There was more than enough uncertainty surrounding several pivotal areas to concern even the most optimistic Irish loyalist.

Charlie Weis' team was faced with a checklist of items that needed to fall their way if the Domers were to experience a magical season.

If you followed the team closely, it would have been unrealistic not to have had a healthy skepticism over the status of several vital positions.

Injury, inexperience and  position changes all factored into the unease about the viability of six players in particular.

As a result, the questions were many and more to the point, they were justified. Among the most salient queries were these;

Could Maurice Crum Jr. be a true force in the middle?

Was John Carlson the real deal at tight end?

Could the athletic Chinedum Ndukwe have a breakout year and become a safety of note?

Was wideout Rhema McKnight really healthy and could he be as good as ever?

Just how dependable was punter Geoff Price?

Was senior placekicker Carl Gioia going to be a liability?

That seems like an heck of a lot of unknowns.

Getting positive answers to a majority of those questions would have to be considered a plus.

But incredibly and seemingly in defiance of all odds, the Irish are getting good news on all those fronts.

As of now, they're batting 1.000.

Some of that good fortune stems from meticulous preparation and good coaching but most of it is the result of young men rising up to a challenge.

Faced with the pressure of having to meet expectations and make a mark, the aforementioned six gridders are doing just that.

They've been answering the questions hovering over them in a very encouraging way. At least for now. But let's not go overboard at this stage. Two games hardly makes for a full season.

There are still 11 more tilts to go before the final grades are handed out.

But so far things look mighty promising.

What follows is a rundown on what these aforementioned players have been doing so right and so well.

We'll start with Crum because he's been entrusted with the most responsibility and his performance has been the most impressive.

Called upon to relocate from the outside, the gifted junior has been a revelation at the middle linebacker post.

Having played stoutly at Georgia Tech, Crum turned cat killer versus the Nittany Lions. Filling holes adroitly and covering ground with aplomb, the active Crum was all over the field while recording an astounding 14 tackles, three of which went for losses.

It was also Crum's thundering hit on  running back Tony Hunt that helped forced a fumble that omnipresent Tom Zbikowski scooped up and ran in for a touchdown.

In just two games in the middle, Crum has established himself as a genuine leader and a defender to be feared. He plays with aggression, heart and most importantly, smarts.

Crum is making all those who ever doubted his capability to flourish inside feel rather foolish.

As far as Carlson is concerned, we've been hearing reports since last year about what a bright future this guy possessed. He was a standout just waiting to blossom.

It was said that all he needed was a chance to show his stuff.

Consider it shown. Like Crum, the 6-6 tight end looked good against 'Tech but was even better in the home opener.

Niftily shaking loose from defenders and displaying velvet hands, Carlson grabbed hold of six of Brady Quinn's aerials that went for 98 yards. That yardage total was the highest yet achieved by a tight end in Weis' 14-game tenure.

Because he offers such a big target and given his knack for stretching a defense vertically, something very few at his position can do, Carlson could become a Quinn favorite in short order.

Carlson is giving clear indications that perhaps the hype involving him was justified after all.

After last season, Ndukwe was told by Weis to lose some weight so as to enhance his quickness. The senior wisely obliged his coach and now the 6-2 safety is closing on plays like never before.

Undeniably athletic, the one-time receiver finally admits to feeling comfortable on defense. No longer having to over think about schemes and coverages, Ndukwe has become a flash that just reacts and goes.

His performance against Joe Pa's crew was clearly his finest in a ND uniform. It was Chinedum's coming out party.

Aside from his six tackles, the 'duk busied himself forcing a fumble, recording a sack and just for good measure, picking off a pass.

It seemed as if every time you looked up, there was Ndukwe making his presence felt.

Now coming on like gangbusters, Ndukwe is rapidly becoming the perfect compliment to ND's other playmaking safety, Zbikowski.

The waiting appears over. Ndukwe looks to have arrived as a impact player.

Having already proved himself in '03 and '04 as the Domers' top receiver, what many wondered about McKnight was could he overcome a serious knee injury and return to his previous form?

Could he still separate from defensive backs and get into open

space where Quinn was sure to find him?

Well, McKnight appears to have scarcely missed a beat. Having snared eight passes in game one, Rhema added five more last Saturday including his first touchdown catch since last September.

The TD reception was clear cut evidence that the 6-2 McKnight is all the way back because he moved fluidly and quickly on a route that made him a wide-open target in the end zone.

Once again swift of foot and showing hardly a sign of rust after missing most of last year, McKnight looks poised to once again be a difference maker.

Rhema is back to reaming the opposition.

After having spent invaluable time with Irish alum Hunter Smith of the Indianapolis Colts refining his craft, the lessons seemed to have taken hold with the punter Price.

Once an unknown commodity, the Price has been right with his booting.

After a scintillating effort in Dixie when he averaged nearly 51 yards on five kicks, Price really got into one against PSU. The punt traveled a whopping 62 yards.

The kick was key because it pinned the Lions deep in their own territory and helped generate a momentum swing in the ND's favor.

Consistent, accurate and capable of some long distance bombing, Price has to date, exceeded all expectations.

The Irish hope Price will continue to get his kicks.

Finally, we come to the other kicker, Gioia.

After an erratic spring and a far from impressive preseason camp, Gioia was sending up all sorts of red flags. No one knew, least of all Weis, what the Domers were getting in the 5-11, 177-pound senior.

A grey cloud seemed to be following him. And that cloud turned dark black when Gioia botched two field goal attempts versus the Yellowjackets. 

His stock was plummeting fast. There was even speculation that should Gioia miss on his next try, he would be demoted.

Gioia's moment of truth came early in the PSU game. Would he fish or cut bait?

In a scoreless tie, Gioia temporarily answered his critics by punching through a 35-yarder. A short time later, he drilled another one from the same distance.

Gioia had staked the Irish to a 6-0 lead that they would never relinquish.

Were Gioia' kicks from a frightful distance? Definitely not. But they weren't exactly chip shots either.

Having made a technical adjustment with his plant foot, Gioia looked much more confident on his approach and follow-through.

He went a perfect 2 for 2 on Saturday and there was no disputing that each of his kicks were clutch despite their length.

Has Gioia become a sure thing overnight? Nowhere near.

But he did take a giant step toward respectability and becoming someone you can begin to trust.

Under enormous pressure, given what was at stake for him personally as well as his team, Gioia stood tall and delivered.

Emotionally, that was a very big hurdle to clear. Gioia is now positioned to be much more of a plus than a minus.

So there you have it. Six players, each faced with his own unique issues. Each situated on the firing line.

After Saturday's win, it looks like they're all firing back.