Notre Dame Football: 2017 season preview and predictions

Notre Dame football’s 2017 season is right around the corner but can the Fighting Irish turn things around after a horrid 2016?

Brian Kelly should feel lucky to still have a head coaching job in South Bend after what Notre Dame football brought to the table in 2016. The offense was average, at best, the defense was poor and that led to the team’s overall record of 4-8.

Missing a bowl game and finishing with less than eight wins during his tenure with the Irish had to be a wake-up call for Kelly. If not, well, he could be on the hot seat once again as the 2017 season progresses. There are some who believe he shouldn’t have even survived the 2016 campaign because of how bad the season was.

Well, he’s back and he’s ready to prove that the 2016 season was just a fluke. Although he’ll have to do so without talented quarterback DeShone Kizer and backup Malik Zaire. The former was drafted in the second round by the Browns in 2017 and Zaire transferred to Florida.

The team returns seven starters on the offensive side of the ball and four on defense, but the talent replacing each of the departing No. 1s is arguably just as good, if not better, than its predecessors. The Irish have a handful of seniors coming back to avenge last season’s poor showing, but a solid mix of underclassmen to build for the future.

Let’s take a look at what the 2017 season could bring for Notre Dame.

Offense

Gone are DeShone Kizer and Malik Zaire at quarterback, but getting the starting nod in their place is junior Brandon Wimbush. The former highly-touted four-star dual-threat from New Jersey has just five career pass attempts at the collegiate level, completing three of them for 17 yards.

However, the hype surrounding him is immense. Despite only attempting five passes, he has seven rushes in that same time span, accounting for 96 yards and a score. If he can show that sam scrambling ability and speed in 2017, the Fighting Irish are going to be upgrading the quarterback position — hard to believe after Kizer was so consistent.

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Luckily for Wimbush, four starters return on the offensive line, leaving only the right tackle spot to be filled — presumably by sophomore Tommy Kraemer.

Running back is an area of strength as well as juniors Josh Adams and Dexter Williams return to lead the team. Although it was an area of weakness in 2016, ranking 80th in the country, the run game will be flanked by a near-1,000 yard rusher from last year in Adams and a 5.1 yards per carry back in Williams.

Can Equanimeous St. Brown adjust to a new QB?

Junior wide out Equanimeous St. Brown is returning to the receiving corps as the leader from a year ago. He caught 58 passes for 961 yards and nine touchdowns, looking like a true candidate to be the nation’s top receiver. St. Brown did all of his work with Kizer throwing him the ball, for the most part, so how will he adjust to Wimbush?

Fortunately, the two have already been working on the connection in spring ball and with fall camp set to begin, they will have more time to perfect both route-running and placing the ball where it needs to be and when St. Brown likes it thrown.

If the connection can be just as good as the one between St. Brown and Kizer, you might just see one of the best quarterback-receiver combinations in all of college football coming out of South Bend.

Miles Boykin and Chase Claypool also look to be starting receivers, but neither recorded over 100 yards last season. There will be a ton of inexperience in the corps for 2017, but St. Brown will have no trouble leading the way. C.J. Sanders could also play a vital role.

Defense

The Notre Dame defenses of years past have been known for being tough and stingy. The 2016 version of the defense was soft and porous. Obviously, there’s room for growth on this side of the ball, but it’s not going to be easy to replace seven starters.

Three of the top four leaders in tackles from last season return, headlined by standout middle linebacker Nyles Morgan. He could prove to be the leader of this defense and surpass the 100-tackle mark during his senior campaign.

Also back are junior linebackers Drue Tranquill, who was second on the team in tackles, and Te’von Coney who was fourth. The linebackers will clearly be a strength of this team while the secondary could also be looking up.

Julian Love returns at one corner, as a sophomore, as does second-year player Devin Studstill at safety. The secondary will be young, and half will be new starters, but it has the potential to be lockdown compared to the 2016 version.

Can the run defense improve?

Unfortunately for Notre Dame, the defensive line is a major area of concern heading into the 2017 season. There are only two returning starters and only one of them is projected to start — although Andrew Trumbetti could crack the starting rotation with a strong fall camp.

Last year, the defense ranked 72nd against the run, allowing 182.4 rushing yards per game, which is obviously not ideal. Kelly was openly frustrated with his defense all year long and changes had to be made. Will that lead to an improved run defense in 2017?

It’s possible with the young, talented pieces in place. There are veterans who could lead the way in senior defensive end Jay Hayes and junior tackles Jerry Tillery (a returning starter) and Jonathan Bonner, but don’t sleep on sophomore sensation end Daelin Hayes. He was an elite recruit out of high school and if he can stay healthy, he could be a true breakout performer.

Sophomores Elijah Taylor and Julian Okwara could also have an impact. Combine those pieces with a strong linebacking unit and you’ll see a vastly improved run defense and pass-rushing unit — they only recorded 13 sacks as a team in 2016.

2017 schedule

The 2017 schedule isn’t quite as daunting as it’s been in years past, but the Fighting Irish are far from guaranteed a spot in a bowl game. If Brian Kelly can get through this schedule, though, with eight or nine wins, you can bet fans will be singing his praises for the major turnaround.

Sept. 2 happens to mark the opening game for Notre Dame against a Temple team that’s under new direction at head coach. That’s a winnable home game for the Irish. However, following that up with a contest against SEC favorite Georgia won’t be easy.

Notre Dame then hits the road for the first time of the season the next week, playing Boston College in Chestnut Hill followed by another contest away from home against Michigan State. Could that be two straight losses? It’s possible.

The Fighting Irish have four remaining games against ACC foes on the schedule — why not just join the conference already? — at North Carolina, at home against N.C. State and Wake Forest and then at Miami. Stanford and USC mark the annual Pac-12 opponents as the Irish get the Cardinal away from home and the Trojans in South Bend.

Can’t forget Navy, either.

Is this a bowl-bound squad?

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Prediction: 7-5

In my opinion, the Irish will go 7-5 and just miss Kelly’s safe zone of eight wins. Whether or not he continues as the head coach will depend on if the AD believes this seven-win campaign will be the start of an upward trend. As for the wins and losses, I think the Fighting Irish will lose two home games — USC and Georgia — and will struggle at Stanford, at Miami and at Michigan State. North Carolina, too, will be a tough test, but they squeak one out there. Can’t knock a bowl bid after a 4-8 campaign.