Here is this week’s poll. It’s probably safe to assume I am just going to start posting these on Monday’s.
2008 UHND Opponent Poll – Week 4 | |||||
| Opponent | Last Game | Next | Comments | ||
| 1. |  | Southern Cal Trojans (2-0) | W, 35-3 vs #5 Ohio State | @ Oregon State (9/25) | Frank : USC had a bye week and was still easily the most impressive Notre Dame opponent last weekend. Oregon State caught USC sleeping in 2006. I don’t think ‘SC lets that happen again. |
| 2. |  | Michigan State Spartans (3-1) | W, 23-7 – Notre Dame | @ Indiana (9/27) | Frank: Michigan State is exactly what I thought they were – a bad matchup for Notre Dame. They are fundamentally sound, can run the ball, play almost mistake free, and capitalize on their opportunities. Right now that are like the our exact oppositie. |
| 3. |  | Boston College Eagles (2-1) | W, 34-7 – UCF | vs. Rhode Island (9/27) | Frank: Pretty nice win for Boston College. This week they have Rhodse Island. Not joking, I didn’t even know Rhode Island had a football team. |
| 4. |  | Purdue Boilermakers | W, 32-25 – Central Michigan | @ Notre Dame (9/27) | Frank: Purdue’s defense looks pretty bad. If we can’t put up points on this defense I don’t want to think about some of the other games I thought would be gimmes back in May. |
| 5. |  | North Carolina Tar Heels (2-1) | L, 17-20 – Virginia Tech | @ Miami (9/27) | Frank: If UNC wouldn’t have lost T.J. Yates for 6 weeks they would be higher in this poll and would have beaten Virginia Tech. The Tar Heels had a horrible start, but they were looking very good against VT before Yates went down. Freshman Mike Paulus was 3 for 8 with 2 INTs filling in for Yates last week. |
| 6. |  | Pittsburgh Panthers (2-1) | W, 21-20 – Iowa | @ Syracuse (9/27) | Frank: A one point win over Iowa probably isn’t what Pitt fans had in mind for this year, but after Pitt’s start I’m pretty sure they’ll take it. Syracuse shouldn’t provide much of a test this weekend and LeSean McCoy should finally break loose. |
| 7. |  | Michigan Wolverines (1-2) | L, 17-35 – Notre Dame | vs. #8 Wisconsin (9/27) | Frank: The bye week came at a great time for Michigan since they are clearly having growing pains. Wisconsin matches up with Michigan similarly to how we matched up with MSU. Wisconsin is fundamentally sound, runs the ball very well, plays pretty good defense, and cashes in when they can. I Michigan is as cavalier with the ball as they were against us, the quietest 110,000 fans in the country will be even quieter this week. |
| 8.. |  | Navy Midshipmen (2-2) | W, 23-21 – Rutgers | @ #16 Wake Forest (9/27) | Frank: Remember when Rutgers was ranked in the top 5 and Greg Schianno was a genius and everyone asked why he could get the results he got at Rutgers? I don’t hear that argument too much anymore. Navy beat New Jersey State this past weekend, but is going to have its hands full this weekend. |
| 9. |  | Stanford Cardinal (2-2) | W, 23-10, San Jose St. | @ Washington (9/27) | Frank: A win is a win, but a 13 point win over San Jose St. is about as bad as a 8 point win over San Diego State. Oh, wait… |
| 10. |  | Washington Huskies (0-3) | L 14-55, #3 Oklahoma | vs. Stanford (9/27) | Frank: If Washington doesn’t beat Stanford this weekend there is a chance that Washington could go winless this year. Out of Arizona, Oregon State, Notre Dame, USC, Arizona State, UCLA, Washington State, and Cal the only team that the Huskies could be favored against is Washington State. |
| 11. |  | Syracuse Orangemen (1-3) | W, 30-21 – Northeastern | vs. Pittsburgh (9/27) | Frank: Syracuse 9 point win over Northeastern very well could be their only win of the season. |
| 12. |  | San Diego State Aztecs (0-3) | L, 10-35 – San Jose State | vs. Idaho (9/27) | Frank: How did we only beat these guys by 8? |
JC,
I didn’t have a chance to respond and probably had no good plan “B”. Luckily the Lads, covered with a very nice plan of their own. I have to say I was impressed for the 1st time this season. Clausen wasn’t perfect, but he was very effective with mostly very accurate throws. Floyd and Rudolph were excellent and clutch. Tate was solid especially since Purdue keyed on him. You all who have been ragging on Kumara, I’m now on the badwagon. That guy is talented but mentally soft. Grimes was great.
Defense was OK to good. They need to back off the blitzing or disguise it better. They are doing about as good as they can.
So now – let’s give credit to the offensive line. Allen looked great and so did Aldridge. But the line was solid. They moved the pile. They stayed engaged in blocks. They only had a few times where the pass blocking was suspect. But the backs showed confidence and hit the holes. YES there were holes opened by the O-line.
So ND has reached step 2. They showed they can put all aspects of the game together. Now they need to do that consistently. They also need to prove they can do it against some teams with better defenses than Purdue’s.
Like Carroll said: “They did’nt hide anything we just could not stop it.”
Based on that principle, lets apply that mentality to Purdue.
Lets have a “speed” run blocking O-line and baby huey pass blocking O-line. And rotate them.
Well, more than likely wishful thinking, the hueys could not get on and off the quick enough.
C-Dog, what would plan “B” look like?
Wow. I am really shocked at this. How the hell does Carroll not have his team ready after Oregon State did the SAME thing to them in 2006?
I agree though. I don’t think we have a chance against them.
Oregon State is to USC as Michigan State is to Notre Dame. In each case one team always takes the rivalry much more seriously and shows up a lot readier to play every year.
Down goes Frazier!! Down goes Frazier! Don’t look now folks but the mighty Men of Troy have just fallen.
The Oregon St. Beavers, a 1-2 team just beat USC. Great O-line play pushing the Trojan defense around. A small quick running back who wouldn’t go down. A OSU defense that stopped the run, ( great D-Line play ), and held Sanchez to just over 200 yds. passing, much of it in the last USC drive, and an interception. This game was not a fluke. This game was won in the trenches. WOW! Think ND has a shot? I’d like to think so.
JC,
I love it!
1st base — Bugs bunny!
2nd base — Bugs Bunny!
etc.
I’m showing my age. Tate is solid both in skill and attitude. Weis just needs to keep his head from getting too big. Might be OK.
Personally, I think they ought to make those offensive linemen play both sides until they prove they can do something. And make them run 10 laps in practice for every block they miss. Would water boarding be too inhumane, how about for Latina as well?
Better yet, let one of the extra 30lb huey’s (Offensive lineman) kick off.
My vote for the Purdue game:
Start two backs! Hughes and Gray, we need to see what Jonas Gray can do.
Punt returns: TATE
Kick off returns: TATE
Wide Receiver: TATE
& More TATE RB?
Rotate kickers until somebody hits 50 yarder and kicks the dam ball in the end zone on kick off’s.
Rotate Offensive line until we get good run blocking and loose the extra 30lbs, we don’t need baby huey’s, We need run blockers. Any body seen a pancake block by anybody with the extra weight?
Big and slow mojo – NOT GOOD.