Welcome to the NFL
Today, two Domers were welcomed into the NFL – although many can argue that it was a day later than expected. Regardless, Jimmy Clausen found a home with the Carolina Panthers at pick #48 and Golden Tate received the call from the Seattle Seahawks at #60. While Irish fans might think they were picked later than they deserved, they can at least take solace in the fact that they are not going to notoriously bad franchises (read into this: Oakland, Cleveland, Detroit, etc.). Actually, their respective situations might not be all that bad now that we know which jerseys they’ll wear this fall.
Jimmy Clausen as a Panther:
Many thought that the release of Jake Delhomme meant that Matt Moore was given the keys to the franchise after his strong finish to the season last year. Drafting Jimmy Clausen with their first pick in the draft just clouded that picture. Carolina’s GM was ecstatic to get Jimmy, and Clausen received a call from John Fox earlier today letting Jimmy know that they were trying to trade up to #33 to get him. Those trades didn’t work out and the Panthers were fortunate that Clausen fell in their laps at #48. However, the team was very enthusiastic to pull the trigger on Clausen, and this should provide some competition for Moore for the starting spot. Carolina is definitely not a bad place for a quarterback. Your best friend, a running game, is as alive-and-well here as you’ll find in the league; and it’s also not a bad thing when Steve Smith is catching balls for you. In addition to this, the Panthers used their next two picks to draft receivers, including LSU’s Brandon LaFell to give you some more young talent on the edges.
Overall, not a bad situation at all. He’s not the hands-down #1 right now, but the potential exists that he could start as early as Week 1, and the pieces surrounding him aren’t too shabby, either. I, selfishly, would have liked to see him fall one more slot to the Niners so he could play for Coach Singletary and stay on the West Coast… but at least he’s not in Cleveland or Oakland, right?
Golden Tate as a Seahawk:
Knowing he would slide into Round 2, I thought he might go to KC, the Pats, or the Steelers; but Seattle is not a bad place to land at all. I thought Seattle drafted very well (Russell Okung, Earl Thomas, and Tate), and I think there are worse coaches to play for than Pete Carroll (when he’s not coaching USC). Golden has the opportunity to compete right away as the #2 behind TJ Houshmandzadeh with Deion Branch. His home run capability complements Housh and John Carlson very well, and Seattle will continue to rely on the passing game quite a bit until they get a no-kidding #1 rusher (instead of Julius Jones and Justin Forsett).
Overall, this is a good situation for Tate, and I think he will make the most of it with an immediate impact next year. I still think he has the potential to be the Offensive Rookie of the Year and show-up the previous 59 picks.
**Of note, no USC player was selected before an Irish player this year. I hope that is a foreshadowing of things to come…
Slainte,
Paddy
Developing an Identity
As a good Irish Catholic, let me start with a confession:
1. I was a casual Charlie Weis fan. I jumped on his bandwagon when things were good, and was quick to second-guess him when things were bad.
2. I was slow to jump on the Brian Kelly bandwagon. I was skeptical that he might take this ND job potentially as a stepping stone until a “better job” became available (and I still believe that ND will always remain relevant until a coach leaves for a better job).
This being said, I have already come around for Coach Kelly and his staff. If, as you’re reading this, you haven’t yet; allow me to provide and argument as to why you should.
1. Coach Kelly is a winner. This statement cannot be argued. However, this statement in-and-of-itself should not cause you to jump on the bandwagon. He could be doing all-the-wrong-things for all-the-wrong-reasons but coming out with “W’s” on Saturdays, and “Winning” should not be considered an accomplishment in that instance. However, I truly believe his wins are “accomplishments”.
2. Coach Kelly loves Notre Dame. The same can be said about Coach Weis, but I think Coach Kelly holds his admiration for ND in a different light. It all starts with recruiting. Coach Weis loved ND, but he emphasized the three Super Bowl rings on his hand and used that to lure talent to ND. Coach Kelly appointed Coach Martin as his recruiting coordinator – a guy who admittedly remembers where he was throughout his life based on critical moments in ND’s football history (he’s also a guy who left a head coaching job at Grand Valley State to be a DB coach at ND). Coach Kelly isn’t “selling” these kids anything. He is asking them to “sell themselves” on why they should be a part of this great tradition and this program that will restore ND to its historic levels.
