Irish Blogger Gathering: Here Come The Irish!

1. My season preview included music video footage for each position group. What song or video do you feel typifies this year's Notre Dame team heading into the season? Embed a youtube or other similar video if possible.


"For far too long these voices, muffled by distances,
it's time to come to our senses, up from the dirt."
Give It All, Rise Against

I've spent this entire offseason feeling like a schizophrenic, going from wild and unchecked optimism from the Hawaii game to defeatist realism from being not 3 games removed from the Syracuse debacle.

But, if there is one thing that has come through from all of the players and coaches this year, it's that they know how bad they've been. They know that they have the heavy responsibility of carrying Our Lady's torch, and that they haven't gotten it done on the field.

I feel like this team has weathered the growing pains that plagued them the last 2 years, and that they finally have the quiet confidence needed to break through. I still can't bring myself to predict a championship season, but I do know one thing.

These kids intend to give it their all.

Honorable mention: Drowning Pool, Bodies

2. Post a picture that to you portrays the attitude of this year's team and discuss.



What I like about this picture is that it takes a snap shot of a moment in time, and the viewer isn't entirely sure which way things are going.

Is this a ship that has persevered a storm, and come through the otherside unscathed, as the sun finally shows through, granting them hope that the trials are over?

Or is this a tiny ship, too far out at sea, as the winds begin to pick up and the cloud cover rolls in, beginning to block the sunlight?

As stated before, this is how I feel about the Irish. I want to believe that the storm is over, and that we have righted the ship and there is smooth sailing again. But if I'm wrong, the storm could be longer and blacker than I want to consider.

3. What do you perceive as the team's biggest weakness heading into the season?

This one took me a while to come up with. The easy answer would be the defensive line or the offensive line, in light of our recent struggles in these areas. However, I've chosen to dig a little deeper and pull out what I really think the weakness is.

Swagger. Cockiness. Attitude. Confidence. Nastiness.

Whatever you want to call it, we need it. Bad.

Oh, these kids want to win. And they think they can win. What they need, however, is to walk into each game KNOWING they're going to win.

This attitude comes from several factors, and it's something I haven't seen on the Notre Dame sidelines since Brady Quinn was our quarterback. The team's confidence in Quinn was palpable, and time and again - the last touchdown against USC in 2005, the comeback drive against Stanford to seal the Fiesta Bowl, the last second victory against UCLA - the team looked to it's leader and knew that it was going to win the game.

Of course, we were robbed of the victory against USC, but each time, he came out and led the team to victory.

This team needs that same attitude - come what may, we WILL find a way to win this game.

And that falls to Jimmy Clausen. He needs to take his place as the leader of this team. I'm not at all confident that he has the selflessness required for him to do so, but I can hope. And if by some miracle he is able to find within himself a leader, we may be a pretty good football team.

4. With the exception of the 1990s, Notre Dame has won a National Championship in every decade since the 1920s. What are the chances (a) that Notre Dame wins a championship this year, and (b) if not this year, when do you predict the next championship for the Irish?

(A) You've heard Lou and Beano predict that the Irish will go undefeated and lose to Florida in the National Championship game. And I'm sure you've all heard the haters that say that we'll suck again - my buddy Tom (a Boilermaker) was saying just the other day that we'll at most 9 games - if we're lucky.

Here's the thing - they're both right.

This team, based on talent and experience, ought to be able to beat everyone on the schedule, including USC and Florida, if they play to their potential.

However, this is the team that, just 3 games ago, lost to an atrocious Syracuse team.

And so, as much as the fan in me wants to go all in and predict a title for the Irish this year, I just can't. We'll find a way to stumble against a team that we ought to beat (MSU, Pitt, or Stanford), but we'll find a way to beat USC. And that will be enough for a BCS date with someone like Oklahoma or LSU. Which will be an intriguing matchup.

