PITTafool? Sack That Idea!

Ahh. Can you smell it? Can you see it? Can you feel it? It's getting closer, that 8 o'clock hour when the tone will begin to be set on Notre Dame's season. The game that will show the worth of Notre Dame. Will Coach Charlie Weis truly have the golden touch? Make no mistake about it, the Pitt game is the most important game on the schedule. Yes, that is right, I said Pitt. The dreams of this season cannot come to fruition if Notre Dame cannot get past Pitt. Let's take a moment and consider how much this game means. First, we must consider what we have. We have a new head coach in Charlie Weis, and along with that a new attitude, a sense that we are moving into our rightful place of being on top along with National Championship's in our grasp. This is great and we should be feeling this way, but not without knowing what is ahead. So, with that being said, what exactly is ahead? The way it figures, is simple, what lays ahead is truth. From the moment the Irish take the field, we will know what we have. We will look at the field and see our Irish, the players and the coaching staff and Coach Weis, and it will be easy to tell if we have what it takes. Plenty of Irish faithful think Notre Dame will win at Pitt. Pitt possesses one of the finer teams in the country. As it stands, Pitt is poised to enter the season at about 17th in the rankings. For a moment let's consider what Pitt has. Pitt has a good QB in Tyler Palko, many would say very good. Pitt also has very good receivers, one in particular with the name of Greg Lee and we need not disregard Erik Gill at tight end. One note worth mentioning is Pitt's run game. We must figure to see Pitt run the ball often. There is talk about tailback Ray Kirkley returning to help Pitt's run game, but there is a new name that figures not only to see action, but could be the starting tailback and that is freshman Rashad Jennings who is 6-1 and 235 pounds. He is a power runner who Notre Dame probably will see a lot of on September 3rd. The offensive line should be expected to be functional and balanced. As a whole Pitt's offense does not look bad, in fact it looks very good. Pitt's defense looks to be tough. Pitt's Head Coach Dave Wannstedt put many of Pitt's players on diets, with the intention of producing more speed. Pitt's defense should figure to be fast and in attack mode. On defense, one player who should figure to play an integral role is H.B. Blades. He is a very good linebacker who Wannstedt has now shifted over to play the middle. The defensive line is quick and strong. Pitt's secondary will be their strength. Both corners Josh Lay and Darrelle Revis are good and very aggressive. One of the more physical players is free safety Tez Morris who is returning for his fourth year as a starter. Pitt's defense will be ready to play. There is no doubt about it. Pitt will come into this game with good special teams. Returns on kick-off's and punt's are poised to be solid. Pitt has a notable unit in place to put pressure on the field goal kicker. Pitt's kicking game is considered one of the best in the country. Adam Graessle, handles both kick-off's and punts. Josh Cummings handles place kicking. Now for the meaning of this game. What does this game mean? This game means everything. Notre Dame must win this game to show the direction we are headed. The Irish must show they can win on the road and win big. Notre Dame needs to show that it does in fact have an attitude, a nasty attitude. Coach Weis must show he is the outstanding, innovative, imaginative coach we believe he is. The Irish must define what this season means by not leaving anything behind and defeating Pitt. This game holds much importance for this season as well as season's to come. Notre Dame, are thee ready? Truth be told and shown.
---Wee Leprechaun

NOTE

We'll be back this weekend, with an update and analysis of ND's team depth. Superimposed upon this report is a continuing prayer that injuries do not plague the Irish! Old Shillelagh.

Irish Receivers: It's In Your Hands

***Mediocrity--or, at best, underachievement--has held a firm grasp on ND receivers for quite some time now: a firmer grasp, for example, than Maurice Stovall has had on the ball so often. Let's make it clear, Irish receivers should be dynamic, they should be outstanding. This season, change is in the air, and it's up for grabs. Many prognosticators are ranking our receiving corps among the top ten WR/TE units in the country. Will they live up to it? After a moment of pondering, I am going to say yes they will. The time has come in more ways than one for them to make their mark as a group. I am believing in big seasons for all of them. Stovall will finally come through, he will have an outstanding season. Rhema Mcknight will add more to expanding the field and I fully expect him to have big yards after the catch. Matt Shelton is going to see the long ball often and it won't pass him by. Anthony Fasano simply is one of the best tight ends around and will prove this season that he might be the best. Jeff Samardzija will see the field a lot this season as well as the end zone. Don Juan Hord will make an impact early and be in the mix. His moves will produce sweet passes directly into his hands. David Grimes has great potential. Great speed and his ability to run smooth routes along with his no where but in my hands maneuvers will allow him to possibly see early action. I like the possibility of Justin Hoskins lining up at wide out, maybe run the slot. He could churn out those yards for the Irish and turn out to be a nice addition as a receiver. Punt returns and running back should be considered for him as well. This group has potential to put up big yards and big points. That potential will turn into TD's and wins this season.

