Sep 4 | Texas

[bluengold4732]

The only way I see this game being close is if Swoopes runs for 100+ yards and keeps drives alive with his feet. There was a few times last year he would of broke away for big runs had it not been for a certain #9 hawking him down.

 

[bluengold4732]

Other than Studstill, Elliott, and Daelin...what other freshman should we expect to see Sunday night? Whether it be on special teams or other contributions. I'm really looking forward to seeing the new faces.

 

[stlnd01]

If ND doesn't dominate this game in the trenches on both sides, then both lines should walk back to South Bend. We have potentially one of the best OL's in the country, and a enough talent depth and experience on the DL to win the battle up front again their OL. So what/who does Texas have that makes people think UT will win this game. Quite a few random turnovers is probably the way I can see this not going how it should.

We lost three starters on the O Line. So while I agree we have "potentially" one of the best OL's in the country, it might take a few games for them to reach their potential.
That said, I'm not worried about either line, really, on Sunday. The only thing that makes me nervous is if this becomes a shootout. Our weak spots are WR and the defensive backfield, and those could get exposed (or new/young guys could prove themselves ready for the big time. We'll see).
If we pound it and make this a trench battle, we should be fine.

 

[Wild Bill]

Other than Studstill, Elliott, and Daelin...what other freshman should we expect to see Sunday night? Whether it be on special teams or other contributions. I'm really looking forward to seeing the new faces.

Julian Love is in the two deep. Could see him play on special teams.

 

[kmoose]

Agreed on position groups. And Jefferson is less of a factor if the offensive line can drive their defensive linemen like they did last year. Movement and how well Nelson, mustipher and mcgovern work together on double teams to get a hat on Jefferson is the key to the game. I'm confident they'll get the job done and Texas will fold.

Just leave his car alone, and we should be fine........

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YYV5f0Aqo4w" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[IrishLion]

Other than Studstill, Elliott, and Daelin...what other freshman should we expect to see Sunday night? Whether it be on special teams or other contributions. I'm really looking forward to seeing the new faces.

Jamir Jones is on the two-deep at LB, meaning he will probably be a special-teams mainstay to keep an eye out for at the very least. Hopefully he's getting PT in a blowout too, though.

 

[IrishLion]

Also, I just saw a tweet that Joe Tessitore is on the call...

Let's get weird.

 

[BGIF]

https://www.facebook.com/NDFootball/videos/1343878512308358/

 

[ozzman]

Does anyone else hate Greg McElroy? Today he said "I just don't see any way that ND can beat Texas on Sunday." Regardless of his views on the game this week, the guy is just super condescending and his voice is grating. Someone should punch him in the face and knock the smarm out of him.

 

[NorthDakota]

Does anyone else hate Greg McElroy? Today he said "I just don't see any way that ND can beat Texas on Sunday." Regardless of his views on the game this week, the guy is just super condescending and his voice is grating. Someone should punch him in the face and knock the smarm out of him.

Can't see any way? That's nonsense.

 

[Irishcop]

Does anyone else hate Greg McElroy? Today he said "I just don't see any way that ND can beat Texas on Sunday." Regardless of his views on the game this week, the guy is just super condescending and his voice is grating. Someone should punch him in the face and knock the smarm out of him.

This has been driving me crazy for the last few weeks, and it's not just McElroy but everyone seems to be picking Texas to win this game. ND wins 38-3 in 2015, but has no chance to win a year later? Why is Texas the new trendy pick? It's not like they were world beaters last year after the loss to ND.

 

[NDdomer2]

 

[wizards8507]

This has been driving me crazy for the last few weeks, and it's not just McElroy but everyone seems to be picking Texas to win this game. ND wins 38-3 in 2015, but has no chance to win a year later? Why is Texas the new trendy pick? It's not like they were world beaters last year after the loss to ND.

My theory is that people are going way overboard with the two quarterbacks thing. Normally, two quarterbacks is a bad sign in college football because it's generally two inexperienced guys with no on-field experience. We have one proven commodity and a high-potential somewhat-proven commodity. Our two quarterback situation represents depth, experience, and talent. The national media takes it to mean a giant question mark and an offense with no identity.

The way I look at it, there's well over 100 FBS programs and dozens of power programs that the national analysts need to keep track of so their expertise on any one team will be relatively thin. I use the national media for a cursory understanding of other teams but ignore everything they say about Notre Dame because I probably know more than they do.

