Shh…Quiet!  It’s time for a secret (the research took months and at least 50,000 survey across the country):  Blocking from the Notre Dame offensive line is the single most important factor in this teams’ success.  Unfortunately, blocking (specifically run blocking) has been a small source of trouble for that unit.  What do I mean?  The Big Uglies (thank you Keith Jackson) can’t do it.

Notre Dame hasn’t been able to run the ball since…well since Lou left (Okay, Julius Jones for like one season could run).  It’s funny that when they could run the ball, all I wanted was for the Irish to be a more explosive passing team.  I never learned what irony is in school, but if I took a multiple choice for the definition and this scenario was on the answer key-I would be filling in that bubble.

Notre Dame has some fine athletes, but it won’t matter until the line starts putting defenders on the ground.  Smashing defenders gives you a chance to be great, as Chris Fowler notes about Alabama in his Gameday preview.

I’m hoping experience is the main issue as the line (beside Sam Young) still don’t have even a season’s worth of starting experience.  If that’s not the case, and talent and coaching is, you can be sure of one thing.  Big Trouble is an understatement along the lines of saying  Janet Jackson had a “wardrobe malfunction.”

Never forget this nugget:

(The surest way to scam a person into reading your article-Make a list!)

So…introducing 5 whose teams would be lost without them:

5.) Golden Tate (Notre Dame)

When the Irish score, it’s usually because of this guy.  Averaging over 20yds per touch, he might be          the first to actually become “The Next Rocket.”

4.) Tim Tebow (Florida)

The only team in the nation whose entire roster can run a sub 4 second forty, yet Tebow is the guy that is the source of Urban Meyer’s man crush.

3.) Knowshon Moreno (Georgia)

More than a running back, this kid lights a fire under the Dawgs.  The day he became a full time starter is the day Georgia started their march toward the top.

2.) Chris Wells (Ohio State)

The most gifted back in college football.  Size and speed combo causes me to use the much cliched term “man-child.”  One only needs to look at the Buckeye running game without him to know what he brings to the table.

1.) Jake Locker (Washington)

He is more physically gifted than the other duel threat passer on this list.  Washington is bad with him, but without him they would be Syracuse (and you can ask Orson Swindle how bad that is).

So, it seems like people are kinda upset with Charlie Weis right now.  Apparently, he can’t coach college age kids and can’t develop talent.  That’s what I am hearing in the aftermath of the Michigan State game.   You remember that, right?  If not, this should jog your memory:

It’s the game that the Irish just lost.

You know, the one where they couldn’t run the ball for anything, but still had a chance to win.

The one where sophomores and freshman made game changing mistakes (Floyd’s fumble, Clausen’s jump ball int) that they will learn from and make the team better in the long run.

The one where karma struck back for all the things that went right at Michigan (Aldridge’s false start, a high snap on a field goal).

The one where the score looks much worse than the game actually was.

Yep, that’s the game, and It’s funny how one game can bring so much venom.  People voicing their anger, and it sounds a little like this,

“Charlie is the worst coach in college football.”

“4 years into the regime and they still can’t run.”

“He’s supposed to be an offensive genius, but they suck on offense.”

“Maybe he could coach in the pros, but his complex schemes don’t work in college.”

“Maybe he wasn’t even that good in the pros, he probably owes his success to spygate!”

“Willingham left him with good players, he just lucked into the right situation.”

“All of the above, plus he’s fat too!”

I’m sorry that people are angry with him, but these things I’m hearing I just don’t buy yet (well, he is a hefty man).  I just have to ask these people: Why would you say that?  You don’t have the ammo to fire on most of these statements.

He’s certainly not the worst coach because his name is not Al Groh.

His offense is not too complex, and it has worked in college.  (Pay close attention to the following if you don’t believe me.) I’ve been and Irish fan since ‘92 (a diehard since ‘94), and was never so excited about an Irish offense as his 2005 and 2006 teams.  Those were among the best, period.  Oh, and he didn’t achieve success because the players  were so great.  Samardzija was a nobody before Weis.  He may have improved just by getting older, but he went fron a 3rd or 4th receiver to an All-America under Weis.  Not a coincidence.  Stovall had 3 years to do something, but didn’t accomplish a thing until Weis.  Brady Quinn may have been progressing naturally, but 17tds to 32tds?  No, Weis didn’t have anything to do with that.  Weis’ offense put up numbers for Darius Walker and Rhema McKnight who would become undrafted free agents.  That’s right, the league didn’t even think they were worth drafting.

I’ll admit I would like the team to be better than they are.  But the young skill guys are getting stronger (Clausen, Tate, Floyd), and the defense is respectable with some talent in the back 7.  The offense has shown signs of moving the ball, and there are some big plays being made. The only negative claim that has ammunition against Weis is the (lack of a) run game (granted that is a big issue).  But I’ll wait to see how this season plays out before I take off the gloves and pound Weis with verbal attacks.  By the time this is said and done, some of you may wish you had done the same.