Maddenation
Assessing ND football
After Georgia Tech, it looked like we were in for a very long season. After the loss to Penn State, it’s down to a long season. Jimmy Clausen looks good. He’s got that presence and talent to be a great QB, as long as the line play picks up and he gets some receivers. He made some mistakes in the PSU game, but they were learning mistakes. That is, I think he’s trying things to see what he can do in the big leagues, and I believe he’ll correct his game accordingly.
If I had to say something to Charlie Weis in two words, I think I’d say, “Penalties; Offense. The defense looks a little better, but they’ve got some idiots who need to get a brain transplant. Like the guy who got hit in the head with the ball as he ran into the Penn State punt returner. I’d like to take a look at his acedemic record.
Other stupid penalties also hurt the team, but didn’t cause them to lose. The lose is on the offense, which is starting to remind me of Whippany Park (sorry). Weis’s coaching seems to be falling short, what with delay of game penalties and all the sacks and nonexistant running game. He’s found a way to complete passes, but he seems not to recognize that sideways doesn’t count.
In spite of these two losses, I believe the team will improve through the season and be able to lose by less than four touchdowns when they play USC.
Dad • Observations • 09/09/07 • 11 comments
Comments
Dan • 09/11/07 • 11:11 AM:I didn’t even see the PSU game. Neither did Pat and Dave. It’s just so obvious we’re terrible. And isn’t it obvious to Weis that Travis Thomas is an awful football player? Get him out of there!
Patrick • 09/11/07 • 12:28 PM:Hey, I did see about half of the PSU game, and I would have seen all of it, except that we all went to see Toad the Wet Sprocket in concert. I mean, c’mon. You gotta take time out from whatever you’re doing if Toad comes to town. This summer they’re only playing 6 shows together, and one of them was in Lehi, Utah! How cool is that!?
As for ND football, I’m starting to worry. When teams like U South Florida are good, scoring like mad, beating Auburn, you gotta wonder where ND fits into all of this. They’re lucky to get Clausen, but if he doesn’t have the supporting cast, he’s going to end up like Ron Powlus, a nice guy, I’m sure, but a complete bust when it comes to incoming hype vs. actual performance.
Patrick • 09/11/07 • 5:20 PM:If you want Pat Forde’s take (and comparison between Weis and Willingham), click here
Dad • 09/12/07 • 8:33 AM:Look here for a response to Pats Forde’s admittedly compelling critique of Charlie Weis.
Patrick • 09/14/07 • 11:22 AM:I don’t mind Pat Forde’s commentary, though I do see the holes in his argument (as NDNation points out). Ultimately, I think it was Gerry Faust and Bob Davies’s fault that Willingham got fired so quickly (as well as Willingham’s), and I like that ND got Charlie Weis. At this point, I’m kind of missing Lou Holtz, though. I had hoped that Weis could get the option offense going, but that was a bust. So now it’s back to his superquarterback style, which I hope can work. I mean, they haven’t scored yet this year…
David • 09/16/07 • 6:58 PM:Dan is right. Notre Dame football is awful. (so you know, I didn’t see the PSU game because I was at a Rush concert). I watched the first 1.5 quarters of the game yesterday. How can we be that terrible? I really can’t understand it. Appalachian State can move the ball against and hang with and beat Michigan. And ND can’t do a single thing? How is that possible? I don’t care how bad or good the recruiting classes have been. They were better than App. St. And probably Rutgers too. How is it that Rutgers would crush us? I think I may take the season off. The team might consider doing the same. Just start practicing for next year. How embarrassing and disappointing!
Dad • 09/19/07 • 9:40 PM:I had some hope after the PSU game, but watching the Michigan game crushed any hope I had. Here’s an idea. Put the defense on offense and the offense on defense. Better yet, put Dillon Hall on offense and Morrissey on defense! And thank your lucky stars we don’t have to play Rutgers.
David • 09/27/07 • 12:46 PM:Here’s a funny article on the state of ND Football.
Patrick • 09/27/07 • 6:43 PM:Seriously, though, why doesn’t Charlie Weis do some recruiting visits to the interdorm games? We’re only a Rudy away from getting the season back on track.
Patrick • 10/21/07 • 6:26 AM:I watched the first quarter and a bit of the second of the USC game today. I had high hopes because the only USC score I saw was the result of that fluke punt that they recovered on the 8 yard line. The Green Jerseys, I thought, were doing their job (on defense, at least). So I set the VCR to tape the rest of the game while I went off to watch BYU (who thrashed Eastern Washington 42-7; it snowed and was crazy freezing by the end).
I checked the score just to see if it would be worth my while to watch the rest of the ND-USC game.
Uh…no. I’m not gonna watch it. You know why.
I propose a moratorium on the green jerseys until ND has a winning record.
Dad • 10/21/07 • 11:05 PM:I watched the whole thing. Still no offense, but the penalties seem to be under control. (Why display any passion by trying to get away with a hold when you know it’s a hopeless cause?)
You missed the best part. The ND player of the game, in whose name Cheverolet donated $1000 to ND’s scholarship fund, was the punter, Geoff Price. 10 punts for an averge of 45 yards.
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