IBB Preseason All America Team Offense

Yesterday it was the Preseason Top 25 teams for 2008, today it's the Preseason Irish Band of Brothers' All America Team Offense. Tomorrow will be the Defense, as well as another Football Friday Chat. Just click on the Chat Room to the right and just logon. The chat will start approximately at 2:00 p.m. EST.

So let the debating begin, who's the best offensive players in the nation and who do you think got snubbed?

Offense
QB Tim Tebow (Florida)
What hasn't Tebow done since he stepped foot on Gator Nation? He already has a National Championship and a Heisman Trophy to his list; and will try to become only the second player ever to win two Heismans. Can he top his 32 TD passes and 23 rushing TDs from a year ago? If so, hello College Football History and NFL!

Best of the Rest: Sam Bradford (Oklahoma), Tom Brandstater (Fresno State), Rudy Carpenter (Arizona State), Chase Daniel (Missouri), Matt Grothe (South Florida), Max Hall (BYU), Graham Harrell (Texas Tech), Matthew Stafford (Georgia), and Pat White (West Virginia).

RB Knowshon Moreno (Georgia)
Moreno played like a seasoned veteran instead of a freshman last season for the Bulldogs. All the SEC Freshman of the Year did was rush for over 1,300 yards and 14 TDs, while finishing only second behind a guy named Hershel Walker for the school's all-time freshman record. Look for Knowshon to have better numbers as he tries to help lead the Bulldogs to the BCS Title Game.

RB Ian Johnson (Boise State)
Many remember Johnson's game winning 2pt. Statue of Liberty play to win the Fiesta Bowl over Oklahoma two seasons ago and his on air wedding proposal. Well he's back and finally healthy after a shaky 2007 season - Johnson only rushed for 1,041 yards and 16 Touchdowns. Look for him to have a record setting season as he'll try and guide the Broncos to their second BCS Bowl in three years.

Best of the Rest: James Davis (Clemson), Noel Devine (West Virginia), PJ Hill (Wisconsin), LeSean McCoy (Pittsburgh), Joe McKnight (USC), DeMarco Murry (Oklahoma), CJ Spiller (Clemson), and Chris Wells (Ohio State).

WR Michael Crabtree (Texas Tech)
Last year's leader in in receptions (134), receiving yards (1,962) and touchdowns (22) is looking to repeat as the Biletnikoff Award winner and have his name called as one of the finalists for the Heisman Trophy. Having gun slinger Graham Harrell as your QB and Mike Leach as his coach, Crabtree will put up ridiculous numbers this season.

WR Jeremy Maclin (Missouri)
We'll stay in the Big 12 as Maclin would have been the best freshman receiver in the nation if it weren't for Crabtree! Jeremy caught 80 passes for 1,055 yards and nine TDs en route to Missouri's Big 12 North Championship. Just like Crabtree, Maclin has the luxury of having a good QB to throw him the ball in Chase Daniel. You'll definitely be hearing that pass and catch duo all throughout in 2008.

Best of the Rest: Arrelious Benn (Illinois), Jarrett Dillard (Rice), Percy Harvin (Florida), Juaquin Iglesias (Oklahoma), Brian Robiskie (Ohio State), Mike Thomas (Arizona), and Tiquan Underwood (Rutgers).

TE Travis Beckum (Wisconsin)
The two-time Mackey Award Finalist looks to finally breakthrough and claim the coveted award for the Top Tight End in the nation. Last season Beckum led all tight ends in the nation in 982 receiving yards and ended up second in receptions with 75. He'll try and finsih out his stellar career in Madison with a season to remember.

Best of the Rest: Kyle Adams (Purdue), James Casey (Rice), Chase Coffman (Missouri), Ed Dickson (Oregon), Jermaine Greshman (Oklahoma), Rob Gronkowski (Arizona), Jason Harmon (Flordia Atlantic), Cornelius Ingram (Florida), Branden Ledbetter (Western Michigan), and Dennis Pitta (BYU).

OT Alex Boone (Ohio State)
The anchor of the Buckeye offense line is back for some unsettled business. After two staright National Championship game losses, Boone decided to give it one more try and bypass the NFL. Boone is considered by many one of the top offensive tackle prospects for next year's NFL Draft.

OT Ryan Stanchek (West Virginia)
Stanchek helped pave the way for the offense to produce two 1,000-yard rushers last season for the Mountaineers (Pat White and Steve Slanton). He was the anchor of the WVU line that ranked No. 3 nationally in rushing offense, tied for No. 5 for fewest sacks allowed (13), No. 9 in scoring offense and No. 15 in total offense. The scary part is that their offense should be better.

Best of the Rest: Ciron Black (LSU), George Bussey (Louisville), Phil Loadholt (Oklahoma), Eugene Monroe (Virginia), Michael Oher (Mississippi), Andre Smith (Alabama), Adam Ulatoski (Texas), Max Unger (Oregon), Sam Young (Notre Dame), and Lee Ziemba (Auburn).

C Alex Mack (California)
The Rimington Trophy finalist anchored the third-best offensive line in the country by allowing just 11 sacks. He led the Bears in Pancakes, Knockdowns, and Cuts. Alex is rated the best center prospect for next year's NFL Draft.

Best of the Rest: Kenny Alfred (Washington State), Thomas Austin (Clemson), Antoine Caldwell (Alabama), Jon Cooper (Oklahoma), Rafeal Eubanks (Iowa), Jonathan Luigs (Arkansas), Josh McNeil (Tennessee), A.Q. Shipley (Penn State), David Washington (Oklahoma State), and Eric Wood (Louisville).

OG Anthony Parker (Tennessee)
Parker has had quite the preseason drama by having arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and being arrested for disorderly conduct in January. Besides his off the field problems, Parker wreaked havoc on opposing defenses. His large frame of 305 is an unmoveable force that creates large holes for Vols RB Arian Foster to run through.

OG Duke Robinson (Oklahoma)
One of the odds on favorite to win the Outland Trophy, Robinson is one of the main reasons why Sam Bradford had plenty of time to set his feet and chuck the ball downfield. Last season he graded out at 85% in 663 plays and 97 knockdowns.

Best of the Rest: Dan Doering (Iowa), Cedric Dockery (Texas), Damon Foster (Tennessee), Greg Isdaner (West Virginia), Herman Johnson (LSU), Jeremy Perry (Oregon State), Sergio Render (Virginia Tech), Steve Rehring (Ohio State), Joe Thomas (Pittsburgh), and Kraig Urbik (Wisconsin).

