The countdown has begun.

In less than a week, Charlie Weis will take his second version of the Irish down Dixie way.

It's the ND football coach's hope that his troops will take Atlanta much like General Sherman did some 141 years ago only without the overkill.

Should the Irish emerge victorious over Georgia Tech in the season opener, we're confident that the Domers will prove to be much more sportsmanlike than were some of  Sherman's Blue Boys. Needless to say, a few of the Union soldiers got out of hand.

If fortunate enough to win, the Irish figure to be a lot more civilized.

But we digress a bit.

The point is that a new year is dawning. Preseason camp is now but a memory. The real action is ready to start.

So before it does, let us offer a few predictions, observations and comments on what may be in the offing.

That way, we'll have something on the record and can't be accused of Monday morning quarterbacking should any, or dare we say all, of our projections come true.

So let's settle under center and take a few snaps.

The Irish Won't Go Undefeated - Sorry to say but that appears to be the most likely reality. There are just too many variables at work to believe that ND can go through the season unscathed.

A daunting schedule, uncertainty at linebacker and in the kicking game and the key loss of two prime-time performers off the offense seem to make running the table almost an impossibility.

Despite the hype and the panting of a breathless media, ND isn't yet the juggernaut many believe them to be. Looking at things objectively, the Irish will probably stub their toe between now and the end November.

So How Many Will ND Lose? - We'll put the guess at two. It's hard to imagine the Irish running the gauntlet of Georgia Tech, Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue without getting nicked at least once.

And getting by both UCLA and USC won't be an easy chore either.

Because of some of the ridiculously high expectations being bandied about, the perception is that should ND drop a couple of games, the season would be considered a failure.

That's nothing but absolute crap. Should Weis manage to win 10 games in year two and then capture a BCS Bowl contest, the season would have to be considered an unqualified success.

Anything above or beyond that must be thought of as gravy.

Will Brady Quinn Win The Heisman? - As of now, we'd put that proposition at even money. Though the dashing Irish QB is the early favorite to win the coveted award, his trek to the podium in New York is filled with landmines.

With every defense gunning for him and sure to show him plenty of wrinkles and looks, Quinn must be at his best just to survive, let alone excel.

The pressure on Quinn will be immense. In the view of many, he must exceed his spectacular numbers of last year ( 3,919 yards passing, 32 touchdowns) or else be perceived as having regressed a bit. No easy task there.

We don't doubt Quinn's skill or moxie for a moment. He's proven he's a gamer. But with so much scrutiny on him, would it be all that surprising if he stumbled a time or two? After all, the guy is only human.

And don't forget, much of Quinn's Heisman hopes will ride on the performance of his offensive mates. If they don't step up and lend him the necessary assistance, the 6-4 senior has no shot.

For all any of us know, it might come down to that final game versus the Trojans that will determine whether Quinn is deserving of being ND's eighth winner of college football's ultimate individual prize.

Right now, given all that stands before him, we say Quinn's chances are 50-50. Realistically, it could go either way.

The Defense Remains A Question Mark - Though reports coming out of preseason practice are encouraging, the defense is still very much a work in progress.

Until the Irish "D" demonstrates on the field that it can truly assert itself and not fold at critical junctures, you simply can't trust or rely on this unit.

Last year's inexcusable breakdowns against Michigan State, USC and particularly Ohio State are still fresh in the minds of many Irish fans.  It's perfectly understandable to be skeptical of  defensive coordinator  Rick Minter's charges until they repeatedly prove themselves. Only then will confidence in their ability to do the job begin to surface.

There are signs that would seem to indicate that the defense is poised for a major improvement. Weis has said that he likes a lot of what he's seen in practice so far from his defenders.

The Irish also appear to be much quicker and have greater depth on the defensive side of the ball.

And now fully immersed in Minter's system, the nine returning starters are no longer having to think about what to do but rather simply reacting to what's happening before them.

