Well it's game week, finally!! Texas OL has some injuries to 3 projected starters, I don't know if any of them will miss the game though but they might not be at full strenght. Also true freshman QB Shane Buechele is rumored not to be the starter, that Strong is going with Tyrone Swoopes because he's played well in camp and he's a senior. Shane will get his chance though is Swoopes falters. Other than the guys in limbo, the Irish appear to be pretty healthy for the game. Weather is a little iffy for the weekend, but long range forecasts don't show rain for Sunday.
How's that Texas front 7? I have a feeling that our game plan is to attack them right out of the gate.
ND <t>If this game was being played in SB I don't think I would be worried but since it's in Austin It worries me. Texas can't be anywhere near as bad as they were last year so I expect a tough game. <br/> <br/> I did notice that the weather isn't going to be as much a factor as originally thought. High of 86 degrees. <br/> <br/> Kelly seems confident he is making the right decision by not naming a starter at QB but I'd rather he just name one and get it over. Originally I was thinking Kizer but now I'm thinking Zaire would be my choice. <br/> <br/> If the D shows up in this game we should be fine. Big if.</t>
Texas Front 7 may be improved even though they lost some starters, and there is always the presence of Malik Jefferson who played very well as a true freshman last year in his first college game ever in Notre Dame Stadium. He will be a force to reckon with on the Texas defense. The rest of the guys will be better than last year that's for sure. But they are no Alabama, either.
So there the process is now underway. I seriously doubt players who are in the process of going through the court system, even on misdemeanor charges, will play until they get their case resolved.
If there's a hearing tomorrow, it's possible that the matter can be resolved at that time if the prosecutor is willing to negotiate. It may very well be that there was only one container with pot in it in the car and if all the players claim it was Redfield's the prosecutor might not have much of a case. The Justice system has a lot more important matters to resolve than this trivial case.
The reports are that those guys have been getting their usual reps and that the depth chart that was released today has them in the 2 deep. So I guess they will play. Also, Redfield, Coney and Stepherson all plead not guilty and also motions were filed for the dash cam video of the incident. For some reason White and Dexter Williams have a later date for their pre-trial hearing.
Also, for the Nevada, Mich State and Duke games, Mike Tirico will call the games while Dan Hicks does golf with the Fed Ex Cup. Also Dhani Jones a Michigan Grad will be an on the field analyst. I remember back when TW was fired, there were no bigger critics of Notre Dame than John Saunders and Mike Tirico. They assured us that we were racist bigots and that Willingham was a great coach, and they expected him to do great things out at Washington. Well we all know how that turned out. Given the full 5 years he nearly destroyed UW football. Mike Tirico and a Michigan man on the games....oh well we survived a USC guy in Pat Haden for years doing our games.
I assume that they might have a different attorney who waived today's initial hearing. Their pretrial will probably be set in Oct. like the others.
ND <t>"John Saunders and Mike Tirico. They assured us that we were racist bigots and that Willingham was a great coach". They were found OBVIOUSLY AND OVERWHELMINGLY WRONG but would they ever admit that? Hell no. <br/> <br/> Well I hope Saunders rests in peace but he was an idiot.</t>
ND <t>I listened to Kelly yesterday and was surprised that he stated ND has a policy on 1st time drug offenses that basically is an drug education program with no disciplinary action involving sitting out games etc. In the past a first time offense at ND was grounds for dismissal for an entire season. Times have changed.</t>
Hey Tim do you still have those lucky chicken bones you threw down on the side walk before the '96 game in Austin?
When Tirico isn't doing OpEd, he does a pretty good job of calling events. Life has a funny way of working out for people. I'll be interested to see if he has a change of colors, so to speak, when he calls Irish games. Cheer Cheer Mr Tirico
ND <t>Terry, <br/> <br/> No the chicken bones are long gone. LOL. You think we need some luck in this one?</t>
I'm off to Austin tonight after work. Hope to play some golf on Friday at Barton Creek and Sat out at Grey Rock Golf Club. Sunday is all Irish all day...starting with Mass by Fr. Jenkins at the Cathedral downtown in Austin. Which by the way was designed and built by ND's founder Fr. Sorin. Who it seems was some what of a real estate guy back in his day! Texas fans are fired up, should be a record crowd at DKR. I don't expect to have our way with the Longhorns like we did last year, but I do think we should win something like 31-21. It will be very interesting to see how Kelly works the 2 qb system that he says he will use vs Texas. I'm thinking he's going to start Kizer myself.