Huskies Bark Should Be Bigger Than Their Bite

Yes the Washington Huskies were ranked last week. And yes, they did beat number 3 (at the time) USC at home.

But let's be honest, they were winless last year, and then beat an overrated team at home, without their starting quarterback. Not to mention that this past week, while being ranked, they got dominated by Stanford, who is also nothing to be impressed by despite Toby Gerhart.

So we find ourselves looking at another game this week, in which Notre Dame should be able to beat an inferior team. Yes Notre Dame has some injuries, most notably Jimmy Clausen and Michael Floyd (who was jumping up and down a little too much for my liking during the Purdue game). But finally, FINALLY, Golden Tate showed everyone the unstoppable playmaker he is this year, and willed us to victory.

With Tate able to do apparently everything on the field I feel that Notre Dame should be fine in terms of making plays. Especially with backup qb Dayne Crist getting some time last week with Clausen hobbled. The defense is going to be what we need to step up. Look, Washington ranks 82nd in the nation in yards allowed per game and 74th in points allowed per game with 25.3. Notre Dame should be able to move the ball on them and score.

What Notre Dame has to do is worry about Jake Locker, who is Washington's best player by far, and his injury last year would lend some insight into a winless season. But having faced dual threat quarterbacks already in Michigan's Tate Forcier and Nevada's Colin Kapernick, they should at least have an idea on what to do.

Locker is the reason that Washington can win this game, but it is the reason they should be in it if they are. The Huskies are yet another team that ND should beat, now we have to see whether or not Charlie and his staff can make a should-be-win turn into another unnecessary nailbiter, and further put his job security into question.

Deja Vu...Almost

So here we are, watching another game agaisnt a team from the state of Michigan in which Notre Dame should have been up by a lot more than they were early. So I think to myself, man this is starting to look like last week...and last year...the last two years...the last decade plus. Why does it seem that once again we are going to lose a game we should have won by halftime?

I was hoping that a week after losing a game they would come out fired up, and thinking that was a fluke with our talent, and we should roll. Well it did start that way, the problem is it didn't stay like that. No, instead our defense plays awful again and we get into another tight game.

So how many Notre Dame fans weren't thinking that going into that final drive, with Notre Dame once again winning in the closing seconds, that a team from the awful state of Michigan was going to send each of them crying to an early night? I know the thought unfortunately crossed my mind. Finally though, after waiting for three weeks now dating back to the Nevada game, the defense makes a game changing play (And yes I am ignoring the interception in the 4th quarter of last week's game because that was more a mistake by Forcier than a play by ND).
So finally we were able to breathe easy, but come on Charlie, really?

The final drive, and the apparent ineptitude of Notre Dame ever playing defense again were not the only consitencies from this game. That old injury bug is seeming to sprout its ugly head again.

What is the one thing that could stop this Notre Dame offense? At this point, injuries might truly be the only thing that could stop it. They have averaged 34 points a game so far this year, and it could be higher given the defense ever stopped someone, and some calls this way or that were not so abominable. Well start with all the negative talk because the offense is injured.

Michael Floyd may be the best wide reciever in the country, it is up for debate. But there is one distinction he probably has to himself. He is probably the best reciever in the country that is injured...for the season. The early All-American candidate broke his clavicle, collarbone, whichever term you want to use. This has made two injuries in two years that have kept Floyd out a considerable amount of time. Will he be back this year come bowl season (assuming there is a bowl season for ND), that remains to be seen. At this point he could have a medical redshirt, but would he really be coming back to ND for three more seasons following this one? Would have even come back for two more seasons following this one? Whatever the answers to the future are, the present looks much more bleak because of it.

Floyd thus far had been unstoppable, and that made the Irish offense practically unstoppable. Now the offense has a different direction to take, with Golden Tate destined to see more double teams, and the run possibly loaded up on despite Armando Allen's rapid improvement, the offense suddenly has a lot of questions for itself.

Oh and don't forget about that guy who is getting them the ball, Jimmy Clausen. Yeah Deja Vu may be paying him a visit as well. In his Junior year Clausen was stunted by an injury to his arm, and now it appears his foot will be giving him and the ND offense problems. The hobbling Mr. Clausen was able to finish the game and lead the team to a win with 300 yards again, but it is something that is not encouraging for fans. Though Dayne Crist is a highly thought of player, Clausen going down would spell trouble for the season.

It just seems that whenever you start to feel good something happens. You let a team stay in it, your defense makes no improvements, there are injuries that make you rethink your team's abilities. I guess it feels like Deja Vu, but I guess it is called being a Notre Dame football fan...

Same Old Stuff, Just A Different Year

What are the constants of the Charlie Weis era? That they will lose a game that they should win, and that the defense always decides to not show up in big games, or the upsets that take place. You can put another notch in both of those columns after Saturday's atrocity.

Yup, Notre Dame's loss to Michigan 38-34 was another punch to the gut of Notre Dame fans, and Weis' job security. There are only so many times that a team can lose these games, with a coach on the hot seat, and the naysayers actually be right. I have been someone who was always on the side of the fence where I thought Charlie needed another chance. You look at his offense as they were able to pile up yards and points, to be let down again by his defense.

When you look at some of the big losses in his tenure at Notre Dame it more often is not the defense just not playing up to expectations, or neccesity. Removing many of the 2007 season of course, when only die hards were showing their faces in support.

