Archive for the ‘News and Notes’ Category

• Weis is more focused this year than any other season since he’s been at Notre Dame because of the transition the team has made since he’s been here especially with all of the changes in personnel this year.
• Weis is proud in the stability of the program right now, the numbers across the board, and the academic progress of the team.
• 3-4 is a personnel group that gives you the ability to get additional pass rushing ability off the edge which is something Weis feels Notre Dame has been missing since he’s been there.
• Weis tried to hire Corwin Brown when he first got to Notre Dame, but Brown’s family was not ready to move after transitioning from UVA to the Jets.
• Having Brown as the DC has allowed Weis to be much more familiar with the defense because it’s a system he has always been around. Weis mentioned he knows the defense second best behind Corwin.
• Weis didn’t rule out using multiple quarterbacks, but he didn’t seem too enthused with the idea. He also mentioned he wanted to keep Georgia Tech guessing.
• Weis will know how his starting QB is much sooner than the media.
• Chris Stewart is listed as a guard for now despite Hand’s suspension last week. Weis did mention that Stewart, along with freshmen Emeka Nwankwo and Andrew Nuss, could end up back on defense is there was an emergency.
• Weis’s expectations are always high and he said it’s easier to get the team to buy into his expectations when outsiders think the team will not be good.
• The team won’t be using any gimmicks this year as they have in the past – presumably referring to last year’s “9-3 isn’t good enough” banners.
• There is competition across the board. Weis made note that the depth and skill in secondary is better than it’s ever been since he has been at ND.
• Weis said he really likes the offensive line and the wide receivers despite the common concerns amongst Notre Dame fans about the youth and inexperience.
• Jimmy Clausen was out there practicing and would be capable of “slinging it 30 or 40 times” against Georgia Tech if he was the starter.
• Weis will never use the word “rebuilding” and said he has an ethical responsibility to the nine fifth year seniors to try to win now.
• Weis called the wide receivers this year “the Smurfs” after having some big, physical receivers the last two years.
• The time is now for the upper classmen along the defensive line who haven’t played much such as Justin Brown, Pat Kuntz, and Dwight Stephenson. Trevor Laws is the only “etched in stone” starter
• Weis acknowledged having a breakaway threat this year that the team hasn’t head. He didn’t mention Armando Allen by name, but he said “we all know who I’m talking about.” He also mentioned there is great competition at the running back position
• The overall team speed is as good or better than it’s been since Weis has been here.
• Offensive line depth is better than it’s been. Weis feels comfortable putting out two lines after having “maybe a half dozen” two years ago.
• Weis talked a lot about getting players to walk the walk and not talk the talk. He made numerous references to getting the players to buy into the idea of proving people wrong.
• On the kicking game, Weis made mention of having a new leg, Brandon Walker, and said that the kickers spent time working with mentors and old coaches this off-season.
• Weis thinks there will be a lot more kicks returned across the country this year with the new kickoff rules.
• The staff was all over the place visiting coaching staffs this summer – the Patriots, Saints, Panthers, and a few colleges.
• Weis won’t make any decisions on the QB situation until at least Saturday morning – giving all three quarterbacks equal reps until then. He will take another week to narrow things down though if necessary.
• All but two players passed the conditioning test out of 100.
• Weis does not like the text messaging ban, but is in favor of an early signing period in August.
• Weis’s Signing Day Press Conference about redefining what “commitments” are has had a very positive effect on the recruiting efforts this year because people have bought into it.
• Weis talks to Brady about every other day and made mention that he is anxious to get to camp.
• Zibby may have been a tad overweight at the beginning of the season last year and he was banged up after getting speared on a punt return. Zibby’s weight is down now and he will be playing with a chip on his shoulder this year.
• Weis still wants a lead running back, but he will likely share the wealth much more this year. He does not, however, expect to get into a 50/50 share of carries.
• The offense will be set around the quarterback and not vice versa. The offense will be installed early on and once a QB is decided on, the offense will be tailored around that QB.
• Evan Sharpley and Jimmy Clausen are not the same type of quarterback.
• The staff is looking for some early enrollments out of the current commitments, but obviously could not comment further.
• Weis isn’t looking for a QB to keep them in games and just keep it close – he’s looking for a QB that can win games for this team.
• Hiring Ron Powlus was the most important aspect of Weis’s tweaking of the coach staff. He wanted someone in here who walked the walk as opposed to someone who could just talk the talk with the group of inexperienced QBs.