(B) Next year, however, I'm confident that we'll be able to put ourselves in position for a national title run. The schedule, although the last games are still being ironed out, is an interesting one. We'll play at USC, which will be the toughest game on the slate. But, we also bring the Utah Utes (who should have been voted the national title last year) to town. Combined with a traditional schedule (Pitt, BC, Stanford, Mich, MSU, Purdue, Army), this should be our year. I'm assuming that a Senior Jimmy Clausen will be back to lead the offense, and that we'll have Juniors Michael Floyd and Kyle Rudolph and Senior Golden Tate leading the deepest receiver group I can ever recall, behind a still experienced and deep offensive line, and a stable of running backs that is quickly starting to resemble the stable at our cross-country rivals at USC. Very little attrition is expected on an improving defense as well.

5. Nevada runs the Pistol offense, Navy the Triple Option, and Michigan the Spread Option. Which offensive scheme do you think is the most difficult to prepare for, and why?

The triple option attack is the most difficult to prepare for, because it is so difficult to stay disciplined. Assignments are critical on every single down, because this offense is not designed for the big play - it's designed to get 4 yards on EVERY SINGLE PLAY. Which means that you need to be able to not just make the tackles as assigned, but in order to stop them, you have to be able to disrupt the normal blocking scheme and disrupt the timing of the offense in order to have any success.

It always amazes me how quickly the triple option fell out of favor. In very short order, the kings of the option offense - Notre Dame, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Georgia, and Syracuse - all scrapped their option attacks for a more traditional offense.

With the introduction of the true option offense back into major college football at Georgia Tech, however, I'm expecting a resurgence over the next few years.

6. Is Colin Capaernick the best quarterback we'll see this year? If not, who is?

I had a bit of an ulterior motive for this question, as there are only two quarterbacks we'll face this year that have a history of quality experience to draw from - Jake Locker and Colin Capaernick.

While my answer to this question is that Jake Locker is the best QB we'll face this year, I wanted to take a minute to point out that this is my biggest reason for optimism this year. Boston College, Michigan, USC, Michigan State, and Purdue are all in heated quarterback battles that haven't yet been solidified.

While there are usually a couple quarterbacks each year that show up ready to play at a high level (Tebow, Bradford, McCoy, etc.), the general rule is that it takes time to develop a quarterback. And with the two best quarterbacks coming from a WAC opponent and a team that went 0-12 last year, I have reason to believe that our attacking defense will smother a lot of our opponents this year.

7. Prediction time. We have to get on the record before the season kicks off. Give me:
(1) Overall prediction for wins/losses.
11-2
(2) Projected bowl game and result.
Sugar Bowl win over Alabama
(3) Predicted final ranking.
#4
(4) Best player on the team.
Golden Tate
(5) Heisman trophy winner.
Sam Bradford
(6) National Champion.
Florida
(7) Prediction for Nevada game, including score.
Notre Dame wins easily, 45-17

Subway Domer Responds

Irish Blogger Gathering: Here Come the Irish!

So, I've been tasked with kicking off this year's Irish Blogger Gathering, as we prepare for the Nevada Wolfpack and their Pistol offense for the home opener.

So, in a multimedia extravaganza, we're kicking it off with some general preseason questions, as well as a couple of Nevada-specific questions. Answers to follow.

All aboard the bandwagon, the train is leaving the station.

1. My season preview included music video footage for each position group. What song or video do you feel typifies this year's Notre Dame team heading into the season? Embed a youtube or other similar video if possible.

2. Post a picture that to you portrays the attitude of this year's team and discuss.

3. What do you perceive as the team's biggest weakness heading into the season?

4. With the exception of the 1990s, Notre Dame has won a National Championship in every decade since the 1920s. What are the chances (a) that Notre Dame wins a championship this year, and (b) if not this year, when do you predict the next championship for the Irish?

5. Nevada runs the Pistol offense, Navy the Triple Option, and Michigan the Spread Option. Which offensive scheme do you think is the most difficult to prepare for, and why?

