Weis, Irish not resigned to a 'rebuilding' year

At Notre Dame, the line between fantasy and reality is frequently crossed.

Fans who file into a timeless stadium on fall Saturdays and lose themselves in the school's pageantry and traditions allow themselves to cross it. So do media members who, magnetized by the Notre Dame mystique, view every mini-milestone by the Fighting Irish as a full-blown return to glory.

Heading into the 2007 season, has Charlie Weis and his players started to straddle the same line?

The facts suggest Notre Dame, despite back-to-back BCS bowl appearances, will be rebuilding this fall.

Consider the roster losses: Brady Quinn, the school's all-time leading passer; Jeff Samardzija, its all-time leading receiver; Rhema McKnight, second on its all-time receptions list; Darius Walker, a two-year starter at running back; three starting offensive linemen; top pass rushers Victor Abiamiri and Derek Landri; second-leading tackler Chinedum Ndukwe.

The list goes on.

Weis doesn't underplay the losses, but he refuses to utter the "R" word (rebuilding) even if it is reality for ND.

"I have nine fifth-year seniors," Weis said on media day. "Don't you think I owe it to them to try to win this year? It's easy for me to throw in the towel and start playing a bunch of young guys and take the pressure off of me and buy me more time. But that's garbage.

"I have an ethical responsibility to those nine guys to win now."

Weis holds his unproven quarterbacks to a similar standard. Three players -- junior Evan Sharpley, sophomore Demetrius Jones and freshman Jimmy Clausen -- are competing in camp, and Weis intends to conceal his starter's identity until the opener against Georgia Tech.

Whoever he chooses won't be coddled. With turnover at every skill position but tight end, the Irish can't afford many growing pains.

"When you're playing with a more inexperienced lot like we are this year," Weis said, "you can't count on a guy just to manage the team because then the only games you're going to win are the games that you were supposed to.

"Those nail-biter games, the ones that could go either way, if you want to win a fair amount of those, you can't just go the safe route."

Weis' offense could have a vastly different look to it. With the shifty Walker gone, Notre Dame will use a stable of mostly power running backs, led by tailback-turned-linebacker-turned-tailback Travis Thomas.

After using big receivers the last two seasons, the Irish turn to a group Weis calls the "Smurfs," featuring sub-6-foot wideouts David Grimes and George West.

"I heard word on the street that I'm Papa Smurf," said the 5-10 Grimes, Notre Dame's most seasoned receiver with 28 receptions in 24 games. "A lot of the guys come to me (for) advice."

The offense returns only four starters, including tight end John Carlson, the Mackey Award favorite, and John Sullivan, a three-year starter at center.

Five starters return on defense, but the arrival of coordinator Corwin Brown has given the unit a makeover. Brown will use the 3-4 alignment, but his greatest imprint could be molding the attitude of a group that has been slow and vulnerable the last two seasons.

"Every day I wake up, I'm jacked up," said the 37-year-old Brown, who played for the New York Jets and the New England Patriots when Weis was an assistant coach. "We don't accept mistakes, but we want our guys to play hard and fast."

The all-important nose tackle position could be a problem for the Irish, who moved senior Trevor Laws permanently to left end and suspended junior tackle Derrell Hand following a solicitation arrest. Crum and Joe Brockington form a strong nucleus, but Notre Dame needs production from outside linebackers John Ryan and Anthony Vernaglia.

The secondary returns speedy corner Terrail Lambert and safety Tom Zbikowski, back for a fifth year after injuries slowed him last fall. Zbikowski, who hasn't intercepted a pass since Nov. 12, 2005, has shed 12-15 pounds and feels 100 percent.

"Tommy came back because he has something to prove," defensive backs coach Bill Lewis said.

Weis has played the no-respect card a lot this summer, citing the bleak forecast many experts outlined for his team. The pessimism stems from a schedule that features four of the first six on the road, two games against preseason top-five teams (Michigan, USC) and visits to Michigan, Penn State, UCLA and Purdue.

Bowl eligibility, let alone a January game, could be a challenge for Notre Dame. Weis doesn't see it that way.

"My expectations are always high," he said. "The problem is sometimes is getting everyone to buy into that.

"It's easier when the public perceives you as just middle of the pack."

