SBNation's 2013 Notre Dame Preview

[Whiskeyjack]

This is one of my favorite CFB publications of the year. Lots of advanced statistics and objective analysis on our prospects for the upcoming season. You can read it here:

One fun way to figure out where a team stands is to play the "How many ifs?" game. How many "Ifs" does it take to put a team at a certain level?

Top 15: If Golson avoids a serious slump, and if a young running back can provide some level of reliability, this should be a Top 15 team based solely on defensive potential and some decent big-play ability on offense.

Top 10: If Golson avoids a serious slump, if a young running back can provide some level of reliability, and if one of the freshman or sophomore DBs breaks through, this is likely a Top 10 team.

Top 5: If Golson avoids a serious slump, if a young running back can provide some level of reliability, if one of the freshman or sophomore DBs breaks through, and if one more receiver breaks through alongside Jones and Daniels, this is likely a Top 5 team.

This isn't an overt number of "ifs." Notre Dame broke into the Top 15 in 2011, then played like it in 2012. I think slight improvement is likely again, though another undefeated record in close games probably isn't. Against a slate the features seven teams projected in the Top 31 (four at home), the Irish will need a couple more breaks to again make the title game, but at this point one cannot question the program's trajectory: It's strong.

Really strong. Whether people saw it 12 months ago doesn't really matter; they see it now.

Plenty to get excited about.

 

[ACamp1900]

8-5

 

[Damion704]

Pretty fair

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

Too bad it's on SBNation, which is terrible.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Too bad it's on SBNation, which is terrible.

Curious why you feel that way. Onefootdown, arguably the best NDFB blog out there, is part of the SBNation network, and their CFB guys (particularly Spencer Hall) are hilarious.

 

[koonja]

If EV can come in and have a Lynch-like freshman year (in all honestly, he should be better than Lynch as a freshman) and Jarron Jones can learn to play with tenacity, this line will be unblockable.

 

[IrishLax]

I'm hopeful that between Sheldon Day and EV the drop off from KLM isn't big. As long as we have no drop off from missing KLM against the run I expect us to be dominant on defense. OLB will be better, DBs will be better, ILB will be worse but that's arguably the best position to have a "weakness" at.

A lot of question marks on offense. If this season tanks, it will be because of OL issues/depth, a lack of dominant skill position players, or QB problems. Crossing my fingers everything turns out good on that side of the ball.

 

[koonja]

I'm hopeful that between Sheldon Day and EV the drop off from KLM isn't big. As long as we have no drop off from missing KLM against the run I expect us to be dominant on defense. OLB will be better, DBs will be better, ILB will be worse but that's arguably the best position to have a "weakness" at.

A lot of question marks on offense. If this season tanks, it will be because of OL issues/depth, a lack of dominant skill position players, or QB problems. Crossing my fingers everything turns out good on that side of the ball.

I didn't think he was impressive at all against the better teams we faced. I think we'll replace him just fine.

 

[arrowryan]

I'm hopeful that between Sheldon Day and EV the drop off from KLM isn't big. As long as we have no drop off from missing KLM against the run I expect us to be dominant on defense. OLB will be better, DBs will be better, ILB will be worse but that's arguably the best position to have a "weakness" at.

A lot of question marks on offense. If this season tanks, it will be because of OL issues/depth, a lack of dominant skill position players, or QB problems. Crossing my fingers everything turns out good on that side of the ball.

I don't think we will notice the absence of KLM this year. I really like Day and I think he will be better than KLM

 

[WaveDomer]

With KLM I think people need to look beyond what he did on the field and look what he did in terms of leadership etc. That's a major x factor, in my mind. Can ND replace the leadership roles of guys like KLM and Te'o? I think the talent is definitely there and on the rise.

 

[koonja]

With KLM I think people need to look beyond what he did on the field and look what he did in terms of leadership etc. That's a major x factor, in my mind. Can ND replace the leadership roles of guys like KLM and Te'o? I think the talent is definitely there and on the rise.

Leadership is overrated for the DL. You have to be nasty, that's about it.

 

[WaveDomer]

Leadership is overrated for the DL. You have to be nasty, that's about it.

I would beg to differ. Lynch was nasty and was no bueno in the clubhouse. Those goal line stands last year were a lot about team unity, and that's on KLM and Te'o etc.

 

[koonja]

I would beg to differ. Lynch was nasty and was no bueno in the clubhouse. Those goal line stands last year were a lot about team unity, and that's on KLM and Te'o etc.

There's a difference between being a learder and being a distraction. DL isn't LB/DB/QB. Lynch would have been on everyone of those goalline stands even with his negative attitude.