6. Is Colin Capaernick the best quarterback we'll see this year? If not, who is?

7. Prediction time. We have to get on the record before the season kicks off. Give me:
(1) Overall prediction for wins/losses.
(2) Projected bowl game and result.
(3) Predicted final ranking.
(4) Best player on the team.
(5) Heisman trophy winner.
(6) National Champion.
(7) Prediction for Nevada game, including score.

It's gameweek, baby. Here Come the Irish!!!

Season Kickoff: Musical Edition

So it's officially here. The boys are back out on the field, knocking heads and trying to prepare for the 2009 campaign.

But this year just feels different. No gimmicks. No blustery words like "Whoosh," "Pound it," or "Schematic Advantage."

The head coach has, I think, finally gotten it right.

I've been on a bit of a musical kick this summer. I went to see Cheap Trick, Poison and Def Leppard a few weeks ago, I just got back from Lollapalooza, and I'm going to Aerosmith and ZZ Top in a couple of weeks. So, here's my Media Week Extravaganza, Musical Edition.

Head Coach


Let The Music Do The Talking
Aerosmith

No promises, no specific talk about expectations or changes. No blustery talk about how good this player or that is gonna be. It's time to put it out on the field.

"This isn't about me. This is about us. This is about one group of guys, coaches and players, that have very similar expectations. But it doesn't do much good for me to say them any more. Until we start showing we can back 'em up, it's just hot air."
-Charlie Weis

Quarterbacks


Never Let Me Down Again
Depeche Mode
"I'm taking a ride with my best friend. I hope he never lets me down again. He knows where he's taking me. Taking me where I want to be."

It's no secret that we'll only go as far as Jimmy will take us. I've never really been a big fan of Jimmy personally, but the job is his, and he's now got the street cred from his experience to take this to the next level.

He needs to get past playing the game and learn how to put a team on his shoulders and lead them to victory. Without that crucial talent to lead, he will never get us to where we need to be.

"I think as he's gone through the first year, the aches that went through the first year, developing more the second year, I think now he kind of has the mentality that a lot of those junior/seniors now have, where like they paid their dues and they've learned from their experiences."
-Charlie Weis

Running Backs


Under the Milky Way
originally by The Church
covered by Coheed and Cambria
"Wish I knew what you were looking for.
Might have known what you would find."

Here we are, in year 5 of the Weis era, and we're still looking for a running game. More than any other area, this is where I want to stop hearing about us running the ball and start actually seeing some production on the ground.

"You're going to play against every team that's going to try to stop the pass game? Well, if they try to stop the pass game, then you have to have an answer. And the answer would be to run the football, okay? If you can't run the football effectively, okay, and they shut down the pass game, you put yourself behind the eight ball. That's what we've been spending the whole off-season to get to this point, to try to put us in a position where we're not pigeonholed into what we're doing."
-Charlie Weis

Wide Receivers


Mr. Brightside
The Killers (not from Lollapalooza, I didn't like the quality of available videos)
"I'm coming out of my cage and I've been doing just fine. Gotta gotta be down because I want it all. ... But it's just the price I pay. Destiny is calling me. Open up my eager eyes."

Who isn't uber-excited about the Notre Dame receiving corps this year?

This position is absolutely loaded with talent and star power. A junior receiver with proven breakaway speed. A sophomore receiver who broke every freshman receiving record - and didn't play half the season. A sophomore tight end who was a Freshman ll-American. Add to that a stable of talent ready to step in at any time, and you have a lot of options to throw to.

"This summer Jimmy flew out Golden, Floyd and Rudolph, and they spent one week out on field throwing for about eight hours a day. So they did that on their own. I have nothing to do with that. Duval was already in early summer school, so he couldn't make it out there. But I think that will pay dividends. That type of effort that they did on their own, that will pay dividends pretty quickly."
-Charlie Weis

Offensive Line


Schism
Tool
"I know the pieces fit cuz I watched them tumble down
No fault, none to blame it doesnt mean I dont desire to
Point the finger, blame the other, watch the temple topple over.
To bring the pieces back together, rediscover communication."

