Nate,

You got me. Amen.

I wonder if there’s a correlation between number of fullbacks used per play and wins? Wait, you don’t have to tell me. Of course there is. Power running is the only way to win.

Good points, E-Man. I go back and forth on it. I certainly want us to be deserving of a BCS bowl and go in there with a shot to win it. However, if that doesn’t happen I think there is room for upward progress from last year to this year that still results in winning the Champs Sports Bowl and continuing the momentum into a legitimate BCS caliber run next year. Contrast that with an overrated ND team being gifted a BCS game and getting blown out, and how that could hurt any momentum we were building. I think ultimately I’d prefer the BCS game, but I can see it both ways.

I don’t have the data to back me up just going on a qualatative perception by me, but my general sense last year and in previous years there were more short passes utilized in lieu of runs. Against teams that ND had superior talent (i.e. no one to match up against Tate/Roddick-ish players on the slip screens or shovel passes, it was okay, but not nearly as effective against teams with comprable talent (think USC, Stanford last year). When Kelly started utilizing more running plays in lieu of the short pass in the second half of the season last year, the offense appeared to be more consistent, I believed to perform better.

Seriously, has ND been able to consistently run screens since 2005 against the upper level of their schedule? There’s been big ones here and there since then, but nothing like the level of execution and result seen in 2005.

Maybe you have the information to totally refute my belief, but as the dude holding down the couch on Saturdays, that is my sense of things.

While I understand why you wouldn’t be as optimistic about the offense, why would you be doubly as pessimistic because Kelly subs short passes for runs?

That would be an interesting post. I think as a team you would want to go to a BCS bowl, the potential for an LSU-scale slaughter or not.

Success in a more minor bowl after last year is like winning the NIT two years in a row. Sure, it’s nice for the program, but progress upward is expected.

I’m with Trevor mostly. I’m not as optimistic about the performance of the offense even after year 1 under their belt. Doubly so if Kelly is going to do his own thing and sub short passes for runs.

I also spend my weekends yelling at the neighborhood kids to get off my lawn, and calling the cops on your house parties.

With Christ as QB, we’d go undefeated.

Unfortunately, He’s not an option, so we’ll have to choose between Crist and Rees.

GO IRISH