I just don't think it is going to happen. The injuries are the reason

[mokpra37]

The problem for ND isn't what others will do or their schedule. The schedule is tough enough, and ND has enough quality wins (and only a two point loss to number one Clemson) to get in the playoff ahead of all other 1 loss teams excluding bama, ND's problem is injuries. It is the reason they won't beat Stanford Saturday.

If we look at the depth chart when spring practice started, they have lost to injury or transfer:
1st and 2nd string qbs
1st , 2nd and 3rd string rbs
1st string TE
1st string cornerback
1st string DT
1st string OLB
1st string nickel back
2nd string safety
2nd string wr

Before Prosise and Russell got hurt Saturday, I still had hope. Now I just thing the injuries are too much to overcome. I hope I am wrong.

 

[kellys heroes 35]

I think you might be right - hope not but objectively you might be right .

As I see it ND will have to play clean FB re TO's and Fuller has to come up huge


What gives me some optimism is that when ND played USC Hunter fumbled on the goal line without that fumble that would have set up ND for a 28 pt win . Hopefully we get that kind of offensive production from the team on Saturday vs a similar level of defense as USC .

Do me a favor - please save this thread for after the game if ND comes up short for all the nit wits who will inevitably come on the board to trash the coaching staff .

Remember mokpra -- internet tough guys who have never played a lick of football see injuries as an excuse not a reason for losing a game .

 

[john0gaunt]

I understand the concern but there is plenty to be optimistic also. The success at Stanford has always been on the offense to perform. This offense still have plenty of weapons. It's great that Fuller has had off games, he is due to break out. The 2 freshman RB's and A Jones are doing great. Amir and Chris Brown are all performing well.

Remember that BC had a top defense and winning isn't easy.

Now if Hunter plays defense and has a decent game, ND can win. He might get burned, but he is going to make a play also.

If they can play 4 more quarters and get a win, they will have some time to rest and recover some for the playoffs. I'll take it.

Go Irish!

 

[FightingIrish44]

I think Stanford wins this game, but ND has a very good chance. As Johngaunt said, the offense is the unit that's probably going to keep ND in the game.

Kizer is a good QB with a good arm and good athleticism. ND has a good OL and good receivers. They'll be tough to stop and have been all year. BC and Clemson were the only teams that slowed ND down...they have good D's and ND had a whole bunch of turnovers.

The defense just needs to get some stops and hopefully ND ends up +2 in the TO margin.

I like ND's chances.

 

[TurnoverMachine]

Saturday wasn't about injuries and this Saturday won't be either. In the BC game you could tell the team doesn't believe they can win it all. That comes from the HC that doesn't handle pressure well. The perfect job for Kelly would be the Lions head coaching position.

I think ND could win a national title or look better coming close to one if they had Dan Mullen as coach. The last two weeks were telling, and I hate to say it.....

ND 17
Stanford 42

 

[HillRock86]

Why are you playing the injury card? Notre Dame has enough talent to beat Stanford. Michigan State beat a much more talented Ohio State team in Columbus without its starting quarterback. That's why Kelly gets paid the big bucks. He'll figure out a game plan to win without those two. He won't use injuries as an excuse if they lose either, and I hope no one on this board does. That's a cop out. Every team is hurting this time of year.

 

[TurnoverMachine]

The problem for ND isn't what others will do or their schedule. The schedule is tough enough, and ND has enough quality wins (and only a two point loss to number one Clemson) to get in the playoff ahead of all other 1 loss teams excluding bama, ND's problem is injuries. It is the reason they won't beat Stanford Saturday.

If we look at the depth chart when spring practice started, they have lost to injury or transfer:
1st and 2nd string qbs
1st , 2nd and 3rd string rbs
1st string TE
1st string cornerback
1st string DT
1st string OLB
1st string nickel back
2nd string safety
2nd string wr

Before Prosise and Russell got hurt Saturday, I still had hope. Now I just thing the injuries are too much to overcome. I hope I am wrong.

