Moving on to 2016

[Axl Rose]

2015 was a huge step in the right direction, I know people are let down with not making play offs but this team seriously over achieved. To lose as many players as ND did and still nearly make it to the play offs is incredible. It also sets up 2016 nicely.

I think Kizer has to remain the starter, hes proven and now has experience. Will Fuller is returning and is possibly the most dangerous receiver in the nation. And although Jaylon is probably gone I think the LB group will improve cause Joe was so over his head this year that who ever replaces him will have to be an improvement.

 

[GoldenDomer]

Lets go win a Bowl Game.

 

[IrishHokie22]

Offense will be loaded and yes, Kizer should absolutely remain starter.

Defense will be a huge question mark but will have the best player in the country, should Smith return. It would be so beyond huge if he decides to come back. Cross your fingers.

 

[IrishinSyria]

Offense will be loaded and yes, Kizer should absolutely remain starter.

Defense will be a huge question mark but will have the best player in the country, should Smith return. It would be so beyond huge if he decides to come back. Cross your fingers.

I have to think the odds of him coming back are <10%. He's a little raw still, but clear 1str round material.

 

[dang227]

Offense will be loaded and yes, Kizer should absolutely remain starter.

Defense will be a huge question mark but will have the best player in the country, should Smith return. It would be so beyond huge if he decides to come back. Cross your fingers.

I hope none of the QB's transfer. I have no clue what to expect from this defense. If Smith leaves we will lose the top two players. Hard to imagine it could be worse but it's possible.

 

[EifertPower]

Kelly told Zaire when he got hurt that it's job when he gets healthy. Zaire will be the QB next year (and knowing ND's luck, Kizer will transfer) and then Zaire will get hurt.

As already pointed out, the key to next year is whether or not Jaylon comes back.

Our defensive line will be fine and probably better. Our secondary will probably be about the same, hopefully a little improved if Sebastian is back and Tranquill is healthy. Joe Schmidt's position can only see improvement, so if Jaylon is back then our defense should be solid.

On offense we should be pretty stacked. We'll miss Chris Brown but i think it will give others the chance to shine. Maybe we can even use a tight end? Offensive line will miss some of the guys but it sounds like we are in good shape there with depth.

 

[dang227]

Kelly told Zaire when he got hurt that it's job when he gets healthy. Zaire will be the QB next year (and knowing ND's luck, Kizer will transfer) and then Zaire will get hurt.

As already pointed out, the key to next year is whether or not Jaylon comes back.

Our defensive line will be fine and probably better. Our secondary will probably be about the same, hopefully a little improved if Sebastian is back and Tranquill is healthy. Joe Schmidt's position can only see improvement, so if Jaylon is back then our defense should be solid.

On offense we should be pretty stacked. We'll miss Chris Brown but i think it will give others the chance to shine. Maybe we can even use a tight end? Offensive line will miss some of the guys but it sounds like we are in good shape there with depth.

I love Drue but he is a complete liability in coverage and we will have the same issue with him. We need guys that can flip there hips and break on the damn ball.

 

[IrishHokie22]

I have to think the odds of him coming back are <10%. He's a little raw still, but clear 1str round material.

I wouldn't go that low. We've done very well in recent years at bringing guys back for one more year (Stanley, Day, Fuller). He seems to genuinely love ND and I'm betting Momma Smith will want him to come back. I think it's close to 50/50, honestly.

 

[ulukinatme]

Are we done with 2015? Do we not have a bowl left to play? Lets not look to next year just yet. A bowl loss would leave a nasty taste in the mouth after a pretty good season.

 

[Free Manera]

Gave him all year but I firmly think Van Gorder is not gonna work. Our secondary just looks too confused too often. And the best players can't play because they can't grasp the scheme. Hopefully Kelly feels the same way and makes a change for 2016. Otherwise we will need to score 50 a game to make the playoffs.

 

[IrishHokie22]

Kelly told Zaire when he got hurt that it's job when he gets healthy. Zaire will be the QB next year (and knowing ND's luck, Kizer will transfer) and then Zaire will get hurt.

As already pointed out, the key to next year is whether or not Jaylon comes back.

