UPDATE:
The commitment of Ethan Johnson is official. This places in a great position (along with the other committed recruits) for depth on the defensive line going forward. Let's just pray we can avoid the injury bug this year.
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This year's recruiting class has been really gaining momentum, and recent news has this class taking the next big step towards being the nation's top class. Oh, and it's only July - signing day is still 7 months away.
The official word is that the Irish received their 17th commitment in Georgia DB Jamoris Slaughter. He is another in a long list of 4-star recruits that are climbing onto the bandwagon.
The unofficial word is that Ethan Johnson, the nation's top defensive end prospect (5 stars) is also onboard. It's being reported on BlueandGold.com, and rumored over on Irish Illustrated as well.
Also rumored to be following suit in the next couple of days are 5 star receiver Michael Floyd and 4 star safety Dan McCarthy.
It seems to me like the Irish have already locked up the 4-star guys they wanted to get, and the few 3-stars that the coaching staff liked. We've filled our needs, and now we get to focus on closng the deal with the big boys.
The best way to do this? Just win, baby.
Every year there is a strong correlation between the performance on the field and the fnal push for the elite five-star recruits that wait to make their decision until after the season.
Last year's national champion, Florida, had the top 2007 class. The previous year's champ., Texas, was 2nd. And USC, two years removed from their championship run, finished 3rd. Winning on the field breeds success in recruiting.
Another factor which is weighing in Notre Dame's favor this year is an exciting new coach. In Urban Meyer and Coach Weis' frst year, they finished 2nd and 5th respectively in recruiting, reflecting the buzz surrounding the new coaches.
Notre Dame has a similar buzz going on with the hire of Coach Corwin Brown at DC. He's young, energetic, and knows how to get kids fired up. This has led to success in defensive recruiting even without Brown coaching a game. If he turns this defense around like I think he can, expect us to pick up a few more high profile defensive recruits before this cycle is over.
I don't expect the Irish to win a title this year, but I do think that 10 wins will be enough to turn this into a top class. You see, there are only a handful of seniors on this year's team, and therefore we are setting up this year for a run at a title in 2008.
This year's team can get 10 wins. We will struggle with USC because of the lingering talent gap, and Michigan because of their experience. However, despite our youth, we should be clearly more talented than everyone else on the schedule. If we can avoid making too many rookie mistakes, 10 wins is absolutely achievable.
Even if the team doesn't come together this year and we struggle through a 7-5 or 8-4 type season, nobody at Notre Dame will be jumping off the bandwagon. 'Cause the cupboards are full, and there is too much talent assembled here not to win, and soon.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Monday, June 18, 2007
Suggestion for Kevin White
I was reading a message board posting on NDNation.com today, where someone suggested that we add cantilevered seats on the east side of the stadium. I thought this was a horrible idea. However, with Juniper Road closing down, I think there may be something to another poster's idea - luxury boxes.
If done right, this can add some revenue generation to the stadium without resorting to tacky advertisements or Jumbotrons.
I took a couple of minutes with Paint, and made a crude drawing of how this might look:
I really like the idea, I think it adds to the grandeur of the stadium, without becoming tacky. It doesn't block the view of Touchdown Jesus, and It can be tastefully done to match the rest of the stadium facade. Indeed, the other side of the stadium (with the press box) could undergo a similar expansion, allowing for more luxury boxes on that side as well. Think of this as being similar to the old Soldier Field facade (before they crashed a spaceship into it).
I think they should take it even a step further, expanding the construction towards the JACC and moving the Monogram Room from it's existing spot in-between the domes of the JACC into a building that connects to the stadium. During the offseason, it could serve as a sort of Notre Dame football museum. On game day, they could creatively use the space as a grand entranceway.
Other arenas and stadiums have some impressive entryways, with grand lobbies that pay homage to the history and tradition of the program. For example, there is a great section of the Conseco Fieldhouse which chronicles the history of Indiana basketball.
What do you guys think?
UPDATE: A ND architecture major made a much better, more professional rendering of what this might look like. The pictures are available on the Rock Report here.
If done right, this can add some revenue generation to the stadium without resorting to tacky advertisements or Jumbotrons.
I took a couple of minutes with Paint, and made a crude drawing of how this might look:
I really like the idea, I think it adds to the grandeur of the stadium, without becoming tacky. It doesn't block the view of Touchdown Jesus, and It can be tastefully done to match the rest of the stadium facade. Indeed, the other side of the stadium (with the press box) could undergo a similar expansion, allowing for more luxury boxes on that side as well. Think of this as being similar to the old Soldier Field facade (before they crashed a spaceship into it).
