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.

Notre Dame Football: 2008 Position Group Preview

It's the offseason so there isn't a lot to typically talk about. Last offseason a win prediction survey was conducted regarding the upcoming season win predictions (click here). Obviously most folks were a little overly-optimistic, myself included. The same will be done this year, likely sometime after the Blue and Gold game in April.

In the meantime, a little look at where the Irish stand at each position is in order. In many cases the offseason is a time to discuss the break-out players for next season, e.g. Heisman hopefuls etc. With the youth at most positions on the Irish roster this is more of a risky endeavor naturally leading to an analysis on a position-by-position, rather than player-by-player, basis...

Quarterback:

The talent at quarterback for the Irish is exceptional. While it wasn't readily apparent in the win-loss column, Jimmy Clausen performed pretty well in his first season. He put up better numbers than Brady Quinn did in his, even while spending much of the time running for his life. Admittedly, he made multiple freshman mistakes, but that's exactly what he was, a true freshman. His arm strength is still suspect, but it is tough to tell if that is primarily due to his lingering arm injury and/or the beating he took while on the field.

Evan Sharpley will likely never be a great starting quarterback but he is a capable backup. He tends to force the issue, often times throwing into tight spaces and/or having too much confidence in his arm. But he was also trying to play catch-up for most of his playing minutes last year.

Dayne Crist is somewhat of an enigma. After last season most of those following recruiting are waiting to jump on the Crist bandwagon. Some are quick to dismiss Clausen already, forgetting that he was much more highly rated and recruited than Crist one short year ago. It is tough to overlook the obvious, however. Crist has all of the physical tools to be a great quarterback. But he must develop his game-improve his understanding of offensive philosophy, work on his accuracy on the out and intermediate over-the-middle routes, and learn to play more from under center-if he wants to contribute early.

The fact of the matter is Notre Dame can win football games with all three quarterbacks. While none of the current roster quarterbacks have proven they can put the team on their back and win a game down the stretch in the final minutes, at least two have the potential to turn into those types of players. The important thing for their continued development is to take pressure off them by controlling the clock and developing the running game.

Quarterback isn't a break-out position for the Irish, yet. But with continued development at this position over the next two seasons the pass-happy offense Head Coach Charlie Weis used with Tom Brady and Brady Quinn could return. The immediate and most pressing factor in the development of this position will be if Weis can build a running game to allow them to develop at their own pace rather than throwing them to the wolves with an offensive line that can't protect them.

Offensive Backfield:

Running back is probably the deepest position on the Irish roster in terms of very little talent drop-off among the first three backs. James Aldridge, Robert Hughes, and Armando Allen would start for 95% of the teams in the country. Jonas Gray only adds more depth to the position. Additionally, the talent is diverse, with Aldridge and Hughes being powerful, inside runners and Allen being a much faster, quicker back. All three are tough to bring down and had they been more utilized last year may have helped spur the Irish on to more victories. The rushing totals (and averages) Aldridge, Hughes, and Allen put up last year are more than respectable as shown here.

That isn't to say all three backs don't have room for improvement (as discussed here). But the depth, talent, and competition at this position should pay huge dividends for the Irish over the next two years. Many are quick to jump on the Hughes bandwagon after a few very good games late in the season. It is important to remember the level of competition the Irish were facing in those games. It is also important to remember that Aldridge and Allen both averaged around four yards per carry in 2007. All three are very capable backs with different attributes that should be utilized by a good offensive gameplan. The running back position, with improved offensive line play and more opportunities, will be a break-out position for Notre Dame in the 2008 season.

At fullback the Irish have the bruising Asaph Schwapp and the more agile Luke Schmidt. Schwaap, at times, took a step back in his play last year, but it is tough to not like his attitude and toughness. Schmidt drew rave reviews out of high school, having great speed for his size. If he can develop in the passing game the Irish could have another weapon for defenses to contain coming out of the backfield.

Fullback isn't a position typically featured in a Weis offense. As such, Schwapp and Schmidt aren't likely to make a huge impact next year.

Wide Receiver:

The wide receiver position should be a strength of the Fighting Irish in 2008. No other position on the Irish roster has so many players with good to great talent. The top receivers from last season all return in David Grimes, George West, Robbie Parris, Duval Kamara, and Golden Tate. Additionally, Weis and his coaching staff brought in what is arguably the best Irish wide receiver class in the last fifteen years, and likely the best any program has had in the last five years. Michael Floyd, Deion Walker, and John Goodman all have good size and speed at the position. Floyd, in particular, seems to already give the Irish a player that can stretch the field.

Grimes and West are lightning quick receivers that excel in the slot position. While both Grimes and West were inconsistent catching the ball, both have the ability to create yards after the catch. Parris and Kamara are taller, more rangy receivers that showed promise in 2007. However, Parris struggled, at times, to get open and Kamara still has room to grow into the position. If both of these receivers can continue to utilize their size to shield defenders, the sky is the limit. Improved speed on the part of Parris could also increase his game as he often struggled to gain separation from defenders.

Like Crist, Floyd is a receiver that has all of the physical tools to be great. He has good, albeit not great, speed, great size, excellent field vision, smooth route running ability, and catches everything thrown near him. Goodman has great speed for his size. While his hands are suspect, a forty-plus yard kickoff return average shows his ability to get yards after the catch. Walker is exceptionally fluid cutting in his routes, needing only to gain strength before being able to consistently contribute at the collegiate level.

The wide receiver position is extremely deep and talented and has great potential to be a break-out position for the Irish in 2008 if the Irish offense can protect the passer. With so many young, talented players look for multiple members of this group to make an impact rather than a single player.

