Purdue next

[Guest SirJohn]

Looks like we face another spread offense (with modifications) coming up.

 

The 'basketball on grass' thing. Though I don't quite like the numbers thrown up on our secondary, it is what it is. I see some improvements all the time in the defense.

 

Any thoughts from others?

[Guest Champion10]

ND can take Purdue, Minn ran all over PU yesterday. like you said our D is improving and I think they will step up this next game(doesnt PU have a 6'9 receiver)?

[Guest SirJohn]

AP has Notre Dame ranked #13 facing #22 Purdue. We have some road warrors now.

[Guest SirJohn]

Purdue is listed as a 2.5 favorite over Notre Dame late Sunday.

 

Go figure?

[Guest IrishTobey]

I think ND wins the game but it will be a dog-fight. I've seen Purdue play a little and I think it is a huge advantage for ND that they played MSU already this year. I'm not an expert but it looks Purdue kind of runs a "poor-mans" MSU offense. I think being exposed to that will help ND significantly. Purdue does not have the speed or talent at QB, WR, and RB that MSU does. I think Joe Tiller is getting away from his strengths as a coach and ND will pull away late to win. I also think that ND defensively has struggled and they are due for a big game. Walker and Quinn will take the air out of the ball and control the clock. They will force Purdue into obvious passing situations down the stretch and ND will win the game.

[Guest SirJohn]

Tobey: Your not an expert? So who is? Bob Davie, Corso other has been coaches and ex dumb jocks telling us whats completely obvious? Gimmie more, Tobey

I mean such gems from an expert like "The key will be not turning the ball over." (Really? Since when? )

 

No I do agree with you there. As I have said I do not like the spread, but we do have to face them so the more experience we get the better off we will be.

 

PS another reason the 'sports experts' don't like Coach Weis (he's you and I not one of them.) "REVOLUTION"

 

 

From Newsday

 

Weis brings an everyman quality to coaching ranks

Sep 25, 2005

September 25, 2005

 

 

You might think Charlie Weis coaches for Notre Dame and Notre Dame players and Notre Dame administrators and for those who drool to the chin or foam at the mouth at the very thought of Notre Dame.

 

That's too narrow, for Charlie unwittingly coaches for a larger subset of the culture, and that's why I refer to him as "Charlie" as if he were Madonna, Ronaldo or Charo.

 

Charlie coaches for us.

 

You know us. We're the people who either never played the game or maybe played only in the yard or maybe played only a little in high school. For years, decades, eons, we have lived under a snobbish tyranny from those who did play the game.

 

Only those who did play the game, goes the thinking, can crack the game's astronomically complex codes that outstrip nuclear physics in difficulty.

 

This, of course, rivals other vapid phenomena in the crowded derby for Most Vapid Thing Ever. You don't hear U.S. presidents rebuke critics with, "Well, you've never been president, so you can't possibly comprehend." You don't hear such vacuousness from doctors, scientists, architects, artists. I did once hear Kevin Costner say it about people who criticized his work. So, like I say, you don't hear it from artists.

 

Perfectly good citizens, meanwhile, accept it from athletes and former athletes, even repeat it as gospel, mostly because, as we all know, high school and its goofy caste systems never end. Weird thing is, when the athletes become analysts or commentators, they almost always regurgitate the obvious at a rate so alarming they seem complicit in some sort of sinister national brain-deadening experiment. Most, a la Sean Salisbury, repeat the same damned piffle we've all understood for 30 years, while precious few, a la Merril Hoge, actually enlighten us with insight that comes as a shock.

 

But now, here comes our Charlie. When Notre Dame hired Weis last December, it hired a former Notre Dame speech-and-drama major who used to sit 60 rows up from the action but still managed a careerlong study and observation of the game that resulted miraculously in expertise. It also upped the number of Division I coaches who never played college football to six out of 119.

 

That 119 includes 30 former college quarterbacks, 18 defensive backs, 13 offensive linemen, 13 two-way players, 11 linebackers, eight wide receivers, six two-position offensive players, five defensive linemen, four two-position defensive players, four running backs, one tight end and six student-students.

 

Not to boast, but our six student-students stack up well against their 113 student-athletes. Nobody's any shrewder than Paul Johnson, who took Navy from 1-21 in the two seasons before he arrived to 8-5 in 2003 and 10-2 in 2004. Dennis Franchione annexed a wanderer's image after bolting from Texas Christian to Alabama to Texas A&M, but he can wander because he's good. Mike Leach has been pretty fair at Texas Tech. It's hard to measure Mark Mangino at Kansas because football in Lawrence represents only the last agonizing moment of the basketball offseason.

 

Sure, George O'Leary's Central Florida had lost 17 straight before this weekend, but there's always that outside chance O'Leary actually played the game.

 

Charlie, though, has become our most visible ambassador, and you can tell he knows everything because he'll indicate to you that he does.

 

Not playing in college didn't stop him from a NASA-esque mastery of the unknowingly complicated no-huddle offense he used to bamboozle Michigan. When Notre Dame flubbed a fourth-and-1 in a loss to Michigan State, Charlie reassured us that had we seen the opening he saw pre-play, we'd have called fullback-up-the-middle, too. The Irish just didn't run it properly, for which Charlie took blame.

 

When officials called for a replay of a questionable Notre Dame fumble at the 1-yard line in the fourth quarter, Charlie called over the officials. He said he knew full well ahead of time that no way would some guy in the booth with a little TV screen reverse that call. He knew that. But he did point out to the official that the fullback's progress had stopped for roughly 45 minutes before the ball popped out. He knew that, too.

 

In knowing everything, he sounded so much like a big-time coach, and what a relief to hear such certainty from one of our own. After all, if Charlie continues both looking so bloody competent and declining from praising his players just because they rallied in a loss, maybe one day the NFL will call again.

