Why cant we win a championship next season?

[NankerPhelge]

To get back to the original question, I know that the surest way to guarantee that we can't is for our guys to think they can't. Yeah, I'm one of those "Homers" everybody keeps talking about. "Doh!"

 

[Old Man Mike]

I thought that special teams were pretty solid, and we've had the "discussion" here before as to whether Goodman even had many potentially returnable punts---I saw very few that I'd blame him for fair-catching. I hope that Daniels or the Atkinsons or Riddick could be elite punt-returners, but we had a chance to use Riddick that way and chose Kickoffs instead. Fielding kickoffs is a lot easier for your average player than fielding punts. If the guys mentioned can't field the punts at a 99% security level, and cannot judge the rate of enemy closure, then all the talent in the world won't stop disasters. Let's see how Kelly evaluates them in practice, remembering that he will put the most secure guy on the field, not the flashiest.

And to Nanker's point: yes, and I'm optimistic there too. Kelly's optimism and expect-to-win attitude is infectious. I believe that getting our own guys to believe will be the least of our problems.

 

[tatoobaldman]

as long as we stay healthy and dont implode then we have a shot. the offense is gonna blow up this year and the defense is only gonna get better. i am thinking a 10 or 11 win season. with the michigan game and usc game being the possible trip ups.

 

[tommyIRISH23]

To get back to the original question, I know that the surest way to guarantee that we can't is for our guys to think they can't. Yeah, I'm one of those "Homers" everybody keeps talking about. "Doh!"

This goes along with my belief. Notre Dame's biggest ally, and largest inhibitor will be momentum. This team will grow very strong, and become very dangerous if it gains momentum through the first four games. I.e. the Miami game, ND got a few bounces to go it's way and fed off of it leading to a route. If ND's catches a few bounces over the first four games and start 4-0...watch out. They will be very very hard to beat. The mental toughness they developed last season will pay off enormously.

 

[irish1958]

So how bout them Patriots.(Wait whoops wrong league my bad)
We get to AF undefeated there's a strong possibility in my mind that they finish the season with 1 or 2 losses the major problem is going to be USC Maryland and Stanford. But it should be a fun season to watch.

I thought the Standford game was a whole lot closer than the score, at a time when we had a porous defense and a so so offense. I also thought that Luck had all the time in the world on passes and didn't do well when (on rare occasion) pushed. If our offense is as good as I think it will be, and the defense continues to develop as I think it will, we will pound them.
U$C has a world of talent; how good they will be depends on the coaching.
I agree Maryland is the most dangerous; and I think they have a good coach (but not as good as ours).

 

[A Pac]

speed. that's why we can't win a championship yet.

 

[SLCIRISH]

6 Reasons why we win a championship:

1) Dedication to the power running game, in the last 5 games of the season we saw ND go back to running up the middle, that will continue to be the trend, even though we spread the field out, that will be the key to our offense.

2) Defense, this year we will have the best ND defense that I can remember, we have the best core of linebackers in the country, and the rotation on the D line will be deep. And too be honest I dont think our secondary played that bad last season, and they will improve greatly.

3) Toughness, we are not finesse any longer, I dont see any 4th quarter collapses and stupid penalities costing us. In the MIami game, we started to see all of this coming together, jumped out to a lead, played mistake/penalty free, and turned away any chance of a legit comeback by causing turnovers.

4) Big Plays, that was what was missing last year, but I think this season, we just wont be worried about understanding the offense, it will go to the next level, with all the playmakers we have at skill positions, we are going to be big play after big play.

5) Depth at QB, where others see this as a weakness, this is actually our greatest strength, we have 3 legit starters, it doesnt matter who starts the season, because he probably will get hurt and that is why 3 QBs are better than 1.


6) Last 2 recruitng classes, these players dont have to shine, or even start, they have to be the depth we have lacked. They have to come in and every once in awhile make an impact play.


We have all the tools. There isnt any clear cut great team next season, there are a bunch of teams with alot of potential, with alot of holes though. All of the BCS conf are balanced, we could have multiple conf champs having 1 or 2 losses. And I really dont see any BCS busters, Boise is moving to a little better conf and TCU is reloading. I see a ND vs. OU or Ohio St. in the championship, with us winning it all.

 

[Anchorman]

6 Reasons why we win a championship:

1) Dedication to the power running game, in the last 5 games of the season we saw ND go back to running up the middle, that will continue to be the trend, even though we spread the field out, that will be the key to our offense.

2) Defense, this year we will have the best ND defense that I can remember, we have the best core of linebackers in the country, and the rotation on the D line will be deep. And too be honest I dont think our secondary played that bad last season, and they will improve greatly.

3) Toughness, we are not finesse any longer, I dont see any 4th quarter collapses and stupid penalities costing us. In the MIami game, we started to see all of this coming together, jumped out to a lead, played mistake/penalty free, and turned away any chance of a legit comeback by causing turnovers.

4) Big Plays, that was what was missing last year, but I think this season, we just wont be worried about understanding the offense, it will go to the next level, with all the playmakers we have at skill positions, we are going to be big play after big play.

