Sep 4 | Texas

[BleedBlueGold]

As opposed to whom?

I mean wouldn't anyone who played mistake-free football and controlled the line of scrimmage?

Inquiring minds want to know.

No.

Texas is an inferior team to ND at the moment. ND has had a tendency of allowing inferior teams to hang around because they turn the ball over and play down to said inferior team. When ND plays a solid, complete game against these kinds of teams, they roll. Key word, "roll." That's important. Because you can play mistake-free football and control both LOS and still be in a dog fight against another good team. I just don't think TX is good. So if ND doesn't play down to their level, this game should be over by halftime, like it was last year.

Opposed to whom? MSU, USC, Stanford....ND could play a fantastic game against any of those teams and barely win or even lose. It's about the quality of the opponent and whether or not ND plays down to the inferior teams, allowing them to look better than they are.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

No.

Texas is an inferior team to ND at the moment. ND has had a tendency of allowing inferior teams to hang around because they turn the ball over and play down to said inferior team. When ND plays a solid, complete game against these kinds of teams, they roll. Key word, "roll." That's important. Because you can play mistake-free football and control both LOS and still be in a dog fight against another good team. I just don't think TX is good. So if ND doesn't play down to their level, this game should be over by halftime, like it was last year.

Opposed to whom? MSU, USC, Stanford....ND could play a fantastic game against any of those teams and barely win or even lose. It's about the quality of the opponent and whether or not ND plays down to the inferior teams, allowing them to look better than they are.

Excellent point, but I was just pulling your chain. I absolutely believe that ND has to play better to win against a given team than anyone else that plays them does, except OSU versus MSU. And that is an even up.

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

I tend to get so nervous for the first game of the season, especially against "weaker" teams. Too many times in recent memories where we get so fired up for the season to start only to have the team come out and poop the bed. Yes, I am well aware the high propensity for first game bed pooping was mostly during Davie/Willingham/Weis era teams, but it still plays fresh in my memory banks.

I hope this team comes out and establishes itself and a top 10 team right away. So happy the season is almost here!

 

[ACamp1900]

There have been a few under Kelly too... USF is the obvious one but even Temple and Purdue one year had us all wringing our hands

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

There have been a few under Kelly too... USF is the obvious one but even Temple and Purdue one year had us all wringing our hands

Great! Thanks for the reminder! Now I am even more nervous. Is it too early to start home-tailgating (a.k.a. drinking heavily) for the first game?

 

[Rocket89]

Does anyone know (Texas posters are you out there?) what their projected starting 5 OL were, pre-injuries? When there's an injury reported I don't know if it's a projected starter or not unless he's name Malik Jefferson.

LT Connor Williams, So, .877, 12 starts last year considered their top lineman.
LG Patrick Vahe, So, .939, 10 starts last year moved over from right guard.
C Zach Shackelford, Fr, .841, EE freshman
RG Trent Perkins, Sr, .980, 10 starts last year, struggled at RT, moved inside.
RT Tristen Nickelson, Sr, .783, JUCO made 3 starts last year.

Vahe, Shackelford, and Nickelson are all injured and may miss the opener or won't be 100% by then.

 

[ACamp1900]

Great! Thanks for the reminder!

No problem, it's what I'm here for.

 

[BleedBlueGold]

Excellent point, but I was just pulling your chain. I absolutely believe that ND has to play better to win against a given team than anyone else that plays them does, except OSU versus MSU. And that is an even up.

 

[BGIF]

Vegas has the O/U at 59.

People are betting Under.

Apparently they don't think ND can score 60.

 

[NorthDakota]

Vegas has the O/U at 59.

People are betting Under.

Apparently they don't think ND can score 60.

Any suggestions for betting online that is legitimate? I thought I saw ND -2.5 or -3.5 and that is a very enticing bet.

 

[NDdomer2]

There have been a few under Kelly too... USF is the obvious one but even Temple and Purdue one year had us all wringing our hands

Feel like purdue has had me sweating twice under Kelly. Once at home. Then we played pretty awful at purdue one year and won because of a DD bomb and a pick 6.

LT Connor Williams, So, .877, 12 starts last year considered their top lineman.
LG Patrick Vahe, So, .939, 10 starts last year moved over from right guard.
C Zach Shackelford, Fr, .841, EE freshman
RG Trent Perkins, Sr, .980, 10 starts last year, struggled at RT, moved inside.
RT Tristen Nickelson, Sr, .783, JUCO made 3 starts last year.

Vahe, Shackelford, and Nickelson are all injured and may miss the opener or won't be 100% by then.

Know who the replacements are?

 

[ACamp1900]

Off memory we beat them (Purdue) with a last second FG in 2012... but it wasn't the first game of the season, it was the second... I think that was the week of the whole Lennay Kekua incident.

The game I am thinking of was a year or two before, we struggled the whole game but won by ten or so...

 

[arrowryan]

Off memory we beat them with a last second FG in 2012... but it wasn't the first game of the season, it was the second... I think that was the week of the whole Lennay Kekua incident.

