"I did enjoy hearing from Borges in this week's press conference that Michigan barely got into the offense."
Can anyone give me some more context on this quote? Was he saying that their staff saved plenty of stuff for ND? Or more that, since its a new system, they don't have the entire playbook installed yet?
1) I'm an ND fan and this game worries me. It worries most of the ND fans I know. We know that going into your stadium for a night game will not be easy. Yes, I think we have certain advantages, and it won't surprise me if we're favored, but Michigan definitely has some things working in their favor too. I'm not at all overconfident about this one.
2) Not sure where some people are getting the "ND has an easy schedule" idea (like the poster above). Probably no elite (top 5) teams on the schedule, but no real gimmes either. I think any pre-season strength of schedule ranking you want to look at will back me up here.
And those weights across the line don't include the guy ND fans are most excited about- Louis Nix and his 330 lbs. He might not start right away, but he'll get a lot of playing time this year (rotating with Cwynar (your 285)). ND fans think this should be our best defense in a long time.
I am worried about what some posters have pointed out- not knowing exactly what Michigan is going to throw at us with your new offense. The first game won't tell ND much, unfortunately. I think Michigan will have a nice advantage there.
Not really. Neither is a great runner, but Rees barely runs at all. Crist used to be a solid runner, but not sure how that will look after his second knee surgery. Kelly will have him run a few times per game this year though, he has to in Kelly's offense. Rees might be a bit more accurate with the short throws. Crist has a better arm.
I'd say probably a bit more ignorance than jealousy. That's not not a slight, just a fact when you're dealing with fans of another team (i.e. ones that don't know ND's roster all that well). I mean, I just read things like "they lose all defensive contributors except Te'o" and "no offensive line!"
The question marks for me are just basic things like a new QB and the offense learning a new system (which some have mentioned). I actually have more faith in the defense this year than the offense (at least initially).
Anyway, there are definitely reasons why ND could be a pretty mediocre team again this year. But I don't think it's "insane" to think they'll finish in the top 25. Since there will very good talent on the field, I guess the thought is that Kelly will not turn out to be very good. I guess you guys can hope for that!
Seriously though, no one should be surprised that Coach Rod continues to pull in recruits of very questionable character. He's always done it.
Between Kiffin and Rodriguez, Irish rival coaches sure are something.
I don't really understand why this is always an issue.
Yes, ND admits football players with grades/test scores far below what the average student has to get to be admitted to ND. Every school does this. You don't have to be a genius to get into ND! That said, a potential football players still has to try and take certain courses in high school, and get a decent ACT/SAT, in order to get in. Definitely tougher for a football player to get into ND than most other schools.
But I think the real difference between ND and pretty much any other school you'll see in the top 25 (besides Stanford) is what happens once the football player gets into school. There are no joke majors (although there are some joke classes that athletes do their best to get into). Nope, definitely no Kinesiology major. If you're a football player, you're going to every class, studying your butt off, and getting your degree. And yes, there are tutors and programs to help them out, but not any different than any other school.
I really don't mean to put down any other school, but I just think people should realize that academics for football players at ND are different than those at most other schools. That's a good thing, and I wish people wouldn't scoff at it or try to pretend it doesn't exist just because they don't like ND. This stuff is becoming a cesspool, and I'm glad some schools are still trying.
They're not "meaningless." They should be taken in context, of course. Some of that context is the Big East competition and you're right, that competition is not great.
Additional context is just as important. For example, that ~25th ranked defense is made up of very lowly-ranked guys, most of whom (10 of 11) are new starters. It's not like Kelly took a defense full of 5star players and only mustered a ~25th ranked defense against the crappy Big East. The competition was pretty equal.
So taken together, the stats and the context basically tell you that Cincy had a pretty solid defense.
A year where Cincy had to replace 10 starters on defense...
Scoring Defense:
Cincy- 24th in the country
Michigan- 79th in the country
Yards per play is another indicator I like:
Cincy- 27th in the country
Michigan- 70th in the country
I have some question marks with Kelly, but I think his defense is getting a worse rap than it should. First 8 games of the year no team put up more than 20 on them. The last 4 they gave up much more, maybe they were worn down.