Tight End:

Notre Dame took a serious hit to their tight end depth when Konrad Reuland transferred and Will Yeatman ran into trouble with the law. Despite the absence of these two highly recruited high school athletes (even though Yeatman may return in the future), there is a great deal of talent left at this position.

Mike Ragone received considerable playing time last year, most of it coming by way of special teams. He has excellent speed for the tight end position but still lacks the size and strength to be an effective blocker.

The Irish will also receive an upgrade in talent at this position in the fall when Kyle Rudolph and Joseph Fauria arrive on campus. Rudolph is an exceptional athlete with great height and speed. Like Ragone, he will also need to bulk up to handle blocking duties but his speed, route running ability, and height cannot be overlooked. Coupled with an innate ability to catch the ball with his hands, away from his body, Rudolph should be a dangerous receiving threat from the tight end position in the very near future. Fauria is the blocker to go with Rudolph's receiving skills. He already possesses the size to contribute right away and has the height to also be an effective receiver. Look for both Rudolph and Fauria to be visiting a red zone near you.

The Irish have significant talent at the tight end position. However, much of it is very young with very little experience. While there is reason to suspect great things down the road, this position will not be a strength for the Notre Dame in 2008.

Offensive Line:

Most of the last year's miserable season was attributed to poor offensive line play. Much of this criticism was deserved, some was misplaced. The Irish struggled woefully against aggressive defense fronts, often incapable of picking up the blitz and protecting the passer. At times the offensive line play was timid and passive, two words that spell disaster describing the play on an offensive front. While Notre Dame returns several players at this position with good playing experience, the question remains whether they can gel and significantly progress in the offseason to improve in pass protection.

Perhaps more importantly, however, will be the improvement in run blocking. The Irish ran the ball effectively at times in 2007 (click here), but were terrible converting short yardage situations on the ground. With talent in the backfield and youth at the quarterback position, improvement in run blocking will go a long way to winning football games in 2008.

Super recruit Sam Young regressed in 2007 after a pretty solid freshman campaign. The move to left tackle didn't go as smoothly as the Irish coaching staff hoped and Young struggled with his first step against smaller, quicker defensive ends. The Irish return Paul Duncan at the other tackle position. In his first year starting Duncan didn't particularly impress. He lacked aggressive play and committed many mental mistakes that resulted in sacks for the opposition.

Both guards in 2007 were first time starters. Matt Carufel (who later transferred) started for the first part of the season alongside Michael Turkovich. Later in the year this position would be anchored by Eric Olsen, Dan Wenger, and Chris Stewart who also logged minutes at tackle. At times there were bright spots in the guard play, particularly for Olsen and Wenger, but more often than not the results were very inconsistent.

At center Notre Dame says goodbye to fifth year senior John Sullivan. While Sullivan had a less than stellar final campaign his leadership and experience will be missed. Wenger is likely to slide over and fill the need at this position, something he did admirably in the final games of 2007.

The Irish also have several young players waiting in the wings. Current players Matt Romine and Taylor Dever are joined by freshmen Braxton Cave, Lane Clelland, Mike Golic, and Trevor Robinson. Most feel Robinson has the best chance at competing early, especially since he arrived on campus in January. It is, however, still too early to pass on Romine, Dever, Cave, and Clelland. All were highly recruited in high school and, with a little time, could develop into very solid players.

Offensive line is a notoriously difficult position for young football players. Not only does it require time to gain size and strength to compete at the college level, it also requires significant repetitions in practice to learn complex blocking schemes. Additionally, cohesion and playing as a unit is more important along the offensive front than anywhere else on the football field.

The Irish are certainly talented at the offensive line position. However, the talent is mostly young and inexperienced such that it is too much to expect dramatically improved play along the offensive front in 2008. More physical and aggressive play would go a long way in run blocking, something Notre Dame desperately needs to take pressure off Clausen and get the ball into the hands of their talented backs. The offensive line likely won't be a break-out position for the Irish in 2008.

Defensive Line:

No where do the Irish suffer more from a lack of quality depth than on the defensive front three. With the departure of Derrell Hand (injury) and Kuntz (unknown) this position group took an even harder hit in the offseason. While Kuntz insists he will be back, the defensive line will still need contributions from the younger players on the roster to put together a decent performance in 2008.

Among the upper classmen at the position are the aforementioned Kuntz and Justin Brown. Both lack ideal size to play on the line in a 3-4 defensive alignment. Kuntz will likely move to end to give the Irish experience on the outside. While he plays with a very high motor, he will likely struggle against larger offensive guard and tackles. Both Kuntz and Brown are quick off the ball, but size, strength, and endurance are concerns.

On the outside Kuntz and Brown will likely be spelled by freshmen Sean Cynwar, Ethan Johnson, and Kapron Lewis-Moore. Cynwar is a bigger body, more suited for the 3-4, with above average burst off the line. Johnson was generally regarded as one of the better outside pass rushing defensive ends in the country last year but initially may be more suited to play on the outside of a 4-3. Lewis-Moore will need to gain size to play on the interior of the 3-4. Rising junior Kallen Wade could also contribute at this position provided he continues to gain size in the offseason.

The middle of the defensive front will likely be manned by sophomore Ian Williams. A member of the Freshman All-American team, Williams logged 45 tackles in limited action in 2007 and has ideal size to protect the middle of Notre Dame's 3-4 front. Backing Williams up will likely be a combination of freshmen Hafis Williams and Brandon Newman. Newman was particularly impressive at the Army All-American game and the word on the street is that Williams is a dark horse in the most recent Irish recruiting class. It remains to be seen to what extent both will be able to contribute along the defensive front in 2008 as freshmen.

