9/18/05---So, well....so much for the undefeated season

I have to remind myself that I predicted a 7-4 season.  Oh sure, we all got pretty worked up with the 2-0 start and all....and maybe we forgot that Michigan State gives out scholarships too.  They have a tricky offense to defend and it showed (along with our apparently crappy defense, but I digress).  Last week on one of the websites someone actually called for offering defensive coordinater Rick Minter a "lifetime contract".  This week, we need to start looking for someone else, or so say the comments that were posted.  Such is life as a college football fan I suppose.
That being said, let me offer you my take on the positives and negatives of the game.
POSITIVES:
1) We never gave up...we never quit.  Last year's team would have flat out quit when the score reached 38-17.  I mean, I have no doubt in my mind.  The final score of a game like this one last year would've been around 52-24 or something.
This year, Charlie Weis gets his team together and rallies them as they make it all the way back and tie the game--and they were about a foot and a half from a miracle win on the final play of the regulation time, as the MSU running back JUST managed to make it out of his own endzone.  Can you imagine how incredible it would have been to win the game on a safety after coming back from 21 points down?  OMAN!
2) Brady Quinn is showing signs of being a stallion.  He still has these moments during a game when he will miss a wide open receiver...and he either has trouble reading blitzes, or doesn't know what to do with them....but face it, this kid is going to play in the NFL for a long time.  And the thing I like most about him is that for all his physical ability, he doesn't appear to be a knucklehead like Rick Mirer.  Rick had all the physical talent in the world also, but it just looked sometimes like the all the lights in the house weren't on, ya know?  Quinn shows football intelligence.
3) Maurice Stovall had a monster game.  He actually looked like an NFL player on some of the catches that he made.
4) Darius Walker is going to finish as one of the three most prolific RB's ever to play at ND.  I don't want to make too much out of something, but the more I see the kid, the more I'm reminded of Emmitt Smith--which isn't a bad thing.

NEGATIVES:
1) Wow, our defensive backfield is capable of getting lit up like a Christmas tree.
If we can't bring in some DB's this recruiting season, we never will.  There's probably a good number of kids who can come right on campus and get some fairly significant playing time next season.
2) I think we can forget the Victor Abiamiri is the next Ross Browner talk.  Slick Vic just doesn't appear to have that extra special thing that the great pass rushers have.
He's a nice player, don't get me wrong...but he's not leaving South Bend with any sack records either.
3) Maurice Stovall in the 4th quarter is the same guy we've seen for the past 3 years.
As great as the guy was in the first 3 quarters is how terrible he was in the final quarter.  4 drops isn't exactly glossing up your resume there Maurice.
4) Corey Mays was everywhere in the Michigan game.  Let's just say he was not a candidate for player of the game yesterday.  And if you watch the replay of the final play...MSU's touchdown in overtime....Mays at LB seems to wait a full second before reacting to the play.  Seriously, he was just standing there.

So overall, it was still a loss.  I really had this game read wrong.  I thought that ND would play out of their mind in their first home game.  Give credit to MSU for playing a good game....but......
I'm not going to forget that image of them planting their flag in our field for a long time.  Later on ESPN Lou Holtz talked about it and summed up my feelings nicely:

"The next time these two teams play, the only flag that Michigan State waves is going to be a white one.  And the Irish are going to plant it right into their heart."

Amen coach....amen.

Later,
Jeff