Notre Dame-USC Preview

Saturday is a huge day for the Notre Dame football team as they go against the 6th ranked USC Trojans. The Trojans have beaten the Irish seven years straight, and since the “Bush Push” the Trojans have won easily every time.

Still the Irish players believe they can beat the Trojans.

A win against the Trojans would elevate not only the Notre Dame coaches and players, but all their fans as well. The Irish have a stellar offense, but they haven’t seen a defense as good as the Trojans.

It will be a tough challenge, but one that means a lot to both teams.

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Yes, Charlie Weis’ Tenure as Notre Dame Head Coach Can Get Worse

Despite the “decided schematic advantage” that he has brought to South Bend (best seen here and here), Charlie Weis’ tenure at Notre Dame has not gone quite as well as he and the Notre Dame faithful had hoped.

Let’s see, there was that 3-8 record in 2007 that featured losses to Air Force and Navy, and then last season’s 7-6 mark that was highlighted by a loss to Syracuse (a football program on such solid footing that it turned to a former Duke basketball player to play quarterback this year). 

The putrid aftertaste of this 10-14 two-year span is most notably seen in this encouraging billboard that a group of ex-Irish football players bought in South Bend before this season started.

But just when you thought that things could not get worse in South Bend, that Weis’ seat could not possibly get hotter, there is this: Notre Dame’s 207-game sellout streak, which dates back all the way to 1973 (around the same time that this photo was taken), is in jeopardy of being broken this weekend.

Update: Well that didn’t take long.  The sellout streak is alive, according to ESPN. I’d like to think we had something to do with it…but I know we didn’t.

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Notre Dame-Michigan State Recap: McCarthy’s INT Saves the Irish From Another Tough Loss

It was the same scenario for the Irish, just a different but better outcome this time…all thanks to Michigan State.

Michigan State again gave their opponent a second chance, only for it to bite them back in the butt.

Late in the 4th quarter, Michigan Sate was down 30-33. Michigan State’s WR, Larry Caper, beat all of the Irish’s defense. He was wide open. All he had to do was catch the ball. Instead the ball was too high, and while Caper got his hands on the ball, he wasn’t able to catch it.

It would have been a TD and given the Spartans the lead, and maybe even the game, but it only led to an Irish interception that would clinch the game for the Irish.

The hero tonight?

Kyle McCarthy is the big man on campus this weekend for Notre Dame. His interception at the 4 yard line, with 57 seconds left, sealed the win for the Irish. A win that they needed really badly. Last week, Notre Dame let Michigan come back and beat them. A loss that put even more doubt on the team, including head coach, Charlie Weis.

The Irish aren’t even close to showing that they are the real deal. They won the game, and while thats all that matters in the end, having another late night scare shows that this team doesn’t know how to finish a game. It was another scare for loyal Fighting Irish fans. A scar that not many fans want to endure 2 weeks in a row. A scare that kinda ticks you off.

One thing that will make fans happy is Jimmy Clausen continues to play extremely well. He threw for 300 yards with 2 TD passes and no interceptions. He is looking like a great leader for a team that needs one. He has played very well this year, and is a reason why the Irish should be hopeful this and next year.

A huge blow to the Irish is the loss of WR Michael Floyd. Floyd suffered a broken collarbone when he landed in the endzone. He leads the nation in receiving yards per game (160), and in yards per catch (29.1). Luckily, Golden Tate and Clausen were able to pick up the slack, something they might have to be doing for some weeks. It’s not yet known how long Floyd will be out.

Overall a win is a win. However I am beginning to doubt this defense that, in the first week, looked very strong. They have given up two straight 30+ point games. A team can’t expect to win when their defense gives up that many points in a game. Defense should be the main thing for the Irish to work on this week in practice.

The Irish’s season depends how the defense plays. Look for the defense to step it up next week.

Michigan State-Notre Dame Preview and Prediction

This game is not as hyped up as the Michigan-Notre Dame game, but it’s still a big game — maybe even bigger — for the Fighting Irish.

Let me just say one thing looking back at last weekend and then we can get into the preview: Notre Dame lost the Michigan game because of terrible, crazy, offensive play calling.

What were they thinking when they called two pass plays with the lead late in the 4th quarter!? Run the ball and make Michigan use their timeouts! It was just dumb play calling at its “finest”.