K Sam Swank (Wake Forest)
The nation's active career leader with 60 field goals, Swank is Wake Forest's all-time leading scorer with 286 points. He was a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award given annually to the nation's top placekicker as he connected on 85.7% of his field goals (18-of-21) and a perfect 44-of-44 on PATs. Mr. Reliable will be counted on heavily this season if the Demon Deacons look to get back to a BCS Bowl Game.

Best of the Rest: Dan Kelly (Hawaii), Conor Lee (Pittsburgh), Jose Martinez (UTEP), Aaron Pettrey (Ohio State), Joshua Shene (Mississippi), Austin Starr (Indiana), Brett Swenson (Michigan State), Thomas Weber (Arizona State), and Jeff Wolfert (Missouri).

PR Brandon Johnson (Florida)
Florida has so many weapons it's sick. The Gators can pick their poison on the return game with either Percy Harvin or Johnson. Last season Johnson smoked by many teams that dared to kick to him. I'd be surprised if I see a lot of teams punt his way.

Best of the Rest: Javier Arenas (Alabama) and Joe McKnight (USC)

IBB Preseason Top 25

It's only a few more days before the start of camp in South Bend, and just about month left till the official kickoff of the College Football Season! So without further delay here is the IBB Preseason Top 25 Poll:

1. Georgia Bulldogs – Most college football fans are in the know and last season folks heard about Knoshown Moreno. Moreno, along side QB Matthew Stafford will tray and prove to all of the doubters out there that they can lead Georgia to the national championship.

Set to DVR: Sept. 20 @ Arizona State
Potential Heisman Candidate: Moreno

2. Oklahoma Sooners – Boomer Sooner will be running rampant in Norman this season. Can Sam Bradford duplicate or surpass his performance from 2007? If so, then Bob Stoops just might be able post another National Championship to his resume. Some of Oklahoma's toughest tests include Texas Tech, Texas, and Kansas; where there will be plenty of chances to slip up. Luckily for the Sooners, Missouri is not on the regular season schedule.

Set to DVR: Nov. 22 vs. Texas Tech
Potential Heisman Candidate: Bradford

3. Ohio State Buckeyes – Maybe a third time is a charm for the Buckeyes! After two straight National Championship game appearances, Ohio State has the players and schedule to make it again. With a huge meeting against USC in September, can the Buckeyes pass the test, win the Big Ten, and go to another national championship game?

Set to DVR: Sept. 13 @ USC
Potential Heisman Candidate: James Laurinaitis (LB)

4. Southern California Trojans – Excuse me for a second as I just vomited in my mouth. As much as I hate to say it, but USC doesn’t lose players, they just reload. Quarterback Mark (Filthy) Sanchez will finally take the reigns of the Trojan offense. He won’t have that much pressure to carry his team, as they have one of the most talented backfields in the nation. Oh yeah, that USC defense is not too shabby.

Set to DVR: Sept. 13 vs. Ohio State
Potential Heisman Candidate: Joe McKnight (RB)

5. Louisiana State Tigers – The defending National Champions are not getting the benefit of the doubt to repeat. With the whole Ryan Perrilloux fiasco, can the Tigers keep focus on the season at hand with whomever they choose at QB?

Set to DVR: Oct. 11 @ Florida
Potential Heisman Candidate: Demetrius Byrd (WR)

6. West Virginia Mountaineers – The two man offensive machine of QB Pat White and RB Noel Devine should spearhead WVU once again as the full-fledged favorites of the Big East conference. Season one of the Bill Stewart era could be very exciting in Morgantown.

Set to DVR: Oct. 23 vs. Auburn
Potential Heisman Candidate: White

7. Missouri Tigers – I’m not sure about anyone else, but wasn’t Chase Daniel one of the most exciting players in the nation to watch? The real question is whether or not last season was an aberration or if the Tigers are for real. My money is on the explosive Mizzou offense and the genius mind of Gary Pinkel.

Set to DVR: Aug. 30 vs. Illinois (St. Louis)
Potential Heisman Candidate: Daniel

8. Florida Gators – Can Tim Tebow be the first two-time Heisman Trophy winner since Archie Griffin? The Gators offense may have enough firepower to give the UF QB the chance. Who can forget last year’s contest against Georgia? The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party will definitely be one of the most anticipated matchups of the season for sure!

Set to DVR: Nov. 1 vs. Georgia (Jacksonville, FL)
Potential Heisman Candidate: Tebow

9. Wisconsin Badgers – One thing is for certain, Wisconsin is always a well coached team. And in just two short seasons, Bret Bielema, has given Badgers fans a reason to believe they can make it to Pasedena. The only question now is if Wisconsin can steal the Big Ten from the Buckeyes?

Set to DVR: Oct. 4 vs. Ohio State
Potential Heisman Candidate: Travis Beckum (TE)

10. Arizona State Sun Devils – RUDY, RUDY, RUDY! Those chants will be heard early and often as the Sun Devils return the gun of QB Rudy Carpenter who'll be looking to sling more TDs this year. ASU has a whopper of a game against Georgia in September and another doozy three weeks later at USC.

Set to DVR: Sept. 20 vs. Georgia
Potential Heisman Candidate: Carpenter

11. Virginia Tech Hokies – Beamer Ball is back and better than ever in Blacksburg! The Hokies power will be upfront on the offensive line as they almost have their entire group returning. Can they lead Virginia Tech to a second straight ACC Championship Game?

Set to DVR: Sept. 27 @ Nebraska
Potential Heisman Candidate: Sean Glennon (QB)

12. Auburn Tigers – There’s no doubt why the media picked Auburn to win the SEC West. The Tigers’ have a bevy of weapons to choose from on both sides of the ball. RB Ben Tate will lead the charges once again, while defensive tackle Sen'Derrick Marks spearheads the defense.

Set to DVR: Nov. 15 vs. Georgia
Potential Heisman Candidate: Tate

13. Brigham Young Cougars – It’s BYU’s turn to crash the BCS party this season. Unlike their predecessors, Hawaii, the Cougars have a legitimate shot at beating anyone they face. The Cougars are set up nicely as they face two tough Pac 10 teams in Washington and UCLA in back-to-back weeks, and close out the season for Mountain West supremacy at Utah.

