ND to the Music City Bowl

[phgreek]

I like that some of you are trying to be positive about this...but there is absolutely, positively nothing good about this match-up given our defensive injuries/suspensions. This was probably about the worst draw we could have had given teams with similar records.

well, ND was going to lose recruits due to the end of year collapse...getting blown out in this game won't change that...but a respectable loss or god forbid a win can change that...and the extra practices are huge for young players...

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

Good point, I don't think there is anyway we could have even slowed Auburn down a bit.

 

[Classic Irish]

We may lose, but this is one of the few scenarios which could give the program a needed boost. We'd gain nothing playing any other conference than an SEC member. And we'd gain nothing playing one of the clear SEC powerhouses [just too much with our injured defense] or the lower part of the SEC. We need to get a crack at a middle SEC power --- that's what LSU is this year, and despite a mediocre season for their standards, they still have the aura.

I believe that our offense can score off anyone IF the quarterback stops screwing us up. Other teams don't stop us particularly, we stop/kill ourselves. Will this stop? Who knows? Is Malik a better option? Maybe.

Any chance that we have depends upon who we have available to play defense. I haven't heard comment about JJones, so I'm assuming he'll be ready. If Day and Cage are ready too, then with Rochell, Utupo, Trumbetti, they might hold up that end. Is Riggs going to be healthy? This is as big a deal as anything, since if he is, we might be able to put him and Luke on islands with their mediocre WR corps, and commit Safeties more strongly vs the run.

Sure the odds are against all this, but "what though the odds...."

This game gives us a chance to actually accomplish something here, and almost no other scenario does. Risk nothing, gain nothing.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

 

[SoJerseyIrish]

Given our injuries and propensity for turnovers the matchup doesn't look good, I am guessing a 20+ line from Vegas.

That being said.......F-it......time for this offense to show it is capable, let's go out and score on an SEC Defense, lets see Fuller against SEC Speed, let's see Folston against SEC LB's and DL......lets see if we really have the horses we think we do. Golson needs to get his head out of his ass and manage a good game.

The defense......well.......lets just hope we don't get anyone hurt and LSU is sloppy that night.......

 

[pkt77242]

The only positive that I see is that LSU is so bad at passing that we should be able to keep 8 in the box on almost every play and occasionally put 9 in there (as long as Riggs is able to play most of the game).

 

[NDinMich]

The only positive that I see is that LSU is so bad at passing that we should be able to keep 8 in the box on almost every play and occasionally put 9 in there (as long as Riggs is able to play most of the game).

Yep, and when healthy, ND can stop the run...I think.

 

[IlovethehireofCoachKelly]

If Everett plays we lose. If Malik plays we win! Bottom line

 

[TheChosen1]

@NDatRivals: Asked Jaylon Smith about Brian Kelly’s comment about open competition for positions, sophomore joked, "Like coaching included?"

 

[irishtrain]

Given our injuries and propensity for turnovers the matchup doesn't look good, I am guessing a 20+ line from Vegas.

That being said.......F-it......time for this offense to show it is capable, let's go out and score on an SEC Defense, lets see Fuller against SEC Speed, let's see Folston against SEC LB's and DL......lets see if we really have the horses we think we do. Golson needs to get his head out of his ass and manage a good game.

The defense......well.......lets just hope we don't get anyone hurt and LSU is sloppy that night.......

They'll embarrass our defense. Why play this game-oh yeh? I know its for next year and the extra parctice. Next year has nothing to do with this game. They may tell you that buts its totally irrelevant to the following season. Stay home and save the embarrassment. I'll need a real convincing that Notre Dame really wants to play LSU-while the sec is laughing under their breath at the prospect of piling on the Irish. This is just stupid. While I'm on the subject one more thing-go the the Ivy League, its a better fit.

 

[TheTurningPoint]

Its a great opportunity to see which players will rise up and fight. You will see those who do and those who dont in this matchup. Is it an ideal matchup? No. But ND is getting a team that cant throw the ball and doesnt run a spread.

LSU has 1900 yards throwing on the season and completing passes at 50% rate.

BVG will have his work cut out for him, but LSU is a favorable matchup for him scheme wise. If there is one thing BVG can do, is stop the run in a pro style offense.

Now with injuries and what not, that will be tougher than say if this game was week 4. BUt out of all the matchups, ND pulled the most favorable one lol.

 

[TheTurningPoint]

They'll embarrass our defense. Why play this game-oh yeh? I know its for next year and the extra parctice. Next year has nothing to do with this game. They may tell you that buts its totally irrelevant to the following season. Stay home and save the embarrassment. I'll need a real convincing that Notre Dame really wants to play LSU-while the sec is laughing under their breath at the prospect of piling on the Irish. This is just stupid.

Lol. Reps are the only thing that will make the team better. They will get 13 practices and an entire game. Worth it regardless of the outcome.

 

[Spitfire]

@NDatRivals: Asked Jaylon Smith about Brian Kelly’s comment about open competition for positions, sophomore joked, "Like coaching included?"

Uh......wow. Wondering if there is some real animosity in there and it's not just joking.

 

[Spitfire]

On the matchup, I concur with most.....it's going to be an ass kicking. With that said, it still holds more interest to me then watching them match up against Rutgers or some other "who cares" program.

In the words of the immortal Steve Smith, "Ice up son!"

 

[Cackalacky]

IMO if we win, I could totally see the narrative being "LSU really sucked this year," if they win, ND really sucked this year." That's about how it will play out in public. It will be nice to see us play against middling LSU team and get at least some of that monkey off our back, but in the public/media sphere there is no real win here except rewarding the fellas for another season of football and the extra practices and SEC experience. Also LSU will need to gameplan for two QBs as of right now unless BK announces a starter early so that might work to our advantage.

