Navy Ready to Battle Irish

Notre Dame hosts Navy on Saturday in the 83rd meeting between these friendly rivals. Both teams have six wins this year and are building their respective resumes as bowl season approaches. The Irish are hoping to erase memories of a disastrous 1-4 November in 2008 by finishing the regular season with a six game winning streak, while the Midshipmen will have starting quarterback Ricky Dobbs back from injury to lead its patented option attack.

Now that Dayne Crist’s knee injury sustained last week has been diagnosed as a torn ACL, Notre Dame’s main focus other than winning this game is to protect Jimmy Clausen from further damage. Clausen’s health is critical to the team’s ability to achieve its remaining goals this season, and the roster is painfully thin at quarterback. Meanwhile, the Irish will have starters Michael Floyd and James Aldridge available for Navy while guard Trevor Robinson and tailback Armando Allen will likely be held out.

Notre Dame should be able to rely on a power running game as opposed to Clausen’s right arm, and the Wildcat portion of the offense will also be used liberally. The Irish defense held the Midshipmen well below its rushing average last year in a 27-21 win, and will be expected to do the same this year. Navy has not developed much proficiency in the passing game, averaging only eight throws for 72 yards and a 50% completion rate.

Most fans remember last year’s game for the consecutive successful onside kicks executed by the Midshipmen in the final two minutes. This changed a comfortable 27-7 victory into a near disaster for the Irish, who also committed five turnovers and failed on a fourth down conversion that jump started Navy’s late rally. On the heels of an overtime loss to the Midshipmen in 2007 that broke Notre Dame’s 43-game winning streak, the Irish really need a strong performance to reestablish dominance in the series.

NOTRE DAME’S OFFENSE vs. NAVY’S DEFENSE

The Midshipmen will employ a similar defensive strategy that worked quite well last year, which is to defuse Notre Dame’s quick strike capability. They will try to force the Irish to throw short passes and execute consistently in the running game. This is also the plan that nearly worked for Boston College two weeks ago, although Navy does not appear capable of stopping this year’s Irish ground game without moving its safeties close to the line of scrimmage. Ultimately, passing lanes should be open for Golden Tate, who did not catch a single pass in last year’s game, and Kyle Rudolph, who caught only one for eight yards.

Despite the advantage of size and talent, fans should not expect Notre Dame to roll up 600 yards on the Midshipmen as they did last week against Washington State. Navy’s defense allowed only 369 and 363 to Pittsburgh and Ohio State, respectively, and played competitively throughout. Points will not come in bunches for the Irish, and will be earned the hard way. Another noteworthy statistic is that the Midshipmen have allowed a third down conversion rate of only 29%, which compares favorably to 39% for their Irish counterparts.

Floyd’s return to the lineup will be closely watched by Irish fans and undoubtedly by the Pittsburgh coaching staff next week in the film room. Although Floyd is not expected to be a significant part of the game plan, his mere presence will boost Notre Dame’s firepower by spreading Navy’s defensive resources more equally across the field.

The best pass defender for the Midshipmen is rover Wyatt Middleton while cover corner Blake Carter has excellent skills. Navy’s front seven is configured in a 3-4 alignment, which the Irish will see for the first and last time this season. Linebacker Ross Pospisil is the team’s best overall defender, and he has a knack for making plays behind in an opponent’s backfield. The overall unit is disciplined and tough despite its lack of size, and coach Ken Niumatalolo substitutes freely to keep the troops fresh.

NAVY’S OFFENSE vs. NOTRE DAME’S DEFENSE

Dobbs leads an option attack that is truly balanced. Fullback Vince Murray runs well inside and slot man Marcus Curry is the outside speed threat with an 8.5 yard average. Dobbs has recorded 16 rushing touchdowns despite missing almost two full games, but has thrown for only three. Curry and Mario Washington are the most dangerous receivers, but neither has more than eight receptions this season.

Notre Dame’s defensive linemen will not face any 300 pounders on Navy’s front wall. Ends Darius Fleming, Kerry Neal and emerging pass rush specialist Steven Filer should be able to bring pressure, but their biggest challenge will be to hold containment in the option game. Nose tackle Ian Williams should dominate inside, while linebackers Brian Smith and Manti Te’o need to stay in their gaps.

The Irish safeties figure to make a lot of tackles in this game, and neither Sergio Brown nor Jamoris Slaughter has demonstrated consistently good performance to date. Kyle McCarthy is solid against the run and figures to be a stalwart in this contest. Navy is sure to pull out a few trick plays and mix in more passes than their 2009 norm, so Notre Dame’s secondary must not fall asleep.

