This thread will be used to talk about the outlook of the 2006 football season for ND.
FYI in advance, I plan on removing any non-football garbage from this thread.
Here's their season preview from cfbnews:
9-3 isn't good enough ... 9-3 isn't good enough ... 9-3 isn't good enough ... 9-3 isn't good enough ... 9-3 isn't good enough ... 9-3 isn't good enough ... 9-3 isn't good enough ... 9-3 isn't good enough ...
No matter what your feelings are about Notre Dame football, deep down, you have to wish Charlie Weis was your head coach for no other reason than for his attitude.
You want to feel like your head coach cares more than you do. You want to feel like your head coach will accept nothing less than winning. You want to feel like your head coach understands that a moral victory means nothing when your obnoxious fan-of-another-superpower calls you to laugh at your team's loss.
Weis appears to get that more than any other recent head coach, and his attitude marches step for step with the beliefs of the Irish nation. The issue under former head coach Ty Willingham wasn't necessarily his record, it wasn't his mediocre recruiting classes, and it sure as shoot had nothing to do with skin color. The issue, for many Irish fans, appeared to be that the program wasn't headed in the right direction and was starting to slip further and further from being a superpower. Real or perceived, the perceptions meant a change had to be made to get someone like Weis, who with his Super Bowl background, understood that either you win, or you don't; there's no middle ground.
Head coach: Charlie Weis
2nd year: 9-3
Returning Lettermen:
Off 15, Def 20, ST 1
Lettermen Lost: 23
Ten Best Irish Players
1. QB Brady Quinn, Sr.
2. WR Jeff Samardzija, Sr.
3. FS/PR Tom Zbikowski, Sr.
4. RB Darius Walker, Jr.
5. LB Maurice Crum Jr., Jr.
6. DT Derek Landri, Sr.
7. OT Ryan Harris, Sr.
8. DE Victor Abiamiri, Sr.
9. DT Trevor Laws, Sr.
10. WR Rhema McKnight, Sr.
CFN Prediction: 5-6
2005 Record: 9-3
Now, Notre Dame fans are already figuring out flight schedules out to Arizona for the BCS Championship game assuming that if Weis could do that in one year, the next logical step is a national title, right?
(thhhtweeep ... sound of a whistle blowing) Time out. Everyone take a deep breath, pop a Ritalin, and relax for a little bit.
Last year proved that the team, problems and all, can get by on great coaching, a phenomenal set of offensive players, and, as cliché as this might sound, plenty of heart. However, there's a reality to face about last year.
It's not Notre Dame's fault, but Pitt, Michigan, Purdue and Tennessee weren't nearly as good as they were expected to be, and the two games against the really, really big boys, USC and Ohio State, were losses. As harsh as it might sound, Notre Dame might not have really accomplished anything quite yet. The person who'd agree with that more than anyone else is Weis.
This is a tremendously flawed team with average corners, a limited pass rush from the front four, and no developed depth anywhere meaning the machine might quickly grind to a halt if injuries hit at the skill positions. The secondary didn't get any faster in the off-season, and the overall athleticism and talent level, which was exposed in the Fiesta Bowl by Ohio State, is a year or two away from being up-to-snuff for a national title-caliber powerhouse. There's a whole boatload of talent on the way, but not all of the stars are in South Bend quite yet. Does that mean the Irish can't play for the national title? Not necessarily. And why?
The Schedule: ... If you want to play for a national championship, this is a good schedule to do it with thanks to a great mix of high profile games and winnable home dates that not only sets up well for a big run, but also is strong enough to mean one-loss might still not crush title hopes. At Georgia Tech isn't going to be a walk in the park to start the season, but a team looking to play for all the marbles has to win a game like that. Penn State, Michigan, Purdue (who's better this year), and UCLA all have to come to South Bend. The only road trip to worry about between September 2nd and the finale at USC is at Michigan State (who's a lot better this year). An elite, national-title level team goes 11-0 before the showdown in L.A.
Best Offensive Player: Senior QB Brady Quinn. He went from being a nice passer who put up big numbers to a oh-my-goodness pro prospect who might go number one in the 2007 NFL Draft and likely would've gone in the top ten this year. He has always had the size, mobility, and arm, and now he has the coaching and the proof that his decision-making ability can be Super Bowl caliber.
Best Defensive Player: Senior FS Tom Zbikowski. He might not be the prettiest defensive back around, but he's tough-as-nails and is the type of college playmaker who changes games with one play. He can be a difference maker both as a defender and a punt returner.
Key player to a successful season: Outside linebackers Steve Quinn and Anthony Vernaglie. Throw Joe Brockington, Mitchell Thomas and Kevin Washington in the mix. The Irish have to replace 172 tackles, 11 sacks, and 29 tackles for loss worth of production from Brandon Hoyte and Corey Mays. Maurice Crum, Jr. will move to the middle to take over for Mays meaning immediate production will be needed on the outside.
The season will be a success if ... Notre Dame plays for the national title. If 9-3 isn't good enough for Charlie Weis, then it's not good enough to hope for anything less than a shot at the championship. Setting the bar a bit too high isn't a bad thing.
Key game: November 25th at USC. Notre Dame could lose to Georgia Tech in the opener and still end up playing for the national title. It can't lose in the regular season finale to USC and hope to have a shot at the big prize. Lost in the magnificence of last year's classic is that the Irish have still lost its last four to the Trojans.
2005 Fun Stats:
- Third down conversions: Notre Dame 90 of 184 (49%) - Opponents 58 of 165 (35%)
- Second quarter scoring: Notre Dame 145 - Opponents 47
- Punt returns: Notre Dame 14.1 yards per return - Opponents 6.4 yards per return
[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]The Last Time Notre Dame?€?
?€?played in a bowl game?€?2005 (Fiesta Bowl vs. Ohio State)
?€?missed a bowl game?€?2003
?€?pitched a shutout?€?2002 (Rutgers)
?€?was shutout?€?2003 (Florida State)
?€?scored 50 points?€?2003 (Stanford)
?€?went undefeated?€?1988
?€?won a conference title?€?never
?€?had a 3,000-yard passer?€?2005 (Brady Quinn)
?€?had a 1,000-yard rusher?€?2005 (Darius Walker)
?€?had a 1,000-yard receiver?€?2005 (Jeff Samardzija and Maurice Stovall)
?€?had a first-round draft choice?€?2003 (C Jeff Faine)[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]
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Notre Dame Fighting Irish[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]
[/FONT][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]Preview 2006 [/FONT]- ND offense[SIZE=-1]
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[/SIZE]- 2006 Notre Dame Preview | Defense Breakdown | Depth Chart | Further Analysis[/SIZE][/FONT]
What you need to know ... The offense exploded last season finishing tenth in the nation in total offense, eighth in scoring offense, and fourth in passing offense. The potential is there for even more production with QB Brady Quinn, RB Darius Walker, and receivers Jeff Samardzija and Rhema McKnight returning with a year of experience under Charlie Weis. There are concerns; the machine could quickly fall apart if injuries strike. There's no number two quarterback to rely on, the backup running backs are average, there's no proven number three receiver, and there's no depth on the line with right tackle situation still needing to be settled. The incoming freshmen are tremendous and the 2007 class shapes up to be even better, but it'll take a while for everyone to develop.
[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1]<TABLE id=table2 cellSpacing=6 width="30%" align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width="100%">
[/SIZE]Quarterbacks
[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1][/SIZE][/FONT]Is it crazy to get excited about the future when there's a Heisman caliber quarterback already under center? Brady Quinn will be just about everyone's preseason All-American after exploding in his first season under Charlie Weis. Now the scrutiny will be on in a year-long audition for the chance to be the number one pick in the 2007 NFL draft. As good as Quinn is, all the news this off-season was about the future after Jimmy Clausen, considered by many to be the nation's number one recruit, picked Notre Dame to stop the recruiting battle before his senior year could begin. This year, Zach Frazer and Demetrius Jones were the star quarterback recruits and they'll each get a shot at the number two job. All the incoming talent means it's now or never for backups Evan Sharpley and David Wolke to show what they can do.The key to the unit: Get another fantastic season out of Brady Quinn and carve out enough practice time to make sure there's a decent number two ready to step in.
Quarterback Rating: 9.5Projected Starter
- Brady Quinn, Sr. - 292-450, 65%, 3,919 yds, 32 TD, 7 INT, 70 carries, 90 yds, 1 TD
Could Quinn handle the pressure of the big Charlie Weis playbook and succeed in the new offense? Uh, yeah. A nice prospect with a live arm, good size and decent mobility, Quinn entered the rarefied air of being considered a number one overall caliber pro prospect after cranking out the best passing season in Notre Dame history on his way to finishing fourth in the Heisman race. Under Weis he proved he could be a sharp decision maker as well as be able to make all the throws. Just as important was his ability to rally the team and get the offense moving when he had to. Notre Dame might have lost to USC, but Quinn's stock went through the roof after leading the offense on a late drive to take the lead. He became the front-runner for the 2006 Heisman race after throwing for 432 yards in the comeback win over Stanford.
Top Backups
- Evan Sharpley, Soph.
Sharpley gets one year to show what he can do before getting tossed aside with all the new stars coming in. He'll get a shot at the number two job this season with a decent command of the offense and a nice arm, but he'll make his biggest mark on the baseball team where he's a good infielder. He made a good claim for the number two job by completing ten of 12 passes in the spring game.
- David Wolke, Jr. - 1-3, 33%, 28 yds, 1 INT, 1 carry 22 yds
A nice prospect with good size and a little bit of experience, Walke has seen time in seven games seeing time last year against Pitt and Washington. He'll be neck-and-neck with Evan Sharpley for the backup job.
