USC controversy

With the recent allegations of impropriety at USC (this time in their basketball program), I got to wondering exactly how many incidents there have been at USC involving alleged violations or or misconduct. I found exactly what I was looking for over on Bruins Nation, a great UCLA blog.

Please click on the above link to read the full article, it's well worth it. The author even required two sources before putting any of the allegations in the list, making me wonder how many non-corroborated stories are swirling around the program.

I would like to point out some of the more significant events:

* Pete Carroll was hired as head football coach by USC in 2001.

* On August 23, 2001, the NCAA placed USC's athletic department on probation for two years and cut scholarships because tutors wrote papers for three athletes in the late 1990s. (Ed. note: This could become extremely important in any future NCAA investigation, as it may open the door to treating USC as a repeat violator, with harsher punishments.)

* On January 14, 2005, Tim Floyd was hired as head basketball coach by USC.

* On December 21, 2005, USC starting quarterback Matt Leinart had his eligibility temporarily revoked after appearing in a promotional segment on ESPN earlier that month, a violation of an NCAA rule. Leinart was reinstated shortly thereafter. One observer claims the NCAA was just concerned about money.

* On January 1, 2006, reporters from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and CBS Sportline reportedly told the USC football team about potential recruiting violations stemming from visits by USC recruits to Papadakis Taverna, a Greek restaurant owned by former USC linebacker John Papadakis. As of July 2007, the investigation by USC compliance officials continued.

* On January 21, 2006, USC quarterback Matt Leinart was cited by the Pac-10 for working out with his own coach using school facilities. According to the NCAA, a student athlete cannot utilize the school's facilities to work out with a coach, unless the coach is affiliated with the university.

* On April 21, 2006, the family of USC running back Reggie Bush was implicated by numerous separate media reports as having lived in a house purchased by a San Diego-area man with ties to a sports agent and a tribal casino. Both the Pac-10 and the NCAA have launched an investigation into potential NCAA violations in connnection with this matter, which is pending. More recent reports in this fast evolving story are here, here, and here. Yahoo Sports, which is responsible for much of the investigative reporting on this issue, has set up a page dedicated to its eight-month probe here.

* On April 30, 2006, it was reported that USC compliance officials were investigating whether an NCAA rule was violated because receiver Dwayne Jarrett failed to pay approximately $10,000 for his half of the rent for an upscale apartment he shared with former quarterback Matt Leinart. USC claims that no rules were violated, though it was initially reported that Jarret may have to sit out a portion of the 2006-07 season. Jarrett ultimately avoided punishment and was the 45th pick in the 2007 NFL draft. After a disappointing season, Jarrett was arrested on March 11, 2008 and charged with driving under the influence.

* In August of 2006, USC defensive back Brandon Ting quit the football team after reportedly testing postive for steroid use. His twin brother, Ryan, also a defensive back on the USC football team, quit the team just days later, claiming that he wanted to concentrate on preparing for medical school, and was never tested. Interestingly, Arthur Ting, father of the twins, is a Bay Area orthopedic surgeon who has reportedly appeared as a witness before a grand jury considering possible perjury charges against baseball's Barry Bonds, one of Arthur's clients. This incident finally triggered some real interest by the LA Times.

* On October 16, 2006, it was announced that then 14-year-old high school freshman Dwayne Polee Jr., who had yet to even play a game at Westchester high, had verbally committed to USC’s basketball team. Though not improper, the early commitment was unconventional, and was repeated in June 2007 when USC announced the verbal commitment of 14-year-old middle school player Ryan Boatright, who, at the time, had not yet even decided upon where he was going to high school. Further eyebrows were raised in June 2007, when USC hired Dwayne Polee Sr., father of Dwayne Polee Jr., as Director of Basketball Operations, amid charges of nepotism.

* In January 2007, a federal investigation into extortion claims by former USC running back Reggie Bush and his family revealed the existence of taped converstations that could confirm Bush took cash and gifts while he was playing football for USC. It was also reported that nearly $280,000 in cash, rent and gifts were allegedly given to Bush and his family. The information came to light following the issuance of grand jury subpoenas to multiple witness by the U.S. District Attorney's office in San Diego. Both the NCAA and Pac-10 continue to investigate. Also, more recent articles suggest that Reggie Bush was involved earlier and more deeply than previously reported in efforts to create the sports marketing agency at the center of the continuing controversy. The investigation has, to date, yielded no definitive proof that USC officials had knowledge of Bush's misconduct, though Bush was nevertheless asked not to attend the Trojans' Rose Bowl matchup against Michigan on New Year's Day.

