1)---Explosive offensive talent---from blazing golden to leaping Floyd-- from streaking down the middle kyle to a bevy of exceptional rbs-- the 09 ND offense has explosion written all over it!!

 

2)-- Jimmy Clausen-- pulling the trigger for all that talent will be the true junior QB-- the cali phenom will make everyone forget about the last two years and make a bigger jump even then brady's 3rd season-- 32 Tds 8 picks

 

3)---Offensive line dominance-- giving jimmy the time he needs and opening the holes for our classy bevy of backs-- this huge mature talented group will open eyes and flatten defenders

 

4)--- Bye Bye Turnovers-- jimmys experience coupled with the Olines protection and our receivers maturity--drops picks to 8-- and coach alford banishes all fumblers to siberia

 

5)---Line of Scrimmage coaching-- verducci and hart will get the most out of our talented players-- for the first time in decades the oline will push out and the dline will push in

 

6)-- Tenuta's Attack--- now with control of the D along with great talent at corner the tenuta attack will give nightmares to opposing QB's--forced throws will cause picks and the blitzorama will get sacks as well as Bermans FUMBLE-- we win the turnover battle in every game!

 

7)-- Charlie's playcalling---This year the guy that giuded the pats offense will be back in business with an offense that can do most anything--deep balls --screens-- seam routes to kyle-- and running through HUGE holes opened by an oline with one big chip on its massive shoulders

 

--Manti Teo--- this young LB will make NDs 09 group of LBs something to fear-- Manti will be everything we hope for and more , along with Brian, and the rest of this aggressive LB core -- finally the NASTY will show up in force

 

9)--- The 09 Schedule--7 home games- only 4 away games-- lots of games that give us breaks from our more difficult opponents-- lots of opponents with inexperienced QBs facing tenutas blitz , lots of rebuilding all the way down the line-- from MSU's offense to USC's defense-- opportunity abounds

 

10)--- Motivation, Motivation,Motivaton---- a perfect storm of motivation coupled with the talent and circumstance to fulfill it-- charlies make or break year-- new coaches striving to have an impact-- tenuta strutting his stuff-- corwin and others looking to make all the recruiting effort pay off,and this years ND program solidify their HC hopes--- Jimmy overflowing with talent finally has things breaking into him rather then on him-- an OLINE that wants to make all the ridicule evaporate with dominating performances-- and finally the perfect blend of youth and experiecnce that keeps this teams chemistry pumped from opening kickoff to the final whistle!!!

 

IMHO we have a terrific year ahead and a true turning point for the ND football program to look forward to!! aloha and mahalo

Hawaii you make me want to put on some pads.

Excellent write-up, Hawaiiirish!

 

I can't wait for the season to start!

 

I think I'm going to try and record all of the games that are televised. This off-season boredom is starting to get to me.

I'll take Cherry please!

 

Seriously, Take away the Hawaii game and we nothing really than hope that the lines will be better and everything you said will come true. (Hopefully)

yes speed-- there is always a little kool-aid in my pineapple juice-lol- but there is more then hope to each of the ten reasons-- there is a blend of empirical evidence & statistics -- just so we dont think i pulled all ten from my wishful thinking bin-- heres a few things to keep in mind---

 

on tenuta- historically defenses he has run have been top 30 & better with less talent then ours- we saw that in 06 and 07

 

on the schedule- it is what it is-- weak and weirdly lopsided with home games

 

on recruiting-- we have more 4 and 5 star players on our roster then any team we play except USC-- close with michigan-- not close anywhere else

 

on the OLINE-- collective starts is a powerful predictive stat for an offense and an oline-- our top six- including duncan and robinson have lots and lots of starts

 

on clausen-- we all know jimmy has the golden arm-- its just can he fix the youthful problems-- we also know soph to junior is the BIG JUMP HISTORICALLY

 

on exposiveness-- not just hawaii game but golden, floyd and kyle- have showed they have the IT FACTOR!

 

on motivation-- i dont think its arguable that motivation will be highest since 05 and maybe higher-- charlies future is just part of it

 

so without getting repititious there aren't guarantees save death and taxes speedster-- but we have alot more then HOPE going for us this year--- although HOPE IS KOOL!!!

I'll take Cherry please!

 

 

In a matter of 9 seconds, I thought of 23 responses to this phrase. Like shootin' fish in a barrel Speedster.

In a matter of 9 seconds, I thought of 23 responses to this phrase. Like shootin' fish in a barrel Speedster.

 

Christ dome!

That's 2.55555555556 responses per second!!!

 

You're good, reeeeeal good.

In a matter of 9 seconds, I thought of 23 responses to this phrase. Like shootin' fish in a barrel Speedster.

 

Why do you think I used the flavor Cherry??

 

And there I was settin' you up Dome and you give me nuthin'!

 

I laid that ball slow and right over the plate.

Edited March 5, 200916 yr by SpeedsterX

That's the first post I remember reading of Hawaii's that included capitalization. Nice write up, although I still remember losing to Syr, SDSU--almost, Pitt, USC/non competitive, BC, UNC... It makes the off-season-glorious-return-to-prominence feelings we all have, a little more unrealistic. But it could always happen I guess.

