Irish Welcome Washington

Fresh off of an escape in Purdue last weekend, the Irish get set to welcome the revamped Washington Huskies to South Bend in week five of the college football season. Yes, this is a team that went 0-12 a season ago, a team the Irish defeated 33-7 on the road a season ago. However, its also a team that has already done something in 2009 that Notre Dame hasn't successfully done since 2001: Beat USC.

The Huskies are coming to South Bend fresh off a 34-14 loss at Stanford a week ago. In the loss the Huskies gave up 321 of the 424 yards allowed on the ground to the Cardinal, they have also allowed 250 rush yards against USC and 149 rush yards versus LSU during the year. Although in USC's case it didn't result in points, expect the Irish to follow the lead of these teams and come out trying to establish the run.

Unlike a week ago the Irish will be with Armando Allen this week. If he at all struggles or is limited in carries, Jonas Gray had an impact out of the backfield a week ago while Robert Hughes reintroduced himself to Fighting Irish fans. Through four weeks the Irish have rushed for 632 yards on 151 carries, good for 4.2 yards per carry, a yard better average per rush than from a year ago.

The Irish bread and butter of throwing the football will be tested on Saturday, Washington brings a strong pass defense and secondary to South Bend. Golden Tate is a playmaker as we have all learned, expect Charlie Weis to get the ball in his hands in creative ways once again this week. I do expect the Irish to come out with several more multiple tight end sets this week then we have seen early on. I fully expect Kyle Rudolph to lead the Irish in receptions on Saturday.

Duval Kamara did himself no favors a week ago with multiple illegal formation penalties. Shaq Evans also showed his green by costing the Irish a timeout when not knowing where to line up last week. No replacement for Michael Floyd has been found yet, I don't suspect the Irish find their go-to this weekend either.

Washington will be led by junior quarterback Jake Locker, a former five star recruit. Locker has had two years experience already and its starting to show as he's already thrown for over 1000 yards on the season. He has also added 74 rush yards with two touchdowns coming on the ground. He's an all around athlete, more along the mold of a Tim Tebow than a Tate Forcier, both of which are very successful spread quarterbacks.

Washington will attempt to establish the run like all teams against Notre Dame in order to pull the upset will have to throw the football with success. The running game of the Huskies is led by Chris Polk who has rushed for 316 yards this but is only averaging 3.8 ypc. Jake Locker is the second leading rusher on the team, as a whole they pick up 3.3 yards a carry but only 108 yards or so a week on the ground.

Steve Sarkisian brings a more successful passing game to Washington from USC as the new coach is having success throwing the ball already far beyond what Tyrone Willingham was able to do in Washington. James Johnson is the go-to receiver for the Huskies, he has 19 receptions, 220 receiving yards, and a touchdown. Locker will also look to Jermaine Kearse and Kavario Middleton who both have double-digit receptions.

The Irish enter Saturday's game as a 13 point favorite over the visiting Huskies. Sure Washington did beat USC but this is still a very flawed team coming to South Bend. The Huskies can't stop the run to save their lives, as long as Notre Dame doesn't get themselves into many third and longs they should be just fine putting points on the board.

While beating USC, the Huskies kept the Trojans from converting a third or fourth down the entire game. Sure USC was playing with a backup quarterback but their game plan was getting them into several third and longs, they also coughed the ball up one too many times.

The Irish appear to be getting healthier headed into their final game before a bye week. I expect a big day from Armando Allen as Charlie Weis comes in with a run heavy offensive game plan with the use of multiple tight end sets.

Prediction Time:

Nick (3-1): Notre Dame 28 Washington 17 (I had to change mine, Mark picked the exact same score as me originally and he got it to me first)

Mark (3-1): Notre Dame 31 Washington 20

Three to Visit South Bend this Weekend

Louis Nix is one of three high school seniors making a visit to South Bend this weekend.

As the 2009 campaign continues into week three, three recruits will be on campus taking a look at Notre Dame. Of the three one is currently an Irish commit while the other two are made up of a Miami (FL) commitment and a defensive back who has Notre Dame listed as his only official visit currently scheduled for the fall.

David Amerson is a safety from Greensboro, NC. Many rumors have him close to commiting to North Carolina State but he is yet to have an official visit scheduled there this fall as Notre Dame is currently the only visit on his agenda. Plenty of fall left for him so I would expect that to change unless he commits this weekend, Notre Dame is one of the few schools listed as his "interests" that does not sit on the east coast. Amerson is listed as a 3 star prospect on Scout.com while Rivals.com gives him a 4 star rating.

Bennett Jackson has already given his word to the Notre Dame coaching staff and plans on attending the University next fall. Jackson is a 3 star wide receiver who chose Notre Dame over the likes of Iowa, Maryland, and Michigan State. Jackson commited to Notre Dame on June 7th this summer.

Louis Nix is a 4-star defensive tackle from Jacksonville, Florida and currently has committed to Miami (FL). He is listed as a "soft verbal" because he is still taking visits to other schools. I do not have a tip or anything of that nature but its obvious that he isn't entirely sold on Miami if he is willing to take trips to other schools for the time being. That's the way I feel whenever Notre Dame "verbals" take visits elsewhere and its how I feel when players like this check out South Bend. Notre Dame currently sits with only one defensive tackle in this years class so a shocking commitment from Nix down the road would go a long way with this class.

I don't know if any of the two players will commit over the weekend, it would be nice but considering the Irish aren't rumored to be frontrunners for either besides Jackson it doesn't seem likely. A strong showing from the team on Saturday would only help out with getting another verbal commitment, perhaps from Amerson or Nix.

Lucky Number 13 - Spencer Boyd!

Spencer Boyd
5'10'' - 178 Lbs.
Cape Coral, FL
3 Star - Defensive Back
Notre Dame's 13th Verbal Commit

Notre Dame received their 13th commitment in the recruiting class of 2010 on Friday as Spencer Boyd gave word that he will be attending college in South Bend. Boyd made his commitment after there was much speculation that Notre Dame would end up his college choice.

