Aug 31 | Texas A&M

[Jiggafini19Deux]

130 days.

 

[IrishSpartan]

Looks like a bunch of players were dismissed including Bobby Taylor jr

 

[notredomer23]

Looks like a bunch of players were dismissed including Bobby Taylor jr

One was their starting center 😳

 

[arrowryan]

Maybe I’ll look back at this in 5 months and laugh/shake my head,

but I just have a hard time seeing how Notre Dame doesn’t leave A&M with a W.

 

[greyhammer90]

Maybe I’ll look back at this in 5 months and laugh/shake my head,

but I just have a hard time seeing how Notre Dame doesn’t leave A&M with a W.

I think we win, but I'm not going to say that it's hard for me to see how we could lose this game. I can't imagine us losing to UMass. This is an SEC team with a lot of talent, at their place, probably at night, with a good/great head coach looking to start his program off with a win. He also knows a lot about our probable QB's shortcomings.

 

[arrowryan]

I think we win, but I'm not going to say that it's hard for me to see how we could lose this game. I can't imagine us losing to UMass. This is an SEC team with a lot of talent, at their place, probably at night, with a good/great head coach looking to start his program off with a win. He also knows a lot about our probable QB's shortcomings.

All valid points, but Freeman is approaching a crossroads. If not now, when? This roster is primed to win, and win now. They probably have a top 3 OC/DC combo.

 

[brewdog_14527]

I think that Elko will be pretty good at A&M in time. But, it really seems that the culture there under Fisher just sucked, and I am not sure that can be totally fixed in year, let alone by game 1 of his tenure. I may regret this, but I think we are catching them at a good time. Hopefully we win, then they pull out some games as the season goes on that they weren't expected to win. Make our SOS better.

 

[NDPhilly]

Maybe I’ll look back at this in 5 months and laugh/shake my head,

but I just have a hard time seeing how Notre Dame doesn’t leave A&M with a W.

Idk I could easily see ND struggling to move the ball, especially with the current status of the OL v A&M's front 7. Leonard is going to have to make plays for us to consistently move the ball, otherwise it will be a first to 20 slugfest

 

[dublinirish]

 

[NDohio]

It's good to see that Elko is having to burn this thing to the ground before he builds it back up. Hopefully ND takes advantage of that.

 

[dublinirish]

One was their starting center 😳

he actually skipped spring ball to do Track and Field lol

 

[rtrn2glory]

So what's the deal here then with the dismissals?

 

[drayer54]

Maybe I’ll look back at this in 5 months and laugh/shake my head,

but I just have a hard time seeing how Notre Dame doesn’t leave A&M with a W.

A&M is better than Marshall and at home. It’s also going to be hot and muggy AF.

So what's the deal here then with the dismissals?

One of them was because they were doing track and not Spring football.

 

[irishff1014]

I think that Elko will be pretty good at A&M in time. But, it really seems that the culture there under Fisher just sucked, and I am not sure that can be totally fixed in year, let alone by game 1 of his tenure. I may regret this, but I think we are catching them at a good time. Hopefully we win, then they pull out some games as the season goes on that they weren't expected to win. Make our SOS better.

I agree. This should be a win and a win that gets better as the season goes on. I think Elko has a lot to fix but this team will improve as it goes through the season.

 

[ulukinatme]

Maybe I’ll look back at this in 5 months and laugh/shake my head,

but I just have a hard time seeing how Notre Dame doesn’t leave A&M with a W.

This, more than any game on the schedule, gives me worry. I mean, the schedule is favorable this year anyway. When you're talking College Station, first game of the year, and Elko is the coach...could be trouble. IHe took us to the wire with Duke and had a lot less talent to work with. We should be better than last year, but I think he will be too.

 

[Te'o4Heisman]

This would be a signature win for Elko (personally, in Texas and nationally).
He has several weeks to game-plan, practice and focus his players on ND.
And in front of his home crowd, first game as HC.
We know Elko, he understands offensive weak points and exploits them
If you are not worried, well, don´t bet real money.
Gonna be a real struggle...

In fairness we also have Mike Denbrock now who is a seasoned professional running the show on offense. Defense is not in question, but it will be awesome seeing a guy who can sequence plays, create mismatches and explosive plays, and make adjustments on our sideline to counter Elko.

 

[Jimmy3Putt]

We roll.
The boys come out frothing at the mouth.

