Maybe Charlie Weis needs to hire this guy for the Irish

Charlie Weis, Bowl Game, Whatever by Randy W. Hall

Charlie Weis has me, and most of Notre Dame Nation miffed, confused and downright torn. On one hand I love the guy. He's an ND grad, works like nobodies business, and seems to be right on the cusp of turning this thing around. On the other hand, he promised us a thick, quick and nasty football team four years ago. What we've gotten (with the notable exception of the 2005 campaign) is thick, uninspired and soft more often than not. For whatever reason, his teams don't show up on game day and have regressed as the season has worn on. That's the opposite of how it should be. Most football teams (especially young ones) tend to improve as the year progresses. I don't know if it's his NFL pedigree, his nuetering of assistant coaches, or if it's in the South Bend water supply. This team simply doesn't show up on game days, which blows my mind (and I'm hardly the only one). It's inexplicable. The one time they clearly showed up ready to smack someone in the mouth, this years Michigan game, they jumped out to an insurmountable 21-0 lead about 10 minutes into the game. Also, due to being called out by a Stanford player, they were pretty jazzed up to take on the Cardinal this year as well. They gave us fits in the 4th quarter when we took our foot off the gas (kind of like the Navy game too), but we came out ready to go for that game. Of all Weis' sins and shortcomings, for me, that's the most glaring problem. There's no reason, ever, that when you put on that Blue & Gold uniform that you shouldn't be fired up to represent Our Lady and play for that man next to you. There's a clear disconnect somewhere.

To a certain extent I can forgive the predictable game plans and offensive playcalling, the cockiness, even the blowhardness. The guy and his staff (mostly) are great recruiters. What is inexcusable and intolerable is the lack of intensity and killer instinct.

I don't know if Charlie has to hire a sports psychologist, call on Lou Holtz and/or Anthony Robbins for motivation or get the team an enima. They need to play hard, play with passion and play, most importantly, to win. Youth, starting next year, won't be a valid excuse. Three come-from-ahead losses will be cause for revolt. It's not too late for Chuckles (as I like to call him). Yet. Heck, Dean Smith was hung in effigy at North Carolina prior to becoming an icon. But the fat lady is sucking on a Ricola, ready to sing out the Weis era. I don't want to see that happen, but for a guy who's all about accountability, his balance is about to be due.

Hawaii Bowl
When my brother, who's a Michigan State Spartan slappy and graduate, texted me that we were playing in the Hawaii Bowl vs. the Rainbow Warriors on Xmas Eve I, at first blush, liked the matchup for us. We've become a laughingstock of the postseason with 9 straight bowl losses. The last time the Irish won a bowl game was when I was a freshman in college, for Pete's sake (quick what were you doing way back in January 1994?)! This sh*t needs to end and this is the kind of game I felt we could win. When I told B-Dogg (his nickname) that he simply replied: "I have one word for you: Syracuse". Touche.

A cynic would say not to hold my breath or get my hopes up. Still, Hawaii is in the WAC. If Jimmy Clausen isn't completely brow-beaten he should be able to put up some numbers and points on that Hawaii secondary. Plus, our best receiver, Michael Floyd, will return to give us a boost. That kid is a game-changer. Our defense, while far from a stalwart Top-20 unit, always gives an honest days effort and I think they have some pride. While it's a veritable home game for the Rainbow Warriors, it shouldn't be a huge edge, as many Irish fans will be in attendance (our fans always travel well). So, in my estimation, it's going to come down to turnovers. When ND is stingy with the ball, we win. When they have turnovers (they seem to come in bunches too when they do happen), they lose. I'm cautiously calling it an Irish win, with Floyd and outgoing senior David Bruton, proving to be the crucial difference.
ND: 34 Hawaii: 30
Stud LB recruit and Hawaii native Manti Teo will be impressed enough to commit on the spot. Psyche! (though it is a nice thought:))

Year-End Disappointments and a New Era
by Randy W. Hall

The Sugar Bowl loss combined with the end of the show (the last one will be filmed on January 30) has made me not want to post in a while. Yet again Notre Dame got embarassed in their bowl game to give them the infamous record for nine consecutive bowl losses.

