IRISH WIN STINKER AT STANFORD

Notre Dame closed its most forgettable season in nearly a half century with a 21-14 victory at Stanford in a mistake-filled game by both teams. The Irish committed four turnovers and squandered several scoring opportunities, while the defense had just enough fuel left to stop the Cardinal in the final seconds. Notre Dame won because it was the more talented team, and individual performances by Trevor Laws, Tom Zbikowski, Robert Hughes and Duval Kamara were enough to offset poor blocking on offense, tackling on defense and decision-making by the quarterback.

Hughes ran for 136 yards, including a 42-yarder to open the game. The Irish fumbled inside the Stanford ten yard line to end that threat, and fumbled again on the first play of its next possession. The Cardinal returned the favor later in the first quarter when Zbikowski picked off a tipped pass and returned it to the Stanford 14. Jimmy Clausen scored on a sneak two plays later to give Notre Dame a 7-0 lead.

Stanford bounced back on the next series with a 69-yard scoring drive to tie the game at seven as the first quarter came to a close. The Irish continued to struggle in the second period. Clausen hit Kamara for 37 yards to the Cardinal 12, but Asaph Schwapp fumbled the ball away on the next play. Later, a tipped punt gave the ball to Stanford inside Irish territory, and Anthony Kimble scored his second touchdown of the game moments later for a 14-7 Cardinal advantage with 2:54 remaining before halftime.

A holding penalty appeared to derail the next Irish possession, but a 44 yard burst by Junior Jabbie on a screen pass moved them into scoring territory. Travis Thomas tied the game at 14 with 48 seconds left, but the half was not quite over.

Stanford moved to midfield and attempted a Hail Mary pass in the final seconds, but David Bruton intercepted the ball near the goal line. Bruton handed the ball to Zbikowski as he was being tackled, and Zibby took off with a convoy of fellow Irishmen. After a series of laterals that reminded fans of the amazing Cal-Stanford band play 25 years ago, Zbikowski covered the final 20 yards and crossed the goal line. Unfortunately, a penalty against Notre Dame away from the ball negated the touchdown, and the half ended at 14-14.

Neither team put points on the board in the third quarter, but the Irish had an excellent chance after Zbikowski's 60-yard punt return to the Cardinal 31. Three plays netted negative yardage, but a roughing the punter penalty gave Notre Dame another chance.

The Irish were robbed on the ensuing series when a spectacular touchdown catch by David Grimes was inexplicably overruled by the replay officials. A subsequent 44 yard field goal attempt by Brandon Walker was no good, but Stanford's Derek Belch returned the favor on the first play of the fourth quarter when he missed a 20-yard attempt. Belch was 0-4 on the day, although the other three kicks were from long range.

Just when it appeared that neither team could score and win the game, Hughes took off on a 44 yard romp to the Stanford eight yard line. The freshman covered the remaining distance in two carries to put the visitors on top by 21-14 with six minutes left. An excellent kick return by the Cardinal against the typically inept Notre Dame special teams gave them an opportunity to tie the game in the game's final moments.

After driving inside the Irish ten, Stanford's shot at overtime fizzled as two runs gained only three yards and two passes were dropped in the end zone. Notre Dame walked away with its third win against nine losses.

Here's a review of the key questions that determined the outcome:

Can ND avoid a bone-headed play early on? - No, the fumble in the red zone killed the first drive.

Will Robert Hughes get 20 or more carries? - Almost. Hughes did get 18 carries, but he made the most of them.

Can ND’s OLB’s keep contain on Pritchard? - Not really. Pritchard escaped for many sizeable gainss, but he was knocked out of the game on one of them.

Can ND’s receivers hold onto the ball? - Yes, if you forget the atrocious call by the replay officials.

Can ND win the net sack contest? - No, but Clausen did a poor job of getting rid of the ball.

The Irish looked horrible on offense for most of the day. They suffered numerous sacks and negative plays, but were able to win this game on the strength of a few big gains by Hughes, Jabbie and Zbikowski. Stanford was equally inept, and both teams were hurt by missed field goals.

Notre Dame fans and players should be pleased to close this season with a pair of victories, but these performances provided no basis to predict great things in 2008. Many talented underclassmen return, but the Irish were not competitive in September or October and were only 2-2 against creampuffs in November.

Overall, there was little improvement this season in terms of the offensive line, tackling on defense and all facets of special teams play. Coach Charlie Weis must make adjustments in his approach and is certain to make changes in his staff, but it will take an extraordinary effort for Notre Dame to become a fundamentally sound and competitive football team next year. Fortunately, they have a full nine months to figure it out.

IRISH LOOK TO END SEASON ON POSITIVE NOTE

The following article was written by omahadomer. (please note that ND won when Vannie was out of the country.)

History

The Stanford Cardinal and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish face off in what promises to be an interesting game despite the two squads having only five wins between them this year. This will be the programs’ twenty-second match-up. Notre Dame owns a 15-6 advantage in the series.

Notre Dame’s first win against Stanford came in the 1925 Rose Bowl as Rockne’s Four Horsemen defeated Pop Warner, Ernie Nevers and the Indians (yes, politically incorrect nicknames existed even at Stanford) 27-10. The teams began meeting with some regularity in 1988, the year of ND’s last national championship.