On paper, defensive line is the weakest position on the Irish roster. Much can happen in an offseason but asking for dramatic improvement from multiple players is wishful thinking. The Irish should employ a defensive line by committee approach in 2008, but that won't mask the problems stemming from a lack of depth and experience on the defensive front. Defensive line will be a position exploited by many teams on the Irish roster, very susceptible to giving up yards up the middle on the ground.

Inside Linebacker:

The Irish return three year starter Maurice Crum at the inside linebacker position after a solid 2007 campaign. While Crum doesn't possess ideal speed for an inside linebacker in the 3-4, he is a veteran player who will be counted on for valuable leadership. Better pursuit angles and fundamentals would go a long way to improve his play on the field as this position will be asked to mask the depth of the front three.

Many Irish faithful hope 2008 is the break-out year for Toryan Smith. To date, Smith has shown the ability to stuff the run, but has consistently struggled in pass coverage. He is a strong, physical inside presence that plays with great leverage, but his lack of speed and inability to quickly change direction has kept him off the field to date.

Steve Quinn, Aaron Nagel, Steve Paskorz, and Kevin Smith have contributed thus far as backups and will likely not see the field in 2008. Quinn may be the exception as he is a more versatile player, but the influx of talent in the freshman class and potential emergence of Smith may keep him on the sideline.

The fall brings new talent to this position in the form of Anthony McDonald, David Posluszny, and Steve Filer. While Posluszny likely needs some time to develop, McDonald and Filer could contribute immediately. Filer, in particular, possesses the sideline-to-sideline range coveted on the inside of the 3-4.

With time, the inside linebacker position could be a strength for Notre Dame. McDonald and Posluszny should develop into capable players, Filer has the talent to be an excellent inside linebacker, and Toryan Smith could be a stalwart for the Irish if he can improve his coverage skills. This will take time, however, and the Irish may continue to struggle at the inside linebacker position in 2008.

Outside Linebacker:

Perhaps as much as any other position on defense, the Irish roster is loaded with talent at the outside linebacker position. Primarily focused on generating pressure off the edge and stopping outside run plays, the outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense must possess a rare blend of size, strength, and speed to be effective. Notre Dame has no shortage at this position. The Irish coaching staff has done an excellent job in the last couple seasons identifying and closing on young athletes to fill their needs.

In Kerry Neal and Brian Smith the Irish have two extremely athletic sophomores to man the outside linebacker position. Both have size, strength, and speed, even at a young age. While over-aggressive at times in 2007, another year of practice and improved understanding of the 3-4 defense should go a long way in improving the play of Neal and Smith in 2008.

Backing up Neal and Smith should be two very capable players in John Ryan and Maurice Richardson. While Ryan struggled against the run in 2007, in short duty he should be an admirable backup. Richardson is an excellent pass rusher from the outside, creating mismatch problems for many offensive tackles with his speed and quickness.

Scott Smith and Kevin Washington will likely not see the field in 2008 due to the arrival of Darius Fleming in the fall. Fleming is another excellent athlete capable of providing quality minutes for the Irish. He will need to gain some size and strength to consistently contribute, but seeing Fleming on the field in 2008 is not out of the question.

The 2008 season may not be the one for Notre Dame's outside linebackers to break-out. However, they are on the verge of being a strong point for the Irish defense, both in run support and as a point of attack in pressuring opposing quarterbacks.

Defensive Backfield:

If there is a more talented position than outside linebacker on the Irish defense, it is the defensive backfield. In Terrail Lambert and Darrin Walls Notre Dame has two very talented and fairly experienced corners. Walls, in particular, has excellent speed and quickness giving him the potential to be an excellent lock-down corner. What Walls and Lambert give in cover ability, however, they lack in physical run support. This makes it imperative for the Irish defense to be able to contain the run from the outside linebacker position.

Joining Walls and Lambert are rising junior Raeshon McNeil and rising sophmore Gary Gray. McNeil and Gray also have excellent cover skills making them very capable backups and contributors in nickel and dime situations.

Complementing the more finnesse play of Walls, Lambert, McNeil, and Gray are soon-to-be freshmen Jamoris Slaughter and Robert Blanton. Both Slaughter and Blanton are more physical than any corners on the current Irish roster.

The Irish bring back free safety David Bruton from a solid 2007 campaign. Despite it being his first year to start, Bruton logged significant minutes and numbers in 2007. He has exceptional range and size, making him an excellent center-fielder in the Irish secondary.

Losing Tom Zbikowski will be tough for Notre Dame's defense. However, there are capable replacements waiting in the wings. Ray Herring has played sparingly in the past. His performances have been largely inconsistent, showing some bright spots. Kyle McCarthy provided solid minutes in 2007, playing in three safety sets when the Irish moved Zbikowski into more of a spy role. Perhaps the most promising player to secure the starting strong safety spot is Harrison Smith. Smith has excellent speed for his size and drew rave reviews in practice. While more suited to play the free safety spot, it isn't out of the question for the defensive coordinator Corwin Brown to move Smith or Bruton into a strong safety roll to maximize the athleticism in the secondary.

The wildcard in the mix is Sergio Brown. Brown has freakish athleticism but has, to date, lacked consistently fundamental play, often times blowing assignments. If Brown is able to better grasp the mental aspects of his assignments, he could bring real promise to the safety position in 2008.

The Irish secondary performed well in 2007 giving up only 161.6 yards per game, good for third best in the country. With improved depth and more experienced starters in 2008, this looks to be a position of strength. Ironically, the team liability during the last two years of Coach Tyrone Willingham's tenure (ranking near the bottom of the country in pass defense) has now become a strength for the the current coaching staff. This is, in no small part, due to secondary coach Bill Lewis both in recruiting and developing solid talent in the secondary. With Corwin Brown's success coaching the secondary in the NFL and the talent and depth on the Irish roster, the defensive secondary is poised to break-out in 2008.

