2008 Fighting Irish Fall Practice Review

Coming off a 2007 campaign that left much to be desired, the Irish have a lot to prove. To some extent, Fall (and Spring) practice can answer lingering questions about deficiencies the Irish failed to correct last season. However, uncertainty will inevitably remain until September 6 when the Irish face San Deigo State.

This Fall head coach Charlie Weis has issued a “Dive Right In” mentality, challenging them to bring a determined work ethic to practice. This bodes well for the Irish as it promotes good tempo, quality repetitions, and physical play. Practices have looked more intense, emotional, and fun. Weis has also issued an edict banning the team from discussing the 2007 season, another tactic aimed at getting Notre Dame off on the right foot in 2008.

The off-season saw quite a bit of change for Notre Dame with all the offensive linemen in the two deep tipping the scales at over 300 lbs. Additionally, the interior defensive linemen increased their squat to above 600 lbs and the running backs all upped their bench by 100 lbs. These measurables were off-season targets to address issues with poor physical offensive line play at the point of attack, insufficient run support from the front three on defense, and running backs frequently going down on first contact.

Many Fighting Irish fans were excited to see the impact of the freshmen. With Alabama’s recruiting class suffering from defections, academic ineligibilities, etc. Notre Dame’s incoming class of recruits is now the top in the country according to Rivals. Other than the defensive line, the Irish likely won’t need contributions from the youngsters, but some of them may be too talented to keep off the field. At other positions the freshmen will be counted on to build depth, driving competition and increasing the overall level of team play.

Notre Dame fans are also optimistic for the 2008 season, with many predicting eight or more wins. Generally speaking, the most player improvement occurs between the first and second seasons. With so many freshmen gaining valuable playing time in 2007 and a much more favorable schedule, expecting improvement isn’t unreasonable. But moving the win total from three to eight would be a significant achievement.

It should be noted that drawing meaningful conclusions from practice footage is a risky endeavor. The film typically includes relatively benign parts of practice: stretching, basic drills, etc. Additionally, many times it’s a half-full/half-empty proposition with one unit of the team looking good and casting doubt over the performance of the opposing unit. It is also typical for practice situations to create artificial advantages for certain positions. Finally, the camera angles are atrocious, not allowing much to be gleaned from the little video available.

With those disclaimers in hand, a summary of the Fighting Irish Fall practice camp and an outlook on the personnel heading into the 2008 season follows.

Offense

Quarterback

From very limited video Jimmy Clausen looks to have picked up right where he left off in the Spring. Physically, Clausen is a different player and it shows as he has considerably more zip on his passes. He also looks more comfortable in the offense suggesting his grasp of the playbook has progressed.

Sharpley is the entrenched backup behind Clausen. He should serve as a dependable second signal caller should the Irish need him. Dayne Crist is the most imposing physical specimen at the position. He has a very strong arm but his accuracy leaves quite a bit to be desired. To date, Crist doesn’t seem that comfortable in the offense as his “happy feet” indicate. If Weis’ comments are any indication Crist won’t see the field this year, redshirting and giving the third string duties to the son of former Notre Dame great Joe Montana.

Running Back

If there is one position where Notre Dame has top-to-bottom talent, it’s running back. There is size, speed, and quickness in surplus and the increased strength in the off-season should pay dividends in yards after contact. The Irish have three legitimate contenders for the starting role but will likely employ a “running back by committee” approach. Junior James Aldridge and sophomores Armando Allen and Robert Hughes head the triumvirate, with Hughes likely getting the majority of the carries.

Hughes might have lost a step in straight-line speed from a year ago but his cuts are more decisive and his power is exceptional. He can move the pile, something valuable in short yardage situations. He also has exceptional balance and agility for a back in the 240 lbs range but could benefit from running with a lower pad level. His ball skills are good, protecting the football before contact and always keeping the ball on the outside.

Aldridge is much of the same but with a little more quickness, especially in his cuts. He runs just as tough as last season and the competition at the position seems to have brought out the best in his effort. He also looks to have increased his speed in the off-season.

Allen has to be the most improved back in the mix. He is running with more authority and patience, something he desperately needed to develop after the 2007 season. Allen has showed better vision, waiting for holes to develop rather than charging ahead through the line of scrimmage, and his balance is nearly as good as Hughes. He has elite speed and quickness, rarely slowing to make a change of direction. This, coupled with good hands and increased pass protection skills, and Allen could be very dangerous in passing situations. He has run tougher this Fall than last season, but his shiftiness prevents defenders from getting a solid hit on his small frame which should help his durability.

Lost in the mix of the top three are junior Barry Gallup Jr. and freshmen Jonas Gray. Gallup seems to be an afterthought after a Spring switch from wide receiver, but he has looked very good in the Fall. He has very good cutting ability in space, rarely slowing down to change direction. While not the first choice for getting carries, Gallup could provide solid minutes if needed.

Gray has been one of the most impressive freshmen through the Fall. He is built like a truck and very explosive for 230 lbs, accelerating through the whole with tremendous power. His vision is excellent and he keeps his legs churning on contact. Some (including myself) have doubted his speed but the doubts are ill-founded.

Wide Receiver

The wide receiver position has been a mixed bag for Notre Dame under Weis. Upon arriving Weis and his staff turned relative unknowns Rhema McKnight, Jeff Samardzija, and Maurice Stovall into household names. After multiple seasons in relative obscurity, McKnight, Samardzija, and Stovall dramatically elevated their play. The receiving corps during Weis first two years broke multiple records and it looked like the future for the Irish wide receivers was bright.

Behind the trio of McKnight, Samardzija, and Stovall was nearly no experience. Only senior David Grimes logged any meaningful minutes during 2005 and 2006. Recruiting at the position was solid over Weis’ first two years but has really taken off the last two. The Irish have talent, but it remains to be seen if it will develop.

Generally speaking, all the wide receivers look better this Fall than during the 2007 season. Route running has improved and blocking down the field should create more opportunities for the offense to gain big chunks of yardage in the running game. However, most of the wide receivers still seem to have trouble getting off the line of scrimmage against press coverage. This deficiency has haunted the Irish passing game in the past and is an area that needs vast improvement going into 2008.

The known commodities in the receiver corps are sophomore Duval Kamara and Grimes. Kamara has locked up one starting receiver spot after missing some practice time in the Spring. Coming of a record setting freshman season, the 6’5” Kamara has excellent speed for his size. Improving his consistency catching the ball will be imperative to increase his production from last year.

Grimes holds the other starting spot showing good leadership in the Fall. Easily the most experienced receiver on the team, Grimes should serve as the most dependable pass catcher in 2008. His route running and hands are very good but his size may hold him back from having a very productive year. Juniors Robbie Parris and George West have been hampered by injuries but should be able to contribute admirably if needed.

Even with the optimism surrounding Grimes and Kamara, the talk of Fall camp has been Golden Tate and Michael Floyd. Despite his diminutive size, Tate proved in 2007 that he has the speed and athleticism to stretch the field. However, he had trouble transitioning from running back in high school to a complete wide receiver in his first college season. The word from practice is that Tate’s understanding of the offense and nuances of the wide receiver position have grown considerably. His ascension on the depth chart certainly seems to support this notion and could provide Notre Dame with the deep threat it needs.

Floyd has been creating his own buzz in the Fall with complete wide receiver play. He arrived on campus with the size and strength necessary to contribute immediately, and hasn’t done anything to disappoint so far. Running excellent routes, showing good strength blocking, and snagging just about everything around him, Floyd should see the field a lot in 2008.

Freshmen Deion Walker and John Goodman have also shown flashes of greatness in practice. Walker is a very fluid route runner with the ability to get yards after the catch. Goodman has shown great speed. While both need to add size and strength to consistently contribute, the future looks bright for these two freshmen.

Tight End

The tight end position has been a recruiting dream under Weis. The athleticism of the tight ends on the Irish roster is second to none. The depth chart took a blow with the knee injury of Mike Ragone as he was slated to be the starter and looked poised for a breakout year after a good showing in the Blue & Gold game. It’s a tough break for the sophomore who worked diligently in the off-season to add the size and strength needed to shore up his blocking skills.

Behind Ragone are a trio of talented, albeit inexperienced players. Juniors Will Yeatman and Luke Schmidt give the Irish flexibility. Both are solid blockers and receivers with Yeatman playing more on the line and Schmidt likely taking on a H-back role. Schmidt, in particular, looks very comfortable after moving from fullback last Spring. His blocking technique and physicality at the point of attack will prove to be valuable assets for the Irish running game.

