John Walters

In attempting to forecast the upcoming Notre Dame football season, I am reminded of the words of Howard Jones (the New Wave singer, not the legendary Southern Cal football coach): "Things can only get better."

Watching Saturday's Blue-Gold game in South Bend, there were still many remnants of the miserable 2007 season on display: wide receivers who either dropped passes or were unable to get separation; offensive tackles who could be beaten outside; a lack of imagination on offense; a defensive front seven that is efficient but hardly imposing; and mental errors ranging from imprudently burned timeouts to a fracas to a punt team player (Kyle McCarthy) forgetting to take the field on the game's fourth play.

And yet, things can only get better. Right?

Here are six reasons to be cautiously optimistic (translation: a winning season is possible, a BCS bowl is improbable) about the 2008 season.

1) No Q at QB
There's no question as to whom the starting quarterback will be when the season opens. Sophomore Jimmy Clausen, one of four scholarship quarterbacks to attempt a pass in the 2007 Blue-Gold game, was the only one of those four (the others being Evan Sharpley, Demetrius Jones and Zach Frazer) in uniform for the Irish on Saturday.

Check that: the only one in a football uniform. Sharpley, who plans on playing for the Irish next season, was in baseball uniform. The senior-to-be knocked in two runs with a pinch-hit single at West Virginia as the Irish lost for the first time in 12 games, 11-6.

Clausen was just 10-27 for 183 yards with one touchdown and one interception (returned for a TD), but he looked much better than his numbers illustrate. He has added 17 pounds of muscle to his 6-3 frame and his passes never lacked zip. The 57-yard bomb he completed to Golden Tate was the prettiest spiral he has thrown in a Notre Dame uniform.

Simply put, Clausen looks like a winner. The expectations have been unrealistic -- Powlus-like, even -- from the moment he arrived, but Clausen has made a huge leap since the leaves were last on the trees. 

2) Depth at Receiver
David Grimes has experience. Duval Kamara, size. Golden Tate, speed. Robby Parris, sure hands. And incoming freshman Michael Floyd may be better than all of them. Grimes, Kamara and Tate each had a reception of at least 25 yards on Saturday, while Parris was held out with an injury (a shame…we love Parris in April).

There may not be a Jeff Samardzija in this group, but then again Shark is only the most prolific receiver in school history. Expect Charlie Weis to employ plenty of three-receiver sets this fall.

3) A Secondary that is Primary
Irish fans are going to love Harrison Smith, a frisky 6-2 sophomore safety who will often drop down into outside linebacker coverage. Smith was named Defensive MVP of the Blue-Gold game, finishing with 5 tackles and an interception that he returned for a touchdown. The Tennessee native brings a degree of "just-happy-to-be-here" innocence reminiscent of pre-rock star Samardzija.

Technically, Smith is not a starter. David Bruton and Kyle McCarthy are listed as the strong safety and free safety, respectively, on the depth chart. Smith, however, is a playmaker. It is going to be difficult for defensive coordinator Corwin Brown to keep him off the field.

Weis is looking for playmakers, after all, and this unit is full of them. Cornerback Raeshon McNeil started just one game last season, but he has filled out and looks ready to wrest a starting job from senior Terrail Lambert. As for Darrin Walls, you remember his 73-yard interception return at Penn State last season. And Bruton, a senior, is the top NFL prospect on this roster, something even Weis himself noted on Saturday.

Smith, McNeil and Walls are all sophomores.

4) That's "O-Line," not "Malign"
All five Irish offensive starters weigh in at more than 300 pounds, while "sixth man" Chris Stewart tops them all at 340. Critics will note that being larger was of no help to the Irish line when facing Navy (4 sacks) and Air Force (6) last season. That's true, but in 2008 the offensive line will look better because Clausen will release the ball sooner and because Robert Hughes, Armando Allen and James Aldridge will hit the holes quicker. In return, those four players will benefit from having five offensive linemen who all have a season as starters under their belt.

Brady Quinn never played behind a line this big. Now it's just a matter of time to see if added girth equals added worth.

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5) Unity
Last year, no matter how much the coaches and players attempt to spin it differently, the Irish were bipolar. Players were either seniors competing to enhance their draft status or freshmen who were learning on the job. Nobody was to blame (though some would point the finger at Tyrone Willingham's final two recruiting classes), but the Irish were a team in which you were either "Been there, done that" or "Hello, my name is…".

Just as the heart of any fraternity (or, in the case of Notre Dame, male dorm) is its juniors and sophomores, so is it that way with a football team. And last year's Irish just had too few impact players (Mo Crum, David Grimes, Bruton and Pat Kuntz) in those middle years.

The 2008 Irish are younger, hungrier. This will be a sophomore-heavy team. None of this year's starters have a hangover from the 2005 Southern Cal classic or the BCS bowl losses to Ohio State and LSU. This is a group looking to make its mark.

6) The Schedule
Georgia Tech, Penn State and Michigan. The most inexperienced Irish offense in decades was thrown in to the deep end immediately last September, and it showed. That's no excuse; plenty of coaches would have fielded better-prepared teams than Weis did in 2007 with the same talent.

This year, however, the schedule is kinder, starting with a Sept. 6 home opener versus San Diego State. The Aztecs and the following week's opponent, Michigan, will be breaking in a new starter at quarterback playing his first road game. And four of the first five games are at home. Could the Irish equal their 2007 victory total (3) by the end of September?

Extra Point…Kicker Brandon Walker converted a 31-yard field goal and his 46-yarder had plenty of distance before it struck the left upright.

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