Print Edition of The Observer for Wednesday, January 16, 2019

clemson 30, notre dame 3 | wednesday, january 16, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

That’s all she wrote Unable to generate offense, Irish fall to eventual national champions by 27 points

ANN CURTIS | The Observer

Irish head coach Brian Kelly scratches his head during Notre Dame’s 30-3 loss to Clemson on Dec. 29 in the Cotton Bowl inside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Clemson outgained Notre Dame 538-248 on offense and controlled the game after the first quarter, as freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence lit up the Irish secondary with three touchdown passes.

Kelly, Notre Dame fall into same old, ugly habits Tobias Hoonhout Managing Editor

ARLINGTON, Texas — Six years later, and the eagle still hasn’t landed.

While Clark the bald eagle may have fired up the Notre Dame half of the Cotton Bowl with his pregame antics, post-game the cheers rang from the other half of AT&T Stadium. In the end, the bird had turned out to be more of a forewarning than a good luck charm.

Because over the course of four quarters, Clemson made Brian Kelly and the Irish fly into a window.

Again, again and again.

In a narrative that has become all too familiar for the Irish, Kelly and the Irish coaching staff failed to prepare their team for the big stage.

And this time around, it should be especially tough to swallow — 2018 was supposed to be the year the script was flipped.

You’ve heard it before. This year, see HOONHOUT PAGE 4

By ELIZABETH GREASON Assistant Managing Editor

ARLINGTON, Texas — Graduate student linebacker Drue Tranquill removed his helmet to reveal his tear-streaked eye black and took a knee on the sideline as the Tiger Band transitioned from the Clemson fight song to “Celebrate Good Times.”

Senior linebacker Robert Regan and graduate student tight end Nic Weishar came over and offered hugs and pats on the back but were ushered toward the locker room by Irish coaching staff.

Tranquill looked up at the massive video board at AT&T Stadium, before slapping his helmet, perhaps for the final time, standing, wiping his eyes and running toward the tunnel.

It wasn’t just Tranquill who took No. 3 Notre Dame’s blowout 30-3 loss to No. 2 Clemson in the Cotton Bowl to heart. Senior running back Dexter Williams also took a knee on the field and stared at the ground, his green hair facing the dome of AT&T Stadium.

It was a close game, until it wasn’t.

Four plays were the essential difference-maker between a close defensive battle and a game Notre

Dame (12-1) will hope to forget.

“You can’t give up four big plays on defense. We did not do that all year. Uncharacteristic of our defense,” Irish head coach Brian Kelly said. “And we generated virtually no big plays. We didn’t play the kind of offense that would lend itself to scoring enough points to beat a talented Clemson team. So we’ve got to coach better.

We’ve got to put our kids in a better position to succeed, and we’ve got to make plays on this stage.”

The Tigers (14-0, 8-0 ACC) struck first, as junior defensive end Clelin Ferrell forced a fumble from Irish junior quarterback Ian Book, giving Clemson the ball at its own 47-yard line. However, the Irish defense was able to limit the Tigers to a field goal as the run defense successfully wrapped up star Tigers sophomore running back Travis Etienne and Irish junior defensive lineman Daelin Hayes continued to put pressure on Clemson freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Clemson senior kicker Greg Huegel’s 40yard field goal was good, but the Irish answered quickly.

A pass interference call as Book attempted to connect with senior wideout Miles Boykin downfield helped advance the Irish, but

Williams’ small gains got Notre Dame into the red zone. Book was forced to throw the ball away under pressure on second down, and sophomore running back Jafar Armstrong was unable to pick up the first on third down, giving senior kicker Justin Yoon the opportunity for a 28-yard chip shot, which he made.

From there, the Irish could not catch a break and it was all downhill.

On the kickoff return, Irish sophomore tight end Cole Kmet forced a fumble from Tigers freshman returner Derion Kendrick, and junior wide receiver Chase Claypool scooped the ball up on the very edge of the field. After much celebration on the Irish sideline, the pylon cam showed an angle in which the ball touched out of bounds before the recovery and Clemson was given possession at the 13-yard line.

Senior cornerback Julian Love said the bottom line was that the Irish can’t get upset when reviews don’t go their way because had they played well enough in the first place, it should not have had to be reviewed.

“I think that as players you see PLAYOFF PAGE 3

Irish doomed by secondary and quarterback play

By JOE EVERETT Sports Editor

ARLINGTON, Texas — One of the oldest sayings in football is that the game is won or lost in the trenches.

And while the sentiment still rings true in many respects, on Saturday afternoon inside AT&T Stadium, and throughout Clemson’s 30-3 win over Notre Dame, the real difference between the Tigers (14-0, 8-0 ACC) and the Irish (12-1) revealed itself on the perimeter and in the passing game.

Although the scoring margin was similar, Notre Dame’s blowout loss to Clemson was dissimilar to its 2012 rout at the hands of Alabama — where Brian Kelly’s squad was physically dominated in every aspect of the national championship game. Instead, the Irish thought, and for a time showed, that they stacked up pretty well with Clemson from a strength perspective up front.

“I mean, physically, in the first see SECONDARY PAGE 2

2

Insider

The observer | wednesday, january 16, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Secondary Continued from page 1

quarter I just felt — me and [senior linebacker] Te’von [Coney] were talking — we felt personally so much stronger than our opponent,” Irish graduate student linebacker and captain Drue Tranquill said. “We felt like we were stuffing the run game. Play speed was not overwhelming for us — we see it everyday from our guys in practice. I’ve played in games where I felt like we don’t necessarily match up athletically with these guys — I didn’t feel that today. I thought it was a lack of execution more than anything, guys were in position for big-play opportunities down the field, and their receiver made a play instead of us.”

Indeed, one team made the plays it’s used to making. The other did not.

Clemson true freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence outplayed Notre Dame junior quarterback Ian Book by a wide margin, completing 27 of his 39 passes for 327 yards, three touchdowns and committing no turnovers. Book, by contrast, finished the game 17of-34 for 160 yards with one interception and one lost fumble. A few different factors contributed to the disparity of those two stat lines.

The first, and perhaps the most obvious, stemmed from the loss of Notre Dame’s consensus AllAmerican junior cornerback and

Jim Thorpe finalist Julian Love to a head injury, which kept him out of the entire second quarter. Junior Donte Vaughn stepped in as the boundary corner, and quickly got picked on.

Lawrence first found fellow true freshman wide receiver Justyn Ross down the sideline for a 52yard touchdown pass, as Vaughn was unable to locate the ball in the air and failed to tackle Ross after the catch. Two drives later, the Clemson quarterback found Ross again, down the seam for a 42yard touchdown, after it appeared Vaughn turned him inside, a move not expected by junior safety Alohi Gilman, who was subsequently beat in coverage. Then, in the final seconds of the first half, Higgins went up against Vaughn and made an acrobatic catch in the back of the end zone, catching the ball with one hand while simultaneously landing one foot in-bounds for a 19-yard touchdown that stunned the Irish heading into halftime.

In one quarter, with one player out, the game swung 20 points.

Lawrence was 13-of-15 for 229 yards (15.3 YPA) and three touchdowns in the second quarter without Love in the game. In contrast, the five-star recruit was 14-of-24 for 98 yards (4.1 YPA) and no touchdowns when Love was in the game.

“Obviously a guy like Julian Love — it’s hard to replace him — but at the same time we still had confidence in Donte,” Gilman said postgame. “Julian is Julian, so it’s hard

to replace someone like that. They just executed on the plays that they needed to … we just didn’t execute as a defense.”

Overall, Notre Dame lacked the necessary depth of talent at cornerback against the Tigers, and it cost them. While Clemson was able to overcome the loss of AllAmerican junior defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence by replacing him with future NFL talent in senior Albert Huggins and others, there tends to be a significant drop-off in talent and execution between the starters and the backups for Notre Dame. That’s a significant difference between the two programs right now.

The second factor was that Clemson’s wide receivers made more plays than Notre Dame’s did.

While junior Chase Claypool flatout dropped what would have been a first-down pass on the first drive, and while senior Miles Boykin was consistently unable to out-run Clemson’s defensive backs or even elevate for jump-balls, Clemson’s Ross and Higgins won their matchups and made highlight-reel plays.

“We talk about playmakers making plays, and on those balls downfield their guy just went up over our guy and made the play,” Tranquill said.

Irish head coach Brian Kelly echoed the need for players to deliver in tough situations, and noted that the coaching staff needed to better equip the team for those occasions.

“The players have got to make plays, and coaches have to put players in a position to make plays.

And that’s just being real,” Kelly said postgame. “So this is about coaching and players. In these games, when you lose key players, coaches have got to step up and players have got to step up.”

And while Notre Dame ultimately fell short with its speed and explosive playmaking ability at the wide receiver position, it badly needed elite quarterback play if it were to have a shot with the receivers it had.

It couldn’t get elite quarterback play from Ian Book.

Throughout almost the entire game, the junior quarterback looked shaky and nervous in the pocket, unable to progress through his reads and capitalize when the opportunity presented itself. He lost a fumble on the second drive, leading to Clemson’s first points of the game.

While Clemson’s defensive line came after him all night, the 6-foot Book — as contrasted with the 6-foot-5 Lawrence — was unable to stand tall in pocket and deliver balls with accuracy. Instead, he was often forced to abandon his reads within seconds and try to scramble for yards. And while Book faced immense pressure, Lawrence himself was also sacked three times and was often flushed from the pocket. The difference in the two quarterbacks on Saturday was their ability to take advantage

when the opportunities presented themselves and deliver accurate balls. Lawrence could, and Book couldn’t.

“He made every throw,” Gilman said postgame of Lawrence. “He was calm, cool, collected. Much respect to him, he’s going to be a great player — he has a bright future ahead of him.”

For all the talk pre-game about how Clemson’s one weakness was its secondary, Notre Dame’s wide receivers and quarterbacks were unable to gain an advantage. On defense, it was lack of secondary depth that was unable to match up with Clemson’s perimeter talent.

For a school that always recruits well in the trenches, Notre Dame’s deficiencies on the perimeter and at key skill positions didn’t match up with Clemson’s. While Notre Dame may be progressing toward building itself as a national powerhouse, Saturday showed it still has key position areas to improve in if it ever wants to get there. Perhaps it already has those individuals waiting on the wings, with a freshman class that includes quarterback Phil Jurkovec; wide receivers Braden Lenzy, Lawrence Keys and Kevin Austin; and cornerbacks Houston Griffith and Derrik Allen.

It may be those skill position players that help bridge the final gap between Notre Dame and the college football elite.

