Notre Dame

[dreneel]

ND is like Michigan with a defense...

[Bcolt93]

Quote: Originally Posted by jeffcrab

I think that Notre Dame was a decent team last year, and they likely will be this year too, but I don't see the logic of them being national title contenders in a couple years. I feel like you fans of ND are setting yourselves up for disappointment. This is like me thinking Utah State will be a BCS buster this year. There is a slim chance, but I will most likely be disappointed. It's good to be optimistic, but you should be aiming upwards finishing a season ranked before worrying about contending.

there are mainly 2 reasons for the optimism in regards to ND football:

1. Last season as weird as it sounds and
2. recruiting

Last year ND went 8-5 as we all know, but that record does not show how good ND was last year. ND was by far better than USF and Michigan, thats not even debatable. ND blew both teams out, and unforced errors cost them the game, a sign of a young team, which they were. They also fumbled the game away against USC when they had all the momentum, killing all momentum with the Tommy Rees swing pass debacle and the Dayne Crist fumble-palozza. Against Stanford, ND didnt have their best RB and managed to keep it close against a top 5 team, with their back-up QB. FSU, was painful and coaching mistakes, as i screamed at the tv cause they stopped blitzing when it had worked all game, that and Tommy Rees sucks. So mental errors, both by the defensive co-ordinator and our pathetic excuse for our now 3rd string QB, were the reasons we weren't in a BCS game last year.

2. Recruiting. Notre Dame is now recruiting elite defensive and offensive lines, the building blocks for a program. They are now landing some quality QB's, with Gunner Kiel and Malik? Zaire. Linebackers will be outstanding with the #4 player in the country committed according to Rivals, as well as some other talent. Safety is stock pilled with young talent, and corner lacks depth and experience. ND is slowly becoming TE U with Eifert, Rudolph, Fasano, ect. and WR's are not that big of concern when recruiting the spread.

This is the reason for optimism. The talent is there, the coach appears to be the correct choice despite what some moronic fans think, and they are building properly. Last year was a fluke, i mean name another team that gives up 2 99 yard fumble returns in a season, or has their QB and RB fumble the ball untouched.Silly errors prevented this team from going to the BCS. This year i expect them to be better, however the schedule will not show that. 2013 is a different story, with an easier schedule and an ever better team despite losing Manti Te'o. So there you go. I will be happy with an 9-3 season, provided that they compete with USC and Oklahoma, which they can, and dont lose to a bottom feeder. I expect them to lose at least one of Michigan, Michigan State or Stanford.

That is the basis for ND fans and their optimism

[prototype561]

yeah ND is a beast on the game, they are contender every year in my dynasty.

Speaking of the Sun Belt(im playing with FAU), many of their teams become real good do massive transfers. I was playing Arkansas State and noticed they were really good, so I go and check their rosters and it is loaded with transfers, Micheal Dyer(Auburn), Gerald Christian(UF), 2 db's from UM etc. Many of the Sun Belt schools become like this in few years in my dynasty

[NDIrishJB]

Bcolt93 and I are on the same page... I used his teambuilder team I found on another thread to help custom the ratings for the ND roster... they're way too high out of the box. I'm a diehard ND fan, an avid EA NCAA fan, and you have to tweak your team (and know them really well to do so accurately) in order to get realistic outcomes/statistics.

I think when it's all said and done, quarterbacks' ratings are dropped significantly, speed on several players dropped as well, CB & WR ratings dropped too. I play with Matt 10's Heisman sliders and have played some incredibly accurate games with dead on statistics. Right now I'm 5-2 going into Norman, Oklahoma. I figure I'll go 8-4 or 7-5 with dropping games to Oklahoma & USC, very realistic record for this year's Irish team.

[Tiger]

Your not the only one... Notre Dame has won a couple times in my dynasty.

[cammy3399]

Quote: Originally Posted by ROSStafarian

Similar results in my offline dynasty, ND has been in the top 5 since the end of my first year and top 10 recruiting class's and a NC on top of that. There have been a few random teams that have just come out of nowhere, Arkansas State is the one i never seen coming, they've been in and out of the top 25 since my first year and in my last year I just finished up they were ranked #2 with an undefeated record and top 20 recruiting class. Some of the other random teams include UCF, FIU and Duke. Not sure what I think about Ark. St, has anyone moved them from the sunbelt? I think a move to the Big East would make the most sense.

They have 3 80+ RBs 2 juniors and one freshman i believe and a very young defense. And a good senior QB. SO its reasonable to see Arkansas State dominating the Sun Belt.

[GoDucks1224]

Quote: Originally Posted by ndirish6776

Glad that "terrible" means 8-5, including two losses that never, ever should have happened (USF/Mich). Their D was borderline top-25 last year and will be better this year. They will be improved on O just by replacing Rees at QB with hopefully Golson. They'll probably be 8-4 or 9-3 this year (terrible?) breaking in a new QB and facing the toughest schedule in the country, and then 10+ wins in 2013.

8-5 is more likely, 9-3? No way. I see them going 6-6. Losing to USC, Michigan State, Michigan, OU, Stanford, and Miami (FL). Hell they could even lose to BYU. They're HIGHLY overrated in this game. Tommy Rees probably shouldn't even be in the 80's. And their secondary is not as good as you seem to think it is. The O-Line and D-Line are the only things they've got going for them.

[Bcolt93]

Quote: Originally Posted by GoDucks1224

8-5 is more likely, 9-3? No way. I see them going 6-6. Losing to USC, Michigan State, Michigan, OU, Stanford, and Miami (FL). Hell they could even lose to BYU. They're HIGHLY overrated in this game. Tommy Rees probably shouldn't even be in the 80's. And their secondary is not as good as you seem to think it is. The O-Line and D-Line are the only things they've got going for them.

lose to miami? They lost to Maryland, Virginia and Boston College last year, i expect a 2 TD victory for the Irish, mainly because their QB still sucks since the Irish kicked the piss out of them in the Sun Bowl 2 years ago, with the back-ups playing half the game. Stanford they could lose to, but i dont see them be very good without andrew luck, and ND is at home so i like their chances. BYU scares me more than Miami does, simply cause they have a proven passing attack. I expect loses to USC and OU, not many teams go on the road against top 5 opponents at night and win.

Michigan State and Michigan are both toss ups though. ND hammered MSU last year 31-13, and had Tommy Rees as the QB for that game, MSU loses their QB and a bunch of other starters on offense as well. game will be low scoring but i may tend to favour Sparty cause they are home a have a bit better defense. Michigan on the other hand is a team ND should handle. Denard Robinson can't throw, and i've never seen a luckier team in my life. They had 3 last minute comebacks against ND, and the Irish have tried harder and harder each year to lose that game. UM couldn't stop ND last year, and i highly doubt they will this year. ND wont turn the ball over 5 times, twice in the red zone with 0 defenders around, so im confident against UM. As for the whole Robinson owns ND, the guy didnt do anything until the 4th quarter last year, where ND apparently sent out a bunch of idiots in the secondary. That game should never have been a UM victory, let alone close. The game is in South Bend, at night so i expect the Irish to have a big game, mainly because of their o-line. i say 8-4 to 9-3 this year, 9-3 gets them into the BCS, which will be funny cause people will lose their minds.