The 41-14 loss was yet another in the long line of BCS disappointments. This was further compounded by last-minute change of hearts by DL Ben Martin and Chris Donald (the most important defensive recruit in my estimation) to attend Tennessee over my beloved Fighting Irish at the Army All-American Game. It was reported that both had revealed to NBC that they would be attendeding ND and changed their minds at the 11th hour. Just depressing stuff.

In an ironic twist I too have decided to leave the great state of Michigan and take my lot to Nashville, TN. Never fear Irish fans, as I will root for Notre Dame from there and will NOT adopt the Tennesse Volunteers in the land of checkerboard endzones. No way, nada, never! I may, however adopt the Tennesse Titans as a protest to my hometown Detroit Lions. I'm tired of that circus. You add Vince Young, Norm Chow, and Jeff Fisher and, viola!, you got a team worth watching. The Detroit Lions always have been, are and always (seemingly) will be a cruel joke played on the football loving area of Detroit.

I want to thank the few fans of the show Fighting Irish Football Forum who watch the show and maybe a few dozen who have taken time out of their lives to read this blog. I do appreciate it. As always, go Irish! The future looming is bright and it won't be long before we're on the business end of some of these epic ass-kickings!

Irish Recruiting Really Hitting Stride
By Randy W. Hall

Five weeks ago many Irish fans were pulling out their hair in regards to recruiting (including Dave Klotz from the show) and wondering where all the momentum and goodwill Charlie Weis & Co. had built up had gone. Then the Irish went out and made matters worse by getting their asses handed to them (again) in California by Poodle & the Condoms (sounds like a bad punk-rock group), USC. However, ever since that low-ebb Irish recruiting has magically started to clear up and get better. Much better.

Now granted there is still much work to be done before now and National Signing Day (February 7th, 2007) when seniors in high school can sign a binding letter-of-intent. But the Irish have reversed what looked to be a downward spiral to a mediocre recruiting class, which would’ve dampened the early buzz brought about by Jimmy Clausen’s commitment in April. Following the defeat to the Trojans Weis immediately (if not sooner) hit the recruiting trail with gusto and was able to combat some of the negative recruiting that has been going on (as it always historically does) from the other schools. Also once a lot of the kids got a chance to sit one-on-one with Weis and the other coaches who got to make their case, they really got a three-dimensional look at Notre Dame vs. the other colleges. After a long drought following Gary Gray’s commitment the Irish have since picked up verbals from Ath Greg Little, OL Emeka Nwankwo, RB Armando Allen, DT Ian Williams (a huge get considering he’s the first true DT commit since Derrell Hand in 2004), Ath Golden Tate and OL Taylor Dever. And more are forthcoming. Below you’ll find a list of guys that ND still has a realistic shot at. As per the show I’m going to classify them as Green Light (I believe they will come to ND), Yellow Light (50/50 they come to South Bend) and Red Light (don’t think they’ll select the Irish).

Green Light
-S Lorenzo Edwards – While hardly a slam-dunk but I’ve had a good feeling regarding him for a long time.
-OL Chris Little – This Georgia native brings a toughness and nastiness that will be welcome in an Irish uniform.
-S Harrison Smith – His parents supposedly really want him to get an education at Notre Dame. He would be a great upgrade in the secondary.

Yellow Light
-OLB Chris Donald – My #1 guy on the want list. This guy is a dynamo and a one man pass rush. What’s so strange about his recruitment is that both Notre Dame and Tennessee are solidly convinced he’s theirs. He would be the crown jewel on defense if he goes to ND.
-RB Robert Hughes – With the commitments from Tate and Allen this isn’t as big a need, but he would definitely be a welcome addition. He has the attitude that Charlie Weis is looking for.
-DT Will Blackwell – Before Ian Williams said he was coming this was an essential must-get. I still view him as a huge priority as the numbers at DT are incredibly low and he would be a Derek Landri-type with a non-stop motor. You can’t have enough guys like that.
-OL Matt Romine – If he has any desire to leave home he will be Irish. However it’s always tough to pluck one out of Bob Stoops backyard. Some say he’s my lookalike so I’d love to see him in an Irish uniform.
-OL Matt Summers-Gavin – He would be a nice luxury to have. Thanks to Ty Willingham’s recruiting “efforts” the numbers on the OL are still pathetically low.
-CB Michael Williams – There was a time he was a green light, but you don’t hear much about him anymore. Ron English may have turned him for good.
-OLB Malcolm Smith – A lot of people thought ND was out of this race. Still it’s come to light that he thinks highly of Weis and the Irish and his brother Steve’s experience at USC may actually be a drawback to get his signature. He’s also a hell of a player and would be my sleeper pick of the class if he ends up here.
-DE Ben Martin – One of the first names to become prominent to Irish recruitniks, his recruitment has been quite an odyssey with dalliances with Tennessee and Florida, among others. Still after all the posturing it looks to come down to an Irish-OSU battle as it was in the beginning.

