So transfer rules allow you to play after a calendar year, not sitting out an entire academic year? That seems fishy, but whatever.

Doesn't ND have some say in where a transfer goes? Why did we let Reuland go to an opponent?
Nate | Email | Homepage | 08.25.08 - 12:07 am | #

Pat, your post is one to clip and review at the end of the season when evaluating whether Coach Latina should take the Minter highway out of the bend or not. Michigan and Southern Cal, in particular, have very inexperienced lines. Latina showed zero progress and development of our offensive line even when "getting back to basics" and even deep into October and November. What Michigan and Southern Cal do throughout the fall with their O-lines should be watched carefully.
Andy | Email | Homepage | 08.25.08 - 1:28 am | #

Reuland transferred to a junior college first before transferring to Stanford. Schools don't have much power over what schools players can transfer to anymore, but it wouldn't have mattered in Reuland's case anyways.
Double DD | Email | Homepage | 08.25.08 - 2:15 am | #

I’m beginning to like our chances against Navy. Maybe we can stop their streak against us.
Subway Alumni | Email | Homepage | 08.25.08 - 6:29 am | #

Im surprised USC isnt first in both of Rankings. Not even 3rd or 2nd.
Mexican Irish | Email | Homepage | 08.25.08 - 7:58 am | #

Excellent analysis - as always.

Nate - a guide to students transferring is here: http://www.ncaa.org/library/gene...transfer_guide/

Not the most clear guide but does state:
One academic year in residence = How long you must spend at your new school before you can play.

So I'm assuming that Stanford has quarters. Is this correct?
Old Fan | Email | Homepage | 08.25.08 - 10:09 am | #

Stanford definitely has a different type of schedule than ND. I think it's either trimesters or quarters. I know that they used to finish classes up in June...
NavyJoe | Email | Homepage | 08.25.08 - 11:19 am | #

Regarding the Michigan tight-end situation, do we know how much the TE was used in the West Virginia offense?

It should be noted that only 4 teams are starting an O-linemen that is a RS freshman or true sophomore, and none are true freshmen, meaning 93% of our opposing O-linemen have had 2 or more full years to develop college-level weight training and technique. That can make a huge difference, even if they've never started a game or played a meaningful down. Hopefully from here on out ND will also have the luxury of replacing players each year with developed upper classmen from our deep O-line reserves.
Erik '04 | Email | Homepage | 08.25.08 - 11:31 am | #

Pat,

Can the BGS team highlight the relative progress of our OL starters?

Maybe the "Lack of Sack Attack?"
ThE LoSt BoY | Email | Homepage | 08.25.08 - 11:47 am | #

Lost Boy - I would, but I don't know how much meaningful information we could convey. All of them got stronger. Sam Young is at his more natural right tackle spot. Moving Turk from guard to left tackle worries me, even though I like Turk as a run blocker. Stewart will open massive holes, but also make mistakes due to his relative inexperience. I think Wenger will be ok in the middle if he can stay healthy.

Other than superficial info like that, I think we're all just going to have to wait and see how the line does against San Diego State and Michigan. I'm sure they have improved, but have they improved enough to be good? To be decent?
Pat | Email | Homepage | 08.25.08 - 12:09 pm | #

USC needs to move Charles Brown from LT to kicker. With Lucy as holder.
Buzz | Email | Homepage | 08.25.08 - 12:18 pm | #

"Good grief, I fell again! It must be the long grass!"
Matt | Email | Homepage | 08.25.08 - 12:25 pm | #

Thanks for my morning chuckle, Buzz. The thought of a 300 lb lineman falling on his head as Lucy pulls the ball away was too much.
Erik '04 | Email | Homepage | 08.25.08 - 12:25 pm | #

Teams on Fox Sports' short list to be this year's Kansas: Pittsburgh, North Carolina, Michigan State.
flannercock | Email | Homepage | 08.25.08 - 12:37 pm | #

I think you have UM under-ranked for their OL.

They have 3 rs.juniors. That's 3 4th year guys on the OL. Yeah, they may be new starters and they may be not too highly touted, but many a quality OL fits that description. Hopefully, the fact that ND faces them early in the season will help ND.
atepesm | Email | Homepage | 08.25.08 - 1:27 pm | #

You may very well be right atepsem.

But the other teams have guys that fit that description too. Like I said, I don't have much faith in my rankings and I really do think you could mix and match the first 9 or so and reasonably be able to justify it.

I do consider where a team falls in the schedule to some degree when I do this. That's why USC's OL is ranked a bit higher and UM's is a bit lower. UM only gets two games to gel as a line. USC gets an entire season.
Pat | Email | Homepage | 08.25.08 - 3:25 pm | #

atepesm,

It's true those guys Mich is starting on the O line have some time in the program. But I think three of 'em are starting only because some one in front of them transferred or got hurt. Also, several of those dudes are playing out of position. Further, there's very little depth behind them.

Sounds a lot like ND's line last year.

I can't dream, right?
Hal | Email | Homepage | 08.25.08 - 3:41 pm | #

Another specific aspect related to inexperience occurs when 2 or more inexperienced players have to hold down an entire side of the line. 5 of the teams on our schedule have new starters for both of the guard and tackle positions on one side of their line. Part of why Sam Young was so effective as a freshman was because he had Bob Morton telling him who to block every time. If you have two inexperienced players on their own on a side you can confuse them easier with your pass rush. When it's both guards or a guard and a center that is new, they can be compensated for more easily by the experienced players next to them.

Hopefully ND can exploit that inexperience and attack from that side for those games.
Erik '04 | Email | Homepage | 08.25.08 - 5:19 pm | #

There is no question our O-line is more experienced and better than last year. How good? No way to tell until game 2. SD State is a perfect pre-season game. Michigan is unknown because of the culture shock of Big East offense. Wouldn't matter if they were returning the Patriot's personnel, it's a new professor in charge of the class. Think ND v Ga.Tech last year.
So, it's August and ND is undefeated. ND fans haven't seen a depth chart as athletic as this one since Lou walked away from Wadsworth and Monk. The mind wanders down the schedule and baits the optimist into identifying a sure loss before catching the flight to LA. That's why being an ND fan is so magical. We can conquer sullen anaysis.
DuffMan | Email | Homepage | 08.25.08 - 9:03 pm | #

That's a good point, Erik.
Hal | Email | Homepage | 08.25.08 - 9:04 pm | #

The defensive kung-fu of 'lacking marquee talent but creating chaos through deception and aggressiveness' seems well matched to Michigan's inexperience and transitional offense.
If we drop a cake in game two, it's time to lower our Jedi defenses so we will become more powerful than our opponents can ever imagine. Where's Slappy when you need him?
indy | Email | Homepage | 08.25.08 - 10:29 pm | #

I could be wrong, but these are the Freshman I think can play (not just special teams, but really make plays) right now:

Floyd, Rudolph, Hafis Williams (this guy’s gonna be tough) , jonas Gray, Posluszny, Fauria, Kapron lewis-moore, Blanton.

We'll see the way the season plays out.
freshman | Email | Homepage | 08.25.08 - 10:35 pm | #