This post is in response to a question from Tim Pollock on another thread. Since the response had little to do with the original subject, I decided to simply write a new post.
Going into 2008, I think ND still has a lot of work ahead of them, but the schedule benefits this process. My prediction of eight wins has a lot to do with the order in which the games are played. Obviously, teams progress or regress as the season goes on. In my opinion, ND plays a couple of games at just the right time to set up at least an eight-win season.
For starters, I think SDSU, Stanford, Navy, and Syracuse will be easy wins—SDSU and Syracuse because both lack coaching and talent, Navy because their coach left, and Stanford because of talent. I would be hard pressed to find a logical argument to counter this.
Here are the other four wins for ND.
Michigan: Yes, I know they have a great D, but the offense has serious challenges. The weakest part of ND is the D-line. The weakest part of Michigan is the O-line. When these two are stacked against each other, ND is less weak on D than Michigan on O.
Added to this, Michigan will be in a new system with a zero-snap QB, and they lost their top three wide receivers. Minor is a good RB, but at times he has a case of the fumbles.
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Against an average D strategy, Michigan has challenges. When you add in the fact that Tenuta has for years made four-year QBs with good O-lines look like freshmen, it gets even worse. Now if this game was later in the year, my confidence would be much lower.
Purdue: This game was a LOT closer than the score last year. Even with the horrible offense, ND had more yards than Purdue.
Purdue, when they win, will win on the back of Painter. The challenge of going against ND is his top two targets are gone, and the strongest aspect of ND as a team is the D-backfield. Wall and Bruton are All-American/first round quality.
Lastly, the Purdue defense did not get any better, and I see the ND offense being MUCH MUCH better this year.
Washington: Outside of having one of the best QBs in the nation, I do not see Washington having much else. Regardless of who is playing, this game will be won by Notre Dame 100 percent on emotion. This will come down to who wants to win more for their coach.
While some former players have said that Weis is not a players' coach, I can also recall being mad at my parents when I did not get my way. Time has shown the maturity level of those who made those comments has more to do with the comments than how they were actually treated by the staff.
Weis is not known for big pregame pep talks, but I feel Washington will be different. Even if he doesn't, the players, I feel, have a bone to pick with Ty. Because of his efforts, or lack thereof, he was let go. In typical Ty fashion, he found a way to deflect any blame.
He also, by lack of action and words in his interview with John Saunders, allowed for the myth that ND was a racist university. I think there are a couple of very talented African-American kids on the team that feel otherwise. Their counter will simply be to point to the scoreboard when the clock strikes zero.
Boston College: It is one thing to try and replace a four-year starter like Matt Ryan. It is even harder to replace a Heisman candidate. A lot of criticism of Weis in 2006 was that he did not play his young O-line or give his second-string QBs more snaps. While this was a mistake, the reason was he was trying to get Brady Quinn the Heisman.
The same can be said for Boston College in 2007. Replacing the talent AND experience of Matt Ryan is going be a big challenge for BC this year. Added to all of the challenge on the field, BC plays ND between Clemson and Florida State. These two items are why I feel Notre Dame will win.
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2 months ago
ND's D will be MUCH better this year IF we stay healthy up front. Corwin Brown will be in his second year as DC and Tenuta will bring an added element missing for some time. There are enough athletes to get eight wins. Special teams is a huge question mark so the offense needs to put up big numbers.
2 months ago
While I agree that ND will be better, mostly because they can't be anyworse, I don't think they will be good enough to beat the improved Washington Team. Your point of one of the best QB in the nation is right on, and that alone is enough to beat a miserable ND team. Emotions will run high and your comments regarding this game leave me feeling you have never been to Husky Stadium on game day. The emotion will definetly determine this game and the end will undoubtedly be A W for Washington.
from 2 months ago
James,
Your assumption that ND will lose the Washington game is based on ND being a miserable team. Saying ND will not improve, is simply ignorant. Saying ND will be miserable, is simply ignorant. Are you ignorant or someone simply creating a profile to throw out an obvious bash on ND? HMMMM
Ty is on the hot seat...AGAIN...for obvious reasons. Sorry guy, but just do not see the purple puppies winning.
from 2 months ago
I have been to Montlake on a game day. What I found a couple of years ago were Tyee members giving away tickets on between the 40s. It has gotten worse in the following years. The Seattle papers have caught on to Tyrones act, Ty has thrown player after player under the bus, and on July 3rd, when most of the country has all but wrapped up recruiting, Ty Willingham has ZERO recruits for the current recruit class.
