5th Year Fever

Here come the 5th years.

• Geoff Price #17 Punter
• Dwight Stephenson #57 Defensive End
• Trevor Laws #98 Defensive Tackle
• John Carlson #89 Tight End
• Ambrose Wooden #22 Cornerback
• John Sullivan #78 Center
• Joe Brockington #52 Linebacker
• Travis Thomas #26 Running Back/ Linebacker CAPTAIN
• Tom Zbikowski #9 Safety CAPTAIN

This is an excellent group of veteran players. Here are a few tidbits about these Grad Students.

• 8 of the 9 players were starters during the 2006 season.(Stephenson did not, but he may end up being this years Corey Mays).
• 4 of these players are going to end their ND Career as 4 year starters.(Zibby, Wooden, Sullivan, and Laws).
• 2 of the 3 Captains of the 2006 team are returning. (Zibby and Thomas).
• All are quality guys and all should make considerable contributions to ND on and off the field.

There are a lot of Domers out there that are getting a little zealous for the younger guys and have spurned the fact that these players are returning. If you think ND would be better off without them, go talk to a shrink. Why do we want them back?

• As stated before, there are a lot of starters here. They are good enough to play and I believe defensive guys are in a better position than last year with Brown as the Defensive Coordinator.
• Depth, depth, depth. You can never have enough.
• The young guys are talented, but they could use another year of learning while still getting ample playing time just as Weis has done since he has been at ND.
• Leadership. The more upperclassmen in football the better.
• It helps all of these guys draft status (which is why they are all returning) which in turn is good for the program and the university as a whole.

I am excited about these guys and I know they can help us win. It will be an exciting spring game... but I'll get to that later.

Irish Lads: 2007 Recruiting Spectacular

Here they are, and here they come... 18 men of COMMITMENT. I am going to break them down by position," throw a little knowledge mixed in with some old negro wisdom"(Hunter S. Thompson), and give you a little taste of the feast to come.

Let me say right from the jump that this was the most bizarre year in recruiting I have ever witnessed. Decommitts, accusations, mud-slinging and lets not forget the drugs and hookers. (That's right Illinois I'm calling you out). I am not going to focus too much on this bologna until the end where there is a list of misses. Let us begin....

THE 3 WEIS MEN

These individuals are on campus right now.

Jimmy Clausen- Quarterback

This may be the biggest catch on the recruiting front in well over a decade. Jimmy has all the physical tools to be successful. The greatest asset however, might be everything from the neck up. Very smart on the field and has great presence in the pocket with quick feet to adjust. He has never lost as a starter in H.S. He will definitely get a chance to start for the Irish. If he can grasp on to Weis's system early... watch out. We may have our starter for the next 4 years and a transfer for another kid out of South Bend.

GRADE.........A+

JERSEY..........#7 (Has already requested)

Armando Allen- Running Back

Can you say whoosh? This is an extremely exciting player that has gamebreaking speed to well...break open games. An injury forced Allen to cut his senior year short and may have curtailed any climb in star status from a 4 to a 5. Allen is what we as ND fans have been waiting for, a Julius Jones type back now that we have a coach that knows what to do with talent. Did I mention that he was fast? He was the fastest player at the Army All-American Combine out of over 500 players and was the fastest at the Nike Combine in South Florida. Hold on and watch this AA become an AA.

GRADE..........A-

JERSEY.........#5 (Has already requested)

Gary Gray- Cornerback

Poaching? Yes we are guilty too. Gary was an early commit to South Carolina but he never showed the campus to his Momma. She came up and now he is freezing his ass off. Although Gary is lacking in size he does show to be very aggressive when playing against the run. Good cover skills and he seems to have a knack to be around the ball. He will make an excellent addition to what is shaping up to be a very talented defensive backfield for the future. He had me hooked once I saw the Leprechaun shaved into the back of his skull. He has the confidence to be a shutdown corner and should make an impact...in 2008.

GRADE.........A-

JERSEY........#3 (Has already requested)

Now let's check out the other players coming in this summer on the Offensive side of the ball.