Junior defensive tackle Derrell Hand was suspended indefinitely on Friday according to Michael Rothstein of the Fort Wayne Journal.

Notre Dame junior defensive lineman Derrell Hand has been suspended indefinitely from the Irish football team for an undisclosed violation of team rules, Irish coach Charlie Weis announced Friday afternoon. (Irish Insights)

No reason was given by the University for the suspension and it’s likely that one will never be disclosed unless Hand himself reveals it publicly. There were some rumors floating around Friday night about the situation, but until something is officially reported, I’ll refrain from posting them here out of respect for Hand and the University.

I’ll have some more insight into what this means in an article I’m writing for the main site which will be posted in a little while, but its suffice to that this news is really not the way Notre Dame needed to start fall camp. Defensive line is already a very thin position this year and if Hand were to miss the 2007 season, or worse, an already thin position just got thinner.

Update: The rumors floating around last night have proven to be true as the South Bend Tribune reported Saturday that Hand was arrested for soliciting a prostitute.  Based on this news, its hard to imagine Hand suiting up for Notre Dame this season, if ever.  Obviously this is not a good situation for anyone involved and as I said yesterday, this puts Notre Dame is a precarious situation along the defensive line.

Rhema McKnight found himself out of work Thursday when he was released by the New Orleans Saints who have a crowded wide receiver corps.

“The Saints made two roster moves on Thursday afternoon. They signed receiver Chris Jackson and guard Tim Duckworth, while waiving receiver Rhema McKnight and guard Wes Sims.” ( NOLA )

McKnight, however, was not out of work very long. On Friday, the Chargers found out that Eric Parker would be out for 10 weeks and signed McKnight.

In roster moves today, the club cut running back Reggie Merriweather and signed receiver Rhema McKnight, an undrafted free agent signed by New Orleans, but recently released.

The 6-1, 211 pound McKnight was one of the most productive receivers in Notre Dame history, and is known as an outstanding blocker with an excellent work ethic and intangibles. As a senior, he had 67 catches for 907 yards and 15 touchdowns. (Chargers Football Extra)

The Chargers aren’t particularly deep at receiver. They have, for the most part, a group of young and inexperienced receivers so there is a chance that McKnight could catch on here if he can show some consistency in camp. McKnight’s big knock last year were his hands - something that wasn’t as big of an issue prior for the 2006 season.

It’s crazy to think that a guy who scored 15 touchdowns in a single season for Notre Dame will have to fight for a roster spot in the NFL, but such seems to be the case with McKnight who went undrafted back in April. McKnight’s situation also makes the argument used against Brady Quinn leading up to the draft of his receivers making him look better than he was seem a bit silly. If his receivers were the ones making him look good why is it that one of them is already on his second NFL team one week into training camp?

Regardless, I’d love to see McKnight catch on with the Chargers if for no other reason than for giving me an excuse to buy one of those sweet powder blue Chargers jerseys. San Diego…. Super Chargers… San Diego Chargers… CHARGE! (second best team fight song in the NFL behind Fly Eagles Fly)

Charlie Weis’s medical malpractice suit against the doctors who performed gastric by pass surgery on him ended in a mistrial today after one of the jurors collapsed. According to the AP Report:

The judge immediately ordered the other jurors out of the courtroom, but some saw Ferguson, Hodin and other doctors who were in the courtroom rush to the juror’s aid.

An attorney for Weis said it was with “great reluctance” that he ask for the mistrial in the case that was expected to go to the jury Wednesday.

“I cannot think of an instance there would be more reason then when a juror has this kind of incident,” attorney Michael Mone said, noting some jurors had seen the doctors attending to the juror.

The case was expected to go to the jury on Wednesday which makes the timing of the mistrial inconvenient for all parties. Weis is apparently still planning on pursuing the case, but it will be interesting to see how the timing of another trial would impact his duties as head coach. With spring practice around the corner and then a month on the road recruiting, there is a rather small window for another trial before the start of the season.

Maybe someone with a better understanding of the court system can comment on how quickly another trial could be set because I have very little knowledge on the courts.