Running Backs
[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1][/SIZE][/FONT]The ground game doesn't get nearly the same amount of attention as the passing attack, but it can be, at times, every bit as effective with Darius Walker on the verge of All-America status. While Walker has been a workhorse, he'll need more help this season from backup Travis Thomas along with a slew of incoming freshmen. James Aldridge, Munir Prince and Luke Schmidt will all get chances to play right away. Asaph Schwapp isn't an elite fullback yet, but he has the potential to be a key all-around cog in the attack.The key to the unit: Get more help for Darius Walker to keep him fresh and hope for Travis Thomas to emerge as a bigger producer so some of the good freshmen can be redshirted.
Running Back Rating: 8Projected Starters[SIZE=-1]
- Darius Walker, Jr. - 253 carries, 1,196 yds, 4.7 ypc, 9 TD, 43 catches, 351 yds, 8.2 ypc, 2 TD
With all the fireworks from the passing game, is it possible that Walker had an underrated season? All he did was carry the Notre Dame ground game with seven 100-yard days and a 90-yard game against Ohio State while also growing into a reliable receiver. He's lightning quick and tough as nails with the ability to run inside or out. [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]
- Fullback Asaph Schwapp, Soph. - 27 carries, 67 yds, 2.5 ypc, 3 catches, 22 yds, 7.3 ypc
The 250-pound Schwapp took over the starting job midway through last season and turned into a good all-around blocker as well as a short-yardage runner. While not the most devastating run blocker around, he's physical on big plays and great in pass protection.
Top Backups
[/SIZE]- Travis Thomas, Sr. - 63 carries, 248 yds, 3.9 ypc, 5 TD, 2 catches, 9 yds
Thomas is a big speedster with home-run hitting capabilities. While making his biggest mark on special teams, he also showed he can be a reliable runner tearing off 52 yards and a touchdown against USC. He might be a flashy back like Darius Walker, but he doesn't have the same receiving skills. He was fantastic this spring highlighted by an 83-yard scoring dash in the spring game.
- James Aldridge, Fr.
A true freshmen who came to camp early to get some work in, the 6-1, 215-pound Aldridge is the most heralded of the group. A Parade All-American who ran for 1,433 yards and 21 touchdowns last season, Aldridge can do a little of everything well and will get a long look at the number two job this summer..
- Fullback Ashley McConnell, Sr. - 1 carry, 3 yds
He has seen a little bit of time playing in three games last season being used mostly as a backup. He's a tough 247 pounds and will get a few carries in place of Asaph Schwapp.
Receivers[/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=-1]Is Jeff Samardzija really that good? Can Rhema McKnight make a successful return from a knee injury? Can any of the unproven backups step up and help fill the void left by Maurice Stovall? Can John Carlson and Marcus Freeman combine to do what Anthony Fasano did at tight end? For such a talented group of receivers, there are an awful lot of questions. Ohio State's talented secondary showed that Samardzija can be taken out of a gameplan, while McKnight has yet to live up to his immense potential despite leading the team in receptions for two years. Even so, this will be one of the nation's most productive receiving corps thanks to the system and Brady Quinn.[/SIZE][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1][SIZE=-1]The key to the unit: Rhema McKnight has to be healthy again and David Grimes and Darrin Bragg have to become stars to help take the heat off Jeff Samardzija.
Receiver Rating: 9Projected Starters
[SIZE=-1]- Jeff Samardzija, Sr. - 77 catches, 1,249 yds, 16.2 ypc, 15 TD
A decent target over his first two seasons, Samardzija exploded into an All-American leading the Irish in receiving as Brady Quinn's top target. He was unstoppable up until the Fiesta Bowl with six 100-yard days and touchdown catches in every game but two: the loss to Ohio State and the win over Navy. The 6-5, 220-pound senior has grown into a first round pro prospect with great speed to go along with reliable hands, and he'll also get a look from the big leagues as a pitcher.
[/SIZE]- Rhema McKnight, Sr. - 5 catches, 69 yds, 13.8 ypc, 1 TD
McKnight was the leading receiver in 2003 and 2004 with[/SIZE] 98 catches for 1,301 yards and six touchdowns and started off 2005 well before tearing up his knee and missing the rest of the season. He has enough quickness to be a top punt returner and is a more-than-reliable veteran. If 100%, he'll be a top deep threat again at the outside X position and should flourish in the upgraded passing attack.[SIZE=-1][SIZE=-1]
- Tight end John Carlson, Sr. - 7 catches, 56 yds, 8 ypc, 1 TD
Carlson will combine with Marcus Freeman to take over for Anthony Fasano at tight end. At 6-6 and 254 pounds, Carlson is the bigger of the twp prospects and has a little more experience after serving as Fasano's backup last season. He's also the team's most proven receiving tight end.
Top Backups[/SIZE]
- Darrin Bragg, Jr.
The brother of former [SIZE=-1]UCLA star receiver Craig Bragg, Darrin moved his way into the number two spot at the inside Z position behind Jeff Samardzija. He started off his Notre Dame career as a quarterback before moving over to receiver last fall and can still serve on the practice team as a quarterback to mimic quick, option runners.- David Grimes, Soph - 2 catches, 19 yds, 9.5 ypc. Mostly a kickoff return man so far, Grimes is one of the team's faster receivers with the potential to explode as a deep threat. He'll start out behind Rhema McKnight on the outside and will see time in three-wide sets.
- Tight end Marcus Freeman, Sr.
Purely a blocker so far, the 6-3, 245-pound Freeman will start seeing some passes come his way after getting in better shape. He caught five passes for 50 yards in 2004. He has also been a top special teamer.[/SIZE]
[/SIZE]Offensive Linemen[SIZE=-1]Three starters return to what should be a strong line if the right side comes together. Bob Morton is experienced enough to be solid at right guard, but the real question is at right tackle where the steady Mark LeVoir has to be replaced. Paul Duncan and Brian Mattes didn't set the world on fire this spring meaning the door is open for one of the star freshmen to take over when they hit campus this summer. Sam Young was one of the nation's top recruits and will push hard for the job. [/SIZE]The key to the unit: Stay healthy early. There's next to no experienced depth behind what should be a good starting five once the right tackle situation is settled.
Offensive Line Rating: 8Projected Starters
- OT Ryan Harris, Sr.
Harris is in his fourth year as a starter and is on the verge of All-America honors after living up to his potential last season. He's 6-5 and 292 pounds and can do a little bit of everything well. He has mostly grown as a pass blocker becoming more consistent as last year went on.
- OG Dan Santucci, Sr.
The 297-pound senior stepped in at right guard and started every game. Now he'll start at left guard where he should be a rock now that he knows what he's doing after being a year removed the defensive side.
- C John Sullivan, Sr.
Sullivan has played like a veteran over the last two seasons and now should be fantastic. He's a smart, savvy, 300-pound rock in the middle whose presences has allowed the coaching staff to use Bob Morton at guard.
- OG Bob Morton, Sr.
The team's most versatile lineman, the 294-pound senior can play either guard position or center. He stepped in at center for four games when John Sullivan was hurt last year and started all 11 games in the middle in 2003, but he appears to be more natural at guard where he started every game on the left side in 2004 before moving over to the right side.
- OT Paul Duncan, Soph.
Duncan has the starting job at right tackle for now, but it's hardly a firm grip. The 6-7 sophomore bulked up from 270 to 292 pounds after being a key reserve as a freshman. He didn't dominate enough this spring to be assured of anything this fall, but he's a great prospect with good upside.
Top Backups
- OG/OT Brian Mattes, Sr.
Going into fall practice, the 6-6, 285-pound Mattes is just a shade behind Paul Duncan for the starting spot at right tackle. He's also listed as the top backup at left guard and will see extensive time on special teams.
- OG Chris Stewart, Fr.
[/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=-1]The 342-pound freshman showed up early and took over a backup spot at right guard behind Bob Morton. He's a big blocker who should grow into a dominant run blocker and will see time right off the bat.
- OT Sam Young, Fr.
Considered one of the nation's best offensive line prospects, the 6-7, 292-pound Young is a tremendous all-around athlete with room on his frame to add another ten pounds of muscle and not be heavy. He could end up starting right away at one of the tackle spots[/SIZE]
Notre Dame Fighting Irish[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]
[/FONT][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]Preview 2006 [/FONT]- ND Defense[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]
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[/SIZE]- 2006 Notre Dame Preview | Offense Breakdown | Depth Chart | Further Analysis[/SIZE][/FONT]
What you need to know ... There's plenty of returning experience with nine starters coming back from a defense that struggled way too much last season. The biggest improvement has to come in the secondary with the corners needing to be as strong as the safeties. There were way too many breakdowns on big plays last season, but those should slow down with all four starters returning. The line will be fine if the coaching staff has figured out how to generate more pressure from the ends. Tackles Trevor Laws and Derek Landri should be in for huge seasons. Linebacker will be an issue over the first half of the season with almost no returning experience outside of Maurice Crum, Jr. [FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1]<TABLE id=table2 cellSpacing=6 width="30%" align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width="100%">
[SIZE=-1]The coaching staff made it a point this off-season to get more pass rushing production from the front four which means the pressure is on for Victor Abiamiri, Ronaldy Talley, Chris Frome, and the rest of the marginally talented ends. The real stars are in the middle where seniors Trevor Laws and Derek Landri form one of the better tandems. The concern is developed depth where promising sophomores Derrell Hand and Pat Kuntz have to come out pushing for time.
