With Charlie Weis in charge, no one doubts that Notre Dame will be anything but dynamic on offense.

In just one season, Weis has transformed the Irish from pedestrian to high-octane when it comes to producing points. Given more time to school his charges and refine his attack, who knows what heights can be reached with Weis masterminding the "O."

Consistent offensive production is almost as much a given as the sun setting in the West. No need for serious concern in that department.

However, defense is an altogether different matter. The biggest and most compelling question surrounding ND football today is can Weiss and his chief lieutenant Rick Minter get the Irish to be anywhere as forceful on defense as they are on the other side of the ball. Notre Dame's return to true elite status and consistent top-10 residency is predicated on the answer.

Let's be honest. At present, the Irish offer a defense that's mediocre at best and even that may be a charitable assessment. Yes, sometimes they can be tough and resilient and there were those occasions when they made pivotal plays in the red zone that were instrumental in preserving a few victories.

But they're hardly consistent. And they're light years away from being considered dominant . They yield way too much yardage in the passing game. Their pass rush is inconsistent and the play in the secondary has been extremely worrisome, bordering on scary.

Even more disturbing has been the "D's" inability to secure that one clutch stop that would have salted away games of monumental importance.

Truth be told, the defense faltered at the most inopportune times last season. Against Michigan State, they coughed up an overtime TD that doomed the Irish. Versus USC and with a historic win within their grasp, they failed on an all or nothing 4th-and-9 situation and then allowed the Trojans to punch in the game winner with seconds left.

Particularly alarming was the breakdown at Stanford. With a BCS Bowl bid hanging in the balance, ND's defense was as passive as were the French in World War II. They allowed the Cardinal to march down the field in short order and seize a late 31-30 lead.

Only heroics from Messrs. Quinn, Samardzija, Stovall and Walker prevented a catastrophic loss that would have cost the Irish $14.7 million in Bowl booty.

And need we even mention the debacle at the Fiesta Bowl in which the Domers came away red-faced after allowing 617 total yards in an embarrassing exhibition.

Failing to come through when it matters the most can be an ominous sign. At this stage, Notre Dame's defense is simply not gritty or confident enough to seal the deal when everything is on the line. That must change if the Irish are to recapture their past glory.

To be kind, ND's defense is a work in progress and that's just the point. That's not nearly good enough if BCS Bowl berths and national championships are what you seek. Generally, only teams with superior defenses reach the top. Notre Dame is nowhere near being a shutdown defense as of yet.

The question is how soon can they become one? When will the "D" prove to be a worthy complement for its electric offense? Can it possibly happen as quickly as '06?

At first blush, one might think that Weis and Minter might need another year or two to reshape and tweak the "D" before it starts coming on like gangbusters. By that time, highly-acclaimed incoming freshmen like corners Darrin Walls, Raeshon McNeil, safety Sergio Brown, 'backer Morrice Richardson and defensive end Kallen Wade should be fully plugged in and making their mark.

But what about the immediate future? Can the defense possibly make a statement in '06?

To be truthful, too much is in the air to offer a definitive answer.

The line has a genuine disrupter in hustling Derek Landri who truly emerged as the season progressed. And Victor Abiamiri can really bring the heat from his end position. But the line needs bigger contributions in both effort and numbers from Trevor Laws and promising sophomore Ronald Talley to become a real consistent factor.

Losing solid contributors like Brandon Hoyte and Corey Mays at linebacker makes the position suspect. Sophomore Maurice Crum showed flashes but beyond him, question marks abound. Can the Irish find the answers from among young studs like Steve Quinn, Scott Smith, and Anthony Vernaglia who may be long on talent but mighty short on experience.

And what about the often porous secondary? Yes, everybody returns with a year's more seasoning but that doesn't necessarily translate into improved play.

The safety spot is the most stable. Tom Zbikowski is a hard hitter with a true nose for the football. Yes, occasionally he gets burned but the guy is a genuine playmaker and impact player. He makes things happen and can ignite a team.

The other safety, one-time wideout Chinedum Ndukwe, offers promise particularly in light of the fact that he is relatively new to defense. Ndukwe is a physical specimen with good range and has shown he's capable of making plays. But, he too, is prone to disappearing on occasion. Can he go from competent to superb is his last year of eligibility? That's hard to predict.

It is at the corners where, above any other position, huge improvement must result if the Irish "D" is to step beyond average.

Mike Richardson is, by and large, adequate but he suffers from breakdowns more than is comfortable. The 5-11, fifth-year player also must become more prominent in breaking up passes and creating turnovers.

Finally, there's corner Ambrose Wooden. If anybody truly typifies the defense's inconsistencies and struggles, it's #22. Despite finishing third in team tackles, Wooten can be exposed. He's the one player opposing teams target when devising a battle plan of how to attack the Irish.

Wooden is tentative, gives up too much cushion and even then has a frustrating knack of getting beat deep time and again. Is Wooden capable of dramatic improvement that would turn him into more asset than liability? Perhaps. But unless he makes big strides in one heck of a hurry, his status as a starter should be seriously in doubt.

Already, Notre Dame is being projected as a possible top-five team next year but that's rather problematical unless the defense comes of age almost overnight. Without considerably better effort from the "D," the Domers will be hard pressed to exceed their nine-victory total of 2005.

It's a given that eventually Weis and Minter will get the defense in order. Why? Because they're winners and won't put up with sloppy or erratic play for long. They simply won't tolerate undistinguished effort and they're sense of urgency will be quickly imparted to their players.

The question is when will that happen? Next year would be a mighty good time to start!