IBB Fighting Irish Season Preview

With only 8 days left until the Irish take the field against San Diego State, here's the Irish Band of Brother's season preivew of the 2008 Notre Dame Football Season:

Special Teams
PK Brandon Walker
KO Ryan Burkhart
P Eric Maust
Long Snapper Kevin Brooks (Darius Fleming)
Short Snapper Braxston Cave
KO Ret Armando Allen and Golden Tate
P Ret Allen

It's now the Charlie Weis and Brian Polian show that's in charge of the special teams. Last season's disaster had nine coaches involved and no organization whatsoever. Besides the switch, another good move Coach Weis made was when he went to the special teams guru at Blacksburg, Virginia, in Frank Beamer. Beamer helped both Weis and Polian get a better understanding of how to run special teams from a head coach standpoint and new schemes to help improve the Irish unit.

It has definitely been fun to watch Weis during camp this summer as he has been involved full-throttle with every aspect of special teams!

Ones to Watch: Walker and Allen

Brandon Walker was ineffective last season from anything outside of 35 yards. This summer he has made major improvements in every aspect of range and consistency. That will be a good thing because he could be called upon early if the offense struggles to put the ball in the endzone.

The speed acquired by the Irish is probably close to the Holtz era as you can get, and that starts with Armando Allen. His added strength and bulk has been noticed and I wouldn't be surprised if he takes a few back to the house this season.

Offense

Offensive Line
LT Mike Turkovich
LG Eric Olsen
C Dan Wenger
RG Chris Stewart
RT Sam Young

This is the biggest question mark heading into the season opener with San Diego State. On paper, you almost have the exact same unit as last season except for the addition of Stewart. So far the Irish coaches feel confident in this unit, not only because of a verteran group, but from the depth that's behind them. The backups of Matt Romine, Paul Duncan, Braxston Cave, Trevor Robinson, and Taylor Dever, could be starters on most teams, and can fill in nicely if one of the starters goes down to injury.

Overall, the coaches are very excited about how physical this unit has been during camp. During practices, this group has shown signs of dominating.

Ones to Watch: Sam Young and Trevor Robison

Sam Young is going to show folks this season why he was a high school All-American. Finally Young is 100% healthy and it has shown through his added weight and dominating force against the defense.

Robison, meanwhile, is like a man among boys. He, physically has NFL size right now to start on Sundays. Trevor is still picking up the nuances of the collegiate game, but it won't be long for him to be on the field for the Irish.

Running Backs
RB Armando Allen, Robert Hughes, James Aldridge
FB Asaph Schwapp, Luke Schmidt, Steve Paskorz

Hopefully this will be an embarassment of riches at the running back position with the three headed monster of Allen, Hughes, and Aldridge. All three backs will play this season, but mainly you'll see two of them being featured in a single game with Allen as the change of pace back and Hughes or Aldridge being the battering ram.

It still could be a game time decision as whether or not Asaph Schwapp will be the opening day starter. Luke Schmidt and Steve Paskorz have pushed Schwapp all camp long and will, no doubt, see action this season. My money is on Schwapp, but not for long!

Coach Holtz did a great job of delegating his stable of backs and putting them in several formations. Look for Coach Weis to do the same with two back formations and Allen lined up out at the slot. This group will definitely pound the ball and make the Irish offense well balanced.

Ones to Watch: Hughes and Schmidt

Hughes came into his own at the end of the season and has since picked up where he left off with spectacular runs. He has not changed any of the coaches minds about his ability to run over defenders or run right by them.

Schmidt is finally going to get meaningful minutes not only at fullback but at tight end as well. His talents as a blocker, runner, and pass catcher will be showcased this season. He will not disappoint anyone, that's for sure!

Quarterback
Jimmy Clausen
Evan Sharpley

Clausen is healthy as ever and you'll notice from the get go. Major improvements have been made to his physical appearance with added weight and muscle, as well as, his accuracy and zip on his passes. Clausen has all the intangibles for a good year: Maturity, Development, and better weapons to choose from.

Sharpley has solidifed the backup roll and could see some action if Clausen needs a breather from getting injured or in mop up duty. Hopefully it will be the latter in this situation.

Ones to Watch: Dayne Crist

The heir apparant to Clausen at QB will not showcase his talents until the Spring, but what he has shown during the summer will give Irish fans hope for the future. At this point in time, Crist is better than Brady Quinn was as a Freshman. We shall soon see if he turns out that way.

Tight End
Kyle Rudolph
Will Yeatman
Luke Schmidt

The loss of Mike Ragone hurt and his athleticism will be sorely missed, but don't feel sorry for the Irish. Rudolph is the real deal, Yeatman is a reliable blocker and catcher, and multi-purpose player Schmidt will showcase his skills.

Ones to Watch: Rudolph
This off season and during camp, the tight ends were one of the pleasant surprises and that was mostly because of Rudolph. His soft hands and knack for quickly getting separation from defenders makes him a deadly weapon in the Irish attack. Look for him to be a major player in the offense.

Wide Receivers
Duval Kamara
David Grimes
Golden Tate
Michael Floyd

Size, speed, and big plays is what you should expect from this unit. Tate and Floyd will have breakout years, while starters Kamara and Grimes do all the little things to keep this Irish Offense going. Depth is a strength for this unit as regulars Robby Parris and George West have been relegated to Notre Dame's fifth and sixth options. Waiting in the wings will be freshmen John Goodman and Deion Walker.

Ones to Watch: Tate and Floyd

Golden Tate has progressed into a true receiver, instead of the "Fly" route guy. He made it his mission to understand his routes and roll as a reciever. It will show from day one, trust me.

As for Floyd, he's as good as advertised. In my opinion, he's the most technically sound receiver we have in terms of route running and reliable hands. I'll be shocked if he does not make some Freshman All-America Teams.

Defense
The biggest acquistion is not the heardled freshmen class, instead, it's the addition of defensive coach Jon Tenuta. From day one, Tenuta and Corwin Brown have hit the ground running. This defense will creat a lot of problems for opposing offenses, plus the knowledge the players and coaches recieve from Tenuta's defensive prowness will give them a huge advantage.

Defensive Line
DE Patrick Kuntz, Ethan Johnson
NT Ian Williams
DE Mo Richardson, Justin Brown

This was another question mark heading into the season, but since has been less complicated with the reinstatement of Kuntz and the emergence of Williams and freshman Johnson. Overall this unit is strong and will have great depth.

Ones to Watch: Johnson and Kapron Lewis-Moore

Johnson is another one of the freshmen that will definitely see action against the Aztecs next Saturday. His power and speed off the ball has given coaches an air of relief.

Lewis-Moore has gotten the attention of the coaches, especially Coach Weis. If he was a little heavier, he would have easily been a starter opposite Kuntz at end. You'll definitely see him on the field soon enough though.

Linebackers
SAM Harrison Smith
ILB Maurice Crum
MLB Brian Smith
WIL John Ryan, Kerry Neal

Tenuta's bread and butter has given Irish fans something to look forward to. Notre Dame has improved the overall speed of this unit with the insertion of Harrison Smith and freshmen playmakers Steven Filer and Darius Fleming.

These guys will be a lot more physical and will be in on a lot more plays. They have great flexibility in that Harrison Smith can be moved all over the place, as will Sergio Brown too. Because of all these options and looks they will give offenses, the Irish linebacking corps will be one of the much improved areas of 2008.

Ones to Watch: Brian Smith and Crum

Brian Smith is such a great athlete that both Corwin Brown and Jon Tenuta moved him to the inside. His penchant to get to the ball is remarkable and his play reminds me of Irish greats Demetris Dubose and Courtney Watson.

Crum is going to make his last year in South Bend memorable. His dedication and leadership has helped the younger players tremendously. Here's too another great season for MO!

Secondary
DB Raeshon McNeil
DB Terrail Lambert
FS Kyle McCarthy
SS David Bruton

The best unit coming into camp is still the best even after losing Darrin Walls for the season. Veterans, strength, speed, and talented newcomers have paved the way for Notre Dame to not replace, but reload in the secondary. Expect great things from this unit.

Ones to Watch: Bruton and Robert Blanton

Pound-for-pound David Bruton is the best player on the Irish roster. After having a breakout year last season, the Miamisburg, Ohio, senior will guide the Irish defense to higher standards. Bruton, like Trevor Laws last season, will play his way into a higher pick in the NFL Draft.

Robert Blanton is pushing the starters really hard for playing time. Since the first day he arrived on campus, Roberts swagger and competiveness is what this Irish team needed. He'll definitely see time very soon in different defensive packages because he's a bonafide playmaker.

Season Predictions

San Diego State: The Irish will open the season on a high note (W, 31-14)

Michigan: This game will be the defining game of the season for the Irish. It will be a lot closer than it should be (W, 17-13).

Michigan St: If the Irish win then they'll be on a roll of major proportions! Unfortuantely, I believe State is the 2nd best team the Irish face (L, 28-27)

Purdue: A close call, but the Irish prevail (W, 24-17)

Stanford: ND builds momentum (W, 31-10)

North Carolina: The second loss of the season from the ACC surprise team of the year (L, 21-17)

Washington: Irish walk all over the Huskies (W, 28-9)

Pittsburgh: Big upset win for the Irish at home (W, 31-24)

Boston College: Notre Dame finally gets the best of Fredo (W, 42-31)

Navy: No overtimes and no doubt about it (W, 31-3)

Syracuse: Really? (W, 42-13)

USC: It will be tough and will definitely not be 31 or 38 point blowout (L 31-23)

Cotton Bowl vs. Texas Tech: Shootout in Dallas. Can anyone say chicken soup? (W, 35-34).

Buzz Around Team Camps 8/29/08

Here we go for the Buzz Around Teams Camps for 8/29/08 and the start of the College Football Season:

San Diego State via http://www.signonsandiego.com

Current Aztecs coach Chuck Long agreed to a five-year deal starting in 2006 and has compiled a 7-17 record since. After this season, he will have only two years left on that deal, meaning SDSU will have to decide soon if it wants to extend that contract. Future recruits will want to know if he has job security beyond 2010.

Here's the complete opposite for Coach Long and his contract extension:

Some national pundits have put SDSU's Chuck Long on their "hot seat" lists of coaches next in line to be fired this year. That's not likely, though, unless the Aztecs really go backward this year. More likely is UNLV coach Mike Sanford losing his job after compiling a 6-29 record so far in three seasons. Next in line might be Arizona's fifth-year coach, Mike Stoops, who is 17-29 in Tucson, with no bowl appearances.

What Could have been for SDSU:

To San Diego State, which almost hired or could have hired half of the head coaches in the Pac-10 Conference. Rick Neuheisel (now at UCLA), Jim Harbaugh (Stanford) and Dennis Erickson (Arizona State) all wanted the Aztecs job when it was open in December 2005. SDSU didn't return the interest. "I did make an overture toward the people who were involved in the search, but I don't think it went beyond that," Neuheisel said recently. When the job was open before that in 2001, Mike Riley, now at Oregon State, and Jeff Tedford, now at Cal, each came within a whisker of being hired at SDSU instead of Tom Craft, who was fired in '05

Michigan State via http://www.freep.com

Many Michigan State fans have wondered about the status of the state's top football prospect from the class of 2008, Nick Perry of Detroit Martin Luther King High School. Perry finished his senior year with a state record 36 sacks and helped lead King to the state Championship. The 6-4, 245-pound pass rush specialist signed with USC, but has yet to pass the NCAA Clearinghouse and has not been officially admitted to the university. Perry, who was rated the #1 player in Michigan by SpartanMag.com and the #2 defensive end in the nation by Rivals.com selected the Trojans over a final group of Michigan State, Michigan and Miami. If Perry does not get through the NCAA Clearinghouse, he would likely be released from his scholarship obligation by USC and could take a variety of paths. Perry could attend a Junior College, a Prep School or enroll at another 4-year school as a non-qualified athlete.

North Carolina via http://www.bizjournals.com

The North Carolina Tar Heels should be the most improved NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision team in the state this season, according to an unscientific poll of Triangle Business Journal readers. From Aug. 20 to Aug. 26, visitors to TBJ's Web site were asked, "Which NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision team in North Carolina will be most improved this college football season?" Of the 595 people who responded, 26 percent picked Coach Butch Davis' Tar Heels. A favorable conference schedule and a number of returning starters prompted the media to pick UNC to finish second in the ACC Coastal Division despite the team's 4-8 record in 2007. Right behind UNC in TBJ's poll were the East Carolina Pirates, who won 25 percent of the votes.

Washington and Syracuse via http://www.northjersey.com

Tyrone Willingham, Washington: An 11-25 record since arriving from Notre Dame makes a bowl appearance imperative for job security. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa: His slide from the top has been greased by a 19-18 record the last three seasons. The Hawkeyes expect more for their big investment. Greg Robinson, Syracuse: Why does this man still have his job after a 7-28 three-year run, the worst in the Orange's storied history?

Pittsburgh via http://www.post-gazette.com

Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt has been lauded for his recruiting efforts over the past four years, thus raising expectations for the Panthers. But all that stockpiled talent has not yielded much success. Wannstedt has been patiently building a foundation, focusing most notably on the offensive and defensive lines. Now, on the eve of his fourth season, the Panthers finally seem to have enough experience and depth to become annual contenders for the Big East title.

Southern Cal via http://www.latimes.com

Two parts of USC's quarterback equation became almost certain when Mark Sanchez returned last week from a knee injury. Sanchez would start Saturday's opener at Virginia. And redshirt freshman Aaron Corp, who started the Trojans' final scrimmage and took the majority of leftover snaps upon Sanchez's return, would back him up.

IBB Pigskin Picks: Week 1

Although Notre Dame is just one of six Division I teams to not play this weekend, we will start off the Pigskin Picks for the Fighting Irish opponenets for week 1. So without further delay here we go:

San Diego State vs. Cal Poly
The Aztecs will be looking to avenge their last meeting with the Mustangs, a 16-14 loss in 2006, with a freshmen QB under center. Good thing the SDSU defense, led by Butkus Award Watch List candidate Russel Allen, will pressure Cal Poly all day.

SDSU 28 Cal Poly 17

Michigan vs. Utah
The Rich Rodriguez era begins in Ann Arbor with plenty of question marks. Who will start at quarterback and will the Wolverines be able to implement the spread offense to perfection against the Utes? We shall soon see if Utah can spoil Michigan's home opener. We all know what happened in last season's opener, right?

Michigan 21 Utah 20

Michigan State at California
As far as statement games go, this is as big as it gets for an August opener. California is trying to prove its collapse over the second half of last season was an aberration; a big win over a rising Michigan State team would be a nice start. The Spartans are a sleeper pick in the Big Ten. A victory in Berkeley would be a nice statement win for second-year coach Mark Dantonio.

Michigan State 31 California 28

Stanford vs. Oregon State
Stanford is in Year 2 of the Jim Harbaugh era, and it needs to start with a bang against Pac-10 foe Oregon State. The offense that struggled so much last year might not be appreciably better right away, but the defense has a surprising number of pro prospects.