Contact Joe Everett at jeveret4@nd.edu

ANN CURTIS | The Observer

Clemson freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence throws the ball downfield during Notre Dame’s 30-3 loss to Clemson on Dec. 29 at the Cotton Bowl inside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Lawrence completed 27 of his 39 passes for 327 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Tigers to score 27 unanswered points against the Notre Dame defense.

Play of the game

player of the game

Lawrence CONNECTS WITH Ross for 52-yard touchdown

clemson freshman quarterback trevor lawrence

After the first quarter saw a 3-3 tie between the two teams, Clemson finally began to break the game open after Julian Love left the game with concussion symptoms. With backup cornerback Donte Vaughn tasked with covering Justyn Ross, Lawrence threw a long downfield pass to his fellow true freshman, and Ross fought around Vaughn, caught the pass and shook off his defender, strolling into the endzone for the game’s first touchdown.

Lawrence, a true freshman, shone bright on the big stage, completing 27 of his 39 passes for 327 yards and three touchdowns, to finish the game with a 165.0 passer rating. Lawrence’s touchdown strikes came in the form of a 52-yard pass to Justyn Ross, a 42-yard pass to Ross and a 19-yard pass to Tee Higgins — all in the second quarter while Notre Dame All-American cornerback Julian Love was out of the game.

The independent

To uncover

newspaper serving

the truth

Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s

and report

and holy cross

it accurately

Volume 53, Issue 67 | wednesday, january 16, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

University mourns professors Observer Staff Report

Editor’s note: A version of this story ran online as two seperate reports on Jan. 10 and 14.

Two professors died over winter break — one from the theology department and one from the marketing department.

Gary N. Knoppers, the John A. O’Brien professor of theology, died at 62 from pancreatic cancer on Dec. 22, the University announced in a news release Jan. 10.

Knoppers was a scholar of biblical studies and researched ancient Hebrew and Near Eastern history and law, the release said. “[Knoppers was] esteemed as a scholar and teacher,” theology department chair Timothy

Matovina said in the release.

“But I think he will be missed most for his gentle and congenial humanity that helped make our department and the wider University a community of learning, compassion, and faith.“ Knoppers joined the Notre Dame faculty in 2014 after teaching at Penn State University for 25 years. He also taught at Harvard and the AndoverNewton Theological Seminary.

Knoppers is survived by his wife, Laura L. Knoppers, a Notre Dame English professor, and their two children.

A funeral was held Dec. 28 at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church in South Bend.

A memorial Mass will be held

Jan. 25 at 4 p.m. in the Moreau Seminary chapel.

In Knoppers’ memory, donations may be made to the Albright Institute of Archaeological Research, Jerusalem, the Notre Dame department of theology or St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Mishawaka.

Condolences may be left on the Palmer Funeral Homes website.

Timothy J. Gilbride, the Steve and Anne Odland associate professor of marketing, died at 52 from cancer on Jan. 12, the University announced in a news release Monday.

“Tim is a role model and an inspiration for all Notre Dame faculty,” marketing department chair Shankar Ganesan said in the release. “He was an excellent

Saint Mary’s announces commencement speaker Observer Staff Report

Saint Mary’s alumna Kelly Grier, from the class of ’91, will deliver the class of 2019 commencement address in May, the College announced in a press release Wednesday morning.

Grier is the EY US financial services firm chairman and managing partner, and managing partner of EY Americas. She will

also be receiving an Honorary Doctor of Humanities Degree at commencement Saturday, May 18.

Grier was elected last year to a four-year term, making her “the first woman to lead the giant accounting and professional services firm in the Americas,” according to the release. Grier has spent the last 28 years at EY and now leads more than 72,000

researcher, an award-winning teacher, mentor to students and faculty, a friend to many and, above all, a truly outstanding departmental citizen and colleague.”

Gilbride’s research used statistics to “assist researchers and managers to better understand consumer preferences and to make decisions under uncertainty,” the release said. He also taught marketing research.

Gilbride is survived by his wife and three children.

A burial Mass will be held 10:30 a.m. Jan. 16 at St. Pius X Catholic Church.

Memorial donations may be made to the St. Vincent DePaul Society at St. Pius X. Condolences may be left online at McGannHay.com.

SMC selects provost Observer Staff Report

Editor’s note: A version of this story ran online on Jan. 10.

Saint Mary’s College appointed Titilayo Ufomata as the College’s new provost and senior vice president for academic affairs effective June 1, as stated in the press release on Jan. 9.

Ufomata formerly held the positions of provost and see PROVOST PAGE 4

ND admits early 2023 applicants

people in 31 countries, the release said.

“As a Saint Mary’s alumna, it’s an honor and a privilege to be chosen to deliver the commencement address to the class of 2019,” Grier said in the release. “I’m inspired and encouraged by these bright young women, who will no doubt have see SPEAKER PAGE 4

SMC students return from fall semesters abroad

By GINA TWARDOSZ News Writer

From the streets of Seville, Spain; Rome, Italy; and Ifrane, Morocco, a wave of Belles have returned home to Saint Mary’s this week. Despite the snow and ice, many Belles say they are happy to be back.

Sophomore Cassidy Miller said she always knew she wanted to study abroad, but it was not until she heard from a Belle who had spent a semester in Italy that she

scene PAGE 5

knew she wanted to go to Rome.

She said the hardest part about coming back to campus was the overcast and frigid temperatures.

Besides the language barrier, Miller said the hardest part about studying abroad in Rome was doing her homework.

“It’s a lot busier, because there’s a lot of people in the city — not that they’re always in a rush or anything, but there’s always things to do, a lot of shops and restaurants,” she said. “It was a different experience for me to try and finish

viewpoint PAGE 7

schoolwork while still trying to experience and see everything in the city. When you’re here [at Saint Mary’s], you do your schoolwork and then go back to your room.

There, I was sitting in my room until I realized that I should be out exploring things.”

The best part about studying in Rome was her proximity to the Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica, Miller said, and that there was always something to do in Rome. see ABROAD PAGE 4

FOOTBALL PAGE 12

CLAIRE KOPISCHKE | The Observer

By MARIAH RUSH News Writer

Notre Dame released admissions decisions to its Restrictive Early Action (REA) applicants Dec. 14. Out of 7,217 applicants, a total of 1,532 were invited to the class of 2023 — roughly 21 percent — making this round of REA the most selective ever.

One-hundred-twelve fewer

ND m Basketball PAGE 12

students were admitted this year than last year. According to Don Bishop, associate vice president of undergraduate admissions, this was because Notre Dame’s yield rate — the percent of admits choosing to enroll — continues to grow. In 2018, the total yield rate for all applicants — early and regular see ADMISSION PAGE 3

nd w basketball PAGE 12

2

TODAY

The observer | wednesday, january 16, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Question of the Day: ndsmcobserver.com

Have a question you want answered?

Email photo@ndsmcobserver.com

What was the best thing that happened over break?

P.O. Box 779, Notre Dame, IN 46556 024 South Dining Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556 Editor-in-Chief Courtney Becker Managing Editor Tobias Hoonhout

Asst. Managing Editor: Elizabeth Greason Asst. Managing Editor: Lucas Masin-Moyer News Editor: Viewpoint Editor: Sports Editor: Scene Editor: Saint Mary’s Editor: Photo Editor: Graphics Editor: Advertising Manager: Ad Design Manager: Systems Administrator:

Mary Steurer Mary Freeman Joe Everett Nora McGreevy Jordan Cockrum Ann Curtis Dominique DeMoe Alexandra Pucillo Madison Riehle Mike Dugan

Office Manager & General Info

Ph: (574) 631-7471 Fax: (574) 631-6927

Corbyn Carlson

Jack Osborne

sophomore Lyons Hall

junior O’Neill Family Hall

“Getting to see my family.”

“Going to Dallas with the band (not the game, though).”

Brittany Keane-Murphy

Kenny MacDonald

sophomore Lyons Hall

sophomore Alumni Hall

“Seeing my family and meeting a new cousin for the first time.”

“Riding my grandma’s powerchair.”

Sam Squanch

Layson Savant

sophomore Alumni Hall

sophomore Alumni Hall

“Beating Pokemon Go.”

“Collecting all 50 state quarters.”

Advertising

(574) 631-6900 ads@ndsmcobserver.com Editor-in-Chief

(574) 631-4542 cbecker3@nd.edu Managing Editor

(574) 631-4542 thoonhou@nd.edu Assistant Managing Editors

(574) 631-4541 egreason@nd.edu, lmasinmo@nd.edu Business Office

(574) 631-5313 News Desk

(574) 631-5323 news@ndsmcobserver.com Viewpoint Desk

(574) 631-5303 viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.com Sports Desk

(574) 631-4543 sports@ndsmcobserver.com Scene Desk

(574) 631-4540 scene@ndsmcobserver.com Saint Mary’s Desk

jcockrum01@saintmarys.edu Photo Desk

(574) 631-8767 photo@ndsmcobserver.com Systems & Web Administrators

(574) 631-8839 Policies The Observer is the independent, daily newspaper published in print and online by the students of the University of Notre Dame du Lac, Saint Mary’s College, and Holy Cross College. Editorial content, including advertisements, is not governed by policies of the administration of either institution. The Observer reserves the right to refuse advertisements based on content.

The news is reported as accurately and objectively as possible. Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the majority of the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, Assistant Managing Editors and department editors.

Commentaries, letters and columns present the views of the authors and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Viewpoint space is available to all readers. The free expression of all opinions through letters is encouraged.

Letters to the Editor must be signed and must include contact information.

Questions regarding Observer policies should be directed to Editor-in-Chief Courtney Becker.

Post Office Information The Observer (USPS 599 2-4000) is published Monday through Friday except during exam and vacation periods.

A subscription to The Observer is $130 for one academic year; $75 for one semester.

The Observer is published at: 024 South Dining Hall Notre Dame, IN 46556-0779 Periodical postage paid at Notre Dame and additional mailing offices POSTMASTER Send address corrections to: The Observer P.O. Box 779 024 South Dining hall Notre Dame, IN 46556-077 The Observer is a member of the Associated Press.

Today’s Staff News

Sports

Mary Steurer Gina Twardosz Marirose Osborne

Joe Everett Stephen Hannon Max Lander

Graphics

Scene

Claire Kopischke

Nora McGreevy

Photo

Viewpoint

Anna Mason

Annie McCarter

Corrections The Observer regards itself as a professional publication and strives for the highest standards of journalism at all times. We do, however, recognize that we will make mistakes. If we have made a mistake, please contact us at (574) 631-4541 so we can correct our error.

ANN CURTIS | The Observer

Clark the bald eagle flew through AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, before the Cotton Bowl playoff game on Dec. 29. An eagle has flown over the Cotton Bowl for about 50 years, but this year Clark landed on the arm of a Notre Dame fan in the crowd.

The next Five days:

Want your event included here?

