SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Since losing to USC, Notre Dame was taking steps, Charlie Weis said. Navy, the Irish's head coach said, was the third step.
He did not mention that the Irish would be stepping into a giant crevasse.
Notre Dame is on full upset alert, with Navy leading 14-0 at halftime and the Irish muddling along in just about every conceivable way.
Navy rushed for 190 yards in the first half against an Irish defense that looked completely unprepared and ill-equipped to stop the triple option. In fact, the Midshipmen recaptured possession with 4 minutes 12 seconds left in the first half and ran out the clock, though the result was a missed 30-yard field goal at the horn.
Meanwhile, the Irish were shut out in the first half for the first time in 10 games, failing to score on four first-half possessions. How did those drives end? Fumble, missed field goal, turnover on downs, missed field goal. (Just for the record, the returning Michael Floyd has four catches for 57 yards.)
Oh, and Navy gets the ball to start the second half.
I see high school football teams every week better prepared to stop the option thatn Notre Dame....reason number 1,342 that Charlie and crew must go..