Notre Dame may have scored an offensive touchdown. They may have been good in the running game. They may have protected Clausen for longer than usual. It's still not a moral victory.
In the newspaper, there is only a W column and an L column. There is no M column. We are not 0-4-1. We are 0-4. Notre Dame will not go 0-8-1. The NCAA got rid of the third collumn a decade ago. If you ask Coach Weis, he would back me up. You can only win if you put up more points than your opponents. However, there appears to be a bright spot. The running game.
The power backs for Notre Dame have shown how Weis can recruit. Robert Hughes and James Aldridge combined for an attack that has solidified Notre Dame as a power running team. Personally, this is the best identity they could have found. Power running is the least risky style of play. The backs have the power to fall forward. They normally fumble less. You can't throw an interception when you keep it on the ground. Robert Hughes is the type of back that Weis should groom for the future. In his first real game, he scored a touchdown and put up good stats. He was great, especially at picking up yards by falling forward. Speaking of that...
Notre Dame's run defense easily could have held them to 100 yards. They need to gang tackle. One man won't bring down a back like Javon Ringer. He fell forward after every rush. One yard gains turned into five yard gains all because they couldn't stop his forward progression. Notre Dame did have some players like Kerry Neal who showed that they could stop the pass. The run defense is the problem.
Notre Dame needs to get better on third down. Michigan State knew that they were going to pick up the three or four yards and get the first down. A few stops on third down, and this could have been a ten point game.
I do not think that the score showed how the Irish played. They had three or four guys who looked like studs on each side of the ball. The only problem is they need more. John Sullivan, Sam Young, and the rest of the offensive line needs to keep Clausen on his feet. Clausen does not perform well when he is getting rushed. He has trouble getting rid of the ball. Sam Young and Paul Duncan, the offensive tackles, played terribly in keeping the ends out of the backfield.
On defense, John Ryan and Anthony Vernaglia need to get more pressure on the running back in the backfield. Even if they don't get the tackle, they should be able to slow him down. Ryan and Vernaglia, the outside linebackers, missed many easy tackles if they would have gotten a better burst off of the line. The problem is both of these guys are defensive ends. They don't fit the personnel of the 3-4 defense. That personnel needs to be ready by next year. The recruits will be in pads next year.
Notre Dame fans just have to look toward next year. There is no chance this season. Unless they upset Purdue and UCLA, they won't go to a bowl game. They will have to pray that one or two of their linemen on both sides of the ball step up. The recruits are coming. Hopefully the rest of the team will be ready.
This game may have given Notre Dame an identity. This game resulted in two offensive touchdowns. But this game should not lift anyone's morale. No matter what Notre Dame accomplished, the box score still reads 0-4.

Tatiana Golovin
Taylor Walker



Comments (12) Add A Comment
your right, ND needs lots of improvements and as high as I was on Charlie Weis, it doesn;t seem to be the right choice, you can blame the schools AD on making the decision to fire the last coach, he is doing good at Washington and it sucks for us Irish faithful
EyeTrySports
The Colony , TX
Total Comments (101)
Good Blog yet again. It is hard to be a Irish Fan right now. But I am a loyal Irish Fan and will not jump ship
Daveita
Total Comments (973)
Sure you can have a moral victory. It just has to be accompanied by a victory victory.
Cardsox
Middle Of The..., US
Total Comments (9862)
God blog.
Dyhard - four in a…
Germantown, WI
Total Comments (77456)
God=Good
Dyhard - four in a…
Germantown, WI
Total Comments (77456)
Good blog*
Dyhard - four in a…
Germantown, WI
Total Comments (77456)
A Moral Victory is like kissing your sister man ........ no stisfaction just excitement
It's very far away
It takes about a half and a day to get there
If we travel by my uh, dragon-fly
No it's not in Spain
But all the same you know, it's a groovy name
And the wind's just right.
Hey ! It's a " Moral Victory " man .................
Peace ............
Zags4final4
Lost Somewhere In, WA
Total Comments (1274)
Moral victories are definitely empty. The Irish look lost right now, and unfortunately the next 4 games are just as rough as the first 4.
J. HOVA: BROOKLYN
Brooklyn, NY
Total Comments (18063)
Notre Dame is a young team and the talent is there. The young guys need the experience in whichever way they can. They will improve and I am not giving up on them just yet. The line did fine and will need to keep improving and the experience they need will surely benefit next season. I say the true test is next season for Weis. Goo Notre Dame!!!
34BoJackson.Fan
Total Comments (516)
I don't like ND, but it's a good post
NORCALSURFER777
San Mateo , CA
Total Comments (2236)
Boiler Up! Always a good game and anything can happen
Boiler Jim
Ramrod Key, FL
Total Comments (2)
I love all you fools who still think Weiss and ND are a good team. They stink, and will continue to stink for a long long time. They will go 0-7 and Weiss will jump ship. How you can still defend him is pathetic, you should all just shut up and take it like real men your team stinks and your coach can't coach. He cheated up at NE with Bill, and he was unproven as a head coach. He needs to quit talking and acting like he is the second coming of JC, if he keeps eating like he does he will soon meet him. "I don't think the score showed how they played" give me a break. I'm on a flag football team in the Army that could beat you clowns. "Next season we will be back" what a bunch of BS. As for a bowl game if "we" beat UCLA that will never happen. No TV commitment will save you this year. YOU STINK YOU STINK YOU STINK and the nation is loving it!!!! LOSERS!!!
Majic"B"
Independence , OH
Total Comments (24)
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