Email news@ndsmcobserver.com

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Information Session: Social Concerns Seminars Geddes Hall, McNeill Library 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Summer Service Learning Program Duncan Student Center 5 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Come to an information session.

BlacKkKlansman Browning Cinema 6:30 p.m.

A movie showing presented by the arts department.

ND Men’s Basketball vs. NC State Purcell Pavilion 2 p.m.

The Irish take on the Wolfpack.

Saint Mary’s Serves Regina Hall 12:45 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Come celebrate the 175th anniversary of Saint Mary’s .

College of Science Speaker 117 Hayes Healy 4 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Yuguang Zhang of the University of Bath presents.

Reception for New Museum Director Snite Museum of Art 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Meet director Joseph Becherer, Ph.D. The event is open to all.

Eats and Easels LaFortune Student Center 9 p.m. - 11 p.m.

A winter-themed canvas paint night with food provided.

Uzima! African Drumming and Dance Celebration DeBartolo Performing Arts Center 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

All are welcome.

Candlelight Prayer Service Main Building Rotunda 11 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.

Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. and Walk the Walk Week.

News

ndsmcobserver.com | wednesday, january 16, 2019 | The Observer

3

ND band recalls Cotton Bowl experience

By MIKE DUGAN News Writer

On Dec. 29, the band of the Fighting Irish performed during the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas.

Assistant band director Matt Merten said the Cotton Bowl is more band-friendly than typical bowl games.

“We were happy to be selected [for] the Cotton Bowl,” Merten said.

“We knew that the Cotton Bowl would be a good band bowl, where there would be good band performances and things like that. Other bowls … bring in a national act to perform at halftime, so the bands don’t really perform at halftime.”

Merten said preparation for their performances began the week before finals, with the band having late night practices three of the week’s four class days. Early preparation for the Cotton Bowl was essential, he added.

“We tried to have our ducks in a row so that when that selection was made all the things could start to happen — the music preparation, the drill preparation, and probably the biggest thing would be the

Admission Continued from page 1

— went from about 55 percent to 57 percent. For REA admits only, the yield rate increased to about 67 percent. This puts the University in the

flights and the transportation to get there,” Merten said.

Two weeks into winter break, the band arrived in Texas to continue preparing for the game. Band vice president and senior Nathaniel Hanson said they were on a tight schedule from the beginning.

“It’s a busy couple days,” he said.

“Even though we’re there for four days, we have stuff planned out pretty meticulously for what we have to do [and] where we have to be. We’re there to support the team in everything they do.”

Hanson said they were determined to put on a good show.

“Whenever it came to doing practices, everybody showed up with a game face, ready to do our best,” Hanson said. “… It’s also an opportunity to do outreach and to connect with the fans in a different way. They get a one-on-one experience and we have the opportunities to meet with little kids and other high school students who are interested in coming to Notre Dame, so it’s very much a networking, sort-of outreach event for us.“ Notre Dame sophomore Audrey Femrite, a drumline member, said the Dallas community received the

band warmly.

“People really did like it. Every high school we went to where people showed up to watch us practice and every time, everyone would clap along,” Femrite said.

“I thought that it was a really cool crowd interaction and some of the high school band kids would come and ask us us questions after the rehearsal.”

During free time after practice, some drumline members took the opportunity to bond with members of the Clemson University Tiger Band, Femrite said.

“We had a really good time,” Femrite said. “[We went to] Main Event — I’m from Colorado so the closest thing we have is Dave and Buster’s. That was really cool and we, on the drumline, met up with the Clemson drumline and played laser tag with them. Then, we mixed up the teams, so some Clemson band kids were on my team and so forth.”

Femrite felt the bands shared more similarities than differences, she added.

“It was funny because both the Clemson band and the Notre Dame band, you could tell, were

just a bunch of band kids,” she said. “I don’t know how to describe that, but it was really cool to see that band kids are pretty much the same everywhere. We’re all the same type of people.”

Other sections also fraternized with their Clemson counterparts.

Saint Mary’s junior and clarinetist Kathleen Halloran said her band section met Clemson’s clarinets.

“We got the chance to meet with the Clemson clarinets at the event that was hosted by the Cotton Bowl. So, we got to meet the other clarinets and do a group picture.”

Halloran said she found the band’s pregame performance especially special. “[Clarinets] all do a thing before the game actually starts where we play ‘Here Come the Irish,’” she said. “Typically, we do this next to Bond Hall, after the concert on the steps. It was an amazing moment getting to play in a circle in front of a ton of fans, right before the Cotton Bowl.”

Saint Mary’s junior Catherine Viz, who plays trumpet, said her section also got to continue their typical game day traditions.

“On game days, we normally

have the Trumpets Under the Dome, where the trumpets perform the Alma Mater and the Victory March,” she said. “We were actually able to do that within AT&T Stadium. It was phenomenal because everyone that was entering to get into the game just stopped. All the crowds underneath us were frozen and listening to us play and we were pretty close to the [roof] that was above us.”

Merten said despite how the game turned out, he appreciated the opportunity to be a part of it.

“It’s a thrill to be part of something like that. Not many people get to do it. In the end, only four teams — only four bands — are doing this out of how many college football teams?” he said. “I think the general feeling before and after is that [we’re] blessed and we’re pretty lucky to be in that situation.

Would we have liked to have won?

Of course. But, the right feeling is — win or lose — at the end of that game, when the team comes over and the Alma Mater is played, that’s what it’s all about.”

top-10 highest yield rates for higher education institutions.

Bishop said Notre Dame also aims to save more than half of applicants for the regular admission pool, lowering the number of students accepted this year.

Additionally, Bishop said, applying

early does not give students an inherent advantage, as most students applying early are at the top of the applicant pool.

“The reason [applicants] apply early is that there’s nothing more they can do. They’re already at the top already, so they might as

well apply,” Bishop said. “Lowerincome households, first-generation households don’t apply as early and want more time to decide and spend more time applying … so the higher percentage of class that you cash in early may create an equity of access in regular action. A higher percentage of those groups come in the regular action pool, so if you overstuffed the first early fruit, you’ve really eliminated — to some degree — opportunity, and we don’t want to do that.”

This REA group also is a diverse one — about 13 percent of the class is made up of either international students, dual citizens, or U.S. students abroad; first-generation student admits are up by 16 percent from last year; the number of U.S. students of color admitted through REA is up 15 percent; and 53 nations are represented in the class.

“We’ve gone out and identified more low-income students, and made sure that they knew Notre Dame was very encouraging to them,” Bishop said. “We have a lot of people that send us their test scores … so we have some interaction with them that they started, but we are trying to do more interaction with students that we start. We have been trying to find more students that are from firstgeneration households by creating relationships with communitybased organizations where they know where the low-income, highachieving students are.”

According to the release, the number of REA applicants is up 16.5 percent from 2017’s REA application round — an increase of 1,036 applicants.

Bishop said he attributes this increase to the several steps the University has taken to continue the upward trend in applicants.

“Part of it is that we’re doing a better job in the admissions

recruitment effort,” he said.

“Secondly, the campus development — all the new buildings — the campus just presents well. Also, the success of Notre Dame alumni, and the students have really gotten very involved in helping us recruit the next wave of students.”

This year, 1,375 applicants — 19 percent— were deferred to the regular decision pool. Bishop said, on average, about 100 applicants are accepted during the regular application round. If an applicant is deferred, Bishops advises them to demonstrate they are still interested in attending, and update the University on any changes in their grades, activities or awards.

“We don’t want them to feel like they have to campaign, but they can send us any major updates to their transcript,” Bishop said.

The admissions department looks for more than just grades; they look for students who have demonstrated motivations behind their accomplishments, a desire to go beyond just academics and to be of service to others, Bishop said.

“In the end, it’s a balancing of your academic talent and potential, and some students have more potential that don’t come from all the resources that other students come from. So when we see that there is a talent level, if you give them the Notre Dame resources, we think that they will jump in performance higher than some other students who’ve come from enormous resources,” Bishop said. “Some of these students are more impressive to us, and we think that long term they are going to be, in some cases, the more dynamic people that will be Notre Dame graduates and serving in the world and not just serving their own success.”

Paid Advertisement

Contact Mike Dugan at mdugan1@nd.edu

Contact Mariah Rush at mrush@nd.edu

4

NEWS

The observer | wednesday, january 16, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Provost

Speaker

Continued from page 1

Continued from page 1

dean of faculty at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in 2012. Last academic year, Ufomata worked as the chief academic officer to the president and board of trustees at Hobart and William Smith Colleges where she “worked with faculty to strengthen the curriculum and to support students,” according to the press release.

Prior to her appointment as Interim President, Nancy Nekvasil served as provost and assisted with the search for her replacement. Nekvasil announced Ufomata’s appointment at the College Forum on Jan. 9, according to the release.

“I am thrilled to be welcoming Dr. Titilayo Ufomata as our new Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs,” Nekvasil said in the release. “Titi brings much experience and fresh ideas to this office for both undergraduate and graduate programs.”

Ufomata holds English degrees from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and is a graduate of the University College London, earning a Ph.D. in phonetics. Ufomata also attended the Harvard Institute of Educational Management.

a significant impact on our future working world.”

Grier, who studied accounting during her time at Saint Mary’s, also has been a member of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the release said.

Grier was also recognized by the World Economic Forum as a “Young Global Leader” in the past, and was named to Fortune Magazine’s 2018 Most Powerful Women in Business list, according to release.

“Kelly Grier’s career accomplishments speak for themselves, and she has excelled as a leader,” Saint Mary’s Interim President Nancy Nekvasil said in the release. “The example of her life and work is a powerful message in itself, and we’re thrilled that the class of 2019 will have the opportunity to draw inspiration from Kelly as they embark on their careers. It is always such a privilege to invite alumnae back to campus, and having the opportunity to also celebrate an alumna who has made a difference with her life is a true joy.”

Saint Mary’s will also be awarding an honorary degree to Sister Maureen Grady, a senior

lecturer with the department of nursing science. Grady has a nursing degree from Loyola University Chicago, and in 2015 was given its Spirit of Ignatius Award, recognizing her commitment to the school’s mission, “Care of the Person.” Grady also has a Doctor of Ministry degree from Christian Theological Seminary, the release said.

“Sister Maureen embodies compassion and courage,” Nekvasil said in the release. “Her ability to connect with people on a personal level while addressing complex issues, whether an individual’s health or a community’s scars of war, represents the highest ideals we strive for at Saint Mary’s. There are few people I know who have the gift of welcoming anyone and everyone into their sphere like Sister Maureen.”

According to the release, Grady also spent 20 years in war zones in the Middle East as chief operating officer for the Catholic Near East Welfare Association. In her role there, Grady worked with war victims and supported the restoration of various social services in Lebanon and Syria. For her efforts, Grady was granted Lebanese citizenship and given the National Order of the Cedar Officer badge.