* On February 2, 2007, it was reported that a "stampede of student athletes," including three USC linemen, ex-USC receiver Keary Colbert, and members of the USC women's basketball, volleyball and water polo teams, had improperly attempted to take an academic shortcut around the university's foreign language requirement by signing up for a course at Los Angeles Trade Tech College taught by USC graduate Senora Ross, who promised to give the athletes no lower than a "B." Upon discovering the situation, USC officials disallowed the transfer of credits from Trade Tech.

* On February 9, 2007, USC compliance officials announced they were investigating whether an NCAA violation occurred during the Trojans' pursuit of Louisiana prep star running back Joe McKnight. The investigation followed reports that McKnight had told reporters that USC coach Pete Carroll had set up a conference call so he and high school coach J.T. Curtis could be assured by ex-Trojan running back Reggie Bush that USC would not be punished for a separate NCAA investigation into improper benefits allegedly taken by Bush. Carroll later denied that any call took place, and Curtis said that McKnight misspoke. According to NCAA officials, if USC got Bush's help in recruiting McKnight, it would be considered a "secondary violation" of recruiting rules.

* On April 14, 2007, it was announced that Percy Romeo Miller, also known as Romeo (and formerly Lil' Romeo) had been offered a basketball scholarship to USC. The scholarship offer, to a 5-foot-10 point guard with a bad knee who had never played a full season of high-school basketball, was roundly criticized by national commentators as a thinly veiled attempt by USC to obtain the commitment of Miller's friend, prep star and NBA prospect Demar DeRozan, while ignoring Miller's mediocre at best talent.

* In the first week of August, 2007, there were new developments in the NCAA investigation of former USC running back Reggie Bush, when it was reported that audio recordings that allegedly establish an improper financial relationship between Bush and a would-be sports marketing agent were played for NCAA investigators. The tapes were revealed after Lloyd Lake, a partner in failed sports marketing agency New Era Sports enterprise, filed a lawsuit against Bush and his family, seeking to recoup nearly $300,000 in benefits Lake claims he helped provide. Lake's allegations were further detailed in January 2008, with the publication of Don Yaeger's book Tarnished Heisman, which chronicled various allegations swirling around Bush's USC tenure, including claims that Bush received $47,000 out of an overall $291,000 that went to his family from sports marketer Lake. That same month, published reports contained Lake's (unsubstantiated) allegation that USC coaches knew Bush was taking money in violation of NCAA rules.

* In early November 2007, USC forward Davon Jefferson was suspended for the team's embarrassing season-opening loss to Mercer. Jefferson, who required two years to meet the NCAA's minimum academic requirements and was kicked out of prep school before he joined USC, was also later benched for much of a narrow loss at Stanford and also suspended for a loss to Washington State. After clashing with Floyd, Jefferson did not even inform the school of his decision to turn pro.

* On January 21, 2008, USC freshman guard O.J. Mayo was alleged to have violated NCAA rules by accepting complimentary tickets from Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony to a Lakers-Nuggets game at Staples Center. Coach Floyd subsequently took the blame, and Mayo was ultimately required to donate the value of the tickets to charity.

* On April 6, 2008, USC sophomore tailback Joe McKnight was held out of the team's scrimmage and it was announced that he would miss the final week of spring workouts because he was academically ineligible to participate. McKnight had dropped a class, leaving him without the 12 units required for eligibility.

* On May 2, 2008, the judge in the civil litigation between former USC running back Reggie Bush and Lloyd Lake ordered the parties to appear in June 2008 for their depositions, and denied Bush's attempts to impose a "gag order" to prevent the deposition transcripts from being shared with the NCAA. The judge also set a trial date of March 13, 2009.

* On May 6, 2008, it was announced that USC's men's basketball team was the only major athletic program in the Southland penalized with scholarship losses as the result of a poor performance in the NCAA's academic progress rate. The Trojans were penalized in part because Lodrick Stewart, Nick Young and Gabe Pruitt stopped attending class after the 2007 season, and because three players transferred within the same season. USC's APR score of 804 was 121 points below the minimum-acceptable mark, and stemmed from various academic problems, including Gabe Pruitt's academic ineligibility for the fall 2006 semester, and his ineligibility again following the spring 2007 semester. USC served the penalty during the 2007-08 season.