Preparation and the discipline to play assignment football should be enough for the Irish to prevail, but one short week of practice is rarely enough time to become competent against a fast paced option attack. The Midshipmen may take advantage of this early until Notre Dame gets used to the pace.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Surprisingly, the Irish did not dominate lowly Washington State in the return game last week, but Navy will provide another opportunity for them to break a punt or kickoff return and control field position. Once again, Notre Dame should not punt very often if at all, but freshman Ben Turk or veteran Eric Maust must start to show improvement. Navy will not score many points in this game if it has to drive 70+ yards, but they are more likely than the Irish by 73% to 56% to score a touchdown in the red zone.

Nick Tausch has been an outstanding field goal kicker for the Irish with a current streak of 14 straight. A missed extra point last week did not affect the outcome, but it served as a valuable lesson to take nothing for granted. Joe Buckley has been a very reliable kicker for Navy in the last month, while punter Kyle Delahooke gets above average distance although most of his punts are returned by the opposition.

SUMMARY

Discipline is the key for Notre Dame. Offensively, unnecessary penalties have hurt the Irish this season, and a repeat of these same mistakes is the only way they can be stopped. On defense, physical superiority must be accompanied by sharp focus to avoid getting caught out of position. The team needs to take another step forward after last week’s success and dominate in all phases of the game. Navy played well against Ohio State in its season opener, but they should not pose a threat in the second half of this game.

Let’s take a look at a few questions that will determine the margin of victory:

Will Notre Dame be able to sustain drives by avoiding penalties and methodically moving downfield?

Can the Irish safeties keep Navy from making long scoring plays?

Will Dobbs be forced to put the ball in the air 20 times or more?

Can the Irish special teams keep Navy from starting drives in good field position?

Will Notre Dame exceed 200 yards rushing?

Can the Irish do better than a 29% conversion rate on third down?

Will Michael Floyd’s presence allow Tate and Rudolph to take advantage of single coverage?

Can the Irish offensive line keep Clausen from hitting the turf?

Will Notre Dame secure the outcome in strong fashion or will they have to hold on once again?

PREDICTION

Notre Dame can find itself in a real battle if they are emotionally unprepared for Navy’s legendary intensity. Clausen’s leadership and Floyd’s return will help, but the key will be the offensive line’s ability to impose its will on the smaller Midshipmen. The defense, particularly the secondary, must not regress by tackling poorly and blowing assignments in coverage. It would be encouraging to see some life from the special teams, but I’ve almost given up hope.

Dobbs is another quality athlete in a long line of elusive Navy option quarterbacks, but the Irish linebackers are athletic enough to keep him in check.

NOTRE DAME 34 NAVY 10

Cowardice and Greed

I've had some time to reflect on Saturday night and what it meant to Notre Dame both on and off the field. No doubt there were benefits derived from our game against Washington State. I certainly enjoyed seeing us run roughshod over an opponent for a change, although that had more to do with the quality or lack thereof of the opponent. I know San Antonio is a good destination, and don't doubt people had fun going there. The pictures of the Riverwalk certainly looked enticing.

But I can't get past the mindset that is making these games possible, and I cannot see my way clear to endorsing it or supporting it. My position has nothing to do with "groupthink", and everything to do with trying to make sure Notre Dame stays true to the kind of things it used to stand for.

The people who run our football program don't want to make difficult choices, like bringing in a high-profile coach who might make them nervous sometimes (see: Holtz, Lou) or blue-chip players who won't always act like choirboys. Instead, they want the path of least resistance to winning just enough games to keep the alumni wolves from their door. So they spend a quarter of the schedule on "buy" games against programs without the self-respect to demand a more equitable setup. They believe alumni and fans will be so happy to have tickets they'll pay top dollar for crappy matchups against Low Self Esteem State. Meanwhile, the win total is padded, camouflaging any shortcomings that may be present on the field or sidelines ... shortcomings that will become embarrassingly apparent when a quality opponent is encountered.

The people who run our football program don't want night games on campus, even though some fans and our broadcast contractor do, because managing a crowd like that responsibly takes hard work and quality decision-making. Never mind that a lot of other blue-chip programs manage to do it, our folks are terrified of the slightest liability. But they don't want to give up the money NBC will pay, because they're more interested in wringing every last dollar out of the arrangement. So they put together these boondoggle games in which they greedily demand full control of television rights and gate receipts, limiting the quality of opponent that can be arranged. They put the responsibility for night game crowd control on someone else, meaning they don't have to come up with viable plans, without having to give up control of the greenbacks.

I have no problem playing a balanced schedule, and I certainly wouldn't advise playing "a top 20 team every week", as some strawman-erecting folks have accused. I've long been an advocate of 4-4-4 or a variant (e.g. 3-5-4). I'm not demanding ND play a suicidal schedule -- after all, 2005's fit the model, was fine by me, and we did quite well against it.