________Wee Leprechaun

IF BRADY QUINN IS NUMERO UNO, BACKUP QB 2ND MOST IMPORTANT

*** If we are to accept that Brady Quinn is the most important player on the Notre Dame football team then, as Jesuit logic would dictate, his backup is the second most important squad member. Let's face it, having a great starting quarterback is what winning seasons are all about; having a great backup QB virtually assures a ride to a major bowl game. What does Notre Dame have at this moment? Neither. Brady Quinn is the starter, but greatness has eluded him, so far. Now, with CWs tutelage, the turning point may very well be this season. What Notre Dame lacks at this point is a great--perhaps, even good--second stringer, making this an issue of real importance, one that can have severe consequences if not remedied before September 3. If Quinn were to go down, trouble would immediately be brewing, and the entire season could be in jeopardy. It is crucial that one of the backup QB's step up and be ready to fill in at a moment's notice if called upon and perform, well, brilliantly. This is the way it should be not only for the sake of gameday, but for practice days. Having a superb back up creates competition and pushes the starter to be even better. It also makes the entire offensive depth stronger and better. Presently, Notre Dame can call David Wolke it's first backup, but he is unproven at best. The spring game showed he can be accurate while making good decisions. Had there been better protection and receivers holding on to the ball, he would have fared better than his stats say he did. Still, he is very iffy. Darrin Bragg is next in line and though he has been hampered with injuries, he also is unproven and has not shown that he is capable of being a college QB; it might be best to switch him to WR. Incoming freshmen Evan Sharpley and Dan Gorski could add nicely to the mix, though being untested will probably have a long wait to play. Justin Gillett, Marty "pass it & catch it"Mooney, and Stan Revelle round out the rest of the reserves and will probably not advance beyond practicing as opposing team's QB. So, the future is now for messrs. Wolke, Sharpley, and/or Gorski to step up and show that they can be a warming up behind Brady. It is safe to say that Coach Weis is loading up the future ranks at QB, which will create outstanding depth...but, that is the future, not 2005. Old Shillelagh and I believe that Gorski will make an immediate impact in competition and will be a worthy consideration for 1st backup. He is coming in as a preferred walk-on but is looking to gain a scholarship immediately. Coming from Creighton Prep in Nebraska,(Father Jenkins' high school) Gorski was limited to showcasing his abilities, though we believe his production is to come. Gorski who was all-state and received much interest from Nebraska, is a smart, steady quarterback. Now at Notre Dame, Gorski has arrived with his opportunity, and he will be up for the challenge. "The coaches said I have a shot at earning a scholarship," Gorski has said. "I just have to prove I can be in the mix." Gorski should fit in well at Notre Dame; Coach Weis will see to it.
"He said that if I didn't know within half an hour if this was the place, then it wasn't the place for me," Gorski said. "He's a big ND guy and I'm the type of guy he's looking for." Gorski, be ready, the No.1 back up role--and a full ride--could be yours.
Sharpley, an outstanding athlete--he'll probably play BsB for the Irish, as well--looks to get the first shot behind Quinn. . . He is very smart and has a very good arm. Recently, he was honored as the Michigan Athlete of the year. Sharpley has a knack for finding that open receiver and had this to say "I like to sit in the pocket and toss the ball around," Sharpley said. " I can run if I have to, but I like to read the defense and find my receivers." We shall see Evan Sharpley, at this next level. Sept. 3rd is looming and practices will soon begin, thus the time is imminent for Notre Dame's great backup QB to emerge.