Despite ND’s advantage in the series, it is laced with painful losses for Irish fans. In 1990 despite the Irish being in control for the first half, Stanford rallied to win 36-31 over top-ranked Notre Dame. In 1992 the highly ranked Irish jumped out on the Cardinal 16-0 only to see the Bill Walsh-led visitors score the last 33 points of the game.

Stanford’s last win in the series was a 17-13 affair in a monsoon in Palo Alto in 2001. That game also featured a Cardinal rally as Bob Davie’s squad was controlling the action and leading 13-3 before allowing future ND coach Tyrone Willingham’s team to score two late touchdowns to win 17-13. Although Davie’s coffin had long been nailed shut, that contest helped to bind it closed with a thick layer of duct tape.

Unfortunately, that game may have affected the fate of both programs negatively. That win gave Willingham a 3-2 mark over Notre Dame and was part of a 9-2 regular season campaign that did much to enhance his credibility as a candidate for the Notre Dame job. Willingham, who notched a reasonably impressive 44-36-1 mark as Stanford’s head man, had built a nice niche and probably would have continued to enjoy reasonable success had he stayed in Palo Alto. He was ill-suited for the more highly charged environment of the ND job, however, and neither program has recovered fully from his departure from Stanford.

Stanford improbably hired Buddy Teevens, then the owner of an 11-45 mark as a Division I-A head coach, and he won only 10 games in three years on the Farm. Then came Walt Harris, a much more accomplished coach, but he won only six games in two years and after apparently annoying nearly everyone in Palo Alto was let go in favor of former Michigan QB and University of San Diego coach Jim Harbaugh. Notre Dame, as is well known, released Willingham after he went just 11-12 in his last two years. Charlie Weis then led ND to BCS bowls his first two years but is suffering through a dismal third year due in significant part to Willingham’s passive recruiting that left the Irish squad nearly bereft of upperclassmen.

2007 Campaigns

As for this contest, on paper the teams look fairly even. Their two opponents in common are the two southern California Pac 10 schools. Improbably, each team owns a 1-1 record. Stanford’s 24-23 win over USC will certainly go down as one of the greatest upsets in college football history. The Irish put forth a dismal effort two weeks later losing to USC 38-0. However, the same evening that Stanford pulled the shocker against the Trojans, ND defeated UCLA 20-6, a team that routed Stanford 45-17. Employing the transitive property, Stanford is 39 points better than ND if their USC performances are accounted but ND is 38 points better than Stanford if their UCLA performances are considered.

Stanford, as it always does, has a good number of highly skilled athletes. Some are familiar to those who follow ND recruiting. Fifth year senior Mark Bradford, who made the twisting catch in the end zone to defeat the Trojans, was an ND recruit. ND recruit Erik Lorig, who reportedly was lured to Stanford after being promised the lead role in the spring production of Hamlet, plays defensive end for the Cardinal.

As thin as is ND’s squad, the Stanford roster is thinner yet and has been riddled with key injuries. Senior QB TC Ostrander, who lit up the Irish secondary as Stanford nearly pulled a stunning upset in 2005, suffered a seizure and has played only sparingly since. The more mobile but less consistent and accurate Tavita Pritchard has played in his place and assured his place in Stanford lore by engineering the victory over USC in his first start.

But Stanford is a veritable MASH unit. Future NFL defensive tackle Ekom Udofia went out with a season-ending injury in the Washington game and his absence probably helped to contribute to a weak WSU team hanging 33 points and 561 yards on Stanford. Starting left tackle Allen Smith was lost for the season in the Oregon contest. Stanford has also lost a starting linebacker, tight end and fullback to season-ending injuries and has had its best cornerback and top receivers hobbled at various times. Injuries have forced Harbaugh to give four different tailbacks significant carries. The worst loss in the running department was probably Toby Gerhart who tore through San Jose State for 140 yards on just 12 carries but was lost for the season. One bright spot here for Stanford is that true frosh Tyrone McGraw has played well and Stanford may get starter Anthony Kimble back from a shoulder injury.

Match-ups

Several match-ups favor ND. Both teams are poor against the rush allowing 4.3 yards per carry and over 180 yards per game on the ground. But ND’s passing defense is legitimately good as the Irish hold teams to only 5.7 per passing attempt and just over 160 yards per game in the air and rank highly in pass efficiency defense. Stanford on the other hand allows 8.1 per pass and almost 275 passing yards per game and is towards the bottom in every significant pass defense category.

On offense Stanford is superior statistically, though ND’s season box score is weighed down considerably by its opening trio of games before Weis turned to more physical practices. Though hardly a juggernaut, ND has outgained three of its opponents since then. Against Duke, ND defeated and outgained an opponent by more than 100 yards since winning over Army 41-9 to close out 2006's home season.

Matching up ND’s offense against Stanford’s defense, ND should be able to move the ball both through the air and on the ground. However, one impressive defensive statistic is that Stanford has notched 30 sacks thus far. Clausen is vastly more poised and accurate since returning to action, as evidenced by his six touchdowns against zero interceptions over the last two games. It will be important to keep him off his back, however, and ND’s best chance to do this is to pound on Stanford’s depleted defensive front with its huge backs. A strong interior running game will force Stanford to commit safety help to the run and severely limit its defensive options. Freshman Robert Hughes was impressive against Duke gaining 110 yards on 17 carries and also did well in the passing game, effectively picking up the blitz and snagging a pass reception for 13 yards. He clearly has earned significant playing time in the season’s last contest.