3. He has head coaching experience… and it shows. It could be the media coverage, but I was never impressed by Coach Weis’ management of his staff – if anything, I was confused by it (in my simple mind, you have a head coach, D Coord, and O Coord – not a head coach, asst head coach for the Defense, D Coord, asst head coach for Offense, and O Coord). Kelly brought over a staff that he knew and who he worked with before. They instantly knew their roles and what was expected of them.
4. He pays attention to the details. Already, he has shown that the details are the utmost priority. This “attention to detail” will win ballgames. Here are some examples of the details already: organization of lockers, focus of the players lounge, speed and intensity of practice, meals together as a team, less hours actually spent on football, emphasis on core “commandments”, etc.
5. He’s giving the program an identity from the get-go. This team knows what is expected of them – because it has been communicated to them. They may not know who they are, but they know who they are to become. They know when Coach Kelly refers to the “Fighting Irish”, he’s referring to the Fighting Irish immigrants like the ones in the painting in his office – and he wants the grit and toughness associated with them. They know that they are expected to play fast and be able to act properly without thinking on the football field. They know they are going to be aggressive in all aspects – they have no qualms about scoring early and often – and they expect to do this. Most importantly, they know they need to get better and they’re buying into this concept and willing to put in the effort to get there.
Kind of gets you excited for September, huh?
Slainte,
Paddy
Locker Room Rant #2
The NFL Draft is fast approaching. As we get closer to Thursday, you’re hearing more and more speculation about what teams are doing, who’s interested in moving up, who’s moving down, which prospect’s stock is falling and whose stock is rising. Throughout all of this, you have to trust that these “insiders” have more information than you do, but I’m beginning to suspect otherwise. Here are my thoughts (and rationale behind them) as we head into the draft:
St Louis Rams: We’ve all heard the speculation about them trading the pick with Cleveland. While this may be true, I strongly feel that it has nothing to do with the reasons ESPN and Co. are giving (they want to stockpile picks this year and grab Jimmy Clausen at #2). Think about it: four months ago, neither Sam Bradford, Clausen, Tim Tebow, norColt McCoy were projected to be the first QB drafted. Until Jake Locker announced that he would return to Washington, he was slated to go off the board first. St Louis is aware of this and sees an opportunity to grab Cleveland’s first round picks this year and next to ensure that they have the ammunition to go out and get Locker next year. Throw in the fact that there might be a rookie salary cap next year where they wouldn’t have to pay him as much money as Bradford will get this year, and it just makes sense on too many levels. If St Louis does trade the pick, don’t expect Jimmy to go #7.
Jimmy Clausen: I expect Jimmy to go #17 to San Francisco. As I mentioned before, he won’t go in the top 7 (unless Charlie Weis has some incredible pull already in KC); and I don’t think Oakland, Buffalo, or Jacksonville pulls the trigger. SF eliminated their need to go after CJ Spiller by addressing their return game with the Ted Ginn trade. Look for the Niners to grab an OT with #13 and then grab Clausen at a value pick at #17. The Niners have historically drafted talent and not tried to fill needs, so I don’t think they pass on Jimmy at #17 (even if they do already have two #1 draft pick QBs on the roster).
Golden Tate: We all know his situation was hurt with the Jets and Dolphins grabbing up Santonio Homes and Brandon Marshall, respectively. However, let me state that I THINK HE WILL BE THE NFL OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR next year. That being said, I would also be very surprised if he is drafted on Thursday. I think the Chiefs might be tempted at #33, Broncos at #45, Chiefs again at #50, or Steelers at #52. Again, I think he will be an instant impact player and I wouldn’t be surprised if you see some team move up to grab him if he falls to the mid-second round.
