General team info

[arrowryan]

Tavon Austin?

 

[gkIrish]

Odell Beckham?

I said size is a big part of it. Not the only thing.

Antonio Brown?

See above

Golden Tate?

Not a #1. Great complement to a #1

Tavon Austin?

What?

Also not a #1

 

[Irish Insanity]

Who is then?

Fuller

 

[Crazy Balki]

I said size is a big part of it. Not the only thing.

Then what is Fuller missing?

 

[bkess8]

Hilton, Beckham, and Brown are all top 10 receivers in the NFL and #1's for their team. Size isn't everything, I think ball skills have more to do with being a top receiver in todays NFL.

 

[woolybug25]

I said size is a big part of it. Not the only thing.



See above



Not a #1. Great complement to a #1



What?



Also not a #1

Tate certainly was the #1 in Seattle, and played the role much of this season with Megatron missing time. I don't know how TY wouldn't be called a #1 either. He is clearly their main target.


Les not forget a man named DeSean Jackson. I think we're just saying that size isnt the over riding factor for #1 WR's in the NFL. There are lots of examples to support that.

 

[gkIrish]

Then what is Fuller missing?

I just don't think he is talented enough. There's nothing specific. He catches a lot of touchdowns but he doesn't dominate every single down or command a lot of double teams like true #1s would. I think he is awesome. I just don't see a #1 NFL receiver type future for him. I think his ceiling for production is Mike Floyd. Really good but not quite pro bowl level.

Hilton, Beckham, and Brown are all top 10 receivers in the NFL and #1's for their team. Size isn't everything, I think ball skills have more to do with being a top receiver in todays NFL.

#1 on your team isn't really relevant. The Jaguars, Raiders, and Titans all have nothing close to a #1 receiver.

 

[gkIrish]

Tate certainly was the #1 in Seattle, and played the role much of this season with Megatron missing time. I don't know how TY wouldn't be called a #1 either. He is clearly their main target.


Les not forget a man named DeSean Jackson. I think we're just saying that size isnt the over riding factor for #1 WR's in the NFL. There are lots of examples to support that.

Maybe it's just the way I understand #1, but being your team's top target doesn't have that meaning for me. I understand #1 as "Elite" #2 as Above Average and #3 as average. Slot receivers are kind of their own category. Golden is a tremendous slot guy but you don't see him split out a lot.

 

[arrowryan]

What?

He is way smaller than Fuller and he was drafted in the first round

 

[gkIrish]

He is way smaller than Fuller and he was drafted in the first round

He was drafted in the first round for the same reason Ted Ginn was drafted in the 1st round. Potential to be a dynamic special teams player and receiver. Fuller does not have Tavon Austin speed. Austin is not a #1, or #2. Austin runs like a 4.34

 

[arrowryan]

He was drafted in the first round for the same reason Ted Ginn was drafted in the 1st round. Potential to be a dynamic special teams player and receiver. Fuller does not have Tavon Austin speed. Austin is not a #1, or #2. Austin runs like a 4.34

They drafted a special teams player in the 1st round!? yikes

 

[bkess8]

I just don't think he is talented enough. There's nothing specific. He catches a lot of touchdowns but he doesn't dominate every single down or command a lot of double teams like true #1s would. I think he is awesome. I just don't see a #1 NFL receiver type future for him. I think his ceiling for production is Mike Floyd. Really good but not quite pro bowl level.

#1 on your team isn't really relevant. The Jaguars, Raiders, and Titans all have nothing close to a #1 receiver.

Out of the top 10 receivers in the NFL 5 are under 6 foot tall.

1. Antonio Brown 5’10” 129 REC 1698 YDS 13 TD
5. Emmanuel Sanders 5’11” 101 REC 1404 YDS 9 TD
6. T.Y. Hilton 5’9” 82 REC 1345 YDS 7 TD
7. Golden Tate 5’10” 99 REC 1331 YDS 4 TD
10. Odell Beckham 5’11” 91 REC 1305 YDS 12 TD

I would take any one of these guys as my number one on my team! I think Fuller could be better than Floyd in the NFL, it really depends on his development in the upcoming season IMO.