Red Light
-Athlete Joe McKnight – This might be an amber light as he’s yet to make an official trip to campus (scheduled for January). As we all know until a southern kid sees the Golden Dome it’s not over. Still would be surprising to end up with this speedster.
-DE Everson Griffen – While we made his final three he’s all but a USC lock.
-DE Martez Wilson – It looked like a lost cause, then we got a second wind when he came in for his official at the Banquet. ND must really covet him as they sent the entire staff to see him in Chicago a few days ago. Still it looks like the Zooker was able to sway another one to Champaign (hint to NCAA investigators: follow the money. See caption).
-DT Marvin Austin – The reddest of lights possible. He’s a Miami-USC type through-and-through.
-CB Ronald Johnson – A freakish athlete who has yet to qualify for any school. No way he even gets past Dan Saracino even if he wanted to come here.
-OL Lee Ziemba – Doesn’t want to leave home. No shot.
-S Major Wright – I could be wrong, but I don’t think I am. If we get Smith and Edwards who cares really?
-DT Jason Peters- Got in really late with Peters. Thought we had a chance due to his serious desire to be a student-athlete and we have ample opportunity at DT, but alas it appears he’s destined to be a Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket
-WR Deonte Thompson – Ha. Don’t make me laugh.

While the recruiting game is a crazy one that can take some hair-pin turns (i.e. Arrelious Benn & Gary Gray) this is the best info I’ve been able to gather. As always it will be gut-wrenching to geeks like myself who live for this stuff. If you’re not a hard-core recruiting follower be sure to tune into the U.S. Army All-American Game on January 6th on NBC at 1pm where a whole lot of guys on this list will be declaring their college choices. Should be a good one for Irish fans!

Sugar, Sugar Bowl It Is For Irish
By Randy W. Hall

Well for those of you wonder what the headline is all about it’s a reference to the ridiculously catchy 1968 Archie’s song “Sugar Sugar”. For those of you who already knew that you’re probably old enough to remember multiple Notre Dame National Championships! Now I’ll digress for a minute and take a perfunctory look at the squads’ upcoming BCS Sugar Bowl berth versus the Louisiana St. Tigers on January 3rd, 2007.

First of, let me say I’m glad Notre Dame found its way to a second straight BCS (the school’s first time accomplishing that feat since the convoluted BCS began) bowl as that’s a heck of an accomplishment from the ashes of the Tyrone Willingham Error, er, I mean, Era. That said, I’m not exactly happy we drew the Tigers. First of all this is a team that Nick Saban left stacked. When they won a share of the National Title in 2003 they capitalized on it in recruiting and got some stud athletes. Not only are they fast. (they are) they are also extremely skilled and big. I know they have two losses and are far from a perfect team, but unless Notre Dame finds a way to mix up its defenses and slow them down, it’s likely going to be another embarrassing day for Irish fans. I know most dyed-in-the-wool Irish fans want to give the team the benefit of the doubt but I say screw that. I’ve given them the benefit of the doubt for two years now and have yet to be rewarded for it. For whatever reason this team has continually come out flat and tight for the big games (with the notable exception of last year’s USC game where they peaked and haven’t approached that level since). Also LSU’s strengths line right up with our weaknesses. They have a decent arial assault and our secondary, to be kind, is suspect. They also have a fearsome front seven and our offensive line has been a mystery, wrapped inside of a riddle, lost in an enigma. I suspect Brady Quinn will be under siege early and often and won’t have a chance to get comfortable in the pocket and establish a rhythm. And don’t get me started on our ability to sustain a consistent running game. Notre Dame needs to set up the run with the pass and unless our offensive line plays the game of their lives, I don’t see much chance of that happening.