I think they should take it even a step further, expanding the construction towards the JACC and moving the Monogram Room from it's existing spot in-between the domes of the JACC into a building that connects to the stadium. During the offseason, it could serve as a sort of Notre Dame football museum. On game day, they could creatively use the space as a grand entranceway.
Other arenas and stadiums have some impressive entryways, with grand lobbies that pay homage to the history and tradition of the program. For example, there is a great section of the Conseco Fieldhouse which chronicles the history of Indiana basketball.
What do you guys think?
UPDATE: A ND architecture major made a much better, more professional rendering of what this might look like. The pictures are available on the Rock Report here.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Rumors of Clausen's death have been greatly exaggerated...
Jimmy Clausen, freshman phenom extraordinaire, apparently has overcome the rumored season ending surgery that briefly flared up around the blogosphere, and used his Wolverine-esque healing abilities to get himself into tip-top shape before the start of summer practice.
ESPN is confirming that JC did indeed have a medical procedure on his elbow, but that he should be ready to go for the start of summer practice.
In other news, I'll be in Indianapolis looking for a job all weekend, so if anyone is looking for a young, energetic attorney in the greater Indianapolis area, let me know.
ESPN is confirming that JC did indeed have a medical procedure on his elbow, but that he should be ready to go for the start of summer practice.
In other news, I'll be in Indianapolis looking for a job all weekend, so if anyone is looking for a young, energetic attorney in the greater Indianapolis area, let me know.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Notre Dame Latest News Aggregator
There's a new link in the sidebar to the Notre Dame Latest News Aggregator. It's a great site for finding all of the Notre Dame news out there on the web, including blogs like mine.
Indeed, my posts have been posted there for your viewing pleasure as well. I'd like to thank the NDLNA administrators for adding me to their site, and I encourage all of my readers to frequent their site.
Indeed, my posts have been posted there for your viewing pleasure as well. I'd like to thank the NDLNA administrators for adding me to their site, and I encourage all of my readers to frequent their site.
Throwbacks
The University announced earlier this week that the Irish will be wearing green jerseys to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the 1977 game against USC.
I have mixed emotions about this. Green jerseys have been around for quite some time, long before the 1977 USC beatdown. I've read that Leahy's teams wore green jerseys. Since 1977, the green jerseys have been used a handful of times as a gimmick to get the fans and teams excited.
This kind of locker room rah-rah is part of Notre Dame lore. Rockne was renowned for his motivational tactics. Everyone who loves Notre Dame football is familiar with (indeed, if you are as obsessed as I am you can probably recite it verbatim) the "Win One for the Gipper" speech.
My favorite Rockne motivational story, however, is when he regaled his team during halftime with a tearful story of a little boy who was deathly ill back in South Bend, and had asked the Rock to get the win for him. Rockne tearfully told the team how the young boy's dying wish was for the team to go out there and crush the other team. Whipped into an emotional frenzy, the team tore out of the locker room and tore apart the opponent.
Upon arriving back to the train station in South Bend, the little boy was waiting cheerfully for the team to return - he didn't even have a sniffle.
Weis has shown that he, too, has a certain amount of flair for the dramatic. His first use of the green jerseys against USC whipped the stadium into a frenzy that I've never seen before in my few years of attending games at the University.
Weis however, unlike Rockne, has generally been very sincere when appealing to his team. The famous "Pass Right" incident comes to mind. Before leaving for the game against Washington, Weis asked the terminally young boy Montana Maszurkiewicz to call pass or run for the first game from scrimmage. Montana, like any good Notre Dame fan, wasn't satisfied with run or pass - he wanted Pass Right. And with the opening kickoff sitting on the 1-yard line in the shadow of his own goalposts, Weis didn't back down. He called pass right, and Anthony Fasano not only made the catch, but Monatana gave him wings as he pushed forward for the first down.
Weis seems to understand the importance of the green jerseys, having been a student in the stands during the 1977 game. I generally have no problem with busting out the green jerseys against USC on the 30th anniversary of the Trojan Horse game.
What I have a problem with it is how the powers that be at the University have transformed this from what could have been a great moment for the team [surprising fans with throwback jerseys and hopefully a student built Trojan Horse on the day of the game] and instead expoliting it as a marketing ploy. They issued a press release to generate interest in the throwback jerseys so that Adidas can get them out and start churning out the money to line everyone's pockets.
