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Kelly: Notre Dame ready for Michigan's Robinson
Michigan QB Denard Robinson smiles after a win. (AP / Tony Ding)
By Brian Hamilton
Facing a dynamic quarterback and offense, Notre Dame probably will be without one of its most dynamic tacklers, as safety Jamoris Slaughter likely will be available only in an emergency against Michigan.
Nevertheless, Irish coach Brian Kelly feels his defense got an adequate scout-team look and is prepared for the always befuddling read-option featuring the elusive Denard Robinson.
"You can pay attention to pursuit angles, how you're working in different levels defensively, and not have a guy who's 4.3, 4.4 (on scout team)," Kelly said after practice Thursday. "Though I will say (Barry) Gallup did a nice job running that offense for us, because you get banged around a bit running the ball as much as he dd.
"We feel like we're prepared. There won't be any excuses that we just couldn't demonstrate the great player (Robinson) is."
Here were Kelly's thoughts on Slaughter, weather and new, shiny lobby decor:
On Slaughter's status: "He moved around a little bit better (Thursday). We're going to dress
him out. My guess is right now that we'd have to have a situation of an
emergency to put him in there. I believe if he continues to improve that
we can dress him for Saturday. I don't expect him to start. Zeke (Motta) will
start in his place."
On carrying just four scholarship safeties now: "I'm good with four and (Chris) Salvi is a real solid player for us. He's on all
of our (special teams). He'll be our fifth guy and we're not afraid to put him in
the game if we have to."
On the Thursday workout: "Today is a day where we demand, especially our quarterback, to be on target with everything - every throw, every check. A lot of preparation on Thursday is to put our quarterback in that situation. At times, against Purdue, we could've handled some situations a little better. So we really tested Dayne (Crist) today, put him through a lot of different scenarios and checks and I thought he had a very good day."
On preparing for bad weather: "We try to practice a lot of those. Today we did a wet ball drill in (special teams), in particular because the snapping, punts, field goals, things of that nature. Wet ball in 7-on-7, we did that in camp. We have to play in the elements. You have to practice them. but I don't think we overcoach it. I think we have great balance in our offense and defnse that if we have to take shape differently during the game because of the elements, we'll do that. Thirteen years of being on Lake Michigan at Grand Valley State, I think I've seen every kind of weather pattern that's blown through here."
On "saving" things in an opener: "If we were playing a lesser opponent, maybe a non-BCS opponent, maybe you would have a tendency to not throw all of it out there. But when you're playing a Big Ten opponent, we threw out as much as we're capable of handling at this point. So if we were in position where we felt very comfortable running our entire offense, everything we have, we would do it. We're not there yet."
On when they'll get there: "It's just game experience. It's the quarterback seeing an overhang blitz and going, you know what, I'm changing the protection, the run to a pass, the pass to a run. From a defensive standpoint, getting into a hands check where we get an entire new coverage based on what they're doing. That's all in our experience and communication. When we get more games under our belt, we'll be able to do more of it."
On putting the national championship trophy in the football complex lobby: "I think there is a significance in the sense that the tradition here can be talked about all we want. And it can be read about. But you can also see it tangibly when you walk into this football facility now. Obviously with the national championship trophy on display, it's real when a recruit or an alumnus or a former letterwinner comes in, you can tangibly see the success of Notre Dame. It's not just what was talked about. That's the significance."
On the significance of getting a shot at Michigan: "It's more important that my team gains an identity and respect for how they're going to play the game, moreso than what my personal feelings are, playing against Michigan. If I could leave the game with our football team playing consistently - in other words, playing with the same effort, the same enthusiasm, the same discipline - if they do that against Michigan, that's all I need personally. The other stuff really does not move me to spend 70 hours a week here. But the other things do."
On how far the run game has progressed: "We have experienced backs, that's where it starts. It starts with Armando's experience as a BCS back. My last couple stops we didn't have one. My first year at Central Michigan we had a player, Jerry Seymour, that was pretty good. But we didn't have the offensive line that we have here. So what we have to do to continue to be a good running team is be more efficient in third down situations. If we decide on third down and one or two that we want to run the football, we have to be able to exert our will. That will be the next element of evaluation in our running game. Everybody knows we're going to run the ball on this down and we run it - that's the next stage for us."
On Mike Elston as defensive line and special teams coach: "If you ask our players, other than the defensive linemen, they'd say he's the special teams coach. But if you ask his D-linemen, he's the D-line coach, because of the relationship he's built. He clearly has a dual role on this football team. But I will say that we do have a staff that all of them play a significant role in the preparation of each unit. Kerry Cooks, Mike Denbrock, Tim Hinton in particular serve a very, very big role in the special teams. It is a very difficult role for Mike, but there's a lot of collaboration when it comes to (special teams). D-line, he's on his own."
On players impressing on scout team: "Daniel Smith continues to impress. Bennett Jackson lasted a couple days and we brought him up from Triple-A. Daniel Smith has been really solid for us, really like what he's doing. That's the one guy that was talked about a lot this week by our defensive coaches. They're asking him to play tight end, wide receiver, he's trying to perform a multiple-role situation. He's a guy that can help us in a lot of ways."
