Fitch: Nothing comes easy against experienced Irish defense

Posted Aug 31, 2011 by Adam Adkins

Updated Aug 31, 2011 at 11:47 AM

The first test for USF’s offense will come against a very experienced Notre Dame defense, which features eight returning starters from a unit that really gelled toward the end of last season.

The Fighting Irish allowed just 39 points over their last four games in 2010, and Bulls offensive coordinator Todd Fitch knows things won’t come easy against a physical unit led by outside linebacker and rush specialist Darius Fleming (led team with six sacks in 2010), inside linebacker Manti Te’o (lead team with 133 tackles) and safety Harrison Smith (led team with seven interceptions).

“When you have a, I think they probably feel they’re all three All-America candidates, at all three levels of the defense and are surrounded by other just really good football players, you’re going to have to earn what you get,” Fitch said. “You watch the big-play tapes from last year, there’s not a ton of them out there. They don’t give up a lot of cheap plays. You’re going to have to bring your lunch. It’s an all-day affair.”

Fitch feels the Bulls offense had a productive camp, but he’s certainly eager to see if the unit will carry over what it has done in practice into a game.

“What it gets to as a coach, I want to go see them play,” Fitch said. “We’ve been doing this for 20-some-odd practices now, it’s like Christmas. It’s time to open the presents. There’s going to be good, there’s going to be bad, but it’s time we find out exactly where were at, at all positions, and where our strengths really lie.”