Tied up neat in a bow.

The Champs Sports Bowl was the antitheses of the Notre Dame Football Season.  Glimpses of greatness, enough to cheer and hope for yet disappointing again.  When a child screws up do you blame the child or the parent?  I look back at the offensive play calling and am bewildered.  With Kelly’s offensive coordinator gone to begin his reign as head coach at UMass he took over directing the offensive play calling.  Offensive play calling often left me asking why. 

During Notre dame’s first drive the offense looked solid with Wood rushing for 4 yards at a time decent passes and getting to the Florida State 10 yard line.  This was the exact time Andrew Hendrix should have been inserted, instead the Florida State gets a 5 yard offside’s penalty, Wood rushes for 1 yard to the Seminoles 4 yard line setting up first and goal.  Instead of passing it in behind and experienced offensive line the Irish call pass and Rees throws into heavy coverage for an interception.

Although Motta would recover a fumble for a touchdown forced by Manti on the next play I think the writing was on the wall.  Going into the half with a 14 – 0 lead felt good with eh pace of the game favoring the Irish but like all season long when would the shoe drop?  With three interceptions and a missed field goal attempt a close game lose would be inevitable.  Hendrix did not get the reps Kelly had talked about leading up to the game: Rees went 16 for 27 passing for 163 yards with 2 interceptions, and 1 touchdown (all Michael Floyd) whereas Hendrix was 3 for 8 passing for 24 yards and 1 interception.   As for the quarterback rushing game, a so called integral part of Brian Kelly’s spread offense Rees rushed 4 times for a negative 28 yards and Hendrix had 4 rushes for 26 yards.

For two and a half quarters the defense looked like the 86’ Bears or the Steel Curtain of Pittsburg in the 70’s.  5 sacks, 7 tackles for a loss, and a forced fumble for a touchdown made the defense look has if it would be the hero of this bowl game.  There seemed to be only one adjustment made at halftime by the Irish, they stopped blitzing and frustrating the Florida State quarterback and his offense.  Just like many games this season and the season itself this game started out with great expectations and potential but sell short and left fans felling cheated.

Beating Florida State

For the Irish to beat Florida State, the plan on the surface is pretty simple - score more points.  To do that, there are several things that are going to have to happen.  Let’s start by limiting the points that the Seminoles put on the board.  The Florida State offense is like the team as a whole - athletic, talented and fast.  It starts and finishes with their 6’5” redshirt junior quarterback E.J. Manuel.  Manuel has great potential because of his physical abilities, but a shoulder injury to Manuel and injuries to other supportive offensive players around him have hamstringed his abilities.  Florida State also lacks a high level running game; it’s enough to keep most defenses honest but not a huge threat.  Notre Dame’s front seven should and need to control the run and force Manuel to rise up to his potential working with his athletic and speedy receivers (although not overly dominant).  The Seminoles will spread the passing attack to multiple receivers who again are not super stars and are also banged up. Junior Willie Haulstead (a leading receiver for FSU last season) has been out all season due to a concussion and senior Bert Reed is hobbled with a hamstring injury.  The Florida State receiving corps will be made up of a junior, along with couple of freshmen and sophomores.  They may be young but they are explosive and talented (averaging 15.6 yards a catch).

At running back Florida State is in distress.  The Seminoles started the season with Ty Jones who did not play well enough to keep his starting role and Jermaine Thomas who also lost time due to ineffectiveness (not that it matters since Thomas is academically ineligible for the game).  Currently Florida State’s running game is being led by two freshmen, Devonta Freeman and James Wilder Jr., both decent and with potential but I’d take Cierre Wood any day.  I like the Irish defense winning the battle over the Florida State offense.  In what should be a close game, the Irish defense would help the effort by throwing in a turnover, ensuring good field position and stopping the Florida State offense on crucial third downs.  This might very well make the difference between a Notre Dame win and a loss.  Florida State’s offensive line is banged up and young, opening up the opportunity for sacks and hopefully turnovers.  They are, however, BIG across the board. 

Offensively, the Irish will face a defense that is athletic, talented and fast.  The O-line must not only protect the quarterback (whomever it may be at the time), but must get Cierre Wood a 100-yard rushing game.  The quarterbacks need to rotate based on the situation, not based on injury or poor play of the other.  Florida State gets after it on defense; they are aggressive and can get the ball stopped not only at the line of scrimmage but often behind it.  The Notre Dame offense must limit mistakes, this means fa;se starts, fumbles and interceptions.

Overall, this should be a close game.  Do not expect a repeat of last year where Miami was unmotivated.  The Seminoles, just like the Irish, have pride on the line and an opportunity to salvage a relatively disappointing season.  I see Florida State being able to take advantage of offensive mistakes.  The Irish need to play a solid game - no need for anything new - Wood runs, Eifiert and Floyd catch, D-line stuffs the run and Manti tackles.  This should be a very physical game with a lot of emotion, despite not being  a BCS bowl.  This does, however, have some recruiting implications for the uncommitted and undecided.

I read in an article this week “the first team to 20 points should win.”  That may be right.

Champs Sports Bowl

A Notre Dame win secures a third straight Bowl game win after a nine bowl game losing streak.   It would also ensure one more win overall and one less loss than last year’s 8-5 record after beating the Miami Hurricanes.   The match up against the Seminoles may not be the traditional rivalry game as last year’s game against the Hurricanes was, but it’s about as good as we could get for not going to a BCS Bowl.  The Florida State tradition and lore does not match on any level to that of the Irish, but during the mid-80’s to the mid-90’s, the Seminoles were considered the gold standard of college football, and in a state with programs such as the Miami Hurricanes and the Florida Gators, that is impressive.  Perhaps the greatest and most memorable game against Florida State occurred in the fall of 1993 when the Seminoles came into South Bend as the #1 ranked team in the nation and although the Irish were ranked #2, Florida State was a huge favorite and were considered head and shoulders above every other team in the country, even to be able to beat some NFL teams.   Stories were being written how the Notre Dame grounds crew was letting the grass grow long to help slow down the Seminoles’ speed.  As we know, the Irish pulled off the upset and subsequently lost the next week to Boston College.   Overall, the two have played six times (Florida State leads series 4-2), once in a bowl (Florida State 31 Notre Dame 26 in the Orange Bowl 1996) and Florida State won the last game in 2003, 37-0 in South Bend.

This matchup (at least on paper) sets up well with subplots and storylines.  Both teams have a strong tradition and have had their share of past glory and championships.  Both teams are 8-4, had high preseason expectations and both teams disappointed.  Both teams finished the season stronger than they started, with the Seminoles winning six of their last seven.  Both teams could really use a win in this game as a springboard for next season as well as a wrap up in recruiting influence.  Neither team had a signature win (maybe Notre Dame’s win over Michigan State) to their credit.  Both teams, however, had several close losses that could have put their records into a more elite crowd.