 

[Irishbounty28]

I just don't think he is talented enough. There's nothing specific. He catches a lot of touchdowns but he doesn't dominate every single down or command a lot of double teams like true #1s would. I think he is awesome. I just don't see a #1 NFL receiver type future for him. I think his ceiling for production is Mike Floyd. Really good but not quite pro bowl level.



#1 on your team isn't really relevant. The Jaguars, Raiders, and Titans all have nothing close to a #1 receiver.

In Mike's defense he would be more productive on a team with a healthy quarterback worth a sh**. I can name a handful of teams that he would be a number 1, and pro bowl caliber receiver on. Dolphins and Chargers being two places. I think a number one receiver is someone that has a chance to dominate when all things are in place to do so. You could put Jerry Rice on that Cardinals team and his numbers wouldn't be Pro Bowl caliber.

 

[Ironman8]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Working on <a href="https://twitter.com/NDFootball">@NDFootball</a> bios & came across this nugget. <a href="https://twitter.com/MatthiasFarley">@MatthiasFarley</a> 1 of only 4 players in FBS last year with at least 4 INTs & 3.5 sacks</p>— Michael Bertsch (@NDsidBertschy) <a href="https://twitter.com/NDsidBertschy/status/558703926179270656">January 23, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[GoldenDomer]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Notre Dame Hires Aaron Wellman From Michigan <a href="http://t.co/usKKteN0d0">http://t.co/usKKteN0d0</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/TomLoy247">@TomLoy247</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/NotreDame247">@NotreDame247</a></p>— Nick Ironside (@nironside247) <a href="https://twitter.com/nironside247/status/559048878574415872">January 24, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[vuirish]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Notre Dame Hires Aaron Wellman From Michigan <a href="http://t.co/usKKteN0d0">http://t.co/usKKteN0d0</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/TomLoy247">@TomLoy247</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/NotreDame247">@NotreDame247</a></p>— Nick Ironside (@nironside247) <a href="https://twitter.com/nironside247/status/559048878574415872">January 24, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

A strength and conditioning hire? Was this approved by Koon??

 

[DonnieNarco]

Hilton is most certainly a #1 receiver.

 

[koonja]

Dear Notre Dame Fighting Irish ... more wins, please! - ESPN

 

[clashmore_mike]

Retarded. Thinking about writing a letter or strongly worded tweet to whoever Andrea Adelson is.

 

[Buster Bluth]

Apathy is the only answer.

 

[clashmore_mike]

Here is the text to prevent giving her more page views.


What if the ACC penned a letter to Notre Dame now that their first year as football scheduling/bowl partners is complete? How would it read? My tongue-in-cheek attempt at imagining such a letter ...

Dear Notre Dame,

We have a complicated relationship, don’t we? Maybe convoluted is the better word. In any case, we love having you around. We really do.

But here’s the thing. When we agreed to our football partnership, we kinda, sorta hoped that 8-5 seasons were oh, you know, a thing of the past. Because this scheduling partnership works best for us when you’re really good, and can help improve our teams’ strength of schedule.

Starting off 2014 unbeaten and ranked was awesome! But almost beating Florida State? Then falling in the tank after that loss and dropping four of the next five? Including a game to a bad Northwestern team?

Needless to say, we were greatly disappointed. Instead of being praised for playing a tough nonconference schedule, Florida State was knocked for barely beating a good-not-great Notre Dame team that fell off the rails.
Those were nerve-wracking final weeks for us, as we watched one person after another rip on the state of your program, and, in turn, the state of our signature program. We had to sweat out Florida State making the first College Football Playoff because its close wins over “average” teams were not viewed as all that impressive.

Then, there was the bowl selection process. At 8-5 there was no hope for a playoff spot or a spot in a New Year’s Six game. So as part of our agreement, you get to be in our bowl rotation. With you in the mix, we upgraded our bowl lineup. So thanks!

But … here comes the word complicated again. Notre Dame in the Tier I bowl mix meant NC State was bumped down to Tier II and went to the Bitcoin Bowl. And we had to scramble to find a bowl home for Pitt.

All headaches that may have been avoided with a better season. Now, we are not suggesting you should have beaten Florida State. Ha! Heavens, no! We still need OUR teams to be playoff contenders. But what we are saying is 10-win seasons, 11-win seasons, those are optimal. We know you agree! More wins benefit you; they benefit us. (So long as they’re not against our playoff contenders!)