When Crawford was injured in August I posted on here, at the time, that it was going to be the biggest injury or loss of a player because of how thin ND is at CB. Russell getting injured makes that injury a legitimate killer now. There is no back-up plan at this point. Stanford would be stupid not to attack Butler Saturday. He can't cover.

 

[mirer03]

There is a silver lining though... If ND pulls through and wins with all these injuries... the playoff team will be a different team then the one that teams have seen the last half of the season. All these nicks and bruises heal and we should get back a fresh Jones, Tillery will hopefully be through that freshman wall a little, and a fresh Procise and hopefully Russell to some extent. Getting hurt sucks and we have got through most of it better then expected... one more win and then getting healthy and ND has a legit shot.

 

[artemis gordon]

I think you might be right - hope not but objectively you might be right .

As I see it ND will have to play clean FB re TO's and Fuller has to come up huge


What gives me some optimism is that when ND played USC Hunter fumbled on the goal line without that fumble that would have set up ND for a 28 pt win . Hopefully we get that kind of offensive production from the team on Saturday vs a similar level of defense as USC .

Do me a favor - please save this thread for after the game if ND comes up short for all the nit wits who will inevitably come on the board to trash the coaching staff .

Remember mokpra -- internet tough guys who have never played a lick of football see injuries as an excuse not a reason for losing a game .

What has brought out this nasty side of you ? Almost everyone here wants ND to do well some of us are humble servents of the Lord plying away in the vineyards.Life tells us the road is rocky and crooked. Relax.

 

[Yooper Irishfan]

Why are you playing the injury card? Notre Dame has enough talent to beat Stanford. Michigan State beat a much more talented Ohio State team in Columbus without its starting quarterback. That's why Kelly gets paid the big bucks. He'll figure out a game plan to win without those two. He won't use injuries as an excuse if they lose either, and I hope no one on this board does. That's a cop out. Every team is hurting this time of year.

Do me a favor and look at Stanford's injury list and compare it to ND. It's not an "excuse", it's just a statement of fact. Do we still have enough talent left to win? Sure, but our margin for error is so much thinner than it would be otherwise. Everybody has injuries, but very few have the extent of injuries that ND has.

 

[PHJIndy]

What tho the odds be great or small, ole Notre Dame will win over all!
GO IRISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[NDinHouston]

Turnover,

If ND wins this Saturday against Stanford will you take a hike? Stanford isn't world beaters ok?.? They should've lost to WSU. ND has plenty of players and a great coaching staff to prepare them for victory.

HERE COME THE IRISH

ND 27

Trees 24

 

[HillRock86]

Do me a favor and look at Stanford's injury list and compare it to ND. It's not an "excuse", it's just a statement of fact. Do we still have enough talent left to win? Sure, but our margin for error is so much thinner than it would be otherwise. Everybody has injuries, but very few have the extent of injuries that ND has.

Yooper, ND has been able to win 10 games even as these injuries mounted this season. I don't care about Stanford's injury list. You play with the hand your dealt and make the best of it. Sparty didn't fold up the tent when they knew Cook wasn't going to play against Ohio State, and I guarantee you the loss of Cook to MSU was just as bad as not worse than losing CJ and Russell for Notre Dame especially going into Columbus against an undefeated Buckeye team. ND has the depth to weather this storm. Have faith in Kelly to come up with a game plan that gives ND a chance to win this game. Whether the Irish execute it is another story. I'm more worried the Irish will turn the ball over like they did against BC. If they do that against Stanford, they're finished. If ND loses, no one on the ND side is going to say it was because of injuries. It will be because they made too many mistakes, did not capitalize on opportunities, or they were just outplayed by Stanford.

 

[HRC08]

It's crazy. My boss is a Bama Grad. I told him to imagine Bama without RB's Derrick Henry, Kenyon Drake and whoever their 3rd back is... without QB Jacob Coker, without their starting NT for every single game this year, without TE OJ Howard and now take away their top CB for the most important game of their season.

