Of all college football teams, Notre Dame might be the happiest to see the start of the 2008 season finally arrive. I won't re-hash last season's nightmare, but it was one for the record books for all the wrong reasons. There is no way to sugarcoat it: the Irish stank.
On Saturday, Notre Dame hosts San Diego State and will begin to answer questions left after last year's debacle. Is Jimmy Clausen really a top notch quarterback that can lead a big-time program? Can the offensive line block anybody? Can Charlie Weis really develop collegiate talent?
While San Diego State appears to be the right type of opponent Notre Dame needs to begin a comeback season, I'm not so sure. The Aztecs only won four games last year in a weak conference and return 12 starters. However, intangibles may play a big part in this game.
I believe the Irish will win, but don't underestimate the pressure this team is under. Fans and media are looking for evidence that last season was only a blip on the radar. San Diego State is a team Notre Dame should destroy, but the team's fragile ego may crack if it gets off to a slow start.
Notre Dame fans must remain realistic. This is a team that will have to take baby steps before getting up to speed. There will be no quick cure after last season and anybody expecting that is not being realistic.
This team needs time to grow. If that doesn't happen, they may crumble.
Be patient.
4 comments:
Notre Dame will win Saturday. Bank it (apologies to George Plaster). I don't look for them to be but a little more than mediocre this year. But they ain't gonna be mediocre for very long (again, bank it).
Hubby and my two sons will be going Saturday. I hope for a "W" too since it's a long ride home after a losing game.
We take a couple friend with us to Michigan next week, they've never been to a game, would be nice to have them there for an upset, but I'm also one of the realistic Irish fans.
We'll see how this season goes.... crossing my fingers, toes and everything else.
Thanks for stopping by my blog today!
Chris, interesting take. I do agree with you that there are going to be a lot of jitters on the field on Saturday and probably a lot of guys will be getting very little sleep the night before the game.
If anything, that only reinforces the idea that we should be looking to pound the ground game and come out like gangbusters on defense. Our guys are going to be hyped up and nervous, and I would imagine they are going to be looking to pop some people in the opening quarters of the game. I would like to see guys like Sam Young and Chris Stewart take out their nervousness on some SDSU defenders, and I would love to see the defense flying around the ball.
Once we've settled down a bit, the running game will open up some opportunities for Clausen to hit some play action plays and some stuff down the field.
Nervousness is unavoidable in college football, so we gotta find a way to harness it to our advantage. If we're trying to run a bunch of precision pass plays in the first quarter, that's a mistake. We should be looking to pop some heads and move the chains.
We have the talent to run these guys into the ground, and that's what she should open the game looking to do. Physically beat them down and then open it up with some big plays.
Notre Dame 21 San Diego State 13. Shockingly, the game unfolded pretty much as I expected. So, be patient.
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