Notre Dame's 2018 Schedule is loaded

[chaseball]

Another reason why ND needs to recruit among the top 3-5 schools every year; this schedule is just impossible without a roster loaded three deep with top 300 (overall nationally rated) talent.

Below is NDs 2018 opponents and their team-talent-composite-ranking as of 09/2017 (8 opponents in the top 50 and 4 opponents in the top 15):

USC, #3
FSU, #5
Michigan, #7
Stanford, #14

Virginia Tech, #33
Pittsburgh, #34
Northwestern, #41
Vanderbilt, #45

Syracuse, #62
Wake Forest, #66

Navy & Ball State are ranked outside of the top 100.

 

[mrwigglesby21]

Another reason why ND needs to recruit among the top 3-5 schools every year; this schedule is just impossible without a roster loaded three deep with top 300 (overall nationally rated) talent.

Below is NDs 2018 opponents and their team-talent-composite-ranking (8 opponents in the top 50 and 4 opponents in the top 15):

USC, #3
FSU, #5
Michigan, #7
Stanford, #14

Virginia Tech, #33
Pittsburgh, #34
Northwestern, #41
Vanderbilt, #45

Syracuse, #62
Wake Forest, #66

Navy & Ball State are ranked outside of the top 100.

Just curious, where did you get the "team talent composite ranking"?

 

[chaseball]

Just curious, where did you get the "team talent composite ranking"?

https://247sports.com/Season/2017-Football/CollegeTeamTalentComposite

 

[TDIrish27]

USC , FSU and Mich are all in the same boat

They aren't sure about their QB situation and until that gets cleared we aren't sure how they'll be.

Ditto Wake and NW

 

[mbd11]

It's a tough schedule, but they're all winnable.

I didn't realize the return game at Georgia wasn't until 2019.

 

[beachcardinal]

Another reason why ND needs to recruit among the top 3-5 schools every year; this schedule is just impossible without a roster loaded three deep with top 300 (overall nationally rated) talent.

Below is NDs 2018 opponents and their team-talent-composite-ranking (8 opponents in the top 50 and 4 opponents in the top 15):

USC, #3
FSU, #5
Michigan, #7
Stanford, #14

Virginia Tech, #33
Pittsburgh, #34
Northwestern, #41
Vanderbilt, #45

Syracuse, #62
Wake Forest, #66

Navy & Ball State are ranked outside of the top 100.

There are only around 65 power five teams so anything out of the top 30 is below average. Plus Clay will screw us up and we will be ranked lower when you play us. Still it is a strong schedule.

 

[Toby Smart]

There are only around 65 power five teams so anything out of the top 30 is below average. Plus Clay will screw us up and we will be ranked lower when you play us. Still it is a strong schedule.

USC won eleven games in 2017 and the PAC 12 title. Not too shabby. They came back and won five in a row after the loss to ND, which, all things considering, your walk on HC did not lose the team. I understand, like in South Bend, the goal at USC is to win national titles. If not Helton, then who?

 

[IRISHJD98]

Another reason why ND needs to recruit among the top 3-5 schools every year; this schedule is just impossible without a roster loaded three deep with top 300 (overall nationally rated) talent.

Below is NDs 2018 opponents and their team-talent-composite-ranking (8 opponents in the top 50 and 4 opponents in the top 15):

USC, #3
FSU, #5
Michigan, #7
Stanford, #14

Virginia Tech, #33
Pittsburgh, #34
Northwestern, #41
Vanderbilt, #45

Syracuse, #62
Wake Forest, #66

Navy & Ball State are ranked outside of the top 100.

I checked the link and I'm getting those numbers for 2017. Are you sure these are for 2018? When I adjust the link for 2018 numbers, its blank.

 

[beachcardinal]

USC won eleven games in 2017 and the PAC 12 title. Not too shabby. They came back and won five in a row after the loss to ND, which, all things considering, your walk on HC did not lose the team. I understand, like in South Bend, the goal at USC is to win national titles. If not Helton, then who?

