ND vs Michigan Pre Game Thread:

[purguy12]

Week 2
ND vs Michigan
Sep 6th 7:30 PM
@ Notre Dame Stadium

Well guys this is the last time we are playing Mich for awhile. By far my fav game of the year. This game usually makes you or breaks ND's season. I cant wait for this game. Im so fired up. After watching both teams I think its going to be another classic.

This is one of my Fav weeks coming up. NFL season starts up on Thursday, ND vs Mich on Sat, then my 49ers vs Dallas on Sunday.

Prediction: ND 31 vs Mich 24

ND starts season 2-0

 

[bbirish73]

We beat an inferior Michigan team handedly like we should. close at half but ND runs the crap out of Michigan and wears them out by 4th quarter ND 42 Michigan 21.

 

[purguy12]

We beat an inferior Michigan team handedly like we should. close at half but ND runs the crap out of Michigan and wears them out by 4th quarter ND 42 Michigan 21.

Damn thats a big score. I hope it happens I just can't see it happening. Our D is going to have some troubles in this game.

 

[socaljim242]

Good luck fellas. Its too close to call so home team gets the nod.

 

[jjc2009]

All bets are off on this team, even during the salad days, Michigan always is a tight game. I'm having a hard time drinking the Bailey's flavored kool aid on this team yet. Yes, they got it going eventually against a weaker opponent. I don't know if they can look as polished against the better atheletes they will be facing. Some of those scrambles golson made won't be accomplished against better teams Elmer better pick up his game. He's got the tools and was a road grader inside last year but was beat a lot on Sat. Our secondary's communication issues were well documented but our LBs will have to be better against the bigger rb's they'll be facing this week. One area I think we have an advantage, oddly is our d line vs their inexperienced o line.

That said, I am tired of coughing up close, winnable games to those guys who, despite their lengthy rut have had our number. I am sick of their smugness especially about the canceling of the series they openly talked about canceling anyway.

 

[bksballer89]

Honestly guys I didn't realize how soft our schedule was in the first 6 games. We don't have 1 road game in the first 6 as we play 4 at home and 2 neutral site games so I would be disappointed if we are not at least 5-1 heading into the FSU game. The only game I don't think we will be favorite in is possibly the home game vs Stanford.

 

[purguy12]

Honestly guys I didn't realize how soft our schedule was in the first 6 games. We don't have 1 road game in the first 6 as we play 4 at home and 2 neutral site games so I would be disappointed if we are not at least 5-1 heading into the FSU game. The only game I don't think we will be favorite in is possibly the home game vs Stanford.

I think we beat Mich we end up 5-1 going into FSU. We lose this game I can See 4-2.

 

[Wamu]

Go Notre Dame!

 

[bksballer89]

I think we beat Mich we end up 5-1 going into FSU. We lose this game I can See 4-2.

I agree. If we win this and also beat Stanford, this year can be special

 

[ChicagoIrish]

38-24

 

[KnuteRoc]

The thing that worries me about this game is what exactly is the difference between our D and their D?

Our D looked decent-to-good when they open with the run. One of ya'll mentioned that we had some issues with our LBs... I saw what seemed to be some grabbing and a lack of wrapping up later in the game but felt that the LBs were pretty quick to the ball on runs in the early going. What seemed to be more of an issue was the Play-Action and straight up passes. With the lack of consistent pressure we seemed to be getting this raises the eyebrow on the type of D Van Gorder wants-to or intends to run (aggressive up front, which means a fair amount of blitzes). If we play man and only bring 4, I'm skeptical about our D disrupting Gardner or even getting to him enough to put 'pressure' on the passing game. If they have their way passing to open up the run, it could be trouble for us, especially if we're not matching score for score or even leading the scoring. I think if they run to open up the pass, they're playing into our hands to some degree, I fully expect Michigan to come out passing.

Now all of that doesn't account for Michigan's D. I think our O is balanced enough to keep 'em guessing and honest. I'd like to see us open with Folston in the 1st 1/2 then bring on Bryant for the 2nd, with McDaniel getting the short-yardage carries; that's just how I see these backs. Folston seems to setup his blocks just a tad better and his frame should add to the fatigue factor for later. Bryant coming in the 2nd half and with fatigue and our line pushing their line around should have some chances for big-hitting gainers. Mc Daniel is a good runner but I'm not sure he has the open-field speed that Folston and Bryant do, so I'd rather see him on short-yardage or spelling Folston in the first-half.

Fuller... well he's got 'some' speed. He sure found a way behind Rice's D-Backfield. But I think we realize those big plays were mainly plays-extended by Golson more so than them breaking free of their man. I'd really like to see us utilizing the slant-in just a bit more, especially towards Robinson if he can handle that assignment (is he too slow?), his height is bound to create some serious matchup issues for a lot of teams, but if he's too slow to use to an advantage across the middle then I guess he'll have to work the outside and use his height there, would Carlisle be a decent option in the slot? I'm not sure how Kelly has his receivers setup as far as a 3WR package goes, but I'd like to see that set with Koyak in at TE and running multiple looks off of it, I think that can be our bread and butter this year and it's a good package to use to create possible issues for the opposing D, just like other teams will look to get us in a Nickel instead of our Base 4-3. Anyone care to guess or know how Michigan's nickel is looking for them?

I really hope to see some improvement for this game but am not expecting it. I'd like to see our O crisper out the gate rather than 3-4 series into the game. I'd like to see our D getting pressure when we send 5+.

Hard for me to call this one. Let's say; 34-27 ND.

 

[podsox]

I was at the cottage over the wkend and got absolutely hammered by halftime. how did we look in the 2nd half?

 

[poewelch84]

Notre Dame usually wins the last game against Michigan and I expect this to be the same. Now Rice may not be as good this year as last but they were a 10 win team in 2013 and are a better team than Appalachian State.

 

[purguy12]

Its going to come down to our safety play and if our LB's can contain Mich QB. Safety's need to do a better job with communication and on play actions. This week I would like to see more pressure on the QB this week.


On Offense if we are running well stay with the Run Coach Kelly. We need to mix it up and not get pass happy.

 

[purguy12]

Big weekend for ND with recruits this weekend.


#1QB in the 2016 class is coming henry and rumors is he might commit.
#3 RB 2015 class - Soso Jamabo and he is bring his whole family. Parents want him to go to ND.
#4 OLB Gustin is coming to the game. USC lean but ND is right there.
#10 ILB Coney is coming and its between ND and Florida. Alford is recruiting him hard.


These are just a few. Big Weekend for ND. Always is.

 

[poewelch84]

I have to say I really want Notre Dame to smoke these guys in South Bend.

 

[craigk217]

Throw out the record/stats book when ND & UM play each other. Always count on a nail biter, especially as of late ... and I'm sooo freakin sick of these 'miracle comebacks' Michigan has been pulling off cuz we cant seem to handle them for a full 60 mins. I've had my heart broken too many times cuz of the Wolverweenies ... NOT this time!


GO IRISH!!!

 

[whywork2]

Just fricken beat Michigan. PLEASE.

 

[purguy12]

LETS GO IRISH so fired up. I hate that we have to wait till 7:30.

 

[craigk217]

LETS GO IRISH so fired up. I hate that we have to wait till 7:30.

Yeah, I know ... I'll be out tailgating all damn day and I'm fairly sure I'll be in an 'altered state' by then.