Aug 31 | Texas A&M

[Jimmy3Putt]

Take it for what its worth, but was just told by someone who would know

"If we have problems upfront, Knapp won't be one of them"

He drops in time to time and tells me a little info. Nothing wild, but I usually don't ask "why?" or "what?" I just take what he says

That’s what I’m talking about!
These young guys have beaten out vets. If the competition was close, the upperclassmen would be starting Saturday!

We roll!

 

[Bowhunter08]

No offense. It was a bold 2nd post. Don't try to be respectful. Either be it or don't. You're not saving me from anything, only preserving your time here or lighting it on fire. In the same way I was downplaying the schedule question, you're downplaying the other components that can grind a team down over the course of a season.

I believe we're talking about how a team would perform in another team's shoes. There are a lot of factors involved in that question. It's silly to discuss because we can't ever know, we're throwing darts in the off-season.

The schedule is a part of making the playoff 100%, same with Michigan last year. Same with some SEC teams in year's past. This year is light. How do you think TAMU would do against Oklahoma's schedule? How about USC?

What is your prediction for TAMUs record at regular season's end?

Too early to tell for me. Let's see how the season unfolds and we can go back and compare notes.

I have no idea what A&M's record will be. There are just too many unknowns. We have a new coaching staff, and over 40 new player on roster. I believe we upgraded the roster significantly from last year and we upgraded coaching. How quick it can come together is just a guess. If they play to potential then the game Sat night will be a dog fight. If not, the ND will take the W and move on.

But I will take a position......barring injury to Wiegman, we will go 9-3 that includes a victory over hated rival Longhorns at the end of the year.

 

[Irish du Nord]

As I said previously, if ND cant beat the 6th best team in the SEC, it doesnt belong anywhere near the playoffs.

Tell that to 2021 Bama…

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

Take it for what its worth, but was just told by someone who would know

"If we have problems upfront, Knapp won't be one of them"

He drops in time to time and tells me a little info. Nothing wild, but I usually don't ask "why?" or "what?" I just take what he says

I promise I'm not trying to sound doubtful or anything, I'm just genuinely curious;

What are some other nuggets this anonymous insider has provided to you before that have proven true? Asking for a friend who would like to feel way more confident about our young OL on Saturday night lol.

 

[NDdomer2]

you're right. Changed my wording

How dare you!

Wonder who the concern would be?

OL play will definitely be a focus of mine throughout the game.

 

[ozzman]

Something I find interesting….

All the media “hacks” who don’t do anything but focus on headlines are picking A&M.

The actual “football guys” are all picking ND.
Joel Klatt, Greg McElroy, JD Pickell, etc… talk about reviewing the film, & they bring up obvious things the hacks don’t, like the fact that everyone talks about ND’s OL vs A&M’s DL, but in reality A&M won’t be able to move the ball on ND’s entire defense. Say A&M’s OL is in trouble too, & ND’s overall defense is elite. And ND will be able to at least move the ball with a mobile QB & weapons on the outside & TE/RB.

So the dudes who actually analyze film all like ND. The talking heads like A&M.
I’ll take the football guys.

Add Andy Staples to the pick ND group

 

[NDVirginia19]

I'm going to be surrounded by A&M fans during the game. Would be a very not-fun time if we fall flat, but I have a feeling that the Irish pull it out.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Not sure if it's been posted in here, but Marcus Freeman says Howard Cross won't be on a pitch count

 

[HouseofPain]

Tell that to 2021 Bama…

Bama played a SEC schedule. ND does not. The 6th best SEC team this year is the best team ND will face.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

All great points. And I do think travel in the new B1G will affect outcomes and SC's travel is particularly brutal. But would I rather travel across country to play Stanford or travel 1 hr flight to play Georgia or Bama or LSU? The answer is simple....give me the travel.

I still believe that regardless of the outcome on Saturday, ND runs the table barring key injuries. Enjoy your season.

Assuming you play all 3 of those in the same year, which I don’t believe you do. ND did travel to play UGA a few years ago and it was a helluva game. Last two times ND faced LSU was w/ a backup QB yet they won both games at a neutral site. If aTm beats ND should cruise thru the month of September (sorry, not buying UF being a good team yet & Arkansas is a cellar dweller w/ a HC on the hot seat). Your toughest road game is an unranked Auburn. Maybe they’ll be awesome but it should’ve be intimidating at Jordan-Hare as ya’ll play them every season.