Lennay Kekua happened during Michigan week. The Purdue game was the week after they got back from Ireland

 

[ACamp1900]

Lennay Kekua happened during Michigan week. The Purdue game was the week after they got back from Ireland

Which was the same week or so time frame basically... the week of/after the Purdue game, leading into the Michigan game which was right after.... we are saying the same thing from different angles I believe. I'm speaking to when it actually happened, you are speaking to when it became a story in the media.


**nvm... MSU was in between... I had to go check... whatever. I'm still right

 

[greyhammer90]

Which was the same week or so time frame basically... the week of/after the Purdue game, leading into the Michigan game which was right after.... we are saying the same thing from different angles I believe. I'm speaking to when it actually happened, you are speaking to when it became a story in the media.

It happened in the week leading to the Michigan game. I remember because there was talk of Manti not playing in the UM game.

 

[ACamp1900]

It happened in the week leading to the Michigan game. I remember because there was talk of Manti not playing in the UM game.

I'm almost positive the actual cat fishing and 'death' incident AND the real death of his grandmother occurred during the week of the previous game, which was MSU... but the story grew in momentum and became known for the UM game.

**EDIT Just looked it up, his grandmother died four days prior to MSU, not UM.

 

[ACamp1900]

Why dafaq I care about this i have no freakin clue...


moving on, my bad.

 

[Rocket89]

Know who the replacements are?

LT Connor Williams, So, .877, 12 starts last year considered their top lineman.
LG Patrick Vahe, So, .939, 10 starts last year moved over from right guard.
C Zach Shackelford, Fr, .841, EE freshman
RG Trent Perkins, Sr, .980, 10 starts last year, struggled at RT, moved inside.
RT Tristen Nickelson, Sr, .783, JUCO made 3 starts last year.

Likely replacements:

LG Brandon Hodges, Jr, .871 JUCO also in running at RT battle
C Jake McMillon, RS So, .848
RT Denzel Okafor, Fr, .899

 

[ND NYC]

Why dafaq I care about this i have no freakin clue...


moving on, my bad.

LOL

 

[IRISHMAN]

this game is making me very nervous, I don't know much about texas and not sure what to expect from them. NDs offense is very good but can the young WRs step up in the first game of the year in a rowdy place like UT. how good will NDs defense be. the DL line looks good with rochell, tillery and jones. the LBs are talented but how will they fair knowing jaylon smith wont be their to bail them out. the CBs are going to be real good but what about studstill.

 

[ulukinatme]

Got to feel better about all these Texas OL guys dropping. One of their posters was trumping up the fact their OL will have more starts going into this game than ours...thinking they'll have the OL position advantage.

 

[IRISHMAN]

Got to feel better about all these Texas OL guys dropping. One of their posters was trumping up the fact their OL will have more starts going into this game than ours...thinking they'll have the OL position advantage. I lol'd pretty hard even then, it's even funnier now that they're losing some of those starts.

ND does a great job reloading the OL so to me starts means nothing. however texas may have a better left side of the line than ND. it cant be easy for a 300 lb. guy to get over an ankle injury though.

 

[ulukinatme]

ND does a great job reloading the OL so to me starts means nothing. however texas may have a better left side of the line than ND. it cant be easy for a 300 lb. guy to get over an ankle injury though.

You'd take the left side of their OL over McGlinchey and Q?

 

[NDty9]

You'd take the left side of their OL over McGlinchey and Q?

NO chance

 

[Whiskeyjack]

ND does a great job reloading the OL so to me starts means nothing. however texas may have a better left side of the line than ND. it cant be easy for a 300 lb. guy to get over an ankle injury though.

Indefensible. McGlinchey and Nelson are arguably the best LT-LG combo in the nation.

 

[IrishBroker]

Indefensible. McGlinchey and Nelson are arguably the best LT-LG combo in the nation.

Yeah, that is a helluva combo. McGlinchey a first rounder, and Nelson a 2nd or 3rd

 

[Irish#1]

ND does a great job reloading the OL so to me starts means nothing. however texas may have a better left side of the line than ND. it cant be easy for a 300 lb. guy to get over an ankle injury though.

OK

 

[NDShark]

ND does a great job reloading the OL so to me starts means nothing. however texas may have a better left side of the line than ND. it cant be easy for a 300 lb. guy to get over an ankle injury though.

Waht?

 

[IRISHMAN]

I don't know if UTs left side is better than NDs or not but their pretty good.

 

[Legacy]

Projecting the Texas depth chart for season opener vs. Notre Dame

LT - Connor Williams
LG - Alex Anderson (replacement)
C - Jake McMillon (replacement)
RG - Kent Perkins
RT - ?

Brandon Hodges, Denzel Okafor, Patrick Hudson and Jean Delance have all taken reps on the right side. Some reports have Hodges as the leader to start against ND if Nickelson can’t go, but we’re still putting our money on TTF favorite Okafor to grab the job and hump it into submission.

See Rocket89's post for more detail on each.

Getting thin on their OL. McMillan played DT snd ST teams last year, did not start but played in twelve games. No college OL game experience. Okafor, Hudson and Delance are all true freshmen.