Charlie probably should have kept his mouth shut on this one. Although apparently it was supposed to be off the record, and only one of the 4 or 5 reporters in the room chose to publish it.
But whatever, if this causes some local newspaper to look into it, or if some woman comes forward, I'll love it.
Kyle McCarthy was a lower ranked white safety from Mooney too. He ended up started a couple years from ND and was a pretty damn good player. If I were you guys, I'd not freak out about this. See how he's doing in a couple years.
There are plenty of reasons I could pass up a million dollars. But that doesn't make it likely, or a good decision.
Your second point is the interesting one.
I agree with a lot of what you wrote.
I do like Harbaugh a lot as a coach. My only problems are a) he's a Michigan man (ha, sorry, but true) and b) I think he wants to go to the NFL. Neither is enough to write him off though.
Don't underestimate the feeling of wanting to start anew after you've been at a place for a decade and are starting to become underappreciated. OK, I'll stop banging the Stoops drum here, I just don't want you guys to be too shocked if it does happen ;)
We are actually very painfully aware of the fact that many programs have passed us by in the last 15 years.
But that doesn't mean this next hire will be a bad one.
I'm not going to predict anything. All I'm saying is that the Stoops rumors right now are at an all-time high, and it wouldn't shock me at all. And if not Stoops, I'm not sure why Kelly would pass it up.
The next 3 or 4 days will be very interesting.
The athletic department has been very tight-lipped about the search.
This must be an attempt to keep everyone in the dark as to what's really going on.
I agree with the poster above who said that the article is pretty worthless.
I don't think it is completely out of the question that Stoops would leave, but the chances are pretty damn slim.
I'd be pissed if we got Ferentz. Kelly is the obvious choice here. If we don't get Kelly, there is something seriously wrong with the ND administration.
Well, actually, I'd say there's about a 5% chance of Meyer coming. It's worth a blank check offer. There were a couple of specific reasons why Meyer didn't come, even though he is a big fan of Notre Dame. And there has been some changes to those situations since then. Again, all I'm saying is that it's worth a shot before you move on to Kelly/Gruden.
As for Gruden, I'd be excited if we got him. But after striking out on one pro guy, I just think it's too risky.
I'm not convinced that Kelly is some supergenius, but he's probably the best choice out there (besides Meyer).
My main concern is recruiting- he has not shown that he can recruit the elite guys.
And yes, I think if ND offers him he'll take it in a heartbeat.
Interesting that both ND and Michigan fans are now starting up the coaching search rumors.
I think Rich will definitely be given another year though. Weis, on the other hand, is gone. Gruden will probably be looked at. My bet is Kelly.
So yeah, if its any consolation, we ND fans are suffering as much (probably more) as you guys.
First off, let me extend my sympathies to you- its got to be, um, interesting going to grad school at a school you hate. I can't imagine going to Michigan as a grad student!
But I have to imagine your situation is more of a "You go to ND and you hate them!" than a "You're Catholic and you hate ND?!"
But hey, I won't deny that the sentiment exists. I just think it is much much less common than people who hate ND like to think. And personally, I think anyone who is shocked and confused that a Catholic might not be an ND fan is just stupid.
"I just hate the notion that they feel like you ought to root for them because you share a religion."
I don't know a single ND fan who thinks this. And I know many many ND fans.
This is a nice little fiction that you wolverines have made up to help yourselves hate ND more.
will be the most interesting part of this game for me.
I think Tenuta will try to make Michigan one dimensional like he did Nevada. Both Michigan and Nevada want to run, and we'll let them. We'll allow you to run and make sure no deep balls go for TDs. There will be a lot of 6 and 7 yard runs and the linebackers and safeties will have to make a lot of tackles.
It's up to your guys to not get taken down with small/negative gains and not cough up the ball. If you have 2 or more fumble losses I think you stand no chance. On the other hand, if our linebackers don't tackle well and your backs rip off some long ones, we'll be in trouble.
Thoughts?
want to sue Joe Schad and ESPN since they're confirming some of this stuff.
