. The brotherhood is strong,” he said. Just as strong as Ademilola’s career at Notre Dame. Whether it be relationships or football, playing on the weak or the strong side of the field, and no matter the opponent, Justin Ademilola has made the most of every moment he’s spent in South Bend. That’s what happens when you improve one play, one connection, and one moment of a sibling rivalry at a time. Contact Andrew McGuinness at amcguinn@nd.edu

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Senate meets with UCC Senate receives updates on Irish1Card, counseling services By HEAVEN CARTER News Writer

On Wednesday evening, the student senate gathered on the second floor of LaFortune Student Center to discuss updates regarding campus technology and new information from the University Counseling Center. Director for campus technology and innovation Kevin Wang gave an update concerning the integration of ID cards into digital wallets. According to Wang, the Campus Card Office and Office of Information Technology have begun the process of adding Irish1Card functionality into smartphones’ respective

mobile wallet apps. Even after this implementation, students will still have the option of using either a traditional ID card or a digital wallet. Because the effort is still in its early stages, a launch date for the change is still forthcoming. The student senate was joined by director of the University Counseling Center Christine Conway, who gave a brief overview of the many services the center offers — including drop-in hours, workshops, group counseling and individual counseling — also explaining the benefits of each. Following the brief overview, she discussed the impact of the employment crisis on the

center’s individual counseling services. “We haven’t been able to provide individual counseling for everybody. We just haven’t had the capacity, but that doesn’t mean we are turning students away,” said Conway. Conway explained that in previous years, students would have to wait four to five weeks to get an individual therapy session. Since then, the center has hired more staff and added drop-in hours in order to shorten that waiting period. “We just felt like that is not exactly what we wanted. We needed to get people in quicker, so the idea of see SENATE PAGE 3

Protest calls for divestment By SHANNON LIPSCOMB News Writer

The sustainability department of Notre Dame student government partnered with GreeND to hold a protest Thursday evening encouraging the University to stop investing in the fossil fuel industry. Over 50 students braved the cold to attend the event.

The attendees marched from DeBartolo Quad to North Quad, equipped with signs and chants to attract attention. Ainsley Gibbs, a first-year in the student government’s sustainability department, spoke at the protest and made posters. Having witnessed devastating wildfires in her home state of Oregon that have left see PROTEST PAGE 4

NDPD reports armed robberies Observer Staff Report

The South Bend Police Department (SBPD) informed the Notre Dame Police Department (NDPD) of two armed robberies that occurred south of campus, the NDPD said in an email Thursday. The first armed robbery took place around 7:20 p.m. Tuesday, near the intersection of North Jacob and East Bissell streets, according to the email. The victim was reportedly a Notre Dame student. Two 6-foot-2, thin-built Black men were described as the suspects per the email. One

Symphony Orchestra returns to the stage By CAROLINE COLLINS News Writer

The Notre Dame Symphony Orchestra will take the stage Friday night to perform its annual Fall Concert. The concert — which will be held from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m in the Leighton Concert Hall — will include highlights such as Mendelssohn’s Concerto, selections from

Dvorák’s Slavonic Dances, Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony and a solo performed by concert mistress and co-president Abigail Fontana. This is the Symphony Orchestra’s 91st year as a group, as the group has been on campus since 1930 and continues to grow each year, said Daniel Stowe, conductor of the Symphony Orchestra. Stowe said there

Beyond the Belle assists teachers By SIOBHAN LOUGHNEY News Writer

Students at Saint Mary’s College are strengthening literacy, community and love through Beyond the Belle, a student led program that works out of the Office for Common Good. For this TriCampus Thursday, The Observer spoke with two students who participate in the program by tutoring children in local South Bend schools.

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Beyond the Belle sends Saint Mary’s College students to Darden Elementary and the Notre Dame Center for Civic Innovation (CCI). At Darden Elementary, students assist kindergarten teachers with a range of tasks and needs in the classroom, while the students at the CCI work on literacy development as tutors in the center’s afterschool program. Photo courtesy of Daniel Stowe

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suspect had a full-size firearm and both were traveling in a purple car, possibly a Pontiac Grand Am, with a tinted license plate cover, according to the email. No one was reportedly injured in the incident. The second incident reportedly occurred Thursday morning around 10:40 a.m. near the intersection of South Bend Avenue and Eddy Street. The NDPD email said the suspect was described as wearing a gold jacket and green pants. NDPD said they are in contact with SBPD about these incidents and urged anyone with information to get in contact with SBPD at 574-235-9263.

Notre Dame Symphony Orchestra will hold its annual Fall Concert in the Leighton Concert Hall in their second performance this year.

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are 85 students in the orchestra, with 60 string players and 25 percussion and brass players. The orchestra’s original home was Washington Hall before moving to the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center in 2004. Friday’s concert will be the Symphony Orchestra’s second concert this year, following its first performance in October — which was originally slated for 2020 but was postponed. Because of the first performance, the orchestra had less time to rehearse for the Fall Concert. Despite the condensed timeframe, Stowe said the orchestra is more prepared than usual and should put on a professional-quality performance. Stowe said a lot of time and effort is put into the concert preparation. “We have one weekly Tuesday night rehearsal, and then leading up to the concert we’ll add an extra rehearsal on Thursday prior to the Friday concert as a dress rehearsal,” Stowe said. see SYMPHONY PAGE 3

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With excitement Notre Dame cheerleaders celebrate a win last weekend. Notre Dame won against the Univesity of Virginia with a score of 28 - 3. Students and fans anticipate the upcoming game this Saturday at 2:30 p.m. against Georgia Tech.

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Friday

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Tuesday

Peking University — Colloquium Series Zoom 8 a.m. - 9 a.m. Western Medieval History

75th Anniversary: Harvest Feast Hesburgh Library, West Pavilion noon - 1:30 p.m. Medivial Institute

International Film Fest Browning Cinema 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. “The Cloud-Capped Star” (India, 1960)

Panel Discussion Hesburgh Center Auditorium 5 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. The role of electoral authorities

T4: Tuesday, Tools, Tips, and Time 125 Hesburgh Library 9 a.m. - noon Registration is required

Notre Dame Symphony Orchestra Concert Leighton Concert Hall 8 p.m. - 9 p.m. Annual fall concert

Notre Dame Home Football Game Notre Dame Stadium 2:30 p.m. Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech

Fall University Band Concert Leighton Concert Hall 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. University Bands Fall Concert

Max Kade Lecture Max Kade Seminar Room 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. “Broader View of a Much-Maligned”

Spotlight Exhibit 102 Hesburgh Library Rare Books & Special Collections 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Ferrell Manuscripts

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ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, NOVEMBER 19, 2021 | The Observer

English professor designs ‘Good Books’ course When English professor Sister Eva Hooker had the chance to create a new course during her last year at Saint Mary’s, she told department chair Ann Marie Short she wanted to focus on good books. “I’ve always wanted to do a course like this, but never really had a chance because I was doing the poetry writing course and then, of course, we all do W [writing proficiency] courses,“ Hooker said. “And so when this became my last year, Ann Marie [Short] who’s our chair said, ‘What would be your dream course?’ And I said, ‘Good books — not great books because I don’t want to get tangled in that debate — but good books.’ And so she said, ‘Well, go for it and see what happens.’“ While Hooker had to make difficult decisions about what constitutes a good book, she eventually included novels “Gilead,” “The Green Road,” “The Goldfinch,” “To

The End of the Land” and “Let the Great World Spin,” the memoir “What You Have Heard is True” and the poetry collection “Trophic Cascade” in her course. Speaking especially about “Trophic Cascade,” Hooker noted the collection’s importance in giving students a narrative about motherhood. “This book is so wonderful because ... she’s very much an eco poet, but this book is about becoming a mother,” she said. “When we had our alum reunion some years ago, one of the things that the women said is no one ever really talked about or studied, or made a focus on becoming a mother, and so ever since I’ve tried to put in a book that considers this ... But it’s also a book that takes into consideration what it’s like to bring a child of color into the world, so it brings up questions of race and privilege and all that good stuff.” Hooker said she made changes to the course mid-semester and added the novel “Let the

Great World Spin.” “I changed my mind in midcourse because I thought, oh, gosh, all these books are so dark that we have read so far and I thought, you know, here we are with COVID,” she said. “Many students in the class are getting sick, not with COVID, but with flu and they kept falling in and falling out. They were really having a hard time and so I thought this is a book that is fabulous, but it has a lighter edge to it.” Hooker emphasized that because the books are contemporary, students can see the range of texts written during their lifetimes. “All these books are very now books,” she said. “The oldest one was 1996, but every other one is written 2010 to now. And so that gives them some sense of the literary geography of the present time — from their time which I think is wonderful to have.” Junior English literature major Megan Palmer is a student in Hooker’s class and expressed

her gratitude for the way Hooker has taught her to see literature. “The class is amazing,” she said. “We read good books, obviously given the title. We just read a lot and then we come and discuss it, so it’s a discussion-based class. The best way I can describe it is that she helps me see these books as if they’re movies, like on a screen. But she also just picks amazing books.” Palmer also elaborated on Hooker’s unique perspective as an instructor. “The way we talk about them, she sees things that I wouldn’t have seen to begin with and then ... she picks apart the things that the author has done,” Palmer said. “But she also makes us explain why it was a good book and you can’t just say that because I liked it. You have to pick apart what makes a good book, why was it good or why we don’t like this book because some of us have not liked some of the books that we’ve read.”

A book from the semester that has stuck with Palmer is “Let the Great World Spin.” “The book we just finished, ‘Let the Great World Spin,’ by Colum McCann — that’s one of the best books I’ve ever read in my life,” Palmer said. “It’s so amazing. I don’t know how to describe it and not give things away, but it’s one of those stories where there’s so many working parts that in the end, they all fit together.” Palmer said Sister Eva has been a positive force on her personally and academically. “I wish Sister Eva wasn’t retiring because you should definitely take a class with her,” she said. “She’s so funny. She’s so cute. She’s just one of the best professors because she doesn’t let you just get away with “Oh well I thought this.’ She makes you point it out in the text, she makes you explain why and then you’re like I have to think about why I liked that.”

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the drop-in hours is that we have brought in hours every day to deliver care,” she said. Conway said that there are four to six people on staff solely for the purpose of drop-in hours. She also explained that the typical wait time ranges anywhere from 35 to 45 minutes. Conway also explained that the center is working on hiring and training new staff so that they are able to meet all students’ needs. In the meantime, she encouraged students to capitalize on the many workshops they provide as well as the drop-in hours.

Allyson Emmett, a senior at Saint Mary’s, became involved with Beyond the Belle during her first semester at the College. While seeking opportunities through the Office for the Common Good, known at the time as the Office for Civic and Social Engagement, she came across Beyond the Belle. Aside from her one semester spent abroad, she participated in the program every semester. This year, she serves as a program leader at the CCI. A typical hour in the afterschool program involves reading to a student, having the student read to the tutor, working on a writing prompt and learning “sight words,” or common words that young readers can learn to recognize without hesitation. Bonding with the students can create a meaningful experience

for students and tutors alike. Majoring in Spanish and global studies with a concentration in anthropology, Emmett found a connection with some of her Spanish-speaking students through their shared bilingual experiences. “Having that mutual status as a language learner helps build comfort in our relationship,” Emmett said. Emmett said it is important to be engaged with the South Bend community outside of the Saint Mary’s campus, which is what working with Beyond the Belle has allowed her to do. With Beyond the Belle, she is able to watch students grow in confidence and literacy skills as the semester progresses. “I know it’s easy to be in school and to stay in the Saint Mary’s bubble or the tri-campus bubble, but really learning the needs of the community and serving them is something that we really promote,” Emmett said.

On the other side of Beyond the Belle, Saint Mary’s sophomore Kathleen Hannon began working with kindergarten students at Darden Elementary this semester. Every Tuesday, Hannon spends two hours at the elementary school providing classroom assistance and ensuring that students receive the direct attention they need. “Our job is to give each student attention and to make sure that they are heard and they know that they have a support system,” said Hannon. For her religious studies major, Hannon is taking a class called “Faith in Action,” which requires that students take on a service opportunity outside of the classroom. Choosing to join Beyond the Belle for the class, Hannon said she has no plans to leave the program when this semester ends. With a major in religious studies, Hannon said it is a privilege to work in an educational setting

that may not necessarily be part of her future career path. Still, she said, Beyond the Belle allows her to see the intersection of her studies and her service. “For me, religious studies is all about meeting people where they’re at, and it’s so important each day when you go to Darden to meet these kids where they’re at,” Hannon said. “It’s all about responding to the needs that you’re presented with at that time.” The most rewarding aspect of the experience, Hannon said, is the love shown by the kindergarten students. Greeting her with hugs and cheers of “Miss Kat! Miss Kat!” the students create a welcoming break in the day of a busy college student. “Even though I’m the one going to them, they provide me with such a support system — and they don’t even know it,” Hannon said.

“In addition to our weekly rehearsal schedule, we conduct regular sectional rehearsals to prepare each section of the orchestra to perform as a unit,” Fontana said. “Outside of these meetings, we work with our professors and lesson instructors as well.” The musicians also practice on their own outside of large group rehearsals. Vice president Ian Johnston said all of the orchestra members practice individually to make sure they are as prepared as possible for Friday’s concert. Following a hiatus induced by the COVID-19 pandemic, Stowe said the orchestra is excited to be performing in

front of live audiences again. “They always amp up the energ y for a concert, the electricity of a concert environment is always so exciting,” Stowe said. Johnston said he is looking forward to performing with the whole orchestra again in front of what is expected to be a sizable crowd in the performing arts center. Firstyear Kateri Castillo also said she is excited to play in a full orchestra again and hear some of the other musicians, including Fontana. “I am most excited for Abby’s solo,” Castillo said. ”She will be playing Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto and it is such a

pleasure to hear her play.” Fontana won the Concerto Competition last year, but her solo was deferred to this year due to COVID-19. Fontana said she has been practicing extensively ahead of the concert. “I practice individually for several hours each day to prepare my orchestral and solo repertoire,” Fontana said. “Each performance with the entire orchestra is always an extraordinar y experience. In a special way, this performance is meaningful as I will be soloing on the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto.” She said she expects the crowd to witness a great

show at a great venue. “Classical music is entertaining, energetic, and uplifting,“ Fontana said. “Experiencing an entire orchestra working together live on stage is something that can’t be replicated elsewhere, and we are fortunate to have such a dedicated group of students and a beautiful, world-class venue here on Notre Dame’s campus. I am confident that ever yone who attends, whether this is their first or hundredth time viewing a symphony live in person, will have an extraordinar y evening.”

By GENEVEIVE COLEMAN Saint Mary’s News Editor

Contact Heaven Carter at hcarter2@nd.edu

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On top of the Tuesday night rehearsals, the orchestra rehearses and works in smaller groups and as sections, Fontana said over email. Paid Advertisement

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business

NDIGI lecture discusses Chinese market By KATIE WANG News Writer

The Notre Dame Institute of Global Investment (NDIGI) welcomed Vivian Lin Thurston, CFA, partner and portfolio manager at the investment firm William Blair, to speak as part of the “Empower Asia Speaker Series” on Wednesday night. The event, which was hosted in partnership with the Asian Business Society and Smart Woman Securities, covered issues regarding investing in China and other markets within Thurston’s expertise. Thurston’s colleague at William Blair, Kelly Allison, moderated the fireside discussion. The discussion opened up by introducing Thurston’s educational and cultural background. Thurston was born and raised in

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neighbors homeless, Gibbs said she she has seen how climate change can hurt people and that she wants to tackle the issue head on. “The reality is that the environmental crisis is going to affect almost everyone in the same way, whether it be having to lose your home or the availability of resources,” Gibbs said. “We want to see care for creation because we see that Notre Dame exists as a platform that is invested in our futures.” Gibbs said Notre Dame must be honest and transparent

China and received her LL.B. in sociology at Peking University in China. She later moved to the U.S. and completed her M.A. in sociology and M.S. in finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. China, in the era Thurston grew up, was in the earliest phase of opening up to the world. Thurston expressed gratitude for being “fortunate to experience that entire journey of the country [becoming] more market driven.” However, Thurston said this first phase experienced many issues such as hyperinflation and corruption. The structural barriers at the institutions Thurston worked at, such as state power, inspired her to chase an American dream of sorts, she said. While explaining why she moved to the U.S, Thurston

compared capitalism and the free market in the U.S. to China’s relatively state-controlled economy. She said she was grateful for being able to continue her career in the U.S. and that her favorite aspects of living in America are the “freedom to learn, to grow, freedom to explore and freedom to be open-minded.“ Thurston said this freedom is helpful when investing. Thurston spoke about her sociology degree, calling it a relatively rare major for people with careers in finance. When asked how this degree impacts her work as a financial analyst, she said she learned most about how to learn and research. Because of this, she advised students to not rule out a background in social science. She urged the audience to focus on their own desires,

abilities and motivators when navigating career options rather than on compensation or other superficial external motivators. Thurston incorporated her personal experiences and love for research when explaining what it means to enjoy one’s profession. While referring to her background in sociology, she said she learns something new every day. “Whether it’s market, whether it’s company, whether it’s industry. You have to keep an open mind,” Thurston said. As a portfolio manager and partner, Thurston said she is responsible for making tough decisions on a daily basis. She advised students to ask themselves if they can handle a job environment that requires demanding work and confident decision making. In addition to sharing career

advice, Thurston also spoke about investments in China. She said it is important to “put things into a historical perspective, not just politically” when thinking about China’s market. China is still going through “tremendous change and growth” and it is essential to consider these when understanding investment opportunities there, she said. During the student Q&A, Thurston discussed how fast Chinese monopolies such as Alibaba Group have grown and China’s recent crackdown on technological companies. “China has already leapfrogged the U.S. in many ways like online/mobile payment and e-commerce,” Thurston said.

regarding its endowment. She said problems relating to climate change are ever increasing, and Notre Dame could use some of its endowment to combat the crisis. Gibbs took issue with the University having a concealed endowment and board members potentially having conflicts of interest in the fossil fuels industry. “The $12 billion endowment is undisclosed, so we actually don’t know where that money is going right now, but board members have had ties to Texaco, for example,” Gibbs said. “We hope the University discloses, divests and then works with students and faculty who are part of the community

to find investments that will be socially responsible and environmentally sustainable.” Avery Broughton, a sophomore studying sociology, global affairs and sustainability helped plan and facilitate the protest. She connected Notre Dame’s 20212022 Forum theme of “Care for Our Common Home: Just Transition to a Sustainable Future” to the theme of the protest. “We need to take up this massive issue now,” Broughton said. “Considering the timing of sustainability being the theme of the Notre Dame Forum this year, we thought it would be a great opportunity

to really bring some action to the table.” Broughton encouraged protesters to take a deep breath of air and understand that air quality is being threatened daily by fossil fuels. She shared that she grew up near the Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery, the largest oil refinery on the East coast, and watched loved ones suffer. “This was the refinery that caused my friends to develop asthma and lose loved ones,” Broughton said. “The thing about fossil fuels and oil companies is that they are silent killers.” Gibbs and Broughton both hope the amount of students

concerned about the issue will show University leaders how important the topic is. They both said Notre Dame teaches love and respect for creation through Catholic teaching and believe that the University needs to live up to its own standards. “Today we are banging on Notre Dame’s door, and we won’t stop until we get an answer,” Broughton said. “The school I love has taught me so much about how to care for creation and to be a force for good in the world, and they know what they have to do.”