 

[IrishLax]

KLM was one of the best run stoppers in all of CFB last year. He was a prototypical 3-4 DE and amazing at what he was asked to do. He was a projected 2nd to 4th round pick before his injury. Don't undersell him.

 

[WaveDomer]

There's a difference between being a learder and being a distraction. DL isn't LB/DB/QB. Lynch would have been on everyone of those goalline stands even with his negative attitude.

Well, this year, if the leadership is not replaced by one of these guys, we will see if it's overrated.

 

[arrowryan]

KLM was one of the best run stoppers in all of CFB last year. He was a prototypical 3-4 DE and amazing at what he was asked to do. He was a projected 2nd to 4th round pick before his injury. Don't undersell him.

I'm not underselling him. I thought he was good but not great. We can't deny the fact that he was the worst of the 3 starting d-lineman and probably wouldn't have been starting if Lynch didn't transfer. But that's debatable

 

[fitz_bu47]

Being third behind Tuitt and Nix isn't a bad place to be. Like Wave said, KLM was great at doing his job in our 3-4. Run stuffer, he didn't add much pass rush, but Tuitt and Nix are freaks, in a true 3-4 your OLB's are gonna have most of your sacks/pressures. KLM, if his knee cooperates can have a great, long career in the NFL not filling up the stat sheet, but playing w/ a lot of Pro Bowl Linebackers.

 

[koonja]

It sucks to say this about a guy that gave so much to ND, was very likeable, was a 5th year senior, and went out with an injury like he did, but I expect EV to make as much of an impact this year as KLM did last year. EV is a once every 5 years type of talent. He's a freak.

With Jones and EV, we shouldn't miss KLM.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

I'm not underselling him. I thought he was good but not great. We can't deny the fact that he was the worst of the 3 starting d-lineman and probably wouldn't have been starting if Lynch didn't transfer. But that's debatable

That speaks more to our embarrassment of DL riches last season than KLM's objective quality.

I'm with Lax on this. KLM was projected as a 3rd round pick before his knee injury (i.e. one of the top 100 players in the 2013 draft class.) He was a 4-year starter who produced 180 Tackes, 22 TFL, 12 sacks, 5 FFs during his career. A team captain and lockerroom leader as well.

Recruiting s don't replace a guy like that.

With Jones and EV, we shouldn't miss KLM.

Stockton and Jones were both borderline 5 guys coming out of high school. Stockton, heading into his 5Y, has barely seen the field, and Jones is in danger of getting passed by freshman if he doesn't get his head right. Jones and EV have proven nothing.

Our front-7 may end up being better overall in 2013; and Day may have a higher ceiling than Kappy. But I can almost guarantee we won't be better because KLM's replacement is objectively better than he was.

 

[phork]

If ND wins 12 games in the regular season I say they have a shot to go to the NCG.

 

[koonja]

That speaks more to our embarrassment of DL riches last season than KLM's objective quality.

I'm with Lax on this. KLM was projected as a 3rd round pick before his knee injury (i.e. one of the top 100 players in the 2013 draft class.) He was a 4-year starter who produced 180 Tackes, 22 TFL, 12 sacks, 5 FFs during his career. A team captain and lockerroom leader as well.

Recruiting s don't replace a guy like that.



Stockton and Jones were both borderline 5 guys coming out of high school. Stockton, heading into his 5Y, has barely seen the field, and Jones is in danger of getting passed by freshman if he doesn't get his head right. Jones and EV have proven nothing.

Our front-7 may end up being better overall in 2013; and Day may have a higher ceiling than Kappy. But I can almost guarantee we won't be better because KLM's replacement is objectively better than he was.

I will not at all be surprised if EV has more production (which can be subjective, I know) than KLM last year. Hell, I even went full-retard a while back and said EV could be as good as Nix by year's end.

I think incredibly highly of EV. As in, I think he can be considered a #1 player in the class. I know he hasn't registered a stat, but based on the footage I've seen, he's going to be a monster.

 

[Old Man Mike]

I have some intuitive "dreams":

1). Sheldon Day replaces a very good KLM "solidly", and overall Dline strength [talking 2 &2/3 lines playing here] is greater. Lou puts the ON field leadership out there along with The Prince, and the off field leadership is supplied by Jackson and the linebackers.

2). Jarrett Grace blows everybody away. Tackling numbers and TFLs become Te'o-like. With first and second team starters returning at all three other LB positions, plus the presence of Jaylon Smith, Romeo Okwara, Michael Deeb et al, Diaco has nightmares about squeezing powerful players out of playing time.

3). Jackson and Russell take another step up to "championship-quality football." Austin Collingsworth steps into safety alongside Farley to call the plays. Shumate stays the Nickel. Baratti stays the Dime. Redfield begins to sneak onto the field.

