Mobile | RSS

Irish Insights

  • Notre Dame knocks off West Virginia
    MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Jack Cooley had a double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds to lead Notre Dame to a 55-51 win over West Virginia on Wednesday night.Wednesday
  • No. 2 Notre Dame women beat Orange
    SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Devereaux Peters had a season-high 21 points and grabbed 16 rebounds, Kayla McBride added 19 points and No. 2 Notre Dame beat Syracuse 74-55 on Tuesday night.Tuesday
  • Irish send 6 to combine
    Notre Dame cornerback Robert Blanton, offensive tackle Tayler Dever, linebacker Darius Fleming, receiver Michael Floyd, running back Jonas Gray and safety Harrison Smith were invited to the NFL Scouting Combine on Feb. 22-28 in Indianapolis.Tuesday
Advertisement
Last updated: August 25, 2010 1:42 p.m.

Kicking race

Tony Krausz | The Journal Gazette

Who will be Notre Dame's center and who will be the dropback outside linebacker are two of the more debated position battles as the Sept. 4 season opener against Purdue draws near.

But the Irish are also looking at a close race for who will handle the kicking duties.

Nick Tausch and David Ruffer are battling for the job, and on Tuesday, coach Brian Kelly said deciding who kicks could be the most critical decision of the preseason.

Tausch converted a program-record 14 consecutive field-goal attempts last season after missing his first. He finished 14 for 17 on field goals and made 27 of 30 extra points last season.

Ruffer, a former interhall kicker, made five field goals and notched a pair of touchbacks on kickoffs last season.

"I think we've got two good ones there," Kelly said of his kickers. "One (Ruffer) has a stronger leg than the other, and the other set a mark I think last year – Tausch, 14 in a row."

© Copyright 2012 The Journal Gazette. All rights reserved. Neither this material nor its presentation may be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The Journal Gazette's Assistant Sports Editor Tony Krausz covers The University of Notre Dame. Krausz, a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and a native of St. Louis, has been assistant sports editor since October 2005. Prior to joining the JG, he worked at two papers in Mississippi covering high school and college athletics.
Share