I'm not really sure why exactly...there's just something about Wilford Brimley & Co. that truly pisses me off. I guess it's the interstate rivalry they have, both being from Indiana and being proud Universities. Or perhaps it might be that whenever things seem to be going well, Purdue has to come in and mess that up (not in a horrible train wreck sort of way...oh no, that's Boston College's job), but still screwed. This version of the Boilermakers just knocked off #17 Oregon last week in West Lafayette, which means all sorts of bad news for the young Irish this weekend. Ultimately, it depends on which two teams show up. If it's a flat, uninterested Boilermaker team and a fired up Irish team, then the Irish have a better than average shot at winning the game. If the #17 Duck defeating Boilers show up, and Notre Dame commits a few costly errors, game over. This Irish squad is very predicated on emotion and living in the moment. Their youth and relative inexperience makes them dangerous and hard to predict...you truly never know what you're going to get.
They have the talent to hang with some of the mid-level clubs (like the majority of the Big Ten teams), but they are just as apt to turn the ball over and create a hole too large for them to get out of. There are a few things the Irish will have to do in this game to stand a chance. One, the offensive line simply must get production on the ground. The much maligned unit has really improved in pass protection, but with such dismal run blocking and production against Michigan State, the Spartans managed to record some sacks. Establishing an early run game (which should be easily within the reach of the Irish) against Purdue's front four would pay huge dividends in the passing game. Secondly, the Irish must score early and often to keep pace with Toe Tiller's offense. If they can grind the pace down, the Irish can control the clock and keep Purdue's offense, and Curtis Painter, on the sideline. Lastly, and most importantly, they CAN NOT afford one single turnover. Notre Dame is not good enough yet to knock off the #17 team in the country, but apparently Purdue is. For us to take the Boilermakers out, we will need a precise and focused football team on the field Saturday.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Weis and The Traveling Circus
I'll make no bones about it...I have no faith in Charlie Weis as a collegiate head football coach. I just don't. After the listless performance in East Lansing this past weekend, it only goes to show that regardless of how high Rivals.com likes to rate your incoming recruiting class, at some point you must get that class to perform on the field. Period. That comes down to coaching, to preparation, to focus on the game plan and understanding the scheme. It also comes down to hard nosed emotion...the desire to punch the other team in the mouth harder than they want to do the same to you. Notre Dame Football doesn't possess any of these things, and they used to. Where did it all go? Why? Who's to blame? Well, certainly it would be unfair to blame Charlie...the man was our sixth choice in a coaching search after the top five said "no thanks". He's doing what he can, to a certain degree, but he's in over his head (and I think he knows it). Being a college coach is so much different than an NFL coach, whether they be Head Coach or a Coordinator, that it's like night and day. So many other things must be taught...tightened up, refined...and you get far less time to do those things at the college level. In the NFL, players are at work for their 40+ hour a week job. In college, they must go to classes, study, have breaks, visit family and friends...it's just a different world entirely.
Which brings us to the 2008 Irish, who seem to be plagued by the same problems as the 2007 Irish (if not just a bit less), and still seem content to trot out the tired excuse of "youth at the skill positions". I find it amazing how programs such as USC, Ohio State, Florida and Oklahoma seem to year in and year out secure Top Five recruiting classes and play freshmen from those classes. Year in and year out, those freshmen do very well. Sure, they have more experienced teammates helping them out...but at some point the supposed highly touted recruits hit the ground running and continue the success they had at the high school level. Yet, it sure seems to me that Notre Dame's freshmen just seem to struggle ALL the time. They never hit the field and just dominate the way someone like Adrian Peterson did at OU, or Tim Tebow did at Florida. Clausen is supposed to be every bit The Man these two gentlemen were as freshmen...and yet, he's not. Why? Well, one of the big reasons is preparation. Simply put, Charlie Weis does a poor job of getting his teams ready to play big time opponents and managing their transition from high school to the college ranks.
Someone like Mike Leach at Texas Tech routinely handles getting less than stellar recruits and yet always trots an offense out on the field capable of scoring 50+ a game. How does he do it? Does he perform magic? Not so much. What he does, however, is design an offense that gets the absolute most out it's players. It teaches execution, discipline, preparation and creativity knowing full well that if these factors meet they will produce guaranteed results. Football is a game of inches, a living chess match and in this, other offensive minded coaches are simply doing a better job than the supposed NFL offensive genius. I believe Weis is an average play caller at best (proof positive that his vanilla pro style attack could be much, much more potent at the college level with some changes). I think the talent he had at New England and his first year at Notre Dame make him appear better than he is. A true offensive genius would take the spare parts laying on the table and make something that cannot be stopped, something that will work regardless of whether the parts are all made of shiny titanium.
