Seems like Rudolph is doing pretty well as the only freshman on the first team. I guess one of the positions I am most worried about is kicker(s). Hopefully they improved a lot.
GB | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 6:02 am | #

Really, Chuck? Because it sure looked like "pounding it" was working against Navy until you inexplicably started calling passes. You remember the Navy game. The one that ended a 43-year win streak? Me? No. I'm not bitter all.
Tracer Bullet | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 6:39 am | #

Watching and listening to the Monday video, I didn’t know members of the coaching staff AND the Athletic department were prohibited from attending opponent games. Obviously you don’t rely on the game tape only, who do you send? What do other teams do?

For kick-off returns, I really like Allen. After two years of trying Allen, Grimes, Tate, and West et al. The fastest guy is back there full time. No offense to Zibby, but I think Allen is the right guy to return punts as well.

Hope the entire kicking game is not going to be another hit or miss year.
Subway Alumni | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 7:10 am | #

I doubt Zibby would take offense, seeing as he's about to start for the Ravens...

BTW, I think Allen has the potential to be a great punt returner. However, Zibby actually was a great returner. There is no way that Allen was the better of the two last year.
NavyJoe | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 8:24 am | #

Congratulations to Zibby.

In 2008 he ranked 33rd on the NCAA Div.I punt return list. 23-234 - avg. 10.1 – Longest 60 yards. No TDs
Subway Alumni | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 8:52 am | #

2007 sorry.
Subway Alumni | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 8:52 am | #

Will Zibby be returning punts for the Ravens?
GB | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 9:05 am | #

So, coming in at 34th would have made him our highest rated offensive category right??

He still had more punt return TD's than any other player in ND history, regardless of whether he had any last year. I'm not saying he was Devin Hester, but not many people are. Plus, it's not as if Armando Allen was lighting the world on fire with his kick off returns.

21.8yd average, long of 38, no TD's. Those are pretty pedestrian numbers. However, I'm going to chalk that up to the coverage. Just as I'll chalk Zibby's statistical decline to coverage as well. He was drafted for a reason, and it sure wasn't his ability to depend the pass...
NavyJoe | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 9:55 am | #

Pardon my change of subject and shameless optimism, but does anybody else feel pretty good about our defense? I know we haven't seen this group in a game yet - and YES, it's the preseason so it's easy to be optimistic - but I've just got this feeling that the addition of Tenuta, having a more experienced, mature Corwin Brown in his 2nd year at DC, and our emerging depth & athleticism @ linebacker will all combine to lite a fire under this group and win us some games. Let's just pray for the fewest possible injuries/losses (I know losing Walls hurt) from here on out and hope the offense will start to improve & not just hang the D out to dry.

On a separate but equally optimistic note, I'm ecstatic about Mo Richardson cracking the starting lineup. I don't know exactly why but I've been rooting for that guy since he came in 2 years ago and I think he's gonna wreak some havok in the backfield.

Go Irish.
baIrish | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 10:16 am | #

Wow were still a pretty young team, does that scare anyone else? Well I guess as long as they can tackle. My biggest concern however is what my first drink will be 11 days from now. Beer, a whiskey or should I break out a bottle of Bubbly? Any thoughts?
Paul | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 10:55 am | #

Glad that we are back to real football talk. Hello to all.
I can't believe there hasn't been a word about Jimmy (or Evan or Dayne's) throws. Any eye witnesses the last couple of weeks?
BTW, I am annoyed that Brady's average performance last week seems to have attracted such negative comments from the media. Every other time he's been in, he has performed well. Anderson was4for 10 before he was knocked out, and Leinart threw 3 int in 12 passes last week, and apparently, Colin Cowherd officially declared Jemarcus(60 yds from his knees) Russell a bust. So Brady looks pretty good even on a bad day.
But I am psyched. I'm going to the opener but intentionaly not going to the Michigan game because I feel personally responsible for the blow out 2 years ago. I had counted my chickens too early.
I am very optimistic about the D.
canuck 75 | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 11:20 am | #

Pre-season feelin's:

1) Cautiously optimistic D will improve (Tenuta)

2) Cautiously pessimistic about OL (only marginal improvement)

3) Still concerned about Special teams.