Now back to the ND-MSU preview. Before we delve into the analysis, here are the particulars for Saturday’s matchup:

Michigan State at Notre Dame

• Michigan State-Notre Dame Date: Saturday, September 19th
• Michigan State-Notre Dame State Kickoff Time: 3:30 ET
• Michigan State-Notre Dame TV Channel: NBC
• Michigan State-Notre Dame Point Spread: Notre Dame -10.5

Notre Dame has to win this game, and on paper Notre Dame is the stronger team; but this is sports, and if you haven’t found out yet that anything can happened in sports, well you’re not a very astute fan.

So while Notre Dame should win this game, don’t count out Michigan State too easily.

Despite the 30+ points given up against Michigan, Notre Dame’s defense has improved dramatically. While the Irish offense is explosive, I believe it is their defense that will be the key to this game. Defense wins football games, as the old adage goes, and Notre Dame has the defense to do beat Michigan State, along with the offense to back it up.

Michigan State needs to stay to the basics of football. That is playing smart football, not giving up many turnovers, and converting on chances. Michigan State is running against the wind in this game, but playing smart football can make all the difference.

This game will go to the team with the better choices, play calling, and whoever converts on the others mistakes. Those are fairly common things you have to do to win a football game, but not many teams can do that in a game, and they end up paying the price for not sticking to the basics.

Overall I see Notre Dame winning this game comfortably. if not, then maybe Notre Dame isn’t as good as they were hyped to be.

I’ll Tell You This: The Meaning of Bradford’s Injury, ND’s Win, and Why the Jets and Lions are Making a Mistake

[Editor's note: This is the second installment of Big MB's weekly post entitled I'll Tell You This, in which he tells us all what in the sports world -- to quote the great Peter Griffin -- is grinding his gears. Enjoy...and stay tuned for an upcoming appearance by Big MB on the soon-to-be resume MSF podcast.]

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1. Sam Bradford

This past Saturday, Oklahoma was upset in new the Dallas Cowboys stadium by BYU. What’s worse is that last year’s Heisman Trophy winning quarterback, Sam Bradford, injured his throwing shoulder on his way to the ground. Sooner Nation stopped breathing for a moment, however with recent reports it seems that the Sooner’s Slinger will only miss 2-4 weeks.

I’ll Tell You This: For all of you skeptics of Mark Sanchez and other athletes coming to pro sports early, and for all of you haters of high schoolers jumping to NBA, this is the case against you. Bradford decided to stick around one more year when he could have been the #1 pick last year. What if this was a career ending injury? Even though it’s not at this point, what if it severely affects Bradford’s play?  Bradford would possibly never get to live his dream of playing pro football. And worse, what would be his future profession after dumping all of his time into becoming an A-level quarterback?

2. Saving Weis?

Charlie Weis and all of South Bend (and those who support the Irish) may breathe just a little easier after Notre Dame pitched a shutout against Nevada. Jimmy Clausen finally looked like the quarterback that he has been hyped to be, completing 15 of 18 passes for 315 yards and 4 touchdowns.

I’ll Tell You This: No coach in sports is under as much pressure as Charlie Weis is right now. Notre Dame MUST win, and look good in doing so. However, this was Nevada. It’s the first week of the season. The team that should have won did. Next week brings bitter rival the Big Blue of Michigan. Someone shoot Charlie a text and let him know his job is still on the line.

3. Al Davis Strikes Again

Once again, Bill Bellicheck is a genius and Al Davis is a fool. This past weekend the New England Patriots traded DE Richard Seymour to the Oakland Raiders for a first round pick in 2011. Seymour is getting older and has seemingly started to lose a step, but is still an upgrade to a porous Raiders D-Line. However, the question remains: is he worth a first round pick?

I’ll Tell You This: There is not a soul on the earth that can honestly tell me that Al Davis made a good move, or ever will. Seymour is a “right now” type of guy, and Oakland is FAR from a “right now” type of team. There is no doubt that the Patriots will likely be picking top 5 in the 2011 draft, and that is something that no one in the entire NFL (save for New England) wants to see (and it’s possible that Al Davis won’t even live long enough to see). Al Davis needs to let go of this historic NFL franchise or they will never succeed. It’s definitely the black hole….a place where NFL players and winning go to die.

4. The Rookies

NFL rookies take the cake this year as both Matthew Stafford of the Detroit Lions and Mark Sanchez of the New York Jets will both get the starting nod at quarterback for their respective teams this season.

