2015 Pre-Season Coaches Poll (ND #11)

[alohagoirish]

We have done very little over the last two seasons to even be this close to top ten. We have a lot of returning starters , that underpins everybody's thinking plus we have underachieved over the last two seasons and I think pundits think Kelly will finally do better after mediocre seasons in 13/14.

We have lost 9 games over the last two seasons , we have a new QB , we are coming off of some horrible defense, an honest pre-season rank would be more like 18/20.

11 is a very generous starting post.

 

[NCND]

We have done very little over the last two seasons to even be this close to top ten. We have a lot of returning starters , that underpins everybody's thinking plus we have underachieved over the last two seasons and I think pundits think Kelly will finally do better after mediocre seasons in 13/14.

We have lost 9 games over the last two seasons , we have a new QB , we are coming off of some horrible defense, an honest pre-season rank would be more like 18/20.

11 is a very generous starting post.

+1. I get that ND has returning starters and all that but.. those NW and NC games of embarrassing D gives me serious pause.

 

[alohagoirish]

We have done very little over the last two seasons to even be this close to top ten. We have a lot of returning starters , that underpins everybody's thinking plus we have underachieved over the last two seasons and I think pundits think Kelly will finally do better after mediocre seasons in 13/14.

We have lost 9 games over the last two seasons , we have a new QB , we are coming off of some horrible defense, an honest pre-season rank would be more like 18/20.

11 is a very generous starting post.

 

[woolybug25]

We have done very little over the last two seasons to even be this close to top ten. We have a lot of returning starters , that underpins everybody's thinking plus we have underachieved over the last two seasons and I think pundits think Kelly will finally do better after mediocre seasons in 13/14.

We have lost 9 games over the last two seasons , we have a new QB , we are coming off of some horrible defense, an honest pre-season rank would be more like 18/20.

11 is a very generous starting post.

THIS is what i'm getting at as well. We can say that we have more talent than MSU, etc. But the fact remains that most of the teams in front of us return good players too. And those players have helped them have top ten finishes in the last couple seasons. We don't have that. As much as i'm excited about our potential for this season, it's just that... potential. We haven't accomplished top ten results the last couple years. So putting us in that group would be based completely off of potential, while they have real, tangible data points that show they earned those spots.

 

[Blaise]

You can say MSU is over rated... but with that schedule, they will win at least 10 games.. As long as they win 10 games and win their bowl game, they will be in top ten year in and year out for pre season polls

 

[irishff1014]

I do believe that we are a bit overrated. New QB and our Defense was below average last year. I think we have the possibility of being really good but i need to see more then just one game of Zaire to say we are really good. I want to see him passing and how much the defense has improved to see if that ranking is legit or not.

 

[Dizzyphil]

After re-reading most of the posts on here, I believe there to be one item that is not in anyone's equations of over/under rating a team is the incoming recruits that will have significant impacts of an offensive/defensive scheme. Granted ND is one-dimensional with only HS recruits but, other schools have an extra 'edge' if you will with JC transfers adding experience - just my $.02

 

[Irish Insanity]

You can say MSU is over rated... but with that schedule, they will win at least 10 games.. As long as they win 10 games and win their bowl game, they will be in top ten year in and year out for pre season polls

They play OSU and UofM away and Oregon. I wouldn't say winning at least 10 is a given.

 

[woolybug25]

They play OSU and UofM away and Oregon. I wouldn't say winning at least 10 is a given.

It's amazing to me that it's popular to say MSU is overrated, while everyone acts like Michigan is a tough game. They are a bad football team. I'm sure Harbaugh will eventually make them good. But they have an extreme lack of talent on that team with zero depth. I'm not saying it's a gimme game this year, but I would never list them with Oregon and OSU. They aren't even in the same atmosphere yet.

 

[Irish Insanity]

It's amazing to me that it's popular to say MSU is overrated, while everyone acts like Michigan is a tough game. They are a bad football team. I'm sure Harbaugh will eventually make them good. But they have an extreme lack of talent on that team with zero depth. I'm not saying it's a gimme game this year, but I would never list them with Oregon and OSU. They aren't even in the same atmosphere yet.

I didn't mean to put all 3 on the same level. But MSU v UofM is always a big game for both teams no matter which end of the spectrum they are on.

 

[ickythump1225]

I'm happy. Getting excited for the start of the season.

 

[woolybug25]

I didn't mean to put all 3 on the same level. But MSU v UofM is always a big game for both teams no matter which end of the spectrum they are on.

Yeah. Sorry if it looked like I was accusing you of that. My intent was just to point out the pet peave, your post just let me do it. No offense meant.

I see it daily though, where people keep eluding to the fact that Michigan is currently a good football team. When they are worse talent wise from last year and the last time we watched them play, they were getting their @sses kicked by OSU and Maryland. lol

I get the Harbaugh hype though. I'm sure they will outperform their talent in the short term.

 

[Luckylucci]

Yeah. Sorry if it looked like I was accusing you of that. My intent was just to point out the pet peave, your post just let me do it. No offense meant.

I see it daily though, where people keep eluding to the fact that Michigan is currently a good football team. When they are worse talent wise from last year and the last time we watched them play, they were getting their @sses kicked by OSU and Maryland. lol

I get the Harbaugh hype though. I'm sure they will outperform their talent in the short term.

I agree, I have a feeling that the Big 10 will get more credit this year than they should based on coaching names and previous performance. I think in the media world UM is a better team with Harbaugh (though I agree the talent level is worse), PSU is a good team because of Hackenberg and Franklin (even though I still think as whole the team is average), and UW because of recent success. All teams that OSU and MSU will get credit for beating even though they shouldn't.