Even with Weis being a slight disappointment to this point in his coaching career, the blame ultimately lays on the administration. They stand steadfast in their desire to not change things at Notre Dame despite the fact the landscape of college football has changed. This is not the 1950's anymore, when Notre Dame was one of the few schools to recruit nationally (thereby guaranteeing top talent). Additionally, college football as become more and more a spring board for the NFL. In the 40's and 50's, kids would come to Notre Dame as it was the most storied school in the land and promised a first rate education. Now, that education can be had elsewhere (in easier classes) where that student-athlete can make the leap to being a pro as a Junior and earn more in the NFL than that Notre Dame degree would in his lifetime. These are the times in which we live now.
No longer can Notre Dame afford to be an Independent school, hoping for a BCS bid the rather shady "Notre Dame Clause" in the BCS guarantees them with 10 wins. Nor can they continue to lose out on guaranteed spots in mid level bowls they should be focusing on winning that being a part of a conference promises. Notre Dame will never lower it's academic standards, and it shouldn't have to. But, it needs to lower it's expectations and begin to rebuild going forward with positive and attainable goals. As long as the Irish continue to think they can offer a package to a student-athlete that rivals or beats what USC, Ohio State, Miami, Michigan or Florida can they will continue to lose. Student-Athletes all dream of getting to the NFL and they know it can be done, and done easier, at other schools. Why put yourself through the hassle of attending hard classes in the middle of nowhere Indiana when your talents can shine on a team in the national spotlight with a beach nearby? Or a team with easier academic standards? Or one without a dominant religious affiliation that you may not share?
Notre Dame is legendary. The Irish can be a good football team again, and may, one day, even compete for a National Championship. But, this is going to take drastic changes on the part of the Administration, the Coaching Staff, and the University to make this happen. Living in the past will get you nothing but tired of seeing past memories and wishing things were the way they used to be.
Which brings us to the 2008 Irish, who seem to be plagued by the same problems as the 2007 Irish (if not just a bit less), and still seem content to trot out the tired excuse of "youth at the skill positions". I find it amazing how programs such as USC, Ohio State, Florida and Oklahoma seem to year in and year out secure Top Five recruiting classes and play freshmen from those classes. Year in and year out, those freshmen do very well. Sure, they have more experienced teammates helping them out...but at some point the supposed highly touted recruits hit the ground running and continue the success they had at the high school level. Yet, it sure seems to me that Notre Dame's freshmen just seem to struggle ALL the time. They never hit the field and just dominate the way someone like Adrian Peterson did at OU, or Tim Tebow did at Florida. Clausen is supposed to be every bit The Man these two gentlemen were as freshmen...and yet, he's not. Why? Well, one of the big reasons is preparation. Simply put, Charlie Weis does a poor job of getting his teams ready to play big time opponents and managing their transition from high school to the college ranks.
Someone like Mike Leach at Texas Tech routinely handles getting less than stellar recruits and yet always trots an offense out on the field capable of scoring 50+ a game. How does he do it? Does he perform magic? Not so much. What he does, however, is design an offense that gets the absolute most out it's players. It teaches execution, discipline, preparation and creativity knowing full well that if these factors meet they will produce guaranteed results. Football is a game of inches, a living chess match and in this, other offensive minded coaches are simply doing a better job than the supposed NFL offensive genius. I believe Weis is an average play caller at best (proof positive that his vanilla pro style attack could be much, much more potent at the college level with some changes). I think the talent he had at New England and his first year at Notre Dame make him appear better than he is. A true offensive genius would take the spare parts laying on the table and make something that cannot be stopped, something that will work regardless of whether the parts are all made of shiny titanium.
Even with Weis being a slight disappointment to this point in his coaching career, the blame ultimately lays on the administration. They stand steadfast in their desire to not change things at Notre Dame despite the fact the landscape of college football has changed. This is not the 1950's anymore, when Notre Dame was one of the few schools to recruit nationally (thereby guaranteeing top talent). Additionally, college football as become more and more a spring board for the NFL. In the 40's and 50's, kids would come to Notre Dame as it was the most storied school in the land and promised a first rate education. Now, that education can be had elsewhere (in easier classes) where that student-athlete can make the leap to being a pro as a Junior and earn more in the NFL than that Notre Dame degree would in his lifetime. These are the times in which we live now.
No longer can Notre Dame afford to be an Independent school, hoping for a BCS bid the rather shady "Notre Dame Clause" in the BCS guarantees them with 10 wins. Nor can they continue to lose out on guaranteed spots in mid level bowls they should be focusing on winning that being a part of a conference promises. Notre Dame will never lower it's academic standards, and it shouldn't have to. But, it needs to lower it's expectations and begin to rebuild going forward with positive and attainable goals. As long as the Irish continue to think they can offer a package to a student-athlete that rivals or beats what USC, Ohio State, Miami, Michigan or Florida can they will continue to lose. Student-Athletes all dream of getting to the NFL and they know it can be done, and done easier, at other schools. Why put yourself through the hassle of attending hard classes in the middle of nowhere Indiana when your talents can shine on a team in the national spotlight with a beach nearby? Or a team with easier academic standards? Or one without a dominant religious affiliation that you may not share?
