I'm curious to see what Charlie has cooked up for us this season. Everybody is betting the farm that Notre Dame will have a lousy season and the Irish haters are coming out of the woodwork left and right with dire predictions of imminent doom...which they relish. I'm not so sure that it will go down like that... Certainly the schedule is off the chart. The locals here at UCLA are calling this their best team in decades and they're griping about being ranked as "low" as 14th. Bruin players are talking NC and with 20 returning starters they may have a chance. They have the Irish at the Rose Bowl and they talk about how they have that game "circled" on their calendars... Add other road games to Penn State, Purdue and Michigan, with home games against Boston College and USC (The Greatest Team of All-Time) and you have the makings of a real disaster, and yet... When I look at the Irish depth chart, we seem stronger at every position except QB and WR. The Oline seems bigger, stronger, faster and deeper. The running backs go 5-deep instead of just Darius Walker and we have two prime-time, roadgrader fullbacks to go along with three super TEs. I think the offense will be more balanced than it was with Quinn, Samardzija and Walker... The defense is much deeper with real players than we've seen in a long time. I see that 5th-year senior Ambrose Wooden has been beaten out by Darin Walls at CB and the CBs go 3-deep. When was the last time we had depth at CB? Safeties are stacked in rows, with CW calling Bruton a "man among boys" and the other safety is Tommy Z. We've got safeties... The LBs look mobile and hostile, as do the DEs and we actually have a little depth there too. My only question about the 'D' is in the middle, at nose guard. Patrick Kuntz may be a wild man, but he wasn't highly recruited out of HS and he's backed up by a freshman. If the nose guards can hold their own, we'll be OK. If not... The weak spot of the team seems to be at kicker, but the kick returners are off the chart. George West, Armando Allen, Golden Tate, Barry Gallup and Tommy Zbikowski are as good as anyone has. If we can just kick field goals... So many question marks, but Charlie is smiling. Does he know something good? I hope so...
As usual I am eager for the season to start, I am optomistic that we'll be better than Mark May has predicted. Like everybody else I'm dying to find out who our QB will be for Ga. Tech and to see the revamped defense. The bad ole defense from last year held Ga.Tech to 10 points when they had that All World WR and a Sr 4 year starter at QB and that was on the road at their place. So at least for the Ga. Tech game I'm hopefull. I don't think we'll win them all but hopefully Charlie will give a good go for the first 6 or 7 games that everybody predicts an 0-fer. I do think this is a very important season for Charlie, the media is just dying for him to have a bad season so they can start wondering why Willingham was fired after his 3rd year and Charlie wasn't. Also a better than expected year will solidify out recruiting which is currently ranked #1. Terry
I see the Irish winning 7 or 8 games. The key for me is the defense. They have to make more big plays for ND to stay in games. I don't think the Irish can win those high scoring games we've become accustomed to the last few years. PJ in Jersey GO IRISH
Defense is certainly going be important but the number one key to me is the kicking game. If we give our opponents great field position on Kick offs and miss too many FGs or EPs it will just suck the life out of this team. It will also cause CW to revert to his riverboat gambling style which can turn a close game into a runaway.... quickly.
Irish <r>JO'Co,<br/> <br/> I'm really not sure of what to expect from the team this year. Obviously, we will no more after Sat for sure. I'm hopeful they can win at leat 8 but they will need to play without making mistakes especially in the first few games until they get they get a little experience under them. As all the REAL Irish fans know we are really lacking in numbers and leadership out of our SR and JR classes. (Thank You Tyrone Willingham) <br/> <br/> The two key issues to me are <br/> <br/> 1. How will the defense perform<br/> 2. Who will be the new QB and how will HE perform<br/> <br/> One of these MUST be a positive or we are in for some long games during the first 8. <br/> <br/> As of right now I am convinced that D. Jones will be the starter for the game on Sat. <br/> <br/> I'm just hopeful that Corwin B. turns out to as good a coach as recruiter and that they can keep the current recruiting class intact and hopefully add a few more choice recruits. A winning season this year is the final piece ND needs to really be on their way back to glory and will almost insure another good recruiting class for next year. With 3 or 4 good recruiting classes under his belt, CW should be able to not only beat the teams he should beat(which he has) but eliminate being blown out and beat on a consistent basis, the more talented teams. <br/> <br/> By the way, has anyone else looked at the film on the RB Carlton Thomas the Irish have offered. He is GREAT. He is suppose to be at the game sat also. Hopefully the Irish make a good impression on him. <E>8)</E></r>
I don't watch film, but a lot of people are pretty impressed with him. He's smallish 5'7"/175lbs, so it's unlikely he's an every down back. With the guys that we have in the program right now, Aldridge, Allen, Hughes I'm not really worried that he be an every down back. Darren Sproles (Kansas State) was a small back in size but he was very effective and so was that kid who played at UCLA. But I think both of those kids weighed at least 20lbs more than Thomas and were just as fast.
QB <r>Sid,<br/> <br/> No, no wager but I'm just convinced Jones will be the starting QB on Sat. I wouldn't be shocked if either of the three trotted out their to the huddle for the first series though. Have you heard something I haven't? <E></E></r>
I think it would be a mistake not to play Clausen this year when and if he's healthy. Weis should do what Louisville did with Brian Brohm as a freshman, they made sure he got a series in just about every game, more in the blowouts. Those last 4 games of the season would be perfect. But truthfully I hope who ever starts on Sat has a great game and doesn't give him much of an opening. Sort of a Kevin McDougal type of year. Terry
I think the future is very bright for Notre Dame. While this is probably a rebuilding year 7-8 wins is reasonable. You have a very good coach who has a long term contract and is stockpiling talent. If I were a Notre Dame fan I would be smiling.
Bill....you would think the future is bright at Duke if there were any Dukies on this board. That said....the future probably is bright for the Irish but still uncertain. I have to see ND winning elite games on a consistent basis and that includes BCS Bowls before I will agree that ND has returned to the elite. 8-4 and a bowl win...any bowl win to go 9-4 with this schedule would be a start.
Thanks for your critique MCG, however I think Notre Dame's future is bright for the reasons I stated, see if you can grasp! They have a first rate coach They are recruiting with the best They are a national team that will continue to recruit with the best
i will say this <t>I'm not worried. <br/> <br/> What I think, and what anyone else things doesn't matter. What will matter is what takes place on the field.</t>
"They are recruiting with the best They are a national team that will continue to recruit with the best" You could have been talking about Ron Zook's days at Florida with those two statements...... 8) :wink: