ND & Michigan done after 2014

[ulukinatme]

Having just one away game to work with is pretty limiting if we want to play anyone beyond the ACC/USC/Stanford/Navy. I'm not sure it's wise to completely abandon the Big Ten, but in that environment I don't see how we could play any home-and-homes beyond MSU/Purdue.
I do wonder if we'd occasionally play just six home games and six road games. Like we all did not so long ago. Maybe work out something with NBC to televise the @ Navy game. Or perhaps we talk Navy into a two-here/one-there rotation like we had with BC. Those Baltimore/Philly/Meadowlands Navy games are basically home games for us anyway.

Plus you have to figure we have some special series setup like the Texas one. That makes it impossible to schedule both MSU and Purdue with home/home series when that occurs. Purdue could possibly be talked into playing in South Bend every year, I don't see MSU doing it.

 

[Old Man Mike]

There are two issues which determine forcing teams to play at Notre Dame asymmetrically:

1). Stadium size= payday. You will not get teams with big home stadiums to give up their own stadium game.

2). Image power vs Pride. Only teams wanting to play "the Great Historic Team" for national exposure purposes, recruiting, and bragging to alumni will be willing to unbalance the location agreement. With super-conference schedule-tightening there could also be "schedule desperation" operating for schools outside the big 5 conferences --- ex. BYU, Cincinnati{?}, Boise, AF etc.

Both MSU and Purdue have "pride". I can't see either athletic department agreeing to lopsided scheduling arrangements, and MSU can make as much money filling its stadium.

My guess is that Swarbrick will juggle the "7-5" home vs away business by retaining Navy as one year at South Bend, next year at "neutral" {essentially "home"} site, and salt in the BYUs, AFs, MACs, as occasional {not back-to-back years}, always-home opponents. The two B1G opponents can be his wiggle room for future scheduling adjustments.

 

[Wolverine1997]

Uh....okay so on WTKA, today is the big month of Mott where a bunch of former players and coaches come on and talk and help raise money for the children's hospital.

Dave Brandon was on and one of the hosts asked about the 2014 schedule which was just released, which has the single worst home slate I've ever seen in my lifetime thanks to the B1G making Michigan play at state for the second year in a row.

When Brandon was asked about the lack of exciting home games in 2014, he said "Stay tuned". Speculation is that Michigan is going to drop ND in 2014. First reason is because I cannot see DB accepting a road game at both rivals and ND. Rumors are that they are negotiating with USC for them to come in on 9/6. They are really the only big time opponent with an opening on that date.

I wouldn't be surprised if DB calls off the game next year. If he can get another home game, he is going to do it.

I mean, when your current marquee game for 2014 is PSU, a team that has a 65 man roster....um...well take a look at this POS home slate-

Aug. 30 vs Appalachian State
Sept. 6 at Notre Dame
Sept. 13 vs Miami University
Sept. 20 vs Utah
Sept. 27 vs Minnesota*
Oct. 4 at Rutgers*
Oct. 11 vs Penn State*
Oct. 18 Bye
Oct. 25 at State*
Nov. 1 vs Indiana*
Nov. 8 at Northwestern*
Nov. 15 Bye
Nov. 22 vs Maryland*
Nov. 29 at Ohio*
Dec. 6 B1G Championship Game (Indianapolis, IN)

 

[IrishLax]

Uh....okay so on WTKA, today is the big month of Mott where a bunch of former players and coaches come on and talk and help raise money for the children's hospital.

Dave Brandon was on and one of the hosts asked about the 2014 schedule which was just released, which has the single worst home slate I've ever seen in my lifetime thanks to the B1G making Michigan play at state for the second year in a row.

When Brandon was asked about the lack of exciting home games in 2014, he said "Stay tuned". Speculation is that Michigan is going to drop ND in 2014. First reason is because I cannot see DB accepting a road game at both rivals and ND. Rumors are that they are negotiating with USC for them to come in on 9/6. They are really the only big time opponent with an opening on that date.

I wouldn't be surprised if DB calls off the game next year. If he can get another home game, he is going to do it.

