Blue & Gold Illustrated: Notre Dame Football And Recruiting

The BGI recruiting staff rewinds the past week in Notre Dame football recruiting and previews the official visitors slated to be on campus this weekend 

BGI basketball beat reporter Corey Bodden recaps the last few weeks of Notre Dame basketball and previews the upcoming matchup with No. 20 Clemson 

Notre Dame got major news on Monday when rising seniors Jerry Tillery and Te'von Coney announced they would be returning for their fourth and final seasons in South Bend. By coming back to school the Irish will now have ten starters returning, including Jonathan Bonner, who announced after the show was published that he to planned to return for his fifth season in 2018.

Expectations for the Irish defense next season are now sky high. Blue & Gold Illustrated senior editor Lou Somogyi and football analyst Bryan Driskell discuss what the return of Tillery and Coney means for the Irish defense not just in 2018 ... but beyond. The staff then goes over the Irish defense and projects what it will look like moving forward with Coney and Tillery in the lineup.

The offseason has brought about some major staff upheavel at Notre Dame. There isn't the volume we saw last season, but Notre Dame has lost its defensive coordinator and now offensive line coach. Blue & Gold Illustratedsenior editor Lou Somogyi and football analyst Bryan Driskell discuss the hiring of Clark Lea as the new defensive coordinator, the remaining needs on the defensive staff and the departure of line coach Harry Hiestand.

The show ends with a frank discussion of why the success of the defensive coordinator and offensive line coach are so important to the present and future of Notre Dame football.

The BGI recruiting staff discusses the latest in the world of Notre Dame recruiting. 

It has been an eventful week at Notre Dame. The Irish began it with an impressive 21-17 victory over LSU in the Citrus Bowl, but that was followed by the news that defensive coordinator Mike Elko was leaving for Texas A&M. That same day junior receiver Equanimeous St. Brown announced his plans to go to the NFL, something junior running back Josh Adams did a day later.

Blue & Gold Illustrated senior editor Lou Somogyi and football analyst Bryan Driskell discuss all of the latest happenings at Notre Dame, and it's a lot. After breaking down the LSU game and Notre Dame's pending quarterback competition, the staff discusses what Elko meant for Notre Dame in 2017, the particulars of his departure and what Notre Dame must do next. The show ends with discussion of St. Brown, Adams and the remaining players yet to make their NFL decisions.

BGI recruiting reporter David McKinney checks in from day four of U.S. Army All-American Bowl to discuss the performances of Notre Dame's five signees in attendance. 

The BGI recruiting staff talks about the first two days of practice at the 2018 US Army All-American Bowl and the performances of the five Notre Dame signees in attendance