I fully expect both of our fronts to be better. I won't sandbag there. But you have the best group of WRs in the nation with one of the best and most accurate QBs. I'd feel better, but ND needs to have some threat beyond the ground game, which should be really good. OSU may legit have more future 1st and 2nd round WRs than ND has scholarship WRs. At ND, I think it's a one score game. In Columbus, I'd say in the 12-14 range is about right. Especially with QB making his first start, which you would expect to lead to some turnover concerns.
QB Tyler Buchner run first true soph who is made of glass RB 1 Logan Diggs RB 2 Chris Tyree WR 1 A Warm Body from the portal WR 2 A Warm Body from the portal WR 3 Lorenzo Styles TE Michael Mayer LT Joe Alt Soph LG Andrew Kristofic JR C Matt Patterson (5th) RG Josh Lugg (6th) RT Blake Fisher Soph Big End - Rylie Mills DT- Jayson Ademilola DT Howard Cross Vyper Isiah Foskey Will - Marist Liufau (Won't come off field) Rover- Jack Kiser Mike- JD Bertrand CB Cam Hart CB Clarence Lewis FS Ramon Henderson SS Brandon Joseph (Transfer in) On paper ND returns an outrageous amount of players and production from a 11-2 team but glaring holes at WR will limit the team. ND recruited QB and WR unbelievably poorly for the last 3 years and it will show up in 2022. ND needs a portal miracle at WR or maybe even 2 to have a top 25 type offense. The offensive line should be drastically improved in 2022 with both OT's projecting early as first round talents, Mayer at TE is also a 1st rd talent. ND's defensive line will be above average, Foskey could've been a 3rd rounder this year so its nice that he returned at Vyper as the depth there is bad. ND's DB's are average but depth is good. Marist Liufau is a game wrecker at LB, him being out last year really hurt the defense. OSU -13 feels right post spring
They were terrible for the first half of season but drastically improved as the right guys saw the field. Still, they played with poor technique. Part coaching, part youth. Injuries didn't help, either. LT was a revolving door until true freshman Alt got his chance about 1/3 of the way in and never looked back. The other true freshman Baker, was injured the first half of game one. He returned for the bowl game and played outstanding on the right side. The coaching is taken care of and the upside looks to be through the roof. But there is a lot to prove.
We did our OL coach was awful at his job but a really good recruiter. Jack Coan being a statue at QB really made the 2021 OL look worse. ND changed OL coaches to a competent coach actually its the old coach who churned out all the NFL guys Harry Hiestand. Blake Fisher got hurt in the first game but returned for the bowl game where he was dominant against Okie State in his absence ND tried a revolving door at LT until settling on Freshman Joe Alt who was very good. Alt is one of those Minnesota 3 star's that will turn out to be a generational find. We are moving our starting RT to right guard to allow both to play. Patterson at center could've gone pro but returned. Kristofic is OK at LG but is a huge body and hopefully improves with a new coach.
Got significantly better as the year progressed once we paired Alt (true freshman) and Kristofic together on the left side. Patterson is one of the best Centers in the country. Alt was severely underrated coming out of high school and awesome as a true Freshman. Fisher might be our best OL and was out all of last year. There's potential both Alt/Fisher could be first or second round picks after next season. OLine should be really strong plus we have HH back as the O-Line coach who developed Nelson, McGlinchey, Stanley, etc. into top 10 picks
but yes, as nd fans, we know you're going to kick our ass. i've been to a game at the shoe, that shit ain't fun for the road team.
Our OL was very good in most games in pass protection, and mediocre in run. Michigan manhandled them in both. Penn State and Nebraska slowed us in the red zone. We’re hoping a new OL coach brings a new attitude. The talent is there. We have three true sophs at DE and DT who played great as freshmen. Two starters return, along with the sophs and three other non-starter seniors. This is a deep and talented DL. Again, however, Michigan bullied them.
We have the best set of offensive skill players in the country. The question on offense is what we do in the red zone because we weren’t a physical offense last year. We turned it over on downs inside Oregon territory on four different drives and lost by seven. We couldn’t convert. We kicked 8 field goals against Penn State and Nebraska, 4 in each game, to beat both by 9. We took the points instead of losing possession on downs, but it was the same problem. Stroud went freaking 34/49 394 and 2 TDS with no interceptions against Michigan, but we lost because we couldn’t run for shit.
That's where our hope is. Our DL will be physical and deep. Not quite the star power of what Michigan had last year, but not too far off. And Heistand's OLs at ND have traditionally been physical as well. Our lines won't be bullied by anybody on our schedule. And we can include our LBs, as well. I'm confident of that. There's just a significant disparity on the outside at WR and while Buchner may have a great career at ND, he simply won't yet be up to where Stroud will be going into his second full year. I fully expect that kid to make himself a lot of money next season.
Our run defense was good at times and terrible at others. In our first two games, Minnesota and Oregon ran relatively easily, 50/203 and 38/269 and three TDs in each game. We demoted Kerry Coombs as DC after those two and then rattled off 9 straight with 113 as the most yards by an opponent. Then we returned to a complete shit show in our last two. Michigan went 41/297 and 6 rushing TDs. Utah went 44/226 and two.
Key off-season storylines to watch that will have a major effect on NDs ability to compete… - Can they find an impact starting WR in the portal? - Will true frosh early enrollee Jaden Mickey be one of our starting corners? There’s probably a 75% chance he’s in the top 3. More than 25% chance in the top 2. - Will an overgrown dandelion keep Tyler Buchner out of the game?
They plan to switch to green after the three Hawaiian players lead the Catholic Haka. It’s a new era.
People searching for tickets have a final, desperate option. Walk around looking for someone passed out with a ticket in their hand.