Oregon State 28 Stanford 13

North Carolina vs. McNeese State
Under coach Butch Davis, and thanks to a slew of excellent recruiting classes, North Carolina is the hot team on the ACC scene. The Tar Heels went 4-8 last season, but they lost six games by six points or fewer -- three of them by three points or fewer. As a more experienced team, the Tar Heels are expected to win close ones. They must bring firepower against McNeese State, which should be the class of the Southland Conference.

North Carolina 38 McNeese State 17

Washington at (21) Oregon
It might be make-or-break time for the Ty Willingham era, as he needs a decent year or the pressure to make a coaching change could be too intense to ignore. There's one huge problem; the date in Eugene could be the easiest of the early lot. With BYU and Oklahoma to follow, this might not be a great start to the year for UW. However, a win in the Pac-10 opener would quickly change the expectations and would set a new tone for the season.

Oregon 35 Washington 20

(25) Pittsburgh vs. Bowling Green
Expectations are sky-high for a Pitt team that has been a major disappointment under Dave Wannstedt. After years of strong recruiting, and with all the key parts returning, including running back LeSean McCoy, linebacker Scott McKilliop and wide receiver Derek Kinder (who missed last season with a bum knee), the Panthers are a Big East title favorite. This week's test is high-octane Bowling Green team.

Pittsburgh 42 Bowling Green 17

Boston College vs. Kent State
It's Game 1 in the post-Matt Ryan era at Boston College, and while everyone will be focusing on new quarterback Chris Crane and a reloading backfield, the defense needs to be the big star. Ryan might be gone, but the Eagles get back potential NFL defensive tackle B.J. Raji along with star linebacker Brian Toal, who missed last year because of injuries. While no one is predicting an ACC title, with this defense BC is good enough to pull it off. With Georgia Tech and its new ground game coming up next, Kent State, with its tremendous rushing attack, should be a good appetizer.

Boston College 34 Kent State 10

Navy vs. Towson
This is the sort of game that Navy desperately needed a year ago and did not get, at least not until it faced Army. That's not to say it's an easy game, because it's not. But it is a game where the potential exists for backups to get playing time if everything goes well. And that is crucial for team morale. Especially so at a place like Navy, where there is so much going on other than football.

Navy 44 Towson 12

Syracuse at Northwestern
Syracuse coach Greg Robinson is on double-secret probation. With a 7-28 start to his Orange career, and with fan interest waning, Robinson could use a win. With a three-game non-conference home stretch against Akron, Penn State and Northeastern to follow before playing host to Pittsburgh, Syracuse wants to win in Evanston could set the tone for a decent first month.

Northwestern 35 Syracuse 27

(3) Southern Cal vs. Virginia
Southern Cal makes a living off big nonconference games. Outside the loss to Vince Young and Texas in the 2006 Rose Bowl, the last time the Trojans lost to a nonconference team was in 2002, 27-20 at Kansas State. This year's team is a national title favorite, but questions abound on offense. Quarterback Mark Sanchez's knee injury isn't helping stabilize the passing game. With two weeks before a showdown against Ohio State, everything must work right away. However, Virginia is looking to make a statement of its own.

Southern Cal 28 Virginia 10

Overall, not a bad week for Notre Dame's opponents as they will go 8-3. T-Minus 9 Days and 55 minutes till Irish start the 2008 season.

San Diego State Aztecs Preview

As the start of the college football season is upon us, Jeremy of the great blog, The Mountain West Connection, has given IBB a little more insight to the Fighting Irish's first opponent San Diego State.

By Jeremy via http://mwcfootball.wordpress.com/

Sorry Aztec fans, but San Diego State will finish in the basement. The media has the Aztecs predicted to finish seventh in the league, but their conference schedule includes road games with Wyoming, TCU, New Mexico, and BYU those are all very likely loses for San Diego State.

Offense: The biggest loss here is at quarterback with Kevin O’Connell getting drafted by the New England Patriots. The replacement has finally decided by Coach Long on Wednesday and, the race was between Ryan Lindley who is a redshirt freshman, then there is junior college transfer Drew Westling, and then the only player with playing experience is Kelsey Sokolski. The winner of the competition is Lindley who will get the start against Cal Poly next Satuday. The offense will need to rely on the running game for the first few games, because the Aztecs lost two receivers to the NFL.

The running game had only 1,247 yards on the yeaer or just at 100 per game, that could be because the Aztecs were down quite often and were playing catch up. Atiyyah Henderson who was projected to be considered all-league last pre season, but was a huge underachiever and only gained 183 yards, and as of this time in camp Henderson is tied with Brandon Sullivan as the starter as of now.

Defense: They gave up 34 points per game last season, and can not be competitive by allowing that many points. The defense does return eight starters, so they should be better. The defensive line was the worst part of the defense and had a very tough time stopping the run. This year new position coach Mike Nelson started spring with a blank slate and quickly made some changes. Multiple players changed positions on the line in an effort to shore up the line.

The strength of the defensive will be the Aztecs linebackers who have multiple seniors at this position and could be one of the best in the league, and they will be lead by Russell Allen who has 36 career starts. The defensive backfield should be very strong as well, and with both starting corners returning they should be able to perform well against the leagues wideouts.

The main thing the defense needs to do is to improve in stopping the run, and force teams to pass which will play in the strength of the Aztecs.

August 30 Cal Poly
September 6 at Notre Dame
September 13 at San Jose State
September 27 Idaho
October 4 at TCU
October 11 Air Force
October 18 at New Mexico
October 25 Colorado State
November 1 at Wyoming
November 8 at No. 16 Brigham Young
November 15 Utah
November 22 UNLV

No chance… @Notre Dame, @TCU, @BYU, Utah

50/50… @San Jose State, Idaho, Air Force, @ New Mexico, Colorado State, @Wyoming, UNLV

Lock it up… Cal Poly (barely)

Projected Record: 4-8

Corso Infatuated with Charlie Weis and the Irish

Everyone's loveable loser, Lee Corso, was at it again during his preseason predictions of the upcoming college football season. Although he didn't really get into a lot because it was a speed drill segment, he was and still is very critical of Coach Weis and his contract.

Well Lee, before you start hating on Coach Weis and the Irish, let's go down memory lane. After having a good stint as a first-time head coach in the powerful I-AA Missouri Valley Conference at the University of Louisville (28-11-3), Corso got his first Division I coaching assignment at Indiana University.

During his first season in Bloomington in 1972, Corso had a whopping 2-9 campaign! I wonder if anyone complained about his contract then? Anyway, Coach Lee produced a spectacular 1-10, 2-8-1, 5-6, 5-5-1, and 4-7 seasons before having two, back-to-back winning seasons. When it was all said and done, Corso was 41-68-2 as the Hoosiers Head Coach.

Lee got another break in 1984 when he headed up the charges at Northern Illinois in Dekalb. Corso got it done quickly in his only season with the Huskies by finishing the year 4-6-1!

As a big time Division I coach, Lee Corso was a phenomenal 45-74-3, good for .368 winning percentage and one of the worst coaches ever in Indiana Hoosier history!

A wiseman once told me, be careful for what you say, because it will bite you in the end!

IBB Watercooler 8/27/08

A lot of stuff has been said of the recently released depth chart with some surprises, no surprises, and possible head scratchers . Here's a little more information regarding the depth chart:

Rudolph, the hard nosed blocker?
Many speculated the toughness and blocking ability of incoming freshman Kyle Rudolph. Well the two most recent practices should put some of those concerns to rest. Rudolph was lined up against several starting defensive linemen in some practice drills and held his own.

One of the reasons why Kyle has been better is the added weight and strength he developed over the summer. After finishing up high school, Kyle was 225, but since arriving to South Bend, he has added 27 pounds to 252. #2 Tight End Will Yeatman is 265, so there shouldn't be too much to worry about the Tight Ends.

Speaking of Tight Ends...
With the loss of Mike Ragone, the depth at the Tight End position looked paper thin. Hybrid Luke Schmidt is splitting time between both the Tight End and Fullback positions, while Joseph Fauria is trying to speed up the learning curve. Another person that has been floating in and out of the Tight End spot is Steve Paskorz. Paskorz, like Schmidt, is splitting time at Fullback as well. Don't be surprised to see both Schmidt and Paskorz to see time at both positions in several goal line and three tight end sets.

Fauria, meanwhile, is probably headed towards the offensive line route too! His progression has been slow and was inserted into a offensive tackle position during practices this week.

Offensive Line Woes or Defensive Tenacity?
Yes the offensive line has had their not so stellar moments in practices. However, the Irish defense is going to be one of the best we have seen in a long time. On Monday, Sept. 8, I fully expect to hear the praises of the offensive line, especially about the play of left tackle Mike Turkovich.

Turkovich has been touted as one of the most improved by the coaches so far in practice. One of the main reasons why Turk and the offensive line will be better is because they are a year wiser and have had one year playing together. Plus they have been pressured and blitzed to death by Jon Tenuta's and Corwin Brown's defense. If that doesn't help, I don't know what else they can do!

Seeing Two at Running Back, literally!
Charlie and Mike Haywood have implemented a two-back pro set formation. It might not be shown on Sept. 6 against San Diego State, but it will be shown real soon. Armando Allen and Robert Hughes were the two used most frequently in the two-back set. As for the plays they used in this formation, I'd rather not divulge much information into enemy hands. But be rest assured, they are excellent plays and utilize both Allen and Hughes strengths.

So what about James?
Plain and simple, James Aldridge is struggling. He's still on the recovery trail from his high school knee injury and last year's ankle problems. Even though he's been in the program for a couple of years, James still hasn't adjusted to the complexity of the college game. If he doesn't speed things up, freshman phenom, Jonas Gray will shed his preserved freshman eligibility status and play. Gray has shown signs of greatness and Barry Sanders in him at practices. So watch out.

Recruiting Trail
If you are worried the momentum of possible recruits, don't. New Jersey defensive lineman Anthony LaLota is going to pull the trigger very soon on where he is going to attend. All signs point to him joining his teammate Tyler Stockton to South Bend.

What to expect in the next few days?
1.) Position battles will be solidified today and tomorrow. Most importantly, the fullback position between incumbent Asaph Schwapp and multi-talented Luke Schmidt. Luke has come into his own as of late and will be used a lot at both the fullback and tight end positions.

Kerry Neal looks like he'll edge out John Ryan if he played like he did yesterday!

2.) Possible transfer rumblings....AGAIN! Since Golden Tate and Michael Floyd have stepped up and secured back up roles to the David Grimes ane Duval Kamara, that has left a sour taste in both George West and Robby Parris' mouths. Parris showed up late to practice and was seen in the same golf cart with Coach Weis at the end. As for West, his injury early in camp has slowed his progress and spirit.

With all that said, don't look for either one of them to go anywhere.

3.) Several new looks offensively and defensively that have not been seen in the Weis era, will be installed for the San Diego State game plan.

Buzz Around Team Camps 8/27/08

Here's the latest Buzz Around Team Camps for Wednesday, August 27:

San Diego State via http://www.goaztecs.com

Aztec Football Press Conference Quotes
On starting the season on a positive note:
"One of our team goals is to get off to a good start. We haven't had a good start in the non-conference since we've been here. We were 0-4 in the first year and 1-3 last year, so getting off to a good start has been a big emphasis. We're anxious to play. It's finally here. We're tired of playing against each other like any team."

On the team's youth:
"We're excited about our team. We have good youth and talent on our football team. It's a team that's going to be together for a couple of years and not just this year. We'll have everybody coming back next year."

On the team's non-conference schedule:
"I think that's the key to any turn-around program. If you study turnarounds in the past 20 years or so -- and I`ve been with a few of them -- they did a big part of it through scheduling. For example, we had three BCS teams last year and this year we have one. We still have to go earn it. They're not gimmes by any stretch of the imagination. You have to go out and earn it. (Cal Poly) is a team that came in here and beat us a couple of years ago, so it's on an earned basis. No one is ever going to roll over for you, but at least it gives us a chance going in. It gives a chance to get footing in this program and get off to a good start like I mentioned before. (When) you're 0-4 or 1-3 coming out of non-conference, you're behind the 8-ball already. Then you have a conference (schedule) to play and it's tough. You try to get to that magical seventh victory. Sometimes a sixth one will get you into a bowl. But you can really pad it by getting that seventh one. That's where non-conference scheduling comes in. In studying the Mountain West in the last 10 years, I don't believe anybody that started with an 0-4 or 1-3 record went to a bowl. Maybe there's one, but you'd have to look it up. They were at least 2-2 or 3-1 going into the conference."

On getting the team's non-conference schedule the way he likes it:
"It was one of the first priorities, if not the first. Scheduling is very tricky and it's very difficult to do. There are financial reasons for that. Some teams say "no, we're not going to let you out," because they either can't find another game or they want to play you. It's not an easy thing to do. You have to have the open dates to match up. We were not able to do much with our first two years, so we looked ahead to year three, which is this year. From this year and beyond, we were really able to fix it. Now we're really working all the way up to 2012."

On quarterback Ryan Lindley:
"We found about Ryan Lindley in high school. He threw for a lot of yards, but I go beyond that. When we're looking for a quarterback, I try to see the intangibles and get a feel for him at the game. I went to one of his games and he didn't throw for the highest yardage total for the season that night. It's was all the other little things: the command he had in the huddle, the way his (teammates) followed him, the way he led and his tenacity. All those little intangibles are what I'm looking for, along with toughness. I said to (offensive coordinator) Del Miller afterwards that we need to go after him. He's the real deal.

"When Ryan was a freshman, he was the most mature young quarterback I've ever seen. He has the chance to be a four-year starter, which would be the first for me in coaching. The most I ever had was a two-year starter. It's exciting for him to have a chance to do that. He needs to perform like everybody and earn his way through games. We have a capable man in Drew Westling behind him. So Ryan knows that there's competition and he needs to perform to stay on the field. But I really like what he has been doing all camp. He has really separated himself. If you didn't know our roster, you would go to our practices and confuse him at times with being a senior. That's a good feeling to have."

On the offensive line:
"I like what we have up front. Peter Nelson came out of spring as a defensive tackle. Now he's our starting left tackle. We made the switch, thinking he's better suited for offense and so did he. Behind him is Brian Milholland, who is a good true freshman to keep an eye on. He has all the tools that you want at that position. He has the feet, the speed and the size. He's maybe our biggest guy on the football team right now. Mike Schmidt has been stable at left guard. Trask Iosefa was our starting center last year and we see him growing as well this year. Ikaika Aken-Moleta is a young man at right guard who is turning out to be a good story. We think he will be by the end of the year. When he first got here, we didn't think he was going to make it. He was overweight. He wasn't in shape. He was one of the last guys to finish the sprints and conditioning. But he has dropped weight and worked hard in school and on the football field. Now that the smoke has cleared, he's our starting right guard and doing well. Then there's Lance Louis. You know his story. He was a tight end, hurt his knee and lost some speed. But he's gifted. He `s got great strength, good feet, and he's got a chance to be a good right tackle for us by the end of the year. We moved him from guard to tackle because we needed that done. But we have the makings of a good offensive line."

