Greatest concern - 13 days out edition

[IrishJayhawk]

With all the question marks of a new coaching staff, new starting QB coming off a major injury, a new scheme on offense and defense...

What do people see as the greatest concern going into the season? It can be a position, a player...whatever.

Ready...go.

 

[IrishJayhawk]

For whatever reason (other than Manti), the LB position scares me.

- I know we're thin on numbers in the defensive backfield, but I like the experience there.
- I know we're thin on experience on the OL, but the depth (and Kelly's rhetoric) makes me feel okay about that.
- I know Dane is a new starter, and we're very thin experienced depth there, but I like Kelly's track record.

It's just a gut feeling. Anyone else?

 

[RyCo1983]

I'll go with the obvious issues in the defensive secondary.
Our lack of depth and the fact that most of the guys with experience looked like pure garbage last year...though alot of that has to do with the pitiful blitzing schemes under Tenuta's command.

I'm sure we'll have a good number of high scoring shootouts this year.

 

[IrishLax]

LB position I actually consider the strength of our team on defense. I think both our OLB starters (whoever they end up being) will be solid and Te'o is obviously solid. The other MLB position... well, we'll see.

The things that scares me the most are our DL and OL. We had some young, highly touted recruits on our OL in 2007 and we all saw how that went... so I will be concerned until I see some of these new guys in action. On the DL we haven't had great recruiting classes nor good performances for years... while that is less of a concern in the 3-4 where you can pressure the QB in a myriad of ways I still think that might be our Achilles' heel against the Pitts, USCs, etc. who have strong OLs with good running attacks.

 

[NDOM]

Dayne Crist staying healthy all year is my concern. That and beating some serious ass this year.

 

[FrankMA]

The D-line. Not so much the starters, but who comes in after that. With the fast paced offense these guys are going to be on the field a lot and are going to need help from the backups. I hope a couple of guys step up.

 

[IrishInColumbus]

I guess I'm an optimist.

QB depth doesn't scare me at all. It's not like the second-string guy plays at all anyway, this isn't DL. QB depth only matters if the starter bites the dust, and at that point the season is most likely done anyway.

RB is an obviously strength. Armando Allen, Robert Hughes, Cierre Wood, Jonas Gray. It's a win-win-win-win situation. Okay, Robert Hughes needs to improve.

WR concerns? Stay healthy and they're as good as anyone in the country.

TE concerns? See WR.

OL Concerns? I think, and hope, we're going to be pleasantly surprised by what the strength and conditioning has done for them. Plus hopefully the ball will be out of Crist's hands so fast the OL doesn't necessarily need to dominate.

Defensively...

DL concerns? Depth in the interior. Stay healthy please.

LB is rather stacked in my opinion. I guess I just hope Manti Te'o pulls a James Laurinitis and goes All-America on teams in his sophomore outing.

DB issues.....I'm giving the DBs a 0/10 and anything good we get from them I'll consider a bonus. Maybe Jon Tenuta's horribly predictable blitz packages left the DBs on islands every play and it wasn't exactly their fault. Maybe. I can hope.

 

[eNDzone]

My biggest concern is when we start beating up on our opponents that it will be harder and harder to find tickets for the games.

 

[Riddickulous]

Defense.

 

[tommyIRISH23]

Offense-

1. QB- Depth. Keep Dayne healthy, because theres not much back there. Normally, Id be worried about him being ask to do so much, bc hes young, but I think BK knows waht hes doin.

2. RB- That position is awarded to who performs best in games, not just practice. CW had his boys, and stuck with them. Again, i dont see BK doin this.

3. WR- Stay healthy

4. TE- eh. not much, obviously KR is a stud and were in better shape with him then without.

5. Oline- Kelly is pretty high on them. I trust him. I just hope they hold up.

Defense.

1. LB's stays healthy. They will be our strength.

2. Secondary- scares me to death. I hope they oveachieve and suprise us all.

4. Dline- I think our Dline will be strong.

I think we are a more complete team then most sports writers give us credit for being. I think they just write articles on the idea that we were a true 6-6 team talent wise..etc. BK is going to get a lot out of these kids. ND will win atleast 9 this year

 

[NDFANnSouthWest]

My concerns are a little different (more on that in a minute)...I think we have a solid O line, solid WR core, solid RB core, Solid DL and Solid LBs....so the QB and DB are solid however unproven...so what is my concern...ND beating themselves...it has been a drama riddled season of 09, the new coach, the new system, underage drinking parties, cops busting Ragone...and the toughest-- the loss of a team mate. What I think we often forget is that these are kids at 18, 19, 20....on the positive note I think BK will steer the team in the correct direction.

