2011 Notre Dame Football Preview

In less than a month Notre Dame Stadium will swell to capacity with all 80,795 fans anxious, eager and perhaps even a bit nervous about the official kickoff to the 2011 season for the Fighting Irish. Unlike previous years, there are no rumors of coach firings or hirings, but that does not mean the newest installment of golden domers are void of drama and national intrigue.

To be sure, there are several stories circulating about Brian Kelly's program throughout the national media to date, including Michael Floyd and his DUI situation, the quarterback derby and lack of depth at running back. This sneak peak preview of what 2011 will mean to Fighting Irish football fans will cover these and more. This obviously is by no means going to be gospel, but last year's prediction was only one game off so take that for what it's worth.

Consistency
In year two of the Brian Kelly era the modus operandi is consistency. At a thirty-thousand-feet view, the Fighting Irish program is equipped with consistency across the board: game plans, players (17 returning starters) and perhaps most importantly coaches (all retained from last season).

Kelly has remarked how big of a deal it is now that they have had a year under their belt learning the ins and outs. From his opening season press conference before the start of fall camp:

Certainly if you look at our football team and the way we came together at the end of the year, a lot of people would say, 'That's the momentum that you want to carry.' I think what's happened more than anything else is when we come into this camp now, we know our football team so much better. I think year two is a year where you're not as concerned about what your personnel are going to do. You know your players. You know what to expect. They know what to expect. It allows you to get to football. It allows you to get to the fundamentals of the game. It allows you to start to look at your scheme particularly situationally. Those are things I couldn't talk about at this time last year. I was talking about learning the names of our players, knowing their strengths and weaknesses. 

What's the difference between this press conference and last year? I think more than anything else, our football team knows what's expected of them on a day to day basis. What's the strength of this team? They know what to expect from us and we know what to expect from them.

Comments from players reinforce those sentiments from the start of fall camp and the attitudes are much more confident this season as opposed to last. Rather than players and coaches learning each other's names they are now learning intricacies of the system Kelly is establishing. Instead of teaching fundamentals coaches are enhancing the fundamentals base for veterans while also being able to count on them to fortify the basics with the underclassmen.

Some units forged cohesion as the season wore on, such as the offensive line, which returns all but one starter. Without a freak injury to QB Dayne Crist the offensive line might not have jelled as well as they did (more on the injury and the controversy it has created later in the preview). Forced to play a true freshman QB (Notre Dame does not officially redshirt), Coach Kelly resorted to a much simpler playbook and fewer passing situations. As a result, the ground game took off over the last four games with then freshman Tommy Rees at the helm.

Another unit that saw remarked improvement and consistency was the entire defense. Few defenses put up better numbers than the Irish did in their final four games. Over the last 15 quarters of the year they allowed just one offensive touchdown, and that was a fourth and goal after USC recovered a fumble inside the red zone. Moreover, they improved from 77th to 50th in total defense and from 62nd to 26th in scoring defense over those last four games.

In 2010 the Irish were able to play hard for four quarters for the first time in years. Director of Strength and Conditioning Paul Longo was instrumental in building that stamina by developing plans both on and off the field to maximize the endurance and power of his athletes.

If you recall, the Irish teams under the Charlie Weis era were infamous for coming out of the gate strong but collapsing both late in games and late in the season. Case in point, when Notre Dame manhandled Utah 28-3 on November 13, 2010 it was only the second Irish win in the month of November since 2008. Moreover, it sparked their first undefeated November since 2005.

For the Irish to reach their goal of a BCS game this year they will have to continue to harvest the traits they honed over the final stretch of 2010. If there is any key to Irish success in 2011 it is consistency.

Quarterback Controversy
After two weeks into fall camp the Irish were no further along in the process of naming a starter for the September 3 opener against South Florida than they were in at the same time in 2007. During that season, Charlie Weis was toiling between Demetrius Jones, Zach Frazer, Evan Sharpley and Jimmy Clausen. Weis ultimately opted in favor of Jones for his opener that year against Georgia Tech and tried to force an option/spread style offense on a team nowhere near equipped to execute.

This time around, the Irish are fully able and prepared to execute the spread offense and even have more than one option to pick from. Sr. Dayne Crist is viewed as the incumbent starter but he was in a tight battle with another incumbent in So. Tommy Rees.

Crist suffered a second season ending injury in as many seasons when he went down against Tulsa on Halloween last year. Enter then true freshman Tommy Rees in his first major action of the season (he entered when Crist sat a few quarters against Michigan at home, threw a pick and promptly was benched). Although the Irish wound up losing to the Golden Hurricane, Rees managed to lead them onward to victory in the final four games of the season (Utah, Army at Yankee Stadium, at Southern Cal and Miami in the Sun Bowl).

According to Brian Kelly, however, the quarterback race was still very close between the two gunslingers vying for the starting role as the Irish entered their final week of practice before game week.

Today, it was announced that Crist earned the starting role with a slight nod over Rees.

Regardless of who the starter is between those quarterbacks playing time is likely to be shared in some capacity with two underclassmen: So. Andrew Hendrix and Fr. Everett Golson. Both young quarterbacks showed signs of brilliance during the spring game, especially with their ability to pose as running threats to the defense.

Kelly has also publicly stated he feels confident in each of his quarterbacks. While the upperclassmen have clearly separated themselves, Hendrix and Golson have shown they are capable of handling bits and pieces of the offense meaning they likely will bring in during certain situations.

Michael Floyd Status
Toward the end of last season all indications were that then Jr. WR Michael Floyd would forgo his senior year to enter the NFL draft. Even in an injury-plagued career at Notre Dame he had already put his name atop nearly every major receiving record at the school. He is first in receiving touchdowns (28) and second in career receptions (171). What more was left to accomplish?

In a decision that surprised many outside the program Floyd declared he would return for his final year to complete his degree and gain more experience. Unfortunately, he thereafter made another shocking decision when he decided to drive while under the influence of alcohol - an action that left his future under the dome in doubt. His third run-in with the law due to an alcohol related offense was no laughing matter, as Brian Kelly and the Notre Dame administration pondered how to enforce the proper punishment.