 

[IrishLax]

IMO if we win, I could totally see the narrative being "LSU really sucked this year," if they win, ND really sucked this year." That's about how it will play out in public. It will be nice to see us play against middling LSU team and get at least some of that monkey off our back, but in the public/media sphere there is no real win here except rewarding the fellas for another season of football and the extra practices and SEC experience. Also LSU will need to gameplan for two QBs as of right now unless BK announces a starter early so that might work to our advantage.

I can see it now...

Les: "Let me look at the tape on these guys... alright, we're going with our base defense all game."

 

[West Coast Domer]

Its a great opportunity to see which players will rise up and fight. You will see those who do and those who dont in this matchup. Is it an ideal matchup? No. But ND is getting a team that cant throw the ball and doesnt run a spread.

LSU has 1900 yards throwing on the season and completing passes at 50% rate.

BVG will have his work cut out for him, but LSU is a favorable matchup for him scheme wise. If there is one thing BVG can do, is stop the run in a pro style offense.

Now with injuries and what not, that will be tougher than say if this game was week 4. BUt out of all the matchups, ND pulled the most favorable one lol.

Doubt you will be saying this after we get smashed by 20+. With the this team is right now the only favorable bowl matchup would have been Penn St. BVG scheme may stop the run but not with Daniel cage and matsuka starting on the line.

 

[Crazy Balki]

Doubt you will be saying this after we get smashed by 20+. With the this team is right now the only favorable bowl matchup would have been Penn St. BVG scheme may stop the run but not with Daniel cage and matsuka starting on the line.

I thought Day was going to be available for this one.

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

All those extra practices sure helped our offense at the end of the season. And our defense too. I know they need it, but what were they doing in practice before playing the bad NW, Louisville, and SC? What in the heck were they doing in their practices all season. Especially on offense????

Those extra 14 will make that big of a difference? I hope so, but the DATA over the last 5+ weeks says something else.

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

NDSean, yes Day will be back but Jarron is out.

 

[Buster Bluth]

If you would have asked me in September what very young teams looked best heading into 2015 I would have told you LSU, Notre Dame, and Ohio State. It's funny how things turned out.

If Day and Cage are back then I think Notre Dame has a better shot than some think.

 

[pkt77242]

Outside of Navy this might be the game to break out a 4-4-3 defense (if only we had 2 ILBs to actually play). Now I am just rooting for Shumate to play in the box every play. Also if Redfield can't go at FS I would like to see Butler there and Watkins filling in some for Riggs if he has to come of the field (with Farley playing NB).

 

[pkt77242]

If you would have asked me in September what very young teams looked best heading into 2015 I would have told you LSU, Notre Dame, and Ohio State. It's funny how things turned out.

If Day and Cage are back then I think Notre Dame has a better shot than some think.

I agree with this.

 

[Buster Bluth]

Assuming Kelly decides to start Golson, I'm probably most curious to see how he plays more than anything else about the game. If he has a great day against one of the best passing defenses in the country, people may have to rethink their narrative of his 2015 season. If he has a miserable day I think it's possible we're looking at a player whose confidence is at like 0% and it's possibly Zaire time.

 

[Circa]

This really is our 1st game to start 2015. I know thats a bit of stretch but I like the way it sounds. If we can and thats a big If we do pull this off, It would give a huge momentum boost to all of our recent woes and help heal the consensus.

I personally have a good feeling about this 1! GO IRISH!!

 

[Cackalacky]

I can see it now...

Les: "Let me look at the tape on these guys... alright, we're going with our base defense all game."

Hah. Probably.

 

[NDinL.A.]

They'll embarrass our defense. Why play this game-oh yeh? I know its for next year and the extra parctice. Next year has nothing to do with this game. They may tell you that buts its totally irrelevant to the following season. Stay home and save the embarrassment. I'll need a real convincing that Notre Dame really wants to play LSU-while the sec is laughing under their breath at the prospect of piling on the Irish. This is just stupid. While I'm on the subject one more thing-go the the Ivy League, its a better fit.

I understand people disliking the LSU match-up bc we could get our asses kicked (worries me too...big time). But I'll never get the thought that losing to LSU will damage our reputation big-time among college football watchers and recruits, but saying "no thanks, we suck and we'd rather not play in a bowl" is OK.

Think about that. Do you really think the media, coaches and all our rivals WON'T play that up to the tilt? You think recruits will ignore that? Is it worse to go out and attempt to play, quite possibly showing that you suck, than to NOT play and automatically tell the world you suck?

Shit, call me crazy, but I'll at least take the option of playing and possibly not embarrassing ourselves (maybe even stepping up and playing well), than giving the world an entire month plus the spring of calling ND a bunch of pussies (female cats).

As far as you and ND, and ND joining the Ivy League...you're the same guy who predicted a losing record in 2012 and told us over and over and over again that entire off-season that ND would never be relevant again. You were just a tad off there, no? You're just a tad off here, again.

 

[philipm31]

At the very least it will show us and Kelly where we need to be.

BCS CG vs Bama supposedly did that.

Last ND bowl game I went to was the Sugar vs LSU. Glad I won't be at this annihilation.

 

[Bishop2b5]

I'm not sure this is going to be the slaughter some of you expect. Remember this is a Miles team and who knows how well he'll have then prepared or what sort of gameplan (or lack thereof) he'll have. LSU is probably more talented from a purely physical and depth perspective, but if ND can play very disciplined ball and execute well, I think your chances are actually quite good.

 

[ThePiombino]

LSU isn't that bad of a matchup.

Northwestern.

 

[pkt77242]

Northwestern.

Polar opposite teams but nice try.