Do you mean now or when Clay was hired?

 

[Toby Smart]

Do you mean now or when Clay was hired?

I mean at the time and now.

 

[beachcardinal]

I mean at the time and now.

Well not sure that I want to coordinate the timing but better than a coach who had never been a head coach and had been a coordinator in name only, who mostly work for two unsuccessful coaches? Off the top of my head: Cutcliffe, Gundy, Brohm, Doeren, Miles, Norvell, Morris. C. Kelly, Herman, Frost, Pruitt, Aranda, Petersen, Peterson, Sumlin.... guess I could research for more and a better list but I don't plan to.

 

[Toby Smart]

Give him another year or two and see what happens. He wants to be there and the kids responded nicely to Clay and his staff after the ND trip. Looks like you have a good guy there. I mean, SC fans can go crazy fantasizing about who would coach at USC, most names unrealistic.

 

[beachcardinal]

Give him another year or two and see what happens. He wants to be there and the kids responded nicely to Clay and his staff after the ND trip. Looks like you have a good guy there. I mean, SC fans can go crazy fantasizing about who would coach at USC, most names unrealistic.

Clay is a nice guy and good recruiter. He is years way from being good enough to be named head coach at SC. Since we are doing lists, name another power five team that would have named Clay head coach when SC did.

Also, which of the names I listed were unrealistic?

 

[Toby Smart]

I don't know who is considered unrealistic as far as the SC position. I mean, how far was Petey down the list before SC settled? It should be easier to get "the" name at SC than ND IMO. I could tell you unrealistic names for the ND position. SC is a different animal. Eleven wins and a PAC 12 title is a nice start.

 

[IRISHJD98]

Since we are doing lists, name another power five team that would have named Clay head coach when SC did.

That's not a fair question. None of the other power five teams had a visionary like Pat Haden at the helm.

 

[chaseball]

I checked the link and I'm getting those numbers for 2017. Are you sure these are for 2018? When I adjust the link for 2018 numbers, its blank.

The team-talent-composite-rankings are updated as of september 2017. The rankings will change some when 2018 classes are accounted for, but not by much. So yes, the rankings are several months out dated, but this still gives us a good idea of how team's stack up relative to one another in terms of overall talent recruited to the roster.

 

[j22201]

Uga’s Roster will be loaded for that 2019 game.

 

[bizzybecknd]

USC , FSU and Mich are all in the same boat

They aren't sure about their QB situation and until that gets cleared we aren't sure how they'll be.

Ditto Wake and NW

Ditto ND

 

[IRISHJD98]

USC , FSU and Mich are all in the same boat

They aren't sure about their QB situation and until that gets cleared we aren't sure how they'll be.

Ditto Wake and NW

FSU also had 6 players declare early for the draft.

 

[beachcardinal]

That's not a fair question. None of the other power five teams had a visionary like Pat Haden at the helm.

LOL perfect

 

[nemeth#5]

Uga’s Roster will be loaded for that 2019 game.

Yep, looking at their class I wish we were playing that game this year instead of next.

 

[chaseball]

Yep, looking at their class I wish we were playing that game this year instead of next.

Agreed. They are going to have the kind of 2-deep that prime Saban/Alabama had (e.g. 2012).

Georgia is in the midst of building a dynasty .. and they have the pedigree to take the mantle. Kirby Smart's defenses were nasty, and he was Saban's most prized pupil.

 

[NDSMC78]

Agreed. They are going to have the kind of 2-deep that prime Saban/Alabama had (e.g. 2012).

Georgia is in the midst of building a dynasty .. and they have the pedigree to take the mantle. Kirby Smart's defenses were nasty, and he was Saban's most prized pupil.

Shouldn't UGA have to at least win a title before we call them a dynasty?

 

[chaseball]

Shouldn't UGA have to at least win a title before we call them a dynasty?

They took Alabama down to the wire in the NC with a much less talented roster.