I mean, when your current marquee game for 2014 is PSU, a team that has a 65 man roster....um...well take a look at this POS home slate-

Aug. 30 vs Appalachian State
Sept. 6 at Notre Dame
Sept. 13 vs Miami University
Sept. 20 vs Utah
Sept. 27 vs Minnesota*
Oct. 4 at Rutgers*
Oct. 11 vs Penn State*
Oct. 18 Bye
Oct. 25 at State*
Nov. 1 vs Indiana*
Nov. 8 at Northwestern*
Nov. 15 Bye
Nov. 22 vs Maryland*
Nov. 29 at Ohio*
Dec. 6 B1G Championship Game (Indianapolis, IN)

I've been hearing the same buzz for months too. Not with detail on who Michigan might schedule, but that Michigan was going to try to cancel the return trip to ND in '14. This seemed amenable to ND because we need to drop one more team somewhere to accommodate the ACC schedule for that year.

This is what made the "chickening out" comments really odd, ridiculous, and head scratching. Michigan called in the first place to get out of the '18/'19 games. ND agreed without any rhetoric. Brandon makes public comments about likely having to drop ND with the 9 game conference schedule. Everyone was on the same page at this point... understanding the difficulty of OOC scheduling with conference realignment.

ND exercises the out clause to terminate '15-'17 because we knew we were about to have scheduling constrictions and didn't want to be locked into anything... a break was already scheduled with MSU; and Purdue is quite up in the air. Basically, all of our current arrangements with the Big Ten are in limbo and this was the easiest one... because of the specific out clause... to handle up front. Once ND joined ACC and details came out, I heard more than a couple places that Michigan in '14 was likely to get dropped in addition to ASU to make room. Why? Because Michigan wouldn't want to make the return trip and ND needs to get out of another game somewhere so it's a pretty logical match. But then Hoke goes and runs his mouth? Makes it seem like he hasn't been clued into everything OR maybe it was just brilliant posturing? Paint ND as the "chickens" so that if you win this year you can drop ND and replace us with a "better" opponent at home (Brandon loves his home games!) and the entire fan base laps it up as straight truth. I can see a whole bunch of Walmart Wolverines running around "Hah! We showed you! AND we're dropping you because you're not GOOD enough for us! But you dropped us because you're SCARED!" It'll potentially be unbearable.

The question becomes what if ND wins? Now Hokes comments make it really... interesting... to back out of the game then. Maybe they still go ahead and do it and the real genius is that by calling ND "chickens" first you're effectively preemptively saving face.

It's too bad that ND... by virtue of having no film at all on Michigan and the new offense with Gardner... probably gets beat this year as the D gives up 21+. At least that's what I'm predicting. Film = gameplan = big advantage.

 

[Rack Em]

I wouldn't be surprised if DB calls off the game next year. If he can get another home game, he is going to do it.

I mean, when your current marquee game for 2014 is PSU, a team that has a 65 man roster....um...well take a look at this POS home slate-

Blaming the B1G 'scheduling' is a cop out. It doesn't matter who they schedule you at home,
YOUR CONFERENCE SUCKS!

 

[Wolverine1997]

I've been hearing the same buzz for months too. Not with detail on who Michigan might schedule, but that Michigan was going to try to cancel the return trip to ND in '14. This seemed amenable to ND because we need to drop one more team somewhere to accommodate the ACC schedule for that year.

This is what made the "chickening out" comments really odd, ridiculous, and head scratching. Michigan called in the first place to get out of the '18/'19 games. ND agreed without any rhetoric. Brandon makes public comments about likely having to drop ND with the 9 game conference schedule. Everyone was on the same page at this point... understanding the difficulty of OOC scheduling with conference realignment.

ND exercises the out clause to terminate '15-'17 because we knew we were about to have scheduling constrictions and didn't want to be locked into anything... a break was already scheduled with MSU; and Purdue is quite up in the air. Basically, all of our current arrangements with the Big Ten are in limbo and this was the easiest one... because of the specific out clause... to handle up front. Once ND joined ACC and details came out, I heard more than a couple places that Michigan in '14 was likely to get dropped in addition to ASU to make room. Why? Because Michigan wouldn't want to make the return trip and ND needs to get out of another game somewhere so it's a pretty logical match. But then Hoke goes and runs his mouth? Makes it seem like he hasn't been clued into everything OR maybe it was just brilliant posturing? Paint ND as the "chickens" so that if you win this year you can drop ND and replace us with a "better" opponent at home (Brandon loves his home games!) and the entire fan base laps it up as straight truth. I can see a whole bunch of Walmart Wolverines running around "Hah! We showed you! AND we're dropping you because you're not GOOD enough for us! But you dropped us because you're SCARED!" It'll potentially be unbearable.