Seriously though, as an ND fan, I'm sort of torn on this. On one hand, every team in the country stretches these type of rules. On the other, there must be very few (if any) that are taking it to the extreme Rodriguez has apparently taken it. And I can't help but feel that your extra time in the weight room and practice field gives you an advantage over my team.
What this all says about how your players, alums, athletic dept. people, etc. feel about your coach is another story, one I wouldn't know much about.
I'm with you.
USC may be "more beatable" this year after losing some very good players. But that doesn't mean your chances of taking them down are very good. They're loaded.
A LOT of things will have to go right for ND to win that game.
Here's how I see things playing out.
Likely losses (90% chance of losing): USC. Sadly I just have no reason to believe we're ready to compete with them yet, even though the talent/depth differential is closer than it has been in awhile.
Toss-ups (50% chance of winning): Michigan State, Pitt. Should we lose to either of these teams? No. But after the last couple season, I bet we win one and lose the other.
Probable wins (75% chance of winning): Nevada, BC, Connecticut, Stanford. I'm a bit worried about Nevada... first game of the season + different offense = who knows. BC always gets fired up to play us. Again, a game we should absolutely win, but after the last couple seasons I just can't be that confident.
Very probable wins (90% chance of winning): Michigan, Washington. Not to be a dick, but just looking at our strengths and weaknesses vs. your own, I like this match-up for us. Probably even more than last year's game, which I was pretty confident about. Your best chance is if your offensive line can dominate our DL and get a very good run game going. Our defensive line is young but talented, so it's possible. But our secondary will be very good and deep this year- we should be able to play enough single coverage to focus on the run. Feel free to argue on this, I'm sure you all see this as a very winnable game.
Wins: Purdue, Navy, Washington State.
Bottom line: the talent is there to go 11-1. If Weis truly is in over his head, we may go 9-3. This year's team has a better talent/depth combo of any of his previous teams though. Should be interesting.
Fire away.
Not trying to be a douchebag, sorry.
But don't invent arguments I didn't make. I would never argue that all ND players are brilliant. I'd also never argue that all ND players are smarter than all Michigan players. Plenty of guys with bad or mediocre test scores get into ND. The point is that once in school, ND players have to do serious work in the classroom. More so than Michigan. Again, not trying to be a dick, but anyone who has experience with both schools knows this and will admit it if they're being honest. That's why I'm saying a GPA comparison would be silly.
Anyway, I don't want to start a stupid argument over this. So I'll end by admitting that ND football as blown over the past 15 years and Michigan football has been better over the same period.
(But I'm still feeling pretty good about a win this year in the Big House hehe )
Another 3-star but a lot of people are pretty high on him.
The similarities in Michigan and ND's recruiting are sort of interesting right now. Both fan bases are a bit concerned about all the 3 star types they're picking up. Not sure what elite recruits Michigan is still going after, but some top guys that ND should get are definitely waiting to see how the season starts.
Pick a bad game by a true sophomore against a top 5 defense as proof that he can only make 2 or 3 throws.
The knocks on Clausen are his consistency and his decisionmaking (especially when pressured). Both are things you'd expect from a freshman/sophomore. They absolutely need to improve for ND to take a leap this year. A run game would help him too.
The poster above who mentioned that Jimmy makes mistakes after his first option isn't there is on the right track. It's been a problem the past couple years. I think that was a combination of a) his youth/inexperience and b) an awful offensive line. This year I expect Jimmy to be very impressive and the offensive line should be very good. When he has time, he's very very accurate.
I've said this before, but looking at it as objectively as I can, I just think things could get pretty ugly for UM's secondary in this game.
On the other hand, ND's weakness will be a young defensive line. Your best hope is to beat up on our defensive line and keep our offense off the field.
Just my opinion.
I think I'm generally pretty realistic about my team's chances in individual games. In fact, I may even be a bit pessimistic, usually.
That said, I'm really looking forward to this game. I just see no reason why ND shouldn't handle business fairly easily this year. And I'll be there, can't wait.
ND is looking strong for him, as long as we don't tank this season. He wants to see some wins. OSU is probably a fairly close second. They were also pretty confident they had Floyd locked up and like Floyd, Seantrel isn't saying a whole lot.
I have no idea what UM's 2010 class will look like.