The wildcard in the mix is freshmen Kyle Rudolph. Anointed with the starting duties by Weis, Rudolph comes to Notre Dame with much acclaim. He has great size at 6’6” and 250 lbs with a frame that can handle more weight. For his size, Rudolph possesses good speed and agility, giving him the edge over Yeatman and Schmidt in stretching the field. He also has great hands, catching the ball away from his body. The knock on Rudolph may be his blocking ability. While his technique makes up for a strength deficiency, improvement will be needed if he is to become more than just a situational player in 2008.

Offensive Line

Arguably no other unit was more maligned in 2007 than the offensive line. The word on the street is that the unit is improved. However, the little practice footage available doesn’t definitively confirm this.

As mentioned above, the offensive line added size across the entire two deep in the off-season. At times in practice they have looked slow coming off the ball, possibly an artifact of the added weight. Many of the offensive linemen have shown improved technique, staying low, engaging the defender, and keeping their feet driving. When they are able to get good hand position, they usually win the battle as their size and strength prove to be good assets. Cutting the splits down has also led to fewer untouched defenders in the backfield by minimizing space and playing to their size advantage.

Engaging the defender may be the crux of the problem for the offensive line. More speed and quickness off the ball enables an offensive lineman to more easily engage the defender. At this point the questionable speed and quickness of the offensive line may be a liability. Fortunately the running backs are good enough to make up for some deficiency in offensive line play.

As far as individual performers go, each of the starting five has his positives. Sam Young will anchor the right tackle position. Young is a very lean 6’8” and 330 lbs, coming into Fall camp in exceptional physical condition. Perhaps the top offensive tackle recruit in his class, Young has yet to live up to his potential. It has been reported that he is taking more of a leadership role, and, as the experienced veteran of the unit, this bodes well. The primary problem Young faces is balance as his height makes it difficult to stay low. At times he can over-compensate, extending his body too far from his center of gravity.

To Young’s left, manning the right guard position, will be Chris Stewart. Stewart also has good size at 6’5” and 337 lbs. He took a while to develop into his role, needing to lose weight and improve his speed, but the work has paid off as he has shown improved quickness to go with his size. Stewart really looks poised to have a very good junior campaign.

Dan Wenger will man the center position for the Irish in 2008. He played admirably in limited duty at the end of the 2007 season, replacing the injured veteran John Sullivan. Wenger has exhibited a physical, aggressive mentality in his play during the Fall, something lacking from the 2007 version of this unit.

Lining up at left guard will be Eric Olsen. Similar in stature to Wenger, Olsen also brings toughness to the Irish offensive line. He comes of the ball quicker than most of the other linemen on the roster, staying low and driving his opponent.

Perhaps the most surprising outcome of the Fall practices has been senior Michael Turkovich winning the battle for left tackle. Turkovich spent most of his time at guard in the past but won the position battle for left tackle with Paul Duncan due to improved quickness and footwork during the Fall.

Defense

Defensive Line

Most of the Irish defense appears solid heading into the 2008 campaign. The lone exception may be along the defensive line. The primary challenge for the Irish defense appears to be against the run, particularly on first down. If the Irish can force opponents into long down and distances the rest of the defensive personnel is built to pressure the quarterback and lock down receivers in man coverage.

There are few big names along the defensive front for Notre Dame where the modus operandi seems to be smaller, quicker personnel. Pat Kuntz returns after missing all of the Spring, moving outside from the interior of the defensive line. Kuntz has a work ethic that is second to none, and will contribute valuable minutes in 2008. His lack of pure athleticism, however, prevents him from being an overwhelming presence on the field.

Pressing for playing time behind Kuntz is freshman Ethan Johnson. Johnson came to Notre Dame with much fanfare and hasn’t disappointed so far. He has a very large frame with room to add weight, shows good explosiveness off the ball for his size, and has good technique for a freshman. The knock on Johnson, like all freshmen along the offensive and defensive fronts, is his strength. While he does have good size (275 lbs) and speed to contribute early, his strength will likely prevent him from playing an high number of minutes. Still, he will be looked upon to contribute depth to the defensive end position.

Justin Brown and Maurice Richardson will man the other side of the defensive line. Like Johnson, Brown has good quickness and agility, but his size may be a liability. At 277 lbs, he may struggle against larger offensive lines late in games. Richardson will no doubt be spelling Brown, trying to ease the fatigue and keep both players fresh. He seems to be settling in nicely to the defensive end position after switching from outside linebacker in the Spring. Richardson has shown excellent quickness, balance, and hand technique throughout the Fall. If he is able to increase his weight from 255 to 285+ lbs he could be an every-down contributor for the Irish.

The wildcard in the mix may be freshman Kapron Lewis-Moore. While somewhat under-sized Lewis-Moore has shown excellent athleticism in his limited time on campus and may be a promising pass rusher. With the lack size all along the defensive front, an added body to share the load will help keep a regular rotation of fresh linemen.

Coming off an All-American freshman season Ian Williams will now start at nose tackle for the Irish. The move to a full-time playing role is a change he welcomes and he certainly has the size and strength to play well. Williams continues to play low and uses good leverage. He also sheds blocks well but his recognition, at times, is slow. He will be counted on to control both A-gaps against the run, as well as provide a pass rush surge up the middle. Effectively performing both duties is a tall task for any one player and Williams may need help.

Behind Williams are junior Paddy Mullen and a promising freshman. Like Williams, Mullen has good size and strength, but lacks the athleticism of freshman Brandon Newman. Newman certainly has the physical build at 6’ and 310 lbs, giving him a low center of gravity and allowing him to play with good leverage. What he lacks in straight-line speed he makes up for in explosiveness off the ball. Most of the Fall practice footage indicates he has excellent footwork and agility for his size. Newman also seems to have the requisite strength to contribute right away, something the majority of the other freshmen lack.

Linebackers

The linebacker corps will be led by senior Maurice Crum. This Fall has been all about business for Crum, trying to lead the redemption movement from the 2007 season. A four year starter, Crum has played outside and inside linebacker in his career at Notre Dame. He has a nose for the football, good athleticism, and good speed, and should thrive as the weak inside linebacker in the 3-4 scheme if the front three can occupy blockers.

Moving from the outside linebacker position next to Crum is sophomore Brian Smith. Smith showed exceptional athleticism in his freshman season, prompting the defensive staff to move him to the interior where he is free to make more plays. He has looked excellent in the Fall and could have a great 2008 campaign. Smith has all of the physical tools to be a great linebacker: size, strength, speed, and instincts. And in assistant head coach Jon Tenuta’s aggressive, blitzing scheme, he should wreck havoc on opposing offenses.

Behind Smith and Crum the options are a little thin for the Irish. Toryan Smith was the projected starter at inside linebacker before the move by Brian Smith to the interior. With good size, Toryan Smith could be a capable force against the run, but his lack of speed has hurt him dropping into coverage in the passing game.

The outside linebacker position for Notre Dame will feature a strong/weak look with sophomore Harrison Smith occupying the strong-side linebacker position. Despite not having ideal size, Smith will serve as the defensive coordinator Corwin Brown’s answer to the spread offense. He has excellent speed and athleticism, always ending plays around the ball. Smith has adapted well to his new roll this Fall and as long as Brown doesn’t ask him to play strong against the run on the edge he should be a big asset to the Irish defense.

The weak outside linebacker position will be manned by junior John Ryan and sophomore Kerry Neal. Both will likely play down on the line of scrimmage in 4-3 looks for the Irish, with Ryan contributing more effectively against the run and Neal being the pass rush specialist. Neal showed a knack for getting after the quarterback in his freshman campaign but struggled to consistently play well against the run. Both players have looked solid in the Fall as the defensive end look of the 4-3 defense seems like a much more natural fit for Ryan than his outside linebacker position in the 3-4.

Two freshmen may enter the mix as well with Darius Fleming and Steve Filer showing promise and excellent athleticism in the Fall. In the very least these two should push the others at the same position, helping improve the play of the linebacker corps through competition as well as creating depth.

