Moving on to 2016

[Ignats]

I'm trying to imagine this year's defense without Jaylon. 15 tackles today against Stanford! I feel like so much of what he did this year covered up for Joe. I really think if he comes back for a senior year, a chance for a title, and to try and go top 5 this defense will be stellar. Can't blame him though if he doesn't...

KVR is not eligible for another year is he? That would make for a killer comeback story but I feel like you can't get back a suspended year....

For me, the offense should be fine with what we have. Will need Torii and Corey to step up and do what Breezy and Amir did behind Fuller this year.

On defense, Greer Martini looked very good and I think he deserves a shot to keep starting. Jarron will help negate the Sheldon loss. Hopefully one of these young corners can step up because the secondary is going to continue to be a very big weakness. It would be nice if Max steps up and has a Harrison Smith esque finish to his career. A lot of questions and having Jaylon back would be HUGE, but... I do like the look of this team a lot next year. That being said, please go out and kick whatever B1G team's ass we get.

 

[GUknights75]

KVR is not eligible for another year is he? That would make for a killer comeback story but I feel like you can't get back a suspended year....

He can come back, it was a suspension by the school not the NCAA so it wont count against him.

For me, the offense should be fine with what we have. Will need Torii and Corey to step up and do what Breezy and Amir did behind Fuller this year.

ESB should be pushing for some serious PT also, same with Sanders.

On defense, Greer Martini looked very good and I think he deserves a shot to keep starting. Jarron will help negate the Sheldon loss. Hopefully one of these young corners can step up because the secondary is going to continue to be a very big weakness. It would be nice if Max steps up and has a Harrison Smith esque finish to his career. A lot of questions and having Jaylon back would be HUGE, but... I do like the look of this team a lot next year. That being said, please go out and kick whatever B1G team's ass we get.

Agreed, Onwualu is a solid athlete but he was fairly quiet throughout the season, but whenever Martini got in the game he made his presence felt and made some big plays. He also missed some tackles but who didn't on this defense? I feel like an LB core of Martini, Morgan, and Coney/Jaylon with Onwualu in on passing situations will be a solid group.

 

[zbikowski88]

I'm looking forward to going to my first regular season ND game in Jacksonville.

 

[NDRock]

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.

Really? We've been good in spots but consistently gave up 20+ points a game all year.

 

[ohara831]

Be it Zaire or Kizer at QB next year, they will have two great weapons in the backfield with Adams and Folston, and Fuller returns as a reliable WR weapon. I know that the 2 QB system doesn't work if shared 50/50. I only hope the one who does not start has the opportunity to run at least 2-3 series per game. That may be enough to keep them both at ND and allow each to stay ready for playing full time in case the other is injured.

 

[Grahambo]

BK isn't going anywhere and neither is BVG.

I am penciling Jaylon as gone and frankly, he probably should be. A high first round pick? Tough to pass up. But, would be nice to see him play alongside players not named Joe Schmidt.

I think KVR returns because of the injury.

As much as I was looking forward to Zaire playing this year, Kizer is the starter.

TF comes back and have a 3 headed RB group that can be lethal.

Who replaces Stanley? Mustipher replaces Martin and I think that will be an upgrade.

The DL will be a question mark coming into next season but I think they will end up pretty good. Still tons of talent.

The secondary. Oy. The secondary. The #1 concern.

Overall, I think the team will be more athletic and the return of a lot of key players will help. 2016 is the year that its Top 4 or bust.

 

[ickythump1225]

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.

It's going to be very very hard to unseat Kizer. Kizer A) has more experience, B) has more natural arm talent and a higher ceiling in that regard, C) is taller and weighs more, and D) his running ability progressed greatly as the season wore on to the point that it's almost a wash between him and MZ.

Unless Kizer just s**ts the bed in the offseason *knocks on wood* I would be kind of upset if he wasn't the starter. We finally, after 6 long years, have a chance to have continuity at the most important position in sports and to pass on that would be a bit upsetting. Kizer could be the starter for 27-40 more games.

 

[ThePiombino]

Praying for Iowa to start the 2016 calendar year.

