I have read at many sites that "CW gets one more season", "9 wins next year or CW is gone" etc..

 

What do you really expect next season. I am a pessimistic realist. I would love to see these guys win 8-9-10 etc.. I have all hope!! I truly believe CW will work things out and bring the Fighting Irish back to prominence,,,,

 

BUT, I am NOT that sure it will start next year. YES, I believe we should be ALOT better than this year and if next year is a repeat of this year, then I will agree, CW should be on the chopping block.

 

BUT, if we see GREAT improvement next year and promise (and c'mon, everyone knows "promise" when they see it, such as the flashes of greatness by our freshmen), then WHAT KIND OF RECORD SHOULD WE REALLY EXPECT NEXT YEAR?

 

Is 8-4 good enough? How about 7-5?

 

How about 6-6 but we stay within one touchdown in EVERY game??

 

All I am saying is with all these people saying "Charlie only gets one more year and if we don't get AT LEAST 8 wins, then FIRE WEIS!!!",,,,,

 

How can anyone say that really?

 

Our Soph class was very good and we should be seeing great improvement from them their Junior year, no doubt!!!!

 

Our Freshmen is an even better class and yes, I'll say a great class BUT they will ONLY have one year experience and everyone knows about the Soph drop off. They will be a some-what experienced group but NOT a veteran group yet!!

 

Our incoming class (providing we keep them all and i believe we will) may arguably be the best recruiting class in ND history and yeS, I believe some of them to step up and play at the college level right away,,,

 

BUT, they will still just be Freshmen and will be inexperienced.

 

I believe many are expecting ONE year ahead of themselves and this teams upcoming greatness. This can only lead to disappointment.

 

My belief is 2010 will be the first year of this program beginning their ascent to greatness and if they can keep the momentum and stability of the program, for decades to come!

 

Your thoughts,,,,,,

San Diego St., Purdue, Stanford, North Carolina, Washington, Pitt, Navy and Syracuse are all games i think ND can win if they do improve there offensive game. to fire CW after next season would be insane, right now he's bringing in the best talent in the country and when he gets it developed ND will be a real good team. in '08 i think ND goes 7-5 if they become more consistant on offense.

With the schedule that awaits them I can see this team going 8-4.

 

More then anything though I would like to see improvements in terms of play and execution.

 

Leave the "Jailbreak" OL at home.

Develop a consistent run game.

Teach these receivers to get open and catch the ball when thrown to them.

Develop a consisten pass rush.

Improve the speed of the LBs on the edge.

 

No player or fan likes to see a loss. But the sting is tempered when a team loses as a result of inferior talent, not because of execution, or scheme, or desire.

 

Some folks like to point to Illinois as a sign that a quick turn around can take place from one year to the next. But Illinois is different I think in that they were competitive in many of their losses last year. ND, for the most part, has not been competitive in their games. Which is both troubling and perplexing.

Some folks like to point to Illinois as a sign that a quick turn around can take place from one year to the next. But Illinois is different I think in that they were competitive in many of their losses last year. ND, for the most part, has not been competitive in their games. Which is both troubling and perplexing.

 

I see Illinois as an exception. As you say, "a quick turnaround". We may very well NOT be an exception and our team may grow and improve at an average rate although consistently.

 

This year has proven to be the "perfect storm' for ND to fall but next year won't be and we should and even demand great improvement.

 

But to the extent of improvement that many are demanding is may be unachievable until 2010 causing much chaos and problems for the still young team and this is what worries me most.

we will go any where from 7-5 to 11-1. 11-1 obviously being highly unlikely, but UM will be having a down year. BC will be bad next year. Even USC wont be amazing next year. Am i saying we beat em no. Just saying every game next year is possible.

 

I think we beat SDSU

lose to UM in OT

beat MSU

Beat Purdue

Beat Stanford

Lose to NC by 3

Beat Washington

Beat Pitt

Beat BC

Beat Navy(wooohooo!)

Beat Cuse in OT(I think they are going to be a surprise next year)

Lose to SC by 10.

Beat Miami in the Gator Bowl

 

10-3 would almost make me cry

I don't expect them to beat San Diego State, I expect them to destroy them. Not to the point of 70-14 (Not CW's sytle). But that game should be over by the end of the first quarter.

 

USC may not be amazing next year but they will be damn good and will probably beat ND again (09' Irish eyes will glare down upon the Trojans). They have Maualuga and Cushing coming back to anchor the LB. Everson Griffin is their next star DE. The Dirty Sanchez will have a full slate of backs and receivers to use. Too much talent. Sort of like ND in 2009.