RUNNING BACK

Robert Hughes

This man is a truck. POW! Robert is a downhill runner with enough shake in his hips to be elusive but, his greatest quality is his throwback style of punishing would be tacklers with his power. Notre Dame has not had this type of back since Ray Zellars, Marc Edwards, and Jerome Bettis. He is not a fullback as the aforementioned list of names, but he brings to the table the type of toughness these freaks did. His addition with Allen can generate the Thunder and Lightning cliche' . Very exciting!

GRADE..........B+

JERSEY.........#33 (This number is now owned by a walk-on kicker and should be Hughes' by summertime. If not look for him to wear 30)

WIDE RECEIVER

Duval Kamara

Big, tall wideout with decent speed. This kid is a beast at jump balls and becomes a playmaker inside the red-zone. He uses his body well to get position and has good hands to pull the rock down. His high school team was a run oriented offense so he may be a little rough and a year or two away from becoming an impact player. Interesting enough, his HS coach has always considered him to be a better Safety. Here's hoping we have good enough depth at safety that he doesn't have to go Ndukwe on us.

GRADE...........B

JERSEY..........#85 (He was 11 in HS but Grimes owns it. Would not be surprised if he goes Shark on us and takes 83)

Golden Tate

First of all, his name makes him a fan-favorite right now. Golden. Why weren't my parents that creative? This kid is an amazing talent and I will say right now, he will make an immediate impact next year as a returner. Tate is an explosive athlete who could play RB, CB, and WR. He will most likely be used as a wideout and adds depth to what is a young, growing, talented stable of wideouts. He was named Mr. Football in the state of Tennessee. He was offered a scholarship late in the game because other names like Benn and Little were out there. He committed soon after he was offered and I believe he has something to prove to Weis and the staff. I love this kid and he is another addition of pure speed.

GRADE...........B+

JERSEY..........#23

TIGHT END

Mike Ragone

Another good, if not great, Tight End out of New Jersey. He would of been the top rated TE in the country, but an injury he suffered wrestling his Junior year sidelined him all season his senior year. He has great speed for his position and blocks very well. He can be THE difference maker in Charlies system. No LB will be able to cover this kid and will open passing lanes up for others or become a threat himself. Giddy is the word I use about this kid. Why? Because he is that good! I can not wait to see him line up. His leg is healed and he is at 100% right now. I think he has the right kind of attitude that will make him a nasty player if not borderline straight cocky. Think Greg Olsen with out the Rap skills. (Haven't heard him rhyme yet).

GRADE...........A+

JERSEY..........87 (Was 80 in HS, but Mr. Jackson owns that #. Could also take a teen number, 14 or 16)

TACKLE

Taylor Dever

Dever was a little known prospect for a long time. He did have a meteoric rise through the rankings as Scout.com had him at a 2 star and then he rose to a 4 star. A very big kid who will only get bigger. He has quick feet for a lineman and is generally considered very athletic. He adds tremendous depth to what is the best 2 year haul of offensive lineman in the country. He will have a lot of competition, but if he comes out of it on top, we will know that he could be a great one.

GRADE...........B

JERSEY.........70 (Why Not?)

Emeka Nwankwo

Another good prospect to add to the depth that Ty never gave us. He only weighs about 273 lbs. right now, but I suspect a few dates with ND strength coach Mendoza should pack a few more digits to that number. He blocks very well and moves downfield well to take on the secondary to help spring runners. He should already be on everyone's all name team. What's the key word here... quality DEPTH.

GRADE..........B

JERSEY.........79

GUARD

Matt Romine

Matt is listed as a guard, but he may very well end up at tackle for the Irish. One word really describes this kid...NASTY. He could be a Jeff Faine type, who only stops blocking 5 seconds after the whistle. He was named a captain of the West team at the Army All-American Game. During practice that week he dominated Everson Griffen, who is widely known as the #1 defensive end prospect coincidentally heading to USC. Matt could be a great one and what's that word again...

GRADE...........A

JERSEY..........75 (Was 77 in HS but the Turk has it)

WOW! That is a great haul of players. ND addressed some needs and added quality depth at every position, save Center. The future looks bright and explosive for these young guns and ND. Next year we may struggle a bit on Offense, but come 2008 and beyond, ND will average at least 32 points a game as long as Weis is at the helm and keeps bringing in players such as the ones listed.