In addition to the benefit of playing an additional game and recruiting charm, the additional practices may be the best benefit to teams.  The challenge and concern is the time between the final game and the bowl game.  Classes are not in session, and traveling to see family and friends for the holidays can be trouble for young men.  Florida State has had several student-athletes experiencing run-ins with the law, resulting in their suspension from the bowl game.

At a quick glance, it will be the Notre Dame offense will have to outperform the Florida State defense (6^th in the nation in total defense).  Rees and Hendrix will both have to play well - not one or the other, but both.  It’s not a BCS Bowl; it may not even be the marquee matchup that either team expected before the season started; but it is what it is.  Let’s sit back, enjoy, cheer for a win and move on.

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Champs Sports Bowl

A Notre Dame win secures a third straight Bowl game win after a nine bowl game losing streak.   It would also ensure one more win overall and one less loss than last year’s 8-5 record after beating the Miami Hurricanes.   The match up against the Seminoles may not be the traditional rivalry game as last year’s game against the Hurricanes was, but it’s about as good as we could get for not going to a BCS Bowl.  The Florida State tradition and lore does not match on any level to that of the Irish, but during the mid-80’s to the mid-90’s, the Seminoles were considered the gold standard of college football, and in a state with programs such as the Miami Hurricanes and the Florida Gators, that is impressive.  Perhaps the greatest and most memorable game against Florida State occurred in the fall of 1993 when the Seminoles came into South Bend as the #1 ranked team in the nation and although the Irish were ranked #2, Florida State was a huge favorite and were considered head and shoulders above every other team in the country, even to be able to beat some NFL teams.   Stories were being written how the Notre Dame grounds crew was letting the grass grow long to help slow down the Seminoles’ speed.  As we know, the Irish pulled off the upset and subsequently lost the next week to Boston College.   Overall, the two have played six times (Florida State leads series 4-2), once in a bowl (Florida State 31 Notre Dame 26 in the Orange Bowl 1996) and Florida State won the last game in 2003, 37-0 in South Bend.

This matchup (at least on paper) sets up well with subplots and storylines.  Both teams have a strong tradition and have had their share of past glory and championships.  Both teams are 8-4, had high preseason expectations and both teams disappointed.  Both teams finished the season stronger than they started, with the Seminoles winning six of their last seven.  Both teams could really use a win in this game as a springboard for next season as well as a wrap up in recruiting influence.  Neither team had a signature win (maybe Notre Dame’s win over Michigan State) to their credit.  Both teams, however, had several close losses that could have put their records into a more elite crowd.

In addition to the benefit of playing an additional game and recruiting charm, the additional practices may be the best benefit to teams.  The challenge and concern is the time between the final game and the bowl game.  Classes are not in session, and traveling to see family and friends for the holidays can be trouble for young men.  Florida State has had several student-athletes experiencing run-ins with the law, resulting in their suspension from the bowl game.

At a quick glance, it will be the Notre Dame offense will have to outperform the Florida State defense (6^th in the nation in total defense).  Rees and Hendrix will both have to play well - not one or the other, but both.  It’s not a BCS Bowl; it may not even be the marquee matchup that either team expected before the season started; but it is what it is.  Let’s sit back, enjoy, cheer for a win and move on.

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High School All American Games

The 2011 High School All American Teams are beginning to come out and of course the Irish Have their fair share of commits, recruits and prospects on them.  Here are a few of the teams and some players to watch out for.

Zach Banner       Ronald Darby     Deontay Greenberry      Arik Armstead   Sheldon Day       Gunner Kiel        Shaq Thompson                                Jarron Jones

SI.com

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/highschool/12/15/high-school-all-america-team/index.html

Under Armour

http://bigcountypreps.com/180/2011/12/19/under-armour-all-american-roster/

U.S. Army

http://www.goarmy.com/events/all-american-bowl.html

Last minute recruiting.

Brian Kelly and his staff have done a good job recruiting for next year’s freshman class and I am looking forward to seeing some of these young men in the an Irish uniform even if it is in two years via redshirting.  Notre Dame has its share of impressive national recruits who have given their verbal commitment but until February 1^st (National Signing Day) commits could changes.  Notre Dame also has to make some decisions with those seniors who have a year of eligibility left all of which will change the number of incoming freshman players the Irish will take in.  With that being said Brian Kelly and his crew are still securing their current commits and maybe more importantly chasing players who have not committed or our soft commits elsewhere.

Of the dozens  of high school seniors that have Notre Dame on their list of schools they are considering there are only a few I feel we should put the full court press on for and would truly help the program.  Unfortunately they may not feel that going to South Bend would be in their best interest.  The Irish will have their fair share of players still committing but it is the cream of the crop that Notre Dame needs to continue to secure to continue the return to glory.

Arik Armstead is the nation’s biggest uncommitted high school talent.  At 6’8” and 285lbs most services have him ranked as the number one offensive lineman (tackle) if not the number one recruit period.  Although everyone is recruiting Arik as an offensive lineman he has made it clear he would like to play defense and I think the Irish would oblige.  Once a commit to USC (still in the mix) he re-opened up the process after his older brother Armond who plays for the Trojans had some issues.  Armstead took an official visit to South Bend in October.  Brian Kelly has enlisted the services of Notre Dame Basketball coach Michael Brey in recruiting Armstead who may love playing basketball more than playing football.

Although the offensive line is set for next year and looks solid with this and next freshman class there are still some guys out there I would love to get.  At 6’7” 305lbs Andrus Peat has offers from every big time school in the nation.  Peat has Notre Dame low on his interest list and are not in his final four.  Notre Dame’s Camps Sports Bowl opponent Florida State is high on Peat’s list (along with USC, Stanford and Nebraska) and a good win over the Seminoles along with some good recruiting by Kerry Cooks could swing the tide.  This is more than a long shot but he is that good with that much of an upside he is worth recruiting until the very end.

Defensively the Irish will need help sooner than later at the safety and corner positions.  Currently the Irish have verbal commits from cornerbacks Ronald Darby and Tee Shepard.   The nation’s top defensive back recruit Shaquille Thompson at 6’2” 210lbs could add some needed size to the secondary. 

Gunner Kiel or any other quarterback is not necessarily a need (although it is odd not to have any quarterback in each recruiting class) but he has interest and after de-committing from Indiana Notre Dame has put him in their cross hairs and would be a great catch.

Manti

Without a doubt Irish fans got some of the best news they could have hoped for this week - Manti Te’o will be back for his senior season.  Since before the first time Te’o made his first tackle in a Notre Dame uniform, we knew he was going to be something special.  Manti came out of Hawaii as a highly touted recruit who many thought would end up at rival USC.  I still remember Te’o’s first game for the Irish and thinking, “wow, we get this for four more years (well I hope four),” and on Sunday my wish came true.