We have our cupcakes, too; but gimme NM St, BGSU or McNeese St any day of the week over a military academy. Not saying they’re better teams but it’s another example of how SEC fans dismiss ND playing Navy every season. They don’t get past the names to realize the defense has to forget most of what they practiced for an entire season and focus on assignment football. So again, not more talented than your aforementioned opponents but harder to prepare for & recover from. You can laugh, but I notice SEC teams steer away from the academies in favor of FCS or low G5 teams.

If ND loses, they will not, IMO; run the table. I think they succomb to the pressure or injuries or both and drop a game they’re supposed to win. I love Freeman, but until he can win the games he’s supposed to, I have to see it to believe it.

I’m a big Elko fan so I wish y’all a successful season…as long as it doesn’t include a win over ND😉.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

Bama played a SEC schedule. ND does not. The 6th best SEC team this year is the best team ND will face.

So without any SEC games being played, you’re 100% convinced that aTm is the sixth best?! Dude, you should take that knowledge to Vegas.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

Add Andy Staples to the pick ND group

So Josh Pate is the outlier. I think he’s the guy who picked UL over ND last season.

 

[NDFAN2008]

Take it for what its worth, but was just told by someone who would know

"If we have problems upfront, Knapp won't be one of them"

He drops in time to time and tells me a little info. Nothing wild, but I usually don't ask "why?" or "what?" I just take what he says

That only tells me it will be Wagner, Craig and Schrauth were solid last year we know what we are getting with them.

 

[PutuporShutup]

That only tells me it will be Wagner, Craig and Schrauth were solid last year we know what we are getting with them.

I think they were better than solid. I think they look the part of future NFL Guard and NFL Center.

 

[SeekNDestroy]

Wonder who the concern would be?

According to Reaper, the staff doesn’t have any concerns about 4 of the 5 ol, the interior is a strength, and Knapp is not an issue. Therefore, it’s got to be Wagner, right?

 

[forkbeard3777]

As I said previously, if ND cant beat the 6th best team in the SEC, it doesnt belong anywhere near the playoffs.

Not to be curt, but you do realize teams can improve and get better over the course of the season, right?

If Notre Dame were to lose to A&M in a respectable fashion and then subsequently finish 11-0, they're getting in the Playoffs. Period.

It gets a lot more suspect if they were to lose one more game (Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, USC). The overall strength of the schedule isn't there this year and, currently, I don't anticipate any of the aforementioned opponents being in Playoff contention as well. That can all change though...

Cheers to a great season.

 

[dublinirish]

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Take it for what its worth, but was just told by someone who would know

"If we have problems upfront, Knapp won't be one of them"

He drops in time to time and tells me a little info. Nothing wild, but I usually don't ask "why?" or "what?" I just take what he says

If it wont' be Knapp, then it certainly won't be Pendleton who supplanted two older starters for the LG spot. It won't be Craig who supplanted a multi-year starter at center and it won't be Schrauth who supplanted the older/more experienced guards even earlier. So that leaves one player who beat out every other tackle on our roster for the RT spot.

This is a modicum of encouragement that will evaporate by kickoff. But I love the info!

 

[stpeteirish]

I’m always over confident until kickoff. Then I get the nervous shits.

You can always bring your phone into the bathroom or put the TV on pause until things correct themselves. I know from experience

 

[stpeteirish]

I rewatch the 1988 highlight video every year before the season starts. I watched it the other day for this season, and I noticed Holtz said they had 5 new OL starters AND an all new starting DL on that team. Absolutely incredible that they were able to do what they did, but it also shows that with the right coaching and approach, what this years team has is not unrealistic to expect big success. The parallels between this team and 88 are quite striking as well, with the mixture of seniors and youth at key positions.

I think you also need a little luck regardless of talent. The 1988 team probably should have lost the opener to Michigan, but those dorks missed a last second 41 yard field goal, so ND won by 2. They also were fortunate to beat Miami, with Jimmy Johnson’s infamous failed 2pt conversion (and questionable fumble call against Miami at the goal line earlier in the game) giving ND a 1 point victory. That team could’ve very easily been 10-2.

And in a four team playoff would we have won a rematch with Miami?

