1. We have a true freshman in Trumbetti and in Rochelle an inexperienced sophomore at our defensive ends.

 

2. We have a former walk on at linebacker and a converted wide receiver in a Onwualu-who played safety in the spring- starting at outside linebacker.

 

3. Collinsworth has been burned his entire career and Redfield, though athletic, still cannot be trusted calling the defense.

 

4. Luke and/or Butler are raw as corners. Riggs, a transfer seems to be the best of the lot.

 

5. With inexperienced and questionable personnel, we're also running a new scheme.

 

We all wish for the best, and maybe VanGorder can make a big difference, but this is not a defense which inspires a lot of optimism.

 

We'll see. I hope I'm wrong.

I asked Eric Hanson about the front seven during his weekly online chat yesterday...he said the concern is the middle of the D-Line. He also mentioned to another person on the chat that if he were an OC, he'd run the ball straight up the middle until ND proved they could stop it.

 

Sounds like he doesn't share the same concern as the DE's and CB's as you do...but none of us really know what to expect, to be honest. I think VG was a great hire and, although we may have growing pains the first month our D should be playing well by the time ND travels to FSU.

I asked Eric Hanson about the front seven during his weekly online chat yesterday...he said the concern is the middle of the D-Line. He also mentioned to another person on the chat that if he were an OC, he'd run the ball straight up the middle until ND proved they could stop it.

 

Sounds like he doesn't share the same concern as the DE's and CB's as you do...but none of us really know what to expect, to be honest. I think VG was a great hire and, although we may have growing pains the first month our D should be playing well by the time ND travels to FSU.

 

If we were still operating out of a 3-4, I would be panicking right now. However, we're in a 4-3 now fellas. The middle is going to be occupied by Day and Jones, which I feel very comfortable with,

 

Now. Per Kelly:

“Now it's just a matter of time for him, so we're still holding true that he's probably a couple of weeks into the season before he's probably ready to go. But just a huge hurdle for him mentally that now he has that sensation of his foot hitting the ground.

 

So let's be real. I'm gonna say by the fourth game, against Cuse, week 5, Grace is your starting MLB. What does this mean for us? Three games with walk-on, let's, break it down...

 

Rice- Their leading rusher, Charles Ross, graduated. And if you're scared about losing to rice? GTFO

Michigan- 103rd rushing team in the nation last year and arguably the worst O-Line in the country. And it doesn't look like they have gotten any better...I heard the longest run was 6yds and they got somewhere like 30yds on 25carries in their open Saturday scrimmage...http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140816/SPORTS0201/308160056

Purdue- Fear the second worst rushing team in the nation last year? Averaged 67.08ypg...

 

First real test will be Stanford...

Edited August 21, 201410 yr by piratey

Michigan- 103rd rushing team in the nation last year and arguably the worst O-Line in the country. And it doesn't look like they have gotten any better...I heard the longest run was 6yds and they got somewhere like 30yds on 20carries...http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140816/SPORTS0201/308160056

 

Longest run was 5 yards by..... Shane Morris! The backup QB! Screw Michigan.

Longest run was 5 yards by..... Shane Morris! The backup QB! Screw Michigan.

 

didn't we have a thread last year with how bad Michigan sucked prior to the game? I'm not buying into ANY 'we will beat Michigan' speak.

Defense is young, but filled with athletes. Smith, Redfield, Riggs, Luke, Day, Onawalu, Rochelle are all athletic for their position. Whether they are good or not is another question, but that is the coaches job.

didn't we have a thread last year with how bad Michigan sucked prior to the game? I'm not buying into ANY 'we will beat Michigan' speak.

 

Did I stutter? Go look up my post on Michigan and tell me that everything I said didn't end up panning out.

 

 

God I hope I'm right.

 

This week and next week have been brutal the last 5 years. Even after last years win, all I heard was, "Yeah well Denard GAVE you the game, you didn't actually win it. Wait till next year when we have Shane Morris and we are running Borges offense!"

 

If Michigan beats us, they could end up starting 7-0 going into that Sparty game with a top 5 ranking and all the hype in the world. It will be absolutely insufferable 2 month stretch(Even if they start 7-0, I'd bet the house they'd finished 1-4,2-5, they just aren't that good...)

 

They ended up losing to PSU and going into the MSU game 6-1. Finished 1-4 down the stretch to go 7-5 and then got killed in the bowl game.

 

I pounded home all week leading up to it how bad their o-line would be and that Devin Gardner is a chump. I mocked their defense, they gave up 30+ five times..40+ three times... I mocked their Running game. I mocked it all. And then we play our second worst game under Kelly(2011 Stanford was the worst)

 

Michigan just is not good and if Kelly wants to keep his job, he destroys this team by 21+

Edited August 21, 201410 yr by piratey

Did I stutter? Did I stutter? Go look up my post on Michigan and tell me that everything I said didn't end up panning out.

 

They ended up losing to PSU and going into the MSU game 6-1. Finished 1-4 down the stretch to go 7-5 and then got killed in the bowl game.

 

I pounded home all week leading up to it how bad their o-line would be and that Devin Gardner is a chump. I mocked their defense, they gave up 30+ five times..40+ three times... I mocked their Running game. I mocked it all. And then we play our second worst game under Kelly(2011 Stanford was the worst)

 

Michigan just is not good and if Kelly wants to keep his job, he destroys this team by 21+

 

no worries, Piratey...but we still lost. I'm not saying you were wrong...but we heard so many times how ND should destroy MI, and it just didn't happen. Like I said, I'm not buying into it until we actually beat them. For some reason, we make MI look like they could destroy the Alabamas of the world when we play them.

