ISD Staff Predictions
To kick off every Irish season, the ISD staff always make some fun predictions about the year. Here is our group of predictions for the 2021 season.
Offensive player of the year?
Mike: Kyren Williams
Matt: Kyren Williams
Jamie: Kyren William
Christian: Kyren Williams. Workhorse.
John: Kyren Williams. Strong consideration here for Michael Mayer, and the gambler in me wants to pick Kevin Austin Jr. But Williams is so versatile, so dynamic. He gets the vote.
Defensive player of the year?
Mike: Howard Cross
Matt: Kyle Hamilton
Jamie: Kyle Hamilton
Christian: Kyle Hamilton. Duh?
John: Kyle Hamilton
Assistant coach of the year?
Mike: Mike Elston
Matt: Mike Mickens
Jamie: Mike Mickens
Christian: Tommy Rees. Offense overproduces.
John: I'm going Tommy Rees
How many sacks for the Irish defense this year?
Mike: 36
Matt: 38
Jamie: 36
Christian: 40. Freeman brings the heat.
John: 32
How many turnovers for the Irish defense this year?
Mike: 17
Matt: +12
Jamie: 24
Christian: 25. Freeman brings the heat.
John: 21
Season rushing total?
Mike: 2,550
Matt: 2,669
Jamie: 4.8 yards per carry. (he didn’t answer the question properly…Canadians always want to be different)
Christian: 2,500. Similar to 2020.
John: 2,230
Will the Irish defense allow an average of less than 100 yards rushing per game?
Mike: Yes
Matt: Yes
Jamie: No
Christian: Yes
John: No
Leading receiver?
Mike: Kevin Austin Jr.
Matt: Kevin Austin Jr.
Jamie: Kevin Austin Jr.
Christian: Kevin Austin Jr.
John: Michael Mayer
Leading rusher?
Mike: Kyren Williams
Matt: Kyren Williams
Jamie: Kyren Williams
Christian: Kyren Williams
John: Kyren Williams
Leader in team total tackles?
Mike: Drew White
Matt: Kyle Hamilton
Jamie: Drew White
Christian: Houston Griffith
John: Drew White
Leader in INTs?
Mike: Clarence Lewis
Matt: Kyle Hamilton
Jamie: Kyle Hamilton
Christian: Kyle Hamilton
John: Kyle Hamilton
Will Jack Coan eclipse Ian Book’s 2,830 yards passing last year?
Mike: Yes
Matt: Yes.
Jamie: Yes
Christian: Yes
John: No, but it will be close. Coan throws for 2,500-plus yards.
Will Coan Eclipse Book’s 15 passing TDs from 2020?
Mike: Yes: By a good number. I’d say 26
Matt: Yes. They will play 12 games and he's had a full offseason.
Jamie: Lock up the over on this prediction.
Christian: Yes
John: Yes
Will ND return a punt or a kick for a TD this year?
Mike: Yes
Matt: Chris Tyree.
Jamie: Yes, Chris Tyree will take a kick back this season.
Christian: Yes, the jet
John: Yes. Chris Tyree houses one.
Will Jonathan Doerer better his 65 percent field goal percentage from last season?
Mike: Yes
Matt: Yes.
Jamie: Yes, but it will be less than the 85% he made in 2019.
Christian: Yes
John: Doerer will connect on 80-plus percent of his triples
Most improved player on offense?
Mike: Chris Tyree
Matt: Lawrence Keys III
Jamie: Joe Wilkins
Christian: Kevin Austin. Does he count?
John: Kevin Austin Jr.
Most improved player on defense?
Mike: Howard Cross
Matt: Rylie Mills
Jamie: Howard Cross
Christian: Howard Cross
John: Jordan Botelho.
ND player of the year?
Mike: Kyren Williams
Matt: Kyle Hamilton
Jamie: Kyle Hamilton
Christian: Kyle Hamilton. Duh?
John: Co-players: Kyren Williams and Kyle Hamilton
Most impressive freshman offensive player?
Mike: Blake Fisher
Matt: Logan Diggs
Jamie: Blake Fisher
Christian: Blake Fisher. “Unusual entity”
John: Blake Fisher
Most impressive freshman defensive player?
Mike: Ryan Barnes
Matt: Ryan Barnes
Jamie: I don't think we'll see any make a big impact on defense, but Justin Walters on special teams.
Christian: Ryan Barnes
John: Gabe Rubio
After the dust settles, who will be the best team ND played in the regular season?
Mike: UNC, but USC will give ND their biggest scare
Matt: UNC
Jamie: UNC. I think their defense is going to surprise people this season.
Christian: Wisconsin
John: North Carolina