Positional Previews #2 - Cornerbacks

We are continuing the Notre Dame Football 2009 Positional Previews by counting down 10 positions. You can read about the 10 positions and an explanation of the rankings here. In short, #10 is the position that I am least confident/most worried about heading into the season, while #1 is the position I am most confident/least worried about. Ability, depth, and intangibles all factor in.

Today we hit up #2 - Cornerbacks

Depth Chart - The Irish are healthier at this position arguably than any other. I put CB at #2, and I will explain in this post and the #1 positional preview tomorrow.

Talent - Elite. 4 star players on this depth chart - Blanton, McNeil, Gray (the entire 3 deep at LCB), as well as Walls (pictured right) and Slaughter at the RCB position. EJ Banks and Mike Anello were 3 star and not ranked (walk on), respectively. You may have heard about Anello in the Wall Street Journal and other news articles, as he has a cult following, going from former walk on to starting "Gunner" on special teams. His production at Gunner and his current scholarship separate him from Rudy, however. Darrin Walls was a top 50 player in the country in 2006, but missed the 2008 season due to personal reasons. Blanton had a strong freshman year, and has overtaken 2 year starter Raeshon McNeil for one starting CB spot. Make no doubts about it - Walls, Blanton, and McNeil are 3 top flight corners that put the Irish in great shape to continue to improve the passing defense (43rd nationally in 2008). Blanton is a very physical and instinctive corner, whereas Walls is the more pure "cover corner" and McNeil is somewhere in between.

Changes - Darrin Walls' return is huge. He was the top CB on the team in 2007 and returns to join 2 experienced CBs in Blanton (pictured right) and McNeil. Gary Gray and Jamoris Slaughter have done well in camp - particularly Slaughter, who did not play a down in 2008 as a true freshman. Former Defensive Coordinator and now Asst Head Coach / DB Coach Corwin Brown hopefully will send even more focused time with the defensive backs. His NFL and college experience have been huge in improving the Irish secondary from a major weakness in Weis's first few years, to a strength on the current team.

Depth - 3 very solid corners with 2 four star players behind them is pretty darn good. The future is also bright, as ND will only lose McNeil (pictured below) this offseason to graduation (assuming no NFL departure by Walls). Gray and Blanton will have 2 years of eligibility remaining after this season, while Slaughter will have 3. Darrin Walls has another year of eligibility for next season. ND still needs to add an elite corner every year in recruiting, and so far this recruiting year, we have added 2 three star CBs.

Goals - More interceptions. The Irish pass defense was respectable but needs improvement from its 43rd overall in the country finish. Top 30 in pass defense is a respectable goal, assuming the defense creates more turnovers. The Irish had 14 interceptions in 2008 - but only 6 by the Cornerbacks. If the defense shoots for 20 interceptions in 2009 (a lofty goal considering the weakness in rush defense), the Cornerbacks will need to contribute 8 interceptions or more. Hopefully the Irish offense will put opposing offenses in catch up mode - meaning more passing and more opportunities for INTs.

Final Analysis - Without improvement in turnovers, particularly interceptions by Cornerbacks, the Irish will struggle to improve drastically in the wins and losses. 14 interceptions by our defense, against 17 thrown by our quarterback just won't cut it. Rush defense and the offensive production by the Irish will be huge factors into the interception numbers - but the passing yardage allowed will likely tell a much more accurate story of the Irish CB performance this year. Undoubtedly this unit will be at least above average, being the most talented and experienced unit of the Irish defense. However, with a weak defensive line, the Corners will be leaned upon with some tough coverage assignments. Whether or not this group of Cornerbacks can improve and perform under this pressure, may be the difference between 8 wins and a BCS bid for the Irish.

Positional Previews #3 - Wide Receivers

We are continuing the Notre Dame Football 2009 Positional Previews by counting down 10 positions. You can read about the 10 positions and an explanation of the rankings here. In short, #10 is the position that I am least confident/most worried about heading into the season, while #1 is the position I am most confident/least worried about. Ability, depth, and intangibles all factor in.

Today we hit up #3 - Wide Receivers

Depth Chart - Here is a look at the depth chart. Note that the X is the Flanker (WR off the line of scrimmage) while the Z is the Split End (on the line) in a standard 2 WR set. 3WRs will be on the field a good bit in a Weis offense.

Talent - Possibly, likely the greatest WR combination in Notre Dame history will be suiting up for the Irish the next two seasons. Other national media agree with me, as Rivals ranked ND's Golden Tate and Michael Floyd the #1 WR combo in the country this year. The only reason WRs are #3 and not #1 in this position confidence countdown is simple - can we find someone who can step up if either Floyd or Tate goes down with injury? Last year, with Michael Floyd out the final few games, the Irish lost 4 of 5 as defenses double teamed Golden Tate. The offense dragged and experienced its worst games of the year. Unlike last year, we have a promising freshman that may be able to play opposite either Golden or Michael, should either go down. Shaquelle Evans has gotten rave reviews in camp, and should be the next Irish WR star - but he is a freshman and is unproven. Thus, the WRs are #3 on the countdown. Shaquelle was a high 4 star on Rivals, being heavily recruited by USC as well (he's from Inglewood, CA). Golden Tate, Duval Kamara, and Deion Walker were all similarly ranked 4 star recruits, while John Goodman, Robby Parris, and George West were 3 star guys. And Michael Floyd was a 5 star top 25 overall player in 2008 - as advertised after his freshman year in 2008.

