Preseason Top 25 Polls

[irishog77]

I thought Lynch has dropped a lot of weight to maximize speed for USF's 4-3. Last I read, he's sitting around 255.

A report earlier in the spring had him at 244 or something.

So yeah, he definitely seems to be "adding some bulk...." to weigh less. Wait.

 

[koonja]

According to Wolverine1997, Funchess will be an All-American type TE. He's a big body, but I'm yet to see him block and he's coming off of a whopping 8 catch year(this could be inaccurate, but from memory, I think it was 8).

 

[nlroma1o]

This is a good assessment. Most of my buddies went to the spring game, and I watched it on Big Ten Network later that night. It wasn't really a "game," more of a live practice.

Gardner looks pretty good and should be significantly improved. I think the guy to watch out for on offense is Funchess, their big TE. He had some big catches and could get up. Other than that, they really don't have any explosive skill players, and their receiving core is pretty awful.

With Jake Ryan out on D, nothing much to write home about there either.

I completely forgot to mention Funchess. He will be their threat. He will be drawing the double teams from defenses. I think teams will focus on eliminating him, and then hoping that the rest of the D is good enough to play with scUMs lack of skill receivers, and RBs.

 

[koonja]

He's not fast enough to warrant a double team, is he?

I mean, in the redzone, perhaps, but outside of that?

 

[KPENN]

According to Wolverine1997, Funchess will be an All-American type TE. He's a big body, but I'm yet to see him block and he's coming off of a whopping 8 catch year(this could be inaccurate, but from memory, I think it was 8).

15 if you wanna be exact.

 

[nlroma1o]

He's not fast enough to warrant a double team, is he?

I mean, in the redzone, perhaps, but outside of that?

He's a mongrel. Hes huge and pretty damn fast for being that big. I dont know what his 40 is or anything, but i remeber last year watching him and noticing he was a playmaker for them. He was the only stand out guy on the offense aside from gardner during the spring game.

 

[BGIF]

According to Wolverine1997, Funchess will be an All-American type TE. He's a big body, but I'm yet to see him block and he's coming off of a whopping 8 catch year(this could be inaccurate, but from memory, I think it was 8).

I have no idea how good Funchess is. I will note we are all pretty excited about Niklas being the next great ND TE. Care to compare 2012 production?


Funchess 2012 15 catches 234 Yds 5 TD

4 catches, 106 Yds came in the second game against AF.


Niklas 2012 5 catches, 75 Yds, 1 TD

His best production was 1 catch, 30 Yds in the second game against Purdue.

 

[koonja]

I have no idea how good Funchess is. I will note we are all pretty excited about Niklas being the next great ND TE. Care to compare 2012 production?


Funchess 2012 15 catches 234 Yds 5 TD

4 catches, 106 Yds came in the second game against AF.


Niklas 2012 5 catches, 75 Yds, 1 TD

His best production was 1 catch, 30 Yds in the second game against Purdue.

I have little doubt that Funchess will be a great receiving threat, but my question to wolverine1997, is how is he at blocking? Is he just a glorified receiver where everyone will know what's going on when he's in? He's a big guy, but I don't recall him in either run or pass blocking. Not saying he isn't good at them, just that I'm curious to see if he's a redzone weapon only or a complete TE.

As a complete TE, I'll take Niklas over Funchess any day of the week.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

I have no idea how good Funchess is. I will note we are all pretty excited about Niklas being the next great ND TE. Care to compare 2012 production?

That's fair. Though Funchess wasn't splitting reps with an AA 1st-round TE who ended up rewriting the record books.

 

[Ndaccountant]

This is a good assessment. Most of my buddies went to the spring game, and I watched it on Big Ten Network later that night. It wasn't really a "game," more of a live practice.

Gardner looks pretty good and should be significantly improved. I think the guy to watch out for on offense is Funchess, their big TE. He had some big catches and could get up. Other than that, they really don't have any explosive skill players, and their receiving core is pretty awful.

With Jake Ryan out on D, nothing much to write home about there either.