When Manti announced he was coming back, Notre Dame retained arguably their best defensive player (if not their pest player period), they hung onto a leader on and off the field as well as a great student athlete and positive member of the South Bend community.  Even with the loss of Ethan Johnson and Darius Fleming, the Irish should be more than dominant and experienced as well as deep at the linebacker position. 

On the experienced side of play at inside linebacker Te’o will get to work with Dan Fox and Carlos Calabrese.  At 6’1 245 lbs., Calabrese (although another inch or two would be nice) is a fit at the middle linebacker position.  Last year as a sophomore, Carlos played in 11 games (missed two due to injury), starting in eight of them where he was fifth on the team in tackles (60).  He seemingly would have been starting this season next to Manti but was edged out by fellow sophomore Dan Fox.  Fox was initially recruited as an outside linebacker but at 6’3” 240 lbs. moved inside.  As a sophomore, Fox did play in all 13 games, mostly on special teams.  Although Dan was listed as the starter, he and Carlos split time next to Te’o.  Both Fox and Calabrese did not see any action during their freshman seasons, and therefore, both could be back for two more years.

On the potential side of things at middle linebacker, the Irish have a lot to look forward to.  Two sophomores stand out above the rest, Prince Shembo (6’2” 250lbs) and Kendall Moore (6’1” 245lbs).   As a freshman, Moore did not see any game action (saving him a year of eligibility), but was named Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year.  This season, Kendall has appeared in several games, racking up a handful of tackles.  Out of high school he was a Super Prep and Prep Star All-American.  Prince Shembo, who can and has been put at the outside linebacker because of his freakishly athletic and aggressive play, is one of the most exciting players on the Irish roster (images of Lawrence Taylor).  Although Shembo is only a sophomore, he also has played in two dozen games (collecting 6.5 sacks) for the Irish in supportive roles.  Keep an eye on freshman Jarrett Grace, who may not have been the most recruited high school prospect in the country, and at 6’2.5” 240 lbs. isn’t the biggest backer we have ever seen, but Defensive Coordinator Bob Diaco is high on this kid and that carries some weight.

With Brian Kelly’s recruiting and coaching philosophy of getting great athletes and football players and positions will take care of themselves, there are other linebackers listed primarily on the outside who may switch around in defensive schemes.   New York State High School Player of the year Ishaq Williams, who saw some action this season, has a big upside at 6’5” 255 lbs., and the kid teammates call “Hercules” (Troy Niklas - 6’6.5” 252 lbs.), who has also seen his fair share of action this year, are helping solidify Notre Dame’s defense.  Finally I am curious to see how Danny Spond fits into the picture.

Quarterbacks

By now we all know that Dayne Crist has asked for and has been granted his release from his Notre Dame Football scholarship.  This allows him to graduate this month and play for another team next season without sitting out a year.  Dayne would be a good pick up for a team looking for a talented and experiences signal caller for one year, it worked out will for Wisconsin.  Although Crist has had his issues in South Bend, mostly due to injuries he has carried himself with poise and could be a very good quarterback somewhere even make it at the next level in the NFL.  Irish fans should thank Dayne for his service and wish him well.

With the Crist era over at Notre Dame the Irish have three scholarship players to line up behind center.  Brian Kelly has named Tommy Rees as the starting quarterback for the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando Florida against the Florida State Seminoles.  Kelly has also made it clear that redshirt sophomore Andrew Hendrix will see action in Orlando.  Technically Everett Golson has moved into the third string slot but there is little to no chance he will get onto the field. No matter the situation in the bowl game Kelly should prepare and play Mathew Mulvey if needed, and if god forbid Mulvey goes down Luck Massa was recruited to South Bend as a quarterback before being moved to wide receiver.

Tommy Rees was put into the first game of the season halfway through after starting quarterback Dayne Crist was ineffective and has been the starter ever since.  This mirrors last season where Rees was inserted during the Tulsa game after Dayne proved to be ineffective.  Although Tommy has not amassed the same winning percentage as last year he has done well going 8-3 as Notre Dame’s starting quarterback.  Normally that would be pretty good for a true sophomore but one this is Notre Dame 8-3 will never be good enough, second Rees has just not developed as we had hoped, he has seemingly stayed the same.  Finally Brian Kelly’s spread offense has been shackled with Rees at the helm; he is simply not enough of a runner for its full throttle speed.  I don’t know how Tommy will fit into Brian Kelly’s offense I would not be surprised if he is the starting quarterback next September but it will be interesting with better running quarterbacks Andrew Hendrix and Everett Golson knocking on the door.

Redshirt sophomore Andrew Hendrix who has three more years of eligibility played in four games this year (two of them had quality time and participation).  Since he stepped on campus Hendrix has had the strongest arm on the team, add his ability to run the ball it is no surprise that Kelly inserted offensive packages for him.  Looking at the big picture Hendrix fits in better to the spread offense Brian Kelly is trying institute then Rees. 

Freshman Everett Golson is thought to be the future of the Irish offense.  He is listed at 6 feet but he is stretching to reach 5’11”.  Word from practice is mixed.  I have heard he is as athletic and talented as advertised but I have also heard he is having trouble picking up the offense. Everett was awarded the Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year by his teammates this year.

Brain Kelly had to go with either Crist or Rees to start this season as the only two quarterbacks with college game experience.  Christ is a solid player and Rees was winning.  Crist is gone and Rees has not grown as we had hoped and does not fit into Kelly’s spread as well as other options.  As of right now the Irish do not have a quarterback commit coming in next year but Indiana’s Mr. Football Gunner Kiel is considering Notre Dame along with LSU.  Either way Rees could be the starter or the odd man out.

As big of fan as I am of Tommy Rees it’s time to start moving in Kelly’s direction if he is going to work out and Rees does not fit.  Ideally Golson comes in and shreds defenses with his arms and legs for the next four years while Hendrix comes in with packages set up for him to keep defenses on their toes.  More probable Hendrix starts and Golson comes in with specific packages next year and we go from there.  

Next Years First Timers

The Irish had a lot of great plays made by a lot of good freshman football players this year.  Notre Dame also had some good (or at least we’ve been told they’re good) freshman football players who never even played a down.  The good news is we have the potential for having them make plays for the next four years by retaining a year of eligibility, and they also the way picked up a year of practice and tutelage from a coaching staff who gave them a year of weight training and workouts that should payoff big time.