The recruiting class now grows to thirteen as Boyd becomes the third defensive back to commit so far this season. He comes in as another three-star recruit, the same ranking given to fellow defensive backs Chris Badger and Lo Wood who have already given their word to Notre Dame for next year. He is also the second commitment to come from the state of Florida so far this year with Lo Wood being the other.

Boyd brings the fastest listed 40-time of any of the three defensive backs so far in this class as he was clocked at 4.56 seconds. He also checks in nearly twenty pounds heavier than Lo Wood as he tips the scale at 178 pounds.

What I have liked while watching Boyd in his highlight videos is that he can really pack a punch at the cornerback position. He isn't perfect size for a college cornerback but he does have the tools that will likely carry him a long way at Notre Dame.

In successfully recruiting Boyd to Notre Dame, the Fighting Irish coaching staff has addressed a severe need by bringing in now three defensive backs in this years class. After bringing in only one DB a year ago it was of utter importance to stockpile on them this year and it can safely be said that they are off to a good start but I would be shocked if at least one more defensive back isn't brought in this year.

Boyd shows that he is bound to make mistakes in his highlight video but has the speed to be able to make up for those at the high school level. Sure he is a three star recruit just like the other two defensive backs in this years class but from what I have seen I feel that Boyd has the greatest chance to make a major impact in the defensive backfield of the three.

Welcome to Notre Dame, Spencer Boyd!

Daddy Says!

The Irish continue to bring in numbers in this years recruiting class as it seems that Spencer Boyd is headed to South Bend. Boyd's announcement was supposed to come at some point on Friday and still probably will, but according to The News Press in Southwest Florida, Boyd's father claims he will choose Notre Dame:

“We’re all stoked,” Scott Boyd said. “We kind of wanted him to choose Notre Dame all along.”

You can read the entire story here if you like: Cape Coral High's Boyd to verbally commit to Notre Dame

This will be Notre Dame's 13th commitment if the story is indeed true and Boyd will become the 3rd defensive back in this years class as he is set to join fellow Sunshine-Stater Lo Wood and Utah product, Chris Badger.

Once again, Spencer Boyd himself has not yet said anything regarding the situation and at times that can be important. Everything does seem to be pointing the way of the Fighting Irish however since this story broke.

I won't break down Spencer just yet for you, I'll wait until he gives his offical commitment but once again, it seems like he's South Bend bound.

Irish to Gain Cornerback?

Spencer Boyd, a three star prospect from the Sunshine State has announced that he will make his verbal commitment on Friday. The good news for Notre Dame is that the Fighting Irish find themselves to be a finalist for his commitment along with rival Michigan as well as the University of Georgia.

The glass is half empty:
Boyd was quoted as saying he is very close to Wolverines head coach Rich Rodriguez and that he likes the size of the University of Michigan. If a bigger school is something he craves, Notre Dame is not going to be his place. He also noted that he would be able to play early at Michigan.

The glass is half full:
Boyd is yet to make a visit to Georgia and its pretty rare that a player commits to a college without ever actually stepping foot there. He was also quoted as saying he "had that feeling" when he was on Notre Dame's campus. He also noted that he would be able to play early at Notre Dame as well.

I don't know which way I lean in predicting where Boyd will end up. If the Irish get him, great...if not, its not the end of the world. Obviously it is nice to see players choose Notre Dame over the likes of Michigan and Georgia when it comes down to it but don't confuse yourself, this isn't a Jimmy Clausen or Manti we're waiting on here.

Boyd has not yet mentioned a time or setting for his announcement this Friday, I'll let you know if I hear before then.

Irish Get Lo Lo Lo Lo...

Lo Wood
5'10'' - 160 Lbs.
Apopka, FL
3 Star - Defensive Back
Notre Dame's 8th Verbal Commit

After the way this week started it seemed that Notre Dame's recruiting class of 2010 was headed for the gutter. Chris Martin was gone and so was any shot at a top-25 class according to many of you message-boarders out there (you know who you are). However, the last two days have gone Notre Dame's way in the sense that they picked up a quarterback as well as now two more defensive players, one being Blake Lueders and the newest being Lo Wood, a defensive back from Florida.

It is tough to tell what head coach Charlie Weis and company are going to expect Lo to bring to the table when he arrives in South Bend. Nobody was expecting a commitment from Wood this weekend but a suprise visit to Notre Dame's campus on Friday prooved otherwise.

I would be lying if I were to tell you that Wood is an elite recruit that was stolen right out of SEC country because he really isn't. He is going to take time to turn into a starting corner for the Irish, one look at his overall size will tell you everything you need to know. His height and arm length are there but he needs to get stronger.

Only weighing 160 pounds right now, Wood can be strong for his size but could afford to put on more than a couple of pounds. His speed is alright but nothing that is going to demand attention when placed around other superb athletes. He clocked in at 4.58 in the forty yard dash while also putting together a 4.3 shuttle time. He changes direction quickly but will need to cut that forty time down a hair still.

The Irish failed to pick up and defensive backs in the 2009 class so it seems that Lo will likely be called upon to have a pretty solid chance at a starting roll down the road for Notre Dame. He's not going to be a lock-down corner like we expect to see from guys like Darrin Walls or Gary Gray but he is still going to possess the speed and size to compete, lets just hope he will be able to put on some muscle before he arrives on campus in a year.

Blake Lueders is Irish

Blake Lueders
6'5'' - 250 Lbs.
Zionsville, IN
4 Star - Defensive End
Notre Dame's 7th Verbal Commit

I wonder what Blake Lueders biggest concern when deciding which school he would attend was. Campus lifestyle? Weather? Winning tradition? Chance to be a legend? How about academics? All you have to do is look at the finalists that Lueders chose Notre Dame over on Thursday to find out that this young man realizes that at least in his house, academics come before football.

