Well the week is finally here. First game of the season and The Irish host a South Florida Bulls team coached by the son of Lou Holtz! This USF team appears to be a very good initial test for ND in the first game and based on what they did last season this will not be easy. I'm hoping the ND defense continues where it left off and is able to control this game as I'm sure they will have a better day than the offense. It's probably gonna be closer than I like but I think the Irish should be able to pull off a win. Vegas makes ND a 10 point favorite but who knows?
It's game week Tim!!! Can't wait! This Irish team should be better at pretty much every position than last year and should be deeper. It's the 2nd year of the Kelly era, we had no coaching changes so the systems should be solidly in place. We have a good mix of youth and experience. This should be a better team. We lost some very close games in Sept last year, UM drives to score as time runs out and Mich State gets off a fake FG after the play clock has expired to win, Kelly goes for the TD and gets it picked at time runs out vs Tulsa rather than kick the sure FG for the win. While those are all bounces of the ball type of stuff, we are well positioned I think to make those bounces of the ball go our way this year. Go Irish!
I'd like that score George, but I'll be happy with a solid win. So often these opening games for a lot of good teams end up being a lot closer than they should be. I can remember some great Ohio State teams struggling vs their opening opponent and rolling to big seasons. Get the win, knock off the rust!
That is a solid win. For the Irish to set the tone and establish themselves nationally they need to grind a team like this up like chum. We're home. We have a very good ,veteran offensive line. A corps of receivers as good as anyones. A defense that should dominate this year. And a lights out kicker. As we have discussed many times before, a win is not a win in college football.
I do think you are right, Irish have not got the bonafides yet to get away with just a win. Those Ohio State teams that I'm thinking of had the bonafides and were given a pass for getting lucky to beat Navy at home, to having some close games with MAC teams, etc.
Aw come on, Terry, leave us out of this. :wink: Or at least be fair. That was a pretty damn good Navy team.
First, I'm so jacked that I'm trying to find a couple of tickets to the game. Second, the more I read about USF the more this game reminds me of the opening game against Nevada a few years ago. They had a talented QB who ran the Pistol offense and was supposed to be a potent offense. We shut them out and won handily. I hope this is a repeat.
Awwww....these guys aren't nuthin. They even made up one of the Gator's non-con opponents last season. :wink:
8) Is this a Notre Dame or Florida section? Some improvements to watch for: 1. Sean Cwynar/Louis Nix @ nose guard. 2. OLine establishes running game behind AA LT Zack Martin. 3. Caveman center makes better blocking calls. 4. Crist understands the offense. 5. Hendrix appearance makes the offense more difficult to defend. 6. Manti, Carlo, Foxy, Hayseed, Slaughter, Kappy...here they come! 7. Dbacks could be superior if depth holds. 8. Theo will run crazy. :wink:
First he has to stay on the field. In his first 2 years he has missed a lot of time with injuries. Same for Michael Floyd.
Just a quick look at our depth chart and stated size stats. Of our starting interior O linemen and D linemen, our lightest player is our NG!!!! Strange.
I think you will see a lot of Louis Nix this year and that immediately gives us a D line that averages around 310lbs.