CFI: ND LOOKS FOR WINS NUMBER 44 AND 2

BY SHANNON O’KEEFE
NOTRE DAME INSIDER

We are often told that one is the loneliest number. In South Bend, Indiana – and for Notre Dame supporters the world around – one is indeed the loneliest number, and the 1-7 Irish know it going into this Saturday’s game against the 4-4 Midshipmen. The Irish have won 43 straight games against Navy, and for the last 119 seasons, they haven’t lost five games at home in one season – let alone five straight. These facts, combined with an extra week of rest and practice coming out of a bye week, should provide enough fire and enough life for the ailing Irish to add a win.

Evan Sharpley will start for the Irish at quarterback for the second consecutive game, leaving Jimmy Clausen on the sidelines to rest up. If nothing else, this season will be a humbling experience for Clausen, one that should leave him well prepared to lead the Irish to victory in the coming years. Freshman running back Robert Hughes, who made headlines this week following the apparent homicide of his older brother in Chicago, has been granted extended leave from the team, but returned to practice and hopes to play on Saturday. James Aldridge is healthy again, after sitting out the (disastrous) game against USC with an injury.

Having strong personnel in the game should be an asset to the Irish, who are measly 3 1/2-point favorites against the Midshipmen. Given the turn this season has taken, getting that one win a friend in the W column might be enough to raise morale a bit, whether it’s by 3 1/2 points or 30.

“I think when you're 1-7 you're trying to beat whoever you're playing," was how Coach Charlie Weis out it this week.

Navy’s numbers on offense coming into the game are strong. The team is averaging more than 35 points a game and 343 yards a game rushing, while the Irish continue to struggle mightily on offense, having scored 34 points in their last three games combined. Navy’s defense, however, is posting some of the worst numbers in the country and is certainly the most woeful defense Notre Dame has played against this year. The Irish will need such an advantage to start scoring again; just to give their offense an opportunity to score, they’re going to need a few breaks.

The Irish offensive line has been so porous to date that the quarterback hasn’t had a second to drop back and the receivers don’t have time to start their routes. Thus the dinky pitches and short yardage ad nauseum. I don’t imagine that one week off will give the players and coaches adequate time to field a new team or develop their current players into meaty blockers. Instead, Coach Weis has suggested that we’ll see even more of his young, inexperienced talent. Expect to see Golden Tate get a lean on one, maybe two long balls. Look for Armando Allen to get yet more carries, and we’ll likely more of Kerry Neal, Brian Smith, Raeshon McNeil, and perhaps Mike Ragone or Will Yeatman at tight end.

It has certainly been a growth year – both for the team and its fans. With only four games left in the season, expect to learn new names to scream after glitched or golden plays. Growing pains indeed, but the team shouldn’t be quite so lonely for long. Given Navy’s defensive pains, look for an Irish victory, halting – for a moment, at least – one more broken record on Touchdown Jesus’ watch.

Notre Dame at Michigan: Remember the Titans

BY MICK MILLER
BIG TEN INSIDER

Let me tell you about the good old days. Once upon a time, college football powers Michigan and Notre Dame would get together and play a meaningful game. This was a contest on each school’s schedule that would go a long way in determining rank, bowl position, and their status in the chase for a national championship.

Oh … how times have changed.

Let’s fast forward to 2007, shall we? Both team’s seasons appear unreal. Both team’s records currently stand at 0-2. Due to a lower leg injury to senior signal-caller Chad Henne, both teams will be starting freshman quarterbacks this Saturday. Notre Dame is going with Jimmy Clausen, who will be starting the second game of his career at Ann Arbor after an “unhappy” debut versus Penn State and a 31-10 loss. Michigan will be looking to drop the hammer on the Irish with freshman Ryan Mallett, the heir apparent of the Maize and Blue.

Both are highly ranked and coveted recruits that are inexperienced and learning amongst live bullets. Clausen will be starting in his second hostile environment, while Mallett, who relieved Henne in last week’s loss to Oregon, will be in the comforts of the Big House. With another week of preparation for Clausen, head coach Charlie Weis is ready to force-feed his freshman a little more fire to fight with, by opening more of the playbook. Mallett is hoping to benefit from a week’s work with the first team and play much more relaxed than his spontaneous debut in Michigan’s second combustion of the season.

Let us remember as we watch these two shells of former national powers get it on this weekend, what once was. When these schools were factors in the national championship equation. The epic battles that have represented this rivalry will now be littered with losses and expiring expectations of the year 2007. Visions of victories this season have been replaced by lingering losses and retracted respect. The hallowed history that was once one of college footballs greatest has become an afterthought contest between two teams on the verge of an 0-3 hole. The names of the past (a short list), Joe Montana, Jerome Bettis, Tim Brown, Rocket Ismail, Rick Leach, Anthony Carter, Desmond Howard, and Charles Woodson were great, iconic players who have played in these games.