• 2005: Lost to Michigan St by giving up 44 points at home. Also fell victim to a great USC team yes, but they gave up 34 points in that one too.
• 2006: They lost to Michigan and USC giving up an average of 45.5 points a game. Lack of defense yet again.
• 2007: Nevermind the loss to Michigan St at home giving up 31, and the loss to Purdue by allowing 33. No, those were inspiring in comparison to losses to Navy and Air Force when the defense allowed an average of 43.5 points.
• 2008: What do ya know, against a Pittsburgh team who was without their starting quarterback and almost unwilling to throw with their back up they gave up 36 points. I know that was with overtime periods, but they didn't even want to throw the Proxy-Connection: keep-alive
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  ll. The run ripped us apart. And to cap off that season at home for the seniors they gave up 24 points to an anemic Syracuse offense. 24 points to that team might as well have been another 45.

His offense is going again, yet the team is not getting better as a whole. As they lost the game as much on special teams as they did with their defense. Those two blunders on special teams were a 10 point difference. 10 points. You miss a field goal on a great opening drive, and then follow a made field goal just to give up a kick return? Really?

You are a head coach at Notre Dame Charlie, not an Offensive Coordinator. You have to take the heat for this stuff, and if you are taking the heat then that is a nice way to be accepting the blame.

Now I understand that the refs were not very great, especially in the fact that they seemed to screw the Irish every time they could really. Whether it was negating a TD here, looking the other way on a pass interference there, or just calling phantom holds to bring back 80 yard passes. The refs were horrible, and I would say no coincidence that they were Big "Eleven" refs.

Charlie, I will give you credit here as a politician, though most probably saw through it as we do with politicians. You were able to bring up many of the faults by the refs, just to reference that you weren't going to complain about them. Sure in that way you were complaining, but I think you had a right to get the idea out there yet again when you said those things.

I watched the tape a hundred times this morning, okay. Just like
when I watched it when it happened, just like their two guys thatwere
standing right on top of the play when it happened. From what I understand, the
TV copy on top of it, I still haven’t heard anyone tell me there’s any evidence
of Armando stepping out of bounds.

The way I thought the rule is supposed to be, it’s supposed to be conclusive
evidence. I’m perturbed at that call.

That game left a lot to be desired. I’m not blaming the officiating for the
game.”

I think there are places to go from here, and the team can still have a great season. However, anymore losses when there isn’t any defense, and a team that should be a win, Charlie might be looking for a new job. As it is, a win on October 17 might be his last hope.

What To Expect Week 2

Check any media outlet you want, Saturday's match up got a lot more interesting following the coming out parties for Notre Dame and Michigan. Notre Dame was dominant in every way on Saturday, winning 35-0 over Nevada.

Those Wolverines didn't look to shabby either, putting controversy out of their minds for at least a few hours. Michigan was able to push Western Michigan around in the "Little House" by a score of 31-7. Though the pundits won't mention the lack of returning talent, the win turned some heads.

Now with one week in the books, people are vaulting both teams into the "their back mode". While neither team will find themselves in the top 17, let alone "back", one team will leave the field Saturday 2-0 and on their way up the rankings.

Look, both of these teams had great weeks but you have to look at the facts of them both.

• Notre Dame faced a team that was returning a quarterback that has done something only 4 other players have ever done, by rushing for over 1,000 and passing for over 2,000 yards in one season. The two little ones that played for Michigan looked good, but so does Colin Kaepernick most weeks.
• Notre Dame's defense pitched their first shut-out since 2002, and the first ever under Charlie. Only the 3rd time Hall of Famer Chris Ault has been shut out while at Nevada.
  
• They were able to run for over 150 yards against a team that has been stout against the run in previous years.
  
• Not to mention the fact that Jimmy Clausen was on fire and Michael Floyd was unstoppable with 4 catches for 189. Oh and 3 of those receptions were for touchdowns. Albeit a secondary that ranked last in the nation last year against the past.
  

Alright, so Michigan fans want to start blabbing about what their "new and improved team" did against Western Michigan. Yeah you had some bright spots, sure.

• Freshman quarterback Tate Forcie threw for three touchdowns in his debut, and felt like the big stage was far from daunting. Fellow Freshman Denard "Shoelace" Robinson was able to show his ground skills, as he was able to break out a 43 yard touchdown scamper at one point in the first half.
• The defense was able to hold a talented Western Michigan team (which is debatable) to only 7 points. Most yards and points coming against the second defense later in the game.
• Wide out Junior Hemingway brought in over 100 yards along with 2 td's, against a weak secondary.
  

When you take a step back and look at this game, there are reasons to favor both. But when you take those blinders off, Michigan fans and Notre Dame haters, Notre Dame should win this game. Notre Dame has the edge in the quarterback battle, as Clausen is a veteran and also has the benefit of possibly the best recieving corp in the nation. The O-line of Notre Dame is much more battle-tested, as well as the secondary. The defense of Notre Dame led by Jon Tenuta is going to be bringing blitzes to confuse the young quarterbacks, and they are focusing on the idea of not giving them room to move and escape. Not to mention that you can treat ol' Shoelace there as a wildcat formation.

Notre Dame has more talent, more veterans, and more of a reason to win. Will they? I dunno, but they should.