On offense LSU is skilled if not inconsistent. They have great athletes everywhere and have the potential for lots of balance. The quarterback JaMarcus Russell is a great playmaker who not only can throw the ball (2800 yards passing with 68.5% completion percentage) but also run when needed. They have a decent stable of receivers with Dwayne Bowe and Craig Davis leading the way. They have a running-back-by-committee approach so if Notre Dame could somehow make them one-dimensional, they might have a chance to spring the upset. They have some good talent at running back but no one has really stepped up.

Additionally LSU will have a built-in “home-field advantage” as the game will be played in the re-tooled and still-recovering New Orleans area. Some want to liken this match-up to when the Irish took on the supposedly better Florida Gators in the 1992 Sugar Bowl. However I don’t see that happening. There’s some similarities in the fact both squads had suspect defenses. However I think that 1992 squad had some great running backs (Jerome Bettis ran wild), a better offensive line and Florida had a predictable offense that Lou Holtz befuddled by dropping eight into coverage all game.

Notre Dame does present their defense with some challenges, but all of their plans will be for naught if the offensive line gets man-handled by the physical LSU front seven. I’d love to be optimistic but as my panel-mate on the FIFF show Ernie Gargaro said “if you’ve been playing the same way all year why would you change now?” While I’ve seen many of the Irish opponents improve as the year went on, there was little to no improvement for Irish players it seemed like as the year went on (at least in terms of the starters with a few exceptions). I think with this team what you see is what you get. Unfortunately I think we’ll get more of the same which is a swift ass-kicking by a physically superior team. As long as Notre Dame doesn’t turn the ball over (a la Michigan) I don’t see a drubbing but I do expect a thorough undressing at the hands of the Tigers (a la Ohio St in last years Fiesta Bowl).

Brady Quinn Invited to Heisman Ceremony

While he has about as good a chance of winning the Heisman as Keanu Reeves has of winning best actor for “The Glass House”, at least Brady Quinn gets to go to the ceremony this year (rightfully so). I thought it was a great injustice in 2005 when Quinn put up ridiculous stats for a reborn team that is the most decorated in America and didn’t get recognized with a trip to New York to hang out with Vince Young, Matt Leinert and eventual winner Reggie Bush. This year there were only three invited yet again (Quinn, Arkansas’ RB Darren McFadden and the man who will win Ohio State QB Troy Smith) but nobody was left out who had a season like Quinn did in 2005. While Brady may have had numbers slightly worse than last years, I think overall he did a better job (with the lone exception of the Michigan game) considering his line was a bitter disappointment and his running game was average. Granted he played some weak competition, but he also had pretty good stats in all his games despite the fact he was hounded like somebody who owes the Mob money. When I look back on Brady Quinn in the years to come I’ll always remember how well he represented himself and the university. He survived a freshman year where he was a piñata, he survived the “coaching” of Bill Diedrick, and he helped make Charlie Weis’ debut season a successful one. While we have some great QB’s coming down the pipe, BQ will always have a special place in my heart (not unlike how I view Jarious Jackson, just better).

USC Thoughts
by Randy W. Hall

Like a pyramid scheme I so wanted to believe. All the positives of the “plan” are built up and displayed and all of the negatives are dismissed or minimized. But deep down you know there’s something wrong there and it creeps into your thoughts demanding to be heard, “too good to be true”.

Now I’m not saying the 2006 edition of the Irish are a scam or anything like that. I’m just saying that it never was it was cracked up to be. If you looked from the outside you saw 8 returning starters from a high-caliber offense that featured a stud four-year starter at QB. You saw a defense that with some hard coaching could be workable that also returned 9 starters from 2005. But when you looked under the hood the foundation was as shaky as Jello during an earthquake.

I’m talking depth here people. As in Notre Dame, as a result of the callow 2004 & 2005 recruiting classes, had little to none of it. As in the drop-off from starter to back-up was like from Brando to Carrot Top. As in no margin for error and little rotating in of reserves to give the starters a blow every now and then. As in “a disaster waiting to happen should some things go inevitably wrong”. And God forbid there be an injury or two. Armageddon as it were would ensue.

Now Charlie Weis did a great job in his first true recruiting class getting the numbers in the ballpark of where they need to be in order to field a competitive team. Still he’s got quite a ways to go before he has a team stockpiled the way “Poodle” Carroll has his team from stem to stern.

