QuarterBacks turbo tax
Sr Brady Quinn - It will be Quinn’s 4th and final year as the starting QB for Notre Dame. Quinn has shown big improvement each year he has been at ND and next year should be no exception. With what should be an improved running game, expect Quinn’s overall numbers to go down a bit but his QB rating to go up. His run for the Heisman will be determined on how successful ND is as a team.
---rSo David Wolke - If Quinn goes down early I see Wolke being the primary starter he beat out Sharpley last year and should have a good grasp of the offense by now. He has a decent arm and could be a Trent Dilfer type QB making few mistakes if we need him to step in and run the team for a few weeks.
---Fr Demetrius Jones – Jones is a versatile back that can move extremely well with his feet but don’t let that fool you. Kid can throw the ball around very well. I see Jones getting a good portion of the mop up duty and maybe even a drive a game grooming him to be the starter next year. Basically the #1 Backup duties but if Quinn goes down I doubt the offense is handed over to him.
---Fr Zack Frazer – With an unimpressive senior year Frazer may have been a product of the team around him and maybe not, time will tell but for now I see him behind Jones in the Depth chart but that could change quickly as Frazer is prototypical pocket QB, strong arm big body, decent feet and will be in a battle with Jones to be the #1 guy after Quinn leaves.
---rFr Evan Sharpley– Didn’t see any action as a Freshman and was beaten out by Wolke for the primary backup job. He could still step into the Mix as next years starting QB job is still very much up for grabs, and Sharpley is no slouch. Very good arm, and pretty quick for a QB too. With what looks to be a down grade at the offensive line after next year his feet could give him an advantage over Frazer
Running Backs
Jr Darius Walker - Walker will be the main man in his 3rd year as a starter. Weis has said he likes to ride one back most of the time so expect to see another 1000 + yard season from ND’s Back
---rJr Travis Thomas – Despite what Weis says I see Thomas racking up around 500 yards this season as the primary backup, his straight forward style of running is different from Walker and that should get him enough carries to be a factor.
---rSo Justin Hoskins – Hoskins has hands, speed, power and balance…but has yet to step up. This is the year he is going to have to secure some playing time while on the practice field other wise he could get passed up by the underclassman. Also you could see a move to WR from Hoskins.
---Fr Munir Prince – I have Prince ahead of Aldridge because I expect to see more of him as he will IMO be a situational back most his career at ND basically this teams version of a Dave Meggett in the backfield.
---Fr James Aldridge – Aldridge is one of the Early enrollment kids ND is now taking and should get a head start. I’m not sure if it will be enough to get him a good amount of playing time but I wouldn’t be that surprised if he moved up to the #3 back Though with the loss of Jabbie and Jenkins, we may see more of Alderidge than I expected
Full Backs
So Asaph Schwapp – Weis’s golden boy last year should have the starting job pretty much locked up. He didn’t show anything great his Freshman year but wasn’t looked at as a weakness either. He should only get better as the year goes on.
---rJr Ashley McConnell – Luke Schmidt could possible move ahead of McConnell but I think it will be unlikely as McConnell played well in the little time he has as a rFr
---Fr Luke Schmidt – incoming Freshman, looks to be a good runner but will likely need some work in his blocking game at the next level. I don’t expect to see a lot of him but could as the FB position is kinda thin.
Wide Recievers
rSr Rheama McKnight – I expect McKnight to not only pick up where Stovall left off but to step up the game a bit. He has shown to be much more consistent than Stovall over the years and should excel in the passing game.
Sr Jeff Samardzija – I think his numbers will drop off a bit as defenses will be looking for him but he will be a very good #2 WR
---So DJ Hord – Grimes and Hord are pretty interchangeable here, I put Hord as the #1 backup because he has all the tools to be the next great WR at ND, size, hands and speed and I’m looking for 400 or so yards receiving from him
---So David Grimes – Grimes got the most playing time of all the backups last year and he should be on the field pretty often this upcoming year.