They would have made plenty of money on the jerseys after the game - the #10 green jersey with gold numbers from two years ago hasn't exactly been a lackluster seller. Hell, I still want one (although the lack of a job is really cramping my style). But that wasn't enough. They want them out there during the summer, and all through the first few home games before the Trojans come to town.
And that's where I part company with the administration of the University. Notre Dame has built a mystique over the last century. They have a magical aura and a flair for the dramatic that other Universities just can't copy. Which is why the Monk Malloy era and the hiring of Ty Willingham were so bad for the University. Willingham busted out the green jerseys against lowly Boston College - and then promptly lost the game due to his incompetence as a big time football coach. This move reeks of that same type of aspirational peer attitude that Weis has done such a great job of removing from the program.
Now that the word is out on the green jerseys, Weis damn well better find a way to win that game.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
He never hit the brakes, and he was shifting gears...
This year's recruiting class is going to be the true measure of the ability of Coach Weis as a long-term solution to the coaching carousel of Notre Dame's last decade.
He's used his reputation as an offensive genius over the past couple of years to make Notre Dame THE PLACE for quarterbacks to come to develop. He's used his New Jersey / New York roots to reopen a dormant pipeline from the east coast. He flashed his Superbowl rings to wow young kids with dreams of the NFL.
But as the head coach of Notre Dame, he needed to rebuild the entire recruiting system at the University, and foster relationships with high school coaches around the country. He needed to change public perception of Notre Dame while staying true to the central mission as both a Catholic and centrally academic institution. He also needed to do so well that he can compete for a national title.
Coming into this recruiting cycle, there were two glaring personnel needs above all else - the lack of a true, run stuffing nose tackle to build the 3-4 defense around, and the need for a breakout wide receiver (think "Rocket" or Tim Brown).
Before the summer has even gotten started, this year's class has already taken huge strides to address these needs.
A couple of weeks ago, Brandon Newman, one of the country's top defensive tackle / nose guards committed to the Irish. But, we need depth, and lots of it, at the nose. We can't put all of our eggs in one basket here. So what did Coach Weis do? He stole another top defensive tackle from the jaws of our hated nemesis, Michigan.
Omar Hunter, a 300-lb. nose guard from Buford, Georgia, was widely reported, even by himself, as a strong Michigan lean. Then he came to South Bend. In a few brief days, Coach Weis and his players represented the University and showed Omar what he had to expect here in South Bend. I particularly found the following quote to be dispositive:
"Just being around all the players and coaches, it was just unbelievable. I was just impressed with how good of guys they were and how down to earth they were. The players were such good guys. The impression left on me was when I went up there and they took me out, they went back and started studying before they even took me out."
That's right, folks. We didn't lure one of the most sought after defensive recruits in the country with pretty girls and flashy cars. We lured him with studying.
Weis clearly has imparted his vision of the University on the players on his team, and those players are representing honestly their experience of college life.
Even more impressive is the list of teams that Hunter turned down to come to Notre Dame. Because he's from Georgia, it reads like a list of top 10 defenses over the past decade. Michigan. Florida. Tennessee. Auburn. LSU. And he committed to the Irish, who haven't had a great defense in nearly 10 years. Go ahead, try to name a great ND defensive tackle since Zorich and Bryant Young. I'll wait.
Oh, and he's a 300 pounder that can dunk a basketball. There's some athleticism.
On the other side of the ball, Weis missed out on a couple of top receivers last year, and needs to add depth to a depleted receiving corps.
Weis needed to make sure that all of the supporting cast for the receiving corps were in place. Great quarterbacks, check. Heck, Weis got this year's best quarterback, after getting last year's best quarterback - an impressive feat considering that rumor has it that one of the nation's best QBs is transferring out of Notre Dame because he dropped to 4th on the depth chart. Great O-linemen to protect the QB, check. Weis has been hauling in O-linemen like shooting fish in a barrel. Tight ends to put some pressure on the middle of the defense, check - in spades. Weis has been recruiting tight ends like USC has been recruiting running backs. Indeed, Weis has gotten the best tight end in the country every year he's been here. And Kyle Rudolph this year is another. And he has a returning All-American at the position as well. Running backs to keep the defense from cheating back against the pass, check, check, and check. We've got a bruiser (Hughes), and all-around back (Aldridge), and a speedster (Allen). And those are the backups.