 

[Irish Grandeur]

The problem for ND isn't what others will do or their schedule. The schedule is tough enough, and ND has enough quality wins (and only a two point loss to number one Clemson) to get in the playoff ahead of all other 1 loss teams excluding bama, ND's problem is injuries. It is the reason they won't beat Stanford Saturday.

If we look at the depth chart when spring practice started, they have lost to injury or transfer:
1st and 2nd string qbs
1st , 2nd and 3rd string rbs
1st string TE
1st string cornerback
1st string DT
1st string OLB
1st string nickel back
2nd string safety
2nd string wr

Before Prosise and Russell got hurt Saturday, I still had hope. Now I just thing the injuries are too much to overcome. I hope I am wrong.

Kizer is the most experienced QB on ND's roster. Prosise turned out to be a more productive back (home run-wise) than Folston. Josh Adams is legit. Jones is working his way into being a good TE.

It's not the injuries that is killing ND, it is the costly red zone TOs. If ND plays Stanford as well as they played BC minus the TOs and dropped balls then ND wins easy. And, if ND makes the playoffs then some of the injured guys are back and the O-line gets healthy.

 

[mmboys07]

Teams have tendencies. ND has not played well on the road against much weaker competition than Stanford. K.R.s loss is significant for reasons beyond coverage. I thought he was very good in run support. This is my concern; McCaffrey will have more room to run with KR out. I think it will be somewhat of a shoot out. Stanford doesn't have a world beater defense. My concern is ND gets down a couple of scores early and will be chasing the whole game without the ability to shut down Stanford enough to enable ND to pull it out. Hope I am wrong. But, even without the injuries, why will ND all of a sudden play a great game on the road when they really haven't all year? Pittsburgh came close but even then ND got sloppy.

 

[HDK]

Teams have tendencies. ND has not played well on the road against much weaker competition than Stanford. K.R.s loss is significant for reasons beyond coverage. I thought he was very good in run support. This is my concern; McCaffrey will have more room to run with KR out. I think it will be somewhat of a shoot out. Stanford doesn't have a world beater defense. My concern is ND gets down a couple of scores early and will be chasing the whole game without the ability to shut down Stanford enough to enable ND to pull it out. Hope I am wrong. But, even without the injuries, why will ND all of a sudden play a great game on the road when they really haven't all year? Pittsburgh came close but even then ND got sloppy.

I think the team will be focused this week. They know what is on the line. The question will be whether they can stop Stanford and reduce the mistakes.

I too think the loss of Russell is going to be huge, especially with all the other injuries--and i do think the injuries will and have had an impact. Now Five starters out on offense from start of year and five on the two-deep on defense. That's a lot for any team to weather.

 

[Bodizephax]

Notre Dame has had this game circled for months ! It is our SUPER BOWL !!

Stanford hasn't had two weeks to prepare and rest like everyone else on Notre Dames schedule !!

The only excuses used will be by Stanford and Coach Shaw !!

The Irish are going to open a HUGE can of WHOOPA$$ on the Cardinal !!

45 to 24 the IRISH win!!!

 

[57Patrick]

Stop the run and don't turn the ball over and ND will win. Yes, the Irish have had a lot of injuries, but they still have a very good freshman RB, excellent and healthy OL. A freshman TE that is good and will one day be great. A QB that at times has looked very good and has obvious talent. They also have Carlisle, Brown and Fuller at REC. Offensively, they Irish are good to go, despite the injuries, which is a testament to the coaching staffs recruiting. Defensively, the Irish aren't as strong, but they do have Day, Redfield, Rochelle and Smith as well as a player that is getting better at the right time, Okwara. Yes, I know Redfield has been inconsistent, but hey, he is a 5 star (tongue in cheek). All kidding aside, Redfield has a lot of talent and Shumate brings the mentality needed for a Stanford type game. Tough game, tough call, but I'll stick with the Irish.