The Notre Dame Express, in the form of a clearly improved football team, has managed to leave the station and build up a little steam.
Unlike last year, the locomotive is headed north instead of south, forward instead of back. Furthermore, there doesn't appear to be a major catastrophe awaiting on the tracks ahead.
There may be some sudden stops and delays along the way, perhaps even a minor breakdown or two. But it's hard to envision a train wreck of monumental proportions ala '07 derailing the Irish of '08.
But while things appear headed in the right direction, the Domers have plenty of things to work on and correct before they can be classified as a truly legitimate team. The Irish are a work-in-progress if ever there was one. The journey has just begun.
Based upon their collapse of last season and the multitude of unknowns entering this one, I figured ND would be, at best, 3 and 2 after five weeks of play. On paper, only San Diego State seemed a certain win. Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue had all thoroughly whipped the Irish in '07. A repeat of the same wasn't totally out of the question. And ND had barely escaped being victimized by Stanford at Palo Alto. It wouldn't have been a shock if the Irish had emerged from that gauntlet with a losing record.
But credit Charlie Weis, his staff and most certainly his players for perhaps exceeding expectations. Spurred by a revived offense, an opportunistic though erratic defense and some distinguished special-team play, the Domers stumbled but once in their first five outings. Only a disappointing effort at East Lansing has stained their record.
Significantly, the Irish held serve at home. A veritable pushover in ND Stadium last year where they won but once, the Domers have thus far protected their turf. Though the four wins in South Bend didn't always come easy, ND was, for the most part, in charge of the proceedings.
They were clutch against the Aztecs, active versus Michigan, a second-half juggernaut against Purdue and good enough versus the Cardinal.
Taking care of business at home was essential in order to change the losing culture that had permeated the program last fall. Having proven themselves to be bona fide at home, the Irish must now show some mettle on the road, where five of their last seven games will be contested.
It wouldn't be hype to say that ND's trip to North Carolina this week is huge, for both teams. With identical records of 4 and 1, the winner of this matchup figures to finally get some respect, props and attention. Moreover, the survivor will probably vault into the Top 20 in both polls. A win, for whomever, might also serve as springboard to a wildly successful season.
Hopefully, the Domers learned some valuable lessons from their lackluster road effort versus MSU and will be primed to make amends in Chapel Hill. This has the feel of a signature game that could generate some serious momentum for the Irish if they can get it done on the field.
Key to the contest will be protecting the ball, keeping the jersey of Jimmy Clausen as clean as possible, generating some semblance of a ground attack and getting a more consistent effort from an uneven defense, with the greatest emphasis on the latter.
Though the "D" has been clutch at times and has created some critical turnovers, it has nonetheless allowed way too many big plays, particularly on the ground.
Both early and late, Stanford drove the ball up and down the field and the Irish didn't seem all that equipped to stop the Cardinal. This was worrisome. Only timely interceptions saved the Irish from a dark fate.
Having already played in a very hostile environment at East Lansing, the Irish should be more at ease on foreign soil going forward. More so than the Michigan, MSU, Purdue and Stanford tilts, this tussle with the Tar Heels will be a barometer of how far the Irish have come and perhaps, how far they have to go.
Looking at the schedule beyond North Carolina, the Irish look to be severely challenged. Of the remaining games, only in the Washington and Syracuse contests will ND be a sizable favorite. And given what befell them last season, Weis and the Irish would be total fools to overlook anyone. The Irish are nowhere near good enough to bring their B game and expect to come out on top. They have no reason to feel complacent about any opponent. A fierce hunger for redemption over the grievous sins of last year should be driving them week after week. That and a burning desire to get better with each practice and every game.
What else remains on the docket aside from the Huskies and the Orange isn't exactly comforting. Rapidly improving Pitt and ND nemesis Boston College are real threats. Beating a quirky Navy team is no given. And need anything more be said about USC. If the Irish can get to 8 or 9 wins, that would have to be considered a notable achievement. A job well done.
With a solid start to what might become a nice comeback season, the Irish are in no position to suffer any significant slippage. Their focus must be maintained. The learning curve for Clausen, the offensive line and the youngsters on defense, must continue unabated. For the Irish, there can be no letdown because, on balance, there's hardly any letup in the schedule that lays before them.
A consistent and workmanlike effort against favored North Carolina would be a good indication that the ND Express is still chugging along and isn't about to go off the rails.