Among the November games, we play Clemson and Louisville at home and close out against Southern Cal. This is after playing Arkansas, Wisconsin, and Stanford earlier in the year.

• Click here for link at https://irishsportsdaily.com/notre-dame-football/schedule/20

arent we?

Dust in the wind and all that.

Why bother?

I don't get why you're excited about Book returning. Kelly will still be the coach, Quinn will coach the O-line you're excited about seeing next year, and we are going to lose very important players on defense.

We're also halfway through the season and you're posting about 2020. What compelled you to do so man?

There’s a reason I included Jurkovec in there.

Considering the team is (overall) relatively young, with some very strong recruits coming in, it's almost a little crazy to think that next year's team could be considerably better than this year, which so far appears to be one of Kelly's best teams.

A Bracy/Vaughn combo does not inspire much confidence but they should get very meaningful experience the rest of this season. We will definitely need to develop depth at DE but it does seem like the recruiting pedigree is there with the younger guys. Hopefully the interior of the D-line becomes a strength with one more year of maturity for everyone. Hopefully Griffith can make a similar leap that Jalen Elliott did his junior year.

I hope Tyree is as good as advertised because our offense is sorely lacking a homerun threat. Would love to see us lean heavily on that O-line.

if they intend on bringing him back for a 5th year next year.

that ND preserves a year of eligibility for him and yet he later chooses to grad transfer and play his 5th year somewhere else. Might depend on where he perceives himself to be on next year's depth chart.

Recall last year there was some talk of Shawn Crawford considering a grad transfer for fear he wouldn't get a starting position in base defense. Might've been strictly a rumor.

If he plays against Michigan and someone goes down with an injury, they may not be able to preserve his fifth year unless they take their chances with freshmen.

If we don't make it, don't play him after Michigan. If we do make it, give him a chance to play in it and the team its best chance at winning

My point was that injuries could complicate matters if they occur in November. I agree with playing him against Michigan's talented receivers and hoping for the best thereafter.

He's been good for us, won a ton of games. Great kid as well. But I am hoping (the new ND standard) that the staff turns their attention to Phil next year.

He really wants to pursue the NFL. He was considering leaving last year. And no, I don't think he's going to make it in the NFL.

I like Ian, and we've been fortunate to have him, but I'd be floored if he ever takes a snap in an NFL game. He doesn't have a strong enough arm, can't throw deep with any accuracy, and lacks the pocket presence to compensate for his height. He's also relatively poor at checking down, which might be a consequence of not seeing the field particularly well.

I'm genuinely curious as to why he thinks he has a future in the NFL.

he's the starting quarterback at Notre Dame and is 13-2 as a starter. While I agree that he's not close to being ready (if ever), I'm guessing the kid doesn't lack for confidence.

AJ is STILL in the NFL!

McCarron was runner-up for the Heisman. He's three inches taller than Book, had/has a better arm, and was far more comfortable in the pocket.

He also has Book clearly beaten in the tattoo department...

The numbers they put up as first-year starters are pretty damn similar:

McCarron: 219/328 (66.8%), 2634 yards, 8.0 yds/att, 16 TD/5 INT, 147.3 rating

Book: 214/314 (68.2%), 2628 yards, 8.4 yards, 8.6 yds/att, 19 TD/7 INT, 154.0 rating

McCarron's Heisman finish was more about the team he played for than his individual talent/accomplishments. Moreover, Ian Book was getting a decent amount of Heisman buzz coming into the season (see link for one such example).

I can't argue with your claims that he (1) has/had a better arm, and (2) was more comfortable in the pocket. However, he was surrounded by a lot better talent (that roster was loaded with 5-star players) and was protected by a better offensive line.

There's a reason he's only started 3 games in his career (and only started those games because Dalton got hurt).

• Click here for link at https://www.onefootdown.com/2019/1/17/18186489/vegas-gives-i

But we're talking about the NFL. I'm relatively confident Ian will start zero. I'm not suggesting McCarron is a burgeoning NFL star, just that he's a far better QB than Book will ever be.