The other finalists you ask? Northwestern, Boston College, Wake Forest, and Stanford. All four schools are obviously amongst the elite when it comes to academics so it was nice to see a young man have such a desire to prepare himself for the post football life and not worry about the glamour of college athletics for a change.
So, he's obviously a smart guy but what can Blake Lueders do on a football field that will make me happy that he chose to attend Notre Dame? Here's a quick rundown:
-6'5'', 250 Lbs.
-Plays middle linebacker in high school, expected to be a defensive end in college
-Product of Zionsville High School in Zionsville, Indiana

Here's what I see from Blake Lueders in his future at Notre Dame:
He's not the all-star defensive line recruit in this class, that belongs to Chris Martin who made it public that he is sticking with his commitment to Notre Dame towards the end of this week. Lueders will not likely be the dominant pass rusher that so many expect Martin to be, I don't really see Lueders fitting into the Irish's defensive plans in his first two years on campus. It will take time for him to make the adjustment from playing middle linebacker to high school to learning a new position at Notre Dame.

With that said he sounds like and appears to be an outstanding athlete. His size is going to work to his advantage as he is listed at 6'5'' and 250 pounds. Couple that with a 4.79 40-yd dash time and you can expect big things from him down the road.
The fact of the matter is that learning a new position is very difficult to do at any level, especially the division one level. With that said, I expect to see Blake competing for a starting job and turning into a very formidable defensive end by his junior year at Notre Dame.

Irish Land their VooDoo Child

He's here, here at last. That's right, the Voodoo Child himself, Andrew Hendrix picked Notre Dame as his college choice this morning after talking things over with his parents. Hendrix becomes Notre Dame's sixth commitment in the class of 2010.
A little background on the prospect himself:

Andrew Hendrix - QB, Moeller HS, Cincinnati, OH (yes, same school as Gerry Faust)
6'3'', 220 Lbs. - 4 star recruit accoring to Rivals, 3 stars per Scout

A few people have tried to compare him to Brady Quinn in articles and on some of these "oh-so-genious" Notre Dame message boards. Quess what? Just because he is a white quarterback from Ohio does not mean he is Brady by any means so get over that idea now. The only similarity is the spread styles of offense they both ran in high school.

He comes from a pistol offense which requires a lot of moving outside of the pocket and running the ball himself or throwing on the run and seems to do it particularly well, see for yourself...

So there he is, commit #6 of the class of 2010, quarterback Andrew Hendrix.

-Also for anyone who cares, und.com has tickets to both the Nevada and Washington State games available for purchase today, just a kind heads up.

Harangody Back at ND

Cool Hand Luke Returns

For those of you who thought Luke Harangody was bound for NBA greatness and never going to play a game for the Fighting Irish again, you were wrong. After testing out the NBA routine, working out for a few different teams, Harangody has decided that staying in college is not such a bad idea after all.

I'm not going to say that this is a great move either way for #44. What I do know is that his lack of defensive ability would have severely hurt his potential minutes on an NBA court next winter. He has proved that he can score in the Big East and grab absurd amounts of rebounds. However, he needs to be more of a defensive threat if he hopes to play in "the league" for any extended amount of time.

I'm not bashing Luke Harangody, the kid is one helluva college basketball player who has been as good as any in the Big East over the past two seasons. His body size puts him at an extreme disadvantage for a big man in the NBA in terms of being able to back down opponents and score the same way he does so often in Big East play.

The good news for Fighting Irish fans is that in the Big East even you are able to get away more with some of the flaws that NBA souts see in Harangody's game and that next year should be another outstanding offensive campaign for the Fighting Irish forward.

Along Awaited, Lesser Known Post Season Awards

Everyone knows this past Saturday that the most famous individual award in athletics was handed out, that of course being the Heisman Trophy. Sam Bradford, the sophomore quarterback of national championship bound Oklahoma walked away with the hardware, keeping Tim Tebow from being becoming the second player ever to win multiple Heisman's.

As you may remember (those of you who have followed in years past), here at WTTO we hand out the lesser known post season college football awards, so here it goes for 2008...

Eric Crouch Cup - Worst Throwing Quarterback

Top 4
1. Threet - MICH
2. Williams - ILL
3. Davis - IND
4. Bacher - NW





Faust-Ie-Ham - Worst Coaching Performance

Top 4
1. Tubberville - AUB
2. Weis - ND
3. Stewart - WV
4. Richt - UGA



Lance Harbor Award - Most "Catchy" Name as a Quarterback

Top 4
1. Dan LeFevour - CMU
2. Tim Tebow - UF
3. Chase Daniel - MIZZOU
4. John Parker Wilson - BAMA


Gordie Lockbaum Award - Heisman Finalist with Zero Chance
Awarded each year to that one finalist who you know will not win college football's biggest individual prize, past winners include the likes Darnell Autry of Northwestern, Randy Moss of Marshall, and Alex Smith of Utah. Unlike the other awards, this one is always clear as day. All knew coming in that with Oklahoma battling Florida in the national title it was a two horse race and that Colt McCoy, although being WTTO's pick, had the smallest chance of winning.

tOSU Sad Family Award - Home Loss that Hurt the Most

New to the award platform this year, this award goes to that team who's loss at home stings the worst. Named for the family shown to the left who was left in tears after Texas defeated tOSU in Columbus in 2005, it was a tough challenge to pick a winner in 2008.

Top 4:
1. Toledo 10 @ Michigan 7 - A bad season for Michigan turned horrible here.
2. Ole Miss 31 @ Florida 30 - So long perfect season, a national title berth keeps this from #1.
3. Oregon 65 @ Oregon State 38 - Rose Bowl Bound? Not so fast, Beavers.
4. Syracuse 24 @ Notre Dame 23 - First ever school loss for the Irish to an 8 loss team...ever.

