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Restoring the Roar at Notre Dame <o></o>
By Adam Rittenberg
Daily Herald Sports Writer
Posted Wednesday, December 28, 2005
<o></o>
Restoring the Roar
<o></o>
The rebuilding effort was supposed to take more than a year, but Charlie Weis has Notre Dame football back in the national spotlight, and here are the 10 top reasons behind the turnaround <o></o>
They heard the predictions of 0-6 and the continued grumbles about a talent gap and a taxing schedule. <o></o>
But Notre Dame players, led by new coach Charlie Weis, were determined to be relevant again. <o></o>
There have been better seasons in Notre Dame history, but few have restored more optimism than 2005. After consecutive disappointing years, the Irish earned their first BCS berth in five years and remained in the top 10 for the final nine weeks of the season. <o></o>
Notre Dame was involved in one of the greatest games in recent college football history (vs. USC), introduced popular personalities such as Jeff Samardzija and set numerous offensive records. <o></o>
As the Irish look to the Fiesta Bowl to snap their seven-game postseason losing streak, here’s a look at 10 things that made 2005 a special season in South Bend. <o></o>
1. Charlie Weis <o></o>
Asked recently to explain the turnaround this season, Irish defensive end Victor Abiamiri said: “It’s the difference one man, one attitude, can bring to the team.” <o></o>
That man was Weis, who instilled a nasty attitude and left an imprint on every aspect of the program. <o></o>
Control freak? Probably. Winner? Positively. Never wavering from his plan, Weis was the single biggest reason for Notre Dame’s success in 2005. Under his system, the Irish offense had the best one-year improvement (143.6 ypg) in the nation. <o></o>
2. Jeff Samardzija <o></o>
Submerged in a sinking offensive system for two seasons, “The Shark,” as Samardzija is nicknamed, finally got the chance to attack this season. Beginning with his first career touchdown in Notre Dame’s opener, the junior wide receiver mutilated opposing defenses for 1,190 yards and a school-record 15 touchdowns. With long hair and a free-spirited attitude, Samardzija quickly became one of the nation’s most popular players. <o></o>
3. Brady Quinn <o></o>
Under Weis’ control, Quinn went from an acceptable quarterback with too many interceptions to the driving force behind Notre Dame’s revamped offense. <o></o>
This season, he completed 64.9 percent of his passes and threw nearly five times as many touchdowns (32) than interceptions (7). He also helped Samardzija and senior Maurice Stovall become stars. <o></o>
After staking his claim to every significant school passing record, including those for passing yards (8,050) and touchdowns (58), Quinn will enter 2006 as the Heisman Trophy front-runner. <o></o>
4. The USC game <o></o>
From the long grass to the pep rally to the incomparable ending, this loss helped Notre Dame more than any of its wins. <o></o>
A national audience and a crammed press box watched the Irish take the two-time defending national champs to the brink of defeat as USC rallied to score in the final seconds. The scene of students prematurely rushing the field could be the season’s signature image for Notre Dame, which, despite the 34-31 loss, continued to move up in the national rankings. <o></o>
5. Recruiting <o></o>
Super Bowl rings and diligence helped Weis and his assistants land 12 verbal commitments before the opener and 18 by the beginning of October. <o></o>
Notre Dame currently has 26 commitments, among them blue chippers such as 6-foot-3 Chicago quarterback Demetrius Jones from Morgan Park, and Indiana running back James Aldridge, a 6-1, 215-pound speedster from Crown Point. Weis will introduce a top-five recruiting class in February and already is doing well with next year’s crop. <o></o>
6. Tom Zbikowski <o></o>
Zbikowski immediately became one of Weis’ favorites, and not because of his similar hairdo (the buzz cut). The Arlington Heights native was one of Notre Dame’s most explosive players, scoring 4 touchdowns on returns (2 punts, 2 interceptions). <o></o>