The 2011 season saw a number of players take the field and contribute who were redshirted last season. Louis Nix was not only worth the wait, but the wait was probably necessary.  Nix came to South Bend overweight and under-conditioned; then he took a year, hit the field and produced.  We now have three more years of a developed football player.   Not every redshirt needed to develop, but they all got a year’s work and maybe more importantly get another year of game playing for the Golden Domers.  Andrew Hendrix did not see the field as much as Nix did this season nor did he need the time to work on his weight or conditioning, but I am sure that the time served him well.  He should fit well into Brian Kelly’s plans for a faster spread offense. 

The offensive line has stockpiled some big guys that will ensure quarterbacks have time to pass and running backs have big holes to run through.  6’5” 280 lb. Bruce Heggie, 6’5” 301 lb. Christian Lombard, and 6’8” 320 lb. mountain Nicolas Tate (who due to injury this year could , down the road petition the NCAA for a 6^th year) will all be on board for the future thanks to being redshirted last season.

Even though on the defensive side of the ball youth seems to be on Notre Dame’s side, there were a number of sophomores this year who still have three years of eligibility that could really be beneficial to success the team.   Linebackers Kendall Moore and Justin Utipo will provide stability for the next three years, although next year it will be most likely be in a back up roll for the defense.

Redshirts

Between the incoming freshman class and the lot of quality freshmen from this season who saw game time, the Irish still have a solid crew players who will have four years of eligibility by being redshirted this year.  Players who were not redshirted and contributed this season include George Atkinson III, Josh Atkinson, Stephon Tuitt, Ben Koyack, Aaron Lynch, Kyle Brindza, Cam McDaniel, Chase Houndshell, and Troy Niklas.  Of course, I wish some if not all of these would have four more years, mostly those who only saw limited action.

Obviously, not all of the remaining freshmen who did not play this season will develop into contributing members of the team in the future, but there are a handful of freshmen who we will be happy have an extra year of eligibility if not contribute next year.

Leading the way is quarterback Everett Golson who is expected to be the future of Brian Kelly’s high speed spread offense. There was no need to play Golson this season and I am happy Kelly didn’t.  Everett will be in the hunt next spring with Andrew Hendrix.  Either way, wide receivers DaVaris Daniels (6’1”, 195 lbs.) and Matthias Farley (5’10”, 194 lbs.) will be catching passes for the next four years for the Irish.  The year of development probably did Farley good as he only started playing football in his junior year of high school.  Whether the Irish are running or passing, the offensive line has a bright future.  Notre Dame saved a year of eligibility for some of their highly recruited linemen, which was important because although they are very talented, there probably won’t be an opening along the line for a couple of seasons as all of this year’s starters should all be back for 2012.  6’5” 290 lb. Brad Carrico, 6’4” 280 lb. Nick Martin (younger brother of Zach), 6’4” 290 lb. Matt Hegarty, 6’4” 310 lb. Conor Hanratty, and 6’5” 287 lb. Jordan Prestwood who had to sit out a season after de-committing from Florida State, will all be opening holes and protecting pockets as they all saved a year of eligibility.

There were not as many redshirts on the defensive side of the ball as many freshmen had important roles this season.  I am, however, looking forward to several defensive redshirts play down the road.  At 6’4½”  230 lbs., linebacker Ben Councell along with 6’5½” 280 lb. defensive end Tony Springmann should provide additional defensive talent for the Irish for years to come.

The future has looked bright for the Irish in the past and they have fallen short of expectations for years, so I will not get my hopes up too much.  However, I am cautiously confident that Brian Kelly is moving this program in the right direction and is amassing the players so expectations are met. 

Others receiving votes

A the bottom of each top 25 poll (AP, USA Today Coaches, etc.) there are a list of teams who are not good enough to make the top 25 list but receive votes, meaning if the list went to top 30 or so they would be on it.  These teams are usually those who are good, but don’t have the gas to be in contention for a BCS berth.  These teams are often in a rebuilding or reloading year, plagued with injuries, or have had a favorable schedule and some luck (overachievers).  These also may be teams who are underachieving.  Granted, appearing in the others receiving votes list may be a sign of a team on the rise.  Most of the over 100 Division 1A football programs would be happy to be in the “others receiving votes” category, but those in the upper echelon are not.  The Irish have the upper echelon pedigree put not the play or maybe even players of a ranked team. 

Notre Dame has lived much of the 2011 season in the others receiving votes realm, being on the outside looking in.  I think that Notre Dame belongs there, and I also believe they put themselves there.   The Irish are a team that, whether we like it or not, are in a rebuilding year, underachieved at times, and have had their fair share of injuries.  The good news is if the Irish win their bowl game, they may finish in the year-end top 25 polls.  It will also put them in a position to be in next year’s preseason top 25’s.  Finishing at 8-4 with losses to USC, Michigan and Stanford, the Irish did not step up with the big boys (partial credit for beating Michigan State).  These are games that the Irish need to win if they want to be considered a top team.  Looking to 2012, Notre Dame’s schedule offers several opportunities to run with the nation’s best (games against Michigan State, Michigan, Stanford, Oklahoma, and USC) on some big stages including a game in Chicago at Soldier Field against the Miami Hurricanes and the season opener against Navy in Dublin, Ireland. 

Most experts are projecting the Irish to get an invitation to the Champs Spots Bowl in Orlando Florida to play the 8-4 Florida State Seminoles who, with a win over in state rival Florida last weekend, moved from others receiving votes into the Top 25.  I do believe that if the Irish win their bowl game, no matter which bowl it is or who they play, they would end up getting out of “others receiving votes” into the final top 25.  If you were curious, other teams currently in the polls’ others receiving votes arena include Texas, BYU, Georgia Tech., Missouri, and Virginia.

Stanford sums it up.

Saturday’s game against Stanford was possibly closer than the score showed, but the Irish were definitely beaten by a better team.  Notre Dame gave itself plenty of reasons (excuses) to lose; miscues, penalties and poor execution.   Special teams were unreliable to non-existent.   Players looked confused, coaches seemed frustrated, play appeared inconsistent and fans were disappointed.

Offensively, Notre Dame could have photo copied a summary of the season and laid it out against the Cardinals.  With 92 yards receiving and a touchdown, Michael Floyd (who broke Golden Tate’s single season reception record with his 94^th catch) can only do so much and needed to have the ball thrown to him (with accuracy) more often.  Tommy Rees was not the leader the team needed and with an interception and a lost fumble, has not developed and grown as hoped.  The offensive line was porous, allowing defenders into the backfield (when they weren’t jumping off sides).   

Maybe the loss of Jonas Gray was a bigger issue than initially thought; Notre Dame amassed a total of 57 yards on the ground (121 were initially gained but 64 were lost in the run game) with an average of 1.8 yards a carry.   Stanford’s defense was very good with five sacks (costing 44 yards), eight tackles for a loss (costing 53 yards) and two interceptions (with a total of 42 return yards).   The offense could not get any kind of rhythm going, losing the time of possession battle and only converting 5 of 15 third down conversion opportunities.