Secondary

Arguably the strongest position on the defensive side of the ball coming out of the 2007 season, the Irish secondary took a hit before the season started with the loss of projected starting cornerback Darrin Walls. Walls was easily Notre Dame’s best cover corner and his loss leaves the secondary with a lack of experience at one of the cornerback positions. There is talent waiting in the wings as this may be the most athletic group of secondary players since the Holtz era, but Walls’ backup and projected starter Raeshon McNeil will need to grow up quickly.

Manning the other corner spot is two-year starter Terrail Lambert. Lambert possesses top end speed and has developed good instincts for the position. Taking on a leadership roll in the Fall, Lambert looks to be developing into a solid senior player for the Irish. He and McNeil have the speed, quickness, and ability to be very good players for the Irish in 2008.

Behind Lambert and McNeil are four players who could see duty in Nickel and Dime packages. Sophomore Gary Gray, juniors Sergio Brown and Jashaad Gaines, and freshman Robert Blanton have all had very good Fall practices and should contribute in 2008. Brown and Gaines both possess excellent athleticism, speed, and range, and it seems that they are finally learning the nuances of the position. Gray turned heads all last season will recovering from an injury and has pressed McNeil for the starting role. Similar to McNeil, Gray is exceptionally smooth coming in and out of breaks and making plays on the ball.

Blanton has also been making a good impression on the coaching staff during the Fall, pushing to see the field. While he doesn’t have excellent speed, his long frame and agility allow him to break on the ball exceptionally well. He may be too small to hold up against the run every down but Blanton could provide some solid minutes if needed.

At the safety position the Irish have one of the most under-rated players in the country. After a great off-season senior David Bruton is poised to have an break-out performance in 2008. With exceptional power, agility, and range, Bruton is ideally suited to play center field for the Irish. Having a front seven that puts more pressure on opposing quarterbacks should also help to increase his interception production.

Filling in for the departed Tom Zbikowski is senior Kyle McCarthy. McCarthy had an excellent Spring and continued to impress in the Fall with a knack for showing up near the ball. While he doesn’t possess elite speed, McCarthy does have good size and quickness, and is a very dependable tackler. He reads the run quickly and takes excellent angles to fill gaps on the outside. If he can prove to be unsusceptible to play action the Irish may see an upgrade in play at the strong safety position.

In short, the Irish secondary has excellent athleticism and speed, making them good candidates to play tough, press-man coverage and allow the front seven to pressure opposing quarterbacks. This plays right into Tenuta’s scheme and should pay huge dividends for the defense in 2008.

Off-Season of Change: Has Charlie Weis Swung the Pendulum Too Far?

For Notre Dame football coaches, players, and fans, the 2007 season was a nightmare. The Irish limped through twelve games finishing 3-9. Improvement wasn’t apparent during any point of the season leaving little hope for the future.

Following such a poor season, something must be done to right the course of the program. After a period of self-evaluation, head coach Charlie Weis has initiated many changes from giving up play calling duties to adding size and strength along the offensive line to taking a more active role in special teams. Weis should be given credit for his admission of a poor coaching performance and willingness to change.

But has Weis over-compensated for not anticipating the problems of the 2007 season by taking drastic steps to correct these problems? The circumstances that contributed to the poor performance of 2007 will not necessarily challenge future Irish squads. Consequently, the resulting repercussions of his off-season remodeling job may negatively impact the performance of the 2008 Fighting Irish.

Anticipating the Problems of 2007

Notre Dame faced a litany of problems in 2007: a true freshman quarterback struggling through injuries, a front-loaded schedule with tough defensive teams, youth and inexperience at many skill positions, three new starters on the offensive line, a lack of leadership and talent in the upper classes, and a new defensive scheme. Many of these things acted together to intensify their negative impact. It was inevitable that a team with so many first-time, underclassmen starters would struggle.

As numerous and substantial as they were, these challenges do not add to 3-9. It is impossible to hold Weis solely responsible for the problems listed above, but he certainly did his share to contribute to the woefully inept offense the Irish fielded in 2007. Not anticipating the problems of his inexperienced roster, Weis made a series of coaching decisions that amplified Notre Dame’s weaknesses. Despite having far more talent than Navy and Air Force, Notre Dame still lost to both.

He complicated the offense by installing the spread, zone-read: consuming valuable practice time, overloading the players with information, and departing from his area of offensive expertise. He restricted contact in practice, likely fearful of the impact of injuries on the lack of depth at many positions. And he did both in the spite of a young offense struggling to find an identity and learn the playbook.

He created a lack of continuity from the revolving quarterback situation. And he refused to develop an effective running game, something extremely beneficial for the inexperienced offensive unit. These poor decisions are alarming evidence of Weis’ inability to anticipate the problems faced by the 2007 Fighting Irish football team.

It is difficult to imagine a coach with Weis’ experience not anticipating the problems of 2007, exacerbating those struggles with the decisions he made. It proves Weis is on a learning curve. The college game is different than the NFL and Weis is still understanding these differences.

Swinging the Pendulum

In response (at least partially) to the offensive struggles of 2007 Weis relinquished play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Michael Haywood. But is abandoning play-calling duties and surrendering the self-proclaimed “schematic advantage” really the answer? Weis is one of the best offensive minds in the game. Perhaps a more tempered change such as focusing on an effective running game, something imperative to consistent success in college football, would have been more advantageous.

Notre Dame’s 2007 offensive line lacked physical play at the point of attack, desperately struggled to protect the passer, and achieved only moderate success run blocking. Was it necessary to improve the physicality of the offensive line by gaining weight via an off-season training program when they were repeatedly getting beat off the ball in 2007?

The hesitant play of the inexperienced offensive line may have been due to information overload. Sacrificing speed and quickness by getting bigger and stronger might hurt the unit’s performance. Simplified blocking schemes and more full speed practice repetitions would likely solve the problem.

Was it necessary to move special teams coaching responsibilities from Brian Polian in 2006 to the whole staff in 2007 and then to Weis and Polian in 2008? Notre Dame’s special teams have not fared well in the recent past, but these drastic changes disrupt consistency.

On some level it is puzzling why Weis would make so many dramatic changes this off-season. The 2007 season was only one year of failure among many successful ones. Weis has a history of offensive success in the NFL and the 2005 and 2006 Irish offenses broke numerous passing and scoring records.

Additionally, many of the problems the Fighting Irish faced were largely out of his control and seemingly temporary. If Weis keeps recruiting at such a high level he won’t ever field a team as young as the 2007 Irish squad. If he and his staff can develop their recruits from athletes into football players, Notre Dame will enjoy more success than 2005.

Knee-Jerk Reactions?

Obviously there are lessons to be learned from the struggles of the 2007 Fighting Irish offense. Good things can and will come from Weis relinquishing play calling to offensive coordinator Michael Haywood. It is also evident from his comments that Weis’ self-evaluation has led to a better understanding of working with a young team.

But these changes seem like knee-jerk reactions to problems that should have been anticipated prior to 2007 and that won’t exist in the future. Changes in the program need to be consistent, well-scoped, and anticipatory, not flagrant and reactive. At some point a lack of continuity creates more problems than the changes solve.

Presumably Weis took the appropriate steps to determine what went wrong for the Irish in 2007. He determined where the team failed (virtually everywhere), isolated what caused these failures, and formulated a solution to each of the causes. The amount of growth and improvement shown by the Fighting Irish in 2008 and beyond will prove whether or not he swung the pendulum too far.

Can Notre Dame Get Christmas In September? Six Gifts For Irish Football

The 2007 Fighting Irish football season was arguably the worst in Notre Dame’s illustrious history.

However, many of the Irish faithful are optimistic about the 2008 season mostly due to a wealth of talented freshmen and 17 returning starters spread over both sides of the ball.

If 2007 was any indication, it takes far more than talent to win games as Notre Dame’s young and inexperienced team was plagued by inconsistency throughout the season. Without question, the Irish fielded more talent than Navy and Air Force but still lost to both.

Returning a host of starters should help, but coming off a three win season, winning seven or more games in 2008 would be a dramatic improvement.

So what will help Notre Dame field a competitive team in 2008? Some pundits have pointed to a weaker schedule that stacks-up more favorably than the gauntlet the Irish faced in 2007.

As discussed here, here, here, and here, more optimistic Irish fans (myself included) believe Notre Dame should win no fewer than 8 games in 2008. To achieve eight wins the Irish coaching staff and players should be focused on a small subset of things that can dramatically improve execution and scheme on both sides of the ball.

In other words, the Fighting Irish should be asking for their Christmas presents in September.