Of course this is compounded by the fact that the veteran offensive line, a supposed strength of the team entering the campaign, is as effective as wet firecrackers when it faces so much as a stiff breeze in competition. Maybe I’m being a bit harsh here but as a unit they underachieved on such a monumental level it may never be comprehended. Sam Young, a freshman, outplayed just about everyone on a week-in, week-out basis. Ryan Harris had some moments as did John Sullivan. Bob Morton and Dan Santucci, in short, were brutal. In my humble opinion the offensive line is why we got our asses kicked by Michigan and USC so thoroughly. The offense, the strength of the team, fell apart with their ineffectiveness. Frankly we were lucky to eke out wins over Georgia Tech, Michigan State and UCLA (especially) with these guys “blocking” for Brady Quinn and Darius Walker. I don’t know what it was but these guys were mistake-prone and never jelled as a unit. I think when real fans look at this team as the years go by they will be mystified by this offensive line performance.
My post isn’t all gloom-and-doom however. I’m hopeful that the guys who play next year will be “nasty” and will play as unit seeing as the majority of them will be sophomores who came in together. I’ve heard it mentioned repeatedly that last years recruiting class has a close bond and are completely committed to turning around Notre Dame from a “good team” to a “good program”. When one analyzes who has beaten us the last two years three teams stand out: Michigan, Ohio State and Southern Cal. All are decidedly better than the Irish in terms of where the program is at. There’s no shame in losing to them. It’s just so painful when we get our hopes up only to have them slammed back to reality when our flaws are exploited to the hilt. We’re heading for the upper echelon, even though when you get thrashed 44-24 by the Trojans it might not feel or seem like it. Charlie Weis is undoubtedly the man for the job. He’s a great coach and an up-and-coming recruiter. He has some tough decisions to make on some of his assistants but I have the utmost faith he will figure it out. I think next year we will see a drop-off but we will also see a team on the rise that is learning to be great. That will be very exciting to see. Take heart Fighting Irish fans your salvation truly will come in time even if you feel burned by the snake oil the media (and even I this preseason) tries to dish you.

Big Game Prediction
by Randy W. Hall

Due to time constraints (mine not yours) I don’t have time for a long-winded, detailed breakdown of the biggest game of the year (to me anyway)! This might be ND’s best shot to take this game for a while given how next year ND’s starting lineup is going to be completely gutted and overhauled and USC will be returning a crap load of guys who’ve been garnering valuable experience this year. Plus it’s Brady Quinn’s senior year and he should be able to put up some great numbers on the USC secondary which is good but hardly great. However I have a bad feeling about this game and can just see ND making a mistake or getting screwed somehow and dropping this game in a heartbreaking fashion. Call me a pessimist but this is the first time I’ve picked against the Irish all year. It will be a great game but one I expect will leave me shaking my fist screaming “I hate you Poodle!” incoherently at the screen, just like last year. My final prediction:
USC 35
Notre Dame 34
The misery will continue versus the boys from Troy.

And the Skies Then Parted…
by Randy W. Hall

For weeks and weeks they stood by as others above them would fall while others below would pass by with little or no reason. “You haven’t played anybody!” they rationalized. “Your team is too flawed for serious consideration!” went the chorus. And truthfully they did have a point on some matters. However, what was lost, was that they were being discriminated against, as the same argument that was being used against them was nary being applied to others in the same predicament. And on-and-on it went. Having to play a questionable schedule made years in advance (most of it having been determined five or more so years ago) and having to answer for the sins of their competition, the only thing the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame could do after the fiasco at home versus the University of Michigan months ago was continue to win. And that they did. Sometimes the wins were shaky and lucky (MSU, UCLA). Sometimes they were convincing yet not wholly satisfactory (Purdue, UNC, Air Force). And occasionally they would play heads-and-shoulders above the competition as they were expected (Penn State, Navy). However, miraculously, inexplicably, they find themselves a few scenarios away from being where nobody seemed to believe they would ever be again this season: The National Championship Game in Tempe, AZ on January 8th.