Contact Katie Wang at kwang9@nd.edu

Contact Shannon Lipscomb at slipsco3@nd.edu

FLTA delivers lecture on hijab, personal choice By LIAM PRICE News Writer

Hagar Hodeeb, a Fulbright language teaching assistant from Egypt, delivered a lecture about women and the hijab in the Arab world on Wednesday afternoon in the Spes Unica building at Saint Mary’s. Editor’s Note: Hodeeb is a photographer for The Observer. Hodeeb set out to educate her audience on what the hijab means to Muslim women and clear up any misinterpretations of its purpose. “I particularly chose this topic because I notice that I’m pretty much the only one wearing a hijab around the campus,” Hodeeb said. The lecture then delved into the topic, featuring dual perspectives of religion and culture. Hodeeb explained that as a Muslim, she must follow a list

of criteria in wearing her hijab — the veil must be worn loosely and should not call attention to oneself — but there is no single type of clothing women must wear. Wearing a hijab is almost entirely personal and heavily influenced by culture, she said. “Why are we wearing a hijab? Well, the answers are deeply personal, and it will vary from person to person,” Hodeeb said. For Hodeeb, wearing a hijab is an expression of love to God. “It’s a way of obeying God’s orders, who commanded that both men and women live in modesty,” Hodeeb said. “If I take it off, I feel like there’s something missing with me.” Hodeeb emphasized that a woman wearing a hijab does not mean she is being oppressed — in fact, it can often be an expression of power. “Sometimes, to the demands of exposure, women wear it as if to say, ‘I’m all covered up, but I’m still beautiful,’” Hodeeb said.

Hijabs also do not stop a woman from being fashionable, Hodeeb added. “There are a lot of fashion lines for hijab, and I personally got some compliments on my outfits,” she said with a laugh. Hodeeb did, however, acknowledge instances of female oppression in the Arab world. “We can’t ignore the cases in which there are authoritarian male figures forcing women to do things they don’t want,” she said. “But I can tell you that the religion never encourages something like this, and rather promotes respecting women.” Hodeeb then invited two Muslim students from the audience to stand up and share their own decisions regarding the hijab. The two students were Selma El Aouli, an exchange student from Morocco at Saint Mary’s for her senior year, and Haleemah Ahmad, a graduate student from Nigeria in Notre Dame’s Master of Global Affairs

program. Despite having deeply thought-out reasons behind their choices to wear a hijab, they all voiced understanding in each others’ ability to choose for themselves based on personal experiences. “I shouldn’t judge her — I don’t know what she has been through,” Hodeeb said of the many different choices hijabis make. El Aouli, who does not wear a hijab, explained that even though she doesn’t wear one, she takes her faith very seriously. “I’m attached to my religion, and I know a lot about it,” she said. Regarding the hijab, El Aouli said she needs to do more research on it before she starts wearing one. “For me, it’s just not the right time,” she added. Ahmad, dressed in an orange khimar, explained that she started wearing a hijab when she

converted to Islam. “When I accepted Islam, I accepted it as a complete package,” she said. In secondary school, Ahmad said, she couldn’t wear a hijab with her uniform, and her parents didn’t want her to. “I had to fight to be allowed to wear my hijab because I believed it was part of my faith,” she said. After the two women spoke, Hodeeb displayed a video of friends of hers from Egypt, who also explained their personal stories of what the hijab meant to them. To finish her presentation, she brought El Aouli back up to the front of room again to demonstrate the many ways in which a hijab can be worn. As she finished putting the hijab on El Aouli, an audience member shouted out, “You look beautiful, Selma!” Contact Liam Price at lprice01@saintmarys.edu

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ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, NOVEMBER 19, 2021 | The Observer

Research sheds light on forest conservation By BELLA LAUFENBERG Staff Writer

Representatives and leaders from around the world have recently convened for the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) to participate in discussions regarding climate change and environmental policy. Notre Dame associate professor of environmental policy for the Keough School of Global Affairs, Daniel Miller, leads a group called the Forests and Livelihoods: Assessment, Research and Engagement Network (FLARE) that follows the agreements at COP26 with a watchful eye. FLARE, which Miller has been involved with since its conception during his time as a Ph.D. student at the University of Michigan, is an international network of environmental allies that work with and research the socioeconomic impacts of the environment. Miller said the group is lively and passionate about their contributions to sustainable environmental change. “The work that we do seeks to inform, for example, this Glasgow pledge by 137 world leaders to end and reverse deforestation by 2030,” Miller said. “The FLARE network, including myself, will help contribute to doing that in a way that is fair and sustainable in different countries around the world.” The Glasgow pledge is one of the main agreements to come out of COP26. More than 100 countries have pledged to end and reverse deforestation by 2030 — affecting approximately 85% of the world’s forests, according to The New York Times.

“Preserving forests and other ecosystems can and should play an important role in meeting our ambitious climate goals,” U.S. President Joe Biden said regarding this new agreement. “The United States is going to lead by our example at home and support other forested nations and developing countries.” Miller said he was impressed by the emphasis on forests during COP26. “What was interesting for me this year is that forests were featured much more than they have been in previous COPs,” Miller said. “Forests are interesting, because they both contribute to the climate problem by them being cut down and burned… but they’re also a critical element in addressing climate change.” FLARE was created to help nations balance on the delicate line of sustainably protecting the environment, Miller explained. “From the FLARE side, we’re interested in the effects of different forest policies on people’s livelihoods, and then, in turn, how livelihoods would affect the condition of forests,” he said. “Commonly we talk about policy instruments or policy tools that can be used to sustainably manage, conserve and restore forests.” Recently, FLARE published a research assessment report called “Forests, Trees and the Eradication of Poverty: Potential and Limitations.“ Miller, who was the lead author on the report, explained that this publication, which is an updated version of a paper published in 2020, aimed to do a deep dive into the reality of the goal to end deforestation by 2030. Miller said the report focused on the intersection between

the goal to alleviate poverty and end deforestation and how those two goals could be accomplished together. “We started from the first UN [United Nations] Sustainable Development Goal for 2030, which is to end poverty,” he said. “We said what is the role of forests and then trees outside of forests, so agroforestry systems, in meeting that goal, like how could trees and forests help end poverty.” The group, Miller said, assessed literature and data pertaining to those topics to see if there could be a connection. The report discovered that forests and trees are often overlooked as a source of income for impoverished communities and can sometimes contribute up to 25% of a family’s income throughout the year — whether that be from cutting down and selling timber or collecting valuable produce, Miller said. Although forests do hold potential for generating more income, Miller said, cutting down forests cannot be the only solution and it must be done sustainably. “We could possibly get rid of poverty by cutting down the world’s forests, selling all the timber, but then we would be in a really tough spot because we wouldn’t have those resources anymore, and it would totally exacerbate health and well-being issues,” he said. “Sustainable, lasting poverty reduction has to include forests and other natural resources, but we’ve got to be smart about how we do that.” Contact Bella Laufenberg at ilaufenb@nd.edu

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Investment Club hears pitch for Adobe By NYLA WHITE News Writer

As a portion of the University’s endowment, Notre Dame’s investment club manages a $1.2 million portfolio of long equity positions. The investment club board invests in long equity positions with the intent to sell securities when they reach a higher target price. Libbie Frost and Grace Kamholz — the first all-female pitch team of the semester — presented computer software company Adobe Inc. at the club meeting Tuesday. In their pitch, Frost and Kamholz gave three rationales for investing in Adobe: the expansion of Creative Cloud total addressable market (TAM), digital transformation and future work as Adobe rides the tailwinds of nonfungible tokens (NFTs). Frost and Kamholz said Adobe has a lot of opportunities to address a larger market, especially given the growing number of creators, fueled by the growth of social media platforms like TikTok. “The exploitation of untapped market potential for the growing amateur content creator population will accelerate the expansion of Adobe’s Creative Cloud total addressable market,” Kamholz said. There are 46.7 million creators who consider themselves amateurs and 3.2 billion gamers in the world. Frost and Kamholz said these creators are drawn to Adobe’s expansion of the Creative Cloud. Adobe’s online creative community currently has 24 million members and counting. The Adobe team’s second

rationale looked at how the platform is prepared to help with the online transition of some jobs. “Document and Experience Cloud offerings are perfectly positioned to shape the future of industries lagging behind the digital transformation trend in the workplace spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic,” they said. With the COVID-19 pandemic, industries had the chance to see just how realistic online work can be. “Seventy percent of companies do not realize the full return of interest of the digital transformation investments,” they said. The team argued that these findings show how much Adobe’s base will expand as companies begin to transition to hybrid online work. Adobe can also help firms with cost optimization, tech simplification and application modernization in this new hybrid and online work era, the Adobe team said. Companies today are saving money with features like esignatures, one of Adobe’s many functions. Each e-signature transaction saves $428 and generates a 420% return on investment. Frost and Kamholz’s final rationale focused on Adobe’s longterm growth. “Adobe is poised for sustained long-term growth as an enablement tool for the newly emerging spaces of non-fungible tokens and content authentication,” said Frost and Kamholz. Adobe is catching the rising trend of NFTs with secure digital art, music, videos and more. Frost and Kamholz said NFTs have staying power because they solve real-world problems. Adobe has recognized this need, they add, and has responded by providing a secure platform to prepare, store and authenticate NFTs. Among other investment rationale, Frost and Kamholz believe Adobe is positioned for future growth centered around NFTs and the launch of the Photoshop web application. Adobe also has a competitive advantage over other design programs because it gives the user more creative freedom and unique design opportunities, they said. “In conclusion, with the expansion of the TAM, certainty position in hybrid work, then NFC and authentication tailwind, we believe that there will be a 24.5% potential share price growth for Adobe,” Kamholz said. The Investment Club has not yet announced a decision on initiating a position in Adobe. Contact Nyla White at nwhite2@nd.edu

The observer | Friday, november 19, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Accompaniment Mary Ellen Woods MEWsings

Professor Steve Reifenberg, an associate professor of the practice of international development and co-director of Notre Dame’s Integration Lab (i-Lab), is a senior strategic advisor and faculty fellow of the Kellogg Institute for International Studies and a professor in the Inspired Leadership Initiative (ILI) where I am a Fellow. Steve’s research explores international development as a process of accompaniment. As I was discussing over lunch with some recent grads, learning can be enhanced when one applies the lessons of the classroom to “real life.” And, thus, I am motivated to consider all those who are accompanying me on my ILI journey — a year of study which will help guide where I should best apply my skills and talents. Without those who accompany me, my ILI year could be selfish, certainly self-directed. I have committed to a period of reflection and study — all designed to focus on me. What am I good at? What is my purpose? I am grateful to all those who are there to reflect with me, guide and remind me that my greater good is in service to others — to help them be better images of themselves and reach their full potential. I am thankful to those who are embarking on this journey with me on a daily basis. Even now, we are planning and plotting an impromptu game watch. We enjoy one another. And we are grateful to the spouses who have joined us along the way. They make the path more fun and they are amazing organizers. Watch out world, the spouses of Cohort 3 are amazing. We are all better for our faculty here at Notre Dame: the ILI profs who lead our “Fellows’ Class,” as I call it. Through our study in “Great Books,” “Heart’s Desire” and “Life Design,” you guide our inquiry and challenge our minds. As students “of a certain age,” your work is certainly cut out for you, but you help us accomplish more than we might have thought possible. The staff in ILI is indispensable and to attempt to say more would surely be inadequate, so I’ll rest at that. The ILI program allows us to sample classes from across the academy. We are stretching our learning across a very wide range of fields of study and everyone seems quite pleased. Our journey would be incomplete without our fellow students. They motivate us with their inherent curiosity, enthusiasm and infectious optimism about their ability to contribute to the betterment of humanity. A student I met recently wasn’t content to plan for dentistry as a meaningful career. Rather, she wanted to improve the health outcomes of her future patients across a broad spectrum of concerns. Any number of people have suggested that they are joining my ILI year vicariously. And while that may sound curious, I am happy to share my learning and experience with them. In many ways they are the best examples of “accompaniment.” As I understand Reifenberg’s work, when one accompanies another, one is challenged to respect the other — especially where there is an imbalance of gifts. So the international aid worker must understand and empathize with her clients long before she can presume to know how to “fix” their situation. Accompaniment is a way of “walking in another’s shoes.” That my friends want to do so gives me great pleasure and an opportunity to reflect, often in the moment, on my learnings. Our conversations offer the chance to synthesize reading, studies and experiences. I step outside myself as we discuss my most recent class discussion or case. Their interest validates what I am doing and provides a platform to explore the work more completely. We delve more deeply than I could do alone. And I am glad that they want to share my journey. Alas, I don’t think that they will be able to join us this spring when we venture abroad. That I will do with our Fellows and their wonderful spouses. The opportunity to travel together will forever forge our shared experience. We will be nearing the end of our formal learning together and will share the experience of an international trip full of wonder and all things new and fresh: ancient venues, classic architecture and grand food and wine. Love thee, Notre Dame. Mary Ellen Woods is a graduate of the Notre Dame class of 1980. She has returned to campus as a Fellow in the Inspired Leadership Initiative (ILI). As an undergraduate, she lived in Breen-Phillips and now lives off campus. Her columns appear every other Thursday. A longtime resident of Chicago, she can be reached at mewoods80@nd.edu or @MEWsmuses on Twitter. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

When does self-care become self-destructive? Alexa Schlaerth Soapbox Symposium

There is a central focus in a lot of leisure literature these days: how do we recreate? Especially post-pandemic, as this landscape changes, we have all borne witness to the trend of “self-care.” Face masks & skincare, smoothies and baking bread, staying in and watching Tiktoks--you name it. As college students today, we are inundated with the message to prioritize self-care for the purpose of maintaining mental and physical wellbeing. It’s why the University Counseling Center wants us to download the Calm app for meditation, why our dorms host other relaxing events, why McWell exists at all. But the cult of “self care” habits contributing to a larger core of wellness is all but new. In fact, self-care inf luencers in history have promoted habits that we now see as counterintuitive to one’s health. For example, in modern Chinese literature, there existed a small group of intellectuals who focused on leisure and recreation, and this group contended that two habits we view today as bad actually do a person a net good. The habits in question were smoking and sleeping in. Essayist Liu Dajie writes of the former: “Tobacco in our daily lives is a luxury, something useless. But in our spiritual lives it is an essential element… W hen someone has lost at love, or has descended into a painful period in his life, he always wants to smoke, one cigarette after another. In the perpetual smoky shadows is another world that ordinary people cannot see, where it seems as if all one’s feelings of pain, sadness, tears, despair, and disillusionment dissolve into that cloud, and this can give us momentary solace.” And essayist Lian Yuchun writes of the latter: “Getting up late in itself may seem like a lazy thing to do, but it provides us with the greatest possible energ y, it makes our life vibrant and stimulating [...] W hen you get up, you are sure to find that you do not have time to attend to all sorts of pressing business. As a result you will be extremely busy, and being ‘busy’ --particularly the kind of your own making-- is the golden key to the palace of joy.” Smokers, by virtue of their destructive habit, naturally punctuated their day with small breaks, interspersing work, and allowing them some fresh air throughout the workday. Moments of pause, moments to rest, moments to inhale what is a now known carcinogen. It could be argued that even “vape-rs” today are not afforded the same privileges. Instead, they walk among us, sneaking a puff on the way to class or between classes in the bathrooms. An even further point can be drawn about the way students use alcohol as a form of “self-care.” Instead of punctuating a day, perhaps we punctate a game day,

or a weekend, or a week, with this gratif ying break. As for sleeping in, well, Notre Dame finds itself in the middle of the pack in statistics for the most sleepless US universities. Sleeping in is usually an okay solution, but not when it comes at the cost of missing class or rendering us unable to keep up with our daily tasks. Most students would agree that we’d like to sleep more, and yet there seems to be a competition for who can sleep the least. Yeah, I was at the library until 2 last night finishing a paper. Or Bro, I was out all night at Olfs last night, got no sleep. Both of these statements grant someone a different type of “street cred,” and most of us can identif y with one, the other, or both, as the case may be. We recognize on the surface that sleep deprivation and substance use are both “bad,” or at least that they have the capacity to be bad when we move beyond moderation. But what we often don’t recognize is that these activities are themselves a form of self care. This then begs the question: at what point does self-care become self-destructive? This is a question that each person will have to reckon with at some point in their lives, and it’s one that college students face now more than ever amidst the growing trend of self-care discourse. People don’t usually like to talk about alcohol use and sleepless nights in the discourse of self-care. They usually like to talk about a new Korean beauty face mask made of snail slime or the newest superfood you can put into a green smoothie. But in order for us to have a real relationship with self-care, and in order for the campus dialogue to move forward, and for students to get any relief from daily stressors, we must come to terms with the reality that what is done for the purpose of “self-care” is not always “healthy”. Some attempts at self-care end up as self-medicating. We need to look at our habits when it comes to unwinding and relaxing, and we need to bridge the gap between the stereotype of self-care and what is going on in actual practice. Self-care is much more complex than slapping on a serum on a Sunday night. As college students, we experiment that some habits are more detrimental than others. But ignoring the fact that these habits are happening in the same realm and for the same purposes as traditional “self-care” is a huge disservice to our ultimate wellbeing.progressive students f lourish, it just needs voices like yours. Alexa Schlaerth is a sophomore at the University of Notre Dame pursuing degrees in Chinese and philosophy. As an Angeleno, Alexa enjoys shopping at Erewhon Market, drinking kombucha and complaining about traffic because it’s “like, totally lame.” Alexa can be reached at aschlaer@nd.edu over email. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

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The observer | Friday, november 19, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Inside Column