Changes - The addition of Shaquelle Evans is the major change. Shaq has "burner" speed, much like Golden Tate, and appears physically ready to play. Sophomores John Goodman and Deion Walker look ready to contribute as well after a redshirt freshman year for each, and both could see playing time as the 4th and sometimes 3rd WR. A California summer trip hosted by Jimmy Clausen, where he, Floyd, Tate, and TE Kyle Rudolph worked on their passing for a week shouldn't hurt the passing game. With 2 of the most most dynamic WRs in recent ND history back for another two seasons, minimal change is good.

Depth - Improving. If Shaq Evans can be the 3rd WR we need, his prescence will work wonders for the offense. John Goodman and Deion Walker are also solid, talented, but unproven players that seem to be ready to contribute. George West and Robby Parris played more in 2007 than in 2008 (George West was the starting WR in 2007 at the beginning of the season! We've come a long way talent wise since then); my gut feeling is that the coaches will have a hard time playing Parris or West over developing Shaq, Walker, or Goodman, barring injuries or the young guys struggling. Recruiting wise, ND needs to get an elite WR every year to keep this cupboard stocked to an ideal level for a Weis offense. So far we have two solid 3 star guys committed, but need that gamebreaker. Likely next year will be a big recruiting year at WR, with Golden Tate and Michael Floyd that much older and closer to exiting the depth chart (more playing time to sell).

Goals - Big goals for this unit. In 2008, the ND passing offense ranked 34th in the country. This year, the goal is top 20. Golden Tate and Michael Floyd combined for 106 catches and 17 TDs last year (Floyd missed final 3 regular season games and played sparingly in the bowl game). Goal for the combo this year - 150 catches and 25 TDs. That is a very lofty goal; however, it would be almost identical to greatest WR duo in ND history, Jeff Samardzija and Maurice Stovall in 2005 - a duo that produced 146 catches for 26 TDs. TE Kyle Rudolph and the 3rd WR, hopefully Shaquelle Evans, are going to have to capitalize on the attention defenses will be giving Tate and Floyd. In 2008, non-Floyd/Tate receivers (including TE and RBs) accounted for 8 of the 25 passing TDs. This year, those guys need to get 15/35 total TDs thrown through the air. Obviously, we're predicting that the Irish WRs are in for a big year.

Final Analysis - This position is all about answering two questions: who can replace Floyd/Tate if an injury occurs? And who can play 3rd WR? The answer to both of those questions will be Shaquelle Evans. His youth and lack of experience held us back from putting the Irish WRs at the top of this positional confidence list. Maybe by year end, they'll prove us wrong.

Positional Previews #4 - Linebackers

We are continuing the Notre Dame Football 2009 Positional Previews by counting down 10 positions. You can read about the 10 positions and an explanation of the rankings here. In short, #10 is the position that I am least confident/most worried about heading into the season, while #1 is the position I am most confident/least worried about. Ability, depth, and intangibles all factor in.

Today we hit up #4 - Linebackers

Depth Chart - Here is the crowded depth chart for the Irish base 4-3 defense. The Nickel formation uses 2 and sometimes 3 linebackers - shown here also is the basic 2 LB Nickel defense (our best guess at least).

Talent - Plentiful. Of the 10 players in the depth chart above, 4 are 3 star (Calabrese, T.Smith, S.Smith), 5 are 4 star (B. Smith, Fox, McDonald, Fleming, Filer), and 1 is a 5 star (Manti Te'o) per Rivals, as high school seniors. That makes the linebacker corp as deep and almost as talent filled as any other position on the team (the LBs being #4, I say there are 3 positions better). Also remember that sophomore stud DT Ethan Johnson and freshman 5 star Manti Te'o aren't the only players on the Irish defense that narrowed their choices down to USC or Notre Dame. SAM starter Darius Fleming (pictured right) did as well, and he has had the best training camp possibly of any defensive player.

Changes - Jon Tenuta will continue to coach the linebackers, despite his new role as the de facto Defensive Coordinator. His aggressive style could mean even more blitzes for the linebackers, although there were plenty last year. Chicago area product Darius Fleming also moved from defensive rush end to the strongside (SAM) linebacker position, where he has made huge strides during the summer and August camp. Brian Smith played MIKE LB position last year, but has moved back outside to let Toryan Smith man that position. Things could get interesting though, as Tenuta wants to get his best 3 LBs on the field at once. Look for Manti Te'o to essentially take over Toryan Smith on the depth chart, bumping Brian Smith back to starting Mike and Te'o to Will, alongside Darius Fleming at Sam.