 

Only nine NFL coaches played in the NFL or AFL, but all 32 played college football. Charlie lends us hope that cultures can change, that somehow we might not get stuck with these played-the-game analysts for the rest of our lives.

[Guest Snatchy_McPants]

Ok, we obviously know that Purdue will try and test us vertically. For once, this may be an advantage. Knowing exactly what they will try to do, CW can gameplan a way around it. I expect a ball-control offense, even though we could probably light them up if we wanted. Surprisingly, Purdue is only ranked 61st in passing. I expect our DB's to take yet another game's worth of experience and confidence and build on it. If nothing else, our secondary will be extremely physical and looking for the strip constantly. We will beat PU. I'll be watching from the stands.

[Guest SirJohn]

I agree Snatch. We seem to pick up bitzing better. They returned 11 starters D wise but seem to have their problems.

 

I guess we know there isn't all that much we can do with our D secondary.. Minimalize that bleeding and huge numbers. Need some hot individual plays. That's back to the O guys and Coach Weis controlling that clock.

 

I can't help thinking (Hope it's not just wishful) After 4 games one or two DB's are going to get a step, move and be in the right place at the right time and shred an offenseive pass play. Putting myself in our DB's shoes...I know this receiver thinks I suck. I'm going to blow his game off the field today.

[Guest SirJohn]

Snatch Toby (Where's Domehead?) Think it will come down to clock control? Keep their O guys off the field??

[Guest domehead]

I agree they will try to test our secondary...Making the game pretty much One dimensional..working in our favor...ball control and clock management will be crucial for us..also pressuring their QB....GO IRISH..thanks for missing me Sir...see snatchy.."some" people like me..

[Guest SirJohn]

Domehead I presumed you two were visiting Pals? I now see you guys do visit but say you need to go to the bath room at Snatchys house so carry a bag of quick drying cement for the toilet??? (Cruel ideas anytime.)

[Guest domehead]

snatchy doesn't have a bathroom at his house...it's considered more like an out-house...

[Guest Snatchy_McPants]

I've never been more confused in my life. Seriously.

[Guest IrishTobey]

Agreed. Ball control is huge in this game. I like our chances if Purdue is forced to throw it alot. He's good but he's not Drew Brees/Kyle Orton good. Another factor that no one is talking about is the Purdue receivers.

Theres no John Stanneford or Vinne Sutherland type guy that I've seen. They seem to always have those possession receivers that drive a team nuts but I don't think they have that type of player this year. MSU had a athletic advantage over our secondary. Purdue doesn't. It will be a great game but if ND does the things they've been doing this year minus some of the mistakes they will win the game. On a side note. Is it just me or do you get the feeling that our special teams are about to have a big impact in a game. Zibby keeps coming close to breaking one and I just can't help but feel that the special teams will make an impact this week.

[Guest SirJohn]

Good report Toby.

 

That's my feel we can't do all that much without super plays from our defense. That sort of get's down to the Weis Paty's and Colts game and simply keep Peyton manning sitting and off the field. When he came in it was all 'urgent' and no real flow of a game. Keep the clock.

 

I'm confident of a W here.

 

We are way different from 2004. Even losing by 3 Jeese we stormed back 21 points. That's no Notre Dame team I have seen in a long long time. Sooner or later some D secondary will have a break out game.

[Guest Snatchy_McPants]

Tobey, I'm with you on the special teams expectations. Actually, I've been saying our special teams were due since the UM game...............I've got to be right eventually.

[Guest IrishTobey]

Sir John,

we don't need the Patriots vs Colts gameplan yet. ND has the talent to beat Purdue straight-up. the Patriots vs Colts gameplan needs to be saved for a certain team from Southern California in about 3 weeks. All things being equal ND will beat Purdue. All things being equal USC will beat ND. Hopefully Weis will have some magic up his sleeve to keep Lienhart, Bush, and co. off the field.

[Guest SirJohn]

Can't disagree Toby. I'm just a not mentioning 'that other team' after Purdue at this point.

 

Any ideas Toby? If we really cant go man to man often and our zones defense is umm poor to medium.. what sets can we do? Seriously your or any idea is welcome... That's a puzzle there.

 

I'm not sure about our Center, Morton?? Maybe something in Coach Weis Tuesday Presser??? Other then that I think ball control and Strength Coach Mendoza has our guys in better shape then any team we face and I do include that above team I do not mention yet

[Guest IrishTobey]

It's simple. The best Defense aginst USC is Walker. If they control the clock they could win. ND manhandled USC up front for a quarter and a half last year. Ty and Billy boy didn't have the brains or balls to stay with it. They did the same thing in 03. Weis knows full well they can't win a track meet with USC but for lack of a better term they might be able to win a street fight. USC plays way to sexy. They need to dirty them up a little. Get some mud in their face. I hate Jimmy Johnson but he said something one time I never forgot and i think is very true. He said, "if your in a title bout you don't try and tap dance. You hit the guy across from you as hard as you can. Punch them right in the mouth and see if they get up." ND needs to come out, take the air out of the ball with Walker, get a break or two, make a special teams play and hit USC right in the mouth. If USC gets up and wins the game so-be-it. If not then ND racks up another legendary ND victory. Just make sure they don't have one bullet in there gun and ya never know.

[Guest SirJohn]

TOBY.. NOW YOUU TALKING ND FOOTBALL 2005.

 

I saw Louisville's excuse "We didn't bring our A game." Ummm.. Coach Weis only HAS an A game. What it was the others simply played harder, smarter, stronger. If your a team with an A then some B game. God help you. You lost. If you don't play A...stay away from Notre Dame