The emotion is gone from Washington. The fans there thought the program was at its lowest. Tyrone has made it worse there. Dawgman.com even defended him at first. They now realize that the program will probably be at its lowest three years after Ty is let go this year.
Tyrone Willingham has dealt a death blow from two of the most prestigious programs in college football. Emotion won't have a chance in this game. The Husky is a deflated animal.
Ty has been known to pull a big game out of his Ty hole, but this will not be one of them.
The players on both sides of the ball will realize what shi TY did to both programs by halftime. At least the IRISH saw hope by the end of last season. Montlake will be an IRISH home game for the final two quarters. It will be loud too. The poor Husky faithful will have given up and gone home.
Their season will be done. They aren't even likely to show up for the Apple Cup.
Average attendance on Montlake this year will be about 37,000. They will be asking themselves why they even bothered to show up.
from 2 months ago
I have been to Husky Stadium. In fact, it was the last time ND played Washington (ND playing there is the only reason I would want to show up and I plan on being there this year too). First off, Ty sucks as a coach; they need Rick back. And secondly, the rest of the team for Washington is... well, we'll just say "not so good." I know because I live in this state and hate both or our teams. I wish they could somehow both loose the Apple Cup. The only team in the Pac-10 I hate more than UW and the "Zoo" is USCheat. Despite my revulsion toward those three schools I still know the facts. 1. ND will beat Washington. 2. USCheat will probably beat ND. My only hope for ND to beat USCheat is that the Trojans are a little beat up by the end of the year and that ND is healthy and running on all cylinders at that point.
2 months ago
I wouldn't mark down Stanfurd as a guaranteed win, ND struggled a lot with the trees last season. Stanfurd will have the coaching edge, imo the game is a toss up at this point.
I really doubt the Domers beat Boston College or Purdue, nothing I've seen at this point suggests the team could even keep it within 10 of those teams, but that's why they play the game.
from 2 months ago
By the third quarter, there was no struggle and that was with a 2-9 team.
The trees certainly don't have a coaching edge because they don't have a coach. They have Jimmy Harbaugh...the same guy who when nabbed with a coed while drinking and driving, left the coed out in the middle of nowhere. How can a classless guy (who doesn't even have a driver's license) lead a team of smart guys?
I really like your second paragraph. "Nothing I've seen...". That's poetry. That's akin to me saying, "There's no life on any other planet that I've seen that suggests it could fix the US economy". The correlation is that I've never been on another planet. Much the same as you have not been following ND this year.
But hey, that's why they play the game.
from 2 months ago
How cute. Ronny the USC internet bully.
Seriously, I now get the reason that you've never written your own articles here. You just hide in the bushes, jump out, type something with no rhyme or reason, then jump back into the bushes. There's a place for guys like you. It's called WildWestSports.com.
If you'd attempt to come up with some sort of reasonable and intelligible support for your view and present a fair and reasonable argument, you wouldn't be the Bleacher Report laughing stock.
Things like calling a coach over rated are cute in the SoCal chat rooms, but really - over rated by whose accounts? Certainly not by himself. Any praise given to Charlie Weis was via NFL players of several teams, Hall of Famers such as John Madden, future HOF such as Bill Parcells, NFL owners, GMs of several teams. Because he's a threat to your team is understandable. Especially now that he's stocking the cupboards with those Catholic League players that you claim he cannot get.
I also find it amusing that you point to only one recruiting class. Why you choose to ignore the other two years of success is probably just a defensive twitch that you cannot help, so I won't point it out.
If a team is so "irrelevant" why do you follow around some of the stories? Kind of odd, isn't it?
I think you meant to say 17 years and counting, but that's understandable. Afterall, didn't some of those 17 years include 13 years of abusing your favorite team? I'm sure you'll point out that you have a current 7-0 stretch (which was barely kept alive two years ago, in perhaps one of the best matchups ever between the two), to which I'll say, "Congratlations... you've just moved passed the halfway mark.
With regard to a bowl streak, it is what it is. Granted, no other team has ever faced higher ranked opponents as many consecutive times, so we have nothing to compare it to. The only thing close is the number of times an ND team has faced a #1 USC team. We both know who has a daunting edge in that scenario.