Depth - Solid in talent, but lacking in experience. There are 5 to 6 "game ready" linebackers - which Weis defines as guys that he has confidence to put on the field in any situation. In addition to the starters, Te'o and Scott Smith are the additional 2 guys forming the "game ready" crew. Steve Filer is likely a game ready player - if he can overcome his struggles with the playbook and in particular defending in space. Filer has as much athleticism as any linebacker on the squad - and is easily the best past rusher of all the linebackers. Filer and Fleming are the true wild cards of the linebacker position - if they blossom then this position is in great shape for a few years. True freshman and former safety Dan Fox has a bright future ahead of him at the Will spot, but he'll hopefully red shirt this year to get acclimated and physically ready. McDonald and Calabrese will provide solid depth in the future.

Goals - Better pass defense, less blitzing. The Irish linebackers blitz often as a tool to rush the QB and defend the run. Ideally they would get the same pressure with less blitzing. When the LBs were forced to play pass defense coverage, the Irish linebackers were average at best last year. The LB position must improve upon zero interceptions in 2008 - I think 4 interceptions is a huge step but a reasonable goal. The athleticism on the field with Te'o (pictured), Brian Smith, and Darius Fleming in particular should be a huge upgrade over prior years. With improvement on the defensive line, hopefully the Irish LBs will not have to blitz quite as often, perhaps resulting in more interceptions. Last year, the Irish linebackers accounted for 46% of sacks - a stout number but one that ideally would decrease to a healthier balance with the defensive line. 65% / 35% might be an ideal sack breakdown between defensive lineman and linebackers, respectively - assuming the sack total is respectable (in the 30s).

Final Analysis - The Irish linebacker corp is much more dynamic when Manti Te'o shocked the recruiting world with his commitment to the Irish over USC. Brian Smith, Fleming, and Te'o have all the talent the Irish will need to compete at the highest level. The Irish aren't completely in the same room talent wise on defense as USC - but they are knocking on the door when 2 starters were both recruited heavily by USC (Te'o & Fleming) and the 3rd starter is the best linebacker on your team (Brian Smith). It's normal to assume that Darius Fleming will struggle in some coverage and assignment aspects of his new position. Manti Te'o (pictured above) may as well . . . but he feels like the Tim Tebow of our defense. Its a stretch comparison, but this kid is special, mature, and a nasty competitor. ND's talent will be on display for the country this year - and I think the linebackers are the one that can really turn some heads.

Positional Previews #5 - Special Teams

We are continuing the Notre Dame Football 2009 Positional Previews by counting down 10 positions. You can read about the 10 positions and an explanation of the rankings here. In short, #10 is the position that I am least confident/most worried about heading into the season, while #1 is the position I am most confident/least worried about. Ability, depth, and intangibles all factor in.

Today we hit up #5 - Special Teams

Depth Chart - Here is the updated depth chart at the key kicking game and return man positions in special teams:

Talent - Nick Tausch - as a true freshman (pictured) - has beaten out senior and returning starter Brandon Walker for the field goal job. Walker was inconsistent early last year, but finished making 13 of his final 17 field goals in 2008. The Freshman Tausch also has beaten out Ryan Burkhart for the kickoff job - and Burkhart was the kickoff guy that kicked for the#1 ranked kickoff coverage unit in the nation in 2008. Freshman that see the field as a starter on day 1 are typically pretty good, so I would say talent is solid in the place kicking department. Eric Maust is a solid returning starter at punter, leading the Irish to a top 30 finish in 2008 for punt coverage. Net punting was only 59th in the country though, clearly putting our strength more so on the coverage side than the punting side - which means Maust has room for improvement in punting. Golden Tate and Armando Allen have the speed and dynamic playmaking ability that every team needs in the return game - and if you need any further justification, check out here and here.

Changes - After a solid year in punt defense and a fantastic year in kickoff defense, the Irish have a new kickoff guy in Tausch and a returning punter in Eric Maust. Again, it cannot be stressed enough how impressive Tausch must have been to unseat Ryan Burkhart. The word is that Tausch's kicks have incredible hangtime, although being similar in distance to Burkhart's. Kickoff and punt returns should look familiar from the end of last season, where Golden Tate and Armando Allen shared duties. There are numerous freshman that could see some action in the kickoff return games - guys like Shaquille Evans, Roby Toma, or Cierre Wood. All in all, the only major change was the insertion of Tausch.

Depth - Easily the best depth the Irish have had at Kicker, Punter, and return men since Weis has arrived. Freshman punter Ben Turk actually almost won the job over returning starter Eric Maust, meaning there is promise waiting in the wings at punter. Turk has become somewhat of an internet legend, since it was reported that all 5 foot 11 inches and 193 pounds of him can bench press "225" an amazing 26 times (to put that into perspective - thats more than top ranked linebackers Rey Maualuga and James Laurinaitis did at the NFL combine last year. Turk's nickname is "225"). Solid backup options with experience or promise at the 3 kicking duty spots, with numerous freshman options at kickoff and punt return spots behind the talented Golden Tate and Armando Allen. I suspect we will see plenty of freshman action in the kickoff return game, as the season goes on. No need to risk injury to our starting RB and WR when (hopefully) there are plenty of freshman up for the task. I suspect punt returns will remain mostly the job of Tate, however.