The question becomes what if ND wins? Now Hokes comments make it really... interesting... to back out of the game then. Maybe they still go ahead and do it and the real genius is that by calling ND "chickens" first you're effectively preemptively saving face.

It's too bad that ND... by virtue of having no film at all on Michigan and the new offense with Gardner... probably gets beat this year as the D gives up 21+. At least that's what I'm predicting. Film = gameplan = big advantage.

I think the chickening out comment was to get the Michigan fans hyped. Keep in mind, this was in front of a Michigan crowd of alums.

Charlie Weiss said something about Michigan before once to a ND crowd.

Blaming the B1G 'scheduling' is a cop out. It doesn't matter who they schedule you at home,
YOUR CONFERENCE SUCKS!

You aren't getting an argument for me. The numbers don't lie.

 

[Cackalacky]

God that's a terrible schedule.

 

[Rack Em]

You aren't getting an argument for me. The numbers don't lie.

I was trying to start an argument. The B1G is down. 5 years from now that might be a killer schedule. I don't think that'll happen though.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

. . . It's too bad that ND... by virtue of having no film at all on Michigan and the new offense with Gardner... probably gets beat this year as the D gives up 21+. At least that's what I'm predicting. Film = gameplan = big advantage.

What?

 

[Old Man Mike]

Notre Dame wins this year.

The game is early and for once that favors ND. Why? Notre Dame is a "set" team in almost every position. Veterans are manning almost every position. Really strong and mostly very experienced substitutes are taking the open slots. Kelly says that the team already understands the whole system{s} and that the staff is working on the details of positional craft.

Michigan, on the other hand, is not yet a "set" team. As good an athlete as Gardner is, he is not an obvious settled QB. The interior of the OLine is far from settled. Even offensive skills are not completely settled. DLine needs some settling time. Without Ryan, the whole defense is adjusting.

Notre Dame goes into Ann Arbor for the last time being called afraid to play Michigan. There's going to be some angry pride there. There is no similar psychological motive for Michigan.

Notre Dame, regardless of how close, wins.

 

[dshans]

It's too bad that ND... by virtue of having no film at all on Michigan and the new offense with Gardner... probably gets beat this year as the D gives up 21+. At least that's what I'm predicting. Film = gameplan = big advantage.

Is someone channeling NDOM here????

 

[IrishLax]

1. I think Devin Gardner is really good, as shown by his success despite playing WR for the first half of the season.

2. I think film makes an incredible difference. We won't have any idea what Michigan is going to run until kickoff = no way to really gameplan during the week. Michigan will have a whole season of film to figure out how to attack our D and come out with a gameplan accordingly.

 

[Old Man Mike]

Kelly and Diaco will give Michigan no clue via the Temple game. The "surprise" factor will be equal.

In some ways, it will actually favor Notre dame. Hoke cannot afford to load up an unsettled team with novelty. Our study of Gardner's late season games will probably be more telling than their study of Alabama.

 

[phork]

Michigan has no Ryan or Kovacs to bail them out this year. They do get Countess back, but those 2 losses are very key.

As far as Gardner is concerned, he should have been the full time starter from September on. They only hurt the team by waiting for so long. I am not too concerned about Funchess. Those 2 cut their teeth against the dregs of the BIG. Our defense shouldn't slow down at all which will give their unsettled OLine fits. I expect Nix & Co. to be eating running backs for lunch.

 

[IrishLax]

Kelly and Diaco will give Michigan no clue via the Temple game. The "surprise" factor will be equal.

In some ways, it will actually favor Notre dame. Hoke cannot afford to load up an unsettled team with novelty. Our study of Gardner's late season games will probably be more telling than their study of Alabama.

