Seems unlikely at this point in his NFL career that Brady will suddenly find "IT" and become a successful NFL QB. But it could happen, and certainly if you can hang on in the NFL not only will you make a good living, I think NFL min is 400K when you are on a roster, but I guess at 10 years you qualify for their pension. If not then being on one of the networks doing football analysis or broadcasting probably is a pretty good paying job as well. I always like Brady as a ND QB. He was one of my favorite players in the last 10 or 15 years.
Can't get a grip on this team yet. I read the camp reports, which of course usually make me think we have 22 all americans. Everybody is buff, in the best shape of their lives, more mature than last year, etc. We won't know till about midnight on Sept 6th. Rice game no matter if we play like we did against Navy in 2012 or like we did against Navy last year really won't tell us very much.
ND <t>Terry,<br/> <br/> You're right. We probably won't have much of a idea about this team until after the mich game. Those sports reporters and talking heads who do all the prognosticating rarely get it right except when they use broad generalities so listening to them is pretty futile. I think we have a shot at winning at least 9 games and maybe 10 if we steal one on the way. Unless this defense is truly bad, we should have minimum of 8 wins. The offense will have to carry it this year and they have the players to do just that. It's squarely on Kelly's shoulders and I have been a big supporter of his since he got to SB . He has what he needs and more to do with ND what he did at previous stops. If this program is going to keep going in a positive way he needs to have this team do well this year.</t>
Good article on Jaylon Smith. We really need him to be great this year. http://www.si.com/college-football/2014/08/10/notre-dame-fighting-irish-jaylon-smith
I'm curious. Folks are talking about 9, maybe 10, wins out of 12 games, which tells me that some of you feel we have 2-3 "certain" losses on our schedule. Pray tell, which games do you feel are certain losses and why?
ND <t>Sid,<br/> <br/> Well it's always hard for me to say ND will lose any game you just can't get past that FSU game to start with. Other than that the chances for loss to me would be at USC, Stanford at home or ASU on the road.</t>
Yeah Obviously at this point you have to look at FSU on the road as a likely loss. Stanford will be a tough out, and finishing at USC is always tough. But I'm not really worried about ASU, I'm sure they'll be a good team and I'm sure they are capable of beating us, I'm at this point I'm thinking we can beat them. Right now the game I'm worried about the most is the Michigan game. Kelly has only beaten them 1 time, in 2010 I think we'd have beaten them if Dayne Crist had not been injured, it wasn't a fair fight after he went down and we were stuck with Nate Montana and a rookie Tommy Rees. In 2011 we had them beat, and then our defense let them off the hook. In 2012 Manti Teo singlehandedly beat them. In 2013 again, our defense let us down. So we need to beat them and it's a huge game and will set the tone for the rest of the season.
Terry, I am anxiously awaiting the Michigan game as well. I think the Wolverines may be better this year than last year. Devon Gardner can be a pain in the butt at times.
Well he was worse than a pain in the butt for the Irish defense last year, after that game I thought he was primed to have a RGIII type of year. But it seemed to go all down hill for him after that game. They have a young QB who played in the bowl game who will be chomping at the bit to get into the game this year. Devon Gardner might be the single biggest reason that Hoke is on the hot seat and Al Borges is not the OCoord. I'm sure it's more complex than that but he really declined as the season went on. If they lose to us and Michigan State along with the Buckeyes, I think Hoke will be looking for a new job.
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I keep reading more good stuff about Chris Brown. If he truly has learned to run all the routes and run them well, with his speed he could have a break out year. His catch vs OU was a thing of beauty. I hope to see many more like that as well as some short routes that he takes to the house out running the defense. It's going to be interesting to see who are the captains this year. You'd like them to not only be great leaders but also starters. Guys like Cam McDaniel, Collinsworth, and Schmidt are natural leaders so I wonder if one of them will be in the mix.
This is the package that ND Season Ticket Holders are getting this year. Pretty cool. http://imgur.com/a/cYLxA
ND <r>Well Kelly has named Golson as the starting QB. Not much of a surprise I guess but good to know for all concerned instead of dragging it out until the week of the first game. <E></E></r>
ND <t>Couple of other items from the presser to:<br/> <br/> Cody Riggs starting at corner opposite Russell<br/> Morgan running with Schmidt with the 1's<br/> Onwualu starting at olb<br/> Trumbetti starting at DE opposite Ishaq</t>
All good news. I like that he's gone ahead and named Golson the starter. While I hope that he's earned it, it would be quite an upset if a guy who has never taken a snap in college beats out a guy who has only lost 1 game as a starter in college and is a Sr. I'm glad Morgan is pushing for playing time, the kid is a big time athlete and has lots of physical skills that Joe Schmidt could only dream of having, but Joe is smart and in college that counts for a lot. But we'll need them both as Joe is not small but he'll need backup or he'll get worn down if he plays the same minutes that Te'o played as a Sr. I'm hoping that Ishaq fulfills the promise we all thought he had when Diaco stood outside his door in the dawns early light in his kahkis and shined loafers.
Here is one writer's opinion of scheduling in college football. I'm posting it here because I don't want my Skybox brethren to think I'm trying to stir things up, which I'm not. I'm posting it because of the team he says has the "most impressive" schedule. Guess who? Like I said, one writer's opinion.