I have a big problem, however, when the school is just trying to schedule wins by dumbing things down to the point that excellence is no longer required for a W. I have a big problem when the school that is supposed to stand for sportsmanship tries to use loopholes and its market demand to bully smaller programs into inequitable arrangements. I don't give a damn if every other school is doing it -- I was raised to believe Notre Dame was different.

Yes, we derived some benefits from Saturday. But I'm not willing to pay that price for those benefits.

Tate Leads Irish Romp

Golden Tate's leaping reception of a Hail Mary touchdown pass capped a dominant 30-7 first half, and Notre Dame coasted to a 40-14 victory over undermanned Washington State on Saturday in San Antonio. The Irish improved to 6-2 on the season as they outgained the Cougars by 592-206.

Both teams started slowly as Notre Dame settled for a field goal on its opening drive and was forced to punt moments later. Meanwhile, Washington State did not record a first down on its first three possessions. Tate provided a spark late in the first quarter when he exploded for consecutive runs of 10 and 33 yards out of the Wildcat formation. Jimmy Clausen followed with a scoring pass to Duval Kamara and the Irish were in business.

Notre Dame led 16-0 when Tate capped another long drive with a 16 yard burst, and later stretched the lead to 23-0 before the Cougars finally got on the board with a pass from Jeff Tuel to Jared Karstetter. Clausen tried to move his team into scoring territory in the final minute of the half, but penalties plagued the Irish as the clock ticked down and the band assembled on the sidelines.

Clausen refused to take a knee, however, and managed to reach midfield with seven seconds remaining. The play call was a Hail Mary pass in the end zone to the triple-covered Tate, but the heave was perfect and Tate was literally up to the task. The junior outfought the defenders for the ball as they fell to the ground in a heap. When the officials unscrambled the players and looked at the replay, the touchdown was confirmed and Notre Dame led by 30-7.

The Irish were driving for a third quarter score when Clausen was tripped and reinjured his aching turf toe. Nick Tausch converted a field goal for a 33-7 advantage and Dayne Crist came in at quarterback to finish the game with 18 minutes remaining. Notre Dame’s defense continued to play well and Washington State rarely threatened to cross midfield. An interception by Robert Blanton put an immediate end to the one possession where Washington State started in good field position.

Crist looked rusty at first, but he rifled a deep post pass to John Goodman at the ten minute mark of the final period. Goodman took the pass in stride and completed a 64-yard score. Unfortunately, this was the high mark for Crist as he suffered a knee injury on the next series and did not return. The Cougars scored again against the Irish reserves with a few minutes left for the final margin of 40-14.

Other notable performers on offense included Clausen, who was 22 of 27 for 268 yards on an assortment of crisp, intermediate passes. Robert Hughes ran for 139 yards on 24 carries and Theo Riddick pitched in with 51 yards rushing. Kyle Rudolph also enjoyed his best game in a month for Notre Dame with six receptions. Armando Allen and Robbie Parris were held out due to previous injuries and guard Trevor Robinson joined Crist as a casualty in this contest when his ankle was rolled in the first half.

Defensively, the line dominated the Cougars and allowed only two of 11 conversions on third down. The Irish recorded five sacks and had two interceptions, the second by nose tackle Ian Williams on an intended screen pass.

Let’s review the questions that helped determine the margin of victory:

Will Notre Dame reach 200 yards rushing, given that the Cougars allow an average of 215 per game? Yes, they ran for 255 as Tate, Hughes and Riddick impressed behind solid line play.

Will the Irish defensive line take advantage of a weak Washing ton State front line? Absolutely. The Irish did not have to blitz and were constantly in the Cougar backfield.

Can Tuel become the latest freshman quarterback to have remarkable success against the Irish secondary? Tuel was only 12 for 23 for 104 yards and two interceptions.

Will Notre Dame’s special teams take advantage of their counterparts? Not really. Punting was poor once again and kickoff coverage was uninspired. The Irish return game did not materialize, either.

At what point will Charlie Weis have the luxury of removing Clausen from the game? That decision was made for him when Clausen limped off the field late in the third period.

Will the Irish enjoy a +3 or better turnover margin? They won this battle 2-0, but it was more than enough against the hapless Cougars.

Notre Dame will now turn its attention to the option attack of the Naval Academy before a high stakes road trip to Pittsburgh. Clausen will continue to play despite the problematic toe, and other starters such as Allen and even Michael Floyd may join him. Robinson may sit out the Navy game in order to be ready for Pitt, but Crist’s injury (knee) looked the most serious. The Irish are fortunate to have Evan Sharpley in reserve if needed.

On the defensive side, the team continues to improve against lesser opponents, but at least the overall health of this unit is good. Notre Dame fans could reflect back on losses to beatable Michigan and USC squads, but a successful November will lessen the sting of those lost opportunities.

