Conference Independent Offensive scheme Pro-style | 2007 record 3–9 | |
Head coach Charlie Weis (3rd year) Offensive coordinator Michael Haywood (3rd year) Defensive coordinator Corwin Brown (1st year) | ||
The 2007 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Charlie Weis and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. For the first time in school history, Notre Dame opened the season with five losses (Notre Dame's worst opening prior to 2007 was 0–3). Their nine-loss season was also a school record.
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Coaching changes
With the end of the 2006 season, two assistant coaches' contracts came up and were not renewed by the Irish. Rick Minter, the defensive coordinator who had been with the Irish since the 2005 season, was replaced by Corwin Brown, and Peter Vaas, the quarterback coach who had also been with the Irish since 2005 after David Cutcliffe left the position, was replaced by former Irish quarterback, Ron Powlus. Both Powlus and Brown played college football and had time playing in the NFL. Brown was previously an assistant coach for the New York Jets and Powlus had been Notre Dame's director of personnel development since 2005.
Roster changes
The Irish lost a number of players to graduation and the NFL. Former consensus All-American, and two-year starting wide receiver, Jeff Samardzija, was signed by Major League Baseball's Chicago Cubs as a pitcher, while twelve others were signed onto NFL teams. Former offensive starters Brady Quinn, Ryan Harris, and Dan Santucci and defensive starters Victor Abiamiri, Derek Landri, Mike Richardson, and Chinedum Ndukwe were taken in the 2007 NFL Draft, while five others, Marcus Freeman, Chris Frome, Travis Leitko, Rhema McKnight, and Darius Walker, signed contracts with NFL teams. The team returns three starters on offense and five on defense. Despite the number of high-profile losses, Weis refused to call it a "rebuilding year," citing a number of fifth-year seniors that he owes to try to win.
Recruiting
The Irish added 18 players to its roster with high school recruits. Included in the class were five-star quarterback recruit Jimmy Clausen, nine four star recruits on offense, and four on defense. The class was named a top-15 class by most media.
Award candidates
Four players were named to six national awards watch lists in the pre-season:
Schedule
The 2007 Notre Dame schedule was ranked the 13th hardest in the country by Sports Illustrated. The road schedule was ranked as the 10th most difficult.
Awards
Upon the conclusion of the 2007 season, several players won All-American honors. Freshman standout Ian Williams was named to the 2007 AON Insurance Freshman All-America Team, the Football Writers Association of America announced during their annual banquet. He was one of six true freshmen named to the defensive unit on the FWAA Freshman All-America Team and was one of 13 of the 28 freshman All-America selections who was a true freshman this season. Williams was also named to the CollegeFootballNews.com all-freshman third team and was an honorable mention member of The Sporting News all-freshman team. Seniors John Carlson and Trevor Laws also picked up second team Academic All-American honors from ESPN The Magazine and the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
NFL Draft
Four Notre Dame players were drafted in the 2008 NFL Draft. Senior tight end John Carlson went 38th overall to the Seattle Seahawks. Later in the second round, DE Trevor Laws was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles at 47th overall. In the third round, safety Tom Zibikowski was the 86th selection, going to the Baltimore Ravens. Center John Sullivan was the final Notre Dame draftee, going to the Minnesota Vikings in the sixth round. Three players that were not drafted quickly signed with NFL teams as free agents following the NFL Draft: linebacker Joe Brockington signed with the Buffalo Bills, long snapper J.J. Jansen signed with the Green Bay Packers, while running back Travis Thomas joined former teammate and co-captain Brady Quinn in Cleveland.