Our defensive line will be fine and probably better. Our secondary will probably be about the same, hopefully a little improved if Sebastian is back and Tranquill is healthy. Joe Schmidt's position can only see improvement, so if Jaylon is back then our defense should be solid.

On offense we should be pretty stacked. We'll miss Chris Brown but i think it will give others the chance to shine. Maybe we can even use a tight end? Offensive line will miss some of the guys but it sounds like we are in good shape there with depth.

Kelly has already said Zaire will be the QB next year? Really? If true, that is a really dumb thing to do and something that I think he would reconsider. Kizer was phenomenal this year and will only get better. Imagine how good he'll be next year when he has a full off-season to prep and grow stronger.

 

[NDPhilly]

at Texas
Michigan State
Stanford
at USC

these should be considered our "losable" games. All of them are very winnable and we could be favored in every game in 2016

 

[irisheyes]

is bk even going to be around for 2016? We all though he was gone after 2012, a lot of me thinks he jumps ship.

 

[ulukinatme]

Kelly has already said Zaire will be the QB next year? Really? If true, that is a really dumb thing to do and something that I think he would reconsider. Kizer was phenomenal this year and will only get better. Imagine how good he'll be next year when he has a full off-season to prep and grow stronger.

It's impossible to say Kizer will exponentially get better by next year. That's not to say that he won't, but some quarterbacks peak earlier than others. Some freshmen QBs hit a Sophomore slump too. Golson looked pretty good his freshman year, but when he came back and they tried to open up the playbook he made too many mental errors. That said, as good as Kizer was, he was still behind both Golson and Zaire in the Spring. When Zaire got hurt, Kelly told his family that this team is still Zaire's and they would take care of it till he got back. I wouldn't give the reigns back to Zaire right away, nor would I give them to Kizer next season. Let's see how both players play in practice. Zaire destroyed Texas and LSU. He struggled with Virginia, but we often didn't look good as an offense in that game.

I said when Zaire went down that the only way Kizer would automatically start in 2016 would be if we somehow made the playoff. Short of that, I expected at least a QB competition, or Zaire to start if Kizer were to struggle. He didn't struggle, so I think we'll likely see the QB competition in the Spring.

 

[GoldenDomer]

is bk even going to be around for 2016? We all though he was gone after 2012, a lot of me thinks he jumps ship.

If he left for some reason and Les Miles keeps his job.......

 

[EifertPower]

It's interesting that before today's game everyone seemed to be positive about our defense. And I think we did a much better job against McCaffrey than i expected. We needed to make a play on defense on some 3rd downs and just couldn't but i didn't think we were off by much this game. And i hate to rag on a guy but having a guy with Joe Schmidit's athleticism anchoring your defense really makes it hard on the other 10 guys on defense. Next year, we get to see someone else in that spot and if you're telling me that Notre Dame cannot recruit and develop someone better than how Joe Schmidt played this year then someone on defense needs to get fired.

If we lose Jaylon that will be a huge, huge blow indeed but elsewhere on defense we should be improved.

 

[IrishHokie22]

It's impossible to say Kizer will exponentially get better by next year. That's not to say that he won't, but some quarterbacks peak earlier than others. Some freshmen QBs hit a Sophomore slump too. Golson looked pretty good his freshman year, but when he came back and they tried to open up the playbook he made too many mental errors. That said, as good as Kizer was, he was still behind both Golson and Zaire in the Spring. When Zaire got hurt, Kelly told his family that this team is still Zaire's and they would take care of it till he got back. I wouldn't give the reigns back to Zaire right away, nor would I give them to Kizer next season. Let's see how both players play in practice. Zaire destroyed Texas and LSU. He struggled with Virginia, but we often didn't look good as an offense in that game.

I said when Zaire went down that the only way Kizer would automatically start in 2016 would be if we somehow made the playoff. Short of that, I expected at least a QB competition, or Zaire to start if Kizer were to struggle. He didn't struggle, so I think we'll likely see the QB competition in the Spring.

I didn't say he would improve exponentially next season, but it stand to reason that he's only going to get better. The vast majority of college QBs improve freshman to sophomore season. There's no real reason to think that Kizer won't either.