Kelly believed Floyd would not learn anything from a game suspension, so instead of going that route he gave Floyd two options: clean up your act and change yourself as a person or no longer be a member of the team. Floyd chose the former route and had a laundry list of items to check off before Kelly would fully reinstate him to the team.

There is no margin for error anymore with Floyd, but from how he has handled himself off the field ever since the incident it is evident, his focus is on making better decisions. It also helps that he was humbled and embarrassed by the whole experience.

I embarrassed myself, my family, the university, my football team and many more people. I know it will take time to earn the trust and confidence from everyone I let down last spring but I am prepared to do so and will strive to become not just a leader on the team again, but one also in the community.

If he can avoid injuries unlike his previous three years under the dome the Irish offense will be able to capitalize on not only his abilities but also the other skill position players such as WR Theo Riddick, RB Cierre Wood and WR TJ Jones who will each benefit from inevitable double teams on Floyd.

Defend Your Turf
The double entendre here is manifested by two key elements of defense that the Irish need to solidify in 2011: rush defense and winning games at home.

Starting with the rush defense, this is a unit that finished 50th against the run last year. Nose guard Ian Williams played a significant role in helping the Irish improve from 89th in that category in 2009. He is gone now, though, fighting for a spot with the San Francisco 49ers so the Irish have a big hole to plug in the middle of their 3-4 line.

To remedy the situation, a tandem of talent both used (Sean Cwynar) and unused (Louis Nix) talent will help fill the void left by Williams' absence. For the first time in what seems like decades, the Irish defense will have quality depth on its line. Even though Nix has not yet seen game action, he already is legendary amongst Irish faithful for having committed to team while it was without a head coach. Credit Tony Alford, who was retained by Kelly, for his Herculean efforts in keeping the gas on Nix even though he was unsure if he would be kept on board.

On the ends, Kapron Lewis-Moore and Ethan Johnson provide experience and a wealth of ability. Together the veteran duo will provide a stable foundation that is only enhanced by two mammoth and quick freshmen in Stephon Tuitt and Aaron Lynch. Both Tuitt and Lynch were pulled from the fertile SEC country and turned down offers to play in the famed conference for the opportunity to don blue and gold. Combined, the four defensive ends represent the level of depth and talent that Brian Kelly understands is necessary to compete for national championships.

The heart of the defense lies with the talented linebacking corps headlined by Manti Te'o. From the day he stepped foot on campus Te'o was an instant impact player, even though it took him a few games to crack the starting rotation his freshman year. With Te'o leading the charge the rest of the unit will have to help alleviate some of the pressure on Te'o after he recorded a team high 133 tackles last year. Darius Fleming, Dan Fox, Carlo Calabrese and Prince Shembo all provide valuable experience for the unit and should be used somewhat interchangeably throughout the season. Stopping the run boils down to their ability to make plays while offenses focus their attention on Te'o.

Moving on to the other 'defense' Notre Dame needs to employ this year, the Irish simply must win more home games. It has not been since 1998 that the Irish, under Bob Davie's tutelage, finished with an undefeated season at home. Prior to that, it was 1988 during Notre Dame's most recent national championship season under Lou Holtz.

A typical tough home slate awaits the Irish with bouts against South Florida, Michigan State, Air Force, Southern Cal, Navy and Boston College inside Notre Dame Stadium. A neutral site home game against Maryland at FedEx Field is also in store. While the Irish have an off chance of being favored in each of those contests, none of them will be a walk in the park.

In order to compete for a national championship teams essentially need to win all of their games. A few slip-ups could be overcome but the few 'acceptable' losses are either at the beginning of the season or on the road in a tough environment. Notre Dame Stadium used to be one of the most intimidating places to play but it has been hard to sustain any level of fear in the eyes of opponents when winning has become much easier. Look no further than recent losses to Connecticut, Syracuse, Air Force and Navy in support of these claims.

Defend your home turf and the path to championship-level success becomes much more attainable. Notre Dame has the potential to reach a BCS game in 2011 if they combine the right proportions of the keys mentioned above.

2011 Predictions:
1) Notre Dame vs. South Florida, September 3 at 3:30p EST on NBC
First game of the year means that no one, not even the coaches, knows how the players will react. Skip Holtz, the son of Irish coaching legend Lou Holtz, leads South Florida. The younger Holtz still has his team in rebuilding mode just like Notre Dame's Brian Kelly, but the Irish have too much talent not to squeeze by the Bulls. Regardless of who the ND starter is (likely Dayne Crist) it will be the stout Irish defense that is the difference maker in this contest.

Result: Irish 27, Bulls 13

2) Notre Dame at Michigan, September 10 at 8p EST on ESPN
Why not celebrate two newly minted coaches with a special throwback game 'Under the Lights' in the first ever night game at the Big House? Kelly is one season Brady Hoke's elder and that will play a pivotal role in the game's outcome. Hoke comes from San Diego State where he nearly defeated the Irish in 2008 with far inferior talent. Now with more talent and weapons at his disposal he should have a serious shot at winning this one. But don't discount who was coaching the Irish in '08 and how putrid their defense was. In its second year under Defensive coordinator Bib Diaco the Irish defense needs to continue improving from its remarkable close to '10. Speaking of defenses, the Wolverines still have several issues to fix in that department, which winds up being the deciding factor in this one. The Irish win and look good doing it, too.

Result: Irish 35, Wolverines 24

3) Notre Dame vs. Michigan State, September 17 at 3:30p EST on NBC
When the Spartans come to town seasoned Irish fans become nervous. Michigan's 'little brother' has controlled the series at Notre Dame over the past decade with only a few slip ups. Mark Dantonio had to employ some trickery in OT to help his team pull out a victory and might have to do so again this year. Riding high off of the emotions from the win in the Big House the Irish come out flat and it costs them. It will be a tight matchup but the edge goes to the Spartans who have more experience in Dantonio's system than the Irish in Kelly's system.