The key to the unit: Generate a pass rush against everyone and not just Stanford and develop more options for the inside.[/SIZE]
Defensive Line Rating: 7
[SIZE=-1]Projected Starters
- DE Victor Abiamiri, Sr. - 48 tackles, 8 sacks, 15 TFL, 7 quarterback hurries
Abiamiri did a great job of taking over for Justin Tuck turning into the team's best pass rusher. Now he has to be more consistent and use his experience to be a game-in-and-game-out dominator once he returns from a knee surgery that limited him a times this spring. He was decent all season with his stats pumped up by a ten tackle, four sack performance against Stanford, and now he appears on the verge of exploding after being the focus of the coaching staff all off-season. 15 sacks won't be out of the question.
- DT Trevor Laws, Sr. - 33 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 3 TFL
A reliable 293-pound run stuffer, Laws is a strong mauler of a defender with the quickness to be expected to do more as a pass rusher. He's a great talent who has the potential to be the team's breakout defensive star with most teams sure to focus on stopping more heralded playmakers like Victor Abiamiri and Derek Landri.
- DT Derek Landri, Sr. - 43 tackles, 3 sacks, 8 TFL, 7 quarterback hurries
While undersized at 6-3 and 263 pounds, he's a top pass rusher with the lateral quickness to make plays anywhere on the line against the run. He has been a steady starter over the last two years while improving his closing ability when he gets into the backfield.
- DE Ronald Talley, Jr. - 23 tackles, 1 sack, 1.5 TFL
A spot starter last season, the 261-pound junior will get the first look at right end where he needs to be more of a pass rusher. He started to come on over the second half of last year with good back-to-back games against USC and BYU before struggling a bit the rest of the way..
Top Backups
- DE Justin Brown, Jr. - 12 tackles, 1 TFL
Still raw and still needing a little more time to develop, the 6-3, 247-pound junior has the potential to explode and become the team's best pass rusher ... in time. He has only played football for three seasons but has the skills and athleticism to be tremendous behind Ronald Talley on the right side.
- DT Derrell Hand, Soph.
The 301-pound sophomore is the biggest player up front and has to grow into a presence as a run stopper. He's a strong presence who should see time right away behind Trevor Laws at right tackle.
- DE Chris Frome, Sr. - 6 tackles, 1 sack
He has the size at 6-5 and 271 pounds and has the experience having played in 18 games with six starts last season , but he has to come back healthy after getting knocked out for the year with a knee injury against USC. He also has to prove he can make plays with only 15 career tackles and one sack.
- DE Dwight Stephenson Jr., Sr.- 9 tackles
The son of the legendary Alabama and Miami Dolphin center will look to finally make an impact after moving around from linebacker to tackle to end. He'll start out behind Victor Abiamiri on the left side.[/SIZE]
LinebackersThis will be the team's biggest question mark going into the fall. Maurice Crum is a rock-solid force moving from the outside in forcing a major battle late this summer to sort out the outside spots with several talented, inexperienced prospects looking to shine after an average spring. Joe Brockington, one of the team's only experienced linebackers, has to come back healthy to push for playing time with Steve Quinn, Anthony Vernaglia, Mitchell Thomas and Scott Smith. All will bet equal chances to replace Crum and leading tackler Brandon Hoyte.The key to the unit: A good rotation has to develop right away around Maurice Crum. There might not be sure-thing stars out of the gate, so all the prospects on the outside need a chance to show what they can do when the lights are on.
Linebacker Rating: 6.5Projected Starters
- Steve Quinn, Soph. - 4 tackles
A special teamer last season, the 215-pound sophomore will get the start on the weakside where he'll try to replace leading tackler Brandon Hoyte. He's physical enough to play on the strongside with more than enough speed to be a disruptive force on the weakside. He's not going to be the hitter Hoyte was, at least he won't be right away.
- Maurice Crum Jr., Jr. - 57 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 3 quarterback hurries
The team's only linebacker with any appreciable experience will move from the outside to the middle after finishing sixth on the team in tackles as one of the team's most consistent defenders. He should be a terror using his speed, experience, and skills to be a sideline-to-sideline force and one of the team's top three tacklers.
- Anthony Vernaglia, Jr. - 4 tackles
The former safety saw a little time at linebacker last year and now looks to be a consistent threat at the strongside Apache position. He has the the speed and athleticism to be one of the team's top tacklers once he figures out what he's doing.
Top Backups
- Mitchell Thomas, Sr. - 1 tackle
The 240-pound career special teamer is a far bigger option on the weakside than starter Steve Quinn. He has the size and the sprinter's speed to make an impact, and now he has to put it all together and be good enough to get on the field. If his performances late in spring ball were any indication, he's ready for a big year.
- Kevin Washington, Soph.
A speedy sophomore who's built for the Notre Dame Apache position on the outside, Washington bulked up to 231 pounds and should be able to do a little of everything well as he pushes Anthony Vernaglia for time.
- Joe Brockington, Sr. - 9 tackles
One of the only returning linebackers with any appreciable experience, Brockington has to get healthy after having problems with his back. He's mostly a special teamer with 22 games of experience and will be in the hunt for a starting spot on the outside this fall.
- Scott Smith, Soph. - 3 tackles
Smith was a top recruit last season and grew into an excellent special teams performer. He's not going to move Maurice Crum out of a starting job in the middle, but he's a talented enough prospect to see plenty of time and possible be move to the outside here and there just to get him on the field.
[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]D[/FONT]efensive BacksThis group got flat-out torched all year and didn't all of a sudden get faster this off-season. All four starters return to a group that gave up 265 yards per game and 18 touchdown passes even with games against the challenged air attacks of Navy and Syracuse to make things look better. The strength is at safety where Tom Zbikowski and Chinedum Ndukwe are good enough to challenge any tandem in the nation, but corner is an issue where Mike Richardson and Ambrose Wooden are fantastic tacklers and mediocre covermen. Don't be shocked if incoming freshmen Raeshon McNeil and Darrin Walls end up starting sooner than later.The key to the unit: Prevent the big play. Opponents averaged a whopping 14.6 yards per catch last season.
Secondary Rating: 7 Projected Starters
- CB Ambrose Wooden, Sr. - 74 tackles, 2 interceptions, 5 broken up passes
The former receiver grew into a fantastic open field tackler leading the team with 61 solo stops and is the team's leading returning tackler. Now he needs to become a more consistent coverman and has to pick off more passes and has to be better against deep passes. He'll continue to have problems with the speed receivers, but he should be physical enough to handle the slower ones.
- SS Chinedum Ndukwe, Sr. - 52 tackles, 2 interceptions, 5 broken up passes
Ndukwe took over the starting role early last year after getting his feet wet in 2004 after moving over from wide receiver. He's a huge 6-2, 219-pound hitter with a nose for the football and an uncanny knack for forcing turnovers. He won't receive the national acclaim of Tom Zbikowski, but he'll be just as effective.
- FS Tom Zbikowski, Sr. - 71 tackles, 5 interceptions, 4 broken up passes, 1 sack
Easily one of the toughest players in America, the part-time boxer and full-time leader of the Irish defense has grown into a whale of a playmaker with 134 tackles over the last two years with six interceptions. He's also an elite punt returner averaging 14 yards per attempt with two touchdowns last season. He brings the attitude to the defense.
- CB Mike Richardson, Sr. - 66 tackles, 3 interceptions, 5 broken up passes, 3 sacks
The senior hits like a corner, but he also covers like one. He has 115 career tackles and turned into a good blitzer, and now he has to be more consistent when the ball is in the air. He'll make big plays here and there and has a knack for getting to the ball, but he'll also give up several big plays.
Top Backups
- CB Terrail Lambert, Jr. - 8 tackles, 1 broken up pass
When you hear complaints about the lack of speed in the Notre Dame secondary, those don't apply to Lambert. One of the team's fastest players, Lambert will see more time this season behind Mike Richardson after mostly being used on special teams and in dime packages.
- CB Leo Ferrine, Jr. - 22 tackles, 1 interception, 2 TFL
The team's top nickel back will start out behind Ambrose Wooden and could start if needed. He's at his best on special teams and making tackles in the open field. With his experience he should start making more big plays.
- SS David Bruton, Soph. -14 tackles, 1 broken up pass
Mostly a special teamer in his fist season, Bruton flies to the ball and will be groomed to be a star starter next season. He has good range and doesn't miss tackles.
- FS Ray Herring, Soph. - 6 tackles
Able to play cornerback or safety, Herring will use his speed at free safety where he'll see a few plays here and there behind Tom Zbikowski. He has been a great scout teamer and a standout on special teams.
Special Teams[/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=-1]The kicking game won't be all that bad even with the uncertainty at placekicker. Carl Gioia and freshman Ryan Burkhart will battle for the starting job, while new punter Geoff Price appears to be a keeper. Tom Zbikowski is one of the nation's better punt returners, while David Grimes is a solid kickoff returner averaging 22.5 yards per try. The coverage units should once again be decent.[/SIZE][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1]The key to the unit: Reliable, consistent placekicking in place of D.J. Fitzpatrick.
Special Teams Rating: 7Projected Starters
- PK Carl Gioia, Sr.. 1-1 FGs
Don't get comfortable with the idea of Carl Gioia being the main man for a full season after a shaky spring. D.J. Fitzpatrick wasn't the steadiest placekicker, but he wasn't a liability. If Gioia struggles early on, expect freshman Ryan Burkhart to quickly take over.
- P Geoff Price, Sr.
D.J. Fitzpatrick averaged 40.3 yards per kick and put 12 inside the 20; Price is good enough to equal those numbers. He's a big kicker with a big leg and should put more boom on the ball than Fitzpatrick. Consistency will be his main issue early on.