Men Without Chests

Guest author: Frank Pimentel

In The Abolition of Man, C.S. Lewis argued that modern education produces "what may be called Men without Chests. It is an outrage that they should be commonly spoken of as Intellectuals. This gives them the chance to say that he who attacks them attacks Intelligence. It is not so. They are not distinguished from other men by any unusual skill in finding truth nor any virginal ardor to pursue her."

Sadly, we see this in full effect at Notre Dame today. First, in their initial bumbling attempt to defend the commencement invitation to President Obama, the University distributed laughable "talking points" to the Board of Trustees, which managed, in one swipe, to insult the intelligence of anyone who questioned the propriety of the invitation and to directly insult the initial Laetare Award honoree.

Then Fr. Jenkins compounded the error by issuing a statement to the effect that he, presumably in contrast to the shanty Catholic rubes who saw through the artifice concocted by Notre Dame in its perpetual desire for respect by those whose opinions matter in academia, was going to deliver an "inclusive and respectful speech." In other words, as Lewis predicted, those who attack him, attack "Intelligence."

Alas, the commencement debacle was not the most recent example at Notre Dame of Lewis’ foretelling. Last week, Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick announced that next October, Notre Dame would be fortifying its football schedule by playing Western Michigan University. Parenthetically, I’ll state that for all I know, WMU is a great school and runs a fine football program. But that’s kind of the point; about all I know of WMU is that it is in Kalamazoo – and I doubt that most anyone not from Michigan or northern Indiana even knows that.

Of course, that announcement understandably caused instant deflation among nearly anybody who harbors hope that the Fighting Irish will once again become the team it was under Rockne, Leahy, Parseghian, or Holtz. By way of brief examples, on our way to the 1988 national championship, ND played Michigan, Miami, and USC in the regular season. The next year we played Michigan, USC, Penn State, and Miami before the bowl game. In ’90 we played Michigan, Miami, Tennessee, Penn State, and USC in the regular season.

But that wasn’t the end of the consternation. Instead, echoing Jenkins’ pronouncements surrounding Commencement, Swarbrick announced with respect to the inevitable backlash, "It reflects a not very sophisticated view of what's going on out there." As with Jenkins, those who attack him attack "Intelligence."

But I am not fooled. In the case of football, the problem isn’t finding opponents on short notice, it’s finding opponents who will be bought, not expecting a return visit by Notre Dame. This scheduling philosophy, deemed "7-4-1" for shorthand, means 7 home games, 4 road games, and 1 "neutral site" game televised on NBC -- amounting in substance then to 8 home games and 4 road games. It requires materially watering the schedule down and making it, frankly, boring.

I believe this was intentional. Notre Dame knew that if it shorthanded itself by establishing a Potemkin 7-4-1 "requirement," it would eviscerate future schedules so badly that, by contrast, a league schedule (Big 10? Big East? ACC?) would be appealing. Of course, this is a false choice. Simply returning to a more balanced home/road schedule (6-6, or even 7-5), with the historical norm of playing home-and-home series with marquee schools, would immediately solve the problem.

But that itself is the problem. The powers that be don’t want the supposed scheduling problem solved. Rather, while alumni have always overwhelmingly opposed joining a conference for football, those in the Dome and JACC – specifically John Heisler – "know better" and want it (and for reasons having nothing to do with athletics and everything to do with those whose opinions matter in academia).

They don’t want to solve the scheduling "problem" that they created themselves. Rather, they have set us up to "solve" the scheduling "problem" by, sooner rather than later, throwing up their hands and arguing that the only feasible solution left will be to, surprise, join a conference.

But my Intelligence will not be insulted. Until Notre Dame places Men with Chests back into leadership positions, my checkbook – which had heretofore been open – will remain closed.

Wazoo a Treat for the Irish

Notre Dame takes on the Washington State Cougars on Saturday evening in a neutral site contest at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The Cougars are 1-6 overall and 0-5 in the PAC-10 Conference. They split two other games in September, losing to Hawaii in Seattle and defeating SMU at home in overtime. Coach Paul Wulff is in his second year of what has proven to be a major rebuilding effort. Meanwhile, the 5-2 Fighting Irish have their sights set on a BCS bowl, and this game should be little more than a minor speed bump in that pursuit.

Coach Wulff has juggled his lineup considerably this season, both out of necessity due to injury and in order to provide promising young players some game experience. The Cougars have started three quarterbacks in its seven games, but have apparently settled on true freshman Jeff Tuel. Injuries along both lines have made it impossible for Washington State to maintain the same starting lineup in two consecutive games this season.