* On May 13, 2008, ESPN aired an episode of Outside the Lines that contained extensive, well-documented allegations that USC guard O.J. Mayo received improper benefits from a sports agent (BDA Sports) and that agent's runner (Rodney Guillory) both before and during his one season at USC. It was alleged that Guillory received benefits in excess of $200,000, while Mayo received $30,000 in benefits, including cash, clothes, cell phone service, and a flat screen television for his dorm room. USC immediately faced a storm of criticism, with several prominent commentator calling for sanctions, including the so-called "death penalty." The criticism of USC intensified as it was reported that Guillory was given largely unfettered access to Mayo and the athletic department, after a highly unusual recruitment process, despite USC knowing of his involvement with agents, including a prior scandal with USC's Jeff Trepagnier, for many years. The Pac-10 and the NCAA have launched investigations. Developing.

I redacted all of the criminal charges and allegations at USC, as well as the incidents (like O.J. Simpson and Suge Knight at games and practices) that paint a better picture of the thug culture being cultivated at SC. I only included the potential NCAA violations.

The two highest profiles athletes at USC in the past 5 years are embroiled in full scale investigations into improprieties, and there have been several high profile recruiting stories that paint a picture of questionable practices.

I have always said that the USC rivalry with Notre Dame is one of the best rivalries in all of sport. However, since the beginning of the Carroll era, the rivalry feels more like the Catholics vs. Convicts rivalry with Miami in the '80s than the glory days of the John McKay era of the 70s.

I hope that USC is punished for their wrongdoing, but only enough to bring about a regime change in the administration and leadership - I don't want such an illustrious and successful program brought to its knees. But I also haven't seen a better picture of "lack of institutional control."

Football Preview 2008: Team leaders

This is my first post in the summer-long preview project, and it also happens to be the first post that I'll be uploading to Bleacher Report, a service that might help me to expand my readership to a wider audience.

*****

Team Leaders 2008

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish suffered from a severe lack of leadership in their ranks last season, after losing one of their best all-time leaders in Brady Quinn.

This year, the leadership on the team is still in transition, but should be coming together throughout the season. Many of the people who will likely be stepping into leadership roles are still relatively young, and should provide strong leadership going into 2009, which I think will be a special year for the Fightin' Irish.

OFFENSE

Jimmy Clausen, quarterback

The offensive leadership always starts with the quarterback, and the biggest question this year is whether sophomore quarterback Jimmy Clausen can take on that leadership role successfully.

The best sign of him stepping up as a leader is his dedication to offseason conditioning. Coach Weis discussed Clausen's physical shape coming into the Spring during his pre-spring press conference:

Jimmy (Clausen), last year, started off at 194 and he's walking in at 212 for the first day of training camp. That is obviously a significant gain. His body fat is status quo but has a lot more lean muscle.

Another measurable aspect of leadership is knowledge. Leaders are the people on the field that their teammates look to to get direction. To give good direction, they must understand the game plan. Weis has been positive in his praise of Clausen regarding his progress in this regard.

The final aspect of leadership is intangible, and can't be developed - it can only be earned. To paraphrase Coach Weis from one of his pressers, Jimmy must become the guy that the team looks to to run the play rather than just the guy they look at to call the play.

From what I've seen and heard this spring, the verdict is still out on Jimmy as a leader. He has all of the tools of a good leader, and physically and mentally he is in better shape to display them. Whether he can rally the troops when the chips are down and the breaks are beating the boys (in addition to being a terribly mixed metaphor) remains to be seen.

Sam Young, offensive tackle

Sam Young, in a not-so-well-kept secret last year, went into Weis' office and asked him what he could do to become a better leader on this team. As a sophomore.

Physically, he's a beast at 6'8" 330 lbs. He is a true phenom, who has shown incredible natural athletic ability in addition to his god-given size. And his work ethic is amazing, who has led the charge in the weight room this offseason that has given the offensive line a lot more strength.

But his heart and dedication have been truly impressive. After a brief stint at left tackle last year (the result of an injured wrist), he is back at his natural position at right tackle, where he can serve as a roadgrader for the rushing attack.

Of all of the leaders on this team, Young has the biggest burden, trying to resurrect a line that was responsible for the worst rushing attack in school history last year.

David Grimes, wide receiver

Although unlikely to be the go-to receiver, or even a legitimate deep threat, Grimes is the elder statesman of the receiving corps, which is loaded with young talent. He is an astounding possession receiver, with a talent for working the sidelines unlike anyone I can recall in recent memory. However, his lack of height and pure speed will likely keep him from long term success in the NFL.

His understanding of the game and incredible work ethic should be invaluable to younger receivers like Duval Kamara, Golden Tate and incoming freshmen Michael Floyd and Deion Walker.