Result: Spartans 33, Irish 30

4) Notre Dame at Pittsburgh, September 24 at noon EST on ABC/ESPN/ESPN2
Motivated by the loss the prior weekend the Irish come out looking for payback in a focused effort on the ground. Notre Dame puts up the most rushing yards recorded for the team since Julius Jones was in school. While none of the Irish backs will eclipse his outstanding mark set in '03 at Heinz Field it will be an all out ground attack. Throw in a little play action and the Panthers, who are breaking in a new coach, are simply overmatched.

Result: Irish 42, Panthers 21

5) Notre Dame at Purdue, October 1 at 8p EST on ABC/ESPN/ESPN2
Boilermakers head coach Danny Hope, aka Wilford Brimley III, is on a short leash with his university. He has had nowhere near the level of success as his doppleganger predecessor Joe Tiller and that's not saying much. Another night contest for the Irish leaves their opponent wishing they never turned the lights on. On 'black and gold' night the Boilermakers return to their homes feeling blue.

Result: Irish 49, Boilermakers 17

6) Notre Dame vs. Air Force, October 8 at 3:30p EST on NBC
With a bye week looming in the near future the Irish could potentially be distracted in this contest. Any cause for concern among Irish faithful should be dissipated by the fact that the Falcons will be coming off an emotional rivalry contest with Navy. Notre Dame will overwhelm the Falcons from opening kickoff.

Result: Irish 35, Falcons 14

7) Notre Dame vs. Southern California, October 22 at 7:30p EST on NBC
A rare home night game provides the backdrop for the Irish to do something they haven't even had an opportunity to do in years: beat the Trojans in consecutive attempts. South Bend will be emotionally charged and rested for this one coming off a bye. Lane Kiffin and Brian Kelly are each in year two and while the jury is still out on both programs the Irish appear far better equipped for success under Kelly's leadership than Southern Cal under Kiffin's. In fact, Kiffin continues to be distracted by his previous endeavors where his work is being contested (Tennessee). Notre Dame will be coming off a bye and it will show in their preparation and attention to detail. It will not be as close as the matchup won by the Irish at the Coliseum last November.

Result: Irish 28, Trojans 17

8) Notre Dame vs. Navy, October 29 at 3:30p EST on NBC
It's hard to imagine, after three lackluster performances in the past four years, that Notre Dame used to own the series against the Midshipmen. After winning 43 in a row the Irish have now succumbed to a dreadful 1-3 showing in recent seasons. What is more disappointing is the manner in which the Irish have competed in those contests. Last year, Diaco's defense was torn to shreds. Although it proved to be a turning point for the Irish defense they would much prefer to consider that a lesson learned rather than subjecting themselves to that pain once again. It is a distinct possibility that the Midshipmen will emerge victorious in this one with the Irish coming off an emotional game the week prior.

Result: Midshipmen 28, Irish 24

9) Notre Dame at Wake Forest, November 5 at noon EST on ESPN2
The Demon Deacons will be jazzed for this rare visit from the Fighting Irish. Aside from the excitement about the game, though, the Demon Deacons will have little to be excited about once the game is over.

Result: Irish 45, Demon Deacons 10

10) Notre Dame vs. Maryland (FedEx Field, MD), November 12 at 7:30p EST on NBC
Continuing the tradition of neutral site 'home' games, the Irish square off against the Terrapins at the home of the NFL's Washington Redskins. While not as entertaining as the pomp and circumstance surrounding last year's neutral site game at Yankee Stadium this will yield a similar result for Irish fans.

Result: Irish 31, Terrapins 20

11) Notre Dame vs. Boston College, November 19 at 2:30p EST on NBC
Boston College is often subjected to criticism and many jokes from Notre Dame students, alumni and fans alike. Without question, though, the Eagles have been a thorn in the sides of the Irish numerous times throughout the history of the 'Holy War.' Notre Dame easily handled a dazed and confused Boston College team in Chestnut Hill last year. Don't expect this season to be any different.

Result: Irish 27, Eagles 13

12) Notre Dame at Stanford, November 26 at 8p EST on ABC/ESPN/ESPN2

Jim Harbaugh is no longer with the Cardinal after departing for the San Francisco 49ers. Despite his departure, Heisman candidate Sr. QB Andrew Luck returns to lead a dangerous Stanford team. The Cardinal are in everybody's book as a pre-season top 10 and in some cases top 5. South Bend played witness to a blowout Cardinal victory last season and even with Harbaugh's leadership gone this will be a tough matchup for the Irish. Stanford plays the kind of smash-mouth football that Notre Dame is on the verge of attaining and aspires to enforce. In one of the few sellouts in Palo Alto Notre Dame will put on a show before ultimately falling to the more advanced Cardinal.

Result: Cardinal 35, Irish 28


Final Thoughts
Domers are hoping that this will be the year they finally return to a BCS game. While it is possible the most likely outcome is an upper-echelon bowl berth, such as the Champs Sports Bowl, as the Irish still do not have all of the right pieces to consistently compete at the highest level. They may surprise and delight but a realistic outlook on what 2011 has in store for Notre Dame is a 9-3 record with a bowl berth and, potentially, win in the Champs Sports Bowl.

Michael A Saint No More: Floyd Arrested for DUI

Notre Dame football opened spring practice today with a notable returning star missing from action, for the foreseeable future I might add.

Early Sunday morning, rising senior WR Michael Floyd was arrested for a DUI. He failed several sobriety tests and blew a 0.19 blood-alcohol content level, more than double Indiana's legal state limit of 0.08. 

Floyd was coming off a successful season for the Irish which led him to contemplate leaving school early for the NFL draft. His draft stock was not as high as he had hoped it would be, though, so he opted to return for his senior season at Notre Dame this upcoming fall. He thought that he would not only be able to improve his draft status but also aspired to bring Notre Dame to a BCS game and, of course, finishing his degree.

