Notre Dame (football only discussion)

[Dryden]

Originally Posted by Deety

Yep... funny either way.

Uh huh. Only in South Bend will they deify the Notre Dame QB for rallying the team from a 26-6 4th quarter deficit to a brilliant 33-19 loss.

The 07 Purdue game now ranks right up there with 05 USC among Charlie Weis's greatest, most stirring losses.

[OCBucksFan]

Originally Posted by Dryden

Uh huh. Only in South Bend will they deify the Notre Dame QB for rallying the team from a 26-6 4th quarter deficit to a brilliant 33-19 loss.

The 07 Purdue game now ranks right up there with 05 USC among Charlie Weis's greatest, most stirring losses.

Yeah, it's amusing to hear people talk about it, I am really waiting for someone to say "It was a brilliant loss for the Irish, something they should be proud of"

[sandgk]

Stewart returning to ND

Don't know if this means the bleeding has stopped, but in any event Soph lineman Stewart returns to ND after parents intervene.

In the end, there was a change of heart for Chris Stewart, not a change in address.

The Notre Dame sophomore left the Irish football team Thursday, with the intention of transferring, a sentiment his parents, George and Lusia, had hoped to reverse over the weekend.

On Sunday night, after a weekend of soul-searching back home in Spring, Texas, the 6-foot-5, 339-pound offensive guard phoned the Irish coaching staff to let them know he would be rejoining the team. Stewart was to fly back to South Bend today and was expected to be back on the practice field Tuesday.

[cincibuck]

Anybody seen NDchief?

I mean the guy took it well when the bucks put the chops on Quinn and Alphabits, but he must be in agony. What would he have to say about his "Charlie and the Touchdown Factory" signature today. Maybe he's been hitting the orange cream daquiri Kool-Aid.... or was it Cream Sicle Margarettas?

[Dryden]

Originally Posted by cincibuck

Anybody seen NDchief?

I mean the guy took it well when the bucks put the chops on Quinn and Alphabits, but he must be in agony. What would he have to say about his "Charlie and the Touchdown Factory" signature today. Maybe he's been hitting the orange cream daquiri Kool-Aid.... or was it Cream Sicle Margarettas?

I don't know why he's hiding. It's not like we're going to give him a hard time about it or anything ...

[methomps]

Originally Posted by sandgk

Stewart returning to ND

Don't know if this means the bleeding has stopped, but in any event Soph lineman Stewart returns to ND after parents intervene.

ND fans when Stewart was leaving: "Doesn't hurt to lose a 3rd stringer that was never going to see the field. Actually good since it opens a spot for a recruit."

ND fans when Stewart decides to come back: "YES! GREAT NEWS!"

[ulukinatme]

Stewart has kind of been a mystery. He was originally recruited as an OT, but with the lack of D-line recruits last year and one of them de-commiting on signing day, they moved big Chris to the NT position in the new 3-4 defense. Apparantly he couldn't cut it on defense, and they decided to move him back to the OT. He was pretty overweight coming in I think, but was slimming down, not sure what his present weight is. We need more physical guys on the O-line, the Seniors and Juniors aren't cutting it, we're getting more production out of the Sophomores like Young, Carufel, and Wenger when he gets in the rotation.

I think this team is getting better. We saw a lot more passing this time and the protection was a lot better, the sack count seems to be diminishing. Interestingly enough, as the year is going on, more and more younger guys are finding their way to starting spots. Ambrose Wooden has lost his starting spot to Sophomores Darren Walls and Rasheon McNeil. Wooden still get reps, but I'm glad to see him off the starting unit. He doesn't keep his head on a swivel, and so he never sees the ball coming. He gave up the 4th and long in the 2005 USC game at the end. Freshmen Kerry Neal is starting as an O-LB now as well, who was originally recruited as DE. It seems 5th year senior Travis Thomas is getting fewer reps as Soph and Freshmen backs Aldridge, Hughes, and Armando Allen are seeing more time. The WR corps is almost all freshmen and sophomores, with Grimes being the only Junior and hes out. Kamara is starting as a frosh, Golden Tate finally got to show some great talent last week, Robby Parrish and George West are both contributing Sophomores. One of the reporters last week brought up that some upperclassmen are on the field for their leadership it seems, but they're losing their spots to the younger guys because they aren't performing as well.

From what I've seen, of the 5th year seniors on the field, Zibby, Calrson, and Laws are the ones that deserve to be there. Travis Thomas can run the ball, but I think he hurt his chances with stupid penalties, like the brawl with #5 in the Penn State game. John Sullivan may be the only real experienced offensive lineman, but theres a concensus belief that he is the "center" of the problem on the O-line. Aside from his two snaps over the QBs head in Michigan, hes had protection problems and doesn't have the same skill as centers from the past like Jeff Faine.

[Dryden]

Originally Posted by ulukinatme

We saw a lot more passing this time and the protection was a lot better, the sack count seems to be diminishing.

Though this doesn't rectify that the season is only five games old, and one QB is now running the scout team at Cincinnati and another looks in need of a hip replacement having been a tackling dummy for the past 14 or 15 quarters.

Down to one QB with 7 games to go ... pray for Sharpley's sake that the OLine is indeed getting better.

Tate looks like a keeper, though.

[ulukinatme]

Yeah, I heard the 3rd string QB is Darrin Bragg who originally would have been a Senior this year I think, quit the team a year or two ago and has come back to play. My guess is he isn't up to speed yet on the offense and I heard a rumor his shoulder wasn't 100% either. Sharpley getting hurt could be bad...supposidly Clausen will be good to go for UCLA this week though.

[Bucky Katt]

Originally Posted by ulukinatme

I think this team is getting better. We saw a lot more passing this time and the protection was a lot better, the sack count seems to be diminishing. Interestingly enough, as the year is going on, more and more younger guys are finding their way to starting spots.