This was only Year 1 of our arrangement, so trial and error is expected. We did get our marquee team into the playoff; and you ended up beating LSU in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl, so everything worked out.

But a few more wins can’t help but make us both look much better.

Thanks in advance for the consideration,

The ACC

 

[GoldenDomer]

She's right, we should wait to join such a great conference when we're up to par. We can't bring down the reputation of UNC and Virginia!

 

[bkess8]

Here is the text to prevent giving her more page views.


What if the ACC penned a letter to Notre Dame now that their first year as football scheduling/bowl partners is complete? How would it read? My tongue-in-cheek attempt at imagining such a letter ...

Dear Notre Dame,

We have a complicated relationship, don’t we? Maybe convoluted is the better word. In any case, we love having you around. We really do.

But here’s the thing. When we agreed to our football partnership, we kinda, sorta hoped that 8-5 seasons were oh, you know, a thing of the past. Because this scheduling partnership works best for us when you’re really good, and can help improve our teams’ strength of schedule.

Starting off 2014 unbeaten and ranked was awesome! But almost beating Florida State? Then falling in the tank after that loss and dropping four of the next five? Including a game to a bad Northwestern team?

Needless to say, we were greatly disappointed. Instead of being praised for playing a tough nonconference schedule, Florida State was knocked for barely beating a good-not-great Notre Dame team that fell off the rails.
Those were nerve-wracking final weeks for us, as we watched one person after another rip on the state of your program, and, in turn, the state of our signature program. We had to sweat out Florida State making the first College Football Playoff because its close wins over “average” teams were not viewed as all that impressive.

Then, there was the bowl selection process. At 8-5 there was no hope for a playoff spot or a spot in a New Year’s Six game. So as part of our agreement, you get to be in our bowl rotation. With you in the mix, we upgraded our bowl lineup. So thanks!

But … here comes the word complicated again. Notre Dame in the Tier I bowl mix meant NC State was bumped down to Tier II and went to the Bitcoin Bowl. And we had to scramble to find a bowl home for Pitt.

All headaches that may have been avoided with a better season. Now, we are not suggesting you should have beaten Florida State. Ha! Heavens, no! We still need OUR teams to be playoff contenders. But what we are saying is 10-win seasons, 11-win seasons, those are optimal. We know you agree! More wins benefit you; they benefit us. (So long as they’re not against our playoff contenders!)

This was only Year 1 of our arrangement, so trial and error is expected. We did get our marquee team into the playoff; and you ended up beating LSU in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl, so everything worked out.

But a few more wins can’t help but make us both look much better.

Thanks in advance for the consideration,

The ACC

I know wizards will get mad at me for this but what is the requirement to get a article published by ESPN? Reading this I'm guessing not much is needed!

 

[ResLife Hero]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Notre Dame must get greater production from its defensive line in 2015 <a href="http://t.co/JSrExLVns0">http://t.co/JSrExLVns0</a></p>— Irish Sports Daily (@ISDUpdate) <a href="https://twitter.com/ISDUpdate/status/560448851887542272">January 28, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[PANDFAN]

Moore says Notre Dame treated Frozen Five fairly | Inside the Irish

 

[ulukinatme]

TP put this up today in rebuttal to the "ACC letter"

Dear ACC | Irish Turning Point

Recently an ESPN blogger posted an imaginary letter from the ACC to Notre Dame recapping the team’s first season as a partial member of the conference: Dear Notre Dame…More Wins, please!

I thought I would respectfully supply a response.

Dearest ACC,

We as fans of the University of Notre Dame certainly understand the desire to build strong schedules as Notre Dame has been attempting to do just that every season for years now and been doing a fine job at it. You see Notre Dame is one of the very few programs in the country that will not schedule FCS (Division 2) teams. Be that as it may, your letter, while polite was viewed by our staff to make about as much sense as two ACC teams scheduling each other as a “non-conference” game.

