News & Views
*Game week is finally here. I am already in my regular season routine. I mowed the lawn today so it won’t be a point of contention on Saturday. I listened to Charlie Weis’ press conference, so I know who the starting QB is and I know what the first 15 plays will be. I will not reveal any of the info, of course.
The games count for so much this weekend. I hope that all college football fans keep this in mind when the clamor for a playoff starts rearing its head when a certain network predicts, in early October mind you, that the season is shaping up to have 13 teams undefeated at the end of the year.
*In watching the video of Jimmy Clausen throwing the football in his most recent workouts, I definitely have concerns about his ability to turn his arm loose. I just don’t think that he looks ready to scramble around in the backfield, spot a sprinting David Grimes 40 yards downfield and unload a bomb. He looks more comfortable throwing 10-yard floaters to Coach Powlus.
*Ambrose Wooden will have a big impact on the 2007 Irish football season, but it is a great sign that Darrin Walls has progressed to the point where he is the clear starter at the cornerback spot opposite playmaker Terail Lambert. Walls has the ability to be outstanding, while Wooden’s ceiling might end at “very solid,” which is just another tangible measurement of the talent upgrade taking place within the program.
*I think the same thing can be said of the fact that Toryan Smith is now “tied” with Joe Brockington in the race for that inside linebacker spot. Brockington’s experience and leadership is invaluable to a team in transition like Notre Dame this year. However, the sooner the young talent gets significant playing time in situations where they can help lead the team to victories, the better it will be for the overall health of the football program.
*Tommy Zbikowski is in position to have a monster final season. He figures to be among the biggest beneficiaries of Corwin Brown’s new philosophy on defense of “knock somebody silly and ask questions later.” Zibby looks primed to also have another touchdown or two as a punt returner.
*Speaking of the return game, I love the idea of Golden Tate and Armando Allen lining up to return the first kickoff of the year for the Irish. I would be surprised if one or the other doesn’t break off a big return within the first couple of games.
Along those same lines, Georgia Tech Head Coach Chan Gailey has indicated that if the Yellow Jackets win the coin toss, they will take the ball because he has confidence in his offense and because he loves his punter. I am rooting for the Irish to be on defense first to set the tone and I just love getting the second half kickoff; it is like a security blanket for me if things don’t go se well in the first half.
*Whether he starts within the first couple of weeks is not all that important because one thing has become quite clear through the first three pre-season games for the Cleveland Browns: Brady Quinn is the quarterback future of that franchise. He has more talent is right pinky than the other two have combined.
If I were in the front office of the Browns, I would be just as happy if Brady Quinn didn’t start until at least week three. The precedent would be clear for future first round draft picks: if a guy playing the most complicated position on the field can hold out for a few weeks and still start the season opener, then certainly you can also.
I am not suggesting that his contract holdout is the sole reason Brady Quinn will not start in the Browns’ first game, but I found it very interesting that the person announcing that fact was not Head Coach Romeo Crennel, but General Manager Phil Savage.
In any event, look for Brady Quinn to get plenty of snaps during his year in the NFL. Maybe Charlie Weis knows something about quarterbacks after all.
*My heart goes out to Ryan Burkhart, who apparently is having serious issues getting over whatever mental hump is keeping him from reaching his potential. The young man knows how to kick. That is not the question. He is obviously going through a mental issue that has plagued some professional athletes, like Chuck Knoblach and Rick Ankiel from Major League Baseball.
*My breakout player of the year for Notre Dame football this year is offensive guard Dan Wenger. From all that I heard last year, Wenger was kept from playing because of his wrist injury as a true freshman. He looks to have a nasty attitude and he beat out a very good player Matt Carufel, who also figures to get plenty of playing time.
*I would not be too happy about playing against John Sullivan. He is physically so mature and looks very much like a seasoned pro. The fact that he has gone through his first full calendar year of being healthy and participating in weight lifting and conditioning has rendered him in a position to become a top round pick in this year’s NFL Draft.
*Georgia Tech is a good football team, but the way the national media points out all of Notre Dame’s weaknesses and question marks and discuss all of Tech’s strengths, fans should expect an easy Yellow Jackets’ win. On ESPN Radio this past weekend, one pundit predicted that Georgia Tech would dominate both lines of scrimmages and blowout the Irish (by the way, many have attributed those sentiments to Todd McShay, but I believe it was actually Trevor Matich). I find this very hard to envision. Presumably, Notre Dame has at least a few strengths and perhaps Georgia Tech has a weakness or two within their three-deep.
*Finally, I predict that Travis Thomas will go over 100 yards on the ground in an Irish victory.
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