Signs of life, yes.....but this was against Purdue, a team whose defense has been quite poor in the second half of games this year, allowing 22 points to CMU and 28 to Minnesota (just in the second halves of the games).

I'll hold off on being impressed with any improvements until I see it repeated against a better defense.

[ulukinatme]

If UCLA brings their defense like last year, it will be a good test I think. They kept the receivers covered well all game and kept the pressure on until they went prevent in the final minutes and gave up the game. So far the team only seems to be able to play half a game of football. They showed up for half of MSU and half of Purdue, but thats an improvement over not showing up at all from GT to Michigan. Offense is taking positive steps, defense is responding as a result of not being on the field as much. Special teams seems to be going down the crapper though, we haven't had a kicker in 2 years, its no wonder we go for it on 4th so often, can't make extra points. Not sure what happened to Price either, he had a great year last year, hes been off a bit.

[calibuck]

I'm just glad that Notre Dame went 'Oh-for-the-B10" ! That just shows either how deep the B10 is, or how pathetically bad that ND really is.

I truly enjoyed the 'open letter' saying that Ty Willingham should be vilified because he left the cupboard bare, and that the genius Charlie 'Cheeseburger' Weis is doing everything to bring back the 'thunder' to ND football. Face it, the quality of recruits haven't been very good, and the coaching is waaaaay below par. Hey, look at the 2 & 3* players for the Buckeyes that are becoming NFL caliber talent! (Jenkins, Laurainitis, both Brians, Barton) and I'm sure there's more.

Either they are picking the kids (or vice versa) who peaked in HS, or they cannot coach up the other kids coming in. Either way, Cheeseburger has a huge contract, but I'd expect that there'd be a housecleaning of the Assistant Coaching staff at the end of the season.

Hey, we don't WANT them in the B10 (now).

[Steve19]

Originally Posted by Dryden

Uh huh. Only in South Bend will they deify the Notre Dame QB for rallying the team from a 26-6 4th quarter deficit to a brilliant 33-19 loss.

The 07 Purdue game now ranks right up there with 05 USC among Charlie Weis's greatest, most stirring losses.

My favorite was the ass-hat on ESPN tonight saying that Notre Dame remains an "elite program" but that they are not in a position to rebuild after having lost so many players (i.e., 4) to the NFL.

Even my nine-year old daughter, who is South African and new to the US, said, "that's really funny, isn't it Dad? Four players? Wouldn't Ohio State be really sad if only four players went to the NFL." Yes, sweetheart, that is a stupid thing to say and yes, OSU would indeed be very sad.

You really do have to wonder the effect of losing so many games on the offensive genius's recruiting.

[ulukinatme]

Yeah, whoever said that made a mistake. There was more than 4 eventually drafted, but only 4 are on active rosters from last year I believe. They certainly lost a lot of starters though, which is probably what the guy should have said. Pretty much all the offense except a few linemen and the TE left. While the Irish don't have a staggering number of players in the NFL like OSU, they have a comparable number of starters. I think the number is 13-17 alumni for each.

[Jaxbuck]

Originally Posted by ulukinatme

Yeah, whoever said that made a mistake. There was more than 4 eventually drafted, but only 4 are on active rosters from last year I believe. They certainly lost a lot of starters though, which is probably what the guy should have said. Pretty much all the offense except a few linemen and the TE left. While the Irish don't have a staggering number of players in the NFL like OSU, they have a comparable number of starters. I think the number is 13-17 alumni for each.

Of the 45 OSU players in the NFL on the ESPN site I count 20 starters and could be low.

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Same site lists 36 players from ND. I have no idea who your starters are but I'm sure eventually we could get an accurate count here.

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Notre DameVictor AbiamiriDefensive LinemanPhiladelphia EaglesArnaz BattleWide ReceiverSan Francisco 49ersBertrand BerryDefensive EndArizona CardinalsJordan BlackOffensive TackleHouston TexansRocky BoimanLinebackerIndianapolis ColtsJohn CarneyKickerJacksonville JaguarsDeke CooperSafetyCarolina PanthersGlenn EarlSafetyHouston TexansJeff FaineCenterNew Orleans SaintsAnthony FasanoTight EndDallas CowboysMarcus FreemanTight EndCarolina PanthersMike GandyOffensive LinemanArizona CardinalsDavid GivensWide ReceiverTennessee TitansRyan GrantRunning BackGreen Bay PackersRyan HarrisOffensive TackleDenver BroncosCraig HentrichKickerTennessee TitansCarlyle HolidayWide ReceiverGreen Bay PackersJulius JonesRunning BackDallas CowboysDerek LandriDefensive TackleJacksonville JaguarsLance LegreeDefensive TackleNew Orleans SaintsSean MahanGuardPittsburgh SteelersChinedum NdukweDefensive BackCincinnati BengalsJohn OwensTight EndNew Orleans SaintsLuke PetitgoutOffensive TackleTampa Bay BuccaneersBrady QuinnQuarterbackCleveland BrownsMike RichardsonDefensive BackNew England PatriotsMike RosenthalOffensive TackleMiami DolphinsAllen RossumCornerbackPittsburgh SteelersDan SantucciOffensive LinemanCincinnati BengalsGerome SappDefensive BackBaltimore RavensHunter SmithPunterIndianapolis ColtsMaurice StovallWide ReceiverTampa Bay BuccaneersJustin TuckDefensive EndNew York GiantsAnthony WeaverDefensive EndHouston TexansRenaldo WynnDefensive EndNew Orleans SaintsBryant YoungDefensive EndSan Francisco 49ers 


I have a V-grand that says the number of starters for OSU is more than +4 that of ND.