Team preview: Notre Dame
COACH AND PROGRAM
Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis possesses a healthy ego, but even he knows his limitations. Weis, who won three Super Bowl rings as the New England Patriots' offensive coordinator, knows that although he can impart his encyclopedic knowledge of offensive football to freshman quarterback Jimmy Clausen, the man who didn't play college football himself can't make Jimmy Clausen understand the pressures of playing for the Fighting Irish, especially when you're the No. 1 recruit in the country.
New quarterbacks coach Ron Powlus, however, can.
Powlus, who was promoted to quarterbacks coach after Peter Vaas was fired, was Jimmy Clausen 13 years ago. The Berwick, Pa. native had such a prolific high school career that he had Notre Dame fans talking about not one but multiple Heisman trophies before he stepped foot on campus. Although Powlus started four years and broke 20 school records, he never quite lived up to those expectations, never winning a Heisman or a national championship. But he lived through the experience, which makes him a valuable asset.
"I've never lived through that, I can't answer those questions," Weis said. "That's where Ron has been a big benefit to these players."
The other, more significant Xs and Os coaching move came on the defensive side of the ball, where Corwin Brown was hired as defensive coordinator. The Irish defense had been porous at best under Rick Minter. Last year, Notre Dame gave up 340 yards per game, which ranked 65th in Division I-A. That was only a slight improvement over the year before, when the Irish gave up 397 and ranked 75th.
Weis reached deep into his Bill Parcells network to land Brown, a rising star in the NFL coaching ranks. Brown's first coaching job was under Al Groh at Virginia. He was hired by Herm Edwards to coach the New York Jets defensive backs, and then was retained by Eric Mangini, who came over from the Patriots. When Weis began looking for a new defensive coordinator, he elicited the advice of Groh and Cleveland Browns head coach Romeo Crennel, who he worked with in New England, and both recommended Brown.
Under Brown, the Irish will switch from the 4-3, which uses four defensive linemen, to the 3-4, which uses four linebackers. Although it's popular in the NFL, the 3-4 isn't widely used in the college game. Many players moved positions during the spring, but Brown said he's more interested in players becoming sound fundamentally. If that happens, he said, then excelling in the 3-4 will come naturally.
"You teach principals and philosophy and you try to get guys to be technically sound," Brown said. "When you do that, no matter who you play you have a chance to win." Outside of his coaching staff, Weis' chief concern will be replacing eight offensive and seven defensive starters. Weis, however, is loath to use that as an excuse for sub-par play.
"I would hate to think Bill Belichick, who's going to the Hall of Fame, threw in the towel every time he lost somebody to free agency," Weis said, invoking the name of his former boss. "Last time I checked he's done pretty well when somebody went to free agency.
"When guys graduate you replace them. That's why you give scholarships to other guys. You coach them and they're ready to go. You don't ever lower your expectations."
QUARTERBACKS
After watching four potential starting quarterbacks duke it out during spring practice, Weis said he'd spend the month of May recruiting and when he returned he'd "iron it out," meaning he'd whittle it down to two. So what was ironed out in June? Well, not much.
In a prepared statement, Weis said that junior Evan Sharpley (6-2, 216), sophomore Demetrius Jones (6-4, 210) and freshman Jimmy Clausen (6-3, 207) would continue to compete for the starting job in the preseason, meaning that sophomore Zach Frazier will not and will seek a transfer. Despite being the second most highly touted quarterback recruit on the roster, Frazier did not perform well in the pressure cooker of a spring, failing to beat out Jones, the player he was probably competing against for the third and final spot.
Sharpley would make the most sense, especially considering he ran the offense the best, in Weis' opinion. Sharpley was Brady Quinn's primary backup last season, but had fewer responsibilities than the Vice President of the United States. He completed 1-of-2 passes for seven yards and essentially served as a sideline hat-and-clipboard model. Jones is the most intriguing because of his ability to run and pass, even though that doesn't exactly mesh well with Weis' pro-style offense. He rushed for 1,000 yards and passed for 2,300 more as a junior at Morgan Park High in Chicago. Although his numbers dropped off as a senior, he was still chosen Illinois' Gatorade Player of the Year and a Parade All-American.