DEFENSE

David Bruton, safety

Nobody on the 2008 roster has me more excited this season than David Bruton. Last year, something clicked in Bruton's head, and he quickly proved himself superior to preseason All-American Tom Zbikowski, the other safety on the field for the Irish last year.

Bruton has an incredible awareness of the game, and some sick closing speed. I don't recall the exact game right now (and am admittedly too lazy to go back and figure it out), but I remember sitting in the stands and watching him break from right of midfield to make a diving interception near the left sideline between the time the QB set his feet and when the ball arrived.

He has no fear when it comes to bringing the wood, and can lay people out. He's a lot like former standout Chinedum Ndukwe, only with more raw athleticism.

The really scary thing for opponents is that there is no real weakness in his game. He is extremely disciplined, and doesn't give up the big play. However, he manages this in the aggressive scheme that Notre Dame plays, without sacrificing run support.

Maurice Crum, Jr., linebacker

Crum is a two-time captain for the Irish this year, a rarity for Notre Dame players. Last year's scheme funneled everything into the capable hands of Trevor Laws and Maurice Crum, who both showed an incredible game-changing ability.

If you want to see exactly how much potential Crum has for disrupting opposing offenses, just go back and watch last year's UCLA game. He has the natural ability of an outside linebacker, and I thought going into the last 2 seasons that he wasn't big enough to play the middle. However, he has consistently proven me wrong, showing not only stoutness inside, but a penchant for forcing turnovers.

Crum (along with Bruton) was named to the preseason watch list for the Nagurski trophy.

Pat Kuntz, defensive tackle

Although he isn't on the roster for the Irish right now (he is struggling with meeting Notre Dame's academic standards) the word on the street is that Kuntz will be back in uniform this fall. If he isn't, it will be a major blow to the Irish who are very thin along the defensive line.

Kuntz is crazy. The kind of crazy that made watching Steve Irwin stick his head in the maw of a crocodile riveting. And that level of crazy makes him a wild card inside, with a motor that never quits and a disregard for personal safety that borders on the absurd. Much like Notre Dame great Michael Stonebreaker, you want to tread softly around him, mostly because you have no idea whether at any moment he is about to bust out a spin move and sack the quarterback or open his gaping maw and bite your damn head off.

There are plenty of knocks on Kuntz. Not smart enough. Not big enough. Not fast enough.

But I dare you to block him. Proceed at your own risk.

More accusations of NCAA violations at USC

Although it is a different sport, there is a major story brewing in Southern Cal, where allegations are surfacing that many of the same types of benefits that have chased former Trojan Reggie Bush into the pros are now being alleged about USC basketball star O.J. Mayo. ESPN is reporting that O.J. Mayo may have taken cash and gifts at USC during his one year at the school.

This allegation comes on the heels of the allegations surrounding Reggie Bush in football. Taken together, there appears to be a growing pattern of abuse of NCAA regulations in Southern Cal. I'm not going to speculate too much on this at this time, but USC had better take a close look at its athletic department, as there are clear hints of a lack of institutional control.

Sports Blogging

I just watched the entirety of the Costas NOW show where they discussed sports blogging. (the author of Deadspin), (the author of Friday Night Lights), and Braylon Edwards of the Cleveland Browns were the panelists.

Putting aside the rant of ???, this show was interesting to me, if for no other reason than it shows very clearly the general views of each of the constituencies in this debate.

Here is how I would characterize each of these positions:

Mainstream media: Bloggers have no accountability, no morals, and no integrity in what they write, and they are by and large idiots and losers. The writing is bad ("despicable"). We hate you because you steal our readers.

Athletes: We get a microscope on us wherever we go, and the bloggers exploit us by posting whatever they want on their blogs, without any respect for our privacy.

Bloggers: Don't come after us with the rantings of commenters on our blogs - comments are a free forum where anyone can post whatever they want. Blogging is a meritocracy, where you have to work hard and be a good and consistent writer to develop a readership in a more competitive world than mainstream media.

There is some merit to each of these views, however Bob Costas fails to moderate the agreement on his show to clearly get at the truth of blogging.

Blogging IS the mainstream media, without the influence of corporations and sports leagues and owners. Bloggers are not bound by worries such as accuracy, accountability, and revenue generation. This allows sports bloggers to provide much deeper and more accurate penetration into the news of the day. This also allows bloggers to abuse the lack of accountability by exploiting athletes and inserting their bias, negative or positive, into the discussion.