Notre Dame is legendary. The Irish can be a good football team again, and may, one day, even compete for a National Championship. But, this is going to take drastic changes on the part of the Administration, the Coaching Staff, and the University to make this happen. Living in the past will get you nothing but tired of seeing past memories and wishing things were the way they used to be.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
There's only one return...
...and it ain't of the King, it's of the ASOS. Soon, A Season Of Saturdays will be back up and running full time...so please be patient. Here's to hoping all the Irish that are eligible get drafted high or make NFL teams, and for a tremendous 2008 Irish Football Season.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
We're bad, but we're not Duke bad.
So after leaving the Blue Devils in the dust, the Irish now sit at 2-9 with one game left to play, the Stanford Cardinal. While most might think this game is just an extension of the Science/Knowledge Bowl (and they may be right), there will in fact be some tackle football played. Well, there should be that is. Notre Dame's season has been marked by one disappointing loss after another, while Stanford's season really comes down to one game...one play. Their defining last second win over USC, in Troy, ranks as one of the biggest upsets of the season (even though Stanford has played well against the Men of Troy before, and App. State beating Michigan is THE upset of the year). Regardless, this should still be a very tough test for the Irish. Obviously, Stanford's win over USC is something the Irish have not been able to do for the past several seasons, and new coach Jim Harbaugh has really injected some much needed enthusiasm and confidence in a program struggling to find itself after Ty Willingham left.
The Irish really need to pick up a win in Palo Alto this Saturday because it would mean a lot toward building on something for next season. When you're 2-9, you're searching for anything you can to look to as a positive, and winning two games in a row to close out a dismal year could be just that. It would also help the Irish do two things really...one, avoid being the worst team in modern Irish history and two, giving their seniors such as Trevor Laws, John Carlson and Tom Zibikowski another game to improve their Draft stock. Since the Irish will not be attending a bowl game, and that's probably a good thing as I doubted this would have been the season they would have broken the 14 year bowl win drought anyway, this game can leave a lasting impression till the Combine. Speaking of Zibby, Rivals.com has him ranked the 75th best player coming out of college this year for the NFL. This means functionally little as there's never any indication of where someone is going to go in the Draft (cough...Darius Walker...cough), but it's nice to see that media outlets haven't forgot about how good of a player he is despite the awful year.
They ballyhoo his punt return ability, and while I consider him a tough and talented return man, I highly doubt that skill will be on display or used in the NFL in any way. In the NFL, returning kicks is all about speed and agility, and Zibby doesn't quite have enough of either to be an elite NFL returner. However, I do see him being an EXCELLENT safety...much in the mold of Bob Sanders for the Colts...where he becomes a defensive spark plug and leader who inspires the defense to play better when he is out there. Bob is an undersized guy by conventional standards, but he has a big heart and hits like a truck. These are some of the intangibles Zibby will bring the team lucky enough to take him. I don't think there is any doubt Carlson and Laws will translate their skill sets well to the next level, and I believe both will be considered amongst the elite in their positions within the next five years. I just hope Zibby doesn't go to somewhere truly uninteresting...as I will be selecting my new NFL team to root for based upon where he goes.
The Irish really need to pick up a win in Palo Alto this Saturday because it would mean a lot toward building on something for next season. When you're 2-9, you're searching for anything you can to look to as a positive, and winning two games in a row to close out a dismal year could be just that. It would also help the Irish do two things really...one, avoid being the worst team in modern Irish history and two, giving their seniors such as Trevor Laws, John Carlson and Tom Zibikowski another game to improve their Draft stock. Since the Irish will not be attending a bowl game, and that's probably a good thing as I doubted this would have been the season they would have broken the 14 year bowl win drought anyway, this game can leave a lasting impression till the Combine. Speaking of Zibby, Rivals.com has him ranked the 75th best player coming out of college this year for the NFL. This means functionally little as there's never any indication of where someone is going to go in the Draft (cough...Darius Walker...cough), but it's nice to see that media outlets haven't forgot about how good of a player he is despite the awful year.
They ballyhoo his punt return ability, and while I consider him a tough and talented return man, I highly doubt that skill will be on display or used in the NFL in any way. In the NFL, returning kicks is all about speed and agility, and Zibby doesn't quite have enough of either to be an elite NFL returner. However, I do see him being an EXCELLENT safety...much in the mold of Bob Sanders for the Colts...where he becomes a defensive spark plug and leader who inspires the defense to play better when he is out there. Bob is an undersized guy by conventional standards, but he has a big heart and hits like a truck. These are some of the intangibles Zibby will bring the team lucky enough to take him. I don't think there is any doubt Carlson and Laws will translate their skill sets well to the next level, and I believe both will be considered amongst the elite in their positions within the next five years. I just hope Zibby doesn't go to somewhere truly uninteresting...as I will be selecting my new NFL team to root for based upon where he goes.
