Notre Dame Hopes to Be College Football's Gold Standard Again

Is the 2009 football season BCS or bust for Notre Dame? The Irish aren't saying.

"We are not talking - you don't win games by talking," junior defensive end Kerry Neal said. "Talk is cheap. I think the less said is better."

Amen.

Notre Dame opened preseason practice Saturday and, by all appearances, this is the best team in five years under head coach Charlie Weis. He has experience at just about every position on offense and most on defense. In fact, the team's 18 returning starters are the most at Notre Dame since 2001. The Irish also were ranked No. 23 in Friday's USA Today preseason football coaches' poll, suggesting Notre Dame isn't out of sight, out of mind after its struggles the past two seasons.

However, when it comes to expectations and big dreams this year, don't bother to prod the Irish or make Leprechaun jokes.

"We have been talking in the past, 'We're Notre Dame. We're Notre Dame this,'" receiver Golden Tate said. "So we're coming out September 5th and we're going to show everyone."

It's the season opener against Nevada when the Irish hope to show at least that the foundation has been set to put Notre Dame among the best football programs in America again. Weis, who has been praised as an offensive genius and ostracized as a play calling dummy in the same breath, isn't looking over his shoulder or making any promises.

He wants results.

"First of all, I can't live in last year. I mean, what do you want me to do, sit there and do cartwheels over the Hawaii Bowl? I can't worry about things like that," Weis said in reference to Notre Dame's 49-21 win over Hawaii in the Hawaii Bowl. " I can only worry about here and now.

"This isn't about me. This is about us This is about one group of guys, coaches and players, that have very similar expectations. But it doesn't do much good for me to say them any more. Until we start showing we can back 'em up, it's just hot air. But let's not talk about it; let's go do something about it. Don't tell me about expectations.

"Show me."

The show, of course, starts at quarterback, where junior Jimmy Clausen looks to make better decisions in the pocket and prove he has matured into an elite player. There is no question his season-ending performance last year against Hawaii - Clausen went 22-for-26 for 401 yards and five touchdowns -- left Irish fans smiling.

Clausen says he feels far more comfortable in his skin since he arrived in South Bend, Ind., from California three years ago as the nation's top-rated high school recruit. He has started 22 of the 23 games he has played in and already ranks among the top 10 all-time in six offensive categories at Notre Dame. But he's also underachieved and left fans wondering if he will ever reach his potential.

"When things were going bad the first few years, I got a little down," said Clausen, who recorded the third-most prolific passing season in Notre Dame history last year with 3,172 passing yards (268-of-440 pass attempts).

"But coach Weis says it the best. When things are going good you have to stay level-headed. If things are going bad you want to stay level-headed. I didn't know exactly what I was getting into when I came here. But this is my life now, and I am dealing with it."

Clausen and the offense should have a different look this season.

For starters, Weis will handle the play-calling after he handed the duties last season to Mike Haywood, who is now the head coach at Miami (Ohio). Notre Dame's ground game is expected to be far more productive and physical behind an experienced line (six players have starts), and the receiving corps might be among the program's most talented.

Clausen wants to be better, too.

Although Clausen tossed 25 touchdown passes last season, he also had 17 picks, the second most among the country's top-60 rated quarterbacks. Clausen also has never rushed for a touchdown at Notre Dame, and there's whispers he may show more mobility in the pocket this season.

When Weis was asked what area's Clausen needed to show improvements in, he didn't blink, saying, "First of all the percentage of touchdown to interceptions has to change, okay? We have to be a lot more careful with the ball, not forcing the ball into coverage. I think that's going to be very important.

"I feel confident that ratio will drastically change from where we've been in the past to now. I feel very confident of that. Some of the things I identified as weaknesses of his, he spent a lot of time in the spring working on. I think some of those things he's already shown some great improvement. Once again, now it's time."

Clausen, who ranked 43rd in passing efficiency nationally (132.49) and 40th in total offense (238.38) last season, plans to take better care of the football. He threw just two touchdowns passes in Notre Dame's final four regular-season games, a span that saw the Irish beat Navy but lose to Boston College, lowly Syracuse and USC.

"It's about taking what the defense give you," Clausen said. "I've been watching more film. When there's not a throw, don't force it. Check the ball down. If the back is in protection, run the ball or just throw it away -- don't take as many chances."

The Irish will have a number of early chances to show they are capable of having a big season. After Nevada, their September schedule as a Big Ten flavor to it with games against Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue. Of course, USC marches into Notre Dame Stadium on Oct. 17.

If you are looking for promises of grandeur from the Irish, don't bother. Mum's the word.

"I think when you look at development of your program, okay, where is your program going into this season? That's what we're really talking about," Weis said.

"Where are you right now? I could sit there and tell you how lofty goals I have, my expectations. But guess what, it's time for us to back them up. That's what we have to do. The only way to back them up is by backing them up on the field. There's no sense in giving a lot of hot air about these lofty expectations without going ahead and backing it up, and that's what we're going to try to do."