Official 2011 Prediction Thread

[Bogtrotter07]

I predict that nobody will remember anybody's predictions [much to the predictors' relief] except for a few folks who randomly got something right [since they will remind us]. As the country saying goes: "Even a blind pig can find the hole in the fence".

Having said that I hereby don my porcine blindfold and say 10-2 regular season plus a bowl win, but a tough time-of-it. As to the losses, two of MSU, USC [ugg], USNA, MD, Stanford. Most likely: MSU because we're not quite rolling yet, or USNA because their coach has been saving all their tricks for us like he did this year and we're coming off busting up USC.

On second thought: 13-0 and green kool-aid for everyone.

Cool!

Yours Truly,

Blind Pig
(because they are going to be undefeated!)

 

[JughedJones]

If we make it through USC undefeated, there's no reason to think we wouldn't be going to Palo Alto 11-0. And considering that no one on the schedule is terribly scary until then...

 

[tommyIRISH23]

We lose to MARYLAND?!?!!? Kelly should be fired...right now...before we lose to them! Preemptive winning

I think Maryland will set up to be a trap game. SC (3 weeks before) and Navy (2 weeks before) will be an emotional roller coaster for the team, especially since I believe they'll win both. Theyll clown stomp wake, and could possibly be feeling a little undefeated, and may lose to a tough and inspired Maryland team ready to play (Edsel always has his teams tough and ready).

I'm kind of just fishing for losses, no game jumps out as a automatic loss (which is an unbelievable feeling). This season could be really special if we avoid serious injuries, the defense continues from where it left off developing and getting better, and the offense take's off as most people expect. I don't think we will see a BK 2009 offense, but an offense that is consistent, and can score. Probably averaging around 33 points per game, landing them in the back half of the top 25.

 

[mgriff]

I am going to enter every single prediction thread from now until August, and type DIE DIE DIE in it, upon each visit to the site, in protest of all the prediction threads. No personal offense to the OPs of said threads, but action needs to be taken.

 

[mgriff]

DIE DIE DIE

 

[BGIF]

I think Maryland will set up to be a trap game. SC (3 weeks before) and Navy (2 weeks before) will be an emotional roller coaster for the team, especially since I believe they'll win both. Theyll clown stomp wake, and could possibly be feeling a little undefeated, and may lose to a tough and inspired Maryland team ready to play (Edsel always has his teams tough and ready).

...

How can a program that is 24-26 over the past 4 yers including losing 3 out 4 to Navy and the Syracuse debacle, UConn, etc, etc, qualify to be in a "trap" game?

Regardless of how many in a row that they may have won, Kelly and Coaches have fresh memories to keep any big heads in check.

Maryland is still looking for a Defensive Coordinator as Randy Shannon, Freidgen's 6th choice for the position has turned him down.

Report: Randy Shannon turns down Maryland - CBSSports.com

 

[InKellyITrust]

How can a program that is 24-26 over the past 4 yers including losing 3 out 4 to Navy and the Syracuse debacle, UConn, etc, etc, qualify to be in a "trap" game?

Regardless of how many in a row that they may have won, Kelly and Coaches have fresh memories to keep any big heads in check.

Maryland is still looking for a Defensive Coordinator as Randy Shannon, Freidgen's 6th choice for the position has turned him down.

Report: Randy Shannon turns down Maryland - CBSSports.com

I didn't realize that Freidgen was back. I'll alert the local restaraunts to increase their surplus.

 

[rickity21]

i'm taking the approach the team will take. 1 game at a time. I truly believe with the talent they have coming back and the new guys coming in and with the depth we'll have. We can seriously go undefeated. However, if injuries happen and things don't pan out. They'll be 11-2. GO IRISH!

 

[Old Man Mike]

The talk of a problem with the Maryland game may seem to some to be goofy, but it is probably legit. Maryland was ranked in the top 25 in the AP and the coaches polls at the end of last season and massacred East Carolina in their bowl.

The major reason was offense, and the major cog in that offense was a freshman QB sensation [and good Irishman] named Danny O'Brien ["DOB", as he is affectionately referred to by the UM faithful]. This guy's REAL good. And although the game will almost assuredly be dominated by ND fans, it IS being played in Maryland's backyard at FED-EX stadium. This is not a game to sleep on [even if Maryland gets off to a rocky start with Miami and WVU in the first two weeks].

Kelly, of course, knows all this and will remind the boys, but nevertheless Maryland is dangerous. And, concerning their coaching shake-up, Edsall will have had most of the season to smooth matters out, and is a very good details and effort coach. His new OC is a former BYU head coach, who is a lousy player developer but knows how to sling it around---and with O'Brien, has a ready-made gunslinger. I don't like this game. I believe that it will be a tough slough. Yeh, we have better athletes, and better coaching systems, but "on any given Saturday"....