You claim that elite players are no longer interested in playing at Notre Dame, yet going head-to-head against Pete Carroll (whose last name is a girl's name) in recruiting top players, Charlie is 8-2. 4-1 with players who are in the USC back yard. So given your statement, what does that say about your team?
My good man, I won't burry you with your own words simply out of kindness. Afterall, I know why you call yourself Ronald and what you do for a living. By the way, I sure enjoy your french fries!
Is there any chance that you're bringing the McRib back to stay?
Fight the good fight my man! (No pun intended when mentioning a prison term with a USC guy)
Good Luck to the trOJans.
2 months ago
I hate to bust bubbles in July but predicting the Whining Irish winning eight games this year? Whatever you guys are on on HAS to be illegal!
First, I do not see ND beating either Michigan or Boston College that takes the number down to six immediately. I think you should be praying to have a better season not predicting that you will beat Michigan.
Like I was saying, don't get overly optimistic, I'm sure your Mother told you things don't happen overnight. The problem is the team that embarrassed you guys last year has gotten older. Sure your over rated coach has added some additional High School talent but remember the core of this team is the wretched under coached, under achieving group that set several school records last year. Unfortunately, none of them were positive.
Face it Whining Irish fateful. The types of players who are interested in attending the football dinosaur at Notre Dame are not winners in the 21 Century. There are no Paul Hornings out there and the Tim Browns of the world are not interested in making money for your school these days. The cards played by the ND Administration, staff and Alumni are coming home to roost and hopefully players around the country will have a very long memory when it pertains to the University of Notre Dame.
When Notre Dame cannot count on recruiting the top Catholic High School seniors across the country they are in terrible trouble. Face it you can't and you are.
By the way, don't get too excited by the second ranked recruiting class this year. First, it takes more than one class to turn a program around and secondly it seems you guys are still going after the same formula for success that hasn't worked too well for 20-years now and counting. Big and slow. Bis and slow doesn't work too well when you face big and fast.
And, you guys are being out coached weekly.
Face it Whining Irish. You haven't won a bowl game since 1993 and you won then by three-points. In the ensuing 0 - 9 run in bowl games you haven't come closer than six-points to any opponent. Your team is slowly but surely working itself on the 'Irrelevant List' and may become permanent members.
Counting on beating the cream puffs on your schedule is understandable. Counting on beating teams like Michigan & BC is delusional.
2 months ago
I actually agree with the logic of most of this article, but it seems to me instead of pointing out how ND will win, you have tried to point out the weaknesses of the other teams as justification of a win.
For example, you said, "The weakest part of ND is the D-line. The weakest part of Michigan is the O-line. When these two are stacked against each other, ND is less weak on D than Michigan on O."
That doesn't make sense. It sounds more like a wash to me.
And the O-line is very weak at ND (with promises of improvement, for sure), while Michigan's D-line looks very improved, although they are learning a new D.
I guess my point is that going through each game, you didn't list why ND would win due to its advantage, but rather, tried to point out the other's disadvantages.
Jake Locker is an outstanding QB, much like Dennis Dixon, he can run and throw. If your D-line is weak, how will you contain him and the Husky pass offense? The Ty coaching thing takes a back seat once the teams take the field.
I think you have Syracuse and SDSU as guaranteed wins.
No way Purdue falls in that category. And Navy beat you last year, so that's no gimme, although you should be favored to win and should win the game since they only return 8 starters.
Stanford...I dunno. Remember, Stanford out gained you in yardage and missed four FGs when you beat them 21-14 LY, so to place them as a guaranteed win is a bit premature. (trust me, as a Trojan fan)
Overall, I think Michigan State and North Carolina may beat ya, or maybe not. It's sooooo hard to tell before the first game.
Let's put it this way....if you beat the Aztecs by 4 TDs, ND should have 7-8 wins this season. If they beat them by less than that, then it might be a long season, as most elite teams will score 50 plus pts on the Aztecs.
Good luck!
from 2 months ago
Lisa -
I find it rather interesting you point out the fact my post was based on the other teams and thus arrived at my conclusion of 8 wins for ND. The reason I find this interesting is almost everyone is basing their opinion of ND for 2008 based on the performance of 2007 with complete disregard to the differences a season pass has done to the opponents.
- As for my comment on the ND offensive line compared to the Michigan defensive line....I...will....go...slow..