Notre Dame

Coach: Charlie Weis (19-6, third season at ND)

2006 record: 10-3

Last bowl appearance: 2007 (Sugar, lost to LSU)

All-America candidates: TE John Carlson, C John Sullivan, LB Maurice Crum, SS Tom Zbikowski

The Irish will go to a January bowl game if … their starting quarterback avoids major mistakes, the defenders absorb the 3-4 system, and the team wins at least five of its first eight games.

Pre-bowl BCS finish the last five years (2006 listed first; courtesy of CollegeBCS.com): 11th, 6th, 44th, 48th, 9th

Schedule

Sept. 1 GA. TECH 2:30 p.m. Notre Dame's new QB will step into the fire against Jon Tenuta's blitzing defense.

Sept. 8 at Penn St. 5 p.m. Nittany Lions look to avenge a bad loss in South Bend.

Sept. 15 at Michigan 2:30 p.m. Irish can derail Michigan's national title hopes with an upset.

Sept. 22 MICH. ST. 2:30 p.m. Spartans first-year coach Mark Dantonio went 4-0 against Irish as an MSU assistant.

Sept. 29 at Purdue TBA Curtis Painter threw for 398 yards in 2006, but ND has easily won last two meetings

Oct. 6 at UCLA 7 p.m. Irish make first trip to Rose Bowl stadium since 1924.

Oct. 13 BOST COLL 2:30 p.m. Irish have dropped four straight to BC, all by 7 points or fewer.

Oct. 20 USC 2:30 p.m. Two years after the Bush Push, USC returns to South Bend.

Nov. 3 NAVY 1:30 p.m. ND has won 43 straight in the series, the last three by 18 points or more.

Nov. 10 AIR FORCE 1:30 p.m. Despite being outgained 405-383, Irish pounded Falcons 39-17 in 2006.

Nov. 17 DUKE 1:30 p.m. Teams reunite for the first time since 1966, when ND won 64-0.

Nov. 24 at Stanford TBA New Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh went 0-2 against ND as Michigan's QB in 1985-86.

Projected starters

*Returning starter

Offense

QB: Evan Sharpley (6-2, 212, Jr.) or Demetrius Jones (6-4, 210, So.) or Jimmy Clausen (6-3, 207, Fr.)

RB: Travis Thomas (6-0, 218, Sr.)

FB: Asaph Schwapp (6-0, 255, Jr.) or Luke Schmidt (6-4, 252, So.)

WR: David Grimes* (5-10, 174, Jr.)

WR: George West (5-8, 188, So.) or D.J. Hord (6-1, 192, Jr.)

TE: John Carlson* (6-6, 259, Sr.)

LT: Paul Duncan (6-7, 292, Jr.)

LG: Mike Turkovich (6-6, 299, Jr.)

C: John Sullivan* (6-4, 290, Sr.)

RG: Matt Carufel (6-5, 295, So.) or Dan Wenger (6-4, 282, So.)

RT: Sam Young* (6-8, 315, So.)

Defense

DE: Trevor Laws* (6-1, 294, Sr.)

NT: Pat Kuntz (6-2, 272, Jr.)

DE: Justin Brown (6-3, 255, Sr.) or Dwight Stephenson (6-2, 257, Sr.)

OLB: John Ryan (6-5, 244, So.)

ILB: Maurice Crum* (6-0, 225, Jr.)

ILB: Joe Brockington* (6-2, 232, Sr.)

OLB: Anthony Vernaglia (6-3, 233, Sr.)

CB: Terrail Lambert* (5-11, 191, Sr.)

CB: Ambrose Wooden (5-11, 190, Sr.) or Raeshon McNeil (6-0, 184, So.)

FS: David Bruton (6-2, 202, Jr.)

SS: Tom Zbikowski* (6-0, 210, Sr.)

Specialists

PK: Ryan Burkhart (5-11, 196, So.) or Nate Whitaker (5-9, 165, So.) or Brandon Walker (6-3, 200, Fr.)

P: Geoff Price* (6-3, 196, Sr.)

KR: David Grimes* (5-10, 174, Jr.) and George West (5-8, 188, So.)

PR: Tom Zbikowski* (6-0, 210, Sr.)