DEFENSE

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

Ian Williams

This was probably the biggest need position this year as it seems it is every year. Williams fits the bill of a good DT and should battle it out early for playing time. It is unclear where he fits in with a 3-4 scheme, but Brown will probably use a multiple front and use Williams quickness to disrupt the opposing O. He does need to work on his pass rush skills but takes up a lot of space and is a good run stuffer. It would be nice if he turns out to be the diamond in the rough of class and really shine in the future. I am already hearing a lot of love from Irish fans about Ian as he turned down a very aggressive Urban da Liar.

GRADE...........B-

JERSEY.......... 65

Andrew Nuss

Nuss is quite the enigma. He is listed as an offensive lineman, but he was asked by Weis to be a DT and he accepted with eagerness. He is a big kid with a frame to add more weight. He also has a nasty streak and could be a very versatile player in the future. He adds depth to a thin position and could develop into a good player.

GRADE..........C+

JERSEY......... 76 ( I will withhold all Bob Morton jokes and was already requested)

DEFENSIVE END

Kerry Neal

Kerry was the first commit in this class and he had never been to ND. He has been there 3 times since and lets hope he stays for 4 years. He reminds me, and just about everyone else, of Julius Peppers. He has great speed and hits like a truck once he locks onto a runner. In Corwin Browns scheme Neal can be used as an OLB or he could put his hand down. Either way, he will be a force as a pass rusher and a run stuffer. His game tapes are stuff of legend in recruiting circles and should make us all forget about a certain DE that decommitted late in the game. WOW, WOW and WOW. He will be a great one and fills a position of need with great upside potential.

GRADE..........A

JERSEY......... 18 ( Was 12 in HS and that is owned by Frazer, so why not 18)

LINEBACKER

Brian Smith

Another poaching incident. Brian was committed to Iowa until the Irish came knocking. Ferentz played hardball or quit, and told Smith if he visited ND the offer would be pulled. He committed to Weis and really he should of been offered earlier. His dad was a RB for the Irish in the early 80's. He has great size ,and again ,is another player that can add to his frame. Brian plays with a lot of energy and will bring a lot to the table at LB. Expect him to be a starter in 2008, standing next to another Smith. ND needed depth at this position and got it and then some with Brian.

GRADE.........B+

JERSEY........10 (I have no idea so stop laughing)

Steve Paskorz

A tough, hardnosed player from Pennsylvania. Steve mostly played running back in HS and it is not ruled out that he won't play there at ND. At the time being however he is a LB and brings a lot of instinct and speed to the position. Paz was injured for most of his senior year but he is healthy now and will add depth to the position.

GRADE........C

JERSEY.......35 (Was 1 in HS)

Aaron Nagel

Nagel is an exciting prospect to have at ND. He proved himself at the Army All-American game to be quite the plater on D. He can bring a lot of speed to the position and is very, very physical. His sideline to sideline coverage is a great plus. An ND type kid all the way. He could develop into a nasty LB in the mold pf A.J. Hawk if he puts on about 10-15 more pounds. Get used to hearing his last name as it is rumored that his brother is a hot prospect for next year. Once again....DEPTH.

GRADE..........B-

JERSEY..........47 ( Was 20 in HS)

SAFTEY

Harrison Smith

One word describes this kid...Instincts. Smith actually has the total package. Good size and speed to go along with those instincts. He is very physical and can help in stuffing the run as well as being a cover saftey. This is another steal from the State of Tennessee, and was named the Gatorade Player of the year there. Harrison could see the field soon...like this fall. If he works hard and learns the system I see no reason for him not to as he is probably the most athletically gifted Saftey on the roster. Watch out for this kid because his stock should only go up.

GRADE..........A

JERSEY.........43 (Was 22 in HS and may change in 08)

KICKER

Brandon Walker

ND also poached themselves another kicker. And why not? Since Fitzpatrick left it has been a huge issue. Brandon actually projects more as a punter but I'm sure Weis will squeeze him into the mix and let him challenge as a placekicker.