Matching up Stanford’s offense against ND’s defense, the Cardinal will undoubtedly try to run the ball. Pritchard is dangerous on the run and Stanford’s victory over USC owes a great deal to his legs as he flummoxed the Trojan defense by several times breaking contain and rushing for first downs on plays that appeared dead. Since the USC game, teams have generally limited Pritchard’s running but it will be critical that he not be allowed to break contain and keep drives alive. With a completion a percentage hovering around 50% and only four touchdowns against seven interceptions, Pritchard probably cannot beat ND as a pocket passer.

If ND sees Ostrander instead, heavy blitz packages are indicated as he has been extremely sack prone and the Cardinal offensive front has given up 42 sacks and might yet equal ND’s horrifying total of 53 sacks allowed. Even in the two conference games that Stanford has won (one-point victories over USC and Arizona) the Cardinal has been outgained by significant margins and probably lacks the firepower to win the game without some assistance from the Irish.

Special teams are relatively even, except for place kicking where seemingly every team enjoys an advantage over ND.

Intangibles

The intangibles are hard to assess. Stanford is depleted and licking its wounds but probably benefited from taking last week off. Still, the Cardinal may be looking ahead to next week and a realistic opportunity to take the Axe back from a suddenly reeling California squad. ND for its part cannot take too much comfort in the Duke win. This contest has some nasty parallels to the season ender against Syracuse in 2003 where the Irish, fresh off of a 57-7 thrashing of the Cardinal, played listlessly losing the next week 38-12.

Still, Weis and company have done an admirable job of keeping the team’s focus through a dark, dark season. ND got a huge shot of confidence from physically dominating Duke and Stanford is only the second sub-.500 team that the Irish have faced. Stanford for its part removed itself from bowl contention by losing what appeared on paper to be a winnable game against WSU and may have difficulty keeping its concentration.

As difficult as this season has been, both programs are probably on the right track. Harbaugh has the look of a real coach about him and Stanford is an improved squad this year and is a realistic pick to make a bowl game next year. ND for its part has a long to-do list in the off season but clearly has the emerging talent to be a New Year’s Day bowl team next year if Weis makes the necessary coaching adjustments.

Five Questions

Can ND avoid a bone-headed play early on? Recent games have been marred by poor decisions or plays that have turned games against the Irish. ND barely averted a huge disaster against Duke when punter Eric Maust somehow fielded a snap that sailed over his head and got away a kick that saved 50 yards of field position.

Will Robert Hughes get 20 or more carries? Hughes clearly is ND’s hottest runner right now and has tremendous feet and vision for a big back. If Hughes gets 20 or more carries, ND will win.

Can ND’s OLB’s keep contain on Pritchard? ND had some success against Duke lining up in an even (four-man) front and may do so again against Stanford. In any event, keeping Pritchard in the pocket will be crucial.

Can ND’s receivers hold onto the ball? ND’s receivers have cold dropped at least a dozen passes in the last two games. Really only George West has caught the ball consistently as of late. Carlson, Parris, Grimes and Kamara must do much better catching the ball with their hands and controlling the pigskin.

Can ND win the net sack contest? In ND’s two victories, the Irish have won the sack battle by a total of 7-5. In ND’s nine losses, the Irish have been outsacked 48-7. Any questions?

Prediction

Notre Dame 28 Stanford 21

YOUTH IS SERVED

Our Duke postgame wraupup is courtesy of poster NCIrish

“The future’s so bright I gotta wear shades.”

Well maybe things aren’t that good yet, but for one Saturday, the Notre Dame Nation was able to enjoy a win. Freshmen Jimmy Clausen & Robert Hughes led the youth movement as the Irish picked up their second win of the season and sent the seniors out with a 28-7 victory over Duke in their final home game in Notre Dame Stadium.

Clausen threw for 192 yards and three touchdowns (for the second consecutive week) and Hughes added 110 yards on 17 carries & a touchdown as the Irish took a 28-0 lead late into the 4th quarter until a late score by the Blue Devils ruined the shutout.

The biggest and happiest story on this day, however, might have been Trevor Laws putting the final stamp on his career at Notre Dame. The Laws-led defense held the Duke offense in check all day and never let them string together any substantial drives. Laws finished the game with 7 tackles and a sack as he capped off what will certainly go down as one of the most outstanding careers for a defensive lineman in Notre Dame history.

The game got off to a sluggish start for both teams as they traded missed field goals and two punts apiece in a first quarter that looked more like a pillow fight than a football game. Notre Dame had a chance to take an early 7-0 lead after a Clausen to John Carlson completion for 41 yards gave the Irish the ball at the Duke five yard line. It was quickly negated as an unnecessary Excessive Celebration penalty was called on Carlson and set the Irish back to the 20 yard line. They failed to move the ball after that and missed a 31 yard field goal to spoil one of their better opening drives this season.

The second quarter was more of the same for both teams as numerous penalties on Notre Dame, including a fooling Illegal Motion penalty on a 4th & 2, stalled an Irish drives. Late in the quarter, Notre Dame took advantage of a Blue Devil turnover to get on the board. After Hughes converted a 4th & 1 with a twenty four yard gain, Clausen hit David Grimes with pinpoint pass between two defenders for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead. The Irish quickly added to their lead after another Blue Devil turnover. Clausen threw a soft toss to Duval Kumara in the corner of the end zone and the Irish had all the points they would need.