Set to DVR: Sept. 13 vs. UCLA
Potential Heisman Candidate: Max Hall (QB)

14. Texas Longhorns – This is a team that could be really, really good, or just plain average. The schedule is brutal with back-to-back games against Oklahoma and Missouri. At least they face the Tigers in Austin. To close out the season, the Longhorns travel to Kansas before their annual choke job against Texas A&M.

Set to DVR: Oct. 11 vs. Oklahoma (Dallas, TX)
Potential Heisman Candidate: Colt McCoy

15. Tennessee Volunteers - No it’s not a bad rumor, Tennessee won the SEC East last season. With 16 returning starters back, Phillip Fulmer should be able to silence his critics in Knoxville with an explosive offense and stingy defense. No one did the Vols any favors this season as Tennessee faces UCLA, Auburn, and Georgia all on the road.

Set to DVR: Oct. 11 @ Georgia
Potential Heisman Candidate: Arian Foster (RB)

16. Clemson Tigers – Dangumit! This could be the year that a Bowden wins the National Coach of the Year award; and it’s not coming from Tallahassee. Clemson had one of the most balanced offenses in the nation in 2007, and was the only ACC team to rank among the top five teams in both rushing and passing. Unfortunately they’ll have to replace four starters along the offensive line. Good news is that Clemson’s formidable defense is back and a favorable schedule should get them in position for a BCS bowl game.

Set to DVR: Aug. 30 vs. Alabama (Atlanta, GA)
Potential Heisman Candiate: Cullen Harper (QB)

17. Illinois Fighting Illini – Does the Fighting Zooks have it in them to make it to the Rose Bowl again? The short answer no, but they do have 13 key starters returning to be one of the dark horses to win the Big Ten.

Set to DVR: Nov. 15 vs. Ohio State
Potential Heisman Candidate: Isaiah “Juice” Williams (QB)

18. Texas Tech Red Raiders – Don’t blink or you’ll miss another Texas Tech touchdown. The most explosive and exciting offense in the nation is back for another record breaking season. Usually the defense has been suspect under the Mike Leach era, but this season the Red Raiders have an experienced group to wreak havoc in the Big 12. Texas Tech’s schedule will help them get out the kinks early before late season contests against Kansas, Texas, and Oklahoma loom.

Set to DVR: Nov. 22 @ Oklahoma
Potential Heisman Candidate: Michael Crabtree (WR)

19. South Florida Bulls – USF hit the ground running last season reeling off six straight wins to open the season and ascending to the No. 2 spot in the national rankings midway through the year. Head coach Jim Leavitt has 17 starters returning from that group, including consensus all-America defensive end George Selvie and quarterback Matt Grothe. If the Bulls can get past Kansas and Pittsburgh, both of which are being played in Tampa, South Florida could be playing for a lot more in the season finale at West Virginia.

Set to DVR: Dec. 6 @ West Virginia
Potential Heisman Candidate: Grothe

20. Wake Forest Demon Deacons – Wake came back down to reality last season after reaching a BCS Bowl the season before. Still a 9-4 record and a bowl win is no reason to hang your head. The Deacons are loaded on defense with nine returning starters, including all everything, Alphonso Smith. Smith led the nation in interceptions and forced turnovers.

Set to DVR: Oct. 9 vs. Clemson
Potential Heisman Candidate: Josh Adams (RB)

21. Kansas Jayhawks – Make no bones about it, Kansas was one of the feel good stories in college football last season. The perennial cellar dwellers of the Big 12 made it to unfamiliar territory: The Orange Bowl. It would be asking way too much for a repeat performance, but it is not out of the question for the Jayhawks to get to a upper echelon bowl game.

Set to DVR: Oct. 18 @ Oklahoma
Potential Heisman Candidate: Todd Reesing (QB)

22. Fresno State Bulldogs - The Bulldogs will have to get through a somewhat tough schedule in non-conference play if they want to play in a BCS bowl game this year. There's no saying they can't. Coach Pat Hill has put together a great team and will be looking to take down Boise State and Hawaii in the WAC.

Set to DVR: Sept. 13 vs. Wisconsin
Potential Heisman Candidate: Tom Brandstater (QB)

23. Cincinnati Bearcats - Coach Brian Kelly won’t have the luxury of Ben Mauk running the Bearcat offense. That’s too bad because he guided Cincinnati to one of the most exciting seasons ever. The Bearcats will struggle at first offensively, but will be in those games due to their defense. UC has All-Americans Mike Mickens and Terrill Byrd back to lead the charge.

Set to DVR: Sept. 6 @ Oklahoma
Potential Heisman Candidate: Byrd

24. Florida State Seminoles - Will Bobby Bowden and Jimbo Fischer help Drew Weatherford lead this team back to where it once was? Well, maybe not all the way to the top, but the Seminoles can still quite possibly compete for an ACC title. Weatherford has underachieved in his time at Florida State and will look to change all that this upcoming season.

Set to DVR: Nov. 8 vs. Clemson
Potential Heisman Candidate: Myron Rolle (S)

25. Michigan State – There are a lot of candidates for this slot, but I feel Michigan State is going to be a dangerous team in 2008. Mark Dantonio had a successful first year in East Lansing and has sights set on bigger and better things. Defensively the Spartans will have one of the better squads in the Big Ten, if not the nation. Offensively Javon Ringer, who seems like he’s been at State for a decade, and Brian Hoyer will guide the Spartans.

Set to DVR: Oct. 18 vs. Ohio State
Potential Heisman Candidate: Ringer

Outside Looking In: Boston College, Michigan, Hawaii, Oregon State, Virginia, Kentucky, Boise State, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Air Force, Rutgers, New Mexico, East Carolina, Purdue, TCU, Alabama, California, and Oklahoma State.

The Top 5 Rebound Teams for 2008
1. Notre Dame
2. North Carolina
3. Pittsburgh
4. Iowa
5. Colorado

The real question for everybody - Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?

Utes' Got To Be Kidding Me

Irish fans, mark November 13, 2010 on your calandars. That's the day when the Utah Utes' will be heading into South Bend for another one of those stellar marquee matchups the former Kevin White regime promised. This is the only matchup being scheduled between Notre Dame and Utah.

As the future schedules start to unfold, here's a look at the 2010 season so far:

S04 PURDUE
S11 MICHIGAN
S18 @ Michigan St.
S25 STANFORD
O02 @ Boston College
O09 PITTSBURGH
O16 Army (Chicago)
O23 @ Navy (Baltimore)
N06 UCONN
N13 UTAH
N27 @ Southern Cal

Two more home dates have yet to be released as of for now, but what is certain is that it will be two more Big East opponents which was part of the agreement Dr. White made with the Big East. You can pretty much pencil in UConn for the November 6 game, while another BIG EAST school is the other opponent, but not set on the exact date. With Rutgers' crapping out of a series, you can expect these Afteroon Delight type games on the Irish schedule for the next couple of seasons.

