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With 13 starters departed Charlie Weis and crew will have some major holes to fill. Don’t get it twisted though the Fighting Irish have some capable personnel on both sides of the all. After a couple of struggling seasons on defense, Weis has brought in highly regarded defensive coordinator Corwin Brown to help patch things up.

SportsBetting.com has Notre Dame 60 to 1 Odds to win the 2008 BCS

The big question is: Who is the starting Quarterback?  Super prep freshman Jimmy Clausen, 6-3 205, is the talk of south bend but chances are he will see limited action. The best QB on the team is redshirt freshman Zach Fraser, 6-4 226, a pocket passer that can throw the ball with some heat. The O-line is very inexperienced but there are a cast of good players that should develop later in the season. Notre Dame has a pair of power running backs in Travis Thomas, 6-0 218, and James Aldridge. Aldridge is one to watch with his slashing cutback style. After losing two very good receivers some players are going to have to pick up the slack. TE John Carlson, 6-6 260, is the best in the country at his position and should provide a nice safety blanket for whoever becomes QB. George West, 5-8 188, and David Grimes , 5-10 174, who caught 26 passes last season, should be the feature wideouts. West has some 4.5 quicks but is still learning the position. There are some big young wideouts that could contribute but none have game time experience.

The Fighting Irish will make a change and run out of the 3-4 this year with more emphasis on physical football. The D-line looks vulnerable and must improve to make the new scheme work. The leader of the defense will be senior inside linebacker Maurice Crumb, 6-0 225. Crumb makes plays all over the field and is a wrap up tackler. Alongside Crumb is promising Toryan Smith, 6-1 244. Smith is a crushing tackler that has the makings of a star player. The secondary was smoked for much of last year and will need emotional Safety Tommy Zbikowski, 6-0 210, to come back from an injury plagued year. Zbikowski has the tools to be a first day NFL draft pick with his range and lights out hitting. Tommy is also a decent return man that will handle punt return duties. The punting duties are in good hands with Geoff Price returning after averaging an excellent 45.4 yards per punt last year. The kicking game is still up in the air with no proven starter.

The schedule is tough and the cornerbacks look weak. This team will most likely be better at the tail end of the season with Weis tutoring the new Quarterbacks and the 3-4 starting jell. Look for Notre Dames’s green team to take it’s lumps on it way to a 7-8 win season.

Brad Marchetti’s Opening Game Notre Dame Fighting Irish Power Ratings : 20-80 Scale

20- Poor
30- Well Below Average
40- Below Average
50- Average
60- Above Average
70- Very Good
80- Great

Coaching: 70
Quarterback : 50
Backs : 60
Receivers : 55
Offensive Line : 50
Defensive Line : 50
Linebackers : 65
Secondary : 45
Special Teams : 60

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