Notre Dame's New Year's Resolutions

1. Keep Charlie Weis in the press box!

There it was finally, the schematic advantage he promised, well we all saw it in the Hawaii game. He is use to being an Offensive Coordinator in the press box where he can see the holes and how to beat the opposing defense; so keep him there!

2. Keep the additions to the offense and the returning players.

We have our top offensive starters returning in 2009 with Clausen, Floyd, Tate, Allen, and Rudolph!

Now for the additions: Offensive Line is of Importance for Running Game as well as pass protection: The addition of Chris Watt (Top 5 OG) and Zach Martin (12th ranked OT) will improve our balance of run/pass.  Shaquelle Evans, 6’1 203 pound WR! Top 3 WR recruit in the nation: this will give Notre Dame the best set of WR’s in college football with, Floyd, Tate, and Evans.

Stick with Armando Allen as the primary ball carrier. This kid has ridiculous speed is a good receiver out of the backfield and did better in short yardage situations than the other backs as well.  Athletes Cierre Wood, E.J. Banks, Theo Riddick, Jordan Cowart, and Nyshier Oliver will add even more versatility to an already potent Irish offensive attack in 2009.

We have a kicker in the making: Recruits Ben Turk (sixth ranked) and Nick Tausch (28th ranked) will improve our kicking game.

3. Hang on to the emergence of a defense that has been missing for almost a decade.

The return of Darrin Walls will surely help this Irish defense!

4. Add the following players on defense:

Tyler Stockton – 290 pound DT from New Jersey. Top three DT in the nation will be sure to help ND in stopping the running game! Zeke Motta – S - 27th ranked safety in the nation will help fill the loss of David Bruton our best defensive player.  Carlo Calabrese – ILB – 225 pounds – 11th ranked ILB in the nation He will be a force to be reckoned with.  Marlon Pollard – CB - 23rd ranked CB in the nation will help in stopping the passing game! OLB – Dan Fox 56th ranked in nation will be a great addition.

5. Use Hawaii as a jumping off point.

That thumping of Hawaii could be the beginning of a new age in ND Football. I know some of you will say “it was Hawaii” but it wasn’t just Hawaii, it wasn’t just the win, it wasn’t just getting the monkey off of our back in bowl games: “IT” was the way we played, the way we won, the way our young players like Clausen, Tate, Floyd, Allen seemed to emerge as more than just underclassmen!

And the way our defense that was in early season a big negative, over the last four weeks of the season they did nothing but get better week after week after week in watching our offense hit the wall.

 It just all came together in one night and could be something that ND fans see as a turning point. The Defense played a terrific game against a good Hawaii offense. The Offense played an excellent game against a fast, physical Hawaii defense. Both sides of the ball came to play for the first time all season, and they played for 4 quarters too! This was something ND was missing, but they came out with that fire in their eyes and I think just maybe we found something.

2009 is coming and the Irish are going to turn some heads: Don’t say I didn’t warn you!