If I have a pot belly and you are obese, while we are both overweight, you defiantly would have more problems. Would you call it a wash in that situation as well?
-As for you comment about ND line being weak, once again your ignorance shines. Guess how many offensive linemen who started the season opener in 2007 against GT are starting for ND in 2008 at the same position? .....give you some time to google....
The answer is 1. Eric Olsen.
In 2007 Sam Young played LT, which is not his natural position. In 2008, Young is moving back to RT, his natural position and where he won Freshman All American honors 2 years ago. I will fill you in on something, because you are not a football player, LT ARE MUCH DIFFERENT THANT RT. They are two completely different players.
For most of 2007 Mike Turkovich started as the opposite guard to Eric Olsen. In by the end of 2007, Turkovich, a natural tackle playing guard because he was one of a few players with experience last year, lost his job. In 2008, opposite Eric Olsen and next to Sam Young on the right side will be Chris Stewart.
Now currently at RT is Paul Duncan but there is talk of Matt Romine, a natural LT and the #3 OT in the class of 2007 is going to step up. He did not play last year as he needed to bulk up and was injured this spring.
Lastly, at center is Dan Wegner, who do to an injury to John Sullivan last year started the last few games. Now Lisa, if you had a clue or watched as much film as you claim, you would know that the O-line was dramatically better with Wegner leading the pack.
Going into 2007, EVERY lineman outside of Sam Young had played a combined handful of snaps in 2006. It took all of 2007 to break these boys in. To use 2007 as an indication of 2008 is moronic. Reason A is most of the kids were not playing natural positions and reason B is it took close to 5-6 games into the season to get the starters onto the field. I mean they were RS freshmen.
- The Washington game. Once again pull your head out of your ass. I did not say the D-line is weak. What I did say was it was the weakest part of the team. There is a difference there little girl. To be honest, no matter what the condition of ND, Washington is a one man show. I could point out more then that but it would simply take too long to point out the holes on that squad.
-Simply saying something like "No way Purdue falls in that category" or "Navy beat you last year, so that's no gimme" is once again stupid.
First off, using your twisted logic, Stanford is not a gimmie for USC this year. After all, they beat USC last year....read that again slow an aloud so you can hear how stupid you are.
As for Purdue, I point out why I think so and you point out nothing....yea, your case has a whole lot of weight.
To be honest, I only took the time to respond to you because I think you are a joke. You have several times made false claims, told lies or simply told lies. In both your articles and your comments.
YOU_ARE_NOT_A_PROFESSIONAL... Having a free blog on foxsports.com does not make you a journalist. I would love to see any proof of your work at the Superbowl, I doubt you did that as well.
BleacherReport.com, while a wonderful message board/blog, is not a reputable news source. It is a user driven content site. That is what makes this so dynamic. That is until tools like you and Jimeson dervice some type of self worth from posting on an open message board.
I looked up Lisa Horne, toolbag and a couple of other terms looking for information on your "journalism career" in google and only found your posts here and a pathetic user blog on foxsports.
So instead of saying good luck...
I say **** ***!
2 months ago
Let me preface my comments by saying I'm not a ND supporter or critic. I'm a guy who closely follows college football but aside from UNC playing ND this season the school is largely irrelevant to me personally.
However, I am an avid defensive back follower and was wondering about this comment:
"Wall and Bruton are All-American/first round quality."
No argument that the d-backs are NDs best position group but from reading and the tape I've watched of the ND secondary there isn't All-America or 1st round talent back there. The idea that any of the four starters are of the same ilk as Taylor Mays, Malcolm Jenkins or Myron Rolle seems a bit off base.
The back four are nice, quality players, in the top half of the college football world in terms of skill level and talent, but they are not at the elite level.
Michael Hamlin of Clemson, ASU's Troy Nolan and USC's Captain Munnerlyn are just a couple of the lesser known back end guys who are better than ND's guys.
As far as the NFL draft goes David Bruton is a project 5th or 6th rounder behind guys like WFU's Chip Vaughn and LSU's Curtis Taylor.
The secondary will be solid but they're not an elite backend by any means.
2 months ago
Michael-
You are flat out wrong on David Bruton. He is 2nd or 3rd round at worst. This past spring he measured in at 6'3 and 217 pounds. He ran a 4.4, benched 225 21 times and had a vertical of 41.5 inches. He is flat out better than Tom Zbikowski who was drafted in the 3rd round last year.
