Are the Echoes Finally Stirring?

The Irish are now 3-1 and it could just be me, but the Golden Dome may be shining a little brighter than usual.

No, you didn’t see an article from me last week after the Irish were stomped on by Michigan State. Why? Because we did not play well. Pure and simple. From all the mistakes made to the general lethargic performance: what was there to write about? Plenty of other writers covered it with the “See, we told the Irish are still awful” angle. Why tangle with that?

But now, we’re starting to see the Irish speed, resilience, and strategy that fans like me have been missing for a while. The 35 – 21 victory over Purdue was exactly what the Irish needed at a pivotal point in their season. Clausen has made dramatic improvements in a year, making better decisions when feeling the defensive pressure and being able to scan the field for all the options allowed him to complete 57 percent of his passes for 275 yards (which, by the way, is his new career high).

Other playmakers have continued to step up to the plate including Michael Floyd who had a crucial TD reception in the first game of the season and had a 100 yard game. Golden Tate is also catching some attention for his ability to get open and give Clausen a downfield target.

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The biggest success of this game for me was the third quarter. This was the first time all season that the Irish did not look sluggish in the third quarter and actually played tough football. Historically, they have made crucial errors, failed to convert on third down, and just couldn’t get into the end zone in the third quarter. But not this time. The Irish scored a whopping 21 points in the third quarter, and Clausen made it an entire game with no interceptions.

So here is what Irish fans really want: the third quarter of the game versus Purdue to become the Irish’s consistent approach to football. Fast, dynamic, varied, and ready for the strike. It’s taken some time, but I just might hear a little thunder shaking down.

by Angela Moore
CollegeSports-fans.com Notre Dame Correspondent

More college sports articles by Moore:

• Irish Top Wolverines and Face the Critics’ Disregard

• Irish Fans Breathe Sigh of Relief after First Win of Season

• Irish Fans Have High Hopes for 2008 Season

• The Year of the Upset: What Gives an Underdog the Advantage?

• Parents Love Mike Gundy & His Recruiting Numbers Prove It

• Fighting Irish Need to Fight for More Than the Scoreboard

• Calling All Coaches: We Need Some Integrity - Mike Gundy Article