Other Observations: Look for Jason Pierre-Paul to be the Al Davis head-scratcher pick this year. Expect the Eagles to move up – and I think they trade with Jacksonville to address their secondary. Jerry Hughes’ stock continues to fall as he is branded as a “tweener”. He’s a steal in the second round and makes an instant impact. As I stated earlier, if St Louis trades, watch them address needs on the O-Line and pick a quality receiver – but the franchise QB won’t come until next year.
Of course, I could be completely wrong…
Slainte,
Paddy
USC Preview
Here it is, Lads. This is the most important week of the year for Notre Dame Football. This week presents the opportunity to show that this program is ready to play with the big boys… or it could be like the last few years. We’ve all heard the awful stats from the past two meetings. We’ve been reminded that the Irish didn’t get a first down until the fourth quarter last year against the Trojans. Now is the time to make everyone forget about all of that.
This year, both programs are coming off bye weeks. They’ve both had time to heal nagging injuries and both had time to gameplan. The USC defense is very impressive – giving up a mere 8.6 points per game and not allowing a single touchdown in the air yet. On top of that, they’ve held opponents to 2.0 yards per carry. The Irish coaching staff had their hands full breaking down the film on these guys. The Trojan offense is very balanced, averaging 430 yards a game with essentially a split down the middle of run/pass yardage. Did I mention that this team is stacked with 5-star recruits?
So how do the Irish match-up? The Irish D will be challenged, but is coming off a nice boost-of-confidence against Washington. While ND is giving up 23.8 points a game, their opponents have averaged 29.3 – so the Irish are faring better than other competition. The Irish can’t afford sloppy tackling, and they need to get pressure with the front four. Most importantly, the defense needs to give the offense a chance to win.
This will be the best defense ND will face this year, and this will be the judge for Clausen’s Heisman chances. If the Irish can manage the ball well, win the time-of-possession battle, and keep the USC defense honest (ND needs to run the ball well, and complete some passes early to Rudolph and company in order to draw focus away from Golden Tate) , they can and WILL win this game.
So, what’s the prediction? The Irish are 10 point underdogs at home… USC beat an excellent OSU team on the road… they destroyed Cal and ruined Best’s Heisman campaign… and did I mention that they’ve had ND’s number recently?
ND 24 USC 23
This is the year. Let’s get it done on Saturday!
Slainte,
Paddy
The Rankings According to Paddy
You all know I don’t like preseason rankings… or early-season rankings for that matter. It’s simply a means to artificially inflate a team and cause for more criticism to the current standards for bowl games and a national champion. I’ve decided to take the time at this point in the season and develop my own Top 25 just to see how radically different it would be to the all-knowing AP Poll. My criteria? Give credit for wins against good opponents, and for decent opponents on the road. If you haven’t played anybody, you don’t deserve to be ranked at the top. Here’s how it broke down:
#1 5-0 (big wins at Va Tech, at Ole Miss, and Arkansas)
#2 5-0 (big wins at LSU, and Arkansas)
#3 4-1 (big wins against Nebraska, Miami, BC, loss against ‘Bama)
#4 4-1 (big wins at FSU, Ga Tech, Oklahoma, loss at Va Tech)
#5 5-0 (wins at Rutgers, at Oregon St, Fresno St)
#6 5-0 (wins against Oregon, at Fresno St)
#7 4-1 (wins at Wash, at Georgia, loss against Florida)
#8 4-1 (wins at Ohio St, at Cal, loss at Wash)
#9 4-1 (wins against Utah, Cal, loss at Boise St)
#10 4-1 (wins against Clemson, UNC, at FSU, loss at Miami)
#11 4-1 (win against Wisc, loss against USC)
#12 5-0 (wins at Penn St, against Michigan)
#13 5-0 (wins at Virginia, at Clemson)
#14 4-1 (wins at NC State, Oles Miss, loss at Georgia)
#15 4-1 (wins at Ok St, Tex Tech, loss against UTEP)
#16 4-1 (wins against Georgia, at Texas A&M, loss against Houston)
#17 4-1 (wins against Wash, MSU, loss at Mich)
#18 4-1 (wins against WVU, at Tenn, loss at Arkansas)
#19 4-1 (win at Mizzou, loss at Va Tech)
#20 4-1 (win at OU, loss against FSU)
#21 4-1 (win against UConn, loss at NC State)
#22 4-1 (win against East Carolina, loss at Auburn)
#23 4-1 (win against Louisville, loss against Oregon)
#24 5-0 (win against Colorado)
#25 4-1 (loss against Iowa)
Here’s what is boils down to:
#1 Alabama
#2 Florida
#3 Virginia Tech
#4 Miami (Fl)
#5 Cincinnati
#6 Boise State
#7 LSU
#8 USC
#9 Oregon
#10 Georgia Tech
#11 Ohio State
#12 Iowa
#13 TCU
#14 South Carolina
#15 Houston
#16 Oklahoma State
#17 Notre Dame
#18 Auburn
#19 Nebraska
#20 BYU
#21 Pittsburgh
#22 West Virginia
#23 Utah
#24 Texas
#25 Penn State
Let me know your thoughts.
