Will Notre Dame Football FALL SHORT Of Expectations AGAIN In 2024?

so Joe we continue on our deep Dives here we go to the state of Indiana to one of the got to admit one of the more National brands in the country tonight your favorite school here Notre Dame Fighting Irish when we look at him as as a whole going into the season Joe what are your thoughts on Marcus Freeman going into year three look I look at what happened between last year and this year and I I know that last year and as I said I was very cautious about what they were going to be capable of doing because they were still progressing they were still growing as a team under a head coach that was in his second year it would be unrealistic and obnoxious and I've criticized the expectations of Notre Dame's fans before on this show sometimes notame fans we can get a little bit over ahead of ourselves and there's some folks that maybe thought that they could be really good last year they could have been a playoff caliber team they just weren't there yet I think that this season this Notre Dame Squad because of all that they're bringing back particularly on the defensive side of the football that they are good enough to go on a multi-game run in the college football playoff because the question here right now isn't today if they're a playoff team their schedule is extremely favorable it's very light we've talked about it before everybody in their mother has talked about how light the Notre Dame schedule is this season the only real challenges that they have are at the start of the year going to Texas A&M they host Florida State and they go to USC at the bare minimum they are on a trajectory to go 11 and one this is the easiest schedule that I have seen them play in the last 10 years that I can think of so Blake there is no reason why this team should not be in the playoff but my bigger case here is why I think that they can win a game or two in this year's playoff is because of all the defensive pieces that they bring back a defense that last year in Total Defense was fifth in the nation they bring back most of their starting defensive line most of their linebackers and a young crop of other backups are stepping into starting roles I'm really excited to see what Drake Bowen does who's a fantastic player and but more importantly they have one of the best Collective secondaries in the country right there behind Georgia Xavier Watts won the be the best defensive back in the country award last year and Benjamin Morrison's going to be a first round pick that defense is is good enough to carry them as long as their offense can take a step forward from last year under a brilliantly minded offensive coordinator that was LSUS last year the most important thing to me my last Point Here Blake it all just comes down to the health of Riley Leonard because Riley Leonard last year was dealing with a serious ankle injury it was recurring it was against the Notre Dame against Notre Dame when he played against Notre Dame if he is not on the field consistently the whole expectations for the season goes out the window they need him on the field that is a 5050 flip of what happens with him in his health but I still stand by this man I think that this Notre Dame team is one of the best that I've seen in the past five years so to your part about the schedule it is week it it is it's not a schedule that you would look at and say hey man this is something that we should fear uh it is softer than you would normally expect no Clemson on there either nope um so Joe they only have two true away games too the other two Navy is going to be at medlife and Georgia Tech's going to be at mer Mercedes-Benz stadium so I think they play they play army at Yankee Stadium too which is also not a really an a away game no and I mean it's not an away game at all I agree with you in the premise because their schedule is so light they are good enough to make a playoff and they're going to be in my playoff because Jo quite honestly I you know like A&M I I know is in week one but down the stretch you could be you know week nine week 10 and saying man how do we lose hypothetically week one to a Texas A&M team year one game one under Mike Elco Joe I do think Louisville is still going to be better than people are portraying them to be look you went into that game last year and people thought that well Notre Dame home game this year though it is but a lot of people thought that you know Notre Dame would go into that game us included an out physical them and it was the opposite that actually happened that running game went off that offensive line at Notre Dame kind of got pushed around there in the second half so I do think that there are three big games on this schedule I even four if you want to count USC but for me it's Florida State Louisville and Texas A&M being at cyfield at night Joe weird [ __ ] happens bottom line okay like that game could be Joe 17 14 going into the fourth quarter would not surprise me either way that place is weird think Notre Dame's going to probably win that game but that's neither here nor there at the current moment I agree with you on Riley Leonard I do think that there have been question marks surrounding him nationally and look not just Mike denck was the only LSU guy that went there I think that you know there has been some talk between staffs if you will about hey how's this going for you hey is that going for you and I do think that there is a question mark on can Riley Leonard stay healthy I mean you you do have to take that chance there though with him because he's so he can be so electric I do though Joe I know that you're GNA be mad I need to see The Playmakers at running back and receiver not saying that they're not there not saying that they're not there because you did go out into the portal and got Chris Mitchell from FIU 64 catches over a th000 yards last year here okay that's fine however I need to see it now Mike I will give Mike Den Brock this Joe I think more than anybody you understand that relationship of him being here the last two years and me covering