So all of that bodes well for a significant defensive upgrade. But until that supposed growth manifests itself on the field when things matter the most and games are at stake, the jury is still out on the ND "D."

The Irish defense has a long way to go and plenty to prove.

Carlson's Time Is Now - We've been hearing for quite a while that tight end John Carlson is ready to blossom and emerge as a true go-to type of  receiver. Well, the time is now.

With the graduation of the gifted Anthony Fasano,  Quinn will need Carlson to compensate for Fasano's loss.

A fluid athlete who runs well and offers a big target (nearly 6-6), Carlson has star written all over him. He's got nice hands and some nifty moves that should help to free him.

If he can get into simpatico with Quinn and show that he can adjust on the fly when necessary, there's no reason that the Minnesota product can't match or exceed the 47 catches and 576 yards that Fasano put up. 

The promise is there. The potential has been seen. All that's left is for Carlson to make it happen on the field.

With Quinn's able help, Carlson seems destined for a breakout year.

Can Travis Thomas Cut It At Linebacker? - Nine months ago, senior Travis Thomas was ND's second leading ballcarrier.

Now, on the eve of the 2006 campaign, Thomas has transitioned to the linebacker position. A standout on special teams and a physical player who relishes contact, the Irish coaching staff  needed to figure out a way to get him on the field much more often.

Their solution was to move him to a position on defense that needed fortification and was desperate for an infusion of speed.

Thus far, the experiment seems to be working. In practice, the 6-0, 209-pound Thomas has more than held his own and has stood out on occasion. On the surface, he appears up to the task at hand.

But practice is one thing, big-time games are another. Can Thomas pick up the defensive schemes quickly enough to be a major factor right from the start? Can he put his quicks to good use and be effective in both pass coverage and clamping down on the run?

The answers to those questions might very well determine whether ND's defense is better than advertised or mediocre as usual.

If Thomas can settle in quickly and allow his athleticism to come to the forefront, he could be a player of significant impact. He has the potential to be a difference-maker. But his extremely limited experience might work against him.

Regardless, tracking Thomas' progress will be one of the more compelling storylines of the year.

A Baby Back Needs To Step Up - With Thomas' departure, someone else must fill the void and become a viable contributor. With apologies to returning fullback Asaph Schwapp, the most likely candidate to do so will be a freshman.

Because he's still somewhat limited by a previous injury, we'll eliminate heralded James Aldridge from the mix for now. That leaves young turks Munir Prince and Luke Schmidt to pick up the slack.

Both have already shown flashes of brilliance during practice and Weis can't contain the fact that he expects each of them to have a stellar career in South Bend.

Prince is excitement personified with speed to burn. Schmidt is a genuine power back but with a burst that belies his size (6-3, 230). Each of these youngsters brings a dimension to the Irish that they haven't possessed in a long while.

Either individually or in tandem, Munir and Schmidt must provide ND with another dependable option out of the backfield aside from Darius Walker. While acknowledging that they're still wet behind the ears, Weis needs them to grow up in a hurry.

It's hard to imagine the Irish offense being at full throttle without a baby back providing some of the steam.

When Will Weis Win A National Championship? - In all probability, it won't be this year. Too many things need to fall in place for that to happen.

Our guess is that Charlie will reach the summit in 2008. By that time, his great recruiting classes will be in full effect and Notre Dame's defense should have grown into being one of the country's best.

Also, at that stage, either Jimmy Clausen, Demetrius Jones or Zack Frazer should have become a bonafide force at quarterback and be ready to experience a monster season.

It's now not a matter of if the Irish will reach the Holy Grail but merely a matter of when?

Just be patient, Irish fans. The best is yet to come. And 2008 looks like the time when it'll seem things couldn't get much better.

So, there you have it. We've put ourselves on the line.

Be sure to check back in four months to see how we did.

You can be sure that if we prove to be more right than wrong, we'll gladly remind you of that fact.

And should we strikeout on most of our predictions, we'll, let's hope you'll be charitable and won't hold that against us.