You're Gonna Do What?: Charlie Weis To Give Up Play Calling Duties at Notre Dame

Coach Charlie Weis dropped a few bombs on the Fighting Irish football faithful Friday, stating-among other things-that he would relinquish offense play calling duties to his offensive staff. This effectively allows Mike Haywood to do what his job title states: be the offensive coordinator.

Weis also announced that Jon Tenuta will coach the linebackers, moving defensive coordinator Corwin Brown back to work with the secondary. I believe this is a positive move given the quality of linebacker play Georgia Tech exhibited over the past few seasons along with the fact that Brown's experience in the NFL was coaching the secondary.

Weis mentioned the conversations that he had with both Brown and Tenuta before Tenuta was hired. They discussed their coaching relationship, how they would work and interact, and the responsibilities each would have going forward. All three agreed on the way things would work, believing that only good would come of the situation despite Tenuta having less responsibility and no play calling duties.

The move by Weis to give up play calling duties is puzzling, given that his background is as an offensive coordinator, developing a reputation for being one of the most innovative offensive minds in the NFL while working under Bill Belichick with the New England Patriots. Weis is an exceptional play caller not only because he can scheme and attack opposing defenses, but also due to his innate ability to set up and call the perfect play, at the perfect time. It is this last characteristic of Weis' offensive play calling abilities that makes him one of the best in the business.

Ultimately, this decision by Weis leads to the following question: Does losing his offensive play calling prowess and scheming advantages outweigh the positives associated with this move?

The Good

This decision by Weis doesn't come without positives. It shows a willingness to change, to distance himself from what he is comfortable with, to move outside his comfort zone. This must be a truly difficult thing to do. Weis is stepping away from doing what he does best for what he believes will ultimately lead to Notre Dame becoming a better football team and he becoming a better head coach. In the past Weis' stubborn and domineering personality has caused problems, not allowing his assistants to properly perform their jobs. The fact that Weis specifically commented on how he was restricting the creative capabilities of his offensive staff reiterates his belief that this move is for the greater good of the team.

This move will allow Weis to manage the team, the game, and his staff better. A great deal of being a head coach is doing just that, managing your players, making critical decisions during the game, and developing your staff. In the past, decision making in games has been an often criticized component of Weis' coaching. This move frees him up to hopefully make better in-game decisions at critical points of the game.

With his extra time Weis plans to get more involved with special teams, even making a trip to see Frank Beamer in the off-season. Beamer is an excellent special teams coach and Virginia Tech has had excellent success in the past blocking punts and field goals as well as in the return game. Weis also plans on using the extra time to become more involved with the players. He wants to become more approachable and less intimidating for the players, specifically with the younger players:

"I talked to former players and current players, and I think the biggest issue as I looked at this is if you're playing freshmen and sophomores, it's not the same as when you're playing juniors and seniors. The maturity level of the players is not the same. So you can't take for granted that 18 and 19 year olds are the same as 21 and 22 year olds as far as how you can coach them and the maturity level. You know, I never looked at it from that perspective before. But if you think about it, a kid right out of high school is not the same as somebody who's been weathered for four years in the program.

So therefore as I look at it, we're going to be playing those kids, and a lot of those freshmen and sophomores that you played last year are really only in the program for the second or third year, might have only played for one year. And I just felt that too many times when a guy makes a mistake, the only thing they're concerned about is getting yelled at, versus when you make a mistake, being concerned about letting your team down.

So I'd like to move in the direction that if a guy made a mistake he was more concerned that he was letting his teammates down than worrying about the fear of is Weis going to yell at me. The fear of a kid, the younger guys, too many times they play with that mentality. So what do you do? You get it so that they know you better so if you yell at them they know that it's not personal.

The first two years were a little bit easier to be honest with you because when you're playing with older guys, they've already been through that process. You can be harder on them because they're older and they've been more weathered. I played a lot more younger guys this year, and I think in self evaluation, which is what you're talking about right now, I don't think the freshmen and sophomores are really quite ready for the full load, so to speak. I think you have to -- they're not going to change. You're going to bring another group of freshmen next year. They're still going to be freshmen. You're not going to change, you've got to be the one that changes."

Weis' comments indicate he has evolved and adapted, and he has more understanding with one of the primary differences between coaching in college vs. the NFL. This move by Weis is an attempt to create a better team, building it from within and starting with himself. Spending more time with the players will build closer relationships with him, creating loyalty to Weis and leading to more motivated play.

Weis will still be involved with the offense, primarily with the quarterbacks and interjecting when he feels necessary. This is important for two primary reasons. I believe this will allow him to continue to have influence on the timing of the offensive play calls. It will also allow Notre Dame to continue to bring in top quarterback talent, as he has a superb reputation for developing quarterbacks.

Without Weis calling plays control of the offense will go to Michael Haywood, who's background is in the running game. Haywood played running back at Notre Dame, he coached the running backs at Texas (including Ricky Williams and Cedric Benson), he currently coaches the running backs at Notre Dame, and I believe he will renew the Irish commitment to running the football consistently and effectively.

If there have been any criticisms about Weis' play calling in the past, it was that he was too cute, that he didn't develop a power running game to convert short yardage situations and have an effective goal line rushing attack. With the talent up front along the offensive line and at the running back position Weis and his staff have brought in over the past three years, this could bode very well for the future of the Irish rushing game.

