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EARLY
BIRD 2007 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW
RELEASED DECEMBER 2006 |
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NOTRE
DAME FIGHTING IRISH |
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OFFENSE
- 5 |
------RETURNING
STARTERS------ |
DEFENSE
- 6 |
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KEY
LOSSES |
OFFENSE:
Brady Quinn-QB, Rhema McKnight-WR, Jeff Samardzija-WR,
Marcus Freeman-TE, Ryan Harris-OT, Dan Santucci-OG,
Bob Morton-OG |
DEFENSE:
Victor
Abiamiri-DE, Derek Landri-DT, Chris Frome-DE,
Mike Richardson-CB, Chinedum Ndukwe-FS |
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Running
Back/Linebacker |
RB
Darius Walker will be the heart
and soul of this offense. His
production must increase without
the luxury of as many qualified
blockers. All three starting
LBs return, including team leading
tackler Maurice Crum. |
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Quarterback/Defensive
Line |
Who
plays QB at Notre Dame? Nobody,
including coaches, will know
until next August. Only one
returning player chalked up
worthy stats last season on
the DL. |
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RB
Darius Walker |
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SS
Tom Zbikowski |
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* DEPTH CHARTS were only designed as a simplistic
gauge for listing players that departed and players
that received the most playing experience (consistent
starters). NationalChamps.net recognizes the importance
of missing personnel data not listed such as redshirts,
transfers, injuries, incoming recruits, back ups
and alternates. Their coverage will begin with our
full 2007 Preseason Preview due out this coming
spring. |
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NOTRE
DAME 2007 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
OFFENSE |
QB |
Evan
Sharpley-Jr |
Demetrius
Jones-Fr |
FB |
Ashley
McConnell-Sr |
Asaph
Schwapp-Jr |
RB |
Darius
Walker-Sr |
James
Aldridge-So |
WR |
David
Grimes-Jr |
Chase
Anastasio-Sr |
WR |
.. |
.. |
TE |
John
Carlson-Sr |
.. |
OT |
.. |
.. |
OG |
.. |
.. |
C |
John
Sullivan-Sr |
.. |
OG |
.. |
.. |
OT |
Sam
Young-So |
.. |
K |
Carl
Gioia-Sr |
.. |
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DEFENSE |
DE |
.. |
.. |
DT |
Trevor
Laws-Sr |
.. |
DT |
.. |
.. |
DE |
.. |
.. |
SLB |
Travis
Thomas-Sr |
Mitchell
Thomas-Sr |
MLB |
Maurice
Crum-Jr |
.. |
WLB |
Joe
Brockington-Sr |
.. |
CB |
Terrail
Lambert-Jr |
Darrin
Walls-So |
CB |
Ambrose
Wooden-Sr |
.. |
SS |
Tom
Zbikowski-Sr |
Ray
Herring-Jr |
FS |
David
Bruton-Jr |
.. |
P |
Geoff
Price-Sr |
.. |
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QUICK
ANALYSIS |
Now
is the time to find out just how good Charlie
Weis can be as a college coach. He began
a second season with a senior-laden team,
especially at QB and receiver. The upcoming
year is going to see a major rebuilding
process with most every unit. Who plays
QB at Notre Dame? One of the most prestigious
positions in all of college football has
no clear-cut candidates, at least not until
spring wraps up. Junior Evan Sharpley will
get the first shot, being that he is the
only QB on the roster that has taken an
official snap. Sharpley is an all-around
athlete who excelled at football, basketball
and baseball in high school. A feeling exists
that the job could belong to second year
freshman Demetrius Jones (2005 Illinois
H.S. Gatorade Player of The Year) before
next season closes. Then again incoming
recruit Jimmy Clausen (one of the most heralded
QBs to commit to Notre Dame since Ron Powlus)
is set to enroll in the spring. OK, so the
accolades are there…from high school.
The rebuilding process does not end at QB.
The offensive line is gutted, and we all
know this is not a good place to start with
the aforementioned QB genesis. Gone, too,
are big time receivers McKnight and Samardzija.
However, the receiving corps is not as much
of a concern with Grimes and TE John Carlson
(finalist for the Mackey Award) in the fold.
The defense has been the Achilles Heel in
South Bend for close to a decade. The DL
returns only one player with significant
stats and opposing QBs have shredded the
current secondary. The prognosis once again
on this side of the football has to be considered
a rebuilding process, with new faces that
could actually help. All-American safety
Tom Zbikowski and a set of upperclassmen
at the LB position will have to play above
the norm to hold the ship steady. The outlook
cannot be all bad considering they crack
this early preseason Top 25 list. Second
year coach Charlie Weis will be fine once
his highly regarded recruiting classes start
to learn college football (his way). In
the meantime, it is imperative that Notre
Dame establish some semblance of a consistent
running attack with Darius Walker, for Weis'
third season will be full of expectations
per usual in South Bend.
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NOTRE
DAME
2007 SCHEDULE
9-1
Georgia Tech
9-8 @ Penn State
9-15 @ Michigan
9-22 Michigan State
9-29 @ Purdue
10-6 @ UCLA
10-13 Boston College
10-20 Southern California
11-3 Navy
11-10 Air Force
11-17 Duke
11-24 @ Stanford
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