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Wake up the echoes -- the Irish are No. 1
By The Editorial Staff
Posted: 05/23/2006
The "gone is the glory" talk of 2004 gave way to an entirely different spin in 2005: Notre Dame isn't out-of-touch with modern college football, its academic standards aren't too high, and you can recruit the best athletes to South Bend.
All the Irish needed was the right coach.
That Charlie Weis has already beaten USC for the plum of the 2007 recruiting class — QB Jimmy Clausen (from Southern California!) — is getting ahead of the game, but not beside the point.
Notre Dame's 9-3 record in its first season under Crewcut Charlie gave notice that the Irish were back, and recruiting efforts suggest that Notre Dame is back ... for good.
With 16 returning starters, including the nation's best quarterback in Brady Quinn and an offense that should improve on its gaudy 477.3-yard average last season, the Irish will leave no doubt.
They're back on top.
Notre Dame is Lindy's pick as the 2006 national champions.
THE GOOD NEWS: Tyrone Willingham won't get a statue outside of Notre Dame Stadium, but give the man his due for bringing in the backbone — dare we say, heart and soul — of this championship-caliber team. In one swoop, the glorious Class of 2003 included Brady Quinn, Jeff Samardzija, Tom Zbikowski, Victor Abiamiri, Ryan Harris, Trevor Laws, John Sullivan, Ambrose Wooden ...
Now, picture that kind of senior class multiplied by four. That's the kind of team the Irish are going to have every year if Weis stays true to his word and stays in South Bend (commence rosaries).
THE BAD NEWS: Notre Dame better grab its track shoes, because USC is still upset about the speed-killing knee-length grass (OK, so we exaggerate) at Notre Dame Stadium last season. Can the Irish handle teams with speed on a fast track? The lasting images of the Fiesta Bowl loss to Ohio State indicate they can't.
Speaking of which, the Buckeyes, we say, will be waiting again for the Irish at the end of the road — in the national title game. But if improvements aren't made to the Notre Dame defense (nearly 400 yards allowed per game last season), the Irish aren't going to get there.
OUR CALL: Despite the defensive questions, these skies are not blue-gray skies, but sunny days. The schedule is demanding, with Yellow Jackets, Nittany Lions, Wolverines, Spartans, Bruins and, ultimately, Trojans, but if you're good enough, you're good enough. Notre Dame is that.
http://www.lindyssports.com/content.php?id=187
By The Editorial Staff
Posted: 05/23/2006
The "gone is the glory" talk of 2004 gave way to an entirely different spin in 2005: Notre Dame isn't out-of-touch with modern college football, its academic standards aren't too high, and you can recruit the best athletes to South Bend.
All the Irish needed was the right coach.
That Charlie Weis has already beaten USC for the plum of the 2007 recruiting class — QB Jimmy Clausen (from Southern California!) — is getting ahead of the game, but not beside the point.
Notre Dame's 9-3 record in its first season under Crewcut Charlie gave notice that the Irish were back, and recruiting efforts suggest that Notre Dame is back ... for good.
With 16 returning starters, including the nation's best quarterback in Brady Quinn and an offense that should improve on its gaudy 477.3-yard average last season, the Irish will leave no doubt.
They're back on top.
Notre Dame is Lindy's pick as the 2006 national champions.
THE GOOD NEWS: Tyrone Willingham won't get a statue outside of Notre Dame Stadium, but give the man his due for bringing in the backbone — dare we say, heart and soul — of this championship-caliber team. In one swoop, the glorious Class of 2003 included Brady Quinn, Jeff Samardzija, Tom Zbikowski, Victor Abiamiri, Ryan Harris, Trevor Laws, John Sullivan, Ambrose Wooden ...
Now, picture that kind of senior class multiplied by four. That's the kind of team the Irish are going to have every year if Weis stays true to his word and stays in South Bend (commence rosaries).
THE BAD NEWS: Notre Dame better grab its track shoes, because USC is still upset about the speed-killing knee-length grass (OK, so we exaggerate) at Notre Dame Stadium last season. Can the Irish handle teams with speed on a fast track? The lasting images of the Fiesta Bowl loss to Ohio State indicate they can't.
Speaking of which, the Buckeyes, we say, will be waiting again for the Irish at the end of the road — in the national title game. But if improvements aren't made to the Notre Dame defense (nearly 400 yards allowed per game last season), the Irish aren't going to get there.
OUR CALL: Despite the defensive questions, these skies are not blue-gray skies, but sunny days. The schedule is demanding, with Yellow Jackets, Nittany Lions, Wolverines, Spartans, Bruins and, ultimately, Trojans, but if you're good enough, you're good enough. Notre Dame is that.
http://www.lindyssports.com/content.php?id=187