There they are ladies and gentlemen. Be sure to stay tuned as this bowl season we will offer yet again more projections, reactions, thoughts, and stupidity. Until next time, happy holidays all.

Communicating with the "Charlie Must Go" Clan

After dealing with so many people who feel that Charlie has to go, that every little damn thing is his fault I have finally found a way to communicate with you people I think...and its really not as hard as I originally thought...

Publish Post

ND/USC - A Week Early???

This weekend may prove to be a very important one when it comes down to the Notre Dame/USC rivalry in the next few years with three players currently deciding between schools making trips to South Bend. Sure the teams do not play for another week but this weekend features an opportunity to take dead aim at the Trojans recruiting class of 2009 with both linebacker Manti Te'o, safety Byron Moore, and fullback Tyler Gaffney making official visits to South Bend this afternoon.

Manti Te'o is amongst the most highly saught after defensive recruits in the nation, earning a five star rating from both Rivals and Scout at the middle linebacker position. Te'o is being recrutied by nearly every college in the nation and has taken a visit to UCLA and has also attended two of USC's summer camps. Besides Notre Dame this weekend, Te'o is expected to visit the likes of Stanford and BYU as well as USC before he chooses a school so unless he is overly wowed by South Bend in the middle of November, don't expect a commit here this weekend. The Irish have been able to land some of the biggest names on the offensive side of the ball in recruiting wars the past few years but Te'o would be the first 5 Star recruit Charlie Weis will have been able to bring in on the defensive side of the football.

Byron Moore, a former UCLA commit and current commit to USC will be on Notre Dame's campus this weekend as well as he has recently sought after the Irish instead of the Irish going after him. Moore plays in the same district as Irish WR Commit Shaquelle Evans and the two sound like decent friends. After Evans committed to Notre Dame it was Moore who actually called Notre Dame, hoping to get noticed by the Irish. It payed off as Evans will also be on campus this weekend and don't think Charlie Weis wouldn't like to steal one of USC's charmed recruits right out from under him. To me Moore seems to have a real interest in Notre Dame and if the Irish are to see a commit this weekend it would most likely be from him.

The third and final high school senior visiting the Golden Dome this weekend is Tyler Gaffney, one of the most highly touted fullbacks in the nation. Gaffney also lists Stanford and USC as schools he is considering to attend. The Irish have been somewhat disappointing in what Asaph Schwap has brought to the table after playing now in his fourth year and would definitely like to get a fullback in whom they may have more confidence in to do a bit more. Gaffney is averaging over 10 yards a carry for Cathedral Catholic High School in San Diego this year as he has scored 30 touchdowns. With a visit already set for Stanford in January I feel it will likely go very close to National Signing Day before Gaffney decides where he will call home the next four seasons.

Also on campus will be juniors Corey Cooper (ATH), Kyle Prater (LB), and Chandler Whitmer (QB).

GO IRISH, BEAT ORANGE

Bowl Projections, Meaningful Ones

For what its worth here's how I see the post-season shaping up. Just projections for now but by projecting what happens the rest of the season, I came up with this while thinking in advance...

BCS

National Championship:
Texas vs. Alabama
Unbeaten SEC and Big XII Champs

Fiesta Bowl:
Oklahoma vs. USC
This could attract a viewer or two...

Rose Bowl:
Penn State vs. Oregon State (Pac 10 Champs)
Joe Pa gets pissed yet again over the lack of a playoff, and just wait those of you who are shocked to see the Beavers

Orange Bowl:
FSU vs. West Virginia
How did the Orange get so unlucky with the teams it draws?

Sugar Bowl:
Florida vs. Ohio State
Payback for the Buckeyes...or not

Non-BCS but Still Decent:

Outback Bowl:
Minnesota vs. Vanderbilt
Who would have ever thought this was possible?

Cotton Bowl:
Georgia vs. Oklahoma State
Can you be disappointing with one loss so far? Ask Georgia, this is counting on them losing Saturday against Florida and OK State's losses coming against Texas and Oklahoma

Gator Bowl:
Notre Dame vs. Virginia Tech
The ACC is a crap shoot and 2nd place projects to someone else each week, Notre Dame is a pretty safe pick

Capital One Bowl:
Michigan State vs. LSU
You know that team speed thing? Tune in and see how much of it the Big Ten lacks

Just a projection for now and likely forever...

ND right about Willingham? You don't say...

"Everything Notre Dame warned us about, everything they told us about this guy has turned out to be true"

Go figure.

Go Irish Beat Huskies

How Bad is Washington's D?

How Bad is Washington's Defense?

When looking ahead to this Saturday and trying to think of what Charlie Weis and Notre Dame's game plan may consist of, its difficult to come up with much of an idea on anything because when you look at statistics, Washington is horrible all around.

The idea of running the football is a great one when it works but for Notre Dame that has been a major problem once again in 2008 as the offense is yet to be able to do so outside of the Pitt game. This could be a week where Notre Dame really gets the running game going based on the fact they are playing a horrendous run defense. How bad you ask?

Washington ranks 115th in the nation in run defense, allowing 232.8 yards a game on the ground.

So its simple right, just pound Hughes and Aldridge and get Armando some carries to spread things out a bit right? Well not so fast. That's because the Huskies improve rankings wise in the passing game but still:

Rank 98th in the nation in pass defense, allowing 250.17 yards a game through the air.

Ouch. So what will Charlie do, let Jimmy have the chance at a field day against the Huskies and air it out all evening long? Or will he stick with the ground attack? Or both?

Washington ranks 117th in total defense, allowing 483 yards a game and 40.7 points per contest.

When Notre Dame scheduled the Huskies a few years back the Irish thought they were getting an admirable opponent, as Washington was in the midst of eight straight bowl appearances. Turns out the Huskies turned into a cupcake, something nobody outside of South Bend saw coming when Willingham was brought in.

