Tommy Rees QB=not that big of an issue

[idseer]

well, i thought we had an extreme amount of luck last year to go undefeated. could have just as easily lost to purdue, byu, stanford, michigan, and even pitt fer crissake (this SHOULD have been a loss tbh). that's 5 games that could have easily gone the other way. the bama game, of course, showed what kind of team we really were. some are saying we got better in the second half .... i don't buy that. bama eased up. they could have turned it back on any time they wanted.

do you believe this kind of luck will hold out considering we lost out starting q-back, 2 really good running backs and one of the better receivers in the game? not to mention an almost heisman winner? i don't see our defense being better. why is it better vs last year? i think they'll be on the field a lot more this coming year because i see our offense being less than average.

i WISH i could feel differently but the facts just don't support that.

 

[Irish7478]

well, i thought we had an extreme amount of luck last year to go undefeated. could have just as easily lost to purdue, byu, stanford, michigan, and even pitt fer crissake (this SHOULD have been a loss tbh). that's 5 games that could have easily gone the other way. the bama game, of course, showed what kind of team we really were. some are saying we got better in the second half .... i don't buy that. bama eased up. they could have turned it back on any time they wanted.

do you believe this kind of luck will hold out considering we lost out starting q-back, 2 really good running backs and one of the better receivers in the game? not to mention an almost heisman winner? i don't see our defense being better. why is it better vs last year? i think they'll be on the field a lot more this coming year because i see our offense being less than average.

i WISH i could feel differently but the facts just don't support that.

I agree that we had a lot of luck last year, but I also remember the good old days when the fans of the other teams would scream about how we were the luckiest team ever (the Luck of the Irish). Hopefully those days are back. As to why I think the defense will be better this year is pretty simple. We have eight starters returning (now 7 with Spond). But replacing Kapron Lewis Moore with Day is a wash, replacing Teo and Spond with Council and Grace is a drop, but not as much as some people think, and I don't think the falloff from Motta to Shumate is all that bad. The improvement of the other seven starters, especially the DB's could be significant.(with Wood coming back to play the nickel). And this is why I think the defense will be better.

As for the offense, I have concerns with the running backs, but I think the line will be better. Losing Cave will hurt, but I think Golic's replacement will be an upgrade, a year experience will help the three returnees. Losing Eifert is a problem, but the WR's will be better. If Bryant or Carlisle step up to help Atkinson, we could be better running the ball (with the improved line). So it all comes down to Rees. If he shows any improvement, the offense could be better. That's why I see a one loss season.

 

[Lillyliverd]

As Irish7478 mentioned previously, in 2011 Rees had a 65.5% completion percentage; the 22nd best in FBS. Tommy has had to live with his turnovers and I have to believe that there is probably not another QB out there that is more concerned with turnovers than Rees. With more experience Rees will know his offense and read the defenses better than he ever has before. I think Rees will have far fewer turnovers and be even more efficient than he was in 2011. I don't know who will be catching the ball, but this is ND, and I'm pretty sure that we have kids that will step up and make plays.

GO IRISH!