LSU every single day I love Den Brock and den Brock's going to find open dudes he's gonna scheme dudes open not going to question that however when you go up against Florida State and that defense I do ask just the simple question do you have the playmakers that they do because I don't know on the outside if you do I don't know about that Joe F trell Cyprus did pretty good last year against Brian Thomas Jr and Malik neighbors I and I you don't have a dude like that at all so defensively Florida state is going to be an issue that could be the only game that you lose might be at A&M I don't know they are going to probably more than likely be a playoff team but to say offensively that there aren't question marks I also think is wrong not saying that they won't be talented but you're bringing in a brand new quarterback you're having to go go get a number one wide receiver your All-American left tackle leaves your great running back leaves Joe again because I feel like because it comes from this show we won't act like that okay well can Chris Mitchell pan out on the outside what is the running game going to look under Mike denrock with audri ese not there oh by the way you're replacing a quarterback who Joe by the way his real true first snaps in a Mike denck offense is going to be in three weeks how much catchup does he have to have in the beginning of the Season those are just questions I have I'm not demeaning I'm not trying to come in here in demean okay I just don't think that you can look and say hey you got that much to replace and it's not a question mark all right I I'm not gonna sit here and blindly say yes everything's perfect this team is one of the best in the country they've gotten no hold I'm I I'd be again as I said in the leading of this segment I would be a total jackass if I tried to come up here and blindly think that this team was some prolific Elite Unstoppable Force there are things that need to be fixed between this offseason and the start of this season but I think that they've at least positioned themselves better than some of these other teams that we've talked about their roster deficiencies that we were uncertain of to resolve those issue issues quickly Chris Mitchell is the type of receiver that they've been missing beat you over the top deep threat very very fast he's going to test really well at the combine he is that deep threat that they did not have all of last year that you constantly criticize Notre Dame for did they have it no they didn't okay so don't act like I was unjustified that's not what I'm saying wait wait what that's that has nothing to do with the point I'm trying the point I'm trying to make is that now they have one of those options and and they also have th% sold that Chris Mitchell in year five can come in here and DEP duplicate what he did we're not talking about a G5 guy that had no production that's all traits he was extremely productive and he's stepping into an offense that you just mentioned led by and coached by an offensive coordinator that is great at finding playmakers that can stretch defenses this is the body type of a guy that he would work with and get really good production out of is it not um I I mean Joe he had two first round wide receivers and a Heisman Trophy winning quarterback that fell in his lap to be fair and I I do think that Mike would tell you wait wait wait wait wait wait wait we can't act like we can't he did not recruit them we we yes but we can't act like a lot of good amount of credit deserves to go to Mike denrock for all those guys develop 1,00% all right all right what I'm saying is you can't use trans properties of what Mike completely of what Mike did last year with that offense and transitive it's not a transitive property traits applied to scheme he runs a spread scheme he needs certain types of receivers Joe now you are defending because I'm not defending you're just nitpicking you're nitpicking you do this every time we talk about them okay what do you want me to do what what do you want what do you want me to say about him hey they have a receiver that's coming in that was a thousand yard guy last year sounds good no other guy on that team had over 500 yards receiving a year ago yes at some point you have to go out there and prove it so if I say that there are question marks by the way you did the same thing for Kentucky who's bringing in a G5 guy that had a thousand yards you got to do it here for Notre Dame by the way so I wait you're asking the question I'm agreeing you that there is a question and what I led in the statement was saying hey they're trying to answer it and they're being aggressive in trying to answer it and your comeback to that was just oh they still have to prove it no [ __ ] they have to prove it nothing's been proven yet they haven't played a game that's that is my point Joe I could see a w I could see a scenario where you play Florida State as an example they do have more Playmakers than you do they do they have more dudes on defense than do on defense yes offensively I don't think that there is they are not Florida state is not good enough to separate from Notre Dame offensively if Notre Dame sputters very can't move the ball y very fair especially with dju but down the stretch I could see that that's all I'm saying you can't to me you can't come in here and Joe again take take the golden helmet off for just a moment let's act like we're not talking about Notre Dame if I came to you and said Hey Joe you have an offensive lineman at left tackle that's going to be a freshman and two sophomores getting full playing time and firsttime starters this year that's number one you're replacing a quarterback you're replacing some wide receivers you're replacing a really good running back you would also what you're about to do in just a minute when you talk about LSU is saying hey how does LSU offensively replace those guys and what I'm gonna what I am saying here is I think it's the same label that you have to put on Notre Dame do teams have question marks yes do they have talent yes but you can't look at just