An introduction to the most important people in my life Veronica Navarro Social Media Editor

During the awkward first week of classes when every professor forces students to share a random fact about themselves, I’m always prepared to share the same fact about myself: I’m 20 years older than my youngest sibling. Oftentimes, the entire class gasps and asks me all about my 7-month-old baby sister. My classmates are equally surprised by the fact that I have not just one younger sibling, but five. And they’re the most important people in my life. So, instead of writing about me, I’m going to write about everything I’ve learned from my siblings, even the youngest. Manuel (16 years old) My little brother Manuel is only four years younger than me. Manuel is endlessly hilarious, but the quiet type of funny. He’s the type to whisper a pun in your ear during a time that’s meant to be serious and look at you with a straight face as you hold back your giggles. One of my favorite things about him, besides his humor, is that he has never been afraid of being different. Being the oldest, I often found myself caring too much about what people thought of me while growing up. I secretly always envied Manuel’s carelessness when it came to people’s opinions, and sometimes I still do. As my oldest-younger sibling, Manuel also taught me how to be an older sister, and his confidence in himself taught me that it’s okay to just be myself instead of trying to impress others by being someone I’m not. Valentina (9 years old) Valentina has a heart of gold. She’s the one that

I’ll always be able to count on. Without a second thought, Valentina would give anything to help those in need. She will always help someone when they’re hurt and cry when an animal is sick in a movie. She is sensitive, thoughtful, compassionate and understanding. Valentina has given hand-made birthday cards to all of our family and friends since she was old enough to hold a crayon. She is the type to hug you when you’re crying and hold your hand when you’re scared. Valentina has taught me the importance of being kind and always giving people the benefit of the doubt. She has taught me how to be a good friend, and she is the sister I wish I could be. Markus (7 years old) Markus was born with blonde hair and blue eyes, and was the first one of my siblings to look like me, since both Valentina and Manuel have brown eyes and dark brown hair. As he got older, Mark’s eyes started to turn a gray-ish green and his cheeks got chubbier — he started to look even more like me. Now, Markus has a giggle that can light up a room. He laughs at everything. When he hears something funny (or just outright gross), he tilts his head back, squints his eyes and lets out a loud, contagious belly-laugh guaranteed to turn any bad day into a good one. Like Valentina, Mark is always there for people when they’re sad, but instead of hugging them, he makes it his mission to get them to let out a laugh. Mark has taught me not to take life too seriously. He has shown me how to see the humor in everything, and the importance of always trying to have fun. Cruz (2 years old) Cruz was born just one week before I left for

college, so it took us a little bit longer to get to know each other. He has been feisty since day one. He’s the type to say “no” whenever he doesn’t want to do something and squirm away when you try to pick him up. He’s always on the move. Cruz is the one who will throw a plate of food on the f loor for the dog if it features a vegetable he doesn’t like, or turn a sippy cup upside down just to see how much of a mess he can make before someone catches him — and his attitude is a symptom of more than just the terrible twos. Like Manuel, Cruz is confident, but in a fightfor-what-he-wants type of way. He knows what he wants when he wants it, and does everything he can to get it. Cruz has taught me how to stand up for myself, and work hard for what I know I deserve. Noelia (7-months old) At just 7-months old, Noelia already has a huge personality. She’s a smiler, a cuddler, and a lover. But she doesn’t like me. Noelia gets confused when I’m home, like I’m a stranger invading her space. Noelia typically cries and reaches for our mom when I hold her, since she has a hard time recognizing me when I come home from school. I still try, hoping that maybe this time she’ll remember me. So far, it hasn’t happened yet, but I’ll keep trying. One day, Noelia will know me as well as I know her. Despite our differences, Noelia has still taught me a remarkable lesson. She’s taught me about the purest form of love: a love that expects nothing in return Contact Veronica at vnavarr3@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Give thanks, don’t waste With the Thanksgiving holiday quickly approaching, many in the tri-campus community are ecstatic to return to their families, gather with friends or simply take a break and relax. After a long 20 months and a 2020 holiday season largely disrupted by the pandemic, we all deserve time to gather with those we love and be thankful. However, during a season where food can seem plentiful, it is important to consider our food consumption and waste when gathering to share a meal with family and friends. Each year, the nation wastes an estimated 172 million pounds of turkey on Thanksgiving, not to mention the waste that comes from the rest of the meal and other holiday occasions. But welcoming the holiday season with loved ones does not need to be a wasteful event. There are many ways to avoid holiday food waste, including planning meals, eating leftovers and freezing extra food if necessary. If you will be on the tri-campus over next week’s break, there will be a Thanksgiving feast at North

Dining Hall from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m Thursday. Although it may seem difficult to control your waste in dining halls, there are still ways you can be mindful. As you dig into the festive fare, be cognizant of where your leftovers are going. In 2019, Notre Dame implemented a sustainability program that takes nonconsumable food waste and converts it into renewable energy. To best contribute to this program, remember not to scrape your uneaten food into the garbage cans. Rather, throw away your napkins and then place your plate and food scraps onto the conveyor belt. Not only is this easier for students, but you will actually be facilitating sustainability efforts on campus with a small act. For those who are traveling home for the holiday, it is helpful to bring mindful practices to your holiday gatherings. Practicing conscious consumerism when shopping for meals is a good way to evaluate the impact your feast will have on the environment. You can experiment with vegan alternatives instead of meat-centered meals, or focus your shopping around local farms. Nonetheless, at the end of the day, mindful consumption looks different for everyone depending on access to resources and the privilege of being able to make adjustments like these.

Besides being mindful about your own consumption, you can give to others in need during the holidays. When gathering around the table in this season of gratefulness and giving, it is crucial to recognize the privilege of sharing in a Thanksgiving feast. The number of people experiencing food insecurity is over 38 million nationwide, meaning countless families struggle to afford and obtain enough food each day — not to mention during the holidays. One way you and your loved ones can ring in the spirit of the holiday season together is to take some time after dinner or the next morning to package any leftovers for those who need them most. You can also find local food banks close to your home or close to campus in order to donate leftover canned foods or items bought at the store. The holidays can be a stressful time for everyone. Rather than add to such stressors by bending over backwards to change our holiday meal planning, we can all make small adjustments that are reasonable for ourselves and our families. And while we can do our best to combat food waste and food insecurity during Thanksgiving, we must also keep in mind that these are year-round issues that require large-scale change, far outside the scope of our own holiday tables.

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The observer | friday, november 19, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

Why don’t we like philosophy? David Henry Corrupting the Youth

The University of Notre Dame, with its requirements for students to study philosophy and theology, is the exception rather than the rule for top universities. And yet, it is not uncommon to hear philosophy and theology derided as subjects unworthy of study: The argument is often that they are not useful and therefore are a waste of time. The irony of such an argument is that it entails a certain philosophical position about what is worth pursuing in life. However, I would argue that it is a mistake to think that one can find all the answers on their own. Indeed, at least some minimal understanding of philosophy is necessary to living a good life because one cannot know what a good life even is without understanding philosophy. Philosophy means the “love of wisdom,” but as an activity it is the inquiry into the nature of the universe and human existence. I get the feeling that the perception most people have of philosophy is that it involves asking complicated questions about obscure topics. I think that this view is a symptom of how people encounter philosophy. Often, they will hear about specific thought experiments or a single philosopher’s theory, but will not have the background knowledge necessary to understand the context of what they are hearing. Philosophy has never been an activity performed in isolation; rather, it has always been a dialogue with the past. Philosophers are responding to the problems of their time period and the ideas of those that came before them. Because the average person does not possess very much knowledge of the history of philosophy — why would they? — being introduced to philosophical concepts in isolation can make them appear overly complicated. Of course, learning about the history of philosophy is not an easy task itself, yet I believe only a general knowledge is needed to contextualize different thinkers.

One other reason for why people today might not have much of an interest in philosophy comes from 19th-century French aristocrat and political scientist Alexis de Tocqueville. During Tocqueville’s tour of the United States in the early 19th century, he noticed that “in no country in the civilized world is less attention paid to philosophy than in the United States.” Tocqueville reasons that the relative social equality enjoyed in the United States weakens the bonds between generations and within social classes, such that individuals turn to their own reason rather than any philosophic tradition to make sense of the world. While I’m not sure if his reasons for thinking so are right or wrong, I believe that Tocqueville is essentially correct that people today primarily rely on their own reason to answer complicated questions about life. Now, I do think that it’s a good thing to try to make one’s own mind up rather than simply deferring to some authority, but I believe that we could all benefit from hearing what some of the greatest thinkers throughout history have had to say on the important questions of life. The most important questions, like “Does my life have a purpose?”, “How should I treat others?” and “Is there a god?” are questions that one cannot avoid having an answer to. Not answering is still an answer. But having a good answer to these kinds of questions is very important, because it affects how one ought to live their life. If life has an objective purpose, then knowing and understanding that purpose has significant implications for how we ought to live our lives. To simply take these questions up in the solitude of our own mind would be to do ourselves a great disservice, when others have been thinking about these questions for thousands of years. Especially when some people have spent their whole lives thinking about these questions, it would be foolish to not at least hear what they have to say. Because it helps answer these important questions, the study of philosophy is exactly what many seem to think it isn’t: useful. Certainly, one

cannot get a job just because they have a solid understanding of Aristotle’s proof of ethics, but one can live a better life by understanding Aristotle (as hard as he is to read). Just because philosophy cannot make you money does not mean that it doesn’t have value. You could spend your whole life making massive amounts of money, but it would all be meaningless if you one day woke up and realized that you wanted something else from life. Philosophy, even if it doesn’t always have clear answers, gives us the tools and arguments to evaluate our own lives to hopefully avoid such a realization. In the study of philosophy, I believe that the best place to start is near the beginning. Philosopher and mathematician Alfred North Whitehead once remarked that “the safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato.” Whitehead is able to make this characterization because Plato, writing in ancient Greece, was one of the first people to write on just about every general philosophical topic one can think of. He wrote about the soul, justice, love, the creation of the universe and more. But most importantly, in my opinion, he did not write dense treatises, but wrote dialogues between his former teacher, Socrates, and a variety of other Greek men. These dialogues did not always give satisfying answers, but they asked important questions. I know that not everyone has the time to undertake a study of the history of philosophy, but I think that everyone could benefit from reading even just a little bit of Plato. David Henry is a sophomore majoring in the Program of Liberal Studies with a supplementary major in ACMS and a minor in philosophy, politics and economics. Originally from Minnesota, David lives in Baumer Hall on campus. He can be reached at dhenry3@nd.edu over email. The views expressed in this column are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Inside Column

Feeling hungry? Sad? Stressed? I gotchu Emma Kirner Graphic Design Artist

Feeling hungry? Eat cereal for dessert! Honestly, this was the best decision I made this past week. Well, it wasn’t really a decision but a happening. I was sitting there staring into space in my seat at SDH during lunch, when it hit me. Literally. A full bowl of Lucky Charms rained down from the heavens. After that happened, I said something really smart like, “um, I gotta go” and yeeted my way out of the dining hall in a dusty scent of dry sugar cereal. The ND squirrels did follow me for a while probably thinking I was their next snack or a blonde Snow White in sweatpants or something. However, I ended up realizing that it was a fantastic idea to eat cereal for dessert, and ended up eating a different kind of cereal after dinner for the next three days. Never underestimate the power of a maincharacter-getting-something-spilled-on-you fiasco. It just might change your life. Feeling sad? Maybe a hug would help! I really enjoy hugs, especially now more than ever after COVID. I even wrote one of the admissions essays to Notre Dame about hugs. My family has a song that we like to sing that goes: “Four hugs a day, that’s the minimum, not the maximum.” I always feel better after I get a hug, and I think I give great hugs, which are not the kind that you give a distant cousin where you stand at an awkward distance, slap each other’s backs, and do the awkward shuffle away. The best hugs are when you haven’t seen a friend in a long time and they squeeze you a little too tight and you can’t breathe. That was my main hug strategy when I was eleven. I called it the “death squeeze,” and my parents say that I can’t do it anymore, so trust their judgement and have stopped that. But sometimes I can’t help it and my

friends get a little winded. Nevertheless, I love a great hug, and they’re free, which is even better! Feeling artsy? Find random events and go to them! In the past week, I have been on an art-event spree: I went to the MFA Art Critique in Riley Hall and met the coolest people, watched a moving French film in DPAC about police brutality, and went to the best improv show I have ever seen (shoutout to The Humor Artists!) If shows aren’t your thing, maybe start a craft project! I just finished crocheting a sweater over fall break with the help of my mom, twin sister, and aunt, and it was really fun! I made the Harry Styles cardigan that was blowing up on Pinterest, but like a pastel version, and had fun doing it! Feeling stressed? Call a close friend! One of the best things I did recently was call a friend I had danced with for over ten years. It had been a long time, but it was just really nice to reconnect and remember all the fun we had together dancing late at night in the studio. One strategy I have is just to scroll through the contacts in my phone and just randomly call people I know, or leave them a voicemail if they’re not there. Don’t worry if it’s awkward or short, just let them know you are thinking about them and care! I even write snail mail letters to one of my friends from high school. Even the smallest thing can really make someone’s day. Feeling like you wanna hop into a book? I am an English and Design major, so books and art had to end up somewhere on this list! I tend to go right to the Percy Jackson books when I am stressed, because I am still twelve years old and love to just laugh and not have to look up a million words, which is what I am doing right now for my readings in my English class. Harry Potter is also a big one for me, because I always end up crying over the gorgeous descriptions of the puddings in the Great

Hall, my forever love for Remus Lupin, and the epic moment of Hermione punching Draco Malfoy in the face. If you can’t tell already, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is my favorite! Feeling like your style is losing its pizazz? Don’t just whip out Pinterest! Put your phone in your pocket, but maybe keep jamming to Taylor Swift, and look around campus! Be inspired by the outfits put together by the people in your class! Shoutout to the dope guy in my design class who has the coolest silver rings and the kind of sweatpants/sweatshirt look that is somehow put together and artsy. Also, every single person in my English class looks great. Honestly, y’all just inspire me to become the Wes Anderson style icon I have always wanted to be. Finally, I just want to say that these suggestions aren’t long term fixes. I wish all the bowls of Lucky Charms in the world could fix my anxiety, but that won’t happen. If you are really struggling with mental health, please reach out for help. I know it can seem like everyone here has everything under control, but I assure you that you aren’t alone in feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or not good enough, because I have felt all of those feelings. You are too wonderful of a person to think you are any less valued than another based on academics or achievements. Hopefully if you are feeling any of these things like me, I hope you can get a little happiness from trying any of these ideas out! Maybe if you find yourself thinking, “I am the SAME PERSON and want to do all these things,” you might be my twin, who is actually here at ND, but you also might be someone who would be a great friend! Contact Emma at ekirner@nd.edu The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

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MAGGIE KLAERS | The Observer

The observer | Friday, NOVEMBER 19, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

By JUSTIN GEORGE Scene Writer

It is not often that I get mad at a film for merely existing, but this, dear reader, is an exception. Since I must review it, let’s dive in. “Home Sweet Home Alone” is a sloppy rehash of the original “Home Alone,” but without any of the things that made “Home Alone” special. The film follows Max Mercer (Archie Yates), and gone are the days of the malicious yet goofy “Wet Bandits.” Instead, Harry and Marv are replaced with … Pam and Jeff (Rob Delaney and Ellie Kemper), a pair of suburban parents who are strapped for cash and think Max stole a doll from them that’s worth $200,000, which could save them from having to sell their house. Max’s family accidentally leaves him home alone when they leave for Tokyo, and the film follows the “Home Alone” home invasion template from there. But instead of hitting the magical highs of “Home Alone,” the audience is forced to slog through a pointless exercise in cynical modernization that completely misses the point of the original film. I can’t even classify “Home Sweet Home Alone” as mindless entertainment, as that would imply some amount of entertainment value, which this film is bafflingly devoid of. I’m not asking for a deep dive into the psyche of Kevin

By MARCELLE COUTO Scene Writer

On Saturday, Nov. 13, the South Bend Symphony Orchestra graced the Morris Performing Arts Center with their glorious music, featuring “Jabberwocky” by Anthony DiLorenzo, Samuel Barber’s “Violin Concerto” with soloist Dylana Jenson and Robert Schumann’s “Symphony No. 2.” The performance is the second of the Jack M. Champaigne Masterworks Series and the third public concert this season. Conductor and music director Alastair Willis opened up to The Observer about the significance of this event with a unique perspective on the importance of classical music. Willis remarked how every concert is special and involves meticulous preparation. From the numerous committee meetings deciding the repertoire years into the future to assembling rehearsals within a limited context due to the pandemic, the musicians pour their hearts and souls into offering the audience an unmatched experience. According to Willis, this season is a moment of “rebuilding” — the South Bend Symphony Orchestra, accustomed to holding 20 concerts each season, has only just been allowed to resume the pace of their programs. They are also preparing to celebrate their 90th anniversary next year. The pandemic, although fading, looms over these large-scale events — for instance, musicians must sit further apart. Yet despite great challenges for nearly two years, Alastair pointed out how the symphony’s “resilient and amazing musicians are able to make such beautiful music,” surmounting obstacles

McAllister. I don’t want “Straw Dogs” for kids. I just want a movie with a sense of self and a shred of dignity, but that seems like it’s too much to ask of Disney and director Dan Mazer, the genius behind such cinematic masterpieces as “Dirty Grandpa” and “The Dictator.” It can’t be too hard to write a film that includes an inventive kid, an empty house, two bumbling criminals and a heartwarming reunion, can it? A rather large problem I have with this film is how it handles the “traps” — the slapstick comedy of “Home Alone” is nowhere to be found. It just feels mean-spirited. Case in point: the grotesque lump on Jeff’s head after being shot by a gun that fires pool balls using compressed air. The sound effects don’t help, either. The pool ball scene — which in the original would have used a cartoonish sound effect — instead opts to use a cringe-inducing, realistic crunching sound. These traps aren’t fun or funny; they’re like “Saw” but for children. Don’t even get me started on the thumbtack scene. Max is barely a character, and I’m not a fan of what we get from him. He’s rude, obnoxious and self-absorbed, yet has the gall to be annoyed with his rude, obnoxious family. I like Archie Yates; he’s a good actor and he was fantastic in “Jojo Rabbit,” so I’m going to go ahead and blame this on Mazer and the writers. “Home Alone” is predicated upon a rather simple rule that “Home Sweet Home Alone” seems to forget: The audience needs to like the kid and

dislike the criminals. Pam and Jeff are the most sympathetic characters in the film, which isn’t saying much. I don’t understand why the writer made Pam and Jeff the bad guys. It’s easy to root for Kevin McAllister as he mutilates the Wet Bandits, but it feels wrong to see Max Mercer use deadly force against two parents just trying to save Christmas for their children. “Home Sweet Home Alone” is an empty husk of a film. A soulless reboot par excellence. A masterclass in how not to write a film. This film is utterly devoid of anything that would make it even remotely memorable or charming. Don’t waste your time or bandwidth on this. “Home Sweet Home Alone,” I award you zero shamrocks and may God have mercy on your soul.