The Holy See also awarded her with the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Medal in recognition of her devotion to the Catholic Church.

Paid Advertisement

Abroad Continued from page 1

However, coming back to campus has been difficult because she has to find more ways to keep herself occupied, she said.

“Living in Rome, there’s something new to do everyday,” Miller said. “Here, I’ve been trying to find some things to do in order to keep myself busy so I don’t have so much downtime that I start to miss it.”

Junior Sophia McDevitt, who studied in Ireland last semester, said sharing her study abroad experience with her friends was difficult at first.

“The most obvious challenge to me was that all my friends had met all these new people and so many relationships had subtly shifted and I had missed it,” she said. “I suddenly showed back up and had to figure out everything that had and hadn’t happened, while also digesting what I had just experienced.”

McDevitt said opening up to fellow Belles who did not or will not study abroad was also challenging.

“I knew a lot of my friends had wanted to study abroad, but because of their scholarships or their majors they couldn’t,” she said. “So, I wanted to make sure it didn’t sound like I was

bragging when I talked about the Spanish friends I made at dinner in Alicante or how beautiful the Swiss Alps were or how I loved sitting around and talking with my European friends from all different countries.

Instead of talking, I found myself holding it all in.”

But McDevitt said once she started sharing her experiences abroad, she found students were interested and encouraged her to open up more.

“Once I started sharing, I was reminded that those who care about me cared about hearing what was on my mind,” she said. “Now, I find myself sharing random tidbits more often as things pop back into my head.”

Although the weather may be dismal, the friendships may have shifted and the days may be monotonous, Miller said the best thing about being back on campus is reuniting with her fellow Belles.

“Coming back can be a little bit scary because you do get so accustomed to the culture over there, but as long as you keep yourself busy and have supportive friends, that makes the transition back to campus a lot easier,” she said. “There’s comfort in the sisterhood here.”

Contact Gina Twardosz at gtwardosz01@saintmarys.edu

The observer | wednesday, january 16, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

5

CLAIRE KOPISCHKE | The Observer

6

The observer | wednesday, january 16, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

On the United States departure from Syria

Inside Column

Our final chapter

Griffin Cannon BridgeND

Joe Everett Sports Editor

Imagine you’re reading a really great book.

It’s full of excitement, drama and wit with loads of development throughout. It’s engaging and fun and lovely — a real page-turner. You f ly through the book, drinking in every word and falling deep into the contents of its pages, unaware of how quickly you are progressing through the plot of the story but sublimely aware of just how good it is and how profoundly it touches the deepest recesses of your heart, mind and soul.

Then, you come to the final chapter.

You’re not sure what’s next. You’re not sure how it will end. Will it follow the general progression that the book has been leading up toward, or will there be a plot twist? Will it be a happy ending or a sad one? Will the guy and the girl end up together? Will you be satisfied with the ending?

Will everything be tied up into neat little bows, or will the ending provide intrigue, drama, confusion and controversy?

Most of all, we ask, why does this wonderful book have to end?

In many ways, we can liken our college experience here at Notre Dame to a reading of this great book. It has engaged us and taught us and inspired us beyond what we could have imagined. We have f lown through our college years, enchanted by the friends we’ve made, the relationships we’ve formed and even the trials we’ve endured and overcome. Every day, we add another page to this great novel.

Now, the end of the book draws near, and we must simultaneously balance our excitement for what the final chapter will hold while also coming to grips with the fact that it’ll all be over soon.

What will our final chapter be? Well, we begin writing it now. I imagine it’ll combine elements of joy, sorrow, surprise, laughter and a whole lot of ref lection and analysis.

As David Copperfield says in Charles Dickens’ novel of the same name, “Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show.”

The point is that we have agency over this final chapter — we can in many ways determine how our college career will end and what kind of semester we will live out. But, the greater point for Copperfield’s quote is that our lives are often written and enriched by others — our friends and those we draw close to — our personal, everyday heroes that inspire us and keep us going.

To generalize, perhaps this realization is what we’ll most take away from our final semester — the friends we’ve made and the committed relationships we’ve each cultivated are what Notre Dame is truly about. It’s the people, not the place — and while the place certainly has a special spot in our hearts for all the memories it holds and the feelings it inspires, those same memories and feelings are contained within our friends — and friendship, in its ideal form, is close to eternal.

In this way, to paraphrase T.S. Eliot, the end does not symbolize an end, but rather a beginning. Here’s to our final chapter, and here’s to writing a lot more great books.

Contact Joe Everett at jeveret4@nd.edu The views expressed in the Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

As we were settling into our winter break, Donald Trump decided that U.S. involvement in the war in Syria should end in 30 days. The decision was rash and made despite vigorous protests from within the administration, Congress and allies.

The chaos that followed the announcement, the resignation of defense secretary Jim Mattis and the ultimate reversal of the decision, making withdrawal contingent on meeting a handful of openended objectives, are emblematic of much that is wrong with this administration. Process was thrown to the wind; relevant players were blindsided; the United States was made to look foolish, incompetent and fractured; and through it all, our policy has remained more or less unchanged.

Despite all this, I must agree with an administration official who spoke to The Washington Post on the condition of anonymity: “‘They screwed this whole thing up, and it didn’t have to be this way,’ the adviser said. ‘It could have been a defensible decision, done thoughtfully.’”

Now that the final pocket of Daesh, a derogatory Arabic term for Islamic State, control is slowly withering away, those who wish to say “mission accomplished” and pull American troops out of Syria have been met with a chorus of dissent.

The first reason given to stay is that the Daesh has not been defeated. This is mostly accurate.

Both their official statements and a shift in tactics indicate that the group is reverting to insurgency with the intention to return to more conventional tactics once American pressure subsides. Others argue that whether or not a core of organized fighters survives, the conditions that formed Daesh remain, and if we leave, we will be forced to return.

While the group has been badly mauled in the campaign to destroy the territorial “caliphate,” it is reasonable to think that they will persist as an organization for a while longer. However, even if the group retained the strength and popularity to rebuild a large fighting force immediately after an American departure, a proposition that is highly doubtful, neither Iraq nor Syria is half as vulnerable as they once were.

The Iraqi security services have been honed to a fine edge through years of combat, and while building an inclusive Iraq remains a challenge, the experience of Daesh rule has turned many that once supported the group against it decisively. As for Syria, despite years of war, it is mostly united.

Barring a major resurgence in violence between the central government and the Kurds, a renewed insurgency along the Euphrates river will have

the undivided attention of the Assad regime.

Alternatively, the Kurdish fighting forces, the very group that drove back Daesh the first time, could repeat the process, perhaps once more receiving American air support.

The second argument against withdrawal is that it would mean the abandonment of Syria’s Kurdish population, a strong ally in the fight against Daesh. In an unpleasant region, Syria’s Kurds seem to be a welcome alternative. Talk of a Kurdish state circulates despite being dismissed as impossible. More frequently, we are told that abandoning our allies now is morally wrong and the status quo should be preserved.

Unfortunately, despite their invaluable support in the struggle against Daesh, a Kurdish alliance is simply too difficult to maintain. Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey all contain substantial Kurdish populations, and providing statehood for one Kurdish population opens the door to statehood for all.

Such a move would be the most substantial change to Middle Eastern borders since the end of World War I and should not be undertaken lightly. Those states with Kurdish populations would resist such an endeavor, some violently. In an era of rebalance to Asia, the United States should not waste precious time, effort and energy attempting to change the borders of the region by force or coercion.

Even short of creating a Kurdish state, maintaining the status quo is difficult. We have allowed a situation to develop in which a de facto Kurdish state exists, guaranteed by American military power. Active tensions between this entity and American ally Turkey, a nation that we are treatybound to defend under NATO’s Article 5, do not bode well for the future of this arrangement, nor do the conf licting forces of Kurdish nationalism and the Assad government’s stated commitment to retaking the entire country.

Ultimately, leaving now will not be pleasant, but the alternative is an indefinite commitment that the American people will not long support. Our competitors, namely Iran and Russia, stand to gain little from our departure and have largely already achieved their objectives. From inf luence to bases, much that they looked for from their engagements is already theirs, and continued American presence is unlikely to change that. Allowing the conf lict to be resolved without a seat at the table will mean a post-conf lict Syria that we will be unhappy with, but it will mean a resolution. Staying will only prolong the inevitable.

Griffin Cannon is a senior studying political science from Burlington, Vermont. The viewpoints expressed in this column are those of the individual and not necessarily those of BridgeND as an organization.

The views expressed in this column do not necessarily represent those of The Observer.

Join the conversation.

Submit a Letter to the Editor: Email viewpoint@ndsmcobserver.com

The observer | wednesday, january 16, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

7

If a dorm was a city Davis Gonsalves Highest-Ranking Column According to Me

In a way, each of our unique communities are like small urban areas including compact living, support systems and living conditions deemed dubious by first-world inhabitants. I tried to determine how each dorm represents a city as grouped by area of the campus. Although the dorms are close, the cities are nowhere near.

South Quad

Zahm, although infamous, is still known for its ability to have fun. This is a description equally apt to the Brazilian city known for its beautiful beaches and parties next to some less desirable aspects. Next to them comes Cavanaugh, a dorm not particularly bad as I may have thought before, but not necessarily a destination. A nice middleground of a dorm where people can be content like the nice Cincinnati area. Stanford and Keenan are like the pair of twin cities. Keenan, like San Francisco, may be the first thought of while its brother Stanford may not appear as desirable, but both contain their goods and bads. One could also make the argument that The Revue is kind of like gentrification. I don’t know how, but someone probably could.

Farley is a standard dorm to me, nothing striking but still encompassing that unique Notre Dame feel that the third-largest city in the United States still contains. I had the most trouble coming up with BP’s, but Kansas City has good pork barbecue and BP is the Babes, so that’s all I got. If you have a better suggestion, let me know.

Dillon as New York City; Alumni as Rome; Fisher as Amsterdam; Lyons as St. Louis; Morrissey as Detroit; Howard as Harare; Badin as Cape Town.

When I think of Dillon Hall, I think of the center of Notre Dame, a city that all alumni recognize and one that embodies Notre Dame in a way.

Although New York is Western culture-focused, it still satisfies this known beacon. Although it has issues, it is everything but irrelevant with pride attached. Its brother dorm, Rome, carries on this relevancy piece continued with storied traditions like the real Eternal City. Although Alumni is not particularly more Catholic than other dorms, I felt Rome had to make an appearance in this list regardless. Filling out the southern part of South Quad is Fisher, whose aquatic theme makes them a perfect fit with Amsterdam. Add this to the fact that they pride themselves as a fun dorm and single males seem to love the entity, it becomes even more fitting.