---Fr George West – I put West up this high because with all the praise he got from Weis for his returning ability he will probably see a lot of action on special teams.
---rSo Darren Bragg – This is one heck of a wild card, I have him here because of his experience practicing Weis’s offense, he could be used like Pittsburgh’s WR’s
---Fr Richard Jackson – Jackson is probably the most talented of the Freshman WR’s when it comes to raw talent but with so much depth I wouldn’t be shocked to see him red shirted as he learns the offense.
---rJr Chase Anastasio – Anastasio, hasn’t shown much of anything so far but like many players before him could shoot up to the #3 or #4 WR if he steps it up the Spring before his 4th year.
---rSr Rob Woods – A Walk-on Woods is mostly a practice squad guy but I’m sure he will dress for a few home games again this year
---Fr Robby Parris – Parris could step in and play but I don’t expect to see much of him his Freshman year due to the numbers at this position
---Fr Barry Gallup – I see Gallup also being redshirted as I don’t see him getting much playing time but there is a very good chance he is used on special teams a bit.
Tight Ends
rJunior John Carlson – Starting TE spot is likely his to lose. Looks to be a quality TE but is probably a step behind Fasano in talent.
---rSr Marcus Freeman – Very good blocker will see him on the field a lot in 2 TE sets but most likely won’t see a lot of balls thrown his way. Resent developments lead me to believe he will over take Carlson for the top job though
---Fr Konrad Rueland – With the Loss of Hiben, Rueland should see some playing time as a freshman, he has a lot of raw talent and could a be a future star but I don’t expect more than a few catches from him next year.
---Fr Paddy Mullen – Will likely move to DT, but with the loss of Hiben that may not be as solid as it once was.
---Fr Will Yeatman – Yeatman was a Lacross scholarship but with Hiben gone, he will be able to play this upcoming year adding much needed depth
O-Line
C- rJr John Sullivan – Sullivan has been a solid 3 year starter for ND and looks like he will be the Center next year
---Fr Daniel Wegner – Morton is the true backup to the Center position but Wegner could get the mop up duty as he will be groomed to be the future ND center
G- rSr Bob Morton – Another 3rd year starter Morton can play both G and C and should have an impressive year that could get him in the NFL draft
G-rSr Dan Santucci – Santucci is a solid guard and a returning starter that should keep the center of this line solid and maybe become a dominating force
---Fr Chris Stewart – Stewart will likely be the biggest player on the field at around 340, if he picks up the blocking schemes he could jump Bonelli as the primary backup and is an extreme long shot of jumping Bonelli for the starting gig but I wouldn’t be shocked to see him get a good amount of playing time against some weaker opponents preparing him to start next year.
---Fr Matt Carufel – Like Stewart there is a good chance Carufel will be needed to start next year so expect to see him on the field some to prepare him but be surprised if he cracks the starting lineup for any games this year.
---Fr Eric Olsen – Another possible starter in 2007 but IMO one of these guys is going to be redshirted and for Now Olsen is the most likely but really it’s a coin toss between Carufel and Olsen.
T-Sr Ryan Harris – 4 year starter and NFL prospect Harris will be the anchor of our O-line.
T- rSr Brian Mattes - Mattes likely to grab up the starting spot over the Freshman Young but Young should push him to be a better player.
---Sam Young – The best shot of any of the Freshman lineman of starting I expect him to start the year as a reserve as he showed in his State Championship game he still has a way to go. But any slip up from Mattes and you could see Young on the field as a freshman ala Ryan Harris
---So Micheal Turkovich – IMO he will give Young a lot of competition for that primary backup job and could pass Young as the #1 reserve G
---So Paul Duncan – With Raridon gone, Duncan could make a push to move ahead of Turk,
---Fr Bartley Webb – IMO the most likely to be redshirted to stagger some of our O-line availability but has impressed with his pass blocking skills, if he steps up his run blocking it may be someone else that is redshirted
