| | By Scott Brown
Special to ESPN.com
Notre Dame is coming off a 5-7 record, is unranked
in the ESPN and Associated Press preseason polls and
its mystique appears to be fading faster than a bad
hair line.
|
 |
|
|
Mon, August 14
I really like Notre Dame's team this year. Bob Davie has been criticized, but he took over a rundown program with little talent in the shop. He's slowly and surely building the program. I don't agree with those who say Davie must win eight games to keep his job. He's done a good job and will continue to do so.
Julius Jones is one of the better running backs in the country. The big question is whether or not Arnaz Battle can handle the quarterback position. No school has a tougher September schedule than the Irish. Notre Dame's first four opponents are Texas A&M, Nebraska, Purdue and Michigan State. I think they will be 2-2, beating Texas A&M and maybe one of the Big Ten teams. They won't beat Nebraska.
Navy's Charlie Weatherbie has done a good job of putting together a nice offense, but the Midshipmen's defense can?t stop anybody. Central Florida returns quarterback Vic Penn, but the Golden Knights open at Georgia Tech and finish at home against Virginia Tech. At Louisiana Tech, Brian Stallworth must step in for quarterback Tim Rattay, who was drafted by the 49ers. Coach Jack Bicknell III will have difficulty duplicating his 8-3 season a year ago because Louisiana Tech faces severe tests at Kansas State, at Penn State, at Auburn and at Miami. I like the quarterbacks at all other two independent schools in Louisiana -- Andy Chance at Monroe and Derek Dyers at Lafayette.
|
|
|
No matter how much discontent is simmering in South
Bend, embattled coach Bob Davie will not have time to
fret about his job security.
His attention will be occupied by an opening
stretch is as brutal as any in college football. The
five-game gauntlet includes four opponents that played
in a New Year's Day bowl in 1999 and a visit from
top-ranked Nebraska. Let Davie take a crack at
Medicare if he can get the Irish through the first
five games with a 4-1 record.
Fortunately for Davie, his offense returns a slew of
talented players from last year. The one question mark
is at quarterback where Arnaz Battle takes over for
Jarious Jackson after throwing just 19 passes a year
ago.
The Irish are not the only independent that must
replace one of their marquee players at the most
important position in football. Navy's hopes of
building on a 5-7 season took a major hit when Brian
Madden went down with a major knee injury during
spring drills. Meanwhile, Brian Stallworth has the
unenviable task of replacing Tim Rattay, who threw for
over 12,000 yards and 115 touchdowns during his
storied career at Louisiana Tech.
Of course, if Stallworth wants any pointers on how
to replace a record-setting quarterback who is
credited with putting his program on the I-A map, he
should chat with University of Central Florida
quarterback Vic Penn. Penn took over for Daunte
Culpepper last season threw for 3,078 yards -- third
most in school history -- despite playing behind an
inexperienced offensive line and without the benfit of
a credible rushing attack.
Scott Brown covers UCF for Florida Today
| |
|
