Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/621849
FAN FORUM all the rule changes over the years favoring offenses, it's a challenge to limit teams to less than 20 points per game. Even three of the four College Football Playoff teams couldn't do it, although they were close: Clemson (20.2), Michigan State (20.5) and Oklahoma (20.8). Notre Dame wasn't too far behind at No. 32 overall with a 22.4 average, but probably most distressing was the inability to generate turnovers (only 13 in the regular season to rank 112th nationally) by a veteran unit. This past year, Notre Dame placed an emphasis on streamlining communication better against tempo offenses and halting the triple-option schemes of Georgia Tech and Navy. Overall, the Irish achieved what they emphasized. Next year, they need to be better against the pass because most of its opponents will have inexperienced or less proven quarterbacks. FROM THE WEBSITE With the additions of Florida safety Devin Studstill and South Carolina cornerback Troy Pride this December, Notre Dame upped its 2016 re- cruiting total to 21 to rank, as of Dec. 28, No. 4 nationally on the Rivals board (behind Mississippi, Michigan and Ohio State). That prompted many on the BlueandGold.com message board to debate who the final three or four will be — or even a "fantasy finish" — in this year's efforts for the National Signing Day Feb. 3. TheDude1: Assuming we have four spots left, what would be your dream finish? Mine: 1. LB Jeff McCulloch (from Houston) 2. WR Javon McKinley (California) 3. LB Caleb Kelly (California) 4. S/ATH Jordan Fuller (New Jersey) IrishEyes1013: If we are talking about players still considering us and best-case scenario then there is no way you can't have Georgia LB Ben Davis on it. I'd pretty much take your group but supplement Davis in for Kelly. Having Hayes, Davis, McCulloch and Kelly in the same class would be one of the top linebacker hauls of all time. Bone Doc: 1. ND by 10 over OSU January 1st, 2. McCulloch, 3. McKinley, 4. Fuller, 5a. Kelly, 5b. LB Jonathan Jones (Florida). Fitz23: DL Rashan Gary (New Jersey), Davis, WR Demetris Robertson (Georgia), McCulloch. IrishFan79: I know it said dream finish, but at this point I like to keep in the world of reality just a bit: McCulloch, McKinley, Jones, Fuller. Smitluvin: Swap Jones over Kelly, I think Jones is better, and Notre Dame's problems in Fresno make him an automatic take over Kelly. Will be surprised if ND doesn't get the "McDouble" with McCulloch and McKinley. ND025876: 1. Robertson, 2. Davis, 3. Kelly, 4. McCulloch. rthomas187: 1. Robertson, 2. McCulloch, 3. McKinley, 4. Kelly, 5. WR Damian Alloway (California). BE HEARD! Send your letters to: Letters Blue & Gold Illustrated P. O. Box 1007 Notre Dame, IN 46556 or e-mail to: lsomogyi@blueandgold.com