He's been through a lot in 2003, so don't expect Notre Dame quarterback/wide receiver Carlyle Holiday to know about his future at the University just yet."I really haven't thought about [next season]," said Holiday, who has one year of eligibility left. "I'm just trying to finish the season up then after the season think about what I'm going to do."If Irish coach Tyrone Willingham has any say, Holiday will be back in a Notre Dame uniform in 2004."We are extremely hopeful that Carlyle will return because we think he can add a great deal to our football team. I have not sat down and discussed next year's possibilities with Carlyle yet," Willingham said. "At the conclusion of the season at some point, I will sit down and do that."Holiday started the season at quarterback for the Irish, but was moved to wide receiver after freshman Brady Quinn became the No.1 quarterback. Next season, Holiday could either be a backup quarterback or see more playing time at receiver, similar to the position switch former Notre Dame quarterback and San Francisco 49ers rookie Arnaz Battle made two years ago.Holiday said he's still getting accustomed to the position move."Right now I'm just trying to learn how to block and being in the receiver's shape," Holiday said. "It's different because you run out there and try and attack someone on everyday. You're still going out there and trying to play. It's totally different from playing quarterback."
BCS implicationsWhy will most of the nation be watching a game Saturday between two teams with losing records?Because the outcome of the Notre Dame-Syracuse game could have a tremendous effect on the national championship game.If Notre Dame beats Syracuse, the game will help second-ranked USC because the Irish win will help boost the Trojans' strength of schedule, one of several factors the Bowl Championship Series rankings use to determine the two teams who play in the title game. Conversely, if Syracuse wins, third-ranked LSU will be aided because USC's strength of schedule will decrease."Wow, that puts us in a bind," senior linebacker Courtney Watson said of a Notre Dame win helping out the school's fierce rival. "I don't want to see USC there, but not at the expense of us losing the game.""It's interesting to see how our game affects that," quarterback Brady Quinn added. "But we're doing our best to win our game and not worry about the situation. If that helps them, so be it. We're going to do the best we can to win this year." No intentional disrespectWhen Notre Dame ran onto the field less than three minutes before kickoff Saturday, the team interrupted Stanford's pre-game ceremony for seniors, who were playing their final collegiate game.Stanford receiver Luke Powell called the move "disrespectful", but Notre Dame spokesman John Heisler said the Irish were just sticking to a pre-arranged schedule set by ABC that determines when teams exit and enter the field prior to kickoff.Heisler said Notre Dame ran onto the field exactly when they were supposed to and given the go-ahead by a Stanford administrator in charge of enforcing the timeline.