All of those hopes are temporarily on hold now as Irish Head Coach Brian Kelly suspended Floyd indefinitely. In fact, Floyd's name is nowhere to be found on the newly released spring roster issued by the Irish.

From his press conference yesterday, here is what Kelly had to say regarding the matter:

"I've spoken to Michael Floyd and his mother and, in light of what took place this past weekend, I let him know he has been suspended indefinitely from football team-related activities," Irish coach Brian Kelly said. "Football needs to take a backseat at the moment while Michael gets his life in order. ... What's most important right now is Michael focusing on maturing and developing more as a person while working to improve his decision-making processes."

It is a classy handling of the situation by a surely frustrated Kelly, who was looking to take advantage of Notre Dame's most prolific wide receiver in school history in nearly every statistical category.

Floyd, who will appear in court on May 2 and is awaiting inevitable punishment from the Office of Residence Life at Notre Dame, did offer an apology for his actions:

"I understand the gravity of the decision I made and how it could have had catastrophic effects on myself and others," Floyd said in a statement released by the university. "I absolutely recognize that I have many things to work on to become a better person and will need to regain the trust of all whom I have hurt within my immediate family and the Notre Dame family. I fully intend to spend the immediate future improving myself to become a better member of our community."

It is unfortunate that he said the right things in his apology because he could have avoided the entire situation had he simply done the right thing and not gotten behind the wheel after drinking.

At this point it is hard to tell whether or not he will ever suit up in an Irish uniform again. Past precedent from incidents with former FB Rashon Powers-Neal and former TE Will Yeatman indicate Floyd's days playing under the dome are over. 

As a team, the Irish will be fine. It hurts to lose one of your best players but it provides an opportunity for the younger players and rising veterans to take advantage of the open spotlight awaiting them.

My hope is that Floyd is able to personally come to terms with his past decisions and learn from the mistakes. It should be noted that he was cited for an underage drinking violation last summer, so there is a pattern of history repeating itself here. If his playing days under the dome are indeed over I hope he is able to find fulfillment either in the NFL or his professional working career.

It is a sad loss for the team but the Irish will no doubt have to become stronger as a unit because of it. 

Floyd Has Staying Power

In an announcement that shocked many Irish faithful today WR Michael Floyd declared his intent to return for his senior season at Notre Dame.

On the one hand, there was Notre Dame. This place has been an incredible home to me and the relationships I built here are ones I know I'll have for the rest of my life.

On the other hand, there was the NFL. It has always been a lifelong goal to play football at the highest level, and that is something I look forward to doing at some point. However, I'm pleased to say I will be returning to the University of Notre Dame for my senior season in 2011.

Clearly this is a young man with great perspective. He knows that a professional career in the NFL is on the near horizon, yet he is showing the restraint to tame the urge to leave before completing his education.

In fact, it is his education and his relationship with his mother, Theresa Romero, that played the most critical role in Michael's decision.

I'm returning to Notre Dame for three reasons: to earn my degree, return Notre Dame to the top and improve myself as a player. First, I promised my mom I would graduate from Notre Dame and I am 40 credit hours shy of attaining that goal. I chose to attend Notre Dame in part because I knew it was a 40-year decision and not a four-year decision. Graduating from Notre Dame will help me for the rest of my life. Second, I want to get Notre Dame back to a BCS game. I believe we are very close to returning the Irish to where we belong and I want to be part of something great. Lastly, I want to show everyone in the country that I'm the best wide receiver in college football in 2011. There are many things I need to improve, but I feel with the coaching I have at Notre Dame, I can become the best at my position in this game.

Floyd is 9 receptions shy of surpassing Jeff Samardzija's school record for career receptions of 179, and he already broke the school record for career receiving touchdowns (28) by catching two during the Irish rout of Miami in the Sun Bowl.

Samardzija and Golden Tate are the only Irish players ahead of Floyd in career receiving yards, but at just 169 yards short of breaking the record Floyd could very well become the career leader after next year's season opener against South Florida.

Make no mistake about it, Floyd will be an excellent NFL player one day. He will most likely represent the style of player that former Irish great Tim Brown became. Not a bad compliment for the Saint Paul, MN native.

We know for certain Floyd will achieve his academic goals upon his return for his senior year. Let's just hope he can also attain his BCS dreams.

If he does, it will likely be in direct correlation to realizing his final goal: showing everyone he is the best wide receiver in the country in college football.

Week 3 Recap

Ugh. 3-5 was my total for this weekend's games. I told you something didn't feel right. I mean things were screwy all over the place. Notre Dame won but lost their best receiver Michael Floyd for the season. Elsewhere, Virginia Tech had less than 50 yards of total offense in the second half, then managed an 88-yard "drive" to beat Nebraska (Video below...thank you Danny Coale!).

I managed to get fooled into thinking Georgia Tech didn't suck. I love how after Miami thumped a lethargic group of Yellow Jackets, suddenly the "swagger" is back and "the U" jumped 11 spots in the media bowl. Give me a break. The football media has really been getting on my nerves this season, but more on that as the week progresses.

My overall season record now stands at a miserable 11-10. On the bright side, UVA still sucks. Thanks as always coach Groh!

This is really the only part of the Tech game you needed to watch. Absolutely one of the most exciting plays in Lane Stadium history. Here's the link as it will likely cut the video off. Pretty outstanding HD quality.

Brian's 2009 Notre Dame Football Predictions

When I first looked at Notre Dame's 2009 football schedule I honestly felt pretty good about it. Not great, but I thought we would be a lock for 8 wins. Then I took a closer look... and my thoughts scared me.

Seemingly every team on the schedule is breaking in a quarterback with inexperience. By the time the Irish play most of those teams each QB will have had a few games under his belt, but the first year for new college QB's is always tumultuous.

Notre Dame returns Jr. Jimmy Clausen in his third year of meaningful snaps. Last season he showed signs of brilliance at times and signs of incompetence at others. The stage is set for a breakout season, a-la Brady Quinn's Junior campaign in 2005.