In defense of the lack of accountability of bloggers, however, is the current state of the so-called mainstream media. The explosion of sports media, especially the ring-leader ESPN, has diluted the media's old school commitment to things like accuracy and objectivity. In fact, my experiences with ESPN and their ilk has shown them to be little more than a blog with money. They regularly report opinion and speculation as news. The only difference between the sports blogger's opinion (often based on actual inside information that is completely unverifiable) and a mainstream media opinion (often based on actual inside information that is completely unverifiable) is the formality of the access.

I have friends that have either been on or involved with the Notre Dame football team in the past, are involved with the football team in some manner right now, or have access and insight to the administration of the University and/or athletic department. However, I do not use these friends to further my blog. I use them for perspective on the rumors and news I often report, or for unofficial confirmation of a story that is unconfirmed. But I don't go after them for stories or report on my personal interactions with them. In that manner, I may be the exception when it comes to bloggers. There are many stories I've heard from highly credible sources that I'm itching to write about, but that I refuse to report because they were told me as a friend, and not as a reporter.

And that is really the difference between mainstream media and the bloggers. Bloggers are simply reporters that are always on the record, and are not identifiable as reporters. Reporters have better access by and large, but are also restrained by the rules of their profession. And I am familiar with the rules of the profession.

I worked as the Ombudsman for the Indiana Daily Student in my undergraduate years. I was responsible for independently reporting on and criticizing the newspaper in its own pages, promoting journalistic integrity. When I was the Ombudsman, I clearly recall a conversation with the administrator at the University who dressed me down over the phone because he heard me typing when he was speaking to me "off the record." And I can tell you, the story I heard "off the record" was nothing like the story I was allowed to report on the record. And it was a very frustrating experience for me, as I was restrained by the rules of that organization.

As a blogger, I have only my own moral compass to guide me on what I do or do not choose to report.

As a consumer of both the mainstream media and the blogosphere, the reality of the situation is that there is a hierarchy of reliability in sports reporting. I would rate something like this (from least reliable to most reliable):

1. word of mouth
2. commenters on blogs
3. general message board posters
4. new, infrequently updated, or unprofessional blogs
5. frequent message board posters
6. message board moderators
7. national TV news media
8. established and regularly updated blogs (I would place myself in this category)
9. small market mainstream newspapers
10. national or very large market newspapers
11. word of mouth

From my experience, that hierarchy above has correlated to the most accurate and truthful information. And yes, I know that word of mouth is at both ends of the spectrum. That was by design.

Wonderlic scores!!!

There has been some reporting on Wonderlic scores over at the blog Potencial, where he posted some interesting Wonderlic results.

Of note:

The highest score listed was our very own John Carlson, who sported an impressive 40. Second was Frank Okam, DL fom Texas, with a 39. Third was another Notre Dame grad, John Sullivan, who scored a 35. King Dunlap, OT from Auburn was next with a 32. To round out the top 5 test takers is our very own Trevor Laws (tied with Mike Humpal, LB from Iowa) with a 30. Zibby's score isn't out yet.

No Notre Dame player on the list scored below a 30. The average score on the test (for NFL personnel and the general public) is a 21 - roughly equivalent to an average IQ score of 100.

The lowest score belongs to Skunkbear Mario Manningham, with a 6. He was the only player to score in single digits. To put this into perspective, take this quote, which I pulled off of ESPN.com's "Page 2" section:

[F]ormer Bengals punter and Harvard grad Pat McInally scored a perfect 50 -- the only NFL player known to do so -- while at least one player, it is rumored, scored a 1. Charlie Wonderlic Jr., president of Wonderlic Inc., says, "A score of 10 is literacy, that's about all we can say."

If these posted scores are true, Manningham - a "student athlete" at the supposedly quality academic institution in Ann Arbor - is functionally illiterate according to the president of Wonderlic, as he scored only a 6.

And lest I give our other rivals a pass, the Condoms didn't fare much better:

Other low scores include Southern Cal's John David Booty, who scored a paltry 14, well below average. And he's a quarterback.

Oh, and Sedrick Ellis of Southern Cal - the DT who is shorter, slower and less productive than Trevor Laws - scored a measly 15. But he is still rated as a higher draft pick. Seriously, can anyone point out to me any way in which Sedrick Ellis is measurably better than Laws? Anything at all? Besides team record (Laws didn't run the ball or catch passes, although that might have helped things last year if he had), there is NO reason for this guy's draft stock to be higher than Trevor's right now.

All this information does is confirm what I already knew - Notre Dame IS different, and their commitment to academics is unparalleled in Division I-A. Argue all you want about whose academic institution is more prestigious, but only Notre Dame applies that academic rigor to their athletes the same as the rest of the student body.