 

[ickythump1225]

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.

Agreed completely. Kizer battled his heart out and left it all on the field. That loss is not on him in anyway. Even in the Clemson game where he made some mistakes he battled back and almost tied the game. The kid is no mental midget.

 

[ickythump1225]

Praying for Iowa to start the 2016 calendar year.

This.

 

[JD Irish]

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

The great news is that MSU, Stanford, and USC will be replacing their quarterbacks.

 

[Irish YJ]

Not ready to "move on" yet lol...
Still got a month to enjoy 2015, and also a few months to close out on recruiting... Let's go win the Peach Bowl, sign a couple more studs, and then I'll start thinking about next year.

Just depressed we only have one more game for this season. Too fast.

 

[dkuhn12]

The great news is that MSU, Stanford, and USC will be replacing their quarterbacks.

Along with Navy....Keenan Reynolds is the best qb since Staubach to come out of there.


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[JD Irish]

Along with Navy....Keenan Reynolds is the best qb since Staubach to come out of there.


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Yup. Great point.

 

[FWIrish4]

Unfortunately everything I've been hearing out of AWP is that Jaylon is on track to graduate in 3 years (this year) and is expected to start training with them after the season in some fashion. Braxton Miller is expected to join Jaylon at AWP also. I don't think it is set in stone but that is coming from my buddy that works there.

 

[Fbolt]

Great 2015 so far. A bowl win will make me happy.

2016?
1. I'm looking to develop a killer instinct with the team. Putting teams away when the opportunity arises and playing to their potential and not to the level of the opponents.
2. Enough with the significant injuries. 2 years in a row is bad luck. Hoping the Irish can put this in the rearview mirror.

 

[dkuhn12]

Offense should be great, just find a power running game when we're inside the 5 to finally convert a good percentage of 6's vs. 3's. I'm not worried about o line, bars will replace Stanley and mustipher has a nasty instinct to take over C.

Defense is very concerning. Jones Rochell should be solid but a lot question marks after that. Losing Smith will be huge, he is just a freak. Back four.....might as well pick a name out of the hat honestly because I have no confidence with any of them and not subbing guys like butler, Coleman and Watkins into games this year could be costly.


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[IrishJayhawk]

Great 2015 so far. A bowl win will make me happy.

2016?
1. I'm looking to develop a killer instinct with the team. Putting teams away when the opportunity arises and playing to their potential and not to the level of the opponents.
2. Enough with the significant injuries. 2 years in a row is bad luck. Hoping the Irish can put this in the rearview mirror.

Kizer has it. It makes a difference when the QB leads that.

 

[Irish YJ]

Kizer has it. It makes a difference when the QB leads that.

I think BK needs to find it.... to me, that's the issue.

 

[GUknights75]

Offense should be great, just find a power running game when we're inside the 5 to finally convert a good percentage of 6's vs. 3's. I'm not worried about o line, bars will replace Stanley and mustipher has a nasty instinct to take over C.

Defense is very concerning. Jones Rochell should be solid but a lot question marks after that. Losing Smith will be huge, he is just a freak. Back four.....might as well pick a name out of the hat honestly because I have no confidence with any of them and not subbing guys like butler, Coleman and Watkins into games this year could be costly.


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I mean I agree that the secondary is a concern but those 3 players saw snaps in every game except Watkins who played in 11. They are definitely unproven but its not like they sat the bench the whole year.

 

[Grahambo]

Shaun Crawford will be back from injury. He was supposedly having an awesome camp so we do have that going for us.

 

[arrowryan]

What I'm looking for from December to September:

-win a New Year's Eve/Day bowl game
-finish strong on the recruiting trail
-a healthy spring and fall camp
-NO OFFSEASON BULLSHIT

 

[NDRock]

Great 2015 so far. A bowl win will make me happy.

2016?
1. I'm looking to develop a killer instinct with the team. Putting teams away when the opportunity arises and playing to their potential and not to the level of the opponents.
2. Enough with the significant injuries. 2 years in a row is bad luck. Hoping the Irish can put this in the rearview mirror.

