By Mike Castiglione Aug 23, 2007, 17:33 GMT
OFFENSE: The big-name stars at the skill positions have moved on, leaving no shortage of skepticism directed toward their replacements. The one question everyone wants answered from coach Charlie Weiss is whether Jimmy Clausen, the top high school recruit in the country, will land the starting quarterback position. The answer is not set in stone, as Clausen will battle it out with last year's backup Evan Sharpley, and Demetrius Jones, a double threat who can tuck the ball and run. In the backfield, the multi-talented Travis Thomas has a leg up, though he will be pushed by sophomore James Aldridge, who was limited by a knee injury last year. The passing game will revolve around tight end John Carlson, who may well be the best at his position in college football. The starting receiver positions are not nailed down. On the offensive line, the Irish have two returning starters and a cast of others who have been getting work at multiple positions.
DEFENSE: The Achilles' heel of the defense last season was giving up the big play, as the Irish ranked 65th in the nation in yards allowed. While the defense this year is focused on limiting those big gains, the players must first learn the 3-4 scheme, which was installed by new defensive coordinator Corwin Brown. The only returning starter on the line, Trevor Laws, will try his hand at defensive end after starting three years at tackle. The linebacking corps will be anchored by Maurice Crum, another three-year starter who returns after leading the team with 100 tackles last year. Strong safety Tom Zbikowski had a quiet year in '06, although the Notre Dame faithful hope he can have the kind of season he did two years ago when he picked off five passes and scored four touchdowns. Cornerback Terrail Lambert had three interceptions last fall, none of which were bigger than the one that completed the comeback against Michigan State.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Geoff Price is one of the top punters in the nation, coming off a year in which he set a school record with an average of 45.4 yards per kick. The return game was ordinary last year, though Weiss has said that will be a top priority heading into this season. David Grimes, who returned kicks in '06, is currently slotted as the No. 1 receiver and may forego his special teams role. Zbikowski is in line to once again handle the punt return duties.
OUTLOOK: No Quinn, Samardzija, McKnight or Walker. And for that matter, a total of six starting offensive and defensive linemen to replace. But all that turnover hasn't seemed to faze Weiss or the players. As is usually the case with Notre Dame, the schedule, which is once again a tough one, will correlate closely with the win total. The toughest part to get through is an early span in which the Irish play four of five games on the road. After wrapping up a trip out west against UCLA, the Irish are back home to face Boston College and USC the following two weeks. Such a stretch of games has the potential to keep Weiss' fresh-faced squad out of the BCS. On the flip side, Notre Dame also has five straight home games on the schedule.
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