Notre Dame and say hey they bringing in damn near Joe a brand new unit at Big key position points so but I wa wait but if you're gonna if you're gonna present that this this blind test team to me I'd at least ask you the question of who are the guys that are stepping into to replace those roles and to fill those roles that's important that's why we do the Deep dive because we look at those guys that's why I said you're bringing in talent but God forbid I come out here and say Hey Joe you have a a big time left tackle that you have to replace that's going to be a true freshman and then you have two sophomores in the interior that are finally gonna get some playing time here you would think that I'm saying something absolutely crazy about Hey Joe Riley Leonard you came out in the open says can he stay healthy he's got true freshman left tackle and two dudes in the interior that are f are playing for the first time and you want me to say Hey Joe are you a th% sure that they stand up so just like when we get to the LSU segment and I bring up what does the new group of receivers look like because it's all pretty much new faces for the most part because the two biggest guys are gone you're gonna counter by bringing up well so and so looked really good in Spring practices Charles jagas saww was one of the highest recruited K Lacy didn't go off on Caleb wait wait wait but this is this is this is my but this is my whole point is that I have the context to to answer the question you have the context to answer the question for LSU I can confidently say that I'm not worried about char Charles jagas saww because Charles jagas saww was a five-star recruit looked fantastic in the bowl game and has been fantastic during the Spring that's not a position in a kid that I'm worried about there's been times where they've replaced that left tackle spot with guys that stunk and there was fear that they weren't going to be good look to to move this this conversation forward I think why I'm also even more optimistic is that Riley Leonard at Duke did not have anybody to connect with offensively he did not he didn't have any Playmakers we saw what he did against Notre Dame before he got banged up we saw what he did against Florida State before his injury got reag grav more importantly Mike Den Brock turned Desmond freaking Ritter into a starting NFL quarterback the NFL thought that he was startable at quarterback that's their made look so good both of them got or one of I'm just saying Den Brock gets the best out of a lot of quarterbacks and if if Riley Leonard's Healthy Man somebody who last year Mel Kyper has a had him projected as a first round pick a lot of draft analysts last year had him projected as a as as a first- round pick a lot of people this year really really like him as a potential early second round or late first round okay did I say that Riley Leonard was gonna suck at any point in this show that's wait wait just because I'm making a point doesn't mean I'm attacking you I'm not attacking you I'm just trying to make a point I'm just trying to make a point no you're attacking I'm not you're you're like Renea on House of the Dragon you're about to say jarus and try to fire is coming from your mouth nothing was directed in you all I was trying to point out is that like hey this offense is g to be completely different it's way more Dynamic than the Sam Hartman audc EST let's run into a wall and then fail to convert on third down every single time there are so many more athletes Jeremiah Love is is an explosive space killer they Chris Mitchell who we just mentioned a second 385 yards of his explosive fresh he was a freshman last okay so again you're saying I know that he's gonna be explosive again you're trying to act saw how slow audri ese was at the combine all that's all I'm saying well he ran people over wasn't his game and that that version of football doesn't really work anymore clearly defensively Joe I think one of the best interior defensive tackles in the country Howard cross dude dude was second in the team in tackles at 66 as a nose tackle didn't have seven tackles for a loss and two sacks I think defensively they're going to be really good like they always always are under Freeman I I mean look man at this point the proof is in the pudding with what Marcus can do defensively I I just think they're going to be a top 10 top 15 unit I I I think that they are that good my question becomes I asked you this earlier in pre-production do they have a premier pass rusher would be my only question do they have a guy on third down that can go get the passer I just don't think that this isn't the NFL you know you don't need a miles Garrett to produce High sack production I think that they were underwhelming last year but I think that the addition of RJ Obin and all these guys coming back Jordan patelo who got hurt for part of last year is returning as well I'm more enticed by the co the cohesiveness that everybody's coming back and returning you mentioned Howard cross I think he's going to take a really big step forward Riley Mills big body guy he takes up space not necessarily a production type player they're well coached enough and Al golden is one of the most underrated defensive coordinators in the country in my eyes they're going to find ways to produce that and especially for the fact that they can get a lot of coverage sacks their secondary is that good so look Notre Dame had a top 10 defense last year they were seventh in the country in scoring defense I I just don't see a lot changing there okay and so I I I don't necessarily disagree that you just need one Premier pass rusher I just you know like I I looked at J watched a lot of jayen Ste today I I think he could be somebody at that Rover position that that that can do it he had four sacks a year ago I I don't know if I necessarily see holes I I do Wonder Joe if there's a game that maybe they're off the only thing that would worry about with Notre Dame that I have a question mark on you talked about earlier could they could they win a playoff game or two look sometimes