And then there's the Irish's answer to the 600-pound gorilla in the room: Jimmy Clausen.
If you're a college football fan and haven't heard of Jimmy Clausen by now, welcome back from the Crab Nebula, it's nice to see you again. Jimmy Clausen was arguably the most hyped recruit in the last decade his final two years at Oaks Christian High in Westlake Village, Calif. He passed for 3,428 yards and 49 touchdowns his senior year, finished his career 42-0 and enrolled in school in January so he could compete for the starting job.
Weis has said all the right things about Jimmy Clausen. He said that Jimmy Clausen's a humble teenager whose only objective is to win, and no favoritism has been afforded him.
"As a head coach, you don't create a prima donna," Weiss said. "You just set up a plan that's an equal plan and let everyone know what that plan is. It's very, very important that you treat everyone the same if you're going to be fair. If you don't then you're going to lose the trust of your players."
The fact is, however, favoritism can't be avoided when it comes to Jimmy Clausen. This is a player who announced his decision to attend Notre Dame at a public relations firm-engineered ceremony at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, and has had LeBron James-like news coverage since he was a junior in high school.
Weis is most likely pulling for Jimmy Clausen to win the starting job. Not because he likes Jimmy Clausen the best, but because if Jimmy Clausen wins out as a freshman he'll have more time to learn Weis' complicated passing offense. Part of what made Brady Quinn such a success was his 46 consecutive starts; he learned to be great on the job. If Weis selects either Sharpley or Jones the starter, everyone will know they're keeping it warm for Jimmy Clausen for a season or less.
So although Weis has pushed back his decision until August, look for him to choose Jimmy Clausen the starter, with Sharpley as his back-up and Jones potentially looking for somewhere to transfer.
RUNNING BACKS
There is one certainty for Notre Dame this season: senior Travis Thomas (6-0, 218) will be on the field somewhere.
Thomas is the Irish's answer to the Swiss Army knife. He began his career as a running back and special teams maven before splitting time at running back, linebacker and special teams last year. Although he moved to running back exclusively during the spring, he remains the special teams captain and Weis did not close the door on him playing defense.
"He'll be a leader no matter where he is," Weis said. "Travis Thomas is going to be on the field wherever we can get him on the field the most to help us win the most. "He's a very unselfish player as he showed last year. As of right now, the best place for him is at running back. I'm sure he'll perform very well."
Thomas' career as a running back began disastrously. He received the season-opening start against BYU as a sophomore after Ryan Grant went down with an injury. Instead of shining, however, he fumbled on two of his first six carries and didn't see the field much after that, conceding the job to Darius Walker. Since then, however, he hasn't been too bad. He rushed for 248 yards and five touchdowns as a junior and 78 and a pair of scores last year.
Thomas' grip on the starting job is tenuous because of the talent behind him. Senior Junior Jabbie (5-11, 201) came out of nowhere in the spring game to rush for a team-leading 87 yards. A more worthy foe for Thomas, however, is sophomore James Aldridge (6-0, 213). Aldridge was one of the most highly touted recruits in the country as a senior at Merrillville High in Crown Point, Ind. and appeared poised to make an immediate impact. But a knee injury forced him to miss the first five games last year and when he did return, he wasn't 100 percent. He finished second on the team with 142 yards but was a one-dimensional runner. Fully recovered, Aldridge has the chance to be a Kevin Jones-like back, blending superior size and strength with speed.