More questions than answers are what remain of this union of two teams who have exited the polls and significance in the college scene this season.

What is left? What will be gained? B ragging rights? A win in the series between the two tradition-rich schools? Will the winner have won anything but a little self-respect? What of the fan whose school goes 0-3 and has to do this all over again next week? Is this the beginning of a rivalry between two freshman quarterbacks that will entertain for the next three years? Is Lloyd Carr on the way out and his successor coming from “miles” away? Will the records of these two teams, who appear to be in full on rebuilding mode, discourage recruits from coming? Does a guarantee from star tailback Mike Hart mean anything to anyone?

You wouldn’t think a game between two 0-2 teams on a weekend in September would mean so much. Fact is, no matter the records, it means EVERYTHING.

TOP PROGRAM IN AMERICA: ND vs. U of M

This week as a special treat we have allowed Notre Dame Insider Shannon O’Keefe to take off her journalists hat and invited Brad Kurtzberg over from Fantasy Football Insiders to go mano-a-mano. Did I mention Shannon is a Notre Dame grad and Brad is a Michigan alum?

OK Maize and Blue fans and Golden Domers let's here it for your schools! I'm assuming neither one of you is up for making a case for your team to win this week's game (how could you?), so lets duke it out for top program in America! Who has the better tradition? The better fight song? Nickname? How about the uniforms? More importantly the helmets...is it that "just sprayed on shine" of ND or the winged helmets of Michigan?

BRAD: Hey Shannon. Let's start with something simple...Michigan is still the #1 NCAA Div 1-A school in total wins and winning percentage. Plus, I do believe it was Michigan who taught Notre Dame how to play football and helped start its program back in the day.

SHANNON: So you got us in the first game. Congratulations, 1887 was a big year for you guys. But really, there's no comparing the history. Notre Dame's program is the stuff of legends. The four horsemen. Knute Rockne. Even Rudy exists in the public sphere in a way that no second rate Michigan defensive lineman ever could.

(We have) 13 National Championships to your 10. And you're only leading us on the all-time winning percentage by two hundredths of a point. Even our rickety offensive line could hold you to two hundredths of a point.

BRAD: Legends, yes but how much substance is there behind the legends? So, Notre Dame has had a better PR Department. Everybody knows Notre Dame is a favorite of the polls and always has been. Their popularity gives them that, but not what's really on the playing field. Rudy is perhaps the ultimate example. The guy was in on one meaningless play at the end of a game and they made a movie out of it. Pure PR but it doesn't make for a better program, just a more well known one.

As for ND offensive line holding Michigan to two hundredths of a point, obviously, they haven't or we wouldn't be ahead of you by them.

U of M and Notre Dame are two of the most distinguished and best run programs in the country. But Michigan is more substance than the "legend" of Notre Dame.

SHANNON: Legends are different from fairy tales. A strong Sports Information office is a huge plus, I agree. But you can't spin good press out of bad programs. People feel inspired by Notre Dame. As a kid, I watched Rocket Ismail run and run and run and it made me want to go to Notre Dame. I watched Forrest Gump run too, but it didn't make me want to go shrimping.

I think what you're saying is that there is an intangible at Notre Dame, and you're right. People who have no connection to the place cheer their whole lives for our team. Because they feel inspired to do so. I like thinking that people feel inspired by Notre Dame. I like feeling inspired by Notre Dame. Talk about inspiration - look at the recruiting class for '08. We already have 19 commitments (to your 15), including one five-star stud and 14 four-stars. Dayne Crist, the third best pro-style quarterback in the country, still wants to come in behind Jimmy Clausen, still wants to learn from Charlie Weis.

I respect your program. I've been to the Big House, and it's impressively large and impressively loud. But I'd take Clausen's young and inexperienced arm in Notre Dame Stadium any day over Mike Hart's legs in the Big House. It might not make sense on paper, but that's inspiration for you.

BRAD: I respect the tradition at Notre Dame...Touchdown Jesus, Knute Rockne etc...But give me Michigan....highest attendance in all of college football...100,000 plus per home game since before most of us were born...the most living alumni of any American University....the most wins and highest winning percentage of any Division I-A school....unique helmets that make a statement and oh yes, the best darn fight song in college football (I'll give u ND as a close 2nd). If "The Victors" doesn't stir up your blood and get you ready for college football, you're either not a college football fan or you're from Ohio....

