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Allow me to introduce myself. "Hi, my name is The Leprechaun, and I am an Irish-aholic." To further clarify: I bleed kelly green, I dream of blue-gray skies, and my tears contain tiny flakes of 24 kt gold. I might be embellishing a bit, but truth be told, I am an avid Notre Dame Football fan. On the eve of the 2009-10 college football season I am brimming with anticipation.

I invite everyone, those that share my passion for the Fighting Irish, those that love the game, and those that pledge their allegiance to other teams, to follow my journey through the upcoming season on this blog. I will be documenting my thoughts, emotions, expectations and analysis throughout the season. My hope is to provide an in-depth look at the life of a true ND football fan.

Here is where I stand at this point in time:

I am filled with cautious optimism as the dawn of the upcoming season is upon us. Optimism that began brewing on December 24th, 2008 with Notre Dame’s first bowl victory in 15 years. Hope that gained momentum as we saw Charlie Weis shore up another fantastic recruiting class with the signing of the #1 defensive recruit in the country. Confidence that grows with daily progress reports bringing news of a focused squad that has improved under the direction of a revamped coaching staff. Yet, I must remind myself of the reality of two disappointing seasons preceding the “inevitable success” that I have imagined.

My reasons for hope are measureable.

1. New Leadership

Charlie has finally assumed the role that he is built for, Head Coach AND Offensive Coordinator. ND fans and Weis haters alike cannot deny this man’s masterful ability to put an offense in position to score… a lot. The long overdue addition of a credible, fiery O-Line Coach in Frank Verducci has reportedly transformed a group of now-veteran lineman into the unit that the offense desperately needs to succeed. The new Running Backs coach, Tony Alford, brings a fresh toughness that should result in more aggressive running backs on the field. The introduction of Defensive Line Coach Randy Hart offers a proven track record of success and a wealth of knowledge to the unit that many believe is the biggest question mark heading into ’09.

2. Depth

There is no denying the lack of personnel that Weis and Company has had to work with the last 2 years, regardless of your position on the theory (fact) that the previous regime left the barrel dry. It’s difficult to coach an A+ game plan to a C average team. Until now. Charlie has mentioned in his recent pressers that he feels very comfortable going 2 or 3 deep in virtually all positions on both sides of the ball. I believe we have not seen this kind of quality depth at Notre Dame since the Holtz era.

3. Experience

Aside from the obvious advantage of having Jimmy Clausen heading into his 3rd year as the starting QB, there are other huge experience points that should translate to success. Namely, the offensive line is bringing a combined 100 starts worth of battle tested grit into this season. That’s the most of any major FBS team. Golden Tate and Michael Floyd are the faces of arguably the best receiving core in the nation. The Offense returns 10 starters overall. The Irish defense returns 6 starters, headlined by an athletic secondary. The linebacking core is deep, with 3 Smiths, a Fleming, and a highly touted Te’o. The D-line has noteable depth this year as well, albeit younger and less experienced than the other units on the field.

As the stars seem to align for what should be a breakout season for the Fighting Irish, I can’t help but think back to recent shortcomings. Caution rightfully remains, lurking behind my enthusiasm. Will we see a defense that can’t stop the run? Will we see the running game get stopped on 3rd and short countless times? Will we question stubborn play calling? I don’t think so, it can’t be as bad as last year, and I sure hope not (for Charlie’s sake).

One thing is certain. I will be there every Saturday to do my part. I’ll gird myself with my lucky boxers, I’ll pull my 2009 student shirt over my head (even if this year’s colors are a little off), and I’ll plant my Irish flag in the front yard before retreating to my freshly painted (Blue and Gold) man-cave of a basement to huddle down in front of the tube in time for the duh-dut-duh duuuh duuuuuh on NBC. Of course the exception to this is when I make the short trek to my birthplace, South Bend Indiana, with ticket in hand. In which case the boxers, shirt and flag make the trip.

On a related note, the Beer of the Year has been chosen. Each year I delegate one beverage to accompany me into battle on Saturdays. Last year it was Keystone Light (I know it’s cheap stuff, but my brother and I enjoyed a handful in the North Lot before we witnessed the bashing of the Wolverines from our upper level seats). This year’s brew: Schlitz. Schlitz is a legendary beer that put Milwaukee on the beermaking map back in the day, just as Notre Dame’s legacy was being built far before my time. So feel free to join me in drinking a few recently resurrected Schlitz beers as we witness the Irish rise from the ashes to glory once again.

More articles to come as the Irish strap up for battle against Nevada this weekend.

Until then, GO IRISH!

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