The Irish are relatively healthy, although Michael Floyd will continue to be sidelined until he is needed next month. Jimmy Clausen is managing despite his turf toe malady, and this could finally be the week that backup Dayne Crist gets back onto the field for meaningful action. The Cougars are at or near the bottom of every defensive category among Division I schools and are equally inept in terms of rushing offense and passing efficiency.

Tuel has injected some life into the passing game, however, and his 354 yard passing performance against California last week caused fans to make comparisons to Drew Bledsoe. Unfortunately, the line has surrendered an average of five sacks per game and the quarterbacks have more interceptions (10) than touchdown passes (7). This is still an improvement over 2008 when starting quarterback Kevin Lopina, now a senior, did not throw a single scoring pass all season.

NOTRE DAME OFFENSE vs. WASHINGTON STATE DEFENSE

Freshman defensive end Travis Long is the only player on the Cougar front four to have started every game this season. Long is the team’s best pass rusher, although the line as a whole has no senior starters, lacks ideal size in the middle and is not very productive. Outside linebackers Jason Stripling and Andy Mattingly have been constants while three sophomores have shared time in the middle since starter Louis Bland went down early in the season. Notre Dame should be able to run the ball consistently against this group and sustain the attack throughout the evening.

Clausen should also be able to pick apart a secondary that lacks elite talent and does not get much help from the front seven. Junior safeties Chima Nwachukwu and Xavier Hicks lead the team in tackles, but the coverage is generally loose in order to guard against the big play. Washington State ranks dead last in total defense and surrenders 500 yards per game, it’s only a matter of time before the opponent finds the end zone.

The challenge for Charlie Weis this week will be to settle on a game plan that will generate an early lead and ensure that the Cougars are not allowed back into the contest. There is no need for high risk plays, and the focus should be to wear down the thin, injury-plagued defense by pounding it into submission.

WASHINGTON STATE OFFENSE vs. NOTRE DAME DEFENSE

On the flip side, Tuel and his receivers will test the Irish secondary that has given up an alarming 282 yards per game and ranks only one rung above their Washington State counterparts at 284. The Cougars do not have a prolific receiver, but Jared Karstetter, Gino Simone and Jeff Solomon have had some success to date. Tight end Tony Thompson is used primarily as a pass protector.

Although Tuel may have some success through the air, the improving Notre Dame defensive line should be able to bring some pressure that leads to turnovers. The challenge for the Cougars is compounded by the fact that they do not generate any semblance of a running game. The team average is a paltry 72.6 yards per game, which prompted Wulff to name 230-pound Logwone Nix as the starter at tailback over diminutive senior Dwight Tardy.

Washington State’s offensive line is led by senior center Kenny Alfred, but the remaining players are a patchwork group without a lot of experience. Two freshmen share the duty at left tackle, and the 35 sacks allowed indicate that this is a primary area of concern for Wulff and his staff. Tuel is more mobile than the other signal-callers on the roster, which may be one of the reasons he was able to earn the job over more experienced teammates.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The Cougar return and coverage teams are statistically below average, and the Irish should enjoy an advantage in field position. Punter Reid Forrest has a strong leg but frequently outkicks the coverage. Place kicker Nico Grasu has missed two of twelve extra point attempts and is only six for ten on field goals.

Notre Dame has punted the ball poorly this season, but newly appointed starter Ben Turk may not see the field during this contest if the offense performs as expected. Nick Tausch has been solid in his field goal attempts and should exhibit plenty of range indoors this week. Fans would like to see a kickoff return for a touchdown by Theo Riddick, and it could happen this week if his blockers have the proper mindset. Since the Irish will probably kickoff several times and the environmental conditions will be perfect, it will be interesting to see if David Ruffer can consistently approach the goal line.

SUMMARY

The Cougars won’t win a game in the PAC-10 this season and were thumped in their home state by a 2-5 Hawaii squad that led 35-6 at the half. There is no reason for Notre Dame to win by less than four touchdowns and clear the bench before the fourth quarter is underway. The Irish cornerbacks should work on their technique while safeties Sergio Brown and Jamoris Slaughter must continue to get comfortable with the defensive alignments. Offensively, Clausen should spread the ball around with relative ease and Weis should strive to reengage his tight ends in the passing game.

The main emphasis, however, should be the running game and the ability of the offensive line to dominate an opponent. This will pay dividends next month when the opposition is better and the weather is worse.

Here are a few questions that will determine the margin of victory:

Will Notre Dame reach 200 yards rushing, given that the Cougars allow an average of 215 per game?

Will the Irish defensive line take advantage of a weak Washing ton State front line?

Can Tuel become the latest freshman quarterback to have remarkable success against the Irish secondary?

Will Notre Dame’s special teams take advantage of their counterparts?

At what point will Charlie Weis have the luxury of removing Clausen from the game?

