Resiliency needed
Weis said after the loss to Michigan that his confidence was not shaken one bit. The first person he blamed for the loss was himself, and as soon as the game ended, he began the process of rallying his troops.

The coach needs for his team to prove it is resilient. He believes it is, and he believes it has the ability to bounce back from the bitterly disappointing loss to Michigan. There is still a lot of season to be played, and the Irish need a good frame of mind going forward.

To get this sort of positive mentality, the players must have the realization that each week, each game, is its own entity. The past is the past, and from it a team learns from its mistakes, but it can't dwell on them.

Sure the loss to Michigan was a downer for the Irish. The best way to get past it is for the coach and team to take ownership for having let it happen (with all due credit given to Michigan), and then file it away as a bad day full of mental mistakes, turnovers, and a level of play substandard to what is expected at Notre Dame.

The only way to get the sour taste of defeat out of a team's collective mouth is for the players to get back on the field and get wins. With each win, the memory of a disappointing loss fades some more. 

Spartans pose a serious threat
The Irish have lost seven of their last nine games to Michigan State, which is 3-0 this season. Although the Spartans have won only five games in each of the past two seasons, for some reason their play is extremely competitive when facing Notre Dame and Ohio State. They know how to rise up to play the Irish and Buckeyes real tough.

Slide show   Week in Sports Pictures Flying on the hardwood, racing on the rink, getting physical on the gridiron, and much more. more photos

Taking on Michigan State at East Lansing will be a real test of will and skill for the Irish as the Spartans pose as big a threat to them as did Michigan.

Henne pretty much had his way against the Irish last week, and Drew Stanton, the Michgan State quarterback, is a gutsy, multi-dimensional player whom I have rated higher than Henne. And in my opinion, the Spartans' defense is much more athletic than that of the Wolverines.

So Notre Dame is getting thrown right back into the fire, but as a player that's what you want. Bring on the moment of truth.

Weis and his coaching staff are on top of things, but the fate of the Irish season is in the players' hands. They'll have the game plan to be successful, but they'll have to execute it with precision to win.

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