defenses are just off their game I I don't know how to explain it we saw Sabin have multiple playoff times where his defenses got absolutely abused can they keep up with teams offensively maybe would be the only question if the defense has a bad day I don't know but this defense is gonna be really good man that would be the only things that I could pick Hol in I think they're a playoff team I think it worse maybe they're 10 and two that should be the floor I I don't know if they go undefeated I will just say though Joe they got they have they can answer a lot of questions week one a lot of questions in week one against Texas A&M that's one thing that really stood out to me and that's kind of the one thing I'm hanging my hat on here is that how do they play against Texas a& and Mike ELO's first game facing off against a team that he knows a quarterback that he knows really well what happens in that game I think if Notre Dame there there there's two ways for them to like really prove and I think inight a lot of confidence in supporters of Notre Dame not just Notre Dame fans but like those that are are pushing for them to be a top team this year if they win by five plus points I think that at least makes you feel good about them if they win by more than a score that's enough fuel for the fire to say like hey they stepped into a hostile environment they looked much more potent offensively and their defense is as good as expected if they can do that that to me is going to put them on a much higher trajectory could be a huge huge momentum Builder I'm glad they're not playing Navy week one because I think that they need a game like this to get themselves rolling I I will say people forget about Conor Wegman okay what he did at the end of 2022 then what he was doing in the beginning of 202 uh3 you know Joe Billy Luchi made a really good point that last week at SEC media days the headlines were reading before Conor Wegman went down hey is he one of the best if not the best quarterback back in the SEC like that was the national headline of Texas A&M I I I don't want to say though Joel I think moose Muhammad is someone that could be special for them they a lot of those guys Jimbo recruited are still there that were highly talented I don't think it's going to be I don't think A&M's as bad as people think that are gonna make so if you can go in there and win I agree with you it's going to be a really big deal yeah but we all know I'm not this is isn't a score projection yet or like a game prediction we already did like a really loose one and that that was where I got no I I I I think it's I think it's within seven I think I know real I I think they realistically can win by seven to 10 points I think that that's totally doable for them very doable I I I but you know I've seen this I've seen people saying that oh well Notre Dame's going to go in there and blow them out no you're not that's not yeah that's not going to happen I'm not dumbb enough to think that that that is on the radar for them that that would be asinine to to try to throw out there that they're going to blow Texas Texas A&M out of the water couldn't happen it absolutely could is it likely no I think that you would have to be really really um you know your head would have to be in the clouds if think that something like that is guaranteed to happen all right you want to get on the LSU here yeah oh wait we got a we got a Super Chat Super Chat let get to that really quick yeah uh Cody mcge sends a $499 Super Chat says is this Marcus Freeman's Make It or Break It year at Notre Dame I think that it is but to better Define that if it is his make or break year he just needs to get to the playoff I think if he gets to the playoff let me rephrase if he doesn't get to the playoff with this week of a schedule that's when I think everybody is going to start to get really really really uneasy a lot of Notre Dame fans are going to be be saying how did you manage to fail to get this team to the playoff with that week of a schedule there are such a low barrier of Entry I think that certainly it could be a make a break year for him um I'm gonna say no because I still think you have to give a firsttime coach some Grace yeah but like with everything that they've got if they if they fail to get there don't you think that'd be really brutal if's your what's your thoughts on Ryan day what do you mean by that I I mean Ryan day would be is in the same boat people put him in the same boat it's not that he sucks as a coach maybe you just do have to wait a little bit longer than three years with a coach that's a again a first I'm not ask him to win I'm not ask him to win a National Championship I don't think a national championship's gonna happen this year I'm not ask him to win one no I know I know Ryan day is a different circumstance he took over a national championship caliber let me ask you this question because we got we got get tell isue we gotta get moving okay let me ask you this question what um if Marcus Freeman does miss the playoffs or is one and done in the playoffs what's the perception Really Gonna I think the headline reads is it a Notre Dame issue if they're one and done in the playoffs no I don't think that they for what you just said a second ago you know you got to give a t a guy time to no I'm asking you what the perception would be not what I think what the perception would be would be naturally the national perspective is is going to be down on Notre Dame I think a lot of Notre Dame fans would be satisfied if they got to the playoff in it as long as they don't get blown out like they've done in the past I think that most Notre Dame fans would be satisfied bet online remains your top spot for all of your live betting action and contests NFL college football UFC NHL are all in full swing bet online is your number one source for wagering news odds Trends and predictions with both desktop and mobile access at any time head to bed online today and use promo code believe that's bav for 50% off your first deposit that is a 50% welcome bonus bet online where the game starts