*****

UPDATE:

It's been reported that Tom Zbikowski just missed the 30 cutoff, scoring a 29 on his Wonderlic. This is still way above average, and would have him tied for 6th among the numbers reported by Potencial.

Spring Recap - Bringing the "Wood"

Under Willingham, the commitment of 5-star running back Cierre Wood would have been THE highlight of the Blue-Gold weekend. Hack, Tyler Stockton's commitment would have been front page news, and as a 4-star D-lineman, he's taking second chair to Cierre's lead this weekend.

Under Weis, it's just another recruiting win for Notre Dame. Consider that there are only 4 teams during Weis' tenure that have had top 10 recruiting classes in each of his full recruiting cycles - Florida, USC, Georgia, and Notre Dame. That places us in elite company, and positions us well to turn the corner this year. Also, Cierre's commitment underscores that this staff nows how to represent Notre Dame to high school students - and it will continue to keep us at the top of recruiting rankings.

If we've managed to recruit this well with our record last year, what are we going to do when we win a championship or major bowl game? Talk about waking a sleeping giant.

*****

Jimmy is healthy, and appears to be the answer at QB. I like the way Subway Domer put it:

Jimmy Clausen can sling the motherfucking football. Anyone else that says otherwise is a dick and deserves to rot in hell with a flaming goalpost stuck up their ass

I still hear grumblings around the campus that he's not all he's cracked up to be, but the evidence in front of my eyes points to a successful future for the true sophomore. That said, the proof is in the pudding, as they say. I want to see wins, not just a laser-rocket arm.

*****

I like the intensity the defense played with during the Spring game. Lambert planted Armando Allen in the first half with as much force as you'd expect in a game against SC. Mo Richardson was quietly all over the place, and Harrison Smith showed us all why the coaches are looking for ways to get him on the field.

*****

The receivers struggled a bit with separation and drops, but I think that's more of a testament to our coverage unit than to the receiver's skills. I did like the patience of Clausen, who appeared to be getting enough time to find the open receiver. Also, if you take out the two-hand touch "sacks," Clausen actually did much better than his stat line - he had a couple called back on sacks.

Also, keep in mind that we played the whole game without Robby Parris. He is a lot like Samardzija in that he draws safeties to him, freeing up the likes of Kamara and Tate. The safeties don't have the same kind of respect for Grimes, who is an amazing possssion receiver, but lacks the height or speed to draw safeties to himself. Most teams will put their best corner on him mano-a-mano and take their chances. With Parris out, the safeties could key on Kamara, who looked like a sophomore when they were able to do so. What I like about this receiving corps is that Tate can make the safeties pay if they bite too hard on Kamara or Parris with his speed. If Tate can develop the vision and skills to run the wide receiver screens, he could become extremely dangerous. Right now, though, West is our best screening receiver.

Add to that mix incoming freshman Michael Floyd and the pressure from D.J. Hord and Richard Jackson, and this receiving corps should develop nicely through the summer and be one of the deepest receiving corps in the country this year.

*****

The offensive line.

That sieve that was the source of so much angst and agony last year appears at first glance to be much better. However, our D-line is an unknown quantity going into the season, so we can't take too much from the game. I did like the commitment to the run during the game, which allowed the line to tee off and take the fight to the defense, rather than letting the fight come to them. Last year, we couldn't find a running game to save our lives until we were playing the likes of Duke and Air Force. ("We're not Duke bad...." - Thanks, Hoss)
This year, our success in turning this ship around is going to depend on our ability to move the ball on the ground. Expect to see heavy doses off running off the right side this year, as Sam Young and Chris Stewart grade the road for Robert Hughes early in games. As the games wear on and the passing game opens up, expect to see more of Aldridge and Allen mixed in as a 1-2 punch once Hughes has softened the defense up.
The sheer size on that size should create matchup problems for opposing defenses - look for more on this in the pre-season previews.

*****

Team chemistry is the most important single factor in a football team's success, and Notre Dame lacked any chemistry last year, as there was infighting and dissension throughout the ranks, and Coach Weis didn't help matters, according to some of my sources.

Weis has taken accountability for his actions going into this season, both inside and outside the program. He was told to be more accommodating of the alumni, and the recent ruling by the NCAA has allowed him to do as he was told, without losing face publicly. He was at least partially, if not wholly, responsible for much of the turmoil and tension in the locker room last year, and he is attempting to improve his relationship with his players. One of the biggest improvements, in my mind, is his commitment to speak individually with each player this spring to let them know exactly where they stand. Miscommunication, noncommunication, and malcommunication with his players has hurt the team, and better communication should improve team morale.

