Will Notre Dame ever shine again?

[GO IRISH!!!]

They have had problems running the ball since CW has been there...

Ummm, I seem to remember Darius Walker was a 1000+ yard rusher in both '05 and '06. I don't call that a "problem running the ball." I am sick of hearing people say that Coach Weis teams have ALWAYS had trouble running the ball. Most of us would kill for a 1000 yard rusher!!!

 

[NDinL.A.]

Ummm, I seem to remember Darius Walker was a 1000+ yard rusher in both '05 and '06. I don't call that a "problem running the ball." I am sick of hearing people say that Coach Weis teams have ALWAYS had trouble running the ball. Most of us would kill for a 1000 yard rusher!!!

It's revisionist history OC. When it's bad, people pile on. It's the easy thing to do. Ignore anything good and focus (and lie if you have to) on everything negative. Some people around here are really good at it. I got online during my break today and thought I was on the U$C message board!!! Just keep fighting the good fight...

 

[wahoo]

Ummm, I seem to remember Darius Walker was a 1000+ yard rusher in both '05 and '06. I don't call that a "problem running the ball." I am sick of hearing people say that Coach Weis teams have ALWAYS had trouble running the ball. Most of us would kill for a 1000 yard rusher!!!

Walker was a decent back but ND still had a lot of problems running when they played against the better teams. The offense really revolved around Brady and some very good recievers.
If ND wants to compete w the "big boys" then they really need to have better line play and a more consistant defense. I just don't see the team getting better....good teams will improve from week to week. After JC had that great game vs Stanford,I thought they were on the way....but he has regressed that last few weeks. So the question is....is it coaching or the players??

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

Walker was a decent back but ND still had a lot of problems running when they played against the better teams. The offense really revolved around Brady and some very good recievers.

If you want to say we have had trouble running the ball this year and last year, I won't dispute you at all. However, if you are going to pull your citations from where the sun don't shine, that is where I take exception. Walker was a "decent" back??? Are you kidding me? He was only the fourth ND running back EVER to run for back to back 1000 yard seasons. In '05 he ran for over 1100 yards and in '06 he ran for over 1200 yards with a 5 yard per carry average!!! Doesn't look like he had too much trouble, even against "better" teams. He ranks fourth all time in rushing yards in just three seasons!!! He owns the school record for most receptions by a running back. So, I guess you are right, he was only "decent". If that is your definition of "decent" what are your expectations for "awesome"? If you are going to cite references like that at least do your homework a don't demean a great player's accomlishments.

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

Ya know if wuddas, cuddas, shuddas, apples & oranges were pillars and stones, the guys on this site could rebuild all 7 Wonders of the World 7X over.

SteveM

Maybe we doing it. In a inch kinda way. At least it's fun.

 

[wahoo]

If you want to say we have had trouble running the ball this year and last year, I won't dispute you at all. However, if you are going to pull your citations from where the sun don't shine, that is where I take exception. Walker was a "decent" back??? Are you kidding me? He was only the fourth ND running back EVER to run for back to back 1000 yard seasons. In '05 he ran for over 1100 yards and in '06 he ran for over 1200 yards with a 5 yard per carry average!!! Doesn't look like he had too much trouble, even against "better" teams. He ranks fourth all time in rushing yards in just three seasons!!! He owns the school record for most receptions by a running back. So, I guess you are right, he was only "decent". If that is your definition of "decent" what are your expectations for "awesome"? If you are going to cite references like that at least do your homework a don't demean a great player's accomlishments.

I stand corrected,I didn't realize he was that productive running the ball. Alzheimer's must be setting in early. I DO remember that he was very effective with screen passes. Thanks for the info....I'll admit when I make a mistake.

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

If you want to say we have had trouble running the ball this year and last year, I won't dispute you at all. However, if you are going to pull your citations from where the sun don't shine, that is where I take exception. Walker was a "decent" back??? Are you kidding me? He was only the fourth ND running back EVER to run for back to back 1000 yard seasons. In '05 he ran for over 1100 yards and in '06 he ran for over 1200 yards with a 5 yard per carry average!!! Doesn't look like he had too much trouble, even against "better" teams. He ranks fourth all time in rushing yards in just three seasons!!! He owns the school record for most receptions by a running back. So, I guess you are right, he was only "decent". If that is your definition of "decent" what are your expectations for "awesome"? If you are going to cite references like that at least do your homework a don't demean a great player's accomlishments.

Walker's greatness was and is his physical durability. He didn't fumble much either. But he owns good stats because he is the only one CW relied on. Was it a lack of depth?

CW now has 3 to cover 1 Walker. Individual records hopefully are a thing of the past. 13-0 records hopefully a thing of the future.

I have this feeling...

 

[NDinL.A.]

I stand corrected,I didn't realize he was that productive running the ball. Alzheimer's must be setting in early. I DO remember that he was very effective with screen passes. Thanks for the info....I'll admit when I make a mistake.

Wow, now that's a novelty; someone admits when they are wrong! The thing about Walker is he wasn't a homerun threat, so he got/gets overlooked. The guy was a positive runner, and was shifty enough to find holes where most people couldn't. I knew he wouldn't be a good pro because he wasn't athletic enough, but he was a damned good college running back...

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

Back to the title of the thread: Will Notre Dame ever shine again?

For me, Notre Dame du Lac is a beacon.

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

I stand corrected,I didn't realize he was that productive running the ball. Alzheimer's must be setting in early. I DO remember that he was very effective with screen passes. Thanks for the info....I'll admit when I make a mistake.

