Notre Dame Football 2011: The Brian Kelly Era...Ascends?

• Tobias Fünke

  

  ESPN's Mark Schlabach had Notre Dame as #14 for 2011, assuming Michael Floyd returns of course:
  

  14. Notre Dame Fighting Irish This finally might be the season the Irish break through, especially if coach Brian Kelly can persuade junior receiver Michael Floyd to come back to school. Notre Dame showed a lot of promise in Kelly's first season, ending 2010 with a four-game winning streak, including a 33-17 rout of Miami in the Hyundai Sun Bowl. If Floyd returns, the Irish might have nine starters back on offense and eight on defense. There should be a pretty good quarterback battle in the spring between Dayne Crist and Tommy Rees, who played well after Crist was hurt. The most promising development of Kelly's first season was the improvement on defense. Notre Dame's 2011 schedule features eight games against teams that played in bowl games in 2010.

• karen lotz

  

  hmmm, might be a bit of a stretch at #14 to start the season. Could see them working their way up there toward season's end if they aren't hit with injuries like 2010.
• Tobias Fünke

  

  http://www.southbendtribune.com/article/20110111/SPORTS13/110119872/0/googleNews
  
  I've never heard of this game, but okay...
• athlete37

  

  Our running backs need to get more star power like this next year:
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueR1TFFEt3g
• Tobias Fünke

  

  hahaha that'd be nice, Cierre Wood will be fantastic in 2011 regardless. He will be the first Notre Dame rusher to top 1,000 since Darius Walker.
• karen lotz

  

  Floyd will return for his senior season.
  
  
  http://www.und.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/011211aab.html
  

  "This was one of the toughest decisions I have ever had to make in my life," Floyd said. "On the one hand, there was Notre Dame. This place has been an incredible home to me and the relationships I built here are ones I know I'll have for the rest of my life. On the other hand, there was the NFL. It has always been a lifelong goal to play football at the highest level and that is something I look forward to doing at some point. However, I'm pleased to say I will be returning to the University of Notre Dame for my senior season in 2011.
  "I'm returning to Notre Dame for three reasons: to earn my degree, return Notre Dame to the top and improve myself as a player. First, I promised my mom I would graduate from Notre Dame and I am 40 credit hours shy of attaining that goal. I chose to attend Notre Dame in part because I knew it was a 40-year decision and not a four-year decision. Graduating from Notre Dame will help me for the rest of my life. Second, I want to get Notre Dame back to a BCS game. I believe we are very close to returning the Irish to where we belong and I want to be part of something great. Lastly, I want to show everyone in the country that I'm the best wide receiver in college football in 2011. There are many things I need to improve, but I feel with the coaching I have at Notre Dame, I can become the best at my position in this game."

• killer_ewok

  

  karen lotz;635452 wrote:Floyd will return for his senior season.
  
  
  http://www.und.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/011211aab.html

  
• Tobias Fünke

  

  Beat me by a minute.
• The Equalizer

  

  Okay we know who's leaving and we know who's staying and have a pretty good idea of who's coming in new. I cannot wait for next season.
• karen lotz

  

  http://twitter.com/#!/floyd3/status/25250989732794369
  

  Notre dame where it's at for 1 more year

  lol he is not good at twitter
• rock_knutne

  This is great news for ND! With Floyd coming back and the rise of Riddick, Jones and Wood at RB........this offense has the potential to be special!
• sherm03

  

  Best news of the day!!!
• Tobias Fünke

  

  A bigger reason than Michal Floyd as to why Notre Dame will be successful in 2011:
  
  http://irish.nbcsports.com/2011/01/12/proof-in-numbers-defense-greatly-improved/
• killer_ewok

  

  Good read there. Thanks, Tobias.
• karen lotz

  

  [video=youtube;K0KYurhZb1M][/video]
• Tobias Fünke

  

  Sweet video. It would be something if he finished with 45 touchdowns and really blow the record out of the water.
  
  Of course 17 touchdowns might be a tall order. More likely he finishes with 40 touchdowns and Riddick's receptions go through the roof.
• Hamp89

  Great news on Floyd. Next year has a chance to be a very good season. Are we getting to a point where we can drop "cautious" from our optimism yet?
• The Equalizer

  

  I'm keeping cautious through next season. If I see 2 straight years of improvement and the defense getting better and more fundamental and intense, then I'll be fully optimistic.
• september63

  

  I think ND could get to 10 wins next year. Am very happy Floyd is coming back next year. We all saw how NFL ready Golden Tate really was? 21 rec and 0 TD's.
• Tobias Fünke

  

  Brian Kelly is visiting Amir Carlisle. He is set to announce either tomorrow or the day after.
  
  It seems that Ishaq Williams is leaning toward Penn State. Latest rumor is he wants to know if the defensive coordinator and Joe Paterno will be there. Given that the DC has already put his name in the hat of two other jobs, it doesn't look likely.
  
  Aaron Lynch visits tomorrow. Notre Dame starts school Monday, so if he's to early enroll he has to commit, fly back to Florida, and fly back on his own dollar.
• rock_knutne

  september63;636667 wrote:I think ND could get to 10 wins next year. Am very happy Floyd is coming back next year. We all saw how NFL ready Golden Tate really was? 21 rec and 0 TD's.

  
  Granted, the Seahwaks won their opening round game of the playoffs but all in all, they stink. IMO, Tate could have excelled in the right situation in a place like Pittsburgh or Indianapolis.
• rock_knutne

  I hope Tuitt doesn't get any crazy ideas when he visits Georgia Tech:
  
  http://notredame.247sports.com/Article/Irish-DE-commit-Stephon-Tuitt-schedules-official-to-Georgia-Tech-11202
• The Equalizer

  

  Tate used like Wes Welker with Peyton Manning...scary.
• Tobias Fünke

  

  My computer sucks balls.
• karen lotz

  

  Thanks for posting that two times Tobias.