Kizer (third year) Zaire (third year) Wimbush (second year)

[Bodizephax]

The Irish are all set up for a Title run this year with talent and experience up and down the lineup. And a favorable schedule--hardly any road games.

I think having our Quarterbacks running the offense with a minimal amount of turnovers will be the key.

Both Kizer and Malik will be in the third year in the offense. The junior season is when the star college QB's usually make their biggest jump. Think Brady Quinn in 2005 as a Junior or Jimmy C. as a Junior in 2009.

For the Irish to make a serious run into the playoffs we will need a quarterback to be a "Leader" who will throw the ball away instead of forcing a pass. Or run the ball out of bounds or slide instead of taking a big hit and fumbling. And do not carry the ball like a loaf of Wonder bread.

Both QB's should be able to run the read option and the rest of Kelly's offense in their sleep.

Kizer need not do the show off TD celebrations like he did at Temple as a Soph. Hopefully he has matured.

They have great Olineman to give them time. They have great runningbacks. They have great receivers. They have excellent tightends. And the defense should be much better this year. Let them shine. Let them get the crowd pumped. Keep your cool the whole game. Listen to the Coaches. Talk to your teammates. Show confidence. Study game film.
It is a long season.

*** Sorry for the rambling--it has all been said before---Experience for a QB is a big deal. And we have two Qbs with experience now. And Coach Denbrock and Coach Kelly and Coach Sanford. No excuses this year.
Irish up !!
Beat Texas !!

 

[Toby Smart]

For the Irish to make a serious run at the play-offs, they will need to play some kind of defense. Any kind of decent defense will do. That's the hard part of the 2016 season. It cannot be ignored. The offense will be fine no matter who the QB is among the three.

 

[mec22]

The Irish are all set up for a Title run this year with talent and experience up and down the lineup. And a favorable schedule--hardly any road games.

I think having our Quarterbacks running the offense with a minimal amount of turnovers will be the key.

Both Kizer and Malik will be in the third year in the offense. The junior season is when the star college QB's usually make their biggest jump. Think Brady Quinn in 2005 as a Junior or Jimmy C. as a Junior in 2009.

For the Irish to make a serious run into the playoffs we will need a quarterback to be a "Leader" who will throw the ball away instead of forcing a pass. Or run the ball out of bounds or slide instead of taking a big hit and fumbling. And do not carry the ball like a loaf of Wonder bread.

Both QB's should be able to run the read option and the rest of Kelly's offense in their sleep.

Kizer need not do the show off TD celebrations like he did at Temple as a Soph. Hopefully he has matured.

They have great Olineman to give them time. They have great runningbacks. They have great receivers. They have excellent tightends. And the defense should be much better this year. Let them shine. Let them get the crowd pumped. Keep your cool the whole game. Listen to the Coaches. Talk to your teammates. Show confidence. Study game film.
It is a long season.

*** Sorry for the rambling--it has all been said before---Experience for a QB is a big deal. And we have two Qbs with experience now. And Coach Denbrock and Coach Kelly and Coach Sanford. No excuses this year.
Irish up !!
Beat Texas !!

Kizer showing off or not really has very little to do with winning.

 

[Bodizephax]

For the Irish to make a serious run at the play-offs, they will need to play some kind of defense. Any kind of decent defense will do. That's the hard part of the 2016 season. It cannot be ignored. The offense will be fine no matter who the QB is among the three.

Toby, you are right, the Irish defense will need to step up this year. I think they will with more experience and Jarron Jones healed.
Just think about how badly the Irish defense played last year and we just missed the playoffs.
even though Kizer did great last year as a redshirt frosh he made a lot of rookie mistakes even in the Stanford and Clemson games. What I am trying to convey is that if Kizer improves his play as he should with all the experience he gained that even with a weak defense we can still make the playoffs. Now to win it all the defense will have to play much better.

Whoever is the Irish QB is this year needs to keep the turnovers down (especially the Red zone variety). And I think they will.

 

[Bodizephax]

Kizer showing off or not really has very little to do with winning.

Maturity in a QB does lead to winning. Kizer was brand new and learning last year and the coaches talked to him about the dirty bird celebration after the TD against Temple. (It probably just pissed Temple off and gave them more motivation)
Celebration is cool if it is with your teammates (especially if you are the QB). taunting is not.

I really like Kizer and think he will be a great leader. Malik is proving to be a great leader also.

I don't care who wins the starting job as long as the Irish win. I do hope either Kizer or Malik wins it, though. Brandon Wimbush is a great talent but I want an experienced QB out there.
JMHO.

 

[ftnfan62]

Gonna be tough to replace fuller. If he is back I'm a believer but we really have no one that can stretch the field. The guys won USC, Virgina and temple for us with his wheels. He kept us in with OSU. My opinion, biggest loss of all for us. He just killed teams no matter who they out on him and how many.

Losing Jaylon who could cover people like Mccaffrey or mobile QB's will also hurt. Toss in the Sheldon day talent and leadership loss and an already mediocre defense is going to be tough. Like getting some injuries back to your point.

Add in the loss of 3 huge and amazing linemen and we got some gaps not to mention out top running back CJ.

Agree on the schedule but feel last year was the championship team but the injury bug cheated us all. Just do not see the O or D as good as last year. Hope I'm wrong. Feels like we need a couple of 5 star receivers and backs and LB's to go with our amazing QB's.

 

[D_Master]

if you're gonna be at the top of college football, you're going to be replacing key cogs in the wheel almost every year. Its a fact of life. Losing Fuller hurts but guys like CJ Sanders, Alize Jones and ESB will be more mature and able to contribute. Plus we have no real idea what Holmes is going to provide yet. I saw he ran a sub 4.4 40 earlier this year so I think he will be able to stretch the field for us. RB is a position that doesnt worry me at all. When Prosise was making his decision selfishly i wanted him back, but i dont think we'll see any fall off. Folsten didnt even play last year and Dexter Williams will be improved as well you'd think. If the Oline comes together, and they have all the talent they need to work w/, the running game wont be an issue. Especially when you consider we have experience at QB so BK can use that position more in the running game as well.

Defensively, I dont know if its blind optimism or hope, but i dont get all this talk about us having a better D this year. We had 3 guys get drafted and another 3 get picked up in free agency off the defense. I dont think talent was the issue, its the coaching. unless something changes there, and i'm not saying just BVG gets fired, i dont know if i see the defense improving.

 

[Toby Smart]

I've watched the Josh Adams 98 yarder a dozen times during the off season. I will be watching it a dozen more to drown my sorrows over the loss of Andrew Shaw to the Canadians. Thanks for the memories Andrew. And this 2016 Irish offense should be high energy, solid state, rock and roll! Memories in waiting.

 

[ftnfan62]

Never a doom and gloom guy with Kelly and a top QB. Just hard to imagine replacing 3 first round picks (Inc jaylon) and another 4 starters to the nfl and talking NT run.

Jaylon, Harris and Fuller were very special players. People don't just "step in" and play at that level.

I think cage and tillery healthy can cover for day.

Hoping I'm surprised. You can never say our schedule is favorable. We will play some top 10 teams from last year and always get everyone's best.

 

[Bodizephax]

I think Tori Hunter and Alize Jones will make up for the loss of Will Fuller.

I think not having Joe Schmidt at middle linebacker will improve the defense a lot.