Moving across the quad we have Lyons, which I know really nothing about except its arch. Therein lies the St. Louis comparison. Next to them is Morrissey, a dorm that may have its issues but is rebuilding (literally and figuratively) like the city that once was bankrupt. Howard and its rector’s dog reminds me of the wild animals that often roam the Zimbabwean capital of Harare, but also it’s truly significant without people actually recognizing them correctly. Badin is Cape Town because it once was storied yet still dilapidated until considerable infrastructure projects turned it into a global city.

Pasquerilla West as Tehran; Pasquerilla East as Santiago; Siegfried as Boston; Knott as Calgary; Dunne as Dubai; Flaherty as Riyadh.

Many do not really know much of the Iranian capital of Tehran but have a general sense of unease toward it, like they do toward PW. These are misplaced thoughts, though. Tehran is home to amazing natural beauty, friendly citizens and is less strict than many people may think. Scratch the natural beauty, and you basically have PW. Its neighbor to the east represents the South American metropolis of Santiago as a fairly new city in the global economy, but still left with soso infrastructure. Knott represents a city everyone has heard of but no one knows an actual fact about, and I give Siegfried the distinction of Bean Town because of its diehard love of sports teams.

Dunne and Flaherty represent a pair of new-money Middle Eastern cities, with the former actually being an attractive tourist destination for world travelers while the latter comes with more hesitation.

North Quad

West Quad

Zahm as Rio de Janeiro; Cavanaugh as Cincinnati; Stanford as Oakland, Calif.; Keenan as San Francisco; Farley as Chicago; Breen-Phillips as Kansas City, Mo.

Ryan as Monaco; Welsh Family as Tokyo; McGlinn as Beijing; Keough as Mumbai; O’Neill as Bangkok; Duncan as Singapore.

These dorms are characterized by wealthier

Mod/East Quad

cities, starting with maybe the wealthiest citystate (per capita) of Monaco. Luxury adorns the walls of both Monaco and Ryan, bringing their residents a tad bit of pride. Welsh Family recently has become one of the largest dorms in the University, so it represents a newer city with the most residents in Tokyo, with McGlinn and Beijing following the same logic. Keough, with its surplus of people, still does not really register much on a campus-wide scale, similarly to how Mumbai does not get much press despite its enormous population. Like its brother dorm, O’Neill also represents a large Asian city, but with a few more shenanigans involved. Lastly, Duncan represents the richness and new development of a city-state combined with the isolation of a completely different blueprint as other cities in its area.

God Quad and others Walsh as Paris; Sorin as London; St. Edward’s as Mexico City; Lewis as Seoul; Carroll as Wellington Walsh and Sorin, two historic dorms that may have been enemies at one point but coexist better than almost any other. They are staples of Notre Dame that were present as the University grew into the one we know today, much in the same way London and Paris have been pillars of culture as society has grown into what we know. St. Edward’s is as historical, if not more so than any other dorm at Notre Dame, but for some reason is not recognized as such, similar to Mexico City’s rich history dating back to the Aztec Empire. The lakes and water surrounding the area also fit in with the yacht dance theme nicely. Lewis, as one of the most massive dorms built with relatively modern materials, harkens to the Korean city that is the third-largest city in the world. Lastly, Carroll, isolated from everywhere else but still dotted with amazing natural beauty, finds its place as the New Zealand capital.

Bonus: Old College as Jerusalem for purely religious purposes.

Davis loves to rank people, places, things, ideas and sometimes even verbs. His current senior year places fourth among years, his neuroscience major places seventh, and his theology major ranks third among all majors. Contact him at dgonsalv@nd.edu to be placed first in his heart.

The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear Fr. Jenkins Greetings in Christ. I am writing to you on behalf of the Saint Peter Damian Society, a group of lay Catholics, including Notre Dame students and alumni, dedicated to battling deviancy and abuse in the priesthood. We are calling on you to revoke the honorary degree that Notre Dame awarded to former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick in 2008.

As you know, McCarrick has been accused of sexually abusing minors and seminarians. These accusations are credible and substantiated. Both Fordham University and the Catholic University of America have rescinded the honorary degrees they granted to McCarrick, yet he remains an honored man at Our Lady’s University. We formally request that you rectify this.

In your public statements about McCarrick, you have emphasized that his guilt has not yet been officially adjudicated. We respect your commitment to the presumption of innocence; however, we feel that its strict application in this instance is inappropriate. The revocation of an honorary award is not a prison sentence or even a civil penalty, but rather a private act of disapprobation. We believe that this act is necessary to prevent scandal and, in some small part, do justice for McCarrick’s victims.

Furthermore, we contend that whatever burden of proof that justice may require in this case has already been met. A review board of the Archdiocese of New York has determined that accusations made by one of McCarrick’s victims have been substantiated.

Additionally, McCarrick’s abuses have resulted in private settlements by two New Jersey dioceses.

McCarrick’s crimes against innocence and chastity are nearly universally acknowledged by witnesses, victims and the Church hierarchy; he has resigned his cardinalship and has been removed from public ministry by the Holy See. For the sake of the wounded Church, the betrayed laity, the holy priesthood and Christ our Lord, we implore you to rescind McCarrick’s honorary degree.

Respectfully,

Follow us on Twitter. @ObserverViewpnt

Jonathan E. Carp Notre Dame Law ’17 Dec. 17

8

DAILY

The observer | wednesday, january 16, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

Crossword | Will Shortz

Horoscope | Eugenia Last Happy Birthday: Turn this into a year to remember. Stop thinking about what you want to do or to have; make your dream come true. Making plans with someone you enjoy working with or being around will lead to a better relationship as well as progress toward achieving your goals. Use your energy wisely. Fitness and manual labor will bring better results than anger.

Your numbers are 5, 13, 23, 25, 33, 38, 47.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Stop being in such a rush. Do it right the first time so you won’t have to go back and fix the errors you made. Look at the big picture and focus on perfection as well as completion. Romance is highlighted.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Make a point to take care of your responsibilities yourself. If you rely on others, you will end up being disappointed. Take a closer look at an opportunity to see a way to make it work for you.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Put your time and effort into partnerships.

Know what you want, and don’t be afraid to ask for it. The only way positive change will happen is if you initiate it yourself. Don’t wait; just do it.

Romance is encouraged.

CANCER ( June 21-July 22): Ignore what others do; move on to whatever you want to accomplish. If you waste time stewing over situations you cannot change, you will miss out on a chance to do something great. Let your creative imagination lead the way.

LEO ( July 23-Aug. 22): Don’t give up when you should be getting started.

Take a new approach to an old plan, and you’ll discover a way to make it work. A personal change will improve your life, your appearance or your health. Romance is featured.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Network, socialize, plan a gathering or take on a creative project. Most of all, keep moving. Don’t let someone bring you down because he or she isn’t interested in what’s important to you. Avoid indulgent or costly situations.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Not so fast. Before you decide to implement change, you’d be wise to find out if anyone disapproves or if there are regulations you need to abide by. Avoid discord, do your own thing and make physical improvements.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Listen to what others plan to do, and consider how you can contribute. Participating will be a good way to meet new people and build stronger relationships. Don’t feel you have to keep up or pay for others.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Stick close to home. Set goals and get things done. Purge what you don’t need, and make room for people and things that bring you the most joy. Don’t trust someone who is trying to butter you up with compliments.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Pay closer attention to what’s going on at home. How you treat loved ones will make a difference when you want someone close to you to pitch in and help. Home improvements will add to your convenience and comfort.

AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Don’t let an emotional incident get in the way of your responsibilities. Take care of business first to avoid getting into an argument that will disrupt your plans. Work and physical exertion will help ease stress.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Someone you have worked with will have a suggestion that will help you get ahead. Networking will encourage you to update your resume or present your skills differently. Your intuition will help you make good choices.

Birthday Baby: You are friendly, sincere and helpful. You are goal-oriented and stylish.

WINGin’ it | OLIVIA WANG & BAILEE EGAN

Sudoku | The Mepham Group

Jumble | David Hoyt and Jeff knurek

Work Area

Make checks payable to and mail to: The Observer

P.O. Box 779 Notre Dame, IN 46556

Published Monday through Friday, The Observer is a vital source of information on people and events in the Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s Community.

Join the more than 13,000 readers who have found The Observer an indispensable link to the two campuses. Please complete the accompanying form and mail it today to receive The Observer in your home.

Enclosed is $130 for one academic year Enclosed is $75 for one semester Name Address City State Zip

SPORTS

ndsmcobserver.com | wednesday, january 16, 2019 | The Observer

M Tennis

Sports Authority

Murray deserves first-round pick Joe Everett Sports Editor

This Sports Authority is not about whether Kyler Murray should play baseball or football.

Frankly, it is his decision and his career, not mine. I’m not about to write about what I think Kyler Murray should do with his sports career, because he should play the sport he actually wants to play. He can’t play both baseball and football (at least not well), so he should follow his heart (which, from growing up in Texas and by recently declaring for the NFL Draft, tells me his heart is with football).

No, this Sports Authority is about why NFL general managers should take a calculated risk and draft Kyler Murray in the first round.

The concerns about Kyler Murray are limited, but warranted. The most obvious concern is that he’s too short and frail to play the position in the NFL. Rumored to be somewhere between 5 foot 8 inches and 5 foot 10 inches, and at about 195 pounds, Murray is smaller than every quarterback in the league, even more so than prototypical “short” quarterbacks — Drew Brees, Russell Wilson and Baker Mayfield — all of whom are about 6 feet in height.

But it’s exactly that last guy I listed — Baker Mayfield — that lends me to have tremendous confidence in Murray’s ability to warrant a first-round pick and become a franchise quarterback.

Coming off an outstanding season at Oklahoma which culminated in his winning the Heisman Trophy, Baker Mayfield was also knocked by many scouts for his lack of size. How did Mayfield fare this past season? Well, he was drafted with the first pick overall by the Cleveland Browns, won the starting job a couple games in and proceeded to lead Cleveland to an almost-winning record — a tremendous feat considering

the Browns didn’t win a game the previous season — and breaking the NFL record for touchdown passes for a rookie (27) in the process.

Well, this season at Oklahoma, Kyler Murray had an even better season than Mayfield did last year — in the same offense and with largely the same personnel. Oh, and like Mayfield, he also won the Heisman.

Let’s compare some stats.

In their respective final seasons, Murray amassed 5,362 yards of total offense, while Mayfield totaled 4,938.

Murray had 54 total touchdowns, while Mayfield generated 48. While Murray’s completion percentage (69 percent) is slightly behind Mayfield’s (70.5 percent in 2017), his 199.2 passer rating just beats that of Mayfield (198.9).