But if it's really shaping up to be that great, then it will be fun to watch you compete with ND's class of 2010. Ours looks like it's going to be ridiculous.
Did I say ND will be very good in two years? Nope, sure didn't. I pointed out some legitimate reasons why one shouldn't be too surprised if it did happen... but I also pretty explicitly noted my pessimism (hard not to be a bit pessimistic after the last 2 years).
Basically, I'm sort of with you as far as the "who the hell knows what to expect" sentiment. But I think anyone using their brain should recognize some positive signs and should not be at all flabbergasted if we become a very good team. Dismissing the positives by sarcastically reciting the "return to glory" slogan does not count as using one's brain.
ND still has significant problems. Last night's win alone (over a mediocre to bad team) shouldn't be cause for concern for you guys. To be honest, I'm sort of pessimistic that Weis will figure out how to address these issues.
On the other hand, you'll soon be seeing a Notre Dame team with more talent than all but a handful of teams on the country. It's all frosh and sophomores right now, but its working its way up. Please save the "return to glory again LOL!" comments. That unfortunate slogan was never made when ND had top tier talent.
I'm not trying to stir things up, not trying to tell you we're a lock to be a top 5 team for the next 10 years, etc. Any objective observer should laugh at Weis and the current staff for the pathetic offensive line and run game of the past couple years. All I'm saying is that there's a chance, just a chance, that a) Weis will learn from and address his mistakes (just like Rich should after this year) and b) some problems of the last 2 years will disappear as these very talented young players become veterans.
In other words, just don't act TOO shocked and saddened if ND becomes a very good team over the course of the next 2 years, OK?!
That is the rumor. Like most things with Kelly, its just a rumor and no one can really find solid evidence of its truth (just like the skeletons, horrible person, recruiting violations, etc.). There's so much chatter that I sort of believe a lot of it though.
Urban may be a longshot, but its not out of the question. In fact, its more likely now than it was in '04. ND's AD will be going after Urban hard, just as he should.
Recent Comments
"I did enjoy hearing from Borges in this week's press conference that Michigan barely got into the offense."
Can anyone give me some more context on this quote? Was he saying that their staff saved plenty of stuff for ND? Or more that, since its a new system, they don't have the entire playbook installed yet?
Thanks!
Do you really think that Rees is a better QB than Crist?
1) I'm an ND fan and this game worries me. It worries most of the ND fans I know. We know that going into your stadium for a night game will not be easy. Yes, I think we have certain advantages, and it won't surprise me if we're favored, but Michigan definitely has some things working in their favor too. I'm not at all overconfident about this one.
2) Not sure where some people are getting the "ND has an easy schedule" idea (like the poster above). Probably no elite (top 5) teams on the schedule, but no real gimmes either. I think any pre-season strength of schedule ranking you want to look at will back me up here.
And those weights across the line don't include the guy ND fans are most excited about- Louis Nix and his 330 lbs. He might not start right away, but he'll get a lot of playing time this year (rotating with Cwynar (your 285)). ND fans think this should be our best defense in a long time.
I am worried about what some posters have pointed out- not knowing exactly what Michigan is going to throw at us with your new offense. The first game won't tell ND much, unfortunately. I think Michigan will have a nice advantage there.
Not really. Neither is a great runner, but Rees barely runs at all. Crist used to be a solid runner, but not sure how that will look after his second knee surgery. Kelly will have him run a few times per game this year though, he has to in Kelly's offense. Rees might be a bit more accurate with the short throws. Crist has a better arm.
I'd say probably a bit more ignorance than jealousy. That's not not a slight, just a fact when you're dealing with fans of another team (i.e. ones that don't know ND's roster all that well). I mean, I just read things like "they lose all defensive contributors except Te'o" and "no offensive line!"
The question marks for me are just basic things like a new QB and the offense learning a new system (which some have mentioned). I actually have more faith in the defense this year than the offense (at least initially).
Anyway, there are definitely reasons why ND could be a pretty mediocre team again this year. But I don't think it's "insane" to think they'll finish in the top 25. Since there will very good talent on the field, I guess the thought is that Kelly will not turn out to be very good. I guess you guys can hope for that!
USC may be