New coach, same kids. I've seen this line's potential, but until they learn to open up some running lanes on a consistent basis, this offense will sputter against quality defenses.

"This is going to be the first time we're going to start training camp and we have three units who legitimately play left and right tackle, left and right guard and center. It's encouraging to know we have numbers to start off with."
-Charlie Weis

Defensive Line


When You Were Young
The Killers
"Can we climb this mountain? I don't know. Higher now than ever before. I know we can make it if we take it slow. Let's take it easy. Easy now. Watch it go."

My biggest question mark on the team is the defensive line. We lack depth and elite talent, but there are some huge upsides to this unit as well. And with the new coaches - Randy Hart and Bryant Young - there is so much potential for drastic improvement. I just hope these kids can get the hang of the learning curve.

"We're excited about our youth, our athleticism. I think with youth and athleticism comes some uncertainty as you go in."
-Charlie Weis

Linebackers


Give It All"
Rise Against
"Today I offer all myself to this. I'm living for my dying wish. I give it all, now there's a reason, a reason, to give it all."

In Tenuta's blitz-happy scheme, we need these guys to really come blasting out of the gate. We've developed some depth, and I'm very excited to see what Manti Te'o can do. Brian Smith is a beast.

"Manti is 245 pounds. If you put him and Brian Smith next to each other, you don't really see much of a physical difference[.]"
-Charlie Weis

Defensive Backs


Never Miss A Beat
Kaiser Chiefs (one of the best shows of Lollapalooza - incredible frontman, great music)
"No, they never miss a beat. No, they never miss a beat, never miss a beat, never miss a beat. Never."

With all of the hype around the receiving corps, this is actually the best unit on the team. Our second string would probably start at any other school.

They are so good, in fact, that there weren't any questions at media day about this unit. Everyone knows that we're loaded, and it doesn't matter who we trot out there, they'll be amazing.

""
-Charlie Weis

Most Intimidating College Football Stadiums

A couple of years ago, one of the ESPN guys did a list of the "scariest" college footballs stadiums. Then went on to list the usual suspects, with no clear rationale.

I think "scary" is the wrong word to use, though, when considering home field advantage. So, with that in mind, I'm going to attempt to put together the most intimidating places to step onto the field. This is, of course, from the perspective of the player, not opposing fans.

There are plenty of factors to consider when considering which stadium is the most intimidating. Size, volume, history, relative closeness to the fans, and the sheer awe-inspiring quality of the venue.

Now, to be fair, I'm considering each of these stadiums at their best - not the week-in, week-out drudgery of the season. I mean, with the exception of very few places, no fan base is going to be crazy every week. And the higher caliber of opponent, the more crazy the stadium is likely to be.

Here's my Top Ten. Let the debate begin.

1. Notre Dame Stadium - "The House that Rock Built"

There are certain places where history weighs down like a mantel. In sports, there is usually one or maybe two stadiums - that tower above all the rest as being truly legendary. Wrigley. Fenway. Lambeau. Madison Square Garden. Notre Dame Stadium.
When you are standing in the tunnel under those 11 Championship banners, looking out an the eleventy-bajillionth straight sell-out crowd, listening to the chants from the most dedicated student section in the country, you can feel the echoes waking up. And while Notre Dame has gotten some flack for not being loud on a week-in, week-out basis, believe me when I say that they really can shake down the thunder like none else.

2. Tiger Stadium - "Death Valley"

First of all, with a name like Death Valley, you expect a certain amount of intimidation. And when you load up Death Valley with a bunch of intoxicated Cajuns, this place gets all kinds of loud. The design, a full bowl with the giant upper decks on either side, keeps it all inside where it belongs. Mostly, though, this stadium is as high as it is by reputation as one of the toughest places to visit - there is no single defining factor here.