Despite giving up 28 points, the Irish defense actually looked decent, all things considered.  Notre Dame has not been known for their pass coverage this season and with receivers at 6’4” and 6”8” working with a quarterback of Luck’s caliber, it is going to make for a long day.  Add Stanford’s running game that finished with 196 yards rushing (led by Taylor’s 120 yards)the Irish defense was kept guessing and on its toes all night.  With Notre Dame having to stay honest against the rush, it’s no surprise that Luck had four touchdown passes (to three different receivers) along with his 233 yards.

Stanford

Stanford = Passing = Andrew Luck, right?  With over 3000 yards passing (most from Luck), averaging over 275 yards a game with 32 touchdowns coming through the air, of course that’s the case.  But don’t kid yourself; this is a very balanced offense with a very good rushing game.  The Cardinal has amassed nearly 2300 yards on the ground (averaging 209 yards per game) with 29 touchdowns.  This team is an offensive juggernaut to be sure; they have a 98% success rate in the red zone with 77% of that coming via touchdowns.

Stepfan Taylor is their leading rusher with 1035 yards through 11 games with an average of 5.5 yards a carry with eight touchdowns.  Stanford has a handful of other backs that share the rest of the workload; Tyler Gaffney (415 yards, 6.5 yards a rush with 8 TDs), Anthony Wilkerson (278 yards, 5.3 yards a rush with 3 TDs), and Jeremy Stewart (173 yards, 3.9 yards a rush with 8 TDs).  Andrew Luck is the perfect example of this offense’s personality with two rushing touchdowns of his own with 39 rushes on the year, racking up 199 yards. 

Luck has a very diverse receiving corps and is not picky about who he throws to.  Stanford has 18 different players with a reception this season, including one by Andrew Luck himself.  Seven receivers have 22 catches or more and 10 different players have caught a pass for a touchdown. 

Although Stanford’s offense gets all the press, their defense has had a good season as well.  Their defense has racked up 33 sacks, 80 tackles for a loss, four interceptions and 14 fumbless recoveries. 

The Game will be on 8pm at Shamrock Jacks.

A Win is a Win!?

At the end of the day it worked out in the win – lose column, as the Irish improved to 8-3.  Remember, this team started 0-2 and has won 8 of 9 since.  Now, the Irish will prepare for Stanford.  Boston College always seems to play Notre Dame tough; better than most teams in their situations.  Most teams with losing records who are expected to lose to the Irish come out fired up and put pressure on Notre Dame at the start of the game.  Usually, the adrenaline wears off, the players settle in, the coaches make adjustments and the Irish pull away to a comfortable win.  On Saturday, the Eagles kept pushing and held firm to keep the Irish on their heels. 

That’s not to take away for Notre Dame’s defense, as they did have five tackles for a loss and one sack, but Boston College’s offense could not get on track in the second half (10 consecutive incomplete passes at one point).  If they had just a little bit more success, the Irish may have ended their senior day game with a loss.  I can assure you Andrew Luck will not have that issue next week. 

Offensively, it started out as if it would be an outstanding afternoon for Rees and the crew.  The Irish’s first offensive series went 80 yards on 8 plays for a touchdown by Jonas Gray.  Outside of scoring, the Irish had a decent day:  Cierre Wood had 92 yards to get over 1000 for the season, Michael Floyd had 10 catches for 92 yards and David Ruffer had his best game of the year making 3 field goals of 40, 41, and 27 yards.  On the stat sheet, the Irish dominated the numbers a little more than a score of 16-14 may reflect.  Notre Dame doubled B.C. in rushing 161 yards to 80, led in passing yards 256 to 170 and converted 8 of 19 third downs compared to the Eagles’ 3 of 13.

There were some issues on offense Saturday.  The Irish had no passing touchdowns (Brian Kelly tried blaming it on the weather during his post game interview).  That is not a huge issue, but it is magnified by having only one rushing touchdown on the opening series.  It’s not that they did not have opportunities but they did not capitalize.  Jonas Gray went out with a knee injury that did not look good.  Not that the offense could control it, but their starting field positioning was awful.

Special teams actually looked almost decent.  Without Ruffer’s three field goal game, the Irish lose, period.  Ben Turk did a solid job and George Atkinson’s one return for 17 yards was respectable.  The punt return game is still non-existent with unnecessary fair catches instead of attempting a return. 

The bottom line is that the Irish won and have one more win than last year.  However, Stanford will not be as lethargic on offense as Boston College was.  If Gray does not play Wood can carry the load himself, but it would not be the same offense.

Not for nothing, Brian Kelly said when asked about Tommy Rees’s play “He’s 12 and 2, did you know that?”  Thumbs up to Troy N for making the last tackle to end the game.

Catholic Conflict - Boston College

Notre Dame plays Boston College Saturday afternoon and there is no reason to think that the Irish will lose.  However there is a reason that games are played and no one say let’s just skip it because everyone thinks we’re going to lose.  At 3-7 the Eagles aren’t coming into South Bend as a big threat but after knocking off North Carolina State 14-10 last week and winning 2 of their last 3 (including a win over Notre Dames previous opponent Maryland) they are on as good of a roll as they can be this season.  Last year Notre Dame went into Alumni stadium and beat the Eagles 31-13, I doubt Boston College will fare any better coming into South Bend.

With all of that being said Boston College is a Division I ACC Conference team and deserves some respect.  Offensively 6’3” 212 lb sophomore quarterback Chase Rettig is having a decent year for a second year player on a 3-7 team.  On defense it starts and finishes with junior linebacker Luke Kuechly, who is considered as a mid first round pick if he were to enter this year’s draft.

Between injuries and not needed to keep starters on the field the whole game to win I except to see young guys and non-starters getting playing time again this weekend.

Robby Toma did a good job last week against Maryland covering for the injured Theo Riddick.  It was a good example of Brian Kelly’s “next man in philosophy”.  Robby had seven catches for 73 yards, both career highs.  Toma started against Army and USC last year due to injuries and will get an opportunity to crack the starting lineup on a regular basis next year in his senior season.

We will continue to see Freshman Stephon Tuitt who has gone in for Kapron Lewis-Moore.  Tuitt has played in eight games this season but has only started three.  Along with Super Freshman Lynch who has gone in for injured Ethan Johnson, Stephon can use this playing time to tune his skills for the future on the defensive line.

One position we will not see a lot of new faces is at running back.  Either Wood or Gray could be a standalone starting running back carrying for most teams.  Having them rotating on each series will keep them fresh and lessen the chance of injury.  George Atkinson III is seeing a little action at the end of games and that will probably continue this week.