In short, Murray is a more explosive and elusive as a runner than Mayfield, but has also shown he can make the same throws that Mayfield could in the same offense. His arm is legit.

Now, just because Mayfield has succeeded in the NFL so far, doesn’t mean that Kyler Murray will. However, just because no quarterback at Kyler Murray’s size has ever really succeeded at the quarterback position doesn’t mean anyone can. Kyler Murray is a special, even transcendent athlete. From watching his tape, he appears to be a much smaller Michael Vick, and that has to be exciting for NFL teams — many of which desperately need an upgrade at quarterback.

All I know, is if I am a NFL general manager, I am watching his process and NFL Combine very closely, with the aim of pulling the trigger on the Heisman Trophy winner come April.

Contact Joe Everett at jeveret4@nd.edu The views expressed in this Sports Authority are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Write Sports.

Email Joe Everett at jeveret4@nd.edu

Continued from page 12

Court Invitational this fall, besting teammate William Howells in the finals 6-2, 6-3 to claim first place. Nefve also participated in the ITF Futures Event with teammates Lebedev and sophomore Tristan McCormick, a tournament where the players faced professional-level competition. Nefve will look to continue to have a major role in the team’s success as both the season and his career progress.

Looking past this

weekend’s competition, the Irish will face four teams who are currently in the top-10, with an additional five opponents in the top-25. Notable matchups include No. 1 Wake Forest at home at the end of March, No. 2 Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio, at the end of February, and No. 6 North Carolina at Chapel Hill, N.C., in early April.

Meantime, the Irish will follow this weekend’s matchup against Kentucky with a non-conference bout against Vanderbilt, after which they will face Oklahoma, Virginia and Texas A&M consecutively — ranked 13th, 17th and

9

9th, respectively.

Despite Kentucky’s position as an unranked team, the Irish should not look past this weekend’s competition.

The Wildcats opened their season with a clean sweep, besting both IUPUI and Northern Kentucky by scores of 7-0 in Lexington. Kentucky did not lose a set, going 12for-12 in its singles matches and winning all six of its doubles matches handily.

This weekend, Notre Dame will look to open the spring season on a high note against the Wildcats. The match is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

ANN CURTIS | The Observer

Irish sophomore Tristan McCormick celebrates after a set during Notre Dame’s 6-1 loss to North Carolina on Mar. 23 at Eck Tennis Pavilion. McCormick finished the fall season with a 20-15 record.

NHL | Blue Jackets 4, Devils 1

Korpisalo stops 29, leads Blue Jackets past Devils Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Joonas Korpisalo had 29 saves, three Columbus players recorded a goal and an assist and the Blue Jackets beat the New Jersey Devils 4-1 on Tuesday night.

Top-liners Artemi Panarin, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Cam Atkinson carried the offensive load, and Boone Jenner also scored as Columbus won its fourth straight. The Blue Jackets have won six of their last eight games and 11 of the last 14 while sparring with Washington and Pittsburgh atop the Metropolitan Division.

Korpisalo has started three of the last four games ahead of star Sergei Bobrovsky and won each time. The 24-yearold Finn could soon find himself the team’s No.1 goalie as Bobrovsky has refused to sign

a contract extension with Columbus and may be traded before the deadline next month.

Blake Coleman scored and Keith Kinkaid had 30 saves for the Devils, who saw a twogame winning streak end as they struggle to stay out of the Metro basement.

Atkinson tipped in a pass from Dubois 45 seconds in for his team-leading 27th goal to give Columbus the early lead. Less than two minutes later, Josh Anderson, off a faceoff from the right circle, fed Jenner, who beat Kinkaid from the slot.

Late in the first, David Savard grabbed a face off and slid a beautiful pass from the left corner to the doorstep, setting up Panarin for an easy tip-in and a 3-0 Columbus lead.

Early in the second, Dubois snapped in a shot from the

left circle for the Blue Jackets’ fourth power-play goal in four games.

Coleman redirected a shot

by Mirco Mueller late in the second period to make it 4-1.

Notes Columbus coach John Tortorella coached his 285th game with the team, passing Ken Hitchcock for the franchise record. He is the franchise’s leader in wins (156-102-26). ...

New Jersey F Miles Wood was out with an undisclosed injury suffered in the game Monday night. ... Panarin, Dubois and Atkinson all have four-game point streaks. ... Coleman has five goals and two assists in the last five games.

Up Next New Jersey: At New York Islanders on Thursday.

Columbus: Hosts Montreal on Friday.

The Observer accepts classifieds every business day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Notre Dame office, 024 South Dining Hall. Deadline for next-day classifieds is 3 p.m. All classifieds must be prepaid. The charge is 5 cents per character per day, including all spaces. The Observer reserves the right to edit all classifieds for content without issuing refunds.

10

Sports

The observer | wednesday, january 16, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

M Bball Continued from page 12

(13-4, 3-1) began to make its presence felt on the glass. On the night, the Tar Heels won the rebound battle 47-38 and found some much needed points down the stretch. With about five minutes to go in the game, North Carolina went on an 8-0 run in about 90 seconds to take a commanding lead — one it would not give up, despite a push by Notre Dame in the final minutes.

Despite the loss, the Irish saw strong performances out of a number of players on the night, among those being freshman point guard Prentiss Hubb, sophomore wing D.J. Harvey and junior forward John Mooney, who all scored in double figures.

Mooney additionally added a career-high 19 rebounds on the night to record his conferenceleading ninth double-double.

Coming into his team’s

matchup with the Tar Heels, Irish head coach Mike Brey commented on the strong stretch Mooney has put together this season, as the 6-foot-9 forward is averaging a career-best this season with 13.7 points and 10.4 rebounds.

“He is the same guy every day.

He is really mature and was a freshman, knows who he is. He’s committed. He deserves it for how he’s invested with us his first two seasons … if you watched through the summer, you would say it should come. He’s been even better than I thought,” Brey said.

Over winter break, the Irish were still busy on the court as they played seven games and got underway with their ACC schedule. On December 15, Notre Dame traveled to Indianapolis where they took on Purdue in the Crossroads Classic, and led by Mooney, who had 21 points on the day, was able to walk away with the 88-80 win. The Irish

Wimbush

W Bball

Continued from page 12

Continued from page 12

transferred to Florida in 2017.

A product of St. Peters Prep and a four-star recruit in the 2015 recruiting class — rated the nation’s No. 3 dual-threat according to 247Sports — Wimbush played in two games for the Irish his freshman season as a backup, highlighted by a 58yard touchdown run against Massachusetts.

After not playing his sophomore season, Wimbush took the reins of the Irish offense in 2017, starting 12 games and throwing for 1,870 yards and 16 touchdowns to six interceptions while rushing for 803 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Although Ian Book replaced him in the Citrus Bowl and led Notre Dame to a comeback victory against LSU, Wimbush retained the starting job through the offseason and into the 2018 campaign, leading Notre Dame to wins over Michigan, Ball State and Vanderbilt. Though Irish head coach Brian Kelly eventually gave Book the nod ahead of the Wake Forest game, Wimbush returned as the starting quarterback for Notre Dame’s senior day matchup against Florida State, leading the Irish to a 4213 victory. Overall, the 6-foot-2, 220-pound quarterback holds a career 50.5 completion percentage over 20 appearances, with 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

As a graduate transfer, Wimbush will be immediately eligible and will play his final season of college football with the Knights. With the addition of Wimbush, there is expected to be a battle in the spring for the starting position with sophomore Darriel Mack, as former starter McKenzie Milton is still recovering from multiple surgeries following an injury in the season finale against South Florida and is not expected to return to the field next season.

lead, sparked by senior guard Arike Ogunbowale’s seven points in the final four minutes of the frame.

However, like any matchup between elite teams, the Cardinals refused to lay down quietly. After Notre Dame extended its lead to 12 at the beginning of the final frame, the Cardinals began to apply pressure, delivering a balanced offensive attack to cut the lead to two with less than three minutes remaining. However, a layup by graduate student forward Brianna Turner, followed by 12 unanswered points by Ogunbowale — seven of which were from the charity stripe — helped stop the comeback and earned the Irish a signature victory.

Although this win serves to remind teams around the league that the championship is still Notre Dame’s to lose, McGraw said she doesn’t want her team to lose sight of the season ahead.

“We shouldn’t put too much on it right now. It’s another game in January,” she said. “It’s a big game, it’s a huge win. It’s definitely going to be a stepping-stone for us. We’ve got so many games coming up, we can’t really relax.”

The Irish looked to continue their win streak three days later when they hosted Wake Forest.

The Demon Deacons (9-7, 0-3 ACC) entered South Bend on a two-game losing streak, having yet to win a conference game, and would prove unsuccessful in their upset effort against the Irish. After Notre Dame put up 18-straight unanswered points to open the game, Wake Forest managed to get on the board with six points to end the first quarter.

After a relatively quiet sevenpoint, 15-rebound performance against Louisville several days

grabbed the early advantage over the Boilermakers (11-6, 4-2 Big Ten) and never saw it slip away from them, especially when they hit 12-of-14 free throws down the stretch to secure the victory.

Three days later, the Irish topped Binghamton, 69-56, to improve to 8-3 on the season. It was the big men that got things done for Notre Dame against the Bearcats (5-12, 1-1 American East), as junior Juwan Durham posted 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Mooney finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Two days later on December 20, Notre Dame once again handled business at home when they took on Jacksonville. The offense was clicking all game, especially from deep as the Irish hit 18 three-pointers en route to a 100-74 win. It was only the fourth time in program history that Notre Dame has hit 100 points, and the offense was spread out, as four players put up more than 15 points in the game

prior, senior forward Jessica Shepard once again proved a force to be reckoned with in the paint, scoring eight points in the opening quarter. The lead only extended throughout the second and third quarters as the Irish continued to deliver a balanced attack featuring the post duo of Turner and Shepard, and senior guard Marina Mabrey.

“I was really pleased defensively,” McGraw said. “Through three quarters I thought we played pretty well defensively.”

The Demon Deacons managed to cut into the lead slightly in the fourth quarter, but were unable to overcome the 37-point advantage the Irish had built, with only two of their

— Harvey, freshman guard Dane Goodwin, junior guard T.J. Gibbs and Mooney. After a break for the holidays, Notre Dame got back on the court December 29, when it took on a then-winless Coppin State, and despite a shaky start, the Irish prevailed 63-56 to extend their win streak to four games, as Gibbs led the Irish on the offensive end with 15 points.