Dr. White definitely left at the right time before getting an earful from the Irish faithful!

IBB Weekly Motivator: Week 18

Here's a prime example of who you have running some of the top football programs in the South: A liar and a nut! Thank goodness we have Coach Weis!

You Can't Handle the Truth

There were a lot of responses across the ND message boards these past two days about John Berkowitz's preview of the Notre Dame - Washington game on Oct. 25. Although John put a lot of time and effort into his piece, I'm going to put my spin on this hotly contested debate.

Today, John wrote about readers reactions to his piece. Here are a few snippets of his take on the matter:

"Well as predicted the Notre Dame fans who read my preview over on Bleacher Report were less than impressed, in fact one of them thinks I should be permanently banned. Just last week I predicted Washington would beat BYU and over 40 Cougar fans thought my pre season analysis of their team was spot on. That didn't mean they didn't hope, or predict a different outcome which is fine.

Notre Dame fans are a completely different breed. The majority of them never attended school there, never have seen a game in person, and even haven't set a foot on the storied campus in Northwestern Indiana. Subway alumni as they call them have no problem defending their favorite school's football team even if they tend to ignore the fact that the current team is rebuilding. You have to admire the loyalty, and it is a big reason why the Irish have their own national TV contract on NBC.

One point of criticism about the article was fair, and that was the fact that I gave little information except for Jake Locker on why I expected Washington to beat the Irish. So I posted a reply which clears that up and hear it is. Since the blog is being nationally syndicated I am going to have to be more thorough, and not take for granted that everyone read the articles leading up to the next one."

Ok little fella, yes Notre Dame has a very strong contingent of Subway Alumni. Yes some probably have not had the chance to take in a glorious fall, football weekend in South Bend, but that doesn't mean they do not know a thing or two about football, especially Notre Dame Football! Also, Notre Dame is more like Northcentral Indiana, not Northwestern as he proclaims. Plus if he thinks the Huskies can beat BYU, then he's either, A) Dropped as a baby, or B) Very delusional.

John then gives his take on why he chose the Huskies over the Fighting Irish:

"When I wrote the article I expected this reaction from some of the Notre Dame fans. What can I say, I call it like I see it, and I think Notre Dame, Stanford, and Washington State are the weakest teams Washington plays this year.

I pick Washington because they simply have the ability to put up a lot of points on Notre Dame. On the flip side I don't see the Notre Dame offense being able to keep up. It isn't so much an improved UW defense, it is simply lack of faith in the Irish offense. I watched almost every ND game last year, and was just surprised by how bad they were. I know they will improve in 2008, but they have a lot of work to do to catch UW who actually had a good enough offense to win last year if there defense hadn't have been so horrible."

I definitely can think of a few teams that will be so-called "weaker" teams than Notre Dame that's on Washington's schedule. Arizona and Oregon State will definitely be down this season. Oh yeah, didn't the Irish beat UCLA last season? But what do I know, right?

John's take is that Washington is this scoring machine. Yes the Huskies averaged over 4 touchdowns a game last season, while the Irish managed only a tad over 16 points per contest. On the flip side, Washington's defense was and IS a lot worse than the Irish! Kent Baer's stellar defense, which got him fired, gave up 31.6 points a game. ND's wasn't much better at 28.8, however a resurgance of talented Freshmen and Sophomores will be ready to make 2008 a season to remember. Oh yeah a guy named Tenuta should help too!

The middle portion of his article is his little rant about Washington's offense and how unstoppable they are going to be. Fair enough, Notre Dame had a tough time of stopping the run. However, the Irish are going to be well tested before they face the Huskies. Also, Husky Stadium hasn't been intimidating to the Irish before, so I don't think it will be this time around too!

Lastly we'll go over John's infatuation with Husky QB Jake Locker:

"Let's talk about Jake Locker for a second, this kid is for real and is built like an absolute horse. He is incredibly mobile. His accuracy, and general comfort running the offense has dramatically improved since last Fall. When running the ball he hits like a linebacker, and his speed would allow him to start at RB for most BCS teams. You can't control him, you can only hope to contain him. With the added touch and accuracy he is going to be load to handle for any team he plays against. Locker is one of those rare players who can take over a game, and raise the level of everyone around him."

I'll give John some credit that Locker is a good mobile QB. He did average 82 yards on the ground last season. In one of his responses to an Irish fan, John compares Locker to Florida's Tim Tebow. Yes, Heisman Trophy winner, Tim Tebow. Ok, ok, ok, let's stop the man love and hippie dreams right there. Locker is no Tim Tebow. Locker has to be a good passer to be in the same breathe as Tebow. In fact, Locker is statistically the worst passer out of the O'Brien Preseason Watch List. Jake is one of two passers to have thrown more interceptions (14) than touchdowns (15). Wake Forest's Riley Skinner was the other QB in that category (12 TDs/13 Ints). Locker, however, has the worst completion percentage out of the entire group at 47.2%. There was only one other QB below 50%, Illinois' Juice Williams (48.4%).

If you were wondering, Jimmy Clausen had 7 touchdowns to 6 interceptions, and completed 56.3% of his passes last season. Also I've heard plenty of folks complain about Clausen's age saying he wasn't a true freshman because he was 20, blah, blah, blah! Well I hate to break it to Washington folks, but Locker wasn't a true Freshman either. This will be his third year in Seattle, as he redshirted as a freshman. So technically Locker had the better advantage of being in practices of a entire season of the college game under his belt.

Finally, the media think the Irish will do better than John's perception of 6-6. In fact I've seen plenty of definite 7 or 8 win predictions. Just look at the video below to prove my point.

There will always be doubters and haters of the Irish; but whatever way you slice it, Notre Dame has never lost to Washington and they'll definitely not let this happen this year either! I guess John and Husky nation just can't handle the truth!

Notre Dame - Washington Game Preview

Here's another rival blogger piece by John Berkowitz of the Washington Husky Sports Blog. Although we have differing views of this matchup, I do appreciate his views and insights into this game.