The Bad

Losing Weis' excellence in offensive play calling aside, what puzzles me most about this move is the timing. While I think that ultimately this is a good decision, having two very young and inexperienced coordinators on the same staff has the potential to be problematic. Weis must have confidence in Haywood, otherwise I don't think he would allow him to call plays, but the fact of the matter is that Haywood has no experience calling plays in a game.

The problems associated with this lack of experience at both coordinator positions may also be mitigated by having Weis' presence with the offense and Jon Tenuta's presence with the defense. Still, I believe this introduces an area of concern for the near future and the importance of losing a play caller like Weis cannot be overstated.

The 2007 Notre Dame football season was a disaster due to a combination of problems all occurring at the same time. Three new starters on the offensive line, youth and inexperience at many of the offensive skill positions, a true freshman quarterback, lack of depth at the defensive line position, a new defensive scheme, coordinator, and terminology, and a front loaded schedule with good defensive football teams all contributed to a 3-9 season.

In the history of college football there may have never been so many unfavorable factors facing one team.

In 2008 many of these problems will either be reduced or gone. There will still be youth at many of the offensive skill positions. However, there will be more experience. The offensive line returns four starters. Jimmy Clausen should be healthy, have more practice time with his receivers to improve their timing, and have a more developed understanding of the offense. The defense should be more adept with the new 3-4 scheme. And the schedule is much more manageable.

Only the depth issues along the defensive line will remain as big problem of a problem as it was in 2007.

By making this decision now Weis has introduced another factor that could negatively contribute to the 2008 season. It isn't having one weakness or problem area that makes it difficult to win football games. One problem area can typically be covered via adjustments and scheming. It's when there are several weaknesses and problems that winning becomes difficult because opposing teams can more easily adjust to exploit multiple weaknesses.

It remains to be seen whether or not this decision by Weis will be a good move or bad. However, when one lines up the positives and negatives it looks like a forward step for the Notre Dame program.

The Weis Is Right: Notre Dame Nets Stellar Recruiting Class

To all Notre Dame football fans, everywhere, I'd like to take the time to introduce you to the class of 2012. On Wednesday, coach Charlie Weis and the Notre Dame football program received twenty-three faxed letters of intent from high school football players around the country. Depending on who you talk to this recruiting class is ranked from 1 to 7 in the nation. Most believe it to be, in the very least, a top-three class once it is all said and done. Many programs which signed more players will lose some due to academic casualties and/or cannot accept all of their scholarships.

First things first, Weis and the entire coaching staff deserve a great deal of credit.

Last year at this time the Fighting Irish unexpectedly lost a few recruits to other teams. Even during the rest of the recruiting season there were undertones of recruits misleading and/or wavering from their verbal commitments. Weis adjusted his recruiting style and the "rules" surrounding it to come away with a grand slam haul this year. This very well could be the best class Notre Dame has had since the Lou Holtz/Vinny Cerrato era. After last year's 3-9 season, this is a welcomed breath of fresh air in South Bend.

It isn't like the past two recruiting classes Weis has brought in have been bad, they have certainly been far from poor. The reason this class is so phenomenal is three-fold.

First, the needs up front on the defensive side of the ball have been addressed, as much as they can in one recruiting class. Second, the skill position players on offense, save at the running back position, are top notch football players. Dayne Crist, Deon Walker, John Goodman, Michael Floyd, and Kyle Rudolph are all excellent high school football players, and each one brings something unique to the table for Notre Dame.

Third, this class has intangibles. The recruits are already close; they have been talking to each other, bonding, and are convinced that they are going to put Notre Dame back at the top of the college football world. The quotes from their high coaches virtually all read: "The amazing thing is, he's a better person than football player." They have bought into the concept of Notre Dame, what it means, how special of a place it is. They have leadership, toughness, and determination that is evident in both what they say and in action, as they stayed loyal to Notre Dame and Weis despite Notre Dame's poor season.

All those things will be for naught, however, if Weis and his staff are unable to develop the talent they have worked so hard to bring in. I don't put a lot of stock in recruiting rankings, mostly because they judge more on talent and athleticism than actually attempting to quantify how good a high school football player is going to be in college. Many times this is an impossible feat; the competition in high school just isn't good enough to extrapolate the talent on the field to the college level. That said, the recruiting rankings of Notre Dame's past three classes indicate that the talent and athleticism in South Bend come Fall Camp will be seriously upgraded from the initial group Weis inherited. You can't create talent and athleticism; you can coach it into good football players. This will be the task of Weis and his staff moving forward, in addition to continuing to recruit well.

Now on to my take of how the Irish did at each position...

Quarterback

Dayne Crist is as good as there is out there. Physically he has more tools than Clausen. That doesn't mean he will necessarily be a better quarterback than Clausen, but he does have more size, speed, and strength. He really can zip the ball but he lacks the accuracy and polish that Clausen has. Crist will surprise you with his speed and elusiveness, but he also needs to adjust to lining up under center, as he took the majority of his high-school snaps from a shot-gun formation. What really impresses me about Crist is his already teeming leadership abilities. He already says and does all the things you want in a veteran quarterback.

Running Back

I'm not overly impressed with Jonas Gray. The speed all the recruiting services list for him is overstated. He doesn't have as good of speed as advertised. He does run tough and keeps his pad level low. I can see him being a solid player for us but I think Aldridge and Hughes will keep him on the bench for the foreseeable future.

Tight End

Kyle Rudolph and Joseph Fauria make a great combination of tight ends in this class. Rudolph is an exceptional athlete for his size. He's got great height and the frame to put on more weight. He can really go up and get the ball but the things I love about him are those that make a great receiver. He gets his hips very low when he cuts on routes, allowing him to move in and out of cuts very quickly. He also catches everything with his hands, away from his body.