WR's Golden Tate and Michael Floyd are also back to add to their already impressive collegiate resumes. They comprise arguably the best 1-2 WR punch in college football.

So. Kyle Rudolph is the next Pro-bound TE, following in the footsteps of predecessors Anthony Fasano and John Carlson.

The off-season addition of Running Backs coach Tony Alford and Offensive Line coach Frank Verducci will hopefully provide fill the void in the Irish offense: QB protection and a strong running game to setup play-action bombs to Tate and Floyd.

Oh, and it doesn't hurt that Weis is back to calling offensive plays without the distraction of also coaching special teams and helping out on defense. That burden falls on newly appointed Defensive Coordinator Jon Tenuta.

Corwin Brown, previously the Defensive Coordinator, moves into a new role as Associate Head Coach, Co-Defensive Coordinator, and Defensive Backs Coach.

So what do all of these moves mean for the Irish in 2009? Let's have a look into Brian's crystal ball...


1. Nevada at Notre Dame - 2:30p CST on NBC, September 5
The first game of the season will set the tone for what to expect moving forward. A strong performance and expectations will be even higher. Conversely, a weak performance could be the prelude to a disappointing year.

The Wolfpack are an interesting matchup for any team with their Pistol offense. While they are one of the few teams the Irish will face all year with experience at the QB position (Colin Kaepernick) the Irish aerial attack will be much more potent.

Irish Linebacker Brian Smith records the first of many sacks for the Irish defense as Kaepernick is pressured all afternoon into making poor decisions.

Jimmy Clausen throws for 320 yards and 3 TDs with 0 INTs and Armando Allen tacks on a rushing TD. Nick Tausch attempts his first collegiate FG and shows confidence by nailing a 38-yd FG straight through the uprights.

Final Score: Notre Dame 31, Nevada 17


2. Notre Dame at Michigan, 2:30p CST on ABC, September 12

Rich Rodriguez's Wolverines squad experienced a 2008 season that almost mirrored the 2007 Irish. A disappointing 3-9 season left a sour taste in Ann Arbor. Does the spread really have a chance to succeed in the Big Ten?

Round 1 for the Irish defense against a Fr. QB (Tate Forcier) has the makings of an ugly afternoon for the winged-helmets. Forcier will have a roller-coaster game with several highlights, most of which to the delight of Notre Dame fans and expense of the home crowd.

Whoever plays return man for ND (Armando Allen, Golden Tate or true Fr. Cierre Wood) will shimmy through the Wolverines special teams for the first Irish kickoff return for a TD since Armando Allen's in the Hawaii Bowl last year.

Michigan manages to score two TDs with an additional FG tacked on for good measure. Notre Dame proves to be too much to handle, though, as Clausen throws for 268 yards and 3 TDs while James Aldridge and Armando Allen each add 1 rushing TD.

Final Score: Notre Dame 42, Michigan 17


3. Michigan State at Notre Dame, 2:30p CST on NBC, September 19

Notre Dame has not beaten MSU at home since more than a decade ago. Yet, despite this fact I feel fairly confident in their ability to end that streak this year.

MSU has a bit of a QB circus going on as a decision has not yet been made on who will take the first snap of the season: RS So. Kirk Cousins or RS So. Keith Nichol. There's no saying the starter of the Spartans' first game will still be the start by the time the roll into Notre Dame Stadium, either.

Even with the questions on offense the Spartan defense will keep things interesting throughout the game.

The Irish will pound the ball early and often, eclipsing the 100 yard mark by the first series of the 2nd half. Allen gets into it not only on the ground but through the air as well, catching a ball out of the backfield for a 30-yard Irish score in the 2nd quarter.

Cousins and Nichol are rotated throughout the game causing inconsistencies in the Spartan offense and numerous miscommunicated routes.

Nick Tausch connects on 2 of 3 FGs for the Irish on top of 4 passing TDs from Clausen to Tate (2), Floyd (1), and Kamara (1).

Final Score: Notre Dame 34, Michigan State 28

4. Notre Dame at Purdue, 7p CST on ABC/ESPN, September 26

The opposing QB carousel continues with another new starter in Joey Elliot for the Boilermakers. Elliot was supposed to engage in a battle last spring but expected starter Justin Siller was dismissed from the team, earning Elliot a default victory.

A career backup to the departed Curtis Painter, Elliot is a RS Sr. who has played several games over the past three seasons. Even his limited game experience, though, will not be enough to overcome the hurdle of learning a new system under first-year Head Coach Danny Hope.

Want to know how this turns out? Take a look at this video...

ND pounces all over the Boilermakers in this contest. It's not even close. Clausen throws for 5 TDs in a breakout game of more than 400 yards passing. Aldridge adds 1 rushing TD and Brian Smith recovers a fumble for another score.

Final Score: Notre Dame 49, Purdue 14

5. Washington at Notre Dame, 2:30p CST on NBC, October 3

Former USC Offensive Coordinator Steve Sarkisian is in his first year on the job as Head Coach of the Huskies.

There should be no doubt that Sarkisian can improve upon his predecessor's shortcomings. A winless 2008 campaign will hopefully represent rock bottom for a tradition-rich program.

QB Jake Locker is probably better than advertised and with the help of Sarkisian could have a standout year. His development will be marked this season as the Huskies put a more competitive product on the field than the previous few years under Tyrone Willingham.

Will Sarkisian provide enough spark to defeat the Irish? No. But it should be a slightly more competitive game than last year.

Allen will rush for 140 yards, supplementing another solid performance from Clausen who throws for 280 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT.

Robert Blanton picks off an errant Jake Locker pass for a TD, too, though Locker throws for 2 TDs and rushes for another.

Final Score: Notre Dame 31, Washington 21

6. Southern California at Notre Dame, 2:30p CST on NBC, October 17

Quick: who was the last Notre Dame coach to beat USC? If you guessed Bob Davie, you are correct. His 2001 Irish squad beat Pete Carroll's Trojans 27-16 in South Bend.

