Just watched the '04 National Title Game

[ACamp1900]

LSU/OU on ESPN Classic... I really just sat back and compared where ND is now compared to those two sqauds and WOW... It was really an eye opener more than anything else I have witnessed lately. I remember watching that game and thinking it was a boring game at the time... watching it now???


MAN ALIVE!! Those were two good f'in football teams!! Fundamentally, both sides of the ball, athletically, everything... man! I have never, ever seen a Notre Dame team play up to that level... period. Defensively, we have pumped our chest over what we did the past month... Good God, Those two units made ours look Jr. high like on that night.

Honestly after watching that game, ND has a long way to win a title if that is the standard... long, long way to go.

I think a lot of ND fans think we are always one year away... watch the 04 title game, hell watch this year's... We are not even close to competing at that level yet.

 

[jason_h537]

The only things i remember of that game are

1. OU should not have been in it.
2. How ridiculously unfair it is to be a non SEC team playing in the Sugar Bowl.

 

[mick2]

i dont think we are a year away from looking like oregon or auburn, but i also don't think we are that far away either, we basically had msu beat and they were an 11-1 team this year. also the stanford game was a lot closer than the score indicated, we gave them a handful.

the bottom line is to be in a title game you have to be talented, disciplined and most of all lucky. we'll get there.

 

[ACamp1900]

J if you ever get a chance again.... watch it... The D lines collapsed the O line( which were sound) so many times and the RB's on both sides danced so quick and made so many nifty moves to just get a few yards it just drops your jaw... in both regards I kept thinking... "wow, I have never seen an ND player ever do that once to that degree... yet that is like the fifth time in the last ften minutes in this ONE GAME"

I never looked at LIVE title games as a comparrison to ND's current state so this is new... but I did tonight... and now I don't think I have ever felt so bad about ND's title chances in the near future...

 

[IrishinSyria]

Watch Oregon and Auburn this year and you'll feel a lot better about our defense. Besides Auburn's stud D-tackle, the talent levels on the three squads is pretty similar.

As for offense... we're just a Cam Newton away. NBD.

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

We don't need Cam Newton. We just need a solid game-manager. This defense is going to be phenomenal and the running game should be great too. We can get by with a Matt Flynn or Matty Mauck.

 

[tommyIRISH23]

I dont think we are a year away, but I do think we are within 3 years from seriously competing.

Our sophs are really good, and only getting better. Once they are seniors and fully developed with the present frosh being juniors, this years class being sophmores, and a few contributing freshmen...ND will be very good. I believe in Brian Kelly and his ability to develop players.

I don't believe that you need 11 superstars on both sides of the ball to be a NC caliber team. I believe you need 4 studs, and 7 roll players that are intelligent and fundamentally sound. ND is almost there. In 2 years BK's system will be firmly in place with a roster mostly filled with BK's players who have been developed in BK's system since day 1.

The kids we have replacing our veterans this year are arguably more talented, and have a higher ceiling. They also are going to be much more developed then this year class. I think we can expect an upgrade in a few positions.

The expectations for ND in 2012 are going to be sky high. And, I believe, they are going to be prepared, and strong enough from top to bottom to meet these expectations.

 

[tommyIRISH23]

BK's players have always over-achieved. Imagine Teo, Shembo, and Cierre, to name a few, over-achieving. That is just scarey

 

[tankjeep]

i dont think we are a year away from looking like oregon or auburn, but i also don't think we are that far away either, we basically had msu beat and they were an 11-1 team this year. also the stanford game was a lot closer than the score indicated, we gave them a handful.

the bottom line is to be in a title game you have to be talented, disciplined and most of all lucky. we'll get there.

you almost had me, until you said that. that standford game was embarassing. we got man handled.

 

[tankjeep]

J if you ever get a chance again.... watch it... The D lines collapsed the O line( which were sound) so many times and the RB's on both sides danced so quick and made so many nifty moves to just get a few yards it just drops your jaw... in both regards I kept thinking... "wow, I have never seen an ND player ever do that once to that degree... yet that is like the fifth time in the last ften minutes in this ONE GAME"

I never looked at LIVE title games as a comparrison to ND's current state so this is new... but I did tonight... and now I don't think I have ever felt so bad about ND's title chances in the near future...

i agree. i think we are a couple more years away from being close to a top notch program. once bk gets his rkg's in.....things will be on the rise, i firmly believe that. but we need to be realist and understand that bk still has a long way to go. and our schedule is going to make it even more difficult for bk, but i have confidence in him. he's done a lot this season that's going to pay off way down the road.

 

[ND NYC]

no worries....we're a long snapper away from winning it all

 

[irish1958]

ball, athletically, everything... man! I have never, ever seen a Notre Dame team play up to that level... period.

How old are you?
I have watched almost every ND football game since 1950, and I have seen many ND teams that could compete with any team.
Although, I admit, this came to a screeching halt after 1993.

 

[mick2]

you almost had me, until you said that. that standford game was embarassing. we got man handled.

go back and run through the drive summaries, the defense played very well and limited the cardinal to just 19 points thru 3 qtrs. thats secnd among stanfords opponents, asu only allowed 17 pts all game, usc allowed 21 thru 3 qtrs, and your national championship contender allowed 31 points in the first half.

we were physically beaten, no argument there. i am just saying it wasn't as lopsided as the score would lead you to believe.

 

[PANDFAN]

^^^ CORRECT! it was the landslide at the end that sealed it...19-6 going into 4th...

 

[ACamp1900]

How old are you?
I have watched almost every ND football game since 1950, and I have seen many ND teams that could compete with any team.
Although, I admit, this came to a screeching halt after 1993.

I'm thirty and watched every team since 1989... not one from then on have ever played to that level on both sides of the ball

 

[mick2]

I'm thirty and watched every team since 1989... not one from then on have ever played to that level on both sides of the ball

i'll have to respectfully disagree.

 

[Riddickulous]

Kelly went 12-0 with one returning starter on defense last year. So there's that.

But I'll have to agree. I need to see something truly good from this defense before I start to believe we're national title material.

 

[tankjeep]

go back and run through the drive summaries, the defense played very well and limited the cardinal to just 19 points thru 3 qtrs. thats secnd among stanfords opponents, asu only allowed 17 pts all game, usc allowed 21 thru 3 qtrs, and your national championship contender allowed 31 points in the first half.

we were physically beaten, no argument there. i am just saying it wasn't as lopsided as the score would lead you to believe.

i guess that's more of what i was saying. i like the defense to be more physical than the opposing team's offense and that surely wasn't the case in that game. but i see what you are saying.

 

[tankjeep]

i'll have to respectfully disagree.

me too.

 

[irish1958]

I think the '89 and '93 teams were as good as any whoever played at the college level.
A few others were close.