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Notre Dame Football

The Back Corner Fade

September 9, 2020
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Notre Dame Football is officially back. I don’t know about you, but I can’t think of a more wonderful statement to read than that. After the last six months of unknows and sad realities, one thing is sure (ok, for now) the fog machine is going to crank up, the boys are going to run out of the tunnel, and they are going to line up against the Duke Blue Devils Saturday in Rock’s House. No fans (ok, the students) no honoring the 2nd shift staff in the South Dining Hall, no Flutie (that actually is a good thing) but the Irish are going to play and that’s what’s important.

For at least 3 ½ hours, we get the sweet release from the world around us in these troubling times and watch our guilty pleasure, our passion, and enjoy the tradition that most of us have grown up with and around. It will be different. It might even feel a tad hollow, but at the end of the day, it’s kids in gold helmets and blue jerseys flying all over the field, making plays, and going 1-0 to start the season and the path to the ACC Championship begins…….I never thought I would say those words. 2020, gotta love it.

Looking into this week’s schedule to preview and crack wise on, there just really isn’t much to get that excited about other than the fact that there is football to watch. The good thing is at least you now have an excuse to get out of that project you need to get it done. You never thought the expression “not now honey, I’m in the middle of watching the UTSA/Texas St game” would sound so good. When TCU vs SMU is the “Game of the Week” you have a cornucopia of meh. We’ll at least attempt to give you something else to look into.

**Note: Well, scratch that as the “The Vid” claims it’s first victim. No TCU-SMU for you.

ND fans will get a chance to see their “conference brethren” and also two teams on the docket for down the road as Georgia Tech and Florida St hook up in Tallahassee. Geoff Collins was task with a major rebuilding project when he took over in 2019, and the Jackets are still probably a year or two away from being respectable. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but you could probably say something similar with Mike Norvell at Free Shoes. Yes, they have dudes. It’s FSU, they’re going to have kids that can play ball. They also have major cultural issues within the football program that are going to take some time to get through. Anyone else feeling sorry for the ‘Noles? Yeah, I didn’t think so. I’m taking Georgia Tech in this one: 24-21

Here’s one that might fly under the radar a little bit and on a normal football weekend this one would never even be mentioned. La Tech heads to Baylor for what might be an upset special. Dave Arnada, new Baylor head coach and Yul Brenner look a-like, makes his debut and brings with him a concept foreign to the Big XII: defense. Skip Holtz’s Bulldog’s are coming off a 10+ win season and a 14-0 win over The U in the Independence Bowl that might have been the most boring game in my recollection. I think Tech will play well, but Baylor will figure out a way to get it done and get career win number one for Aranda: Baylor, 28-17

I really wish their was more for me to discuss in the way of games. I just didn’t think you’d want my insight on the Houston Baptist vs Texas Tech game. 

The Irish head into the season with high expectations in what should be a fine season. Any time you have a three-year starter behind center and experienced offense line, no matter what the skill talent may be, you’d like to believe said offense could score some points…..and a lot of them. There are some questions marks though? Who gets the majority of the carries? Who is going to step up at WR and be “the guy” now that Chase Claypool is gone? Will Kevin Austin show us something when he comes back? Is Chris Tyree as good as advertised?

These are good questions to have because there is talent with the skilled players, it’s just raw and unknown at this point. The new schedule couldn’t have set up any better for ND in terms of getting these players ready for the tests coming later in the year. Hopefully, by the time the calendar flips to October, the offense will know what kind of hand it’s been dealt.

Same can be said for the secondary (minus Kyle Hamilton.) There is talent there, but is it good enough when the they play talented wideouts. Can Nick McCloud step is as a formidable veteran as Cam Hart and the younger corners continue to develop? If you remember looking back to this time last year, LB’s were a huge unknown and it turned out to be a very solid unit. I’m hoping for the same results this year with Mike Mickens revamping the cornerbacks. While I don’t think Clark Lea’s troops are going to be a “special group” there really is no reason not to believe that this shouldn’t be a solid defense and one that the offense doesn’t have to score 30+ to win games.

In a nutshell, this should be a fun season, if they can stay healthy (both on and off the field) and continue to develop at the skilled positions. If these two things happen, there’s no reason they shouldn’t head in November 7th undefeated with Clemson coming to town. Louisville and then at Pitt the following week is a test, but one they should pass.

Looking at it in early September, and just going off last year and what’s on paper, I see this team going 10-2, losing to Clemson twice. ND is a very good football team. Clemson is a great football team. When’s the last time under Brian Kelly that the Irish beat a truly great team? Easy: they haven’t. Until then, and nothing would make me happier than to eat a steaming pile of crow, we lose both times to Dabo and the boys.

Enough of the preseason talk and on to week one. 

The last time we saw the Irish, they methodically dismantled the “best 7-5 team in the country” in Iowa St winning the Camping Bowl (or whatever the s-show was called) by 24 points. Duke comes to town led by the wily old vet in David Cutcliffe and his group of well-coached smart guys. Last year, ND basically ho-hummed their way to a 31-point win in Durham and frankly, it could have, and should have been worse.

While I admire and respect the hell out of Coach Cutt, he simply doesn’t have the players that should compete with ND for more than a half at best. Granted, without the benefit of spring practice, and a choppy fall camp, this one isn’t going to look anywhere near the polished machine we saw at the end of last season. There’s going to be flags, there’s going to be guys out of position, and it’s going to make your stomach churn at times. The flip side is I also believe we’re going to see some eye popping plays from the younger kids that are going to have you looking forward to next week against USF. It won’t be pretty, but it’ll be a win, and most important…….the kids are playing. ND 34-17.

Beat Duke.

 

 
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