Slainte,
Paddy
Pessimistic/Optimistic View of the Early Season
In this edition of “Locker Room Rants”, I’ll take two completely different views of the first five games of the season: a pessimistic and optimistic approach. I’m doing this for a couple of reasons: 1. It appears as though (as always) the nation is split on their view of this ND team, and 2. I can’t decide exactly how I feel after this latest nail-biting win.
Up first: The Pessimistic View:
Notre Dame is 4-1. One loss against a less-than-dominant Michigan team, and four wins against opponents without winning records (combined W-L of 6-13). Of these four wins, three of them were decided in the last moments and easily could have gone the other way. So, the Irish could easliy be 1-4 against teams that were a combined 9-10… not very impressive at all.
While the Irish offense has shown signs of brilliance, they have yet to seize momentum and put a team away. Even Nevada hung around longer than they should have. I’m amazed the final score of that game was 35-0, because it could have easily been a lot closer. While this offense could be very potent, they’re still nursing injuries and simply won’t be able to compete with the big dogs without their stars at 100%.
The defense gives up over 400 yards and 20+ points a game. The leading tackler is the free safety, and the unit tackles like a high school team at times. They don’t control a line of scrimmage very well and don’t have the swagger you need to dominate an opposing offense.
The ND schedule really picks up these next seven games (combined record of 23-11). Since this team consistently played down to lesser opponents early on, it’s frightening to think what USC will do to them at home (let alone tough road games against Pitt and Stanford). This team could very easily finish 7-5 (or even 6-6) if they don’t play to their potential. There will be a lot fewer opportunities for error in this home stretch, and this team simply has not shown that they’re ready to compete at the next level – even with the talent they possess.
The Optimistic View:
ND is 4-1… and to be honest, they really should be 5-0. They didn’t dodge competition like most big-time schools, playing solid opponents whose records don’t tell the real story (Purdue only lost 38-36 at Oregon after some costly turnovers). This team has played through injuries and still displayed the resolve necessary to find a way to come out on top. This team is battle-tested and almost seems more comfortable in close situations rather than intimidated by the pressure.
The offense is developing into a juggernaut with Heisman-hopeful Jimmy Clausen showing he can will a team to a win (with one good leg). Golden Tate and Kyle Rudolph have shouldered the loss of Michael Floyd, and the running game has really come around since the beginning of the season. Armando Allen and Robert Hughes are formidable backs and this offensive line appears to have found a comfort-zone together.
The defense has been porous at times, but must have gained confidence after last week’s back-to-back goal line stands to give the offense a chance in the Washington game. Not only that, but they also forced a key turnover the very first play after the Irish offense turned it over themselves… now that’s playing like a complete team. The linebacking corps is getting better before our eyes, and the front four has shown that they don’t necessarily need to bring an extra guy in order to pressure an opposing QB.