These guys are following in the footsteps of last year’s “next man in” players; Tyler Eifert in for Kyle Rudolph and Tommy Rees for Dayne Christ.  Another thing to remember this is the last game some of these Irish players will ever have at Notre Dame Stadium.

Getting the job done.

Let’s go in reverse.  The Ugly; both teams’ uniforms.  I almost had a seizure when the teams took the field.  The Bad; Beating up on a 2-7 team may be expected but Maryland may be the best 2-7 team out there.  Notre Dame’s punt return is still a no threat with too many fair catches

There was a lot of good on Saturday night.  First off I am finally happy with Jonas Gray getting his first 100 yard rushing game (136 yards / 6.5 yards per carry) after being close several times this season.  It was however a pretty balanced scoring attack for the Irish.   Three rushing TD’s (by two running backs), two passing TD’s (by two receivers), an interception for a TD (57 yards) and a field goal (52 Yards).

The Irish offense looked good and the numbers support a good distribution of the ball.  Overall Notre Dame racked up 212 yards rushing with an average of 4.6 yards a carry, 296 yards passing with an average of 9.9 per completion.   Going 10 for 16 on third downs kept drives going and by going 1 for 1 on fourth down kept the Irish perfect on fourth down conversions.  In addition to Gray’s rushing Wood had 99 yards with a touchdown.  Tommy Rees utilized seven receivers for a total of 30 receptions and 296 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Defensively again the Irish shared the work load, Notre Dame had a total of 71 tackles by 26 different players, none of which had more than 6 themselves.  Lo Wood had a gift in the form of pass thrown directly to him which he proceeded to return for a touchdown.

The players and coaches should feel good and observe the 24 hour rule Kelly has instituted to morn a lose or celebrate a win move on to the next opponent. 

What to expect.

What to expect, watch to watch for and what to hope for.

Irish fans should expect a win at the very least, but how it happens remains to be seen.  I expect that the best match up to watch this Saturday will be between Maryland’s offensive line and Notre Dame’s defensive line.  The Irish faithful should not have to hope for but need to hope for its front seven win that battle (especially the running game), because if they do, everything else should easily go Notre Dame’s way.

Although upperclassmen with injury issues such as Manti Te’o and Ethan Johnson are expected to play, their time should be limited.  This is Johnson’s first game in a while and he does need to get in some “knock off the rust” reps.  I look for underclassmen to get in some meaningful work and have a chance to shine.  What Notre Dame can’t have and what we all need to hope for is no more injuries. 

I expect that at 2-7 and becoming bowl eligibility out of Maryland’s future, playing the Irish at Fed Ex field may be enough motivation to get the Terps fired up enough to get and keep them motivated.  I hope to watch the Irish load up on highlight film plays and statistical numbers for the season.

Maryland

At 2-7 and riding a five game losing streak, Maryland is not exactly a major obstacle in the Irish picking up a win this Saturday. Although it’s technically a home game for the Irish, they will be playing at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland.  As you look over the Terrapins’ depth chart, you can see it’s peppered with freshmen, sophomores and juniors in starting and key roles. 

Taking into consideration how banged up the Irish are, especially on defense, I would expect to see a number of regular starters on the sidelines this weekend not in pads.  I can live and the Irish can win with giving a week off to Lynch, Hounshell, and Te'o.  Offensively, since Braxton Cave needs to sit out, Golic has proven he can handle the workload. 

This is the kind of match-up that Notre Dame may not need to rest guys, but it is an opportunity to get some of the young guys some game reps and experience.  George Atkinson III and even Cam McDaniel should get some meaningful touches in this game.  In no way should we play any freshmen that we have not used yet and burn eligibility.  There are a number of sophomores that have no eligibility to save and could use the reps.  These players include Luke Massa who was converted to wide receiver.  This game could also allow Kelly to see more of guys like Collinsworth at receiver and Hendrix at quarterback.

Of course, it would be horrible if the Irish stumble this weekend.  With the hype around the uniforms for this game as part of Shamrock Series, I don’t want a repeat of USC where the best part of the game was the helmets.  Two outcomes will be satisfactory this Saturday.  First, the Irish totally dominate Maryland from start to finish.  Along the way Wood and Gray each have 100+ yard rushing games, and Floyd has a career game.  On defense, Notre Dame racks up 3 sacks, two interceptions and scores a touchdown off a turnover.  Special teams also has at least one touchdown.  Second, Notre Dame works in their second and third teams for most of the game, young guys get playing time and the Irish win if even by only 7 to 10 points.

Wake Forest Review

Overall, Saturday’s game against Wake Forest was a good win for the Irish.  The Demon Deacons are a solid team and beating an ACC team on the road is not a huge statement, but it’s still a solid win.  The win officially makes Notre Dame bowl eligible. Brian Kelly said several times Saturday night after the game “we did not beat ourselves.”   That doesn’t mean there was perfect execution. There were mistakes to be sure but none that were fatal. 

Senior center Mike Golic Jr. had to come in for Braxton Cave and got some solid playing time and performed well.  The player combination that really stood out was the front three on defense with Lynch, Nix and Tuitt.  To think we could see them together for the next three years is a great prospect for Irish fans.

I liked Kelly’s fire on Saturday.  He went after players and referees as deserved.  During his press conference after the game there was a discussion about the success of the running game a reporter asked a question about the deficiencies and Kelly took him to task.

"I mean is there a negative to everything? Is there a negative?" Kelly said. "We just won a football game, on the road. I mean, what kind of, really, what kind of question, what do you want me to say? What's the answer? We won 24 to 17 against a good football team, and you want to know what's wrong with the passing game. You know what's wrong with it? Um, the coach doesn't call good plays. How's that? There's nothing wrong with it. We're fine. We just won a good game."

Although I think that Notre Dame could have and should have played better against the run, they stepped up when they needed to.  The Irish shut out Wake Forest in the second half despite the Demon Deacons being in or on the Irish 10 yard line twice and walking away with zilch.

Offensively the Irish did well with Gray accumulating 92 yards (4.8 yards a carry) and Wood with 87 yards (averaging 6.2 yards per rush).  I am still waiting for Gray to get a 100-yard game this season and I hold Brian Kelly accountable for getting that done.  Rees did what he needed to do to win by going 14 for 23 with a touchdown and two interceptions.  Thankfully, the interceptions did not cost them the game.  The receiving corps duties were fairly shared between six players (including running back Wood), with Michael Floyd leading the way with five catches.

Special teams were led by kickoff returns (as they have all year).  Collinsworth and Atkinson both had two returns each; Collinsworth’s long went for 41 yards while Atkinson’s long was 32.  As for kickoffs and field goals, both were sufficient with Ruffer making his only attempt of the day for a 44 yard score while Brindza kicked off five times averaging nearly 70 yards per kick.  Even the punting game was respectable, with Turk kicking three times for an average of 41.3 yards per kick. 