The second half saw the Blue Devils continue to struggle on offense while the Irish ground game began to assert itself. Hughes, Armando Allen & James Aldridge shouldered a mid third quarter drive that saw the Irish gain 68 yards on 11 rushes capped off by a 13-yard Hughes touchdown run.

With the game decided at the start of the fourth quarter, Notre Dame continued to control the line of scrimmage and Robert Hughes added a 32 yard scamper that set up the 3rd Clausen touchdown pass of the game. Clausen hit John Carlson on a 10 yard pass that sent Carlson out with a score in his last home game. Then it was time for a little fun as Coach Weis inserted Tommy Zbikowski at quarterback and he ran a few plays from the Spread offense. A late fumble by Travis Thomas allowed Duke one last chance on offense and they took advantage against a scout team Irish defense. Backup quarterback Zach Asack took it in from six yards out to give the Blue Devils their only points of the afternoon.

Let’s review BillShakespeare’s keys to the game:

Will Weis effectively balance the passing and running attacks? Weis’s commitment to the ground game was something that surely made many Irish fans happy. The ground attack kept Duke on their heels and allowed Clausen extra time to find receivers.

Can the Irish avoid putting Clausen in must-throw situations on third down? The success of the running game combined with some new found mobility from Clausen allowed Notre Dame to find success going 9-18 on 3rd down.

Will Re'quan Boyette wear down the Irish defensive line? Boyette and teammate Justin Boyle never got on track and were never a factor after the Blue Devils fell behind 14-0 at the half.

Can the Irish hold Eron Riley under 100 yards and out of the end zone? The vertical part of the Duke offense was held in check. Riley was limited to 3 catches for 50 yards and was denied a touchdown on a good defensive play by Darren Walls.

Which team will make a big special teams play? Neither teams’ Special Teams were a factor in the game. The missed field goals looked like they may be important early, but the Duke turnovers made them irrelevant.

Overall, it was a good effort and a sorely needed win for a program that hasn’t had many positive things happen for it this season. The penalties and dropped passes were certainly negatives in a game that should have been decided much earlier. Notre Dame handled a team they were expected to so that’s a positive to build on but they must continue to develop for the future.

The Irish travel to Palo Alto next Saturday night to take on a Stanford Cardinal team that upset Southern Cal earlier in the season. While both teams have struggled this season, they will be playing in what amounts to a bowl game. The Irish need a quick start next week to avoid falling behind against a team that won’t lie down like the opponent they played today.

IRISH LOOK FOR SECOND WIN ON SENIOR DAY

Our Duke preview is courtesy of BillShakespeare

Notre Dame closes its home schedule Saturday and looks to spare its sparse senior class the embarrassment of a winless home slate. There is hope for the Irish this week, as they face off against a Duke team that, unlike any of the first ten Irish opponents, is currently under .500.

Inexplicably, Duke’s season mirrors Notre Dame’s in many respects. Both teams have faced top-5 schedules and both teams have emerged with exactly one victory; moreover, each team’s victory came despite being grossly outgained in terms of total yardage. If not for a barrage of miscues by UCLA and Northwestern, this weekend’s matchup would be a battle of winless teams.

Whereas Duke reports no injuries this week, Notre Dame has a few bruises. Most notably, Pat Kuntz is out at nose tackle, putting a significant burden on freshman Ian Williams to handle most of the snaps there. Elsewhere, John Sullivan is inactive for his final game in Notre Dame Stadium. Dan Wenger will slide over to center, and Irish fans hope the Wenger-to-Clausen exchange will be seamless on Saturday and for years to come.

For a third straight game, the Irish will trot out an athletically superior squad. Unlike Navy and Air Force, Duke does not employ a gimmicky offense, which should be a welcome respite for a Corwin Brown defense that surrendered a combined 87 points to the Academies.

It will be interesting to see whether either team is able to establish the running game. If one team can run effectively and control the clock, it will go a long way in determining the outcome between these two evenly matched teams. Neither team’s performance provides much confidence in this regard - Duke is the only Division 1-A team with a worse rushing offense than the Irish.

Notre Dame’s Offense vs. Duke’s Defense

Very few teams have had a hard time scoring against the Blue Devil defense. Northwestern is the only opponent Duke has held under 24 points, and six teams have posted more than 40.

In last week’s game, Tashard Choice lit up the Blue Devils for 170 yards on the ground; earlier in the year, Navy and Clemson also treated the Duke line like a sieve. On the other hand, UConn and Virginia Tech picked them apart through the air, so there are many ways this defense can be slain.

Can Weis manufacture a balanced game plan, or will the Irish be too reliant on one facet? Many would like to see a heavy lean towards the running game, and Weis will most likely deliver healthy servings of James Aldridge and Armando Allen from the get-go. However, the Duke secondary is inexperienced and less talented than most of the defensive backfields the Irish have faced thus far.

Kamara returns to the line-up, and he will have a physical advantage over every Blue Devil defending him. Similarly, Duke lacks a corner that can keep up with a burner like Golden Tate, and this could be the game where he is once again used as a deep threat. As a unit, the Irish receivers will have to avoid the drops that plagued them against Air Force.

Duke’s Offense vs. Notre Dame’s Defense

Since Kuntz will be inactive, Notre Dame’s already porous rush defense (103rd in the nation) will be stretched thin. However, Duke has managed less than 50 ypg on the ground. Resistible Force, meet Moveable Object.

