“Are you ready for some football?” new Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly screamed out to a crowd of thousands outside Dillon for the first pep rally of a new era in Irish football history.

Kelly announced at the pep rally Friday night that the team will have a new way of entering the stadium for pre-game warm ups.

At 2:40 p.m. the team will enter Notre Dame Stadium through the student section. Not to worry, the team will still enter the field through the tunnel for the game.

Darrin Walls and Michael Floyd are the gameday captains. Floyd showed he's smarter than Golden Tate as Floyd went crowd surfing in friendly territory--the Irish student body. Not the Michigan State band which Tate did so famously last season after a touchdown.

As for Kelly, he's pumped and he thinks everything at Notre Dame is simply the best.

He screamed at the cheering fans, Notre Dame has the best band in the country, the best student body in the country, and he says most importantly, his team will be the best in the country.

Fans and students gathered for the first pep rally of the season and then the celebrations continued at two block parties.

Students, alumni, South Bend folks and families all gathered at the South Quad.

From the pep rally the party continued down the street along Eddy Street Commons. This year there are more shops and restaurants open. Plus bands and a beer garden are open on Fridays after the pep rally.

“It is just a great way to experience Eddy Street and get ready for the big game tomorrow,” said Jay Murphy from Kildare’s Irish Pub.

Both Eddy Street Commons and Downtown South Bend are hosting block parties on football weekends. They both feature bands on Friday nights for all of the home games and typically get started after the pep rally.