 

[Senoj13]

how about fear of the unknown. we have been snake bitten 3 times now by the coach who as going to take us to the next level. Everything is lip service until game one. Let's wait and see before we proclaim the next "Ara"

 

[IrishJayhawk]

how about fear of the unknown. we have been snake bitten 3 times now by the coach who as going to take us to the next level. Everything is lip service until game one. Let's wait and see before we proclaim the next "Ara"

Touche. But, until then, what else are we going to talk about?

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

Losing to army and navy in 1 season

 

[Junkhead]

Losing to army and navy in 1 season

:banghead2 We have to wait until BK has his own guys, next year.....etc. I really don't want to go through the failed optimism again.

 

[Senoj13]

Touche. But, until then, what else are we going to talk about?

I hear what your saying. but this thread is greatest concern. Mine is being fooled again (no offense to The Who). I don't want to get sucked in again on a great start with a coach saying all the right things. Kelly may be the answer, but for me, its wait and see.

 

[ACamp1900]

A LOT... way too many concerns to expect a great year... far too thin on D for a team that will prob. not have time of possesion as one of it's hallmarks... who steps up if Crist goes down???... TWO new systems to learn... and a tough first half will not let this team ease into it...

there is a lot to overcome.

 

[PatsandBostonfan1975]

Our secondary is scary for the wrong reasons but, glass being half full all the better throwing teams being later in the year should help us. Also good , bad and or ugly we should know how good we are by week 5 for sure.

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

Everything besides wide receivers/tight ends and running backs.

 

[ND_HAS_RISEN]

Losing to Michigan!! Losing to Michigan this year literally might make me go insane.

 

[tko]

zero concerns. i have a full pitcher of kool-aid ready to drink.

 

[GEORGIA DOMER]

6-6 not again please

 

[dales5050]

Unlike some, I think the LBs are really a position of strength and it does not matter who starts between Neal, Filer and Smith. I really think this is a group of 1s quality.

On the flip side, I really think the 2s for QB is really a battle between 2 3rd string QBs. If DC goes down...it is going to be bad. But since we are talking about a battle of the 2nd string, it is not my biggest concern.

That would be depth at the d-line and dbacks. I think in both cases ND has good to great starters in regards to potential. However, the drop off from the 1s to the 2s is my biggest concern.

 

[nd1]

i think the secondary has to be a concern until proved otherwise.

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

I said I was most excited to see if the OL and DL had improved.

But, Oline is my biggest concern in that I am afraid they won't improve. Every postseason we have heard how the Oline has made great strides and every year they have come out and been less than stellar. If the Oline is not strong, we won't go very far - again.

I am skeptical. I hope they are stronger. I hope we see defenses getting blown off the LOS, but the line hasn't done that for a long time now.

We'll see. I think we will have a pretty good idea of how much this offensive line has progressed once we see the first offensive series against Purdue.

 

[tankjeep]

With all the question marks of a new coaching staff, new starting QB coming off a major injury, a new scheme on offense and defense...

What do people see as the greatest concern going into the season? It can be a position, a player...whatever.

Ready...go.

secondary and dline. and yes i'm ready to go too.

GO IRISH!!!

 

[NDinL.A.]

secondary and an injury to Crist. He goes down, and we're in DEEEEEEEEEEEP trouble.

 

[AlbuquerqueIrishFan]

Losing to SC. I'm going to jail if we lose that game because I'm going to hurt someone and charges will surely be pressed against me.

 

[Irish Man3]

I really have no concerns on offense unless we're desimated by injury. We have so much talent and an awesome coach and offensive scheme.
Defense has to be a cause for concern. Im excited to see the shape that Longo has our players in, but Im still not sold on our defense as a whole. With the amount of time that our defense will be on the field, depth scares me on the d-line and in the secondary. We have experiance in both areas but then a huge drop off. Im scared when we hit the last quarter of our schedule, we will be wore out.

 

[DaLastFarleyite]

The ability to pressure the opposing QB. Over the past 5 or so years we have been unable to consistently put pressure on the QB and limit the amount of time they have to throw. I start getting the DTs any time I think about how much time people like Forcier and Barkley had to throw the ball. All American DBs can't even cover Goofy if they are asked to do it for more than 5 seconds.