SHANNON: This is the best part of college football, and the reason why I'll never love the NFL quite as much. I actually think about helmets and fight songs and alumni when considering the quality of the program. I actually feel a little bit gushy about Notre Dame football. I think our helmets are better because they're painted with real gold – from the Golden Dome! - which sounds ridiculous but somehow makes it all feel more legit; ties it all together; makes you believe in God, Country, Notre Dame. I think our fight song is better (though, to be fair, Michigan's is grand). There's nothing like having a couple of pre-game beers and then streaming into the stadium while the band knocks out the fight song. For a second there, I really thought I'd rather be in South Bend than Manhattan. That's how amazing it feels to be there. That's why I love college football.

The real question is what's going to happen to an already struggling Michigan team without Henne. Our freshman quarterback has had a game plus to work out some kinks, plus the kid is preternaturally poised. Seriously, I've never seen anyone so ready to play. Ryan Mallett may have been around for spring practices, but let's see how long he lasts in the fall.

BRAD: I think both QBs have their work cut out for them. Being a freshman QB is very tough in this day and age. I think ND has a slight advantage because Mallett has not been preparing to start until this week.

As for ND's helmets, they are really spray-painted. They are sharp, but silver or gold helmets are just painted while other colored helmets are actually their final color. One thing I do like about ND is their green jerseys, which they only use on special occasions. Think about the great players that have played for both teams, the fight songs, the facilities, the helmets, the traditions...Notre Dame and Michigan....can anything BE more representative of the greatness of college football. Even in an off year for both teams, it gets the juices flowing. Good luck, Shannon, but GO BLUE!

SHANNON: Back at you, Brad. I look forward to the game against Michigan every year - always exciting, and exactly what college football is supposed to be. Best of luck. I think the game is going to get a bit ugly and that both offenses will stutter, but I believe we'll pull this one out in the end. Go Irish!

YOU GOTTA HAVE FAITH

BY SHANNON O’KEEFE
NOTRE DAME INSIDER
Join intrepid reporter Shannon O’Keefe as she ventures into the mind, heart and soul of the Notre Dame follower. Before she takes you inside the storied program, O’Keefe enters the realm of the faithful, let’s see what these fanatics might have to say.

College football season is finally upon us. The endless summer blogging about what to expect this season is about to transition into endless fall blogging about unexpected successes and dismal failures. I knew that then-ers will own the Internet. So where does that place me? Put me firmly into the camp of hopers and dreamers. This season, I’d rather believe in leprechauns than statistics.

Like any Irish faithful, I do believe in this team, or at least its leaders. Charlie Weis being chief among them. This season is going to be tough, and potentially ugly, but I believe Coach Weis can put us on the right path – if not to the Louisiana Superdome, then at least a path of progress. I hate the term transitional year because no true fan wants anything to do with transition. We want wins. We want to be in the race. We want some seriously hard hits and airy forward passes on the ESPN highlight reel. Still, let’s face it, best case scenario, we’re in the middle of a good transitional year. A couple of exciting wins, a few close calls and the promise of something great … to come.

I believe in Tom Zbikowski, a fifth-year safety, who can be so dangerous, so explosive, when he’s focused on the field – and this year he is – he’s leaner, quicker and a serious contender for All-America accolades.

I believe in John Carlson, a fifth-year tight end and the only 2006 Mackey Award finalist to return this season.

I believe in Geoff Price, a fifth-year punter with a strong leg.

Domers might be fixated on the quarterback race – Jimmy Clausen, with his newly disclosed off-season surgery; Demetrius Jones, the seeming forerunner; and Evan Sharpley, Quinn’s backup. Putting anyone under center at Notre Dame is anxiety inducing; following Brady Quinn begs trainers to add Xanax to the pre-game routine.

Instead, I’ll be watching Joe Brockington, who is moving to inside linebacker, two freshmen, Armando Allen and Golden Tate, who are the top kick returners and the wickedly talented Sam Young at right tackle.

The first real test will come this weekend against Georgia Tech.

Can we beat them? Yes. They don’t have the talent of Michigan or USC. Will we? Hard to say. They have a good running game and our defense is unproven, particularly in the new 3-4 scheme under defensive coordinator Corwin Brown. However, Georgia Tech has also lost some primetime talent. They may have namesakes to fill the void – James Johnson, but it’s going to take more than the same name on the back of the jersey to replace Calvin Johnson. Defensively, they blitz on 75 percent of snaps. I’d suspect the Irish eyes are on Demetrius Jones to tuck and run. Travis Thomas returning to running back, John Sullivan at center and Carlson at tight end, which will help to bring some continuity to our untested offensive leader.

Still, if our offense could only put 14 up with Quinn under center last season against the Rambling Wreck, well, here’s hoping.

Go Irish!

Look for weekly updates on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish from Shannon O’Keefe.