ESPN’s Mark Schlaback predicted Notre Dame will win 7 games in 2008 and end the year in a bowl game in a recent column for the World Wide Leader.
The Fighting Irish were one of the youngest teams in college football last season, when they limped to a 3-9 record.
But with quarterback Jimmy Clausen, tailbacks Robert Hughes and Armando Allen and receiver Duval Kamara all returning a year older and wiser, Notre Dame will find a way to win seven games. In fact, Charlie Weis will start the season with a 2-0 record, beating San Diego State and Michigan.
The most interesting thing I see in the above quote is his prediction that we’ll beat Michigan. Schlabach hasn’t always been too kind to the Irish so it’s a bit surprising to see him predict a win over Michigan considering the Wolverines beat us 38-0 last year. I realized that Michigan is breaking in a completely new offense and defense, and I too think we have a good chance against them but I’m also a big time homer when it comes to the Irish.
Schlabach is the third personality to predict a turnaround for Notre Dame this year. Robert Smith predicted 8 or 9 wins and Jesse Palmer said he could see 8 or 9 wins for the Irish as well.
I hope they predict more doom and gloom. Then I can get cheaper tix. It only matters what the scores are and Ws versus Ls and ND can let their actions speak. Most of the ESPN guys don’t have anything better to do or they wouldn’t be in sportscasting in the first place. What do you call a bad journalist? ans. A sports journalist.
As far as wins go. I’d like to see 8 and of coursse more is more fun. But I want to see that Weis and company learn that while boring, attention to the O-line and D-lines are necessary for everything else to line up. ND hasn’t had good lines since 1993. Also want to see Charlie clean up a few things in how he conducts himself. Let’s hear it for an inspiring team this year.
…err….”solid 2008″. No WAY would I think 2007 as “solid”!
7 wins and a respectable bowl game is alright for me…we’ve got plenty of young talent to make a push in 2009 after a solid 2007.
USC will be real good this year, but they’re already showing injuries in their offensive leaders. Year after year though, as much as I hate it (and as much as I remember that horrible 4th down catch in 2005), USC is at the top. Enough USC talk though…
I’m starting to hear the echoes waking up…
WORST case scenario we win 8 in the regular season. Anything less is a huge let down for me. Did I see last year? Yeah every game. I also saw every game in 2005 and 2006. There was a certain reason White and Weis talked at considerable length 3 years ago about the hiccup 2007 would be. This team might still be short on experience compared to those teams, but this schedule is the softest in years. Factor in even better coaching and I say we better win 9. As I have said earlier, 10-2 sounds about right. Sorry just dont see anyone other than USC, Michigan State, Purdue and Pitt on that schedule. GO IRISH
All I know is that I hate USC and they have had Top 5 recruiting classes the past well, since Carrol has been there. They maybe have only 4 returning starters on offense but they will plug in 5 star recruit Sr,Jr,Soph and be ok. I wish Pete would have left and went back to the NFL. USC will beat Ohio St. I think they might lose 1 if that. Not trying to give them luck so they will lose 2. Ohio St and ND! Im getting off topic. Sorry…
There may be some high hopes for this team which is fine , my hope is that The coaching has learned it’s lesson. Weis alone was responsible for 2007.
Bleed, USC will find out how inexperience on offense can doom wishful thinking on going undefeated, they only have 4 returning starters on offense. No way they will go undefeated. I just hope their big ego’s get flatten in the process. They could loose to us this year if their defense has a bad game, think about that one.
Mark May will predict 6-6. He then will predict USC to go undefeated (I think they will ps. I hate them by the way) and be champs. He will declare the PAC 10 as the best football conf in the country again. Why? I dont know he went to Pitt but loves USC and the Pac 10. I call it man love. Anyways…
I think 7-8 wins is in site. A bowl trip coming our way. Id take 8-4 with a W over Michigan. Does 8-4 get us eligible for the Gator Bowl?
Hate to tell you Irish Fan, but Mark May has been right about the Irish more than he’s been wrong!!
We’ll have to wait and see what the Mark May – ESPN’s “The No.1 Fan Of The Irish”.
Wait, let me predict – he’ll tell us all that 6 wins will be the most because of – speed, size, strength, talent, blah, blah.
I remember all the wonderful prognostication from last year. Ultimately, this year will have to be proven on the field to begin to see the future with confidence.