2024 INDEPENDENTS PREDICTIONS

2024 INDEPENDENTS SEASON PREDICTIONS                       

                                           W/L

1.Notre Dame             9-3

2.Connecticut            7-5

3.UMass                         3-9

 CONFERENCE TEAM NOTES:

Notre Dame is the only team that can make some noise but frankly, their days of being elite are gone for any foreseeable future,, easy fix. JOIN A FUCKING CONFERENCE!!!!   

NOTRE DAME:

I'm not high on them like others. The offense will go afar as transfer QB Leonard can take them, he MUST stay healthy. RB's Price and Love should be solid, the WR group has no game breakers, the OL will be god as usual, lofty recruits OT's Wagner and Jagusah will need to mature quickly. The defense returns 9 from a stout unit, they will need to be that good again for a successful season, DE Oben, DT Mills, LB Kiser, CB Morrison and FS Watts all have N FL potential. This unit should be quite good!

CONNECTICUT:

Another 4 program that needs to at least join a conference! As for this season. They have a very easy schedule so winning some games should happen. 1st, they need to figure out who plays QB, Fagnano played some last season but I'll bet transfer Evers gets a real shot, Edward and Rosa are solid at RB, the WR group is well below average. The OL is rather strong, OT's Lundt and Senn could play out Sunday's. The defense will struggle, they return 8 starters but they gave up 29.8 ppg last season, they lack size, athletic ability but have a good coaching staff that gets the most out of themDE Yates has some talent as do several transfers, but they have baggage. I see the defense as a major problem.

UMASS:       

When a 3 win season matches your win total for the previous 4 season, you need to assess who you are. They are one of the worst program in FBS with ULM. On to this season, former LOFTY  Clemson recruit QB Phommachanh continues to show how inaccurate recruiting can be, the top 2 rushers moved on and little is left, the WR group is weak, another former LOFTY recruit Ladson leads. The have nice size on OL but it is lacking athleticism and talent. The defense gave up 37.8ppg  last season, transfer will be everywhere trying to improve that number, several are moving up from the Ivy league and several have failed at other stops so optimism SHOULD NOT be prevalant.   They do play 2 FCS teams this season so I think they can win those games, plus they are moving back into the MAC next year so perhaps recruiting will improve, well,  it can't go down!