What makes you think ND will have any serious scheme changes on either side of the ball from last year to this year?

 

[Old Man Mike]

1). Kelly said that he's able to install the sped-up tempo now.

2). Kelly is naturally evolving towards a VERY big receiving corps carnival. That plus sped-up offense means no time for Michigan to scheme defensive packages;

3). Diaco got schooled by Saban. He knows that he must change defensive disguises. Michigan's the time to break that out, not Temple;

4). Diaco has veteran corners now. He can open up his blitz packages. This is what we're now built for anyway, with our superior speed defensively;

5). Everett and Coach must have better understanding of where Everett's comfort zone is, and Kelly has said exactly that. Kelly will design offense to emphasize this growing comfort zone;

6). Kelly is not a stagnant coach.

 

[arrowryan]

1). Kelly said that he's able to install the sped-up tempo now.

2). Kelly is naturally evolving towards a VERY big receiving corps carnival. That plus sped-up offense means no time for Michigan to scheme defensive packages;

3). Diaco got schooled by Saban. He knows that he must change defensive disguises. Michigan's the time to break that out, not Temple;

4). Diaco has veteran corners now. He can open up his blitz packages. This is what we're now built for anyway, with our superior speed defensively;

5). Everett and Coach must have better understanding of where Everett's comfort zone is, and Kelly has said exactly that. Kelly will design offense to emphasize this growing comfort zone;

6). Kelly is not a stagnant coach.

 

[IrishLax]

1). Kelly said that he's able to install the sped-up tempo now.

2). Kelly is naturally evolving towards a VERY big receiving corps carnival. That plus sped-up offense means no time for Michigan to scheme defensive packages;

3). Diaco got schooled by Saban. He knows that he must change defensive disguises. Michigan's the time to break that out, not Temple;

4). Diaco has veteran corners now. He can open up his blitz packages. This is what we're now built for anyway, with our superior speed defensively;

5). Everett and Coach must have better understanding of where Everett's comfort zone is, and Kelly has said exactly that. Kelly will design offense to emphasize this growing comfort zone;

6). Kelly is not a stagnant coach.

1. What have you seen to think we can go up tempo?

2. Think we will have a big drop off at TE (and maybe slot) that means even with the improvement of DD + TJ I don't really see us being a hyper potent aerial attack.

3. I hope so. That's big assumption though.

4. We'll see I still don't think Diaco blitzes much. That's not his MO.

5. Right now Everett's improvement remains to be seen. That's another big assumption.

6. Really? How much have he and Chuck Martin changed the offense over the past 3 years? They've played to strengths well and made adjustments. That's for sure. It'll be interesting to see just how much they change things. I still expect our offense to be very vanilla but effective.

 

[arrowryan]

If there is a drop off at slot then we have some big problems

 

[Old Man Mike]

I'm not in a testosterone contest with you. You have your view, I'll honor that --- do the same for mine. The only fact that I'll offer is that Kelly said he'd be able to go up tempo this year so I didn't know that i had to "see" that yet. I'm just trusting his comments.

We're always assuming things until they actually happen or do not happen.

 

[IrishLax]

If there is a drop off at slot then we have some big problems

Who do we have as the projected starter there now? A converted safety? We have zero experience there nor really any high recruits coming in. I expect us to use very little "slot" WR because we literally have no elite players for that position. I think there will be a lot more multiple TE and maybe some Amir Carlisle action.

 

[ACamp1900]

Guard, WR, TE and even QB in some regards... who is stepping up at RB(i assume someone will produce) .... Maybe the safety position... Those are the varying degrees of concern for me...

Somewhat worried we will see a defense that has to win games week in week out...

 

[arrowryan]

Who do we have as the projected starter there now? A converted safety? We have zero experience there nor really any high recruits coming in. I expect us to use very little "slot" WR because we literally have no elite players for that position. I think there will be a lot more multiple TE and maybe some Amir Carlisle action.

I agree with your last part about mulitple tight ends and Amir.

At slot, I'm really high on Prosise. He is way bigger, stronger, and faster than Toma. I wouldn't expect a lot from the slot position this year either but I wouldn't call it a "step down" because honestly Toma wasn't really anything but reliable last year.