 

[Irishcop]

My theory is that people are going way overboard with the two quarterbacks thing. Normally, two quarterbacks is a bad sign in college football because it's generally two inexperienced guys with no on-field experience. We have one proven commodity and a high-potential somewhat-proven commodity. Our two quarterback situation represents depth, experience, and talent. The national media takes it to mean a giant question mark and an offense with no identity.

The way I look at it, there's well over 100 FBS programs and dozens of power programs that the national analysts need to keep track of so their expertise on any one team will be relatively thin. I use the national media for a cursory understanding of other teams but ignore everything they say about Notre Dame because I probably know more than they do.

I agree with both you're points, especially #2. Half of ESPN doesn't even know the names of ND football players when they( ESPN) are talking about ND football.

 

[Irishcop]

As much as I don't really understand people picking UT over ND, it's just going to make it that much better when ND stomps UT'S ass!

 

[Wild Bill]

My theory is that people are going way overboard with the two quarterbacks thing. Normally, two quarterbacks is a bad sign in college football because it's generally two inexperienced guys with no on-field experience. We have one proven commodity and a high-potential somewhat-proven commodity. Our two quarterback situation represents depth, experience, and talent. The national media takes it to mean a giant question mark and an offense with no identity.

The way I look at it, there's well over 100 FBS programs and dozens of power programs that the national analysts need to keep track of so their expertise on any one team will be relatively thin. I use the national media for a cursory understanding of other teams but ignore everything they say about Notre Dame because I probably know more than they do.

Looks like Texas is going to play two quarterbacks as well. Strong hasn't named a starter but most people expect both QBs, Swoopes and Buechele, to play this year.

 

[irishfan]

Looks like Texas is going to play two quarterbacks as well. Strong hasn't named a starter but most people expect both QBs, Swoopes and Buechele, to play this year.

From what is out there online, it seems as if Swoopes has surged ahead the last couple weeks and will at least be the "starter" for Sunday.

 

[Irish Insanity]

Can't see any way? That's nonsense.

That's where I have an issue with it. I mean I can see how we can win, but also how we could lose. 'Can't see any way' is absurd considering they have more question marks tgan we do and we destroyed then last year.

This has been driving me crazy for the last few weeks, and it's not just McElroy but everyone seems to be picking Texas to win this game. ND wins 38-3 in 2015, but has no chance to win a year later? Why is Texas the new trendy pick? It's not like they were world beaters last year after the loss to ND.

Because we lost so much after last year, haven't set 1 QB as the starter, and now lost our starting saftey.

 

[tussin]

Because we lost so much after last year, haven't set 1 QB as the starter, and now lost our starting saftey.

1. Everyone loses a lot every year. ND isn't getting the benefit of the doubt that other top programs are getting, especially for a program that recruits like ND.

2. Both of our QBs are probably top 15-20 in all of college football. Why weren't people questioning OSU last year?

3. Our starting safety has never been a consistently productive player. There is reason to think that our safety play will actually improve with him gone. Addition by subtraction.

 

[ScooterIrish]

I agree with both you're points, especially #2. Half of ESPN doesn't even know the names of ND football players when they( ESPN) are talking about ND football.

Look, outside of a few people, TV analysts are really just personalities. In the age of the internet, fans know more about their team than these guys. I would take anything they say with a grain of salt.

ND could lose this game. ND tends to play down to opponents. But Texas is being so overrated at the moment. Their OL is bad, they have issues on the DL and big QB issues. This is a team that lost to Texas Tech last year and struggled to beat a Baylor team playing a WR and QB. We may have lost a lot of production at WR, but our offense will score plenty of points.

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

1. Everyone loses a lot every year. ND isn't getting the benefit of the doubt that other top programs are getting, especially for a program that recruits like ND.

2. Both of our QBs are probably top 15-20 in all of college football. Why weren't people questioning OSU last year?

3. Our starting safety has never been a consistently productive player. There is reason to think that our safety play will actually improve with him gone. Addition by subtraction.

Yeah but ND lost A LOT. Depending on how you define the starters for certain positions like RB and TE, one could argue ND returns all of 3 2015 starters on offense and 4 on defense. That's pretty massive attrition even in college football.

Of course those numbers kind of obscure the fact that Folston and Smythe probably would have been holding down starting jobs but for injury and going from Schmidt to Morgan at MLB. But if you're someone whose knowledge is limited to a few team preview articles it looks pretty grim.

 

[Irish Insanity]

1. Everyone loses a lot every year. ND isn't getting the benefit of the doubt that other top programs are getting, especially for a program that recruits like ND.