Many smart people on this board and others have wondered aloud whether Book should be benched (or suggested Kelly should do so), and many others are disappointed in his lack of improvement (or worse). Sure, McCarron had great talent around him, but he was also a first-team All-American who finished second in Heisman voting. I don't think Book would've been a superstar at Alabama -- he just doesn't see the field well enough or have the ability to make enough throws.

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I'd be thrilled if Kelly gave Jurkovec more snaps, and I'd be disappointed if Book returned as the starter next year. I'm pretty sure I'd feel differently if McCarron were on the team -- especially if his girlfriend/wife tagged along.

he doesn't have the arm strength that AJ has.

And I don't really see that changing.

that Mushburger was salivating over back in the day.

I mean, my wife laughed when I showed her the video that he had to apologize for.

Expectations were so high for them that I think they have actually been under appreciated this year. They have forced most teams into a game plan revolving around them. Additionally, having Ade and Hayes (pre injury) to come in fresh throughout the game puts continual stress on an OL. I think both will be very good next year, but we had Clemson-like depth there in September.

I also think Troy Pride takes a lot of undue flack. The 30 some yard td AmonRa had was the first sizable vertical/go touchdown we have given up outside of Clemson 2Q since SC 2016. We used to have seasons where that was a regular occurrence. Purdue, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, ASU, hell even Pitt.

I wouldn't count on anything.

That's my boy- just like the Springfield Chally gang
- Hi Harv

He wants his mom to see campus.

so he may end up coming here after he graduates. I understand he would have 2 years of eligibility left as well, just like Gilman did, but without sitting out a year. We need safety help next year to go with #14!

I think he starts alongside #14 next year.

Kmet is going to end up a 1st rounder. His brother being on the baseball team is the only chance of him coming back.

He’d be a very high draft pick if he left, but he appears committed to playing baseball this spring with his brother which may cause him to delay his pro aspirations for another year.

and still go to the NFL. So while I'm glad he's staying to play baseball I don't take that as an indicator that he'll be with the football team in 2020.

The NFL draft will be late April, and it's unlikely that the Irish make the NCAA tournament in baseball. He'll be available for any team that drafts him right after the season ends.

Most players pursuing the NFL don't even attend classes at ND in the spring while they prepare for the draft.

The entire focus is improving your numbers for the combine which can impact how you're ultimately paid.

I can't imagine playing baseball would be a good idea.

To go play baseball and make yourself available for the draft.

But even if he didn't take the what has become the standard route for those going to the draft, a team certainly could look at his body of work on the field and make a determination of his worth and draft him.

I do agree that in today's world that could cause him to drop in the draft and cost him some money.

I think it's pretty unheard of in this day and age for a guy to play a spring sport and prep for the draft.

If he's going to enter the draft, he'll have to go to the combine and spend the spring traveling the country for pre-draft interviews and workouts.

Not to mention his own personal focus and workout regiment will have to be 100% football.

In the last 20 years, and that's really saying something. Eifert was probably a better pass catcher, Rudolph was probably a tougher cover, Niklas a more devastating blocker, but Kmet's combo of size, hands, speed and blocking ability is very rare. I wouldn't be surprised if he makes the leap.

I like Kmet's game a lot, but Eifert was considerably more of a threat as a receiver.

to be a more complete TE.

The collarbone injury no doubt set him back in terms of strength.
He also lacks strength in his lower base. That has been apparent to me in the games thus far. He could do a much better job of breaking tackles once he builds some more strength.
His blocking is inconsistent. Should be much better...and will be in due time.

Even with some of those shortcomings that scouts might ding him for--he will likely be a 1st round pick if he opts to come out.

who stayed his senior year to play with his brother, Kmet appears to want to play a year with his brother on the baseball team. I don't believe he'd be able to be drafted and then finish out the season playing baseball, but I could be wrong.

Agree though that he's the most well-rounded of the bunch.

Just couldn't play football.

There are players, like Jeff Samardzija, who signed Pro Baseball contracts and returned to play college football.

Got a $400 k signing bonus from the Orioles, after which, he still played college basketball