Monday Morning Fact Slap

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Well, it has been a few days and I'm still puking my guts out over Saturdays performance. The word tragic can not describe vividly enough the way this season has gone from the beginning. The worst part is, I'm not sure who to blame. There is someone to blame, right? Of course there is but it definitely isn't one person.
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But enough of all that. Here's a little rundown on what is going on with the program, general comments, and generally a mild vent/rant. More will come about the B.C. game later.

• Matt Carufel has decided to leave Notre Dame. Weis gave this statement:

  "I spoke via telephone with Matt Carufel Sunday evening, and he informed me he
  was going to leave the team and withdraw from the University of Notre Dame. I
  appreciate all Matt has done for Notre Dame and wish him nothing but the best."

  Carufel is the 3rd player to transfer during this season following Demetrius Jones and Konrad Reuland out of South Bend. He is the 4th since the spring, when Zach Frazer decided to depart after becoming the 4th man in the quarterback race. Matt is deciding between Iowa and that dork Tim Brewster. All of the players that have left this season have been from the 2006 recruiting class. Chris Stewart tried as well... and Daddy sent him back to honor his COMMITMENT. The 2006 class was supposed to be the foundation of the future. But that is becoming as rocky as the season has been.
• Sharpley must be the starter against USC and for the rest of the season. This is becoming obvious to anyone paying attention to Notre Dame Football this year. Evan has that "gunslinger " mentality that this team desperately needs to compete. This is NOT a slam on Clausen. I think Jimmy will do very well at ND in the future, but the present is Evan. Sharpley should have started from game one this year. Jimmy still needs more time to develop as a college QB. He just doesn't make the throws down field to keep a defense honest. Whether Jimmy is still having arm trouble or he just doesn't want to make a mistake and is thinking too much in the pocket, it doesn't really matter. Evan will take those chances because I think he feels that he has nothing too lose. The team responds, because they want that chance too.
• The running game is atrocious. This fact alone may be the most puzzling outcome of what has happened so far this year. All of ND Nation believed we would be able to run the ball. The majority of us felt that with the departure of Darius Walker we would be able to open the floodgates with a stable of seemingly more than capable backs in Aldridge, Hughes, Allen, Thomas, and Jabbie. But there are definitive reasons for the lack of success running the football. 1) We have no real threat of throwing the ball downfield unless Golden Tate is running a fly route. Teams are jamming the line of scrimmage with bodies and plugging any holes quickly. 8 or 9 men in the box has not been uncommon for the opposing team to show. 2) The line is not physical. A truly sad fact. They are not pushing bodies around to make the necessary hole for the backs to run through. This looks like another finesse type of line as the last 2 years have been. 3) The loss of veteran wideouts on the outside is hurting the downfield blocking schemes. The younger guys must do a better job of locking on to their man and pest block them. Take a tape of 2005 and watch Mo Stovall. 4) I see no real burst from the backs at the line of scrimmage. I am not saying that there is no speed at the position, only that they all lack that ability to see that seam and WHOOP blow through that hole. I think Allen possesses this and Hughes and Aldridge can make up for a smaller amount with their power style, but no one is USING it.
• The defense needs help. This help has to come from the offense. Giving short fields to an opposing offense is like giving crack to an addict... they're going to smoke it. This has been the constant Achilles heel for the ND defense. While they play very well at times and the past two games have finally put good pressure on the quarterback... they still are not a great defense that can carry you through the season. The progress that Corwin Brown has made has been outstanding, but the yards ND allows on the ground has to be cut considerably more if the Irish want to beat these elite teams. A huge test is coming Saturday in USC and their 67 running backs.
• Special teams are (insert cliche'). If you didn't guess it, the term is: not so special. Aside from the freakish abilities of Trevor Laws to block field goals this area is VERY disappointing. Teams are kicking the ball to Zibby on punts, but he has no where to go. The few times that there has been a seam and gets a big return, I see a yellow rag lying on the ground. Kick returns are just as bad. I can only scream "BLOCK SOMEBODY!!!" so many time a game. Returners are getting gobbled up like M&Ms.

This review may seem a little negative and harsh, but it is certainly true. I have been pulling on silver linings all season long, but there comes a time when things that are so insanely obvious that they must be called out. There is a lot of hope for the future (and I will get to that this week) but the present fucking sucks!