Aug. 7, 2018
CULVER, Indiana — The 11th-ranked Notre Dame football team returned to Oliver Field at Culver Academies Tuesday for its fifth practice of the 2018 season. The Irish conducted a 24-period workout in full pads for the first time this preseason.
Practice #5
Notre Dame opened the day with a 6:45 a.m. wake-up call for breakfast. The training room (pre-practice taping) was then besieged with players for an hour (7-8 a.m.).
Notre Dame recruiting coordinator/special teams coordinator Brian Polian rounded-up an Irish special teams unit at 8:15 a.m. for the first meeting/walk thru of the day. Polian’s crew met for about 30 minutes before the players split up into their offense/defense position meetings.
The specific position meetings lasted for an hour before Notre Dame took the field. Practice got underway right around 10:40 a.m. and lasted just over two hours.
The Irish took advantage of their first practice in pads with three periods (15 minutes total) of 11-on-11. Senior cornerback Shaun Crawford and junior defensive end Julian Okwara registered the plays of the day. Crawford exploded off a block on a swing pass and tackled Michael Young for a loss. Young, a sophomore receiver, completed the catch despite the quick impact from Crawford.
Okwara picked off a pass in a near-identical manner to his interception at North Carolina during the 2017 season. He dropped into the flat in pass coverage, lept and deflected the pass with one hand and ultimately secured the ball with the other hand.
After lunch and treatment, the Irish hopped on the busses around 3:30 p.m. ET and returned to campus. Notre Dame then moved into its residence halls, got together for training table before closing the day with special teams and offensive/defense unit meetings.
Fighting Irish Media has the highlights of day five and a one-on-one interview with Irish head coach Brian Kelly.
Culver Cuts
- Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly has started a new tradition during fall camp. He’ll pick an offensive, defensive and special teams player of the day. The player selected will have best represented the traits necessary to compete for championships.
- Junior safety Alohi Gilman, senior tight end Alizé Mack and senior safety Nick Coleman received the recognition following Monday’s fourth practice.
- Notre Dame packed up following its fifth and final practice at Culver Academies. The Irish returned to campus and will practice at LaBar Practice Complex Wednesday at 10:20 a.m. ET.
- Stay tuned to UND.com, as Fighting Irish Media will have exclusive coverage of the session.
About Culver
Located 45 minutes south of the University of Notre Dame, Culver Academies features a 1,700-acre campus nestled on the north shore of Lake Maxinkuckee. Athletic facilities include a new athletic turf field, sod practice field, indoor/outdoor tennis complex, hockey rink with two sheets of ice, rowing facility with rowing tanks, team weight room, general fitness center, swimming pool, wrestling room, indoor track, racquetball courts, and five basketball/multipurpose courts.
Culver graduates have played/are playing for the Fighting Irish in fencing, football, hockey, men’s lacrosse, rowing, and softball. Others have played/are playing in the NHL, NFL, and Major League Lacrosse, and have represented the United States in the Winter and Summer Olympics.
Notre Dame’s Knute Rockne and Culver’s Bob Peck played for the Massillon Tigers in 1917. Rockne gave the dedication speech for the Culver Recreation Building in 1924. He also gave a pep talk to Peck’s team prior to the Eagles’ game against St. John’s Military Academy, which was played at Soldier Field on Nov. 8, 1930. Rockne (ND) and Peck (Pitt) are in the College Football Hall of Fame.
“I believe that the great value of athletics lies in keeping the student body physically fit. I know of no place, with the possible exception of the United States Military Academy, where the athletic program is handled as well or where they get the results that they do at Culver.” – Knute Rockne, University of Notre Dame Football Coach, at the dedication of the Culver Recreation Building April 21, 1924
Tickets On Sale Now
For 2018 Notre Dame football single-game ticket availability, visit UND.com/BuyTickets or call 833-ND-IRISH.