Given the chance to showcase his athleticism on punt returns, Zbikowski ranked 12th nationally (14.6 ypr). By season’s end, he was competing with roommate Samardzija for popularity points. <o></o>
7. The contract extension <o></o>
Announced on Oct. 29, Weis’ extension through the 2015 season made him the highest-paid coach in college football. <o></o>
The deal seemed hasty to some, particularly since it came only months after Notre Dame’s early termination of Tyrone Willingham, but it chased away NFL suitors and cemented Weis as the future of the program. With recruiting booming and the team making strides, the extension looks like a perfect move. <o></o>
8. The secondary <o></o>
After finishing second-to-last nationally in pass defense (281.3 ypg) in 2004, a less experienced Irish secondary became a playmaking force. <o></o>
First-year starting safety Chinedum Ndukwe was involved in 7 turnovers, and Zbikowski returned 2 picks for touchdowns. Cornerbacks Ambrose Wooden and Mike Richardson played well, and what was once a susceptible unit turned into a reliable one. <o></o>
9. The Michigan win <o></o>
It was the only game in which Notre Dame didn’t score more than 30 points, but a 17-10 road victory over the Wolverines, ranked third nationally at the time, put the Irish back on the national radar. <o></o>
After being pummeled 38-0 two years earlier in Ann Arbor, Mich., Notre Dame proved it had entered a new and improved phase. The national BCS rankings have the Irish at No. 6, with Michigan at No. 20. <o></o>
10. Darius Walker <o></o>
After his production declined in the second half of 2004, Walker rushed for 100 yards in seven games this season. He was effective on screen plays, a staple of Weis’ offense, and ranked fourth on the team with 36 receptions and 314 receiving yards. <o></o>
The sophomore eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards with a career-high 186-yard performance in Notre Dame’s regular-season finale against Stanford. <o></o>
In the first four games of the season, he topped the 100-yard rushing mark each time, a feat no other Notre Dame back has accomplished. For the season, he has averaged 4.7 yards per carry.<o></o>
<o></o>
fficeffice" /><o></o>Restoring the Roar at Notre Dame <o
></o>By Adam Rittenberg
Daily Herald Sports Writer
Posted Wednesday, December 28, 2005
<o
></o> Restoring the Roar
<o
></o> The rebuilding effort was supposed to take more than a year, but Charlie Weis has Notre Dame football back in the national spotlight, and here are the 10 top reasons behind the turnaround <o
></o>They heard the predictions of 0-6 and the continued grumbles about a talent gap and a taxing schedule. <o
></o>But Notre Dame players, led by new coach Charlie Weis, were determined to be relevant again. <o
></o>There have been better seasons in Notre Dame history, but few have restored more optimism than 2005. After consecutive disappointing years, the Irish earned their first BCS berth in five years and remained in the top 10 for the final nine weeks of the season. <o
></o>Notre Dame was involved in one of the greatest games in recent college football history (vs. USC), introduced popular personalities such as Jeff Samardzija and set numerous offensive records. <o
></o>As the Irish look to the Fiesta Bowl to snap their seven-game postseason losing streak, here’s a look at 10 things that made 2005 a special season in South Bend. <o
></o>1. Charlie Weis <o
></o>Asked recently to explain the turnaround this season, Irish defensive end Victor Abiamiri said: “It’s the difference one man, one attitude, can bring to the team.” <o
></o>That man was Weis, who instilled a nasty attitude and left an imprint on every aspect of the program. <o
></o>Control freak? Probably. Winner? Positively. Never wavering from his plan, Weis was the single biggest reason for Notre Dame’s success in 2005. Under his system, the Irish offense had the best one-year improvement (143.6 ypg) in the nation. <o
></o>2. Jeff Samardzija <o
></o>Submerged in a sinking offensive system for two seasons, “The Shark,” as Samardzija is nicknamed, finally got the chance to attack this season. Beginning with his first career touchdown in Notre Dame’s opener, the junior wide receiver mutilated opposing defenses for 1,190 yards and a school-record 15 touchdowns. With long hair and a free-spirited attitude, Samardzija quickly became one of the nation’s most popular players. <o
