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8/5 Roundtable - 5 Thoughts ... Independents
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Notre Dame WR Golden Tate
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CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Aug 5, 2009
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8/5 Roundtable - Five thoughts on the upcoming Independents season. It's the Monday topic in the CFN Daily Roundtable Discussion.
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CFN Daily Roundtables
 August
5
5 Thoughts on the Independents.
Over the next several weeks, as part of the CFN 2009 Preview, we'll
examine some of the key questions going into the year with a
daily discussion of the big topics.
Pete
Fiutak,
CFN
Yes, I'm part of
the problem. You can check me out at
twitter.com/CFN_Fiu and find
out future roundtable topics and other random musings.
Q: 5 Thoughts on the Indys.
A: Army has done its best to try to have a living,
breathing football program again, and it has tried just about
everything. It has gone to a spread attack, a pure passing offense, the
wishbone, the triple option, and everything in between to start to
produce. Making matters worse is the success at Navy, who has the same
recruiting restrictions and the same barriers to deal with.
What
Army has needed is its own Paul Johnson, the Georgia Tech head man who
created the current run in Annapolis. And here he comes ... Rich
Ellerson.
Army ran the ball relatively well last season after
committing to the option and the ground game, finishing ninth in the
nation in rushing, but there was no passing game, finishing last in the
nation, while finishing 116th in scoring offense and 110th in total
offense. Meanwhile, Ellerson's Cal Poly team finished first among FCS
teams in total offense, averaging 487 yards per game, and first in
scoring, averaging 44.36 points per outing. And his teams played
defense, too.
The Mustangs not only lit it up on the scoreboard,
but they had a killer pass rush, finishing second in the nation in
sacks, and they not only ran the ball in the triple option attack, but
they finished second in the nation in passing efficiency. Now, Ellerson
will try to work his magic at Army, where it might take a year or so,
but he has the potential to do for the Black Knights what Johnson did
for the Midshipmen. If nothing else, Army will soon be relevant again.
Richard
Cirminiello,
CFN
Q: 5 Thoughts on the Indys.
A: I’m on board that Notre Dame will be markedly improved from last year
and in season-long contention for a BCS bowl berth. I’m just not sure
what that’ll mean for the postseason.
With the schedule the
Irish face in 2009, we may not have a firm grasp on its potential until
a higher quality opponent comes calling in December or January. Now, of
course, a win over USC in October changes everything, but where are the
other true litmus tests that’ll prepare the team for a match up with,
say a Texas or Ohio State? Out of the majors, Michigan, Purdue,
Washington, Boston College, and Washington State are all way off their
games these days. Nevada has an explosive offense, but the defense won’t
be much of a match for Jimmy Clausen and his corps of dynamite
receivers. Michigan State, Pitt, Connecticut, and Stanford? Nice squads,
with definite bowl aspirations, but how many finish the season ranked?
At most, one.
This year’s schedule, to no fault of the Irish,
could wind up being both a blessing and a curse. Although it’s
gift-wrapped for a major bowl game, it could also become a Trojan horse,
leaving Notre Dame ill-prepared for the inevitable step up in
competition.
Matthew
Zemek, CFN
Q: 5 Thoughts on the Indys.
A: If anyone was unsure about the coaching acumen of Navy’s Ken Niumatalolo, the first Polynesian head coach in FBS/Division I-A history laid such doubts to rest in 2008. Once again, the Midshipmen retained the Commander-in-Chief Trophy. Once again, the sons of Annapolis produced a winning season. Once again, a resourceful team found a number of different ways to steal victories and scare the living daylights out of Notre Dame.
In the big-boy world of the BCS conferences, Texas Tech and Mike Leach make more out of less than any other program in the sport. At the non-BCS level of FBS competition, Navy is by far the greatest talent maximizer in major college football. Air Force will mount a stiff challenge to the Midshipmen’s long-term dominance of the Commander-in-Chief series, but with this year’s game being in Annapolis, expect the Men of Ken to use some gridiron zen and maintain supremacy in the realm of service academy football. A bowl bid represents the fruit of a whole season of hard labor, but the Commander-in-Chief Trophy is the most readily attainable prize for any academy outfit. If Navy can simply keep order in its own little corner of the kingdom, the 2009 season will have achieved something significant for Mr. Niumatalolo and Co.
Hunter Ansley,
Publisher,
DraftZoo.com
Q: 5 Thoughts on the Indys.
A: I think Jimmy Clausen’s in for a big year.
Notre Dame is still the Notre Dame of recent times, and I don’t
think they’re a BCS caliber team, but with this schedule and what I
expect from Clausen, they might be headed back to the big bowls this
season.
Clausen’s situation reminds me a lot of Carson
Palmer’s before he had his break out season.
Both were entering their third year as the starter.
Both were in a pro system coached by a former NFL head man.
Both were at schools with loads of history trying to break back
into relevancy. And both
were top recruits. Then
there’s the fact that both struggled in their first two seasons,
although they did improve from their freshman to sophomore years.
That’s a lot of coincidences, I know, but the
talent is certainly there for Clausen.
He’s got a great offensive line and should enjoy plenty of time
in the pocket behind tackle Sam Young and guard Eric Olsen.
He’s got a great playmaker at wide receiver in Golden Tate.
He’s entering his third year in a complex system, so he should be
have a much better grasp of the offense.
And perhaps most importantly, he’s got a hell of a schedule to
put up big stats.
Six of the teams on Notre Dame’s schedule finished outside of the top 60
against the pass last season, including the first three (Nevada 119th,
Michigan 87th,and Michigan State 69th).
That should make for a hot start.
Throw in the fact that the four teams they play on the road
finished a combined 21-28 last year, and there aren’t many stumpers on
the slate. The USC game will be a
beast, and Michigan in Ann Arbor is never a cakewalk, but Clausen’s got
a lot of things going for him, and that could mean a 10 win season for
the Irish.
Jon Miller,
Publisher, HawkeyeNation.com
Q: 5 Thoughts on the Indys.
A: Navy remains a very salty team that is a departure from the norm
when you prepare for them due to their unique offensive attack.
Notre Dame might have a ‘BCS or Bust’ year as it relates to
Charlie Weis and his future in South Bend. Army? Sorry, not
right now. Fewer and fewer teams are Independents, and I still
don’t think it’s out of the equation that Notre Dame joins the
Big Ten some day. I think the Big Ten will be in a position of
waiting on the Irish; they don’t have to do anything, and I
don’t think they will unless Notre Dame places a call
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