Let’s talk a little more about confidence overall. The Washington game should have done wonders for that. While the Irish won two games in a row in the closing seconds, the Washington game was a different story. It showed that the defense could stop an opponent with their back the the wall (or quite literally, the goal line), and the offense showed they can score at will when needed. While I would much prefer that this happen all the time, it must improve the teams’ confidence when they find themselves in another close game (which we’re bound to see in this second half of the season). With the kind of talent this team possesses, that confidence can be incredibly dangerous.
As I mentioned at the start of this article, I’m still not sure which Irish team I’ll see come out of the tunnel on the 17th against Southern Cal. I’m hoping it’s the incredibly-talented, brimming-with-confidence, playing-on-instincts, home-turf-defending squad that can ride this season to 11-1 and a very nice BCS bid. However, it could be the over-thinking, somewhat-inexperienced, slightly-intimidated, physically-insecure team that has allowed these last four games to be as close as they were.
I honestly believe we’ll see something in between. While they won’t have enough swagger and killer instinct to put a team away, they won’t be intimidated and allow a team to roll over them and dominate the scoreboard. And here’s where I’m hoping the experience of the heart-stopping wins pays off. As long as the game is close, you’ve got to like the Irish’s chances… and that’s where I think we’ll find ND the rest of the season.
As bad as these close games are for our hearts and our marriages, I don’t see them coming to an end… but ND has shown they posses the will and ability to win these close games, so I welcome the remainder of the season to show us exactly what these lads are made of.
Let me know what side of the ball you find yourself at this point in the season!
Slainte,
Paddy
Purdue Reactions and Washington Preview
The Irish walked away from West Lafayette with a big win on Saturday. .. “big” for a few reasons:
1. The Irish were playing for the first time this year without Michael Floyd, Armando Allen, and a banged-up Jimmy Clausen (they’ve also had to already cope with the loss of James Aldridge).
2. It was the first road win of the year for the Irish, and it came against a quality opponent – one who took Oregon to the wire in Eugene.
3. It kept the Irish from falling to .500 and sliding out of contention for a major bowl this early in the season.
However, this win wasn’t all positive for me. I still think the defense needs to bring pressure with the front four. Until they can do that, they’ll never be able to dominate a game. I also wasn’t impressed with how Coach Weis handled Dayne Crist. I thought he handled him with “kiddie gloves” and really did nothing to foster the kid’s confidence – quite the opposite. Once again, we saw the Irish offense let up or stall and allow the other team back into the game. Kudos to Jimmy Clausen on his execution during the last drive. Let’s hope that did wonders for the team’s confidence as a whole.
The Irish get another very credible opponent this week as Washington rolls into South Bend. The Huskies hit a “road” block last week as their trip to Stanford didn’t go as planned following their huge upset of the Trojans at home. This is ND’s first look at a pro-set offense, and the game is already being billed as the potential match-up of the first two QBs taken in the draft next year (should they decide to turn pro). Jake Locker is a very talented thrower and physical runner who has the potential to give the Irish defense fits. While none of the Washington rushers average 4 yards a carry, Coach Sarkisian will mix it up enough with the play-calling to keep the Irish D honest.
The big key for the Irish will be running the ball. The Huskies are #106 in rush defense and the Irish have shown the ability to move the ball on the ground at will the past few games. Coach Weis says that Clausen will not be 100% until Thanksgiving, but I expect him to try and steal the spotlight in this match-up of pro-caliber QBs. My biggest concern is that the Irish allow the Huskies to hang around in this game and become dangerous. At some point, ND will have to develop a killer instinct and now is as good a time as any.
This is a good game to have at home as the Irish continue to lick their wounds and limp into a bye week. Make no mistake about it. Washington will be up for this game, so we really need to show improvements in all three facets of the game (Off, Def, and ST). This game will draw quite a bit of attention and set the stage for a big match-up in two weeks between long-time rivals. I don’t think the Irish get caught looking ahead, but again I’m looking for improvements and less mistakes.
I like the Irish 31-20 in this game… I know it’s not as convincing of a score as some people expect, but I see the Irish showcasing some depth on both sides of the ball as they try to grow and develop at many positions - especially with the injury situation.
Let’s get it done at home, Lads!