On the running back situation:
"We have them in different one- and two-back packages in our system. Each one of them brings a little different nuance to the table, and we want to be able to use those. It will sift down to probably two or maybe three at the most as time goes on. But we have some good packages put together right now with each one bringing a strength to the table. It's been one of the most competitive battles in camp and we like what they're all doing."

Michigan via http://www.freep.com

Rich Rodriguez has been asked dozens of times and still is not budging. The Michigan football coach repeated Monday that he has not settled on a quarterback for Saturday's opener against Utah, as Nick Sheridan and Steven Threet continue to compete. Players were reluctant to evaluate the quarterbacks on the field -- other than receiver Greg Mathews saying Sheridan's the comedian and Threet's more serious -- but Rodriguez said the two have made progress since the spring.

Michigan State via http://enlightenedspartan.com

Lots of changes on MSU's depth chart from early in the off season to today... as expected with camp shaking out. Today's press conference by Dantonio provided lots of final tidbits of info as we head into the season opener at Cal, and all the interesting changes are on the defensive side of the ball... Most notably is at linebacker, where Greg Jones is back outside where the coaches want to use his speed; Eric Gordon is also outside, and Adam Decker will start at MLB. And, both Brandon Long and Trevor Anderon have both been knicked up, which gives some playing time to sophomore Colin Neely converted LB-FB-TE-DE Dwayne Holmes. Holmes has experience and hits like a ton of bricks, but is heavy (290 lbs?), and Colin Neely is a newbie on the block...

Also, coach Dantonio said it would be a "game time decision" as to whether Javon Ringer returns kicks... note to coach - we can't afford to lose Ringer on high-impact, high-risk plays, let alone wear him out. Let's use Ringer where he can benefit the team the best... from set plays in the backfield.

Spartan Injuries of note

John Misch (LB) is out with a stress fracture; Deon Curry (WR) has been bothered with an undisclosed injury but will be ready for the Cal game; DEs Brandon Long and Trevor Anderson are also nursing some nagging injuries but will play at Cal.

Washington via http://seattletimes.nwisource.com

I've covered good football coaches and bad ones. I've covered pleasant ones and prickly ones. But I've never seen one quite like Tyrone Willingham. He enters his fourth season as Washington coach Saturday night in Eugene. It was already laced with implication before it was spiked with two frightful propositions. First, Washington has to open as a double-digit underdog on the road against Oregon, a rival that has passed the Huskies in relevance and rankings. Second, the UW administration, seemingly oblivious to the depths to which the program had sunk, has handed Willingham an impossible schedule. All Willingham's Huskies have to do is ford a schedule that includes Oklahoma, Brigham Young and Notre Dame, plus five Pac-10 road games — including at Oregon and USC — and win at least six to get to a bowl game. And then he can stand on top of a trunk in his locker room and scream lustily, "Why, yes, this is somewhat pleasing for coach Willingham." Or he may just spend that time glowering at a reporter. These have been uneasy days for Willingham's public persona. The coach is showing signs of strain as the pivotal season approaches.

Syracuse via http://www.syracuse.com

Still no decision on a starting tailback or starting cornerback according to head coach Greg Robinson, who met with the media this morning.

"Everybody wants to be the No. 1 guy," said senior tailback Curtis Brinkley today. "I think I had a pretty good camp. And I feel good about myself. I feel like that I'm going to be playing on Saturday. We'll see what happens. Everybody wants to start. It means something to me. It means a lot to me. But it's stuff that I can't control. That's in the coach's hands."

The Orange practiced outside today. Freshman tailback Mike Jones (turf toe) was in shorts and walking around, but not practicing. Redshirt freshman linebacker Ryan Gillum (bone bruise in foot) wore a walking cast and was not practicing. No sign of freshman cornerback Tyrell Harris. He's had a Clearinghouse issue pop up, though it's unknown if that caused him to miss practice or a class.

Southern Cal via http://www.dailynews.com

The crosstown rivalry appears to be heating up before the season even starts. That's because former USC assistant coach Ricky Hunley raised the eyebrows of some members of the football program when he attended the Salute to Troy football barbeque Friday night, an annual event that kicks off the season. What made Hunley's appearance controversial is that he recently got hired at UCLA, where he is assisting Bruins offensive coordinator Norm Chow by doing opponent research. Hunley also attended a USC practice during training camp, but before he got hired at UCLA. A crowd of around 3,500 attended the Salute to Troy, but Hunley's appearance generated the most controversy. He was an assistant under Larry Smith in the early 1990s, and most recently coached with the Cincinnati Bengals before being fired in January.

The Power of Two

The stars are definitely aligned this season for the Irish to have one of the best turnarounds in College Football history! Such factors as having not as daunting a schedule does help indeed, but it's more than that. In fact, it's the Power of Two; as in, 2 receiving votes in the preseason Associated Press Poll.

You might be asking yourself, what the heck is the Power of Two? Well since, 2002, teams that have received 2 receiving votes in the AP Preseason Poll have gone, on average, 8-4. Out of the 11 teams that have been in this spot, only two have gone on to a losing season. Below is the breakdown of teams and their record at the end of that particular season:

2002: North Carolina (3-9); Fresno State (9-5); Toledo (9-5)
2003: Hawaii (9-3); Boston College (8-5), Washington State (10-3)
2004: Bowling Green (9-3)
2005: West Virginia (11-1); Clemson (8-4)
2006: Michigan State (4-8)
2007: Texas Tech (9-4)

Out of those nine bowl teams, only one (Toledo) lost a bowl game. Below is the teams bowl games and results:

2002: Fresno State (Silicon Valley Bowl) vs. Georgia Tech, W 30-21
2002: Toledo (Motor City Bowl) vs. Boston College, L 51-25

2003: Hawaii (Hawaii Bowl) vs. Houston, W 54-48
2003: Washington St. (Holiday Bowl) vs. Texas, W 28-20
2003: Boston College (San Francisco Bowl) vs. Colorado St., W. 35-21

2004: Bowling Green (GMAC Bowl) vs. Memphis, W 52-35

2005: West Virginia (Sugar Bowl) vs. Georgia, W 38-35
2005: Clemson (Champs Sports Bowl) vs. Colorado, W 19-10

2007: Texas Tech (Gator Bowl) vs. Virginia, W 31-28

The luck is on the Irish's side, and will be start on Sept. 6 against San Diego State!

Buzz Around Team Camps 8/25/08

Here's the Buzz Around Team Camps from over the weekend:

San Diego State via http://www.goaztecs.com

The San Diego State football team held its final practice of fall camp on Saturday morning, a session that lasted more than two hours on the SDSU practice fields. The Aztecs will take Sunday off before beginning game week preparations on Monday for next Saturday's Cal Poly game.

"We have had the best camp we have since I got here," head coach Chuck Long said. "I thought our guys put tremendous effort and enthusiasm into our camp and they were in much better condition coming into camp and are in much better conditioning coming out of camp.

Saturday's practice was the 24th practice in the last 18 days since the Aztecs opened fall camp at Camp Pendleton back on Aug. 5. The Aztecs have had just one off day during that span and have had six, two-practice days.

"It has been a lot more fun," Long said. "It has been enjoyable to watch this team grow. They have really worked and concentrated hard all the way through. We tested them mentally and they did a great job."

Monday will mark the beginning of game week as San Diego State gets ready to open its 86th season of football on Saturday against Cal Poly.

Purdue via http://www.purduesports.com

Per his custom, Purdue head football coach Joe Tiller has awarded deserving walkons with scholarships as training camp comes to a close.

This year, Tiller chose fifth-year safety Frank Duong and senior offensive tackle Zach Jones.

Duong, from Osceola, Ind., received the Boilermakers' Hammer Award (outstanding hitter) for the 2008 spring season. He earned the Verle H. Campbell Scout Team Award for defense in 2006. In two seasons, Duong has appeared in 23 games as a reserve and on special teams, totaling 17 tackles (13 solo, 4 assists) and one pass breakup. He was a member of the Purdue track and field team in 2004-05.

Jones, from Plainfield, Ind., joined the Boilermakers in 2005 and subsequently was forced to sit out the 2006 season. He rejoined the team a year ago and appeared in all 13 games, including 12 starts at right tackle. He was part of an offensive line that helped Purdue lead the Big Ten in total offense at 435.9 yards per game and rank 12th nationally in passing offense at 307.2 yards per game.

Tiller now has awarded 41 scholarships to walkons over the last 12 years.

Purdue wraps up training camp this afternoon. Fall semester classes begin Monday

Washington via http://www.seattlepi.nwsource.com

The students marched into University of Washington President Mark Emmert's wood-paneled office Thursday carrying a banner that read, "UW ignores students, Nike ignores workers." The president was out. But one of his assistants was kind enough to make an appointment for the 15 students: Would Wednesday at 3 p.m. work? They said it would, and with banners rustling, they made their way back down three floors of stairs -- but not before noticing that the tea bags in Emmert's office weren't fair trade. Maybe they'd mention that to him when they came back Wednesday to protest how earlier this month the UW quietly made plans to extend an athletic apparel and equipment contract with Nike. The students say Nike, which provides UW athletics teams with uniforms and gear, doesn't do enough to protect the rights of garment workers in other countries.

Pittsburgh via http://www.postgazette.com

Dave Wannstedt, in his fourth year, has posted an underwhelming 13-19 record against I-A competition (16-19 overall) and has yet to take Pitt to a bowl game (The Panthers had been to five bowl games in a row before his arrival). He has recruited well and has been a great ambassador for the program. He now has most of his talent in place and that means finding a way to consistently win games.

Southern Cal via http://www.latimes.com

It's not always clear what you're getting when you recruit a high school

football player, even a blue chip one, because it's a different, faster game on the college level. So we need some guidance. That's where the recruiting services come in. Athlon Sports polled six of the best ones (including PrepStar, Rivals, Scout, Max Emfinger and OD) to compile a list of the top 100 recruits in 2009. And the consensus No. 1 player? Santa Ana Mater Dei High quarterback Matt Barkley. The 6-foot-4, 226-pounder has committed to USC. Among the highest-ranked defensive linemen is 6-3, 280-pound Jamarkus McFarland of Lufkin (Texas) High, who reportedly has Louisiana State, Texas and Oklahoma on his list.

IBB Weekly Motivator: Week 22

The Poodle is showing his TRUE COLORS!

Buzz Around Team Camps 8/22/08

Here's the latest Buzz Around Team Camps for Friday, August 22. Remember there's a Football Friday Chat today at 2:00 p.m. with our special guest, William from the Boston College Blog, Eagle in Atlanta. Hope to see you there!

San Diego State via http://www.sigonsandiego.com

If Tyler Campbell thought leaving his native Texas would allow him to escape notice and the inevitable comparisons with his famous father, he may have picked the wrong place to hole up. San Diego State coach Chuck Long said yesterday that Campbell, who has been all but invisible since arriving from Pasadena City College in 2005, could be the starting tailback Aug. 30 when the Aztecs host Cal Poly in their season opener. "He's doing everything right," Long said. "Not only has he become a leader on this team and one of our captains, but he's got a legitimate shot at becoming the starter (in the Aztecs' one-back set)." All of which comes as surprising news considering that Campbell, the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Earl Campbell, has largely been viewed as a fullback. In the wake of a redshirt season in '05, Campbell has rushed 13 times for 13 yards, numbers that don't exactly redefine the maxim "unlimited potential."

Michigan via http://www.mlive.com

A year ago, the reaction would have been something along the lines of "Cory who?"

But Wednesday's news that a knee injury might sideline Cory Zirbel for this entire University of Michigan football season - potential starting right guard, Cory Zirbel, it should be noted - sparked panic in the streets.

Oh, you think panic in the streets is hyperbole?

Well, consider that new Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez was so unhinged he immediately moved a guy to right guard who had never played the offensive line before and then predicted he could end up starting against Utah next week.

Congratulations, former defensive tackle John Ferrara.

If, by congratulations, you mean good luck with an impossible situation, big boy, but Michigan is pretty much down to true freshmen and walk-ons on the offensive line right now, so ... um ... we appreciate your willingness to try.

Ferrara's new-found calling was, at least in part, because Zirbel's backup, Mark Huyge, is also hurt. The only reason no one's panicking about that is because they're too busy asking, "Seriously, there's a guy on the team named Mark Huyge, and if he wasn't hurt, he might be starting?"

Purdue via http://www.offthetracks.com

As far as other camp news, there isn’t a ton to report other than Taylor’s injury. I like Magee’s move to defensive end a lot. I think it makes the defense even better. In an unsurprising move, Joe Holland was moved to linebacker today. In the same article it mentioned that true freshman Chris Carlino will be playing that rotation as well. It is nice to see that we have some named backups now at a position of glaring need. They will need to learn quickly though. Holland and Carlino are probably undersized, but in a few years this experience could pay some serious dividends.

Coach Tiller seems to like the energy of this team. People outside the program are not sharing such optimism. Though the offense is supposed to be pretty good with one of the best quarterbacks in the country and the defense should be improved, ESPN’s resident Big Ten blogger thinks that Purdue will be one of only two teams in the Big Ten to not go bowling. He’s apparently banking on a 2-2 (or worse) non-conference season knocking us out early. Tiller likes this team, so I hope he is right. I think we will be better than a lot of people think.

Washington via http://www.gohuskies.com

The countdown to the end of fall camp and the beginning of the 2008 college football season becomes more and more apparent with each passing day. Thursday, day 18 of the Husky football team's fall season, featured a light morning for the players, followed by an afternoon practice.

Of interest Thursday was the news that sixth-year senior Juan Garcia, on the verge of making a near-miraculous comeback from a major foot injury last spring, is one of 43 players on the Rimington Trophy preseason watch list. The Rimington award is given to the nation's top center.

Garcia is one of seven centers from the Pac-10 Conference, which was the best-represented league on the list.

In his daily meeting with the press, Coach Tyrone Willingham noted that there will be officials at this afternoon's practice, giving the team a chance to work with referees on the variety of rules changes this year. Among those are new rules for the play clock, as well as new regulations on face-mask penalties and "horse-collar" tackles.

Willingham was also asked to identify some of the players or units that have stood out during the camp thus far, and he listed several.

"I think I'm really excited about Juan Garcia's recovery. That's exciting," Willingham said. "I'm really pleased with the leadership that Casey Bulyca has added up front. I think that's been special for me that he's given the team so much of himself."

"I think our freshman running backs have done a great job of asserting themselves in the mix," he added. "I think the freshmen wide receivers, I wouldn't call them a surprise, but they've shown that it won't be long before they have some real impact."

He also commended the numerous freshmen defensive linemen have performed very well, calling them "exciting."

Pittsburgh via http://www.post-gazette.com

Dave Wannstedt, in his fourth year, has posted an underwhelming 13-19 record against I-A competition (16-19 overall) and has yet to take Pitt to a bowl game (The Panthers had been to five bowl games in a row before his arrival). He has recruited well and has been a great ambassador for the program. He now has most of his talent in place and that means finding a way to consistently win games.

