Top Predictions for Irish 2007 Football Season

Seems like it is about time to make some uninformed predictions for the season so here goes. The key questions on my mind and my humble answers are listed below. Feel free to chime in with comments or your own predictions!

1. How soon until we really miss Brady Quinn?

The much publicized quarterback derby at ND leads me to think we will not see a superstar jump out of the pack this year. I am betting on Sharpley as the initial starter and a pretty simple offense with more running to minimize risks. The offensive line needs to be a bit better this year, if they are we should be able to mix it up more with run/pass than in recent years.

2. Will the defense be better or just different with the 3-4 scheme?

I think better, not so much because of the scheme but more talented athletes and speed. ND was 65th overall in defense last year and gave up a lot of big plays. This could be a very different season with fans looking forward to the big D and just hoping the offense does not blow it. Expecting better balance and more stops which should keep us in most games.

3. Will the Irish break through with at least one big upset this season?

YES and it is about time. Since we will not be favored in every game, an upset is very likely particularly early when the team is still developing its identity. I don't think the upset will be over USC, though it has to happen someday.

4. Who will step up to be the big stars this year?

I expect a break out year for Zbikowski. He was pretty average last year and the stronger secondary should allow him to shine more. Predicting at least one punt return for touchdown by Zibby this fall. Tight End Carlson and Trevor Laws on the defense should also shine. Perhaps a quarterback will surprise us, but I doubt it.

5. Will I be able to unload extra tickets for the November games?

At this juncture I hope to attend all the home games but I am concerned at how many Navy and Duke tickets are already floating around. If things go south in the early part of the schedule, you may actually see some open seats (though sold) in ND stadium come November. Perhaps a final stretch to get into a bowl game will capture fans attention. If you want to go to a November game, let me know!

6. What will be the win-loss record and what kind of bowl trip (if any) will there be?

The pundits are saying 7 wins would be amazing but I think we will stretch for 8-4. Figuring we will win in one upset and lose to one underdog, I see losses against Michigan and USC pretty certain and a couple others too hard to call. Worried about UCLA out there and Georgia Tech of course. Penn State will be hard (one of my upset ideas) and Purdue and BC are not cake walks. But I see the Irish a bit better than pre-season polls mindful that a lot of Charlie's recruits will be playing. We are also suffering in opinion polls from getting hammered by USC and LSU late in the year.

Medium tier bowl this time around. Early prediction is Gator Bowl.

What do you think?

Someone will have to play Quarterback!

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -Coach Charlie Weis wasn't giving any hints Monday on who Notre Dame's starting quarterback will be this season - and doesn't plan to until the Fighting Irish take the field against Georgia Tech on Sept. 1.

"I certainly don't want to tell Georgia Tech what I'm doing because I'd rather they spent more time having to figure: Are they going to play a true drop-back quarterback? Are they going to play an athletic quarterback?" Weis said. "I'm not really in the business of giving out free information."

Evan Sharply, Jimmy Clausen and Demetrius Jones are competing to replace Brady Quinn, who broke most of Notre Dame's passing records as a four-year starter. Weis had hoped to enter fall practice with two quarterbacks vying for the starting job, but said the competition has been too close.

"If the competition weren't as close as it was, I would have already said who it was," he said.

Jones is the most mobile of the three, Clausen is true drop-back passer and Sharpley falls somewhere in between, but has the most experience in the system. Clausen is the most highly touted of the three. He's the best-known freshman to arrive on campus since Ron Powlus in 1993.

Notre Dame is keeping so quiet about the quarterback competition, though, that Powlus - now the Irish quarterbacks coach - wouldn't answer any questions about the three - even about their personalities - other than to talk about them as a group.

"I want to be as polite as possible here, but I'm not going to talk about them individually," Powlus said.

Media attending a 20-minute viewing of practice saw the three go through agility drills, but not a single pass was thrown by any of the three while reporters were present. None of the three were available for comment Monday because only captains and members of the team's leadership committee were available for interviews.

Weis did say that Clausen is healthy - alluding to media reports that Clausen underwent some type of procedure on his arm in June.

"I've said it before, if people want to talk about procedures and being gone for the year, OK, he's out there practicing today like I said he would be. Would I say when we're teeing off on Sept. 1 would Jimmy Clausen be capable of being our starting quarterback and slinging it 30 or 40 times? The answer would be yes."

Irish players said they aren't worried that they enter training camp not knowing who the quarterback will be.

"They can all throw. They can all make all the throws you need to make," safety Tom Zbikowski said. "Having an offensive mind like Coach Weis, you know you're going to have success with whoever is back there."

Weis said all three will get their chances this week, saying no decision will be made until after a practice Saturday that is open to the public and media. He wants to make a decision by Aug. 20, though, because who will start will influence what type offense the team will be run.

Unlike his predecessor, Tyrone Willingham, Weis believes adjusting his offensive system to the players rather than have players adjust to the system. Weis acknowledges he's a little uncomfortable not knowing who the quarterback will be.

"I just haven't been able to establish what the identity of our offense is going to be because it all surrounds who the quarterback is going to be," he said. "You have to center the offense around what the quarterback can do because if you ask the quarterback to do things he's not capable of doing, then that's your fault as a coach."