When Notre Dame hired Charlie Weis, he boasted about always having a schematic advantage over his opponents, having been one of the most successful play-callers in the NFL.
Yet in his third season, Weis' offense was arguably the worst in the country, ranking dead last in total offense (242.2 yards per game), 116th in scoring (16.4 points per game) and yielding a nation's worst 58 sacks. And the Irish spiraled to a 3-9 finish in part because Weis needed to use freshmen at quarterback (Jimmy Clausen), running back (Robert Hughes and Armando Allen) and wide receiver (Duval Kamara).
Weis, as part of a program evaluation, relinquishes play-calling duties this season to coordinator Michael Haywood. What the coaches really need is improvement from Clausen, who completed 138 of 245 passes last season for 1,254 yards, seven touchdowns and six interceptions. The former super recruit should make big strides in his pocket presence and ability to recognize defenses in his second year.
The Irish also really need an improvement from a line that allowed that school record 58 sacks (27 more than in 2006). Four starters return, and Weis already has seen improvement from his line both in confidence and physical play.
Hughes, a tough runner at 238 pounds, finished strong last season, with 100-yard rushing efforts in the final two games, wins over Duke and Stanford. He continued that with a strong spring. Hughes, Allen and James Aldridge give Notre Dame good backfield options.
The receiving corps collectively needs to get better and have stickier hands, but Duval Kamara, who had 32 catches last season as a freshman, can grow right along with Clausen and be something special.
The addition of Jon Tenuta, the former Georgia Tech defensive coordinator who is considered to have one of the best defensive minds in college football, brings a more aggressive, attacking defensive style to the Irish.
The key personnel issue is to replace the 112-tackle, all-effort production from defensive lineman Trevor Laws, who is now with the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles. The Irish will use a group of players to try to replicate the numbers, led by promising junior end Morrice Richardson and tackle Ian Williams, a freshman All-American last season.
Having returned from missing the spring for "personal reasons,"
nose tackle Pat Kuntz (42 tackles) led the nation's defensive linemen with nine passes broken up.
The line is the biggest question of this unit, which will blitz more and show even more formations from its 3-4 front. Much of that blitzing might come from the linebackers, led by fifth-year senior and two-time captain Maurice Crum.
There is more speed and aggression in the secondary, which might be Notre Dame's deepest and most experienced group. Fifth-year senior Terrail Lambert returns at cornerback, along with junior Darrin Walls. Senior David Bruton (3 interceptions) is one of the defensive leaders and one of the country's top safeties.
Brandon Walker struggled as a freshman last season, making just six of 12 field goal attempts. He returns, though, with more confidence and kicked better all spring.
Junior walk-on Eric Maust will handle punting duties, replacing the graduated Geoff Price. He filled in at times for Price last season, averaging 42.1 yards per punt.
OVERVIEW
It can't get much worse for Notre Dame than last season -- and it won't. An easier schedule with four of the first five games at home should help this group gain confidence.
A winning season isn't out of the realm of possibility, setting up a potential return to elite status in 2009 if quarterback Jimmy Clausen and other young players from highly rated recruiting classes continue to improve. If not, it could be another long year in South Bend.
SCHEDULE
(Home games in CAPS)
Sept.6 SAN DIEGO STATE
Sept. 13 MICHIGAN
Sept. 20 at Michigan St.
Sept. 27 PURDUE
Oct. 4 STANFORD
Oct. 11 at North Carolina
Oct. 25 at Washington
Nov. 1 PITTSBURGH
Nov. 8 at Boston College
Nov. 15 at Navy (in Baltimore)
Nov. 22 SYRACUSE
Nov 29 at Southern Cal