Syracuse via http://www.syracuse.com

You can see it in the way players walk with stiff legs. You can hear it in voices that are spent. Preseason training camp at Syracuse University is taking a physical and mental toll. The Orange has been practicing since August 4, sometimes twice a day and always, at a constant, grinding tempo that does not let up.

Syracuse practices again today at the Carrier Dome. It practices tomorrow. And on Saturday, the Orange will rest. There is no practice that day. There is rest. There is a break.

All things considered, Syracuse is wrapping up camp with a minimum of injuries. There was one serious setback when sophomore receiver Dan Sheeran broke his leg. Other than that, there have been assorted small concussions, twisted knees, turned ankles and turf toes, but nothing that should keep any front-line players from missing the opener against Northwestern on August 30.

Southern Cal via http://www.dailynews.com

USC received a double dose of good news Wednesday when tailback C.J. Gable made a surprising recovery and quarterback Mark Sanchez threw well enough to believe both players could play in the season-opener against Virginia. An MRI revealed Gable strained his hip without suffering further damage. He also sprained his ankle, but USC coach Pete Carroll said the sophomore tailback could return in two days. "His ankle already feels better," Carroll said. "He's feeling better." There were fears Gable might miss the Virginia when he suffered the injuries after being hit from behind Tuesday. Sanchez continues to look poised to start against Virginia after he threw in 7-on-7 drills with no pain or discomfort in his left kneecap, which he dislocated nearly two weeks ago. "I was a little rusty," Sanchez said. "But my leg felt great. I didn't even think about my leg. There's no swelling. It's looking like a knee cap again."

Football Friday Chat 8/22/08

Please stop by and take part in the Football Friday Chat this Friday, August 22 in the IBB Chat Room. Friday's topics will include the latest news from fall camp, the injury report, the depth chart, the recruiting trail, and the latest information surrounding the Irish's 2008 opponents. Also there will the Moderator of the Boston College Blog: Eagle In Atlanta, on hand to field any questions you have about the Eagles.

The chat starts at 2 p.m. EST and you can join by either clicking on the IBB Chat Room link on the right hand side of the IBB blog page or by typing this URL: http://client11.addonchat.com/sc.php?id=292584

Hope to see everyone there, and as always, GO IRISH!

Buzz Around Team Camps 8/21/08

Here's the Thursday edition of the Buzz Around Team Camps:

San Diego State via http://www.goaztecs.com

With only 10 days remaining until the 2008 home opener, the Aztec football team logged its second-to-last two-a-day practice on Wednesday at the on-campus workout facility. SDSU ended the day with a two-minute drill, as the defense held off the offense when cornerback Vonnie Holmes made a spectacular one-handed interception in the end zone on the final play.

After the workout, the Aztec coaching staff took part in the second annual Football 101 for Women in the Aztec Hall of Fame auditorium. The clinic gives participants the opportunity to learn the basics of the game in a relaxed setting and experience football first hand.

"This is one of our ways of giving back," said SDSU head coach Chuck Long. "We go through some basic film study and run through plays out on the field. We all have a great time (at this event)."

The Aztecs will have a single afternoon practice on Thursday, followed by their final two-a-day of fall camp on Friday.

Michigan State via http://enlightenedspartan.com

Spartan gridders have scrapped their two-a-day practices for a season opener focus on the California Golden Bears. The depth chart is working itself out, with the most interesting battle at linebacker -- Adam Decker, Brandon Denson, and Ryan Allison are all competing for that third spot in our 4-3 next to Greg Jones and Eric Gordon. Damn, that's some fine depth we have at LB. Coaches are pretty happy with the play of highly touted recruit Charlie Gantt at TE, who has big shoes to fill with the departure of Kellen Davis to the NFL.

Stanford via http://www.gostanford.com

Quarterback Tavita Pritchard threw two touchdown passes and freshman running back Delano Howell ran for two others during Stanford's second and final scrimmage of its fall camp under the lights at Stanford Stadium.

Pritchard connected with sophomores Doug Baldwin for a 37 yard TD pass and also found Ryan Whalen for a 24 yard scoring strike.

Howell opened the scoring with a 34 yard touchdown run around right end. He also came back to score on a three yard run.

Senior placekicker Aaron Zagory was 3-for-3 in field goal attempts, connecting from distances of 37, 36 and 35 yards.

"I saw a lot of good things out there tonight," said head coach Jim Harbaugh. "I thought we were real sharp in some areas. We did show some signs of camp legs, but that's to be expected. We're not looking for fresh, we're looking for strong.

"I think being in the stadium under the lights really helped with creating a game situation. There were some butterflies out there."

Harbaugh also praised the play of defensive ends Pannel Egboh and Erik Lorig, who each had a sack.

Washington via http://www.gohuskies.com

The 17th day of Washington's preseason football camp included what was likely a welcome respite for most of the team. After a full-pads morning practice, the scheduled afternoon practice was called off.

In his meeting with the press at lunchtime, Coach Tyrone Willingham explained the decision to chance the schedule.

"Rest is always important. We felt like it's the right time to put a little rest in there," Willingham said. "We had some time built into the schedule because we anticipated that we might need it."

He went on to explain that this afternoon's practice wasn't meant to be that physically demanding in the first place, as it was slated as a "mock game" in which coaches mostly go over situation substitutions, etc.

"What we had scheduled this afternoon was really a rest for the guys in terms of what we did on the field," Willingham explained. "We call it a mock game, and it's more for the coaches than it is for the players."

Not surprisingly, Willingham was asked about quarterback Jake Locker and his continued return from an earlier injury. The progress report was good.

"Jake has been fine. Obviously, he's not doing everything and we're not including him in everything," Willingham said. "But he probably could do everything."

Coach Willingham also praised his youthful units in the offensive backfield and the defensive line, indicating that he and the coaching staff have been pleased with their progress.

North Carolina via http://www.tarheelblue.com

Like a swimmer preparing for the Olympics, the Tar Heels are starting to taper their practices as they prepare for the season opener, which is just ten days away. Wednesday night's session checked in at less than two hours, as the players and coaching staff dodged periodic rainstorms on the practice field. Despite the occasional showers, the entire practice took place outside...Players worked out in shoulder pads and shorts rather than full pads. As Butch Davis said on the very first day of camp, one of his foremost priorities is to make it to August 30 with his team as healthy as possible. Most of the Tar Heels who missed portions of the second week of camp with a variety of nagging injuries are working their way back into the regular rotation...As has frequently been the case lately, several NFL scouts were on hand. A quick glance showed representatives from the Cardinals, Jets, Bucs, Lions, and Eagles...

Some elements of practice are starting to bear more resemblance to a typical game week practice. One segment of Wednesday night was devoted to the first team offense against the scout team defense and the first team defense against the scout team offense. Anthony Parker-Boyd saw action as the scout team quarterback when the Tar Heels wanted to simulate a more athletic, versatile opposing QB.

Pittsburgh via http://www.post-gazette.com

Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt will not officially name his starting quarterback until after today's scrimmage, but it's a mere formality that Bill Stull will lead the offense. "He had a very good spring and summer last year, enough for us to decide that he was our starter," offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh said. "I thought it was only fair that he come back, and not only compete, but probably take the job. "And he did that. If he had stumbled along the way, had he shown rust or not been confident, that would have shown early. And that didn't happen. He came in like it was his job from Day 1 and he hasn't let anyone take it away from him."

Boston College via http://www.bceagles.com

Freshman Josh Haden rushed for 52 yards on just eight carries in Boston College's third scrimmage of the preseason on Sunday afternoon at Alumni Stadium. The offensive line improved from the last outing as the Eagles' defense did not record a sack on the day.

"I was looking for improvement from the first (scrimmage) to the second to the third," head coach Jeff Jagodzinski said. "Overall, I was pleased that we made it through without any major injuries. Now it's time to start preparing for Kent State."

Haden's longest scamper of the day was 22 yards. Senior Chris Crane went 10-for-20 for 66 yards and a touchdown while classmate Brandon Robinson led all receivers with 30 yards on a pair of catches.

Freshmen Chris Pantale and Clyde Lee caught two passes apiece for 23 and 19 yards, respectively.

Senior Steve Aponavicius hit both of his field goal attempts with makes from 38 and 26 yards.

Junior Marty Bowman led the defense with six tackles while senior Garrett Seeger and redshirt freshman Will Thompson both had five. Sophomore Wes Davis recorded an interception to go along with three tackles.

Southern Cal via http://www.dailynews.com

USC linebacker Brian Cushing has been an All-American and a Rose Bowl defensive MVP, but he would like something even more than any individual accolade this year: A healthy season. Cushing's career is comprised of highlights from a fairly short period of time. Although he is a senior, he missed significant parts of his freshman and junior seasons with injuries. Last season he played in only eight games because of a nagging ankle injury. When he was a freshman, a dislocated shoulder limited him to parts of eight games. Whenever he looks at his USC career, the specter of injuries always looms as an eventual topic. "Yeah, it definitely has been frustrating," Cushing said. "I hear those injury-prone comments all the time. But it's been two bad-luck things." For Cushing, playing a full season in 2008 is vital because he wants to be a first-round pick in the NFL draft. Some mock drafts list him as a potential first-rounder, if he can stay healthy. "That would be helpful, because he has been banged up," USC coach Pete Carroll said. "This year will have something to say about his status if he missed a number of games." Cushing said missing nearly 33 percent of two seasons is impossible to ignore, so he knows the NFL will inquire about it.

More on Southern Cal's QB situation via http://www.latimes.com

It was supposed to serve as the final proving ground for USC quarterbacks Aaron Corp and Mitch Mustain in their competition to possibly replace injured starter Mark Sanchez. It still might, but today's scrimmage at the Coliseum looks more like a stage to decide who could be Sanchez's backup. On Wednesday, Sanchez took another step toward returning for the Aug. 30 opener at Virginia, participating in 7-on-7 passing drills for the first time since suffering a dislocated left kneecap Aug. 8. If the junior has no setbacks, he will participate in all drills next week and probably start the opener. "He looked terrific," Coach Pete Carroll said.

Update on C.J. Gable's injury

USC tailback C.J. Gable (Sylmar High) injured his hip and sprained his ankle Tuesday and will be out for an unknown amount of time, but it appears unlikely he will play in the season opener against Virginia. Gable, expected to share the bulk of the carries with Stafon Johnson, was on crutches after getting hit in practice. He underwent an X-ray that showed no damage but will undergo an MRI today. "We don't know how long he will be out, they need to see after the tests," USC coach Pete Carroll said. "It was a high-ankle sprain, so we'll have to see on that, too." USC team doctor James Tibone examined Gable after practice. "I think the hip is the worst part," Tibone said. "I can't tell right now (how long he will be out). We won't know for a few days."

College Football and the Olympics?

It looks like both Pete Carroll and Rich Rodriguez took time away from their busy schedules to take the gold for the good old USA!

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Buzz Around Team Camps 8/20/09

Just when you thought that USC's injury riddled team was getting back to full strength, guess again. Here's Wednesday's skinny of the Buzz:

San Diego State via http://www.signonsandiego.com

As ticket sales and attendance have continued to decline, San Diego State football games at Qualcomm Stadium have cost city taxpayers more than $310,000 in losses the past two years, according to stadium officials. Now the city wants SDSU to help make ends meet in the future - a point that has led to a hang-up in negotiations for a new lease between the Aztecs and the city.

As far as practices go via http://www.goaztecs.com

San Diego State football held a two-and-a-half hour practice on Tuesday afternoon at the SDSU practice fields.

In addition to the typical practice segments, the Aztecs once again worked on short-yardage situations.

Prior to practice, head coach Chuck Long released an updated depth chart, marking the first change since fall camp began. He singled out junior Ikaika Aken-Mooleta for making the jump to the top line at right guard.

"Aken-Moleta has come a long way since we got here," Long said. "We were not sure if he was going to be here or not. He got overweight and he slimed down. He has done a great job this camp and has been a good story for us."

The junior's progress at right tackle enabled the coaching staff to move Lance Louis to right tackle.

"(Aken-Moleta) had a real good spring and got better and better," Long said. "His progression has helped us move Lance to the outside."

The Aztecs will hold their next to last two-a-day practice tomorrow. This is the final full week of fall camp, before the team begins its game-week preparations for the Aug. 30, opener against the Mustangs at Qualcomm Stadium.

Michigan via http://www.freep.com

One of Michigan's two verbal commitments at the quarterback position in the class of 2009 has decided to re-open his recruitment and is no longer pledged to the Wolverines. The father of Chesapeake, Va., four-star quarterback Kevin Newsome confirmed Tuesday afternoon with rivals.com that the family has informed Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez that Newsome will start looking at other schools. Newsome's father said Michigan will still be considered as his son moves forward with his recruitment. One factor expected to be important, however, is the proximity of a school to his Hampton Roads-area home. Virginia Tech should be atop the list of new contenders for his services ,and Newsome's former high school coach already has publicly lobbied for him to play his college football in-state.

Pittsburgh via http://pittsburghlive.com

Junior Bill Stull will be named the Panthers' starter again appears to be a formality. Stull has taken his snaps exclusively with the first-team offense, has worn a red jersey to indicate off-limits to contact in practice and has earned the respect and admiration of coaches and teammates. Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said Stull would have been the "best-kept secret" in the Big East Conference last season. Instead, Stull took a medical redshirt, while the Panthers' passing game struggled with a pair of freshmen quarterbacks in Pat Bostick and Kevan Smith. They combined to throw almost twice as many interceptions (17) as touchdowns (nine).

Southern Cal via http://www.latimes.com

USC’s backfield, already in flux with quarterback Mark Sanchez coming back from a knee injury, sustained another blow Tuesday when running back C.J. Gable suffered hip and ankle injuries. Gable, a redshirt sophomore who started the 2006 and 2007 openers, sustained a sprained left hip and ankle when he was tackled during a scrimmage drill. Gable redshirted in 2007 after having abdominal surgery following the third game. He was on crutches Tuesday when he emerged from the locker room.

Meanwhile on the Southern Cal front via http://www.dailynews.com

USC assistant coach John Morton took the unusual step of saying he should be fired Monday, perhaps a first for a coach in the Pete Carroll era. Morton's offense was that he forgot to play wide receiver Jordan Cameron during Saturday's scrimmage at the Coliseum. "I totally screwed that up. I didn't put him in," Morton said. "I should be fired for that. I made a mental error. I ask the players not to make mental errors so I shouldn't make them myself." Cameron, a transfer from Ventura College, has been impressive in practices, so his absence from the scrimmage was noticeable.

Although the coaches have not said who would start, Aaron Corp appears to be ahead of Mitch Mustain based on recent performances. Mustain was intercepted by safety Marshall Jones during Monday's practice. "I like the way Aaron handled the four-minute drill," offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian said. "They both did a nice job though. I think we've gotten a fairly good assessment so far."

