Sep 7 | Michigan

[TheRealLynch51]

Very strange. Why waste time preparing for ND when they should be looking ahead to Minnesota? After all, the B1G title is all that matters. AMIRITE?



Why do you think our OL is going to dominate their front seven? We only averaged 3 yards/ carry against them in 2012.

1. Offensive line is better than last year's version. A lot of experience on the left side with only good things being said about the younger Martin and the right side of the line.

2. Michigan will only return three starters on D from last year, with their best defensive player in Jake Ryan most likely going to miss the game

3. While Michigan's recruiting classes have been studly on D for the past two years, Hoke seems to want to start the season with the upperclassmen that aren't that good.

Overall, I would have a different opinion of this D if we played them later in the season and some of their good young talent worked its way into the lineup, but facing them early in the season actually benefits us this time.

 

[FLDomer]

1. Offensive line is better than last year's version. A lot of experience on the left side with only good things being said about the younger Martin and the right side of the line.
2. Michigan will only return three starters on D from last year, with their best defensive player in Jake Ryan most likely going to miss the game

3. While Michigan's recruiting classes have been studly on D for the past two years, Hoke seems to want to start the season with the upperclassmen that aren't that good.

Overall, I would have a different opinion of this D if we played them later in the season and some of their good young talent worked its way into the lineup, but facing them early in the season actually benefits us this time.

Why does everyone keep saying this?? I understand in theory we COULD be better but we lost experience and along with that, lost our two backs from last yr. I want to be positive and say the OL will be better but IMO making statements like that need to be followed up by knocking on wood. No one really knows if it will be better, worse or about the same but loosing two starters on the OL and our 2 top backs, with all that experience for maybe/probablies/potential....risky, or little hopped up on Kool-aid. JMO

If we were to go off of shoulda, coulda, woulda, ND would being going into this game winning the last 4 against Michigan....Ive learned to keep my **** talking to a minimum with this series, esp after 2011.

 

[TheRealLynch51]

Why does everyone keep saying this?? I understand in theory we COULD be better but we lost experience and along with that, lost our two backs from last yr. I want to be positive and say the OL will be better but IMO making statements like that need to be followed up by knocking on wood. No one really knows if it will be better, worse or about the same but loosing two starters on the OL and our 2 top backs, with all that experience for maybe/probablies/potential....risky, or little hopped up on Kool-aid. JMO

If we were to go off of shoulda, coulda, woulda, ND would being going into this game winning the last 4 against Michigan....Ive learned to keep my **** talking to a minimum with this series, esp after 2011.

I should have combined my first two points. Because Michigan's front seven is bad, Notre Dame's O line will be good, IMO.

If you makes you feel any better, I thought that we were going to be close/lose for the past three years. This is the only year I actually feel confident.

 

[ACamp1900]

If you makes you feel any better, I thought that we were going to be close/lose for the past three years. This is the only year I actually feel confident.

and to think I thought we were gonna lose this game... you're right, now I feel so much better.

 

[FLDomer]

I should have combined my first two points. Because Michigan's front seven is bad, Notre Dame's O line will be good, IMO.

If you makes you feel any better, I thought that we were going to be close/lose for the past three years. This is the only year I actually feel confident.

Phew...so much better now

 

[TheRealLynch51]

and to think I thought we were gonna lose this game... you're right, now I feel so much better.

Phew...so much better now

I hate you guys. I quit the interwebz.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

1. Offensive line is better than last year's version. A lot of experience on the left side with only good things being said about the younger Martin and the right side of the line.

As others have already pointed out, a lot of offseason "reporting" involves blowing smoke about how good everyone looks. I can buy that N. Martin and Stanley might be talent upgrades over Cave and Golic, but they don't have anywhere near the experience. Expecting them to dominate against Mattison's defense in week 2 is crazy optimistic.