2 months ago
Again my question is where is this coming from? I've actually taken time to watch more of his game and look at his projections and I haven't found anything impartial putting him that high.
nfldraftscout.com has him as a 4th or 5th round guy and the 6th best Free Safety
walterfootball.com has him as a 5th or 6th round guy and the 21st best Safety
nfldraftsite.com has him as a 7th rounder
The ringing endorsement for Bruton that I did find was on blueandgold.com saying "he could play his way into the first day of the 2009 NFL Draft." Something I take to mean they project him as a 3rd round guy but with a good season and combine could get into the late 2nd round.
He is better than Zbikowski; he was better than Zbikowski last year and probably the year before that. Tom-Z was a ballhawk and a good tackler but not much of a coverage guy and didn't cover much ground in the backend. Plus Zbikowski as a 3rd rounder was a baffling move when Thomas DeCoud and Craig Steltz were still on the board.
I'm not out to bash the kid, he's a really good player and will play in the league as long as he gets drafted into a good situation. He will contribute immediately on special teams and get minutes in the secondary, but he's not at the top of this years safety class by any means.
from 2 months ago
So in the 6 hours between your first comment to your second comment, you were able to secure game film of ND and break it down? I mean seriously...do you expect people to believe you?
First off, and take no offense, you are simply another fan with an opinion. I doubt you would be able to get access to the amount of film needed to make this judgment, let alone view it.
Now I know you were a walk on to UNC who was "retired" when a new coach came into town and wanted to upgrade the talent but that does not make you an expert on d-backs, at least more then anyone else. So even if you took several months to review film, how is your OPINION different then my OPINION?
I see Bruton and Walls as All American quality...I see Bruton and Walls as first round quality. DID I SAY THEY WOULD BE ALL AMERICANS? Do I know what team would need what in the 09 and 10 draft?
Seriously, this MB would so much better if everyone just realized they were a fan and not more knowledgeable than anyone else. THERE ARE NO PROFESSIONALS ON HERE. THERE ARE NO EXPERTS ON HERE.
from 2 months ago
CJ:
Please reread your last two sentences.
Then take a look in the mirror.
Sheesh.
2 months ago
Thanks for the snipe but I actually stopped playing in the summer of '06 when JB was the HC and after three years of football. Butch wasn't even on the public radar at the point. I'm not claiming to be an expert, just a guy who follows defensive backs closely because thats the position I know best. While my talent level wasn't elite I always graded out well in knowledge and understanding of the game according to the two position coaches I played under (Fleming and Sanders).
I'm not looking to pick a golden domer fight, I was simply stating that from the games I watched ND last year and the cutups available on the internet they didn't appear to be in the same ballpark as Taylor Mays or Patrick Chung and the other elite safeties that I've watched.
Basically I was wondering why you thought they were All-American quality because even though they're solid, nice players the AA quality didn't occur to me when I've watched them play. As I said before I'm not out to bash the kids, I was just wondering how you moved them into the realm of first day draft picks.
from 2 months ago
Sorry for the snipe.... A bit of an overreaction to others claiming to be "something" and simply because they claim to be someone, what they say should be considered fact.
As for All American - There are more than 2 AA safeties. Since Mays and Bruton are FS and Chung is a SS, so I think it is very possible for Bruton to make the AA team.
As for going in the 1st round, in 2006 there were 3 safeties taken, in 2007 there were 4 safeties taken. In 2008 there was 1. I stand by my opinion that Bruton is good enough to have a team use a #1 on him. Thus 1st round caliber. Bruton hits like a tank and has an eye for the ball. He had 3 INT last year during a season that most teams did not need to pass. He also led the Irish in solo tackles with 55. I feel that he will do even more in 2008.
As for Walls, the kid was VERY good in 07 as a Soph. He was the #3 CB comi.ng out of HS and has lived up to the hype. He has also outperformed the #1 and #2 ahead of him. He still has 2 years at ND. I see him as a 1st team AA and Top 20 pick in 2010.
Both of these players will also benefit from an aggressive D where they will be blitzing 80% of the game. I doubt for as long as JT is working the front 7, an opposing QB will have much time to plant and pick.
2 months ago
Tim,
I know I am brash but all I am talking about is MY OPINION. I am not saying I am a professional or an expert. I am a fan....period.