USC's Damian Williams could end up on the receiving end this season of passes from Mitch Mustain, his long-time friend and fellow transfer from Arkansas. The wide receiver left a messy situation at Arkansas to transfer to USC, and the Razorbacks' loss has been his (and Trojans') gain.

Buzz Around Team Camps 8/19/08

Here's Tuesday's injury plaqued edition of the Buzz Around Team Camps:

Purdue via http://www.offthetracks.org

Last night we had the news that Jaycen Taylor was injured at the end of practice. Today it was revealed that the injury sounds just as serious as expected. Nothing is official, but the tone of that article certainly makes it sound like Taylor is done for an extended amount of time, if not the entire season. At least if he returns healthy he will be the full on starter in 2009.

What was more surprising was some of the position switches that were announced at the end of practice today. The Magee move is not a surprise. I actually like it as it gives us some serious size on the defensive line, which is what we have lacked for a long time. Magee is quick for his size as well. He can make a difference on the end while we have several other good players that can play at tackle. This makes the defense a lot better, in my opinion. It also erases, at least partially, a question mark.

Pittsburgh via http://www.pittsburghlive.com

Pitt's deep backfield is getting even deeper. Tailback Chris Burns, a true freshman out of Wilmington High School near Sharon, is dazzling coaches and teammates at Pitt training camp. "Chris Burns," Panthers coach Dave Wannstedt said, "you've got to love him." Defensive coordinators won't share that affection. Burns gives the Panthers another weapon in a backfield that includes tailbacks LeSean McCoy, the nation's leading freshman rusher last year, and senior LaRod Stephens-Howling, a 1,600-yard career rusher. While the 5-foot-11, 190-pound Burns may redshirt, he remains part of a three-man audition for the No. 3 tailback spot, along with redshirt sophomore Kevin Collier and redshirt freshman Shariff Harris.

Navy via http://www.navysports.com

The Navy defense recorded 16 tackles for a loss, seven sacks and picked off two passes against the offense in a 100-play scrimmage conducted Saturday morning in front of more than 3,000 fans at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Junior linebacker Tony Haberer (Liberty Hill, Texas) and sophomore linebacker Tyler Simmons (Goldsby, Okla.) led the defense with seven tackles apiece.

"We stink on offense right now," said Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo. "That is two weeks in a row the defense has come out and whipped the offense's butt. I don't think I've ever been involved in a scrimmage here where the offense hasn't scored at least one touchdown. I've been here 11 years and this is the first time that has happened. The defense played great and the offense has a long ways to go."

Southern Cal via http://www.latimes.com

With less than two weeks before the Aug. 30 opener against Virginia, the quarterback derby is moving into a pivotal stretch. Aaron Corp and Mitch Mustain are competing to possibly replace injured starter Mark Sanchez, while Sanchez is working to return in time to play against the Cavaliers. "I haven't taken any steps back in my rehab so everything is looking good right now, but we'll have to wait and see," said Sanchez, who suffered a dislocated left kneecap 10 days ago. Carroll said Sanchez was expected to do some running on the field Tuesday and that other elements would be added as he progressed. Knowing who the starter might be heading into game week was not imperative, according to Carroll. "Everything is still up in the air and we'll just see," he said. "There's no rush yet."

It took 10 days before USC quarterback Mark Sanchez was able to show he could drop back with speed and make a variety of passes after dislocating his left kneecap. The junior now has about a week to demonstrate he is fit enough to possibly start in the Aug. 30 opener at Virginia. On Monday, under the watchful eye of offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, Sanchez went through a battery of throws to a rehabilitation specialist. He also played catch with Coach Pete Carroll. "If it were up to me, I'm playing," said Sanchez, who is scheduled to throw to receivers today. Sanchez, however, added that there is still some swelling and also pain when he attempts to fully flex his left leg. He allowed that trainers would make the final decision about his readiness after monitoring his recovery through the week.

IBB Watercooler 8/19/08

Here's the latest dish from around the IBB Watercooler for Tuesday, August 19th, 2008:

Do I foresee a medical redshirt year?
Just this past week, sophomore offensive lineman Matt Romine was granted a medical redshirt year after injuring himself during the Michigan game last season. Romine logged only 11:17 of game action last season as a freshman.

Another casualty that might fall into that same medical reshirt category is freshman linebacker Anthony McDonald. After injuring his hamstring in practice and not letting anyone know, McDonald reinjured his hamstring and has since not been with his Irish teammates at practice. The severity of his injury has not been made public, but word on the street is that Anthony completely detached his muscle from his thigh bone. If that's the case, then don't expect McDonald to see any action at all, including spring ball this season!

Receiver Rotation Shaping Up Nicely
It's becoming more apparent every practice that the top four receivers will be Duval Kamara, Golden Tate, David Grimes, and Michael Floyd. These four have been the most dependable, sure handed, best route running receivers we have on the roster. Kamara is only going to get better as the season goes on. Tate has improved by leaps and bounds from last season and will be very noticeable come Sept. 6. What more can you say about the Notre Dame captain Grimes? He's a great leader that can get the troops ready for battle. Floyd is going to be one of the all-time greats by the time he finishes here in South Bend. He's just that good!

The next two in line are George West and Deion Walker, which means John Goodman will most likely see some playing time on special teams or will be on the list of potential fifth year players for the future. Walker is too good of an athlete not to have on the field, while West has the blazing speed to more utilized in the Irish return game. West too, has also missed some practice time due to injury.

So where does that leave Robby Parris? Good question, because Parris just came back to practice after sitting out a few due to a bum ankle. Depending on how he recovers quickly and if he can become a more reliable receiver, Robby could be lost in the shuffle.

Surprises moving up the depth charts?
Sergio Brown has made significant strides that he is being rotated in and out of the first team defense with Harrison Smith. To this day, both Brown and Smith have had the most impressive hits in practice.

Other interesting moves have been Justin Brown being inserted in the first group, while Ethan Johnson is the first one rotating in the mix. Look for EJ to either start against the Aztecs or be the first one in along the defensive line.

Robert Blanton who has looked like a lock down corner has taken a few steps back. The speed of the fast paced college game has gotten to him, while the superb play of fellow freshman Jamoris Slaughter has moved him into the second unit of the secondary.

Just for Kicks
It most likely is going to shape up for the Irish to have three kickers starting on Kickoffs, Punting, and Field goals. Ryan Burkhart pretty much solidified the kickoff duties as being the most consistent in getting the ball into the endzone. Eric Maust is booming his kicks punting and, IMO, will be a darkhorse for the Ray Guy Award. Seriously, he's that good. Brandon Walker looks to have distanced himself from the pack and in his range in field goals. He is being more accurate in kicks and is getting some distance too!

We'll have more watercooler talk this Friday as we get more into the depth charts and any other information that becomes available.

As always, GO IRISH!

Buzz Around Team Camps 8/18/05

Here's all the latest news from over the weekend on Notre Dame's 2008 opponents:

Michigan via http://mgoblog.com/

Ugh. Michigan’s offensive line, already paper thin after a wide variety of departures, is the last place Michigan can afford an injury. So this is lame: reports from Fan Day indicate that Mark Huyge has a high ankle sprain and the injury that held Corey Zirbel out of the last week of camp is going to last into the season. A high ankle sprain can linger a long time, so Huyge might not be heard from until midseason. He wasn’t being mentioned as a potential starter, but he’s one of the few non-freshman (of the true variety) available past the starters. Zirbel’s issue is apparently less severe but there’s talk of minor knee surgery and he will miss at least the Utah game. If you’ve got a Rivals subscription you can hear him say it sucks about 30 times in four minutes. Zirbel had locked down a starting guard spot. His loss presses Dave Molk into the lineup at center; David Moosman slides over to guard.

In the absence of the two injured linemen, Michigan now has one backup who’s not a true freshman: redshirt sophomore tackle Perry Dorrestein. Hopefully Zirbel returns ASAP.

Michigan State via http://www.freep.com

Since coming to Michigan State, Head Coach Mark Dantonio has made the Detroit Metropolitan Area a main focus for Spartan recruiting. In addition to having native Detroiter Dan Enos serve as the primary recruiter, Coach Dantonio himself has made numerous trips to the Motor City. The focus has paid off handsomely for the Spartans as many of the area's top prospects have either committed to play for Michigan State next year or are already in East Lansing. The Class of 2010 should be no different.

Pittsburgh via http://www.pittsburghlive.com

Pitt received its 11th football commitment from the Class of 2009 when Elizabeth (N.J.) running back Raymond Graham picked the Panthers after visiting for their scrimmage today in the South Side. Graham chose the Panthers over scholarship offers from Connecticut, Maryland, Michigan State and North Carolina State. Penn State also was showing interest. Raymond Graham picked the Panthers after visiting for their scrimmage today in the South Side.

Southern Cal via http://www.latimes.com

The misadventures of USC running back Joe McKnight continue. The sophomore from Louisiana spent Sunday night's practice on a golf cart, wearing a near full-length brace on his right arm. McKnight suffered a hyperextended elbow in the Trojans' scrimmage at the Coliseum the night before Coach Pete Carroll said. McKnight's latest mishap came only a few days after he injured two fingers, including a slight fracture at the tip of one, when a teammate accidentally closed a dormitory door on McKnight's right hand. McKnight sat out parts of a few practices after that mishap. He was previously sidelined because of a skin irritation.

Notre Dame Student Section Rated One of the Best in the Nation

Tis the season for College Football preseason magazines! One magazine I usually just glance over and don't get much information out of is ESPN's College Football preview. ESPN's annual came out earlier last week and had the usual USC, Ohio State, and Florida love fest, but one article, which was ranked by a panel of 20 experts of coaches, ADs, players, refs and the media—to sort 'em up, just might surprise some Irish fans.

Besides the national, conference, player, and unit specific rankings, ESPN also had the Student Sections rated too! Here are the six categories of the Top 5 Best according to this panel:

Loudest
1. Florida
2. Oregon
3. Tennessee
4. Penn State
5. Texas A&M

Most Fun
1. Penn State
2. Notre Dame
3. Virginia Tech
4. Texas A&M
5. Texas

Nastiest
1. Wisconsin
2. Florida
3. LSU
4. Ohio State
5. Rutgers

Most Spirited
1. LSU
2. Wisconsin
3. West Virginia
4. North Carolina State
5. Michigan State

Most Creative
1. Notre Dame - The Students never stop. "They have a cheer ready for every play. They may even have material prepared for timeouts." (Georgia State coach Bill Curry)
2. Penn State
3. Alabama
4. Virginia Tech
5. Yale

Best Overall
1. Penn State
2. Texas A&M
3. Oregon
4. Florida
5. Notre Dame

It's only going to be a matter of time before the Fighting Irish will be in the same ranking as the Student Section!

IBB Weekly Motivator: Week 21

Expect to see a lot more of this from the new and improved Irish defense!

Buzz Around Team Camps 8/15/08

Here's the latest of what's going on around a few Irish opponents camps. We'll have an entire breakdown of what happened this weekend on all 12 Notre Dame opponents on Monday.

Purdue via http://www.nwi.com

This marks Tiller's 12th and final season at Purdue. He will hand over the reins of the program and his playbook to successor Danny Hope, then likely retire from coaching."We've kinda joked about it with some of our players that I'm a 'senior' this year, just like they are," Tiller said. It could be a bumpy farewell tour with Oregon, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Michigan on the schedule. At 83-54 overall, Tiller needs only two victories to surpass Jack Mollenkopf as the winningest football coach in Purdue history.

Former Georgia Tech wide receiver D.J. Donley's transfer to Purdue is on hold, but Tech officials dispute Purdue coach Joe Tiller's assertion that is their fault. They suggest Donley may be slowing himself. Donley, who blocked two punts and caught eight passes for the Yellow Jackets as a freshman last season, left school in January and decided in the spring to transfer.

Michigan State via http://www.freep.com

Since coming to Michigan State, Head Coach Mark Dantonio has made the Detroit Metropolitan Area a main focus for Spartan recruiting. In addition to having native Detroiter Dan Enos serve as the primary recruiter, Coach Dantonio himself has made numerous trips to the Motor City. The focus has paid off handsomely for the Spartans as many of the area's top prospects have either committed to play for Michigan State next year or are already in East Lansing. The Class of 2010 should be no different.

Washington via http://seattletimes.nwsource.com

Only a couple of miles away from Husky Stadium, football coach Tyrone Willingham found the new lead man of his next recruiting class. Willingham, whose uncertain future had some worried about recruiting, received a commitment Thursday from Garfield High School defensive tackle Deandre Coleman, considered by many to be the top senior in the state. He chose the Huskies instead of offers from defending national champion LSU, Oregon and California.

Southern Cal via http://www.latimes.com/sports

USC's rash of unusual injuries and maladies continued when a door closed on running back Joe McKnight's right hand late Wednesday night, sending him to the emergency room with two injured fingers. McKnight practiced Thursday with his right middle and ring fingers taped, completing about half the workout. Afterward, the fingers bloodied as he approached the locker room, he said he had a slight fracture in the tip of one, but "it's not going to slow me down," from practicing or playing in the Trojans' Aug. 30 opener at Virginia. McKnight's mishap occurred after the team returned from the screening at Universal CityWalk. It was not the result of horseplay, according to Carroll, McKnight and several players.

It took about a week, but USC's first unhappy camper emerged Wednesday. Defensive end Everson Griffen, who missed several days with a hamstring injury, was visibly upset after practice. "I don't want to talk right now," an angry Griffen said. "I'm happy. I don't want to talk about anything." One teammate said Griffen told him he was "not happy right now," but the exact reason was not clear. Coaches were frustrated by his absence since Sunday and have also spoken to him about being too cocky. Last year, senior defensive end Kyle Moore frequently clashed with Griffen over his attitude. Griffen arrived at USC rated as one of the top 10 players in the nation and Carroll said he could play in the NFL straight out of high school. So far, Griffen has been inconsistent. Sources said Carroll spoke to him Tuesday about stepping up, but Carroll said he merely addressed a group of players about being sidelined with nagging injuries.

IBB Watercooler 8/15/08

Here's the latest talk around the IBB Watercooler for this Friday, August 15:

Are there more transfers to come?
The answer to that question is no. Luke Schmidt has been rumored and pegged as the next to go, but that is far from the truth. The Jasper, Indiana product tinkered around with the notion during the spring as he split time between both the fullback and tight end positions. Friends and family close to Luke say he is committed to graduating from Notre Dame and will work his tail off to make the field regularly for the Irish. Currently Schmidt is being rotated in with Steve Paskorz as the backup to Asaph Schwapp.

Also this week there was speculation as to why freshman linebacker Anthony McDonald was not at some practices. McDonald first tweaked his hamstring during the Fan Appreciation practice last Sunday and didn't tell team trainers the extent of it. Then on Monday, McDonald hurt it some more during some defensive drills and has since been working more with the team doctors and trainers to get back on the practice fields. Anthony was in the pool therapy the past couple of days while his teammates have been practicing.

As for any foreseeable transfers for the Irish, your guess is as good as mine.