 

[irish1958]

A freshman quarterback!
Every body knows that a first year quarterback can't be any good and it will take him until his third year to "learn the offense!"
That is why we must red shirt Golson, and, of course, Hendrix will be no good as a starter since he has no experience.
Since Rees didn't lose four in a row for us, he must start;
Unless Crist is able to stand up, then he must start since it is his position. So Rees must be a backup.
Maryland will be a pushover since this will be O'Brian's second year. Same with USC.
And, of course, we will have no chance against Stanford since they will have a senior QB.
Isn't it marvelous how easy it is to predict our record for this year?
I can't wait to pick up some coin in Vagas.

 

[Rocket's Rocket Fan]

Manti will throw a TD pass.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

My 2011 predictions:

USF= CLOSE W
scUM= close L
MSU= close W
sPitt= big W
PUR= BIG W
AF= BIG W
U$C= BIG L
Navy= big W
WF= BIG W
MARY= CLOSE L
BC= big W
STAN= big L

Record: 8-4

Bowl: Champs W

Final Record: 9-4

*In the schedule:

Margin of victory

close= 4-7 pts.
CLOSE= 3 pts or less
big= 10-14 pts.
BIG= 14 pts+

Although I'd be dissappointed losing to U$C and scUM, overall I'd be happy with a 9 win season.

 

[woolybug25]

My 2011 predictions:

USF= CLOSE W
scUM= close L
MSU= close W
sPitt= big W
PUR= BIG W
AF= BIG W
U$C= BIG L
Navy= big W
WF= BIG W
MARY= CLOSE L
BC= big W
STAN= big L

Record: 8-4

Bowl: Champs W

Final Record: 9-4

*In the schedule:

Margin of victory

close= 4-7 pts.
CLOSE= 3 pts or less
big= 10-14 pts.
BIG= 14 pts+

Although I'd be dissappointed losing to U$C and scUM, overall I'd be happy with a 9 win season.

I'm suprised that you would be happy with that. If that is how next season goes (1 game increase in wins, heartbreak loss to ScUM, and a drubbing by our biggest rival) then I will be furious. I am not one of those, "I am unhappy with anything but an undefeated season" homers.... but damn.... have expectations sank this low?

 

[tommyIRISH23]

My 2011 predictions:

USF= CLOSE W
scUM= close L
MSU= close W
sPitt= big W
PUR= BIG W
AF= BIG W
U$C= BIG L
Navy= big W
WF= BIG W
MARY= CLOSE L
BC= big W
STAN= big L

Record: 8-4

Bowl: Champs W

Final Record: 9-4

*In the schedule:

Margin of victory

close= 4-7 pts.
CLOSE= 3 pts or less
big= 10-14 pts.
BIG= 14 pts+

Although I'd be dissappointed losing to U$C and scUM, overall I'd be happy with a 9 win season.

I would be pretty pissed off if that were the case. We win 1 more game, but lose to SC, UM, Maryland, and Stanford? What progress would the team have made? We would have lost to the good teams, and lost to a bad team because we did not get up for the game? But will have beaten the team we were "supposed to beat"? Charlie Weis is not the coach anymore, that's his M.O. What exactly do you see scUM, and Maryland doing well enough to beat us? (I know I picked Maryland as a L, but it was more based on a 4-5/5-4 win team playing tough with nothing to lose, and sneaking up on a 9-0 team who's had a tough stretch, a patsy the week prior, and a few more tough games in the future who could have the potential "ND is back", "ND may play in the NC" b.s. from media. If ND is 7-2 I don't think they lose to Maryland.)

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Like I said:

9 wins, I'd be happy (we've been burned too many times the last few years)

Losses to SC and UM, I'd be mad

*This is an official "put up or shut-up" year. My expectations won't be higher than 8-9 wins again until I see a consistent team capable of consistently winning games they are supposed to, and competing in or winning ones they are not

 

[tommyIRISH23]

How can a program that is 24-26 over the past 4 yers including losing 3 out 4 to Navy and the Syracuse debacle, UConn, etc, etc, qualify to be in a "trap" game?

Regardless of how many in a row that they may have won, Kelly and Coaches have fresh memories to keep any big heads in check.

Maryland is still looking for a Defensive Coordinator as Randy Shannon, Freidgen's 6th choice for the position has turned him down.

Report: Randy Shannon turns down Maryland - CBSSports.com

Because ND has a new coaches, new scheme, new outlook, and oh yeah...it's a new season, the past doesn't matter. How long will it take for ND to shake it's ugly past few seasons, and become a team to be respected? If ND starts 7-1/8-0...it cannot find itself in a "trap game" because it lost ugly game the season before, and before that...and before that..etc.

