Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/140522
2012 YEAR IN REVIEW A look back at the last 12 months of Notre Dame football N BY WES MORGAN otre Dame's gripping run in 2012 was saturated with emotion, vindication, hope and pride. It ended in serious embarrassment at the hands of Alabama head coach Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide on Jan. 7 in the BCS National Championship Game, triggering a bewildering and thwarting series of events in the months that followed. Truth is often stranger than fiction. The last 12 months featured some of both. From kicking off an inspiring season in their spiritual birthplace of Ireland, to the misery in Miami and the offseason twists and turns that prevented their wounds from properly healing, the Fighting Irish captivated fans and critics alike, setting up a must-see 2013. The 125th year of Notre Dame football, which began with the program outside the top 25, was certainly one that won't be forgotten anytime soon. The following is a timeline of the year that was: July 23 — Junior quarterback Tommy Rees pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of resisting law enforcement and consumption of alcohol by a minor stemming from a May 3 arrest at an off-campus party. A week later, Rees and junior linebacker Carlo Calabrese, who was charged with intimidating police, were both suspended for the season opener against Navy in Dublin. Aug. 23 — Irish head coach Brian Kelly named sophomore quarterback Everett Golson the starter just days before the team left for Ireland. Aug. 26 — Notre Dame suspended senior running back Cierre Wood, who rushed for 1,102 yards and nine touchdowns in 2011, for the first two games of the year for a violation of team rules. Sept. 1 — The Irish crushed the Midshipmen, 50-10, at Aviva Stadium, piling up 293 rushing yards without Wood. It was a signal of the potential of the Irish offense with Golson at the controls and how dominant the defense could be. As a result, Notre Dame climbed to No. 22 in the Associated Press poll. Sept. 8 — Golson's Notre Dame Stadium debut was rocky, and Purdue had the Irish on the ropes late in the fourth quarter. Kelly turned to Rees, who had started 16 games from 2010-11, in the final two minutes. After taking the field to a chorus of boos, Rees led a 55-yard game-winning drive to get back in everyone's good graces. Sept. 11 — It was learned senior linebacker Manti Te'o experienced personal tragedy when his grandmother and girlfriend passed away within a 48-hour span. Sept. 12 — With college football headed to a fourteam postseason playoff system in 2014, Notre Dame had been searching for an alliance that would provide All-American linebacker Manti Te'o was often the center of attention on and off the field in his final season at Notre Dame. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA 130 ! BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2013 FOOTBALL PREVIEW 130-133.Year In Review.indd 130 6/25/13 3:06 PM