WANT THIS YEAR TO BE THE NEW NORM!

[Telx1]

All my angst and frustration aside, I for one am very happy with a ten win season and being in the mix for the NC playoffs up to the last game. Add a major bowl win and this will have been a great season. I think Kelly has taken the program to the level where we should expect this as our new norm.

 

[DieHard_Irish]

With one perspective I agree, but it's tough to accept last nights loss and what might have been. Just defend 25 seconds and it should have been a whole lot better

 

[Toby Smart]

This will not be the new norm unless BK starts to get players on the defensive side. I'm sure the staff tried like hell to coach up the defense all season long and it never took hold. The same mistakes over and over, bad opponent and good. I will speak for many when I say that there were frayed nerves when Stanford got the ball back with 30 seconds left. A pinch of doubt. What will change between now and the bowl? Between now and Texas? How long has Irish fans been saying that the Irish "D" makes even the most mediocre QB look like a Heisman contender. I don't know who to point the finger at? Maybe no one. Maybe everyone. One thing for sure, that damn defense needs to get fixed or this will be the end result every single time. Maybe out scoring everybody is the actual strategy. We seen this coming a mile away. It's nice to be happy with a 10 win season but a decent enough defense would have made it a solid 12-0. Isn't that even better?

 

[bizzybecknd]

Jack- if You looked yourself in the mirror 6 months ago and asked "would/should my Irish beat a top 10 Stanford team on the road with Zaire, Golson, Bryant, Procise, Folston, Smyth, K. Russell, Jaron Jones, J. Onawualu, Sebastian, Tranquil out- would your answer be yes. If so, delusional. Remember it was the Irish couldn't recruit D Line, well they put that to rest against one of the top rushing teams in the nation on a yearly basis. I'm not sure what all the bitching about is A) this team exceeded expectations s, B) a win would have meant the exact same post season result- Fiesta or Peach. ND wasn't joining the playoff either way.

 

[deadirishpoet]

This will not be the new norm unless BK starts to get players on the defensive side. I'm sure the staff tried like hell to coach up the defense all season long and it never took hold. The same mistakes over and over, bad opponent and good. I will speak for many when I say that there were frayed nerves when Stanford got the ball back with 30 seconds left. A pinch of doubt. What will change between now and the bowl? Between now and Texas? How long has Irish fans been saying that the Irish "D" makes even the most mediocre QB look like a Heisman contender. I don't know who to point the finger at? Maybe no one. Maybe everyone. One thing for sure, that damn defense needs to get fixed or this will be the end result every single time. Maybe out scoring everybody is the actual strategy. We seen this coming a mile away. It's nice to be happy with a 10 win season but a decent enough defense would have made it a solid 12-0. Isn't that even better?

This defense has done as well as many ND defenses during excellent seasons, and for me it's been an excellent season. Aside from the 2012, 1988/89, and 1993 this defense achieved the 10-2 record. What is it ......you are what your record says you are...........well their you go.

This is only my opinion. .....For what ever reason ND will not get a complete defensive package in regards to personnel year in year out. So I think the D will do a very good job against who ever their opponent will be, BUT the red zone issues MUST get at least 50% against lets say OKST or Florida (I don't even know if those match ups are possible but I think ya'll get my point.

The defensive backfield is a mess, but that's the norm for me, It will take someone special to coach something together there. Wasn't coach Kelly a DB in college????IDK

PS Adams is extremely impressive.