We find it highly odd that you would attempt to boast about quality opponents for your conference when your best teams consistently continue to schedule the likes of Wofford and the Citadel. You cite Florida State’s struggles in the polls as a result of Notre Dame falling off in the second half of the season but if memory serves us right, they did play in a playoff game. Perhaps you have forgotten the outcome of that game or missed how pathetic the team that destroyed the Seminoles looked when facing quality competition. The fact of the matter is that with every passing week, your beloved FSU gave doubters more and more ammunition and in the long run they were finally exposed. Do not try to pin their struggles on us.

Please do not think that we view an 8-5 season as a success or the standard to which we hold ourselves. We certainly don’t require any motivation to win more games but perhaps your efforts would be better directed toward your own teams that seem to need a pep talk. Maybe Clemson’s big win over a lifeless Oklahoma squad still has your head spinning a bit, as you seemed to overlook a few things when taking issue with our final record this season. Please allow us to point out that only 5 of your 14 teams finished the season with a record better than 8-5. Six of your teams failed to end the season at or above the .500 mark. So while our 8 wins may not be worthy of any parades, they do keep us in step with your best teams and in fact make us fit right in. Perhaps if your bottom feeders could step their game up, we would give more consideration to actually fully joining your conference but at this point in time that would drastically decrease the strength of our schedule. Hell the six ACC teams we play next season is already hurting us enough as it is. In fact, this season kind of made us regret that we gave up Big 10 opponents to meet your requirements.

Be that as it may, 8 wins is still not acceptable to us here under the Golden Dome but let’s not try to paint a picture of you looking to strengthen your team’s schedules because we all know what this is really about. Money. The worst of Notre Dame teams will still fill more seats than Wake Forest, Syracuse, and Boston College combined. The Gold and Blue sells stronger than any brand of football that the ACC has ever produced. Tomahawk chop as strong as you wish and blast that Tiger Rag as loud as possible and you’ll still never match the publicity and money that rolls in when the Irish are in town. Straight cash homie, that’s what you’re all about.

Not only was adding the Fighting Irish to your ranks the best economic decision you’ve made since you were established but you get all sorts of other goodies on the side. We’ve already brought National Championships to your conference in other respected sports and we boost the academic accolades that you supposedly pride yourself on. Don’t go neglecting your values on education and well rounded athletic departments by getting football tunnel vision, after all you guys are a basketball conference right?

All finger pointing aside, the University of Notre Dame will continue conducting business just as we always have and will remain a model for your other universities to attempt to emulate. We would be happy to help if anyone needs a few pointers. We do appreciate your letter however, it really made for a lively day when Jack Swarbrick choked on his iced tea and left us all on the floor laughing. But do realize that when we do win more games, that we’ll be knocking all of your teams out of contention and taking the check. Be weary what you wish for ACC.

Don’t Forget,

We are ND

 

[Ironman8]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>4 of the 6 ACC teams playing Notre Dame have either a Thursday game or a bye the week before playing the Irish.</p>— Matt Smith (@MattSmithCFB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MattSmithCFB/status/560818407701250048">January 29, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


Sweeeet

 

[koonja]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>4 of the 6 ACC teams playing Notre Dame have either a Thursday game or a bye the week before playing the Irish.</p>— Matt Smith (@MattSmithCFB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MattSmithCFB/status/560818407701250048">January 29, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


Sweeeet

And our BYE set up this year is total crap. Start the season with one, and none between Navy, USC, Clemson. Worst possible set up IMO.

 

[Crazy Balki]

And our BYE set up this year is total crap. Start the season with one, and none between Navy, USC, Clemson. Worst possible set up IMO.

Is there a way to move the Navy game to the 24th AFTER USC? Seems extremely unfair for ND to have to play on the road @ Clemson, against cut-blocking Navy and then USC (also coming off a Thursday game)

 

[ulukinatme]

Is there a way to move the Navy game to the 24th AFTER USC? Seems extremely unfair for ND to have to play on the road @ Clemson, against cut-blocking Navy and then USC (also coming off a Thursday game)

I'm kind of in the camp that we should play Navy at the very beginning of the season, like in 2012. Gives us more time to prepare for the option, and also if we do incur a few knee dings we're likely to bounce back by October when we typically face USC or Stanford (Unless, of course, the injuries are more severe). It would kind of nice to do Navy on a rotating schedule too...not completely drop them, but maybe every 3-4 years kind of thing.