2. Michigan will only return three starters on D from last year, with their best defensive player in Jake Ryan most likely going to miss the game

They're returning only 3 starters from last year's front seven. And that's a good point. Replacing Roh, Campbell, Demens and Ryan will be a tall order. They also lost Floyd and Kovacs from the secondary, but they get Countess back. I'd call it as 6 returning starters on defense total.

 

[NDWorld247]

Doesn't matter how much they prepare. If we go out and dominate the trenches, like we should, their gameplan will be meaningless.

Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. I'm hoping we can throw a few haymakers in the first quarter and take what should be a raucous Saturday night crowd out of the game early.

 

[felkey72]

IMO this is the most important game of the year. If we win it sets us up for an 11-1 12-0 year. If we lose i could see us going 8-4.

 

[Buster Bluth]

Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. I'm hoping we can throw a few haymakers in the first quarter and take what should be a raucous Saturday night crowd out of the game early.

Didn't that happen last time?

 

[ACamp1900]

IMO this is the most important game of the year. If we win it sets us up for an 11-1 12-0 year. If we lose i could see us going 8-4.

As illogical as it sounds I have thought this as well…

I hate the Michigan game, and can’t believe others can’t see why… This game does nothing for ND... ND tends to get very little to no credit from this game if they win, if they lose it’s usually a relevancy death blow in the first couple weeks of the season… add that to the fact it’s always a difficult game and yeah… So glad we don’t play these guys after next year.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Didn't that happen last time?

Last two years.

 

[NDWorld247]

Didn't that happen last time?

Yes. I'd take another 24-7 lead going into the 4th quarter and be confident Michigan wouldn't pull off another miracle comeback.

 

[greyhammer90]

Didn't that happen last time?

You're right. We shouldn't play well at first because last time we did that we flopped.

 

[ACamp1900]

You're right. We shouldn't play well at first because last time we did that we flopped.

That game was this generation's Anthony Davis game... it will never live down... but even a pessimist like me has trouble seeing something like that happening again anytime soon.

Besides show me the team that can score 28 points in one quarter on THIS defense and I'll gladly tip my hat.

 

[GoldenToTheGrave]

That game was this generation's Anthony Davis game... it will never live down... but even a pessimist like me has trouble seeing something like that happening again anytime soon.

Besides show me the team that can score 28 points in one quarter on THIS defense and I'll gladly tip my hat.

My Dad still has nightmares from that game. He says from his seat behind the end zone, Anthony Davis was "looking at him" as he ran for all those touchdown, and that he can still hear the car horns playing the USC fight song as he walked shell-shocked from the stadium.

Glad I went out for my buddy's b-day instead of watching that Michigan game, although watching it on DVR the next day still made me sick to my stomach.

 

[chubler]

As others have already pointed out, a lot of offseason "reporting" involves blowing smoke about how good everyone looks. I can buy that N. Martin and Stanley might be talent upgrades over Cave and Golic, but they don't have anywhere near the experience. Expecting them to dominate against Mattison's defense in week 2 is crazy optimistic.

expecting them to dominate? definitely too optimistic. Expecting them to put forth a better performance than last year's Oline? I'd say that's pretty reasonable. Especially because (IMO) our inexperience on Oline is more experienced than their inexperience on Dline. Martin especially has been around a few years, and it looks like Lombard will be taking guard, which is (again IMO) the position where experience is more important relative to raw physical talent. Across the line of scrimmage, michigan graduated their 2 leading tacklers on the line, a DE and a DT, lost their leading LB tackler to an ACL tear, and graduated their 2nd leading LB tackler (stats from Bill Connelly's preview on SBnation btw). The guys replacing them are mostly sophomores.

Early in the year, I think our greater experience, plus eliminating the liability that was Golic, leads to enough success running the ball that we can win this game on the ground if we need to. I don't think we dominate by any means, but we i think we'll be able to sustain drives by running.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

The guys replacing them are mostly sophomores.

I'm certainly no expert on Michigan's depth chart (paging TomHaverford), but Murtaugh's opponent previews at OneFootDown have been pretty accurate. Heitzman and Ross are sophomores, but Black (Sr) and Gordon (5Y) are very experienced.