Goals - A top 25 finish in both kickoff and punt coverage is the goal coverage wise. After finishing #1 in the former and #30 in the latter, maintaining the progress is the key for the coverage units. Field Goal kicking wise, Tausch needs to be automatic inside of 40 yards (like any kicker). Making just 58% of his kicks (Brandon Walker's % from 2008) won't cut it - Tausch needs to make 70% of his kicks as a goal. In the return game, there has only been 1 kickoff return for a TD in the Weis era (Hawaii bowl clip above of Armando Allen). There hasn't been a punt returned for a TD since Tom Zbikowski days. A goal of 3 total kickoff or punt returns for TDs is not unreasonable given the talent in Golden Tate and Armando Allen. Yardage wise, the return games also need to get into the top 25 nationally. In 2008, the kickoff and punt return units finished 53rd and 60th nationally, meaning we need to improve.

Final Analysis - I am excited about this unit. Tausch has some moxy to unseat a senior returning starter at both kicking spots, while our coverage units had banner years in 2008. Our return game looks poised to really do some damage with Golden Tate and Armando Allen. Punting needs to improve a bit, more so on the punting side than coverage side. The Irish should be able to maintain their coverage success of 2008, while adding some big plays in the return game and a higher % success rate in field goals attempted. My only drawback is that the kicker is a freshman - albeit one that beat out our incumbent kicker for a starting role.

Positional Previews #6 - Safeties

We are continuing the Notre Dame Football 2009 Positional Previews by counting down 10 positions. You can read about the 10 positions and an explanation of the rankings here. In short, #10 is the position that I am least confident/most worried about heading into the season, while #1 is the position I am most confident/least worried about. Ability, depth, and intangibles all factor in.

Today we hit up #6 - Safety

Depth Chart - Hot off the press of Charlie's press conference on Monday, here is the updated depth chart. The Irish are experienced at Safety but are in serious need of bodies in the current recruiting class.

Talent - The Irish are plenty talented at Safety - enough to be extremely competitive. Neither of the starters Smith or McCarthy (pictured right) is a sure fire day 1 NFL prospect, but both most certainly will be NFL players. Harrison Smith is only entering his 2nd year of playing, and he has the size, speed, and playmaking ability to become a first day NFL draft pick. McCarthy led the team in tackles in 2008, compiling 110 of them from the strong safety spot. Sure tackling and heady play are his calling cards. Harrison Smith, Zeke Motta, and Dan McCarthy (younger brother of starter Kyle McCarthy) were all 4 star recruits, while Sergio Brown, Ray Herring, and Kyle McCarthy were 3 star. Ray Herring and Sergio Brown bring experience and depth to the position; Brown will be used as starting Nickelback likely, while Ray Herring would be the first safety to replace either Harrison or McCarthy should they go down with injury.

Changes - The biggest change is the move of Harrison Smith (pictured right) from Nickel outside linebacker to starting free safety. Harrison Smith was too athletic to keep off the field as a sophomore last year, but has always been a safety in ability. The departure of the extremely athletic David Bruton (Denver Broncos 4th rd draft pick) will definitely be felt, but Harrison brings some skills to the table that are better than Bruton. Harrison will likely be a better pass rusher and run defender than Bruton, who's best skill was covering massive amounts of real estate as a roaming free safety. Harrison has much more of the intangible "playmaker" ability about him as well - he has a nose for the football, as they say. Many feel good about the move and think there will be little if any drop off from Bruton to Smith. On the coaching side, Corwin Brown is now spending more time with the defensive backs as DB Coach and Associate Head Coach, instead of defensive coordinator (now Jon Tenuta).

Depth - Solid, for this year. With experienced seniors behind the starters, as well as some promising youngsters in early enrollee Zeke Motta and sophomore Dan McCarthy, this unit is in good shape this season. I would say the talent at safety lacks just 1 player - an elite, 5 star, Major Wright / Eric Berry type guy. Those type of safeties only appear about once or twice per recruiting class nationally though. The talent assembled at Safety is plenty good to accomplish Notre Dame's goals of a BCS game and 10-2. The problem is next year - with the departure of half the depth chart due to graduation, the Irish need some big time safeties in this recruiting class after 2 big signing day misses to USC last year.

Goals - Two major goals for this position: fewer tackles and more interceptions. Fewer tackles from the safety spot means that more tackles are being made by linebackers and lineman - which typically means less yards given up. If McCarthy and Harrison Smith combine for 207 again this year (like Bruton and McCarthy last year, the top 2 tacklers on the Irish defense) - 207 tackles representing 25% of total defensive tackles last season - then the Irish are much more likely to have a record worse than 9-3 than on it. Would be nice to get those safety tackles % down to 20% or maybe 15%. Secondly, these 2 need to improve upon 6 interceptions from safeties last year - 10 would be fantastic but 8 would be a very good job for the position.

