College Football Independents: Looking Ahead To 2009

The last couple seasons there were four teams in the ranks of the independents of FBS football. With Western Kentucky officially playing in the Sun Belt starting in 2009 that number drops to three.

What does this mean for Notre Dame, Army and Navy? Nothing. I just thought you should know.

Notre Dame took a step toward regaining some national respect with a season that more than doubled the wins from 2007.

Coach Charlie Weis has retaken over the play calling duties that he turned over to offensive coordinator Mike Haywood for the 2008 season. At the end of the season, Haywood took the head coaching job at Miami OH. Instead of finding a new coordinator, Weis decided he would again try being both head coach and offensive coordinator.

I find the move kind of interesting considering that in 2007, when Notre Dame 3-9, Weis was the offensive coordinator. Some of the speculation was that he could not do both successfully. Come 2009, I guess we will find out.

For me the schedule is a toss up. There are no teams on the schedule that I wouldn’t think Notre Dame has no chance against except USC. On the other hand, I think there are only a couple games that I think are very likely to be wins. That leaves eight games that I wouldn’t put money on either way.

The Navy enters their second year under head coach Ken Niumatalolo. Year one was an 8-5 winning season that ended in a win over rival Army, sealing up the Commander in Chief‘s Trophy, but a loss in the Eagle Bank Bowl to Wake Forest.

While the coaching part looks like they are in good hands, the players side of it is a question mark.

On offense, the quarterback, Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada, two leading rushers, Shun White and Eric Kettani, and leading receiver, Tyree Barnes, were all seniors. They also lose many offensive lineman.

I think the defense stays pretty well in tact, losing less than half the starters. The defense may have to help carry the team through the early season.

After looking at the schedule I have to make the prediction that Navy will likely be in contention for a bowl game again, so long as they can overcome the losses of all the offensive skill players.

After just two seasons, Army fired head coach Stan Brock. Brock went 6-18 in his two seasons and 3-9 in 2008. He was fired less than a week after the Black Knights were shut out by rival Navy, 34-0.

Army went across the country to hire a new coach. Cal Poly coach Rich Ellerson, was named the Army head coach in late December.

Ellerson runs a triple option offense that took Cal Poly to FCS playoffs. Cal Poly finished number one in the FCS in total offense 487.5 yards per game) and scoring offense (44.36 points per game). With these numbers Cal Poly would have finished seventh in total offense and fifth in scoring offense.

I am sure the Army would have been happy just to crack the top 25 in either category. Or the top 50 for that matter.

The schedule sets up nicely for the Army to increase their win total from 2008. There is even a small chance that they could get to six wins. But I would still be surprised if they actually did it.