The stage will be set for a matchup of two top ten teams when the Irish and Trojans resume one of college football's most exciting rivalries. Notre Dame will pull out all the stop for this game - green jerseys, stadium pep rally, Joe Montana, Jerome Bettis, and a host of other Irish greats.

Believe it or not, the Irish have a tremendous opportunity to take down the Trojans. Yes, I know this is essentially the same Notre Dame squad that failed to get a first down against the Trojans until last play of the third quarter, finished with 9 yards in the first half, and managed only 3 points.

But ND's defense will face a a green Trojan offense, led by RS So. Aaron Corp who will have only 5 games under his belt at this point in the season.

Brian Smith, Robert Blanton, Ethan Johnson, and the rest of the Irish defense are eager to avenge last year's defeat at the Coliseum. Couple that with the confidence from 5 straight wins and the advantage of 80,000 Irish faithful willing their team on defeat the evil empire... smells like a recipe for success to me.

Can the Irish pull off the upset? Yes. Do I honestly believe that? Yes. Will they?

Yes. No Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush = a repeat of 2005 except without the soul crushing defeat. Notre Dame asserts itself as a legitimate national title contender by squeaking out a victory and ending the 8-year drought.

Final Score: Notre Dame 21, Southern Cal 17

7. Notre Dame vs. Boston College, 2:30p CST on NBC, October 24

Fresh off of a defeat over the Trojans this is the very definition of a trap game. Given the Eagles' recent success against the Irish I am tempted to pick the upset here, but there are few key factors at stake that will enable the Irish to walk away with this one.

BC will be breaking in a new quarterback this season after the expected frontrunner, Dominique Davis, was dismissed from the team for academic reasons and has since transferred.

Justin Tuggle, a RS Fr., or Codi Beck, a transfer from American River Junior College, will earn the starting nod in this one. Both have yet to log actual game time for the Eagles.

On top of the QB position, the Eagles will be without star LB Mark Herzlich, who was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer earlier this year.

Moreover, the Eagles will be breaking in their 3rd coach in 4 years.

The potent Irish offense will not repeat last season's embarrassing shutout in Chestnut Hill, en route to a comfortable victory.

Final Score: Notre Dame 34, Boston College 10

8. Notre Dame vs. Washington State @ San Antonio, TX, 6:30p CST on NBC, October 31

This game will mark the first of several offsite home games for the Irish, playing in hot recruiting beds around the country to add more exposure to the University.

Let's keep this one simple, though - Wazzou won 2 games last year and not much has changed to suggest they can eclipse that mark.

Armando Allen has a monster game with 150 yards on the ground, 2 rushing TDs, and 1 receiving TD. Clausen has a great game as well, throwing for 325 yards and 3 TDs.

Final Score: Notre Dame 38, Washington State 6

9. Notre Dame vs. Navy, 1:30p CST on NBC, November 7

All is back to normal in the world as the Irish started another winning streak vs. the Midshipmen last season.

Gone is former QB Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada among a host of other key cogs (namely FB Eric Kettani) to the well-oiled Midshipmen option attack.

While its team is not chock full of blue chip future NFL stars the Midshipmen are always a tough out due to their gimmicky offense and overall discipline. Any man offering up his life for his country is certainly disciplined enough to run like a banshee on the football field for 60 minutes at full speed.

Navy did manage to snap Notre Dame's 43-game winning streak in 2007 in a rousing 3 OT thriller. Will they do it again? No.

The Midshipmen secondary is too porous to combat ND's aerial attack. Jimmy and co. will have a field day.

Final Score: Notre Dame 38, Navy 13

10. Notre Dame at Pittsburgh, time TBA, likely ESPN, ABC, or ESPN2, November 14

As unlikely as it may seem the Irish will come into this game with the opportunity to tack on 10 wins in the regular season for the first time since 2006 you better believe it can happen.

In Weis' first game as ND head coach the Irish throttled Dave Wannstedt's Pittsburgh team in his first game as the Panthers' head coach by a final score of 41-21.

I don't expect as wide of a spread in this year's game, especially given the epic collapse last year in South Bend, but I do expect the Irish to finish strong and not blow an early lead in this one.

If Pitt still had "Shady" McCoy I would be inclined to pick them in this bash. But Shady bolted Pitt after just two years in collegiate action (he was drafted in the 2nd round by the Philadelphia Eagles.)

This won't be a high scoring game but it will certainly be close.

Without a legitimate threat in the backfield the Panthers will face an afternoon of white uniforms on their side of the ball. Tenuta will unleash his blitz-happy defense upon the Panthers all afternoon, evening, whatever time of day it is.

Darrin Walls, the hometown boy, will return an INT for a touchdown in this one as the Irish defense sets the pace early.

Final Score: Notre Dame 28, Pittsburgh 14

11. Notre Dame vs. Connecticut, 1:30p CST on NBC, November 21

Senior day for the fighting Irish should have a much different ring to it in 2009 than it did last year. If you recall, the Irish blew a lead against the lowly Syracuse Orange (3-9) in 2008.

This time around, though, ND will have learned to close out the games it could not shut the door on one year ago. Led by seasoned veterans on both sides of the ball the Irish will take command early in this one.

Former Irish QB Zach Frazer will be the likely starter for the Huskies in this clash. Last time he was in ND stadium he was in a competition to earn the starting nod for the 2007 Irish squad. After losing the battle to Demetrius Jones (now a converted LB at Cincinnati), Evan Sharpley, and Jimmy Clausen he was granted permission to transfer to UCONN in July of '07.

Frazer has improved since his days in South Bend but I don't expect him to be a miracle-worker.

Irish win this one and to move to 11-0 on the year before heading to Stanford and an inevitable BCS bowl game.