Now we just need that elusive speedster receiver. We've got the possession guys. Weis, once he got his hands on the tape for Goodman, saw why he belonged on the Rivals 250, and secured his services for next season early on. We are in good shape for Michael Floyd out of Minnesota, but he falls into the tall, physical receiver group. We need a true speedster. We have a couple of speedy athletes with potential as a receiver, but no true great speed receivers.
We are on the list for Martavious Odoms and Kenny Tate, but aren't at the top of any of the 5-star speed guys.
Weis has righted the ship as far as recruiting goes, and all is well under the Golden Dome. However, the team that Weis has recruited can compete for a national championship every year, but not dominate the way that USC did with Reggie Bush in the backfield.
What we need now is a gamebreaker.
He's used his reputation as an offensive genius over the past couple of years to make Notre Dame THE PLACE for quarterbacks to come to develop. He's used his New Jersey / New York roots to reopen a dormant pipeline from the east coast. He flashed his Superbowl rings to wow young kids with dreams of the NFL.
But as the head coach of Notre Dame, he needed to rebuild the entire recruiting system at the University, and foster relationships with high school coaches around the country. He needed to change public perception of Notre Dame while staying true to the central mission as both a Catholic and centrally academic institution. He also needed to do so well that he can compete for a national title.
Coming into this recruiting cycle, there were two glaring personnel needs above all else - the lack of a true, run stuffing nose tackle to build the 3-4 defense around, and the need for a breakout wide receiver (think "Rocket" or Tim Brown).
Before the summer has even gotten started, this year's class has already taken huge strides to address these needs.
A couple of weeks ago, Brandon Newman, one of the country's top defensive tackle / nose guards committed to the Irish. But, we need depth, and lots of it, at the nose. We can't put all of our eggs in one basket here. So what did Coach Weis do? He stole another top defensive tackle from the jaws of our hated nemesis, Michigan.
Omar Hunter, a 300-lb. nose guard from Buford, Georgia, was widely reported, even by himself, as a strong Michigan lean. Then he came to South Bend. In a few brief days, Coach Weis and his players represented the University and showed Omar what he had to expect here in South Bend. I particularly found the following quote to be dispositive:
"Just being around all the players and coaches, it was just unbelievable. I was just impressed with how good of guys they were and how down to earth they were. The players were such good guys. The impression left on me was when I went up there and they took me out, they went back and started studying before they even took me out."
That's right, folks. We didn't lure one of the most sought after defensive recruits in the country with pretty girls and flashy cars. We lured him with studying.
Weis clearly has imparted his vision of the University on the players on his team, and those players are representing honestly their experience of college life.
Even more impressive is the list of teams that Hunter turned down to come to Notre Dame. Because he's from Georgia, it reads like a list of top 10 defenses over the past decade. Michigan. Florida. Tennessee. Auburn. LSU. And he committed to the Irish, who haven't had a great defense in nearly 10 years. Go ahead, try to name a great ND defensive tackle since Zorich and Bryant Young. I'll wait.
Oh, and he's a 300 pounder that can dunk a basketball. There's some athleticism.
On the other side of the ball, Weis missed out on a couple of top receivers last year, and needs to add depth to a depleted receiving corps.
Weis needed to make sure that all of the supporting cast for the receiving corps were in place. Great quarterbacks, check. Heck, Weis got this year's best quarterback, after getting last year's best quarterback - an impressive feat considering that rumor has it that one of the nation's best QBs is transferring out of Notre Dame because he dropped to 4th on the depth chart. Great O-linemen to protect the QB, check. Weis has been hauling in O-linemen like shooting fish in a barrel. Tight ends to put some pressure on the middle of the defense, check - in spades. Weis has been recruiting tight ends like USC has been recruiting running backs. Indeed, Weis has gotten the best tight end in the country every year he's been here. And Kyle Rudolph this year is another. And he has a returning All-American at the position as well. Running backs to keep the defense from cheating back against the pass, check, check, and check. We've got a bruiser (Hughes), and all-around back (Aldridge), and a speedster (Allen). And those are the backups.
Now we just need that elusive speedster receiver. We've got the possession guys. Weis, once he got his hands on the tape for Goodman, saw why he belonged on the Rivals 250, and secured his services for next season early on. We are in good shape for Michael Floyd out of Minnesota, but he falls into the tall, physical receiver group. We need a true speedster. We have a couple of speedy athletes with potential as a receiver, but no true great speed receivers.