Assuming the Irish win their next two games over Maryland and Boston College and lose to Stanford, is an 8- 4 record a good enough regular season improvement over last year’s finish of 7-5?  I think the bowl game scenario becomes much more important in judging the success of the season.  What bowl, against who and what kind of win?  Some early predictions include a matchup with Florida State in the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando.  At 6-3 and 4-2 in the ACC the Seminoles would be a respectable opponent.  Florida State has an explosive offense led by its passing game averaging over 292 passing yards per game.

Enjoy the now.

Enjoy, enjoy the last third of this season not with feelings of disappointment or frustration, but with the vision of the carrots left in front of us.  What is dangling out in front of us that will make this season a success or at the very least, enjoyable?  What will keep the Irish faithful tuning in each week, cheering and following her loyal sons?  It may not be a run at the National Championship, a BSC Bowl or even a meaningful New Year’s Day game, although it may, so let’s start there.

After Wake Forest, most are picking the Irish to beat Boston College and Maryland before facing Stanford, where the same following are picking Stanford to beat the Irish, resulting in a regular season record of 8-4.  Along with the Notre Dame history and following an 8-4 record should land the Irish on a decent bowl, the other half of the equation would be their opponent.   Last year’s match up with their arch nemesis the Miami Hurricanes cannot be duplicated, but there could be several intriguing match ups.  The season will have to be played out and followed to see it come to fruition.

Although he owns every important career receiving record at Notre Dame, we only have a handful of games left to watch Micheal Floyd play in an Irish uniform.  Remember Tim Brown, Rahib Ishmial, Jerome Bettis, or any other Irish great?  They live now in our memories, so savor the plays this year. There is not much time left to see Floyd do what he does so well.

Traditionally I don’t bet, and I surely don’t root against the Irish, but I would bet the farm (if I had one to bet) that Notre Dame will lose to the Stanford Cardinals on Saturday, November 26.  However, there is a reason they play the games.  I don’t like the idea of one game makes or breaks a season but this is close.  Beating Stanford at this point won’t put us in a position to win a National Championship or a BSC Bowl, but if we win out, it definitely would put us in the top 25 at the end of the season. 

As we have dreams of future seasons that don’t come with disappointment or frustration, we can look at our underclassmen and speculate how great they can become.   Austin Collingsworth with his athleticism, George Atkinson III with his speed, and the defensive studs like Lynch, Tuitt, and Hounshell with their unlimited potential are like dreams of sugar plums dancing in the heads of children on Christmas Eve.

Of course, there are all the things that happen each game that makes the hairs on the back of my neck sand up.  When the players take the field and you hear “here come the Irish.” When the Fight Song Plays after a score.  Every first down and every touchdown.  Every interception and every big tackle.  Every big run and every big block.  Talking to Greg at the corner of the bar at Shamrock Jacks, hearing Mo scream YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!  Hearing Chuck go “na na na na na na na na” after each score, having Mark and Mike offer my tab up to buy shots if the Irish score, and then doing them to swing the momentum in Notre Dame’s favor (usually offering the shots up to the football gods for a turnover).  Talking to Pete and Keith at the YMCA about the good the bad and the ugly of the previous game while looking to the next.  Yeah there is enough to keep me cheering her loyal sons onward to victory.

Saturday Night Live

Another night game for the Irish.  With a loss from North Carolina last Saturday the Demon Deacons dropped to 5-3 and 4-2 in the ACC.  This wake forest may be as inconsistent at the Irish with a loss to Syracuse and a win over at the time #23 Florida State.  Traditional thinking says that the Deacons will have to pass on the Irish defense because their rushing game is weak at best whereas their passing game is good to pretty good. 

When the Irish meet Wake Forest this Saturday night it will be their first meeting in Notre Dame’s 123 years of football and theirs 141 different opponent.  The good news is the Irish have a winning percentage of .846 and a record of 117-20-3 when facing a team for the first time.

Wake Forest has a big and an experienced offensive line and is more than capable of winning this game.  The Irish need to keep their momentum rolling and go into the Stanford game with three consecutive wins.  If Notre Dame losses Saturday night odds are that they will end with four loses before a bowl game.  November was very good to the Irish last season let’s hope it is as kind to them this year. 

A bad note in the recruiting trail out of South Bend literally; South Bend’s (Washington High) own David Perkins de-committed from Notre Dame.  Perkins dominated at The Opening run by Nike this summer.  Technically he is shopping around and taking some official visits to other schools.  LSU, Oregon and Boise State are on his radar.

Getting the job done.

Over the last 36 hours I have had many people come up to me so happy and impressed that the Irish beat Navy 56-14.  That’s what they’re supposed to do.  With seven rushing touchdowns and 182 yards on the ground, Notre Dame dominated the Midshipmen’s rushing defense in traditional impressive manner.  However, size, speed, and blue chip recruiting talent overwhelmingly favored the Irish and should not have surprised anyone, even if Navy has enjoyed victory over the Irish in the last two years.  Even though Notre Dame had one passing touchdown (one compared to seven rushing), they out passed Navy 260 yards to 33.  With that being said, Navy is a good team compared to their record.  Prior to playing Notre Dame, they had lost four games by a total of eight points.

Not to say I was disappointed, I was happy with the game overall and there were highlights to be sure.  None more impressive than when after the game the Midshipmen stood behind the Irish players while they sang the alma mater to the student section, then the Navy players headed to their students in the stands to sing the Irish players stood behind them in support.  Why? Out of respect.

On the field, here were the highlights to be happy about and build upon as the season progresses.  There were a lot of numbers that stood out on the stat sheet but the first one that hits me was that the Irish offense was 7 for 7 in red zone scoring (all touchdowns).  This shows the ability for Notre Dame to finish drives strong.  On the defensive side of the ball, Notre Dame held Navy to 196 yards rushing, which under normal circumstances would be a good day, but against a team that averages over 300 yards a game on the ground, it’s a great accomplishment.

Manti Te’o led the Irish with 13 tackles while playing for his “bros.”  There was an obvious issue stemming from Brian Kelly’s comments in the media about the buy-in from the players he recruited versus those he inherited, but it wasn’t evident on the field Saturday.

I have finally come to terms with Michael Floyd and have made a full confession that I am a Floyd fan.  For years I have been hesitant to support him based on my perception of his non-football persona.  On Saturday I was willing to move forward.  He is immature and I can deal with that.  He is not a bad person, and as a matter of fact I think he is a good kid.  Sure, he is being a puppet and regurgitating what he is being told to say, but he is willing to do it because he wants to say the right things. 

Getting the job done.