Fauria is of a different mold. He already has the size and strength. I think he will be a better blocker than Rudolph but both will be great weapons in the red zone both in tighter formations and split out wide.

Offensive Line

Most of the offensive line recruits we signed are more of the project variety. Mike Golic certainly has the fundamentals to be a great one. He just needs to gain size and strength. I think Lane Clelland and Braxston Cave are more polished and will contribute sooner but I don't know if they are really do go just yet. Cave does have a great mean streak and Clelland has great feet for a tackle but I think both will need to adjust to the speed at the college level, as all linemen do.

Trevor Robinson, I believe, is the exception. I think Robinson can compete almost immediately. He has the size and strength needed to compete at the college level and enrolling early won't hurt his cause.

Wide Receiver

I firmly believe this could be the best wide receiver class Notre Dame has ever had and is also probably the best wide receiver class any school has signed over the past 5-10 years. Michael Floyd is a man among boys. He has deceptive speed and quickness, strong hands, and the ability to stretch the field. He isn't going to run away from everyone, but he isn't without the ability to generate yards after the catch. He catches everything thrown in his vicinity and I think he has the potential to be the best possession receiver in Notre Dame history. I think he is like Maurice Stovall (in his later years) but with better hands and more speed and quickness.

Deon Walker is a very fluid player, really quick in and out of cuts and accelerating through his routes. I believe he lacks the strength to be a consistent contributor right away but he could be a great receiver down the road.

John Goodman is a very under-rated wide receiver prospect. In any other year he would be rated much higher; this year's wide receiver recruiting class is extremely deep. Goodman has great speed and good quickness. While his hands are somewhat suspect, playing quarterback in high school will help with potential trick plays like double passes.

Defensive Line

At the defensive line position the Fighting Irish got both quality and quantity. While losing Omar Hunter hurt, the glaring depth needs at the position were met. Sean Cynwar, Brandon Newman, and Hafis Williams have the size to contribute early and to help stop the run, something Notre Dame didn't do particularly well last season. Kapron Lewis-Moore and Ethan Johnson both have the speed to become great pass rushers and get penetration off the snap against the run. Hopefully all are better than advertised, as they will very likely need to contribute next season.

Linebacker

I think my favorite recruit at this position is Anthony McDonald. He has a reputation of being very coachable and is a student of the game. Although he won't blow you away with his speed, he plays with good technique and typically takes good pursuit angles, both of which can help make up for a lack of physical ability.

David Posluszny is small and will need to gain strength but his instincts for the ball cannot be ignored. I think he is someone who will contribute, albeit a little further down the road. Steve Filer and Darius Fleming are the more athletic guys of the group. Both can run sideline-to-sideline, something essential to playing inside linebacker position in the 3-4. I think they, particularly Fleming, could press for playing time next season.

Defensive Backfield

I absolutely love this class of defensive backs. Jamoris Slaughter and Robert Blanton are cut from the same mold. They may not have the best 40 times, but they fly all over the field and neither are afraid of contact. They love to hit and they bring the lumber every time. They are the perfect complement at the corner position to Darrin Walls, Gary Grey, and Raeshon McNeil who are much more cover corners.

If I could use one word to describe Dan McCarthy it would be range. While he may not have the pure speed of Harrison Smith, he can really move laterally, cut, and close ground in a hurry. McCarthy is also a very physical player. All three of these guys are really, really solid athletes and football players.

Interviewing With the Guys at Pigskin Podcast

This Thursday I am going to be interviewed for a podcast to be posted on Pigskin Podcast. It should be available late that evening or Friday morning. The interview will also be available on iTunes (search keyword PIGSKIN). We will discuss the ESP and AV, as well as some other recent things related to Notre Dame football. They have a preview of the interview up at their website here and here.

Edit: The podcast of the interview is now posted here.

Jon Tenuta...Come On Down

First, let me say thank you to Bill Lewis for being an excellent coach and recruiter. Every time I saw even a glimpse of practice the man was coaching his heart out. Rarely was his voice at full go simply because he never stopped talking, teaching, coaching. He recruited hard, he coached hard, and he worked hard for the University of our Blessed Mother. I don't like to see a good coach go, but I am very pleased that he has decided to remain a part of the Notre Dame athletic family. It just serves as another example of how special ND is and how it can really grab ahold of a person with its mystique.

If Lewis had to go, and he did due to a double hip replacement, Jon Tenuta was about as good of a hire as we could have made. To get a coach of his caliber as a position coach is astounding. He is a high profile name, an excellent defensive mind, and a no-nonsense coach. All of these things are tangible additions to our football program. This hire isn't a home run, it's a grand slam. Tenuta is among the top defensive minds in all of college football. He ranks with Charlie Strong, Bud Foster, the Stoops brothers, and our very own nemesis Pete Carroll.

Tenuta is the perfect complement to Weis and Brown. Brown is a sideline coach, involved in the game, motivating the players, creating energy in the play of the defense. Tenuta is a press box defensive tactical guru. He schemes, he adjusts. His presence in the defense will not only be felt in improved toughness and aggressive play, it will be evident in a improved ability to adjust to opposing offenses. The 3-4 is built to blitz, to confuse, to apply pressure to the quarterback from all over the field. Tenuta's background and experience is in aggressive, pressure applying, blitzing defensive schemes. Brown is new, raw, inexperienced. Tenuta is polished, he is battle worn, he has years of coordinating experience.