 

--can you tell that I was an optimist who had his heart crushed over and over again, and now I'm guarded with my expectations?--

How many times can you have your heart broken DonJuan? I can't count the times for me, but hey, i'm back in line for another dose, if that is what the future holds. This time I think we are way closer than the last 10 times i had high expectations. But then again i have a real selective memorie when it comes to 08'. I think most of us do though. BCS or Bust 09

Good post Hawaii. I agree with all that was said. For me I think 4 things will get us to a BCS game this year.

 

1. Our D-line will get pressure on opposing qbs this year. The talent is there and it will start to shine. Too many times we were stonewalled on the line of scrimmage. No More!

 

2. Our WR corps will be rediculous this year. Last year teams started dropping 7 because passing was our strength, this year they will because they have to.

 

3. We develop a running game. Our line will be better, the running backs will be better, but most of all refer back to #2. 5 on 4 = 4.1yds per carry.

 

4. Special teams(hopefully) I pray that this year I do not have to hope that the snap was good, the hold was good, and the kick wasn't shanked. I think walker came on strong at the end of the season, plus the additions thru recruiting this year will help. I also expect the return game to be very good next year, i keep having flashbacks of timmy brown and the rocket, hopefully the hawaii game was a sign of things to come.

Hawaii - I hope you are right. I'm thinking that a 1 or 2 loss season could get us into the BCS, but we will have to win several early ones to get in and stay in the rankings.

 

A few problems I see are MSU (whom we have not had good luck with the past 7-8 years outside of 2 miracle finishes at their place), USC who has shown us we are not even on the same planet as them (and who I think will have an even more diverse offense than we will next year) and BC whom we cannot seem to beat.

 

We will have to get Michigan this year at their place, because I'm afraid they are bringing in a lot of good talent and will be difficult to stop. My opinion was we got very fortunate with the rain and turnovers with them this year, and they put up 388 yards of total offense to our 260 in that game.

I do think that we were lucky in the UM game. With that said, when Jimmy and the boys got the turnovers in the 1st half they turned them into instant points. That was execution, and percision. I.E. pass to Duval, Tate, run by Hughes. Some times I feel Bi-Polar, at one moment I am high flying and confident about next year, and the next I can't forget SDSU, Syra, SC, and BC. Man it is rough being an Irish fan sometimes. Right now though I am confident we are going to kick ass and take names. GO IRISH!

I'm the most critical person I know but even I see the writing on the wall. This will be a very good football team next year. Very very good.

Edited March 6, 200916 yr by Ray Herring

Hi, Devil's advocate here with ten reasons to step back and reconsider:

 

Reason number ten: BCS games and Notre Dame, as of late, go together like the Dow Jones and upward pointing arrows.

 

Number nine: From Hawaii to a top tier bowl in one year's time puts us in jeopardy of contracting the "bends."

 

Eight: Defensive linemen from other teams have become so accustomed to living in our offensive backfield that some of them have invoked the Homestead Act.

 

Number seven: The last time Notre Dame performed well in a must-win game, we had a popular Republican president.

 

Six: Our best play on fourth and one seems to be designed to lose two.

 

Five: Coach Weis. Specifically, his "surname" problem. To go to a big bowl, you have to a have a big-boy name like Bear, Knute, Bob or Woody (but not Allen). Joe works really good. Even Chuck works. Being named after a pope seems to be OK too. "Charlie" is the name of a baby on YouTube who hurts his brother.

 

Four: USC, Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Florida, Michigan State, Alabama, LSU, and Georgia: those guys have been standing in line for a while. And they don’t believe in “cuts.”

 

Three: The BCS is played in January but we seem to peak in February (the 4th, this year)

 

The Number Two reason the BCS is Leprechaun-Proof this year: Mark May said so (or at least he will), and he is sooooooo smart. Phi Betta Kappa, as I recall.

 

Finally, Number One reason the Irish will finish the season playing in a second-tier bowl:

BOSTON COLLEGE (man, I hate those guys)

 

PS: Don't kill the messenger (or the advocate).

Edited March 7, 200916 yr by 2lakes

ahhhhhhhhhhh-- the dreaded BOSTON COLLAGE EAGLES----the team that may have started the entire nightmare many years ago with a damn lucky field goal with no time left------- i hate them with the white hot passion of a thousand suns--- BUT all things must end 2lakes-- and this year the worm will turn against the eastern papacy-- they have always been unworthy -- always been faux-- but lucky against the true arm of ROME--- this year----------- NO BJ RAJII__NO RON BRACE-- the best tackle tandem in the nation-- this year-- NO JAGODINSKI-- the true nemisis that has hounded us to gates of obscurity-- this year-- NO RECRUITS--( ranked 81st with no impact frosh to surprise )-- and this year NO HOME FIELD___IN 2009 2lakes THE GLORY WILL BELONG TO THE GOLDEN DOME !!!!!