4). This defense becomes rapidly better than 2012s and rivals any in the country. Because opponents can barely score, Notre Dame is a top ten team just on this factor alone, plus Everett not becoming a screw-up.

5). Everett does not become a screw-up but rather takes a step up to being generally a solid dependable QB whom Kelly can trust even with sped-up offensive play-rates. Cam McDaniel gives us acceptable RB play until Greg Bryant is ready; then we roll in the ground game against some opponents.

6). TJJones and Davaris Daniels provide two championship-quality WRs, and the third spot is split between an increasingly dangerous CJProsise and Ben Koyack or Alex Welch. Our "big boy receiving system" is not "pretty", just terrible to defend.

7). These things above would make us top 5 easily BUT: how is RIGHT GUARD really going to go? If we cannot get OLine solidity, then it's going to be on Everett as to how well we really do. I believe that Niklas will finally figure out who and how to block. McDaniel will block. But will the RG block? Will big DTs and blitzing LBs roll through that area and shutdown the running game? Will the read left running play fail because Niklas has half-a$$ed it and the RG never made it pulling on time? This is all that can stop us [minus critical injuries] from 11 wins.

"I have a dream".

 

[ACamp1900]

8-5

I have some intuitive "dreams":

1). Sheldon Day replaces a very good KLM "solidly", and overall Dline strength [talking 2 &2/3 lines playing here] is greater. Lou puts the ON field leadership out there along with The Prince, and the off field leadership is supplied by Jackson and the linebackers.

2). Jarrett Grace blows everybody away. Tackling numbers and TFLs become Te'o-like. With first and second team starters returning at all three other LB positions, plus the presence of Jaylon Smith, Romeo Okwara, Michael Deeb et al, Diaco has nightmares about squeezing powerful players out of playing time.

3). Jackson and Russell take another step up to "championship-quality football." Austin Collingsworth steps into safety alongside Farley to call the plays. Shumate stays the Nickel. Baratti stays the Dime. Redfield begins to sneak onto the field.

4). This defense becomes rapidly better than 2012s and rivals any in the country. Because opponents can barely score, Notre Dame is a top ten team just on this factor alone, plus Everett not becoming a screw-up.

5). Everett does not become a screw-up but rather takes a step up to being generally a solid dependable QB whom Kelly can trust even with sped-up offensive play-rates. Cam McDaniel gives us acceptable RB play until Greg Bryant is ready; then we roll in the ground game against some opponents.

6). TJJones and Davaris Daniels provide two championship-quality WRs, and the third spot is split between an increasingly dangerous CJProsise and Ben Koyack or Alex Welch. Our "big boy receiving system" is not "pretty", just terrible to defend.

7). These things above would make us top 5 easily BUT: how is RIGHT GUARD really going to go? If we cannot get OLine solidity, then it's going to be on Everett as to how well we really do. I believe that Niklas will finally figure out who and how to block. McDaniel will block. But will the RG block? Will big DTs and blitzing LBs roll through that area and shutdown the running game? Will the read left running play fail because Niklas has half-a$$ed it and the RG never made it pulling on time? This is all that can stop us [minus critical injuries] from 11 wins.

"I have a dream".

8.) Despite all of this, ACamp still predicts 8-5,... because he is a neurotic pussy....




meow.

 

[STLDomer]

If u have Rivals, Tim Prister's latest Press Coverage is worth a read, really railed on ESPNs CFB Live preview and coverage of ND

 

[greyhammer90]

If u have Rivals, Tim Prister's latest Press Coverage is worth a read, really railed on ESPNs CFB Live preview and coverage of ND

You need to decide on an avatar before I'll read anything you put in front of me.

 

[STLDomer]

You need to decide on an avatar before I'll read anything you put in front of me.

It was a tough decision, but I decided I relate to Charlie ("better coach than player") more than Kenny (little bash brother). I think Charlie's here to stay.

 

[clashmore_mike]

Too bad it's on SBNation, which is terrible.

SBNation is not the same as Bleacher Report

 

[greyhammer90]

It was a tough decision, but I decided I relate to Charlie ("better coach than player") more than Kenny (little bash brother). I think Charlie's here to stay.

Is that like "better reporter than poster"?

 

[STLDomer]

Is that like "better reporter than poster"?

Well that was just rude, you're like a modern day Wolf Stansson over here. Its more like being better than most posters but not good enough to be on the all poster team (Team USA)

 

[greyhammer90]

Well that was just rude, you're like a modern day Wolf Stansson over here. Its more like being better than most posters but not good enough to be on the all poster team (Team USA)

"What happened to freedom of speech? Isn't this America?"