Paul Hornung, ND’ original “golden boy”, is the namesake for college football’s newest honor: “most versatile player” (a player that can help their team the most in a large variety of ways).

Hornung is one of college football’s all-time greats (think the original Rocket Ismail, plus he could throw, and play defense), the only player special enough to win the Heisman on a losing team, so his name belongs right up there with the Biletnikoffs and Nagurskis.

However, he might have even more fame for the statement “ND must lower admissions to get the black athlete and win”. Technically, he may be right on lowering admissions, he just made the mistake of using the qualifying term “black”. (That’s what we call racial profiling.)

So, occasionally in his honor, the Blarney will bring you Hornung’s Words of Wisdom, or technically true statements that are worded wrong, or perhaps show some type of prejudice/political incorrectness.

Paul Hornung’s Words of Wisdom For 9-30-11:

“I typically don’t root for any SEC team, but, this Saturday I will be rooting for the Gators against Alabama. First, Florida is currently the lesser of two evils. Also, I will be rooting for former ND coach Charlie Weis (whom I like, and think is a great coordinator) to make a Nick Saban (whom I really don’t like, and think is a great head coach) defense look bad. So bad that former Alabama and New York Jet star Joe Namath might even drunkenly hit on it.”

The Irish didn’t thrive in September (most thought a 3-1 record, positioning the team toward a BCS run), but they survived (2-2, and honestly, just a hot streak away from a BCS run), and that will suffice. But, the team must continue to grow (as the best teams so), and a thrashing of Purdue to start October could be the springboard they need after showing a mental toughness against MSU and Pitt that they have previously lacked. They need to thrash Purdue (who despite their coach’s last name, has no hope) though. And I mean in an waay over-the-top, ridiculous-even-for-an-action- movie, Jason Statham ass-kicking sense (he can f–k you up, and complete a gold medal-winning gymnastics floor routine while being completely bound to a chair).

On to some thoughts:

-Eat a bonbon, complain about ND quarterback play, and cry yourself to sleep because you feel bloated if you must, but the Irish are either sinking or swimming with Tommy Rees this season. Face it kids, arm strength is like trait #9 on the quarterback attractiveness scale these days, and Tommy has the smarts, accuracy, and quick release to get it done on the collegiate level. As Keith Arnold over at NBC noted, the word of the day when it comes to Rees is: Production. Dayne Crist has the tools, and even the quarterback GQ good looks, but the offense tends not to move for quarters at a time with him at the helm. Not the case with Tommy. He is going to have to make some seam throws, and stretch the field so defenses don’t cheat up, but he has shown an ability to fit the ball into tight spots that he couldn’t last year. Oh, and that pesky turnover thing? Don’t forget that wunderkind Jimmy Clausen threw 17 picks as a sophomore. Even when Tommy turns it over, it’s after a decent drive, where the defense has a chance to rest, and can re-take the field with ferociousness. The “D” would be much less effective with a Dayne-led offense going three and out all the time, never getting the chance to rest. The kid can have his chance to grow. And if he doesn’t, the Irish offense can explode next year with Everett Golson running the show (and the Blarney believes that Golson is the guy we are all waiting for).

-Brian Kelly is trying to build a defense. It has been noted that the Irish have only given up 6 third quarter points this season (yeah, I know, they had a rough fourth quarter against Denard Robinson). He believes that Notre Dame has always been able to get “skill” players, the trick is to build up the trenches, along with a defensive mentality and confidence. Basically, he wants to build what Nick Saban and Les Miles have. Now, that is schematic advantage, attacking the other team relentlessly, with defenders who are bigger, stronger, and faster than the guys they are playing. That is just a crazy enough vision to work. Oh, and while doing that, it is also smart to score points quickly with very tall and fast men, running down the field with abnormally large hands, whose fingers acts a vice grips that pluck the ball out of the air and away from hapless defenders.

-Finally, Purdue really sucks. That have played nobodies like Rice, and lost to nobodies like Rice. They suck like the names for the new B1G divisions. They suck like Lady Antebellum. They suck like being stuck in a conference room, trying to talk B1G commish Jim Delaney out of naming his new divisions “Legends” and “Leaders”, while his office is blasting Lady Antebellum, and he’s not listening to your pleading. If ND has serious trouble this week, Brian Kelly will deserve any and all criticism he will face.

The Blarney thought it would take as long to offer its thoughts on the Pitt game as the Irish offense took to muster together a decent offensive scoring drive against Mark May’s alma mater, but couldn’t wait until the day that Viagra became essential to a functioning sex life, so Wednesday it is.

5 Things I Think: ND vs. Pitt:

1.) Any analysis of this game, and you will hear the word “ugly”. It’s sort of like Clint Howard in that way. It’s not the performance any Irish fan wanted to see, but even the best teams struggle against lesser teams at some point during the season. Bryan Driskell at Irish Eyes gives plenty of examples. To be honest, the Blarney is fine with that. Rees got it done with the game on the line, and paraphrasing BK, “any time you escape with a road win against decent competition, it is a good thing”.

2.) Tyler Eifert is a receiving threat unlike any the Irish have had a tight end. Notre Dame had been producing pro-level tight ends forever. Old-timers will mention names like Dave Casper, but the Blarney timeline goes back to Irv Smith under Lou Holtz. The Irish just keep churning them out. Even with that, there has never been one that has been a threat in the passing game that this kid is. The catches he is making are Sportscenter level, and you just don’t see that from the tight end position in college often (maybe Kellen Winslow Jr., or Jermaine Gresham, but I can’t think of many others). Starting with Weis, the first ND coach to realize that you can throw to the tight end in quite some time, Fasano was good, Carlson took it to another level, Rudolph was even more gifted, and now, Eifert has trumped them all.

3.) Tommy Rees needs to step up against the blitz, and help the other Irish receivers win one-on-one matchups. Against Pitt, plays were there to be had, but Rees was inaccurate under pressure. Teams will do whatever it takes to shut down Floyd, but Eifert, TJ Jones, and Theo Riddick are all good enough to win matchups. Tommy just needs to give ‘em a chance. Oh, and yes, Tommy haters, Rees is going through growing pains, and is turning the ball over. But, Dayne just tried to sail a ball to the Gulf of Mexico, and the Irish offense is stuck in neutral with him. With Rees, the offense shows flashes of greatness, and has a chance to grow throughout the year. That’s why Kelly (who knows a little about football) is sticking with him.

4.) Another thought gaining momentum is, “the Irish defense has been dominant save for one quarter against Michigan”. False. The Irish defense is good, but still has too many weak links to be considered “dominant”. Notre Dame is strong up front, and very strong against the run, but weak in coverage. The “D” is not elite. It’s not like an Alabama or an LSU defense that can control a game, and shut down the best. ‘Bama gave up 14 to Arkansas last week. Arkansas would put up 40 on the Irish. LSU’s defense looks like Les Miles puts in a cheat code in on the controller before the game, and has 99 defenders to throw at an offense. Notre Dame is an improving unit, with more speed than recent memory by far (The SBT’s Eric Hansen pointed out that Irish outside linebacker Prince Shembo was the one ran down Ray Graham from behind. That is notable, because in any other year, an Irish defensive back wouldn’t even have been able to do that.), but the ‘backers still have trouble in space, and Gary Gray can be thrown on all day. Notre Dame’s defense (though no longer a unit that you hope stays off the field) isn’t there yet.

5.) Jonas Gray is a threat with the ball in his hands. Never thought that could be said. Always looking the part, Gray is now flashing the power and speed to be dangerous. Maybe he wasn’t being a liar when he hinted he could take Cierre in a forty-yard dash.