Editor’s Note: The Daily Texan will count down its top 25 as part of its 2009 college football preview.
Times were tough last season for Notre Dame.
But compared to 2007, last season was spectacular, including the Irish’s first bowl win in nearly 15 years.
The Irish finished the regular season an even 6-6 in 2008, including an embarrassing loss to Syracuse at home — not quite the expected results for the once-powerful squad.
But Weis’ .500 record was a huge improvement over the previous year, when the Irish won only three games total — their worst performance in school history.
Weis managed to turn the program around last year, including a 49-21 trouncing of Hawaii in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl, which has Irish fans looking forward to this year as Weis and his team try to build on that momentum.
Anything has to be better than 10 wins in two years. Anything has to be better than losing to Syracuse. Anything.
Notre Dame’s upcoming schedule is extremely weak — so weak it has the Irish faithful expecting to find a BCS berth at the end of the 2009 rainbow. Notre Dame plays Michigan State — which lost star running back Javon Ringer — and both Washington and Washington State, two teams that combined to win two games last season. Their toughest matchup, the annual showdown with cross-country rival USC, comes in South Bend. After a week off, the Irish will have a huge national stage to prove they are a much-improved team midway through the season.
And the weak schedule may be just what Dr. Weis ordered to revive his ailing career.
During the Hawaii Bowl, Weis returned to the press box to call the plays and the Irish racked up huge numbers in their romp over Hawaii. It was from the press box that Weis built his legacy as an offensive mastermind while a part of the New England Patriots’ early decade dynasty.
Offensive coordinator Mike Haywood left to become the head coach of Miami of Ohio and Weis decided not to replace him in the offseason, leading some to believe that Weis will step in to fill the gap himself. Expectations are high for more high-powered offense in Notre Dame’s future.
Much-maligned Irish quarterback Jimmy Clausen made huge strides last season, improving his passing efficiency nearly 30 points to 132.49 while throwing for 3,172 yards and 25 touchdowns in his sophomore campaign. If the highly touted quarterback is to push the Irish to the next level, he will need to quit throwing interceptions. Clausen threw 17 last season, with seven games in which he threw two or more picks.
Expect Clausen to continue connecting with his favorite target, fellow junior Golden Tate. Last season, Tate racked up more than 1,000 yards on 58 receptions with 10 touchdowns, leading the Irish in those categories. The biggest upside for Tate is that, like Clausen, he is finally coming into his own.
On defense, the Irish made big changes in the offseason, roping in highly regarded defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta and his aggressive blitzing style. Tenuta, who previously ran the defense at Georgia Tech, will switch the Irish to a 3-4, where talented linebackers and senior strong safety Kyle McCarthy will be able to disrupt opponents’ offenses.
McCarthy racked up 110 tackles last season, but expect the linebacking corps to carry more of the tackling load and free up McCarthy to make plays against the pass as the Irish hope to control both sides of the ball.
Team Name: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Head Coach: Charlie Weis
Conference: Independent
2008 record: 7-6
Key Players:
- Jimmy Clausen - Junior - QB
2008: 3,172 yards passing/60.9 CMP%/25 TD/132.5 RAT
If Clausen can continue to improve and limit interceptions, he could lead the Irish back into the promised land. - Golden Tate - Junior - WR
2008: 58 receptions/1,080 yards/10 TD
Clausen’s favorite target averaged nearly 17 yards per catch last season. Extremely athletic, he is a game-breaking threat.
Game to watch: Oct. 17 v. USC in Notre Dame, Ind. (NBC)
The Word on Notre Dame: It may be BCS or bust for Charlie Weis in his fifth and possibly final season at Notre Dame. A weak schedule could help save Weis, who is returning to the press box to call the plays, and see him back in South Bend next year.