4) Juiced about the schedule (cupcake central!)

TLB

P.S. Did anyone else notice Corso predicted a major Bowl IF CW called plays?
ThE LoSt BoY | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 12:01 pm | #

"He still had more punt return TD’s than any other player in ND history".

Hmmm. Actually he’s tied with 3 along with:
Allen Rossum
Ricky Watters
Tim Brown
Nick Rassas
Not bad company to share a list with. (Sorry about the preposition)
Interesting who coached three on the list. You don’t win games and championships without outstanding Special Teams.
Subway Alumni | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 12:27 pm | #

Since practices are only open to the press for the first twenty minutes, I don't think that there is a whole lot to go on concerning the qb's throwing.

Subway Alum, I fully expect AA to do well on punt returns, assuming that he can break/avoid that first tackle, which I think was his problem last year on a lot of his kickoff returns and runs/receptions. I also think that he'll wind up being one of the better kick returners in the country when all is said and done...
NavyJoe | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 1:24 pm | #

Only eight Freshmen on the two-deep? That means fifteen of them are already busts!
Steve R | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 1:30 pm | #

How could anyone not realize our Irish would still be quite young and inexperienced? That is still a concern, but the experience gained in '07 coupled with a friendlier schedule does provide solid reasons for optimism. 7-5 or 8-4 will set the stage.
tednict | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 1:59 pm | #

Pat, thanks for the heads up on this ... one question though -- both your link and the one on und.com (depth chart as of 8/25) still produce the pdf from 8/8. Any ideas?
Irish Eli | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 2:01 pm | #

yeah... we're gonna pound the football just like we were going to be a "nasty" football team - oh what was it? - 4 seasons ago?

i'll believe it when i see it.
domer03inbmore | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 2:31 pm | #

Canuck,

I saw Brady play in person a week or two back vs. the Giants. He looked like he did in 2005: efficient, calm, effective.

He was working against the 2nd team D, but he moved and managed his team very well. Two TD drives, a couple of nice runs for first downs. He had that air of confidence about him.

Prior to getting hurt, Anderson looked awful, though it's true he was playing against the Jints 1st team D.
Hal | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 2:34 pm | #

Thanks for the observations Hal. Peter King at SI has it in for Brady and it bugs the hell out of me. As we all know now, ND was much weaker than we thought in 2006 and therefore Brady's eforts were that much more impressive.
I found a partial answer to my own question from above-there is a comment that Crist is being too hard on himself to the extent that Charlie had to remind him that he`s a freshman. That bodes well for the future!
canuck 75 | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 3:31 pm | #

I can't believe no one has mentioned the headline yet. It's from the song Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.

He's gonna find out who is naughty and nice!
O | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 4:01 pm | #

ESPN is also bad about criticizing Brady Quinn. He goes 14-for-24 for 108 yards, no TDs, no INTs, and they show one clip of him throwing a ball away on a 3rd down. It's the worst performance of the preseason for him, and yet ESPN turns it into Brady going down the tubes. World wide leader? Right...

I wonder if the Bears would've taken 14-for-24 with no INTs as a QB's worst performance back when they had that teriffic rushing game and defense...
Matt '09 | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 4:48 pm | #

Im already hyped about this season but also cautious.
Im just waiting to see.
Mexican Irish | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 5:04 pm | #

O, did you say Santa Clausen? It's too early for sainthood, but I sure hope he brings us some presents this year!
Erik '04 | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 5:13 pm | #

Irish Eli - Delete your web browser's cache and try the link again.
Pat | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 5:55 pm | #

How doe the breakdown by class compare to last year's two-deep? Or more importantly, how does the number of college games played by this years two-deep compare to last year's? That should give us some idea of how much more "experienced" this team is than last year.
Anon | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 5:57 pm | #

