Media Day Observations

Quite a few national media folks at Notre Dame's media day, including people from the Los Angeles Times, CBS Sportsline, NBC Sports (Duh, I guess) and USA Today.
As expected, the topic of who will be the quarterback and what Charlie Weis is looking for came up most often during the media sessions. We wrote about Weis' process -- and the secrecy that will surround it -- for Tuesday's Journal Gazette. We also had a notes package, but here are some other things worth mentioning that didn't make it in.

• A new nickname seems to be emerging for this year's wide receivers -- "The Smurfs." Weis called David Grimes, George West and friends the moniker during his press conference. Speaking of wide receivers, receivers coach Rob Ianello said he hadn't had a competition this open since he was a tight ends coach at Wisconsin. Both of the guys competing then spent time in the NFL.
• The kicker position is wide open with sophomores Ryan Burkhart and Nate Whitaker battling with freshman Brandon Walker for the position. We spoke with punter Geoff Price -- who, unlike last year, did not speak with Indianapolis Colts punter Hunter Smith in the offseason -- and he said Burkhart and Walker were on campus during the summer, but not Whitaker. Price said both of them "had big legs."
• Ninety-eight of 100 players passed the conditioning test given Monday morning.
• Ianello, although not allowed to talk about specific recruits, said "you need to make sure the guys you got are guys you believe in and have a conviction in. Collectively as a staff, we've worked hard for that to be the case." Notre Dame currently has 19 commitments -- well ahead of the pace of the first two recruiting classes under Weis entering the fall.
• Weis also noted they've talked with some prospects -- he obviously can't name them -- about enrolling early this year. In the past two seasons, the Irish totaled six early enrollees.

Due to all the media day things, we're skipping Around the ND Universe today. It'll be back tomorrow.

-By Michael Rothstein of The Journal Gazette