Phil Steele's Pre-Season Top 30

[irishfan]

I'm not sure how many of you guys are fans of Phil Steele's, but I personally think he is the best in the business. He is releasing a team a day in his top 30, and is on #22 right now.

#30 Air Force
#29 BYU
#28 Michigan State
#27 Pittsburgh
#26 North Carolina
#25 South Florida
#24 Penn State
#23 Wisconsin
#22 Arizona State

Phil Steele

Very curious to see where he will eventually have ND, and also want to see if USC will pop up in the next couple days or if they are out of his top 30 entirely.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Lemme guess, he has ND in the top 15. Give it up already Phil......

Don't get me wrong, I love Steele, but he seems to perpetually overrate ND for the upcoming season.

 

[Rocket89]

I bet he'll have us at 11 or 12.

It's not his fault Notre Dame keeps underachieving vis a vis its talent level.

We know he LOVES returning starters and we are loaded at that position. We'll be very high on his list and I love it.

Also, South Florida at #25?? I'm going to have to read his writeup for that one because that seems very high to me.

Somewhat surprising to see MSU outside the top 25.

 

[clashmore_mike]

He tweeted today that he has Notre Dame "very highly ranked."

 

[ACamp1900]

I'll be stunned if MSU repeats what they did last season... that's just me...

South Florida is a scary opener man... idk if I feel good about it at all... could be a serious "IE in full meltdown mode" day for sure.

 

[Cali_domer]

I am just waiting for a poll to rank us top 3. Sheesh.

 

[rtrn2glory]

i'd rather keep the expectations low and then over achieve...i should know better than that being a ND fan

 

[Sherm Sticky]

I'll be stunned if MSU repeats what they did last season... that's just me...

South Florida is a scary opener man... idk if I feel good about it at all... could be a serious "IE in full meltdown mode" day for sure.

I completely agree with everything you wrote.

 

[Cali_domer]

i'd rather keep the expectations low and then over achieve...i should know better than that being a ND fan

Yep, Athlon has us at #6 and I bet Phill will have us top ten. Jeez , I m worried about USF that is going to be a tough opener.

 

[rtrn2glory]

i gotta think the coaches are equally as worried as we are...they know how big of game that is for momentum!!

 

[irishfan]

Honestly, I want us ranked as highly as possible. There's no difference to me between us being ranked #20 or #5 in the pre-season. I've already heard enough people bitch about ND always being overrated, it doesn't really matter at this point. And recruits have to look at rankings.

 

[beryirish]

Yep, Athlon has us at #6 and I bet Phill will have us top ten. Jeez , I m worried about USF that is going to be a tough opener.

I remember when people said Neveda was going to be tough and "everyone" was calling for the upset at ND. 35-0 later.......despit the outcome of the season.

South Florida will be a good game but ND has a defense now so I'm not biting my nails on every ND possession thinking they HAVE to score.

 

[DillonHall]

e

 

[DillonHall]

i'd rather keep the expectations low and then over achieve...i should know better than that being a ND fan

Not this debate again...

 

[Cali_domer]

e

^^^this^^^

 

[UPMich_NDfan]

Nobody thinks he may have MSU higher than 22?

 

[BestBIrish47]

Just think boys.. we are irritated by the Irish being ranked too high preseason.... What a difference 2 years makes!

 

[clashmore_mike]

Nobody thinks he may have MSU higher than 22?

Huh? He has them at 28.

 

[Old Man Mike]

I, while admitting profound ignorance about anything to do with sports' futures, feel that the only thing that we have to fear about the USF game is if the Staff caves into the temptation to toss in too much "Denard" defensive preparation while emphasizing a rather different set of concerns for USF. Our guys are really smart, but balancing the first game system with the Denard Problem shortly to come, is something that I cross my fingers in hopes that Diaco can manage correctly.

 

[mick2]

i picked up my athlon preview mag the other day and ND is ranked 6th. predicting a sugar bowl vs lsu

 

[mick2]

I, while admitting profound ignorance about anything to do with sports' futures, feel that the only thing that we have to fear about the USF game is if the Staff caves into the temptation to toss in too much "Denard" defensive preparation while emphasizing a rather different set of concerns for USF. Our guys are really smart, but balancing the first game system with the Denard Problem shortly to come, is something that I cross my fingers in hopes that Diaco can manage correctly.

it helps that the usf qb is also a runner, not in denards area code, but a runner.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

i picked up my athlon preview mag the other day and ND is ranked 6th. predicting a sugar bowl vs lsu

I like the ranking, I like the BCS bowl...I don't like the matchup. We don't have the talent yet to compete with LSU

 

[mick2]

I like the ranking, I like the BCS bowl...I don't like the matchup. We don't have the talent yet to compete with LSU

that was my thought exactly.

Top 5 is reserved for serious title contenders, not saying that we cannot be one but where we are at now roster wise, is not where alabama or lsu or oklahoma is.

Going on last years performance and the talent returning, 6 means we aren't there yet but we're damn sure knocking on the door, and don't be surprised if we bust that door down!

Sugar bowl matchup is not what i want to see. but mostly because it is a rerun from 06' i'd actually rather see an orange bowl vs fsu. or even a bowl vs texas.

 

[clashmore_mike]

 

[D-BOE34]

Being realistic is good and all but really pre-season ranking as high as 6 is awesome! If we don't meet the expectations we drop. If we win we stay up there. Its harder to climb to the top then it is to start there!


Also ... Im not scared of LSU.

 

[johnnykillz]

I'll be stunned if MSU repeats what they did last season... that's just me...

South Florida is a scary opener man... idk if I feel good about it at all... could be a serious "IE in full meltdown mode" day for sure.

This match-up reminds me of Nevada a few years ago.

We blew their *** out of the water.

Repeat.

Take two.

 

[InKellyITrust]

This match-up reminds me of Nevada a few years ago.

We blew their *** out of the water.

Repeat.

Take two.

This

 

[Old Man Mike]

Using the argument based on the assumption that we finished the season successfully enough to go to a BCS bowl, THAT means we're REALLY good offensively [i.e. Kelly has straightened out our fears about QB and RB play and the O is rolling]. Since I believe that our defense is going to be better than our offense, I say, bring them on whoever they are.

 

[JughedJones]

I remember when people said Neveda was going to be tough and "everyone" was calling for the upset at ND. 35-0 later.......despit the outcome of the season.

South Florida will be a good game but ND has a defense now so I'm not biting my nails on every ND possession thinking they HAVE to score.

+1

I remember buying in to the Nevada fear, and the joy that beat down gave me. So, maybe it is good to be scared of USF, it just means I'll be even happier at the final whistle.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Given the last ~15 years, I can understand the apprehension at being overrated once again, only to end up underachieving. If Kelly's the coach we think he is, that should no longer be a problem. Momentum and initial ranking is important in the current BCS system, because it influences expectations. Given an identical season, a team that's ranked in the preseason will probably finish higher than one that was unranked.

As for USF, their offense was atrocious last year and they just lost a lot of key players on that side of the ball to graduation. I expect them to field a solid defense, but given (1) last year's offensive (literally and figuratively) performance, (2) the number of returning starters, and (3) the fact that they're playing us, on the road, in their first game of the season, I'm relatively confident about a win over USF.