Some quick points on the state of the Irish as of today:
1.) Notre Dame does not have elite talent. At least not from an overall perspective. They have a few elite individual talents (Rudolph, Floyd, Te’o), and then a bunch of solid players. Weak offensive line. Weak everywhere on defense. I imagine the faithful will get fired up over this statement, and combat it by blaming coaching and retorting: “The Wall Street Journal found that Notre Dame has more recruited talent (based on average recruiting rankings) than any other team except USC and Florida”, or by pointing out that many Irish defenders were 4-star, and even top 100 recruits, or even citing the defensive performance of a team like Stanford, who almost certainly has even less talent, but performs better. Blah. Blah. Blah. Look at what you see. An offensive line that can’t open up holes, isn’t quick enough to handle elite pass rushers, or even protect against three and four man rushes. A defense that can’t generate any pressure, defend the pass, or get off the field on 3rd and 10. Still speaking defense, let me put it this way: when that unit is on the field, do you honestly expect them to make a play, or do you cross your fingers, and hope that they do?
Maybe Irish recruits are overrated, as some talking heads like to say. More likely, the problem is that they do get some very elite (top 100) players that skew the average of the whole class. These elite players also tend to be offensive players. Charlie Weis recruited one good defensive class (2008), but that’s just one class. Players bust (like Steve Filer). It happens everywhere. However elite schools bring in good defensive hauls every single year, not 1 out of every three or four like the Irish do.
2.) Lack of pressure from the defensive line kills Notre Dame. This goes hand in hand with point #1. 3rd and 15? No problem! Opposing quarterbacks can pull out the lawn chair, crack open a bud, and scan the field until a receiver gets open (they always do). There is nothing more discouraging in football (except maybe for your offense getting stoned on 4th and 1). The Irish can’t cause havoc straight up, and they can’t do it by the blitz either (ask Jon Tenuta, whose defensive reputation went the route of Roger Clemens due to Irish defenders).
3.) When the chips are down, ND can’t run the ball. When the passing game is slowed, the Irish don’t have an answer. BK says the zone read needs to be incorporated more, but I doubt the threat of Dayne Crist running is the answer to Notre Dame’s running woes.
4.) Dayne Crist better study coverage schemes. He can get some 5-hour Energy to stay alert if he needs the help. Defensive coordinators know the Irish passing attack is explosive. They know they can shut down the Notre Dame run game. That means they are going to disguise coverages, and drop defenders back all day long until Crist proves he can overcome it. It’s the old “take what they give you” offensive strategy. It took Clausen until his junior year to be able to play this way. If Dayne isn’t a quick study, count on three or four more losses this season.
5.) The kids aren’t all right (yet). Youth/inexperience is also hurting the Irish. Dayne Crist, Cierre Wood, Theo Riddick, Zack Martin, Carlo Calabrese, and even Te’o to an extent are all young players at important positions. As these players gain experience, Notre Dame will become a more dangerous team.