GRADE............C-

JERSEY........... Whatever is left over, he's a kicker.

Well there you have it. Not a lot of star power like the offense, but a lot of quality depth and projects that could go a long ways. I actually feel Neal, both Smiths, and Gray will be immediate in their impact.

What were some of the misses? Who F*%^ing cares! Those other prospects for one reason or another chose to go somewhere else. We can't change that now. The coaches are moving foward with this great haul and have already started throwing offers out to the top Juniors, so here we go again!

Just a little FYI. The team Rankings for recruiting by the 4 services I use.

Scout.com 11

Rivals.com 8

ESPN 8

Lemming 6

News Flash

Hello. I'm Ron Burgundy, and this is what's happening in your world tonight.

Be sure to check back with the Subway Domer on February 8th (and everyday for that matter) to view Subway Domers 2007 Recruiting Spectacular: Irish Lads.

• Complete list of Seniors that sent their Letters of Intent.
• My personal grade and opinion of the recruit.
• Projection of jersey # for each individual.
• Grades and opinions on the "3" Clausen, Gray, and Allen. Early Enroll guys who are at ND right this minute.
• How Notre Dame stacked up against the elite programs in the country.
• How Notre Dame stole verbal commits from Tennessee. (Well, maybe not)
• SO MUCH MORE!!!

Fuck You du Luc!

Notre Dame has decided to kick Kyle McAlarney out of school. Why? He got pulled over off campus, and the cops found a joint (blunt). Get over yourselves ND and anyone who thinks this is in Kyles best interest. He was sold out so the University can say they blah,blah, blah. He can reapply to come back for summer session but ask yourself, would you? Fuck them! I don't smoke pot anymore, so please don't say I am a burnout fighting a weed revolution. This is an injustice to Kyle and any other student this law has affected. I'm so pissed I am rambling, and I am a hunt and pick typist.

Shark Would Destroy Ivan Drago

Thank-you Jeff Samardzija for the past 2 years of dominance. Good luck in Chi-Town.

1992 - Michigan vs. Notre Dame (Reggie Brooks)

Corwin Brown was announced to be the new Defenive Coordinator for Notre Dame despite the fact Reggie Brooks still roams the campus.

Rumors and Sightings

The Legend Has Begun...




These are a few of the legendary moments new ND Defensive Coordinator, Corwin Brown, has produced in his lifetime.

• Only a toddler, Corwin was hit by a diesel truck. While Corwin was bruised, the truck was totaled. Bo and Woody had a pissing match to talk to the 3 year old.
• At age 5 Corwin was suspended from school for instigating a fight between 2 classmates. As it turned out, he was at no fault at all except for the fact that the 2 classmates were Penny and Jill and he promised both of the girls a spot next to him during nap time. Bishop Don Magic Juan proclaimed him a P-I-M-P, and Brown was reinstated into Kindergarten with full privileges.
• On his 10th birthday Corwin ate 20 boxes of Cornflakes and then regurgitated them into the mouths of hungry homeless people. Hence the name Cornflake. What a humanitarian.
• Punched a puma in the mouth and ripped its tongue out. WOW!
• Arm Wrestling Champion of Guam.
• Named #1 on a list by Mike Tyson. Tyson would not disclose the subject matter of the list.
• Told John Cooper to go to hell...and Cooper did.
• Beat out the Archangel Michael in a highly competitive Cherry Pit Spittin' contest.
• Was almost thrown out of Pop Warner for testing positive for steroids. It was later determined that the high level of testosterone was a natural occurrence for a man-beast.
• Beat up Chuck Norris. What else is there to say?

Coaching Changes...Or So We Are Told

Ever since the Sugar Bowl there has been rampant discussion about changes to the ND coaching staff. One could not look anywhere on message boards and blogs without sorting through a wide array of rumors on what those changes might entail. The Subway Domer was going to defer any talk of a change until an official word was released by the University of Notre Dame. That however does not seem to have happened as fast as we would of all liked. So in light of the situation, I will now concede to the rumors and take into consideration that the new recruits are even talking about the change openly, and state that Corwin Brown is going to be the new Defensive Coordinator and Ron Powlus will become the new QB coach.



