Official College Football Thread

[IlliniKrush]

UCLA, wow

[RockRaines]

Michigan gets on the winning side with a 38-0 beat down of Notre Dame. Notre Dame is terrible this year.

Why isnt Weis going to be fired? This is his 3rd year. The same amount of years Willingham was given. Weis has shown that he has actually made this team worse. Plenty of teams lose their starting QB's. OSU lost 8 first team big ten players and is still good. Its time for the fire Weis talk to start IMO.

[He_Gawn]

Why isnt Weis going to be fired? This is his 3rd year. The same amount of years Willingham was given. Weis has shown that he has actually made this team worse. Plenty of teams lose their starting QB's. OSU lost 8 first team big ten players and is still good. Its time for the fire Weis talk to start IMO.

 

Because this was somewhat expected. This senior class is a Willingham recruiting class and unfortunately for Notre Dame, it was an awful class. Weis has come in right away and he is bringing in top 10 recruiting classes. While no one could of predicted the struggles ND has had thus far, help is certainly on the way with these past 2 classes and the one coming in next year is looking stupendous. Something really needs to be done with the line though, it is pathetic.

[whitesoxfan99]

Why isnt Weis going to be fired? This is his 3rd year. The same amount of years Willingham was given. Weis has shown that he has actually made this team worse. Plenty of teams lose their starting QB's. OSU lost 8 first team big ten players and is still good. Its time for the fire Weis talk to start IMO.

 

If they lose next week ND will be 0-4 for the 1st time ever.

[whitesoxfan99]

One of the announcers for the GA Tech v. BC game just said he thought Reggie Ball was a heck of a football player. One of the dumbest things I have ever heard an announcer say.

[Brian]

Alabama upsets Arkansas 41-38.

 

McFadden hurt his hamstring and missed some of the game.

[Heads22]

Solid.

[Rowand44]

This USC-Nebraska outcome is the least shocking thing of the day.

[Palehosefan]

Less shocking than Duke getting a win before Notre Dame?

[danman31]

Less shocking than Duke getting a win before Notre Dame?

This is going to sound overreactionary (if that's even a word), but Pat Fitzgerald is a terrible coach. He needs to get his s*** straight. This is 2 years in a row with god awful losses (you could even say last year had 2 embarrassing losses with the Mich St comeback). Granted the team's best offensive player was out, but they still ran the ball decently well. He says all the right things, but the results are pathetic.

[whitesoxfan101]

Because this was somewhat expected. This senior class is a Willingham recruiting class and unfortunately for Notre Dame, it was an awful class. Weis has come in right away and he is bringing in top 10 recruiting classes. While no one could of predicted the struggles ND has had thus far, help is certainly on the way with these past 2 classes and the one coming in next year is looking stupendous. Something really needs to be done with the line though, it is pathetic.

 

I didn't hear you b****ing about Willingham's classes when Weis rode them to BCS Bowls the last couple of years. Face it, ND sucks and until they find a QB and some offensive linemen, combined with the fact it will take them awhile to transfer to the 3-4 defense and that schedule, ND is in line to be bad for a few years now. If Weis didn't have the NFL pedigree or white skin, he'd be suffering the same fate as Willingham unfairly did.

 

Oh, and yes Pat Fitzgerald is an awful, awful coach. Worst in game coach I have ever seen in college football.

Edited September 16, 2007 by whitesoxfan101

[RockRaines]

I didn't hear you b****ing about Willingham's classes when Weis rode them to BCS Bowls the last couple of years. Face it, ND sucks and until they find a QB and some offensive linemen, combined with the fact it will take them awhile to transfer to the 3-4 defense and that schedule, ND is in line to be bad for a few years now. If Weis didn't have the NFL pedigree or white skin, he'd be suffering the same fate as Willingham unfairly did.

 

Oh, and yes Pat Fitzgerald is an awful, awful coach. Worst in game coach I have ever seen in college football.

Thats what I dont get. Willingham got 3 years, whose class it was, was totally irrelevant. You have an offensive "genius" who cant run the ball or score an offensive touchdown. There are plenty of programs that go through turnover, I wonder why the dont struggle quite as bad?