Tomorrow I'll post my rebuttal to this piece on why and how the Irish will prevail over the Huskies. So without further adieu, here's John's preview of the Washington game seen through the eyes from a delusional Husky fan. Sorry John I had to put that in there.

By John Berkowitz (Washington Husky Sports)

Washington has never beaten Notre Dame in a series that stretches back to the late 1940's. The series was renewed the last decade after the retirement and death of former Notre Dame AD legend Moose Krause. Krause swore that the Irish would never again schedule Washington after the Huskies paid off the refs to keep it close in a game at Husky Stadium back in 1949.

Time heals most things, and the Irish and the Huskies are now starting to play each other regularly. Since the series was renewed Washington has been outclassed by the Irish at home, and on the road. This year may prove to be different since both programs are trying to rebuild from one of the lowest points in their storied histories. UW just may have the edge going into this one.

Most Notre Dame fans blame Tyrone Willingham for most of the teams current problems. It is no secret that Ty didn't recruit that well at Notre Dame. It is also no secret that Weis did pretty well his first two years using Ty's players. The Irish fans are not enamored with Weis anymore after last years pathetic season. Notre Dame demands victories, and BCS bowl games every single year, there is little margin for error in South Bend.

Notre Dame is coming off one of its worst seasons in history and Coach Weis is on the very hot seat after being sainted his first two years as head man at ND. It’s hard to imagine the Irish repeating last year’s 3-9 campaign in 2008. They were blown out in their first five games, crushed 38-0 by rival USC, and lost to both Air Force and Navy, but 6-6 in 2008 is a more likely scenario.

The Irish, like Washington figure to field a better team in 2008. A much better team, in fact because of all the talent Weis has been stockpiling. Like Washington, the strength of the team is in the last two recruiting classes, so there is a major maturation process going on. Young talent aside, there are still major questions about this team on defense, along both lines, and most importantly from a psychological standpoint. This Irish have to figure who they are, what they represent, and how they are going to get there.

The Notre Dame offense was so bad last year that the defense's troubles sometimes escaped notice, but the fact is, this is a very average defensive unit. Notre Dame gave up 30 or more points in each of its first five games, then let Navy score 46 and Air Force score 41 before finding a groove in its last two games, but those games were against lowly Duke and Stanford.

The lone bright spot for the defense appeared to be in the secondary where three starters were supposed to return. Safety David Bruton had a great junior campaign and will be looked to as a leader during his senior season. The pass defense was ok last year and corners Terrail Lambert and Darrin Walls seemed adequate enough to handle just most receivers.

Walls unfortunately left the team this summer to head home to deal with undisclosed personal problems which means the Irish defense is going to have another big hole to fill in 2008. Jr. Rasheon McNeil will try to fill the void left by Walls at CB.

Without tackle Trevor Laws, who is now in the NFL, the defensive line could be even worse than they were last season when they gave up nearly 200 yards a game on the ground. Linebackers John Ryan and Maurice Crum need to have big years if the defense is going to get a lot better.

Coach Charlie Weis has nine starters back from last year’s offense, including a couple good skill guys. You know the guy is on track to get it turned around because he has a top five recruiting class each season. The talent will be there, but Irish fans are questioning whether Weis can coach or not.

Leading the way for the Irish offense will be quarterback Jimmy Clausen (1,254 yards passing, 7 touchdowns, 6 interceptions) who almost certainly will be better this season than he was in 2007. Clausen has all the talent in the world; he just needs a little confidence, and some time to throw the ball.

Clausen's biggest hurdle this season is going to be wiping out the memories of 2007. The kid played way before he was ready, and only time will tell if he can recover psychologically from the beating he took last season.

Clausen loses his top target, reliable tight end Jon Carlson, so he will likely rely on promising receiver Duval Kamara, who caught 32 passes and scored four touchdowns in 2007.

Running back is a position of mild concern, though Robert Hughes showed some promise late last season, when he rushed for 110 yards against Duke and 136 against Stanford. The offensive line, which was quite frankly horrible in 2007 (Clausen alone was sacked 34 times), will be anchored by right tackle Sam Young.

How Do You beat Notre Dame?

You let Notre Dame self destruct and you punish them with Jake Locker all night. No way can the Irish defense deal with Locker at Husky Stadium. The Irish can't stop the run, and the defense still will be weak this season. UW just needs to hammer it all day to pick up its first W in the series.

What do I think?

I think Notre Dame will be one of the weakest teams we play all year. The Irish are down, and they were much worse than us last year. I am not buying the Jimmy Clausen hype, I will take Jake Locker, and our defense any day over this squad. The Irish have a lot of young talent, but until they get a years experience under their belt they will still struggle in 2008.

So Husky and Irish fans, that's right, I am predicting a Washington win over Notre Dame which means the Huskies win two out of three non conference games in 2008.

Moderator's Note: I think someone has been sipping on old grandpa's cough medicine again! Or has been hit in the head with a golf ball at the local course trying to track Coach Willingham down on his recruiting progress!

Good Will Standing

Although it has not been publicly announced, 2-sport stud Will Yeatman will be back for both the football and lacrosse seasons. As you remember Yeatman was suspended from the university in the Spring for a DWI after dropping off a female companion from nearby Holy Cross College. During that susupenion, he missed spring practice and the entire lacrosse season.

Below is a little piece on Yeatman's return via Inside Lacrosse:

"Notre Dame junior Attacker Will Yeatman will be in the lineup next year, Coach Kevin Corrigan said on Tuesday. “Absolutely we will have him,” Corrigan said. When asked if Yeatman would help the team, Corrigan had a quick answer: “He would help a lot of teams.” Yeatman missed last season following a suspension for an alleged off-field incident. When he last played, in 2007, he led the Fighting Irish in scoring with 25 goals and 21 assists. Yeatman also is a tight end on the football team."

With the return of Yeatman to the football field, it will give some time for incoming freshman Kyle Rudolph to pick up the speed and nuansces of the college game. Plus is gives the Irish and Quarterback Jimmy Clausen another sure handed target for 2008!

Zorich Speaks

The newly inducted College Football Hall of Famer talks about being enshired to the Hall, the current state of Notre Dame football, and a great Lou Holtz story. Definitely a great five minute clip!

IBB Weekly Motivator: Week 17

I wonder if Bear Bryant is rolling in his grave over this?

Walls Not Crumbling Down

With all the buzz surrounding Jack Swarbrick's appointment to the Athletic Director of Notre Dame, the media has quieted a bit after the announcement of Darrin Walls missing the upcoming football season. There have been plenty of stories out there about the reasons behind Walls' departure and some are right on the money, while others have completely missed the mark.

