Quick Post-Game Thoughts

It finally happened. Navy beat Notre Dame to end a 43-game series losing streak.
Not much else can be said. Sure, James Aldridge and Armando Allen had good days running the ball, but the Midshipmen run defense wasn't exactly stout. And the Irish struggled to pass against one of the nation's worst pass defenses.
Plus, Notre Dame couldn't deal with the Navy option as well as Rick Minter's defenses did the past two seasons.  Yes, those two teams had more talent, but defending the option is more about assignment and less about skill.
The thing people will remember from this game, though, is that Navy won. It ended the streak and earned the Naval Academy students a rare day off Monday.
"It means a lot," Navy sophomore fullback Kevin Campbell said. "It's been 40-odd years. That's a pretty big accomplishment."
And in the context of this season, it moved Navy one win closer to bowl eligibility -- the Midshipmen now have five -- and dropped the Irish one loss closer to their worst season in school history (that year is debatable). Then again, Navy should have seen this coming. After all, former Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz gave the Midshipmen a pep talk on ESPN earlier this week. When the former Irish coach is talking to the opponent, that officially means this season is kaput.
Either way, if this Notre Dame season needed an exclamation point -- it received it Saturday.

Notes

• Pat Kuntz left the game in the first half due to injury and did not return.
• Notre Dame's fifth straight loss is a school record.
• Navy coach Paul Johnson said Chris Kuhar-Pitters' fumble recovery for a touchdown in the fourth quarter was the play of the game.
• This was the first triple overtime game in Navy history.
• Notre Dame hasn't punted against Navy since 2004.

-By Michael Rothstein of The Journal Gazette

Comments

[E]

A lot of comments to be said, but poor play calling at critical times by Weis sealed the loss. Also, I think Sharpley proved he is NOT the man. He is a good back up, but lacks consistency and good judgement. There is a definite speed difference between Aldridge and Allen. Aldridge had nice runs, but lack of speed shortened many of them. Hopefully JC will return next week. These last few games will be good training for next year.

[Schultz]

first let me say that it is impossible to not be happy for navy, those players, and the fine men and women that represent our country.

now to the game: the way that sharpley continues to take sacks is beyond me. i dont care what weis says about the wind and about bwalk missing in practice. you have to play the percentages, and there is a much better chance of making a 41-yard FG than converting a 4th and 8. this loss is incomprehensible. ill watch ND football for the rest of my life and this 2007 season will forever be the low-point.

[Dustin]

I really do believe that Weis blew that game for them. He should take full credit for the game. You put the kid on scholarship to kick field goals, let him try it whats their to lose. I think the excuse was plain crap about kicking into the wind. Im sorry he could of gotten closer but he ran the clock out. The 4th and 15 fake field goal was the dumbest call I ever saw. Weis needs to lose the ego and try to get points instead of converting fourth downs.

For all those people out their think that Sharpley should start, I think with out of doubt he proved yesterday he is not that good. He had alot of guys wide open and missed them big time. Also, he needs to throw the ball away AND NOT GET SACKED!!!! Im sorry, Clausen is better then Sharpley and Jimmy should start next week and beyond. At least he throws it away when nobody is open.

Weis is at full fault for this game. I am sorry, I thought we should of won. Sharpley benched, Clausen starts. Great job by Aldrige and Allen and I think Hughes need to get the ball more too. Grimes and West shouldnt see the field anymore. Its time to build for the future and let the younger guys play. The one thing keeping Weis at ND is the way he is recruiting, which im still skeptical how much these guys are really committed. Omar Hunter is taking a offical to USC in a month or so. Not good. GO IRISH!!!

[STEVE LIGUZINSKI]

"I never like when there's a coaching change because there's families involved. Trust me, I've been an assistant coach my whole life. Wives move, kids have to change schools, it's never a comfortable situation. But I came here because expectations were not met. And my job here is to raise those expectations. I'm not talking about it as an alumnus, I'm talking about it as the football coach. My job is to raise the expectation of the football team and the players, that's why I'm here.

Now, there's a number of issues that that's related to but let's talk about first and foremost, a quote, that Bill Parcells said to me years ago. You are what you are, folks, and right now you're a 6-5 football team. And guess what, that's just not good enough. That's not good enough for you, and it's certainly not going to be good enough for me. So, if you think they hired me here to go .500, you've got the wrong guy. But you are what you are. How fast or how well we get and how long it takes to get to the top, I'm not giving you those answers. I'm not going to predict that. But I can tell you this. You are going to have a hard-working, intelligent, nasty football team that goes on the field because the attitude of the head coach will be permeated through the players. And I hate to include the nasty, but that is part of being a winning football team. "HOPE YOU HAVE THE GOHONEES TO ASK THIS QUESTION TO COACH WEIS

[BB]

Sat's game almost makes me miss Ndukwe. He ate up the pitch man.