If you were a Michigan fan, you'd probably feel pretty confident in those guys. There's some concern about SDE, but the skunkbears are really high on Ross, and most expect Gordon to be a serviceable stopgap until Ryan returns later this season.

 

[chubler]

I guess I stand corrected. Well, that makes me a bit less optimistic. Was really hoping Rees would get to work through whatever bad zen he has in their stadium slowly and easily...

Still think we win this one, though im now thinking it'll be too close for comfort. They won't be able to run with any consistency on us, and barring massive improvement by their WR corps, passing shouldn't come easy either. I'm hearing a lot of hype from UM about Funchess as their best passing option, and he faded pretty quickly after the one big game last year (94 yards over 10 games as the starter??). But that's liable to happen when you're listed as 235 lbs this year, after significant weight gains in the offseason. Kinda telegraphs the playcalling when he's on the field.

 

[Black Irish]

I'm really pissed I can't get off work for this. I took off for MSU. I figured that if ND is 3-0 going into week 4, MSU will be their next big test. If the Irish drop it against UM, and hopefully not Temple & Purdue, MSU will be their chance for season redemption. I'm just hoping I can get done early enough to watch the 2nd half against UM at my favorite Irish pub.

 

[koonja]

Anyone know anything about Central Michigan? Any chance they give Michigan a game? I see they're like 26 point favorites.

 

[Riddickulous]

Anyone know anything about Central Michigan? Any chance they give Michigan a game? I see they're like 26 point favorites.

They were 7-6 last year, including an upset of Iowa. However, they played a weak schedule (the five FBS teams they defeated averaged 1.8 wins over other FBS schools) and return only 11 starters. I highly doubt they give Michigan much of a challenge.

 

[dublinirish]

Anyone know anything about Central Michigan? Any chance they give Michigan a game? I see they're like 26 point favorites.

I could see them hanging around for a half or so but then UM pulling away. Chips always got plenty of fight in them though and I can see them getting a TD or two.

 

[phork]

Gardner could single handedly win this game, and thats not even a joke. (Central Mich I mean)

 

[ab2cmiller]

I'm excited to see what Nix will do against the inexperienced interior line. Michigan is replacing both Guards and the Center with guys that have zero career starts and only 6 appearances combined. Yes they have some talent, but replacing the entire interior line with that level of inexperience will certainly come with some growing pains. I expect that Nix will do his best to ensure that he inflicts his share of growing pains during that game.

 

[ACamp1900]

Have at it boys...

http://www.washtenawwatchdogs.com/4...football-player-brendan-gibbons-for-rape.html

 

[PANDFAN]

Have at it boys...

http://www.washtenawwatchdogs.com/4...football-player-brendan-gibbons-for-rape.html

i saw this and read it....and immediately looked at it as if it were ND how would i view this? facts? rumors? sources? agenda? and this story didn't add up

 

[ACamp1900]

i saw this and read it....and immediately looked at it as if it were ND how would i view this? facts? rumors? sources? agenda? and this story didn't add up

Dude that's easy, let me help...

If it were ND this would be complete BS and a ESPN conspiracy... but since it's Michigan it totally has legs and is a black mark on their entire existence...

That’s what we call ‘consistency’ in college football, yo.

 

[PANDFAN]

Dude that's easy, let me help...

If it were ND this would be complete BS and a ESPN conspiracy... but since it's Michigan it totally has legs and is a black mark on their entire existence...

That’s what we call ‘consistency’ in college football, yo.

 

[IrishLax]

Have at it boys...

http://www.washtenawwatchdogs.com/4...football-player-brendan-gibbons-for-rape.html

How is it that I had never heard of this? How has this gotten zero attention whatsoever? Must either be completely flimsy and not have legs.... or it's a darn good cover up. Especially the part about Lewan threatening to "rape her again"...

Wish there were more facts to be had.