To answer the easy part of my question:
From Aug '07 BGS Archives, the breakdown by class of starters was:
5th - 6
Senior - 4
Junior - 6
Soph - 5
Frosh - 1 (Jimmy)

This year's starters are:
5th + Senior - 8
Junior - 7
Soph - 6
Frosh - 1 (Rudolph)

Looks pretty much the same to me. Anyone have the time or inclination to do the "games played" comparison?
Anon | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 6:15 pm | #

Anon,

The listed 2-deep versus who actually played last year was much, much different.
Brad | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 8:18 pm | #

I'm not going to lose too much sleep about Turkovich at LT. Considering he beat out the starter from last year (Duncan), he's got to be a visible improvement.
Mr. Wednesday | Email | Homepage | 08.26.08 - 10:14 pm | #

I am excited about the defense too. Love this Tanuta guy. He has some pretty good quotes... "those who think, stink", and "if you mess up, at least do it going 100 mph and hit someone while you're at it" are two of my favorites. Hopefully, he'll kick Charlie in the f-in a$$ and get him to win some games.
cw's last stand? | Email | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 1:01 am | #

Mr. Wednesday

I thought Sam Young started at LT last year?

I too think that Turk will do fine, but of all of the parts of the OL, the Left side (especially the LT) concern me the most. I think they are going to need to ground and pound the ball behind Young/Plow/Ragone on a regular basis, and the receivers are going to have to get open quickly to avoid rushes from the left side.

The strong point of the OL should be the right side. However, if Turk "steps it up" and becomes the LT that everyone knows he can become, then (and only then) will the offense be able to do what it needs to do to win games.
chrisnd | Email | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 9:25 am | #

Sorry...I meant Young/Plow/Rudolph. Ragone just went in for surgery.
chrisnd | Email | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 9:27 am | #

Rivals just released bowl game projections for this year. (ha!)

http://collegefootball.rivals.co....asp? CID=842040

They have ND playing Florida State in the Gator Bowl on Jan 1st.

I also noticed that they think an extremely high number of other teams will have home state advantage for their bowl game. Weird.
Erik '04 | Email | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 10:17 am | #

If you want to bet on ND to win the national championship, you'll get 50-1 odds right now in those online sportsbook places.
Hal | Email | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 10:20 am | #

Also, a $100 bet that ND will win fewer than 7 games would net you $68. A bet that we'll win more than 7 games gets you $115.

So the oddsmakers seem to think we're a decent bet to blow up this season.
Hal | Email | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 10:22 am | #

i may be a little spoiled, but is there going to be a pick six this year???
desert mouse | Email | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 11:31 am | #

Pat, who do you use as a web host? I want to get my page up....
ndgitty | Email | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 12:20 pm | #

This time I am excited about the season , we are going to pound the ball. Who wouldn't be excited seeing Robert Hughes, Allen and occasionally Gray run the show? This is going to be ND year. I am only predicting one loss if that. Go Irish
Anonymous | Email | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 12:59 pm | #

I second the request for Pick 6. the season starts tomorrow you know (#23 Wake in action).
everloyal | Email | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 12:59 pm | #

Is anyone else having trouble with the UND.com videos today? They have a new all-access player and the picture is really choppy, like a slideshow. My system can't be that slow.

The embedded video at und.com was a little shaky, too. Is my computer having an off day or are you having the same issues?
Erik '04 | Email | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 2:53 pm | #

ndgitty

https://www.blogger.com/start

that should take you to the page to start your own blog in 3 easy steps...
desert mouse | Email | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 2:56 pm | #

College football pretty much starts tommorrow.

Also....

MSN just posted this
http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/sto...494994? MSNHPHMA
Mexican Irish | Email | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 4:19 pm | #

Chris, Young did start more games than Duncan at LT last year, but by all accounts, that was due to Young's hand injury that kept him from playing his preferred RT. Assuming all players healthy, I believe Charlie's preferred tackle alignment last year was Duncan at LT and Young at RT.
Mr. Wednesday | Email | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 4:40 pm | #

Erik - UND and a lot of other schools have signed over their web presence for athletics to a site called CSTV; my guess is that what's happening this weekend has created an unanticipated spike in traffic across the board...
indy | Email | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 6:09 pm | #

Erik '04 and Indy:

Yes, I have pulled what hair I have left over trying to download the videos to no avail.
Gone to NDNation and had better luck.