According to multiple sources from the GUG, Walls' departure is academic related, but not due to bad grades. Unlike Pat Kuntz's semester off after his overall GPA fell below 2.0; Darrin Walls' GPA was well above the minimum cut off point. Due to FERPA Laws, we cannot divulge anymore information of Walls' absence from the university.

Just like the Kuntz situation, Walls' can be reinstated to the university at the end fo the fall semester. As long as Darrin can shore up some loose ends and keep his head to the grindstone, expect to see #2 gearing up for Spring Ball!

He's a Brick House!

For the 10th time out of the 12 Athletic Directors, Notre Dame will once again be turning to their graduates to run the ship. Jack Swarbrick, an Indianapolis lawyer for Barker & Daniels, will be introduced today at a press conference on the 12th Floor of the Hesburgh Library.

Although Swarbrick has no experience as an athletic director, he has been considered for previous jobs in college athletics. He was one of two finalists to be Big 12 commissioner last year, a finalist for the athletic director's position at Arizona State in 2005, and a finalist for the NCAA president's position that went to Myles Brand in 2002.

It has been well documented the past day or so about Swarbrick's accomplishments: Getting the SuperBowl to be played at the new Lucas Oil Stadium, Moving the NCAA Headquarters to Indy, as well as, being part of several Olympic committees.

Mr. Swarbrick will be the third Notre Dame athletic director to not have any previous athletic administration experience. Dick Rosenthal and Mike Wadsworth were a retired banker and the canadian ambassador to Ireland, respectively, before heading back to Notre Dame.

Swarbrick was also a student-athlete during his undergraduate days at Notre Dame. He played lacrosse for the Irish while it was a club sport.

While getting acclumated to collegiate athletics, Swarbrick will have to make some quick decisions on the fly. First will be replacing Deputy Director of Athletics Stan Wilcox. Wilcox will be leaving Notre Dame to be part of Kevin White's admistration at Duke. Wilcox was finishing up his third year in the athletic department where he worked with the Irish football squad on a daily basis from an administrative standpoint. Wilcox also had administrative oversight for the areas of RecSports (intramural and club sports), strength and conditioning, game management and athletic training. He also served as the liaison with the University's Faculty Board on Athletics and was the department's primary liaison with bowl officials. No timetable has been set yet for Wilcox's successor.

The next strategic move for Swarbrick is getting involved with the BCS and their soon-to-be restructuring of the TV rights and oversight committee. This will definitely be a defining moment for Swarbrick and Notre Dame's presence in the BCS.

But if his credentials and what everyone and their mother is saying is true, Jack Swarbrick will be a BRICKHOUSE for Notre Dame athletics!

Coaching Fraternity

Every once in awhile you hear someone talk about the coaching fraternity. Now we have actual proof that there is indeed one in the college football ranks. Here's a picture of the secret football frat Lambda, Lambda, Lambda.

IBB Weekly Motivator: Week 16

Look at these dorks of College Football! Pretty scary if you ask me.

IBB Pigskin Preview: Washington Huskies

By John Berkowitz (Washington Husky Sports)

Washington enters year four of the Willingham regime with a mission. That mission is to finish with a winning record, go to a bowl game, or Coach Willingham could be out at Washington. Husky fans are tired of hearing next year, but while this team is continuing to improve they also play the nation’s toughest schedule in 2008, and are extremely young. Fifty-five players are in their first or second year.

Most experts feel the team is a year away because of lack of experience at the offensive skill positions surrounding Jake Locker. Only FB Paul Homer has extensive game experience. The skill positions are populated with talented kids, but most of them haven’t played a snap yet. The Huskies will be counting on the newcomers who will be starting for the first time to minimize mistakes, and be productive.

On defense the Huskies have holes in the defensive line, and a one of the most porous pass defenses in the country. UW has a lot of new young talent that will be inserted in the defensive back field, and defensive line in 2008. The kids in the backfield are good, a big upgrade from the incumbents, they just need experience. On the defensive line the Huskies will be depending on some highly recruited frosh to shore things up.
The Huskies look like they are capable of winning four to eight games this season. Oklahoma, Oregon, USC, and Arizona State are probably going to be losses. Stanford, and WSU probably will be wins. That leaves six swing games which Washington should be competitive in. BYU, Arizona, Oregon State, Notre Dame, UCLA, and California are all games that UW will be capable of winning. The Huskies need to break through in 2008 and start winning the fourth quarter.

So. Jake Locker is a QB in the Tim Tebow mold. The kid can kill you running the ball, and he is built like a horse. Looking to 2008 we are going to see a more accurate passer, and an experienced QB with much better command of the offense as a whole. Jake is still going to run, and don't be surprised to see him gain as much as 1000 yards, but he is going to complete a lot more passes. Backing Jake up is RS Ronnie Fouch who had a good Spring game.

The Huskies will be young at tailback. So. Brandon Johnson will inherit the starting job from Louis Rankin. Johnson didn't play a lot last year, but he did pick up 100 yards in the second half against California. Backing him up will be RS. Willie Griffin, and RS. Brandon Yakaboski. True Frosh Chris Polk who is billed as the next Reggie Bush will also see some time at TB in addition to SB, and WR. The Huskies have a great FB in Jr. Paul Homer. Paul can pick up the tough yards inside, catch the ball, block extremely well, and play ferociously on special teams.

The Huskies are starting over at WR this year after lots of graduation. The talent is definitely there, but there is a huge lack of experience. So. D'Andre Goodwin is primed to have a big season as Lockers go to guy. So. Curtis Shaw is a versatile guy who will be playing WR, SB, and a little TB if needed this year. RS. Alvin Logan showed promise as a physical receiver this Spring, and Fr. Chris Polk who was also here this Spring flashed a lot of potential. Keep an eye on Fr. Jordan Polk, and Fr. Cody Bruns who will arrive this Summer to compete for immediate playing time.

The Huskies used to be TE University, but under Willingham the position has not flourished. UW hopes to get more performance out of the position in 2008. Sr. Mike Gottleib will be the initial starter backed up by a couple of Blue Chip All Americans that will play for the first time this year. RS. Chris Izbicki, and Fr. Kavario Middleton upgrade the position tremendously. Look for UW to use the TE quite a bit more in 2008. Middleton was one of the top recruits in the country, and he is expected to make an immediate impact. Izbicki had a good spring game.

