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Old 09-19-2007, 07:55 PM
deacsoft deacsoft is offline
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Default The state of Notre Dame football.

Let me begin by saying I'm a huge Notre Dame fan. I go to games and the ones I don't go to I watch every play of on TV. I knew going in to this year that things were going to be tough. However, I didn't imagine things would be this bad. The following are my thoughts on where things stand and where things are going.

Offense:
3 returning starters- They lost a ton of talent... the best QB in college football, two very good receivers, a very solid college running back, and three dependable lineman. That's a lot for any team to get past. Of those lost starters, the decision of Darrius Walker to go pro was a terrible one. Then again, maybe he saw something many of us didn't. So that's what they lost. How about what they have?

Offensive line: The lone returning starters are John Sullivan (a 5th year senior center that is solid) and Sam Young (a monster left tackle that started as a true freshman last year). The rest of the offensive line is horrible and consists of 2 juniors and 1 sophomore. As a unit the offensive line is disgustingly horrid. Notre Dame can't run or pass protect. This, without doubt, is the main reason for their offensive woes. With every guy on the line 6'4" or bigger and all but one weighing in at over 300 lbs the fact that they can't block anyone is a tragedy. All but Sullivan will be back next year so one can only hope they will learn how to block at some point in time.

Receivers: The possible bright spot is all-american candidate John Carlson (a very good college tight end that will play on Sundays next year). The remaining receivers are undersized (both starters are 5'10" on a tall day), and under-talented. Their ability to get open, on rare occasions when time to throw has been provided, has been inept at best. Outside of Carlson, all are underclassman and could be back next year.

Running backs: Who knows? There is youth in fullback Schwapp and halfbacks Aldridge and Allen. But just how talented they are we won't know until the offensive line provides some blocking.

Quarterback: Clausen will be fine. Chances are good that he'll be beat up this year, but again until the offensive line gives him time and the receivers can get open he won't have much of a chance to showcase his #1 high school prospect potential. This year he'll be on the run and will go through the typical struggles of a starting true freshman QB. The future, in this case, is very bright for Clausen and the Notre Dame offense. The departure of Demetrius Jones (week 1 starter) will only be a factor if Clausen and Sharpley are injured. Jones was a WR in the making anyway. Good, quick feet but couldn't throw a football to save his life (see: Carlyle Holiday).

Offensive side note: There are only 4 seniors (and 7 juniors) on the entire offensive depth chart for Notre Dame. Look for ND to spend this season going through growing pains and bust out in a year or two.


Defense: They can't tackle. That will be a problem if they can't get it fixed. Someone must have told them that diving at ankles is the correct way to tackle. Last time I checked it was not. They are undersized and lack talent. They are more experienced than the offense with 9 seniors on the depth chart (7 starters) but with Notre Dame's achilles heel being it's defense the past couple years having these guys back doesn't appear to be such a great thing. Top 10 CB prospect Gary Gray was injured and will miss this season and that certainly doesn't help the secondary. Look for DE Tervor Laws and LB Maurice Crum Jr. to be the only bright spots in the ND defense this year. Laws will surely be playing on Sundays next year but more likely as a DT. With 16 freshman and sophomores on the depth chart the future could be brighter but their lack of size and speed will continue to be a factor.

Special Teams: Zbikowski will have to try to carry the load returning punts. That is if the defense can tackle anyone. We've all seen his ability as a punt returner and hopefully can at least get ND's offense in decent field position. Then when they turn it over the opposing offense will have to work for it or when they go 3 and out the standard of dismal place kicking set in years past may have a 20% chance of putting 3 on the score board. Punter Geoff Price is excellent, but he's a punter so who cares? I'd rather not have to see him on the field and watch the offense score touchdowns.

Coaching: Oh Charlie! I love ya, but what are you doing? Three different QBs playing a significant amount of time and three different offenses in three weeks. I can only hope you're trying to find a shoe that fits, but isn't that what all the time leading up to week 1 is for? He turned Brady Quinn and Jeff Samardzija into all-americans, but isn't anyone next? At some point in time coaching needs to take the blame. An offensive line that can't block and a defense that can't tackle looks like poor coaching to me. Get it together man. For those of you who think Weis' seat is hot... forget about it. He'll be at ND for years to come. I have complete faith he'll turn it around.

Overall prognosis: ND stinks. They have played a tough schedule with more to come. However, they do have Air Force, Navy and Duke as winnable games and UCLA, Stanford, and Boston College as possible wins if they can get it going by then. I look for 4 wins this year and a bright future for this team. This is a rebuilding year. How well Charlie can recruit and reload will be a big factor in future success and the way things are going right now recruiting this year may not be so easy. However, they do have verbal commitments from from some top players already which include some much needed speed on defense.

Go Irish!
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  #2  
Old 09-19-2007, 08:03 PM
J.A.Sucker J.A.Sucker is offline
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Default Re: The state of Notre Dame football.

The State of ND football = West Virgina.
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  #3  
Old 09-19-2007, 09:21 PM
damaniac damaniac is offline
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Default Re: The state of Notre Dame football.

Weis will probably be around, that is true. Sans recruiting (helped no doubt by the lengthy fellatio by the national media that is thankfully ending now), how are Charlie and Ty different? I realize strong recruiting classes vs. weak classes really color the future, but when you realize that he's taken a team that should be mediocre/weak and instead is among the worst in DIA. They may well have the worst offense in the past...decade?...in major college football. I mean, we (Michigan) shut them down...and we are NOT good.