Corwin Brown, come on down! Welcome to the Notre Dame family. You are next in line for what seems to be the toughest job in DI-A.



Here are a few tidbits about Mr. Brown

• Played for Michigan. This alone is cause for concern when you look no farther... a Skunkbear- what the hell. Read further.


• He was a hard hitting player in NFL and was named in the top 5 for toughest players to play for Bill Parcells by Parcells himself. Go on my son.


• Hates USC. He has got to hate them, right? Right! The reasons for this is simple: First he was cut by then Patriots HC Pete da poodle Carroll, Next he destroyed Keyshon Johnson and was close to decapitating him, and finally he just watched his Alma Mata get crushed by the poodle and SC.


• Has the most familiarity as a coach with using a 3-4 defense. He might need Trevor Laws to beef up some more for this to work this year and do the same with our other DTs.


• He has some college coaching experience with Virgina as a special teams coach.


• He was the DB coach for the Jets through 2 administrations. Edwards and Mangini.

Notice that Brown has never been a DC in college or the pros. There have been a few rumblings around the net about that fact. Now notice that Weis was never was a HC in college or the pros. I think that is working out. By the way, do not worry about the Michigan factor. Once you are a Parcells/Belicheck/Weis guy, that is where your loyalty stays...for LIFE. ( Except for Mangini who might think of Bill B. as a dick and vica versa)

Yes he can! And now it will be in more ways than just playing quarterback and setting school records.

Ron Powlus looks to be the next Quarterback Coach, taking over for Peter Vass. This in essence may be just as critical a move as canning Rick Minter. There are 4 QBs in the stable now that All Universe high school stud Jimmy Clausen enrolled this week. Ron is a true Son of ND. Weis will need his help in evaluating the foursome (Sharpley, Jones, Frazer, and Clausen) and his tutelage will be vital in the progression of any of them. Plus is goes without saying really that Powlus will play a vital role with Clausen and the way in which Jimmy deals with the pressure of the hype that surrounds himself. Also it can not be understated that Ron will play a key part in recruiting. This is a great guy who undeservedly got hammered by the media AND fans alike. He could have a very long coaching career ahead of him with our beloved Irish.

Farewell Proud Son

The news that came out of South Bend today was a bittersweet moment. Darius Walker declared his intentions to turn pro and enter the 2007 NFL Draft.




First let me just state that DW is one of my all time favorite running backs from ND. Why? Reliability. Injuries, fumbles, and missed blocking assignments didn't happen with Walker in the backfield. This is a man who has been all class and has shown himself to be a Loyal Son of Notre Dame. I remember being at his coming out party versus Michigan in 2004. It was fantastic. HE was the reason we won the game. His play was detrimental in game after game these past 3 years and his production was only getting better with each season.

• 2004 786 yards 4.2ypc 10rec 74 yards 7 total TDS
• 2005 1196 yards 4.7ypc 43rec 351yards 10 total TDS
• 2006 1267 yards 5.0ypc 56rec 391yards 8 total TDS

This does now give some other players the opportunity to develop and really contribute in the 2007 season. Travis Thomas is coming back for a fifth year and I believe he will take over the starting duties and a majority of the carries. He is the kind of back we will need with a combination of speed, power, and most of all EXPIERIENCE that will be needed to help this young team win games. It will be exciting however, because Aldridge and Prince and Allen should also be in the rotation (start forgetting about Robert Hughes), which beckons back to the days of Holtz.

Thank-you again Darius Walker! You will be missed and will never be forgotten. Good luck to you and your family ( I loved seeing Mr. Walker and the fro) with the new adventure.

Ohio/Florida: Agony of Defeat

youtube.com is blowing balls and keeps removing my vids. I am sorry for any inconvenience

This is not a celebration of Florida. This is a bitchslap to OSU. Screw Urban da Liar and his band of illiterate men. I hope he sent a hooker to Zook for the players he got to start out with.

41-14 No, Not Another Sugar Bowl Talk

41-14

THIS MAN IS UPSET BECAUSE

THIS MAN DESTROYED HIM

BECAUSE OF THIS MAN

Quinn Wins Another Award.