Offense

1. For the love of God, run the damn football.

For Notre Dame to be successful in 2008 they must commit to running the football. Simply put, a potent rushing attack is the most powerful offensive weapon in college football and the 2008 Fighting Irish are built to do it well. There is talent on the offensive line and in the backfield. Not all of it has reached its potential, but the building blocks for a productive running game reside in South Bend.

Running the football is advantageous for several reasons. There are fewer and less detrimental outcomes of a running play as opposed to passing play. It controls the clock, keeping the Irish defense off the field. It wears down opposing defenses such that 3-4 yard runs in the first half turn into 6-7 yard runs in the second half. It takes pressure off the quarterback. It is easier for the offensive line to execute, something imperative for Notre Dame’s young, rather inexperienced squad. It opens up the playbook by creating favorable down and distances and providing for effective play action. Lastly, running the football is the most proficient way to out-talent the opposition.

The Irish offensive line brings both “star power” and excellent size at each position. The projected starters (from left to right) are Paul Duncan, Mike Turkovich, Dan Wenger, Chris Stewart, and Sam Young. Reserve Eric Olsen may also get in the mix.

According to Scout these six linemen comprise an average ranking of better than 4 stars. As offensive linemen rarely achieve 5 star status, this is a pretty impressive group. Furthermore, they have good size. They average nearly 6’6” in height and 314 lbs in weight. The right side of the line in particular is 6’5”, 340 lbs (Stewart) and 6’8”, 330 lbs (Young).

In the backfield the Irish also boast size and strength. Much maligned fullback Asaph Schwapp is 6’0”, 261 lbs of pure muscle who is an excellent isolation blocker despite shortcomings in other areas of his game. Tailbacks James Aldridge and Robert Hughes are 6’0”, 222 lbs and 5’11”, 240 lbs respectively, giving the Irish plenty of power but not without surprising speed and agility. Throw incoming freshman Jonas Gray in the mix along with the speedy, more elusive Armando Allen and the Irish have a diverse and capable stable of running backs.

2. No more Chris Kuhar-Pitters.

Five Eight. Fifty-eight sacks. You almost have to try and let the defense sack you that many times, but that is how many sacks the Fighting Irish surrendered in 2007. That is more sacks than Notre Dame allowed the previous two years combined. Besides playcalling Fighting Irish fans may have lamented more over this offensive deficiency than any other.

A sack is like a penalty; it’s an insurmountable setback that kills an offensive possession. And this is especially true for a young and inexperienced team for two reasons.

First, it limits the play calling to plays-usually passes-that can overcome long down and distance situations. This, in turn, allows the defense to aggressively rush the quarterback, exacerbating the very problem that caused the situation to begin with.

Second, young and inexperienced offenses are naturally prone to inconsistent execution. Many offensive drives in 2007 stalled for the Irish because of one small mistake: a single zero-to-negative yardage play, a false start, a missed blocking assignment, etc.

These types of inconsistencies are more or less expected for a young team and, at times, will cause problems moving the ball. In other words, stringing together a series of plays with good execution and few mistakes is a significant challenge for a young team. But adding 58 sacks to the mix is absolutely devastating.

Blue-Gray Sky did a great analysis of the problems the Irish offense had in 2007 when trying to protect their quarterbacks. By and large the problem was a combination of poor quarterback and offensive line play. However, some blame should also be placed on the receivers since they didn’t get good separation against many opponents.

While quarterback Jimmy Clausen and the four returning starters on the offensive line have more experience, they aren’t by any means veterans and cannot afford to put themselves in long down and distance situations. This is especially true with the youth the Irish have at the skill positions.

Obviously a productive running game reduces the number of opportunities for sacks but Clausen must improve his internal clock, be quicker and more decisive when distributing the ball, and learn to move forward-rather than laterally-in the pocket.

Likewise, the offensive line must work better and more cohesively as a unit to prevent miscommunications and break-downs in assignments. Fortunately, these areas of play can be improved with more practice repetitions.

3. Get started on the right (read touchdown) foot.

In 2005 head coach Charlie Weis’ offense scored a touchdown on the opening drive an overwhelming majority of the time. This was instrumental to the success of the offense as it established confidence, set the tempo of the game, put the opposing defense on its heels, and gave the Irish defense some latitude to work with.

In 2007 the Irish offense rarely scored at all, let alone on the opening drive.

If the Irish offense can work to duplicate the opening drive results of the 2005 team, it will go a long way to helping win football games. Weis is notorious for always receiving the ball in the first half. When you score touchdowns a large percentage of the time this is an effective strategy.

But suffering a three-and-out on the opening drive is a momentum killer, and many times gives the ball back to the opposing offense with good field position. Weis and offensive coordinator Mike Haywood must work diligently to strike first and put seven points on the board. A field goal or shift in field position is good, but scoring a touchdown on the opening drive would help the confidence and swagger of a young and highly criticized offensive unit.

Defense

1. First (down) and foremost, stop the run; where there’s long down and distances, there’s hope.

Notre Dame’s defense is built to pressure opposing quarterbacks and play tight, man coverage. The secondary is talented, athletic, and rangy; ditto for the outside linebackers. And there’s no one better in college football at applying pressure on a quarterback than Jon Tenuta (more on this later).

All this is for naught, however, if the Irish can’t consistently stop teams from effectively running the ball on first down. Notre Dame has the defensive backfield to be tough against the pass. If the Irish can stop the run on first down they put themselves in great position to utilize the strength of their defense by forcing opposing offenses into long down and distance situations. From a defensive standpoint, long down and distance situations are like being able to run the ball effectively. It opens up the playbook and allows the defense to take risks.

But the Irish surrendered more than 185 yards per game on the ground in 2007 and lost their best defensive lineman and team MVP Trevor Laws to the draft.

To the credit of the defense, they were often on the field much longer than their offensive counterpart, but the Irish must become more stingy against the run, particularly on first down. This has to be the No. 1 concern for defensive coordinator Corwin Brown going into the 2008 season.

The Irish return three defensive linemen with significant playing time in Justin Brown, Pat Kuntz, and Ian Williams. All three are capable players if not asked to carry too much load, but none are game changers.

Brown is quick off the ball but is under-sized and will wear down against bigger, stronger offensive lines. Kuntz is a workaholic who never takes off a down but he lacks strength and athleticism. Williams is coming off a Freshman All-American season but still has trouble shedding blocks.

Behind these three are two outside linebacker turned defensive ends in John Ryan and Maurice Richardson. While Richardson is extremely quick and athletic, both he and Ryan lack ideal size for a defensive end in the 3-4.

There is no other position that freshmen will be counted on more than on the defensive line. The shortcomings of the Irish defensive line can be masked via a platoon system, playing multiple players at each position. The defensive linemen don’t have to make plays, per se, but they need to tie up the offensive lineman and let the linebackers run. Freshmen Ethan Johnson, Brandon Newman, Haffis Williams, and/or Sean Cwynar will be needed to provide quality minutes along the defensive front.

2. Be aggressive, B-E-Aggressive.

As history has proven, offensive and defensive schemes come and go. Currently the en vogue offense is the Spread. Like the Run-and-Shoot and West Coast offenses before it, the Spread first and foremost aims to make defenses defend the field both laterally and vertically.

While the West Coast and Run-and-Shoot offenses accomplished this mostly through play design and scheme, the Spread achieves this primarily through the use of personnel, frequently employing four and five wide receivers to get more speed on the field. This dictates the tempo of the game and allows the offense to impose their will, forcing the defense to read and react rather than attack. Once an offense accomplishes this, the defense is at a distinct disadvantage.

Consequently, defenses have evolved to use five (nickel) and six (dime) defensive back packages as well as base defenses like the 3-4 and 3-5 that get more athletic and quicker players on the field.

Schematically, these defensive adjustments correct the personnel mismatches that existed between the Spread and defenses like the 5-2 and, to a lesser extent, the 4-3. But the reading and reacting disadvantage still remains.

Enter Jon Tenuta. Weis and Brown need to learn from Tenuta and employ his style of aggressive defense that turns reading and reacting into creating chaos for opposing offenses.

Tenuta believes in “never allowing a quarterback to set his feet,” “getting downhill,” “playing on the opposite side of the line of scrimmage,” and “blitzing 80% of the time.” And in this day and age of offensive philosophy, his style of play is a welcomed commodity. His defenses at Georgia Tech were excellent, only surrendering a shade over 300 yards per game with players far less talented than those currently on the Irish roster.

