A Splash of Cold Water

[Bullshiznitz]

I'm actually not saying you're horrible. You're not. Not at all, actually.

But reading this board, I've never seen so many over-confident fans in my life. Even ND fans on other boards are less confident, and everyone says they're the arrogant ones.

obviously, you haven't visited the espn conversation page for this game and seen what some of your fans have to say...some are guaranteeing a blow out  :

Nor have read their Rivals page where a majority of posters are basically laughing this game off and are already for Michigan.  According to posters on there, the ND front 7 should be starting for the Pittsburgh Steelers this year and we'll be lucky to have any positive yards on offense.

[Skingraft]

Were not cocky or arrogant...were just heavy drinkers....

[Mama_Bull]

Fun with selective stats.......or I could paint a different picture by slicing it like this.  

In the first 6 games (Stony Brook, Florida, West Kentucky, FAU, Syracuse & WVU), a schedule easier than the last half of the year, bj daniels stats were:

70-125, 56% completion rate, 4TD - 10 INT and the team averaged 23.8 pts/game (and thats skewed by the 59 against Stony Brook)

Now this was while BJ was learning a new system, with a completely depleted WR corp

In the last 6 games he played (Cincy, Rutgers, Louisville, Pitt, Miami, & Clemson), a much tougher schedule, bj daniels stats were:

73-120, 61% completion rate, 7 TD - 3 INT and the team averaged 25.7 pts/game

So against a much tougher schedule in the second half, bj daniels completion rate went up, his TD-INT ratio GREATLY improved and the team averaged more pts scored.  This is obvious improvement as the season went on and he became comfortable with the new system.  He's now had an entire offseason to master and become comfortable with the system, will have arguably better RB's behind him this year, and will have a GREATLY improved WR corp to work with this year.  

And as far as his running ability, he averaged 4.4 yds/carry in 09 with 9 rushing TDS, and was averaging 4.8 yds/carry last year including 6.3/carry against UF before getting a minor injury in the Syracuse game which basically made his running game non-existent after that.

Very easy to paint a picture of a much improved and dangerous offense coming into ND.

Tell me more about the WR corp (not being sarcastic here). Who is returning and who steps in as a threat?

The WR corps is by far the most improved aspect of this team and probably has more to do with our confidence than anything else. Last year we had one real WR and this year we have about 10. The difference is night and day.

[SMehhhh]

How does a team go from one proven WR to 10 in an off-season?

My understanding is your only actually proven WR is Evan Landi, who is a stud FWIW.

After that? Joel Miller and Terrence Mitchell...who are quick but haven't had a lot of experience. Then AJ Love (who missed all of last season and is trying to overcome a pair of torn ACLs) and Sterling Griffin, who also missed all of last year with an injury, right?

[Bulls 8_va]

Welp...watch that FSU video again.  Cause 2 of the guys that caught most of the balls in it(fast and deep guys) didn't play last year.  Sterling Griffin and AJ Love.  They were our two most talented receivers going into last season.  We lost them both to injury.  

We went a whole season last year with arguably our #3 receiver(Dontavia Bogan) and not much else(basically alot of inexperience).  

But now that inexperience could pay off...cause all the NEWER receivers from last year get moved down as LOVE and GRIFFIN are both healthy.  Our #2 receiver from last year Evan Landi was moved to TE(a position i like him better in anyway).  

And let me tell you...LOVE has great hands...and GRIFFIN can FLY!

Oh yeah...and Lindsay Lamar ain't bad either.  Kid is a school record holder in track(i believe) and places nationally.  

GO BULLS!!!

[Apis Bull]

By all accounts, we should be better at WR and RB.  IF (note the big, "if") BJ is consistant and takes care of the ball, I think you'll have a tough time on D.

[GaUSFBull]

How does a team go from one proven WR to 10 in an off-season?

My understanding is your only actually proven WR is Evan Landi, who is a stud FWIW.

After that? Joel Miller and Terrence Mitchell...who are quick but haven't had a lot of experience. Then AJ Love (who missed all of last season and is trying to overcome a pair of torn ACLs) and Sterling Griffin, who also missed all of last year with an injury, right?

Again, go to the highlight reel against FSU from 2009, above.  You'll see Griffin and Love there.  Got a couple studs named Andre Davis and Ruben Gonzalez (not sure if he'll play or not) who hopefully you'll get to know firsthand this weekend.  

[Mama_Bull]

How does a team go from one proven WR to 10 in an off-season?

My understanding is your only actually proven WR is Evan Landi, who is a stud FWIW.

After that? Joel Miller and Terrence Mitchell...who are quick but haven't had a lot of experience. Then AJ Love (who missed all of last season and is trying to overcome a pair of torn ACLs) and Sterling Griffin, who also missed all of last year with an injury, right?

All you really need to know to understand is that our "stud" WR Evan Landi, has now been moved to TE because we have enough depth at WR.

[Bulls 8_va]

How does a team go from one proven WR to 10 in an off-season?

My understanding is your only actually proven WR is Evan Landi, who is a stud FWIW.

After that? Joel Miller and Terrence Mitchell...who are quick but haven't had a lot of experience. Then AJ Love (who missed all of last season and is trying to overcome a pair of torn ACLs) and Sterling Griffin, who also missed all of last year with an injury, right?

Again, go to the highlight reel against FSU from 2009, above.  You'll see Griffin and Love there.  Got a couple studs named Andre Davis and Ruben Gonzalez (not sure if he'll play or not) who hopefully you'll get to know firsthand this weekend.  

Gonzalez and Davis won't play too much I bet.  There are too many others.

8va

[Tenacious_ND]

We ended the year with 4 straight wins. But let's keep in mind that we beat:

Utah - who got blown out in a bowl game and whose biggest win of the year was a tight one over Air Force

Army - who finished 7-6, with their biggest win over a 7-7 SMU team

USC - whose best win was arguably their win over 7-6 Arizona

Miami - whose coach was fired and team was a mess in the bowl game

We probably played only 1 really good team last year in Stanford...and they absolutely crushed us. Michigan St had 1 win last year (Wisconsin) as the Big Televen was HORRIBLE. And they were crushed by Alabama.

not my post but this is how i fell about the upcoming season. Im going into the season with a wait and see attitude. I have no idea what to expect saturday.