[WhiteSoxfan1986]

Thats what I dont get. Willingham got 3 years, whose class it was, was totally irrelevant. You have an offensive "genius" who cant run the ball or score an offensive touchdown. There are plenty of programs that go through turnover, I wonder why the dont struggle quite as bad?

 

I agree that Weis should be taking a lot more heat, but he has done better than Willingham. Weis already has 2 BCS bowls on his resume while Willingham didn't have any, and Weis's recruiting has been much better. But if you think that one's skin color has nothing to do with it, you're kidding yourself.

[whitesoxfan101]

I agree that Weis should be taking a lot more heat, but he has done better than Willingham. Weis already has 2 BCS bowls on his resume while Willingham didn't have any, and Weis's recruiting has been much better. But if you think that one's skin color has nothing to do with it, you're kidding yourself.

 

Rivals says Weis is recruiting a lot better, but he did a lot better his first 2 years with Tyrone's players on the field than he is this year with his players out there. Oh, and yeah he has 2 BCS Bowls on his resume, but I take that with a grain of salt since they don't get into either one of them if they aren't Notre Dame, and they proved they didn't belong in either game by getting their ass kicked both times.

[He_Gawn]

I didn't hear you b****ing about Willingham's classes when Weis rode them to BCS Bowls the last couple of years. Face it, ND sucks and until they find a QB and some offensive linemen, combined with the fact it will take them awhile to transfer to the 3-4 defense and that schedule, ND is in line to be bad for a few years now. If Weis didn't have the NFL pedigree or white skin, he'd be suffering the same fate as Willingham unfairly did.

 

Oh, and yes Pat Fitzgerald is an awful, awful coach. Worst in game coach I have ever seen in college football.

 

Well this class was Willinghams last and don't you think recruits would of tried to stay away after he got fired? This class was one of the worst ND has ever had. Things will get sorted out by the end of this year or next, just wait.

[NorthSideSox72]

WTF? ISU beats Iowa?! After losing to the Kent State Golden Flashes and a I-AA team at home?!?!

 

[Heads22]

WTF? ISU beats Iowa?! After losing to the Kent State Golden Flashes and a I-AA team at home?!?!

 

I got sooooo sunburnt yesterday. I want to die.

[WilliamTell]

WTF? ISU beats Iowa?! After losing to the Kent State Golden Flashes and a I-AA team at home?!?!

 

It was a good I-AA team though. Last I knew UNI was ranked 7th. This means that UNI is the best football team in the state of Iowa. What's going on with Iowa and Iowa State, UNI and Drake both beat them last year in basketball and UNI beats Iowa State this year in football.

[Rowand44]

It was a good I-AA team though. Last I knew UNI was ranked 7th. This means that UNI is the best football team in the state of Iowa. What's going on with Iowa and Iowa State, UNI and Drake both beat them last year in basketball and UNI beats Iowa State this year in football.

Well UNI just has a better basketball program than ISU right now. It's that simple.

[ZoomSlowik]

This is going to sound overreactionary (if that's even a word), but Pat Fitzgerald is a terrible coach. He needs to get his s*** straight. This is 2 years in a row with god awful losses (you could even say last year had 2 embarrassing losses with the Mich St comeback). Granted the team's best offensive player was out, but they still ran the ball decently well. He says all the right things, but the results are pathetic.

 

I have several thoughts...

 

The officiating was flatout AWFUL. NU basically couldn't run the ball (the yards were there, but a 4-yard average against Duke is abysmal, and they had no consistency) because they called a holding penalty virtually every time, and I believe Duke only had one. Plus there were several potential pass interference calls, with NU getting ONE of about 5 potential calls to go their way. There was also the running into the kicker call that really should have been roughing the kicker, that first down would have made a HUGE difference. Granted I was there which always makes things look worse than they are, but that looked like arguably the most poorly officiated game I've ever seen (having almost 200 penalty yards combined is just ridiculous, and it sure seemed like there was more than a 50-yard disparity), and it seemed like NU got virtually no calls.

 

That said, it shouldn't have mattered. As you said, some poor decisions and missed opportunities. They failed on four 4th down conversion attempts within field goal range. Granted the last two they needed a touchdown, but the first two they really didn't. Get 3 points on any 2 of those 4 and it's going to overtime, and if it's the first two times you eek out a win. They also had two seperate drives late in the game where they had a good chance to score the go-ahead TD. NU out-gained Duke by almost 200 yards and grossly out-played them in the second half and had little to show for it on the scoreboard.