1. We have a true freshman in Trumbetti and in Rochelle an inexperienced sophomore at our defensive ends.

 

2. We have a former walk on at linebacker and a converted wide receiver in a Onwualu-who played safety in the spring- starting at outside linebacker.

 

3. Collinsworth has been burned his entire career and Redfield, though athletic, still cannot be trusted calling the defense.

 

4. Luke and/or Butler are raw as corners. Riggs, a transfer seems to be the best of the lot.

 

5. With inexperienced and questionable personnel, we're also running a new scheme.

 

We all wish for the best, and maybe VanGorder can make a big difference, but this is not a defense which inspires a lot of optimism.

 

We'll see. I hope I'm wrong.

 

All fair, but I don't share the same concerns on all fronts. Sophomore studs handle starting positions all the time. Everything I've read says Rochelle is a beast, and Okwara is there to help out. Same goes for Redfield. The kid was one of the best players in the country coming out of high school. I think I would be a little more optimistic about him becoming a great player this year.

 

I also haven't seen anywhere that says Luke is raw as a corner. He played very well as a freshman last year, and although he is not Russell (yet), the playing time he received last year will help a ton. I think he can be very good starter.

 

I understand the question marks. A lot of these guys are unknown and young, but I think it should be taken both ways. I would say Luke, Redfield, and Rochelle have better chances at being productive players than the young guys we dread carrying the load on defense.

People also forget that Schmidt was a D1 caliber player coming out of high school and wanted to play at ND without being offered a scholarship. He received D1 offers. He wasn't some scrub that no one thought could be good. He has better athleticism than given credit for. I am concerned, however, about the depth.

 

Morgan will be a stud in time, and Grace is coming off of a major injury. Could be a huge problem, but could also be a huge plus if Grace comes back healthy and strong.

no worries, Piratey...but we still lost. I'm not saying you were wrong...but we heard so many times how ND should destroy MI, and it just didn't happen. Like I said, I'm not buying into it until we actually beat them. For some reason, we make MI look like they could destroy the Alabamas of the world when we play them.

 

They gave Ohio State a scare too if I recall... That was the best game of Gardner's career... not once after the ND game did I see that guy step into throws under pressure like he did against ND.

I like the infusion of speed and the change in strategy. The players are excited and they think they will be better than what people expect. Hansen said he would run straight at us but our most experienced players are Day, Jones and Smith. I think this defense is going to surprise people. Certainly better than the wounded dogs of last year.

1. We have a true freshman in Trumbetti and in Rochelle an inexperienced sophomore at our defensive ends.

 

2. We have a former walk on at linebacker and a converted wide receiver in a Onwualu-who played safety in the spring- starting at outside linebacker.

 

3. Collinsworth has been burned his entire career and Redfield, though athletic, still cannot be trusted calling the defense.

 

4. Luke and/or Butler are raw as corners. Riggs, a transfer seems to be the best of the lot.

 

5. With inexperienced and questionable personnel, we're also running a new scheme.

 

We all wish for the best, and maybe VanGorder can make a big difference, but this is not a defense which inspires a lot of optimism.

 

We'll see. I hope I'm wrong.

 

 

If anything Luke is very technical, I'd say the farthest thing from raw. After watching his highschool tape and seeing him last year he's going to come in and could still be our best performer in the secondary. Collingsworth however is a very big concern, expect teams to target him all year.

 

There are some concerns on the d-line but the second poster said the middle, I thought Jarron Jones and Day were our best d-linemen? Maybe that's just my opinion but yeah the front seven is a big question.

 

Also Onwualu is playing Sam, which in Canada where I'm playing is pretty much a glorified db, they cover the ace back all game. Onwualu is very athletic and someone said more explosive than Floyd. I think he'll do fine in coverage and love the move to bring speed to our defense. With an extra d-lineman we can sacrifice some size for speed which IMO is more important.

1. We have a true freshman in Trumbetti and in Rochelle an inexperienced sophomore at our defensive ends.

 

2. We have a former walk on at linebacker and a converted wide receiver in a Onwualu-who played safety in the spring- starting at outside linebacker.

 

3. Collinsworth has been burned his entire career and Redfield, though athletic, still cannot be trusted calling the defense.

 

4. Luke and/or Butler are raw as corners. Riggs, a transfer seems to be the best of the lot.

 

5. With inexperienced and questionable personnel, we're also running a new scheme.

 

We all wish for the best, and maybe VanGorder can make a big difference, but this is not a defense which inspires a lot of optimism.

 

We'll see. I hope I'm wrong.

 

Of course you are assuming that the three suspended players are not coming back.

Trumbetti beat out upper classmen for the job.

Collinsworth is a very good players that can set the defense. He does gamble sometimes but he is very good.

Onwualu has played and is very athletic. Ideal position for him.

The picture is not what we would like but it is not as grim as you paint it.

 

Rice- Their leading rusher, Charles Ross, graduated. And if you're scared about losing to rice? GTFO

 

Well on paper, Rice should give us more of a game than Purdue. Last year Purdue took us down to the wire a week or so after they needed a miracle stop to beat lowly Indiana State.

 

So.... I'm not gonna GTFO, but I'm not going to write that game off. I hope I'm wrong and we can outscore them to the moon, but we'll see..

 

Anything can happen on the field.