Will the Irish enjoy a +3 or better turnover margin?

PREDICTION

The question in this game is not whether the Irish will win, but by how many points. Notre Dame has demonstrated a tendency to play at the level of its opposition, but that would be disastrous for a program that needs to realize continuous improvement over the next few weeks to realize its ultimate goals. Tuel and the Cougars may provide a few moments of frustration for Irish fans with some success in the passing game, but they will not be able to sustain it.

The game should be a showcase of Notre Dame’s talent for anyone who cares enough to watch, but I hesitate to say it will be a monumental blowout given the recent inability of a Weis-coached team to bury an inferior opponent. Still, there won’t be many anxious moments for the Irish after the first quarter.

NOTRE DAME 41 WASHINGTON STATE 13

Notre Dame vs. WSU Preview

Authored By Mystery Guest Writer


The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame take on the Cougars of Washington State in a Halloween SHOWDOWN the people of San Antonio, Texas have been DYING to see. Washington State brings its special brand of toughness that can only be forged in a town called “PullMan.” They also bring with them the kind of cockiness you can only find from a state that named itself after a President who never set foot within 2,000 miles of the area and died many years before the land that would become the state was even a part of the Union.

ND Offense vs. WSU Defense: Pure ND Domination. Bloodbath.

ND Defense vs. WSU Offense: Pure ND Domination. Bloodbath.

After this game, the toughest Cougar in the State of Washington will be Steve Sarkisian’s mom.

ND: 155 WSU: 0

Oh, and it will also be announced that the NCAA will punish Michigan for practicing too much by ordering that all of Michigan’s games will officially be SHORTENED by one minute – meaning that the final score of the our game is what the score was after 59 minutes … ND 34 UM 31.

Oh, part deux: And the NCAA will also penalize USC for Reggie Bush’s “extra benefits” by giving all USC opponents an TEN SECONDS of playing time if they want it at the end of games – giving us a chance to run the fourth down play we never got, but this time, in December, WITH MICHAEL FLOYD, and Pee Wee Peet Carol (whose last name is a girl’s name) will refuse to play because it will be too cold (“cold air makes me think of New England and that makes me cry like the little girl I am,” Peet will say), resulting in a USC FORFEIT!!

All of this means …. WE ARE ON OUR WAY TO 12-0 AND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GLORY!!

STONE.

Irish Outlast Bumbling BC

Notre Dame parlayed a 5-0 advantage in the turnover battle to win a hard fought victory over Boston College by 20-16 on Saturday. Brian Smith’s interception at the Irish 22 with 1:38 left sealed the victory for the 5-2 Irish. Kyle McCarthy chipped in with two interceptions while Jimmy Clausen and Golden Tate led Notre Dame’s attack by accounting for both of the team’s touchdowns.

The Irish defensive strategy of stopping the run and forcing Shinskie into long passing situations ultimately worked, but not before a few anxious moments had passed. Montel Harris, who gained 264 yards last week for BC, was held to 38 yards on 22 carries and committed two costly fumbles. Shinskie started and finished poorly, but had considerable success against the Notre Dame secondary in the second and third quarters. The 25 year-old freshman finished with 279 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions on a 17 for 35 passing performance.

Clausen was typically sharp for the Irish, who were forced into a short passing game by the bend but don’t break Eagle defense. The Heisman hopeful hit 26 of 39 passes for a modest 246 yards and two scores. Tate and Duval Kamara accounted for 18 receptions by taking advantage of the cushion afforded to them by the BC cornerbacks. Armando Allen ran 21 times for 98 yards to lead all rushers.

The game quickly developed into a defensive struggle. Nick Tausch converted the first of his two field goals on the opening drive, and hit again midway through the second quarter. The Eagles managed a safety when Clausen threw the ball away under pressure from Jim Ramella. BC took a 9-6 lead with 4:40 remaining before halftime when Shinskie hit Rich Gunnell from seven yards out. Notre Dame blew the coverage on the play and Gunnell was wide open.

As Irish fans have come to expect, Clausen took control and marched his team into the end zone for a 13-9 advantage in the final moments before intermission. Tate squeezed into the corner of the end zone with an 11 yard pass from his scrambling quarterback. The junior was eight for nine in that sequence, and the lone miss was the result of a dropped ball by his receiver.

Boston College came out strong upon receipt of the second half kickoff. Shinskie and Gunnell connected for two long gains, and Harris finished the drive from two yards out before three minutes had expired in the third period. Moments later, the Eagles regained possession at their own eight and moved swiftly downfield to the Notre Dame ten as Irish fans muttered about halftime coaching adjustments. Just as it appeared BC was going to extend its 16-13 lead, Harris coughed up the ball inside the Irish five.