and inspiring countless others in the process. In Willis’ perspective, music — even the same music — will always be different and new whenever one encounters it. That is why his goal involves making each piece relevant and moving the audience in deeply personal ways. “Everyone deserves to have an experience with live music, wherein they can escape from this world and find emotional solace,” Willis said. “It is our job as artists to provide this to them, as in any art form.” According to Willis, When the orchestra and maestro learn a piece, they not only develop their artistic sensibilities, but they also “grow as human beings.” “Moving” is the most accurate word to describe Saturday’s performance. “Jabberwocky,” symbolizing the Lewis Carroll poem by the same name, was a magical journey; the prominence of celesta and brass innovations such as a water phone, flutter sticks and a bowed bicycle wheel generate the “Wonderland” ambiance from our childhood. At the end of the piece, DiLorenzo included a narrator reciting the entire poem, a touch which Willis said was “genius, as it is essentially a recap of what we’ve been through with the music.” The “Violin Concerto” featuring Dylana Jenson bursted upon the audience with vivacity, bringing color and life with its thrilling motifs. Her virtuosic display was a jaw-dropping experience, and in between her solo sections and the orchestral phrases, her stance was so casual it almost seemed as if those incredibly long and difficult runs of notes took no effort at all. Although I cannot conceive how much practice a solo like this must take, she gave the impression that this music

was practically second nature. Schumman’s “Symphony” is “a journey from darkness and despair into light and celebration.” Written in a turbulent period of his life, both mentally and physically, the first and second movements develop a poignant longing and struggle. Surrounded by the incredible design of the Morris Performing Arts Center, one cannot help but contemplate the ongoing, marvelous phrases with unfathomable gratitude. Change arrives in the last two movements, portraying the beauty of restoration and redemption. In fact, the fourth movement, composed in a later period of Schumman’s life, reflects this the most. Stunned by Willis’ ability to conduct a 40-minute symphony without a score, I asked him how he is able to memorize the entirety of such lengthy works. He replied that just as you sing along to your favorite pop songs — and perhaps listen to them so often you memorize a guitar solo in the middle, for example — the pieces he works with are deeply connected to his identity as a musician, especially if they have been a part of his life for considerable time. He quoted a teacher he once had who illustrated this by saying, “Either you have the score in your head or your head in the score.” Of course, it is often essential to have the score on certain occasions — like when accompanying a concerto for a solo instrument — but otherwise, Willis said it was easy to recall Schumann’s second symphony because “Schumman has become a part of him.” Read the rest of this story on our website.

Contact Justin George at jgeorge3@nd.edu

“Home Sweet Home Alone” Director: Dan Mazer Starring: Archie Yates, Rob Delaney, Ellie Kemper Genre: Christmas, Family comedy If you like: “Gladiator,” “Kingdom of Heaven”

Contact Marcelle Couto at mcouto@nd.edu CLAIRE KIRNER | The Observer

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ndsmcobserver.com | Friday, NOVEMBER 19, 2021 | The Observer

Crossword | Will Shortz

Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Backing up when forward motion is necessary will prolong matters better off behind you. Focus on putting an end to situations that make you uncomfortable and embracing the activities and people who put you in your comfort zone. Life is about choices, and it’s up to you to choose what’s best for you. Personal gain is within reach. Your numbers are 8, 12, 20, 26, 31, 39, 45. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Keep a close eye on what others do or say. Gather information, sort through your options, and make arrangements to help you put your plans in motion. Don’t take a health risk to prove a point. Put safety first. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Make a physical change that will improve your health, state of mind and financial future. Size up a situation, and be prepared to do your own thing. Refuse to let anyone interfere in your personal or professional dealings. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Put your everything into your responsibilities. How you conduct business will influence your reputation, position and chance to advance. Refuse to let anyone take credit for your ideas or work. Invest in yourself, and promote what you have to offer. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Change can be good if you implement it the right way. Look for a unique way to use your attributes, and you will excel. Help from someone you least expect will encourage you to broaden your horizons and take on more responsibility. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Sit tight until you gather enough information to make a sound decision. An argument will leave you in a vulnerable position. Find a way to get along, and you will make progress. Opportunity will develop if you are willing to compromise. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Connect with people who have something to contribute, and you will find it easier to get things done on time. A networking function will help you understand what’s trending and how best to use your skills to get ahead. Romance is favored. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Set your sights on what you need to do, and get moving. Discipline will help you reach your destination and leave time to enjoy what you managed to accomplish. A better health regimen is encouraged and will put your mind at ease. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Take care of business. Once you act, you will feel relief and get a clear picture of what you want to do next. Embrace life, and entertain the possibility of new beginnings. Love is featured and will improve your life. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You’ll gain ground if you work alone. Don’t give anyone a chance to interfere or meddle. Forge ahead with a destination in mind and a well-thought-out plan. Being disciplined and keeping things moderate and straightforward will help you excel. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Spend time fixing up your space. Feeling comfortable in your environment will ease stress and help you make better decisions regarding personal and professional matters. Romance is favored and will improve a meaningful relationship. Discuss plans and adjust your living arrangements. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Separate what’s necessary from what isn’t. Moderate what others do and say, and adjust your plans to fit your lifestyle. Following someone else will lead to disappointment. Do what’s best for you and those you love. Self-discipline is encouraged. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Use your imagination to resolve issues that are standing in your way. A discussion with someone who can help will give you hope that change is heading your way. Stop dreaming and start doing. Include someone you love in your plans. Birthday Baby: You are powerful, impressive and unpredictable. You are outgoing and resourceful.

Sudoku | The Mepham Group

Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

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Sports Authority

SPORTS AUTHORITY

Moller: What really is the Power-5?

W12: Roundtable Observer Sports Staff

With just two weeks before the college football season ends, there are still plenty of games that have huge playoff implications moving forward. We have three of the biggest games this weekend to break down and discuss here at The Roundtable.

NCAA Games of the Week No.7 Michigan State @ No.4 Ohio State Arkansas @ No.2 Alabama No.9 Oklahoma State @ Texas Tech Sam Ouhaj When I saw the spread for this game, I was honestly shocked to see MSU +19. I do not know where the MSU hate comes from, but I believe it has to do with them being in such close games throughout the season with lower-ranked opponents. However, this game is essentially a playoff birth for either team. If MSU wins, they will have two wins against top 10 opponents, which gives them the argument to be in the playoffs this year. If OSU wins, that loss to Oregon means nothing, and they solidify their spot once again in the CFP. As much as I want to see MSU shock the world, this OSU team is legit, and with C.J Stroud in a groove, the Buckeyes will be back to make a run at the title game.

Michigan State 24 Ohio State 38 At the start of the season, Arkansas was on a Cinderella run. They beat a ranked Texas team and a ranked Texas A&M team, which then had the Razorbacks ranked in the top 10. However, they faced Georgia, the number one team in the country, and got shut out 37-0. Since that game, Arkansas is 3-2 with losses against Auburn and Mississippi State. Unfortunately for the Razorbacks, they are about to go .500 over their previous six games when they go to Alabama to play the Crimson Tide. Alabama has had a few hiccups against lower opponents, but with a team built to stop the run, the Razorbacks will have a tough time getting anything going.

Arkansas 14 Alabama 35 Sorry Sooners’ fans, but Oklahoma State is the best team in Oklahoma. The Cowboys are finally being ranked ahead of Oklahoma, and it is incredible to see. For years, we have heard how Oklahoma State was on the verge of being a competitive force, and during this 2021 season, it is all coming together. The Texas Tech Raiders are 6-4 on the year. If you look at their games played, when they win, they blow teams out, and when they lose, it’s by a landslide. Despite their record, this will be a challenge for the Cowboys.

But, with the way QB Spencer Sanders and RB Dominic Richardson have played this season, I expect them to continue their dominance as they push for an NY6.

Oklahoma State 52 Texas Tech 24 Jamison Cook Ohio State cemented themselves as the top dog in the Big 10 this past week by dominating a Purdue team that had previously upset both No. 2 Iowa and No. 3 Michigan State. Both the Spartans and their instate rivals Michigan strike me as teams who really aren’t as good as their rankings, and I think Ohio State will expose both of them in the coming weeks. Buckeye QB CJ Stroud continues to play electrifying football as he threw for 361 yards and five touchdowns. The RB tandem of Miyan Williams and TreVeyon Henderson combined for over 200 yards on the ground against the Boilermakers, giving Stroud and the offense an elite second dimension. Considering that this game is in Columbus, I feel like the Buckeyes should take this one relatively comfortably, but I think the 19-point spread might discount the Spartans a little too much.

Ohio State 37, Michigan State 24 Arkansas moved up to No. 21 in this week’s AP Poll, while Alabama stayed near the top of the rankings at No. 2. And while there may be only 19 teams ranked between these two, there is a world of difference in terms of talent level and quality of football. The 20.5-point spread is evidence of this. I don’t think this game will be close at all, and Alabama will further cement themselves (at least in the committee’s minds) as a near lock for the playoff. QB Bryce Young has quietly thrown for over 3,000 yards and 33 touchdowns with just three interceptions. The kid is special, and he has a really good case for Heisman. This one might be a bit of a sleeper after the first quarter.

Alabama 38, Arkansas 13 This is a classic trap game for Oklahoma State. With rival Oklahoma coming off a loss and looming on the schedule, it would be easy for the Cowboys to look past 6-4 Texas Tech. For this reason, I think this game will be a lot closer than it should be. Oklahoma State has been putting up points all year and Texas Tech has been giving up lots of scores in their losses. I think this will be a highscoring affair. The Cowboys will pull away late to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, but the game itself will be a lot closer than the final score will show.

Oklahoma State 41, Texas Tech 31

By NATE MOLLER Sports Writer

Every year around this time, the college football world revolves around the weekly College Football Playoff rankings. Nearly every week there exists some surprise with a team ranked too high or too low. The recent controversy has been the discussion about what to do with Group of Five teams such as Cincinnati. Although the Bearcats have arguably the best win of the season on the road over Notre Dame and are currently undefeated, they have been unable to crack the committee’s top five because of their Group of Five status. I am not going to argue that Cincinnati should necessarily be in the top four, but are we really justified in defining five conferences as Power 5? Let’s start the discussion with the Pac-12. The Pac12 is notoriously made fun of. They have failed to get respect from the College Football Playoff committee over the years, having only ever had two teams make the playoffs: Oregon in 2015 and Washington in 2017. While Oregon did win their semifinal matchup in 2015 against Florida State, they ultimately lost in the championship by 24 points to Ohio State. Washington, on the other hand, lost their semifinal game to Alabama by a score of 24-7. These two teams aside, why is the Pac-12 considered a Power-5 conference? What have they done to prove themselves in the College Football Playoffs and in the regular season leading up to the playoffs? Not much. Just look at this year for example. The fact that independent BYU, who isn’t even a Power-5 football team, can go 4-0 against teams in the conference says a lot. In fact, BYU beat Utah and Arizona State, two of the “better” teams in the Pac-12. Considering BYU is 4-0 in the Pac-12, maybe they should be on top of the conference because no other Pac-12 team has been able to go undefeated against their conference schedule. While the Pac-12 is the worst of the Power-5 conferences in my opinion, is the Big 12 much better? Some would argue that having Oklahoma

makes them better, but is Oklahoma really that good? Although they usually win the Big 12 every year, they are horrendous in the playoffs with a record of 0-4. Except for a close double-overtime loss to Georgia in 2018, the Sooners have lost the other three games by double digits. To me, this shows that the Big 12 isn’t really a viable conference either. The fact that Oklahoma is no doubt the best team in the conference, but they just can not find a way to win a playoff game, shows that the Big 12 is not ready to compete for a national title. Looking past Oklahoma, traditional college football power Texas has been absolutely atrocious as of late and nowhere near the College Football Playoff conversation. In fact, the Longhorns are a stunning 4-6 this season with only two Big 12 wins. To make matters worse for the Big 12, they will be losing Oklahoma and Texas to the SEC in a few years. While the loss of Texas might not hurt as bad, the loss of Oklahoma should make the Big 12 completely irrelevant. I argue that the Big 12 should be given no more respect than any other Group of Five conference in deciding the College Football Playoff going forward. After these teams leave, the conference will likely be controlled by Baylor, Iowa State and Oklahoma State, who are all teams that have never made (and should never make) a serious run at the College Football Playoffs. While the Big 12 and Pac-12 are definitely the most disgraced Power-5 conferences, that doesn’t mean that the ACC and Big Ten are off the hook either. Let’s start by looking at the ACC. The conference has basically been Clemson and everybody else since 2016. In that run of greatness, the Tigers beat nearly everyone in their paths to make the College Football Playoffs a stunning six years in a row. I will concede that those Clemson teams were great and well-deserving of those spots, but can a conference be a Power-5 conference if there is only one team that dominates in the conference? In fact, during Clemson’s run of greatness there was only

one year where another ACC opponent finished in the top ten of the final rankings (Florida State in 2017). It doesn’t seem fair for a team to play subpar conference opponents every season and not get tested until they reach the College Football Playoffs. Now we look at the Big Ten. The Big Ten’s record in the playoffs is not great at 3-4, and similarly to the ACC, the conference tends to be dominated by one team: Ohio State. The Buckeyes have made the playoffs four times, winning the national championship in 2015 and losing in last year’s national championship. The only other team to make the playoffs from the Big Ten was Michigan State in 2016, and they got drubbed 38-0 by Alabama. Although Ohio State is the clear frontrunner in the conference, the Big Ten does have one thing going for them: depth. Nearly every season, the Big Ten has been able to put other teams in the top ten of the final rankings with Penn State, Wisconsin and Michigan being pretty consistent every year. While Ohio State usually ends up winning the conference and making the playoffs, at least they have to work for it. I’ve talked about every Power-5 conference except the SEC, and I will concede that the SEC truly is the best conference from top to bottom. The conference has perennial powerhouse Alabama, but teams like Georgia and LSU have made good runs as well, and there are a plethora of teams that tend to finish the season in the top ten of the final rankings. The times are changing in college football with conference realignments and a possible twelve-team playoff field. Considering the fact that the SEC has proven to be the only true “power” conference in recent years, maybe it’s time we get rid of the whole idea of “Power 5” itself. Maybe it’s time to acknowledge that teams like Oklahoma and Oregon are playing schedules that are not much tougher than Group of Five teams like Cincinnati. Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu

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Staff Predictions

Observer Sports Staff Predictions: Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech Observer Sports Staff

Notre Dame has two games left to impress the College Football Playoff Committee. Members of the Obser ver Sports Staff sat dow n to give their picks for the Irish’s home finale against Georgia Tech.

Aidan Thomas - Associate Sports Editor Honestly, these last two games on the Irish schedule feel more ceremonial than any thing. The Irish need to go out and dominate both Georgia Tech and Stanford. They should be able to and then Irish fans can root for some chaos to crack the CFP field. That being said, Georgia Tech is a tough team to blow out. They’ve lost six of their seven games this year by 9 or fewer points, and they feel like a team on the brink of success, despite a four-game losing streak. With little to play for, I expect them to treat this opportunit y in Notre Dame Stadium as their Super Bowl for the 2021 season and attempt to spoil the Irish’s Senior Day. Jahmy r Gibbs is a special talent and one that could give Notre Dame some major troubles. However, the Irish defense is play ing their best football of the season, and the offense has continued to improve. I think this one could be close for a little bit, but ultimately Notre Dame pulls away late in the first half or early in the second.

Notre Dame 37 Georgia Tech 17 Nate Moller - Sports Writer After dismantling a respectable Virginia team, the Irish w ill travel back home to South Bend. They’ll have a Senior Day matchup against a 3-7 Georgia Tech squad that has struggled mightily all season. Despite these struggles, the Yellow Jackets have been able to keep games relatively close most of the year behind an offense that averages nearly 30 points a game. This offensive success has been led mostly by running back Jahmy r Gibbs who has rushed for nearly 700 yards and tallied nearly 500 receiv ing yards on the season. I expect Gibbs and the Yellow Jackets to give the Irish some issues early on, but the Yellow Jackets are a bit banged up at the quarterback position and offensive line, and I expect the Irish defense to exploit these

injuries. On the other side of the ball, the improved Irish offense should be able to find enough success to pull away in the second half of this one against a Yellow Jacket defense that surrendered over 500 yards to Boston College last week.

year-to-year basis. That further comes into question if the CFP remains in the current format. Phil Jurkovec shredded the Georgia Tech defense last week. I think on Senior Day in front of faithful Irish fans, Jack Coan and company w ill do the same.

Notre Dame 44 Georgia Tech 20

Notre Dame 42, Georgia Tech 21

Mannion McGinley - Sports Editor

Emily DeFazio - Associate Sports Editor

The Irish w ill take on Georgia Tech for this year’s final home game as they celebrate this year’s Senior Day. With a weak offensive line right now and a questionable quarterback situation, Georgia Tech has come up w ith a 3-7 record on the year. Because of that, the Irish need to run away w ith this game. The Nav y game was a showcase for Notre Dame’s run defense and was followed by a definitive w in over Virginia. This game should be a cakewalk. The only force the Yellow Jackets have that may outw it the Irish w ill be Jahmy r Gibbs. His capabilit y can only go as far as his teammates can create around him. So w ith weaknesses in the line and confusion at QB as he tries to face off w ith Kurt Hinish, Jayson Ademilola and the rest of the Irish defensive line, Gibbs w ill have some trouble. The Irish offense really has found its pace over the last three weeks. They’ll be able to keep that momentum this week, w ithout a doubt. There should be a distinct lead throughout the game so long as the Irish get off on the right foot.

With all the buzz surrounding CFP rankings, if Notre Dame wants a chance at making the playoffs, they w ill need to dominate this Georgia Tech team. They cannot simply w in; they must blow their competition out of the water. There can be no close call to a 3-7 Georgia Tech that has played inconsistently all season. With a weak offensive line that has not gained its stride, it should be a fairly strong game for the Irish defense. However, regardless of their record, Georgia Tech has managed to keep games closer than they were probably expected to, which is

what the Irish need to look out for. If given the chance, the Yellow jackets could give Notre Dame a run for their money. Give me a pick-six to sw ing the momentum in the first half and never look back.