 

[arrowryan]

Guard, WR, TE and even QB in some regards... who is stepping up at RB(i assume someone will produce) .... Maybe the safety position... Those are the varying degrees of concern for me...

Somewhat worried we will see a defense that has to win games week in week out...

The ones that I put in bold, I have no idea why you are worried about those positions

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Who do we have as the projected starter there now? A converted safety? We have zero experience there nor really any high recruits coming in. I expect us to use very little "slot" WR because we literally have no elite players for that position. I think there will be a lot more multiple TE and maybe some Amir Carlisle action.

I don't think we'll be specifically recruiting small shifty Z WRs any more, so as a distinct position group, it may be dead. Instead, we'll either play a 2nd TE (Welch/ Koyack) or a swing RB (Carlisle/ Prosise) depending on the situation. I love the move to big slot players, as it should provide a significant boost to the running game as well.

 

[IrishLax]

I don't think we'll be specifically recruiting small shifty Z WRs any more, so as a distinct position group, it may be dead. Instead, we'll either play a 2nd TE (Welch/ Koyack) or a swing RB (Carlisle/ Prosise) depending on the situation. I love the move to big slot players, as it should provide a significant boost to the running game as well.

I think Hunter and Fuller ultimately end up being solid options for a "slick" slot WR. But both will take some time.

 

[Buster Bluth]

What makes you think ND will have any serious scheme changes on either side of the ball from last year to this year?

Golson's progression. The more he can do, the more Kelly will open it up. I expect them to look more "spread" this year than at any point during Kelly's tenure in South Bend, if Golson can do it.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Let's start from Lax's post:

ND's offense was COMPLETELY different last year from previous Kelly years.

The offense in the Spring Game was COMPLETELY different than last year, (over 85% of the sets alone have changed.)

OMM continually makes the point of tall receivers which is the direction Martin and Kelly are moving. Bigger bodies block better, and Golson can put the ball UP. You could see how much that was worked on in the spring!

They are right the old Toma, style slot is dead, long live the slot. 1) Don't kid yourself, or let them kid you about CJ. He got a whole lot of work at slot against the number one d in the land. 2) Daniel Smith tops the chart in that Kelly is keeping him their for senior leadership. 3) James Onwualu is there and he is playing, now he may also play outside. 4) GA III, Cam, Folston and Bryant all may play a bit of pitch and catch. 5) Kelly and Martin have both intimated that Carslile will be used in tandem with another running back, read that as "slot." 6) Motion a man right, power right and quick pitch to the slot left will create a natural mismatch and with Martin, Watt, and any of the TE's we have look out!

Every position on the offensive line will be improved except Tight End, because you cannot replace Tyler. But across the board, we will have 4 or 5 that can play well, instead of one Mackey Award winner and a half-a-tight end like last year.

Guard? It doesn't matter what we do. Hanratty is better than we have had at right guard for a while, no disrespect intended, and he may not even be the best choice by season opener.

Quarterback, really? Don't gage the Spring Game. The receivers were getting hammered while the ball was in the air, and past five yards down field.

The big tall fast guys will be used to stretch the field.

Safety is going to platoon in and out this year. We may have four guys by the end that are considered elite.

My call is that the wide receiver corps is just that. They play like a bunch of radioactive mutant zombie killers. There are so many position groups and configurations of personel with the guys that can play, and so many mismatches waiting to happen that they are going to colapse defenses; get them out of their rythm, out of their games. You can buy me a beer around game eight or nine, on that one.

 

[Wolverine1997]

God that's a terrible schedule.

It just keeps getting worse for us season ticket holders in even numbered years. 2016 will have the THRILLING non-conference slate of Hawaii, Colorado and Ball State. Conference home games with Maryland, Penn State and Indiana. Both rivalry games on the road.

 

[greyhammer90]

It just keeps getting worse for us season ticket holders in even numbered years. 2016 will have the THRILLING non-conference slate of Hawaii, Colorado and Ball State. Conference home games with Maryland, Penn State and Indiana. Both rivalry games on the road.

...at least that B1G schedule keeps getting more and more respected every year.