Sunday, November 04, 2007
43 Years
Congratulations to Navy...helluva job winning this game and breaking a crazy long streak. It had to happen eventually...and I told everyone this week that if it didn't happen this year, to this Irish team, they needed to just stop playing the series. But honestly...43 years and 43 wins in a row is not only impressive, it has become a staple we have hung our hats upon. When all seemed lost or out of whack, we could always look to beating Navy as the one thing we KNEW we could do and now that has been taken away from us.
I am fully entrenched in the "Fire Coach Weis" camp. He's done, stick a fork in him. Why? Many reasons, really. For one, he gambles a lot. A WHOLE LOT. Not that going for it on fourth down is a bad thing...it's actually kind of nice when coaches have the balls to push the envelope. But, when game situations and just plain, Average Joe common sense dictate kicking it (either a punt, or in the Navy game's examples, two field goal tries), you kick it! Another problem with Charlie is that he seems to need and thrive off of the attempt to prove he is smarter or a better coordinator than any other coach. The first season he was at the helm was an aberration as no one really knew what the Irish offense would look like. The second season, everyone adjusted and we weren't blowing people out like season one, but the superior offensive talent we had kept the PPG up. Now? Nothing. He's no "offensive genius". Offensive geniuses find ways to create a system that is their own, or uses whatever talent they have to match up with the big boys, or both. Mike Leach, June Jones, Urban Meyer, Gary Crowton and Norm Chow...THEY are offensive geniuses.
Here in season three, it's obvious that Coach Weis can call offensive game plans but only when given very good, very experienced, talent to work with. That doesn't fly in college. In the pros, everyone is a professional and can easily adapt to new systems because they have six to seven hours a day to spend on it. It's their JOB. In college, you get new people every year and your stalwarts you counted on graduate. You have to wear a lot of hats...coordinator, recruiter, PR man, father figure, teacher and (arguably) most important...teacher of fundamentals. This team lacks the basic fundamentals that pro players already get taught from quality programs and that falls on a former pro coordinator who isn't used to having to teach that sort of thing.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Notre Dame is not the job for pansies, nor is it the job for those who cannot handle the spotlight. You better bring it because fair or not, the world is watching. Right now, the world is watching a ghost of what the former Notre Dame football team used to be. Who cares if this guy got us to two BCS bowls? We got blown out in both and obviously looked like we didn't belong. How is that any better than what Willingham or Davie did for us. Sure, the expectations at Notre Dame are ridiculous given the landscape of college football today, our stubborn stance on staying independent, and the AD's laughably impossible scheduling. But some coaches could win here...but they are the elite. You think Pete Carroll would struggle like this? How about Urban Meyer? Jim Tressel? THESE are the type of men who should be running our program and not a former golden boy coordinator from the NFL with no head coaching experience and no experience even being in and around the college game (which is obviously waaaay different than the NFL).
As BGS put it, Charlie Weis. Great recruiter. Great coordinator (although I question that). Bad head coach.
I am fully entrenched in the "Fire Coach Weis" camp. He's done, stick a fork in him. Why? Many reasons, really. For one, he gambles a lot. A WHOLE LOT. Not that going for it on fourth down is a bad thing...it's actually kind of nice when coaches have the balls to push the envelope. But, when game situations and just plain, Average Joe common sense dictate kicking it (either a punt, or in the Navy game's examples, two field goal tries), you kick it! Another problem with Charlie is that he seems to need and thrive off of the attempt to prove he is smarter or a better coordinator than any other coach. The first season he was at the helm was an aberration as no one really knew what the Irish offense would look like. The second season, everyone adjusted and we weren't blowing people out like season one, but the superior offensive talent we had kept the PPG up. Now? Nothing. He's no "offensive genius". Offensive geniuses find ways to create a system that is their own, or uses whatever talent they have to match up with the big boys, or both. Mike Leach, June Jones, Urban Meyer, Gary Crowton and Norm Chow...THEY are offensive geniuses.