Notre Dame 45, Georgia Tech 17 Colin Capece - Assistant Managing Editor Let’s just start by say ing it’s surreal this w ill be my final home game as a student. I’m a little biased, but there really is nothing like a Notre Dame football Saturday. I’ll never forget the seasonopening Michigan game my freshman year, and I sure won’t forget this game against Georgia Tech. Thank you immensely to Mannion and Aidan for letting me be a part of the football beat this year. It’s been one heck of a ride at The Obser ver, and covering my favorite team in my senior year was a heck of a way to top it off. On to the prediction… I think this game is going to be a lot closer than people think. Georgia Tech running

back Jahmy r Gibbs is no joke. He’s a true dual-threat out of the backfield and has racked up 687 yards on the ground to go along w ith 469 receiv ing yards. He might be the best back the Irish have faced all season, and linebackers J.D. Bertrand, Drew W hite and Jack Kizer w ill have to tack le in space to keep him contained. However, Notre Dame’s rushing attack has also been impressive since the team’s bye week, w ith Ky ren Williams and Logan Diggs forming a formidable pair for opposing defenses. Georgia Tech’s run defense has been bad all year, which plays right into the hands of the Irish and their newly revamped offensive line. Notre Dame w ill control the time of possession in this one, forcing the Yellow Jackets to throw more than they would like in the second half. The Irish w ill grab a couple of turnovers in the third quarter and pull away quick ly, allow ing them to cruise to the finish line on Senior Day.

Notre Dame 31, Georgia Tech 21

Notre Dame 42, Georgia Tech 13 Jimmy Ward - Associate Sports Editor The last two games remaining on Notre Dame’s schedule figure to be prett y easy ones. The Irish w ill host a Georgia Tech that hasn’t been able to find their bearings all year. Dare I also mention the Irish have won 23 consecutive regular-season games against ACC opponents. There is a reason Notre Dame remains an Independent so they are able to play teams like USC and Stanford. But w ith the only t wo opponents remaining on the Irish schedule looking weak and w ith the Irish outside looking in on the playoff picture, it begs the question of whether the strength of the Irish schedule is v iable on a

ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer

Irish senior Marcus Thorne waits for his go during pregame warm ups in Notre Dame’s 27-13 win over Purdue. Thorne is the second in his family to play for the Irish and is graduating a neuroscience major.

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Ademilola Continued from page 16

same mindset and we’re ready to go.” Ademilola made a bev y of big plays, notching two tack les for loss, a sack and a forced fumble. Wisconsin, who had nearly 250 rushing yards per game over two contests, notched just 74 on the stat sheet versus the Irish. And the passing attack wasn’t much better, as the Irish notched four interceptions and limited the Badgers to a single offensive touchdow n. Around the red zone, Notre Dame stiffened when it counted, holding Wisconsin to a first-quarter field goal and then again stopping the Badgers short of the end zone in the fourth quarter, setting the stage for sophomore running back Chris Ty ree’s kickoff return that gave Notre Dame the lead for good. Ademilola shifted the credit to his teammates and coaches. “You just have to execute the game plan — the coaches work so hard to come up w ith it,” he said. “I’m super confident in our abilities as a unit and fully trust in my teammates.” This Saturday, the Irish need Ademilola to be at his best once more. The Irish defense has forced nine turnovers this season, and against a Cincinnati offense averaging 43 points a game, they need more of the same. “It’s a new week,” he said. “We gotta keep getting better ever y week.” The Irish know almost too much about how quick ly defensive fortunes can change. After a dy namic three quarters in the season opener, Notre Dame gave up 18 points in the fourth quarter, necessitating an overtime escape. Against Toledo, Notre Dame again was largely dominant, but they gave up a pair of fourth-quarter touchdow ns. Those pair of scores forced Notre Dame into a finalminute game-w inning drive to avoid a stunning upset versus the Rockets. In games three and four, the Irish have put together more complete efforts, surrendering just 26 total points to Purdue and Wisconsin. But as Ademilola said, it’s a new week. And a tough one awaits the Irish at Notre Dame Stadium this Saturday. The Bearcats present a stiff challenge, and the top-10 battle is the toughest remaining on Notre Dame’s schedule. Last year, Ademilola played a limited role in Notre Dame’s big upset over Clemson in the regular season and in the ACC Championship loss to the Tigers. But against a monster A labama front in the Rose Bowl, Ademilola shined.

His 1.5 tack les for loss and five tack les overall was his signature performance to date for the Irish. And it set the stage for an offseason of improvement. “Ever y year, I’ve come to practice working my butt off ever y day. W hen the opportunit y comes, I’m prepared for it.” Ademilola said of his improvements. “Mentally, I learned a lot more football this offseason — not just D-line, but the whole defense, and what the offense is tr y ing to each play ... W hen the time comes on game day, I’m prepared and confident I can make ever y play.” Ademilola also plays w ith a familiar person by his side for a fair amount of snaps. His tw in brother Justin Ademilola has also stepped up in the Irish defensive front in 2021. Justin has 13 tack les and two sacks so far over four games. Jayson spoke highly of his brother’s contributions. “My brother has been playing really well this season,” he said. “I’m not surprised at all. He brings a hungr y mentalit y to the defense. W hen I see him next to me, we just have that go-get-them, killer mindset.” Jayson also discussed his and his brother’s backround as w restlers as a contributing factor to their success on the gridiron. “I feel like I’m w ired the way I am because my brother and I were w restlers from a young age,” he recalled. “You have to have a whole different t y pe of mindset, and I bring that onto the football field. W hen I’m on the field, I want to make ever y play. A ll these guys on defense want to — we’re all hungr y.” Against Cincinnati, the Irish have their work set out for them against a confident Bearcats squad. Quarterback Desmond Ridder allegedly said to a coach in response to a warning about the loud env ironment in South Bend: “It won’t be loud for ver y long.” But Ademilola says the Irish don’t need external motivation. “We’re work horses,” he said. “There’s no challenge that we can’t get to — we set our ow n goals.” And for Ademilola, there’s no looking ahead. While a breakout season for one of college football’s top programs may justifiably bring draft hype, the New Jersey product isn’t even thinking ahead to past the Bearcats, let alone the postseason draft. “I’m not sure,” Ademilola admitted about the draft. “It’s too early to tell — all I’m worried about right now is this weekend: a green-out at home.” Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu

MARCUS THORNE

Marcus Thorne balances neuroscience, football By J.J. POST Sports Writer

Senior cornerback Marcus Thorne’s story starts with his father, Marcus Thorne Sr. Though the name stands out as the immediate commonality, the Thorne’s share more than just the same birth certificate — like his son, Marcus Sr. was also a walk-on at Notre Dame, himself in the Lou Holtz era, putting together a solid Irish career as a fullback. Marcus Jr., however, joined the Irish on the other side of the ball,

as a cornerback. The Washington, Indiana native took a preferred walk-on offer to stay in his home state of Indiana and play for Notre Dame. Impressing on both sides of the ball at Washington High School though his senior season was limited by injuries, Thorne totaled four touchdowns as a receiver, as well as 27 tackles and an interception at defensive back in just six games. He spurned several other options — including Davidson, Rice and Washington University of St. Louis in favor of continuing his athletic and

academic career in South Bend. Graduating with a degree in neuroscience, Thorne appears set to follow in the footsteps of his parents, both of whom are doctors themselves. In a 2018 interview after his signing day, Thorne said he hopes to become either a neurosurgeon or a spine surgeon. Following a four-year career at Notre Dame balancing a staggering schedule of commitment both on and off the field, Thorne undoubtedly is ready to pursue whichever path he now prefers.

CHASE LOVE

Love reflects on going from interhall to ND walk-on By MATT SMITH Sports Writer

W hen he first arrived at Notre Dame, Chase Love had big aspirations when it came to football. Not for the Notre Dame football team, though. Love was just hoping to stand out for the Stanford Hall interhall team and w in a championship for the Griffins. “So that first fall semester, I was just a regular student,” Love said. “During that time, I was involved in interhall football. After play ing a season w ith them, it was so fun just bonding w ith the guys in Stanford. They actually encouraged me to walk on to the team. They thought I could make it. I didn’t really have too much belief, but I walked on to the team and from there, I’ve been enjoy ing it ever since.” Even though he didn’t originally plan to join the team as a walk-on, the senior safet y from Chicago Heights, Illinois is thrilled that he did. Love has been a part of many important moments for the Irish over the past four years, including t wo College Football Playoff

Lugg Continued from page 16

we’re play ing,” Lugg said. “We definitely need to execute our fundamentals and go back to the basics so that we can do our job come Saturday. If we want our team to be successful it starts w ith us up front and doing our job consistently.” Heading into what could be his final home game, Lugg

appearances. But none were as memorable as the v ictor y over the No. 1 team in the countr y last November. “Easy one would definitely be the Clemson game,” Love said of his favorite Notre Dame moment. “There’s nothing like ever yone rushing the field, going up against the No. 1 team at that time. And we’ve had a past w ith Clemson as well.” Off the field, some of Love’s favorite memories in South Bend still revolve around the team. He cherishes his teammates and the bonds that he was able to forge w ith them. “I think I’ve always to an extent enjoyed our theme workouts for training. Usually, they’ll be very intense, but at that time because the workouts are so hard, we really rely on each other to get through these tiring workouts,” Love said. “Definitely those moments where we’re just really together as a team are the ones that I’ve enjoyed the most.” A lthough graduation isn’t until May, Love feels wellprepared for life after Notre Dame. He currently has an offer to work for Wells Fargo in Charlotte, N.C., where

he hopes to gain experience in financial ser v ices and explore his other interests. One of those interests includes running an NFL team in the future. “Long-term, I’ve always had a passion for sports. Kind of have an interest in becoming a GM of an NFL team,” Love said. “I don’t know what the plan is to get there, but right now I’m just exploring and getting as much experience as I can wherever I can and tr y ing to do a great job.” Love’s time on the field is coming to an end. But, the lessons and skills he learned from being on the team w ill stick w ith him throughout his post-football career. “Through the different games, practices, workouts and stuff like that, they’ve tested us mentally in so many ways that I feel like transitioning to not being in a full-blow n sport and just focusing specifically on my job and what I want to do next in my career, I feel prepared in ever y which way to do that.”

will definitely be soaking it all in. Ahead of the Wisconsin game, he displayed gratitude for his time at Notre Dame and to the people who have helped him develop over the last five years. “I need to cherish this game because it could be my last season here,” Lugg said before Notre Dame’s tilt w ith Wisconsin at Soldier Field. “Understanding at Notre Dame that ever y snap counts. It’s a really special

place and I’ve loved being here. Now in my fifth year being able to take on a full-time starting role for the whole season. I really appreciate all the time the coaches and the training staff and the other players have spent w ith me to make sure that I can do this here. I want to play my best on Saturday for those people.”

Contact Matt Smith at msmith88@nd.edu

Contact Colin Capece at ccapece@nd.edu

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John dirksen

PAUL MOALA

Dirksen develops on and off the field By LIAM COOLICAN Sports Writer

In recent years, Notre Dame has become one of the top destinations in the country for offensive linemen. Not only does it stand out because of the quality of the players they produce, but the culture within the position group is unique as well. Senior guard John Dirksen knew immediately when he visited Notre Dame that the culture of the group was something special. “You did get a feel for the culture and the camaraderie specifically to the [offensive] line,” he said. In addition to being close to his hometown of Maria Stein, Ohio, it was one of the main reasons he decided to come to South Bend. While Dirksen hasn’t seen much playing time outside of special teams, he has played in some big contests for the Irish. “The best game I’ve ever been a part of was probably the Clemson game,” Dirksen said, referring to the Irish’s 47-40 double-overtime win against then No. 1 Clemson last year. “The best moment was everyone rushing the field

because we were just so excited.” Although he redshirted his freshman year in 2018, Dirksen still got to experience the atmosphere of the College Football Playoff. Last year, he got to relive the experience, but this time, on the field. “That was pretty sweet, getting to do that two times in a career,” he said. As a sophomore, Dirksen played in eight games, solely on special teams. Last year, he saw action in eleven of the team’s twelve contests, including in the win over Clemson and in the Rose Bowl against Alabama. He was the primary backup for Aaron Banks, who currently plays for the San Francisco 49ers, and carved out an important role on special teams as the team made its run to the College Football Playoff. This year, he has served as the backup at right guard for the Marshall transfer Cain Madden. Dirksen has had the opportunity to work with a number of future NFL linemen while with the Irish, and many of them served as mentors for him.

“There’s just been so many older guys before me that have just helped out,” Dirksen said. “[Tommy] Kramer, [Robert] Hainsey, Liam Eichenberg, all of them are looking out for you. I came here as a freshman, all these guys really helped me transition into college.” After graduation, Dirksen, who describes himself as a “homebody” plans to move back home near his family in Ohio, and look for a job in the accounting field, although he majored in economics at Notre Dame. When he arrived in South Bend, Dirksen did not anticipate the level of difficulty of being a student-athlete at Notre Dame, but the challenges, both on and off the field, have shaped who he is today. “I wouldn’t take anything back,” he said. “It really developed me as a man, you can’t find a whole lot of programs where it’s challenging academically and it’s also a really competitive football program.” Contact Liam Coolican at lcoolica@nd.edu

SHAYNE SIMON

After injury, Simon adjusts to new role for Irish By AIDAN THOMAS Associate Sports Editor

The Notre Dame fight song is an all-time classic. But when Shayne Simon played his first game for the Irish, he was already well familiar with the tune. “I went to Catholic high school and we actually played the fight song running out of our tunnel in high school,” Simon recalled, noting the combination of athletics, academics, and Catholicism for being major factors in his decision to enroll at Notre Dame. It hasn’t been the final season that Simon, a senior linebacker, anticipated, but the West Orange, New Jersey product is making the best of an unfortunate situation. Simon tore his labrum in the season opener, relegating him to an off-field leadership role. But Simon has done his best to embrace a new role, even if it wasn’t the one he imagined when he returned to a loaded Notre Dame linebacker room. “Just doing whatever the team needs to prepare for the next week. Scout team running back, scout team special teams - just whatever they need,” Simon said. Simon entered the year

listed second on the depth chart at weak side linebacker, figuring to get a large number of snaps. Simon’s role had gradually increased over his first three years in South Bend. He played nine games as a freshman and ten as a sophomore. However, his breakout campaign came in the 2020 season. Simon started eight games at linebacker for the Irish, developing into a key playmaker. Identifying Simon’s signature performance for the blue and gold is not a difficult task — he shined in the biggest regular-season game of his career. With Notre Dame hosting No. 1 Clemson, Simon tied his career-high with four tackles, one of those for loss and broke up a pair of passes. His presence was notable, particularly crashing in as a run defender and shutting down Clemson’s ground game. The Irish ultimately won that game 47-40 in double overtime, resulting in the fans storming the field. Simon fondly remembers the game, and not only for his outstanding individual effort. “Definitely the Clemson game — both on the field as a player and after the game as a

team,” Simon said regarding his favorite football memory. “That was the best memory of college for sure.” While Simon’s best memories certainly revolve around the football field, he’s also taken advantage of some of the opportunities provided to Notre Dame athletes. One such opportunity involves random placement in a dorm with non-athletes as a freshman. For some, this is a placeholder until they can transfer dorms to room with teammates. But for Simon, his roots at O’Neill Family Hall are not forgotten. “I room with my roommates from freshman year,” Simon said, “I still hang out with them — the dorm family is really different than any other school. You don’t get to experience that as an athlete at any other school.” Simon will continue to help the Irish in any way he can as Notre Dame seeks a College Football Playoff berth. After the season, he’ll shift his focus to his post-graduation plans. A chemical engineering major, Simon hopes to get involved in the oil and gas industry. Contact Aidan Thomas at athoma28@nd.edu

Paul Moala talks injuries, future By EMILY DeFAZIO Associate Sports Editor

Senior Paul Moala’s Notre Dame journey has not been a conventional one. After missing the majorit y of last season due to a torn Achilles, the linebacker took the field against Florida State in the 2021 season opener. Moala was ready to make his mark on the game that night. However, he suffered another season-ending Achilles injur y, putting him right back where he was the year before. Being sidelined for another season, Moala’s role has shifted from an on-field presence to a behind-thescenes force. Moala said that his injur y has allowed him to emerge into t wo roles. He fills one as more of a coach. He says he’s also a better student of the game. “W hen you’re in the game, you’re tr y ing to figure out the cause. You’re tr y ing to figure out where to get in line and then what to do during the game,” Moala said. “On the sideline, it honestly gives you perspective, and also a lot of time to understand and comprehend what’s going on in that film room and contribute that to the sidelines. So it’s also been a really great opportunit y to help out on the sidelines a little bit.” Moala has subsequently found his voice on the team through this experience. In taking on a more administrative role, he has also gained a leadership position. Moala said he’s not sure that he would’ve been able to hold that role had he been actively play ing. “I’d say I’ve been a lot more vocal,” Moala said. “Within the past few years, I haven’t really had the opportunit y of being vocal, just because we’ve always had leaders, you know, a natural leader step into that role. And I’m not really a natural leader.” However, his impact has not been limited to only what he says to his fellow teammates. He has also led through his actions. Moala

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continues to move for ward after his devastating setback, never wavering. He also pushes himself to the limit in practice. “I’ve been tr y ing to not only be vocal but lead by example,” he said. “I’ve been tr y ing to push myself in the weight room, and allow myself to be a role model to those guys in the weight room, and help them see that I’m actually pushing myself even though my season’s over.” Though he may be off the field, for now, Moala has hopes of getting back out there in his blue and gold next season. This would allow him to create more impactful moments like Moala experienced earlier in his career. One that continues to stick out in his mind, and has an impact on his game, is the tack le he posted during his first play against Georgia a couple of years ago. “Not only was it the first opportunit y for me to step into a big role at a critical time. It was also what football is all about,” he said. “The pressure was on me and the defense at the moment, and being able to contribute at that moment, and prepare myself for the opportunit y that I had and getting a tack le on my first play in the Georgia game, it was just a surreal moment… It allowed me to say to myself that I do belong here at Notre Dame and I can compete w ith these guys.” In order to do so, Moala w ill focus on the aspects of college ball that make it a high-stakes game. He w ill use this mentalit y to prepare for his hopeful return to action come 2022. “In college, it allows you to think more because football is a lot more advanced at this level,” he said. “So being out on the field not only allows you to see it in real-time but also feel the real speed of the game and just how to improve in those aspects of the game.” Contact Colin Capece at ccapece@nd.edu

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JAYSON ADEMILOLA

Hungry for more: Jayson Ademilola sparking Irish defensive turnaround By AIDAN THOMAS Associate Sports Editor

NATHANIAL GEORGE | The Observer

Irish senior defensive lineman Jayson Ademilola waves to fans as he runs back to the line of scrimmage after the defense made a play. Jayson and his twin Justin committed to Notre Dame on the same day.