We need to be careful with Gardner praise. Clearly, UM would prefer to not have to play Morris in meaninful minutes. With the other QB out, it is Gardner or bust. That tells me he will be told to not run and will be less of a threat with his legs. Given the RB situation, I think UM is a predictable offense this year and Gardner looks worse than what he really is.

 

[koonja]

If it's true that their OL will be questionable, we're going to destroy them up front. Badly.

 

[Ndaccountant]

If it's true that their OL will be questionable, we're going to destroy them up front. Badly.

I think it will be up the middle is where they struggle. ND is not the team you want to play early on if that is the case.

 

[BGIF]

That's fair. Though Funchess wasn't splitting reps with an AA 1st-round TE who ended up rewriting the record books.

I don't know who Funchess split his time with but as a true freshman the stats show he scored more TDs than that AA TE/WR did and as many as Eifert and Niklas did COMBINED.

5 TDs in 15 catches vs 5 combined TDs in 55 combined catches.

I wish ND had a receiver last year that had that kind of Red Zone production. and wish even more we had one returning like they do.

 

[chubler]

Funchess' stats are helped by the fact that he wasn't constantly double-teamed, or even triple in the red zone like Eifert. Besides, Eifert had more than double Funchess' yards, and Niklas had essentially the same average yards per catch, but never played because Eifert. I'm sure he's good, but I doubt he can block very well if he only caught 15 passes.

As far as Gardner, I'm not sold yet. We don't know what he'll look like when he's not a surprise, and teams are preparing for him, with decent film- I'll bet a solid 25% the plays UM ran with Denard at QB looked nothing like they were supposed to, and changed completely when you put Gardner in.

 

[phork]

And yet we'll win 19-15 or some such stupidity. You can throw all the stats out when ND plays UM.

 

[Buster Bluth]

And yet we'll win 19-15 or some such stupidity. You can throw all the stats out when ND plays UM.

This.

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

Sporting News released their Top 10 preseason poll:
1. Bama
2. Stanford
3. South Carolina
4. Florida
5. Ohio State
6. Oklahoma State
7. Texas A&M
8. Oregon
9. Clemson
10. ND

 

[Riddickulous]

Oklahoma State? What the hell?

 

[chicago51]

Oklahoma State? What the hell?

Weren't they a 7-5 Big 12 team last year. It is my understanding they got lots of guys coming back but top 10?

Not sure about Clemson either? Didn't they lose most of their top offensive players.

 

[Riddickulous]

Weren't they a 7-5 Big 12 team last year. It is my understanding they got lots of guys coming back but top 10?

Not sure about Clemson either? Didn't they lose most of their top offensive players.

They still return Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins.

 

[PANDFAN]

Weren't they a 7-5 Big 12 team last year. It is my understanding they got lots of guys coming back but top 10?

Not sure about Clemson either? Didn't they lose most of their top offensive players.

starting wr and qb back

 

[chicago51]

They still return Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins.

starting wr and qb back

Never mind then I stand corrected.

 

[arrowryan]

Lol at Stanford being #2

 

[Old Man Mike]

Stanford at #2 is very good for us.

If they and we run the table, that 12th game puts the winner into the NCS.

 

[ulukinatme]

I dunno about Florida at #4. Maybe still Top 10, but they lost to Louisville there, and they lost 5 on offense as well as 6 on defense.

 

[phillyirish]

Stanford at #2 is very good for us.

If they and we run the table, that 12th game puts the winner into the NCS.

Yea with 6 one-loss SEC teams waiting for that 2nd spot to open up

 

[ulukinatme]

Yea with 6 one-loss SEC teams waiting for that 2nd spot to open up

It's nearly impossible to get through an SEC schedule with just 1 loss! You have 5-6 cupcakes in your conference and schedule two very difficult Div 2 teams!

 

[Buster Bluth]

Lol at Stanford being #2

Stanford is going to be 100% legitimate this year.

I have them as #2 too.

 

[dshans]

Stanford is going to be 100% legitimate this year.

I have them as #2 too.

Aw, man. You coulda gone with "I elevated them to #two too" and hit the dshans trifecta ...

 

[EuropeanDomer]

South Carolina #3?