Blue & Gold Illustrated: Notre Dame Football And Recruiting

BGI basketball beat writer Corey Bodden recaps Notre Dame's loss to Clemson, discusses the latest Irish bracketology and previews the upcoming matchup with Virginia Tech

In a surprising move, Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly named offensive analyst Jeff Quinn as the team's next offensive line coach. Quinn worked under Kelly from 1989 to 2009 and was an analyst at Notre Dame the last three season's. Blue & Gold Illustrated senior editor Lou Somogyi and football analyst Bryan Driskell discuss the hire. The staff gives their opinions on the hire, discuss the optics of the hire and what has to happen for this hire to work out for Notre Dame.

The show ends with a discussion of what returns on the offensive line, and the pieces that are in place for Quinn next season.

Notre Dame is poised to hire a new safeties coach, and the Blue & Gold Illustrated staff breaks it all down. Senior editor Lou Somogyi and football analyst Bryan Driskell talk about the new coach and discuss what kind of talent he inherits. Notre Dame's safety play wasn't good enough in 2017, but Driskell believes the unit will be much better in 2018, and he explains why. 

The show finishes up with the staff breaking down the four candidates who interviewed for the vacant offensive line coach position.

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

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 

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.