Five Questions Entering Media Day

We're less than 24 hours out from the beginning of another college football season in South Bend and this year has so many more questions than last. There is open competition at multiple positions, fresh faces competing for playing time and a new defensive scheme to unveil.

So entering Monday, here are the five most pertinent questions entering preseason practice. We'll be back Monday afternoon with potential answers after chatting with Charlie Weis, assistants and players along with our first practice observations of the year.

1) Who will start as Notre Dame's quarterback? Currently there are three contenders -- Evan Sharpley, Demetrius Jones and Jimmy Clausen. This is a question that won't be answered for at least three weeks, although we might receive an idea of Clausen's health Monday.

2) What is the learning curve when it comes to Corwin Brown's new defensive strategy? This might be the most important question early in the season. If Brown's defense can pick things up quickly, Notre Dame might have a good shot at winning a few of their early games. If it takes a while, it could get ugly in South Bend fast.

3) Who will handle field goals? This might sound like an odd question, but consider Notre Dame will have youth at quarterback and wide receiver. Chances are they won't be able to score as much as they did with a first-round pick at quarterback. So the kicker -- be it Ryan Burkhart, Nate Whitaker or Brandon Walker -- could be the second-most important position battle besides quarterback.

4) Where will the wide receiver production come from? David Grimes is the only proven commodity in a VERY young receiving corps. The new quarterback will have tight end John Carlson as a safety net, but Notre Dame will need someone other than Grimes to become reliable. Will it be sophomore George West? Or Robby Parris, who played well in the Blue-Gold Game? What about incoming freshman Duval Kamara?

5) Can Notre Dame handle a brutal early-season schedule? Sure, there is talk that this team will be like the 2005 one, which stunned pundits by throttling Pittsburgh and beating Michigan to open Charlie Weis' era as coach. But Pitt and Michigan ended up being very mediocre that year. This year, with Georgia Tech, Penn State, Michigan, UCLA, Boston College and USC as six of the Irish's first eight games -- not all of those teams will be over-rated. Four are ranked in the Top 25 and Georgia Tech and Boston College sit just outside of it. And don't sleep on Purdue, either. The Boilermakers see this as their best chance to beat the Irish since before Weis arrived. Notre Dame might end up better than people think -- but this schedule doesn't help them at all.

We'll be back tomorrow with blogging and practice observations from South Bend as fall camp is ready to begin. As always, if there are particular players you'd like us to watch for, drop a comment in the box below or e-mail at mrothstein@jg.net. Same goes with any questions you may have. We'll try to have mailbags throughout the season -- as often as necessary. And ask about whatever you'd like, Notre Dame related or not. It'll be fun.
-By Michael Rothstein of The Journal Gazette

Comments

[Bill Poure]

I am interested in what chris stewart is doing ; iam also trying to follow who will be playing nose guard or tackle .why was chris moved back to offensive guard /i do think hed do well at either position .i like irish insights but we all want to hear what individual players are doing and how theyare progressing thanks bill.