There is a tremendous about of frustration in giving an opinion and then having a nobody say. well I looked at or thought about it and you are wrong. Or I am a professional when they clearly are not.
NOT, I have a different opinion and here is why but I think this way and you are wrong because I want to present myself as somebody special.
Sheesh......
from 2 months ago
CJ:
Seriously, where do you get this notion that everyone on B/R considers him/herself special and/or and expert or professional? I have a day job, and I'm happy with it. I happen to love sports and writing, so B/R is a great hobby for me. I bet this is the case for a ton of people on this site--it's just a fun hobby. We all have our opinions, too, and just because you disagree doesn't mean you need to take personal shots.
All these people you are bashing are good folks, especially Michael, who always has excellent articles and kind words to other contributors. Nobody here thinks they are better than you, and unless I am crazy, nobody thinks their articles on B/R are going to automatically vault them into the business of writing for SI or ESPN the Magazine.
At the same time, there are some excellent writers on here, including Lisa Horne and many others, who could very well make a living with their writing. You may disagree with that, but like I've said before, the overwhelming majority of B/R would agree.
from 2 months ago
@ Tim,
I have NO PROBLEM with personal opinions. However, people like Lisa Horne try and pass themselves off as professionals and because they SAY they are professionals, their OPINION should be taken as fact.
As for overwhelming majority on LH, I disagree. What has to be clear is if you are writing fact or fiction. Lisa has been caught writing fiction SEVERAL TIMES. Because of this, she is NOT a good writer. Maybe a good story teller. Simply because you like her stories, does not make your opinion of her fact.
A perfect example of her lies is about the ND/USC game played in South Bend. She tried to pass some BS about Knute Rockne's Wife wanting to get out of South Bend for the winter. While this may or may not be true, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE HOME GAME AT NOTRE DAME OR WHEN THAT WAS PLAYED. I pointed out, AND SHOWED MY SOURCES, that the USC/ND game was ALWAYS played in Late NOV or Early Dec up to 1961. Around this time, USC asked for the game in South Bend to be moved up in the season to avoid the bad weather. THIS IS A FACT. After pointing out this LIE or MISTAKE that Lisa made she simply ignored comments or made up ANOTHER lie.
I do not know what kind of education you get at South Carolina, but actions like this ARE NOT the sign of a good writer.
Multiple posters feel there is no need to cite sources or prove a quote actually existed. No need to separate what is fact and what is opinion. That is what I have an issue with.
This is a hobby for me as well. SOOOO much better than the Rivals/Scout/ESPN MB. However, the people on all 4 are the same. All fans looking to get their fix and talk about things.
Just telling the truth...sorry if it stings anyone.
2 months ago
Agree to disagree, I guess.
Whatever the case, I'll definitely be following ND more closely this year...
2 months ago
Is Weis still coaching??? Zing! 3-9.
2 months ago
CJ,
Excellent article and I appreciate that a lot of your insights come from following the off-season team developments closely.
Not sure why people that don't follow ND at all, other than the final scores, feel that posting remarks that only betray their simultaneous hatred and near-total ignorance somehow serves to further the discourse on this site.
I also appreciated your detailed account of the typical lack of factual basis and journalistic standards in Lisa the Hack's work. As someone else posted, she should at least write about something she knows about, so her lack of ethics and intelligence would not be so obvious.
about 1 month ago
The thing about ND's defense is tenuta. tenuta, tenuta, tenuta. He, statistical fact, takes terrible defenses and makes them top 30 defenses, and then takes them to top 10. With a defensive backfield that is more than solid, providing more time for a tenuta-infused pass rush. The defense will be the deciding factor in the close games we will have against UW, PITT, and so on (notice I did not say Michigan (sucks!)). I love the rivalry between scUM and ND, but I think they have too much on their plate and in that regard I agree with the article. Too much, too early. Anyways, that being said, I don't see only 8 wins this season. If things happen like they are supposed to, with no "oops" or "they're too young", then I foresee 10 wins. The senior leadership we do have needs to make up for what we don't have. We need to play every week for that week and not look ahead, i.e. don't play SDSU worried about scUM coming up, play SDSU and beat them. I strongly believe that ND fans are having a hard time, after an absolutely awful season, saying that we can win 10 games. 3 years ago saying these teams will be a struggle would've been blasphemy. Saying we may lose to Ty Willy would've got you hung from a yard arm. Let's go back to that.
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