Weis has also encouraged more emotion from his players, something that EVERYONE around the program complained about the past couple of years. Many, like myself, blamed it on his NFL background and he business-like atmosphere of the program. Whatever the cause, he seems to hav found the cure. The fights in practice and during the spring game come from playing with unbridled emotion. As Weis said in his presser, the team also needs to play with composure. However, with this team I would rather be spending energy reining them in than searching for ways to manufacture emotion.

If we are a competitive teamat the end of the year, I would love to see a pre-game scuffle at USC this year, ala Miami 1988. SC has been a thorn in our side under the Poodle, and that's gotta stop. At this point, I'd take 1-11 if it meant we kicked the shit out of USC.

*****

Tenuta is the X-factor on this team that gives me the most hope as we head through summer and into the season. Our defense struggled at times against the run and deep pass, but they played disciplined. Tenuta wasn't overly involved in the defense during the Blue-Gold game, and the rules didn't permit the pressure-oriented defense that he's been cooking up with Corwin. Give this defense a summer to simmer, and they could be something special going into the season.

*****

Post-Spring prediction for the Irish in 2008:

Regular season: 9-3, Cotton Bowl win for final record of 10-3

San Diego State: Should be an easy win in what amounts to a warm up game for the Irish. Irish win.

Michigan: The Wolverines are expected to take a step back without a QB to run Rodriguez' offense, and the Irish are starting to turn things around. Coin flip game.

at Michigan State: Tough game on the road against a team with a winning record last year and lots of returning starters, including their QB. Winnable, but I'll place it in the loss column for now.

Purdue: Tiller is on his way out, and this is a team just looking for bodies to fill out a roster. Notre Dame should win going away.

Stanford: It's hard to get too confident playing against a team that has beaten USC recently, and the Cardinal have a lot of experience and should have found their starting QB by now. I still think we win this game.

at North Carolina: An experienced team loaded with upperclassmen who are returning starters. Our young team should be in mid-season form, playing with more poise. I'll call this one a coin flip as well, as the Tarheels were 4-8 last year, only a game ahead of us in the win column.

at Washington: A program in turmoil, with Willingham likely on his way out the door. Unless Locker has a career game, we win this one.

Pittsburgh: Wannestedt has a good team loaded with experience, but he revamped his whole coaching staff. Things should be settling down by this time, but I think the Irish squeak one out here, being at home.

at Boston College: New QB, new RB, new LT. A lot of leadership and talent are missing from this team, and an underperforming Notre Dame team gave them a fight last year. I expect another coin flip game.

at Navy: Things return to normal in the series, as we begin a 49-year winning streak with this game. Notre Dame wins.

Syracuse: Syracuse actually won fewer games than us last season. Notre Dame wins easily on senior day.

at USC: The most obvious loss of the season, USC is just better than us right now. Count this as a loss unless we recapture some magic in this year's team.

The first 11 games of the season are all winnable, with Michigan State our biggest threat, followed by Michigan and Boston College. Two coin flips, a loss, and a squeaker win. A couple of good games against the state of Michigan and we could be headed into USC with as little as 1 loss (even I'm not that optimistic, but it's not impossible...)

And if we are that good at the end of the season, who knows what could happen?

Most likely we'll see a year similar to 2005, where a battered Notre Dame team far exceeds the expert predictions before stumbling late. It will be nice to see the Irish back in the Cotton Bowl, though. Mark your calendars now.

Ranking College Coaches

Sporting News 2008 rankings:

