I just listened to the most recent 'The Independent' podcast with Sampson and Fortuna and it was a very hard listen. Fortuna was oddly intentional in trying to draw parallels between the 2025 team and the 2016 team. Talking about how things could go off the rails early, bad responses, etc.
I know the 2016 team had a lot of key talented players but please take one moment and compare the rosters and review the health of the program in the 2-3 preceding years. I think Fortuna has developed a selective bitterness toward ND that he's unaware of and unpacking live on-air.
I feel bad for him because that had to have been the most talented Penn State team in a loooong time and they lost their two biggest playmakers on both sides of the ball (Warren, Darth Vader). For a young, hobbled, greatly reduced Notre Dame team to show up and trade blows with PSU until landing the final haymaker when the odds were stacked against them, must really chap the ass of the PSU faithful.
I rarely read into things like this but for a program with loads of talent at all three levels of the defense and an offense returning every starting OL, improved WRs and potentially the best RB room in the country, there are only question marks about the QB and TE depth right now. It's hard to see how this thing goes 'off the rails' even if they aren't a finished product at kickoff.
As always, not intending to malign Matt but the scenario he painted felt more projection than analysis. Maybe others felt differently?