If you asked me last week if they deserved to be there I would’ve guffawed and said no way. Florida plays in the SEC, “The Land of the Giants”. However after watching them pull out a shaky win over Vanderbilt and absolutely steal a game from South Carolina at home, I think the Irish would definitely be at least as good as the Gators. Another team presumably better than them is their hated rival USC. While they dispatched Oregon this weekend rather handily 35-10, I’m still not convinced these are the Trojans I’ve come to know-and-hate. I’m still not sold on their team either in light of legitimate scares against the likes of Washington (puke!), Washington State & Arizona State and their uninspired loss to Oregon State (double puke!). I’m not saying Notre Dame should be favored in this matchup, but they feature the better QB and I like their chances just like I like Michigan’s chances against the Buckeyes this weekend. The winner of the Notre Dame vs. USC game will definitely be more legitimate a contender to me than Florida or Rutgers would be. Rutgers had a great win vs. Louisville, but I expect West Virginia to take them out thus making their case moot. Rutgers has a weak schedule as well but if they somehow take out the Mountaineers I’d give them more consideration. Same goes for Florida if they handle Arkansas (which won’t happen incidentally) easily. Arkansas with Darren McFadden is a much different beast than without him (like in the USC season-opener for the Razorbacks). As for the Razorbacks, they have a good team but that 50-14 loss to open the year vs. SC still lingers. They also had some shaky wins early vs. subpar competition. If they hand it to Florida I would be more palatable to their argument.

While the Irish defense is the least defensible of the contenders for the title game (59th overall while no other contender is worse than 23rd), they are playing well at the right time. And Brady Quinn is looking even better than he did in 2005 and hitting his stride (granted against some suspect competition). Brady and the 2006 Irish’s legacy will be determined on November 25th. If they go into Troy and conquer the “mighty” Trojans they will have a great shot at ending up where many thought they were destined to go when the season began. And I don’t think I would make apologies for it.

Air Force thoughts

Notre Dame scored early (first drive was all of two plays and covered 80 yards), and often as they took care of business against the Air Force Academy 39-17. So much for the altitude. Brady Quinn was his usual marvelous and efficient self going 14-for-19 (including two drops) and throwing four touchdowns vs. no interceptions for 200 yards. Darius Walker had a standout day averaging over 10 yards a carry and piling up 160 yards on 15 carries and scoring a touchdown. Maybe his best day at ND and his line actually blocking well had more than a little to do with it. The offense looked fantastic when it was actually on the field. Despite only having the ball a little over twenty minutes, the Irish still managed to score five touchdowns (they scored another on a Terrail Lambert blocked-FG return). That’s incredible when you think about it!

On the minus side of the ledger they did have three extra-points blocked and John Carlson was injured. If he’s back in time for the USC game it’s not a huge deal (as I think the Irish can handle Army without him), but if not that takes away his seam-splitting ability and he’s a beast on third-and-fourth downs. He’s been a security blanket for Quinn all year long and turned into an All-American before our very eyes. Marcus Freeman will be able to hold down the fort but he’s not the game-changer that Carlson is.

Another thing that was crazy was Air Force holding the ball for 14 of 15 minutes in the second quarter and still being outscored 7-0 by the Irish in the quarter because of the blocked FG attempt! Crazy!

I have more thoughts on the game but I will be setting those free to the world on the Fighting Irish Football Forum TV show. So tune in! I will be joined this week by Ernie Gargaro, Joe Courtney & Mike (the other) Goolsby. Should be a good one!
Check out www.swoccstudios.com for air times. Topics will be:

FIFF Topics for 11/13/06 taping

-So many teams lost this weekend ahead of Notre Dame, Texas, Louisville, California, & Auburn that Notre Dame has gone from on-the-bubble BCS consideration to possible National Title Game participation. What would have to happen for this to happen and would it be something the Irish deserve?
-Notre Dame defeated Air Force this weekend 39-17. They jumped out early and never looked back. What about the game stood out to you?
-The Irish sustained the first major injury of the 2006 season when John Carlson was hurt and it’s looking like he will miss the remainder of the regular season. How much will he be missed and what are your expectations for Marcus Freeman who will be replacing him?
-Three cheers and three jeers for the Air Force Game
-We will give a brief rundown of how we see the Michigan vs. Ohio State game
-We will briefly look at Army and I’ll ask everyone what they will be looking for in the game
-Prediction time as the FIFF panel predicts the game results