Over the last 2 recruiting cycles they are very quickly closing the gap and becoming the most talented roster in the country.

It's obvious to anyone and everyone watching .. UGA is college football's next super power. e.g. USC for much of the 00s, then Alabama for much of the 10s, now it's a UGA-world and we're all just living in it.

 

[francade]

Agreed, smc. Although he’s got them in the right direction, we should’ve called him Kirby not so Smart in the title game. The 2nd half consisted of not doing play action on 1st (which was working perfectly) and not blitzing a true frosh qb. Both were monumental screwups by him. W/ that said, the talent he’s bringing in will cover up that kinda stuff I guess.

 

[chaseball]

Agreed, smc. Although he’s got them in the right direction, we should’ve called him Kirby not so Smart in the title game. The 2nd half consisted of not doing play action on 1st (which was working perfectly) and not blitzing a true frosh qb. Both were monumental screwups by him. W/ that said, the talent he’s bringing in will cover up that kinda stuff I guess.

When half of your roster could be on NFL 53man rosters, who cares what your play call is?

 

[NDSMC78]

They took Alabama down to the wire in the NC with a much less talented roster.

Over the last 2 recruiting cycles they are very quickly closing the gap and becoming the most talented roster in the country.

It's obvious to anyone and everyone watching .. UGA is college football's next super power. e.g. USC for much of the 00s, then Alabama for much of the 10s, now it's a UGA-world and we're all just living in it.

UGA hasn't won anything yet.

 

[echowaker]

When half of your roster could be on NFL 53man rosters, who cares what your play call is?

so why pay a coach at all ? dumb, really dumb post.

 

[echowaker]

They took Alabama down to the wire in the NC with a much less talented roster.

Over the last 2 recruiting cycles they are very quickly closing the gap and becoming the most talented roster in the country.

It's obvious to anyone and everyone watching .. UGA is college football's next super power. e.g. USC for much of the 00s, then Alabama for much of the 10s, now it's a UGA-world and we're all just living in it.

oh the drama. should the opponents even show up ? just give georgia all the trophies.

 

[francade]

Chase, if you think the jimmies & joes always beat the x’s & o’s, that’s ur prerogative. I think there’s many examples to dispute that though. I’m not even saying that Georgia won’t win big, I just thought Kirby called a shitty 2nd half & it cost them. If he continues to make questionable gameplans, it’s no slam dunk that Georgia becomes a dynasty. Just my opinion

 

[iwish]

“They took Alabama down to the wire in the NC with a much less talented roster.”

Not going to argue Alabama didn’t have arguably the best roster in football, but let’s not act like Georgia was hurting either. They had one of the best team rosters in football as well. Their last 5 recruiting classes

2013 - top 5, 2014 - 8th, 2015 - 6th, 2016 - 4th or 5th, and 2017 - 3rd.

 

[zonairish]

Chase, if you think the jimmies & joes always beat the x’s & o’s, that’s ur prerogative. I think there’s many examples to dispute that though. I’m not even saying that Georgia won’t win big, I just thought Kirby called a shitty 2nd half & it cost them. If he continues to make questionable gameplans, it’s no slam dunk that Georgia becomes a dynasty. Just my opinion

You need good coaching and talent.

 

[Toby Smart]

You need good coaching and talent.

Interesting that Eric Hansen brought up that very thing when discussing Bob Davie tonight. He said Davie had the talent and he had an unbelievable coaching staff but because he didn't have the ability to lead and put this all together, his teams went nowhere fast. His "leadership" skills fired Joe Moore which lead to an embarrassing age discrimination lawsuit against the university. So, you can have talent but that doesn't always translate to wins.

 

[chaseball]

“They took Alabama down to the wire in the NC with a much less talented roster.”

Not going to argue Alabama didn’t have arguably the best roster in football, but let’s not act like Georgia was hurting either. They had one of the best team rosters in football as well. Their last 5 recruiting classes

2013 - top 5, 2014 - 8th, 2015 - 6th, 2016 - 4th or 5th, and 2017 - 3rd.