Over the last 36 hours I have had many people come up to me so happy and impressed that the Irish beat Navy 56-14.  That’s what they’re supposed to do.  With seven rushing touchdowns and 182 yards on the ground, Notre Dame dominated the Midshipmen’s rushing defense in traditional impressive manner.  However, size, speed, and blue chip recruiting talent overwhelmingly favored the Irish and should not have surprised anyone, even if Navy has enjoyed victory over the Irish in the last two years.  Even though Notre Dame had one passing touchdown (one compared to seven rushing), they out passed Navy 260 yards to 33.  With that being said, Navy is a good team compared to their record.  Prior to playing Notre Dame, they had lost four games by a total of eight points.

Not to say I was disappointed, I was happy with the game overall and there were highlights to be sure.  None more impressive than when after the game the Midshipmen stood behind the Irish players while they sang the alma mater to the student section, then the Navy players headed to their students in the stands to sing the Irish players stood behind them in support.  Why? Out of respect.

On the field, here were the highlights to be happy about and build upon as the season progresses.  There were a lot of numbers that stood out on the stat sheet but the first one that hits me was that the Irish offense was 7 for 7 in red zone scoring (all touchdowns).  This shows the ability for Notre Dame to finish drives strong.  On the defensive side of the ball, Notre Dame held Navy to 196 yards rushing, which under normal circumstances would be a good day, but against a team that averages over 300 yards a game on the ground, it’s a great accomplishment.

Manti Te’o led the Irish with 13 tackles while playing for his “bros.”  There was an obvious issue stemming from Brian Kelly’s comments in the media about the buy-in from the players he recruited versus those he inherited, but it wasn’t evident on the field Saturday.

I have finally come to terms with Michael Floyd and have made a full confession that I am a Floyd fan.  For years I have been hesitant to support him based on my perception of his non-football persona.  On Saturday I was willing to move forward.  He is immature and I can deal with that.  He is not a bad person, and as a matter of fact I think he is a good kid.  Sure, he is being a puppet and regurgitating what he is being told to say, but he is willing to do it because he wants to say the right things. 

After Saturday

As the season continues and it’s evident that the BCS is gone and a top 25 finish is far from an easy goal we need to do what Brian Kelly has steered away from.  Kelly keeps saying we take it one practice at a time and one game at a time.  Well we need to start looking to the future and thinking what they may be.  At the very least what the rest of the season could hold.  Recruiting may be semi-stable at best; team moral looks good, but still lacking hunger.  Consistency is lacking on the field and from what I hear in practice.  Those are all issues for Kelly and his staff to look at fan we look at players and what can they do for us, and if not this year, the next.

Being an Irish fan for the last 20 years is like being an inmate going to the parole board.  Maybe next year if we do this if we get that, we wait, work hard, go into the room before the board and…wait till next year.  This gets old quick, unfortunately it doesn’t end quickly.  Obviously there are several games left, games to win, and a top 25 to crack if we finish strong enough.

Down the road we’ll look at the depth chart and see what players will be tops in 2012.  For now we need to focus on 2011 games.  First Navy, two loses to the Midshipmen cannot lead to a third, Notre Dame has never lost to Navy three seasons in a row, not to mention a lose to a 2-5 team would be terribly embarrassing.

Wake Forest is a team with a current 5-2 record with wins over team such as Boston College and Florida State.  The Demon Deacons are ranked 24^th in the nation in total passing yards a game.  This could be a loss for the Irish in Winston-Salem against a solid ACC team.

Although Maryland is a home game for the Irish it is being played at Fed Ex field in Maryland’s backyard.   I would be more confident of a win against the Terrapins than some of the other teams on the Irish’s remaining schedule.  Their one highlight is an opening game win against the Miami Hurricanes 32-24.

Boston College who plays Maryland this weekend is currently 1-6 and 0-4 in the ACC this season should be a win for the Irish.  However the excitement of two Catholic colleges squaring off will help the Eagles get up to play Notre Dame.

Finally Stanford, who will very likely be undefeated and ranked in the top 5 when they face Notre Dame on November 26^th.  With everyone’s All American and Heisman Trophy pick Andrew Luck at the helm the Cardinal will be a tough win if not impossible.  The good news is if the Irish can win the rest of their games until then a victory over Stanford could put them into the top 25 at the end of the season and put them into a meaningful New Year’s Day Bowl.

With five games remaining I would say a 4-1 finish is reasonable and realistic.  The Irish could however finish our 3-2 or worse thanks to their inconsistency and lack of a killer instinct.  The ultimate question is would 9-4 be a better finish then last season’s 8-5 heading into a bowl.  Of course it’s better but is that kind of improvement good enough.   Back to Kelly’s view let’s take it one game at a time, Navy.

Onward to Navy

My phone has rung several times since Saturday night but I am still waiting for it to ring with an apology from Brian Kelly, Dayne Christ, Manti Te’o, someone from South Bend.  I did see an apology from USC players and coaches for comments made Monday morning that I thought were fair.  I feel like a prisoner going to parole, each year thinking wait till next year, if we do this and if this happens we will be in the promised land.  The time comes, we go before the board and then denied.  Kelly’s saving grace with me is his frustration, the players although well spoken composed and classy don’t seem to be passionate enough, and like I have said before missing the eye of the tiger.

The one thing I have in common with and can agree upon with the players and coaches of the Fighting Irish is that it’s a one day at a time operation and we have to take it one game at a time.  So with that being said we’ll focus on Saturday’s game and the week of practice leading up to it, and by the way Kelly was talking after the Trojans game the players will not be happy with the tone of practice this week.

A team that will have plenty fire in the belly is Navy this Saturday.  Fire, confidence, discipline all the ingredients needed for a Midshipmen win and all that the Irish seem to be lacking.  We know they will be excited, well coached and run that option offense that Notre Dame can never figure out. 

Keys to an Irish win are simple.  The matchups are not complex, the schemes are straight forward and the game plan is as simple as 1-2-3.  All that being said we may have to wait until late in the fourth quarter to see a win.

Let’s start on defense; shut down the run.  Ok shutting down the run may be a bit much to ask, we need to at least contain the run game of the Midshipman.  Yes Ricky Dobbs is gone but they still have fullback Alexander Teich (just under 100 yards a game) and Quarterback Kriss Proctor (averaging 163 yards a game).  I realize this won’t be easy but that’s it, Navy is third in the nation in run offense (averaging 325 yards a game) and are still a losing record team on a five game losing streak.  Don’t worry about the passing game, there is none.

Offensively bully the defense, push them around at the line run and pass all over them.  Don’t turn the ball over and score when in the red zone. 

Expectations:

A beat down.  Both Wood and Gray both better redeem themselves with 100+ yard games each.  Multiple receivers with 100+ yard games and multiple touchdowns.  Bottom line it’s our offense beating on their defense and our defense stopping their run.