I’ll Tell You This: Although I think both guys are talented and will be good quarterbacks in the NFL, both teams are making mistakes starting them. Yes, some quarterbacks do well when thrown right into the mix (see Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts). However, in many cases it hurls what may have been a talented superstar into the cursed pool of the draft day flops (See Ryan Leaf, Joey Harrington, and David Carr). And some never can turn it around afterwards. Both teams have respectable veteran starters in Daunte Culpepper (Detroit) and Kellen Clemens (NY).  I can only hope for the sake of these two QB’s that they follow Peyton’s path to success and not Ryan Leaf’s path to America’s Funniest Home Videos.

5. The Knockout Heard Round the World

Everyone has seen it. Most of us saw it every hour for 48 straight hours on every sport program on television. And while for a fan of MMA like myself it was somewhat exciting to watch, America was once again taken aback by another sports thug when Oregon standout running back LeGarrette Blount sucker punched Boise State’s Byron Hout after Hout spouted a little trash talk to Blount. Blount made things worse by almost going Ron Artest-style on a couple fans on his way to the locker room. It took 4 or 5 police officers and building security to keep him from broaching the stands.

I’ll Tell You This: Although it is very sad to see a player throw away his career for lack of ability to keep his attitude in control, I do find it funny that the game started with both teams meeting at midfield for a handshake in light of “Good Sportmanship Week.” What I also find funny is that Blount ran his mouth ALL week before the game and then after getting held in check and to career lows, couldn’t take what he had been dishing out. The senior received a one year suspension, thus ending his college career. What will he do with his time off? Maybe he should give the Winnepeg Blue Bombers a call. He can hang out with Pacman Jones. They would make a cute couple. Canada can have him too.

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You can follow BigMB on Twitter by going to www.twitter.com/mylesb3269.

Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame Hand Nevada a Beating

Charlie Weis and his team must feel really great right now after shutting out Nevada, 35-0. It was a right step on the road to recovery for the Notre Dame football team.

All areas of the team were spot on. The defense was fast and shut down both the running and the passing game. The offense was unstoppable. Notre Dame ran away with the game early, and once they had it they never looked back.

Jimmy Clausen had a Heisman-caliber game, throwing for 315 yards and 4 touchdowns. The ball came out out of his hand like a bullet and was always incredibly accurate as well.

Sure, it wasn’t a top 25 team they played in South Bend on Saturday, but a game like that should improve Clausen’s confidence in the pocket and the overall confidence of the offense. It was a great day for the junior QB and hopefully we will see more games like that from him.

It was just a blast to watch this game. Being a Notre Dame fan I had seen some bad football being played by the Irish over the past 2 years, and this game was basically a vacation from all that bad football. For once this team looked like the old Fighting Irish I knew and loved.

It was a big win against a small school, but it seemed like it was a huge win against a huge team. You could see the happiness on the players’, coaches’, and fans’ faces. This is a win the team needed. To start off a season like that, after playing so poorly the past couple of seasons, must be a big relief. Hopefully it is also a sign that this team can do big things this year.

Next week the Irish play against rival Michigan. It is another big game and comes against a team that is in the same position Notre Dame is, only worse. Both teams will want a W, so expect a hard fought football game. You can check out the game on September 12 at 2:30cst.

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* – Jimmy Clausen photo credit: AP via BoDog Beat

Charlie Weis’ Fighting Irish Have One More Year to Finally Prove Themselves

When people say Notre Dame, most people think about the football team. The Fighting Irish have always been a very prestigious football school. They hold the second best all-time winning percentage of any college team – behind only Michigan – but the past two years have not been so good to the golden domers.

In fact, the past two years have been hell for Irish fans.

Notre Dame went a combined 9-15 over the past two season, including setting the record for most losses in a season in 2007 with nine. The Irish especially did not fare well against their main rival USC, losing 0-38 in 2007 and 3-35 in 2008.

So you would think it could only get better for the Irish, right?

Well, that’s exactly what might happen.

Follow the links to StubHub for great deals on Notre Dame football tickets and all college football tickets.

This year has the potential to be a comeback year for the Irish. With a relatively easy schedule, the Irish can post an above .500 record for the first time in two years and could end up in the top 25 – or *gasp* even the BCS – at the end of the year. The Irish were ranked at 23rd in the pre-season polls, which I think is a lenient ranking considering how average they were last season.

