Preseason Rankings

[Kansas Irish]

College Football Live placed the Irish at #24 in their preseason poll. Arguably, Athlon's last year preseason ranking of #6 could have had some more merit if it was not for the unpredictable turnovers. Granted, ESPN may not sit well with many but #24 from the start? Thoughts?

 

[ACamp1900]

College Football Live placed the Irish at #24 in their preseason poll. Arguably, Athlon's last year preseason ranking of #6 could have had some more merit if it was not for the unpredictable turnovers. Granted, ESPN may not sit well with many but #24 from the start? Thoughts?

Yep, that whole reality thing sure sucks doesn't it???

lol


I think 24 is fair enough either way

 

[luckyfc]

I am confident that our line play will be fantastic, but it is hard to rank us much higher to begin with when QB is a question and CB is unproven.

 

[BurningRiver]

I actually think 24 is generous. This team has so much potential but with the quarterback situation the way it is it's difficult to argue that ND is one of the best 25 teams in college football. I think there should be some kind of unwritten rule that says you shouldn't be ranked in the top 25 if you have a QB competition extending into fall practices.*

*Unless you're an SEC team

 

[Buster Bluth]

In my opinion, if there are two positions on a football team you don't want to have be inexperienced, it is the quarterback and the cornerbacks.

Ranked at 24 is fine. The OL/RB/DL/LB units are excellent, but the others need to prove themselves.

 

[phgreek]

How many 8 win teams are in the top 25...?

Isn't that kinda the concensus water mark around here; 8 wins (+/-1).

I like this team...lines are looking good. RBs are looking good. TE is looking good. But we have question marks at WR, DB...aaaaand QB. What I expect is more flashes of brilliance followed by many moments of ...WTF was THAT?

I figured the 2012 gang at 8 wins after the FSU debacle...after the recruiting fun...transfers...and after the spring game...still like 8 wins.

 

[ChiRish]

Who were the other teams around ND? I don't have a problem with 24. I agree with everyone else though that with CB & QB such a problem, who knows.

 

[NDPhilly]

We have a problem and one CB not both. Bennett Jackson will be better than 2011 Blanton and 2010 Gray. Mark it down. Also Atkinson will beat out Lo.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Uggggh. I'd rather be unranked until after the MSU game. 3-0=ranked, 2-1=unranked. Put up or shutup Irish.

*I'm not implying the first two are gimmes, but they should be W's.

 

[GreatGolson]

we dont deserve to be ranked until we are 3-0. honestly i would be surprised if we stay ranked all season, unfortunately i dont predict a good season. although i would LOVE to be wrong

 

[IrishSteelhead]

we dont deserve to be ranked until we are 3-0. honestly i would be surprised if we stay ranked all season, unfortunately i dont predict a good season. although i would LOVE to be wrong

That's what I'm saying. My season prediction would sober a few people up, so luckily I'm wrong quite a bit. That's why the games are played....

 

[koonja]

We lost Floyd, Lynch, almost all of our secondary, not to mention our best runningback. On top of that, our QB is going to be either A) Tommy Rees or B) a first-year starter. I have no clue how we can be ranked.

 

[clashmore_mike]

Ben Koyack

 

[BobD]

I think 24 sounds about right.

We should get some odds on how many more posts in this thread until it turns into another QB conversation thread.

 

[Cali_domer]

Ben Koyack

Heggie

 

[clashmore_mike]

I think Kiel should start in Dublin.

 

[clashmore_mike]

I think 24 sounds about right.

We should get some odds on how many more posts in this thread until it turns into another QB conversation thread.

Two more after yours.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

We lost Floyd, Lynch, almost all of our secondary, not to mention our best runningback. On top of that, our QB is going to be either A) Tommy Rees or B) a first-year starter. I have no clue how we can be ranked.

Four words. NO DER DAY UM.

/thread

 

[phork]

Why the negativity?

 

[irish1958]

Why the negativity?

Did you watch the Sppring game?

 

[ohara831]

#24 is fair to start out. As others have said, we are unproven at the QB position and until we know how that will work out, it remains a big question. And QB play will decide if we make a quality Bowl or not. Time will tell.

 

[ThePiombino]

#24 is fair to start out. As others have said, we are unproven at the QB position and until we know how that will work out, it remains a big question. And QB play will decide if we make a quality Bowl or not. Time will tell.

I see us as more in the 25-30 tier. Would almost prefer it- gives the boys something extra to work for. A little locker room bulletin board material and a chip on a shoulder never hurt anyone

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[ClausentoTate]

OSU ranked that high?

They jump us after we play our spring game and they're at home eating cheeseburgers

 

[phork]

Did you watch the Sppring game?

Since you only have 591 posts, I'll fill you in on a little secret. Italics == sarcasm.

OSU ranked that high?

They jump us after we play our spring game and they're at home eating cheeseburgers

Tells you what everyone thinks about the state of the program. Urban Meyer is an instant 10-15 jump in spots.

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

To be honest I don't think we should be ranked. We didn't end the year ranked and what have we done this offseason to say we are going to be better? We still don't have a quarterback and we lost a projected DL starter, one of the best WRs in ND history and our three best secondary players.

Hype is hype.

 

[Buster Bluth]

We have a problem and one CB not both. Bennett Jackson will be better than 2011 Blanton and 2010 Gray. Mark it down. Also Atkinson will beat out Lo.

Better as a first-year starter than a guy who was drafted? I doubt it.

 

[Black Irish]

If I'm reading it correctly, Hawaii ended last season ranked #24 with a 6-7 record. I'd like to see the Irish do better than .500, but it doesn't take much more than that to climb into the 20s. Putting ND at #24 may not be the big vote of confidence, but more of "well, they have a little more potential than these other programs."

 

[JughedJones]

If I'm reading it correctly, Hawaii ended last season ranked #24 with a 6-7 record. I'd like to see the Irish do better than .500, but it doesn't take much more than that to climb into the 20s. Putting ND at #24 may not be the big vote of confidence, but more of "well, they have a little more potential than these other programs."

I think this.

We have a whole lot of potential. I know CB and QB are unproven, but EG could be just what this program needs, and our corners could be serviceable with a good pass rush from our front seven.

I am pretty optimistic about this season. We're going to run into a buzzsaw schedule-wise, but I think we can have ourselves a pretty good run if a few things pan out.

 

[phgreek]

If I'm reading it correctly, Hawaii ended last season ranked #24 with a 6-7 record. I'd like to see the Irish do better than .500, but it doesn't take much more than that to climb into the 20s. Putting ND at #24 may not be the big vote of confidence, but more of "well, they have a little more potential than these other programs."

Number of teams with <9 wins in top 25 polls:

1) AP = 0
2) coaches = 0
3) comparison = 0
4) Harris = 1 (FSU)
5) BCS = 2 (Texas/Auburn)
6) USA Today = 0
7)Scripps = 0
8) ESPN = 0

out of all of those top 25s, 3 teams got in with 8 wins. Maybe I'm not looking at the right end of year polls but 8 wins likely does not end the season with us in top 25. Maybe on SoS, and who those L's go to.

AS others have said....we were not in the top 25 to end last year, we've lost alot, we have key positions that need help...having a hard time buying in to this 24 ranking with my head.

Of course my heart says oh hell yes...

 

[dapeaker]

i think 24 is pretty generous. i do expect EG to be our QB and our lines will be a strength this year. running the ball 60% will help a lot too. secondary isnt that bad.. kind of even with losing gary gray and replacing him with any 1st year starter; might even be an improvement. LB's will be imporved from last years play. RB's and EG look good. just need to find more than 1 person to catch a ball this year.