Speaking of Transfers, why did Jackson leave?
Richard Jackson's departure from the Irish is not surprising at all. He only saw special teams action as a freshman and no time last season due to lingering injuries. After he saw noticeable decrease in reps, the Florida native felt it was time to move on. Freshmen Michael Floyd and John Goodman have showed why they were High School All-Americans and are positioning themselves up in the rotation. Jackson, meanwhile, spent Wednesday evening mulling over his options after he spoke with position coach Rob Ianello and Head Coach Charlie Weis about his intentions to transfer. Both coaches talked with Richard about staying with the program, but in the end Jackson felt he can play somewhere.

Yesterday evening he asked for his release from Coach Weis. Jackson has been in contact with several Division I and I-AA schools from the state of Florida. The early leaders on his pecking order are Florida A&M, Central Florida, South Florida, and Miami.

Who's been the biggest surprise so far?
Depending on who you ask, the media, the coaches, or the fans, the most popular has been #9! Actually both Ethan Johnson and Kyle Rudolph have made lasting impressions on the coaching staff. Johnson has given the offensive line fits with his power and strength, while Rudolph has created mismatches with his deceptive speed and quick separation from his defenders. Don't be surprised if both see significant time on Sept. 6.

Another pair that has been strong and really isn't a surprise is Harrison Smith and Michael Floyd. Smith has picked right up where he left off from the Blue and Gold game and has not looked back since. He is the necessary spark plug this defensive unit has been waiting for, for some time. Floyd is nothing short of what has been advertised. He has great technique and is the best route receiver on the team, hands down.

Besides McDonald, who else has been hit with the injury bug?
Will Yeatman, George West, and Chris Stewart, all have slight concussions. The intense and spirited practices have produced some amazing hits. The best so far was freshman Robert Blanton's helmet popping hit of George West. West was down for the count after being drilled down the sidelines from Blanton.

James Aldridge has been slowed a little with an ankle, but is nothing too serious. Coaches and trainers have kept him out for some precautionary measures.

What to expect the next couple of days?
1.) Expect to hear more bogus rumors about transfers on the message boards.

2.) Several moves by freshmen up the depth chart.

3.) A kicking battle between Brandon Walker and Ryan Burkhart.

4.) The newly inspired defense.

Hail To the Victors Valiant?

I bet you never thought you'd read that phrase as a headline on this blog. With football season approaching, I thought it would be appropriate to give a nod of respect to one of our oldest rivals, the University of Michigan. In their long and storied history, they really do have a lot to be proud of. Here is a link to a real Michigan website. On this page, they chronicle their acheivments and sell related UM championship gear online. Take a look it's pretty interesting. Just click on the title of this story.

Are You Ready For Some Football?

Irish Band of Brothers has cordially invited their readers to join a CBSSports.com Fantasy College Football league! To accept this invitation and join the IBB League, cut and paste the link into your browser's address field :http://freemeeting.0.collegefb.sportsline.com/splash/invite/4917/33296/33366e6a8bbff450

The IBB League is a public league in which you'll not be required to enter a password.


Keep in mind that each CBSSports.com Fantasy College Football and the IBB League has a limited number of spots, so it's possible that the IBB League could be full before you have a chance to join. If that happens, or if you're interested in a different type of league, you can easily scan other open leagues or even create a new league at: http://www.cbssports.com/fantasy

We hope you enjoy CBSSports.com Fantasy College Football in the IBB League and have a great season.

And as always, GO IRISH!

Buzz Around Team Camps

Here's the latest on Notre Dame's opponents during their respective fall camps.

San Diego State via http://www.goaztecs.com

The San Diego State football team entered its second week of 2008 fall camp Tuesday with a single afternoon workout at its on-campus facility.

After practice, Aztec head coach Chuck Long praised the team's offensive line and singled out the play of linebacker Jerry Milling, quarterback Ryan Lindley, wide receiver Roberto Wallace, defensive end B.J. Williams and cornerback Davion Mauldin.

Wallace is slated to be a key figure in a wide receiving corps that lost its top two performers from a year ago in Chaz Schilens and Brett Swain, both of whom were selected in the 2008 NFL Draft.

"As a group, they've [the wide receivers] come a long way," Long said. "(Darren) Mougey, Vincent Brown and Roberto Wallace are the guys in the front. Mekell (Wesley) is right there and Jon Toledo's been hurt and has got to get back into the flow of it. (Freshman) Dominique Sandifer also may get some time this year, just like Vincent did last year (as a true freshman)."

On Wednesday, the Aztecs will log its second of three, two-a-day practices scheduled for this week, culminating in Saturday's annual Family Day Scrimmage at Qualcomm Stadium.

Michigan via http://www.mgoblue.com

Below are tidbits about the Wolverines after nine days of camp:

• Coach Rodriguez stressed that the mental fatigue of camp is playing as big a role as physical fatigue. The staff increases the tempo near the end of practices to help the players acclimate and overcome mental fatigue.

• The team's quarterbacks continue to improve daily. An emphasis has been put on fundamentals due to each quarterback's limited collegiate experience, but the coaching staff is pleased with the breadth of the playbook that they have been able to handle. Nick Sheridan and Steven Threet have each been taking snaps with the first team. Justin Feagin has practiced through shoulder fatigue but remains in the mix.

• Coach Rodriguez's ideal situation would be to have eight offensive linemen that he could use in game situations. The offensive line has had its ups and downs in fall camp. Steve Schilling has remained consistent and David Molk has improved. Mark Ortmann and Tim McAvoy have been solid and freshmen Ricky Barnum and Rocko Khoury have been the best of the newcomers on the offensive line.

• The tight end position is up for grabs with Mike Massey, Carson Butler, Martell Webb and Kevin Koger battling daily.

• Special teams will be a focal point of the program with starters contributing in all facets. The coaching staff will try and find the best 11 players for each spot. Morgan Trent has stood out on special teams, as has K.C. Lopata who has kicked well in camp. Sean Griffin has snapped well all fall and Zoltan Mesko continues to impress with his punting.

• Coach Rodriguez took time to single out a crop of freshmen that he thinks will contribute in 2008. Sam McGuffie and Michael Shaw have looked good on offense and have practiced with intensity all camp. Boubacar Cissoko, Mike Martin, Brandon Smith and J.B. Fitzgerald have all looked good on the defensive side of the ball.

• The program's walk-ons will play an ever increasing role in the future. Coach Rodriguez wants to build the best walk-on program in the country, with a full roster of 125 to 130 players in Maize and Blue in the future. Tim North, Jimmy Potempa, Zach Johnson, Jordan Reilly and Kevin Leach have all looked good in camp and could contribute on special teams as well as at their primary positions.blockquote>

Michigan State via http://www.enlightenedspartan.com

The Big Green Machine demonstrated against itself on Sunday that maybe it can move the ball through the air this year... in its first fall scrimmage, QBs Brian Hoyer and Kirk Cousins looked very sharp, and our wideouts hung onto the ball. Hoyer was 20-27 for 227 yards, with 2 TDs and 2 INTs... and Kirk Cousins was 13-13 for 73 yards and a touchdown. Also, in a glimpse to the future, Keith Nichol was a solid 8-10 for 112 yards and 2 TDs. The scrimmage was a "jersey scrimmage" and was orchestrated for certain situations, as opposed to a game-like scrimmage.

But, as impressive was wideouts BJ Cunningham, who had six catches for 99 yds. Fred Smith and Keshawn Martin each caught a TD pass as well. Leading the way on defense was Greg Jones, who had nine tackes, and 2 1/2 tackles for loss.

Coach Dantoino was not as impressed with the communication in the secondary, but said that may be due to some injuries. Injuries include DBs Brynden Trawick, Roderick Jenrette, FB Andrew Hawyke, and WR Deon Curry. The Doctor noted the injuries were 2-3 days hurts, but not serious.

Purdue via http://www.purduesports.com

With fall training camp underway, the Boilermakers will take a break from their routine Thursday for the annual media day festivities. Among the highlights of the event each fall is the first official press conference of the season with head coach Joe Tiller.

Stanford via http://www.gostanford.com

Stanford held its first scrimmage of its fall camp this afternoon on Elliott Field and while head coach Jim Harbaugh gave both sides of the ball positive reviews, he also acknowledged there was still plenty of room for improvement before the Cardinal kickoff the season against Oregon State on August 28th.

"We had a crisp, physical workout," said Harbaugh. "This team comes with the right mindset to practice each and every day. We've had very little fluctuation in our practices. I'm very happy with the consistency we are showing. Everyone knows there's plenty of room for improvement on both sides of the ball."

Quarterbacks Tavita Pritchard, Alex Loukas and Jason Forcier all took turns running the offense. Although he did not name a starter for the Oregon State game, Harbaugh did indicate that Pritchard was on top of the depth chart as of now, followed by Loukas and Forcier.

"There's not a huge difference between the three of them," said Harbaugh. "We feel we have three guys who we can win with. We treat all of them as starters."

"Early on, they were all struggling a bit. Maybe they were pressing a bit. But from the sixth practice on, they have all made great strides."

Said Pritchard: "All three of us are competing hard and making plays. We have three guys here who can get the job done. Our team is fully confident in any of us running the offense."

Running backs Anthony Kimble and Toby Gerhart continue to impress and show no signs of the injuries that plagued them last season. Each back was used early and often in the scrimmage, with Kimble picking up gains of 15 and eight yards on consecutive plays.

Gerhart picked up 10 yards on an inside handoff sand also was on the receiving end of an eight yard touchdown pass from Pritchard.

Blaise Johnson also opened eyes with a pair of touchdown runs to go along with another run that resulted in a 20-yard gain.

Placekicker Aaron Zagory connected on a 27-yard field goal. Bo McNally also had an interception.

North Carolina via http://www.tarheelblue.com

With one segment left in Tuesday's afternoon practice--the first time the Tar Heels have practiced in the afternoon since last week--Butch Davis gathered his team and allowed them to take their pads off for the day's final 15 minutes. Somewhat surprisingly, at least one player would have rather kept the pads on. "That's my weapon right there, the pads," said safety Melvin Williams with a smile. "I like to hit, so I felt like one of my weapons was gone. But we had played hard today, so he gave us a little break."...Freshman Quentin Coples echoed the same sentiment--and showed a good, aggressive nature for a rookie. As he jogged to his next assignment after the pads had been removed, Coples said, "Man, this is for the birds. I want to hit something."...Williams has been pairing with Da'Norris Searcy as the second-team safety and says they already have good chemistry. "We have the same style of play, because we love to hit," Williams said. "We've gotten to where we understand what the other guy will do in most situations."...

ACC commissioner and former UNC athletic director John Swofford took in part of Tuesday's practice before walking across the street to get a first-hand look at the Boshamer Stadium renovations...Pass-blocking isn't always the favorite part of practice for most running backs, but the UNC backs went through a boisterous pass-blocking session against Tar Heel linebackers. Anthony Elzy was especially enthusiastic--and backed up his talk with several solid blocks. Ryan Houston also dropped a pancake block on an unsuspecting defender that drew several shouts of approval...

There is some talk in the Carolina weight room that Brooks Foster might be the strongest wide receiver in college football. The senior is now bench pressing 405 pounds, but he says he's most proud of his power clean of 360. "My goal is to be the strongest receiver in college," Foster said. "At the combine, I want to try and get the bench record." The South Carolina native has come a long way from the freshman who admittedly didn't like to do any football conditioning activities. "I've learned you need to be good in the weight room to be good at football," he said. "As a receiver, it keeps you from getting injuries, helps you get in and out of cuts better, gives you more power and more endurance."...

The highlight of Tuesday's practice was a spirited short-yardage goal-line session between the offense and defense. Luckily, officials were on hand to rule on whether the offense was able to get into the end zone--calls that were fiercely contested when they went against the defense...Tomorrow's practice notes will come after the evening session rather than the morning practice.

Washington via http://uwfootball.blogspot.com

TE Mike Gottleib has a pulled hamstring and Walt Winter has been elevated to #1 TE. You would have thought that Izbicki would have moved to #1 but off field problems this past summer is one reason it isn't happening. Another eason is Winter just might be the best blocker and blocking is a more important requirement at this time than pass catching at TE. Kavario Middleton is still swimming like all freshman do. Once he gets the play book down he is still going to need a year in the program to put on the muscle required to block efficiently. With two and a half weeks till the Oregon game Gottleib is going to be most likely ready to play anyway.

Coach Willingham expects Curtis Shaw to return to the program once his family issues are worked out. No timetable on that one but we have heard whispers that it may not till be spring.

Alameda Ta'amu has made a good impression this camp and is expected to join the rotation at defensive tackle. Senio Kelemente should join the team no later than the end of the week. Craig Noble should be getting his test results very soon. If they are positive expect him to hop a plane and be here the next day.

Pittsburgh via http://pittsburghpanthers.com

General scrimmage impressions:
“It was solid work. I thought there were enough game-changing plays on both sides of the ball. I was hoping for a little bit more. From the veteran standpoint, we decided to hold LaRod Stephens-Howling and Bill Stull. They both could have gone. If we would have played a game today, they both would have played. We limited LeSean McCoy. He had 11 carries, averaged six yards a carry. I was very pleased with him, except his one turnover. I’d like to say it was an outstanding day of football, but we turned the ball over. He ran good, he made guys miss. Chris Burns looked good, the returners looked good, and all the running backs. Jonathan Baldwin made three great plays. He made two by the sideline. Unfortunately, both of them were out of bounds. It’s pretty evident that we need to find a way to get him ready to go. He has a chance to help us. Andrew Taglianetti keeps showing up from a defensive standpoint. We’re going to start working him on special teams. He can really help us in that area. Overall, solid scrimmage. We didn’t get anyone really hurt today, but we have a lot of work to do.”

Boston College via http://www.bceagles.com

For the first time this preseason, Boston College worked under a warm sun as the football team prepares for its second scrimmage on Wednesday night. Senior Kevin Akins, who was recently moved from linebacker to corner, picked off two passes during the two and a half hour session.

Akins shined on the defensive side but the wide receivers made some spectacular plays as well. Junior Rich Gunnell scampered for a long touchdown catch down the right sideline while sophomore Ifeanyi Momah used his 6-6 frame and soft hands to leap over the corner and juggle in a catch.

Freshman Colin Larmond, Jr. also grabbed a long reception on the left side with a man on his hip.

The Eagles get back to their double sessions on Wednesday with a practice in the morning followed by the second scrimmage of camp in the afternoon.

Navy via http://www.navysports.com

The Navy defense forced seven turnovers, recorded 17 tackles for a loss and came up with seven sacks in a dominating performance against the offense on Saturday afternoon at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Navy's first team offense had nine possessions and managed just two field goals against the first team defense, while the second team offense did not score in nine possessions and turned the ball over four times against the second team defense.

