The tie caused them miss going to a bowl game. That may have been the worst offense in history. We had the #2 and #3 NFL draft picks in Hardy and Rice and we finished .500.
Illini Football 2022
- Status
There is a reason Tepper was nicknamed CDP (Coach Death Penalty). He inherited a program that was arguably the third best in the Big 10 and quickly took it to the basement.
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
Know we have quality and depth at running back. Brown, McCray and some recruits are getting most of the publicity (Big on Laughery)
Any update on Reggie Love III? Been around the program and wasn't sure if he was in store for more action. Hayden see any action?
Any update on Reggie Love III? Been around the program and wasn't sure if he was in store for more action. Hayden see any action?
Homecoming 2019
- Chicago
Wow what a shocker the top 4 are!
I was at that Wisconsin game. Set fb back 10 years!
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
I’m honestly getting super excited for one main reason:
Our schedule isn’t so difficult that we can’t get 6 or more wins … but it’s not easy enough that we can “paper tiger” our way there. We can really have a breakout season for this program’s momentum, and we will have truly earned it if that’s the case.
Our schedule isn’t so difficult that we can’t get 6 or more wins … but it’s not easy enough that we can “paper tiger” our way there. We can really have a breakout season for this program’s momentum, and we will have truly earned it if that’s the case.
So we get our shot at 6, 14 and 20 for our major upsets this year.
Let's maximize the upsets!!
What's new (besides the head coach) LOL. Would love to see a breakdown of ND's preseason ranks vs final ranks in the last 20 years or so.
As well as their opponents rank the week before they play ND as compared to the final rankings. “A fearsome #14, 2-3 NC State squad, fresh off a tough 42-3 loss at home to Florida State, travels to South Bend to take on the Irish…next on NBC!”
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Ask and you shall receive ... first number is their preseason rank, second is their final rank. Years where they improved are green, years where they regressed are red. I considered a movement of zero as a "win," but I also considered a year where they entered the rankings only to leave them a "loss."
2000: NR --> #15 (high of #10)
2001: #18 -> NR
2002: NR --> #17 (high of #4)
2003: #20 --> NR
2004: NR --> NR (high of #24)
2005: NR --> #9 (high of #5)
2006: #2 --> #17
2007: NR --> NR
2008: NR --> NR
2009: #23 --> NR
2010: NR --> NR
2011: #16 --> NR
2012: NR --> #4 (high of #1)
2013: #14 --> #20
2014: #17 --> NR (high of #5, lol)
2015: #11 --> #11 (high of #4)
2016: #10 --> NR
2017: NR --> #11 (high of #3)
2018: #12 --> #5 (high of #3)
2019: #9 --> #12
2020: #10 --> #5 (high of #2)
2021: #9 --> #8 (high of #5)
I think there is an undeniable pattern that the media wants Notre Dame to be good pretty badly, lol. Even in years where they "meet or exceed expectations," they skyrocket to some ranking they probably don't deserve only to tumble back down.
It's also worth nothing that my impression of Notre Dame (and I am guessing the impression of many others) was formed in that 2002-2011 stretch. I feel like that's where the perception that the media will jump back on the bandwagon EVERY single time there appears to be a sliver of hope Notre Dame is "back," and they never did anything with that hype.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Also ... not sure where to put this, but have any insiders heard updates on a future Memorial Stadium expansion? I thought the renderings for the SEZ were an absolute homerun last time, and I would think that if we optimistically bank on another momentum-building year for Bret (as we kind of have to, right??), it's time to start thinking about that again. It's astonishing how much WORSE the horse shoe looks than the rest of the stadium, and I am SO ready for this!
If we need to reduce capacity to justify that big of a structure where the horse shoe currently is, then we simply have to remove all seats underneath the upper deck overhang on the east side so that it matches the west ... those are pointless, wasted seats that no modern stadium has anymore.
If we need to reduce capacity to justify that big of a structure where the horse shoe currently is, then we simply have to remove all seats underneath the upper deck overhang on the east side so that it matches the west ... those are pointless, wasted seats that no modern stadium has anymore.
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This rendering looks great. The current set up is horrible; far worse than it was pre-renovation. I have no idea what RG was thinking
Mr. Tibbs
- southeast DuPage
Guenther consistently managed the entire Athletics Department , and I mean just about everything, about 30 years behind the times.
in 1995, he was acting like it was 1965,
in 2010, as if it was 1980.
it basically explains most of the decisions he made
Great work, Fighter! I'm actually surprised ND met or exceeded expectations as often as they have. I fully agree the media is all about them being elite, when the results just have not justified that in the recent past.
Illiniaaron
- Geneseo, IL
Those of us that were around for the 80's and early 90's can still remember an Illini defense that would lay the wood to people. Yes I am old...
redwingillini11
White and Sixth
- North Aurora
That's a brilliant idea. I would much rather sit in the endzone on a built up structure like that where you can take in the entire atmosphere of the stadium rather than way up underneath the upper deck where you can't even see the Illinois sideline. I wonder then if you could make an awesome super-concourse for the east sideline aligned with the columns where you could put additional in-stadium attractions.
Make it a giant concourse with a bar, concession stands, pro-shop, sensory overload rooms, and little kid play area.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Yeah, I feel like EVERY stadium does this now, because who the heck wants to sit under there? The fact those seats might get filled before the upper deck sucks for our atmosphere. I’m a Cubby and Wrigley loyalist through and through, but there’s a reason zero new baseball stadiums have their lower decks go up under the upper deck anymore. There’s zero point to it! Plus, then our stadium could regain some of the symmetry it used to have.
- Status