How does ND do against the Trojans this year?

[mbooch]

OK, it's that time again. Next week, Notre Dame hosts the Trojans. We're 1-6. They've played 3 weeks of sub-par footbal, and Booty is hurt. What happens when the 2007 version of Bonnie Rockne's Game gets underway? Who wins? Who loses? Who goes home with an "excused absence"?

 

[kmoose]

I'm torn on this one. Emotionally, I want us to beat USC badly. And I think these guys are capable of winning. But, by the same token... USC is coming off of three very mediocre games, one of them a loss to a team that most people consider the worst in their conference. Pete Carroll, say what you will about him, is an outstanding coach. I just get the feeling that he is going to have his team ready to play, and out for blood.

 

[Timugen]

Well, which ND shows up at kickoff? The 1st half ND or the 2nd half ND? I think that is what determines how competitive this team is.

Some food for thought.....this year isn't the first year that our team has come out in losses "flat" in the 1st half.

 

[johnnd05]

Well, which ND shows up at kickoff? The 1st half ND or the 2nd half ND? I think that is what determines how competitive this team is.

Some food for thought.....this year isn't the first year that our team has come out in losses "flat" in the 1st half.

I don't see ND coming out flat against these f-ckers. I think the atmosphere will be very much like it was two years ago. I'm not saying we'll win, just that we'll come out with fire.

 

[NDOM]

I don't see ND coming out flat against these f-ckers. I think the atmosphere will be very much like it was two years ago. I'm not saying we'll win, just that we'll come out with fire.

I have to agree with you johnnd05! I was at the game 2 years ago and it was the loudest I have ever heard the "House that Rockne built". Were going to come out with the green shirts and smack those F-ckers right in the nose! Notre Dame football style. Go Irish. Notre Dame 28 Usc 27 (Trevor Laws blocks an extra point attempt)

 

[SoCalDomer]

I watched part of the SC/Arizona game, and Sanchez looked like a first time starter. He made some of the same mistakes that our young and inexperienced QB's have this year. I believe their OL also has suffered from injuries and contributed to Sanchez's tough day.

Their offense *should* (according to the "anal-ysts") be better than Purdue and BC's. But, if they come out playing flat they way did the last couple of weeks, I think the game will be close as the Purdue and BC games were.

 

[Epitome]

Depends on how CW wants to come out he dictates our emotion. OPEN UP THE FRIGGIN OFFENSE EARLY.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

we win, plain and simple

 

[KamaraPolice]

Win or lose, USC will still be ranked in the top 10.

 

[NDgettysburg]

We get creamed in every way possible...sorry guys, I'm completely out of optimism. I'll be watching, hoping and praying the entire time...I'm just not the least bit optimistic, even with USC's injury situation.

 

[wahoo]

We get creamed in every way possible...sorry guys, I'm completely out of optimism. I'll be watching, hoping and praying the entire time...I'm just not the least bit optimistic, even with USC's injury situation.

I would have to agree with you. This team has not shown any type of consistant offense and we can't seem to be able to stop the run very well either. I bet USC will try and run it down our throats.

 

[NDFan4Life]

I probably won't even watch the game. It's just getting too depressing.

 

[KamaraPolice]

USC is NOT good. That said, we probably lose 49-10.

Here's the official KP prediction:

Notre Dame actually gets pressure on the QB. Booty will start, despite the injury, and throw 3 picks. The announcers will marvel at how much the injury is affecting Booty, ignoring the fact Crum, Smith and Neal are beating the hell out of Booty.

Sharpley starts, throws a couple touchdowns to Kamara and the entire student body starts yelling "ARREST THAT MAN!"; clearly influenced by my handle, KamaraPolice.

Notre Dame 24
USC 20

 

[notredomer23]

If we win this game, win our final 4, go to a bowl, even if it is the kleenex we are sorry bowl, win that. thats 6 of your last 7 games being wins. it would help recruiting just a tad i think.

ND 31(ugh i hate that number, but it wont matter this year!)
USC 17

 

[johnnd05]

I probably won't even watch the game. It's just getting too depressing.

I'm sorry, but I just don't see how watching an underclassmen-laden team improve week-in, week-out (with the exception of the UM game, of course) can be depressing. Stick with it, man.

 

[NDgettysburg]

Sharpley starts, throws a couple touchdowns to Kamara

you know...I think I'd be happy if Kamara could just catch the ball.

 

[stonebreakerwasgod]

Good call Getty. His drop hurt.

I'm with CW on this point. We were hurt far more by mental mistakes than physical ones. For some reason, I put the drop in the mental category because, dammit, the only we he drops the ball is lack of concentration.

 

[NDFan4Life]

I'm sorry, but I just don't see how watching an underclassmen-laden team improve week-in, week-out (with the exception of the UM game, of course) can be depressing. Stick with it, man.

What's depressing is not knowing what team is going to show up. Is it the team that kicks butt in the first half and then falls apart and can't rush or run against geriatric patients? Or is it the team that plays like said geriatric patients in the first half and then kicks a$$ in the second but the quarters are 15 minutes and they need 25 to win?

 

[SoCalDomer]

I think we can beat the men of Troy. Oh wait, we're not playing Troy?