Bright spots on the offensive side of the ball were few and far between. Senior slot back Jarod Bryant rushed for 33 yards on two carries, 29 of those yards came off a beautiful run on an option pitch by senior quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada. Freshman fullback Alex Teich continues to make a strong push to be the backup fullback, rushing for 48 yards on 12 carries. Senior quarterback Joe Taylor, playing with the third unit, rushed for 55 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. It was the offense's only touchdown of the day. Senior kicker Matt Harmon made both field goal attempts with ease; the first from 42 yards and the second was from 47 yards out.

Syracuse via http://www.syracuse.com

Life is good. The Orange hit the practice field this morning at 7:30 dressed in shells (helmets, shoulder pads and shorts). Temperatures were in the 50s. Nothing like natural air conditioning. Not a cloud in the sky, either. By the time SU finished up around 10, someone broke out the popcicles. Defensive tackle Arthur Jones slurped down a grape one and called it "a nice treat." It's a funny scene seeing so many large football players walking to the locker room with helmets in one hands and popcicles in another.

Team has another practice tonight at the Dome. Head coach Greg Robinson said he moved the practice to break things up and give his team some night work. Orange probably needs a little more recovery time between doubles now that it has entered the grind of camp.

Southern Cal via http://uscblitz.com

The Trojans hit the field for a scrimmage at the Coliseum this afternoon. The hour long session was dominated by the defense. They were jumping all over the short routes and the only big play of note was a 45 yarder along the sideline from Green to the talented young Brandon Carswell.

Aaron Corp got the start and had a few nice quarterback scrambles. That mobility is part of why some people think that the young QB should get the Virginia start over Mitch Mustain (should Mark Sanchez still be out with his knee injury). The first team fumbled near the goal line before half time.

The defensive domination was lead, surprisingly, by an athletic looking d-line. Here's to hoping that continues. The defensive line is no doubt one of the few question marks heading into the season. We're young in that department but that youth includes some budding stars (Everson Griffen, one of those stars, was on the sidelines today).

Mustain ended practice by throwing an interception to young CB Brian Baucham.

Nothing but more great fall camp ahead, right up until the big opener against Virginia.

Buzz Around Team Camps: Michigan

Here's a little detailed report so far on the goings in Ann Arbor by the fine folks at Go Blue Michigan Wolverine.

Depth at Defensive End:
Posters have been following closely to recruiting especially at the Defensive End position. Some concerns may be justified. Of course, a great deal hinges on Brandon Graham and his future. Graham has really put in some much-needed time with Barwis this off-season and looks to have that break out season. Will it be enough to force him to look at early entry into NFL? If he does the Defensive End situation at Michigan will become questionable. If he decided to return, Michigan will be solid for one more year at Defensive End.

We have three players as back-ups at Defensive End with Banks, RVB, and Patterson. Each has a different strength. Banks (the run stopper), RVB (probably the best at multiple skills), and Patterson (purely a pass rusher at this point).

From watching spring and early fall, it seems like RVB will become a starter next year and replace Jamison. The wildcard here is Patterson who was a surprisingly star in the workout room this off-season). Can he finally progress and play up to his potential? This spring at times, he seemed somewhat disinterested and was playing mainly with the third team. But the light has seemed to come on with Patterson and coaches are anxious to see if he can take that energy from the workout room and apply it to the football field.

Will someone move to Defensive End?
For those who may think Kevin Koger is a prime candidate I would put those thoughts on hold for now. The big reason is Butler. Butler is in the same position as Brandon Graham a player who is looking to have that break out year and become a hot commodity in the NFL draft.

If he does have a huge year I think he will leave Michigan, (Butler has never liked school along with the problems he has had while at Michigan). Keep in mind that Massey (who is the #2 Tight End right now)--is a senior. That leaves Webb who has struggled the potential of Clemons moving to Tight End (again my speculation), Watson (who fits somewhat into this offense), and then Koger.

Koger is way ahead of Moore at this point and has showed some very good athletic talent who besides played football he played basketball (final four in the state finals and was in track and was in the state for several events. The kid is huge and may with another year of development become our #1 Tight End. So for now I would keep Koger in your minds at Tight End.

No doubt, we need a pass-rushing athletic type of Defensive End, but that is where you need to look at in recruiting.

Safeties:
I have been getting many questions about B. Smith and how he is doing. Answer is he is doing fine. Posters should keep in mind with Shafer's defense and his wanting to put pressure on Wide Receivers by using press coverage with Cornerbacks the safety position is one best suited for veteran players. My early impressions of Smith is he is a very physical player obviously well suited to defend the run, but has a long way to go in learning college pass coverage.

In addition, he is playing behind one of our most talented athletes on defense in S. Brown and probably our smartest player in Williams. Best case for Smith would be for him to red shirt, but because of his abilities, we may see him on special teams.

One thing that is so noticeable about Coach Rod and practices:
Coach Rod is a very simple person when you really think about that it he is simply a football coach. He loves practices. Most good coaches really enjoy the teaching part of the game and Coach Rod is one of those. That is why I think he needs to hire a PR person someone who is level headed and not confrontational.

Quarterbacks:
Beginning to think we may see some sort of a two Quarterback system. I do think that either Threet or Sheridan will win the number one job and the two Quarterback will not include both of them.

It will be one of them plus an athletic Quarterback. Now this Quarterback may get a direct snap and simply run the ball like in third and short situations. If season started today, my guess would be Carlos Brown.

A note on Grady:
Grady is still practicing. Most times they put him in with third group or at times he plays with first group, but mostly when they have a two Running Back formation. Grady has been impressive and this spring coaches really liked him so do not count him out.

Herron:
A kid that is somewhat fallen off in terms of being in the mix is Herron. He is rarely mentioned as being in the top five. He does play with second group, but for some reason he just either is thinking excessively much or has average football instincts. Great kid who works hard, but probably needs to make a major contribution on special teams for coaches to notice him.

Dorrestein vs. O'Neill:
Who would be first Offensive Tackle in game in case of injury? As of now Dorrenstein. O'Neill will put increased pressure on him as camp continues. O'Neill is simply a better athlete and could possibly play both Offensive Tackle spots although both Dorrestein and O’Neill seem better suited for Right Tackle. In Coach Rod's system, the only Offensive Line position that seems to have its special needs is Left Tackle and that makes Ortmann a very important player to stay healthy.

Sagesse and Kates:
Have been getting snaps at Defensive Tackle sometimes with second group and sometimes Sagesse is with third group. Both seem to be in good shape and are going multiple snaps when they are in the scrimmage. Martin has been with third group and has had some good battles with Khoury and Barnum.

Buzz Around Team Camps: San Diego State

As the Fighting Irish get ready to strap on their gear for the first day of full contact practices, here's how Notre Dame's first opponent of the season, San Diego State, is fairing during their team camp.

Here is Jeremy from the Mountain West Conference Connection's report on the Aztecs:

Chuck Long has been very impressed with the defense so far early in camp. The defense will need to lead the team since the offense lost some players to the NFL draft, so the defense will need to try to lead the team early on.

One amazing thing that San Diego State did for their first three days of camps was having camp start at Camp Pendelton. The reason to have camp there was to build up team morale and take notice from the Marines on campus.

One football concern is how will the Aztecs replace quarterback Kevin O’Connell. So far the early leader looks to be redshirt freshman Ryan Lindley, but junior college transfer Drew Westling, who came from Southwestern College after a year at Tulsa, feels he still has a shot at the starting gig. This battle should go down to the week of their opening game against Cal Poly.

At Least Someone in Bristol Likes Us

I always liked Robert Smith, but now I really like what he is saying. The former Ohio State and Minnesota Vikings running does not see the Irish having a repeat 3-9 season. In fact he is thinking around the lines of 8-4. Now that's music to my ears!

Fan Appreciation Cheers & Jeers

On what turned out to be a very exciting and relaxing Sunday afternoon, I got to take in Fan Appreciation Day at Notre Dame Stadium. Yesterday definitely had the feel of Christmas Morning getting to see all the new gifts Good Old St. Weis has bestowed upon us Fighting Irish fans. There were a lot of highs and some lows from yesterday's open practice session.

Jeers: I'll start this segment off with how this Fan Appreciation Day started, anticipating-ly waiting. The gates were opened at 2:00, or were they? While arriving at the Stadium around quarter till, the lines were long! Anyway, there was only one gate to enter into, while the Gold Gestapo Ushers were already in mid season form trying to dampen the moods of young and old Irish fans alike.

Cheers: Coach Weis was all around. During the first half of the practice, Coach Weis spent every 5 minute segment rotating between each unit. I believe this will be a win-win situation during the season for everyone involved. Coach Weis is going to be more accessible and be seen as a players coach.

Also did anyone notice that Coach Weis has slimmed down a bit. He'll always have a large frame, but man, he looked good. I know that won't stop all the dumb ass fat jokes from rival fans, but I say good for Coach Weis!

Cheers: Jimmy Clausen looked sharp and is finally 100% healthy. His throws were coming hot and heavy!

Cheers: TENUTA! What can I say about this defensive wizard. He's intense and you can tell he loves the game of football. Jon has these boys motivated and out to kill. Maybe he had a few of them suit up at USC's practice last Friday and take out Sanchez? I'm just saying, LOL!

Cheers: To Coach Tenuta, again, and his defense for making the most of their resources. Anytime you can use trash cans as offensive linemen, I say go for it. These guys were getting down and dirty, and will put their stamp on this season as being a Nasty unit!

Cheers: The fabulous freshmen looked good as they were advertised. What can I say, but Jonas Gray will be special and would find it a shame if he doesn't make it on the field anytime soon.

Michael Floyd will be our best receiver this season. He runs precise routes and is deceptively quick.

Kyle Rudolph made hard catches look easy and got quick separation off the line and his defender.

Dayne Crist will be just as good as Brady Quinn, but will need this year to soak up the offensive playbook and the fast paced collegiate game.

Deion Walker made the best highlight of the practice with his long touchdown catch.

Ethan Johnson turned a lot of heads with his huge frame and motor! He will add much needed depth to the Irish defensive line.

Overall, these freshmen will be the ones that give Irish fans reason to expect great things!

Jeers: I know I didn't have too much of a problem figuring out who was who, but it would have been nice for the Sports Information Office to have printed out some rosters. The biggest reason for this was that some folks were convinced that #1 was still DJ Hord and not Deion Walker. Many Irish fans, like myself, already knew that, but it would still have been nice to have one.

Cheers: Our kickers should be more reliable this season. If yesterday was any indication, our special teams will be solid. Burkhart is finally getting his kickoffs into the endzones, Brandon Walker looks to have found some consistency, while Eric Maust will have a big decision "Jeff Samardzija" decision to make - Football or Baseball! Some NFL squad will find a spot for Maust as their punter, I can guarantee you that.

Jeers: The offensive line showed some bad tendencies from last season. Thank goodness this is only the third practice of the season, or I would have gone bonkers. The line still didn't look explosive off the line and didn't give too much running room on some plays. I fully believe this will be rectified before Sept. 6.

Cheers: The excitement is in the air. Although there were conflicting reports of yesterday's attendance, it sure looked more like the 3,000-4,000 range the South Bend Tribune reported. If you counted the fans that showed up at one point or another, it would definitely be 4,000+.

Anyway, it was good to see Irish fans get excited for this season. 2007 is done, not it's 2008 and now let's have some FUN!

Catching Up with Digger

Here's something from the fine folks at NBC! Coach Phelps believes that the Irish are two years away from the top. Oh yeah he talks about Irish hoops too!

IBB Weekly Motivator: Week 20

This individual definitely makes the fine folks in Ann Arbor feel very sick!

You Can Take that to the Bank: E.J. Banks Verbals to the Irish

On the first official day of the 2008 Notre Dame Football Season, Coach Weis and the Fighting Irish picked up another recruit to their 2009 class in Defensive Back E.J. Banks. E.J. is the 14th recruit to verbally commit to the Irish this year.

Banks is the cousin of former Ohio State great and current NFL wide receiver Joey Galloway. He chose the Irish over Ohio State, West Virginia, Rutgers, North Carolina, Cincinnati, and Virginia Tech.

Here is the little blurb from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Montour defensive back/quarterback E.J. Banks made a verbal commitment to Notre Dame.

Recruited by major college programs from across the country, Banks, who is 6-feet, 180-pounds, pared his list down to just Notre Dame and Ohio State in recent days.

He selected Notre Dame, where he said he was recruited as a cornerback.

Banks has helped fuel a resurgence with the once-powerful Montour program as, after falling on hard times for more than two decades, he was one of the catalysts in pushing the Spartans into the WPIAL Class AAA championship game last season.

Here's the 411 on Banks via ESPN:

Banks is a dual-threat quarterback with outstanding speed, acceleration and quickness as a runner and will end up likely at wide receiver, but many coaches are going to want to see how he'd turn out at corner first. Shows serious initial quickness and explosiveness in the pocket and reaches top speed rapidly. Possesses just adequate size on a lean frame, but has cat-like quickness and the ability to create real mismatches in space. Is tough to handle the minute he breaks contain or sees a crease in-line. Is smooth with fluid hips and great feet. Shows a lot of wiggle and lateral quickness with great vision to avoid and make multiple defenders miss in the open field. He is an adequate passer, but this is not why he lines up at quarterback. He's a read-option, QB draw guy that creates and improvises when he has to and you can see he is moving at a different speed than his opponents. He is tough runner given his lack of bulk and he is very slippery-- hard to get a clean shot at in-line. Defensively he sees limited snaps, but is a roaming safety allowed to key the QB and jump routes from his safety spot although he has corner skills, he's allowed to make more plays by lining up at safety and just reacting. Shows outstanding ball skills and has very good hands. Is a natural pass catcher and appears comfortable in every role he is in. Plays with confidence and is highly productive. He competes. Overall, Banks is an instinctive guy with very good overall tools and exceptional quickness and suddenness with the ball in his hands. Should make for a fine wide out or corner once he sees fulltime duty there.

USC Season Preview in a Nutshell

Everyone get your puke buckets ready! Today's preview of the Trojans is provided by Gary Klein of the LA Times and ESPN First Take.

Football Friday Chat 8/8/08

Please stop by and take part in the Football Friday Chat this Friday, August 8 in the IBB Chat Room. Friday's topics will include Media Day, the start of camp, the Beer Olympics, Impact Freshmen, and whatever else you have in mind. Also there will the Moderator of the great Syracuse Blog: Troy Nunes is an Absolute Magician, on hand to field any questions you have about the Orange.

The chat starts at 3 p.m. EST and you can join by either clicking on the IBB Chat Room link on the right hand side of the IBB blog page or by typing this URL: http://client11.addonchat.com/sc.php?id=292584

Hope to see everyone there, and as always, GO IRISH!

10 Burning Questions

Notre Dame's media day and first practice is this Friday, and while the Sept. 6 season opener is inching up ever so closely; We at IBB have come up with 10 Questions for the 2008 season.

10.) Will the recent Beer Olympic pictures have any impact on the upcoming season?