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Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Preview 2006 Further Analysis
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[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]By[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1] [/SIZE][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1][SIZE=-1]John Harris
[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]- 2006 Notre Dame Preview | Offense Breakdown | Defense Breakdown | Depth Chart [/SIZE][/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=-1]
1<SUP>st</SUP> and Ten ?€“?€œAll you?€™ll ever be is a Heisman candidate after I?€™m done with you?€? ?€“ The story was oft repeated last year during the first year of the Charlie Weis regime - the head coach telling Brady Quinn that all he?€™ll ever be is a 50% passer last spring with his decision making. How far has Quinn come since his coach threatened him with that edict? Well, let?€™s just say that the Mighty Quinn turned himself into a 65% passer who threw for 32 touchdowns on only 7 interceptions. Although he was probably due a trip to New York along with Reggie, Vince and Matt, it should make him hungry to replicate his 2005 performance as a senior. If he can continue to build off of that success, he might put up the best single season as a QB in Notre Dame history?€?for the second year in a row. Before Quinn?€™s performance last year, no QB in history had thrown for over 3,000 yards in a season. He threw for over 3,900. No one had ever thrown for over 20 touchdowns in a season. He hit 32. No one had ever thrown for more than 4 touchdowns in a game. He threw for 5 against Michigan State and 6 against BYU. Quite simply, Quinn had the greatest passing campaign of all-time at Notre Dame. And, the man didn?€™t even get a sniff for the Heisman. Regardless, he?€™s got to be one of the top three leading candidates to take home the Trophy, the first Irish Trophy since Tim Brown?€™s in 1987. Weis?€™s arrival and consistent prodding/coaching forced Quinn to ditch trying to hit the home run on every ball, but what he also did was give him an intermediate ?€˜game?€™ that he could use at any time. For example, in the Purdue game, Weis called a quarters-buster route out of a twins formation. The outside receiver ran a post or clear out route, while the inside receiver ran a deep 20 yard out (the quarter playing CB has to respect the clear out route). Quinn hit the out, underneath the deep ¼ playing CB, and WR Jeff Samardzija turned it into a huge play. Ultimately, Quinn realized that he didn?€™t have to go deep to be effective (and he eventually was able to attack deep as well), and that the intermediate areas would be open consistently throughout a game. That change, with another year under Weis, could be what precipitates the first 4,000 yard/40 TD season in Notre Dame history.
2<SUP>nd</SUP> and Seven ?€“ Hey, wait up ?€“ Two images epitomized the season for the Irish defense last year ?€“ one was the 4<SUP>th</SUP> and 9 (and if you have to ask which one that was, stop reading and go pick up your Us magazine) against USC and the other was watching Ted Ginn Jr. and Santonio Holmes run past anyone in a blue jersey in the Fiesta Bowl. In both of those situations, the speed of the corners, or lack thereof in comparison to the Buckeye ?€˜jets?€™ and Dwayne Jarrett, was terribly apparent. What most people fail to remember is that the corners had actually played decent for the most part up to that point in the USC game. On the flip side, Ohio State found that chink in the armor early and then preyed on it the rest of the game. So, the postgame rhetoric surrounded Notre Dame?€™s lack of speed in the secondary and how 2006 would be no different if that didn?€™t change. Well, Ginn and Holmes ran past a lot of people, so it?€™s not as glaring as it first appeared. However, the corners, Ambrose Wooden and Mike Richardson, are going to have teams attack them until the Irish duo can consistently stop them.
3<SUP>rd</SUP> and Three ?€“ Rhema?€™s Return ?€“ Although Maurice Stovall stepped up into the #2 receiver spot last season, it?€™s somewhat hard to imagine that Brady Quinn had the season that he did without 2004 and 2003?€™s leading receiver Rhema McKnight. The Shark ?€“ Samardzija ?€“ was Quinn?€™s go-to guy, but Stovall had a tremendous season opposite #83. But, McKnight returns this year and should provide that #2 option, opposite the Shark, if he?€™s fully healthy. Weis?€™s offenses have never had a superstar receiver in the fold, mostly because his QBs spread the wealth. Consequently, that often makes the #2 receiver in this offense as valuable as the #1 guy. That was evident with Stovall last year, and should be the same this upon Rhema?€™s return this year.
4<SUP>th</SUP> and One ?€“ DL on the DL ?€“ Safety Tom Zbikowski is arguably the heart and soul of the defense. Defensive end Victor Abiamiri is the most athletically gifted of the defensive linemen. But, one guy that often gets overshadowed by the aforementioned defensive duo, Derek Landri, defensive tackle, is an underrated menace in the middle. He?€™s not a 300+ pound banger, but he does his work from guard to guard with quickness and technique. After having played for Bob Ladouceur at fabled DeLaSalle High School, Landri knows how to use his lack of size, quickness and speed to his advantage. He?€™s typically the first lineman off the ball and often can beat the double team with his quick feet. Landri is a guy that most offensive linemen hate to see each and every Saturday, and by the end of the year, most people should be discussing him in the same breath as Zbikowski and Abiamiri.
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Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Preview 2006 Depth Chart[SIZE=-1]
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[/SIZE]- 2006 Notre Dame Preview | Offense Breakdown | Defense Breakdown | Further Analysis[/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=-1] <TABLE cellSpacing=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width="50%">OFFENSE Returning starters: 7[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]QB 10 Brady Quinn 6-4 231 Sr.
13 Evan Sharpley 6-2 207 So. OR
14 David Wolke 6-2 196 Jr.
HB 3 Darius Walker 5-10 208 Jr.
26 Travis Thomas 6-0 215 Sr.
FB 44 Asaph Schwapp 6-0 250 So.
35 Ashley McConnell 6-0 247 Sr.[/SIZE] WR(X) 5 Rhema McKnight 6-2 207 Sr.
11 David Grimes 6-0 170 So.[SIZE=-1]
WR(Z) 83 Jeff Samardzija 6-5 216 Sr.
7 Darrin Bragg 6-1 192 Jr.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]
WR(Y) 89 John Carlson 6-6 254 Sr. OR
87 Marcus Freeman 6-3 245 Sr.
[/SIZE]
LT 68 Ryan Harris 6-5 288 Sr.
77 Michael Turkovich 6-6 290 So.
LG 50 Dan Santucci 6-4 290 Sr.
79 Brian Mattes 6-6 285 Sr.
C 78 John Sullivan 6-4 298 Sr.
76 Bob Morton 6-4 292 Sr.
RG 76 Bob Morton 6-4 292 Sr.
59 Chris Stewart 6-5 342 Fr.
RT 72 Paul Duncan 6-7 292 So.
79 Brian Mattes 6-6 285 Sr.
</TD>[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1]<TD vAlign=top width="50%">DEFENSE Returning starters: 9LE 95 Victor Abiamiri 6-4 260 Sr.
57 Dwight Stephenson, Jr. 6-2 252 Sr.
LT 98 Trevor Laws 6-1 293 Sr.
92 Derrell Hand 6-3 301 So.
RT 66 Derek Landri 6-3 263 Sr.
96 Pat Kuntz 6-2 267 So.
RE 99 Ronald Talley 6-4 261 Jr.
94 Justin Brown 6-3 247 Jr. WLB 48 Steve Quinn 6-2 215 So.
47 Mitchell Thomas 6-3 240 Sr.
MLB 40 Maurice Crum, Jr. 6-0 220 Jr.
41 Scott Smith 6-3 235 So.
Apache 4 Anthony Vernaglia 6-3 221 Jr.
42 Kevin Washington 6-1 231 So.
CB 22 Ambrose Wooden 5-11 197 Sr.
15 Leo Ferrine 6-0 186 Jr.
S 18 Chinedum Ndukwe 6-2 219 Sr.
27 David Bruton 6-2 187 So.
S 9[SIZE=-1] Tom Zbikowski 5-11 208 Sr. [/SIZE]
6 Ray Herring 6-0 199 So.
CB 30 Mike Richardson 5-11 193 Sr.
20 Terrail Lambert 5-11 188 Jr.
SPECIALISTS
PK 45 Carl Gioia 5-11 179 Sr.
P 17 Geoff Price 6-3 186 Sr.
PR 9 Tom Zbikowski 6-8 208 Sr.
19 George West 5-8 172 Fr.
KR 11 David Grimes 6-0 170 So.
19 George West 5-8 172 Fr.
</TD>[/SIZE][/FONT]</TR></TBODY></TABLE>
FYI in advance, I plan on removing any non-football garbage from this thread.
Here's their season preview from cfbnews:
9-3 isn't good enough ... 9-3 isn't good enough ... 9-3 isn't good enough ... 9-3 isn't good enough ... 9-3 isn't good enough ... 9-3 isn't good enough ... 9-3 isn't good enough ... 9-3 isn't good enough ...
No matter what your feelings are about Notre Dame football, deep down, you have to wish Charlie Weis was your head coach for no other reason than for his attitude.
You want to feel like your head coach cares more than you do. You want to feel like your head coach will accept nothing less than winning. You want to feel like your head coach understands that a moral victory means nothing when your obnoxious fan-of-another-superpower calls you to laugh at your team's loss.
Weis appears to get that more than any other recent head coach, and his attitude marches step for step with the beliefs of the Irish nation. The issue under former head coach Ty Willingham wasn't necessarily his record, it wasn't his mediocre recruiting classes, and it sure as shoot had nothing to do with skin color. The issue, for many Irish fans, appeared to be that the program wasn't headed in the right direction and was starting to slip further and further from being a superpower. Real or perceived, the perceptions meant a change had to be made to get someone like Weis, who with his Super Bowl background, understood that either you win, or you don't; there's no middle ground.