Slainte,
Paddy
Purdue Preview
The Irish are banged up after MSU and will get a tough road test on Saturday against an overachieving Purdue squad in West Lafayette. Purdue wasn’t supposed to be very competitive this year with their heavy losses on both sides of the ball. However, they have shown that they can score points and play with some big programs on the road (at Oregon) during this “rebuilding” year.
Ralph Bolden is averaging over 140 yds a game and almost 7 yds a carry in the first three games. This will be a big test for the ND defense who will face yet another spread offense this weekend. The familiarity with the overall scheme will be beneficial, but the front four will really be challenged – and it’s never a good thing when your leading tackler is your free safety (no matter how good he is). Expect a balanced attack, but Purdue is much more dangerous on the ground as they are only completing 61% of their passes. The corners will be placed out on islands quite frequently, so winning those one-on-one matches on the outside will be huge.
On defense, expect the Boilers to pin the ears back and come after Clausen with several blitz packages. Clausen hasn’t proven to be very mobile, and what mobility he has shown took a big hit with his current battle with turf toe. If the Irish give him time back there (Michael Floyd or not), the Irish will wear this Boiler defense down. They can’t afford ot do that, so the blitzes will come early and often.
The Irish need to play a full game. Period. I know they’re coping with some injuries and all, but this team needs to seize momentum and build off it. I don’t want to see another picture-perfect start followed by a slow collapse that lets the other team right back into it. We need to avoid the timely penalties and showcase the depth on the offensive side of the ball. If Armando Allen doesn’t play, the other backs need to take advantage of the PT and showcase their skills on primetime.
This game has the potential to be a very nice win for this program. It can also lead to many more questions as the Irish roll into their Pac 10 double header the following two games. I don’t feel great about this game, but I’m hoping the Irish can show the kind of resolve that they need to possess if they hope to get an invite to the BCS dance this year.
ND 38 Purdue 29
Go Get ‘em Lads!
Slainte,
Paddy
“Irish Underground Player of the Week”
September 19th, 2009 – Michigan State Game
Winner: Luck of the Irish – Irish Played well but really needed the Old Luck to save them
Nominee: Armando Allen Jr - 23 Rushes 115 Yards, 1TD, plus Threw for a TD
Nominee: Jimmy Clausen - 22/31 300 Yards 2TDs and no picks
Nominee: Golden Tate - 7 Rec 127 Yards, 1TD
Nominee: Kyle McCarthy – Strong tackeing and the key game ending interception
11-1…
I was sick to my stomach after the ND loss last weekend and ready to begin hearing the talk about Coach Weis’ replacement and ND’s descent to a no-name bowl game. Then something happened… my son was born on Tuesday. I know what you’re thinking, “How do those two events relate?” Easy. Newborn babies don’t sleep, so it gives the dad plenty of awake time to watch the last ND game and really look at the game tape. Here’s what I walked away with:
If ND and Michigan played 9 more times at the Big House this year, ND would win them all. Everything really fell into place in order for that Michigan team to get the “W”. I’m not disrespecting Michigan, but it was clear that the Irish were, by far, more talented than a very good Michigan team.
No one, but themselves, will be able to stop this Irish offense. The balance they displayed in Ann Arbor really showed how dangerous this team can be. Too many ig plays were erased due to penalties, poor calls, and mental errors. When this offense is on, no one will be able to play with them.
The Irish defense will be a force-to-be-reckoned-with as the season progresses. They’re quietly showing big-play potential, and they haven’t been beat deep yet in a defensive scheme that is very vulnerable to the home run.
So… here we are. Michigan State rolls into South Bend with a history of doing very well at Notre Dame Stadium. This MSU team just lost a tough game to the Chippewas of Central Michigan – much like ND’s unfortunate loss to the Wolverines. Here’s how I see it playing out (and I know my prediction last week was far off the mark, but everything really went wrong for ND in that loss):
ND 38 MSU 13
ND rolls through the Spartans and takes a step closer to getting back on-track for a BCS bowl game this year… where they belong.
Slainte,
Paddy
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