Enter Re'quan Boyette. This 5'10, 210-pound bowling ball is capable of wearing down a defense, particularly a defense that lacks depth. It remains to be seen whether Duke will commit to a running game that has been a failure throughout the season. Boyette and Justin Boyle, the team's two leading rushers, have combined for just 504 yards in ten games. The team has only three rushing touchdowns to its credit.

Versatile quarterback Thaddeus Lewis has put up good numbers (19 TDs) but is prone to turning the ball over (10 INTs). Like the Irish quarterbacking crew, Lewis has spent much of the season on his backside, as Duke has surrendered 40 sacks on the year. Lewis is mobile enough to avoid some pressure but has not proven to be a threat to take off and run with it.

Eron Riley is the Blue Devils’ most dangerous offensive weapon. The 6’3, 200-pound receiver has nine touchdowns this season, including at least one in five of the last seven games. In addition to Riley's receiving duties, Duke has tried to get him the ball in other ways, either on trick plays or by bringing him into the backfield, a la Percy Harvin. Riley hasn't had much success on these plays, but don't be surprised to see him run an end around or two Saturday, based on the success Air Force had with misdirection plays.

Negating Riley's physical presence will be one of the top priorities for Corwin Brown's defense. The safety on his side of the field will likely be in double-cover mode for much of the afternoon.

Special Teams

Jabari Marshall is a dangerous kick returner. He averages 25 yards a return and has one touchdown on the year. Leon Wright has been a solid though unremarkable punt returner.

Kevin Jones has gotten a workout punting for the Blue Devils, and he averages 39 yards a boot. Nick Maggio took over placekicking duties midseason and has yet to miss. However, his longest attempt was from 40 yards, so his range is an unknown at this point.

Notre Dame has special teams issues of its own. The lack of confidence in the kicking game does not bode well for the Irish if this game is decided in the final few minutes or goes to overtime. At punter, Geoff Price is doubtful, although Eric Maust is not a substantial downgrade.

It would be encouraging to see more life from the Irish return teams. Allen and Tate have the physical tools to be dangerous, yet lengthy returns have been few and far between. Allen in particular has seemed to run past his blockers on multiple kicks when holes seemed to be developing.

Summary

Make no mistake about it – Duke is not a good team. The Irish have not been a good team either, but they do have the ability to play up to a higher level than the Blue Devils. Say what you will about the leadership of this year's seniors, but I'm certain the underclassmen would like to send them out with a victory.

If talent prevails, the Irish should win. Then again, that has been the case many times this season.

The following questions will help determine the winner of the game:

- Will Weis effectively balance the passing and running attacks?
- Can the Irish avoid putting Clausen in must-throw situations on third down?
- Will Re'quan Boyette wear down the Irish defensive line?
- Can the Irish hold Eron Riley under 100 yards and out of the end zone?
- Which team will make a big special teams play?

Prediction

Corwin Brown's defense will bend but not break against the Duke attack. The Irish offense will control the clock but won't score in bunches, which will keep the game close throughout. A late touchdown against the tired Duke defense will ice it, and though it won't be a pretty game, the Irish seniors will go out with a victory.

NOTRE DAME 26 DUKE 16

DIFFERENT WEEK, SAME RESULT

Our AFA recap is courtesy of poster HarryOliverIsGod

For the second consecutive week a service academy came into Notre Dame Stadium and left with a victory. Only this Saturday, the score wasn’t close.

Behind quarterback Shaun Carney and versatile Chad Hall, the Air Force Academy easily handled Notre Dame 41-24 to drop the Irish to an all-time record 9th loss of the season. Carney threw two touchdowns and Hall piled up 272 all-purpose yards, including 142 on the ground, to turn a close game at halftime into a rout.

Notre Dame, which had a distinct size advantage at every position, rushed for just 58 yards on 38 attempts while Air Force gained 285 yards on 63 carries. Irish freshman quarterback Jimmy Clausen had arguably his best game by throwing for 246 yards and three scores despite numerous drops by his receivers.

Once again turnovers cost the Irish. On the opening play, Clausen found tight end John Carlson for a 28-yard gain before the All-American fumbled, leading to an Air Force field goal. Late in the first quarter, fullback Asaph Schwapp and Clausen muffed a handoff that ricocheted off Schwapp’s leg and into the hands of Air Force’s John Rabold, who stiffed-armed Clausen on his way to the end zone staking Air Force to a 10-0 lead.

Early in the second quarter, the Irish started a drive at their own 37 and moved the ball effectively to the Air Force 11, behind eight runs and just two passes. But the drive stalled there after the Irish inexplicably attempted three consecutive passes, all which fell incomplete, and settled for a Brandon Walker 28-yard field goal.

After Notre Dame’s defense made a fourth down stand on Air Force’s next possession, the Irish offense once again ran the ball right down the field and capped the drive when Clausen floated a two-yard touchdown pass to Carlson. Suddenly, it was 10-10 with Notre Dame’s offense and defense playing fairly well.

That all changed on the next possession.

Air Force answered the consecutive Irish scores with an impressive seven-play, 66-yard scoring drive that lasted just 1:23. Almost effortlessly, Air Force maneuvered right down the field, scoring on a well-executed reverse to Spencer Armstrong that left most of the Irish defense blocked out of the play. The eight-yard touchdown run put the Falcons up 17-10 at half.

