educate us

my USC boys get a bit of a break this week after the smacking by UGa last week. Its UAB at home this week, so we can run the record to 3-1 going into the UcheaT game in Knoxville.

I have a good feeling that Texas will beat Rice this weekend. I also think Michael Turner (NIU) will have a career day against Bama.

I say the tide rolls.

Jeff (weed) Smoker is 50/50 to play against ND this saturday. They have a redshirt freshman that would start if he doesn't play. He came out of the game last week with a toe injury

Krenzel also might not play against Bowling Green because of an arm injury suffered against NC St on saturday.

My Illinois State Redbirds travel to Charleston, IL to play the Eastern Illinois Panthers. Defensive standout MLB Boomer Grigsby will be tackling at bone crushing speed. On the flipside of defense, the Redbirds have some notable offensive playmakers (QB Michael Souza, RB Demetrus Johnson, WR Dwayne Smith). It should be a very competitive game, and I'm looking forward to a possiblity of a 3-1 start going into our final non-conference game next week at home against Florida Atlantic.

 

Saturday's game can be seen on Fox Sports Chicago at 1:30.

Jeff (weed) Smoker is 50/50 to play against ND this saturday. They have a redshirt freshman that would start if he doesn't play. He came out of the game last week with a toe injury

I sure hope Brady Quinn Starts.

 

THe other team I root for Iowa, will be going up against ASU (Ranked #16) in what should be a very good game.

By Avani Patel

Tribune staff reporter

 

September 17, 2003, 10:17 PM CDT

 

 

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The pecking order is plainly visible to the players.

 

The depth chart is well-defined to the coaches.

 

For everyone else, the debate continues. Should three-year senior starter Carlyle Holiday still be Notre Dame's quarterback? After Holiday completed 5-of-14 passes for just 55 yards in the 38-0 loss to Michigan, should the reins simply be handed to freshman phenom Brady Quinn?

 

"As of right now, no," Quinn said this week.

 

But could Quinn take over soon?

 

"He's getting close, but he has had only two games, and when you look at it, probably maybe all of 20 reps," offensive coordinator Bill Diedrick said. "So that's not really enough."

 

Diedrick, in charge of transforming Holiday from an option-style quarterback into the drop-back passer Notre Dame's West Coast offense demands, conceded Holiday's progress has been slow.

 

"At times, it seems like it's baby steps. But you still have to crawl before you walk and walk before you run," Diedrick said. "And it's about time for some of us to step up and begin running."

 

Holiday said he is ready to do just that as the 1-1 Irish prepare for Michigan State on Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium. "It's just a matter of executing and remaining a little bit more poised," he said.

 

Holiday has been dealing with pressure since his days as the quarterback at San Antonio's Roosevelt High School.

 

"When you lose a game there you have everybody going crazy on you," Holiday said. "It's not this intense, it's a lower level, but it prepared me a little bit."

 

Holiday said he's concerned simply with getting his game—and his team—back on track.

 

"Coach [Tyrone Willingham] is not a guy who will play just seniors," Holiday acknowledged. "He wants the best lineup and he still feels I'm the best guy out there to lead this team. And that just boosts my confidence right there."

 

Having Quinn so close on his heels, Holiday said, is also a positive.

 

"It does nothing but help you out in every way—in practice, in the game," Holiday said. "It pushes you. You may not want to hear some of the things being said, but at the same time it helps you because … that's kind of a motivation factor."

 

As the quarterback at Notre Dame, Holiday labors in a national spotlight.

 

"I judge him every day, and the public is going to judge him every day, and unfortunately the public is unforgiving, so every mistake is magnified," Diedrick said. "But he is moving forward. It may not be as fast as someone in Row 35, Seat 12 likes. And it's definitely not as fast as we would probably like. And it's probably not as fast as Carlyle would like."

 

Quinn, on the other hand, has made quick progress for a first-year player.

 

"I feel pretty comfortable [in the offense]. I think I have a pretty good grasp," Quinn said. "Of course, I'm a true freshman, so I don't really have that experience to back that up."

 

Teaching Holiday the offense has been tougher than it was to teach the same system at Stanford when he took over as the school's offensive coordinator in 1998, Diedrick said.

 

"Basically, they were in a very, very similar offense, so the installation of it was rather easy. It would be like giving a car a polish job," Diedrick said. "Here, you're rebuilding from the frame up. Everybody's expecting quantum leaps. You could say it's jumping from pre-algebra to calculus. You skipped algebra, geometry and finite math."

 

Would it be difficult to bench Holiday if Quinn proved to be the swifter student? No, Diedrick said.

 

"It's easy, because whether it's a quarterback position, wide receiver position, offensive line, the best players who are going to help the team win are going to play," Diedrick said. "It's as simple as that."

Copyright © 2003, The Chicago Tribune

10 mins till kickoff!