 

[ND7983]

Not sure if it's been posted in here, but Marcus Freeman says Howard Cross won't be on a pitch count

That was a narrative created by Prister, then Sampson ran with it.
ND was so annoyed by it, they did something they usually don’t do…they went out of their way to make a statement about a single player being healthy, midweek, without being directly asked about him.
Driskell on his show back then said he asked a ND coach directly over message & that coach replied he had no idea where any of this was coming from, that Cross was completely healthy.
Then of course Sampson, just days ago, says he doesn’t know how healthy Cross is, but “he knows for a fact” that Cross will be diminished. LOL

I can’t stand when media lock on to something that is wrong, but they can’t admit they either made it up or exaggerated it, so they just push it for weeks.
Cross told 247 he was healthy.
A ND coach told sites Cross was healthy.
ND PR put out a statement Cross was healthy.
Yet, just this week Prister, Sampson & OMalley are talking like he is not healthy.
So now Marcus Freeman says he’s not on a pitch count.

 

[JadedDomer]

Next 48 hours are the most exciting for me as ND approaches week 1. Full of hope and expectations, and ways to spin in my head why everyone we put on the field is a sleeper. Kind of like approaching Christmas. Hope I don't just get socks and underwear again.

 

[texbender]

Why is Oklahoma's schedule so much harder than A&M's?

That was their welcome to the SEC door prize.

 

[NDPhilly]

I keep seeing people projecting A&M to score 24-27 points against us. Say what you want about our OL (which IMO is overstated at this point), but we had a legitamite top 10 (if not top 5) defense last year, and return almost everyone. I'd be shocked if they hit 27.

 

[Jimmy3Putt]

I keep seeing people projecting A&M to score 24-27 points against us. Say what you want about our OL (which IMO is overstated at this point), but we had a legitamite top 10 (if not top 5) defense last year, and return almost everyone. I'd be shocked if they hit 27.

Shit happens in college football and games turn into track meets. That being said, I'm expecting single digits from A&M.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

I have no idea what A&M's record will be. There are just too many unknowns. We have a new coaching staff, and over 40 new player on roster. I believe we upgraded the roster significantly from last year and we upgraded coaching. How quick it can come together is just a guess. If they play to potential then the game Sat night will be a dog fight. If not, the ND will take the W and move on.

But I will take a position......barring injury to Wiegman, we will go 9-3 that includes a victory over hated rival Longhorns at the end of the year.

Compound or recurve?

I appreciate you taking a position. Most of us around here hate how Elko left ND but we really loved him while he was here. He's been a fan favorite except when we are pitted against one of his teams. He was characterized as very smart and hard-working. I think he made shrewd hires everywhere except defense. I think his DC hire is questionable but I'm sure it'll look good this year with the DL you have and knowing his fingerprints will be all over it.

I think 9-3 definitely looks attainable and 10-2 seems like a possibility but I don't know how LSU, Mizzou and Texas match up on the OL. If they have neutralizers on their respective OLs, then each of those games becomes much harder. You guys have a lot of talent and a lot of new pieces coming together.

Each season is a microcosm with it's own set of new players, transfers, new coaches, new injuries, new penalties to bemoan with a little bit of chaos sprinkled in. We have had a fair bit on the offensive side so we're equally anxious to see what we have Saturday night!

 

[dublinirish]

Karels picked ND but I swear nobody thinks ND breaks 20 pts if that was a betting line I’d take the over


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[NDPhilly]

For an "elite" defense, A&M certainly allowed a hell of a lot of points multiple times last year:

Miami - 48
LSU - 42
Ole Miss - 38

Im supposed to think we won't hit 20 points against that?

 

[ND7983]

For an "elite" defense, A&M certainly allowed a hell of a lot of points multiple times last year:

Miami - 48
LSU - 42
Ole Miss - 38

Im supposed to think we won't hit 20 points against that?

Denbrock had more 40 point games last year than he has had single digit games in his career.
I think he will find a way to get to at least 24.
Don’t see A&M getting to 20.

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

Karels picked ND but I swear nobody thinks ND breaks 20 pts if that was a betting line I’d take the over


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It's a mental trap that most everybody falls for. They use the prior year's team as a baseline and adjust from there. ND struggled to score against good defenses last year. I think this ND team's prior year's performance is even less relevant than usual due to the changes in coaching and personnel. But it's going to drag down everyone's perception of ND until they see the 2024 team in action.