3. Beaver Stadium - Whiteout

You want intimidating? How about walking out into a sea of 107,000 people all dressed in white, screaming their damn heads off? Penn State has not only the largest capacity of any college football stadium, but also is designed for intimidation. The double tier towering over the north end zone is just plain scary.

4. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium - The Swamp

Yes, Florida fans are loud and obnoxious. And yes, this stadium has a large capacity. But what really makes this stadium intimidating is the design. The steep design makes you feel like the entire stadium is about to collapse in on top of you.

5. Neyland Stadium - "Rocky Top"

This stadium has the best of all worlds, and I'm amazed that it doesn't come off as intimidating. I think it's a function of the Tennessee fans - some of the nicest people I've ever come across when they come to visit us at Notre Dame. The double tiered bowl all the way around, along with the seating capacity of over 104,000, make this a natural fit for the loudest stadium. But volume isn't everything, and so Neyland sits at #5.

6. Bryant-Denny Stadium

Nearly as rich in history and tradition as Notre Dame, Alabama's Bryant-Denny stadium certainly fills with some of the most passionate fans anywhere. But Bryant-Denny really suffers in intimidation factor due to the design. The open end on one side doesn't allow for the clutch goal-line intensity you get in some of the other stadiums (particularly Beaver Stadium, with the 3 tiers, and Notre Dame, with the student section screaming in your face).

7. Lane Stadium

Two words: "Enter Sandman" Sometimes, not having the storied tradition can help.

8. Ohio Stadium - "The Horseshoe"

The double-decked horseshoe of Ohio Stadium makes for one end-zone that is insanely loud, and one that is, well, not. But, the Horseshoe is also one of those legendary stadiums, and so they get a boost for that as well.

9. L.A. Coliseum

Design-wise, the Coliseum is one of the worst in terms of creating noise level or making the fans seem like they are on top of you. But, the impressive visuals of the stadium, and the fact that they have one hell of a football team, help with the intimidation factor. Lighting the Olympic Cauldron in the 4th quarter is pretty impressive.

10. Michigan Stadium - "The Big House"

Although Notre Dame Stadium is loosely based on Michigan's design, Michigan Stadium is flatter and larger than ND, creating a stadium where you may have 107,000 screaming fans, but the noise gets lost at field level because of the design.

Passing the Bar

So, I've been spending quite a bit of time lately arguing sports at B-dubs downtown South Bend with my friend James from Real Deal Football. Today, I heard some of the most irrational arguments ever from one of the patrons.

So, I'm going to present these arguments to the blogosphere and see if anyone else out there (preferably someone capable of rational thought) is capable of defending these positions.

Irrational argument #1: Notre Dame will lose 5 games this year.

Actually, this guy said five, but then proceeded to claim that the Irish will lose to Nevada, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, USC, Boston College, Navy and Stanford. I count that as 8, but whatever. People with no rational thought apparently suck at math.
Nevada: "Notre Dame won't be able to score on them." Nevada ranked dead last in pass defense last year.
Michigan: "It's a pride game." Okay.
Michigan State: As I think this will be a good game, I'll leave it alone.
Purdue: "Notre Dame always loses to Purdue." Ummm, last I checked, ND won last year.
USC: Again, I'm not going to quibble with this one.
Boston College: "They'll win." Umm, great argument, bud.
Navy: "I always count on Navy every year to beat Notre Dame." Ummm... The most lopsided rivalry in college football?
Stanford: "I just think Stanford will win."

This guy is the king of argument, clearly.

Irrational argument #2: Arkansas will win the National Championship this year.

His only defense of this pick: "I looked at their recruiting." Forget that their recruiting has been ranked #16, #36, #31, #26, and #24 the last 5 seasons. Apparently, their recruiting has been so stellar that they will beat everyone else.

Irrational argument #3: Georgia will be ranked #4 in the nation by week 2.