Add to this the fact that there are far more “looks” and blitz packages in the 3-4 than the 4-3, and Brown’s base defense should meld nicely with what Tenuta brings to the table.

Weis and Brown need to turn Tenuta loose and let the Notre Dame defense, rather than opposing offenses, dictate the tempo of the game. They need to use the athletes they have at the linebacker position like Toryan Smith, Brian Smith, Kerry Neal, Steve Filer, Maurice Crum, and Darius Fleming to confuse, frustrate, and pressure the opposing quarterback. They need to let the defense fly around and create chaos. They need to let the front seven move, shift, and stunt because the secondary is good enough to cover for them. And they need to do it early and often.

3. Open the tackle-box.

It seems like forever since a Notre Dame defense tackled well and 2007 was no exception. Defenders frequently took poor pursuit angles, didn’t wrap up, and weren’t physical at the point of attack, particularly at the linebacker position.

This must change and the responsibility for this change rests squarely on the shoulders of the defensive coaching staff.

Granted, Brown and company were restricted last year by practices that didn’t allow contact, but good tackling fundamentals can be taught in drills as well. Regardless, the Fighting Irish cannot suffer through another season giving up significant amounts of yards after contact and/or whiffing in the open field.

The talent and athleticism is there at the linebacker position and in the secondary. The coaching staff needs to take that those talented athletes and turn them into football players.

Summary

If Weis and his staff can provide leadership, elevate the sense of urgency and physicality in the team’s play, and accomplish the six items above, the Fighting Irish should be competitive in 2008 and could win as many as nine games. The level to which they succeed in accomplishing this will go a long way in determining the current coaching staff's future with the Notre Dame football program.

For many reasons the 2008 season is a crossroads for Coach Weis and his staff. The Willingham recruiting excuses-as many and as valid as they were-are nearly exhausted and certainly don’t add up to 3-9. Only Weis and his staff are to blame for any remaining personnel deficiencies. The schedule is much more manageable than in the recent past, the team is young, but not entirely inexperienced, and the roster is loaded with talent.

To some, the crux of the problem for Weis is player development and motivation. The 2008 season for the Fighting Irish will be a good litmus test to this end.

Interviewing With The Guys At Pigskin Podcast

The guys at Pigskin Podcast interviewed me again during their 2008 college football season preview to talk about the upcoming Fighting Irish football season. You can check out the interview here or search for the keyword PIGSKIN on iTunes. The interview starts about eleven minutes in.

Fighting Irish 2008 Season Predictions Results

Thanks to those of you who participated in the 2008 season predictions. There was more participation this year than last (link here), albeit still not as much as I would have liked. I have included the results below.

Similar to last year the predictions look optimistic with greater than 60% of those who participated in the poll believing the Irish will win at least eight games. Even with a much weaker schedule (as discussed here) improving the win total by five games will be a tall task for the Irish. For the statistics' fans out there the average number of predicted wins was 8.5 with a standard deviation of 1.7.

As shown below, 8-4 and 9-3 were the most popular choices for the 2008 Irish record with 10-2 falling closely behind. But a few folks believe the Irish will fair similarly to 2007-despite a seemingly easier schedule-with two people predicting a 4-8 and 5-7 record. Overall, however, the consensus is that Notre Dame will win between 8 and 10 games in 2008.

There seems to be relatively little dispute on what games the Irish win and lose. As shown below, 100% of those polled believe the Irish will beat San Diego State, Stanford, Navy, and Syracuse. Additionally, 92% of those polled believe the Irish will lose to USC while 83% believe Michigan State will beat the Irish. Only games against North Carolina, Pittsburgh, and Boston College seem to be in doubt.

Charlie Weis: Offensive Genius or Overrated Playcaller

After a 3-9 season that saw the Fighting Irish plummet to the bottom of the national rankings in every meaningful offensive category the question on many minds is whether head coach Charlie Weis' reputation as an excellent playcaller and offensive genius is fake or founded.

Weis built a reputation for being one of the most innovative offensive minds in the NFL while working under Bill Belichick in the New England Patriot organization. Not only did he develop an excellent offensive playbook, he was also one of the better playcallers in the NFL due to his meticulous preparation and uncanny ability to adjust his offensive strategy during the game.

To be certain, this was one of the reasons Notre Dame found Weis to be such an attractive hire. After two seasons of what many considered to be an under-performing offense under then head coach Tyrone Willingham and offensive coordinator Bill Diedrick, athletic director Kevin White hired someone to bring life to a woefully ineffective and inefficient Irish offense. With his offensive prowess and NFL pedigree, Weis seemed like a good fit at his alma mater, albeit not many peoples' first choice for the job.

Weis hit the ground running in his first season at Notre Dame taking Brady Quinn from relative unknown to household name. His reputation for excellent quarterback tutelage proved true as Quinn orchestrated the offense to multiple record-breaking performances. Had a few things broken a little differently for the Irish they may have had a shot to play for the 2005 National Championship. But after the 2005 season things seemed to turn for the worse.

The 2006 version of Weis' offense seemed to regress. It struggled against more talented defenses, not being able to protect the passer or gain separation against more physical and athletic secondaries. With virtually the same offensive personnel this was puzzling. While there was a little less depth and some more youth at a few offensive positions the expectations going into the 2006 season were high, leading many to question if defensive coordinators had adjusted to Weis' playcalling and strategy.

A closer look at the defenses the Irish faced in 2005 and 2006 sheds a bit of light in the situation. In 2005 the Irish offense faced no great defenses and only two decent defenses when they played Michigan and Ohio State, scoring only 17 and 20 points respectively. In 2006, however, the Irish faced two decent (Michigan and Georgia Tech) and two very good defenses (USC and LSU). Against these teams they struggled to protect the passer and get receivers open.

Enter the 2007 season when the Fighting Irish offense simply imploded. As discussed here Weis made a bad problem worse by taking an extremely young team and installing a completely new offense. Not only did this move away from the strength of the team-it's under-used running attack-it also confused many young players thrust into first-time starting roles. In particular, the way Weis handled the quarterback situation was suspect, with two of the four quarterbacks vying for playing time subsequently transferring to other schools. The Irish looked incapable of blocking, throwing, and catching for the overwhelming majority of the season. This display of offensive ineptitude led many to question the "offensive genius" handle so oft attached to Weis' name.

One poor season of offensive production does not undo the contribution Weis made to the Irish offense in his first two seasons at Notre Dame, nor many others in the NFL. While the Fighting Irish offensive production in 2006-especially against Michigan, Georgia Tech, USC, and LSU-didn't meet expectations, those expectations would never have been so high if it were for the performance of Brady Quinn et. al. in 2005. In summary, the tougher slate of defensive teams in 2006 and raised expectations from 2005 hurt the perceived performance of the 2006 Irish offense.

But even the most ardent optimist becomes a skeptic after a 3-9 record and few-to-no exciting offensive statistics. This begs the natural question(s): Is Weis' prowess as an offensive designer, playcaller, and developer of quarterback talent over-rated? Have defensive coordinators caught up to his offensive strategy and design, adjusting to better defend against his offense? Or, perhaps more appropriately, does Weis' offense and playcalling strategies translate from the NFL to the college level?

The Weis Offense

The Good

The strength of Weis' offensive playcalling, strategy, and design lies in three primary facets. First, as a playcaller Weis has an extraordinary ability to set up plays. He is frequently one or two plays ahead of opposing defensive coordinators. He waits for the perfect moment to dial up the perfect play, and this value of his playcalling abilities should not be overlooked or underestimated. Weis also adjusts his playcalling during a game as well as any other offensive coordinator. His ability to find something that will work is uncanny.

Second, Weis uses multiple formations and personnel groupings extremely effectively as the foundation of his offensive strategy. He believes in playing to the strengths of his offense and the weaknesses of opposing defenses. This sounds basic, and it is, but it is the way in which he goes about it that is exceptional. Weis uses formations and personnel groupings as well as any coach, generating the best possible matchups for his offense.

His offense creates these matchups by utilizing play and formation groupings that force the opposition to defend multiple plays from the same post-snap motion and different pre-snap formations. It isn't that his offenses run that many plays, per se, it is that he designs his offense to run the same play from multiple looks, i.e. several formations and personnel groupings. This gives his offense extreme breadth and the appearance of great depth while seemingly not increasing its complexity.