 

[stonebreakerwasgod]

I wish we had William Wallace. Class of 1682

 

[kmoose]

I wish we had William Wallace. Class of 1682

The way this season is going, I wish we had Mike Wallace.

 

[stonebreakerwasgod]

I wish we had Mike Myers

 

[King Rhabuf]

We get creamed in every way possible...sorry guys, I'm completely out of optimism. I'll be watching, hoping and praying the entire time...I'm just not the least bit optimistic, even with USC's injury situation.

Unfortunately, I agree.

you know...I think I'd be happy if Kamara could just catch the ball.

You're 2 for 2.

 

[kjones]

My optimism never ends. After starting my school career in the last year of Bob Davie, and going through TY to this, I've been in the stands for MANY beat-downs. But I have never been dominated, I go down yelling on every defensive play till the last. Anyway, my unbridled optimism says that these guys are going to finally put together a complete game and we're gonna win. The USCum Condoms aren't going to pull it all together, they're still going to walk in feeling like they are entitled to a win, especially against lowly 1-6 Notre Dame who they have creamed so many times in recent memory. Their overconfidence, and Booty's finger will be their downfall.

All that and this might be my riskiest prediction yet: ND's offense scores in the first quarter.

That's right, you heard me. Look here first for someone to either ridicule or laud with innumerable accolades. I'm saying we score in the first quarter, on OFFENSE.

ND 28-USC 24

 

[ACamp1900]

My take?? SC doesn't get up for Standford and Arizona when they are average to sub par... doesn't matter what we are... tehy'll be up for us... It'll take some breaks to keep it close but if we do get some bounces you never know...

good news??... I can't image a season where ND gets no breaks, this season so far... ZERO big plays, fluke plays breaks and such with the exception of DW INT against PS we are DUE!!

 

[Baytraveler]

USC will give ND a beat down. Here's what I see. I cannot say whether or not Charlie Weis is a good coach or not, but my gut feeling is he won't be coaching long. 4 sophmores leaving the team is not a good omen for a well run program. Additionally, this team just looks incompetent. That's incexcuseable. Getting the ball centered and in play is quite an effort and that reflects coaching. I just don't think Weis is a detail guy. His team seems unprepared. Let's face it ND has some talent and should be very comptetitive in every game. I just don't see it.


Baytraveler.

 

[ACamp1900]

Yeah the flags and lack of focus and execution is rather alarming and that goes back to last year really

 

[mbooch]

USC is NOT good. That said, we probably lose 49-10.

Here's the official KP prediction:

Notre Dame actually gets pressure on the QB. Booty will start, despite the injury, and throw 3 picks. The announcers will marvel at how much the injury is affecting Booty, ignoring the fact Crum, Smith and Neal are beating the hell out of Booty.

Sharpley starts, throws a couple touchdowns to Kamara and the entire student body starts yelling "ARREST THAT MAN!"; clearly influenced by my handle, KamaraPolice.

Notre Dame 24
USC 20

I was there in 2005, and will be there this Saturday. I have no idea what to expect, but my gut tells me that USC will play well, and ND will have its hands very full. What is USC good at, defensively? I suspect CW will play-call AWAY from USC's perceived strength, whatever it is. Personally, I believe that has developed into one of CW's main faults as a play-caller, i.e. he is overly reactive, rather than proactive. I go back to the Era of Ara, and fondly remember Holtz. Both of them forced the defenses to defend the whole field, and the whole playbook. CW seems to abandon the run before it ever gets untracked, and ND winds up very one dimensional. If that happens again on Saturday.... OUCH !

 

[mbooch]

USC will give ND a beat down. Here's what I see. I cannot say whether or not Charlie Weis is a good coach or not, but my gut feeling is he won't be coaching long. 4 sophmores leaving the team is not a good omen for a well run program. Additionally, this team just looks incompetent. That's incexcuseable. Getting the ball centered and in play is quite an effort and that reflects coaching. I just don't think Weis is a detail guy. His team seems unprepared. Let's face it ND has some talent and should be very comptetitive in every game. I just don't see it.


Baytraveler.

I just read apiece featuring analysis by Tom Pagna, Ara's Offensive coordinator. He points out that the ND blocking schemes are excessively simplistic, and that they didn't do enough hard hitting in the pre-season. If that is the case, a lot of this season was lost before it got started, since these are gaps you just don't fill in on the fly. I suspect CW is learning a lot more than he lets on, meaning he had a LOT to learn about developing college talent when he got to SB. When he had a predominately upperclassmen team, his attitude and optimism probably was welcome after the three years of Ty "the Sphinx" Willingham. NOW, he has to develope a bunch of 19 years olds, and his first season in this situation reeals that he's not yet good at it. Time will tell, but I hope Weis is big enough to learn from this year's mistakes.

 

[KamaraPolice]

Weis has made mistakes, no question. But this team is still young, and they will be young next week, and they will be young at the end of the season too (being young doesn't disappear in 2 months). They will even be considered young next season; the only difference is that we won't accept the horrendous mental errors that are occuring this season.

Everyone kind of put it together peice by peice: Young teams that have talent show flashes, but also make egregious mental mistakes. It's what you expect.