On the rivalry-game issue, yet again: "They know their opponent. They clearly know. And our coaches do, too. I don't think we underplay it. I think we all know we're in Michiana. Our kids understand it, our coaches do. But I don't know that we're going to do anything outlandish for it other than we've got pep rallies and things like that. I guess I want to be careful not to underplay the significance of the game. This game is more than the rivalry - it's still about identifying who we are as a football team. That's where my focus is. Maybe after I know our team really well, maybe the USC game becomes a bigger rivalry because I know our team and my eyes go towards the rivalry."
On the Michigan job while he was at Grand Valley State: "I never sat in my office dreaming, ooh, some day I could be at Michigan. I respected Michigan. I respected the coaches, coach (Lloyd) Carr and coach (Bo) Schembechler. But I don't think I ever closed my eyes one day and said, boy, I'd like to be the coach at Michigan. I just felt like I have my hands full wherever I am. And I focus on that."
On what he needs from the home crowd this weekend: "A loud stadium with a fairly young offense in Michigan - Denard Robinson is still a young player, going on the road. Just a raucous, loud, excited environment, where our crowd is really working for us. That's what we need and that's what I expect to see from our crowd."
On keeping starters as kickoff returners: "We think they're really good and we're going to play the best guys back there. When it comes to special teams, we want to be dynamic, especially in the kick return game. So the best players will be back there whether they're starters or not."
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Ex-Sox Pasqua lists his Orland Park mansion
By Bob Goldsborough
Former White Sox slugger Dan Pasqua, now a team community relations representative, has his 17-room, 9,554-square-foot mansion in Orland Park on the market for $1.595 million.
Pasqua, whose playing career ended in 1994, paid $1.44 million in 2001 to purchase the five-bedroom house.
Built in 1991, the house has 6 1/2 baths, two fireplaces, a gourmet kitchen with granite countertops and high-end appliances, a master suite with a spa bath, a great room with a hand-painted ceiling, baths in all bedrooms, a formal dining room and a finished lower level with a second kitchen.
"It's really unique in the sense that it's not your stereotypical cookie-cutter home," said listing agent Christine Wilczek of Realty Executives. "It's been completely remodeled, and it's brimming with character in every aspect, from upgraded woodwork to a gourmet kitchen to a functional floor plan to being on a gorgeous lot in a picturesque setting in the subdivision's premier location."
Pasqua had asked $1.799 million for the mansion when he first listed it in April. He previously had owned an 11-room house in Burr Ridge that he sold in late 2000 for $829,000.
Get the full story here.
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NFLPA head says he's hopeful of agreement
Tribune News Services
NEW ORLEANS -- The head of the NFL Players Association said the union would like to see a labor agreement with the league worked out quickly.
"I think the players would love to have a deal done by November," NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith said. "The game is what is most important to the players."
Smith spoke before Thursday night's NFL season opener between the Super Bowl champion Saints and the Vikings.
Smith's comments seem optimistic, given that both sides have spoken about a potential lockout next season.
"We've mentioned a lockout only because that's what the league has been preparing for since 2007," Smith said. "Our job is to prepare our players for the worst even while we hope for the best."
Smith met with Saints players on Monday. He said the purpose was to fill them on where the negotiations stood.
Smith described his relationship with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who was also in New Orleans, as excellent, saying both he and Goodell wanted the best for the players.
Smith dodged most questions, saying he wanted to concentrate on the game and the association's partnership with "School of the Legends," an online football training course.
"First and foremost today is about the kickoff of the season," Smith said.
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Blackhawks sign forward Potulny
Oilers' Ryan Potulny checks Sharks' Dany Heatley. (Larry Wong / Edmonton Journal)
By Chris Kuc
The Blackhawks have signed forward Ryan Potulny to a one-year, $500,000 contract.
The 26-year-old had 15 goals and 17 assists with the Edmonton Oilers last season. Potulny was a third-round pick (87th overall) in the 2003 NHL entry draft by the Philadelphia Flyers and has 22 goals, 27 assists and 54 penalty minutes in 116 career games.
The Grand Forks, N.D., native plays center and inked a two-way contract, meaning he will play for Rockford of the American Hockey League if he doesn't make the Hawks' roster out of training camp.
Potulny could battle Jake Dowell, among others, to be the center on the Hawks' fourth line.
Prior to turning pro, Potulny spent parts of three seasons at the University of Minnesota (WCHA) from 2003 to 2006, collecting 118 points (68G, 50A) in 100 games. He was a finalist for the 2006 Hobey Baker Award.
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Ex-Bear Vasher works out for Lions
By Brad Biggs
Former Bears cornerback Nathan Vasher had a tryout Thursday with the Detroit Lions, according to an NFL source.
Vasher was one of the final cuts by the San Diego Chargers, who elected to go with younger players that could help on special teams.
The Lions returned one member of their secondary from last season, safety Louis Delmas. Detroit is very thin at cornerback and Vasher could help them.
The Lions' projected starting cornerbacks for Sunday's game at Soldier
Field are Chris Houston and Jonathan Wade, a St. Louis Rams castoff. The
position is the biggest question mark for the organization.
Because Vashser is a vested veteran the Lions may wait until next week
to sign him. If Vasher were to sign before Sunday's game, his salary for
the 2010 season would be guaranteed.
It's not known what the team's level of interest is.
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