Purdue Boilermakers at Notre Dame Fighting Irish 2010 NCAA College Football Week 1 Odds, Preview, and Predictions: Head football coach Brian Kelly is the ideal man for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish with his fast paced no huddle offence to bring the excitement and winning tradition back to South Bend. Coach Kelly has won championships on lower levels and brought Cincinnati from obscurity to prominence in a short time. So the big question is, can he bring Notre Dame back to a national contender. Head football coach Danny Hope raves about his front seven on defense and likes the athletic talented potential of his offensive skill players. He went just 5-7 in his first year but beat both Ohio State and Michigan something the school has only done twice. “Going into the season, coming off some big wins last year, that gives us some confidence in some ways, which is good,” Hope says. “It’s a whole different football team. If we have the intangibles of last year’s football team, the never-quit, and the want-to that bunch had and at the same time execute better and take care of the football, then we have a chance to be pretty successful.” Vegas odds makers have the Notre Dame Fighting Irish a -10 1/2 point favorite at home against the Purdue Boilermakers.
The big unknown for Notre Dame Coach Brian Kelly is if Dayne Crist can quarterback the spread offense effectively for the new system. Crist is inexperienced playing in only 4 games going 10 for 20 with 1 touchdown and a pick last season. He also had an ACL injury last fall that should be fine. Kelly needs to improve the defense which ranked 84th in the nation last year while giving up 398 yards per game. Vegas odds makers have Dayne Crist at 35/1 odds to win the Heisman Trophy.
Purdue will start at quarterback Robert Marve a transfer from Miami (Fl) that Irish coach Brian Kelly had recruited to Cincinnati. The boilermakers have an established offensive line to protect him and a talented group of recievers with which to throw Purdues short passing game. Sophomore Al-Terek McBurse will get most of the hand offs for the running game. Odds makers at SBG Global have the over/under for the total score at 53 points combined of the Purdue Boilermakers at Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
I’m a firm believer that a coach means a great deal to how a team plays and wins and Brian Kelly has been a winner everywhere he goes. I predict a victory for Notre Dame to begin the Kelly era. Note: Rich Fritz is a Blog Writer on NSAwins.com and not a pro handicapper. For expert College Football Picks against the vegas spreads please visit the NSAwins.com homepage for top predictions today from the National Sports Advisors.