2007 will be more like CW's 1st year

[Clausen2Kamara]

Unlike 2006, there will be no national championship expectations or heisman trophy favorites. Although it was exciting with all of the possibilities, it made us play up tight and nervous IMO. The 2007 team will be young and will play loose IMO. Of course there will always be expectations at ND but I think a lot of sportswriters will understand that we're a young team. A lot of teams won't play with nearly the desire as they did last year as they wanted to knock off the team with national title hopes. Next season we will struggle, there is no doubt about that but we will also be exciting with a lot of young, talented athletes. IMO we will exceed expectations and show the rest of CFB that we will be a defenite force to be reckoned with for as long as CW and company are here. 9 wins in 2007 will do wonders for the ND program. If CW can prove he can win with this young of a team than recruits will be even more interested especially after seeing all of thes freshman and Sophmores get significant PT.

 

[RI Domer]

That is what I keep thinking. A college football coach who takes over must be given three years to be coaching "his team". Recruiting is so much of the puzzle. You can try all you want but until you have your own styled players the team will never fit your personality/ coaching style. This is the first year CW will have his own guys and we cannot blame TW for anything. At the same time these young men are all in their first or second yearas and must be given a bit of leeway. Charlie will be a great coach for this team but he must be given time.

 

[onenybrother]

That is what I keep thinking. A college football coach who takes over must be given three years to be coaching "his team". Recruiting is so much of the puzzle. You can try all you want but until you have your own styled players the team will never fit your personality/ coaching style. This is the first year CW will have his own guys and we cannot blame TW for anything. At the same time these young men are all in their first or second yearas and must be given a bit of leeway. Charlie will be a great coach for this team but he must be given time.

It's his defense I'm worried about.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

Unlike 2006, there will be no national championship expectations or heisman trophy favorites. Although it was exciting with all of the possibilities, it made us play up tight and nervous IMO. The 2007 team will be young and will play loose IMO. Of course there will always be expectations at ND but I think a lot of sportswriters will understand that we're a young team. A lot of teams won't play with nearly the desire as they did last year as they wanted to knock off the team with national title hopes. Next season we will struggle, there is no doubt about that but we will also be exciting with a lot of young, talented athletes. IMO we will exceed expectations and show the rest of CFB that we will be a defenite force to be reckoned with for as long as CW and company are here. 9 wins in 2007 will do wonders for the ND program. If CW can prove he can win with this young of a team than recruits will be even more interested especially after seeing all of thes freshman and Sophmores get significant PT.

That's why I'll be excited to see Demetrius Jones as QB, unless Clausen comes in & exceeds all the hype that he's coming in with & is a "no brainer" choice as starter. Jones would give Weis a wider variety of plays to call & give the offense that element of suprise that they enjoyed in '05. Once 06 came around, all the coaches had film on ND & Weis didn't stay a few steps ahead of the competition like I was hoping he would. Maybe he tried & the execution was lacking. Either way, there was a little predictability in the playcalling last season. This isn't the NFL where Weis can just employ a game manager. He needs a game changer seeing as the offense will be so green. If they can catch some early momentum, 2007 will be a fun ride.

 

[Fighting_Irish9]

Unlike 2006, there will be no national championship expectations or heisman trophy favorites. Although it was exciting with all of the possibilities, it made us play up tight and nervous IMO. The 2007 team will be young and will play loose IMO. Of course there will always be expectations at ND but I think a lot of sportswriters will understand that we're a young team. A lot of teams won't play with nearly the desire as they did last year as they wanted to knock off the team with national title hopes. Next season we will struggle, there is no doubt about that but we will also be exciting with a lot of young, talented athletes. IMO we will exceed expectations and show the rest of CFB that we will be a defenite force to be reckoned with for as long as CW and company are here. 9 wins in 2007 will do wonders for the ND program. If CW can prove he can win with this young of a team than recruits will be even more interested especially after seeing all of thes freshman and Sophmores get significant PT.

Sports writters and fand didn't understand we were a Young team for the 03/04 seasons, why would they understand now?

 

[irishranger]

I keep hearing about DJ being the front runner for the QB job, is he that good? I have seen nothing on this kid other than he ran the scout team well. I am not trying to bash on him or anything like that, I am just curious how good he really is? Anyone seen him play?

 

[BGIF]

Unlike 2006, there will be no national championship expectations or heisman trophy favorites.

And perhaps even more importantly know Professional Baseball Players and Professional Boxers. Hopefully the sideshows are over and the focus will be on football.

I think a lot of sportswriters will understand that we're a young team.

They'll recognize it but most won't write that. The ax grinders are looking at Charlie for a little payback.