2. Both of our QBs are probably top 15-20 in all of college football. Why weren't people questioning OSU last year?

3. Our starting safety has never been a consistently productive player. There is reason to think that our safety play will actually improve with him gone. Addition by subtraction.

1. We return little to nobody who saw significant playing time last year outside of our QB who has to 'share'.
2. OSU was questioned at the beginning of last year as well. Plus I'm pretty sure they had a better year the prior one than we did last year.
3. While I don't necessarily disagree. We lost, 2 weeks before the season, a multi year 5 star starting saftey. Who is now going to be replaced by someone not only not as good, but considerably less athletic. And with little or no experience.

Look I'm not on the 'we're gonna lose' side here. But I can completely understand if someone picks against us before we've shown anything.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Look I'm not on the 'we're gonna lose' side here. But I can completely understand if someone picks against us before we've shown anything.

What has Texas shown? Rationally picking against us requires that Texas be the stronger team, with favorable match-ups against our various units. Even in light of everything we lost, I don't see how one can objectively argue that Texas is a better team than ND.

 

[wizards8507]

What has Texas shown? Rationally picking against us requires that Texas be the stronger team, with favorable match-ups against our various units. Even in light of everything we lost, I don't see how one can objectively argue that Texas is a better team than ND.

Our last impressive win was game one last year. Our "signature game" was a loss to Clemson. Since then, Texas has beaten Oklahoma and Baylor. I think we're going to win, but I don't think we're a very good team.

 

[ACamp1900]

What has Texas shown? Rationally picking against us requires that Texas be the stronger team, with favorable match-ups against our various units. Even in light of everything we lost, I don't see how one can objectively argue that Texas is a better team than ND.

I think there is an element of singularity in this... meaning who we are playing doesn't matter as much as We Are ND... lol

 

[connor_in]

Beat Texas

 

[ScooterIrish]

1. We return little to nobody who saw significant playing time last year outside of our QB who has to 'share'.

What....

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Our last impressive win was game one last year. Our "signature game" was a loss to Clemson. Since then, Texas has beaten Oklahoma and Baylor. I think we're going to win, but I don't think we're a very good team.

That's still not a rational case for 2016 UT > 2016 ND.

I think there is an element of singularity in this... meaning who we are playing doesn't matter as much as We Are ND... lol

Agreed, which is why I've been stressing "rational" and "objective" this whole time.

 

[Wild Bill]

1. We return little to nobody who saw significant playing time last year outside of our QB who has to 'share'.
2. OSU was questioned at the beginning of last year as well. Plus I'm pretty sure they had a better year the prior one than we did last year.
3. While I don't necessarily disagree. We lost, 2 weeks before the season, a multi year 5 star starting saftey. Who is now going to be replaced by someone not only not as good, but considerably less athletic. And with little or no experience.

Look I'm not on the 'we're gonna lose' side here. But I can completely understand if someone picks against us before we've shown anything.

Almost everyone who will see the field on offense has experience with the exception of three players, Mustipher St. Brown and McGovern.

QB - two starters come back
RB - two guys who have started before and a third who has played (not significant experience) and could be the most talented of the three.
WR - Torii Hunter was third on the team in receiving yards last year and played significant minutes. CJ Sanders has played on special teams, and has contributed when healthy.
TE - Two starters return with Durham and Luatua. Weisher has another year of experience.
Offensive line - Mike and Q are obvious and Bars has experience too.

Maybe I'm overly optimistic but I think St Brown could easily be more productive than either Brown or Robinson, and McGovern will be just as good as Elmer. Mustipher is the only clear downgrade, IMO. I think he's going to have a really good year, it's just tough to replace a guy like Martin at center.

The offense rolls.

Our last impressive win was game one last year. Our "signature game" was a loss to Clemson. Since then, Texas has beaten Oklahoma and Baylor. I think we're going to win, but I don't think we're a very good team.

Baylor played without a QB. Throw that game out.

 

[IrishLax]

Our last impressive win was game one last year. Our "signature game" was a loss to Clemson. Since then, Texas has beaten Oklahoma and Baylor. I think we're going to win, but I don't think we're a very good team.

They did not fucking "beat Baylor"... they barely hung on against a team that literally had no QB and had to play a WR at quarterback and was physically incapable of making even routine, easy throws. Please stop with this equivocating bullshit.

Congrats to them on pulling one miracle upset while getting beat by a host of average teams? Why does that matter?

Your post just reeks of trollish, contrarian BS.