3. Keep the turnovers down.

4. Get better in the red zone on offense and defense (this cost us both games).

 

[Grahambo]

3. Keep the turnovers down.

4. Get better in the red zone on offense and defense (this cost us both games).

RZ offense can be tied into #3 and play calling. Some of the play calls down in the RZ were mind boggling. Surprised it took this long to see a Kizer naked boot leg down there.

Defensively, I would like less 75 yard drives against. At least in 2016 they'll be playing with 11 men on D and not 10.

 

[IrishFanJMercy]

Moving on to 2016. I'm not worried about the offense at all.
QB- Two head monster Zaire + Kizer, Wimbush will redshirt
RB- Folston +Proise + Adams three head monster all are capable of going over 1,000 yards rushing. I'd like to see Kelly get the Running backs more involved in the passing game that's what helped us at times in 2012 when we went 12-0. What happens to Justin Brent here damn the coaches need to find this guy some touches somewhere? Does he move to safety? Back to the slot? all other running backs will redshirt.
TE: We will be loaded but we need to get them more involved once again.
WR: Starters I think will be Fuller, Tori Hunter, St. Brown. Guys like Robinson need to get back in it, Sanders needs some touches, excited to see what Boykin and Guyton are capable of, what about holmes?
OL: ONly loss is Stanley. Hoge will start at Center which I think is an upgrade over Martin. Martin is a hell of a player but was a liability at times this year as well.

Defense.
DL: I'm not concerned really all that much we have a ton of depth it's time to get the guys some playing time though. Hayes, Bonner, Blankenship, ect... What will Kareem do as a Freshman? We are loaded at DT.

LB: Will Jaylon Leave? Schmidt isn't a loss did you see Martini making plays yesterday or whenever he gets a shot, kid is going to be a very nice upgrade. Will Nyles Morgan replace Jaylon if he leaves?
DB's
I'm not worried about the secondary as much as some of you are. We will return Butler, Watkins, and Cole Luke at Corner which is the same guys that we had last year. Safety we will have Redfield back along with Tranquil back, Guys like Crawford and Colemon both will either start or play alot, and I think we have enough Freshman coming in where someone or 2 guys will step up and shine. Also Williams Kelly has said nothing but good things about them.

 

[Grahambo]

Completely forgot Rochell is a junior.

EDIT: Looking over the roster, really deep again in 2016. Will be better overall despite losing two 1st round picks.

 

[EifertPower]

Who is eligible to be given a 5th year in 2016? Can someone provide that list or link me to it if it already exists?

 

[irisheyes]

What I'm looking for from December to September:

-win a New Year's Eve/Day bowl game
-finish strong on the recruiting trail
-a healthy spring and fall camp
-NO OFFSEASON BULLSHIT

this will never happen. Im expecting 2012 like offseason

 

[NDWorld247]

Who is eligible to be given a 5th year in 2016? Can someone provide that list or link me to it if it already exists?

QB - none
RB - CJ Prosise
WR - none
OL - Ronnie Stanley (not coming back) and Mark Harrell
TE - Chase Hounshell (likely to be granted 6th year)
DL - Jarron Jones
LB - John Turner, Jarrett Grace (NOT likely to be granted 6th year)
DB - Keivarae Russell, Nicky Baratti, Avery Sebastian (likely to be granted a 6th year)
LS - Scott Daly

Did I miss anyone?

 

[EifertPower]

QB - none
RB - CJ Prosise
WR - none
OL - Ronnie Stanley (not coming back) and Mark Harrell
TE - Chase Hounshell (likely to be granted 6th year)
DL - Jarron Jones
LB - John Turner, Jarrett Grace (NOT likely to be granted 6th year)
DB - Keivarae Russell, Nicky Baratti, Avery Sebastian (likely to be granted a 6th year)
LS - Scott Daly

Did I miss anyone?

I'd love to have Prosise, Jones, Grace, KVR, Sebastian, and Daly back.

I think we have enough TE depth that we don't need Hounshell, i know nothing about Harrell or Turner, and Baratti i'm still bitter about that play against Temple.