Blue & Gold Illustrated: Notre Dame Football And Recruiting

Notre Dame returns a pair of experienced and productive inside linebackers in 2018, which has raised expectations of the group. Depth, however, remains a question mark heading into fall camp. Blue & Gold Illustrated senior editor Lou Somogyi and football analyst Bryan Driskell break down the position, beginning with the standout veterans inside and finishing with the depth concerns.

Notre Dame picked up another commitment when 2019 WR T.J. Sheffield pledged to the Irish. Blue & Gold Illustrated recruiting reporter Corey Bodden and football analyst Bryan Driskell discuss what the commitment of Sheffield means for the Irish class. 

Following that discussion the staff discusses where things stand with the 2019 class. Notre Dame is close to being done, and the staff goes position by position with the latest on recruiting for the class.

The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame picked up a top wide receiver target on July 4th when Olney (Md.) Good Counsel standout Cam Hart pledged to the program. A two-way standout for Good Counsel, Hart provides the Irish staff with the speed and size it covets at the position.

Blue & Gold Illustrated football analyst Bryan Driskell discusses what Hart adds to the class, where the Irish might go from here and why numbers at the position will likely be small in 2019.

Notre Dame has finally found its quarterback in the 2019 recruiting class. Midlothian (Va.) Manchester quarterback Brendon Clark picked the Irish over Clemson, Tennessee and North Carolina. Blue & Gold Illustrated recruiting reporter David McKinney and football analyst Bryan Driskell discuss Clark's recruitment and what landing him means for the 2019 class. Driskell also breaks down what makes Clark so effective, and why programs like Notre Dame and Clemson went after him.

Talented 2020 tight end Michael Mayer of Alexandria (Ky.) Covington Catholic committed to Notre Dame on Sunday, July 2. The four-star Rivals250 tight end picked the Irish over offers from Alabama, Ohio State, Penn State and many others.

Blue & Gold Illustrated recruiting reporter Corey Bodden and football analyst Bryan Driskell discuss Mayer's recruitment, talk about the talent he brings to the 2020 class and what is next for Irish recruiting.

Notre Dame's defensive line showed progress last season, but it was a young group. Now a year older, expectations are much higher for the line. Blue & Gold Illustrated senior editor Lou Somogyi and football analyst Bryan Driskell break down the returners, discuss expectations for the talented and deep group, and discuss what this unit is capable of this season.

The show ends with the staff answering questions about the line from BGI subscribers.

The BGI recruiting staff reviews all the action from the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge and previews a few upcoming commitment announcements from Notre Dame targets in the class of 2019  

BGI recruiting reporter David McKinney is joined by David Morris of QB country and Adam Friedman of Rivals.com to review the performance of 2020 Notre Dame QB commit Drew Pyne at today's Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge

Notre Dame plays a tough schedule in 2018, and to varying degrees all the games are important. But what game is the biggest, the one that could have the biggest impact on the 2018 season. There are several major games to choose from, but Blue & Gold Illustrated senior editor Lou Somogyi and football analyst Bryan Driskell both believe one stands above the rest ... and it's not the same game.

The BGI staff debates which game is the biggest this season in the latest edition of the Irish Huddle.