5) Depth at QB, where others see this as a weakness, this is actually our greatest strength, we have 3 legit starters, it doesnt matter who starts the season, because he probably will get hurt and that is why 3 QBs are better than 1.


6) Last 2 recruitng classes, these players dont have to shine, or even start, they have to be the depth we have lacked. They have to come in and every once in awhile make an impact play.

I'm all for homerism, but this is a bit extreme.

1. That 'power running game' couldn't get a yard against a Navy team they outweighed, on average, by Charlie Weiss. Just because Hughes had a few good games doesn't mean we are a power running team, or that we can. Also, any ability is going to be shortlived as IMO that was Kelly making due with what he had in Hughes rather than what he envisions in his spread.

2. We have Manti, who is an absolute beast, but by most estimates (IE non-ND fans ) not the number one in the country. But lets not act like the others are All-Americans. We have a very solid LB group. Not the best in the country.

3. Toughness and penalties are separate. We looked better, but I'm not ready to declare us the toughest bunch quite yet. Its pretty subjective.

4. We had big plays last year. But you can't rely on just big plays. We had playmakers at every position this year too.

5. Three? Seriously? Crist struggled, to put it kindly. Rees was good, but most agree he wasn't dazzling anyone. As for the third, we haven't seen anything, so while I'm cautiously optimistic, I wouldn't go annointing anyone.

We could definitely challenge for a BCS, but I think a NC is a bit far this year. Not impossible, but very unlikely.

 

[irishff1014]

6 Reasons why we win a championship:

1) Dedication to the power running game, in the last 5 games of the season we saw ND go back to running up the middle, that will continue to be the trend, even though we spread the field out, that will be the key to our offense.

2) Defense, this year we will have the best ND defense that I can remember, we have the best core of linebackers in the country, and the rotation on the D line will be deep. And too be honest I dont think our secondary played that bad last season, and they will improve greatly.

3) Toughness, we are not finesse any longer, I dont see any 4th quarter collapses and stupid penalities costing us. In the MIami game, we started to see all of this coming together, jumped out to a lead, played mistake/penalty free, and turned away any chance of a legit comeback by causing turnovers.

4) Big Plays, that was what was missing last year, but I think this season, we just wont be worried about understanding the offense, it will go to the next level, with all the playmakers we have at skill positions, we are going to be big play after big play.

5) Depth at QB, where others see this as a weakness, this is actually our greatest strength, we have 3 legit starters, it doesnt matter who starts the season, because he probably will get hurt and that is why 3 QBs are better than 1.


6) Last 2 recruitng classes, these players dont have to shine, or even start, they have to be the depth we have lacked. They have to come in and every once in awhile make an impact play.


We have all the tools. There isnt any clear cut great team next season, there are a bunch of teams with alot of potential, with alot of holes though. All of the BCS conf are balanced, we could have multiple conf champs having 1 or 2 losses. And I really dont see any BCS busters, Boise is moving to a little better conf and TCU is reloading. I see a ND vs. OU or Ohio St. in the championship, with us winning it all.

1. We did have a good running game the last couple games. The one bad thing about Kelly this year was when the run was not working he pretty much gave up on it. I think Roberson will live up to the 48 he was given.

2. Our defense will be in its second year under Coach D. I think they play really well ths year.

3. We still showed that we were getting tired. However just like the defense this will be year to of the strength program. ANd i think that this team will really be in shape this year.

4. Big plays we had a few but the only ones that i can really remember is Floyds long TD, Rudys long TD, and i know it was not a big yardage play but the fake punt to Bennett at the time was a huge play. And you are right we need about 25-30 20 plus yard plays this year. But the bad thing about that is Rees limits that. Unless he can build some more arm strength.

5. Qb oh what a topic Crist is my opinon our best bet at the starter. Yes i know Rees is what 5-0 as a starter. But the coach staff called plays to his strenght which i don't believe they did with Crist in his first year in this system. I think they had to much confidence in Crist and his head swelled a little bit. But this is his second year and even though he had that injury that his capable of coming back from very strong.

6. Recruiting is going very good. We will start to see some of last years talent this year along with some of this years talent. Some of thses young man are just to good to be sitting on the sideline.

All that said we still have some tough games on the schedule this year. Yes we did beat USC this year with alot of injuries just like they had should be anwesome match up. Stanford they lost there coach but not many players lets see if the new coaches can keep that program on the same track. Navy Hopefully we can end the dreadfull streak. And last Maryland and USF are both young sneaky teams that can play really good at times. I still think we are just not there yet.

 

[GreatGolson]

Allow me to counter that argument.

TCU-2011
Boise State-2004, 2006
Utah-2004, 2008
Hawaii-2007

All undefeated at the end of the regular season. All did not win a championship, even if they won their BCS Bowl game.

thats why i specifically said and undefeated NOTRE DAME, 90% of our schedule is against BCS opponents. And as to the no voting coaches, if we ran the table with our schedule and were winning by comfortable margins, then we would play in the title game, although it would be nice to have something to whine about for the following off season should we go perfect and not play in the championship