Third, Weis is meticulous in his pre-game preparation. On a week-to-week basis he dissects opposing defenses, scavenging for weaknesses and exploiting them. He has an excellent record of scripting plays, scoring on the opening drives of games a remarkable percentage of the time.

The Bad

As good as Weis can be as a playcaller, developing offensive strategy, and preparing for games there are drawbacks to his approach. As a playcaller Weis typically gets too creative when it isn’t necessary. This has often been his critics’ biggest complaint. Rather than stick with something basic and effective, he frequently tries to get cute or complicated. More often than not this backfires when something simple would have been effective. In 2007, for example, there was no reason to run the ball all the way down the field only to call a play action-pass in the red zone in hopes of catching the defense off guard and scoring.

Additionally, Weis' offenses are typically pass-first. While the play calling percentage is frequently near 50/50 run/pass, the run is not used as a "strike-first" weapon. Rather, it is used to complement the passing game and keep opposing defenses honest. Weis focuses mostly on offensive and defensive mismatches in the passing game, and over the majority of his career hasn't employed a power running game. Because his offense is pass-heavy, it needs fairly experienced football players to execute it. Precision in the passing game also requires excellent timing between the quarterback and his receivers, making practice time a commodity.

Finally, Weis’ offense relies heavily on a very high level of quarterback play. The quarterback must not only know his own assignment, he must also know the assignments of every other position. This isn’t uncommon for any offense but due to the complexities of the route adjustments, hot reads, and audibles, the quarterback is tasked with a high level of responsibility.

Fulfilling this level of responsibility requires more than a minimum abount of intelligence and specific physical tools. It requires repetition and practice. It requires the quarterback to be able to read defenses, understand the offensive play call, and then adapt to what the defense does both before and after the snap. And it requires that the quarterback perform these tasks in a very short amount of time.

Memorizing the playbook and being able to make the throws are only the beginning of a quarterback's responsibilities in Weis' offense. The most difficult task is taking the mental part of the game and translating it into the physical. The most difficult part is reacting, rather than thinking and then doing. However, since Weis has a great reputation and proven track record for developing quarterback talent this need of his offense typically isn’t a concern.

The NFL vs. College Game

Football is football. At its heart it is about blocking, running, and tackling. The things that make a good football player are nearly the same at any level. However, at different levels of the game some things are more important than others.

The NFL has parity amongst its rosters. Not only is there depth of talent, the players are far more developed than at the college level. Players are more polished upon entering (and certainly leaving) the NFL than they are in college. They are more physically mature and have a better understanding of offensive and defensive philosophies due to their previous years of playing experience. Because of this, player and talent development is far less important in the NFL than in college. This also makes it far easier to run more complicated offenses and defenses in the NFL as the players’ prior experience enables them to execute at a higher level.

One could even stipulate that success in the NFL is more predicated upon the cerebral aspects of football. NLF rosters are made of experienced, developed, and knowledgeable players. Success is largely driven by mental factors, i.e. how players are able to use their physical abilities in conjunction with the evolving mental challenges of the game.

Obviously there is no replacement for great talent, but it is less valuable in the NFL than in college. College rosters are comprised of raw, talented athletes who may or may not become complete football players. Most outperformed their peers at the high school level via sheer athletic ability rather than football acumen. Thus, in order to become more complete football players, it is important that they develop from good coaching and tutelage.

Additionally, motivating college players is enormously important. Some of the best in the business-Pete Carroll, Mack Brown, Les Miles-are very good motivators. Players are young, impressionable, and not motivated by a salary. There is a sense of team, camaraderie, and loyalty to their universities and teammates. In the NFL there is little to no affinity with the team organizations. Players are motivated more by their paycheck, and not as much by the fans, their teammates, and the cities they play for.

In college, player and coaching preparation isn’t as important as it is in the NFL largely because there isn’t as much time for it. Offenses and defenses are simplified out of necessity, with shorter practice times and less developed players not permitting anything more complicated. While coaching preparation is always important, motivating and developing players are bigger components of the recipe for success at the college level. Often times teams will simply out-talent other teams in order to win.

The three attributes of Weis’ offensive strategy, design, and playcalling discussed above are extremely valuable in the NFL. With large amounts of time spent in practice, studying film, and adapting the offensive game plan from week-to-week, having a thoroughly diverse offense gives teams a distinct advantage. It allows offenses to shift identities, so to speak, without adding or subtracting plays. It also allows offenses to attack defenses in a variety of ways. With the complexities of NFL defenses, matching flexibility on the offensive side of the ball certainly has its advantages.

In short, the NFL game is much more about the “chess match” being played by the coaching staff on the sidelines and players on the field than it is about talent, development of talent, and player motivation. It is of primary importance to create schematic advantages to give a team the opportunity to win.

Conclusion

Obviously there are many aspects of Weis’ offense that are very valuable. However, many of those aspects seemingly don’t translate from the NFL to the college level. Weis’ ability to prepare is certainly of value in the NFL but less so with the players’ time restrictions in college. His ability to set up and call plays at the perfect time, and the capability and flexibility of his offense to create mismatches in the passing game and attack defenses differently each week are all of value. But most of these attributes of his offense aren’t as valuable in college as they were in the NFL.

Motivating and developing offensive players is far more important, especially if they are expected to run a precise offense. Execution isn’t a foregone conclusion with a complicated, pass-heavy playbook. Weis' first two years at Notre Dame the offense was productive but it was with a more developed and experienced team. Additionally, it isn’t always necessary to generate a schematic advantage to get the upper hand. Sometimes working more diligently to improve a player from a talented athlete into a disciplined, fundamentally sound football player is more important. It is also more advantageous at the college level to utilize talent disparities to win.

The lack of a significant running game also severely limits the effectiveness of Weis’ offense at the college level. Running the ball is the most effective way to win games at any level. Fewer things can go wrong on a running play than a passing play. Running plays require less precision and are easier to practice, master, execute, and perfect. Running the ball controls the clock, wears down defenses, takes pressure off the quarterback, and opens up the play-action passing game. In the NFL it is difficult to generate mismatches in the running game due to the talent and athleticism of the defenses. Teams use the passing game because it opens more opportunities for success. In college this isn’t necessary.

If it takes experienced, developed, polished players for Weis’ offense to be effective then he may be in trouble. Many college players will not develop until very late in their careers, especially at certain positions. Injuries, transfers, recruiting woes, and other attrition factors make it difficult to consistently field a team that is, as a whole, very polished and experienced. Couple that with the need for a very high level of quarterback play predicated upon consistency and repetition, and it is difficult to believe Weis will be able to field a powerful offense year in and year out.

The crux of the problem Weis faces is player development. If he and his staff can consistently develop the talent he recruits he can be successful with his brand of offense. If he can achieve a high level of quarterback play without requiring his first string quarterback to take ninety percent of practice snaps-preventing any development of a backup-he can field a productive offense. But he would be better served cutting out the fringes and focusing on motivating and development. He would also be better served listening to offensive coordinator Mike Haywood about the importance of an effective rushing attack. These things will be the determining factors to the future success of the Fighting Irish offense.

Spring Forward: Notre Dame’s Blue Gold Game Recap

Coming off an abysmal 3-9 season, many Fighting Irish faithful flocked to South Bend last weekend seeking evidence of an improved Irish football team on display at the annual Blue Gold Spring game. While the Fighting Irish did show promise, it is difficult to accurately predict how the team will perform when they take the field in 2008. Many times open Spring scrimmages may show excellent results in one area, leaving doubt in an opposing area.

This year was no different. The Irish looked good running the ball, averaging nearly four yards per carry when sacks were subtracted. However, it was difficult to determine whether or not this was due to improved offensive line play or a lack of talent and poor play along the defensive line. Similarly, the wide receivers gained little separation against their defense secondary counterparts. Again, it was difficult to ascertain whether this was due to poor speed and quickness at the position or excellent coverage skills on display in the secondary.

Typically the expectations lie somewhere in the middle. The offensive line play has likely improved for the Irish, but the defensive line also showed signs that they may struggle in 2008. Likewise, the wide receivers aren’t incapable of getting open, the secondary simply looks be a strength of the Fighting Irish defense next season.

With that disclaimer in hand, a breakdown of what was seen at the Blue Gold Saturday follows.