A lot of teams won't play with nearly the desire as they did last year as they wanted to knock off the team with national title hopes.

Don't kid yourself. Navy is already saying "This IS the year". PU would be excited about beating an 0-11 Irish team. They'd put the score on their rings. There are several opponents with new coaches. They won't be underestimating ND. Nor will UM who holds a slim edge over ND in All-Time Winning Percentage.

9 wins in 2007 will do wonders for the ND program.

Yes it would. It would show just how good a coach he is. It's easy to coach with All-American caliber skill players than it is with a bunch of rookies. Davie and Willingham both one 10 games when they had an advantage. How did they do in adversity? GO IRISH!

If CW can prove he can win with this young of a team than recruits will be even more interested especially after seeing all of thes freshman and Sophmores get significant PT.

Not necessarily so. It's easy to play underclassmen when you have nobody else. Lots of time for some Frosh and Sophs actually could actually turn some away sensing the positions will be locked up for the next couple of years. Other recruits we'll think, "that guy played 150 minutes? I tackle better than that!" It cuts both ways.

 

[solo]

I think that there will be more pressure next year than in his first year.

2005...Willingham had the bar lowered from his tenure. Nobody expects much of anything from Weis' first team. Most were pleasantly surprised. University steps up big and makes Weis a sweetheart deal.

2006...Weis has the expectations significantly higher and falls a tad short. Still a good season. But team showed zero improvement over his first year. Blowouts continued. Coaching staff casualties (this is usually a sign of pressure from above).

2007...yes, everyone expects a fall off from this year. So we won't have Heisman and national championship expectations. But Weis at this point has established a certain baseline for performance. The talent level on the field should actually start to increase as Weis' recruits get onto the field. So even though we will be young, we will have potential. I would imagine that expectations would be higher than they were for Weis' first year.

 

[stonebreakerwasgod]

The pressure next yearwill be the same as always.. HIGH. Every year folks like us expect to win, whether or not the talent pool is deep. The difference though is the number of changes taking place (i.e. new coaches, loss of all key playmakers, and a need for a number of underclassmen to step up). This is the type of situation that will be telling as far as how good a coach CW is. If ND can keep up the pace of last years offense AND improve defensively, naysayers would have to give Hannah's dad his due.

 

[rontdtarchala]

agree...we must... let me repeat that...we must improve significantly on defense or there are going to be some bigger heads being lopt off....our d was unbelievably inadiquit last year...I can't stomach much more of that crap

 

[solo]

I agree that next year we REALLY learn about CW as a coach. It will certainly be his biggest challenge to date. He will have a new defense and inexperience nearly everywhere on offense.

Anyone can win when you inherit a first rounder at QB. Next years team will have had 2 full seasons to learn under Weis. Even though many of the starters won't be his recruits, they will have been in his system long enough for him to have developed them and for them to be effective at some level.

Defense? With the new coach and new schemes they get a pass next year.

Offense? Some drop off is expected. But we should still be able to score on anyone. Much like how New England keeps changing offensive personnel but continues to be effective offensively, so should we.

If our offense is awful next season, I will have doubts as to Weis' ability as a HC. We don't need to be world class, but we should be effective.

 

[weisbankaccount]

I dont expect anything less than I do every year from Notre Dame - compete for a national title. There is no rebuilding year for me. This crap is of the newer generation ND fan because I never heard this "7-9 wins would be fan-diddly-tastic" junk until the late 90's.

 

[irishunclebill]

Anyone can win when you inherit a first rounder at QB..

I'm sorry but I have to disagree strongly with that statement Solo. Did you watch Brady Quinn at QB his first 2 years under TW? If Quinn had been graduating after his first 2 years, he would have been lucky to be a NFL Draft pick at all. CW did not inherit a first rounder at QB, he took a kid with talent, blended him into a system, and taught him what was neccesary to utilize those skills into becoming a first round draft pick.

 

[solo]

I'm sorry but I have to disagree strongly with that statement Solo. Did you watch Brady Quinn at QB his first 2 years under TW? If Quinn had been graduating after his first 2 years, he would have been lucky to be a NFL Draft pick at all. CW did not inherit a first rounder at QB, he took a kid with talent, blended him into a system, and taught him what was neccesary to utilize those skills into becoming a first round draft pick.

This is purely speculation. We have no idea how Quin would have done in his 3rd season and 4th season under center in Willingam's offense. You do expect significant strides from a 3rd year starter at QB compared to their 2nd year don't you? I do believe that BQ developed more under Weis than he would have under TW, but the fact remains that Weis inherited a talented QB and everyone wins with a talented QB.