Final Analysis - This position is solid, deep (for this year), but just not terribly sexy. People fail to realize that "not sexy" could be a huge asset, as our guys are team first, sure fire tacklers that make intelligent plays within their defensive roles. The "playmaker" label of Harrison Smith will have a chance to stick - and that potential is what makes this position slightly intriguing. Can these smart, sure fire tacklers make a few more plays? And more importantly, will the Irish front 7 step up so they don't have to? I predict the Safeties will impress and reach reach both goals noted above - only 20% of total team tackles, and at least 8 interceptions. Largely because of the instincts and playmaking ability of Tennessee's own, Harrison Smith.

Positional Previews #7 - Running Backs

We are continuing the Notre Dame Football 2009 Positional Previews by counting down 10 positions. You can read about the 10 positions and an explanation of the rankings here. In short, #10 is the position that I am least confident/most worried about heading into the season, while #1 is the position I am most confident/least worried about. Ability, depth, and intangibles all factor in.

Today we hit up #7 - Running Backs

Depth Chart - Here is a look at the HB and FB depth chart. All of these guys will play, so I have listed then in order of most carries to fewest for the season, a mixture of the actual depth chart and what I hearing.

Talent - The cupboard at running back is officially stocked. Of the top 5 RB, 4 of them were 4 star & top 100 overall players per rivals. Only Theo Riddick was not a 4 star recruit - and the true freshman scat back has been turning some heads in fall practice. At Fullback, James Aldridge was a 5 star RB out of Indiana, while Steve Paskorz was a 4 star LB out of high school. While all that talent has not been unleashed yet on the field, the raw material appears to be there to be solid and maybe great. Offensive line play can be the key to unlock this talent, but there are also concerns that we still lack the elite running back we need.

Changes - Tony Alford is the new running backs coach, replacing Mike Haywood who is now the head coach at Miami of Ohio. Alford brings solid experience, which you can read a little about here. The other notable change in the backfield is that James Aldridge has officially moved to full back from half back. The move makes sense, seeing that the Irish lack an athletic fullback, and the lack of carries Aldridge likely would have seen at tailback. The senior has had some injures skew his career, but his great attitude about the change bodes well for the season. While fullback is traditionally a less focal position in a Weis offense, Aldridge is athletic enough to get some carries and catch some passes out of the backfield that may surprise defenses.

Depth - Very solid, but still lacking an elite back. Armando Allen (pictured above) has shown more spurts of greatness as his career as moved forward, but inconsistency and the inability to break tackles has prevented him from being a very good runningback. Jonas Gray (pictured right) is officially behind Hughes on the depth chart, but I am predicting a break out year for the Jerome Bettis-like sophomore. While he saw minimal action as a freshman (and had some fumble-itis), many feel Gray has had an outstanding camp and will be in serious contention for carries. Gray has a similar body and skill set to Hughes, but apparently has had a better camp. Playcalling with specific running back skills in mind could be a huge help to the RBs - Allen needs space while Gray is better between the tackles. Theo Riddick should be great in the passing game, as will the team's 2nd leading receiver from 2008, Armando Allen. Will be interesting if both freshman Riddick & Wood see the field this year, or if their eligibility is preserved. Overall we have the bodies in place to run the ball effectively - but can these guys still find a way to run the ball even if our offensive line is just average? Great running backs find a way, and I'm not sure if we have one yet.

Goals - In 2008, the Irish rushed for a paltry 3.3 YPC. As presented in the offensive line preview here, yards per carry will be one of the key predictors for the Irish this year. YPC tells the true story of the running game, much more so than total rushing yards. The Irish need to get to 4.0 YPC to have a chance at a BCS bowl game, in the opinion of most experts. Allen should be shooting for 1000 yards (after his 621 yard performance last year), while a realistic goal for Hughes and/or Gray would be 500 to 600 yards. A few more long, breakaway runs are also needed to boost the running game. Can Allen break away from the defense like he did on the kick return during the Hawaii'i bowl game?

Final Analysis - This unit is ready to make big strides, lead by the frontman, Armando Allen. How close he gets to 1000 yards will be another very important predictor of this season. Armando has already proven himself in the passing game (50 receptions last year, 2nd on the team - yes 2nd), but needs to get a few more long runs to add to the rushing attack. This group of backs would be plenty good if running behind a top level offensive line - and I am not sure they will have that luxury this season. A solid year but only a 3.9YPC average is my official prediction.

Positional Previews #8 - Defensive Line

We are continuing the Notre Dame Football 2009 Positional Previews by counting down 10 positions. You can read about the 10 positions and an explanation of the rankings here. In short, #10 is the position that I am least confident/most worried about heading into the season, while #1 is the position I am most confident/least worried about. Ability, depth, and intangibles all factor in.