Editor’s Note: A version of this story ran online Oct. 1. W hen talking about the Notre Dame defensive line prior to the 2021 season, the stor ylines frequently, and understandably, revolved around t wo key returning starters — graduate students Kurt Hinish and My ron Tagovailoa-Amosa. They did not tend to focus on a senior defensive lineman from New Jersey w ith one career sack over three years in the blue and gold. And for Jayson Ademilola, that works just as well, w ith the added underdog edge fueling the “killer” mindset that he and the Irish defensive line bring ever y day. “Ever yone on this defense is hungr y,” Ademilola said. “We’re never satisfied — always working to get better, whether it’s in practice, watching film or in the weight room. Ademilola has been a spark

for a Notre Dame defense that needed some depth after some big names departed for the NFL draft follow ing the 2020 season. The senior defensive lineman has been a key performer early on in the 2021 campaign. He has 19 tack les — 3.5 for loss — and has more than doubled his career sack total w ith 1.5 over four games. He has also def lected a couple of passes and forced a fumble. Ademilola was particularly needed last Saturday when the Irish faced a lethal Wisconsin rushing attack w ithout graduate student nose guard Kurt Hinish who was out w ith a concussion. “You know it’s tough because Kurt is one of our captains and we all love him — he’s well respected in the locker room,” Ademilola noted. “But it’s next guy up. That’s our mentalit y. Howard Cross is a monster; he’s a beast. We’re both from Jersey, so we’ve got that see ADEMILOLA PAGE 14

Josh Lugg

Josh Lugg becomes a full-time starter in his graduate season By COLIN CAPECE Assistant Managing Editor

Patience and progression. This is the best word pairing to describe graduate student Josh Lugg’s Notre Dame career. It’s been a long journey for Lugg, but his hard work and perseverance have finally paid off in his fifth season w ith the Irish. He’s become a full-time starter for the first time in his collegiate career, anchoring the right side of the offensive line for a Notre Dame team that’s finally hitting its stride on that side of the ball. After joining the team as a scholarship freshman in 2017, he spent his first year in South Bend exclusively on the scout team. In his sophomore season, he saw the field primarily blocking on special teams. As a junior, Lugg continued to progress, starting the final five games of the season while not

allow ing a sack on 263 pass blocks. He started the final three games in 2020, including the ACC Championship Game against Clemson. Lugg credits the leadership of offensive linemen before him w ith helping him turn into the dependable right tack le he is today. “Since I’ve been here it’s started from the top-dow n, w ith the fifth and sixth-year guys being able to help the freshmen develop,” Lugg said. “W hether that’s on the field or off the field we do ever y thing together. W hen you see us doing things together off the field, it means on the field we’re going to play as a cohesive unit. We just have to come together all the time.” Lugg described how much he’s enjoyed play ing alongside graduate student right guard Cain Madden, who transferred to Notre Dame after five seasons at Marshall.

“It’s significantly improved throughout the course of our time together,” Lugg said of his communication w ith Madden. “Cain coming in this summer has been fantastic communicating w ith ever yone. He sees things differently than we might. Being able to work w ith him has been awesome. We watch a lot of film together and break dow n defensive opponents.” Lugg talked at length before the Wisconsin game about the offensive line’s mentalit y each week. The unit has improved significantly over the course in large part because of the accountabilit y displayed by veterans like Lugg and Madden in focusing on the little things. “Ever y week we should have a chip on our shoulder, no matter who the opponent is, no matter how see LUGG PAGE 14

NATHANIAL GEORGE | The Observer

Irish graduate student offensive lineman Josh Lugg gets down into his starting stance during Notre Dame’s 32-29 win over Toledo on Sept. 11.

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GREG MAILEY

ISAIAH PRYOR

Mailey finds unique role By JIMMY WARD Sports Writer

Greg Mailey has a unique role on the Notre Dame roster. Every single call that you see in Notre Dame Stadium is relayed through the senior wide receiver from Hudson, Ohio. Mailey was offered a preferred option walk-on at Ohio State, but chose Notre Dame instead and has served on the scout team for the Irish for three years. The choice to come to Notre Dame wasn’t a difficult one to make for him as his second cousin, Kevin Mailey, graduated from Notre Dame in 1974. Kevin Mailey was a member of the 1973 National Championship team that beat Bear Bryant’s Alabama team 24-23 in the Sugar Bowl. And the love for the program has remained in the family. Mailey started attending Notre Dame games when he was just six years old, and said the moment he really fell in love with the school was when he came face to face with Brady Quinn. “One of the games, one the players walked by — Brady Quinn, he high-fived me and I was freaking out like it was like the biggest deal in the world,” Mailey said. “And ever since then… I fell in love with Notre Dame and I was always a huge Notre Dame fan. And then I got the preferred walk on offer to Ohio State. And I was like, alright, well, I mean, that’s awesome. But I’ve always wanted to play football at Notre Dame, and I reached out and that

ended up working out.” Mailey also touched on his role of throwing on the headset on Saturdays and calling plays for second-year offensive coordinator Tommy Rees’ ever developing scheme. “Yeah, that’s been awesome. Really feeling like I have a roll on game day and everything,” he said. “And you know, it’s really cool to be on the front lines and kind of know what’s going on right before it happens on the field and everything so yeah, it’s been awesome. Being on the headsets is a cool feature as well.” Mailey detailed what exactly he is hearing when he throws on the headset and starts waving his arms. “It’s cool to hear everything that goes on, right before what goes into a play call and what the thought process is and then, you know, as well as in between drives, and in between plays. It’s just you know, the general thought process of everything. And if Coach Kelly’s yelling, the ref will hear that too. So it’s kind of funny to pick up on some of that stuff.” As far as the rest of the season goes, Mailey’s outlook remains strong. “I think that we got an awesome opportunity to hopefully sneak in the playoffs, and we really have everything that we’ve been working towards still ahead of us. But yeah, it definitely should be an awesome finish.” Contact Jimmy Ward at wward@hcc-nd.edu

Courtesy of Notre Dame Athletics

Irish senior wide receiver Greg Mailey relays every call from the box to the offense in every game, making sure to keep communication open.

From Buckeye to Irish, Pryor makes his mark By DOM GIBSON Sports Writer

One v isit to South Bend was all it took for senior linebacker Isaiah Pr yor to leave the transfer portal as a member of the Notre Dame football team. After spending the first three years of his career as a member of the Ohio State Buckeyes, Pr yor elected to graduate early and hunt for a new school. And although the transfer portal process can be a hard and complicated one, the decision to enroll at Notre Dame was made easier thanks to his relationship w ith head coach Brian Kelly. “I feel like it made it an easier transition being that I kept a relationship w ith coach Kelly,” Pr yor said. “Once I got into the portal we started talking, I took a v isit here and then after the first v isit, I was already committed to come. So he made that transition ver y easy.” Outside of his talks w ith coach Kelly, Pr yor felt that the energ y and culture of the team as a whole was another contributing factor into his decision and transition to Notre Dame. “The team was ver y open and wanted me to be a part of them and push them to be great,” Pr yor said. “So I felt that the team dy namic

was another easy thing to kind of get introduced to.” Play ing for t wo of the biggest and most well-know n college football programs in the nation prov ides plent y of opportunities to perform on the big stage. For Pr yor, the w in against Clemson in the 2020 season was perhaps his most unforgettable game during his play ing career. “That first Clemson w in last year was probably the most memorable moment for sure,” Py ror said. “It was cra zy; that atmosphere was w ild after the game. Ever ybody stormed the field and it was just an ama zing experience.” Off-field conditioning is a part of ever y college football player’s life, and while some may not v iew their time in the weight room ver y fondly, for Pr yor it is the opposite. He claimed that some of his best memories away from the play ing field came during strength and conditioning coach Matt Balis’ workouts. “Off the field, I would say the thing I’ll remember the most is probably coach Balis’ workouts, especially over the summer.” Pr yor said. “It’s some of the hardest workouts I’ve ever been through, and I feel like that was some key moments to bonding w ith each other and that t y pe of stuff.” Outside of the

contributions that he has prov ided on the field, his hardworking mentalit y and the relationships that he’s forged w ith his teammates are things that Pr yor feels have made the biggest impact. “As far as the impact that I’ve made here, I’m always a hard worker. I’m going to push ever ybody else around me to get better,” Py ror said. “But most importantly, I feel like the relationships that I’ve built w ith my teammates are something that’s going to last a lifetime.” W hile Pr yor’s time on the field is coming to a close, he is hoping to put the degree he earned from Ohio State and the master’s degree he is going to earn from the Mendoza College of Business to good use. “I have an undergraduate degree in finance and graduating w ith my master’s in management here at Mendoza, so I was thinking finance,” Pr yor said. “Probably be like a financial analyst, maybe an adv isor, possibly getting into banking, merging and acquisition. It’s a lot of things, but I would probably say more geared towards finance.”. Contact Dom Gibson at dgibson@hcc-nd.edu

Courtesy of Notre Dame Athletics

Irish graduate student linebacker Isaiah Pryor calmly moves through pregame warm ups with ball in hand during Notre Dame’s 27-13 win over Purdue on Sep. 18 at Notre Dame Stadium.

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GEORGE TAKACS

Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa

Defensive end steps up as senior By JIMMY WARD Associate Sports Editor

Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa is no stranger to adversity. The fifth-year defensive end and captain is filling in first year defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman’s defensive front now, but his journey to this role has been anything but a simple one. Tagovailoa-Amosa made his commitment to Notre Dame official in February of 2017. As a rookie, he would see valuable field time right away, providing the Irish defensive line with much needed depth. TagovailoaAmosa would appear in all 13 games his first year in South Bend and recorded nine tackles and two tackles for a loss. With a promising uptick, Tagovailoa-Amosa was primed to have more field time and production in his sophomore campaign. But in the opening game against Michigan, he suffered a broken foot in the fifth metatarsal. True freshman Jayson Ademilola filled in, as the required surgery rendered Tagovailoa-Amosa out for effectively the whole season up until the 3-30 onslaught against Clemson in the CFP Semifinals. He recorded 2 tackles in that game and 0.5 tackles for a loss; which would also serve as his season totals. However, due to a change in the NCA A redshirt rules in the 2018 season, Tagovailoa-Amosa was able to retain a year of eligibility. Though the Irish missed out on a playoff bid the next year, Tagovailoa-Amosa finished the season w ith 23 total tack les, 2.5 tack les for loss, six QB hurries and a fumble recover y. It was his standout season, but on the edge he is prov ing a force to be reckoned w ith. He is already outpacing those numbers this year w ith 20 tack les, 6 tack les for loss, 2 sacks and a forced fumble w ith two games still remaining on the regular season slate. It should also be noted that Tagovailoa-Amosa missed Notre Dame’s last game against Virginia due to illness. Tagovailoa-Amosa was named a captain this summer but not in a way that he ever would have imagined. In mid-August, TagovailoaAmosa lost his father, Tuli Amosa. And in the midst of summer camp he f lew all the way back to Hawaii to honor the life of his father, the man who taught Tagovailoa-Amosa about

family, faith and football. W hile he was away from the team in Hawaii, Brian Kelly released his team captains for the season. W hen Myron zoomed into the meeting, he was greeted by all of his teammates and coaches filling the Guglielmino Athletics Complex with leis around their necks. This was an act that showed Myron that his team had his back no matter what and wanted to recognized his late father in his time of mourning. Fighting back tears, Myron spoke to his team and just two days later, he would surprise Marcus Freeman when he showed up at practice immediately after arriving in South Bend all the way from Hawaii. Tagovailoa-Amosa was set to prove to himself that he had rightly earned the title of captain, and he was going to do it all in dedication to his late father. W hen Brian Kelly was asked about TagovailoaAmosa after the summer practice when he returned from Hawaii, he did not sell his captain short of any praise. “He’s beloved. Players really respect him and again I think a lot of it has to do with who he is and how he’s grown,” Kelly said. Tagovailoa-Amosa is technically still eligible for a sixth year w ith the Irish due to the pandemic season. Though his stats might not be as jaw-dropping as say a Jeremiah Ow usu-Koramoah, they don’t necessarily tell the whole stor y. Unless NFL scouts have been liv ing under a rock for the past few months, they’ll realize the leadership role and true effect Tagovailoa-Amosa has in his new role on the edge of Marcus Freeman’s defensive line. For Tagovailoa-Amosa, football is important, but there are always more important things in life — one of which being the people you encounter along the way. He would highlight this in an October Irishography. “As I ref lect on my time here I think the biggest takeaway is the relationships that I have made here. Just a lot of people full of class and respect that you don’t meet any where else,” he said. “I feel like the Notre Dame communit y and the relationships that I have built here are something that w ill last forever and I w ill cherish forever.”

Takacs fights hard for position in senior season By OLIVIA SCHATZ Sports Writer

Senior tight end George Takacs always grew up watching Irish football; for him to play in and w in a rivalr y game against USC was a dream come true. Grow ing up in Naples, Florida, Takacs looked past other football powerhouses such as Florida State, Georgia and Auburn to find his home at Notre Dame. Since then, Takacs has grow n as a player to make a concrete impact on the team. “I came in my freshman year — I wasn’t ready to play. And from there it’s really just been tr y ing to work hard at my craft and really focus on the finer details of my position,” he said. Takacs has surely proven his grow th this year. W hile he might not be the first choice to get the ball, he still has an important role on the field. As a tight end, Takacs’ primar y role on the field is as a blocker, although throughout the years he has made some substantial catches. In his sophomore season, he scored his first career touchdow n at Duke on a t wo-yard reception. Last year, he made a 13-yard reception which helped bring Notre Dame to a v ictor y against UNC. Despite being a senior, Takacs had to fight for his spot. In his freshman year he saw no play ing time. In 2019, he sat behind Cole

Kmet and Tommy Tremble. Then in 2020 came top-40 recruit Michael Mayer. In 2020, when asked about Takacs, Brian Kelly said he was under valued. “George is an under valued player on our roster. He can make plays for us. He’s a talented player,” Kelly said. “It was nice to see him have some success. I think he w ill have more success mov ing for ward.” And he did eventually find success. In his senior season, he was able to play in his first rivalr y game against USC. He also had 15 receiv ing yards against Virginia Tech. Takacs would be the first to admit his under valued role on the field. “If I was a quarterback, I would throw the ball to [Mayer] too. I don’t take it as a personal slight — the guy’s awesome,” Takacs said. However, he continued by say ing, “W hen I am asked to make a play in the pass game, I am ready to make it. I’ve been practicing like it.” Kelly agreed w ith this sentiment. “His mindset is ‘I can contribute. I’m not going to be Mike Mayer, and that’s not who I am.’ But he’s a big, physical kid. He plays physical at the line of scrimmage. He’s a guy who’s going to help us as an in-line blocker. He’s a guy who has some talent catching the football,” Kelly said.

Takacs was never the best player, but he worked hard and mastered his craft to ensure that he would not be forgotten. With fresh players coming in at the start of the season, Takacs discussed how the offense as a whole has improved from week one. “The chemistr y’s getting better. The guys are getting more comfortable,” he said. “It’s never a question of the talent here … and ever yone’s doing a better job of it.” W hen asked how good he thinks the offense could be, Takacs responded w ithout hesitation: “Ver y good — really good, honestly.” He later described his teammates as “the most talented group I’ve ever been a part of.” Takacs fought his way through three years of being the underdog to have his chance on the field for his senior season. With his four years of play ing at Notre Dame, Takacs has played in 26 games w ith 57 receiv ing yards. W hen asked where he thought the offense could still improve w ith the remainder of the season, Takacs responded, “The sk y’s the limit.” As this season comes to an end, Takacs has proven his worth by working hard all throughout his career and fighting for his spot on the team. Contact Olivia Schatz at oschatz @nd.edu

ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer

Contact Walter Ward at wward@hcc-nd.edu

Irish senior tight end George Takacs edge blocks during Notre Dam’es three-point home win over Toledo, 32-29 on Sept. 11. Takacs has filled an important role as a blocking tight end this season for the Irish.