The Eagles forced a three and out and regained passion inside Notre Dame territory with another opportunity to extend its lead. McCarthy came up with his first interception on a third down play after teammate Raeshon McNeil tipped a pass right to him. The third quarter ended with the Irish trying desperately to reverse the momentum.

A pass to Tate followed by a personal foul penalty helped Clausen move his team into scoring territory. The drive stalled a yard short the goal line, and coach Charlie Weis elected to go for the touchdown rather than a tying field goal. Robert Hughes was stuffed by safety Marcellus Bowman and Notre Dame came up empty.

The Irish defense rose to the occasion and got the ball right back by forcing a punt. Starting just inside BC territory, Allen gained 13 yards on two attempts before Clausen hit Tate in the left flat. Eagle cornerback Donnie Fletcher lunged to make the tackle but grabbed only a handful of air, and Tate took advantage by juking the safety and darting into the end zone. Suddenly, Notre Dame led 20-16 with 8:12 remaining.

Everyone who has watched the Irish in recent weeks knew the game was far from over, but Boston College could not score in its final possessions. McCarthy picked off his second pass of the day with 4:23 left, but the Eagles defense held serve to generate one last chance for Shinskie. An improbable fourth down completion to Gunnell moved the ball across midfield, and a pass interference penalty on the next play brought BC closer to the upset. Notre Dame stepped up the pressure on Shinskie, however, and his would-be Cinderella story imploded as Smith picked off a wounded duck to close the deal.

Let’s revisit the pre-game questions to determine how these items factored into the outcome:

Will the Irish have anything left in the tank after last week? The offense looked a bit sluggish and the line did not fire off the ball very well, but the changes on defense injected some life into that unit.

Can the Eagles offense finally play well on the road? As with their previous unsuccessful road trips, BC could not run the ball and it kept them from winning.

Will Notre Dame be able to protect Clausen without resorting to maximum protection packages? Clausen stuck to crisp, short passes but was pressured into several throwaways and a safety. Rudolph caught only one pass.

Will the Irish offensive line assert itself against this year’s Eagles front four? Allen had some nice runs but Notre Dame could not sustain the ground game.

Can Notre Dame’s special teams gain the upper hand in the battle for field position? No. Short punts killed the Irish, who spent the early part of the game deep in their own territory.

Will the shaky Irish secondary make Shinskie look like an All-American passer? Yes, but only until he woke up and realized he was not Matt Ryan. ND made Gunnell look like Jerry Rice, though.

Will Harris and company run around and through Notre Dame? Not at all, and this was the difference in the game along with the turnovers.

Notre Dame’s mindset to win its remaining games and end the regular season at 10-2 remains intact, but a few of the future matchups almost guarantee there is more drama to come. Fortunately, next week’s game against Washington State should bring fans and players a much needed respite from the six consecutive heart-stopping finishes that are undoubtedly turning many Irish domes like mine from golden to gray.

Irish Host Pesky Eagles

With an eighth consecutive loss to USC fresh in the minds of Notre Dame, Boston College rolls into town seeking its seventh consecutive win in the series between these Catholic institutions. The Eagles are coached by former defensive coordinator Frank Spaziani, who took the job in January and led the team to a victory over Navy in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. Boston College is 5-2 this season, having won all of its games at home while losing in its two trips outside of Beantown.

The Irish are trying to put last week’s disappointment behind them and get on a winning streak. Both teams are relatively healthy although Michael Floyd is still sidelined for Notre Dame. Coach Charlie Weis may be tinkering with the defense this week and fans may see a few personnel changes at linebacker and safety.

The Eagles have fought hard to overcome the loss of star linebacker Mark Herzlich, who is battling cancer that was diagnosed in the spring. Herzlich is making strong progress according to recent reports and Weis has taken a personal interest in his recovery by providing encouragement. The two will meet on Saturday as Herzlich will accompany his team to Notre Dame.

Spaziani also had to address a shortfall at an already thin quarterback position when projected starter Dominque Davis left the program. BC managed to find a stop gap replacement among the ranks of minor league baseball in Dave Shinskie, 25, who spent the past seven years after high school as a pitcher in the Toronto Blue Jays system. Shinskie has performed respectably but not spectacularly, and the Eagles remain a run-oriented team that uses multiple Wildcat formations quite effectively.

NOTRE DAME’s OFFENSE vs. BOSTON COLLEGE’s DEFENSE

The interior of BC’s defensive line gave the Irish fits in last season’s shutout win. Stalwarts Ron Brace and B.J. Raji have moved on, but teams are still finding it difficult to run on the Eagles. Sophomore Kaleb Ramsey has filled in well at tackle and ends Alex Albright and Jim Ramella are solid veteran players. Freshman linebacker Luke Kuechly, who leads the team in tackles by a wide margin, has capably filled the hole left by Herzlich. The net result is that Boston College has allowed only 3.2 yards per rush this season, but they have performed considerably better at home.