The only worry I have with this game is the team headed on a long plane ride west. So far this year teams who have traveled from the west coast to the midwest or vice versa have not fared well (Ohio State at USC, Michigan State at Cal, Cal at Maryland, etc...). What also concerns me is that under Willingham the Irish always came out at home jacked up and beat a team who was better than them (2004: Michigan, 2003: Washington State, 2002: Michigan) and I worry about that happening out west this year.

And by worry I mean maybe for a drive or two Washington looks like they belong on the same field as Notre Dame. Ladies and gentlemen, this one for all intensive purpose should be a romp.

Irish 44 Huskies 17

What I Say About What You Say, Poll 1

It seems as if all you out there, including myself, want to see the Irish win a bowl game in 2008. Obviously there are ups and downs in whatever happens in the second half and end of this years campaign but on the first poll conducted here on WTO, 92% of you answered you would rather see the Irish win a mediocre bowl game (Ex. Independence Bowl) than to lose narrowly in a Non-BCS New Years Day Bowl (Ex. Gator, Cotton Bowls), or get destroyed in a BCS Bowl (The only "non bowl-win" votes were for this option).

So what good comes of any of these events playing out?

Winning a Mediocre Bowl Game (The Boston College Route): (92%)
It is fairly obvious that Notre Dame is a very average team this year. Winning a bowl game would stop all the ESPN references to the bowl losing streak and all the jokes sad on a seemingly daily basis by Notre Dame bashers. How would it help the team? I would expect just the fact that you end the season on a high note, beating another above .500 team to close the year builds confidence going into 2009. When you have a team as youthful as Notre Dame, confidence can mean the worlds difference. After stumbling through 2007 and winning the Independence Bowl a year ago, look at what Alabama has been able to do; Notre Dame may not be as far away from that as some think.

Putting up a Solid Fight but Losing New Years Day, Non BCS Game: (0%)
This would show yet again that Notre Dame can play with slightly above average teams but it would do nothing in showing that Notre Dame is going to be a serious title contender any time soon. A scenario that plays out like this would be solely a remake of the UNC game from this year, very possibly against an ACC team in the Gator Bowl. Although a Gator Bowl matchup could be very winnable for the Irish, nothing is accomplished with this if the game is not won, no matter how close it was.

Getting Blown Out in a BCS Game: (8%)
In all honesty I feel there are teams out there that Notre Dame can compete with in the BCS in 2008. The bad news? Its highly doubtful that the Irish would draw any of these teams if Notre Dame were to somehow get into a BCS game in '08. Utah, Boise State, Big East Champ (TBD), and the ACC Champ (TBD) are all teams that Notre Dame could very much compete with or even beat. However with the chances of playing one of these lower teir BCS teams would be pretty slim and instead the Irish would yet again be placed against a much more capable BCS team with a blowout being likely. This does nothing for confidence, momentum, nor does it make potential recruits think the Irish are any closer to becoming a powerhouse once again. This would be worst case for me, I feel that getting killed on national TV after being where ND has been of late would be that much more reason for off-season ridicule.

Personally I just want to see the bowl losing streak snapped. There is no doubt in my mind that Notre Dame will win at least two more games (one coming this Saturday) and be bowl eligible. I prefer the Irish get a matchup in which they are not overmatched like they have been in recent memory and in only because they are "Notre Dame" ('07 Sugar Bowl, '01 Fiesta, '95 Fiesta, etc..). An evenly matched opponent is what Notre Dame needs, not necissairly the spotlight of New Years Day or beyond.

Whether it were to happen in Jacksonville in the Gator Bowl like many experts expect or in the Sun Bowl on the afternoon of New Years Eve, the Irish must win a bowl game this year, no "if's", "and's", or "but's" about it, this has got to stop, I agree with all voters in saying Notre Dame just needs a bowl win this year, no matter where it comes from.

I was Seven.

Be sure to check out the latest poll asking "Who is Notre Dame's worst coach of the past twenty-five years?", posted above, to the right.

Sorry haters, Charlie is not included.

Basketball School Only No More, Irish Prepare to Travel to Chapel Hill

It was two years ago when Notre Dame was in the midst of a BCS season and North Carolina was right at the bottom of the ACC. Two years later the roles have changed as Notre Dame hits the road for only the second time in 2008 this coming Saturday, this time against a potential BCS team, as crazy as it sounds to say. Butch Davis has done a great job at UNC and credit him in turning the program around.

Notre Dame has shown growth offensively, specifically in the passing game where quarterback Jimmy Clausen has had career games in each of his last two contests. How will Clausen fare this weekend in Chapel Hill? Tough to say because he will be facing a defensive scheme that he is not used to seeing.
North Carolina will likely not be going after Clausen which is a changeup compared to what Clausen has seen this year. Sure the Irish have only allowed only five sacks so far in 2008, but Clausen has been blitzed fairly heavily as well. Instead of looking for immediate openings due to the forthcoming blitz Clausen will have to not get overly anxious. It will also be up to the offensive line to not allow the defensive front of UNC to get to Jimmy. Despite only getting to the quarterback six times this year North Carolina has forced 12 picks, something Notre Dame must avoid in order to win on Saturday. Leading the way in the defensive backfield for UNC has been Trimane Goddard who is responsible for four interceptions and 22 tackles. Mark Paschal has pulled in two picks himself while the other six interceptions have been brought in by six separate Tar Heels. Its important that if Clausen does make multiple mistakes that his wideouts in Floyd, Tate, Grimes, and company not only make plays but also play pass defensive and knock away potential interceptions when necessary.