For a change of pace, Weis might turn to freshman Armando Allen (5-10, 189). Armando Allen, who enrolled in January to participate in spring practice, is one of the fastest players on the team, running the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds. Armando Allen didn't play his senior year at Hialeah-Miami Lakes High in Opa Locka, Fla. after breaking his fibula in the preseason. But that didn't stop him from making several postseason all-star teams. He chose Notre Dame over Florida.
WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS
For those who think Notre Dame will enter the preseason without a top-flight receiver after the loss Jeff Samardzija (1,017 yards) and Rhema McKnight (907), think again. Senior tight end John Carlson (6-6, 259) is as good a pass-catching tight end as there is in the Football Bowl Subdivision and might be exactly the type of reliable receiver Notre Dame's new quarterback will need.
Carlson had a breakout year in 2006, hauling in 47 Brady Quinn passes for 634 yards and four touchdowns. He was poised to break the Irish's single-season records for yards and receptions for a tight end but missed the final two regular-season games with a knee injury and had to settle for second in both categories. He was second-team All-American and a Mackey Award finalist. Carlson has the Tight End 2.0 skill set that is increasingly popular in the NFL. He's big and strong yet basketball athletic, which makes him a matchup nightmare for opposing linebackers.
Backing up Carlson will be two more freakishly gifted players: sophomore Will Yeatman (6-6, 263), who led the Irish's lacrosse team with 46 points, and freshman Mike Ragone (6-5, 230), who was one of the best heavyweight wrestlers in the country at Camden Catholic High in Cherry Hill, N.J.
While the tight end position is secure, the wide receivers are a work in progress. Junior David Grimes (5-10, 174) should start at one spot after serving as the primary backup for Samardzija and McKnight last year. He caught 26 passes for 336 yards and a pair of touchdowns and was also an outstanding kick returner, finishing the season with 852 all-purpose yards. Grimes, however, is small and didn't do much to impress in the spring.
Opposite Grimes, sophomore George West (5-8, 172), sophomore D.J. Hord (6-1, 192) and sophomore Robby Parris (6-3, 201) will all be given an opportunity to crack the starting lineup. Parris had a good spring and reminds people of Samardzija because of his humble statistical background. Hord is an exceptional athlete but missed all of last year with a foot injury and is still coming back from that injury. Weis praised West midway through spring practice, saying he had separated himself from the other receivers. But West tailed off at the end and didn't do much in the spring game.
Notre Dame has two freshmen who could make an impact, but because of the complexities of Weis' offense, they will need to be fast learners. Duval Kamara (6-4, 205) is a quarterback's red-zone dream. He finished his career at Hoboken (N.J.) High with 2,696 yards receiving and 50 touchdowns. Golden Tate (6-0, 180) had a prolific high school career at Pope John Paul II High in Hendersonville, Tenn., but he played running back last year and isn't an impressive physical specimen.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The buzzword for the offensive line in the spring was "cross-training." That doesn't mean there was a glut of 6-5, 300-pounders on Notre Dame's racquetball courts. It means because of depth issues across the line, several linemen trained at more than one position.
Take for example sophomore Dan Wenger (6-4, 282). He is a promising center but is stuck behind senior John Sullivan (6-4, 290) on the depth chart. So Wenger spent the spring competing with classmate Matt Carufel (6-5, 295) at right guard, while at the same time working as the backup center. Junior Mike Turkovich (6-6, 299) is the starting left guard, but he is also a candidate to move to tackle if anything happens to either sophomore right tackle Sam Young (6-8, 315) or junior left tackle Paul Duncan (6-7, 292).
Confusing? Yes. But it's necessary, Weis says.
"[Wenger] is not beating out Sullivan at center, so if he's going to get on the field it's going to be at guard," Weis said. "But if he's practicing at guard and something happens to Sullivan, then who replaces him?
"We're building some inherent depth at the guard and center and guard and tackle positions by having guys cross-trained."