Here in season three, it's obvious that Coach Weis can call offensive game plans but only when given very good, very experienced, talent to work with. That doesn't fly in college. In the pros, everyone is a professional and can easily adapt to new systems because they have six to seven hours a day to spend on it. It's their JOB. In college, you get new people every year and your stalwarts you counted on graduate. You have to wear a lot of hats...coordinator, recruiter, PR man, father figure, teacher and (arguably) most important...teacher of fundamentals. This team lacks the basic fundamentals that pro players already get taught from quality programs and that falls on a former pro coordinator who isn't used to having to teach that sort of thing.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Notre Dame is not the job for pansies, nor is it the job for those who cannot handle the spotlight. You better bring it because fair or not, the world is watching. Right now, the world is watching a ghost of what the former Notre Dame football team used to be. Who cares if this guy got us to two BCS bowls? We got blown out in both and obviously looked like we didn't belong. How is that any better than what Willingham or Davie did for us. Sure, the expectations at Notre Dame are ridiculous given the landscape of college football today, our stubborn stance on staying independent, and the AD's laughably impossible scheduling. But some coaches could win here...but they are the elite. You think Pete Carroll would struggle like this? How about Urban Meyer? Jim Tressel? THESE are the type of men who should be running our program and not a former golden boy coordinator from the NFL with no head coaching experience and no experience even being in and around the college game (which is obviously waaaay different than the NFL).
As BGS put it, Charlie Weis. Great recruiter. Great coordinator (although I question that). Bad head coach.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
1-7
Well I think we can all officially say the wheels have come off the bus and the ship is not only taking on water, it's got a ful fledged hole the size of a Toyota in the side of her. I agree whole-heartedly with AT over on the Legends of South Bend blog...these players are done. They have completely resigned themselves to the fact that this year is screwed, and they seem convinced there is nothing they can do about it. With that in mind I would say there are four players that jump to mind right now that still believe. Zibby, Trevor, Mo Crum and the surprising Pat Kuntz. These four horsemen can be seen giving their all each game. The rest of the team? I'm not so convinced.
Unfortunately for those four gentlemen, they all play defense which has been the only unit to show up all year long. Seriously, the offense has to be ashamed of themselves. And here's the thing...it's easy to pile on Coach Weis, but it's not all on him. At some point, you have to execute on a fundamental level and these offensive players just aren't doing that. Start with Jimmy Clausen. He's supposed to the #1 recruit in the country at QB, and while the woeful offensive unit hasn't given him any help to demonstrate how good he is or could be, look at Sam Bradford at OU. Sure, his unit is by far and away much better than Notre Dame's, but he is playing circles around where Jimmy is. They don't even look like they're in the same league. I'm excited the Irish have Dane Crist waiting in the wings in case Jimmy doesn't come through on his promising talent...always good to have a backup plan.
All I know is, this #1 class we have coming in next year had better show us something. Seriously. As Colin Cowherd on ESPN says, "Where's the accountability?" USC, Ohio State, Texas...if and when they have #1 classes coming in they play several of those players and those players, be true ball hawking playmakers, make plays. If these guys step on campus and get shoved around like the current team is doing, then some serious questions need to be asked about either the players, the coaches, or both.
Unfortunately for those four gentlemen, they all play defense which has been the only unit to show up all year long. Seriously, the offense has to be ashamed of themselves. And here's the thing...it's easy to pile on Coach Weis, but it's not all on him. At some point, you have to execute on a fundamental level and these offensive players just aren't doing that. Start with Jimmy Clausen. He's supposed to the #1 recruit in the country at QB, and while the woeful offensive unit hasn't given him any help to demonstrate how good he is or could be, look at Sam Bradford at OU. Sure, his unit is by far and away much better than Notre Dame's, but he is playing circles around where Jimmy is. They don't even look like they're in the same league. I'm excited the Irish have Dane Crist waiting in the wings in case Jimmy doesn't come through on his promising talent...always good to have a backup plan.
All I know is, this #1 class we have coming in next year had better show us something. Seriously. As Colin Cowherd on ESPN says, "Where's the accountability?" USC, Ohio State, Texas...if and when they have #1 classes coming in they play several of those players and those players, be true ball hawking playmakers, make plays. If these guys step on campus and get shoved around like the current team is doing, then some serious questions need to be asked about either the players, the coaches, or both.
Monday, September 17, 2007
How To Fix The Irish™
That's right ladies and gentlemen, here is my plan for fixing the woebegone mess that is this year's 0-3 Fighting Irish football team. First, to gain an understanding of why the Irish are 0-3 (if you haven't seen them this season), it runs the gamut from poor coaching, poor preparation, lack of execution, lack of depth and experience on the offensive line, no rushing attack....pretty much everything wrong with a football team you can think of. I'll lay the plan out as it pertains to each section of the team.