Tenuta will change our defense, he will make it faster, tougher, more aggressive. Our defense will dictate what opposing offenses can do, the tempo of the game, and will force our opponents out of the comfort zone. Brown tried to do this some last year, particularly in the UCLA and Boston college games. Tenuta is excellent at it. He has a background coaching in the secondary, but he also has a reputation for producing excellent linebackers. I could see either he or Corwin coaching the secondary and/or the linebackers with great success. Tenuta's style of defense is the epitome of what great defenses do: pressure and confuse the quarterback while playing press-man and/or roll zone coverage. His style is what all defensive coaches should aspire to. He has run it with pretty good success at Georgia Tech with average talent. Let's see what he can do with the talent Weis and Brown are bringing in.

Tenuta is a no-nonsense type of guy. He will make our practices tougher and more intense. He will give our offense a multitude of looks, making practice more like games. He isn't afraid to tell Weis when he is wrong, he isn't afraid to tell him how he would attack his offense, and he isn't afraid to speak up when he believes he is doing something wrong. On top of that, Tenuta explicitly stated that he took the job because of Weis and Notre Dame, to bring Notre Dame back to where it belongs in the college football landscape. Weis again hired a coach he didn't do well against in the past, upgrading the talent of his staff, and bringing in someone who's philosophy on the defensive side of the ball will upgrade our performance on the offensive side of the ball.

And the icing on the cake is the fact that Brown and Tenuta talked about how they would work together prior to Tenuta arriving. My one concern regarding this whole situation was a "too many cooks in the kitchen" type of thing. The fact that Weis got Corwin on board prior to the hire means he will be open and receptive to advice from Tenuta and will work well with him.

Welcome to Notre Dame Mr. Tenuta, I look forward to watching our defense play in the future.

I'll Take Grab Bag For $200...

Apologies to those who don't get the SNL skit referenced in the title of this post. There is an assortment of things to discuss, things not dissimilar from a grab bag, and thought I'd bring some humor to bear. Among these items are Notre Dame's schedule next year, the AV BCS game winner predictions, the state of college football, the 2007 seemingly anemic running game, and John David Booty and the Trojan offensive machine. With that, let's get started.

2008 Notre Dame Football Schedule

The 2008 Notre Dame football schedule is as follows:

September 6 San Diego State
September 13 Michigan
September 20 @ Michigan St.
September 27 Purdue
October 4 Stanford
October 11 @ North Carolina
October25 @ Washington
November 1 Pittsburgh
November 8 @ Boston College
November 15 @ Navy (Baltimore)
November 22 Syracuse
November 29 @ Southern Cal

At first glance the 2008 schedule is clearly less daunting than the 2007 schedule was. Second, only two teams on the 2008 schedule (Michigan and USC) have even a shot at having the same talent the Irish will have next season, young and inexperienced as it may be. With the turmoil at Michigan, losing a lot of very important offensive players, and getting a new head coach, I'd say only USC should be a decided favorite in any game. That said, Notre Dame is still a bit young and Weis has to prove he can adapt and overcome last year's poor performances.

The Irish have no business losing to San Diego State, Stanford, North Carolina, Washington, Navy, or Syracuse. San Diego State isn't even remotely as talented as the Irish. Stanford falls into the same category. North Carolina has some talent but it is young, it is sparing, and there are many critical elements not in place for them to be a successful football team, depth among them. Washington is a Tyrone Willingham coached football team who is largely untalented and unimpressive save Locker who, if he's smart, will transfer to a spread team with more talent around him. Navy will go back to being Navy without Paul Johnson. And Syracuse is absolutely horrid.

Michigan State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, and Boston College provide more interesting challenges. Dantonio has really transformed MSU from a team that is undisciplined and chokes to a team that is physical and doesn't hurt themselves (save the bowl game this year). It is a home game for them and, depending on how good of a running game they have, might give the Irish a tough contest. Pitt has quite a bit of talent despite not seeing a lot of it showing up on the field. They have the pieces, but it remains to be seen if Wannstedt can put it together. Purdue is Purdue. Tons of precision in the passing game which typically opens the run, but terrible defense and far less talent than the Irish. Boston College loses a ton of senior leadership and talent not to mention Matt Ryan. This is another away game for the Irish otherwise they might fall with the former group of six. Notre Dame should win two of these four games at a minimum.

Michigan is a wild card, there's a lot of uncertainty surrounding the program with so many offensive players and seniors leaving, a new coach, and a possible change in offensive philosophy. It is a home game and (hopefully) the Irish will be vengeful after the debacle in 2007 (and 2006 for that matter). I can see Notre Dame getting a win but really it could go either way. USC is far too talented and deep for the Irish to compete with at this point.

This adds up to no fewer than eight wins. The Irish actually have a realistic shot at eleven. I think there is only one team on the schedule that has more talent and equal-to-better coaching. That said, the Irish are still a bit young and lack depth at certain positions. If Notre Dame does not get eight wins, the long-term answer for Weis as head coach of Notre Dame should be a resounding no. Additionally, the talent and experience disparity (not youth, but experience) between Notre Dame and the teams on the 2008 schedule isn't large enough to warrant a lop-sided loss. If the Irish lose by more than two or three scores, the long-term answer for Weis should also be no. Unfortunately, eight wins and competitive play in the other four games will mean the jury is still out. Weis has to prove that the 2007 season was an aberration. That will take quite a bit of time.

The AV BCS Game Winner Predictions

Well, the AV wasn't as successful this year as last picking the winners of the BCS and National Championship games. Last year the AV was four of five, only incorrectly picking the winner of the Michigan/USC contest in the Rose Bowl. This year the AV only successfully predicted two of the five games correctly, incorrectly picking the winners of the Rose, Fiesta, and Orange Bowls. This brings the total to six of ten, not quite a sterling percentage. With this season being so wild I anticipated a poorer showing as well even putting a caveat on the Rose Bowl pick (link here). Hopefully next year will be different.

