1987-1988 vs. 2006-2007 (More Similarities)

I. Inexperience?

Last time we had 3 returning starters on offense, and less than 5 returning starters on defense, and a new defensive coordinator, and a tough schedule?…

1987 STARTERS vs. 1988 STARTERS OFFENSE 1987 1988 QB Tony Rice Tony Rice RB Mark Green Mark Green FB Anthony Johnson Anthony Johnson SE Reggie Ward Raghib Ismail FL Tim Brown Ricky Watters TE Andy Heck Derek Brown LT Tom Rehder Andy Heck LG Tom Freeman Tim Grunhard C Chuck Lanza Mike Heldt RG Jeff Pearson Tim Ryan RT Byron Spruell Dean Brown DEFENSE LT Tom Gorman George Williams NT Mike Griffin Chris Zorich RT Jeff Kurz Jeff Alm +OLB/DE Flash Gordon Flash Gordon +ILB/MLB Wes Pritchett Wes Pritchett ILB/ELB Ned Bolcar Mike Stonebreaker OLB/DE Cedric Figaro Frank Stams LCB/FCB Marv Spence Todd Lyght RCB/SCB Stan Smagala Stan Smagala SS George Streeter George Streeter FS Brandy Wells Pat Terrell

2006 STARTERS vs. 2007 PROBABLE STARTERS OFFENSE 2006 2007 Probable Starters QB Brady Quinn Evan Sharpley RB Darius Walker Travis Thomas FB Asaph Schwapp Asaph Schwapp WR Rhema McKnight David Grimes WR Jeff Samardzija George West TE John Carlson John Carlson LT Ryan Harris Paul Duncan LG Dan Santucci Mike Turkovich C John Sullivan John Sullivan RG Bob Morton Dan Wenger RT Sam Young Sam Young DEFENSE DE Victor Abiamiri Justin Brown DT/NT Derek Landri atrick Kuntz DT/DE Trevor Laws Trevor Laws DE/OLB Chris Frome John Ryan +ILB Maurice Crum Maurice Crum OLB/ILB Joe Brockington Toryan Smith OLB Travis Thomas Morrice Richardson CB Mike Richardson Ambrose Wooden +CB Terrail Lambert Terrail Lambert +S Tom Zbikowski Tom Zbikowski S Chinedum Ndukwe David Bruton

II. Tough Schedule?

1988 IRISH OPPONENTS 1987 record 1988 record Michigan 8-4 9-2-1 *Michigan State 9-2-1 6-5-1 Purdue 3-7 4-7 Stanford 5-6 3-6-2 *Pittsburgh 8-4 6-5 Miami 12-0 11-1 *Air Force 9-4 5-7 Navy 2-9 3-8 Rice 2-9 0-11 *Penn State 8-4 5-6 Southern Cal 10-2 9-2-1 West Virginia 6-6 11-1

2007 IRISH OPPONENTS 2006 record Georgia Tech 9-5 Penn State 9-4 Michigan 11-2 Michigan State 4-8 Purdue 8-6 UCLA 7-6 Boston College 10-3 Southern Cal 11-2 Navy 9-4 Air Force 4-8 Duke 0-12 Stanford 1-11

In 1988, the Irish faced eight teams that had at least 8 wins in 1987. Four of them in the first six games. However, a few* of them ended up not nearly as strong as they were in 1987.

In 2007, the Irish will face seven teams that had at least 8 wins in 2006. Four of them in the first six games.

Go Irish Go