To be fair, the preseason AP and USA Today/ESPN rankings aren't out yet. So I don't know how far the Bulldogs will have to jump up to get to #4, but based upon most of the preseason rankings in preview magazine, the Bulldogs will be sitting around 13. And to get to #4, there will have to be losses by several of the teams ahead of them.
Teams that would have to win in week 1 for this to happen? Charleston Southern (Florida), BYU (Oklahoma), Louisiana-Monroe (Texas), San Jose State (USC), Navy (Ohio State), Akron (Penn State).

Irrational argument #4: Lehigh-Lafayette is the 3rd best rivalry in college football.

Army-Navy. Michigan-Ohio State. Notre Dame-USC. Alabama-Auburn. Florida-Georgia. Oklahoma-Texas. Miami-Florida State.
Yes, it's the oldest rivalry in football. But he also lost several credibility points when he said, and I quote: "Third best rivalry? That one between Lehigh and someone else."
'Nuff said.

Welcome to the blogosphere!

A good friend of mine, and aspiring football coach, just started his new football blog, Real Deal Football. James is very knowledgeable and articulate, and we've had many a sports argument over beers. Please do me a favor and go check out his blog.

He'll be permanently linked on my sidebar, for future reference.

The Offseason

Aaah, the offseason. That black hole between the Blue-Gold game and Training camp. We are forced to sustain ourselves on discussions about scheduling, recruiting, and numerous prognostications. And so, after an extended absence, I'm returning to the blogosphere to add my two cents to the discussion and try to mitigate the boredom of this miserable part of the year.

Scheduling

There have been a lot of grumblings about Notre Dame's upcoming schedule, and (unsurprisingly) I have an opinion on how it is shaping up.

First, the news. The Irish confirmed today that they will be rekindling their rivalry with Army in Yankee Stadium next year. There have also been strong rumors that we will be playing Texas Christian and Tulsa. So, right now the next three years of scheduling looks something like this:

2010 Schedule
S04 PURDUE
S11 MICHIGAN
S18 @ Michigan St.
S25 STANFORD
O02 @ Boston College
O09 PITTSBURGH
O23 @ Navy (NY/NJ)
N13 Utah
N20 Army (Yankee Stadium)
N27 @ Southern Cal
Two games TBD (rumors have TCU and Tulsa)

2011 Schedule
S03 @ Purdue
S10 @ Michigan
S17 MICHIGAN STATE
S24 @ Pittsburgh
O01 SOUTH FLORIDA
O15 Army (neutral site)
O22 SOUTHERN CAL
N05 CONNECTICUT
N26 @ Stanford
Three games TBD

2012 Schedule
OPEN
@Michigan
@Purdue
Michigan State
Oklahoma
Arizona State (Arlington)
Southern Cal
@UConn (Meadowlands or Foxboro)
Navy
@Pittsburgh
Three games TBD

Let's start with 2010. I've heard a lot of rumblings about how craptastic the schedule is, but I couldn't disagree more. First of all, let's eliminate any argument about the traditional opponents - we're not dropping Navy, Michigan, USC, Michigan State, Purdue or Stanford. Now, I've said before (and I'll repeat it here) that I don't see the need to play MSU, Purdue and Stanford each and every year. But, it is what it is, and I'm not going to argue it. Although, it does appear that Stanford is off of post-2012 schedules (for now).

So let's look at the others.

Boston College, the last game in the rivalry, is a quality opponent, and one that has had our number the past couple decades. But, this is a great opportunity with arguably the best Notre Dame team since 1988 to beat them down in spectacular fashion to send them back to perpetual mediocrity.

Pittsburgh is a traditional opponent with a storied history, and I haven't heard anyone claim that they are a weak opponent.

Utah is next. Many people have panned us playing Utah, a MWC opponent, as a part of the "dumbing down" of our schedule. But those people are just plain stupid. Utah's record over the past decade has been truly elite. 10-2, 12-0, 7-5, 8-5, 9-4, 13-0 They are the only team over that stretch to have two undefeated seasons. The fact that they don't have a national championship is simply criminal. Urban Meyer hasn't had an undefeated season at Florida. Pete Carroll only had one at USC. Utah has had two - with two different coaches. This is a well-run program, and arguably one of the toughest games on the schedule.