The bad news yes, but it's not what you think. This is Jimmy Clausen's second alcohol related offense, while it is the first time for Armando Allen, Brian Smith, and James Aldridge. Aldridge will most likely be unscathed as he is now of legal age. Allen and Smith will most likely serve some type of community service. Clausen on the other hand will be at the mercy of the Student Affairs board. The worst case scenario for a second violation of underage drinking will be community service and a substance abuse class and counseling. We'll take that sentence any day!

9.) Is Coach Weis' move to give up the play calling duties, indeed, a good move?

At this juncture, a resounding YES! This way by having Mike Haywood call the offensive plays, Weis can devout all of his attention on the grand scheme of the game and still have control of the offense. If the Irish offense sputters early on, Weis will take over!

8.) Can Jon Tenuta and Corwin Brown mesh together and form a dominating, cohesive defensive unit?

No doubt about it! It was Brown who welcomed Tenuta with open arms when the wheels were in motion for the former Georgia Tech defensive coordinators hiring. Like the old saying goes, two heads are better than one. And in this case two defensive minds are definitely going to kick a little tail in 08.

7.) Will the Offensive Line be better?

It can't get any worse than last season when they gave up the most sacks in the history of college football. One reason they will be much improved is that "the cancer" of the team is no longer at center. Secondly, the off season conditioning did some of the hog mollies up front some good. Plus the push from incoming freshmen will be another motivating factor to improve or they'll be starting at right bench.

6.) Can new AD Jack Swarbrick position Notre Dame as a major player in the BCS?

If Swarbricks accomplishments to land the NCAA Headquarters and the Super Bowl to Indianapolis as an indication of what he can do, he wouldn't have been hired in the first place. Jack has many ties to several key movers and shakers within the NCAA and those of the BCS Committee. Look for him to give the Irish some more possibilities come bowl season.

5.) Will there be any freshmen starting on September 6 versus San Diego State?

Definitely yes! Special teams will have a few on both kickoff squads and punting units. As for individual spots goes, Michael Floyd at receiver is a likely candidate. Floyd has amazed all the coaches and players so far since he arrived on campus this summer for workouts. Floyd opposite Kamara reminds me of a tall, dominating duo from 2005. Another one that has gotten the attention of many is defensive lineman Ethan Johnson. EJ is going to see action, no doubt about that, but will it be on Sept. 6, will depend on fall camp.

4.) Other than Weis, are there any assistant coaches on the hot seat?

John Latina was on everyone's firing squad, including myself. If the offensive line is dysfunctional like the 2007 version, Latina's pink slip will be waiting. Brian Polian is another one who could be coaching his way out of South Bend. Polian is not doing double duty, so he's strictly special teams. His family connection with Weis is wearing thin, that's for sure.

3.) Do you foresee any defectors on this year's squad?

Well there has already been one casualty in D.J. Hord, who left for a I-AA program. I don't see any of the incoming freshmen to bolt South Bend, but there could be one player in particular who could leave if he doesn't see any playing time. Luke Schmidt tinkered with the idea of leaving last spring, but decided to stick with the Irish. Schmidt is too good of player to not see any action, so look for him to see significant action.

2.) Is 7 or 8 wins asking too much from the Irish?

Not at all! If you look at the schedule on paper, the Irish are set up nicely. Notre Dame should have San Diego State, Stanford, Navy, and Syracuse in the win column for sure. Michigan, Purdue, Washington, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, and Boston College are still up in the air, but if they can win half of them, there's your 7 wins. Look for ND to win 5 of those six games. Two games that I'm putting as losses is the Michigan State and USC games. The Irish are a year away from beating on that Trojan ass, and I'm still iffy on their clash in East Lansing.

1.) Will the Fighting Irish win a bowl game?

Streaks are meant to be broken. Heck, Navy snapped their streak against Notre Dame last season. The Irish will win a bowl game this season and it will take place in Jacksonville at the Gator Bowl. The crystal ball is getting cloudy but the 8-4 Irish will end the 2008 on a high note for the first time since 1994!

Joe Yonto: A True Notre Dame Man

This morning a great Notre Dame man passed away. Joe Yonto, whoserved as an Irish assistant coach from 1964-80 and 1986-87 bled Blue and Gold, through and through. Here is a little piece that was done on UND in 2006:

You might think that a guy who coached for Frank Leahy, Ara Parseghian, Dan Devine and Lou Holtz would have an opinion about Notre Dame's 2006 season.

Not Joe Yonto.

On the eve of the season, Yonto expresses optimism, but caution, "It's hard to say anything about the present team until they get out there and do something on the field. "The new coaching staff brought back a lot of enthusiasm last year and made a big splash. Now, they have to continue that splash," Yonto observes. "It's possible sometimes to have too much, too soon. Your head can get so big that it's hard to put your helmet on." Yonto is quick to opine that second-year Irish head coach Charlie Weis has put together a top-flight staff. "It looks like they're all real good teachers, which is the most important thing." An injury ended Yonto's Notre Dame playing career, but Leahy put Yonto and other injured players to work.

"We broke down film and prepared the scout teams," he explains, before laughing, "They wanted to make sure they got something for their (scholarship) money."

"The linemen were pushing a big seven-man blocking sled and it wound up against a fence. They started struggling to get it turned around," Yonto remembers. All-American tackle Mike McCoy ordered his teammates aside and lifted one end of the 1,500-pound sled himself. Unfortunately, McCoy set the sled down on his own foot.

"I had to tell Ara that McCoy was going to be out a few days." Parseghian's response?

"Not repeatable," chuckles Yonto.
Assistant coach Joe Yonto with head coach Ara Parseghian.

Yonto was a peerless defensive coach. In addition to masterminding national championship defenses in 1966 and 1973, Yonto led the 1980 defense through five straight games without giving up a touchdown, culminating in a 7-0 shutout of number-four Alabama in Birmingham. With that resume, Yonto would be in huge demand for head coaching vacancies today - but he has no regrets.

After a high school coaching stint in Chicago, Yonto returned to Notre Dame to join Parseghian's staff, and even survived Ara's wrath.

"The linemen were pushing a big seven-man blocking sled and it wound up against a fence. They started struggling to get it turned around," Yonto remembers. All-American tackle Mike McCoy ordered his teammates aside and lifted one end of the 1,500-pound sled himself. Unfortunately, McCoy set the sled down on his own foot.

"I had to tell Ara that McCoy was going to be out a few days." Parseghian's response?
"Not repeatable," chuckles Yonto.

Yonto was a peerless defensive coach. In addition to masterminding national championship defenses in 1966 and 1973, Yonto led the 1980 defense through five straight games without giving up a touchdown, culminating in a 7-0 shutout of number-four Alabama in Birmingham. With that resume, Yonto would be in huge demand for head coaching vacancies today - but he has no regrets.

"My goal in life was to make it to Notre Dame," he says. "There was no sense in going anywhere else. I was there for 31 years (as a coach and special assistant to the athletic director) and they treated me great.

"Do you know what a special assistant to the athletic director does? If I told you, it wouldn't be so special," Yonto teases.

Today, Yonto and his wife Betty spend time with their six children and 18 grandchildren. Yonto still gets on the golf course. "I don't do much playing - I do a lot of swinging," he says.

Yonto attends every Notre Dame home game and keeps in touch with former coaches and players. He's especially proud of how so many of those players have helped one another out through tough times over the years.

"That's the real meaning of coaching - to see what the players do when they get out, how they help one another."

Rest In Peace Joe!

Miles Dogg?

Snopp Dog is now jumping on the LSU bandwagon, while Les Miles is spitting out dope lyrics at a Southern Louisiana rotary function. I guess Snoop is trying to lure Miles away from his coaching duties to be part of his new possey for his record label. It's all part of Snopp's evil plan to get the best coaches away from the game, so his good old pal Pete "Poodle" Carroll can be the top DOGG!

Look for Snoop to make an appearance next season in South Bend!

IBB Weekly Motivator: Week 19

If you think Coach Weis is on the perverbial hot seat, then this coach definitely has his card punch to the nut house!

IBB Preseason All America Team Defense

Today we finish our Preseason All America Team with the big uglies on Defense. There are some definite high caliber players that will be playing on Sundays very shortly. Once again leave a message if you agree or disagree with the team.

Defense
DE George Selvie (South Florida)
Led the country with 31.5 tackles for loss and needed just one more to break the NCAA record. In fact, Selvie is the national career leader in that category with 46.5 and in sacks (20), and that's not the scary part. He's only a junior! Look for Selvie to once again man handle the Big East Conference and help lead the Bulls to another bowl game.

DE Greg Middleton (Indiana)
The Ted Hendricks Award finalist led the nation last season in sacks with 16 (105 yards lost). Middleton was one of the main reasons the Hooisers got back to the postseason. He added 50 tackles and 17 tackles for loss (102 yards lost), which ranked fifth in the Big Ten and shared 24th nationally. Greg will once again be on many opposing offense's minds.

Best of the Rest: Austin English (Oklahoma), Maurice Evans (Penn State), Greg Hardy (Mississippi), Tyson Jackson (LSU), Michael Johnson (Georgia Tech), Mitch King (Iowa), Brian Orakpo (Texas), Antwain Robinson (Arkansas), Ricky Sapp (Clemson), and Matt Shaughnessy (Wisconsin).

DT Fili Moala (USC)
It seems like Moala is a man among boys when he lines up for the USC Trojans. His play disrupts opponsing offenses because of he large frame. Last season Moala had 32 tackles, including 5.5 for losses and two sacks. Watch for Fili to have an even better year as long as he stays out of trouble. He was arrested this past March for resisting and obstructing an officer after a fight at a Newport Beach Bar. So it is definitely true when they say, Fight On!

DT Ricky-Jean Francois (LSU)
Although Francois played in only two games last season for the Tigers after serving a 12-month suspension for an off the field issue, he earned the Defensive Most Outstanding Player honors against the Buckeyes in the NC game. In that contest he had six tackles, 1.5 for a loss, a half sack, and a blocked field goal. Not too shabby for sitting on the entire season. Francois will help improve his NFL stock by keeping his nose clean and causing offense's problems.

Best of the Rest: Geno Atkins (Georgia), Terrill Byrd (Cincinnati), Tyson Jackson (LSU), Sen'Derrick Marks (Auburn), Gerald McCoy (Oklahoma), Vince Oghobaase (Duke), Jeff Owens (Georgia), Terrance Taylor (Michigan), Al Woods (LSU), and Vance Walker (Georgia Tech).

LB James Laurinaitis (Ohio State)
The best defensive player in the country, Laurinaitis will get plenty of votes come Heisman Trophy time. Some NFL scouts believe he's better than Brian Ullracher of the Bears during this same stage. James led the Bucks with 121 tackles last season and will once again head the OSU charge to another BCS title game appearance.

LB Rico McCoy (Tennessee)
McCoy had a breakout Sophomore year as he led or tied for the team lead in tackles in six of the Volunteers 13 games last season. He finished the year with 106 tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception, and 4 passes broken up. Look for the Junior to raise his level of play a notch or so, as Tennessee looks to have a solid year in the SEC.

LB Brian Cushing (USC)
Cushing, who did a standout job starting at defensive end in 2006, moved back to his natural strongside linebacker spot as a junior in 2007 and didn't miss a beat. he had 25 tackles, including 2.5 for losses of 4 yards (with a 2-yard sack), plus a fumble recovery and 2 deflections. Cushing had arthroscopic surgery on his ankle prior to 2008 spring practice and was limited in spring drills; but will be back at full strength once the season begins.

Best of the Rest: Darry Beckwith (LSU), Jasper Brinkley (South Carolina), Aaron Curry (Wake Forest), Marcus Freeman (Ohio State), Olu Hall (Kansas State), Anthony Heygood (Purdue), Rey Maualuga (USC), Gerald McRath (Southern Mississippi), Brandon Spikes (Florida), and Sean Weatherspoon (Missouri).

DB Victor Harris (Virginia Tech)
Macho Harris is Mr. Everything for the Hokies. Last season he led Virginia Tech with five interceptions and a touchdown. Victor also had 36 tackles, and a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Watch for the Macho Man to have a sensational senior season as the Hokies look to get back to the ACC Championship Game.

DB Vontae Davis (Illinois)
One of the reasons why the Fighting Illini got back to the Rose Bowl was the hard nose play of their lock down corner. Davis ended the year with 76 tackles, 4 interceptions, including a return for a touchdown, and 2 blocked kicks. He also returns kicks and punts for Illinois (1 punt return for a TD against Missouri last season).

Best of the Rest: Joe Burnett (Central Florida), Londen Fryar (Western Michigan), Malcolm Jenkins (Ohio State), Mike Mickens (Cincinnati), D.J. Moore (Vanderbilt), Captain Munnerlyn (South Carolina), Patrick Robinson (Florida State), DeAngelo Smith (Cincinnati), Donald Washington (Ohio State), and DeAndre Wright (New Mexico).

FS Taylor Mays (USC)
The Thorpe Award candidate had 65 tackles (third on USC), 1 interception, 6 deflections, 1 fumble recovery and 1 forced fumble for the tenacious Trojan defense. Like his defensive teammate Brian Cushing, Mays had arthroscopic surgery prior to spring ball. Unfortuantely for opposing offenses, his injured ankle won't be slowing him down this season.

Best of the Rest: Nate Allen (South Florida), Antonio Baker (Louisiana Tech), Shane Carter (Wisconsin), Chris Clemons (Clemson), Nic Harris (Oklahoma), Bo McNally (Stanford), William Moore (Missouri), Derek Peguses (Mississippi State), Josh Pinkard (USC), and Anthony Reddick (Miami).

SS Eric Berry (Tennessee)
Berry did not have your typical freshmen season for the Vols. The SEC Defensive Freshman of the Year, broke the Tennessee Freshman interception (5) and interception return yards (222) records. Berry led all SEC freshmen with 86 tackles. He's considered the top NFL SS candidate.

Best of the Rest: David Bruton (Notre Dame), Jonathan Casillas (Wisconsin), Kam Chancellor (Virginia Tech), Barry Church (Toledo), Patrick Chung (Oregon), Emmanuel Cook (South Carolina), Courtney Greene (Rutgers), Michael Hamlin (Clemson), Myron Rolle (Florida State), and Chip Vaughn (Wake Forest).

P Chris Miller (Ball State)
The Cardinal ranked third in the country in punting average last season, while becoming only the sixth Ball State player in school history to be named a first-team All-American. Miller pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line 23 times, forced six fair catches and 10 touchbacks.

Best of the Rest: Brent Bowden (Virgina Tech), Britton Colquitt (Tennessee), Matt Fodge (Oklahoma State), Kevin Huber (Cincinnati), Zoltan Mesko (Michigan), Thomas Morestead (SMU), Jacob Richardson (Miami), Louie Sakoda (Utah), and A.J. Trapasso (Ohio State).

KR CJ Spiller (Clemson)
One of the most explosive players in college football, Spiller is capable of taking one to the house anytime he touches the ball. He's the only player in history with an 80-yard run and an 80-yard catch in the same season. If opposing teams are smart, they'll kick away from Spiller this season.

Best of the Rest: A.J. Jefferson (Fresno State)