Brady Quinn won the 2006 Cingular Player of the Year. Here are some sweet ( sorry, it it too soon after the bowl game to discuss sweeteners?) tidbits about this honor.

* He took in 43% of the voting. The next closest was Troys Myth with 27%.
* Quinn won the weekly award twice this year. Penn State and Michigan State games.
* First ND player to win the award. First player from a school other than Texas to win. First Player to win from the state of Ohio. He is however the 2nd to wear #10 and the 2nd QB. Bummer.
* It was announced during the BCS Title Game. Buckeyes everywhere cursed him. And then sometime in the 3rd quarter they wished Quinn played at OSU.

Congradulations Brady! This just goes to show you that ND dominates... cell phones.

Ode to Carlson

Thank-you John for retuning for a fifth year.

Opposing defenses now tremble with fear.

Your hair is fantastic and curly, as are your routes,
You pluck balls out of the air leaving no doubts.

Take care of the heir to the Mighty Quinn.

Whoever that might be, just tell him to win.

Next year the Mackey Award is yours at last.

Remember, deceptive speed describes a white guy that is fast.

So, thanks again and have some real fun.

Domers shine the brightest on Saturdays in the Sun.

Welcome to Notre Dame!

I promised myself that I wasn't going to do any recruiting material until national signing day. But I would be an asshole if I didn't mention Matt Romine. This guy is a horse and was a saving grace for many Irish fans as he was the only uncommitted recruit that made his declaration today at the Army All-Star Game. There was a lot of speculation last week that other guys, that will remain nameless (you know who they are), might declare to play for the Irish. That did not happen. However there were a lot of other players there that did. Most notably: J. Clausen, G. Little, J Trattou, G. Gray, D. Kamara, Aaron Nagel and 2 guys that were injured in A. Allen and M. Ragone. Welcome all! Once again, look for the Subway Domer Recruiting Spectacular 2007 coming in February. GO IRISH!!!

The Aftermath

Well I have tried to post since the Sugar Bowl, but I have just been unable to crawl out of the toilet. That is until now. I have put my foot down and have decided to move on. I do want to state a few things about the game that coincide with the previous post and the keys to victory.
OFFENSE
1. I thought we did a good job of protection considering the competition. The sacks and real pressure came from ineffective screens and indecisiveness on Quinn.
2. No turnovers... that was a prayer.
3. The biggest surprise to many was the efficient ground attack by Walker, at least in the first half. It was hard to run the ball in the 2nd because of a complete meltdown by the defense...moving on.
DEFENSE
1. The pressure on 6'6" 260 lbs.( apparently this is JaMarcus Russell's new name, so that is what I will call him), was never there. Abiamiri swatted a ball for a fumble but really that was it.
2. We did stop the run... in the first half. Do you see a theme here? In the 2nd half the D forgot to tackle and became a Pop Warner team. LSU commenced to run the clock out on a dismal night.
3. We got the 2 turnovers and almost a 3rd. Yes a goal is met!
NOTE: I never mentioned pass coverage as a key, because well, we have never done it and I'm not sure it is in the playbook.
INTANGIBLES
1. Pulling out the trick plays does not mean a fake punt during your first possession. Maybe a trick play that would work might be a field goal? They seem very tricky.
2. Special Teams... not so special. THANKS BRIAN!!!
3. Penalties weren't so bad but the Shark bit too hard a few times. Also There were a lot of no calls on pass interference. Rape Charges are to be filed in the future by ND on behalf of any potential receiver we had out there.
4. Once the Wooden fumble was overturned, it was over. No life and no nuts were found on the team.

That sums up my thoughts on the game. LSU was clearly the better team in every category. It is going to take a lot of help to get ND, our team, up to the level that we desire it to be.

NEWS AND NOTES

• Notre Dame had 7 regular season opponents in bowl games. Their record was 2-5.
• The PS2 Challenge is over. My record is 18-11 and its is 15-14. With 3 games remaining I win by default since it picked Cincy along with me.
• The Army All-American game is on tomorrow at noon. Try not to cry when the only commit we get that's left is an O lineman.