The Huskies have an experienced offensive line. Sr. C. Juan Garcia was injured this Spring and will miss the first two or three games. So. Matt Sedillo will fill in, but there has been talk of So. Ryan Tolar sliding over from guard. Sr. Jordan-White Frisbee, and Sr. Casey Bulyca would than take over at the guards. Out at tackle So. Brian Habben, and Jr. Ben Ossai man the position after splitting time as starters last year.

On defense the Huskies have some holes to fill in the interior of the DL. So. Cameron Elisara will man one tackle position, but the the other one is up for grabs when camp begins in August. So. Deshon Matthews moved down from DE in the Spring, but is undersized for a DT. Newcomers Fr Alameda Taamu, Fr Senio Kelemente, and RS Tyrone Duncan will fight it out for the position.

Things are more stable out at DE as honors candidate Jr. Daniel Teo Nesheim is ready to have a great season. He will be paired with Jr. Darion Jones who won the job this past Spring. Behind them it gets a little dicey unless Matthews can move back to DE.

The Huskies will have one of the better line backing corps in the Pac Ten this season as they return four starters for three positions. In the middle Jr. Donald Butler, and Sr. Trenton Tuiasosopo provide depth and quality as starters 1-A, and 1-B. So Mason Foster is a beast and is a rising star. The best of the bunch is on the OLB Jr. EJ Savannah who will miss the first two games with a broken arm.

Washington gave up a lot of yards through the air last season, and new DC Ed Donatell has his work cut out for him in 2008. This Spring they moved RS Quentin Richardson over to CB from safety and he ended up winning the job. Richardson looked very good this past spring. He will start beside Sr. Byron Davenport who was hampered by injuries in 2007. Sr. Mesphin Forrester, So Vonzell McDowell, So. Marquise Persely and So. Matt Mosley will also be in the mix for playing time.

The Huskies have three bruising safeties. So Nate Williams, So Victor Aieywa, and Sr Jason Wells. Wells missed most of last season with a knee injury, but it looks like he is coming back well. Williams played nickel last year, and Aieywa saw some time on special teams. Aieyewa won the job in Wells absence this Spring. He just knocks the snot out of people. Behind them will be Jr. Tripper Johnson, and Sr. Darin Harris who started last season when Wells went out.

The special teams haven't been special under Willingham. Washington hasn't scored many points with special teams even though they have given up quite a few. RS. Kevin Folk, and Jr. Ryan Perkins will fight it out at PK. Perkins was accurate from close in last year, but injuries have robbed him of his distance. Folk redshirted last season after having back spasms for the first art of the year
Sr. Jared Ballman did a nice job punting last year and returns for his final campaign. So. D'Andre Goodwin, So. Curtis Shaw, and Fr. Chris Polk are your likely return men. New ST coach Brian White is expected to improve the overall performance of the unit.

New Additions to IBB for the 2008 Football Season

With Notre Dame's home opener kicking off in 58 days, fans of the Fighting Irish can get a head start on the 2008 season at Irish Band of Brothers. New features to the IBB Blog for this year include opponent previews from rival blog writers, opponent blog section, and Football Friday Chats.

You can get the inside scoop on Irish opponents from rival fans with their summer previews and respected chats. The Football Friday Chats will feature several guests, ranging from rival blog writers to former Notre Dame greats! Our first unofficial Football Friday Chat featured former Notre Dame linebacker, Bert Berry. Those who participated got to enjoy Bert's time as a player under the dome, as well, as his present stint as a defensive lineman for the Arizona Cardinals.

Fans who missed the opportunity, don't worry, Bert will be back a few more times during the season to chat with fellow Fighting Irish fans. We'll also try and get other former players and hopefully some current players.

So get ready and snap up that chin strap, because HERE COME THE IRISH!

ESPN Has a Problem

It's good to know that other folks besides Fighting Irish fans have a beef about ESPN! John Friedman of MarketWatch had this to say about the sports network,

"ESPN proclaims itself as The Worldwide Leader in Sports. This year, at times, it has deserved a new slogan: The Sports Leader in Embarrassment.
It's one thing for a journalist to see a quip fall flat, but it's another when people feel abused. To ESPN's shame, some of its employees have insulted the audience on several occasions with lowbrow or boorish behavior."

To view the rest of Friedman's article, click on the title above.

The Wild Hogs of Notre Dame

"Steamrolling through a defensive line the Wild Hogs unleashed the pain."

"In epic fashion they are known as pancake, beast, the second coming, and leg whip. These are only aliases. Their real names are: Cave, Robinson, Golic and Clelland. They formed the formidable future of the Irish steamrollers before which opposing defenses will be runneth over."

No One Will Be Pushing Us Around In Our House

Oh, how the times have changed when opposing teams would just buckle stepping onto the field at Notre Dame Stadium. The mystique of all the great teams, players, and coaches, of the past are etched in memories of the House that Rockne Built. Lately, Notre Dame opponents have had decent success against the Irish in South Bend.

Every year there are numerous lists of the Toughest Stadiums to play in, in College Football. EA Sports released their Top 25 Toughest Places to Play before their release of the new NCAA 09 game. Below is the Top 25 with their respective home records for the past ten seasons:

1. LSU (55-14) .797%
2. Florida (53-10) .841%
3. Ohio St. (57-10) .851%
4. Penn St. (49-17) .742%
5. Tennessee (53-13) .803%
6. Oklahoma (56-4) .933%
7. Oregon (51-12). 810%
8. Wisconsin (50-15) .769%
9. Virgina Tech (55-11) .833%
10. Nebraska (54-12) .818%
11. USC (50-11) .820%
12. Texas (53-5) .914%
13. Michigan (56-10) .848%
14. Texas A&M (47-14) .734%
15. Notre Dame (41-21) .661%
16. Georgia (52-11) .825%
17. Florida St. (50-11) .820%
18. Alabama (39-22) .639%
19. Auburn (52-19) .732%
20. West Virginia (44-18) .710%
21. Clemson (45-20) .692%
22. Arkansas (31-15) .674%
23. Colorado (37-20) .649%
24. Boise St. (59-4) .937%
25. South Carolina (35-31) .530%

But times, they are 'a changin'! And the reawaking of Notre Dame Stadium will begin on Sept. 6 against San Diego State. Only one of the Irish's opponents has a winning road record (Michigan) over the last ten years.

