Preview - Spartans 2009 Game 3: Notre Dame

SpartyMSU is starting our Early look at each Spartan Game...
and how the Spartans will March to 12 - 1 in 2009



Notre Dame
September 19, 3:30: in South Bend

2007:  3 -9 (No Bowl… No hope)
2008:  7 – 6 (Hawaii bowl,  Beat Hawaii… )

Here is a rivalry to cherish.. No matter what is written below, I still look forward every year to this game.
 

The Megaphone trophy is what we are playing for, and of course the naming rights to the Stadium in South Bend. .   It’s important to note that the Spartans have won 6 straight at Notre Dame …   Spartans winning 9 out of the last 12 games with Notre Dame (since 1997).

 I am trying to suggest a Name for the Stadium in South Bend, Notre State, Michi-Dame, Spartan South…  I’m sure we can come up with something that can be put in Gold Gilded Etching on the Entrances.  Any and All Ideas Welcome !   Send them in…

The last 2 seasons under Charlie Weis have been nothing but Dismal.. from players jumping ship mid-season , the over rated and under watched  TV coverage,  to the Teams W/L record. 

This year, Game 3 sees Notre Dame  coming off a Game at Michigan, these 2 teams evenly matched, both play weak schedules and neither one  in the Top Tier of the Nation.   No tell’in at this point if Notre Dame  will win that one. Or what their over all record will be... As much as the Irish Hype out there wants them to be great, its not the year for them...  Not even with the Notre Dame attempted  rewrites  to history, or the sucky SOS (Strength of Schedule).



The pangs to be Great again are so strong, that the Golden Domer s found it righteous to expunge the unsatisfactory records from history.. Notre Dame didn’t like 3-9 2007 season (God doesn't recognize a losing season at ND ?), so they removed it from their spring  prospectus. They also removed Coach Weis’s  less than 500 season records during non ND years... Can the Catholics re-write History ?

Charlie Weis record at Notre Dame is 29 – 21.. Still on the sunny side of 500 …  He might add some more “Ws” to  their record this year, but only by help of a weak Strength of Schedule (SoS),  as Larry Burton put it in the Bleacher  Report (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/190329-charlie-weis-making-his-own-hot-seat-hotter  ), “Except for USC, Notre Dame will not play another team in the top 10 and may only play one or two others that even make the top 20.” Of course Michigan State is one of those teams… Though this might improve the overall record, but will it gain you respect ?  or do you get an asterisk by the season stats ?

In the 2009 Phil Steele’s College Football Preview they rank the strength of schedules using the NFL toughest schedule method: MSU is ranked 28, Notre Dame a sad 85…. Nuff said here….

In last year’s game (2008) with the Spartans, ND had 3 fumbles, 3 missed field goals, 3 sacks, and allowed 3 touchdowns. This string of three’s was Notre Dame’s Holy Trinity of futility that guaranteed failure.  They lost handily....

Now,   What about this year ?

Most important position for ND this year is the “O” Line.  Five starters returning to the offensive line.  Paul Duncan is back from a hip injury has to protect Jimmy Clausen’s blind side,  Sam Young, Robinson, Wenger and Eric Olsen.  They should be better than the last 2 years and give Clausen a little more time…  All seniors and 1 soph..  They should (should...) have gotten better by an appreciable amount...


This is the Same unit that didn’t protect the QB all that well in 2008 against top tier teams..… Sure, they probably will be incrementally better, sure they are upper-classmen. But,  how can practice / training in the Off Season make  incremental improvements to  cause you to be great ? Better yes, great no…. 

As for the QB Jimmy Clausen, he was better in 2008 then he was in 2007.. So I expect to also see some improvements this year…  Last year he threw 17 picks.. But, with an incrementally better front, this will give him more time check off receivers.. Jimmy is talented, but, is he the Heisman super star once touted?  No… 


Jimmy needs a strong front line for him and the team to improve. The OL is the Key to ND putting up points this year.  Not the Skill players, given time they can do their jobs… . 

The offense never had a running game in 2008. Only 16 rushing yards in the game against the Spartans.  Incrementally, better line gives them maybe 100yrds rushing against the Spartans.   Amando Allen and  James Aldridge are the keys to a potential rushing game.. Allen led the team with 585yrds for 2008… Aldridge had 357.   Both are good, physical backs, and with the low SoS for Notre Dame, they should gain more this year. An incrementally better “O”  line will help them possibly pull gaps for the backs, but, don’t forget they will be playing against DL that is also incrementally better as well…



Clausen will have Golden Tate as his number 1 go to guy.. Tate is the real deal, He leads the receiving corps, Tate avg. 18.6 yrds per catch, and made some talented circus catches last year... “4.4 speed, he is one of the biggest deep threats in college football”…. Michael Floyd, and Kyle Rudolph (6'6", 258) are decent catchers as well, if they can get to the ball, they are definite threats. And the Spartans can’t  ignore Junior Duval Kamara, freshman Shaq Evans, and Rob Parris.



But, the Spartans LB and Safeties are a strength, so they should be able to stay tight with the receivers.

On the “D” side of the ball, They are returning 5 Starters….  The new D coordinator is focusing on speed and blitzing.  The D line is manned by 1 junior and 3 sophs..   Last year they had only 60 tackles for losses, and a so-so 26 sacks…. But, they are 1 year more mature, and are touted to be more mobile and aggressive.. ….  Ian and Hafis Williams will try to stuff the run and provide a push up the middle, with Ethan Johnson and Kapron will also try to Slow the Spartans advances.. again.. will it work.. ? They will be better than last year, there is no Javon Ringer, but how much better is a debate.

Additional key players returning are SS Kyle McCarthy, MLB Brian Smith, FS Harrison Smith, and FS Raeshon McNeil…   Incoming Freshman  LB Manti Te’o and Zeke Motta are bound to make a difference joining Smith in the LB coprs. … Smith looks to be the Leader of the “D” this year.. Secondary seems to be the clear strength on this side of the ball..

ND Defense, will stiffen and be much better than last year… but, but… Not good enough against the Spartans..


With the weak schedule of ND, the history of them losing in South Bend, the pressure for success and desperation on Charlie, the magnitude they have to improve from where they were the last 2 years, , add in a pinch of underachievement … It still does not bode well this year for the Domers.  Maybe in 2011…

ND is 1 year older, incrementally better, but so are the Spartans… ND lost last year, and they’ll  lose again in 2009 in a much closer contest than last year.

Even Domer writers are predicting a loss: 
“9/19/09 vs. Michigan State – L
Michigan State always gives the Irish fits. I think this game will be a field goal game either way. Just remember Golden Domers, I am an Irish fan as well. “   
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/208309-notre-dame-football-2009-expectations




Prediction:
Spartans   24,
Golden Domers  17

Sparty On !!