On New Year’s Day, conference play began for Notre Dame, and with it came an end to the Irish win streak, as they were downed

by No. 9 Virginia Tech 81-66. It was the first game on the road for the Irish in a while, and while Mike Brey’s team hung tough into the second half, the Hokies (14-2, 3-1) proved to be too much as they responded to every run the Irish made. Later in the week, Notre Dame fell again, this time to Syracuse, 72-62. Again, the Irish tried to keep things close and were successful for a while, but the Orange (12-5, 3-1) pulled away down the stretch to drop

players scoring in the double digits.

Mabrey tallied 18 points against the Demon Deacons, going four-for-seven from beyond the arc, collecting seven rebounds and dishing out four assists. McGraw commended Mabrey for her leadership and presence in setting the pace for the Irish offense.

Meanwhile, Turner recorded a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds in addition to Shepard’s 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists as Notre Dame maintained its perfect conference record with a 78-48 win over Wake Forest.

“Such a good one-two punch,” McGraw said of Turner and Shepard. “People

the Irish to 0-2 in ACC play. In the game, Notre Dame suffered another loss as senior captain Rex Pfleuger, who posted a careerhigh 10 assists, went down with a season-ending torn ACL. This past Saturday, Notre Dame finally got its first conference victory, winning in the final seconds against Boston College, 69-66. Despite only having six scholarship players available, the Irish held on for the win as Mooney had another big night, putting up a career-high 27 points, and Hubb hit critical free throws down the stretch.

Looking ahead, Notre Dame’s schedule does not get any easier, as the Irish close out the month with games against No. 17 North Carolina State, Georgia Tech, No. 4 Virginia and No. 1 Duke. The Irish will take on the Wolfpack inside Purcell Pavilion on Saturday, with tip-off at 2 p.m.

Contact Alex Bender at abender@nd.edu

really have a hard time guarding them. … They’re really finding themselves.”

The Irish will continue ACC play as they travel to Blacksburg, Virginia, to take on Virginia Tech on Wednesday.

The unranked Hokies are led in the backfield by a familiar face in freshman Dara Mabrey, the youngest of the Mabrey girls, with Marina currently on the Irish roster and her older sister Michaela having played for McGraw from 2012 to 2016.

Dara Mabrey is averaging 12 points and has started in all 16 games of her freshman season.

Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Contact Charlotte Edmonds at cedmond3@nd.edu

annie smierciak | The Observer

Irish senior forward Jessica Shepard dribbles toward the basket during Notre Dame’s 89-71 loss to UConn on Dec. 2 at Purcell Pavilion. Shepard scored eight first-quarter points during Sunday’s win.

Paid Advertisement

12

The observer | wednesday, january 16, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

ND WOMEN’s basketball | nd 82, l’ville 68; nd 78, wf 48

ND looks to keep up momentum

By CHARLOTTE EDMONDS Associate Sports Editor

After recording wins over Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech, head coach Muffet McGraw and the top-ranked Irish proved they’re still the team to beat by defeating their toughest conference rival — Louisville.

This time last year, the Irish returned from the KFC Yum! Center defeated, having been routed 100-67 by the Cardinals.

One year later, Notre Dame successfully flipped the script, beating No. 2 Louisville 82-68 while overcoming deficits and a late-game comeback effort.

“That was just a great basketball game I thought for one versus two,” McGraw said. “Both teams had the lead, both teams had to fight back.”

Although the second-ranked Cardinals (15-1, 3-1 ACC) controlled the tempo throughout the first half, neither team was able to gain significant separation, with the largest lead of the half being seven by Louisville,

nd men’s basketball | north carolina 75, nd 69

Notre Dame falls to UNC to open play after break

thanks to a 19-point first-half performance by senior guard Asia Durr. However, Notre Dame (16-1, 4-0 ACC) was able to keep things competitive with five unanswered free throws to return to the locker room down two.

Although McGraw was disappointed by the defensive efforts against Durr, she said her team’s bigger problems came on the offensive end, struggling to establish any momentum with 11 first-half turnovers.

“We weren’t getting any flow on the offense,” McGraw said.

“We didn’t have any rhythm on the offense. We were putting it on the floor a little too much, we were a little out of sync with what we we’re running, I didn’t think we were getting the motion that we needed.”

Notre Dame returned to the court ready to make adjustments, only committing two turnovers throughout the third quarter and taking a 10-point

connery mcfadden | The Observer

On Tuesday night in Chapel Hill, N.C., Notre Dame hung tough with No. 13 North Carolina, but ultimately fell short as the Tar Heels took the game 75-69. The loss marked the first time since 2013 that Notre Dame (11-6, 1-3) has lost three of its opening four conference games.

Early on in the night, the Irish looked a bit overwhelmed, as the Dean Smith Center was loud and packed with students having returned to campus. But things would steady as Notre Dame began to find some more consistent shooting as the first half went on, and after a couple of clutch threes to close the half, the Irish held a 36-33 lead.

In the second half, both teams went back and forth, and while the Irish continued to keep it close thanks to some timely shots, North Carolina

see W BBALL PAGE 10

Irish junior forward John Mooney finishes a dunk during Notre Dame’s 67-56 victory over Duquesne on Nov. 20 at Purcell Pavilion.

see M BBALL PAGE 10

By ALEX BENDER Sports Writer

nd men’s tennis

football

Wimbush to transfer to UCF for final year

Irish hit road to begin spring play

Observer Sports Staff

Observer Sports Staff

Former Notre Dame quarterback Brandon Wimbush announced via social media Tuesday that he is heading to Central Florida next season as a graduate transfer.

“A sincere thank you to Notre Dame for giving me endless opportunities on and off the field,” Wimbush wrote on Instagram.

“Words truly can not describe what this incredible University and the PEOPLE (sic) mean to me and always mean to me. I’m truly thankful. Cannot say it enough.”

Wimbush visited UCF’s campus over the weekend and becomes the third former Notre Dame player to transfer to UCF, joining offensive lineman Parker Boudreaux and tight end Jonathon MacCollister. He also continues a tradition of Notre Dame quarterbacks pursuing opportunities as graduate transfers at Florida schools, as Everett Golson went to Florida State in 2015 while Malik Zaire

The Notre Dame men’s tennis team starts its spring season this Saturday, traveling to the University of Kentucky to take on the Wildcats (2-0). The Irish, ranked 18th in the country by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), are tied with Kentucky in the all-time series at 17 wins each. Under current head coach Ryan Sachire, Notre Dame leads the series 4-2.

This weekend’s competition will be Notre Dame’s first action since November, when senior Alex Lebedev played his way to the 2018 Oracle ITA Fall Nationals consolation title.

Prior to Lebedev’s win, the Irish team nabbed two tournament titles, winning the Gopher Challenge in Minnesota and the Dick Vitale Clay Court Invitational in Florida.

The Irish are led primarily

by Lebedev, who represented Notre Dame at the ITA Fall Nationals for the second season in a row. Despite an career riddled early on with injury, the senior emerged as a leader

see WIMBUSH PAGE 10

ANN CURTIS | The Observer

Irish senior quarterback Brandon Wimbush scrambles during Notre Dame’s 36-3 Shamrock Series win over Syracuse on Nov. 17.

for the Irish in the fall, capturing seven trophies through the last four tournaments of the season.

Another key senior will be Grayson Broadus, who has been a consistent player for the Irish throughout his collegiate career. Other seniors Nathan Griffin and Daniel Rayl will also provide leadership for the developing Notre Dame team.

The Irish also have some notable additions to their roster this year, with freshmen Andrew Mariados and Axel Nefve poised to compete in their first spring collegiate seasons.

Mariados, a native of Syracuse, NY, holds a 13-4 ITF record and will look to help his team continue to rise in the rankings.

Nefve, a highly-touted fivestar blue chip recruit, will look to build on the success he had in the fall. Coming into South Bend as the No. 16 recruit in his class, Nefve won the championship title at the Dick Vitale Clay see M TENNIS PAGE 9

Insider

Playoff Continued from page 1

shouldn’t leave it to review. That’s as simple as it is,” he said. “We should have made better plays across the board, to not even put ourself in a compromising position like that and to leave it to review.”

The Irish got the ball back quickly with the help of a sack by junior defensive lineman Julian Okwara.

With possession, the following Irish drive looked as if it were shaping up to be a successful one, but the Notre Dame offense stalled out midway into Clemson territory.

After throwing incomplete to Boykin on first down, Book returned to the senior receiver for a seven-yard catch on first down.

But under duress on third down, he was unable to connect with senior receiver Chris Finke. Notre Dame decided it was in four-down territory, but Tigers senior defensive end Austin Bryant was all Book could see on the fourth-andthree play, as he tossed a long pass to Boykin off one foot with almost no time to get rid of the ball and the Irish turned the ball over on downs.

Three plays later, the tie was broken and the Irish, who had built themselves a reputation for not giving up big plays, had given up quite a large one.

On first-and-10, Lawrence found freshman receiver Justyn Ross for a 52-yard touchdown, on which junior cornerback Donte Vaughn — in for Love who left early in the second quarter and was attempting to clear concussion protocol — was unable to make the tackle.

“It was hurting me internally because I, obviously, wanted to be out there. I wanted to help our team,” Love said of not being able to be on the field. “And in a sense, I let them down in that regard. So I tried to do what I could in the second half, but it definitely didn’t feel good.”

Kelly said losing Love was no excuse for giving up 30 points to the Tigers and giving up big plays for the first time this season.

“We have to be good enough that we can overcome the loss of one player. Clemson was able to overcome the loss of a great defensive lineman [in junior Dexter Lawrence],” Kelly said. “We have to be able to overcome the loss of a really good player, and that’s the bottom line. And, when you’re in this game, you’ve got to be able to overcome the loss of key players.

And that means from a coaching standpoint and a playing standpoint.”

Senior defensive lineman Jerry Tillery blocked Clemson’s extra point attempt, making it a 9-3 game, but the Irish were unable to take advantage, going three-andout. They were able to provide a defensive stop, ending Clemson’s drive with a sack by junior defensive lineman Adetokunbo Ogundeji for a loss of seven yards, forcing the Tigers to attempt a 49yard field goal, which missed wide left.

Once again, the Irish failed to take advantage and the Tigers used their next possession for their next big play.

Lawrence gradually advanced the Clemson offense up the field,

ndsmcobserver.com | wednesday, january 16, 2019 | The Observer

aided by a 16-yard completion to graduate student wider receiver Hunter Renfrow. A holding call on Vaughn pushed Clemson into Notre Dame territory, and then Lawrence found Ross again for a 42-yard touchdown, handing the Tigers a 16-3 lead with 1:44 remaining in the first half.

It appeared the score would remain as such going into the half, but Clemson’s momentum was strong and Notre Dame’s was nonexistent. The Irish gained only 14 yards on its next possession and gave the Tigers the ball back with 57 seconds left.