As long as they remain healthy, Sullivan and Young will remain in the lineup. Sullivan has started 33 games at center, including the last 21. Young became the first Irish freshman offensive lineman to start the first game of his career since freshmen regained their eligibility in 1972. And he performed well, earning a spot on several freshman All-America teams. Because of his enormous frame, Young was rumored to make the switch to left tackle to protect the new quarterback's blindside. Duncan, however, performed well enough that Weis decided to keep him at left and Young at right.
The left guard situation appears to be settled with Turkovich, who played nine games last year and seven as a freshman. Right guard should be settled by the preseason, with either Wenger or Carufel earning the job. If Carufel were to win the job that would bring cohesion to the line, because he and Young played together in high school at St. Thomas Aquinas High in Coral Spring, Fla. Playing a reserve role will be sophomore Eric Olsen (6-4, 300).
KICKERS
Unlike other positions where they lost starters, the Irish have plenty of room for improvement at kicker. Carl Gioia went 8-for-13 on field goals and an almost inexcusable 49-for-54 on PATs. Two sophomores will attempt to replace him -- Ryan Burkhart (5-11, 196) and Nate Whitaker (5-9, 165).
Burkhart has more game experience. He handled kickoff duties the final nine games last year after Bobby Renkes went down with an injury, averaging 60 yards a kick. But he's never attempted a field goal. Whitaker, on the other hand, has no experience. What the San Diego native does have is tenacity; he walked on to the team last year and is now in the mix to be a starter.
If the spring game is any indication, Whitaker will be backing up Burkhart at least to start the season. Burkhart hit the game's only field goal, a 24-yarder, while Whitaker had a PAT blocked, then missed one wide left.
If neither Burkhart nor Whitaker pull away as the starter, they'll be looking over their shoulder at freshman Brandon Walker (6-3, 200). Walker, who hails from Findlay (Ohio) High, is expected to be the Irish's next great punter. But he can also kick and could see the field there next season, while apprenticing to Geoff Price.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Nobody on defense will be more affected by the switch to the 3-4 than the defensive line, where players had to switch positions in the spring and in most cases learn more than one. Nobody, however, will have more fun.
"Our job is to just read the offense and make as many plays as we can," junior defensive end Derrell Hand (6-3, 287) said in April. "It's a lot of fun and we're just getting into the possibilities of what we can do. To tell you the truth, I'm really excited."
Hand is the perfect example of how the 3-4 can provide new opportunities for players. An ineffective tackle because of conditioning issues and nagging injuries, Hand moved from tackle to end in the spring and flourished. He was one of the top defensive performers at the end of spring practice and will push senior Dwight Stephenson, Jr. (6-2, 257) for play-ing time during the preseason.
"The coaches are really hard on us, so it's hard to say whether I moved up or down," Hand said. "They're really preaching consistency, so that's what I'm focusing on; being good on every play."
Stephenson will have the opportunity to redeem a career that has to this point been unremarkable. In four years he's played in a total of seven games.
Opposite either Stephenson or Hand is senior Trevor Laws (6-1, 295), a three-year starter at tackle who will try to make a smooth transition to end. Laws was a dominant force on the line last year, finishing the season with 62 tackles, including 9.5 for loss, and 3.5 sacks. There's no reason to believe Laws can't be a great end considering his athletic back-ground. He was one of the top heavyweight wrestlers in the country as a senior in high school.
Competing at nose guard are two players who won't be borrowing one another's clothes anytime soon -- junior Pat Kuntz (6-2, 272) and sophomore Chris Stewart (6-5, 340). Kuntz was a reserve tackle last year and showed enough in the spring to enter the preseason as the No. 1 nose guard.
Traditionally, however, the nose guard in the 3-4 is more of a mass of humanity who can absorb double teams; more like Stewart. Stewart certainly is big enough, but experience is an issue. Not only did he switch from offensive guard to nose guard in the spring, there is no mention of defensive statistics in his high school biography.