After playing well for most of the first half, the Irish defense completely collapsed in the second half. On the opening possession of the third quarter, Carney found Mark Root wide open for 26 yards after no Notre Dame defender covered the Falcon receiver. Carney then completed the 67-yard touchdown drive with a seven-yard pass to Sean Quintana to push Air Force ahead 24-10.

The Notre Dame offense stalled for the remainder of the third quarter. When Carney hit Keith Madsen for a 10-yard touchdown late in the third to put Air Force ahead 31-10, the game was all but over.

To revisit JVan’s keys to the game:

Will the Irish ground game force the Falcons to change their defensive alignment? No. The Irish running game gained just 112 rushing yards, not including sacks, and was abandoned in the second half when the game was out of hand.

Will the Irish defense be able to neutralize Chad Hall? No. While Hall didn’t score, he owned the Irish defense all day en route to 272 all-purpose yards. Hall was even more effective as a decoy on several of the Falcons’ scoring plays.

Can Weis limit Clausen’s passing attempts while increasing his productivity? No. Instead of a steady diet of running plays, the Irish ran 38 times and had 40 passing attempts. While Clausen had a solid game and didn’t turn the ball over, the Irish needed to establish a consistent running attack, and they did not.

Will Notre Dame be able to contain the defensive perimeter and tackle effectively? No. Once again, the tackling was atrocious. Early in the game the Irish neutralized the Falcons spread running game, but that quickly ended by the start of third quarter as Air Force had an easy time gaining nearly 300 rushing yards.

Can Notre Dame avoid obvious passing situations on third down? No. The Irish again struggled on third down, converting just 4-of-15 with most of those attempts being more than six yards.

Will the Irish defense force turnovers and negative plays? The defense did force two turnovers, but it wasn’t near enough to offset the poor tackling and dominant performances by Carney and Hall.

Can Notre Dame make a field goal? Yes, but it didn’t matter much in the end.

For Notre Dame fans, this week was almost exactly the same as watching any other loss during this trying season. The Irish were incompetent in almost every aspect of the game. The offense couldn’t rush the ball against an undersized opponent, the wide receivers dropped far too many passes, the offensive line couldn’t keep Air Force from pressuring Clausen all day, the defense fell apart after halftime, and the Irish shot themselves in the foot with sloppy turnovers. On top of those miscues, Weis failed to stick with the run on several first-half drives when it appeared to be working and didn’t attempt enough downfield passes until the game was out of reach in the fourth quarter.

Perhaps the most alarming part of Saturday’s loss was the way Air Force adjusted its game plan and the Irish did not. The Irish defense played fairly well in the first half, but got absolutely punished in the second half. Meanwhile, the Irish offense did not make effective halftime adjustments to exploit their size advantage and superior talent. In all, it was like watching a rerun of losses one through eight.

The Irish face Duke next week in the home finale before heading to California for the Stanford game Thanksgiving weekend. A one-win season, which seemed completely ridiculous in August, is certainly now a possibility.

IRISH SEEK TO GROUND FALCONS

Air Force returns to Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday to play the Fighting Irish. The Falcons are 7-3 on the season, but lost to Navy 31-20 in October. First year coach Troy Calhoun has taken over at the academy for Fisher DeBerry, who retired last year after 23 years on the job. Notre Dame will face an option offense for the second consecutive week, while Jimmy Clausen has reclaimed the starting quarterback position for the Irish.

Calhoun is an Air Force graduate who started at quarterback for the 1986 Falcons. This is his first head coaching position, although his coaching resume includes extensive experience in college and the NFL. During the past four years, Calhoun worked as Assistant Head Coach for Mike Shanahan of the Denver Broncos and was the Offensive Coordinator for the Houston Texans in 2006.

The Irish will try to shake off last week’s embarrassing loss to Navy and concentrate on stopping the Falcon attack. Calhoun’s offense has gained nearly 400 yards per game, and the mix between run and pass is slightly more balanced than Navy. The defense also appears to be better statistically, but Air Force has played a weaker schedule than the Midshipmen. Meanwhile, Corwin Brown’s unit needs to tighten up considerably and become more aggressive this week.

Notre Dame is running out of time to get a couple of wins under its belt and generate confidence within the ranks of its young players. Clausen in particular would benefit from a successful outing, but ideally he should throw the ball no more than 15 times. Once again, the Irish will enjoy a physical advantage over an opponent, but the Falcons will not be intimidated after watching last week’s film.

Notre Dame’s Offense vs. Air Force’s Defense

It will be interesting to watch Clausen play a game in which he does not have to run for his life on virtually every play. The freshman will be able to hand off to James Aldridge and Armando Allen for positive yardage, and Irish fans also hope to see more of Robert Hughes this week. Another freshman who has been missing in action for the past few weeks is wide receiver Golden Tate, who inexplicably disappeared after a breakout performance against Purdue.

Air Force employs a 3-4 defensive alignment and its down linemen are similar in size to Navy. One difference is that Navy’s 6’3” 285-pound nose tackle Nate Frazier caused the Irish problems while the Falcons’ Jared Marvin is not as disruptive at 5’11” and 265-pounds.

