Reason 2,456 as to why we SHOULD be very good in 2009
Shrinking the list even further, here are the top teams in terms of Rivals Top 60 players. Barring major injuries (or coaching failure) there really is no reason for ND to not be a BCS caliber team.
As for those on Rock's House, etc, that don't think we've recruited at an elite level because we don't stack up with USC on paper - all I can say is that they'll never be happy with anything. Any rational person can see that Weis and his staff are elite recruiters. Now they have to produce elite results on the field.
Anyway:
SOUTHERN CAL: 30
FLORIDA: 18
TEXAS: 14
OKLAHOMA: 14
NOTRE DAME: 14
LSU: 13
ALABAMA: 13
OHIO ST: 13
GEORGIA: 10
MICHIGAN: 10
A closer look at our 14
by Kevin 
, Thursday, April 23, 2009, 11:35 (6243 days ago) @ FunkDoctorSpock
edited by Kevin, Thursday, April 23, 2009, 12:23
Clausen: I'm happy with him. Not perfect, but he's on his way.
Sam Young: I'm happy with Sam.
Aldridge: Could emerge as a fullback, but I've never felt he's been at 100%
Allen: Hasn't yet been great, but he's shown some good signs.
Walls: I love Walls -- hope he's the same as in 2007.
Floyd: Thrilled with Floyd.
Rudolph: Same
E. Johnson: Same
Trevor Robinson: May not start this year; hasn't put it together yet
Kamara: Ditto
Romine: Hasn't really played, won't start this year
Crist: n/a -- hasn't had his chance yet
Te'o: Incoming freshman
Zeke Motta: Freshman, heard good things so far
In sum, eight starters, two freshmen, the backup QB, and a couple guys who haven't quite lived up to the top-60 expectations. Not a terrible yield, and maybe the freshmen will pitch in right away.
I'm feeling pessimistic. I'll be perfectly honest: I didn't like what I saw at the Blue and Gold game. I know I should think those games are useless, but I do not like either one of our lines. I thought our offensive linemen looked inept in pass protection, regressing from the progress made last year. I thought our defense looked terrible against the run -- not just the front guys, but the linebackers, too.
Right now, I feel really confident in Kyle McCarthy, Ethan Johnson, Walls, Blanton, McNeil, and maybe Harrison Smith. I think we have some issues at linebacker, and I hope we answer the MLB question with someone other than Brian Smith. I like Sergio Brown, but I want to see more consistent, smart play from him. I hope the light comes on for Filer, that Neal and Fleming are physically ready to go, and that we can put true DTs at the DT spots. I think that's a lot to hope for over the summer.
I think a refresher course on Tenuta is in order
A Jon Tenuta defense is designed to do two things:
1. Take away the run
2. Don't let the QB or OL get comfortable
He has become known for the latter, and many people seem to forget the former. But Tenuta defenses have a clear track record at stopping the run.
Here are the numbers since he was the DC at Ohio State in 2000.
2000 (OSU) - 91.6 ypg, 2.6 ypa (9th in the country)
2001 (UNC) - 124.8, 3.5 (31st)
2002 (GT) - 134.6, 3.6 (42nd)
2003 (GT) - 100.5, 2.9 (12th)
2004 (GT) - 104.6, 3.1 (13th)
2005 (GT) - 103.9, 3.1 (13th)
2006 (GT) - 104.8, 3.3 (20th)
2007 (GT) - 114.5, 3.2 (20th)
2008 (ND) - 134.2, 4.1 (45th)
The ND figure last year was a 60-ypg improvement over 2007, when we had one the most productive DL in program history. Before that, he posted five consecutive top-20 rankings and never was outside of the top third of the NCAA.
Based on playing Tech twice, we already know that he accomplished those figures with undersized but very quick DL, similar to what we'll have this year. And I have a hard time believing that in his long tenure at Tech, he didn't face youth issues in his front seven.
The kicker for us is that Tenuta has never had the kind of secondary talent he has this year. That gives him free reign to be even more of a mad scientist when it comes to causing havoc near the line of scrimmage.
Ordinarily, I would be very concerned about our run defense. Because of Tenuta's history and our secondary, I'm breathing much easier.
As for the player list, I think you're being unfair to Robinson. He's not pushing for a starting spot only because he was out this spring and ND has two senior starters. But he played pretty well in a tough spot last season, and he's a near lock for a starting job as a junior.
I hope he's working on how to defeat the Wildcat
by Spesh 
, Los Angeles, Thursday, April 23, 2009, 15:19 (6243 days ago) @ BPH
That was what killed us against Pitt (and Syracuse, right?).
