Notre Dame Fighting Irish 2009 College Football Predictions, Picks & Odds: Over the last two years Notre Dame has taken a big step back. However, the players were just not there for Coach Charlie Weis to be successful. As much as everybody, including me, likes to blame Coach Weis, it is really not entirely his fault that the Irish have won just ten games over the last two seasons. The last two years the Irish have been young…they are not anymore. Odds makers at Sportsbook.com have the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at 25-1 odds to win the BSC 2010 National Championship.
An experienced offense returns, led by junior quarterback Jimmy Clausen and a set of big-play receivers. Clausen emerged as a future star in ’08 with 25 touchdown passes and 3,172 yards. He still showed his youth at times, throwing 17 interceptions. Golden Tate (58 catches, 1,080 yards, 10 TDs) and Michael Floyd (48-719-7) emerged as big play threats. unior Armando Allen (585 yards, 4.4 per carry) has the most speed but has yet to break a run longer than 21 yards in 220 rushing attempts. Robert Hughes provides the best combination of power and speed, but averaged only 3.4 yards on his 112 carries in 2008. Notre Dame Fighting Irish UNDER 8.5 WINS for the season is among the top college football picks on the board currently at Sportsbook.com.
The Notre Dame defense was not as bad as it often looked last year. Coordinator Jon Tenuta wants to blitz and blitz a lot, but he did not have the experienced players to do it last season. The Irish will be moving to a 4-3 defense and it is at linebacker where holes need to be filled. Brian Smith is an experienced player, but players like Toryan Smith and Scott Smith are capable of making a big impact. The line is in great shape. End Kapron Lewis-Moore and tackle Ian Williams will be a dominating force, but it is Ethan Johnson, who can play both end and tackle that will turn the Irish frontline into something special. The secondary could be better. Safety Kyle McCarthy is a superstar and the team’s leading tackler a year ago. With Harrison Smith by his side and corners Robert Blanton, Raeshon McNeil and Darrin Walls back, the Notre Dame secondary is in for a good year.
Notre Dame’s return game was, by and large, below average during the ’08 regular season. But Allen’s 96-yard kickoff return in the Hawaii Bowl could be the start of a resurgence in the return game. Tate has game-breaking skills as a punt returner as well.
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