We are on the list for Martavious Odoms and Kenny Tate, but aren't at the top of any of the 5-star speed guys.
Weis has righted the ship as far as recruiting goes, and all is well under the Golden Dome. However, the team that Weis has recruited can compete for a national championship every year, but not dominate the way that USC did with Reggie Bush in the backfield.
What we need now is a gamebreaker.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
And then there were 3...
In a brief statement released today, Coach Weis was unable to narrow the list of quarterbacks down to two, instead merely eliminating sophomore QB Zach Frazer from the competition. In his release he stated:
"Evan ran the operation the best, Jimmy threw the ball the best, and Demetrius made the most plays. For these reasons, they will compete for playing time."
Frazer, to nobody's surprise, just didn't cut the mustard. Not that he isn't a talented QB. He would start almost anywhere else in the country (except perhaps USC, Michigan, Texas, Louisville, and a couple other schools with established QBs). And, in fact, he probably will when he decides where to transfer to. (Does anyone REALLY think that he is staying around, especially with Dayne Crist coming in to compete next year?)
And Coach Weis summarized succinctly exactly what I've felt all along. Evan's experience means that he is the most capable of running the offense. Jimmy is the best pure passer in the bunch, but lacks the experience and time under Coach Weis to be the all-around package needed. Demetrius' overall athletic ability (which has people constantly DCE'ing him to receiver) places him in the position to have the most flexibility with the ball in his hands.
Going forward into summer, I expect that the chemistry and development of the team will have as much to do with who is the starting QB than the actual play of the three contenders.
If the team remains mistake-prone due to inexperience, Sharpley is most likely to get the nod, as he can manage a game. He can correct blown assignments and alignments, audible out of a mismatch and recognize blitzes. As I've said before, if this team were to take the field right now, I'd expect Sharpley to start.
If the team progresses rapidly and displays some signs of maturity and know-how (especially on the offensive line and in the receiving corps), then Jimmy will get the nod. With all cylinders operating at capacity, Clausen is exactly the kind of gear to really make this offense run smoothly. Flawless mechanics and quick reflexes make him a pinpoint passer, and given time, he WILL beat you.
If the team isn't making mistakes, but physically the offensive line fails to come together, or if the receivers don't develop into true passing threats, Jones is your man. He makes plays with his feet, and can get out of sacks and move in the pocket and scramble to give the receivers more time to get open. He can also force the defense to respect his run, leaving one less defender in the secondary.
"Evan ran the operation the best, Jimmy threw the ball the best, and Demetrius made the most plays. For these reasons, they will compete for playing time."
Frazer, to nobody's surprise, just didn't cut the mustard. Not that he isn't a talented QB. He would start almost anywhere else in the country (except perhaps USC, Michigan, Texas, Louisville, and a couple other schools with established QBs). And, in fact, he probably will when he decides where to transfer to. (Does anyone REALLY think that he is staying around, especially with Dayne Crist coming in to compete next year?)
And Coach Weis summarized succinctly exactly what I've felt all along. Evan's experience means that he is the most capable of running the offense. Jimmy is the best pure passer in the bunch, but lacks the experience and time under Coach Weis to be the all-around package needed. Demetrius' overall athletic ability (which has people constantly DCE'ing him to receiver) places him in the position to have the most flexibility with the ball in his hands.
Going forward into summer, I expect that the chemistry and development of the team will have as much to do with who is the starting QB than the actual play of the three contenders.
If the team remains mistake-prone due to inexperience, Sharpley is most likely to get the nod, as he can manage a game. He can correct blown assignments and alignments, audible out of a mismatch and recognize blitzes. As I've said before, if this team were to take the field right now, I'd expect Sharpley to start.
If the team progresses rapidly and displays some signs of maturity and know-how (especially on the offensive line and in the receiving corps), then Jimmy will get the nod. With all cylinders operating at capacity, Clausen is exactly the kind of gear to really make this offense run smoothly. Flawless mechanics and quick reflexes make him a pinpoint passer, and given time, he WILL beat you.
If the team isn't making mistakes, but physically the offensive line fails to come together, or if the receivers don't develop into true passing threats, Jones is your man. He makes plays with his feet, and can get out of sacks and move in the pocket and scramble to give the receivers more time to get open. He can also force the defense to respect his run, leaving one less defender in the secondary.
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