Final Score: Notre Dame 34, UCONN 17

12. Notre Dame at Stanford, 7p CST on ABC, November 28

By now you're probably thinking I'm crazy. What are the odds ND comes into the final regular season game of the season undefeated (let alone a win against USC)? Total it up throughout the year and you're looking at .049% chance of winning all eleven games to this point.

Here's where things get wild. By this point the bandwagon will be full of the usual array of lovers and haters. One more win and ND can possibly enter the national title game (depending on how other teams fare throughout the season and how much the Irish are penalized by their weak strength of schedule).

Will it happen? No. I find it rather discomforting that I feel this way but I don't have a good feeling about this matchup.

Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh has silently been working miracles out west in Palo Alto, CA. The Cardinal have pulled recruits away from USC and even beat the Trojans two years ago at the Coliseum.

RS Fr. Andrew Luck beat out RS Sr. Tavita Pritchard in spring ball to win the starting QB position and is poised to follow in the lines of Stanford's rich tradition of talent signal-callers. He clearly has the brains, as he was valedictorian of his high school, and talent (rated as high as the #4 QB in his recruiting class) to lead the Cardinal offense.

Even if he doesn't pan out in his first year at the helm Pritchard is capable of running the show.

It is with great regret I provide my final prediction for the 2009 Irish - an upset loss to the Cardinal over Thanksgiving weekend.

With so much riding on this game the Irish will definitely be focused but I fear they will be to stiff. The fighting Harbaugh's will take advantage of that tension ending any talk of pitting the Irish in the national championship game.

Final Score: Stanford 20, Notre Dame 14

Disagree? Feel free to leave a comment with your set of predictions. We encourage debate here at Stars and Slights.

Stay tuned for my outlook on the 2009 Virginia Tech Hokies as well as Justin's predictions for VT and ND.

Irish Capsize Sinking Washington Ship

Notre Dame took care of business on Saturday as the Irish dominated the Washington Huskies in all facets of the game, winning 33-7 for its first win away from home this season. 

Irish gunslinger Jimmy Clausen connected with standout true freshman WR Michael Floyd less than three minutes into the ball game for a 51-yard touchdown reception. Floyd, who recorded his third 100+ yard performance, showed off his speed and athletic ability as he evaded the Washington secondary en route to the endzone. 

Golden Tate scored a few minutes later on an end-around to extend the ND lead to 14-0 in the first quarter. "I think we let up once we had them 14-0," quipped Tate after the game. 

Two quick scores were more than enough support for a swarming Irish defense that created headaches for Washington QB Ronnie Fouch all game long. The Irish D finished with 4 sacks,  4 pass break-ups, and prevented the Husky offense from crossing the 50-yard line until late in the fourth quarter.

Harrison Smith finished with 2 sacks, totaling 21 yards, but provided even more of a spark on special teams. Late in the third quarter on a 4th and 13 from ND's 37 yard line, Smith took a direct snap and scampered 35 yards. The Associated Press had the following to say about the play:

Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis, who exchanged a handshake and appeared cordial with Willingham on the field after the game, said he wanted to run that play late in the first half but the clock ran out on him. His team had practiced against a certain look he planned to exploit on Washington's punt-return unit. It was heavy on defenders outside, setting up for a return. That left Smith free and "excited," the linebacker said, in the middle.Asked if he thought about what the perception of such a play would be coming with a 24-point lead on an obviously overmatched opponent, Weis said: "No. It's the third quarter. ... It's not 50-0. I'm not that type of guy. ... We yanked guys at the start of the fourth quarter. Their only touchdown at the end was against guys who never play. No, that's not our deal."

Given the current landscape of the game, with teams racking up inordinate amounts of points in hopes of earning "style" points with voters, it is refreshing to hear Coach Weis openly admit his opposition to such tactics.

The Husky offense never get off the ground, amassing a measly 124 yards and earning only 9 first downs. Moreover, the only Husky points were scored when the game had already been decided and Notre Dame had removed its first-teamers.

On the other side of the ball, the Husky defense was trampled over by Notre Dame's running attack all night long. James Aldridge scored a career-high 2 TDs on 13 carries 84 yards rushing, Armando Allen added 62 yards on 15 carries,  and Robert Hughes added 19 yards on 4 carries.

True freshman RB Jonas Gray received his first game action on the offensive side of the ball (he has appeared on special teams in several games) and gained 61 yards on 9 carries.

Irish kicker Brandon Walker booted two field goals, a welcome surprise from his performance leading up to the game. Walker's improvement, however, didn't stop Coach Weis from testing out walk-on David Ruffer, the newest addition to the Irish roster. Ruffer misfired on an extra point attempt in his only game action.

Overall, this was the perfect game for Notre Dame to have scheduled coming off of a bye week. Washington head coach Tyrone Willingham looked stoic throughout the game as he watched what was likely one of his last few games as a Husky employee. For a very thorough take on Willingham's coaching abilities, take a look at this gem from the fine folks at NDNation.

Next up for the Irish: Pittsburgh on November 1 at 2:30 EST on NBC.

Timber!

Despite the pathetic attempt of Stanford OL Chris Marinelli to pump up his team, the Irish managed to defeat the Cardinal 28-21 this past Saturday on a weekend that celebrated the 100th Birthday of the greatest fight song ever written: The Notre Dame Victory March.

Notre Dame was led by Jimmy Clausen, who set a career high in passing yards for the second straight game. In all he finished with 347 yards on 29 of 40 passes and 3 touchdowns. His play throughout was impressive, especially his increasing ability to check down his receivers to find the open man instead of trying to force a play to happen. He has shown marked improvement since the start of the season, let alone last year.

True freshman Michael Floyd turned in his second straight 100 yard receiving game, hauling in  5 catches for 115 yards and a beautiful 48 yard TD pass courtesy of second quarter connection with Clausen.

Kyle Rudolph snagged his second TD pass in as many games, but the biggest takeaway from his play was his increased blocking ability. With Will Yeatman's fate still up in the air after a run-in with the law several weeks ago (he met with the University officials earlier today to plead his case) it is refreshing that the drop off in skills is not as great as many perceived it to be. ND would obviously prefer to have both available, but it is refreshing to know that Rudolph is a suitable back up option (keep in mind that both Rudolph and Yeatman were behind the injured Mike Ragone at the beginning of fall camp).