The State of College Football

If there is anything I have learned this bowl season it's that college football is going downhill fast. Not only has ESPN and general media coverage ruined the academic integrity of college football athletics by completely over-sensationalizing the sport, but there are also more teams with little or no class than I can ever recall. By increasing the coverage and marketing every aspect of college football ESPN and other media outlets have made college football more about money than education. This has led schools to inexcusably focus on making money with their football programs, rather than developing their student athletes into young men with integrity and an education with which they can forge the rest of their lives.

On top of that, the lack of class exhibited by the likes of USC and Florida in their bowl games and the behavior of Urban Meyer and other head coaches in recruiting has cast a shadow on the college football landscape. There is no place for front flips into the end zone, taunting the opposition at the middle of the field, and negative recruiting in a game with integrity. Celebrations should occur with your team, the source of the individual player's success. They should not be aimed at the opposition or involve the crowd. Additionally, the lying, dishonesty, and negative recruiting employed by many coaches is absolutely intolerable. I don't say this in the wake of Omar Hunter's de-commitment out of spite (although admittedly he was one of the two players in Notre Dame's recruiting class they couldn't afford to lose). It has been prevalent for years. That doesn't, however, make it excusable. Coaches should do more than sell their souls and integrity to win. They have a responsibility to make their players into good people.

Notre Dame's 2007 Seemingly Anemic Running Game

Through various email conversations I started thinking and digesting our running game during the 2007 season. At first, I thought the Irish were not only inconsistent, but also widely unsuccessful. I was wrong. At the onset of this discussion I would like to credit Sam Martin for looking up the statistics and providing a majority of the insight into this analysis.

Here are the touches for Notre Dame's top three backs (Armando Allen, Robert Hughes, and James Aldridge) for each game:

Georgia Tech: 9 for 44 yards, 4.9 yards per carry
Penn State: 9 for 8 yards, 0.9 yards per carry
Michigan: 19 for 75 yards, 3.9 yards per carry
Michigan State: 27 for 150 yards, 5.6 yards per carry
Purdue: 12 for 34 yards, 2.8 yards per carry
UCLA: 25 for 71 yards, 2.8 yards per carry
Boston College: 13 for 32 yards, 2.5 yards per carry
USC: 15 for 61 yards, 4 yards per carry
Navy: 49 for 219 yards, 4.5 yards per carry
Air Force: 24 for 92 yards, 3.8 yards per carry
Duke: 34 for 179 yards, 5.3 yards per carry
Standford: 24 for 140 yards, 5.8 yards per carry

Looking at these numbers a few things become readily apparent. First, when sacks and other player running attempts are taken out, the numbers really aren't bad. Only against Penn State, Purdue, UCLA, and Boston College are the yards per carry not respectable. Additionally, in the games against Michigan State, Navy, Duke, and Stanford when Allen, Hughes, and Aldridge carried the ball often, the Irish gained significant rushing yardage. Finally, against Georgia Tech, Penn State, Purdue, Boston College, and USC, Notre Dame really didn't attempt many running plays. This is understandable in the Purdue and USC games when Notre Dame was behind and needed to throw to get back into the game. This isn't understandable in the BC game where it was close for most of the contest and highly desirable to keep Matt Ryan off the field.

Looking at the rushing game from a player perspective Allen and Aldridge both averaged around four yards per carry with Hughes averaging closer to five. This ultimately leads to the conclusion that, when Notre Dame used these three backs and ran it often, they were consistent and successful. And this was, in large part, while teams were stacking the box to force the Irish to throw.

The running game was seeminglu unsuccessful due in large part to the inability to gain yardage on third and fourth and short, i.e. when the Irish really needed it. However, looking at these numbers it is baffling why Weis didn't identify this as a strength of the team, develop it, perfect it, and plan his offense around it at the beginning of the season, using it to open up the passing game and control the clock.

John David Booty and the Trojan Offensive Machine

Does anyone else want to be John David Booty? For the second straight year he put up phenomenal numbers in the Rose Bowl despite not making a single difficult throw. He is the next coming of Matt Leinart and Jamarcus Russell, an over-rated quarterback with tons of talent around them to make yards after the catch and in front of them to give them a ton of time. Mark Sanchez, Mitch Mustain, are you ready to be gifted an NFL draft pick?

ESP Week Fourteen and BCS Game Predictions

If I were Missouri, I'd be pissed. You go into the weekend #1 and don't even make a BCS bowl game? I know they were beaten soundly by Oklahoma, but that just seems wrong given that teams like Kansas (who they beat), Hawaii (who hasn't played anyone and nearly lost to a horrendous Washington team), and Illinois (three losses and who also lost to Missouri) all made BCS games. It just doesn't make much sense to me to leave them out.

Place your bets. The AV predicts the following BCS game winners:

Orange: Virginia Tech over Kansas
Rose: Illinois over USC
Sugar: Georgia over Hawaii
Fiesta: Oklahoma over West Virginia
National Championship: LSU over Ohio State

With so few good teams this year these predictions might not be terribly reliable (particularly the Rose Bowl prediction where I think USC is going to spank Illinois). I'll just keep a running tally of how good the AV is at predicting BCS game winners (currently 4 of 5 as shown here).

The ESP ranking:

The 8 team ESP playoff bracket:

The AV ranking 1-25:

The strength of schedule (SOS) , adjusted win percentage (AWP), quality win/loss (QWL), and margin of victory (MOV) rankings: