Golden Oppertunity

By Jake Brown

I recently had a conversation with a rabid Notre Dame Football fan. Actually, I have these conversations frequently, having grown up no more than 30 minutes from the Golden Dome. But anyway, these conversations usually go something like this:

ND Fan: USC is going down in two weeks!

Me: Haven’t you noticed that USC is one of the best teams of all-time; they have a quarterback for the ages, and the best playmaker in the country?

ND Fan: It doesn’t matter, they’ll be over-confident when the come to South Bend and we’ll crush them.

Me: You’re brainwashed.

Now of course this conversation is paraphased, but it more or less represents the conversations I’ve had with every Notre Dame fan after they get a few wins and that crazy green fever in them. Nevertheless, you get the point, and I really do think they’re all brainwashed.

I remember the last time something like the beginning of this season happened. It was Tyrone Willingham’s first year as head coach for the Fighting Irish in 2002. He started 8-0 and the next thing I know I’m seeing all these “Return to Glory” t-shirts in the halls of my high school. South Bend had a fever, and the only cure was a dose of reality. Boston College delivered the first dose, USC the second, and N.C. State the third on New Years day when they beat the Irish 28-6. Next thing you know Willingham is run out of town.

Notre Dame, the surrounding area and the fans have a tendency to take this “Return to Glory” thing too far too soon, and I can see it happening all over again.

I will give them this; Brady Quinn is the real deal.

So is wide receiver Jeff Samardzija, who makes a highlight reel catch every week. I played against him in baseball when we were both seniors and he was imposing then (he collected the save and struck me out in the final inning, and also hit probably the longest home run ever hit at our field), but on the football field he is even more imposing now. He catches a touchdown or two every week (8 TDs in 5 games) and is averaging nearly 100 yards receiving per game.

So the offense is legit, and I’m sure Charlie Weis doesn’t have to pay for anything in South Bend. The problem is the defense isn’t capable of shutting anyone down. They haven’t gotten roughed up too bad, but they were certainly exposed by Drew Stanton and Michigan State in their only loss of the year to the tune of 44 points given up.

So how can anyone think that the Irish will be able to keep USC under say…49 points? This might be the best offense to ever take the field in a college football game. Leinart, Reggie Bush, LenDale White, Dwayne Jarrett, Steve Smith, I could go on forever. And let’s not forget how USC torched the Irish last year.

I’m glad Irish fans are confident (though I’m glad I’m not at home where the local news media would be absolutely saturated with pro-ND propaganda), but there is no way they can compete with USC.

Charlie Weis is a great coach, and is doing great things with Willingham’s offensive players, but that defense won’t be able to slow down Leinart & Co. any better than the next team. Also, let me say it will be interesting to see how the Irish offense reacts to a real defense like Tennessee.

Return to glory, maybe. Competing for a national title, possibly in the next few years. But that time is not now in South Bend, no matter how much people want to believe Touchdown Jesus will enact divine powers for it to be that way. USC will cure that fever again, and show Notre Dame what it’s like to be the elite program that ND used to be.