 

Between the refs and the missed opportunities, I can't remember the last game I left feeling so pissed off.

Edited September 17, 2007 by ZoomSlowik

[BearSox]

I have several thoughts...

 

The officiating was flatout AWFUL. NU basically couldn't run the ball (the yards were there, but a 4-yard average against Duke is abysmal, and they had no consistency) because they called a holding penalty virtually every time, and I believe Duke only had one. Plus there were several potential pass interference calls, with NU getting ONE of about 5 potential calls to go their way. There was also the running into the kicker call that really should have been roughing the kicker, that first down would have made a HUGE difference. Granted I was there which always makes things look worse than they are, but that looked like arguably the most poorly officiated game I've ever seen (having almost 200 penalty yards combined is just ridiculous, and it sure seemed like there was more than a 50-yard disparity), and it seemed like NU got virtually no calls.

 

That said, it shouldn't have mattered. As you said, some poor decisions and missed opportunities. They failed on four 4th down conversion attempts within field goal range. Granted the last two they needed a touchdown, but the first two they really didn't. Get 3 points on any 2 of those 4 and it's going to overtime, and if it's the first two times you eek out a win. They also had two seperate drives late in the game where they had a good chance to score the go-ahead TD. NU out-gained Duke by almost 200 yards and grossly out-played them in the second half and had little to show for it on the scoreboard.

 

Between the refs and the missed opportunities, I can't remember the last game I left feeling so pissed off.

Pretty much sums up my feelings about the game.

[Rex Hudler]

Well this class was Willinghams last and don't you think recruits would of tried to stay away after he got fired? This class was one of the worst ND has ever had. Things will get sorted out by the end of this year or next, just wait.

 

Here is a quick summary of the past five Irish recruiting classes:

 

2004 Class - 16 players (6 on offense)

4 Stars - 2

3 Stars - 8

2 Stars - 6

This and 2005 was Willingham's going away present. Of the 16 players, Darius Walker who left early and two QB's I have never heard of are included.

 

2005 Class - 15 players (7 on offense) Not any better than the year before.

4 Stars - 2

3-Stars - 11

2-Stars - 2

 

2006 Class - 28 players (obviously three didn't make it) Weis' first full class.

5 Stars - 2

4 Stars - 10

3 Stars - 15

2 Stars - 1 (kicker)

The 12 4+ stars players were far more than the previous two classes combined.

 

2007 Class - 18 players

5 Stars - 1

4 Stars - 12

3 Stars - 4

2 Stars - 1 (kicker)

 

2008 Class 19 players (so far) Obviously a lot can change between now and signing day. But the current class includes:

5 Stars - 1

4 Stars - 14

3 Stars - 4

 

Combining the 2006-2008 classes should make for a strong squad two seasons from now. It's gonna be a long road, but 2-3 years from now, ND should be back knocking on the door of the Top 10. If they can't rebound and start making progress, then Charlie will certainly be under fire. But as unhappy as ND fans are right now, they will suffer through this season. Next year might not be a whole lot better unless some of these young players stand up quickly.

 

[Heads22]

Well UNI just has a better basketball program than ISU right now. It's that simple.

 

I'll bet you UNI doesn't walk out of Hilton with a W this year.

[NorthSideSox72]

I'll bet you UNI doesn't walk out of Hilton with a W this year.

Back when I was there, even Kansas usually didn't walk out of Hilton with a W. What have you been doing down there, Heads?

 

[Heads22]

Back when I was there, even Kansas usually didn't walk out of Hilton with a W. What have you been doing down there, Heads?

 

 

It's been horrible. A lot of the students are lazy.

 

However, we've got two new freshman guards that you're going to fall in love with. Garrett is like Tinsley with better handles (but a worse shot) who just can do some special things with the ball, and Lucca Staiger will be a sharpshooter who also makes great passes.

 

Plus, here's our starting lineup as far as size....

 

G 6-5

G 6-5

F 6-8

F 6-6

C 6-11

 

We've got a big backcourt.