></o>3. Brady Quinn <o
></o>Under Weis’ control, Quinn went from an acceptable quarterback with too many interceptions to the driving force behind Notre Dame’s revamped offense. <o
></o>This season, he completed 64.9 percent of his passes and threw nearly five times as many touchdowns (32) than interceptions (7). He also helped Samardzija and senior Maurice Stovall become stars. <o
></o>After staking his claim to every significant school passing record, including those for passing yards (8,050) and touchdowns (58), Quinn will enter 2006 as the Heisman Trophy front-runner. <o
></o>4. The USC game <o
></o>From the long grass to the pep rally to the incomparable ending, this loss helped Notre Dame more than any of its wins. <o
></o>A national audience and a crammed press box watched the Irish take the two-time defending national champs to the brink of defeat as USC rallied to score in the final seconds. The scene of students prematurely rushing the field could be the season’s signature image for Notre Dame, which, despite the 34-31 loss, continued to move up in the national rankings. <o
></o>5. Recruiting <o
></o>Super Bowl rings and diligence helped Weis and his assistants land 12 verbal commitments before the opener and 18 by the beginning of October. <o
></o>Notre Dame currently has 26 commitments, among them blue chippers such as 6-foot-3 Chicago quarterback Demetrius Jones from Morgan Park, and Indiana running back James Aldridge, a 6-1, 215-pound speedster from Crown Point. Weis will introduce a top-five recruiting class in February and already is doing well with next year’s crop. <o
></o>6. Tom Zbikowski <o
></o>Zbikowski immediately became one of Weis’ favorites, and not because of his similar hairdo (the buzz cut). The Arlington Heights native was one of Notre Dame’s most explosive players, scoring 4 touchdowns on returns (2 punts, 2 interceptions). <o
></o>Given the chance to showcase his athleticism on punt returns, Zbikowski ranked 12th nationally (14.6 ypr). By season’s end, he was competing with roommate Samardzija for popularity points. <o
></o>7. The contract extension <o
></o>Announced on Oct. 29, Weis’ extension through the 2015 season made him the highest-paid coach in college football. <o
></o>The deal seemed hasty to some, particularly since it came only months after Notre Dame’s early termination of Tyrone Willingham, but it chased away NFL suitors and cemented Weis as the future of the program. With recruiting booming and the team making strides, the extension looks like a perfect move. <o
></o>8. The secondary <o
></o>After finishing second-to-last nationally in pass defense (281.3 ypg) in 2004, a less experienced Irish secondary became a playmaking force. <o
></o>First-year starting safety Chinedum Ndukwe was involved in 7 turnovers, and Zbikowski returned 2 picks for touchdowns. Cornerbacks Ambrose Wooden and Mike Richardson played well, and what was once a susceptible unit turned into a reliable one. <o
></o>9. The Michigan win <o
></o>It was the only game in which Notre Dame didn’t score more than 30 points, but a 17-10 road victory over the Wolverines, ranked third nationally at the time, put the Irish back on the national radar. <o
></o>After being pummeled 38-0 two years earlier in Ann Arbor, Mich., Notre Dame proved it had entered a new and improved phase. The national BCS rankings have the Irish at No. 6, with Michigan at No. 20. <o
></o>10. Darius Walker <o
></o>After his production declined in the second half of 2004, Walker rushed for 100 yards in seven games this season. He was effective on screen plays, a staple of Weis’ offense, and ranked fourth on the team with 36 receptions and 314 receiving yards. <o
></o>The sophomore eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards with a career-high 186-yard performance in Notre Dame’s regular-season finale against Stanford. <o
></o>In the first four games of the season, he topped the 100-yard rushing mark each time, a feat no other Notre Dame back has accomplished. For the season, he has averaged 4.7 yards per carry.<o
></o><o
></o>