 

[KPENN]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Notre Dame ranked No. 11 in the preseason AP Poll, same as the preseason rank by Coaches Poll.</p>— Irish Illustrated (@PeteSampson_) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteSampson_/status/635517548927295489">August 23, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[longliveautrydenson]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Notre Dame ranked No. 11 in the preseason AP Poll, same as the preseason rank by Coaches Poll.</p>— Irish Illustrated (@PeteSampson_) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteSampson_/status/635517548927295489">August 23, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Only one voter had ND unranked, Chadd (not a typo) Cripe. Who is Mr. Cripe you ask? The sportswriter for the Idaho Statesman. Seems Chadd (seriously he spells his name with two D's) is still a little bit salty about the Mike Sanford hiring.

Also of note, it appears that Detroit Free Press writer and all-around asshat Drew Sharp has lost his AP vote. Sounds like the AP is cracking down on writers using their votes to drive clicks and act out their petty disdain for rival football teams.

 

[wizards8507]

I really don't get it. Preseason #11 feels way too high. I think that's a about where we'll end up but already?

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[MNIrishman]

I really don't get it. Preseason #11 feels way too high. I think that's a about where we'll end up but already?

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Yeah, I kind of agree. I'd be more comfortable in the 15-25 range, but I won't look a gift horse in the mouth. Starting high with the benefit of the doubt is a blessing.

 

[Fbolt]

Are you guys baiting...?

 

[NCND]

Not sure they warrant a #11 ranking. PLEASE just beat Texas.

 

[wizards8507]

Are you guys baiting...?

No. We finished outside the top 25, enter the season with a giant question mark at quarterback, and somehow we land borderline top 10.

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[IrishLax]

No. We finished outside the top 25, enter the season with a giant question mark at quarterback, and somehow we land borderline top 10.

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Which teams of Clemson, UCLA, LSU, ASU, Georgia Tech, etc. would you rank over Notre Dame?

 

[wizards8507]

Which teams of Clemson, UCLA, LSU, ASU, Georgia Tech, etc. would you rank over Notre Dame?

As of TODAY, before a single snap of football has been played in 2015? Any FBS team that finished higher than we did last year.

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[koonja]

No. We finished outside the top 25, enter the season with a giant question mark at quarterback, and somehow we land borderline top 10.

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Do we really have a bigger question mark at QB than half of the top 25 teams? Not everyone returns a superstar starter. We have a guy in his 3rd year who fits the system and already has played (and played well) in a couple of big games. I don't see Malik as a giant question mark in relation to what CFB quarterbacks typically are.

 

[wizards8507]

Do we really have a bigger question mark at QB than half of the top 25 teams? Not everyone returns a superstar starter. We have a guy in his 3rd year who fits the system and already has played (and played well) in a couple of big games. I don't see Malik as a giant question mark in relation to what CFB quarterbacks typically are.

That's exactly my argument. In college football, EVERYONE has a slew of question marks so NOBODY should be jumping 15 slots from the final poll of last year to preseason this year. I'm not saying an inexperienced quarterback is a reason we should have dropped, just a reason we maybe shouldn't have risen so much.

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[koonja]

That's exactly my argument. In college football, EVERYONE has a slew of question marks so NOBODY should be jumping 15 slots from the final poll of last year to preseason this year. I'm not saying an inexperienced quarterback is a reason we should have dropped, just a reason we maybe shouldn't have risen so much.

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We return, what, 18 starters on a team that until the injuries hit hard, was playing very well. We're probably the most experienced team in CFB and this same group, spare a few players, is back. I'd be very surprised if we're not a top 10 team talent wise this year. I'd be downright disappointed.

 

[IrishLax]

That's exactly my argument. In college football, EVERYONE has a slew of question marks so NOBODY should be jumping 15 slots from the final poll of last year to preseason this year. I'm not saying an inexperienced quarterback is a reason we should have dropped, just a reason we maybe shouldn't have risen so much.

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That's actually not what you just said, you just said we should be ranked behind every. single. team. that finished ahead of us last year.

 

[Irish Insanity]

That's exactly my argument. In college football, EVERYONE has a slew of question marks so NOBODY should be jumping 15 slots from the final poll of last year to preseason this year. I'm not saying an inexperienced quarterback is a reason we should have dropped, just a reason we maybe shouldn't have risen so much.

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I don't believe we should be sitting at 11. I think we should be down another 5-10 spots. However, not EVERYONE is returning 95% of their starters like we are. Starters including some that are widely discussed as the in the top 3 at their position. (LT, LB)

 

[wizards8507]

That's actually not what you just said, you just said we should be ranked behind every. single. team. that finished ahead of us last year.

Yes, I think that's where we should START. Returning starters and all that is great. I think we'll win a lot of games with strong performances. But we're ranked as of we already HAVE.

"And ya’ll fools think that’s something? Man, that ain’t nothin’, ya’ll! And you know what else? We ain’t nothing either. Yeah, we came together in camp. Cool. But then, we right back here and the world tells us that they don’t want us to be together. We fall apart like we ain’t a damn bit of nothing, man. And ya’ll think we done won something? Man, we ain’t won nothing ya’ll. Nothing!"
- Remember the Titans

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[Booslum31]

I like being at (11). With our schedule we are in charge of our own destiny. We go 12-0...we are in. If we go (11-1) I think we go the way of TCU/Baylor did last year and bitch that we didn't get in.

 

[wizards8507]

I like being at (11). With our schedule we are in charge of our own destiny. We go 12-0...we are in. If we go (11-1) I think we go the way of TCU/Baylor did last year and bitch that we didn't get in.

I disagree. Baylor and TCU both had EMBARRASSING out of conference schedules last year. They weren't really 11-1, they were 8-1 with three extra bye weeks. I know Temple and UMass are no world beaters but they're at least FBS. If we finish 11-1 we'll be in.

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