The Irish D played well against the pass but performed miserably against the scampering trees. Three first half interceptions of Stanford QB Tavita Pritchard helped set the stage for a commanding 21-7 lead at the half. 

A recurring theme throughout the weekend was the sheer lack of class exhibited by Jim Harbaugh and his band of fighting trees. A report from a sophomore band member revealed the overzealousness exuded by the Cardinal prior to kickoff. DT James McGillicuddy and WR Doug Baldwin were among the several Cardinal players to taunt the Notre Dame Band as the team entered into the locker room. I bet they also enjoy taking lunch money from little children and clubbing baby seals. Spineless.

As childish as the Cardinal players were, they were undoubtedly inspired by their fearless leader Head Coach Jim Harbaugh. Late in the second quarter the Cardinal punted away to Armando Allen, who signaled for a fair catch. Nate Wilcox-Fogel of the Cardinal got in the way of Allen and the ball caromed off Wilcox-Fogel's shoulder, onto Allen, and was scooped up by a Cardinal player who ran in for what Harbaugh thought was a TD. The officials, however, ruled that Allen was interfered with (and rightfully so), setting off a tirade from Harbaugh. As any four-year old denied of what he/she wanted would behave, Harbaugh put up quite the stink: he stormed onto the field almost to the middle of the field, screamed at the referees, and threw his hat in the direction of the fans sitting behind the Cardinal bench. Potty-trained? I think not.

For the first time in awhile ND put up a fight and did not back down all weekend. Pat Kuntz put forth one of the best defensive efforts I've seen in the last few years. During the Friday pep rally, Kuntz addressed the idiotic remarks from Marinelli. In typical Kuntzian fashion, he ripped off his suit during his speech, stating "something doesn't feel right... I just don't feel like I'm myself." Kyle McCarthy came up to the podim during Kuntz's speech and asked how Kuntz would react to Marinelli's comments during the game. After a long list of hypothetical ways McCarthy proposed to handle the situation, Kuntz concluded his speech with "I'm gonna rip his head off, Go Irish!"

Kuntz owned up to his pep rally declaration, finishing with 1 tipped ball, 1 interception, 2 sacks, and 1 fumble recovery. The fumble recovery occurred on the last play of the game, after which Kuntz spiked the ball. Stanford did not take kindly to Kuntz's enthusiasm and tempers flared. Here's a good look at what transpired as a result: end of game fight.

Quotes:

• "Pac-10 officials have reviewed video of the play and it is apparent the Stanford player covering the punt impeded the Notre Dame player attempting to catch it. The call was correct. NCAA playing rule 6-4-1 states in part 'A player of the receiving team within the boundary lines must be given an unimpeded opportunity to catch the kick.' Even though the player attempting to catch the kick was bumped by his teammate, he still attempted to catch the kick and was impeded by the Stanford player. The rule places the onus on the kicking team member to avoid impeding the opportunity to catch the ball."  ~ Jim Hansen, Pac-10 Commissioner

• "I got pushed out of bounds and Kyle McCarthy was mad at me because I didn't pitch it back to him. I figured we might as well just let me spike it out of bounds." ~ Pat Kuntz, Notre Dame DL

• "There was a lot of talking going on between all of us. It was just a battle. I have to give them credit. They are a good team and they are a very improved team from last year, just like us. Good luck to them in the rest of their season." ~ Pat Kuntz, Notre Dame DL

ND vs SDSU - The Aftermath

This post probably could have come much earlier in the week, especially since I watched the recording immediately after getting back from South Bend. At any rate, here are my thoughts on the game:

• No matter how sloppy the final score made the game appear, a win is a win is a win whether it be 21-13, 100-0, or 2-0.
• Jimmy played very well, remarkably improved from last year in fact. His accuracy was reflected by his 62% completion percentage (21/34), and it is important to keep in mind that he wasn't merely dumping the ball off on screens the whole game. Clausen was given the ability to toss the ball downfield, a trend I hope to see carried into this week's matchup vs Michigan.
• We did not, as Charlie referenced the Irish running game this season, "pound it." This is a big concern amongst many Irish faithful wishing to see a power game a la the Lou Holtz years. I, however, am not too concerned as long as there is enough of a balance between passing and running plays to keep opposing defenses on their toes.
• Duval Kamara did not play up to his potential. The first interception was almost entirely his fault, as he tried to trap the ball against his pads rather than using his hands. I'm not sure how I feel about the 2nd INT, but it looked like there was some miscommunication between Clausen and Kamara. Chalk it up to being the first game of the year.
• Our defense performed well as a whole and I was impressed by the pressure they put on the SDSU offense. They only had 1 sack to show for it, but there were a multitude of tipped balls, hurries, and other forced errors.
• Staying on the defensive side, we need to learn to cover draw plays better. I know that the purpose of a draw is catch the defense off guard when they're thinking pass, but we let SDSU off the hook several times on several draw plays that went for first downs.
• The o-line played ok. Not great, not bad. The best thing about their play was that they kept the white jerseys away from Jimmy. No sacks? Awesome.
• Mike Anello deserved his scholarship. The kid is a force on special teams and will put the Irish in good situations all season long if he continues his stellar play.
• The game could have been 40-0. SDSU's second play from scrimmage was clearly a backwards lateral, which Brian Smith alertly picked up and returned into the endzone. Too bad it was blown dead and therefore non-reviewable. Also, the Hughes fumble was not a fumble. I was appalled after watching the replay that this call did not get overturned. His knee was clearly down.
• Michael Floyd is going to be a name you hear very often in the near future.
• Kyle Rudolph will be good but he needs to learn how to block at the collegiate level.
• I should have worn sunscreen.
• Overall, I couldn't be happier with the outcome.

Next up: Skunkbears