1. Pete Carroll, USC.
2. Jim Tressel, Ohio State.
3. Rich Rodriguez, Michigan.
4. Bob Stoops, Oklahoma.
5. Jim Grobe, Wake Forest.
6. Mark Richt, Georgia.
7. Mack Brown, Texas.
8. Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech.
9. Mark Mangino, Kansas.
10. Dennis Erickson, Arizona State.
11. Mike Leach, Texas Tech.
12. Steve Spurrier, South Carolina.
13. Randy Edsall, UConn.
14. Urban Meyer, Florida.
15. Mike Bellotti, Oregon.
16. Greg Schiano, Rutgers.
17. Nick Saban, Alabama.
18. Joe Tiller, Purdue.
19. Brian Kelly, Cincinnati.
20. Les Miles, LSU.
21. Mike Riley, Oregon State.
22. Tommy Tuberville, Auburn.
23. Jeff Tedford, Cal.
24. Steve Kragthorpe, Louisville.
25. Phillip Fulmer, Tennessee.
26. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa.
27. Jim Leavitt, South Florida.
28. Bobby Bowden, Florida State.
29. Dan Hawkins, Colorado.
30. Houston Nutt, Ole Miss.
31. Tom O'Brien, N.C. State.
32. Bobby Johnson, Vanderbilt.
33. Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech.
34. Bobby Petrino, Arkansas.
35. Gary Pinkel, Missouri.
36. Rich Brooks, Kentucky.
37. Al Groh, Virginia.
38. Rick Neuheisel, UCLA.
39. Art Briles, Baylor.
40. Bret Bielema, Wisconsin.
41. Tommy Bowden, Clemson.
42. Jim Harbaugh, Stanford.
43. Ron Zook, Illinois.
44. Mark Dantonio, Michigan State.
45. Sylvester Croom, Mississippi State.
46. Mike Sherman, Texas A&M.
47. Tyrone Willingham, Washington.
48. Joe Paterno, Penn State.
49. Butch Davis, North Carolina.
50. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State.
51. David Cutcliffe, Duke.
52. Dave Wannstedt, Pitt.
53. Ralph Friedgen, Maryland.
54. Jeff Jagodzinski, Boston College.
55. Paul Wulff, Washington State.
56. Charlie Weis, Notre Dame.
57. Bo Pelini, Nebraska.
58. Greg Robinson, Syracuse.
59. Gene Chizik, Iowa State.
60. Ron Prince, Kansas State.
61. Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern.
62. Tim Brewster, Minnesota.
63. Mike Stoops, Arizona.
64. Bill Stewart, West Virginia.
65. Bill Lynch, Indiana.
66. Randy Shannon, Miami.

I wanted to take a closer look at these rankings, as they seemed fairly arbitrary and subjective. They are more of an approval rating than an analysis of the respective coach's ability.

Consider these tidbits I pulled from the rankings:

Ty Willingham moved up 7 spots in the rankings from last year, despite his fourth straight losing season, and losing two more games this year than last.

Comparably, despite back-to-back BCS appearances in his first two seasons, Weis was ranked only 42nd last year. His tumble to 56th is understandable considering the 3-9 record last year, but it was his first losing season. Willingham was ranked nearly 8 spots ahead, despite the string of losing. Weis' biggest black mark? He led the nation in the % change in winning percentage from last year to this year, a drop of 51.9%. That's almost identical to Ron Zook's 52.6% increase in win %.

Zook's impressive turnaround bought him only a 6 spot increase from last year (49th to 43rd). Comparatively, a decent (9-4) season in the Big East launched Randy Edsall up the rankings, with a staggering 42-spot jump from 55th to 13th.

And that Missouri-Kansas matchup? Missouri's coach, who led them to an impressive 12-2 record, jumped 8 spots. Kansas' coach jumped 26 for their 12-1 record.

Some other head scratchers include:
Butch Davis' similar 30 spot drop, despite improving his record from last year.
Tom O'Brien dropping 18 spots, despite improving his record by two games from last year.
Al Groh dropped from last year (5-7) to this year (9-4). So he goes from no bowl game to the Gator Bowl, and that makes him a worse coach.
On the other side of the coin, Greg Robinson managed to make Syracuse even worse this year, dropping them from 4-8 to 2-10. His reward was a 7-spot jump UP in the rankings.
Also rewarded for a backslide was Greg Schiano, who despite a 23% drop in winning percentage moved up an astounding 17 spots in the rankings. Steve Kragthorpe's dismantling of the once impressive Louisville program (dropped 42.3% in winning percentage) earned him a nice 3 spot jump up.
And as much as I love what Terry Hoeppner built at Indiana, I think it is unfair to Bill Lynch to rank him 19 spots below his predecessor, when he led the team to it
s first bowl berth since 1993.

From the "They are too old to coach" file: Joe Paterno slpped 30 spots, and Bobby Bowden slipped 14. Their records from last year to this year? No change. Oh, and the #1 and #2 guys in all time wins don't even crack the top 25 among current coaches, apparently.

Another note from these rankings? According to them, Bill Stewart was a horible choice for the West Virginia Mountaineers - he ranks a staggering 61 spots behind his predecessor. The best hire? Houston Nutt over at Ole Miss - ranking 33 spots ahead of Ed Orgeron last year.

So take these rankings with a grain of salt, as they are extremely subjective.

But I would take this from the rankings: Coach Weis' seat is starting to warm up a bt.