_______Wee Leprechaun

IRISH BALL: TURD and TREE

***The following ditty, believe it as you must, concerns a lad from Ireland, long exited from the classrooms of the Irish Jesuits in Dublin, and now far from the Emerald Isle, here in South Bend shopping for a maintenance job at UND, but the foreman won't hire him until he passes a short math test:
"Here's your first question. Without using numbers, represent the number 9."
"Without numbers?" the Irishman says, "Dat is easy" and proceeds to draw three trees.
"What's this?" the boss asks.
"Ave you got no brain? Tree and tree and tree make nine," says the Irishman.
"Fair enough," says the boss. "Here's your second question. Use the same rules, but this time the number is 99."
The Irishman stares out into space for awhile, then picks up the picture that he has just drawn and makes a smudge on each tree. "Ere you go."
The boss scratches his head and says, "How on earth do you get that to represent 99?"
"Each of da trees is dirty now. So it's dirty tree, dirty tree, and dirty tree. Dat is 99."
The foreman is getting worried that he's going to actually have to hire this Irishman, so he says, "all right, last question. Same rules again, but represent the number 100."
The Irishman stares into space some more, then he picks up the picture again and makes a little mark at the base of each tree and says, "Ere you go. One hundred."
The boss looks at the attempt. "You must be nuts if you think that represents a hundred."
The Irishman leans forward and points to the marks at the base of each tree and says,"a little dog came along and crapped by each tree. So now you got dirty tree and a turd, dirty tree and a turd, and dirty tree and a turd, which makes one hundred. So, when do I start.!"
(NOTE: Now, now. We need a change of space from the hectic preoccupation with Irish Football. Old Shillelagh)

California Dreaming: Time to Wake Up!

***Californians have long been doing well by Notre Dame on the gridiron. It's a great football expanse, and I am somewhat biased in praising golden staters. However, I am also disappointed, for the most part, with the current California crop on the Irish squad (I am very disappointed that no Cal boys are coming aboard this year, and none has been recruited so far for 2006!). I believe there are 10+ veterans on the 2005 roster. Why haven't some played? Why have some played only sparingly? Why haven't some played well? Why haven't all of them played up to their incoming expectations? These CalLads must come through, if ND is to be on its way up this year.

James Bonelli, one of the real gifted CHS lineman ever; USC's Carroll wanted to cry when the young lad opted for South Bend. His contribution so far: a suspension. Hopefully, he had his butt kicked hard, his head shaken, and he stopped wimping. I'm told he is finally ready to play.If so, he'll be a strong back-up and make productive contributions on the offensive line. My favorite, Brandon Nicholas, another great prepster; he has been moved to the defense and, if he works hard over the summer and adjusts in the fall, this behemoth will become a starter. I believe its this year or never for the sophmore. Anthony Vernaglia needs to be a starter to perform up to the level he was destined for. If he can break into those ranks immediately or very soon into the season, ND will have a great one back there. This guy can't sit. Freddie Parrish and Terrail Lambert, both with speed, especially the latter, must rise to the occasion and up to years-earlior glowing news clippings that are now gathering dust, if the defensive backfield is to have solid depth and make a dramatically positive turn-around from the 2004 campaign. What to say about Chris Frome and Derek Landri? Well, not too much to this point, really. DL has shown spurts of nastiness. They both could start on the D-line and, by God, if these two wake up, the echoes will be heard loud and clearly. Sack Time. Rhema McKnight has shown bits and pieces of proud performance, but nothing to make headlines or headway. He'll get his opportunities from CWs play calling. Let's see if he is really ready to play. I am of a mind to have (and hope) that Darrin Bragg stops practicing with the QBs, way down the depth chart, and gets to follow in his pro-playing brother's pass-catching footsteps and great hands. Methinks he is an Arnaz Battle-type and can make the transition and make some exciting contributions. I have no knock on Anthony Salvador. When he is called upon to cross the side lines onto the gridiron, he plays with a lot of heart and guts. He gives 110 percent. If only the other Callads will follow his example.

Short-Takes: Recently, ESPNs "Sports Reporters" had a short segment on Notre Dame.....not very flattering, but no surprise that messrs. Ryan and Lupika are of a mind that the Irish will not fare well this year or in the future. Their bias against the Irish is well-known--both BC apologists. What was disturbing, if true, was a comment attributed to Tim Brown, ex-ND great, that CW cannot get skilled players to head to South Bend. This of course, is bull; what about Frazer and Aldridge to name two. I was sorry to hear that TB bad-mouthed CWs recruiting efforts, if true. Brown should be at ND in some coaching/recruiting capacity.

Most folks were evenly split, at least to this point, on my suggestion that ND make some changes to its uniforms, especially Kelly green jerseys with the player's name on the back. I still say: New era, New coach, New offensive look(s), New defensive look(s) beg for a New uniform look. And, a sea of green in the stands.

_______Old Shillelagh.