The senior-laden back seven constitutes the strength of this defense. Inside linebackers Drew Fowler and Aaron Shanor account for most of the tackles along with strong safety Chris Thomas, a talented sophomore who has also broken up seven passes. Outside backers Hunter Altman and John Rabold lead the team with nine sacks between them.

The Falcons have 14 interceptions this season and are led by cornerback Carson Bird, who has six. Free safety Bobby Giannini is a quality athlete with good size and range. Notre Dame is most likely to attack cornerback Garrett Ryback when it attempts play action passes or, heaven forbid, is forced to throw the football.

The Irish should be able to control the game on the ground, and I expect Coach Charlie Weis to stay with the run until the cows come home. Air Force is stronger against the pass than Navy, and they have 21 sacks to their credit against six for the Middies coming into last week’s game.

Air Force’s Offense vs. Notre Dame’s Defense

Senior quarterback Shaun Carney leads the Falcon attack, but 5’8” wingback Chad Hall is their most dangerous player. Hall leads the team in rushing with 1150 yards and a seven yard average. He is also the leading receiver with 41 catches. Receiver Mark Root, brother of former Notre Dame and Florida State player Matt Root, is second with 24 receptions.

Another difference between the two academies on Notre Dame’s schedule is Air Force does not use the fullback frequently in its version of the option. Calhoun will mix things up to attack the perimeter, and will probably be emboldened after watching Navy’s successful thrusts last week. Carney is statistically an efficient passer at 63%, and tight end Travis Dekker is a highly regarded threat.

Notre Dame must be more aggressive this week and try to force turnovers and negative plays. Trevor Laws was not a factor against Navy by virtue of Paul Johnson’s excellent game plan, but he should lead the Irish counter attack this week. Two key players that are still not 100% healthy are David Bruton and Maurice Crum. Both are needed in order to keep the Falcons from making this a close ball game.

Success or failure could also rest in the hands of the Irish cornerbacks, who must do a better job of containing Hall than they did against Navy’s Reggie Campbell. Calhoun will try to force Notre Dame to make tackles in the open field, as this has been a weakness for the Irish all season. Linebackers and corners have all too often tried to reach out and arm tackle as opposed to squaring their shoulders and demonstrating sound form. This practice is not going to stop anyone regardless of size.

Special Teams

Hall is also the sole punt returner and shares the duty on kickoffs with freshman Reggie Rembert. Air Force has been better than its opponents in terms of kick and punt coverage, but Notre dame should be able to generate positive yards with Allen and Tom Zbikowski.

Kicker Ryan Harrison has connected on three field goals of more than 50 yards this season during games played in Colorado, including bombs from 56 and 57 yards. Harrison also handles the punting chores, averaging slightly less than 42 yards per attempt. Notre Dame’s kicking situation is still very shaky after last week’s game in which Weis called for a fake and a pass in two obvious field goal situations.

Summary

Despite some similarities to Navy, Air Force will present different challenges for the Irish defense. Notre Dame must contain Hall and apply pressure to Carney in the backfield. They could find themselves in trouble again if they are unable to cause more than one turnover. Offensively, the Irish must respect the Falcon secondary until they commit the safeties to the running game.

Most importantly, the Irish players need to have fun playing the game. Fans have seen only brief glimpses of a fired up team this season, most notably at Purdue and UCLA. It would be better late than never to see a long run by Allen, a seam pass to John Carlson and a play-action bomb to Tate. A score on a return by the special teams would be an added bonus.

Air Force will make a few plays and refuse to go quietly, but they do not have sufficient firepower to stay in the game until the end unless Notre Dame commits costly errors or plays without passion. The Falcon offense will move the ball between the 20’s but should not be able to score in the red zone on the Irish with the same ease or frequency as Navy.

The questions that will help determine the winner are as follows:

- Will the Irish ground game force the Falcons to change its defensive alignment?
- Will the Irish defense be able to neutralize Chad Hall?
- Can Weis limit Clausen’s passing attempts while increasing his productivity?
- Will Notre Dame be able to contain the defensive perimeter and tackle effectively?
- Can Notre Dame avoid obvious passing situations on third down?
- Will the Irish defense force turnovers and negative plays?
- Can Notre Dame make a field goal?

Prediction

Notre Dame and its fans have suffered enough this season. Air Force is well coached and will be highly motivated, but they have fewer weapons than Navy. The Irish need to convert their scoring opportunities, but this could be another game when punter Geoff Price can impersonate a Maytag repairman.

NOTRE DAME 38 AIR FORCE 20

43-1

I’m rarely at a loss for words after a Notre Dame football game, but Saturday’s stunning 46-44 loss to Navy in three overtimes was difficult to process. The notion that an undersized team of overachievers could defeat a powerful group of highly recruited players is as old as David vs. Goliath, but Appalachian State had already used up this season’s allotment of miracles. In looking more closely, however, the result was not surprising at all.

The search for an explanation reminded me that I had predicted the loss a few days ago. Many people scoffed at this article and I began to doubt my own sanity as game day approached, but much of it turned out to be correct. Let’s break down the game in that context.

This should finally be the week that Notre Dame establishes the run and sticks with it. Since Navy’s offense is capable of long scoring drives and ball possession, it is incumbent on the Irish to demonstrate a little ball control of their own.

Overall, Notre Dame did well to establish the run and keep Navy from dominating time of possession. The statistics show that the Irish matched Navy’s output on the ground and held a slight edge in time of possession. The problem is that Coach Charlie Weis strayed away from the running game at crucial points, and it cost the Irish dearly.