Statistically North Carolina has averaged 200 yards allowed through the air while just under 150 a game on the ground. This defense has talent but as long as the Irish are patient and don't fall victim to the turnover game, the offense should be fine in continuing to put points on the scoreboard. Running the football will be key against this defense since they won't likely be sending linebackers or safties too often, it's up to the offensive line and running backs to take advantage.
Notre Dame will catch a break defensively where North Carolina is stuck with their second string quarterback from the start of the season, Casey Sexton. A week ago Sexton threw for only 117 yards but much of that is due to the fact North Carolina led from early in the first half and was able to run the football.

Two of the biggest playmakers on the field this weekend have the same last name. Notre Dame of course brings Golden Tate, the playmaking wide reciever to the table while North Carolina counters with Brandon Tate. The latter Tate is one of two excellent wide outs for North Carolina (16 Rec, 376 Yds, 3 TDs) who is accomponied by Hakeen Nicks who is just as daunting of task to try and cover (24 Rec, 412 Yds, 4 TDs). It can be argued that this pair is the best group of wideouts Notre Dame will see in 2008 so David Bruton and company please come ready to play.

The running game of North Carolina is no great shakes, especially after seeing the powerful running scheme that Stanford brought to Notre Dame Stadium a week ago. Former Notre Dame verbal, turned Tar Heel commit on Signing Day '07 Greg Little leads the Tar Heels with 223 rush yards on the season. Shaun Draughn has only two thirds the carries as Little but averages a yard more per carry with 4.7 per. After seeing a strong running game a week ago I expect Notre Dame will be able slow down these two.

What scares me in a game like this is how important special teams will be in the outcome. Obviously the Irish kick/punt coverage has been a strong point during the season. However, the times Notre Dame has been pressured in the punt game they have either had balls deflected or come very near to having them blocked. That won't fly this weekend as UNC is coming off a game where Bruce Carter blocked three punts himself in route to a blowout win over UConn and former Irish quarterback Zach Frazer. Notre Dame let a team back into the game last weekend due partly due to bad special teams play when Brandon Walker had two chances to wrap things up and failed in both. Jay Wooten is by no means great but gives the Tar Heels an advantage in special teams by converting 4/6 field goals this season with a long of 43.

Prediction Time:

Man Oh Man...At the start of the week I had extreme doubts in the Fighting Irish coming into this weekend. "Is Notre Dame back?" is a question many of us have heard the past week with the 4-1 record but not really a "marquee win" as the pollsters love to see. Can it change this weekend? The rest of the Notre Dame fandom may think I'm nuts in saying this but here it goes...

Notre Dame 28 #22 North Carolina 24

And no, just in case this actually happens it doesn't mean the Irish are a top-20 team.

Brain's Bowl: ND (3-1) vs. Stanford (3-2)

Coming off an impressive second half showing against Purdue which made the Irish 3-1 on the young season, Notre Dame welcomes the Stanford Cardinal to South Bend this Saturday afternoon. Coming one week before the Irish visit Chapel Hill, and likely their toughest opponent before USC, this turns into an immediate trap game for the Irish in my eyes. So, what does Notre Dame have to do on Saturday to be ensure a 4-1 record when they travel to North Carolina next week?

In order to win Saturday the Irish will have to slow down the Cardinal running game, something Notre Dame failed to do in their only loss of the season at Michigan State. Stanford is just as much run-dominated as MSU, but the Cardinal lack the talent MSU offered. Toby Gerhart will get the bulk of the carries for the Cardinal as he enters this weekend with 74 carries for 421 yards this season, an average of 5.7 per. Stanford will also look to Anthony Kimble who enters with 248 rush yards on the season and an average of 5.3 yards per rush. Simply put, Stanford is going to try and use the run to beat Notre Dame and keep the game as low scoring as possible. It will be up to the defense to be able to answer the call and stop Stanford. Force them into third and longs, obvious passing downs because:

Led by quarterback Tavita Pritchard (61/108 for 691 yds, 4 TD, 4 INT) do not expect to see the Cardinal relying on their passing game to win the game. Pritchard is an average college quarterback at best and will cough the ball up under pressure, so I would like to see a score or two set up by way of the interception on Saturday for Notre Dame. Get to Pritchard and make him make a mistake or two, its bound to happen...again.

The wideouts Stanford brings to South Bend are not quite as talented as the grouping we saw a week ago from Purdue, but they bring more depth at the position. Ryan Whalen is the go-to receiver, but four other receivers (Doug Baldwin, Richard Sherman, Tony Gerhart, and Austin Gunder) all have eight or more receptions. These wideouts will leave a mark if not taken seriously, but are a very average group that the secondary should be plenty-able to handle.

On offense we will likely see Notre Dame attempt to run the ball as they try to find the same success they had in the second half of the Purdue game. Armando Allen enters the weekend as the number one tailback after his coming out party last weekend. Let's hope this wasn't a one time thing for 2008 and that Allen can begin to be counted on to pick up yards. A week ago he wasn't trying to be fancy, just using his speed and outrunning defenders. Depending on whether or not the offensive line shows up to play the same way, Allen and company may be in for another big day on the ground, Stanford has allowed over 3.5 yards per rush three separate times already this year, going 1-2 in those games. As usual, Robert Hughes and James Aldridge should also see carries.

What about the passing game of Notre Dame - how will it effect the outcome of Saturday's game? Any time you have playmakers left and right like Notre Dame has in Tate, Floyd, and Kamara, expect them to be a major part in the contest. Arizona State was able to pass the ball all over the field against Stanford and won going away. This week we will use the run to set up the pass and see close to the same results, I have to figure. Stanford does not offer the same kind of athletes that Notre Dame does in the position matchup here and, if given time, Jimmy Clausen could be in for another big afternoon.

Notre Dame enters this weekend with the best kick coverage in the nation, in large part because of the play of everyone's favorite grinder, Mike Anello. Sadly, the field goal unit is amongst the worst statistically. The good news is that Brandon Walker made a field goal to put the Irish up by three possessions last week. Let's hope that helps his confidence and carries over to this week. Aaron Zagory enters Saturday as a true weapon on special teams for Stanford as he has been good on 6 of 7 field goals this season. Give the edge to Stanford there.

