SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Charlie Weis believes he has a better team than a year ago.

The Notre Dame coach is eager to see whether he’s right, and believes Saturday’s game against Georgia Tech should provide a good indication of just how good the second-ranked Fighting Irish can be.

“I think the excitement of having your players go against somebody other than yourself, that’s always exciting,” he said Tuesday. “Going on the road to me is always exciting, and going against a topflight opponent is always exciting.”

Although Georgia Tech is not ranked, Weis pointed out that the Yellow Jackets have won six of their past seven openers, including a 23-14 win at No. 16 Auburn last season — one of six ranked teams Georgia Tech has beaten the past four seasons.

“This is going to be a tough task we’re going down there for and that excites me,” Weis said. “That’s part of being a competitor.”

Weis has said repeatedly throughout camp that this year’s team is better than last season’s squad that finished 9-3 and ranked No. 9. At this time last year, he still wasn’t sure who would start at some positions. This year, there are many more answers.

“I know who can do what, so I wouldn’t say I have too many questions about what we can or cannot do,” he said.

He knows others do have questions, though, especially about the defense. The Irish ranked 75th in the nation last year in total defense — their worst showing since the squad that finished 2-7 in 1962 finished 81st. The 397 yards a game given up last year were a school record, and the Irish often were beaten for big plays.

But Weis is confident as Notre Dame prepares to play a team with a standout wide receiver and quarterback who can run as well as throw. That combination spelled trouble in the Fiesta Bowl last year, when the Irish defense surrendered a school-record 617 yards total offense in a 34-20 loss to Ohio State.

“Everyone’s telling me how bad the defense is. I guess we’ll just have to wait until Saturday night to find out,” Weis said. “We’ll see if we have any speed or not.”

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Weis said the biggest reason he is confident the Irish will be better this season is the number of veteran linemen on both sides of the ball. The Irish return four starters on the defensive line, and two backups also have started. On the offensive line, four starters return.

“Anytime you have an experienced group of linemen on both sides of the ball, that bodes well for your chances. (Bill) Parcells told me a long time ago it always starts with the big guys,” he said. “Any time you have two veteran lines you have to think you have a chance.”

The fifth starter on the offensive line, right tackle Sam Young, will be the first Irish player to start his opening game on the offensive line in more than 30 years. Some might think starting a freshman is a sign of weakness, but Weis sees it is as a sign of depth.

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Weis said the fact the Irish have eight freshmen to their two-deep chart shows that the Irish are deeper, saying he now has at least 10 players he is confident about using in the secondary. Last season, he was hesitant to go any deeper than five players.

“I believe we have enough guys now where I can put another guy in there and not say, ’Oh no, what’s going to happen now?”’ he said.