Another option at nose guard is freshman Ian Williams (6-2, 295). Williams, who hails from Lyman High in Altamonte Spring, Fla., has the requisite skills and low center of gravity.
LINEBACKERS
Sophomore outside linebacker John Ryan (6-5, 244) loves defensive coordinator Corwin Brown. Or at least he should, considering what Brown's 3-4 defense might do for his career. Ryan was a backup defensive end last year and looked to be on his way to a solid career. Now he has the opportunity to be a star.
"Not too many people know a heck of a lot about John Ryan other than he was a defensive end," Weis said. "At 6-5, 245, he's your prototypical 3-4 outside linebacker, where as in the 4-3 defense I don't know if he was prototypical either way.
"When you tweak a defensive scheme, a guy like that might find a greater home than he might have had the defense stayed the same." Stories of redemption abound on the defense now that the Irish are running the 3-4.
Senior outside linebacker Anthony Vernaglia (6-3, 233) was so disappointed in his career that he seriously contemplated asking for a tryout at wide receiver, and went as far as setting up a meeting with Weis. Now the athletic former safety is vying for a starting position opposite Ryan, suddenly valued for his ability to rush the quarterback.
Senior Joe Brockington (6-2, 235) appeared a lock to start opposite senior Maurice Crum Jr. (6-0, 225) at inside linebacker, but he appears to have been usurped by sophomore Toryan Smith (6-1, 244), who made nine tackles in the spring game.
The switch to the 3-4 shouldn't affect Crum -- he was excellent in the 4-3 and should remain excellent. The three-year starter led the team with 100 tackles last year, including 10 for loss and four sacks. Brockington, who started the final nine games last year and finished with 59 tackles, will compete with Smith for playing time, but he'll have to really show something after allowing the opportunity to slip past him in the spring.
Although Vernaglia is feeling better about his prospects on the outside, he'll have major competition from junior Scott Smith (6-3, 244) and sophomore Morrice Richardson (6-2, 235), who are more prototypical pass rushers. Smith didn't play as a sophomore and only saw the field on special teams as a freshman. Richardson played in nine games last year as a defensive end.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
If you're a football coach and your safety has a sub-par season, it's not the worst thing in the world if the reason for the sub-par season is a burgeoning professional boxing career.
That was the case with fifth-year senior safety Tom Zbikowski (6-0, 210) last year. After a breakout sophomore year in which he intercepted five passes, returning a pair for touchdowns, he was chosen a third-team All-American and became the poster child for Notre Dame's resurgence, Zbikowski suffered a drop-off last year. Slightly overweight because of his boxing interests and hampered by an injured shoulder, he wasn't as explosive in the defensive backfield or returning punts.
"I wasn't too happy with my season," Zbikowski told the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette in March after a charity bout, his last until football is over. "I'm hungrier than ever just to go out and prove myself again and be the player I was."
Zbikowski appeared slimmer and more explosive during the spring, and he fed off the energy provided by new defensive coordinator Corwin Brown.
"Going after the ball has been our main concern," Zbikowski said. "He wants us hitting, running and attacking the football. He wants us to make a constant effort to string the ball, to try to score points on defense."
Apart from Zbikowski, the Irish are well stocked at defensive back, a position that won't be too affected by the switch to the 3-4.
Playing alongside Zbikowski will be junior David Bruton (6-2, 202). Bruton, who played in 12 games last year, possesses the wingspan of a condor. Although Notre Dame doesn't specify between strong and free safety, Bruton provides a nice free safety compliment to Zbikowski's strong safety.
Cornerbacks abound, giving the Irish plenty of depth. Senior Ambrose Wooden (5-11, 190) is back in the starting lineup after playing a reserve role last year. He'll be opposite senior Terrail Lambert (5-11, 191), who started the final 10 games of last season, finishing with three interceptions, including the game-winning touchdown against Michigan State.