San Diego State (19-40) .322%
Michigan (32-17) .653%
Purdue (24-27) .471%
Stanford (19-33) .365%
Pittsburgh (20-28) .417%
Syracuse (15-37) .288%

Navy is 11-13 (.458), in neutral site games the last ten seasons. In case if you were wondering, Notre Dame is 23-23 on the road during that span.

The pendulum is swinging back into the Irish's favor; so visiting opponents be warned: "No one, and I mean no one. Comes into our house and pushes us around!"

Wall 2 Wall Coverage

Darrin Walls will have another breakout year for the Irish this season. Just because of Notre Dame's 3-9 record last season, Walls was left off the Jim Thorpe Award Watch List. He'll definitely show them that he is one of the Top Defensive Backs in the country!

Smith & Williams - A Lethal Combination

NRA approved!

IBB Weekly Motivator: Week 15

College Football's version of fruits and nuts!

Michigan: Where Amazing Happens!

San Diego State Preview

San Diego State's 2007 Record: (4-8, 3-5 MWC)
2007 Bowl: none
SDSU Head Coach: Chuck Long (7-17 at San Diego State, 7-17 overall)
Offensive Coordinator: Del Miller
Defensive Coordinator: Bob Elliott
Returning Leaders for SDSU:
• Rushing: Brandon Sullivan, RB, 220 yards
• Passing: Kelsey Sokoloski, QB, 119 yards
• Receiving: Darren Mougey, WR, 368 yards
• Tackles: Russell Allen, LB, 119
• Sacks: Siaosi Fifita, DE, 3; Jonathan Soto, DE, 3
• Interceptions: Vonnie Holmes, CB, 4; Aaron Moore, CB, 4
Other Key Returnees: S Corey Boudreaux, WR Vincent Brown, C Trask Iosefa, LB Luke Laolagi, LB Andrew Preston, G Mike Schmidt, DE B.J. Williams
Key Losses: G Fred Amano, S Ray Bass, RB Brandon Bornes, OG Brandyn Dombrowski, OT Mike Kravetz, DT Ornan Nwansi, QB Kevin O’Connell, DE Nick Osborn, OT Will Robinson, WR Chaz Schilens, TE Steve Schmidt, WR Brett Swain

San Diego State seems to have the tools to be a power. The great weather, the fertile recruiting grounds, the decent conference, the big city, the chance to play right away, the, uh, scenery, but the program has never been able to put it all together on a regular basis and it doesn’t appear to be on the verge of turning any sort of corner in year three of the Chuck Long era.

The expectations aren’t going to be all that high, again, but if there’s just a little more patience, the Aztecs could be building toward something interesting. With so many new starters on offense, there’s a chance to blend together over the next few years. The defense, even with all its returning starters, is still relatively young. Rebuilding isn’t a bad thing as long as there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. That’s what 2009 is for.

Prediction: ND 35 SDSU 13

The ND AD Search 411

It's almost been a month since former Athletic Director Kevin White left Notre Dame for Duke, and what is there to show? So what exactly has been going on with the university and Parker Executive Search firm? Well here is the 411:

1.) What is Parker Executive Search?

Based out of Atlanta, Parker Executive Search is a retained search firm that conducts executive searches globally for corporations, colleges and universities, and collegiate athletics.

The Parker Collegiate Athletic Search Process is designed to meet and exceed the aggressive timing needs of collegiate athletics. The process can be adapted to meet the unique timing objectives of each client.

Parker Executive Search has a proprietary database for collegiate athletic searches. It consists of leaders in intercollegiate athletics that the firm has identified, followed, and worked with through the years.

They conduct extensive background and reference checks on all candidates. Does George O'Leary ring a bell? The firm presents candidate background information to the client before final selection to ensure no surprises.

2.) What do we know so far from the search and its committee?

The search firm has three individuals leading up the charges: Bryan Hanson (Principal), Laurie Wilder (Vice President), and Ryan Crawford (Associate).

Mr. Hanson so far has been in charge of conducting original research, recruiting candidates, maintaining contact with clients and candidates, facilitating interviews, and other aspects of the day-to-day search process. Hanson has been in touch with several candidates for preliminary talks.

Wilder's task is getting outside information from respectable and reputable sources in the intercollegiate athletic realm. Gene Corrigan has been involved in this process before, and is one of the spearheads of this group.

Crawford is responsible for conducting original research to identify candidates, recruiting potential candidates, facilitating interviews, and maintaining contact with clients and candidates throughout the search process. Basically he's the middle man between the search firm and the university.

On the university side, President Jenkins, Executive Vice President John Affleck-Graves, and several key Board of Trustee members will be conducting the search.

3.) Any leads or rumblings about the search so far?

Former Notre Dame AD Corrigan, the dean of retired (and respected) college administrators, loves SMU AD and ND alum Steve Orsini. But he also loves a few other folks who will/should be candidates.

Bubba Cunningham, current AD at Tulsa, and a Notre Dame grad; did a great job as AD at Ball State before moving on to Tulsa, where he has done a nice job raising money for facilities. His coaches love him. And he's very, very sharp.

Rick Chryst, Commissioner of the Mid-American Conference. He too is a Notre Dame grad but cut his administrative teeth under Corrigan at the ACC. He is very, very tight with the folks at ESPN and has gotten more MAC events on TV than anyone before him. He has done a yeoman's job keeping the MAC intact after the ACC football raids over five years ago set off a chain reaction in which he lost UCF and Marshall. Chryst and Cunningham are buddies, for what it's worth.

Missy Conboy, acting AD, and long time staple of Irish Athletics. She is very well liked within the department and admired and respected among the school administration. Long shot, at best. Would be the top choice among current ND Athletic Administrators.

Benard Muir (Georgetown) and Sandy Barbour (California), both Kevin White cronies, have been in contact with the search firm for preliminary talks.

It's believed that Orsini, Chryst, and Jeremy Foley (Florida) will be contacted shortly after the holiday break.

4.) Is there a time table for the hiring?

The search firm and the university will take as long it will to find the right suitor, but talks around the JACC and the Golden Dome have people believing that a new AD will be in place before the start of the football season.

5.) Is there a clear cut candidate?

Everyone and their mother, including us at IBB, believe that Orsini is the one to beat. The rest of the above mentioned will definitely get some serious consideration, but don't be surprised if someone outside of the Notre Dame family slips into the final cut.

Overall, this is really the second major decision Fr. Jenkins has had to make during his tenure as President of the University of Notre Dame. Question is, will he make the right choice? We shall soon see!