Offense

Quarterback

To say that the physicality of Jimmy Clausen’s play has improved since last season would be an understatement. He had much more zip on his ball, throwing several deep balls with excellent strength and improved accuracy. Additionally, he threw the ball on intermediate routes with much more authority and moved much more quickly when evading the pass rush.

Clausen’s numbers were nothing spectacular; 10 of 27 for 183 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. They were, however, a little skewed. Several very catchable passes were dropped by his receivers, and at least two or three other balls were thrown away to avoid taking a loss. In short, his accuracy, strength, and mobility showed demonstrative improvement.

Perhaps the best thing Clausen showed in the Blue Gold game was his ability to throw a very catchable ball. It isn’t that he is accurate, he certainly is. It is that his release point is excellent, he throws a very tight spiral, and the ball arrives in excellent position. Essentially, Clausen makes it easier for his receivers to catch the ball. Even more important, the timing of his passes is exceptional. The ball arrives when the receivers come out of their cuts, making it very difficult for defenders to anticipate and intercept his passes.

While Clausen did show signs of improvement during the Blue Gold scrimmage, some of the same question marks from his 2007 play remain. He still seems to have a “move laterally first” mentality when evading pressure from the defense. Many of the best quarterbacks have mastered the ability to move forward in the pocket. This gives advantages to the offensive lineman, making it easier to handle speed pass rushers on the outside. Clausen’s speed isn’t one of his strengths and he would be best served developing this skill.

Even though Clausen showed improved decision making skills, this area of his game is not yet developed enough for him to perform at a high level. He understands defenses and showed an improved understanding of the offense, but he doesn’t look off his receivers. Rather, he drops back, knowing where to go with the ball, and stares that particular receiver down until he makes the throw. Obviously this gives defenders a distinct advantage.

Lastly, Clausen seems to have too much confidence in his abilities. At least twice on Saturday he threw passes to tightly covered receivers. The first was a deep seam route to Mike Ragone. Ragone was nearly perfectly covered by Brian Smith on the play. Even though he was able to make a tremendous catch for a large gain, the pass should not have been thrown. The second pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown by Harrison Smith who was draped all over Ragone on a soft flat route.

If nothing else, Saturday proved that the recruiting hype surrounding Clausen was well founded. He has excellent mechanics and it is now appearing that his lack of strength in 2007 was due to injury. There are areas in which he can improve his game but the Irish have a talent capable of playing at a very high level.

Running Backs

When utilized, running back play was a strength for the Fighting Irish offense in 2007 (as discussed here). The running back position picked up at the Blue Gold Spring game right where it left off in 2007, very strong. The Big Three of Robert Hughes, Armando Allen, and James Aldridge averaged 4.4 yards per carry in the Blue Gold game. With three very solid and dependable backs, this is a position of depth for Offensive Coordinator and Running Backs Coach Mike Haywood.

Hughes looks to be taking over the starting spot as he performed very well in the Spring scrimmage, rushing for 100 yards on 22 carries. Hughes has good speed, exceptional balance, excellent agility, and makes very quick, full-speed cuts for a running back weighing 235 lbs. He has the ability to move piles of defenders, and rarely doesn’t gain an extra yard or two after contact. Hughes’ combination of size, strength, and power, along with the cutting ability and excellent agility make him a rare talent at tailback.

Hughes is, however, limited in what he can do. Rarely is he used in pass protection (presumably because it is a deficient part of his game) and he is not the break-away threat you’d like to see from a running back. As such, he doesn’t have big play potential, but he can still carry a team down the field by chewing up nice chunks of tough yardage on the ground.

Allen also had a nice performance in the Blue Gold game, rushing for 50 yards on 11 carries. Some are skeptical about Allen’s top-end speed. After watching him run Saturday there is no need to be. He has exceptional quickness, speed, and agility as well as surprising toughness for a back of his stature. Allen is a bona fide home-run threat.

Allen’s play is restricted by two factors. The first is vision and patience. While Allen does possess premier speed, he doesn’t seem to understand when to use it. Many times he rushes too quickly to the hole, when a little more patience would be prudent. Other times he hesitates to get to the outside, when using his speed would create larger gains. Hopefully time and experience will correct these two areas. While he did run with more patience Saturday, there is still room for improvement.

The second factor limiting Allen’s playing time is his ability to effectively contribute in pass protection packages. His positioning, feet wide, knees bent, and shoulders square to the pass rusher, has improved relative to 2007. His strength and ability to slow the defender hasn’t. Several times during the Spring scrimmage he merely tweaked the onrushing defender’s trajectory to the quarterback rather then stop or significantly alter it.

Aldridge wasn’t showcased much during the Blue Gold game. Barring an unknown injury this is surprising. Aldridge has consistently exhibited the best pass protection skills of the three. Additionally, he is a tough runner that rarely gets moved backward. While he still hasn’t shown the speed he had in high school prior to a serious leg injury, it would be foolish for the coaching staff to give up on his ability to contribute at this point in his career.

Aldridge is a nice blend of Hughes and Allen. He is faster (albeit not as quick) as Hughes, but slower than Allen. He runs tougher and harder than Allen but is not as powerful as Hughes. He blocks better than both. In terms of pure versatility and as an every-down back Aldridge seems to have more capability than either Hughes or Allen.

Tight End/Receivers

One of the more disappointing performances during the Blue Gold game had to be the tight end and wide receiver position. Blocking by both positions in the run game was below average, many times lacking physicality. There was also a distinct inability to gain separation from defenders and multiple dropped balls.

At times during the 2007 season certain players at the receiver position showed promise for the Fighting Irish. David Grimes, Golden Tate, Robbie Parris, and Duval Kamara all showed flashes of good to very good play. However, on the whole, the group was largely inconsistent; a dropped pass can kill a drive and inadequate blocking from the wide receiver position on running plays prevents long gains.

Looking forward to the 2008 season the receiver position looks deep on paper, especially with the freshmen talent arriving on campus in the Fall. They still, however, have a lot of room for improvement in terms of consistent play. If the Spring scrimmage was any indication, the strides made in this area have been small.

Grimes looked very quick coming in and out of cuts. Kamara went after deep, high balls with a more aggressive attitude. Tate showed off his excellent speed catching a 57 yard pass from Clausen. But all these bright spots were overshadowed by the aforementioned concerns: lack of separation in route running, inconsistent play, dropped balls, and poor blocking.

Mike Ragone also fit this bill. While he made a tremendously athletic catch and showed excellent speed for a player his size, he failed to control the line of scrimmage at the point of attack on running plays. He lacks ideal size to be an effective run blocker and will need to improve his strength and effort to compensate.

This position has to be a concern for the Irish heading into 2008. The talent on the current roster is more than adequate and will receive an upgrade with the Freshmen in the Fall. It will be up to the coaching staff to develop it into a good on-the-field product. Maurice Stovall, Jeff Samardzija, and (to some extent) Rhema McKnight all improved dramatically under the current coaching staff and had very productive years. The question remains, however, if this was a function of the offensive system and Brady Quinn, or good coaching and player development.

Offensive Line

The most maligned and oft blamed unit of the 2007 Fighting Irish 3-9 campaign showed some signs of life in the Blue Gold game. The largest difference in play was a more aggressive attitude and more physical play. May times in 2007 the offensive line hesitated rather than attacked. This was not on display during the Spring scrimmage.

In general, the blocking in the run game was vastly improved. The offensive line was physical at the point of attack and frequently got to the linebackers at the second level. All of the players seemed to play with more confidence, pride, and determination. After the performance of this unit in 2007, there should be a huge chip residing directly atop their shoulders.

In particular, Chris Stewart and Sam Young played very well together on the right side. Both weigh North of 330 lbs but show surprising quickness and agility, both in run blocking and pass protection. Dan Wenger also showed good quickness and ability to get to the second level at the center position.

The line wasn’t, however, without miscues. The left side of the line was still beaten badly at times by pass rushers coming off the outside. This has to be a major concern heading into 2008 as protecting Clausen is of paramount importance. There were also some blown assignments in pass protection, reminiscent of last season.

In summary, the offensive line looked improved, but remain a weak unit heading into 2008. If the progress in the Fall is similar to that of the Spring the unit may become respectable, particularly given the schedule the Irish face in the upcoming season. But this still looks to be the unit holding the offense back come September.