In order to win Notre Dame can't get caught looking ahead to North Carolina next weekend and I am scared to death of this occurring. If the Irish are able to not entirely stop, but simply contain the running game of Stanford, it should be a runaway. If not, the Irish may be in for a scare.

I expect to see Notre Dame struggle defensively in much of the first half before they find success in slowing down Stanford. However, I do not see any way that Stanford slows down Notre Dame enough to win it at the end.

Nick (4-0) Says: Notre Dame 39 Stanford 27

Sidenote: Anyone else want to see David Grimes catch a touchdown pass to make up for last year's BS that occurred out west?

ND vs. PU - A Battle of 2-1's

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By Nick Shepkowski

A year ago we remember the match up in which the Irish waited until they trailed 23-0 before showing any signs of life in West Lafayette. That game was a coming out party of sorts as Golden Tate emerged on the scene with a touchdown on three receptions for over 100 yards receiving. As the story goes, we all remember that it would take until week one of 2008 to hear from Golden in such a way again.

When the Boilermakers enter South Bend this Saturday they will be led under the Golden Dome one last time under the reigns of head coach Joe Tiller. Tiller, who will retire at the end of the season became Purdue's all-time winningest coach last week, passing Jack Mollenkopf. Tiller looks to finish his career against Notre Dame right at the .500 mark as he enters Saturday 5-6 all time against the Fighting Irish, but only 1-4 in South Bend. Often under appreciated, one can not argue that Joe Tiller has put Purdue football back on the map after a rough start to the 1990's.

The Boilermakers come in fresh off of a come from behind win against familiar foe, Central Michigan. Trailing by one with under two minutes to go, Kory Sheets took a handoff 46 yards to give Purdue their second win of the season. What must Notre Dame do in order to keep Purdue from leaving South Bend with a 3-1 mark Saturday? Lets take a look...

The Purdue offense enters dangerous as usual, led by very possibly the most pro-ready quarterback in next years NFL Draft, Curtis Painter. Painter may not have the same kind of weapons around him like he has in years past but is still a dangerous quarterback who will not let the hectic Notre Dame blitz get in his head. Painter is coming off of an impressive 27/36 showing against Central Michigan where he threw for 261 yards and a touchdown. One negative of Painter so far this fall, his interception total matches his touchdown total with three a peice. Don't worry too much about him fleeing the pocket, but when Notre Dame blitzes it will be important they get to him in a hurry because he will make them pay if they fail to.

Kory Sheets carries the bulk of the weight in the Purdue run game as he enters leading the team in touchdowns with six, and two of them coming one week ago. Personally I would like to see the Irish slow down Sheets and make Painter beat them. I'm not saying Painter is a bad quarterback by any means as I have already stated how pro-ready he is, but his receivers this year aren't quite the receivers of previous Purdue teams.

Kevin Smith, Greg Orton, and Desmond Tardy are Painters go to guys, all averging over 50 yards a game this season. On third down and long Irish fans be weary as these will be the weapons of choice, don't expect any of these three to be the reason Purdue may walk out victorious on Saturday, if they do it will because of Kory Sheets.

The inability to run the football killed multiple drives early on in this past Saturday's game against Michigan State. This is a game where there should be no excuse for the Irish to not be able to run the football effectively. If they fail to there will be nobody to blame besides themselves.

Purdue enters this week having major problems stopping the run. A week ago Central Michigan was able to spout off just under four yards a carry for the entire afternoon against the Boilers. Previous to that, Oregon ran all over the Purdue defense in a game they averaged 7.1 yards per carry on their way to a 306 yard day on the ground. As I stated, expect Charlie Weis and Notre Dame to try and use the combination of Robert Hughes, Armando Allen, and James Aldridge. If Notre Dame can't run the football against Purdue then I am scared to see what the rest of the season brings in this department.Although Purdue is better against the pass than they are the run, they have still had troubles this season in stopping teams through the air. The Ducks of Oregon aired out right at 200 yards of passing offense while Central Michigan's Dan Lefevour threw for 291 yards a week ago. The defensive line is the strong point of the Purdue defense but if the Irish line can give Jimmy Clausen time, much like they did against Michigan, expect Clausen to have a big day if the running game fails.

Remember the game plan against Michigan which was to try and use playaction early on to take advantage of the weak secondary of the Wolverines? Expect the exact opposite this Saturday. I fully expect to see Notre Dame come out and try to pound away at the Purdue defense on the ground, then setting up a playaction deep ball. Then again, if the Irish have success running they may not stop either.

Special teams on both sides of the ball will be an exhibit in what not to do this Saturday. Both Purdue and Notre Dame enter this weekend with subpar field goal units. Sadly the edge probably does go to Notre Dame in this department as they have at least covered kicks slightly better than Purdue to this point in the season. I hope this game does not come down to field goals because it could last until eternity if it did.

I would like to see a few things from the Fighting Irish this Saturday that would let me breathe easier and be able to expect a win.

1 - Stop a Third and Long...Please!
Each opponent has converted a third down and long this season and wound up getting points as a result. It would be nice to see the Irish not allow a Purdue first down this weekend when they give the Boilermakers over seven yards to get.

2 - No Dumb Penalties...Enough said but I'll say more!
A week ago we saw Sam Young get called for a personal foul while the Irish were setting up show in their first possession of the game. It may not have directly amounted in points for Michigan State but it killed any hopes of Notre Dame picking up a third down and did not help in the field position battle. Its a little thing but it goes a long way at the end of the day.

3 - Turnovers...Must win this battle!
The last two weeks Notre Dame has been given a free lesson in winning the turnover battle. Michigan was obviously for the better and MSU for the worse. Win the turnover battle, convert turnovers into points and 9 out of 10 times you win the game.