While we're in the MWC, let's take a look at TCU, another team that people are hating on since the rumors. Let's use the same period for their records: 10-2, 11-2, 5-6, 11-1, 11-2, 8-5, 11-2. I'm sorry, but 4 11 win seasons in 6 years tells me that this program, too, is high quality. Their only losses are to teams like Oklahoma and Utah. And they beat a Stoops-coached Oklahoma team in '05. Now, you can talk about the weakness of the bottom of the MWC, but Utah, TCU, and BYU are BCS-caliber teams. In fact, TCU should be in the Big 12 ahead of Baylor, and Utah and BYU could make an argument to join the Pac-10 conference (they'd certainly be more competitive than WSU, Stanford, Washington, and Arizona).

Army in Yankee Stadium makes perfect sense. Notre Dame - Army is historic, and any true college football fan can appreciate that. Army may not be as competitive as they were back in the 40s, but these two programs (for me) stand for what is good and right about college football. If you are upset about this matchup, you should take your ND jersey off and go root for someone else - we don't want you here anymore.

Tulsa = craptastic. I've been vocal about my dislike of the San Diego State and Nevada games, and Tulsa is even worse. Unlike the MWC, Conference USA is just sad. Name me one team from this list that has done anything worthwhile in the past couple of decades: Alabama-Birmingham, Central Florida, East Carolina (NC), Marshall (WV), Memphis (TN), Southern Mississippi, Houston (TX), Rice (TX), Southern Methodist (TX), Texas-El Paso, Tulane (LA), Tulsa (OK). If Notre Dame does, in fact, schedule this game, I will be disappointed. It's not as bad as a FCS opponent, but it's close. At least it's not Sun Belt.

So, for all of the complaining, there is really only one bad team on the schedule. And I'll bet that it turns out to be rated one of the more difficult slates in the country next year.

The 2011 schedule right now does suck. UConn and South Florida do not get my juices flowing. Dear god, I hope Jack Swarbrick finds a quality opponent for this schedule. We need one in a bad way.

Moving ahead into 2012, we see a schedule where things are back to what ND fans are used to, and it all turns on one game. The kind of game which is exactly what everyone has been clamoring for - a home-and-home with Oklahoma. That is a sexy matchup. Bob Stoops has restored that program to a perennial power, pulling down 3 straight Big 12 Championships, and playing in the National Championship last year. Arizona State in Dallas should be a good game. We'll have to wait and see how the holes are filled, but I can't see anyone complaining about schedule strength in a year when you have to play USC, Oklahoma, Michigan, and Pittsburgh - potential champions of 4 BCS conferences. (yes, Michigan should be good again by then)

While the 7-4-1 model may have it's issues, if we can get consistent schedules like 2012, sign me up.

Recruiting

Moving on to recruiting, the Irish just landed their 13th verbal commitment in Spencer Boyd.

Defensive end Chris Martin is the jewel of the class so far, but there's a lot of recruiting left, and the Irish could sign over 25 players this year with early enrollees. I'd keep an eye on the recruiting of Seantrel Henderson, who is close friends with current Irish wide receiver Mike Floyd. Most people have counted the Irish out of this one, but I'm not so sure. Also watch Kyle Prater, Justin McCay, and Corey Lemonier. If the Irish can swing any one of these kids to come to South Bend, we'll be set up for a monster recruiting class.

We did miss on a legacy in Nick Montana, but I don't blame the kid for wanting to blaze his own trail, and not compete against his brother and his father's ghost at Notre Dame. Andrew Hendrix is actually ranked ahead of Montana, and I think he's a great fit for Weis' offense.

Prognostications

'Tis the season for preview magazines, so I thought I'd try to pull together a bunch of the preseason predictions for the Irish.