One thing is for sure, after yet another stellar recruiting class pulled into South Bend by Charlie Weis: the Irish have the players to prove they belong in the top 25. The Irish’s recruiting class was in the top 10 again this year, and we all know that recruiting is a necessary step in rebuilding a college football program into the powerful force it desires to be.

Furthermore, the returning players on offense have matured and should be ready to take another step forward this season, which is obviously one in which the Irish hope to win a spot in one of the major bowl games. And not only do they want to be in one, they want to win one.

The offense is led by junior QB Jimmy Clausen and junior WR Golden Tate. These two love each other and are prepped to have a stellar year. Clausen has been called a bust by some, but he is now in his prime and so is the offense. Notre Dame is known to have had potent offenses in the past, and it all starts at the QB position. With greats like Joe Montana, and recently Brady Quinn, Clausen has high expectations to fulfill.

Another person who is not a player also has infamously high expectations to fulfill. And when I say that, I mean – who else? – Charlie Wies.

Going into his 4th season, Weis has put up a modest 29-21 record. The only great year Weis has had was in 2006, when they went 10-2, but lost in the Sugar Bowl to LSU. After the disappointment of the last two years, fans have been calling for Notre Dame to fire Weis, and there was rumors after last season that he was in fact going to be fired. However, Weis wasn’t fired, and this year will be a statement of just how good a coach Weis is.

He has clearly had mixed reviews over his coaching career with Notre Dame. All agree he is a great recruiter, but some argue he is a terrible on-field play caller and coach. Is his offense too complicated for a college football team? Some have said so. The overriding trust is that Weis has the tools, and he mentally understands how to move the football. Now can he use those tools effectively and instill the same knowledge into his players?

We will just have to wait and see.

As you can see, this year will be a make or break season for the Fighting Irish and their embattled coach. The players are there, the schedule sets up nicely, and the fans are ready. Will this be a comeback year, or will it just be another disappointment?

Nobody can know, except maybe Touchdown Jesus.

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[Editor's note: you can catch Notre Dame's first game this Saturday, September 5, against Nevada at 3:30pm est. Follow the link to see the entire Week 1 college football schedule and point spreads.]

* – Notre Dame gold helmet photo credit: UND.com

* – Charlie Weis / Jimmy Clausen photo credit: AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar via WSBT.com

Simeon Rice Calls Jon Gruden a Scumbag and Somewhere Charlie Weis is Smiling

While doing my usual late-night perusal of ProFootballTalk before shutting my computer down for the evening, I came across a pretty interesting item containing some rather inflammatory comments made by Simeon Rice earlier today.

It seems that Simeon Rice is not too big a fan of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden, who was recently fired and replaced by Raheem Morris.

“How I feel personally? I could tell you that, too. I think he’s a scumbag,” Rice said. “I think he’s a scumbag personally. That’s when he’s telling you one thing and… You know what he told me? ‘Simeon you’ll be here in the next five years.’ I got injured [and] this man’s never said one word to me. I won a Super Bowl for you. I got 13 sacks, 12, 15 every year for you. I balled. I got injured [and] you let me go like it was nothing.”

Wow. Players who have been cut holding grudges is nothing really new, but coming right out and calling the guy a scumbag is pretty surprising.

What do you think?

Is Jon Gruden a scumbag?

• No
• Yes

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Hop over to PFT to read the rest of Simeon Rice’s comment. He goes on and on listing off players who had beef with Gruden for one reason or another, and describing situations that turned into “debacles” because of how Gruden handled them.

Simeon Rice had quite a football career. He shattered the previous Big Ten sack record of 36 by notching 44.5 sacks while at the University of Illinois. He was then picked 3rd in the 1996 NFL draft and was a highly productive player for the Cardinals and Buccaneers (helping Tampa Bay win the 2002 Super Bowl) before suffering a series of nagging injuries. He bounced around after being cut by the Bucs and developed a reputation of being a little bit of a malcontent.

As with anything, I’m sure that the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Jon Gruden obviously rubbed some people the wrong way during his Tampa Bay tenure, and I’m sure this won’t be last “scumbag” story that comes out. But Simeon Rice’s comments should probably be taken with at least a little bit of a grain of salt. No doubt there is some animosity there for the unceremonious way that Rice was jettisoned from the Bucs when his production deteriorated, but that’s the way it goes in the salary-cap era NFL.