Now they are recruiting #1 classes by far .. with 5-10 five-stars per year . and already have commitments from 3-5 five stars in 2019 ... give them another cycle or two and they will be lording over Alabama.

 

[echowaker]

Interesting that Eric Hansen brought up that very thing when discussing Bob Davie tonight. He said Davie had the talent and he had an unbelievable coaching staff but because he didn't have the ability to lead and put this all together, his teams went nowhere fast. His "leadership" skills fired Joe Moore which lead to an embarrassing age discrimination lawsuit against the university. So, you can have talent but that doesn't always translate to wins.

no he didn't. kevin rogers was a horrible hire and joe moore was gonna be gone even if lou had stayed. he was openly defying holtz in practices and basically refusing to recruit. now his dismissal certainly could have been handled better but i think hansen is way off base saying davie had a great staff. when your o-coordinator is garbage you have problems.

 

[zonairish]

Interesting that Eric Hansen brought up that very thing when discussing Bob Davie tonight. He said Davie had the talent and he had an unbelievable coaching staff but because he didn't have the ability to lead and put this all together, his teams went nowhere fast. His "leadership" skills fired Joe Moore which lead to an embarrassing age discrimination lawsuit against the university. So, you can have talent but that doesn't always translate to wins.

Leadership is part of good coaching. If Davie was a bad leader no matter how good the position coaches were something is going to miss and in Davies case a lot did

 

[Toby Smart]

Urban Meyer, Steve Addazio, Greg Mattison and several other assistants who went on to the NFL , Head Coaching positions at other programs, and coordinators positions at other programs. Sounds like he had some pretty stellar assistants to me.

 

[echowaker]

Urban Meyer, Steve Addazio, Greg Mattison and several other assistants who went on to the NFL , Head Coaching positions at other programs, and coordinators positions at other programs. Sounds like he had some pretty stellar assistants to me.

agreed some were pretty good. some were very early in their careers also and still honing their craft. hardly a " great " staff at that point in time. i preferred davie over weis and willingham but then again thats not saying much.

 

[NDlb46]

You need good coaching and talent.

Thank God you said this. I truly don't think anyone on the board is idiotic enough to think that only 1 thing matters (ie - 5* recruits, great coaches, great developers, great S&C programs). But a heck of a lot seem to put so much stock and value into 1 over the other. If Charlie Weis, or Ty Willingham, or Terry Brennan had teams chock full of 5* star talent, then unless they were ungodly lucky, they weren't winning a national title. If Knute Rockne, Ara Parseghian, Bear Bryant, Pete Carroll had only 1-2-3* level talent, then they weren't winning a national title. It's a balance and a focus.

So many individual posts lament that we don't have one thing or the other. Look at the whole frickin' package for once. It's a sliding scale of multiple pathways that all impact each other. Then factor in uncontrollables like injuries, weather, illness, hurricanes, etc.

 

[echowaker]

Thank God you said this. I truly don't think anyone on the board is idiotic enough to think that only 1 thing matters (ie - 5* recruits, great coaches, great developers, great S&C programs). But a heck of a lot seem to put so much stock and value into 1 over the other. If Charlie Weis, or Ty Willingham, or Terry Brennan had teams chock full of 5* star talent, then unless they were ungodly lucky, they weren't winning a national title. If Knute Rockne, Ara Parseghian, Bear Bryant, Pete Carroll had only 1-2-3* level talent, then they weren't winning a national title. It's a balance and a focus.

So many individual posts lament that we don't have one thing or the other. Look at the whole frickin' package for once. It's a sliding scale of multiple pathways that all impact each other. Then factor in uncontrollables like injuries, weather, illness, hurricanes, etc.

Well said. my issue has always been over the obsession of the "stars". the difference in talent level within say the top 300 players is minimal in my opinion. some kids mature physically earlier than others. way too many variables to say definitively that player A is a five star but player B is only a four.