I think we, myself included, have bought into the hype of Brian Kelly, and may have overestimated the recruitment of Charlie Weis. Yes, we do have some very good players, but we are still incomplete, and I think we will follow a similar path...maybe a year faster then Stanford. The bottom line is that this is going to take time and is going to be a process.
Dayne Crist has a TON of potential, and will develop into a very good QB. He is still a first year quarterback starting in a new system, and it is more then obvious that he is having some growing pains. I do not mean to take anything away from Stanford, they are a very good team, and they showed that we are not there yet to compete with the big dogs of football.
Both of our lines need to be built up, they are leaky, and not very good. They are both in new systems, and are working with a mixmatched line. We need to bring in some big nasty lineman that blow teams off the ball. Our LB's are good, but we need a few more elite players to compliment Teo. Our secondary is a huge concern for the future, we are thin, and need some BIG commits this class. I think as the years go on we will see talent maximized, and not deteriorate into a mess similar to what we are watching now.
Brian Kelly is a good coach, but not a miracle worker. I had thought that we had enough talent for him to work with, but we are nowhere near a solid team. Luckily, we will probably go 7-5/8-4 with a nice bowl win to set the stage for next year. I think that as the season goes on we will see the team grow, and with the pattsies we have coming up get some real confidence, and gain A TON of valuable reps.
BC- Winnable, they do not look good, and will be a good game. A MUST WIN.
Pitt- Is coming of a disastrous season with off the field issues. Its at home, and is a toss up.
Those 2 games are winnable aslong as we do not going into a slump, and just deteriorate.
W. Michigan- A easy win that we should get Lo Wood some reps, and a few other freshman that could use the expierience.
Tulsa- Same as WM.
Navy- I fear that is we do not get our Dline going we could lose this game, especially if the offense sputters. I think BC,PITT,WM, and Tulsa will be valuable to this team in confidence and reps for expierence in the system. I look for everything to start clicking against a solid opponent.
Utah- This game is HUGE. There is a chance that we could be on a 5 straight win streak and this may be the best team we will face aside from Stanford. I will be really let down if we do not see a change in the team from now til then. I expected to see this team grow as the season rolls on (granted I thought we would be further ahead of the curve then we are) this game could be interesting.
Army- Tricky game, if the team has a big loss and is hungover Army could win. Or if the team is on a 6 game win streak and is looking ahead to SC could be a problem. A win is almost definite.
We could be 8-3 or 7-4 (Probable) heading into SC. This is our bowl game, if we can take SC down the season will be a success, similar to Stanford when the took down SC in Harbaughs first season. The players will buy into the system and end on a high note with a bowl birth.
I think Kelly can get it done, but he has a big job to do. He needs a signature win this year to get the train rolling, recruits believing, and momentum heading into 2011. Keep faith, and watch a team grow.
Go Irish