Still, you have to wonder what the Golden Domers think of the myriad of negative pub that Jon Gruden has been getting recently. It is the worst-kept secret in sports — heck, it’s not even really a secret — that Notre Dome has long coveted Jon Gruden to someday restore the pride of Touchdown Jesus; and the feeling is mutual. But when when of your only public defenders is John Daly, well that has to say something doesn’t it?

One thing is for sure, somewhere Charlie Weis is smiling — and probably feeling just a little bit more secure in his job than he was about a week ago.

Charlie Weis Will Not Be Fired – Yet; Will Return to Coach Notre Dame in 2009

Speculation has been swirling ever since Notre Dame lost to Syracuse that head coach Charlie Weis might not be leading the Fighting Irish in 2009.

It appears as if that speculation can stop — at least for now.

Multiple websites are reporting that “sources” have informed them that Charlie Weis will return in 2009 to coach the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. I’ve read this on ESPN.com, Irish Illustrated, and even Weis’ homepage: Arrogance.net. (Well, I didn’t actually check that last one.)

I did not want to post anything until I had confirmation from our secret source for insider Notre Dame football information here at Midwest Sports Fans, but I spoke with Charlie Grimace earlier today and he also confirmed the return of Charlie Weis as head coach. Thanks CG.

From Notre Dame’s perspective, it makes sense to decide the fate of Charlie Weis as quickly possible. The recruiting season is heating up, and Notre Dame already has commitments from several top-ranked recruits.

We know how obsessed with tradition Notre Dame is, and to continue the school’s recent tradition of bringing in top-10 recruiting classes and then coming nowhere close to actual top-10 during the season, the school needs to retain Charlie Weis to ensure the stability of its recruiting class for 2009.

With the not-officially-confirmed announcement yesterday that Weis will be back, the Irish should retain their bounty of highly ranked recruits and once again offer false hope to their fan base that Notre Dame is actually still an elite football program.

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I realize that I am being harsh here, but two primary facts are clouding my opinion as I write:

1. I don’t like Notre Dame.
2. Karma is a bitch, and Charlie Weis’ arrogance when he got to Notre Dame wrote a pretty hefty check that his results have not come close to cashing.

For the record, Charlie Weis has a .571 winning percentage in his four years at Notre Dame. By comparison, Tyrone Willingham had a .583 winning percentage before being unceremoniously discharged from his duties as head after four seasons. Remember, that was the first time that any Notre Dame coach had been fired before completing their initial five-year contract.

Now, some people say that Notre Dame was wrong to fire Tyrone Willingham. I think it stunk how the situation was handled, but Willingham’s results at Washington seem to show that he might not have been the man to lead Notre Dame football back to national prominence.. Unfortunately for Notre Dame, they couldn’t get Urban Meyer after firing Willingham, and now they are stuck with another coach who does not seem to be the man to lead the Irish back to the promised land of college football.

So I am not jumping on the “they did Tyrone Willingham wrong” bandwagon — and I think it’s hard to do so when he has failed so miserably at Washington. However, what about Bob Davie?

Davie, who succeeded Lou Holtz in South Bend, also had a .583 winning percentage. Like Willingham, this is better than the winning percentage posted by Charlie Weis through four seasons. I realize that at Notre Dame, winning just under 60% of your games is not enough. Hey, I’m an Indiana basketball fan, so I know what it’s about to cling to your tradition from the 40s through the 80s even though your team now only pops up on the national radar every few seasons anymore.

So, again, I can’t really fault Notre Dame for firing Bob Davie. I’m not sure anyone really thought that Davie was the man to lead Notre Dame back to prominence. However, I wish that Notre Dame had either kept Davie has head coach or never let him ascend to that position in the first place. Because of the high profile he developed on the sidelines beneath Touchdown Jesus, Davie was able to land a gig as an announcer with ABC and ESPN. His failure as a Notre Dame coach never affected me, because I don’t actively root for or against Notre Dame — I don’t care. However, I love watching college football, but am too keen on the idea of listening to a Ben Stein-type monotone voice provide color commentary.

Sometimes during games in which Bob Davie is announcing, I have to check my pulse just to make sure I’m still alive and have not descended into a catatonic state. Something tells me the play-by-play guy who works with Davie has to do the same — both for himself and Davie.

But I digress.