Defense

Defensive Line

It was difficult to tell if the offensive rushing prowess was a result of better offensive line play or poor defensive line play. Going into 2008, defensive line is one of the biggest question marks for Notre Dame. This unit lacks depth and most of the talent won’t be on campus and able to contribute until the Fall. The Blue Gold game did little to dispel the notion that other teams will have little trouble running against the Irish in the upcoming season.

Coming off an All-American Freshman season Ian Williams played well for the Irish in the Spring scrimmage. He seems to have improved his ability to shed blocks and his quickness off the snap is as good or better than it was in 2007. His most glaring need is improved ability to rush the passer, but in a 3-4 defense the nose tackle isn’t primarily responsible for generating a pass rush. Other than Williams, the Irish lack any proven contributor at the nose tackle position. More bodies will arrive in the Fall, but the lack of depth at this position has to be a serious concern for the Irish faithful.

On the edge the Irish lacked any sort of dominating presence. Justin Brown and Maurice Richardson lack ideal size to play defensive end in a 3-4 defense. Sean Cwynar and Emeka Nwankwo have better size but Cwynar is young and needs to gain strength to be able consistently contribute while Nwankwo has little game experience. Again, more bodies will arrive in the Fall but expecting immediate contribution from Freshmen is a tall order.

The defensive line position may prove to be the crux of the Irish defense next season. Most of the players at this position can generate a decent pass rush but even with a platoon-type player approach it will take a significant improvement to consistently stop the run against teams who try and pound the ball inside. Fortunately for the Irish they do not face that many teams next year with power running games.

Linebacker

Notre Dame seems set for a few years at the outside linebacker position. Kerry Neal is a beast to handle on the outside when rushing the passer. Brian Smith has freakish athleticism for his size, excelling at both pass rushing and playing sideline-to-sideline against the run. While both continue to struggle in pass coverage, adding free safety Harrison Smith to the mix in passing situations will seriously improve the coverage abilities of this position.

While the outside linebackers looked good, the inside linebackers seemed to struggle at times. Toryan Smith played consistently better in the Blue Gold game than at any time in 2007. He brings a hitting mentality to the position, something James Aldridge felt a couple of times when Smith blitzed. He still struggled when asked to drop back into pass coverage, but if he plays to the strong side of the formation, supporting the run, Corwin Brown and Jon Tenuta can scheme themselves out of this weakness.

Maurice Crum played better as well. He took better pursuit angles and seemed quicker getting to the edge. Crum still struggled filling gaps inside against the run, but (as stated above) Brown and Tenuta can use Smith for this purpose and free Crum to run. Much of Crum’s success in 2008 will be determined by the play of the defensive line. If he is left free to run he can be an excellent inside linebacker in the 3-4 scheme. However, if he has to take on/shed blockers, fill gaps, and support against the inside run the Irish will have their hands full.

Much of the success in stopping the run will be the responsibility of the Irish linebacking corps. While not on display Saturday, Tenuta may be able to blitz his way out of some of the talent and depth deficiencies of the front seven. But ultimately, with a secondary that looks to be a strength, stopping the run will become a huge priority.

Secondary

If the Blue Gold game is any indication the Irish have four solid corners heading into 2008. Terrail Lambert, Darrin Walls, Raeshon McNeil, and Gary Gray all proved they have excellent quickness, speed, and athletic ability. Walls and McNeil, in particular, anticipated and broke on the ball extremely well.

In 2007 it seemed that the knock on Notre Dame’s corners was a lack of physical play, especially when supporting the run. From what they showed Saturday, this shouldn’t be a problem in 2008. Walls, Lambert, McNeil, and Gray all showed improved physicality jamming receivers at the line, going after the ball when it was in the air, and supporting the run. Walls, McNeil, and Gray are developing into the type of players that can lock-down opposing receivers. This completely opens the defensive playbook, something Tenuta must love.

At the free safety position David Bruton also looked good. He is as sure of a tackler as there is, has exceptional range, and has excellent leaping ability to go after the ball when it is in the air. His knowledge of the game is improving, rarely letting a receiver get behind him. Bruton is looking to be every bit of a first round draft pick provided he performs up to expectations in 2008.

Kyle McCarthy also played well at the strong safety spot. Another sure tackler, McCarthy may not have the killer instinct of departed safety Tom Zbikowski, but he does read and react better. Irish fans accustom to Zibi biting on play fakes will be pleasantly surprised by how much better McCarthy reads a developing offensive play. McCarthy is also a very physical player and seems to always be in the right position.

Behind Bruton and McCarthy is a group of capable backups. Ray Herring played well against the run in limited action, Sergio Brown has superb athletic ability albeit a lacking understanding of the defense, and Harrison Smith is playing so well the defensive coaching staff believe they must find a way to get him on the field. Smith covers ground extremely well, is a very sure tackler, and has the athleticism that has been lacking in the Irish secondary prior to the recruiting efforts of Bill Lewis. In many ways he could become the hybrid safety/linebacker/rover Nebraska employed during the Osborne era.

Special Teams

Eric Maust had an inconsistent day punting the ball for the Irish on Saturday. His first few punts were long and high, having excellent hang time. His last few were shanks that could put the defense into a difficult position like they often were in 2007.

Brandon Walker had a much liver leg when kicking field goals on Saturday. He was only one of two, missing a 46 yard attempt off the left upright, but he had plenty of distance on all of his kicks. Judging by what has been said about Walker during Spring practice, it appears that at least part of the woes in the Irish kicking game have been solved.

Summary

The Fighting Irish coaching staff looks to have focused on the appropriate areas heading into the 2008 football season. The offensive line play Saturday was improved. Although this unit isn't consistently performing at a very high level, it could become respectable after gaining more experience in the early part of the 2008 season. The play at receiver appears to be suspect, something that should be a concern for the Irish coaching staff. Poor play from either position in the form of a sack or a dropped pass will kill a drive.

On defense the front three must improve in order for Notre Dame to have success in 2008. While the defensive coaching staff may compensate for poor line play via scheme and blitzing, this leaves the linebackers in poor position to play the pass.

In summary, the Irish made progress in several areas but cautious optimism seems to be a more appropriate expectation than enthusiastic hope.

Fighting Irish 2008 Season Predictions

Similar to last year (click here), a 2008 Fighting Irish season prediction poll will be conducted on Notre Dame Football Forum. Admittedly, last season’s predictions were a bit optimistic as can be seen here. This season some background information will be provided to aid in the polling process, hopefully producing more reasonable (and accurate) results.

First, a review of the Notre Dame Spring Blue Gold scrimmage can be found here. The Irish made progress in several areas but cautious optimism seems to be a more appropriate expectation than enthusiastic hope. The Irish do, however, face a much more reasonable schedule in 2008. Next season Notre Dame will play San Diego State, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, Stanford, North Carolina, Washington, Pittsburgh, Boston College, Navy, Syracuse, and USC. As discussed here, this slate of teams looks much less formidable than those who lined up across from the Blue and Gold in 2007.

Second, using the Notre Dame Football Forum Elite Playoff Series (ESP) college football ranking system (click here for an explanation of the ESP), a 2008 Fighting Irish strength of schedule prediction was generated. The ESP rated Notre Dame’s 2007 schedule the sixth most difficult in the country, similar to that of Sagarin. Using the 2007 season results of the future 2008 Fighting Irish opponents, Notre Dame should have a strength of schedule ranked approximately 60th most difficult in the country.

The teams with the ESP rated 55-65th most difficult schedule in 2007 were Purdue, Arizona State, Wake Forest, Texas, SMU, Rutgers, Eastern Carolina, Mississippi State, Oklahoma, Miami (FL), and Clemson. These teams averaged approximately 7.4 wins in 2007, but SMU brought that average down winning only a single game and could be considered an outlying data point. If SMU is excluded, the remaining teams averaged eight wins in 2007.

Admittedly, assuming any team will replicate their 2007 season results in 2008 is a stretch. Boston College and Michigan alone lose several starters from their 2007 squads making their 2008 season performance predictions a very uncertain proposition. This should merely serve as a starting point by which to gauge the difference in the opponents the Fighting Irish faced in 2007 versus those they will line up against in 2008.

To participate in the Notre Dame Football Forum 2008 Fighting Irish season prediction poll please submit a comment below. List each team Notre Dame plays in 2008 along with a win or loss, i.e. don’t simply stating the number of wins and losses. The results will be tallied, analyzed, and posted in the future.