Today we hit up #8 - the Defensive Line

Depth Chart - Here is a look at the very young and unproven defensive line depth chart as it currently stands:

Talent - Average, but good numbers and some upside. Kapron Lewis-Moore (4 star end from Texas, and draft day commitment in 2008 - pictured right) redshirted last season, but created quite a buzz on the scout team later in the year. Many felt he could have been starting at the end of last season, but a season of eligibility was preserved.

The most talented player on the defensive line, and possibly the entire defense, is Ethan Johnson (pictured below - incidentally wearing the same number 9 worn by fellow sophomore tight end Kyle Rudolph, featured yesterday). The true sophomore from Oregon was a top 50 player who narrowed his college choices down to USC or Notre Dame. He played defensive end last season while learning the defense, sacking the QB in both the USC and Hawaii games. He moves inside to the 3 technique DT, which is likely his best position. He is definitely a player that can play any position on the line, and will be asked to be on the field as much as possible.

Ian Williams (3 star) has shown spurts of being a very solid nose tackle, but has lacked the focus and stamina to be an every down player. He has had a great summer and fall camp, showing a renewed sense of urgency. Kerry Neal started out as a freshman making an impact, but has not turned the corner towards being an every down consistent player, being weak against the run.

Of the backups, the sophomores have been making huge strides. Brandon Newman (3 star), Sean Cwynar (4 star), and Hafis Williams (3 star) all have been pushing each other on the fluid depth chart for the DT and NT position (Hafis not listed but battling wih Cwynar for backup DT spot). The trio bodes well for depth and the future, but they are all totally green.

Changes - Coaching changes were huge this offseason. Randy Hart is the new Defensive Line coach, replacing Jappy Oliver. Bryant Young (former Irish All American, 1st rd draft, and 4 time NFL pro bowler) is the Defensive Line Graduate Assistant coach (read about all coaching changes here). Hart brings lots of experience and energy to the position, and has gotten great reviews early. Bryant definitely has the ears of the players, as he is only 2 years removed from a 14 year NFL career. Ethan Johnson played a lot of defensive end last season, largely out of need. This year, he will move more inside, which likely is his best position. Kerry Neal is going to have to hold down that other end spot to make this depth chart stick together. Otherwise Ethan shifts back to end and the chart is shaken up once again.

Depth - We finally have the bodies and the numbers. A healthy number of redshirt sophomores (Hafis Williams, Cwynar, and Brandon Newman) provide the inside positions 4 years of stability. Defensive End lacks a true playmaker, but KLM should be a solid upgrade over what we had at the position last year. Just as with the offensive lines, numbers don't necessarily mean quality. Now that the line a good number of bodies, the next level is to get 2 or 3 more Ethan Johnson NFL caliber talents in the mix. They are on the way recruiting wise, at lease via Chris Martin, #1 DE in the country in the 2010 class, who is already verbally commited to the Irish.

Goals - To increase sacks and more importantly, tackles for loss. 26 sacks last year was not bad - but unfortunately over 75% of them were "blitz sacks", where the offensive line was overloaded. Rarely did a defensive lineman beat his blocking in a regular 4 man rush and get to the QB. Ethan Johnson did it a few times, being the exception. Of the mere 60 tackles for a loss last season (our opponents having about 80 against the Irish), the defensive line only was responsible for a third of those. That must improve, both in total as a team and in the defensive line's favor. I would say 40 TFL is a very good goal for the DLine, whereas 25 sacks would be as well. I doubt we get to both, as 30 TFL and 20 sacks are almost going to be a necessity by the defensive line if the Irish want to go BCS-bowling.

Final Analysis - I have heard it said that the 2009 season will come down to 3rd and 1 - Can we get it on offense? Can we stop it on defense? Difficulty in answering those questions is why the offensive and defensive lines are so low on my confidence rankings. The story is the same for both the lines - some potential stars, finally plenty of solid bodies after years of not enough players, but no proven production. Which line will have the better year? I am betting with only the slightest lean to the defense, solely for the reason that with 2 stars (KLM and Johnson) comprising 50% of the 4 man line on the field for most downs, that's better than 2 out of 5 on the offensive line (Robinson and Young). Most people probably like the returning experience on the offensive line and favor them. This defensive line is largely new, whereas the offensive line was mostly around last year - thats the difference in my book.

Hopefully both units are successful against 3rd and 1 - if both sides of the ball are, then we'll be playing in 2010 to cap off the season.

Position Previews - #9 Tight End

We are continuing the Notre Dame Football 2009 Positional Previews by counting down 10 positions. You can read about the 10 positions and an explanation of the rankings here. In short, #10 is the position that I am least confident/most worried about heading into the season, while #1 is the position I am most confident/least worried about. Ability, depth, and intangibles all factor in.

