Next Years predictions

[ndcoltsfan2010]

I think 9-10 wins next year would be a great thing. I don't think we will quite 12-0, but I only see 2-3 losses max. This team has continued to get better and better despite all of the injuries, first year coaching/systems and other things that have happened. I think we are a top 15-20 team next year.

 

[chyrspchuck]

I don't think Rudy or Floyd are going to leave. There is almost certain to be a lockout in March, so underclassmen would be crazy to declare after they've underperformed compared to expectations as juniors.

The QB battle is likely to be fierce. Tommy needs to put on some serious weight and his arm strength needs to improve a lot for him to have a chance. I expect spring ball to be a serious competition and we may not have a clear choice then, and I suspect fall will be even harder when Dayne comes back and Golson has a bit more time with the playbook. In the end, I think it will be either Golson or Hendrix.

As for how the team does, I think we will be significantly better on both sides of the ball. We were only a few plays from being 9-3 right now (Michigan St., Tulsa). Quite frankly, if Dayne hadn't gotten injured I suspect we would have beaten Michigan and this whole season would be entirely different (I see us being 10-1 if that had happened), but if ifs and ands were pots and pans then bull**** would be butter.

Assuming Luck goes pro, I think we have a legitimate shot to run the table next year, with the hardest game being against USC. If Luck doesn't go pro, we have a legitimate shot to be a one loss team.

Given our experience at QB we may not reach our full potential, but I don't look at our schedule and get scared or anything.

so what everyone has been saying not just you canadianirish is Luck will go pro because everyone is telling him he is the top QB, but Rudolph won't leave even though everyone is telling him he is the top TE. I hope Floyd stays because the WR class is thick with talent, but if I was Rudolph, I don't care if Dayne is my friend or not, if I'm gonna get drafted in the 1st round, I'm gone. I pray Rudy stays.

 

[tommyIRISH23]

so what everyone has been saying not just you canadianirish is Luck will go pro because everyone is telling him he is the top QB, but Rudolph won't leave even though everyone is telling him he is the top TE. I hope Floyd stays because the WR class is thick with talent, but if I was Rudolph, I don't care if Dayne is my friend or not, if I'm gonna get drafted in the 1st round, I'm gone. I pray Rudy stays.

Is there a deadline for players to make their decision to stay or not? The lock-out seems like its going to happen, I would stay, because sitting out a year would be bad news. Same with Luck, he'll probably stay aswell.

I think 9/10 wins is possible, the schedule doesn't look very hard. But every year there are some surprises. I think Michigan will be a lot better if RichRod stays.

 

[chyrspchuck]

Is there a deadline for players to make their decision to stay or not? The lock-out seems like its going to happen, I would stay, because sitting out a year would be bad news. Same with Luck, he'll probably stay aswell.

I think 9/10 wins is possible, the schedule doesn't look very hard. But every year there are some surprises. I think Michigan will be a lot better if RichRod stays.

I think we will lose 2 games next year. We will lose to Stanford, and then again in our BCS bowl. then 2012 NC baby.

 

[IrishLax]

so what everyone has been saying not just you canadianirish is Luck will go pro because everyone is telling him he is the top QB, but Rudolph won't leave even though everyone is telling him he is the top TE. I hope Floyd stays because the WR class is thick with talent, but if I was Rudolph, I don't care if Dayne is my friend or not, if I'm gonna get drafted in the 1st round, I'm gone. I pray Rudy stays.

This is pretty accurate. Floyd would be around the ~5th WR off the board this year. If he can put up big numbers and stay healthy for a whole season for the first time next year he could be #1. Rudy has almost no upside to returning.

 

[General Colon Bowel]

I think we will lose 2 games next year. We will lose to Stanford, and then again in our BCS bowl. then 2012 NC baby.

Agreed. And I think we'll do it with Crist as the starter too. If he recovers before the fall, then I don't understand how he wouldn't be. Maybe we were spoiled by the ridiculous play of Jimmy in 2009, because people don't seem to appreciate how well Dayne played for a first time starter in a brand new system. Here's an article comparing other first time starters on teams with elite talent to Dayne. It's pretty clear that Dayne outperformed them all, and we really shouldn't have expected much more from him this year. If our defense was playing the way they did in the last three games, when Dayne was at QB, we likely wouldn't have lost against either Michigan team or Navy or Tulsa. I say, it's pretty clear who the starter should be next year (unless Hendrix or Golson are something incredibly special), and I think Brian Kelly is smart enough to see it too.

Replacing quarterbacks not always easy | Inside the Irish

 

[CanadianIrish]

so what everyone has been saying not just you canadianirish is Luck will go pro because everyone is telling him he is the top QB, but Rudolph won't leave even though everyone is telling him he is the top TE. I hope Floyd stays because the WR class is thick with talent, but if I was Rudolph, I don't care if Dayne is my friend or not, if I'm gonna get drafted in the 1st round, I'm gone. I pray Rudy stays.

There is a big difference between being the top QB on the board (ie first overall pick in all likelihood) and the top TE. On top of that, Rudy's status has certainly been hurt by his injury. He's probably still the top TE on most boards, but it's a weak year for tight ends. I don't think he's a first round pick at this point. He's probably better off waiting a year financially.

 

[jmurphy75]

Agreed. And I think we'll do it with Crist as the starter too. If he recovers before the fall, then I don't understand how he wouldn't be. Maybe we were spoiled by the ridiculous play of Jimmy in 2009, because people don't seem to appreciate how well Dayne played for a first time starter in a brand new system. Here's an article comparing other first time starters on teams with elite talent to Dayne. It's pretty clear that Dayne outperformed them all, and we really shouldn't have expected much more from him this year. If our defense was playing the way they did in the last three games, when Dayne was at QB, we likely wouldn't have lost against either Michigan team or Navy or Tulsa. I say, it's pretty clear who the starter should be next year (unless Hendrix or Golson are something incredibly special), and I think Brian Kelly is smart enough to see it too.

Replacing quarterbacks not always easy | Inside the Irish

Great read I just hope that he can recover and the back ups are a little more prepared to come off the bench and contribute better than they were this year.

 

[chyrspchuck]

There is a big difference between being the top QB on the board (ie first overall pick in all likelihood) and the top TE. On top of that, Rudy's status has certainly been hurt by his injury. He's probably still the top TE on most boards, but it's a weak year for tight ends. I don't think he's a first round pick at this point. He's probably better off waiting a year financially.

i respectfully disagree with you, while QB's are the top guys taken in the draft, TE's are rarely a bust in the NFL and Kyle would be taken at the end of the first round more than likely. He's not going to go much higher than that after another successful year.

 

[bigeasy47]

i think we can seriously go 12-0
south florida @ home- win skip bows to blue and gold
@ michigan - win its over rich rod
michigan st. @ home-win run defense improves and msu loses on def.
@ pittsburgh- win fired coach and will have to rebuild
@ purdue- win "whos your daddy"
air force @ home- win going to start beating teams we should
USC @ home- win its our turn for a decade run
navy @ home- win (see air force)
@ wake forest- win by the time we see them were up there beat down.
maryland- win could be a trap game but i think our momentum will carry us through.
bosten college @ home- win nothing about them scares me.
@ stanford- win lucks gone 8 in the box good night....

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

BCS!

 

[irishtrain]

I'm going to wait till after the Sun Bowl-it will direct my thoughts on how they can handle things after I see how they play this game. Miami is good no matter what their record.