National Holiday/ Quinns Last Stand

SUGAR BOWL

This is the day that most of us out there have been waiting for. I'm sure some of you have been wondering about the absence of material about the Fighting Irish heading into the Sugar Bowl tonight. It's simple, I have not been discussing it at all. Since the BCS selections were made I have known all the talk for this game would be about the speed of LSU and the lack there of for ND. The bowl losing streak? Yep I knew that was coming. Blown out by our best competition? You bet. The list can go on and on and on. And quite frankly, I didn't want to talk about it. Was it out of fear? Hell no! It is just a different approach for the Subway Domer than in any other game this year. Just like Weis and ND are taking a different route in this years bowl game as compared to last years game against the Buckeyes, I have as well.

With all that said, F*#K LSU!!! It is real hard not to make comparisons to the '92 Sugar Bowl. This game has all the makings of that classic battle. The keys to the game and the victory...

OFFENSE

1. Keep defenders off of Quinn, and if no one is open Quinn has to tuck it and run or throw it away right away. Quinn has had a tendency to hold on to the ball a little too long when nothing has developed.


2. Absolutely no turnovers. To win ND will need every possession and get points out of them whether it be 3 or 7.


3. RUN the ball. This will mean not only the draws we see with Walker, but Aldridge and T2 must get involved with the power attack to enable a true play action capability.

DEFENSE

1. Pressure, pressure, pressure. The D-line must get to the QB and force throws that are errant. This will allow the LBs to concentrate on coverage and takes some of the "pressure" off of the secondary.


2. Stopping the run. Not just stopping it, but doing it with the front 7 ( or 6 in the Nickel) so Our safeties don't feel like they have to be in on every play as to allow better coverage on play action passes and the whole passing game in general.


3. TURNOVERS!!! We have got to get at least 2 TOs and it would be nice if one of those was returned.

INTANGIBLES

1. Weis has to pull out the trick plays.(and not just that Samardzija reverse pass that ha s never worked) We have seen a lot of success this bowl season with teams using them, most notably Boise State, and these plays create momentum and loosens up the defense.


2. Special Teams needs to be productive. The return game has to be solid. I'm not sure if Zibby will be doing KR but these are the hidden yards, as well as PR, that help drives and sets up field position. The question mark is with FG, Gioa has to nail the 35 and under.


3. Penalties. Too many times this year we have seen drives killed over penalties. Keep these down and you dictate the play calling.


4. Keep the Heads up!!! If ND gets down early they must not pack it in. Keep plugging away and keep the comebacks against MSU and UCLA in the back of their minds. Just look at the bowl season in general and the comebacks that were made. It can happen if you just execute the plays.

Those are a lot of keys but LSU is that good. However, I have that feeling that things just might go that way. This could be the game we have been waiting for.

• Subway Domer--------------- ND 31 LSU 23 The streak is over and respect comes our way at last. GO IRISH!!!


• PS2---------------------------ND 45 LSU 31 The black box surprised me. Quinn got hurt in the 1st quarter but came back in the second half and threw for 4 TD in that half alone.

Editors Note: This post was delayed because of the incompetence of Mediacom which had my Internet down for over 13 hours. Thanks a lot bitches!

Apples and Oranges...PS2 Challenge

ORANGE BOWL

This is a game that goes along with the comparative "Like apples and oranges". Louisville has a dynamic offense that can do whatever it want to do. WF not so much. I'm not going to go much deeper than that for one reason, I haven't been right for a lot of these games. Both of these teams are well coached but the Ville has more gamebreakers at more positions. WF however, has been going against the grain all season and just keeps winning. Look for more trick plays in this game, as I believe the Fiesta Bowl might have influenced both of these coaches.

• Subway Domer------------------UL 34 WF 27 Originally I have thought that this might be a blowout in favor of the Lou. But seeing what has transpired in the other bowls has led me to believe that these underdogs are showing up not just to show, but to win.
• PS2-----------------------------UL 38 WF 24 WF could have won but turnovers and penalties in the 2nd half gave the game to the Lou. Brohm had 331 yds. and 3 TD.

Not the way I thought it was going to go, but I'll take the win.