 

[PutuporShutup]

This would be a signature win for Elko (personally, in Texas and nationally).
He has several weeks to game-plan, practice and focus his players on ND.
And in front of his home crowd, first game as HC.
We know Elko, he understands offensive weak points and exploits them
If you are not worried, well, don´t bet real money.
Gonna be a real struggle...

Our offensive players and staff are almost all completely different than 2023 so he won’t have good film on ND. But he will know Riley very well and his weaknesses

 

[IA4irish]

Who is texas a&m going to have at qb? Anybody know how spring was for the Aggies? I know they are talented but have had a bunch of departures including their starting center recently

 

[Irish#1]

I remember a season opening game at Texas that was supposed to be a W. I think MF gets a signature win, but this will close enough that we'll be sweating this until the end.

 

[PutuporShutup]

I remember a season opening game at Texas that was supposed to be a W. I think MF gets a signature win, but this will close enough that we'll be sweating this until the end.

Ha.... Watch us role into A&M playing both Angeli and Leonard.

I say 1% chance freeman is that dumb, but man it would be a disaster.

 

[Hautian Domer]

Maybe I’ll look back at this in 5 months and laugh/shake my head,

but I just have a hard time seeing how Notre Dame doesn’t leave A&M with a W.

I like the optimism, but all things considered, I see it as being the toughest game on our schedule.

 

[arrowryan]

If Notre Dame lost a bunch of players through the portal, including a 3 year starter at center, and is bringing in a new HC, how confident would everyone be that they would beat a top 10 team at home in week 1?

Thats how I view it. Notre Dame’s defense is LOADED and they brought in a fantastic OC. Do I think they’ll run them out of the building? No, but Freeman needs this one.

 

[Hautian Domer]

If Notre Dame lost a bunch of players through the portal, including a 3 year starter at center, and is bringing in a new HC, how confident would everyone be that they would beat a top 10 team at home in week 1?

Thats how I view it. Notre Dame’s defense is LOADED and they brought in a fantastic OC. Do I think they’ll run them out of the building? No, but Freeman needs this one.

I like it, but we struggled on the road last year, particularly against their coach (Elko). You know A&M, top-to-bottom, has more talent than Duke. You also know the environment will be much more challenging than Duke. It’ll be the most challenging environment we’ll face all year, easily. Elko knows Leonard well, both his strengths and weaknesses. It’s a possibility it’ll be the premier game of the week and Gameday will likely be there as well.

 

[arrowryan]

I like it, but we struggled on the road last year, particularly against their coach (Elko). You know A&M, top-to-bottom, has more talent than Duke. You also know the environment will be much more challenging than Duke. It’ll be the most challenging environment we’ll face all year, easily. Elko knows Leonard well, both his strengths and weaknesses. It’s a possibility it’ll be the premier game of the week and Gameday will likely be there as well.

The only person who struggled was the incompetent OC, who shouldn’t have been given that job in the first place, and the MASH unit of a WR group.

This will be a significantly different offense.

 

[stlnd01]

I like our roster better than theirs. Intangibles (at home at night, first game new coach energy, etc) probably favor them. Getting ahead early and weathering the first quarter or so is probably going to be key. We'll need to come out guns blazing.

 

[IHateMarkMay]

I remember a season opening game at Texas that was supposed to be a W. I think MF gets a signature win, but this will close enough that we'll be sweating this until the end.

I would argue that this wouldn't be a signature win. A&M coming off a 7-6 season, coaching change, roster upheaval, and we should be favored even at their place.

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

I like our roster better than theirs. Intangibles (at home at night, first game new coach energy, etc) probably favor them. Getting ahead early and weathering the first quarter or so is probably going to be key. We'll need to come out guns blazing.

At night favors them for crowd noise but also favors the Irish as far as heat is concerned. That would actually be a huge break.

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

I would argue that this wouldn't be a signature win. A&M coming off a 7-6 season, coaching change, roster upheaval, and we should be favored even at their place.

I hear what you're saying, but there are intangibles in play here that Freeman needs to overcome.

This will be a raucous crowd, with a very good head coach trying to get his new job off to a great start. Not to mention, in a playoff or bust type of season for a young head coach, starting 0-1 would be a disaster.

 

[NDPhilly]

A&M finished #16 in SP+ last year despite playing with a back up QB most of the season and an interim HC the last 3 games. They just play in the SEC West.

Played everyone tough, included Bama and LSU & Ole Miss on the Road