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TaRiq Bracy

MaX SIEGEL II

Bracy brings focus and experience to defense By GEHRIG SMALSTIG Sports Writer

TaRiq Bracy is a California kid who has embraced ever y thing that Notre Dame has to offer. Coming off of a USC game in which he had a fumble recover y, and the Irish secured a big rivalr y w in, he was asked if the game meant more to him. “Yea, being a California native,” he said, “But, I chose Notre Dame and this is my spot and I love ever y thing about it. Honestly it’s just another game.” Coming out of high school, Bracy was a star on both sides of the ball, almost never leav ing the field. He graduated to the tune of 14 interceptions, 73 touchdow ns and one state title for his hometow n Milpitas High School. Throughout his career at Notre Dame, it is obv ious that he has come to embrace a more limited role on the defense and the team as a whole. He doesn’t play ever y snap on defense, and his involvement in the game plan often varies from team to team, but he always stays ready. This is ev idenced by how his presence has been felt

on the field throughout the entiret y of his career at Notre Dame. In his freshman season, he logged 18 tack les in eleven games, including a seven tack le performance against Pitt and a forced fumble against Florida State. The follow ing season, he saw the field in all but one of the Irish’s contests, recording 34 tack les w ith seven pass break ups, t wo forced fumbles and one recover y. His best performances came against Virginia, where he had a season-high seven tack les, and Bowling Green, when he filled the stat sheet by forcing a fumble along w ith four tack les and two pass break ups. Now, follow ing a limited junior season, where the defensive backfield was more crowded w ith players transferring in and returning from injur y, Bracy has been a veteran presence at corner. New defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman lauded his effort throughout the spring practice season, noting his w illingness to stay in the facilit y to work on his craft or watch more film. This season, he has seen the field ever y

game and even recorded his first interception against Virginia Tech to go along w ith his 31 tack les. This was obv iously a marquee moment in Bracy’s college career, and he was asked how it felt to finally notch a pick. He responded as he usually does, w ith a focus on the team and the rest of the season. “Yea it was definitely a confidence boost,” he said. “It felt great, I’m not gonna lie. And just, mov ing for ward, I’ll see if I can get a couple more.” For the rest of this year Bracy looks to lead a defensive secondar y unit that needs his experience more than ever in the absence of A ll-American safet y Kyle Hamilton. It’s easy to see how his focus and competitive mentalit y w ill be essential to the team by hearing just one of his quotes on the importance of the big w in over USC a few weeks ago. “It feels good, but, I mean, we’re not done. We still have a lot more games left, so I’m just gonna build up from this game and keep play ing and keep doing my job.” Contact Gehrig Smalstig at esmalsti@nd.edu

ADAM SHIBLEY

Shibley impacts final season By NATE MOLLER Sports Writer

Although graduate student linebacker Adam Shibley played for Michigan for four years before transferring to Notre Dame, he has found a way to make a large impact for the Irish during his time at Notre Dame. The Cleveland, OH native made a large impact for the Wolverines during his time in Ann Arbor. In his sophomore season, he received the team’s Scout Team Player of the Year Award. Shibley would go on to receive Academic All-Big Ten honors in his sophomore, junior and senior seasons. In his senior season, Shibley received lots of reps on special teams and got two starts during the season. In his first career start at linebacker against Penn State, Shibley recorded six tackles. Shibley finished the 2020 season with 23 tackles, with three for loss. Shibley was ultimately awarded the Big Ten Medal of Honor in 2021 for his work on the field and in the classroom. Shibley discussed what it was like transferring from Michigan to Notre Dame. “The transition was made super easy just by the whole team

and the whole environment here. Day one I could tell the culture was different and how strong the brotherhood aspect of Notre Dame football is,” Shibley said. “Being able to meet the guys over the summer was a lot of fun and I was able to make some good friends in the process.” Although Shibley’s season was cut short after the sixth game of the season, he believes that he made a strong impact at the start of the season. “I felt in those games, I was someone who brought a lot of experience to special teams and led some of the younger guys and helped out in that area. Doing whatever I can for this program to make it better. And now that I am injured, just being a good teammate, being there, for all the guys, that’s what I have brought to the table,” Shibley said. “We are at Soldier Field and they start playing ‘Jump Around’ before the fourth quarter, and that’s when our team decided to flip the switch and we just dominated them the rest of the game. I feel like that was one of the coolest moments in my career and playing for the Irish,” Shibley said. Shibley founded his own

organization called Tuff, which is a uniform funding foundation that seeks to “prevent equipment costs and participation fees from being the reason youth studentathletes cannot play,” he said. He has enjoyed seeing some of his Irish teammates want to get involved in his organization. “Last week I had the opportunity to hand out shirts to all the guys on the team. It’s been cool to see some of the guys want to get involved. It’s really an awesome aspect of coming here. A bunch of us want to stay connected through service as we move down the line,” Shibley said. Shibley hopes he can work in the sports industry after finishing graduate school. “I’ll be recruiting for jobs in the National Football League or in the sports industry. I want to get into sports marketing, agency or partnerships,” he said. “Those are the main industries I am going to be recruiting for. I am definitely hoping to stay in the sports industry as I move forward and I graduate in May from the Masters in Management program,” Shibley said.” Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu

Defensive end steps up as senior By SAM OUHAJ Sports Writer

Max Siegel II has never settled in life and has always strived to achieve more. With his Notre Dame football career coming to an end, the former offensive line walk-on took time to look back on what he has accomplished with the platform given to him by being a part of the Fighting Irish. Born in Fishers, IN, Siegel has always been tied to Notre Dame. His father, Max Siegel, attended the University, and Notre Dame had always been on his mind. Siegel was originally committed to UPenn but had the opportunity to walk-on at Notre Dame. After a few discussions with coaches, and a visit to Notre Dame, he knew this was where he wanted to be. When asked about what made him change his mind, he said when his parents asked the simple question of “At the end of the day are you going to look back at what you could have done or be happy with what you did?” Siegel is a double major in psychology and Global Affairs, with a concentration in global policy studies. The former Zahm resident now lives off-campus, but is still an active voice in the sports and human rights communities on campus. As someone who is not afraid to speak out about controversial issues, he focused on these two areas of study to gain more knowledge and insight as to what he can do to fight for change. As an activist for racial equality and student well-being, Siegel has joined a plethora of extracurricular activities off the field that have helped him become one of the most influential players on the team. When asked about what he does off the field, Siegel mentioned that he is the director of athletics for student government. As the director, Siegel helps to make sure that student-athletes are being represented fairly and, as quoted from the student government website, “shall aid and advise the Student Body President and Student Body Vice-President in all matters pertaining to athletics.” Siegel is also responsible for being the Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) president. As President, Siegel is tasked with making sure that student-athletes’ voices are being heard by everyone and “creating a fulfilling Irish student-athlete experience by engaging and developing the mind, body, and spirit of every student-athlete.” While Siegel does whatever it takes to make sure student-athletes are heard, he has also become an advocate for Black rights. Last year, when George Floyd was murdered, Siegel was interviewed about his thoughts on the situation. In this interview with Notre Dame Athletics, he stated, “Don’t

let your voice be snuffed out. Continue to speak on this issue. Continue to fight so that George Floyd’s death will not be in vain. Let’s all move forward and become agents of change within our own communities and this country at large.” Siegel is involved with the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, a historically black fraternity, where he serves as the polemarch (president). He also volunteers in a memory care unit and revamped a mentorship program with 100 Black men of greater South Bend. When asked about his experience these last four years, he said, “My experience here has definitely been tough. Balancing football, school, social life and extracurriculars like student government isn’t an easy task. I went through many different events and situations that tested my values and who I am as a person. Instead of succumbing to the pressure, I found myself being molded into the man I wanted to be. My experiences forced me to grow up. Football also caused me to grow up. Fast. It helped me realize that nothing will be handed to me. The growth I want to see in my own life has to be attained through my own means. Even though I went through some difficult times, I wouldn’t trade my experiences for the world. The friends that I made in Zahm are some of the best guys I know. It feels great knowing that the house has my back. The same goes for football too.” When reminiscing on his time on the team he said: “Some of my favorite memories from being on the team included Clemson week and how much we prepared for it, to hanging out with the offensive line room during the Spring on Fridays enjoying the weather and bonding.” When asked about his plans moving forward, Siegel stated he is applying to law school and eventually hopes to be in either the sports and media field or working for international rights. While Siegel’s time is coming to an end at Notre Dame, he knows his mission of helping others is not even close to being completed, and he hopes that he can continue to inspire change in every community that has impacted him. “As I enter the final stretch of my college career, I’ve started to think about how I can give back to the communities that helped me grow, supported me, and have treated me with respect,” he said. “I’m not naive though. I realize that what I’ve set out to accomplish won’t happen during my time here. However, I can get the ball rolling to help Notre Dame become an inclusive and more welcoming place for everyone.” Contact Sam Ouhaj at souhaj@nd.edu

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The observer | friday, November 19, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

BRaden Lenzy

COLE CAPEN

Lenzy earns top receiver spot By NATE MOLLER Sports Writer

Senior wide receiver Braden Lenzy has made a large impact on the Irish during his career, and he is on track for a very successful senior season as well. So far this season, Lenzy has served as one of the top receivers for the Irish all year and has proven to be one of the fastest players on the Irish team. Lenzy had a breakout season his sophomore year but was unfortunately sidelined for the majority of the 2020 season with a hamstring injury. Despite these injuries Lenzy has had to endure, he has tried to remain confident in himself and focus on having a successful, healthy senior season. Lenzy discussed how being injured has affected his mindset. “It’s tough. You never want to be injured,” Lenzy said. “Whenever I am healthy, I feel that I do a good job. I want to play for Notre Dame. I want to play with these guys. I am playing well, and I am healthy.” Lenzy also talked about how the offense has evolved under offensive coordinator Tommy Rees during his time at Notre Dame. “I definitely think he put a little bit of his own spin on things. And it is definitely a little bit more of play calling towards players rather than towards just the set plays,” Lenzy said. “He’s made our job easier and played to our strengths. He’s made my job a lot easier and been very transparent. I am very high on coach Rees. I really like him.” He discussed why this year has been his most fun year with the Irish so far. “I think our offense is a lot more fun. I think a lot of the plays we are doing are better suited towards our style of play. It’s more speed-focused, and that’s my game,” Lenzy said. “I am a senior now, so I am more established and better friends with more people on the team. So, it just feels more fun and it kind of feels like high school. Especially in the receiving room, all of those guys are my best friends.” Although Lenzy has played with three quarterbacks this year, he said he doesn’t feel that this has affected his performance and rhythm on offense. “We don’t have too many timing pattern routes, and they all kind of intermix,” Lenzy said. “I have gotten a lot of work with all three of them. I credit that to the coaches. I think they make sure that we have good chemistry with everyone.” Lenzy talked about his favorite aspect of each of the

Blue, gold, red: Capen is offensive communicator

quarterbacks that he has played with this season. “Jack is the most experienced and has that veteran presence,” Lenzy said. “Buchner is the most athletic and best runner. And then Drew’s a little wild. I love it when he does celebrations. Drew is one of my best friends.” He said he appreciates all his quarterbacks because of their focus on the team’s success. “They all have that similar dog mindset about when it’s their turn,” Lenzy said. “They truly want each other to succeed. I think that’s pretty rare, but that’s just Notre Dame.” Growing up in Oregon, Lenzy said he didn’t originally have Notre Dame on his radar, but he is thankful for his time with the Irish. “My initial thought process was that I would not go to Notre Dame,” Lenzy said. “I feel like it’s kind of like Duke basketball. If you don’t have a reason to be a part of it, then you hate it because you aren’t a part of it... It’s a lot different when you can actually go to Notre Dame.” His favorite route to run, Lenzy said, is a post corner route where he runs straight for 10 yards, diagonally for five, and then turns out to the sidelines. “I think it’s fun and because I run so many posts, it’s relatively easy for me to run,” Lenzy said. “And it’s a good chunk play. I can get 15-20 on it relatively easily.” Lenzy has had the chance to practice at all three wide receiver positions, which he said he believes has helped him in all aspects of his game. “Any time you focus on concepts rather than positions, it gives you a better understanding mid-route of breakdown coverages and just overall playing. The more knowledge you have, the better you play,” Lenzy said. “Knowing every spot allows you to be in everyone’s shoes so you know what works best in every play.” While Lenzy plans on playing football for as long as he can, he had the opportunity to have an internship at a small private wealth management company in downtown Chicago this summer, which he said was a good experience for him. “I got to learn from multiple people each couple of days and work on some projects and listen in on some great conversations” Lenzy said. “It’s definitely something I could see myself doing one day, and I could be very good at that. It’s somewhere I would love to work.” Contact Nate Moller nmoller2@nd.edu

By JAMISON COOK Sports Writer

Cole Capen is easy to find on the Notre Dame sideline, as his red visor stands out from the typical blue, gold, and green. Capen wears this visor because he is in charge of relaying the offensive plays to those on the field, acting as the middleman between offensive coordinator Tommy Rees in the booth and quarterback Jack Coan in the huddle. This role is evidently crucial to the success of the Irish offense, and it is one that Capen takes very seriously. “I’m one of the signal callers, I’ve been that for two years now for the offense,” says Capen. “Basic responsibility is just coming up with signals and being that path of communication from Coach Rees to the players on the field.” Capen has dreamed of being on the Notre Dame sideline since he was young, and

his time as a part of the Irish football program has been a dream come true. “There’s nothing like it really, like most people, it’s what I’ve wanted to do for most of my life,” says Capen. “To get that opportunity to walk on here and play has been indescribable. It’s been everything I could have ever dreamed of and more. Just the experiences I’ve had and the people I’ve talked to.” During his time here as a walk-on, Capen has been a part of some great QB rooms. He described the mark this experience with a wide variety of Irish quarterbacks has left on him when asked about his favorite off the field memory here at Notre Dame. “Off the field, it’s got to be just a combination of the four quarterback rooms I’ve been in,” he says. “We’ve always had a tight brotherhood, so just the little conversations we have in meetings, just our relationships with each other

have been the highlight of my four years.” Capen has also developed tight relationships with his fellow walk-ons here at Notre Dame. One of those is his good friend, WOPU Nation president, and fellow Badin Hall flag football coach, Jake Rittman. “Like [Cole] said, he’s one of my best friends and we came in as Class of 2018 walkons,” Rittman says of Capen. “We’ve been close ever since freshman year, lived with him for two years, one of my best friends. Probably a friendship that’s going to last a lifetime, plan to keep in touch with him and try to see him as well as my other friends for as long as we can after we graduate.” Speaking of post-graduation, Capen plans to attend law school, and he is currently in the midst of sending applications. Contact Jamison Cook at jcook2@nd.edu

C’BO FLEMISTER

Flemister reflects on Notre Dame career By NATE MOLLER Sports Writer

Senior running back C’Bo Flemister has made a strong impact for the Irish on the field as well as off through the volunteering efforts that he is a part of. After sitting out the majorit y of his freshman season, Flemister played in ten games in his sophomore season, totaling 162 yards and scoring five touchdow ns. Arguably Flemister’s best game of the season that year was against Virginia, when he rushed for 27 yards, including a touchdow n run, and had a 13 yard reception. In his junior season, Flemister made an even larger impact for the Irish. His biggest game of his career came against South Florida, where he rushed for 127 yards and a rushing touchdow n off of just 13 carries. Another big game for Flemister came against Boston College, where he ran the ball ten times for 53 yards and t wo touchdow ns.

Flemister has not seen the field much in his senior season after being charged w ith a Class B misdemeanor for leav ing the scenes of an accident in the early morning hours of April 25. Flemister shared that his favorite memor y on the field was beating Clemson last year. “On the field my favorite memor y has to be taking dow n Clemson at home and all the students rushing the field. That was cra zy, and we already have a picture of it up in the building,” Flemister said. Flemister discussed one of his favorite memories from the locker room was when all of the guys were about to go to a lift and they put on an EDM song in the locker room during the 2019 season. “[Jamir Jones] pretended like he was DJing and somebody else was doing the lights,” Flemister said. “And when he started beat dropping ever yone started going cra zy.” Flemister had the unique experience of volunteering at the Boys and Girls club over the summer.

“That was really cool to be out there w ith the kids and play f lag football and ever y thing,” Flemister said. One of Flemister’s favorite activ ities is participating in a team event where each player goes Christmas shopping w ith a kid. “We all walked around and the kids got to pick out what they wanted w ith the gift card. And it was really humbling because most of the kids didn’t want to get any thing for themselves,” Flemister said. Flemister went shopping w ith a kid t wo years ago, and he still texts him to this day. “I saw him at Nick’s Patio randomly the other day, and I hadn’t seen him physically in like a year and a half,” Flemister said. “It was really cool. It was probably one of my favorite things that I have ever done.” Flemister does not know what his current plans are for the future, but he plans to return for another year of college.applications. Contact Nate Moller at nmoller2@nd.edu

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MICHAEL VINSON

JAKE RITTMAN

Jake Rittman embodies walk ‘Milk’ has become irreplacable on community strength By jAMISON COOK Sports Writer

For Jake Rittman, walk-on punter/wide receiver and current president of the Notre Dame Walk-On Players’ Union, or “WOPU Nation,” as it is commonly referred to by the football team – the walkon community has been the defining piece of his football experience here at Notre Dame. “The walk-on community here is pretty special,” Rittman said. “The brand kind of goes back to Rudy, but the Union was started in about 2012-2013 by walk-ons. It was just an organization that helps walkons connect with alumni. We hold events, formals, golf outings and just to stay together. You know, being a walk-on is not always the most glorious role, whether it’s playing scout team, or boosting the team GPA, if you will. We just like to

stick together, and I was passed down the presidency from John Mahoney, who was the president last year. It’s just awesome to help the younger guys and to help build relationships with all the other walk-ons.” One of these other walk-ons is QB Cole Capen, who is one of Rittman’s best friends. The pair had nothing but good things to say about each other, and it is clear that the bond between walk-ons is a strong one both on and off the field, as the two coach the Badin Hall flag football team together. “Jake’s one of my best friends, I’ve lived with him for two years now,” Capen says of Rittman. “He’s a great guy, we hit it off right away as both walk-ons of the same age. We’ve been through a lot together, I’d say, just from the start to now, and he’s a really good coach for our flag football team.” Let’s hope that Rittman’s

success as a flag football coach matches the success that he has seen on the field, where the Notre Dame team is a perfect 4-for-4 on extra points held by Rittman. It is a statistic of which he is very proud. “I appreciate the question because you normally only talk about the holder if they screw up,” Rittman says with a laugh. “I’ve been able to get in for a few extra points, 4-for-4. As I like to tell people, every time I’ve been on the field, a point has been scored for Notre Dame. But its awesome, just being able to say I got on the field at Notre Dame is something I’ll be able to brag to my kids, grandkids, friends for the rest of my life.” Rittman is not completely decided on his post-graduation plans but is leaning towards sales in the technology or medical industry. Contact Jamison Cook at jcook2@nd.edu

AXEL RAARUP

Raarup cherishes hardearned walk-on spot By GREG McKENNA Sports Writer

Axel Raarup could have played for a lot of schools. The senior, who grew up just outside the Twin Cities in Mendota Heights, MN, was the 35th-ranked long snapper in the 2018 class, according to Rubio Long Snapping, the company that runs the nation’s premier camp for the position. During his recruiting process, the Saint Thomas Academy graduate received interest from several Ivy League schools before settling on the University of Chicago as a likely destination. That is, until he visited Notre Dame. “I kind of had a come-to-Jesus moment,” Raarup said. “So I reached out to the coaches, and they were gracious enough to let me try out and then join the team. And had I not, I think I would have missed out on a lot of the Notre Dame experience and a lot of the friends that I’ve made up until this point.” When Raarup first contacted the Notre Dame coaching staff during his senior year of high school, however, the responses he received were far from encouraging. “They said, ‘We’ve got a snapper, we’ve got two snappers, we’ll see if we can maybe get you a tryout,’” Raarup remembered. “It ended up being a thing where I just had to stay positive and hope for the best, and it worked out.”