Senior Leo Ferrine (6-0, 189) has started games as a nickel back in each of the last two seasons and should serve in that capacity again. Sophomores Darrin Walls (6-0, 180) and Raeshon McNeil (6-0, 184) both received playing time last year and will push Wooden and Lambert. Sophomore Munir Prince (5-10, 184) requested a move to cornerback from running back during the spring to receive more playing time. Weis granted it partly because of an injury to freshman Gary Gray (5-11, 178). Gray, one of the top cornerback recruits in the country out of Richland Northeast High in Columbia, S.C., broke his right forearm during spring practice. He was expected to be back by the preseason, but required shoulder surgery and will miss the entire season.
PUNTERS
After senior Geoff Price (6-3, 196) battled consistency his red-shirt freshman year and failed to beat out D.J. Fitzpatrick as a sophomore, the Fighting Irish had serious concerns about him heading into last year. Price, however, put those concerns to rest in the season opener against Georgia Tech, punting five times for a 50.4 average, including a 61-yarder.
Price never slowed down, turning in the best season by a punter in the program's history. Price averaged 45.4 yards per kick, breaking Craig Hentrich's old mark by half a yard. He ranked sixth in Division I-A and was a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award.
Price did it all last year. He displayed a strong leg, averaging 50 yards or more per punt three times, including a 52-yard average on seven punts against Michigan. And he was accurate, dropping 12 punts inside the 20-yard line.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Weis was so unhappy with the kick-return games last year that this spring he made special teams a staff-wide assignment. That means that instead of Bernie Parmalee imposing on individual coaches to find special teams players, each coach is responsible for providing players he thinks will help the greater good.
"Instead of putting it on one coach, I want to make the entire staff buy into the importance of getting guys out there," Weis said. "That hidden yard that you lose or gain can be critical, especially in games that are close."
The result of the newfound emphasis on special teams remains to be seen. Weis said he had four potential kickoff returners, but the Irish did not return kicks during the spring game. David Grimes handled a majority of the kickoff duties last year, but might take a reduced role now that he's the No. 1 receiver.
Zbikowski has something to prove at punt returner after a year in which he averaged only nine yards a return. That's after a junior year in which he averaged 14 yards a return and brought back two for touchdowns.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
Weis said during the spring that Notre Dame's new slogan is "tradition never graduates." Perhaps not, but talent does, especially on the offensive side of the ball.
The Irish lost one of the best quarterbacks in their history in Brady Quinn, one of their most prolific rushers in Darius Walker, and a pair of sure-handed receivers in Jeff Samardzija and Rhema McKnight. By the end of the spring, all that was settled of the three was the running back situation, where Travis Thomas will return full-time after playing linebacker last year. Other than that it's a free-for-all.
One of the most publicized position races in all of college football will be Notre Dame's for starting quarterback. Sophomores Evan Sharpley and Demetrius Jones and freshman Jimmy Clausen remain in the running after Weis balked at narrowing it down to two. Sharpley would appear to be the most qualified because he was Brady Quinn's primary backup last year. But expect a groundswell of support for Jimmy Clausen, one of the most high-profile recruits in recent memory.
Whoever wins will have his work cut out for him learning Weis' complicated passing offense.
Defensively, the Irish will be running the 3-4 under first-year defensive coordinator Corwin Brown. What that meant in the preseason was that several linemen and linebackers found themselves either switching positions or learning new ways to play their old positions. Despite the controlled chaos, the defense is better off then the offense. There's depth at every position, especially the secondary where no fewer than eight players have legitimate claims to a starting job. One player who won't have to worry about competition is safety Tom Zbikowski, who appeared leaner and more focused on football during the spring.
As always, Notre Dame's schedule is tough. But what the Irish have going in their favor is that five of their final six games are at home, including contests against Boston College and USC.
Notre Dame's defense will keep it in games. If the offense can find a consistent rhythm, be that with the passing or the running game, expect to see the Irish vying for their BCS bowl tie-in.
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