Much has been made of last week's green-game loss to Boston College, the first defeat this season for the bowl-hungry Irish. I'm tempted not to comment on this idiosyncratic game. Clearly the inverse-Irish, the anti-matter Irish, replaced our regular team.

Where the regular Irish score on turnovers and give up none, the inverse-Irish do the opposite. Among the lowlights, last week's inverse-Irish fumbled seven times, lost three of them, and tossed an unforced interception to a linebacker for a 71-yard easy score. Game, set, and green-clad match.

(I wonder what would happen if the Irish and the inverse-Irish played each other. Like matter and anti-matter, would they mutually destruct, leaving collective memory and green empty jerseys as remnants of their existence? Or would the regular Irish simply win twice? An interesting physics problem.)

Before the game, I predicted five scores by the Irish (see Like Fighting Your Brother for that fearless prediction), including one due to special teams and one to defense. I also predicted one Eagle score, by passing.

The inverse-Irish had other plans. The Notre Dame defense held BC scoreless, but neither the defense nor the special teams scored. Left alone, the inverse-Irish offense got just one score of its own, then treated the Eagles to two, one direct and one indirect, on Irish turnovers.

So the BC game ended a 14-7 loss, putting the Irish in a pickup game this week — against Navy they'll try to pick themselves up and move on.

THE WEARIN' O' THE GREEN

What caused the inverse-Irish to appear, taking the place of the regular team?

I blame the green jerseys. This was the most recent of several defeats in those uniforms. Willingham, ever the unitarian, wanted only to unite the Irish sartorially with their green-clad fans. Instead, his use of those jerseys put unintended palps into Irish hearts, players' and fans' alike.

To every fan in the wastrel bistro crowd Rock joined last week, the message o' the green appeared to be, "This game is special, this one is different; I'm really nervous about this one. Break out the green." When the jerseys trotted onto the field, the bistro crowd groaned. Conceived in fear (Dan Devine's 1977 fear of losing to USC), green uniforms have since been used by nervous Irish coaches, mostly to no avail. Green has a terrible record.

Did Coach Ty fear Boston College? I don't think so; instead I think for the first time Willingham misunderstood a Notre Dame tradition — the one that says "green jersey, scary game." Sadly, the players understood.

It's a little like buying flowers for women you've managed to offend. Once flowers start to mean "I'm sorry," they never mean anything else. Rock says buy flowers because they're pretty, and apologize with steak — or something else whose essence you can't ruin.

By the same measure, it's time to mothball those uniforms for good — unless they're pulled out for game one of a season, and then kept on all year.

WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE WAR, DADDY?

On to this week's game with the Midshipmen, Notre Dame's annual thank you to the Naval Academy.

For those who don't know, the Navy not only defeated Japan in WWII, but also kept an Indiana school from folding. What did they do in the war? They saved Notre Dame. Remember, ND was all-male at that time, and most males had other things to do. The usage deal between the good fathers and the U.S. Navy, by which servicemen were trained on our nearly empty campus, kept the school alive until our own young men returned.

In gratitude we will play the Middies this weekend, filling their big away stadium and their coffers; and we'll do so again on many weekends to come. Thanks, guys!

About the game itself, unless the inverse-Irish show again, Notre Dame should pick themselves up with ease against the otherwise stout defenders of the sea and air. As Rock sees it:

Navy running vs. ND defense — ND all the way.

Navy has a great running game, a triple option offense similar to what Air Force has, and not much passing game. Navy ran for nearly 400 yards, for example, against Boston College, who nevertheless beat them. We crushed the Air Force running game, but Navy's option emphasizes elements differently, and Paul Johnson is quite the clever coach. Our Falcon-fed defense will have to adapt. We're also without star nose guard Cedric Hilliard, another minus.

Still, if we don't drown Middie ballcarriers in a sea of gold and blue, I'd be surprised. The Irish defense plays for pride. This week they'll play for a shutout as well. I say Navy goes nowhere on the ground, fumbles its average (more than two per game), and the Irish defense scores or sets up a score.

With Navy running the ball — Navy 0, ND 7.

Navy passing vs. ND defense — ND holds them.

The Navy passing game is also like the Falcon's — they throw infrequently, but for good yardage (about 12 times per game, 17 yards per completion). Without a major defensive lapse, it's hard to imagine the Navy pass game leading to a score. Picks will be hard to get if the ball stays on the ground. Unless the Middies take to the air, Rock says no points, either Irish or Middie, when Navy throws the ball.

With the Middie offense on the field — Navy 0, ND 7.

ND running vs. Navy defense — ND eats the yards.

Navy's run defense is among the weakest in the nation, surrendering 233 yards per game. ND's not-so-stellar rush game averages 159 ypg, but as we've seen, that number varies widely by opponent. Against Air Force, ND rushed for 335 yards. It would be shocking if the Irish couldn't both run and score against the undersized, porous Navy midsection. Look for at least two scores running, maybe more.

