Charlie Weis released his 2 Deep roster the other day for game 1 against San Diego State.  Usually, this is something that I would look at and not think much of, the depth chart is what it is.  This time however, the list of the “boys who are gonna be playing” caused a little friction between my partner-in-crime Adam H and I.  The reason?  Eight freshman-Kyle Rudolph, Michael Floyd, Braxston Cave, Trevor Robinson, Robert Blanton, Darius Fleming, Ethan Johnson, and Kapron Lewis-Moore are all on it.

My View

Eight freshman are on the 2 deep and I think it is a good thing! Charlie has spent his time building up depth, and these guys are leap frogging upperclassmen that can play a little.  Weis had two top 10 recruiting classes before this, so this isn’t exactly the same as his earlier crops of freshman just playing because they had to.  Also, three of the defensive players are in the front 7, and that is one area (the other probably being a lack of difference makers at wide receiver) that Weis did have trouble recruiting his first couple years.  Quarterbacks? Check.  Running Backs?  Check.  Offensive lineman?  Check.  Defensive backs?  Check.  All of these groups had top 100 recruits, but this past year he finally got some lineman and linebackers (and potential game breaking wide outs), so let them play!

His View

Having Eight freshman ready to go from day 1 is a sign of trouble brewing!  The team was weaker in 2006 than it was in 2005, and the biggest difference was that there were more young guys playing.  Sam Young getting introduced to speedy d-lineman at Georgia Tech, and Darrin Walls getting burned playing Purdue come to mind.

Also, Charlie’s first full recruiting class was highly regarded, why aren’t they stepping up to become players?  Sam Young hasn’t fulfilled his potential, both quarterbacks transferred (Frazer and Jones), Matt Carufel and Konrad Reuland were passed by before they left, and the one who actually flashed his potential-Darrin Walls, is gone as well.  The program is still in a rough spot, and a large part has to do with the seeming failure of a class who should be turning it around.  This also begs the question of that class being overrated or the coaches not developing talent.

2 opposing views.  Which one needs a clue?

Charlie Weis is not perfect.  He does not know everything there is to know about coaching.  He does not claim to know everything there is to know about coaching.  But…

In the years that he has coached Notre Dame, Weis has always given it his all to win.  He will go down swinging.  He will throw it 60 times a game in a comeback attempt.  He will not throw in the towel or make excuses.  Most of all, when something is not working he attempts to adapt to the situation (though not always successfully).

In 2005, after Ohio State showed the Irish that you need some defensive speed, he tried to make the D faster, by switching Maurice Crum to inside linebacker and shifting Travis Thomas over from running back.  He also recruited Darrin Walls and Raeshon Mcneil (who are true cover corners-Walls had already flashed his ability)  The defense was faster in 2006, it just didn’t have enough playmakers.  Weis didn’t like how the defense was progressing, so he hired Corwin Brown (a rising star as a defensive coach).

In 2007, he attempted to install the spread for Demetrius Jones (it just ended up being the wrong decision, can’t look at things in hindsight though).  After that disaster of a year, he hired Jon Tenuta (he can run my defense any day), and spoke to Frank Beamer about special teams (which ND has not gotten right in 3 years).

2 weeks before the start of the 2008 season, he is going to try at least two more things to make the team better.

1.)  He is finding a way to put Harrison Smith on the field.  Smith is a talented (sophomore) safety who would normally be sitting on the bench because of senior experience in front of him.  He has a nose for the ball as evidenced by his spring game MVP honors.  He ran a 4.38 at a football camp (second only to Tennessee stud Eric Berry).  Hmm, let me think said Weis, should I let a good player waste away on the bench, or should I find a way to get him on the field?  This season Harrison Smith will be taking snaps at a linebacker position (at least against teams that spread the field).

2.)  Weis is changing his philosophy from finesse to a power running game.  I know this has the boys over at ND Nation happy.  Weis may have been a little too pass happy with the Brady Quinn led teams (who knows what he wanted to do last year they were always down 100-0, and had no choice but to throw), but the talent was built for the passing game.  Now he has 3 backs he can trust, a young quarterback to protect, and a big offensive line (that also needs protecting from the pass rush), so he is going to run the ball more.  Hopefully, this will lead them to be able to pass the ball later in the year, this is a fun offense when the ball is thrown all over the field as well.

So why should you like Charlie Weis?  Because he embodies something that we were all told as kids:  If at first you don’t succeed, dust yourself off and try again (or was it Aaliyah that told us that)!

(Part II of a look at Notre Dame’s offensive line)

A 400lb bench press.  A 600lb squat.  A 20lb increase in muscle.  You show me a dude that can boast either one of those first two numbers, and that is somebody that I either want on my side, or it is somebody that would literally make me pee my pants if they ever wanted to get in a fight with me.  The 20lb increase in muscle is certainly worth some boasting of its own as well.  Strong numbers for very strong men.  These numbers are also:

A.) Asaph Schwapp’s bench press (it might actually be 450lbs)

B.) The squat of every significant Notre Dame lineman

C.) The amount of weight put on by quarterback Jimmy Clausen in the off season

Oh, a shout out to the man behind all of the mountains of muscle-the program’s strength and conditioning coach.  You are the reason that some of these young men have necks so big that no clothing designer can match.  You help produce men so large that fast food restaurants had to introduce triple patty burgers and Supersize fries (large enough to feed a family of five) to appease their appetites.  You are also the hope for any team that has had a down year can turn it around, that a 3 star recruit can overachieve, the hope that 5 wins can turn into a bowl game, and the hope that tomorrow is a new day.

At Notre Dame, that man is Ruben Mendoza, and his off season revolved around building a bigger and stronger offensive line, in hopes that the Irish offense can start scoring some points again.  Every lineman is now over 300lbs, they are all stronger (the previously mentioned 600lb squat) and more physically ready to pound away in the trenches.  The fans are supposed to be optimistic over this, but what happens when Mike Turkovich has to protect against a d-lineman that has 4.5 speed off the edge?  Is the size gain going to help his feet?

Stewart Mandel of Sports Illustrated addressed Notre Dame’s o-line in his latest mailbag and he words it far better than I,

“There’s just one little thing, though. Considering the trend among defenses is toward leaner, faster defensive ends and hybrid linebackers, shouldn’t it be of greater importance that Notre Dame’s blockers be quick on their feet? At 6-8, 330 pounds, I imagine there won’t be too many defenders plowing over left tackle Sam Young — but they could still run past him.”

I’m glad the lineman are bigger and stronger, but I hope that the coaching staff has really worked on making their feet quicker, and explosion out of stances.  Speed is the name of the game and that even trickles down to the offensive lineman.  I hope that the strength gains help put some defenders on the ground, but I also hope that the guys are quick enough to keep the pass rushers at bay.

What makes the perfect big ugly?  Tower of power, or sweet feet?