The good news for Charlie Weis is that it appears he will get a fifth season to confirm that he is not a good college football coach. He sailed pretty smoothly his first couple seasons with arrogance and Ty Willingham’s recruits. Coaching with his own recruits and a little more humility, the last two seasons have not gone quite as planned.

I don’t know who Brian Combs is, but over at www.briancombs.net he put together a list of the Top 8 Charlie Weis quotes. Allow me to regale you with my favorite one:

“You are what you are folks, and right now you’re a 6-5 football team. And guess what? That’s just not good enough. It’s not good enough for you. And it’s certainly not going to be good enough for me. So, if you think they hired me here to go .500, you…you got the wrong guy.”

Damn straight Charlie. You got them to .571!

And I won’t even bring up the whole “schematic advantage” quote. It’s too cliched at this point.

As the son of a former college football coach, I never actively root for any coach to fail because I understand the pressure coaches are under, the energy and passion they put into their work, and the utter frustration of your livelihood depending on 18-22 year old college kids. I was a college kid not too long ago, and it gave me even more of an appreciation for immature college kids are, but yet how much is riding on them in the big business of college football.

With that said, Charlie Weis has made it very hard for anyone to have sympathy for him. He came into South Bend projecting himself as some sort of coaching knight on a white horse (pity the horse) who would, without question or difficulty, lead Notre Dame back to the top 10 and restore the proud tradition of Fighting Irish football.

Instead, he has put the program in far worse shape than they were four years ago when Tyrone Willingham left.

But it appears that Charlie Weis will return in 2009 and have one last shot at making Touchdown Jesus smile. If the Irish continue to fail to compete against top-level competition, and lose more games to teams like Syracuse, not even Jesus, the King of Forgiveness and the Golden Rule himself, may be able to muster up any forgiveness for Charlie “Schematic Advantage” Weis.

Update: Just caught on ESPN.com that Notre Dame is officially keeping Charlie Weis for 2009.

“Though this past season fell short of the expectations that all of us have for our football program, I am confident that Charlie has a strong foundation in place for future success and that the best course of action is to move forward under his leadership,” athletic director Jack Swarbrick said in a statement released by the university Wednesday.”

Obviously Jack Swarbrick and the other imbeciles who run the Notre Dame athletic department (superpassed only by the imbeciles who have been running the IU athletic department for the last decade) did want to lose their schematic advantage. That load groan you hear is the collective hopes of the entire Notre Dame fan base, who must be subjected to another year of top-level recruits and bottom-level performance.

Notre Dame Football: Charlie Weis Cheating Scandal

by Jerod Morris

Thanks to the good folks over at CollegeFootballTalk.com, we were informed tonight about a potential cheating scandal involving Charlie Weis, head coach of Notre Dame. (Of course, he should already be brought up on charges of fraud for taking so much money and putting such a crappy product out on the field this year and last year.)

Anyway, apparently officials had to remove a laptop from the coaches’ box during today’s Flailing Irish drubbing at the hands of stud Javon Ringer and Michigan State. Laptops are not allowed in coaches’ boxes (just as videotapes are not allowed on NFL sidelines, for the record). Weis offered what seems like a reasonable excuse and explanation, but considering his background with Bill Belichick, I am definitely taking it with a grain of salt and withholding judgment until we get more information.

This seems to still be a developing story, so there is not much more to write about at this point. But this was a great excuse to use the famous Charlie Grimace picture, created originally for Flash Sports Tonight, and unquestionably the greatest photoshop creation of our very own KVB. It is also an excuse to use this picture (after the jump), and to answer the question of what exactly Charlie Weis sees in quarterback Jimmy Claussen that gets him so excited:

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Michigan Football: The Rich Rodriguez Era Has Just Begun

by Sean Kane

This isn’t Bo Schembecler’s Michigan and it’s not Llyod Carr’s, either. It’s a talent loaded soon to be spread offense super force in the Big Ten. The record doesn’t show it, but the film and numbers do.

While the Blue and maize posted a loss to ND on Saturday, they showcased a couple of things worth serious note. The first and foremost being that the RichRod era is just beginning. Despite the turnovers, six in all, four in the second half, handing a ND defense a game they didn’t earn in the first half, Michigan showed some promise. While Notre Dame jumped out to a quick first quarter lead the Wolverines were able to battle back with an offense that has the patented Rich Rodriguez thrill written all over it.

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