Its not about right or wrong and I am glad there was some useful info I hopefully passed along. Kudos to you for being such a stand up person to admit when something was overlooked. I am wrong way more than I am right...just ask my wife.

We are all here to help each other. I know it gets heated with some more than others, but we are all family, in a way. Sometimes we bicker, but, man is this thing we call Notre Dame somethin' beautiful! We will shine again! I believe it will happen very soon. This season isn't over yet and we just might see some magic before all is said and done.

wahoo - you are a true Domer!!! Go Irish - kick the snot out of the 'Cuse!!!!!!!!!!

 

[wahoo]

Its not about right or wrong and I am glad there was some useful info I hopefully passed along. Kudos to you for being such a stand up person to admit when something was overlooked. I am wrong way more than I am right...just ask my wife.

We are all here to help each other. I know it gets heated with some more than others, but we are all family, in a way. Sometimes we bicker, but, man is this thing we call Notre Dame somethin' beautiful! We will shine again! I believe it will happen very soon. This season isn't over yet and we just might see some magic before all is said and done.

wahoo - you are a true Domer!!! Go Irish - kick the snot out of the 'Cuse!!!!!!!!!!

Go Irish....that is one thing we will both agree on......GO IRISH....
My wife and most of her family think if I ever got cut I'd bleed BLUE & GOLD. I fell in love with the Irish when my uncle took me to a game at South Bend when I was 8 yrs old. It's 47 years later and there is still no better feeling for me to make that yearly trip to South Bend. I feel like "Rudy's" dad every time I walk into that beautiful stadium that the Rock built!
I am in the heart of Buckeye country but ND will always be #1 to me. It just gets very frustrating to watch this team play right now. lets get to bowl game this year...WIN THE DAMM THING!!!!...and use it as a springboard for 2009!
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO IRISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

Go Irish....that is one thing we will both agree on......GO IRISH....
My wife and most of her family think if I ever got cut I'd bleed BLUE & GOLD. I fell in love with the Irish when my uncle took me to a game at South Bend when I was 8 yrs old. It's 47 years later and there is still no better feeling for me to make that yearly trip to South Bend. I feel like "Rudy's" dad every time I walk into that beautiful stadium that the Rock built!
I am in the heart of Buckeye country but ND will always be #1 to me. It just gets very frustrating to watch this team play right now. lets get to bowl game this year...WIN THE DAMM THING!!!!...and use it as a springboard for 2009!
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO IRISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bro I feel for you living in Buckeye territory. I live in freakin' Trojan land. Living in USC territory sucks when you are an Irish fan. SC fans are terrible. My ND history is credited to my mom. When she was a little girl, her mom would take her down to Union Station in downtown LA to greet the Irish as they got off the train when they came to town to play SC. She gave her love of the Irish to me right from the start. My wife was converted to the ND way of life - every game day, she proudly wears her #10 jersey that says "Mistress Quinn" on the back! Priceless!

Let's pound the Orange tomorrow! Sportsmanship be damned! Run up the score!!!

GO IRISH!!!

 

[kmoose]

If you want to say we have had trouble running the ball this year and last year, I won't dispute you at all. However, if you are going to pull your citations from where the sun don't shine, that is where I take exception. Walker was a "decent" back??? Are you kidding me? He was only the fourth ND running back EVER to run for back to back 1000 yard seasons. In '05 he ran for over 1100 yards and in '06 he ran for over 1200 yards with a 5 yard per carry average!!! Doesn't look like he had too much trouble, even against "better" teams. He ranks fourth all time in rushing yards in just three seasons!!! He owns the school record for most receptions by a running back. So, I guess you are right, he was only "decent". If that is your definition of "decent" what are your expectations for "awesome"? If you are going to cite references like that at least do your homework a don't demean a great player's accomlishments.

GI,

I'm in between on Darius Walker. Sure, he had a couple of 1,000+ years, but he had over 250 carries in both of those years. 5.0 a carry was his best year. In the NFL, the best backs average right around 5.0 a carry. But this is college football. 5.0 a carry is good, but certainly not "awesome". Right now, there are 94 players in DI-A that are averaging 5.0 ypc or better. He owns the school record for receptions by a running back, yes. But, really, that's not all that great an accomplishment. Prior to Coach Weis' arrival at ND, ND was all about running the football. They didn't throw a whole lot, so it's safe to say that the backs weren't exactly catching a ton of balls. Having said that, I would love to have a Darius Walker on this year's team. He was consistently effective, he protected the ball, and he could pass block.

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

GI,

I'm in between on Darius Walker. Sure, he had a couple of 1,000+ years, but he had over 250 carries in both of those years. 5.0 a carry was his best year. In the NFL, the best backs average right around 5.0 a carry. But this is college football. 5.0 a carry is good, but certainly not "awesome". Right now, there are 94 players in DI-A that are averaging 5.0 ypc or better. He owns the school record for receptions by a running back, yes. But, really, that's not all that great an accomplishment. Prior to Coach Weis' arrival at ND, ND was all about running the football. They didn't throw a whole lot, so it's safe to say that the backs weren't exactly catching a ton of balls. Having said that, I would love to have a Darius Walker on this year's team. He was consistently effective, he protected the ball, and he could pass block.

Interesting take. 5 yards a carry may not be awesome, but obviously, that gets you a first down every other carry. Not too shabby if you ask me. True ND was very run oriented before Coach Weis, but when they did throw, they often had the back as the dump off safetly valve. If you are a running back at ND and mentioned before guys like Bettis and Waters, I don't care what scheme you are in, holding records over guys like that is pretty darn good. I am okay if you don't think he was great. I definitely agree with you that I would give a lot to have a Walker on this year's team.