Coaching
The Irish have two things going for them when it comes to coaching. One, they have a tremendous tradition in college football and a tremendous pocketbook. Now, do not believe the hype that the Notre Dame position is the premier in college football...because that's all it is, hype. The reality is the position comes with so many demands and so much scrutiny and pressure, most people shy away from it (see Urban Meyer). However, that does not mean that coaches would not come if given the right offer (especially ones whom are looking to make a name for themselves or already have an ego large enough to handle the spotlight). I suggest the Irish go out and land a huge, high profile coach that is unquestionably a coaching superstar to match up with the mystique of Notre Dame. Some individuals that come to mind are Steve Spurrier, Jim Tressel, Pete Carroll and Bob Stoops from the college ranks. From the professional ranks, I would suggest Bill Cowher, Jimmy Johnson (out of retirement), Jon Gruden and Tony Dungy. Yes, I realize this is a "dream list" of coaches that would more that likely not move for any amount of money...but as they say, "money talks" and for the right price, you never know. However, what could be even more realistic, is finding someone who is motivated and known for innovative thinking and game planning like Mike Leach at Texas Tech, June Jones at Hawaii, Gary Crowton formerly of BYU, and Chan Gailey of Georgia Tech. Whatever direction the Irish went, including keeping Charlie Weis (whom I feel is a very competent coach), they need to make that hiring (or decision) a major win.
Offense
The Irish switched to a pro style offense under Ty Willingham and then had it perfected under Charlie Weis. The thinking was not only to modernize the offense system, but was also a key ingredient to luring the highly sought after NFL caliber talent away from the Miami's and LSU's of the world and into South Bend. True, running the option attack which we used to feature was not as productive for producing NFL stars today as it was twenty years ago, so the switch was a positive move. However, one major obstacle still haunts the football team when it comes to getting top caliber talent: The GPA requirements. Simply put, student athletes who come to Notre Dame looking to go from school to the NFL solely will face a tougher college experience than if they go to any other Top 25 school. This means that when the very best players in the country are looking at the offer sheets on their desk, they must weigh in several factors:
1. The offensively philosophy and team visibility. They need to know they will be featured in an offense that is not only explosive for stats, but one that will be seen nationally for the publicity to bump up their draft status.
2. The location. Simply put, South Beach in Miami and Southern California are more glamorous places to spend your college years than in the middle of Indiana. This cannot be understated.
3. The academic requirements. This is not to say that all blue chip level athletes are either incompetent in the classroom, or that they do not care about grades and education. What it means is, when an athlete's main goal is to get to the NFL (and not necessarily get a degree), why make it harder on yourself than you have to? Why go to the middle of Indiana where it's meat and potatoes, seasonal, and tough in the classroom when you can get fun in the sun and easier academic requirements from Miami, USC, or Texas? It's almost a no brainer.
Most student athletes today do not care about the past, tradition or iconic programs of yore. They care about getting to the NFL and making millions. It is because of these factors that Notre Dame is not a sexy place to be anymore (if it ever was). But, this isn't exactly a damning factor because Notre Dame IS NOT an NFL factory. They are an institution of higher learning, better than most in academic categories for excellence (facts support this), and they happen to field a football team. Well, the answer for the Fighting Irish is clear based upon this information.
Stop trying to compete with the NFL factory universities. Just stop. It's a waste of time and in this day and age, it's NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. What Notre Dame SHOULD focus on at this point in it's life is winning college football games. Think about it. In the beginning, that was all that mattered. It didn't matter how many people you sent to the pros, what kind of offense you ran or how many national championships you won. Hell, until recently (and in some cases, still) national champions were matters of public opinion crowned by the media. The goal used to be winning all your games (which was considered a successful season) and then playing in a bowl game for fun and as a reward. Obviously, with all the money tie-ins and the BCS series, that goal has changed to "winning" the national championship as the ultimate goal. But, even with this new found structure of goals (almost making bowls meaningless as end of the season rewards), the old goal can still be the same. For Notre Dame, this means winning it's slate of games, going to a bowl game if it gets invited and enjoying the ride, then letting the public decide what their opinion of them is. Lord knows, they will anyway. Michigan (for example) does this. They see the season as win the Big Ten title first, beat Ohio State, win the Rose Bowl, and then win the national title (if possible). Their main focus is winning their conference and what they see as the most important game all year...the Rose Bowl. That's it. It's simple, and it's beautiful.
So, how does this relate to the offense? Well, as I stated above, they need to focus on winning college football games. To do this, I believe, they need to bring in an offensive mastermind (on the college level) like a Mike Leach or Gary Crowton who run an odd, versatile style of attack that is confusing and difficult to game plan for. Plus, the best part is, these offenses always put up gawdy numbers and utilize players that normally are not NFL caliber. They make passing stars out of people like Kliff Kingsbury and Timmy Chang. Yeah, you see those guys starting on Sundays? The reason this works is because they maximize their talent at hand, create an imaginative offense that probably wouldn't work at the next level, and win college football games against a reasonable schedule of teams they realistically can beat. They aren't wrapped up in whether or not their players will be drafted or look good at the combine. They simply want to win games. This is what Notre Dame needs to do...especially because if one school was meant to run a weird, off-the-wall offense it's a small Catholic independent school from the middle of America. Why not?