It all depends on the o-line

 

Beat SDSU

Lose to UM

Lose to MSU

Beat Purdue

Beat Stanford

Beat NC

Beat Washington

Beat Pitt(McCoy runs for 250 though)

Beat Navy

Beat Cuse

Lose to SC ( Charlie has chance to win it with field goal but kicker wasn't feeling it in warm ups)

 

Finally win bowl game vs. Oklahoma State

i dont know the current records of the teams ND plays next season or how the other teams would look for next year.. but if ND can get good OL play and then play up to their talent level i dont think its impossible to go 10-2 with loses to USC and Michigan. even then Michigan's Mike Hart will be gone to the NFL so maybe Michigan would be beatable? could ND have a dramatic turn around and go 11-1?

ofcorse right now i think many would be happy to see atleast 6 wins and get to a bowl game.

Michigan will lose manningham and i think arrington and henne (Not totaly sure on both of these)

Michigan will lose manningham and i think arrington and henne (Not totaly sure on both of these)

 

they'll be Hart-less too.

Michigan will lose manningham and i think arrington and henne (Not totaly sure on both of these)

 

they'll be Hart-less too.

 

Don't forget their all-american left tackle Jake Long, who has been nothing short of spectacular for the run game.

Michigans key losses: Manningham, Hart, Henne, and Arrington. with out the 2 wide outs mallet will be nothing.

Manningham and Arrington are juniors. But Manningham is gone I'm guessing.

 

They lose Henne, Hart and Long, and Crable on defense, which I think might hurt just as much.

I think Arrington will go pro after this season.

I am willing to bet he gets two more seasons...

I just don't see CW going anywhere any time soon, and we should all hope the same thing. We don't want the ND head coaching job to become a coaching mill, where you have 3-4 yrs to be "successful" or you are gone, and lets not forget that CW had two successful years and one bad one. We can't have head coaches losing their job after 2 BCS games and then a bad season or two, we'd never get another head coach thats worth a s t again.

I for one, would be happy for a bowl game next year with a win - any bowl. I know that some people will say that 6-7 wins with a bowl win is not a successful season, but it would be, any more and its just icing on the cake. CW has to reuild this program from the ground up now, and it may take a few years to start dominating again. I'm not saying that we won't win the games we should, but for a few more years, the "toss up" games aren't always going to fall our way.

With that said, unless ND pulls a repeat performance of this year, CW gets at least three more years, and hopefully gets to leave on his own terms when he's ready.

Totally agree with you Fanatic. This won't happen over night people. It all takes time (see Illinois). But we should see immediate progress. That doesn't mean we win all our games (not likely), but we improve in some areas. Hopefully all areas, but I'll be realistic and say some areas will be improved.

Beat SDSU

Lose to UM

Lose to MSU

Beat Purdue

Beat Stanford

Beat NC

Beat Washington

Beat Pitt(McCoy runs for 250 though)

Beat Navy

Beat Cuse

Lose to SC ( Charlie has chance to win it with field goal but kicker wasn't feeling it in warm ups)

 

Im thinking the same thing for wins a losses, there might be a surprise win or loss in there but this seems about right for me

I just don't see CW going anywhere any time soon, and we should all hope the same thing. We don't want the ND head coaching job to become a coaching mill, where you have 3-4 yrs to be "successful" or you are gone, and lets not forget that CW had two successful years and one bad one. We can't have head coaches losing their job after 2 BCS games and then a bad season or two, we'd never get another head coach thats worth a s t again.

I for one, would be happy for a bowl game next year with a win - any bowl. I know that some people will say that 6-7 wins with a bowl win is not a successful season, but it would be, any more and its just icing on the cake. CW has to reuild this program from the ground up now, and it may take a few years to start dominating again. I'm not saying that we won't win the games we should, but for a few more years, the "toss up" games aren't always going to fall our way.

With that said, unless ND pulls a repeat performance of this year, CW gets at least three more years, and hopefully gets to leave on his own terms when he's ready.

 

one of the more lucid, and hence, best posts on this subject in weeks. when a loudmouth, blowhard like me has nothing to add, you know you've said it all! kudos!

Michigans key losses: Manningham, Hart, Henne, and Arrington. with out the 2 wide outs mallet will be nothing.

Like mikey said, don't forget the loss of Jake Long.

I haven't seen a left tackle that dominant in a long time.

If they lose all of those guys, Leslie Myles won't have a very good team to coach.

I just want us to go to a bowl game and win, even if its a crappy one.