4 - Let Golden make a play!
Golden Tate has emerged as legit playmaker on this offense. There aren't a whole lot of go-to guys like this on Notre Dame for the time being. He's a weapon and a proven go-to guy so far this season. When he gets touches good things happen, so make sure he gets the ball in his hands.

Prediction Time:

The Irish run game takes steps in the right direction while mixing in some long passes along the way as well. After seeing amongst the best running games in the nation a week ago Notre Dame slows down Purdue in that aspect...

Nick (3-0): Notre Dame 27 Purdue 21

Notre Dame Road Show: Irish Travel to Take on MSU

Two years, its really been that long? It seems like just yesterday I was sitting by my computer in my dorm room, listening to all the things in the world that went wrong for the Spartans in East Lansing by none other than Mike Valenti. In a way, that was a turning point for MSU as they struggled the rest of the season and replaced John L. Smith with Mark Dantonio after 2006. Needless to say, its been a change for the better in Spartan-land.
The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame hit the road this weekend for the first time in 2008 as they enter East Lansing in hopes of improving to 3-0 on the year. Fresh off of a 35-17 victory over Michigan, the Irish must improve on a few aspects of the game if they hope to pull an upset as they enter as 8.5 point underdogs to a 2-1 Michigan State team.

When Michigan State has the Ball:

Irish fans meet Javon Ringer.
Remember him? Hes the guy who has been tormenting the Irish for the past decade or so it seems when its really only been the past three seasons. He will enter Saturday just shy of 500 rushing yards with a total of 498 as he runs for just under five a carry at 4.8 yards per attempt. Simply put, stop him or even slow him down and the chances of pulling out a win in East Lansing sky rocket.
What is concerning about the fact that Ringer is the go-to man offensively is how the Irish performed last week against Sam McGuffie of Michigan. Only a freshman, McGuffie was able to scrap off 131 yards on twenty-five carries. Ringer is bigger, stronger, faster, and more experienced than McGuffie so the Irish defensive front will have no choice but to improve before this weekend.
Michigan State fans were very high on Brian Hoyer entering this season after he showed potential in his first season as the starting quarterback a year ago. Unfortunately for Spartan fans, Hoyer has struggled through the first three weeks of 2008, completing only 44% of his passes with just one touchdown thrown. The good of Hoyer? He's thrown just one pick so far in 75 attempts. It's obvious what this means Irish fans - make Michigan State put the ball in the air. Be able to do so and the Irish should be in business.
The Irish will also find a very capable deep threat in East Lansing this Saturday with Mark Dell. He has been the go to man for the Spartans in passing situations as he has hauled in over a third of the teams 36 receptions with thirteen of his own for 320 yards. BJ Cunningham is thrown to about half as much, but has still pulled in eight catches, averaging 17.4 yards per reception. Sure the stats with this are a bit intimidating, but remember, Hoyer's percentage of completed passes and know that getting pressure on the quarterback will be key. If the Irish can "make" him make a play instead of "let" him make a play they should be okay in pass defense.
To sum up the defense as a whole this weekend, I feel the Irish should do all in their power to control the running game and take their chances against Michigan State's passing game. Hoyer hasn't seen quite a defense like Notre Dame's so far this season. Do I mean the Irish bring that great of one to East Lansing? No. I mean what Notre Dame's gameplan consists of, which is blitz, blitz, and blitz again for the most part. To a quarterback that has not seen it before or at least - this season, this can reek havoc, expect the Irish to try and use that to their advantage in obvious passing downs.

When Notre Dame has the ball:

We saw Jimmy Clausen come alive in the fourth quarter against San Diego State and keep the momentum going into the first half against Michigan. Obviously, the weather and score of the game changed the Notre Dame gameplan for the second half, but the key stat to me from one week ago was the number 3.3. The Irish entered with a struggling running game and faced one of the best front-seven units in college football with Michigan, a team that was allowing right at one yard a carry against opponents entering last Saturday.
The Spartans bring a defense to the game Saturday which struggled very much against Cal in week one. Allowing 467 yards of total offense that day, as Michigan State struggled to find a way to slow down the Bears. I hope to see good weather this Saturday in East Lansing because this is a game where I feel the Irish are capable of throwing the ball around once again.
Coming off of last week it is easy to say this, but against Michigan State, I feel that it will be crucial for Notre Dame to get an early lead and to not turn the ball over. Golden Tate has been the go-to guy so far when the Irish have needed a play and for the most part he has come through for the Irish in 2008. The defense of Michigan State has allowed big plays this year, there is no reason why the Irish shouldn't be able to break one or two again this week.
Michigan State brings in talent, but a lot of question marks still lie in their defense where experience is not there in most respects. I feel that this game is going to turn into a shootout to some degree based on both teams defenses.
Notre Dame is facing a front-seven which is not nearly as talented as that of Michigan was. What does that mean exactly for the Irish? Success in establishing a running game as well as the ability to give Jimmy Clausen time to throw the ball down field. I would be surprised if the Irish offense can't put at least 24 points on the board this weekend.
Looking at special teams, that of Notre Dame's has come on very strong this season. Last week there were only two real mishaps, one when Armando Allen fielded a ball that was going out of bounds and gave the Irish poor field position, the other when a third quarter punt was partially deflected. Other than that special teams came up huge for Notre Dame, keeping Michigan deep in their own territory, something they need to do to Michigan State again this week.
I'll be honest, before writing this article and researching Michigan State a bit more, I did not like the Irish's chances too much in East Lansing. However, if Notre Dame can catch a couple of breaks and be able to do the things I talked about they should be in it late in the ballgame and we all know anything can happen then.
Unfortunately, I feel this week will be a bit of a hiccup for Notre Dame as Javon Ringer will prove to be just too much to handle.

Michigan State 34 Notre Dame 28