So the real challenge begins next year. Not that Weis hasn't been challenged to date, but it definitely gets harder next year.

 

[irishunclebill]

This is purely speculation. We have no idea how Quin would have done in his 3rd season and 4th season under center in Willingam's offense. You do expect significant strides from a 3rd year starter at QB compared to their 2nd year don't you? I do believe that BQ developed more under Weis than he would have under TW, but the fact remains that Weis inherited a talented QB and everyone wins with a talented QB.

So the real challenge begins next year. Not that Weis hasn't been challenged to date, but it definitely gets harder next year.

Not to belabor the point, but if it is speculation that Quinn only progressed to a 1st round pick under CW, then how is it not speculation that CW inherited a first rounder. My problem with your first post was that statement, now you are saying that he inherited a talented QB, there is no disputing that, but that is a much different statement than what you originally posted. As to "everyone wins with a talented QB", it's hard to be more speculative than that. One thing that I agree with you on 100% is that "the real challenge begins next year".

 

[Fighting_Irish9]

There is no reason to expect that Quinn would not have kept improving, he made pretty big leaps between his Fr and So years, and on Average the Jr year is the break out year for a QB. In Quinns first 2 years...

47.3% to 54.1% completion ratio
15 Int's in 332 Att to 9 INT's in 353 Att
9 TD's in 332 Att to 17 TD's in 352 Att
153 Yd Pg to 216 Yds PG (and a vastly improved running game his Soph year)

no doubt the addition of a NFL play caller is going to help, but it isn't like Quinn wasn't growing as a player

 

[IrishAlum1997]

I dont expect anything less than I do every year from Notre Dame - compete for a national title. There is no rebuilding year for me. This crap is of the newer generation ND fan because I never heard this "7-9 wins would be fan-diddly-tastic" junk until the late 90's.

Amen. National Champs or bust.

 

[FleaFlicker]

There is no reason to expect that Quinn would not have kept improving, he made pretty big leaps between his Fr and So years, and on Average the Jr year is the break out year for a QB. In Quinns first 2 years...

47.3% to 54.1% completion ratio
15 Int's in 332 Att to 9 INT's in 353 Att
9 TD's in 332 Att to 17 TD's in 352 Att
153 Yd Pg to 216 Yds PG (and a vastly improved running game his Soph year)

no doubt the addition of a NFL play caller is going to help, but it isn't like Quinn wasn't growing as a player

That is making the issue more simple than it was. First of all, yes, a junior year is typically a QB's break-out year. But not their 3rd year of playing. You see considerable strides in their second year of starting. It is just that most QB's don't start their freshman year. I'd say most start their first game as a sophomore or junior. So that is skewing the facts a bit.

Also, his stats jumped from 54.1%, 2586 yds, 17 TD, 10 INT his Sophomore year to... 64.9%, 3919 yds, 32 TD, 7 INT his Junior year... That is a gargantuan jump. And there is no way he puts up those numbers under TW, no chance at all.

You would be naive to assume that a guy like Tom Brady was just as good before Weis helped mentor him. Actually, ask Tom Brady what he thinks...

Let's not forget he was a 6th round pick to New England.

 

[Fighting_Irish9]

That is making the issue more simple than it was. First of all, yes, a junior year is typically a QB's break-out year. But not their 3rd year of playing. You see considerable strides in their second year of starting. It is just that most QB's don't start their freshman year. I'd say most start their first game as a sophomore or junior. So that is skewing the facts a bit.

Also, his stats jumped from 54.1%, 2586 yds, 17 TD, 10 INT his Sophomore year to... 64.9%, 3919 yds, 32 TD, 7 INT his Junior year... That is a gargantuan jump. And there is no way he puts up those numbers under TW, no chance at all.

You would be naive to assume that a guy like Tom Brady was just as good before Weis helped mentor him. Actually, ask Tom Brady what he thinks...

Let's not forget he was a 6th round pick to New England.

Nobody is saying the stats would have been the same....we got one of the NFL's best PLAYCALLERS...ofcourse the stats go up....simply saying he inherited incredibly talented kids that were heading into their break out years

 

[irish4life99]

Dear God,

You sound like a broken record. I'm sure the 40th ranked average classes were just chuck full of great stars. Sure there were a hand full of good players that were not being developed. Now if you would just open your ears and listen to all the praise that these players are giving Weis saying if not for him they would have NO shot at the NFL. How about Stovall, McKnight, Walker, Fasino.... all whom came out and said if not for Charlie they wouldn't have been in the NFL. It must be hard being blind and deaf huh.