Phil Steele: #7
Phil Steele, in my opinion, is the best of the best when it comes to preview mags. He puts a ton of effort and research into his publication each year, and he's a statistics guru, so he tends to be less biased and more accurate year in year out than most other publications.
Steele has the Irish at #7, which is a very optimistic outlook, and it speaks volumes about how the Irish look on paper this year. With the experience and production we have returning, we are poised for a breakout season.

Sporting News: #18
Sporting News has the Irish sitting at 18, which is probably pretty close to the consensus of most average fans that follow college football. However, there is an interesting article in which one prognosticator believes the Irish could run the table (along with five other schools) to create a huge pileup when it comes time to send teams to the BCS championship game.
Sporting News also has Notre Dame's receiving corps ranked #1 in the nation as well.

Athlon: #24
Athlon has the Irish ranked a little bit lower than most, but still in the top 25. In their preview, they concede that the Irish should be capable of contending for the BCS this year. Athlon seems to sum up the feelings of most fans that see the potential, but are wary of believing in a huge turnaround for the Irish.

Lindy's: #37
Lindy's is, in my opinion, the worst of the preseason magazines. They are full of bias, and don't spend a lot of time bothering with annoying things like statistics and facts. They just kind of throw out their gut feelings for the season, totally manipulated by preseason hype. If someone gave me a copy of this magazine for free, I'd tear it up and use it to line someone's bird cage.
And it has nothing to do with their ranking of the Irish - I just really don't like this magazine.

Average ranking: 21.5
Not horrible, solidly in the top 25, but not spectacular either. Which pretty much describes what most people are expecting from the Irish this year. There is clearly the potential there for a magical season, but experience has told us that Weis will find a way to screw the pooch on this one. I'm a bit more of an optimist, and I think the Irish will be undefeated going into the USC game, making that arguably the biggest game of the entire college football regular season, much like 2005. (Oklahoma-Texas, USC-Ohio State, and Alabama-Virginia Tech are pretty interesting, too)

My preseason Top 10
1. Florida
Heisman winner Tebow's back, and they are loaded with speedy talent across the board. They are the team to beat, no question.
2. Oklahoma
With Heisman winner Bradford back, and his favorite target at tight end back as well,
the Oklahoma offense shouldn't miss a beat.
3. Texas
Colt McCoy may get his shot at the Heisman this year, if Texas can find a running game.
4. Penn State
Paterno lost a lot of talent at receiver, but their QB and running game are intact, as is the heart of their defense.
5. Ole Miss
Houston Nutt + Jevon Snead = an interesting football team. Personally, I expect Ole Miss to remember they are Ole Miss, but I had to put them ahead of the hated
6. Southern Cal
New QB, new defense, but they still just roll in new All-Americans to replace old All-Americans. I believe the Irish will beat the Trojans this year, but until they do, I can't pick the Irish ahead of a team that beat them 38-0 last year.
7. Alabama
Saban can coach - nobody doubts that. And with the lax control over admissions and recruiting, Saban is quietly stocking the cupboards. And Julio Jones is really good.
8. Virginia Tech
Tyrod Taylor is back, and Virginia Tech is poised to improve over last year's Orange Bowl victory. The 'Bama game will be a great measuring stick.
9. Notre Dame
An experienced junior quarterback with All-American potential, two proven All-American caliber receivers, an experienced offensive line, an All-American tight end, an experienced junior running back with lots of quick (and a stable behind him). They'll put up points.
Arguably the most talented secondary in the country. A proven leader at the middle of the linebacking corps. A talented, if young, defensive line.
Should be a very good defense.
The pieces APPEAR to be all in place. Now let's see it on the field.
10. Georgia Tech
Paul Johnson showed that the triple option attack can still be effective in major college football. With talent and speed, this attack becomes real difficult to defend. Add in the fact that you can effectively pass the ball to some talented wideouts, and Tech is ready to roll. Try and get ready for this team on one week's practice.

I've got to get back to work. I'll try to update sooner than a couple of months from now...