mmmm nothing like Latin in the summertime......
But before diving into Part 2 of my season preview, some disappointing news coming from Eagles training camp up at Lehigh regarding a Notre Dame football alumnus. DE Victor Abiamiri underwent surgery today to heal a wrist injury suffered in the first few days of the camp. The second year player received two screws to close the fracture and doctors repaired ligament damage. Team doctors believe at most he will be healed in 4 months, hopefully sooner. But a main part of playing the defense end position, and one of Victor's strengths, is the use of one's hands to shed off a guard which will no doubt be affected by the cast placed on his wrist. The Eagles expected big things after an impressive rookie season by Victor, and he will be missed.
On a better note, he did return to Lehigh today from his surgery down near Philadelphia no doubt to support fellow Eagle Trevor Laws in his assimilation into the life of a professional athlete from the warm confines of Notre Dame.
Onto the preview...
North Carolina- I was very surprised how well this team came out infront of its own crowd. As those who were at last year's game on campus saw, NC is a team and program on the rise, and are only a few more good years away under Butch Davis from really breaking into the national radar. This game was a shock to me, in that it was a back and forth game going into the final minutes. Only a costly INT by their QB salvaged the day for our squad. I could see this team being overlooked by the coaches and players in anticipation for the Washington game.
Washington- You have to admire a guy like Jake Locker, I know he plays under Ty but the guy dedicated himself to being a Huskie and stuck with it. He also sacrifices his body more than Tim Tebow ever would. (Although I do hope he is shown a new meaning of pain by the ND linebacker core) In the game, he did not really run except for around the goal line, and in 4 attempts inside the redzone, I was not able to surmise a counter to his hardnose up-the-gut running style. Close loss unfortunately.
I'm not saying I'm brushing aside Navy and Syracuse, but when you go up by 40 in each game in the first half, not much can be gathered from the opponent's play.
Pitt- Dave Wannsted and his whimsical stache would have been great to see in high color HD graphics, but regretfully the artists at EA couldn't render the crunchy-chewy-cheesy-ness of it into this years game. Soph RB LeSeAn McCoY ran all over the Notre Dame defense, but in what is becoming one of the great attributes of this team, when they need a stop, they come up big. And it proved to be no bigger than in the 4th, ND up by 10, Pitt drove the ball to the 15 only to see a fired up defense snarl and turn up a sack, incompletion, tackle for loss, and then another sack on 4th down to seal the game.
BC- this is great payback for all of last year. Navy aside, nothing was worse last year then seeing a good (read: overrated and if that VT rain game didn't end the way it did, they'd be nothing) Boston College team. But now with all 17 of the 5th year seniors gone (yep......17), they really have nothing, and it was marvelous. Armando hinted at how great his junior season was going to turn out by returning two kicks for TDs, as well as combining for over 200 yards rushing/receiving. Big win which brings me to Number 1 USC.
With the Coliseum intimidating as hell, this night game seemed as foolish as Caesar crossing the Rubicon, but would prove to be the first step into a new football empire. (thus the Latin)
Starting out in a 4-wide spread offense the entire way down the field on the first drive, Clausen was perfect on his 5 passes including a quick slant to Armando in the left slot for the score. The defense on all USC's drives smothered the Trojan attack forcing Mark "Some people call me dirty" Sanchez into 4 turnovers. Twice this was on the first play after a score. Clausen with a lead would just pick apart the Trojan secondary for short passes and screens with his precision and cool demenor often with a charging linebacker or end in his face. The final score of 24-17 did not reflect the rout the game was, with USC scoring on the last play and also a late kick-off return.
This game exemplifies what I feel this team can do. Our boys are not flashy, but are a very good team which is still learning and growing into what they can be. There are no game changing receivers, but all of them can get open and catch a ball. Clausen is great when given time and has perfect touch to pick apart any zone. Armando and Aldridge both can break spectacular plays but are a year away from being Reggie Bush unstoppable. The defense sometimes misses tackles, but they make them when they count. Nobody demands a double team on the line, but nobody can be left in single blocking for too long without breaking through. The secondary is all hungry for the ball and I forsee many many interceptions. And as I can attest in the next season, the team truely becomes dominant and awesomely powerful, dictating its offense and leaving the opposing offense stymied.
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