Head coach: Charlie Weis
2nd year: 9-3
Returning Lettermen:
Off 15, Def 20, ST 1
Lettermen Lost: 23
Ten Best Irish Players
1. QB Brady Quinn, Sr.
2. WR Jeff Samardzija, Sr.
3. FS/PR Tom Zbikowski, Sr.
4. RB Darius Walker, Jr.
5. LB Maurice Crum Jr., Jr.
6. DT Derek Landri, Sr.
7. OT Ryan Harris, Sr.
8. DE Victor Abiamiri, Sr.
9. DT Trevor Laws, Sr.
10. WR Rhema McKnight, Sr.
CFN Prediction: 5-6
2005 Record: 9-3
Now, Notre Dame fans are already figuring out flight schedules out to Arizona for the BCS Championship game assuming that if Weis could do that in one year, the next logical step is a national title, right?
(thhhtweeep ... sound of a whistle blowing) Time out. Everyone take a deep breath, pop a Ritalin, and relax for a little bit.
Last year proved that the team, problems and all, can get by on great coaching, a phenomenal set of offensive players, and, as cliché as this might sound, plenty of heart. However, there's a reality to face about last year.
It's not Notre Dame's fault, but Pitt, Michigan, Purdue and Tennessee weren't nearly as good as they were expected to be, and the two games against the really, really big boys, USC and Ohio State, were losses. As harsh as it might sound, Notre Dame might not have really accomplished anything quite yet. The person who'd agree with that more than anyone else is Weis.
This is a tremendously flawed team with average corners, a limited pass rush from the front four, and no developed depth anywhere meaning the machine might quickly grind to a halt if injuries hit at the skill positions. The secondary didn't get any faster in the off-season, and the overall athleticism and talent level, which was exposed in the Fiesta Bowl by Ohio State, is a year or two away from being up-to-snuff for a national title-caliber powerhouse. There's a whole boatload of talent on the way, but not all of the stars are in South Bend quite yet. Does that mean the Irish can't play for the national title? Not necessarily. And why?
The Schedule: ... If you want to play for a national championship, this is a good schedule to do it with thanks to a great mix of high profile games and winnable home dates that not only sets up well for a big run, but also is strong enough to mean one-loss might still not crush title hopes. At Georgia Tech isn't going to be a walk in the park to start the season, but a team looking to play for all the marbles has to win a game like that. Penn State, Michigan, Purdue (who's better this year), and UCLA all have to come to South Bend. The only road trip to worry about between September 2nd and the finale at USC is at Michigan State (who's a lot better this year). An elite, national-title level team goes 11-0 before the showdown in L.A.
Best Offensive Player: Senior QB Brady Quinn. He went from being a nice passer who put up big numbers to a oh-my-goodness pro prospect who might go number one in the 2007 NFL Draft and likely would've gone in the top ten this year. He has always had the size, mobility, and arm, and now he has the coaching and the proof that his decision-making ability can be Super Bowl caliber.
Best Defensive Player: Senior FS Tom Zbikowski. He might not be the prettiest defensive back around, but he's tough-as-nails and is the type of college playmaker who changes games with one play. He can be a difference maker both as a defender and a punt returner.
Key player to a successful season: Outside linebackers Steve Quinn and Anthony Vernaglie. Throw Joe Brockington, Mitchell Thomas and Kevin Washington in the mix. The Irish have to replace 172 tackles, 11 sacks, and 29 tackles for loss worth of production from Brandon Hoyte and Corey Mays. Maurice Crum, Jr. will move to the middle to take over for Mays meaning immediate production will be needed on the outside.
The season will be a success if ... Notre Dame plays for the national title. If 9-3 isn't good enough for Charlie Weis, then it's not good enough to hope for anything less than a shot at the championship. Setting the bar a bit too high isn't a bad thing.
Key game: November 25th at USC. Notre Dame could lose to Georgia Tech in the opener and still end up playing for the national title. It can't lose in the regular season finale to USC and hope to have a shot at the big prize. Lost in the magnificence of last year's classic is that the Irish have still lost its last four to the Trojans.
2005 Fun Stats:
- Third down conversions: Notre Dame 90 of 184 (49%) - Opponents 58 of 165 (35%)
- Second quarter scoring: Notre Dame 145 - Opponents 47
- Punt returns: Notre Dame 14.1 yards per return - Opponents 6.4 yards per return
[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]The Last Time Notre Dame?€?
?€?played in a bowl game?€?2005 (Fiesta Bowl vs. Ohio State)
?€?missed a bowl game?€?2003
?€?pitched a shutout?€?2002 (Rutgers)
?€?was shutout?€?2003 (Florida State)
?€?scored 50 points?€?2003 (Stanford)
?€?went undefeated?€?1988
?€?won a conference title?€?never
?€?had a 3,000-yard passer?€?2005 (Brady Quinn)
?€?had a 1,000-yard rusher?€?2005 (Darius Walker)
?€?had a 1,000-yard receiver?€?2005 (Jeff Samardzija and Maurice Stovall)
?€?had a first-round draft choice?€?2003 (C Jeff Faine)[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]
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Notre Dame Fighting Irish[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]
[/FONT][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]Preview 2006 [/FONT]- ND offense[SIZE=-1]
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[/SIZE]- 2006 Notre Dame Preview | Defense Breakdown | Depth Chart | Further Analysis[/SIZE][/FONT]
What you need to know ... The offense exploded last season finishing tenth in the nation in total offense, eighth in scoring offense, and fourth in passing offense. The potential is there for even more production with QB Brady Quinn, RB Darius Walker, and receivers Jeff Samardzija and Rhema McKnight returning with a year of experience under Charlie Weis. There are concerns; the machine could quickly fall apart if injuries strike. There's no number two quarterback to rely on, the backup running backs are average, there's no proven number three receiver, and there's no depth on the line with right tackle situation still needing to be settled. The incoming freshmen are tremendous and the 2007 class shapes up to be even better, but it'll take a while for everyone to develop.
[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1]<TABLE id=table2 cellSpacing=6 width="30%" align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width="100%">
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Returning Leaders
[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Passing: Brady Quinn
292-450, 3,919 yds, 32 TD, 7 INT
Rushing: Darius Walker
253 carries, 1,196 yds, 9 TD
Receiving: Jeff Samardzija
77 catches, 1,249 yds, 15 TD[/FONT]
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>[/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1][/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Passing: Brady Quinn
292-450, 3,919 yds, 32 TD, 7 INT
Rushing: Darius Walker
253 carries, 1,196 yds, 9 TD
Receiving: Jeff Samardzija
77 catches, 1,249 yds, 15 TD[/FONT]
Star of the offense: Senior QB Brady Quinn
Player that has to step up and become a star: Sophomore OT Paul Duncan
Unsung star on the rise: Sophomore FB Asaph Schwapp
Best pro prospect: Quinn
Top three all-star candidates: 1) Quinn, 2) WR Jeff Samardzija, 3) RB Darius Walker
Strength of the offense: Starting skill players
Weakness of the offense:
Player that has to step up and become a star: Sophomore OT Paul Duncan
Unsung star on the rise: Sophomore FB Asaph Schwapp
Best pro prospect: Quinn
Top three all-star candidates: 1) Quinn, 2) WR Jeff Samardzija, 3) RB Darius Walker
Strength of the offense: Starting skill players
Weakness of the offense:
[/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=-1]Depth
[/SIZE]Quarterbacks
[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1][/SIZE][/FONT]Is it crazy to get excited about the future when there's a Heisman caliber quarterback already under center? Brady Quinn will be just about everyone's preseason All-American after exploding in his first season under Charlie Weis. Now the scrutiny will be on in a year-long audition for the chance to be the number one pick in the 2007 NFL draft. As good as Quinn is, all the news this off-season was about the future after Jimmy Clausen, considered by many to be the nation's number one recruit, picked Notre Dame to stop the recruiting battle before his senior year could begin. This year, Zach Frazer and Demetrius Jones were the star quarterback recruits and they'll each get a shot at the number two job. All the incoming talent means it's now or never for backups Evan Sharpley and David Wolke to show what they can do.The key to the unit: Get another fantastic season out of Brady Quinn and carve out enough practice time to make sure there's a decent number two ready to step in.
Quarterback Rating: 9.5Projected Starter
- Brady Quinn, Sr. - 292-450, 65%, 3,919 yds, 32 TD, 7 INT, 70 carries, 90 yds, 1 TD
Could Quinn handle the pressure of the big Charlie Weis playbook and succeed in the new offense? Uh, yeah. A nice prospect with a live arm, good size and decent mobility, Quinn entered the rarefied air of being considered a number one overall caliber pro prospect after cranking out the best passing season in Notre Dame history on his way to finishing fourth in the Heisman race. Under Weis he proved he could be a sharp decision maker as well as be able to make all the throws. Just as important was his ability to rally the team and get the offense moving when he had to. Notre Dame might have lost to USC, but Quinn's stock went through the roof after leading the offense on a late drive to take the lead. He became the front-runner for the 2006 Heisman race after throwing for 432 yards in the comeback win over Stanford.
Top Backups
- Evan Sharpley, Soph.
Sharpley gets one year to show what he can do before getting tossed aside with all the new stars coming in. He'll get a shot at the number two job this season with a decent command of the offense and a nice arm, but he'll make his biggest mark on the baseball team where he's a good infielder. He made a good claim for the number two job by completing ten of 12 passes in the spring game.
- David Wolke, Jr. - 1-3, 33%, 28 yds, 1 INT, 1 carry 22 yds
A nice prospect with good size and a little bit of experience, Walke has seen time in seven games seeing time last year against Pitt and Washington. He'll be neck-and-neck with Evan Sharpley for the backup job.