Defense
Following in the footsteps of how to fix the offense above, the same thing needs to apply to the defense. The Irish need to open the pocketbook and approach real defensive masterminds like Bo Pelini at LSU, John Tenuta at Georgia Tech, and anyone who runs a 3-3-5! Why? Because these men are masters at using the talent they have to beat opposing offenses (no matter what form they come in), they consistently produce fierce pass rushes (especially in the case of John Tenuta), and those who run 3-3-5 defenses catch people off guard because few people use a formation like that. Much like teams have to spend extra time preparing for an option team, they must spend extra time preparing for teams which use overly aggressive defenses (like GT) or odd alignments (like BYU). What is there to lose really? Currently we get blown out by 20+ points. You're telling me that if we hired John Tenuta today and let him install blitz packages like he would run with GT we wouldn't at least get a few more sacks? So what if we give up the big play...we give it up now! We might as well inflict some damage for the wounds we take. A 3-4 is not the answer on defense because we were so short on linebackers with speed last season we had to use a tailback at linebacker just to try and generate a pass rush. It didn't work, and neither is this 3-4 this season. The 3-4 doesn't often work in the NFL either, mainly because getting four healthy, fast linebackers in the same place at the same time is tough. Even tougher in college. In a 4-3, everyone doesn't need to be great...they need to be big to eat up space. If you have one to two great rusheres, you're set. We need to think smarter, not harder.
Special Teams
This can be solved and made better in three steps:
1. Find someone who is a good kicker, even if you have to go to the soccer team.
2. Find someone who's a speedy kick returner, even if he's 5' 3".
3. Go take classes from Frank Beamer and let him teach you everything he knows. We don't play VT anyway.
I know this was long, and if you read it all, thanks. But the problems the Irish face are lengthy and I believe very convoluted. We have gotten off on the wrong path when it comes to the football team. We have begun this race to keep up with the Jones' when it is crystal clear a small, Catholic university in the middle of Indiana with stringent GPA requirements cannot compete with ClubMed style schools which almost hand out degrees for free. So, we need to get back to the basics of what is important to us...going 11-0 against whomever we face (a more realistic schedule would be great), and a return to our form of glory.
Coaching
The Irish have two things going for them when it comes to coaching. One, they have a tremendous tradition in college football and a tremendous pocketbook. Now, do not believe the hype that the Notre Dame position is the premier in college football...because that's all it is, hype. The reality is the position comes with so many demands and so much scrutiny and pressure, most people shy away from it (see Urban Meyer). However, that does not mean that coaches would not come if given the right offer (especially ones whom are looking to make a name for themselves or already have an ego large enough to handle the spotlight). I suggest the Irish go out and land a huge, high profile coach that is unquestionably a coaching superstar to match up with the mystique of Notre Dame. Some individuals that come to mind are Steve Spurrier, Jim Tressel, Pete Carroll and Bob Stoops from the college ranks. From the professional ranks, I would suggest Bill Cowher, Jimmy Johnson (out of retirement), Jon Gruden and Tony Dungy. Yes, I realize this is a "dream list" of coaches that would more that likely not move for any amount of money...but as they say, "money talks" and for the right price, you never know. However, what could be even more realistic, is finding someone who is motivated and known for innovative thinking and game planning like Mike Leach at Texas Tech, June Jones at Hawaii, Gary Crowton formerly of BYU, and Chan Gailey of Georgia Tech. Whatever direction the Irish went, including keeping Charlie Weis (whom I feel is a very competent coach), they need to make that hiring (or decision) a major win.
Offense
The Irish switched to a pro style offense under Ty Willingham and then had it perfected under Charlie Weis. The thinking was not only to modernize the offense system, but was also a key ingredient to luring the highly sought after NFL caliber talent away from the Miami's and LSU's of the world and into South Bend. True, running the option attack which we used to feature was not as productive for producing NFL stars today as it was twenty years ago, so the switch was a positive move. However, one major obstacle still haunts the football team when it comes to getting top caliber talent: The GPA requirements. Simply put, student athletes who come to Notre Dame looking to go from school to the NFL solely will face a tougher college experience than if they go to any other Top 25 school. This means that when the very best players in the country are looking at the offer sheets on their desk, they must weigh in several factors:
1. The offensively philosophy and team visibility. They need to know they will be featured in an offense that is not only explosive for stats, but one that will be seen nationally for the publicity to bump up their draft status.
2. The location. Simply put, South Beach in Miami and Southern California are more glamorous places to spend your college years than in the middle of Indiana. This cannot be understated.
3. The academic requirements. This is not to say that all blue chip level athletes are either incompetent in the classroom, or that they do not care about grades and education. What it means is, when an athlete's main goal is to get to the NFL (and not necessarily get a degree), why make it harder on yourself than you have to? Why go to the middle of Indiana where it's meat and potatoes, seasonal, and tough in the classroom when you can get fun in the sun and easier academic requirements from Miami, USC, or Texas? It's almost a no brainer.