Notre Dame held a 7-0 lead in the first quarter when it recovered a Midshipmen fumble at the Navy 30. Three solid running plays produced a first down at the 15, but Weis inexplicably went away from power football in favor of three consecutive passes. This resulted in a fourth down and 15 situation, and Weis then compounded his error by calling for a fake field goal. The Middies were not fooled by Evan Sharpley’s slow-footed attempt to run through them, and momentum shifted back to Navy.

It will be interesting to see if he [Weis] can resist the temptation to call an inordinate number of pass plays against the suspect Navy secondary. Sharpley and his receivers have not demonstrated the proficiency needed to sustain an effective passing game regardless of the opponent. A pass-oriented approach will not be a winning formula on Saturday no matter how vulnerable the Middie defense appears on paper or on film.

The Irish recovered later in the half and took a 21-14 lead into the locker room when Duval Kamara scored late in the second period, but Weis’ passing fancy again proved to be his undoing. Navy took the second half kickoff and drove more than eight minutes for a touchdown, but a missed extra point left Notre Dame with a 21-20 edge. The Irish needed to regain control of the game and the clock, but two straight incomplete passes killed a drive that had moved the ball into scoring territory on the strength of ten running plays. Notre Dame came up empty when Brandon Walker missed a 40-yard field goal attempt.

The Midshipmen responded with a missed field goal of their own as the game moved to the fourth quarter. Still nursing a one point lead, the Irish took over at its 30. Once again, Weis took to the air. After a first down incompletion, Sharpley was sacked and stripped of the ball. Navy defensive lineman Chris Kuhar-Pitters picked it up and rumbled 16 yards for a touchdown, and the Middies added a two-point conversion before Notre Dame could recover from the shock.

Now trailing 28-21 with ten minutes left, the Irish again put themselves in a difficult spot after a sack and a holding penalty. Sharpley made up some of the lost ground with a third down scramble, and then avoided a corner blitz before hitting John Carlson with a desperation fourth down heave. Notre Dame had a new life near midfield and wisely returned to the ground game. Armando Allen then carried seven straight times for fifty yards and Travis Thomas covered the last three for the tying score with 3:28 remaining in regulation.

The Irish got the ball back and had a chance to win when a determined Tom Zbikowski returned a Navy punt to the Midshipmen 38. They moved to the 24 yard line with a minute left, but Navy showed how much they wanted this game by stopping Notre Dame. On fourth down, Weis eschewed a game-winning field goal attempt in favor of another pass. Unfortunately, Sharpley did not even have time to look downfield. The inspired Middies, led again by Kuhar-Pitters, recorded their fourth sack of the day despite earning only six for the season prior to this game.

Johnson also has a talent for knowing when to call for a trick play or deep pass in order to keep a defense off balance.

Overtime became a nervous chess match between Weis and Navy’s Paul Johnson. Both teams quickly covered the 25 yards to paydirt in the first session, and each was able to manage only a field goal in the second. When Joey Bullen’s 32-yard attempt squeaked between the uprights to tie the game at 38, a third overtime period became necessary.

Johnson then surprised the Irish defense with a well conceived pass play to Reggie Campbell on the first play. Quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada picked an opportune moment to make his best throw of the day, and Campbell easily beat the Notre Dame secondary. This pair teamed up again for the mandatory two point conversion before the stunned Irish knew what hit them.

This game should be one in which the outcome is in doubt until the final play.

Notre Dame kept hope alive when Thomas scored on a fourth down run to narrow the margin to 46-44. Navy was called for pass interference on the conversion attempt, and their celebration was temporarily halted. Thomas was swarmed under by the Middies on the retry, however, and 43 years of frustration evaporated in a single improbable moment.

Navy and Johnson won because they extracted every ounce of effort and performance out of its athletes. Conversely, Weis and the Irish cost themselves points with ill-advised play calls and poor management of their final possession in regulation. Defensively, Notre Dame did not attack the option and was a step slow in its reactions to the ball for most of the day. Still, it amazing that the Irish lost the game despite the fact that they did not punt even once.

Here’s a review of the key questions that helped to determine the outcome:

Which team will force the other to pass more than is desirable? – Navy did not force Notre Dame to pass excessively, but Weis made that mistake all by himself.

How long will it take the Irish defense to adjust to (and slow down) the option attack? – The defense finally started to play well in the fourth quarter, but overtime was a disaster.

Will Allen finally be able to display the game-breaking ability Irish fans expect? – Yes, but we should have seen more of him.

Will Navy fool the Notre Dame secondary with well-conceived play action passes? – Only a few times, but they did execute the game winning play and force a pass interference penalty to keep a fourth quarter drive alive.

Which team will be most successful on first down? – Both teams were able to move the ball on first down, except when the Irish tried to pass the ball.

How well can Notre Dame’s cornerbacks tackle in the open field? – Not very well, but the linebackers were not much better.

Can Navy avoid costly turnovers? – Navy’s lone turnover should have been costly, but Weis was too cute in the red zone.

The Irish have three winnable games remaining, but no one can predict how the team will react in the wake of this landmark loss and a 1-8 record. Hopefully, Weis will finally realize that he does not have Tom Brady or even Brady Quinn at quarterback when he calls the plays, but this nightmare season will mercifully be over soon whether he does or not.