Raarup credited his persistence to his father’s advice. “Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right,” he said. “That’s what my dad always said, and I think that rings pretty true with my story.” Raarup tried out and made the team his freshman spring. He made his first and only appearance for the Irish to date the following fall in a 52-0 victory over Bowling Green. Raarup said that when he took the field, he tried to block out his emotions and focus on his “rep.” “And then as I’m jogging off the field, I take a little look up at the stands,” he recounted. “And there’s more people than I’ve ever played in front of in my entire life, times like three, so it was pretty electric. Maybe not the closest game in the world, I think we were up 40 at the time, but we’ll take it.” Raarup admitted he was initially daunted about finding his place among Notre Dame’s established walk-on brotherhood, officially named the Walk-On Player’s Union, or WOPU Nation. “Like at any well-established institution, you need to earn your respect and find your role, and now it’s some of my closest friends and guys that I know have my back for life.” Raarup began to truly feel like a part of the team during the leadup to the Camping World Bowl later that season and said that week before the Irish’s 33-9 victory over Iowa State was his

favorite memory as a Notre Dame player. “I remember playing pool with [junior linebacker] Marist [Liufau] for two and a half hours every night,” Raarup said. “And it was just so fun.” A finance major and real estate minor in the Mendoza College of Business, Raarup is excited to begin working at William Blair as an investment banking analyst after graduation and credits football for teaching him how to handle stress and maintain balance in his life. “Because if you get caught up in all the flurries of current events and just stuff going on in today’s world, you’re not going to be able to actually do anything,” he said. “So you just need to be able to focus and maintain dedication on what matters most.” Besides his father, Raarup also made sure to thank Paul Schmidt, the father of some high school teammates who organized extra workouts for the team’s specialists after practice. Raarup credited Schmidt for not only helping him learn the craft of long snapping, but also for serving as a “huge mentor” during his college search process. Then, of course, are the friends Raarup has made for life. “What Notre Dame has is great guys,” he said. “Not just good football players, but really great dudes.”

By JAMISON COOK Sports Writer

For those wondering where the nickname “Milk” came from, the story is a good one. “I was first given the nickname of Milk when I was a freshman here at Notre Dame by our then punter, Tyler Newsome,” Vinson said. “Tyler Newsome nicknamed the specialist unit the ‘Cheese Unit’ and when I was in training camp, I had to earn my cheese status, if you will, so then he gave me the temporary nickname of Milk. Then it just kind of stuck, and from here on out I’m just known as Milk. Coach Kelly called me Milk down at Wake Forest in 2018, and that really just made it stick with him.” The nickname has remained ever since, but “Milk” has left his mark on more than just the locker room. The former walk-on has been the starting long snapper for the Irish for two years now, and his performance during Notre Dame’s run to the College Football Playoff in the 2020-21 season earned a nomination for the Burlsworth Trophy, an award given to college football’s most outstanding player who began his career as a walk-on. The recognition of his progress on the field meant a lot to Vinson. “It was definitely really cool being nominated for the Burlsworth Trophy, for the most outstanding walk-on player of the year,” Vinson said. “Being a member of WOPU Nation here as we call it has been a tremendous

honor for me. I’ve met some of my best friends, you know we’ve bonded over the fact that we all pay for school, and we all start on the scout team. It’s just been a lot of fun, and we do a lot of good things in WOPU, and it’s just nice when walk-ons get that recognition because we’re working just as hard as the scholarship players.” Vinson’s hard work and that of the other walk-ons was on display last season, when the team faced innumerable challenges during a season marred by COVID. All that time and energy was worth it, however, when the team was able to knock off Clemson on their home turf. “My favorite on-field memory was definitely beating Clemson last year at home,” says Vinson. “It was a really weird year, and a lot of people were upset that they couldn’t go to the games. It was a lot of adversity dealing with the protocols and all that stuff, and everything in that moment, when the clock hit zero, and then we went to double overtime and then our defense stopped them on fourth down and the game was over and we beat them, everything was worth it at that point.” Vinson hopes to return for another season with the Irish next year as he looks to continue his education as a graduate student in Notre Dame’s M.S. in Management program. Contact Jamison Cook at jcook2@nd.edu

ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer

Contact Greg McKenna at gmckenn2@nd.edu

Irish senior long snapper Michael “Milk” Vinson jumps up in celebration with teammate, senior wide receiver, Kevin Austin Jr.

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LEO ALBaNO

CAIN MADDEN

Albano remains reliable By MANNION McGINLEY Sports Editor

Senior running back Leo Albano has ensured he is a guy the Irish can rely on in practice. He has played an integral role on the scout team over the years, preparing the defense for the week’s offense. “Just doing whatever the team needs to prepare for the next week whether that’s scout running back, scout special teams. Whatever they need.” Albano said. His role simulating a running back option will be important this week as the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets make it up to South Bend for senior day. Their biggest offensive threat will be freshman running back Jahmyr Gibbs, so Albano and the rest of the scout team have worked the defense to prepare them for his option. Another time preparing for a star

running back was the week leading up to the 2020 Clemson game on Nov. 7, when Albano and his squad prepared to host Travis Etienne. Albano said being a part of that win was something he’d never forget. “The Clemson game both on the field as a team, as a player and after the game. That was the best memory of college for sure.” Albano said. It didn’t take long after arriving on campus for Albano to buy into the Notre Dame atmosphere. His high school prepared him to be here. “So the combination of athletics and academics and really just it being a Catholic university,” Albano said. “I went to Catholic high school we actually played the fight song running out of our tunnel in high school so that was really interesting. After every

touchdown, we’d play the fight song too so it was weird going from that and then I guess nothing changed from high school to this which was cool.” Once he got here, Albano said he was immediately ready to buy into the dorm life and campus tradition. “I actually room with my roommates from freshman year,” Albano said. “All those guys, I still hang out with them. And so I guess just that the dorm family, it really is different than any other school. I wouldn’t get to experience that as an athlete at any other schools that I know of, and it’s just special.” After school, Albano intends to use his chemical engineering degree to work in the oil and gas industry. Contact Mannion McGinley at mmcginl3@nd.edu

Mike Graves

Graves celebrates friendships By MANNION McGINLEY Sports Editor

Mike Graves is a senior cornerback out of Los Angeles, California. As his senior season comes to a close, he described what it was like to arrive at Notre Dame and join the team in his first year. Graves said he tries to recreate that each year, and he loves meeting the new guys. “I mean,” Graves said. “My favorite part of being a team and being on the team is just like the camaraderie, of all my teammates and just the bond that you formed with them throughout the entire season. That’s pretty special. How you can bring like 120 plus guys together and like, not know a lot of them like on the very first day and then by the end of the year like you’re all brothers. That’s pretty awesome.” He really was able to appreciate

the camaraderie last year on Nov. 7. Graves said his favorite moment with the team had to be the win over Clemson. After double overtime, the Irish came away with the 47-40 win. “Last year, when we beat them at home, that was incredible.” Graves said. “You could just like feel the stadium shaking, electricity in the air. That was awesome.” Graves was able to take advantage of the dorm life on campus as well and grow his relationships there too. He said the guys from O’Neill became a major part of who he is today. “I mean, I was you know, in O’Neil, so you know, that’s the dorm you’re in is like a very big part of like, your identity as a student here.” Graves said, “So I was in there for three years and just you know, I can’t really think of any like specific moment within there but just like the brotherhood and the

memories formed with all the guys I lived with, you know, I’m living off-campus with six other of my buddies from O’Neill right now. So just hanging out with them and going through this whole college experience together was pretty, pretty fun and awesome.” As he is preparing to leave campus, Graves isn’t sure of his next steps, but with a degree in finance from the Mendoza College of Business, he has a few ideas in mind. “I’m still figuring it out. I don’t have a job lined up yet, but I’m, you know, interested in investing and that’s what I want to do. I want to go into some sort of job in that like general space. Again, investment banking right now. And hopefully, one day I’ll work in venture capital.” Contact Mannion McGinley at mmcginl3@nd.edu

ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer

Irish senior safety Mike Graves pitches the ball during Notre Dame’s warmup ahead of their 13-24 loss to Cincinnati at Notre Dame Stadium on Oct. 2. Graves is a walk-on and lived in O’Neill Hall on campus.

Madden provides veteran pedigree By COLIN CAPECE Assitant Managing Editor

When graduate student Cain Madden transferred to Notre Dame this past June following five seasons at Marshall, the Irish gained a seasoned run and pass blocker who could instantly solidify the right side of the offensive line. Madden had a breakout 2019 season with the Thundering Herd, earning second team AllConference USA honors while blocking for a rushing attack that finished second in the conference in yards per game. Madden solidified his place as one of the nation’s best offensive linemen in 2020, earning both first-team All-Conference USA and secondteam AP All-America honors. He possessed the combination of size and toughness to go along with an impressive pedigree, making him the perfect fit for a Notre Dame offense built on physicality. But while Madden’s on-field performance has been consistently strong, it is his veteran leadership that has helped hold together a unit that has been hit by the injury bug often and is running out first-time starters on the left side. Knowing that he could develop even more as a leader in his final year of eligibility contributed to Madden selecting South Bend as his new home. “When you show up to Notre Dame, you’re surrounded by leaders,” Madden said. “There’s a whole bunch of leaders on this team, and that’s one thing that drew me here because it’s not just one or two guys. As a sixth-year guy, I’m still learning from people on our team.” While Madden’s experience could have lent itself to leading more by example, the sixth-year senior said his leadership style

involves more. His goal is to be a team-first, positive presence for everyone on the field, and he’s not afraid to be vocal when his teammates need encouragement. “Wrapping my arms around guys and letting them know it’s alright is really my leadership style,” he said. “Just a fist bump and a ‘Go to the next play’ when something bad happens. Just keep improving.” Now in his fourth year as a starter across two programs, Madden has shown a keen understanding for how to play his position. Earlier in the season ahead of the Cincinnati game, he stressed the importance of doing the little things right to help turn around an offensive line that was struggling. “When you break down the film, we’re not way off — it’s just the little things,” he said. “Things like hand placement and helmet placement. We need to pay more attention to detail, but still remember that it’s football and not overthink things. It’s the little things when you get tired and fatigued late in the game, but we just need to go back to our training.” While the Irish lost that game to the now No. 5 Bearcats, the offensive line has significantly improved over the course of the season in both run and pass protection. Madden’s presence has been steady for a unit that needed time to get its chemistry right and is finally playing to the Notre Dame standard. “I think the biggest thing is just the tradition and the standard that’s been set for the offensive line here,” Madden said. “Raising the standard like past groups have done is important to this group as well.” Contact Colin Capece at ccapece@nd.edu

ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer

Irish senior Cain Madden stands ready to block for quarterback Jack Coan. Madden plays an important role in the offensive line.

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Griffith Continued from page 16

Saturdays. Adv ice from his father kept him grounded, he said. “I don’t really look at the past,” Griffith said. “My dad has told me you have to go out there and stay present where your feet are. Just worr y about what you do today and what you can accomplish to get better. Continue to have that work ethic even if you aren’t where you want to be right now, and focus on improving and getting better as a player.” Griffith certainly showed out early for the Irish w ith eight total tack les at the season-opening w in against Florida State. Since then, Griffith has made an appearance in ever y game this season. He has consistently applied pressure and contributed to defensive efforts on the field. Another season-high was his six tackles during Notre Dame’s face-off w ith UNC, where the Irish claimed another w in. “Being in Coach Freeman’s defense, I’ve been able to really show my physical traits

and my tools and work on those things,” Griffith said. “It’s exciting because some of those things I didn’t really know I could do. Now that I’m actually going out and doing them, I can go out there and play at a high level.” In addition to Freeman, Griffith has also enjoyed the presence of defensive backs and safeties coach Chris O’Lear y. Griffith said he appreciates the energ y and personalit y O’Lear y brings to the room. O’Lear y’s younger age has allowed Griffith and other players to relate to him on a personal level, making for a tight-knit env ironment. Furthermore, O’Lear y’s past experiences on offense as a w ide receiver at Indiana State have also proven to be beneficial in terms of talking strateg y and technique. “One thing Coach O’Lear y has taught me is how to go through to the next play,” Griffith said. “If the play didn’t go how you wanted, just f lip the sw itch and move on. That’s something I had to do in the spring. If it was a ball or position I didn’t want to be in he’d just look at me and I knew what I had to do.” Griffith’s inner desire to

improve for the sake of his teammates and supporters has always motivated him as a player. This has ser ved him well when doing his part to contribute to success on defense and dealing w ith personal difficulties. “My ‘why’ is to just perform at a high level and do it for the people who have always believed in me since day one,” Griffith said. “That’s something that’s just driven me and that’s the attitude I tr y to bring out in the field. W hen I’m out in the field, I’m out there w ith the guys, but once you get in bet ween those white lines it’s all competitive. We tr y to play w ith that fire and bring the pressure.” Griffith was able to finish his credits and officially graduate from Notre Dame this past fall after three years studying Film, Telev ision and Theater. Catch him in action as the Irish w rap up their home season against Georgia Tech on Saturday. The t wo teams w ill meet back in South Bend at 2:30 p.m. Contact Madeline Ladd at mladd2@nd.edu

Davis Continued from page 16

well. At the beginning of this season, they named Davis a captain. “I mean, ultimate honor, ultimate pleasure,” Davis said. “I feel like if you would have told me I would make captain literally a year ago or any time for that I would have been like, ‘You’re blind. I don’t believe that.’ I didn’t see it happening. Just it’s crazy how things unfold, it’s crazy how when you stick to the process, to be the same person every day and continue to work hard, what things are gonna come to you.” He wasn’t always sure of his future here though. Having the recognition from his coaches was reassuring, and he trusted his own work and his own process to guide him. “It comes down to resilience and perseverance, those were two things for me growing up so it was like, quitting was never really an option.” Davis said, “When I got here, I definitely didn’t expect it to go the way it did, by no means. But I just took it and went with it and I feel like, if I can remember correctly it was after my junior spring game when I was playing defensive back. I was really frustrated and didn’t know what to do. Didn’t know if I should leave didn’t know if I should stay, but I just had a long prayer and I was

like, I’m just gonna take every day by itself. Treat every day like its own day and try to get better every single day. And two years later, and here I am. So it’s crazy how it all worked out.” He’s seen the results on the field as well. Davis tore his ACL against Navy on Nov. 6, which ended his season. But before then he had already surpassed his reception numbers from last year. This year he’s had 27 receptions for 386 yards and 4 touchdowns. It won’t go unnoticed in the last few games that Davis’s contributions are missing from the field, but he has full faith in the younger receivers to do the work and get the job done in his place. “They have a lot of promise, I think they’re super talented.” Davis said, “All three of them, from [freshmen teammates and wide receivers] Lorenzo [Styles] to JT [Jayden Thomas] to Deion [Colzie]. They’re all really talented. They’ve been dealing with injuries, but we’ve seen Deion a lot lately. He’s looking like he has tremendous upside so I’m excited to see him move forward especially the more he develops.” Davis has been invited back to the team next year by head coach Brian Kelly but has not made a definitive decision. Contact Mannion McGinley at mmcginl3@nd.edu

The observer | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021 | ndsmcobserver.com

AVERY DAVIS

Avery Davis cherishes captain title, finds role on and off field despite injury By MANNION McGINLEY Sports Editor

ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer

Irish graduate student Avery Davis carries the ball past a slew of Navy defenders during Notre Dame’s 34-6 win over the Midshipmen. Davis tore his ACL later in the game but continues to be a leader for the team.

Graduate student Avery Davis took a while to find the perfect fit for his skills on this Irish roster. It wasn’t his talent that was in question, it was how to use it. At Cedar Hill High School in Cedar Hill, Texas, in his senior year, Davis was undeniably a dual-threat quarterback. He threw for 2,876 yards and 37 touchdowns in 2016 despite missing two games with an ankle injury. Additionally, he ran for 84 yards and 6 touchdowns. Then, after arriving on campus Davis spent his freshman year on the scout team. He then played in nine games his sophomore year, primarily at running back. He ran for 70 yards on the year and had five receptions for 30 yards. It wasn’t until his junior year that he switched to cornerback, and then quickly to wide receiver. It was there he finally started to shine. On the year, he had 24 receptions for 322 yards and 2 touchdowns. Davis knew wide receiver was the right fit for him

and he could finally get to work. “I think from the beginning, just the way I was raised, I’ve always done things and taken pride in doing things the right way,” Davis said. “Taking pride in being the same guy every day, taking pride in doing things right and taking pride in my own work and accountability, cleaning up after myself, especially the little things. Until like last year, I didn’t feel like I proved myself so I felt like I didn’t really have a voice. You know what I mean? We come here to play football. So, like in the locker room, of course, I’m friends with everybody on the team. There’s always camaraderie there, but I felt like on the field, I didn’t prove myself, at least in my own head. It could have been completely myself, but in my own mind, I felt like I wasn’t there yet to be a captain and to have that voice, I had to establish my presence on the field, as someone they can depend on inside those lines.” The coaches saw that work as see DAVIS PAGE 15

Houston Griffith

Finishing out strong: Griffith applies the pressure during final season with the Irish By MADELINE LADD Sports Writer

Know n for his extensive physical talent and abilit y to play all over the field, safet y and defensive team member Houston Griffith plays in his final home game for the Irish this weekend. The 6-foot Chicago native has amassed 63 total tack les and 45 solo tack les over his four seasons at Notre Dame, making him an integral part of the defensive squad. However, Griffith’s time at Notre Dame has not been considered t y pical. A lways w illing to do what’s best for the team, Griffith played all over the field his first three seasons. This, however, sacrificed the chance for him to play to his specific skills. “In the past few seasons I played nickel and corner, and that wasn’t always in my best interest, but I did it

for the team,” Griffith said. “Play ing several positions doesn’t always give you a chance to master a position.” This lack of clarit y in terms of a position caused Griffith to reevaluate his future. After initially entering the transfer portal after the conclusion of his 2020 season, many were shocked that Griffith would be leav ing Notre Dame w ith only 14 credit hours left to graduate. It wasn’t until defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman chose to join the Irish that Griffith started to rethink his transfer decision. “Coach Freeman played a major role in me coming back here,” Griffith said. “He showed that he wanted me. I talked to him ever y day. Coach Freeman was always calling me, asking me how I was doing and how my family was doing. It was the small stuff like

that.” Both Freeman and head coach Brian Kelly made it clear that they wanted Griffith back on the team. The personal and professional connection the three established was integral to Griffith’s return to South Bend for his senior season. Griffith wanted to be a part of the energetic env ironment that Freeman’s presence created among the defensive team. “Coach Freeman brings a lot of juice to the room and makes defense exciting,” Griffith said. “It’s multiple fronts and multiple coverages w ith him. It’s good for us and ever ybody in the safet y room.” Leav ing the past behind, Griffith put his focus into his final season. He went into the fall prepared to lead the defense and get them fired up on see GRIFFITH PAGE 15

ALLISON THORNTON | The Observer

Irish graduate student safety Houston Griffith tracks the runner with his eyes during Notre Dame’s 34-6 over Navy on Saturday, Nov. 6.