Notre Dame Notes From 10-30-07

Off to a 1-7 start entering November, how the Irish football team has fallen has been the topic of numerous news stories and countless hours of debate among fans and experts alike.
Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis has the same questions as well.
"I probably, with the transition that we've had from last year to this year, I've not done the best job of having the team ready to go on a week-in and week-out basis," Weis said. "We probably should leave it at that one. If you were looking for me to give a whole dossier of problems that have happened this year there have been too many things. So if want good fodder, let's throw me out there, OK."
When pressed, Weis said that his team's overall inexperience has been a factor in the team's poor play this year.
"It's a factor, but that's what it is, a factor, not the factor," Weis said. "There's a lot of things that you come. When you do that, it'd be easy for me to sit there and say if these five things weren't the case, we'd be 7-1 right now. Well, the problem is they are the case.
"I started with what I think is the Number 1 reason and if you start with the head coach doing a better job, then you probably have a better record."

Hughes Excused
Notre Dame freshman running back Robert Hughes has been excused from the team indefinitely after his brother, Earl "Tony" Hughes, died unexpectedly Monday.
Hughes left the team Tuesday and it is unknown when he'll return.
"I told him as much time as he needs," Weis said. "I don't know how long that will be. When he gets back, he gets back. There are more important things and that's right now to be with his family."
Weis said he didn't give Hughes a timetable for his return. Hughes has gained 42 yards and scored one touchdown this season.

Aldridge Back
The week off seems to have healed sophomore running back James Aldridge, who didn't play against USC after suffering a high ankle sprain against Boston College.
Aldridge has been the team's leading rusher, gaining 249 yards on 67 carries, but the Crown Point native has no touchdowns.
"He's back and ready to go," Weis said. "It was encouraging watching him running around. I let him know last week that it'd be important Monday for him to be running around so it lets us know we could count on him. Judging on yesterday, he's ready to go."

This and that
Weis confirmed junior quarterback Evan Sharpley will start Saturday. ... Notre Dame figures to play less nickel and dime packages and more rotating between the 3-4 and 4-3 front seven looks against a run-first team like Navy. ... By using most of last week for recruiting, the Notre Dame staff is out of in-season recruiting days on the road. Weis said his staff "blanketed the country" last week.

-By Michael Rothstein of The Journal Gazette