I'll leave it at two — so far, Navy 0, ND 21.

ND passing vs. Navy defense — ND opens it up.

Navy's defense against the pass is middling; they rank 56th, giving up 213 yards per game. Can the Irish pass for 213 yards this week? They should; they put up more against BC.

As I said last week, ND could (perhaps should) be using these pre-USC contests to "grow" the passing game. If they throw more than 15 times (their total against Air Force), you'll know they're practicing. Look for variety — everything from the sideline throws and bombs that are solidly in the arsenal, to the outs, screens, and crossing routes they need to be working on. A heavy blitz package should also be welcome, as it provides experience in adapting on the fly.

Passing for practice could surrender an interception, but the team needs the work, and Carlyle's been careful with the ball in the air.

Though there could easily be more, I'll stick to one passing score. We've tended to stall on offense, so let's make it a field goal — Navy 0, ND 24.

Special teams. I don't expect the Navy special teams to score, though they may produce a solid runback or two. ND special teams have been quiet lately (with the stunning exception of Hildbold's pinpoint punting). I keep waiting for Duff to break out again. Maybe this week he gets one. I'll give ND a score (a field goal) off special teams play.

The final by scoring:

Navy — No scores; not one.

ND — Five scores; two running, one passing, one defense, one special teams.

The final by points — Navy 0, ND 27.

I know this is a low point total for this contest (though if those five scores are all TDs, it's a 35-point outing). In two years those five scores will be seven, even with the inevitable second stringers. For now, remember we're learning.

What could change this outcome?

For Navy, the inverse-Irish might show up, though if they do, the Middies could still lose.

For ND, the offense could surge to 40 points or more. The team is due for a field day against someone, a game where everything goes right. Do the Irish deserve such a game? Perhaps not — there's so much left to learn, as everyone on this team acknowledges.

But the Irish didn't deserve last week either — unforced turnovers are the wrong karmic punishment for skilled defensive play. And if the Irish do get a breakout, good — they need that practice as well.

PINSTICKERS OF THE WEEK

We got a number of bobblehead scalps last week. Unfortunately they got ours as well. This puts several new teams on the pinsticker radar. We're determined to climb again. How do we do it?

First, of course, the business at hand; send those Middies back to the back of the class.

Second, get voodoo steel ready and porcupine these team dolls:

• Miami vs. Tennessee — We may have a shot at this one. The Vols would feel redeemed (sorta) if they take out the 'Canes. The rest of their season is winnable, and they want this one badly. 'Canes get the pins.
   
• Oklahoma vs. Texas A&M — The Sooners have proved tough to knock off, and the Aggies are having a hard season. Slocum could save his pride (and his job as a coach) by grabbing this one. I don't look for it, but I'll keep sticking OU until they go down. Sooners get the pins.
   
• Ohio State vs. Purdue — Can Purdue defeat the Buckeyes? It's not an out-of-range call. Let's find out, with pins. This game provides an added benefit, since a Boiler win adds a smidge to our strength of schedule.
   
• Washington State vs. Oregon — As a reward for faithful service (losing), we give the Ducks our full support. Quack on. Cougars get the pins.
   
• Georgia vs. Mississippi — Georgia lost, but didn't fall far enough. Sorry Dawgs; pins again. (If you lose once more, we'll set your bobblehead free. Think about it.)
   
• USC vs. Stanford — Yikes. ND strength of schedule both rises and falls, no matter who wins this game. I'll leave it to better math than mine to sort this one out. I'm sure there's an opponent's opponent's coach's sister's stat that somehow tells us whom to favor — I just don't know enough coach's sisters. So your call here. Your call as well on whether to send the Trojans into our game fierce but limping, or hubric but strong. I choose hubric. Besides, a strong enough Southern Cal team could hand us an elusive "quality win." Sorry Ty; the Cardinal gets the pins.

And so farewell for a week. To those who dread this Navy pickup game, worried that our guys won't pick themselves far enough up, fear not. Shocked as we are by last week's lapse, the entrails still favor an excellent season (I checked). Only the inverse-Irish have dented this 8-1 team. If the four games ahead follow the eight wins behind, we're there and back with ease.

Yours in what's ahead,

The Rock

(c) Rock Kanutski
All rights reserved.
 

The season according to Rock:

Out On a Limb: This Problematic Season
(season's predictions, after Purdue)

Backward and Forward: Between the Michigans
(before Michigan State)

Back In the Saddle
(before Stanford)

Midterm Grades: Is There an A In Team?
(before Air Force)

One More Myth, One More Legend
(before Florida State)

Once and Future Giants
(on Willingham)

Like Fighting Your Brother
(before Boston College)