I suspect that we will see a "battle" this spring between the two of them, but given how well Kizer played this year, I think he absolutely has to be the front-runner. Unless he falls flat on his face this Spring while Zaire tears it up, I think the QB position is his to lose. As well as he's played, Kelly will be under a ton of scrutiny next season should he decide to roll with Zaire.

And I don't think it's fair to say that the only way Kizer would have started next year if is we made the playoff. It's not his fault the defense choked. Kizer put us in a position to win. There was nothing more that he could do.

I agree that it will likely be a competition, by name anyway, this Spring but I think the position is Kizer's to lose.

 

[TheChosen1]

Offensive line won't be near as good

 

[dang227]

Offensive line won't be near as good

Their performance today was really impressive. It should still be solid enough with all the skill weapons.

 

[ColinKSU]

As purely a football player who gets into his equipment and walks onto a football field and not a human being off the field who I'm sure is a good student, good friend and great son, I can't even begin to describe to you how happy I will be when I never have to see Joe Schmidt play football again. To say his play was a liability this season is a disservice to players whose play is a liability.

Also, fire BVG. Please.

 

[IrishHokie22]

Offensive line won't be near as good

Losing Stanley and Martin sucks, no question, but we return four OL with significant experience (Bars, Nelson, McGlinchey, and Elmer). The OL has been the strength of this team since BK has gotten here and I don't expect a huge drop-off next year. We have absolutely crushed that area in recruiting.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

Missed the game.

Has Van Gorder been fired yet?

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

Lets hope we play a bad offense in the bowl game, otherwise we will know what is going to happen. Then again we almost got beat by the worst offense in all of football.

Not a very good offense or defensive team at the end of the year.

 

[GoldenDomer]

Missed the game.

Has Van Gorder been fired yet?

 

[EifertPower]

Offensive line won't be near as good

Because of losing Stanley and Martin? Isn't Bars supposed to be the best Kelly has seen?

 

[IrishFanJMercy]

at Texas
Michigan State
Stanford
at USC

these should be considered our "losable" games. All of them are very winnable and we could be favored in every game in 2016

And the three toughest on that list will all have new QB's.

 

[NDWorld247]

We will be strong to very strong at every position group with the exception of the defensive backfield. That's going to be the big question mark heading into 2016 and the only reason I'm hesitant to get my hopes up for a playoff season.

KVR, who I'm not expecting to come back, would change my expectations for 2016 immediately if he returned, even though most of my DB concerns are FS/SS related.

I think there's a decent chance (50/50) Jaylon returns. Obviously wouldn't blame him if he leaves, but if he comes back, it's going to be a lot of fun watching him play in a ND uniform for one more season.

The offense is going to be among the best in the country and should keep us in every game.

 

[BobbyMac]

If ND finally avoids the injury bug, They're my pick next year to win it all.

 

[aubeirish]

Kelly has already said Zaire will be the QB next year? Really? If true, that is a really dumb thing to do and something that I think he would reconsider. Kizer was phenomenal this year and will only get better. Imagine how good he'll be next year when he has a full off-season to prep and grow stronger.

He didn't literally say that he would be the starter. He was basically saying to his parents that he and the rest of the guys on the team would be there for him in this time of need. "this is his team" == He's still a part of this team != he will be the starter...

Either way, both will compete. I think Kizer will get the nod in the end. Zaire will have to be spectacular to play next year.

 

[GoldenToTheGrave]

Positional breakdown:

QB: We have three QB's that are athletic, competitive, and have cannon arms. Two with game experience. Coming off a season with the best QB play since at least Clausen. Could scarcely be in better shape.

OL: Loosing an elite LT and a 5th year senior center but have as good of good, young depth as anyone in the country.

RB: Returning 2, possibly 3 NFL caliber players. Potential for the best backfield since the Holtz era.

WR: Assuming Fuller comes back, we'll have the best deep threat in the country, and a great balance of size and speed. Stacked

TE: Possibly the best blocking TE/H-back in the country, an elite athlete in Jones, and a number of experience and balance. Great shape.

Don't have the energy at the moment to do the writeup on defense but the sky is the limit for the offense next year, but goddamn do we still need to fix the red zone issues.