Tillery gave the Tigers 15 free yards on a roughing-the-passer call after Lawrence found Renfrow again, this time for 32 yards, a play on which Vaughn was in coverage again.

The Tigers had one shot to score from 19 yards out, and Lawrence did not waste it. He found his sophomore and leading receiver, Tee Higgins, in the back of the end zone, who dropped one foot and made a one-handed catch before rolling out of the back of the end zone, to cause the Irish to enter halftime down by 20.

“I knew it was a fade. I turned my head and knocked the ball out, but he made a great catch,” Vaughn, who was covering Higgins, said.

Despite him being in coverage onafewbigplays,KellysaidVaughn remains one of Notre Dame’s most talented cornerbacks.

“That’s not Donte. What happened was not Donte,” Kelly said.

“I’ve seen him cover elite receivers.

He’s our longest corner. Very rangey. He’s going to be an incredible player. Just had two tough plays.”

Graduate student center and captain Sam Mustipher said he did not expect the last-second score to affect his squad’s momentum coming out of the half.

“This team never really hangs their head about anything, I didn’t expect them to,” he said.

“Obviously it was a dagger. We have to bounce back and respond, and we believed we could do that.”

Love re-entered the game after halftime, having cleared concussion protocol.

“I was trying to get going sooner than they allowed me to,” Love said, explaining that he wanted to go back in the game before the end of the half. But Kelly said he received medical clearance during halftime.

With the return of their star cornerback, the Irish were able to hold the Tigers throughout much of the third quarter, but, at the same time, they were unable to generate anything on the offensive side of the ball.

However, the Tigers struck again with two minutes remaining in the quarter.

Etienne — who had been dormant for most of the game — erupted, breaking loose for a 62yard touchdown on just the third play of the Clemson possession, as senior linebacker Te’von Coney covered the left side of the field, leaving the middle wide open.

“Yeah, I definitely feel like the game was much closer than the score reflected. It was really a matter, in my opinion, of four or five plays,” Tranquill said.

“Defensively, we can’t give up

explosive touchdowns. You can’t misfit gaps and allow the running back to hit his head on the goal post running through the Red Sea. You just can’t do those things and win in a playoff. I definitely felt like we shot ourselves in the foot.”

And while Irish senior linebacker Asmar Bilal recovered a fumble on the opening drive of the fourth quarter, the excitement was over and the score remained final at 303. The two teams went about the motions and finished the game — the Irish defense kept the Tigers off the board in the fourth — but the Notre Dame’s offense was still incapable of putting together a drive. Lawrence left the game and freshman quarterback Chase Brice entered for the Tigers.

“Clemson was extremely smart and opportunistic in taking advantage of some things schematically today. They did a great job of pushing the ball vertically in some opportunistic situations,” Kelly said. “Offensively, we struggled moving the football today.

So those were technical and tactical. I did not feel like there was an overwhelming difference in terms of talent. They have extremely talented players. But if we were better tactically and technically today, if we coached better and we made plays today that we have been making all year, we would have had a pretty darned good football game going in the fourth quarter.”

Senior quarterback Brandon Wimbush began to warm up on the sideline for the Irish, to play out his final seconds in an Irish uniform on the field, but the clock expired before he had a chance to take the field a final time, Kelly said.

Ian Book finished the game 17of-34 for 160 yards, and the Irish offense racked up just 248 yards of total offense, compared to Clemson’s 538.

“It’s hard to win a game when you score three points,” Book said.

“And as an offense, we’ve just got to do better. And we’ve just got to play the way we’ve played throughout the whole entire year and just control what we could control. And we didn’t need any super-human efforts today. We just needed to do what we’ve been doing all season, and we weren’t able to do that.”

One of Notre Dame’s few bright spots came in the form of junior safety Alohi Gilman, who set a College Football Playoff record with 18 tackles.

“No, I still don’t believe [Clemson is four touchdowns better than Notre Dame], honestly,” Gilman said. “I think we could’ve competed and we definitely could’ve won this game. That’s my honest opinion. It just came down to small details that we didn’t execute. They were physically more dominant than us, a lot faster than us. We didn’t execute the way we were supposed to.”

And while there was a general feeling of hope for the future coming from the players and Kelly, Book summed up the team’s feelings immediately postgame.

“This loss hurts,” Book said.

“We’ll worry about next year in a little bit.”

Contact Elizabeth Greason at egreason@nd.edu

19 3

Scoring Summary 1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Total

3 3

20 0

7 0

0 0

30 3

Clemson 3, notre dame 0 Greg Huegel 40-yard field goal

8:35

remaining Drive: Nine plays, 31 yards, 3:15 elapsed

NOTRE DAME 3, Clemson 3 Justin Yoon 28-yard field goal

4:31

remaining Drive: 10 plays, 66 yards, 4:04 elapsed

2

Clemson 9, Notre dame 3

Justyn Ross 52-yard pass from Trevor Lawrence (Huegel kick blocked)

12:50

remaining Drive: Three plays, 65 yards, 1:04 elapsed

Clemson 16, notre Dame 3

Ross 42-yard pass from Lawrence (Huegel kick)

1:44

remaining Drive: Eight plays, 85 yards, 3:12 elapsed

Clemson 23, notre Dame 3

Tee Higgins 19-yard pass from Lawrence (Huegel kick)

00:02

remaining Drive: Four plays, 80 yards, 0:46 elapsed

3

Clemson 30, notre dame 3

Travis Etienne 62-yard run (Huegel kick)

2:04

remaining Drive: Three plays, 71 yards, 1:01 elapsed

statistics rushing yards 88 211

passing yards 160 327

total yards 248 538

Follow us on Twitter. @ObserverSports

4

Insider

The observer | wednesday, january 16, 2019 | ndsmcobserver.com

ANN CURTIS | The Observer

Irish senior wide receiever Miles Boykin cannot make a catch while defended by Clemson safety Isaiah Simmons during Notre Dame’s 30-3 loss to Clemson on Dec. 29 at the Cotton Bowl inside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Dallas. Boykin caught five passes for 69 yards against the Tigers, but the Irish offense only managed to generate 248 yards of offense.

Texas-sized DEFEAT Hoonhout Continued from page 1

Kelly had learned from his mistakes; the Irish now had the athletes to play with anyone in the country, and the mental toughness to boot — after all, why else was the offseason focus all about handling “chaos?”

Twelve games and 12 wins later, it seemed to have worked.

The demons were finally put to rest.

But for all the talk and action on learning from past guffaws, there wasn’t anything out of the ordinary on Saturday night.

Once again, when forced to put its money where its mouth was, Notre Dame folded like a tower of cards.

While the first quarter ended with the score knotted at three, thanks in large part to a promising start by Clark Lea’s defense to minimize the impact of Clemson’s plethora of offensive weapons, the signs were there — Notre Dame (12-1) was a deer caught in the headlights.

On offense, junior quarterback Ian Book and the Irish had a tall task from the get-go, even with the Tigers (14-0, 8-0 ACC) missing star junior defensive lineman

Dexter Lawrence. It would have to be a flawless performance.

It was anything but.

On Notre Dame’s first drive, Book found an open Chase Claypool for what would have been a first down to give the Irish some momentum right out of the gate, but the junior wideout dropped the pass, forcing a Notre Dame punt. On the next drive, Book attempted to run upfield on the first play, only to be stuffed at the line and lose the football. It didn’t get much better.

Notre Dame’s only points from on the day came thanks in large part to a pass interference call that pushed the Irish into Clemson territory. It would be the only time where Chip Long’s unit managed to gain over 10 yards on consecutive plays.

Of Notre Dame’s 13 drives, only one made it into the red zone. The Irish averaged a measly 2.5 yards per carry, and Book finished well below his usual completion percentage and was sacked six times; Clemson’s pressure was clearly always on his mind, and even when he had time, the junior rushed throws he usually completes in his sleep.

More often than not, Book elected to scramble, even when he didn’t need to, instead of sticking

The Irish and the Tigers were tied 3-3 after the first quarter.

However, Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence proceeded to throw three touchdown passes in the second quarter as the Tigers extended their lead to 23-3 going into halftime. Clemson’s defense continued to dominate in the second half, and Travis Etienne sealed the win with a back-breaking touchdown run. in the pocket and trying to make a play. When he finally did so, in the third quarter on thirdand-22, the pass was an interception the moment it left his hand.

But for all of the offensive struggles, the defense at least came out swinging. Clark Lea’s unit held firm at the start, helping the Irish go toe-to-toe with the Tigers despite no momentum on offense. Notre Dame made sure to use its own front seven to keep freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence just as uncomfortable as Clemson was keeping Book, and with the experience in the secondary holding down the fort, for 15 minutes it worked.

And then Julian Love went down.

Losing your All-American corner in a playoff game is never a good thing. Losing him when the backup is far and away the shakiest corner on the team, and it’s suddenly a lot worse.

With Love out and Donte Vaughn in, Lawrence and the Tigers found the chink in the Irish armor. They made them pay for it.

Vaughn didn’t see the field at all against USC, and was giving up completions on over 70 percent of his targets on the year.

That tendency didn’t change

against the Tigers, as the junior was subsequently torched time and time again by Lawrence.

Vaughn was in coverage for both touchdown bombs to freshman receiver Justyn Ross, who had a career day, and let senior receiver Hunter Renfrow haul in a 32-yard dart to set up Clemson’s third touchdown on the day, which gave the Tigers 20 unanswered points and a 23-3 lead heading into halftime.

Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t think Vaughn is a bad player. But he clearly was in no way prepared to be on the field against a unit like Clemson’s offense, and it showed big time.

At this time of year, it’s the little things that win football games — the margin for error is that much higher.

While Love’s absence was unpredictable, Vaughn’s lack of preparation was not, and the Irish left him on an island to suffer. As Clemson kept scoring, Lea’s unit kept unraveling; when sophomore running back Travis Etienne made the most of a questionable decision by the usuallydependable senior linebacker Te’von Coney, who bit on a read option with no safety help up the middle, the game was done and dusted.

Brian Kelly was right to insist in his postgame press conference that Irish can blame their coaching and preparation. While fans may say the calls didn’t fall Notre Dame’s way, Notre Dame was out-coached on both sides of the ball. And while Lawrence, Ross, Etienne and company may be an explosive bunch, after multiple top-10 recruiting classes under Kelly, the Irish can’t say they don’t have the talent to match up with the big boys anymore.

But, after another meltdown, it’s plausible to ask what more can the program do? Kelly has blamed himself before, but with what to show for it? When will the excuses be insurmountable?

For all the positives the Irish can take from this year’s run, the ending offers more questions than answers.

Because at the end of the day Notre Dame was supposed to have figured it out by now.

Instead — just like that bald eagle — it only looked dazed and confused.

Contact Tobias Hoonhout at thoonhou@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.