Running Backs
[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1][/SIZE][/FONT]The ground game doesn't get nearly the same amount of attention as the passing attack, but it can be, at times, every bit as effective with Darius Walker on the verge of All-America status. While Walker has been a workhorse, he'll need more help this season from backup Travis Thomas along with a slew of incoming freshmen. James Aldridge, Munir Prince and Luke Schmidt will all get chances to play right away. Asaph Schwapp isn't an elite fullback yet, but he has the potential to be a key all-around cog in the attack.The key to the unit: Get more help for Darius Walker to keep him fresh and hope for Travis Thomas to emerge as a bigger producer so some of the good freshmen can be redshirted.
Running Back Rating: 8Projected Starters[SIZE=-1]
- Darius Walker, Jr. - 253 carries, 1,196 yds, 4.7 ypc, 9 TD, 43 catches, 351 yds, 8.2 ypc, 2 TD
With all the fireworks from the passing game, is it possible that Walker had an underrated season? All he did was carry the Notre Dame ground game with seven 100-yard days and a 90-yard game against Ohio State while also growing into a reliable receiver. He's lightning quick and tough as nails with the ability to run inside or out. [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]
- Fullback Asaph Schwapp, Soph. - 27 carries, 67 yds, 2.5 ypc, 3 catches, 22 yds, 7.3 ypc
The 250-pound Schwapp took over the starting job midway through last season and turned into a good all-around blocker as well as a short-yardage runner. While not the most devastating run blocker around, he's physical on big plays and great in pass protection.
Top Backups
[/SIZE]- Travis Thomas, Sr. - 63 carries, 248 yds, 3.9 ypc, 5 TD, 2 catches, 9 yds
Thomas is a big speedster with home-run hitting capabilities. While making his biggest mark on special teams, he also showed he can be a reliable runner tearing off 52 yards and a touchdown against USC. He might be a flashy back like Darius Walker, but he doesn't have the same receiving skills. He was fantastic this spring highlighted by an 83-yard scoring dash in the spring game.
- James Aldridge, Fr.
A true freshmen who came to camp early to get some work in, the 6-1, 215-pound Aldridge is the most heralded of the group. A Parade All-American who ran for 1,433 yards and 21 touchdowns last season, Aldridge can do a little of everything well and will get a long look at the number two job this summer..
- Fullback Ashley McConnell, Sr. - 1 carry, 3 yds
He has seen a little bit of time playing in three games last season being used mostly as a backup. He's a tough 247 pounds and will get a few carries in place of Asaph Schwapp.
Receivers[/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=-1]Is Jeff Samardzija really that good? Can Rhema McKnight make a successful return from a knee injury? Can any of the unproven backups step up and help fill the void left by Maurice Stovall? Can John Carlson and Marcus Freeman combine to do what Anthony Fasano did at tight end? For such a talented group of receivers, there are an awful lot of questions. Ohio State's talented secondary showed that Samardzija can be taken out of a gameplan, while McKnight has yet to live up to his immense potential despite leading the team in receptions for two years. Even so, this will be one of the nation's most productive receiving corps thanks to the system and Brady Quinn.[/SIZE][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1][SIZE=-1]The key to the unit: Rhema McKnight has to be healthy again and David Grimes and Darrin Bragg have to become stars to help take the heat off Jeff Samardzija.
Receiver Rating: 9Projected Starters
[SIZE=-1]- Jeff Samardzija, Sr. - 77 catches, 1,249 yds, 16.2 ypc, 15 TD
A decent target over his first two seasons, Samardzija exploded into an All-American leading the Irish in receiving as Brady Quinn's top target. He was unstoppable up until the Fiesta Bowl with six 100-yard days and touchdown catches in every game but two: the loss to Ohio State and the win over Navy. The 6-5, 220-pound senior has grown into a first round pro prospect with great speed to go along with reliable hands, and he'll also get a look from the big leagues as a pitcher.
[/SIZE]- Rhema McKnight, Sr. - 5 catches, 69 yds, 13.8 ypc, 1 TD
McKnight was the leading receiver in 2003 and 2004 with[/SIZE] 98 catches for 1,301 yards and six touchdowns and started off 2005 well before tearing up his knee and missing the rest of the season. He has enough quickness to be a top punt returner and is a more-than-reliable veteran. If 100%, he'll be a top deep threat again at the outside X position and should flourish in the upgraded passing attack.[SIZE=-1][SIZE=-1]
- Tight end John Carlson, Sr. - 7 catches, 56 yds, 8 ypc, 1 TD
Carlson will combine with Marcus Freeman to take over for Anthony Fasano at tight end. At 6-6 and 254 pounds, Carlson is the bigger of the twp prospects and has a little more experience after serving as Fasano's backup last season. He's also the team's most proven receiving tight end.
Top Backups[/SIZE]
- Darrin Bragg, Jr.
The brother of former [SIZE=-1]UCLA star receiver Craig Bragg, Darrin moved his way into the number two spot at the inside Z position behind Jeff Samardzija. He started off his Notre Dame career as a quarterback before moving over to receiver last fall and can still serve on the practice team as a quarterback to mimic quick, option runners.- David Grimes, Soph - 2 catches, 19 yds, 9.5 ypc. Mostly a kickoff return man so far, Grimes is one of the team's faster receivers with the potential to explode as a deep threat. He'll start out behind Rhema McKnight on the outside and will see time in three-wide sets.
- Tight end Marcus Freeman, Sr.
Purely a blocker so far, the 6-3, 245-pound Freeman will start seeing some passes come his way after getting in better shape. He caught five passes for 50 yards in 2004. He has also been a top special teamer.[/SIZE]
[/SIZE]Offensive Linemen[SIZE=-1]Three starters return to what should be a strong line if the right side comes together. Bob Morton is experienced enough to be solid at right guard, but the real question is at right tackle where the steady Mark LeVoir has to be replaced. Paul Duncan and Brian Mattes didn't set the world on fire this spring meaning the door is open for one of the star freshmen to take over when they hit campus this summer. Sam Young was one of the nation's top recruits and will push hard for the job. [/SIZE]The key to the unit: Stay healthy early. There's next to no experienced depth behind what should be a good starting five once the right tackle situation is settled.
Offensive Line Rating: 8Projected Starters
- OT Ryan Harris, Sr.
Harris is in his fourth year as a starter and is on the verge of All-America honors after living up to his potential last season. He's 6-5 and 292 pounds and can do a little bit of everything well. He has mostly grown as a pass blocker becoming more consistent as last year went on.
- OG Dan Santucci, Sr.
The 297-pound senior stepped in at right guard and started every game. Now he'll start at left guard where he should be a rock now that he knows what he's doing after being a year removed the defensive side.
- C John Sullivan, Sr.
Sullivan has played like a veteran over the last two seasons and now should be fantastic. He's a smart, savvy, 300-pound rock in the middle whose presences has allowed the coaching staff to use Bob Morton at guard.
- OG Bob Morton, Sr.
The team's most versatile lineman, the 294-pound senior can play either guard position or center. He stepped in at center for four games when John Sullivan was hurt last year and started all 11 games in the middle in 2003, but he appears to be more natural at guard where he started every game on the left side in 2004 before moving over to the right side.
- OT Paul Duncan, Soph.
Duncan has the starting job at right tackle for now, but it's hardly a firm grip. The 6-7 sophomore bulked up from 270 to 292 pounds after being a key reserve as a freshman. He didn't dominate enough this spring to be assured of anything this fall, but he's a great prospect with good upside.
Top Backups
- OG/OT Brian Mattes, Sr.
Going into fall practice, the 6-6, 285-pound Mattes is just a shade behind Paul Duncan for the starting spot at right tackle. He's also listed as the top backup at left guard and will see extensive time on special teams.
- OG Chris Stewart, Fr.
[/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=-1]The 342-pound freshman showed up early and took over a backup spot at right guard behind Bob Morton. He's a big blocker who should grow into a dominant run blocker and will see time right off the bat.
- OT Sam Young, Fr.
Considered one of the nation's best offensive line prospects, the 6-7, 292-pound Young is a tremendous all-around athlete with room on his frame to add another ten pounds of muscle and not be heavy. He could end up starting right away at one of the tackle spots[/SIZE]
Notre Dame Fighting Irish[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]
[/FONT][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]Preview 2006 [/FONT]- ND Defense[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]
[/FONT][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1][SIZE=-1]
[/SIZE]- 2006 Notre Dame Preview | Offense Breakdown | Depth Chart | Further Analysis[/SIZE][/FONT]
What you need to know ... There's plenty of returning experience with nine starters coming back from a defense that struggled way too much last season. The biggest improvement has to come in the secondary with the corners needing to be as strong as the safeties. There were way too many breakdowns on big plays last season, but those should slow down with all four starters returning. The line will be fine if the coaching staff has figured out how to generate more pressure from the ends. Tackles Trevor Laws and Derek Landri should be in for huge seasons. Linebacker will be an issue over the first half of the season with almost no returning experience outside of Maurice Crum, Jr. [FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1]<TABLE id=table2 cellSpacing=6 width="30%" align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width="100%">
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Returning Leaders
[/FONT]
[/FONT]
[/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica][SIZE=-1]Tackles: [/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1][FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Ambrose Wooden, 74
[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1][FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Sacks: Victor Abiamiri, 8
Interceptions: Tom Zbikowski, 5
[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1][FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Sacks: Victor Abiamiri, 8
Interceptions: Tom Zbikowski, 5
Star of the defense: Senior FS Tom Zbikowski
Player that has to step up and become a star: Sophomore LB Steve Quinn
Unsung star on the rise: Sophomore DT Derrell Hand
Best pro prospect: Senior DE Victor Abiamiri
Top three all-star candidates: 1) Zbikowski, 2) [FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]Abiamiri[/FONT], 3) DT Derek Landri
Strength of the defense: Safety, tackle
Weakness of the defense:
Player that has to step up and become a star: Sophomore LB Steve Quinn
Unsung star on the rise: Sophomore DT Derrell Hand
Best pro prospect: Senior DE Victor Abiamiri
Top three all-star candidates: 1) Zbikowski, 2) [FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]Abiamiri[/FONT], 3) DT Derek Landri
Strength of the defense: Safety, tackle
Weakness of the defense:
Outside linebacker experience
[/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][/FONT][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1]Defensive Line[SIZE=-1]The coaching staff made it a point this off-season to get more pass rushing production from the front four which means the pressure is on for Victor Abiamiri, Ronaldy Talley, Chris Frome, and the rest of the marginally talented ends. The real stars are in the middle where seniors Trevor Laws and Derek Landri form one of the better tandems. The concern is developed depth where promising sophomores Derrell Hand and Pat Kuntz have to come out pushing for time.