Today we hit up #9 - Tight Ends:

Depth Chart: First, lets go over the depth chart that was released last week at the beginning of fall camp:

Fast Facts:

• Tight End University - Notre Dame's last 2 starting Tight Ends were both early 2nd rd draft picks in the NFL (Anthony Fasano in 2006 and John Carlson in 2008). The tight end that came to campus the same year as Fasano as freshman? Greg Olsen, current Bears tight end and former first round pick after transferring to Miami from ND (his brother lost QB starting job to Brady Quinn, prompting both to transfer). Rudolph will almost assuredly be a first day NFL pick as well in a couple of years (all 6 foot 6 inches and 260 pounds of him.)
• Returning Starts - Rudolph (pictured) started every game last season, and performed well late especially. Good to have your frontline starter back for his sophomore season. Past Rudolph, there are zero returning starts at tight end.

Talent: The frontline talent is clearly there with Rudolph and the speedy Ragone. Both were top ranked tight ends (Rudolph a top 25 overall recruit, as well as top TE in the nation in 2008, earning 5 star status by Rivals), and bring protypical size and fantastic pass catching skills. Golic and Eifert have fared well thus far, but are a little "light in the seat" and need to gain about 30 pounds and mature physically. Eifert in particular has impressed, but he is likely a year away from contributing. Golic is likely a year from being a serviceable backup.

Changes: Last year at this time, Mike Ragone (pictured right) was the likely starter at Tight End. He then tore his ACL, forcing Kyle Rudolph into the lineup. Of course, Will Yeatman and Joseph Fauria were

both in the mix as well to be the starter after Ragone, both of which were 4 star and very talented players themselves. Yeatman was suspended after the Michigan St game for the entirety of the season and eventually transferred, while Fauria soon followed with a transfer this past spring, citing the administration's disciplining of Yeatman in the fall and himself for a rumored "streaking" incident during the spring. And of course, heralded 2006 recruit Konrad Reuland (4 star Californian) transferred in late summer 2008 after he was beaten out by Fauria and Yeatman in the spring. The departure of Will Yeatman was the biggest blow to the position in my opinion. Yeatman was the best blocker of the tight ends, whereas Ragone and Rudolph were better pass catchers. The 3 of them (Rudolph, Yeatman, & Ragone) would have made a mean combination - perfect for Weis's 2 and 3 tight end sets. All that said, losing 3 tight ends within the span of a year - all 4 stars or better - is tough for depth.

Depth: We finally understand why I ranked this unit at #9 - the lack of depth. Weis's affinity with using multiple tight end sets is a basic tenant and key to his offense. Weis uses relatively consistent and basic plays that can be run from every formation - thus keeping the defense from easily recognizing tendancies or plays via "formation confusion". Weis likely uses more or as many formations as any college offense. Obviously, you have to have talent to make this work. Flexibility with tight ends, running backs, and WR are all much more important than more consistent formation offenses like the spread or option. With only 2 fully ready and playable tight ends, the Irish are shorthanded at Weis's favorite position (formationally at least). The starting talent is fantastic, but after Rudolph, there is nothing but unproven youngsters or injury prone what ifs.

Goals: Stay healthy. Plain and simple. Ragone in particular needs to stay healthy and get past his mental issues due to his repaired knee. Ragone and Rudolph are very good receivers, and we are going to need both of them pulling some safety and linebacker attention to make way for Golden Tate and Michael Floyd. Rudolph is a beast and will begin to get major national attention this season. If (combined) these guys can catch 45 balls - that would be fantastic production and clearly indicate that the offense is functioning with the balance of the great New England teams - known for spreading the passes around to any and everyone.

Final Analysis: Rudolph is likely the next great Irish Tight End in the NFL. His frame, speed, and maturing body are on track to be another or even better version of Seattle Seahawks starter John Carlson. But can he get some support from Ragone, walk on Bobby Burger, and possibly freshman Eifert? Can all of the aforementioned stay healthy? If health were not a concern, this unit would be ranked in the top 5.

Positional Previews #10 - Offensive Line

We are kicking off the Notre Dame Football 2009 Positional Previews by counting down 10 positions. You can read about the 10 positions and an explanation of the rankings here. In short, #10 is the position that I am least confident/most worried about heading into the season, while #1 is the position I am most confident/least worried about. Ability, depth, and intangibles all factor in.

Today we start out with #10 - the Offensive Line.

Depth Chart: First, lets go over the depth chart that was released last week at the beginning of fall camp:

Fast Facts:

• 100 combined returning starts on the offensive line is the most in all of Division 1A football (tied with Virginia Tech)
• Avg recruiting star rating on Rivals of the starting unit: 4 stars. One 3 star (Duncan), one 5 star (Young), and the other 3 were 4 stars each.
• 2007 and 2008 were the two worst rushing years in Notre Dame history, based on YPC and total yards.
• Frank Verducci is the new Offensive Line coach, as well as "Run Game Coordinator". His background is as an Offensive Line coach in the NFL most recently, and before at the University of Iowa.

