Really Late ND Thoughts

Sorry I haven't been putting out as many columns as I was early in the season but I've been getting burnt out by the way this season has played out. I've gotten tired of my own continued pessimistic view of the coaching staff and the way things have played out. So I'm trying to ratchet back on my opinion columns and just talk about the good stuff. My expectations have been sufficiently lowered by the Rutgers loss and I'm just along for the ride now.

So about that ND game it was certainly exciting and it was a win on national tv, which is always good. I'm impressed at the way the team can bounce back from bad performances. Bostick won the game and that is really all that matters. I'm certainly hoping for Stull to play against Louisville if he is completely healed from the concussion. Baldwin is continuing to show how much of a playmaker he is and what he can do with the football. Shady needs to stay another year in college because he would be a sure-fire Heisman contender next season. I've never seen a back who is better in confined spaces than him and nobody is playing better football at the moment.

Defensively I think the big story is the emergence of the defensive line. There was a good deal of hype on this unit in the preseason and it seems as though they have figured out their game. Sheard is an absolute beast as a pass rusher and Mick Williams is fantastic at DT for a player his size. The problems are still really big problems in the secondary. Scott McKillop could win the Butkus Award and is going to go down as an all time great Panther. 

So we are 6-2 and bowl eligible, that is something. I have absolutely no idea how the rest of the season is going to play out but I still think 8-4 is the minimum acceptable finish. Hopefully, winning another big road game can turn our fortunes around at home. For whatever reason and I think blaming the home fans is ridiculous this team plays poorly at home. Louisville is certainly not a gimme win and they could be better than ND.

I may be back tomorrow with a general college football column, if not I will be back with a Pitt-centric column.