The key to the unit: Generate a pass rush against everyone and not just Stanford and develop more options for the inside.[/SIZE]
Defensive Line Rating: 7
[SIZE=-1]Projected Starters
- DE Victor Abiamiri, Sr. - 48 tackles, 8 sacks, 15 TFL, 7 quarterback hurries
Abiamiri did a great job of taking over for Justin Tuck turning into the team's best pass rusher. Now he has to be more consistent and use his experience to be a game-in-and-game-out dominator once he returns from a knee surgery that limited him a times this spring. He was decent all season with his stats pumped up by a ten tackle, four sack performance against Stanford, and now he appears on the verge of exploding after being the focus of the coaching staff all off-season. 15 sacks won't be out of the question.
- DT Trevor Laws, Sr. - 33 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 3 TFL
A reliable 293-pound run stuffer, Laws is a strong mauler of a defender with the quickness to be expected to do more as a pass rusher. He's a great talent who has the potential to be the team's breakout defensive star with most teams sure to focus on stopping more heralded playmakers like Victor Abiamiri and Derek Landri.
- DT Derek Landri, Sr. - 43 tackles, 3 sacks, 8 TFL, 7 quarterback hurries
While undersized at 6-3 and 263 pounds, he's a top pass rusher with the lateral quickness to make plays anywhere on the line against the run. He has been a steady starter over the last two years while improving his closing ability when he gets into the backfield.
- DE Ronald Talley, Jr. - 23 tackles, 1 sack, 1.5 TFL
A spot starter last season, the 261-pound junior will get the first look at right end where he needs to be more of a pass rusher. He started to come on over the second half of last year with good back-to-back games against USC and BYU before struggling a bit the rest of the way..
Top Backups
- DE Justin Brown, Jr. - 12 tackles, 1 TFL
Still raw and still needing a little more time to develop, the 6-3, 247-pound junior has the potential to explode and become the team's best pass rusher ... in time. He has only played football for three seasons but has the skills and athleticism to be tremendous behind Ronald Talley on the right side.
- DT Derrell Hand, Soph.
The 301-pound sophomore is the biggest player up front and has to grow into a presence as a run stopper. He's a strong presence who should see time right away behind Trevor Laws at right tackle.
- DE Chris Frome, Sr. - 6 tackles, 1 sack
He has the size at 6-5 and 271 pounds and has the experience having played in 18 games with six starts last season , but he has to come back healthy after getting knocked out for the year with a knee injury against USC. He also has to prove he can make plays with only 15 career tackles and one sack.
- DE Dwight Stephenson Jr., Sr.- 9 tackles
The son of the legendary Alabama and Miami Dolphin center will look to finally make an impact after moving around from linebacker to tackle to end. He'll start out behind Victor Abiamiri on the left side.[/SIZE]
LinebackersThis will be the team's biggest question mark going into the fall. Maurice Crum is a rock-solid force moving from the outside in forcing a major battle late this summer to sort out the outside spots with several talented, inexperienced prospects looking to shine after an average spring. Joe Brockington, one of the team's only experienced linebackers, has to come back healthy to push for playing time with Steve Quinn, Anthony Vernaglia, Mitchell Thomas and Scott Smith. All will bet equal chances to replace Crum and leading tackler Brandon Hoyte.The key to the unit: A good rotation has to develop right away around Maurice Crum. There might not be sure-thing stars out of the gate, so all the prospects on the outside need a chance to show what they can do when the lights are on.
Linebacker Rating: 6.5Projected Starters
- Steve Quinn, Soph. - 4 tackles
A special teamer last season, the 215-pound sophomore will get the start on the weakside where he'll try to replace leading tackler Brandon Hoyte. He's physical enough to play on the strongside with more than enough speed to be a disruptive force on the weakside. He's not going to be the hitter Hoyte was, at least he won't be right away.
- Maurice Crum Jr., Jr. - 57 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 3 quarterback hurries
The team's only linebacker with any appreciable experience will move from the outside to the middle after finishing sixth on the team in tackles as one of the team's most consistent defenders. He should be a terror using his speed, experience, and skills to be a sideline-to-sideline force and one of the team's top three tacklers.
- Anthony Vernaglia, Jr. - 4 tackles
The former safety saw a little time at linebacker last year and now looks to be a consistent threat at the strongside Apache position. He has the the speed and athleticism to be one of the team's top tacklers once he figures out what he's doing.
Top Backups
- Mitchell Thomas, Sr. - 1 tackle
The 240-pound career special teamer is a far bigger option on the weakside than starter Steve Quinn. He has the size and the sprinter's speed to make an impact, and now he has to put it all together and be good enough to get on the field. If his performances late in spring ball were any indication, he's ready for a big year.
- Kevin Washington, Soph.
A speedy sophomore who's built for the Notre Dame Apache position on the outside, Washington bulked up to 231 pounds and should be able to do a little of everything well as he pushes Anthony Vernaglia for time.
- Joe Brockington, Sr. - 9 tackles
One of the only returning linebackers with any appreciable experience, Brockington has to get healthy after having problems with his back. He's mostly a special teamer with 22 games of experience and will be in the hunt for a starting spot on the outside this fall.
- Scott Smith, Soph. - 3 tackles
Smith was a top recruit last season and grew into an excellent special teams performer. He's not going to move Maurice Crum out of a starting job in the middle, but he's a talented enough prospect to see plenty of time and possible be move to the outside here and there just to get him on the field.
[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]D[/FONT]efensive BacksThis group got flat-out torched all year and didn't all of a sudden get faster this off-season. All four starters return to a group that gave up 265 yards per game and 18 touchdown passes even with games against the challenged air attacks of Navy and Syracuse to make things look better. The strength is at safety where Tom Zbikowski and Chinedum Ndukwe are good enough to challenge any tandem in the nation, but corner is an issue where Mike Richardson and Ambrose Wooden are fantastic tacklers and mediocre covermen. Don't be shocked if incoming freshmen Raeshon McNeil and Darrin Walls end up starting sooner than later.The key to the unit: Prevent the big play. Opponents averaged a whopping 14.6 yards per catch last season.
Secondary Rating: 7 Projected Starters
- CB Ambrose Wooden, Sr. - 74 tackles, 2 interceptions, 5 broken up passes
The former receiver grew into a fantastic open field tackler leading the team with 61 solo stops and is the team's leading returning tackler. Now he needs to become a more consistent coverman and has to pick off more passes and has to be better against deep passes. He'll continue to have problems with the speed receivers, but he should be physical enough to handle the slower ones.
- SS Chinedum Ndukwe, Sr. - 52 tackles, 2 interceptions, 5 broken up passes
Ndukwe took over the starting role early last year after getting his feet wet in 2004 after moving over from wide receiver. He's a huge 6-2, 219-pound hitter with a nose for the football and an uncanny knack for forcing turnovers. He won't receive the national acclaim of Tom Zbikowski, but he'll be just as effective.
- FS Tom Zbikowski, Sr. - 71 tackles, 5 interceptions, 4 broken up passes, 1 sack
Easily one of the toughest players in America, the part-time boxer and full-time leader of the Irish defense has grown into a whale of a playmaker with 134 tackles over the last two years with six interceptions. He's also an elite punt returner averaging 14 yards per attempt with two touchdowns last season. He brings the attitude to the defense.
- CB Mike Richardson, Sr. - 66 tackles, 3 interceptions, 5 broken up passes, 3 sacks
The senior hits like a corner, but he also covers like one. He has 115 career tackles and turned into a good blitzer, and now he has to be more consistent when the ball is in the air. He'll make big plays here and there and has a knack for getting to the ball, but he'll also give up several big plays.
Top Backups
- CB Terrail Lambert, Jr. - 8 tackles, 1 broken up pass
When you hear complaints about the lack of speed in the Notre Dame secondary, those don't apply to Lambert. One of the team's fastest players, Lambert will see more time this season behind Mike Richardson after mostly being used on special teams and in dime packages.
- CB Leo Ferrine, Jr. - 22 tackles, 1 interception, 2 TFL
The team's top nickel back will start out behind Ambrose Wooden and could start if needed. He's at his best on special teams and making tackles in the open field. With his experience he should start making more big plays.
- SS David Bruton, Soph. -14 tackles, 1 broken up pass
Mostly a special teamer in his fist season, Bruton flies to the ball and will be groomed to be a star starter next season. He has good range and doesn't miss tackles.
- FS Ray Herring, Soph. - 6 tackles
Able to play cornerback or safety, Herring will use his speed at free safety where he'll see a few plays here and there behind Tom Zbikowski. He has been a great scout teamer and a standout on special teams.