Talent: The talent is clearly there. Recruiting rankings aren't perfect, but on a larger level when applied to groups of players, they definitely can be a solid barometer of talent. Sam Young - all 6 ft 8 and 330 pounds of him - is listed as the #14th overall pick in Todd McShay's early 2010 mock NFL Draft. That would be the highest an ND player has been drafted in quite some time - higher than Brady Quinn even. Trevor Robinson could be the lineman with the most potential of all - including Sam Young. The Nebraskan has a mean streak and early reports of his fall camp work have been nothing short of glowing.

Changes: Frank Verducci - new Offensive Line coach - is known as a technician. He's been instructing

these linemen at a much more granular level of detail than they have been used to with John Latina. As opposed to the "Get tougher!!" constantly being yelled by Latina last year, Verducci might say, "Keep your inside arm closer to your body and weight shifted forward!". He is plenty tough but with more substance and detailed instruction. A change was definitely needed, and Weis even went as far to name Verducci the "Run Game Coordinator". That means Verducci will oversee the RB coach Tony Alford, and be the "run game guru". He will work closely with Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator Charlie Weis to make sure the run game is working and fits into Weis's plan. What's not to like about more focus and accountability for the run game amongst the coaches?

While 4 of our top lineman from last year return, there was a change in the starting lineup. Former 2 year starting center Dan Wenger has been pushed to 2nd string, being replaced by former LG Eric Olsen. Chris Stewart moves from starting RG to LG, and sophomore stud Trevor Robinson moves to starting RG spot. This is Verducci and Weis's move to get the best 5 linemen on the field at one time. The move came after lots of film study dissecting/grading the play of each lineman during the winter. So far the move has been positively received by the offense (except for Wenger I suppose).

Depth: Not ideal, but decent. There are unproven players waiting in the wings, but seemingly a solid number of guys with talent. Many of them have been injury prone, or have just been nowhere near the field. Ideally we get backup tackles Matt Romine and Taylor Dever some solid playing time this season, as we lose both starting tackles for next season (both guards will return).

Goals: During the offseason, Coach Weis did a statistical summary of the offenses of BCS caliber programs. The result was that every one of them was above 4.0 yards per carry. This stat is more important than total rushing yards, which can be skewed by play calling strategy,

etc. Can you get 4 yards running the ball on 3rd and short, or on 1st down? BCS programs can answer that question with confidence, while the Irish can't yet. Being in the 2.2YPC range in 2007, followed by 3.3 YPC in 2008, the question is in 2009, can we get to 4.0YPC? That is the magic number. If we can, BCS bowl is the destination. If we cannot, Gator Bowl or worse awaits us. I feel there will be no better indicator for our season than yards per carry.

Continued improvement in pass protection will also be key. With our passing game, we are going to make people spread out and defend our WRs before we run the ball, typically. In 2007, we gave up an NCAA record 58 sacks. In 2008, drastic improvement brought that number down to 22 sacks. This year, the Irish need to get to about 15, and we will be in great shape to protect Jimmy.

Final Analysis: Many people might be surprised that a unit with upper classmen and the most combined returning starts in the country would be ranked as the #10 in the position countdown. The problem is - are returning starters from the two most dismal rushing seasons good? I think the answer is a mixed bag. Experience always, undoubtedly helps. But what makes us think this unit can change this year? So I am pessimistically optimistic I guess . . . hopefully they will prove me wrong.

Position Previews

As training camp is nearing the end of the first week, its time to start digging into the initial depth chart and practice reports and determine the positional strengths and weaknesses of this team. Vatican Smoke is going to dissect and rank 10 different positional groupings. Each will be ranked as to their relative strength/weakness compared to each other, as well as previewed, over the next 3 weeks.

Here are the 10 positional groupings:

• Offensive Line
• Running Backs
• Wide Receivers
• Tight Ends
• Quarterbacks
• Defensive Line
• Linebacker (Freshman 5 star LB Manti Te'o pictured below)
• Safety
• Cornerback
• Kickers

I have ranked each of these positions as to the level of strength and certainty compared to each other, #1-10. #1 is the unit that Coach Weis is most comfortable with heading into the season, and also the one that the Irish have the most talent relative to the rest of college football. I'll be doing a backwards countdown, starting with #10 (the wea

kest) position tomorrow. In addition to the ranking, each post will discuss the likely depth chart of the position, as well as what likely has improved/weakened at the position since last year.

The rankings are not based on importance (Quarterback and line play are always critical), but how comfortable Coach Weis and company are about each position with regards to our opponents and the rest of college football. Skill, depth, experience, and intangibles all factor in.

Most fans will either have a strong opinion on this list, or no opinion - just a casual fan that does not get into player specific details. I intend to give a basic overview that will be at a high enough level for the casual fan to enjoy, but also detailed enough to be dangerous. I will articulate an opinion based on observations from numerous sources - both pro-ND and anti-ND.

Look for the #10 position preview post tomorrow, Friday August 14th. As always, we love to hear your opinion via email or in the comments. And definitely feel free to send our blog along to the next reader. All via the links below each post.