Man is that a well-coached football program. Brian Kelly deserves a ton of credit. Many thought the defense would take a huge step back after losing so much talent, but they were even quicker than they have been the last two years flying to the football and getting after the quarterback. Maybe it was a slow Michigan team that made them look so good and some atrocious blocking, but I think Notre Dame is a team to watch down the stretch for a big finish. Porter Gustin, Neville Gallimore, Asmar Bilal and Tevon Coney, as well as Bo Wallace, and the biggest target of all, five-star Iman Marshall, have to be impressed with how the defense has played early on. And 2016 could be a huge year for the Irish with top prospects like Auston Robertson, Tommy Kraemer, Austin Mack and Josh King all on hand to watch Notre Dame's domination of regional rival Michigan. Watch out for the Irish, folks, if they keep playing this way.
https://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1679683
Couldn't agree more about this being a well-coached football team. Not only are the players Brian Kelly has recruited faster and more athletic than in years past, and playing faster...they are tough, play with intensity and attitude, they are physical, and their is huge pride on the team. We may lose some games this year, and in the future but I just don't see Brian Kelly coached teams quitting, getting pushed around, or giving an inch to anybody on the field. BVG was also the perfect hire to bring intensity, attitude, and comradery to the defense. His players feed off of him and vice versa.
There is a connection there that was missing in years past, and the players obviously feel a sense of responsibility to their team. Finally, although we are a young team overall, their is definitely much better leadership within the players on the team. Every last player on the team seems like they would run through a brick wall for the guy next to them. Win or lose, this is shaping up to be one of my favorite Irish teams in a long time.
We may not land all 4 and 5 star players, but any recruits watching ND this year has to be able to see what BK and company have put together. Kids are getting the opportunity to play early, and are being prepared to succeed in those opportunities. We are recruiting football players, not just stars on recruiting websites, evidence by how far ahead of the curve BK is on some of the kids he has gotten in with early who have gone on to blow up later in the process as well as some of the unheralded recruits who we have learned are damn good football players once they got on campus. 2015 has the chance to build on two back to back recruiting classes that brought in athletes and littered the roster with talent and depth, and 2016 could be shaping up to be icing on the cake.