Here's a team that has had an ugly 3 years

09 - 5 losses- Arkansas, Kentucky, LSU, Georgia, Bama
08 - 7 losses- LSU, Vandy, Arky, WVU, Miss, Georgia, Bama
07- 4 losses- SF, Miss state, LSU, Georgia

2010- 14-0.

Also, after the 08 season this team fired their coach, and in 2009 they lost 5 games. During the 2010 season they went undefeated, and won a NC. I distinctly remember certain games that were late in the season that were labeled trap games for Auburn.

It doesn't matter what you previous records are, if a team is hot, and on a roll, it can find itself in a trap game.

 

[tommyIRISH23]

Like I said:

9 wins, I'd be happy (we've been burned too many times the last few years)

Losses to SC and UM, I'd be mad

*This is an official "put up or shut-up" year. My expectations won't be higher than 8-9 wins again until I see a consistent team capable of consistently winning games they are supposed to, and competing in or winning ones they are not

I agree. It is a put up or shut up. Fair enough.

 

[fitz_bu47]

My faith in B-Kelly and his staff, the way we played the last 4 games, and my eternal optimism have my glasses tinted heavily green and expecting us to win every game.....Although not very realistic, I fully expect double digit wins, and BCS appearance/victory.

 

[woolybug25]

Like I said:

9 wins, I'd be happy (we've been burned too many times the last few years)

Losses to SC and UM, I'd be mad

*This is an official "put up or shut-up" year. My expectations won't be higher than 8-9 wins again until I see a consistent team capable of consistently winning games they are supposed to, and competing in or winning ones they are not

I'm not trying to dog your prediction. A prediction is an opinion, and you have a right to it. My question is regarding you being happy with it. How could you possibly be happy with zero progress? 9 wins with losses to every good team on the schedule may even be a step back, not forward. At least we beat some decent teams last year (USC, Utah, Miami).

I would be fuming if your prediction came to fruition.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Like I said:

9 wins, I'd be happy (we've been burned too many times the last few years)

Losses to SC and UM, I'd be mad

*This is an official "put up or shut-up" year. My expectations won't be higher than 8-9 wins again until I see a consistent team capable of consistently winning games they are supposed to, and competing in or winning ones they are not

 

[woolybug25]

Like I said:

9 wins, I'd be happy (we've been burned too many times the last few years)

Losses to SC and UM, I'd be mad

*This is an official "put up or shut-up" year. My expectations won't be higher than 8-9 wins again until I see a consistent team capable of consistently winning games they are supposed to, and competing in or winning ones they are not

I understand that we have burned too many times before, so expecting 9 wins is totally logical. But.......

We will just have to agree to disagree on "being happy" about it though.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

I understand that we have burned too many times before, so expecting 9 wins is totally logical. But.......

We will just have to agree to disagree on "being happy" about it though.

I totally see where you're coming from, and agree there's not much glitter in a 9 win season that is marked by losses to the two biggest rivals. Of course I'm hoping for much more than what I predicted, just don't want to become a delusional homer droid that predicts 12-0 or 11-1 EVERY year like some.

 

[irish1958]

I am a delusional homer and proud of it.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

I am a delusional homer and proud of it.

Haha nothing wrong with that, just trying to diversify a little myself after years of bad prognostications.

 

[DillonHall]

What's the point of making a prediction? It pains me too much to predict a loss to anyone.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

What's the point of making a prediction? It pains me too much to predict a loss to anyone.

It's fun, kills time during the off-season, and gives you bookmark material when things shake out to tease people who were way off.

 

[mgriff]

DIE DIE DIE

 

[tommyIRISH23]

It's fun, kills time during the off-season, and gives you bookmark material when things shake out to tease people who were way off.

Exactly. Some people take this stuff way to seriously, it's for fun, and to kill time, for how "annoying" some people find them, they always spark a discussion. I hate logging on here, and seeing the board dead with no activity. If prediction threads bother someone that much then don't participate in them, it's that simple.

 

[mgriff]

Exactly. Some people take this stuff way to seriously, it's for fun, and to kill time, for how "annoying" some people find them, they always spark a discussion. I hate logging on here, and seeing the board dead with no activity. If prediction threads bother someone that much then don't participate in them, it's that simple.

While I completely agree with that sentiment, there should be one thread, period. While this may have the official tag right now, there were several before, and there will be several after. Nothing worse than seeing 100 prediction threads before the season, it eats up unnecessary space on the website. Cluttering up the server with similar threads benefits no one. So while I absolutely hate all of these prediction threads, I certainly agree there needs to be one for extended discussion. Where I get upset is seeing the never ending supply of them on the front page.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Right now, it looks like this is the only prediction thread on the first few pages.