Notre Dame’s offensive line has a score to settle with BC after being physically dominated last year, and will not be reluctant to attack the Eagles on the ground. Kuechly and middle linebacker Mike McLaughlin will be difficult to block, but they are not fast enough to contain Armando Allen and Golden Tate if the Irish can provide them a crease to run through.

As far as the passing game is concerned, Jimmy Clausen was held in check last year because Boston College was able to apply pressure with its front four and drop seven players into coverage. This strategy is less likely to work this year against the improved Irish, but it will be interesting to see if and when the Eagles are forced to gamble.

The keys to the passing game are once again Notre Dame’s offensive tackles. If Paul Duncan and Sam Young can handle Albright and Ramella, Clausen can utilize tight end Kyle Rudolph as a receiver instead of a pass blocker, and the rest of his receiving corps will have more room to maneuver in a secondary that is only average.

BOSTON COLLEGE’s OFFENSE vs. NOTRE DAME’s DEFENSE

The Eagles had a breakout offensive showing last week against North Carolina State, but they have looked very anemic in two road losses with only 29 and 45 rushing yards. Shinskie is neither mobile nor particularly accurate, and his receivers are not game changing threats. The running game is the key to BC’s success and must be present if Shinskie is to have any success.

Tailback Montel Harris set a team record with 264 yards and five touchdowns last week on 27 carries. Josh Haden and Rolandan Finch also see spot duty and are small and quick as is Harris. The Eagles will use multiple formations to spring Harris loose and are difficult to stop once they gain momentum and keep a defense off balance.

Rich Gunnell is a veteran possession receiver with a knack for getting open on third down, and he is joined by 6’5” Justin Jarvis and Colin Larmond, Jr., who is the fastest of the group. Tight end Chris Pantale has had a quiet season to date with only 12 receptions for 92 yards.

The defensive game plan for Notre Dame should be straight forward. Stop Harris out of a standard formation or the Wildcat and force Shinskie to beat you by throwing the ball. The Irish should not have to routinely gamble with the blitz to accomplish their goal, but the defensive line needs to continue its improved play against a massive Eagle forward wall led by center Matt Tennant and junior tackles Anthony Castonzo and Rich Lapham.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The BC kicking and punting specialists are average but consistent. Senior place kicker Steve Aponavicius has not missed a field goal this season, but he does not have particularly long range. Punt returner Gunnell has recorded a touchdown and always manages to pick up yardage. The coverage units are quite good, particularly on kickoffs.

Nick Tausch had an extra point blocked by USC and did not attempt a field goal in that contest, but he may very well be called upon in a tight situation this week. The Irish kick returners were replaced by front line players Tate and Allen against the Trojans and may continue to supplant Theo Riddick and Barry Gallup in that role. This move may again be strictly cosmetic if Notre Dame’s wedge blockers do not exert considerably more effort to hit people than I witnessed last week.

SUMMARY

Boston College is not an impressive team on paper, but they can be difficult to put away if they are allowed to control the tempo of the game. Their strength lies not in the skill positions but in a strong offensive line and solid but not exceptional players along the defensive front seven. This appears to be polar opposite the Irish, who must forget last week’s bruises and be prepared for sixty minutes of brawling. Clausen’s ability creates a gulf between these teams that should be enough to spell victory for Notre Dame, but anything less than a spirited effort by a motivated defense will keep the Eagles in it until the end.

Let’s review a few questions that will help determine the outcome:

Will the Irish have anything left in the tank after last week?

Can the Eagles offense finally play well on the road?

Will Notre Dame be able to protect Clausen without resorting to maximum protection packages?

Will the Irish offensive line assert itself against this year’s Eagles front four?

Can Notre Dame’s special teams gain the upper hand in the battle for field position?

Will the shaky Irish secondary make Shinskie look like an All-American passer?

Will Haden and company run around and through Notre Dame?

PREDICTION

It’s no longer a coincidence that Boston College has had Notre Dame’s number in recent years. Their consistently high effort and place on the schedule has enabled them to catch the Irish flat at times, but in other cases they have exhibited a stronger will to win. That should end this year as Notre Dame has stronger leadership and a sense of purpose for the rest of this season. The USC loss was one that the team should use as a confidence builder and springboard rather than an excuse to go into a funk.

In some ways, BC may be the perfect opponent for Notre Dame this week. Still, the Irish have played almost every game close this year and the Eagles’ offense may be ready to roll after putting everything together last week. Once again, fasten your seat belt and hang on.

NOTRE DAME 31 BOSTON COLLEGE 27