Most student athletes today do not care about the past, tradition or iconic programs of yore. They care about getting to the NFL and making millions. It is because of these factors that Notre Dame is not a sexy place to be anymore (if it ever was). But, this isn't exactly a damning factor because Notre Dame IS NOT an NFL factory. They are an institution of higher learning, better than most in academic categories for excellence (facts support this), and they happen to field a football team. Well, the answer for the Fighting Irish is clear based upon this information.
Stop trying to compete with the NFL factory universities. Just stop. It's a waste of time and in this day and age, it's NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. What Notre Dame SHOULD focus on at this point in it's life is winning college football games. Think about it. In the beginning, that was all that mattered. It didn't matter how many people you sent to the pros, what kind of offense you ran or how many national championships you won. Hell, until recently (and in some cases, still) national champions were matters of public opinion crowned by the media. The goal used to be winning all your games (which was considered a successful season) and then playing in a bowl game for fun and as a reward. Obviously, with all the money tie-ins and the BCS series, that goal has changed to "winning" the national championship as the ultimate goal. But, even with this new found structure of goals (almost making bowls meaningless as end of the season rewards), the old goal can still be the same. For Notre Dame, this means winning it's slate of games, going to a bowl game if it gets invited and enjoying the ride, then letting the public decide what their opinion of them is. Lord knows, they will anyway. Michigan (for example) does this. They see the season as win the Big Ten title first, beat Ohio State, win the Rose Bowl, and then win the national title (if possible). Their main focus is winning their conference and what they see as the most important game all year...the Rose Bowl. That's it. It's simple, and it's beautiful.
So, how does this relate to the offense? Well, as I stated above, they need to focus on winning college football games. To do this, I believe, they need to bring in an offensive mastermind (on the college level) like a Mike Leach or Gary Crowton who run an odd, versatile style of attack that is confusing and difficult to game plan for. Plus, the best part is, these offenses always put up gawdy numbers and utilize players that normally are not NFL caliber. They make passing stars out of people like Kliff Kingsbury and Timmy Chang. Yeah, you see those guys starting on Sundays? The reason this works is because they maximize their talent at hand, create an imaginative offense that probably wouldn't work at the next level, and win college football games against a reasonable schedule of teams they realistically can beat. They aren't wrapped up in whether or not their players will be drafted or look good at the combine. They simply want to win games. This is what Notre Dame needs to do...especially because if one school was meant to run a weird, off-the-wall offense it's a small Catholic independent school from the middle of America. Why not?
Defense
Following in the footsteps of how to fix the offense above, the same thing needs to apply to the defense. The Irish need to open the pocketbook and approach real defensive masterminds like Bo Pelini at LSU, John Tenuta at Georgia Tech, and anyone who runs a 3-3-5! Why? Because these men are masters at using the talent they have to beat opposing offenses (no matter what form they come in), they consistently produce fierce pass rushes (especially in the case of John Tenuta), and those who run 3-3-5 defenses catch people off guard because few people use a formation like that. Much like teams have to spend extra time preparing for an option team, they must spend extra time preparing for teams which use overly aggressive defenses (like GT) or odd alignments (like BYU). What is there to lose really? Currently we get blown out by 20+ points. You're telling me that if we hired John Tenuta today and let him install blitz packages like he would run with GT we wouldn't at least get a few more sacks? So what if we give up the big play...we give it up now! We might as well inflict some damage for the wounds we take. A 3-4 is not the answer on defense because we were so short on linebackers with speed last season we had to use a tailback at linebacker just to try and generate a pass rush. It didn't work, and neither is this 3-4 this season. The 3-4 doesn't often work in the NFL either, mainly because getting four healthy, fast linebackers in the same place at the same time is tough. Even tougher in college. In a 4-3, everyone doesn't need to be great...they need to be big to eat up space. If you have one to two great rusheres, you're set. We need to think smarter, not harder.
Special Teams
This can be solved and made better in three steps:
1. Find someone who is a good kicker, even if you have to go to the soccer team.
2. Find someone who's a speedy kick returner, even if he's 5' 3".
3. Go take classes from Frank Beamer and let him teach you everything he knows. We don't play VT anyway.
I know this was long, and if you read it all, thanks. But the problems the Irish face are lengthy and I believe very convoluted. We have gotten off on the wrong path when it comes to the football team. We have begun this race to keep up with the Jones' when it is crystal clear a small, Catholic university in the middle of Indiana with stringent GPA requirements cannot compete with ClubMed style schools which almost hand out degrees for free. So, we need to get back to the basics of what is important to us...going 11-0 against whomever we face (a more realistic schedule would be great), and a return to our form of glory.
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