Special Teams[/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=-1]The kicking game won't be all that bad even with the uncertainty at placekicker. Carl Gioia and freshman Ryan Burkhart will battle for the starting job, while new punter Geoff Price appears to be a keeper. Tom Zbikowski is one of the nation's better punt returners, while David Grimes is a solid kickoff returner averaging 22.5 yards per try. The coverage units should once again be decent.[/SIZE][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1]The key to the unit: Reliable, consistent placekicking in place of D.J. Fitzpatrick.
Special Teams Rating: 7Projected Starters
- PK Carl Gioia, Sr.. 1-1 FGs
Don't get comfortable with the idea of Carl Gioia being the main man for a full season after a shaky spring. D.J. Fitzpatrick wasn't the steadiest placekicker, but he wasn't a liability. If Gioia struggles early on, expect freshman Ryan Burkhart to quickly take over.
- P Geoff Price, Sr.
D.J. Fitzpatrick averaged 40.3 yards per kick and put 12 inside the 20; Price is good enough to equal those numbers. He's a big kicker with a big leg and should put more boom on the ball than Fitzpatrick. Consistency will be his main issue early on.
[/SIZE][/FONT]
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Preview 2006 Further Analysis
[SIZE=-1]
[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]By[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1] [/SIZE][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1][SIZE=-1]John Harris
[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]- 2006 Notre Dame Preview | Offense Breakdown | Defense Breakdown | Depth Chart [/SIZE][/SIZE][/FONT][SIZE=-1]
1<SUP>st</SUP> and Ten ?€“?€œAll you?€™ll ever be is a Heisman candidate after I?€™m done with you?€? ?€“ The story was oft repeated last year during the first year of the Charlie Weis regime - the head coach telling Brady Quinn that all he?€™ll ever be is a 50% passer last spring with his decision making. How far has Quinn come since his coach threatened him with that edict? Well, let?€™s just say that the Mighty Quinn turned himself into a 65% passer who threw for 32 touchdowns on only 7 interceptions. Although he was probably due a trip to New York along with Reggie, Vince and Matt, it should make him hungry to replicate his 2005 performance as a senior. If he can continue to build off of that success, he might put up the best single season as a QB in Notre Dame history?€?for the second year in a row. Before Quinn?€™s performance last year, no QB in history had thrown for over 3,000 yards in a season. He threw for over 3,900. No one had ever thrown for over 20 touchdowns in a season. He hit 32. No one had ever thrown for more than 4 touchdowns in a game. He threw for 5 against Michigan State and 6 against BYU. Quite simply, Quinn had the greatest passing campaign of all-time at Notre Dame. And, the man didn?€™t even get a sniff for the Heisman. Regardless, he?€™s got to be one of the top three leading candidates to take home the Trophy, the first Irish Trophy since Tim Brown?€™s in 1987. Weis?€™s arrival and consistent prodding/coaching forced Quinn to ditch trying to hit the home run on every ball, but what he also did was give him an intermediate ?€˜game?€™ that he could use at any time. For example, in the Purdue game, Weis called a quarters-buster route out of a twins formation. The outside receiver ran a post or clear out route, while the inside receiver ran a deep 20 yard out (the quarter playing CB has to respect the clear out route). Quinn hit the out, underneath the deep ¼ playing CB, and WR Jeff Samardzija turned it into a huge play. Ultimately, Quinn realized that he didn?€™t have to go deep to be effective (and he eventually was able to attack deep as well), and that the intermediate areas would be open consistently throughout a game. That change, with another year under Weis, could be what precipitates the first 4,000 yard/40 TD season in Notre Dame history.
2<SUP>nd</SUP> and Seven ?€“ Hey, wait up ?€“ Two images epitomized the season for the Irish defense last year ?€“ one was the 4<SUP>th</SUP> and 9 (and if you have to ask which one that was, stop reading and go pick up your Us magazine) against USC and the other was watching Ted Ginn Jr. and Santonio Holmes run past anyone in a blue jersey in the Fiesta Bowl. In both of those situations, the speed of the corners, or lack thereof in comparison to the Buckeye ?€˜jets?€™ and Dwayne Jarrett, was terribly apparent. What most people fail to remember is that the corners had actually played decent for the most part up to that point in the USC game. On the flip side, Ohio State found that chink in the armor early and then preyed on it the rest of the game. So, the postgame rhetoric surrounded Notre Dame?€™s lack of speed in the secondary and how 2006 would be no different if that didn?€™t change. Well, Ginn and Holmes ran past a lot of people, so it?€™s not as glaring as it first appeared. However, the corners, Ambrose Wooden and Mike Richardson, are going to have teams attack them until the Irish duo can consistently stop them.
3<SUP>rd</SUP> and Three ?€“ Rhema?€™s Return ?€“ Although Maurice Stovall stepped up into the #2 receiver spot last season, it?€™s somewhat hard to imagine that Brady Quinn had the season that he did without 2004 and 2003?€™s leading receiver Rhema McKnight. The Shark ?€“ Samardzija ?€“ was Quinn?€™s go-to guy, but Stovall had a tremendous season opposite #83. But, McKnight returns this year and should provide that #2 option, opposite the Shark, if he?€™s fully healthy. Weis?€™s offenses have never had a superstar receiver in the fold, mostly because his QBs spread the wealth. Consequently, that often makes the #2 receiver in this offense as valuable as the #1 guy. That was evident with Stovall last year, and should be the same this upon Rhema?€™s return this year.
4<SUP>th</SUP> and One ?€“ DL on the DL ?€“ Safety Tom Zbikowski is arguably the heart and soul of the defense. Defensive end Victor Abiamiri is the most athletically gifted of the defensive linemen. But, one guy that often gets overshadowed by the aforementioned defensive duo, Derek Landri, defensive tackle, is an underrated menace in the middle. He?€™s not a 300+ pound banger, but he does his work from guard to guard with quickness and technique. After having played for Bob Ladouceur at fabled DeLaSalle High School, Landri knows how to use his lack of size, quickness and speed to his advantage. He?€™s typically the first lineman off the ball and often can beat the double team with his quick feet. Landri is a guy that most offensive linemen hate to see each and every Saturday, and by the end of the year, most people should be discussing him in the same breath as Zbikowski and Abiamiri.
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Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Preview 2006 Depth Chart[SIZE=-1]
[/SIZE][FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1][SIZE=-1]
[/SIZE]- 2006 Notre Dame Preview | Offense Breakdown | Defense Breakdown | Further Analysis[/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=-1] <TABLE cellSpacing=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width="50%">OFFENSE Returning starters: 7[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]QB 10 Brady Quinn 6-4 231 Sr.
13 Evan Sharpley 6-2 207 So. OR
14 David Wolke 6-2 196 Jr.
HB 3 Darius Walker 5-10 208 Jr.
26 Travis Thomas 6-0 215 Sr.
FB 44 Asaph Schwapp 6-0 250 So.
35 Ashley McConnell 6-0 247 Sr.[/SIZE] WR(X) 5 Rhema McKnight 6-2 207 Sr.
11 David Grimes 6-0 170 So.[SIZE=-1]
WR(Z) 83 Jeff Samardzija 6-5 216 Sr.
7 Darrin Bragg 6-1 192 Jr.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]
WR(Y) 89 John Carlson 6-6 254 Sr. OR
87 Marcus Freeman 6-3 245 Sr.
[/SIZE]
LT 68 Ryan Harris 6-5 288 Sr.
77 Michael Turkovich 6-6 290 So.
LG 50 Dan Santucci 6-4 290 Sr.
79 Brian Mattes 6-6 285 Sr.
C 78 John Sullivan 6-4 298 Sr.
76 Bob Morton 6-4 292 Sr.
RG 76 Bob Morton 6-4 292 Sr.
59 Chris Stewart 6-5 342 Fr.
RT 72 Paul Duncan 6-7 292 So.
79 Brian Mattes 6-6 285 Sr.
</TD>[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-1]<TD vAlign=top width="50%">DEFENSE Returning starters: 9LE 95 Victor Abiamiri 6-4 260 Sr.
57 Dwight Stephenson, Jr. 6-2 252 Sr.
LT 98 Trevor Laws 6-1 293 Sr.
92 Derrell Hand 6-3 301 So.
RT 66 Derek Landri 6-3 263 Sr.
96 Pat Kuntz 6-2 267 So.
RE 99 Ronald Talley 6-4 261 Jr.
94 Justin Brown 6-3 247 Jr. WLB 48 Steve Quinn 6-2 215 So.
47 Mitchell Thomas 6-3 240 Sr.
MLB 40 Maurice Crum, Jr. 6-0 220 Jr.
41 Scott Smith 6-3 235 So.
Apache 4 Anthony Vernaglia 6-3 221 Jr.
42 Kevin Washington 6-1 231 So.
CB 22 Ambrose Wooden 5-11 197 Sr.
15 Leo Ferrine 6-0 186 Jr.
S 18 Chinedum Ndukwe 6-2 219 Sr.
27 David Bruton 6-2 187 So.
S 9[SIZE=-1] Tom Zbikowski 5-11 208 Sr. [/SIZE]
6 Ray Herring 6-0 199 So.
CB 30 Mike Richardson 5-11 193 Sr.
20 Terrail Lambert 5-11 188 Jr.
SPECIALISTS
PK 45 Carl Gioia 5-11 179 Sr.
P 17 Geoff Price 6-3 186 Sr.
PR 9 Tom Zbikowski 6-8 208 Sr.
19 George West 5-8 172 Fr.
KR 11 David Grimes 6-0 170 So.
19 George West 5-8 172 Fr.
</TD>[/SIZE][/FONT]</TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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