I genuinely want to know how this season can be explained away to leave Weis' reputation in tact.
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  #4  
Old 09-20-2007, 04:02 PM
DVaut1 DVaut1 is offline
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Default Re: The state of Notre Dame football.

[ QUOTE ]
I genuinely want to know how this season can be explained away to leave Weis' reputation in tact.

[/ QUOTE ]

Obviously ND fans will hand-wave away this season and blame "Ty's recruits".

ND fan nation logic:

- Season goes well with Ty's recruits? Make a BCS bowl with Ty's recruits, guys like Quinn, Samardzijxjipja, McKnight, Stovall, Carlson, Fasano, Walker? --> all credit goes to Charlie's coaching acumen.
- Season going terribly? Have the 119th ranked offense in the nation, despite the fact your current coach is an ostensible offensive "genius"? --> all blame on Ty and his terrible recruiting classes ranked in the 30s and 40s by national publications and ranking services. As someone in another thread noted, when you add together a couple of recruiting classes ranked in the 30s and 40s nationally and mix it together with one of the greatest offensive minds of all time, you somehow get the 119th ranked offense in the nation. Does this cause ND fans to bat an eye? Nope; this is rebuilding year, so once Ty's Guys are purged, Charlie can finally get down to winning national championships every year. Despite the fact he hasn't been there in three years, Ty is obviously at fault when Notre Dame players fail at basic football competency things like "snapping the football" and "blocking defenders".

It went the same way last season too. Before various big games ND was about to play, various posters here, on ND boards and blogs claimed in unison: "Charlie will have the troops ready to play! He'll have an NFL gameplan ready that college teams won't be able to defend." After getting blown out in said games, that narrative was unsurprisingly: "Ty's recruits let Charlie down." Charlie is one of those special coaches who will always have the troops ready to play... until they lose, in which case they were doomed from the start due to Ty's uncoachable recruits.

When you read this:

Ty Willingham Fact Sheet

...it's hilarious how many of these arguments for firing Willingham apply aptly to Weis. But in ND's fans minds, this is completely meaningless. Getting blown out 5 games in a row just means that "Returning to Glory" will have to wait a couple of more years. Weis will get the troops ready by 2011, no worries.

It's going to be comical watching ND fans strain for excuses once the last vestiges of Willingham's classes are gone, and Weis's signature accomplishments still only include a narrow loss to USC at home, beating a 7-5 Michigan team, and winning the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy numerous times.
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  #5  
Old 09-20-2007, 04:11 PM
Caldarooni Caldarooni is offline
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Default Re: The state of Notre Dame football.

WTF? Do you really believe Quinn is better than Russell?
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  #6  
Old 09-20-2007, 04:20 PM
esad esad is offline
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Default Re: The state of Notre Dame football.

[ QUOTE ]
They lost a ton of talent... the best QB in college football

[/ QUOTE ]

I stopped reading there.

PS: I hope ND is consumed in a grease fire.
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  #7  
Old 09-20-2007, 05:04 PM
b donka b donka is offline
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Default Re: The state of Notre Dame football.

Not sure about the purpose of your post.

All the top teams lose players - to the pros, to injury, to graduation. USC and all the other top schools simply reload. USC lost 15 starters a few years ago and reloaded w/ Leinart, Bush, White, Steve Smith, Dale Jarrett, Lofa Tatupu, Mike Patterson, etc.

Weis should have used a brain cell and played his younger players more. Let's take an honest assessment - how many of Weis' recruits are significantly better than when they arrived in South Bend? Doesn't seem like many.

Here's a pretty intersting article that hits the nail on the head about Weis ... he took all the credit for ND's previous victories and he's been masterful about dodging critcism on all of the big-game losses.
http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/7243060

As an aside, love the fact that Jimmy Clausen was held back twice. Didn't start kindergarden until he was 6 then he repeated the sixth grade. Sounds like a winner.
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  #8  
Old 09-20-2007, 05:14 PM
ThaSaltCracka ThaSaltCracka is offline
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Default Re: The state of Notre Dame football.

ND's biggest problem is a lack of consistentcy, program wide. Too many coaching changes the past 8 years for a major program. Recruting classes that fluctuate. Add all this inconsistency together with a really hard schedule, and what do people expect.

If ND wants to regain its past glory, they have to roll with Weis for a few years.
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  #9  
Old 09-20-2007, 05:14 PM
stormstarter28 stormstarter28 is offline
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Default Re: The state of Notre Dame football.

Yeah, I'm seeing no point to your post. You seem to defend them by saying, "well, all they're best players are gone", but then, you just say they suck.

BTW, LOVE the fact that you think they can beat Boston College/UCLA. Awesome.
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  #10  
Old 09-20-2007, 05:14 PM
b donka b donka is offline
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Default Re: The state of Notre Dame football.

Agree w/ the original point on the coaching. Weis is only one piece of the equation, but it doesn't look like the program is developing it's players. The guys look totally lost and undisciplined.

In watching USC, the coaching is apparent. The players are very disciplined. In last week's game against Nebraska, there were several runs/catches, where the DB/linebacker/safety allowed the runner to get a few extra yards, but they prevented the runner from hitting the sideline and possibly taking it to the house.

BTW, Weis didn't make Quinn a pro. The kid was a great recruit coming out of high school and was probably going to make the league under Willingham. Weis helped his development (for which he took 100% of the credit); Weis' influence/resume guaranteed this kid would get into the first round.
ND also had a lot of great recruits - imo, the biggest problem is that players aren't getting better once they get to campus.
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