Go Irish.
Subway Alumni | Email | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 7:19 pm | #

Yeah, at this point I'm interested in seeing the videos that will be on NBC in a week and a half. GO IRISH!
indy | Email | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 7:56 pm | #

Hal, one of the Vegas oddsmakers on Colin Cowherd's radio show noted that they usually skew 2 games higher than they actually think the team will win for the under/over. Because college fans are huge homers they always bet the over. There is definitely a reason winning less than seven games pays less, Vegas doesn't like the Irish this year. An earlier post cited how well the Irish do against the spread when nothing is expected versus when they have National title hopes. Bottom line is our low ranking will probably allow us to beat the spread early, but don't expect that to continue.
mark | Email | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 8:10 pm | #

espn college football 600 pm pst''HOW MANY GAMES WILL NOTRE DAME WIN ?LOU''ELEVEN-11''-- WHISTLES ROARING LAUGHTER MARK MAY''FIVE (5)


''WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO CHARLIE WEIS AFTER THE SEASON GANG BEATING BY SC IN THE COLESIUM? LOU ''CHARLIE DOES MISSIONARY WORK IN GUATEMALA WITH THE JESUITS TO ATONE FOR HIS FOUR (4 ) SEASONS AT NOTRE DAME ""


MARK MAY ---""PUBLICITY DIRECTOR MIAMI DOLPHINS ''
james dougherty | Email | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 9:12 pm | #

No, that's what Jim Zorn will be doing after the Redskins lose six division games this year.
indy | Email | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 11:52 pm | #

May used to be a red skin FYI.
indy | Email | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 11:53 pm | #

still has the horns tho FYI.
indy | Email | Homepage | 08.27.08 - 11:54 pm | #

That MSNBC article is pure bull. Don't waste your time (unless you feel the need to filled with all consuming rage and the desire to put a fist or face through your monitor).

Here's my take: Last year sucked. The two years prior did not. I was a student during TW's entire tenure and it was awful. Even during the 8-0 run in 2002, you still got the impression that we were building a skyscraper out of a deck of cards.

I watched 4 years of mediocre football from 2001-2005. It was maddening. In my opinion, consistent mediocrity is much worse than the occasional terrible season. I'll take 2 BCS bowls followed by an awful season over 3 years of 5-7,7-5,5-6 or whatever we would have gotten under TW or Bob Davie.
NavyJoe | Email | Homepage | 08.28.08 - 3:06 am | #

Almost worse than the ignorant MSNBC article are the ignorant comments made below it. At least casual football fans aren't expected to do research, but journalists should be. All you have to do is compare January 2008 to January 2005. CW has all signs pointing to a national championship contending team in 2009, his 5th year. TW had all signs pointing toward an 0-11 team in 2006, his 5th year. The administration read the signs then, and are reading the signs now. Too bad the media speaks another language.
Erik '04 | Email | Homepage | 08.28.08 - 9:27 am | #

In other words, it wasn't about what they'd done (similar records over 3 years, however misleading that may be) but about where they were/are taking the program. Polar opposites.

I'm done now, can't wait for SDSU to come get their whooping next week!
Erik '04 | Email | Homepage | 08.28.08 - 9:29 am | #

Is there no pick 6???
Red | Email | Homepage | 08.28.08 - 10:24 am | #

I am seriously lost without a Pick 6 :(
Red | Email | Homepage | 08.28.08 - 10:27 am | #

Triumph or defeat is in the hands of the Gods. So let us celebrate the struggle!
jim masterson | Email | Homepage | 08.28.08 - 10:45 am | #

If we don't perform better on offense this year, I hear Charlie is going to offer the OC position to Lou Piniella.
indy | Email | Homepage | 08.28.08 - 6:21 pm | #