And the dreaded Pistol
- No text -
Part of me actually wonders if the Pistol is a bad offense
by Spesh , Los Angeles, Thursday, April 23, 2009, 16:57 (6243 days ago) @ BPH
for what Tenuta runs. That running back starts even further back in the backfield. Considering all the blitzes that Tenuta dials up, and his scheme in general, I just wonder if there are going to be a lot of plays for negative yardage.
The nature of that offense seems like disruption would hurt it more than other offenses since the back has an extra 2 yards or so behind the line of scrimmage.
don't you think we'll play it like we played Navy?
- No text -
no, but I honestly don't know that much
by Spesh , Los Angeles, Thursday, April 23, 2009, 17:22 (6243 days ago) @ Jay
about the Pistol. It seems a lot different than an option attack.
For starters, against Navy, you have to worry about the first option - the FB. As far as I can recall (from Kevin's BGS offering on the Pistol), there are only two running threats - the RB and QB.
yeah, I was thinking in terms of "assignment football"
not that the triple option is anything close to Ault's offense, but because the QB is a threat to run on every snap you might play a man-to-man style assignment scheme (like we did against Navy). I seem to recall somebody (maybe it was McNeil) talking after Navy last year about how they repped a different scheme for the middies. Was thinking something similar may apply here...I wasn't going to assume that the usual Tenuta pressure package would be on order.
The more I think about it, though, perhaps Navy is the wrong model. We'll probably see something closer to what we would play against Michigan's spread.
on second thought
by Spesh , Los Angeles, Thursday, April 23, 2009, 17:43 (6243 days ago) @ Jay
The more I read about it, the more I think you're right - it'll be assignment football.
At least according to the youth football Pistol document I found.
Piston Offense for Youth Football
http://www.fbforyouth.com/Downloads/pistol.pdf
Was this the link?
Yup
by Spesh , Los Angeles, Friday, April 24, 2009, 10:25 (6242 days ago) @ Chris
It seemed well-written with a basic understanding of the offense. Diagrams, too.
Is this the pee-wee "give it to the short, fast kid" offense
by domer.mq , Thursday, April 23, 2009, 21:10 (6243 days ago) @ Spesh
where they just try to give him enough room to run around everyone? Freaking hated that kid.
--
Sometimes I rhyme slow sometimes I rhyme quick.
Here are Florida's 5-star players over the last four years
by Jeff (BGS) , A starter home in suburban Tempe, Thursday, April 23, 2009, 12:51 (6243 days ago) @ Kevin
Not quite the same as your top-60, but probably very close. For reference, our five-star players are: Aldridge, Young, Clausen, Crist, Floyd, Rudolph, and Te'o. Obviously Tebow and Harvin stand out as exceptional players, but without knowing much about their players, our list stacks up relatively well against Florida's.
Senior
Percy Harvin WR - standout WR, headed to NFL
Carl Johnson OL - starting LT
Brandon Spikes LB - starting LB
Tim Tebow QB - starter & Heisman winner
Junior
Torrey Davis DT - left the team (was
Carlos Dunlap DE - starting DE
Cameron Newton QB - backup QB
James Wilson OL - backup RG
Sophomore
Will Hill ATH - backup SS
Omar Hunter DT - backup DT
Carl Moore WR - backup WR
Matt Patchan OL - backup LT
Freshmen
Gary Brown DT - new recruit
Andre Debose WR - new recruit
Jelani Jenkins LB - new recruit
I run numbers every which way I can think of...
and it all leads to the same expectation. That's not to say that it will definitely happen. But without question it's what SHOULD happen.
We have the raw talent. We have the experience. We have an OC who has produced Top 25 offenses with an upperclass QB. We have a DC that has produced Top 25 defenses at his last three stops.
As I've said to a few people since Saturday, I didn't see anything at the game that makes me think I should change my line of thinking.
But that's just me.
No, it's not just you...
by scriptcomesfirst , Monday, April 27, 2009, 05:49 (6239 days ago) @ FunkDoctorSpock
I'm quite bullish on this season's prospects. I think Hafis is going to be ready to be a solid contributor on the D-line. So that leaves me warm and fuzzy on 3 of the 4 starters. I expect our back seven (I'm assuming Te'o will be a sold contributor here) to be as good as anything I've seen since at least '88, and our back 4 (with depth) to be as good as any, period. A big key on my defensive thoughts is the ability to rotate fresh bodies without the marked drop-off of previous years.
Offensively, I wouldn't worry too much about our pass protection taking a step back, and I expect our running game to take a considerable step forward. Improved talent + improved coaching = improved result. Simple, right? (cough)
A running game makes our passing game just plain lethal. We have a schedule that should allow us to handle some of the growing pains on defense, and the speed to make up for some of the rest. I think the speed I witnessed at practice is the root of my optimism.
Also, and we don't talk much about this, I think our special teams take a big step forward this year.
So Funk, I'll be Jamestown to your Jim Jones. Don't kill me, okay?