Answering the questions Part 2. Responding to John Heisler’s article Sunday Brunch: 20 Questions on Notre Dame Football 2016

11) Q: How will Notre Dame fare against its ACC foes in 2016?

A: We know the ACC is not the SEC but has made strides in improving their reputation on college football’s national landscape.  I think Duke and N.C. State may give the Irish some competition but as long as Kelly keeps the boys on task they should make it through the ACC undefeated.

12) Q: Can the Notre Dame defense, with two full years working under VanGorder, put things together on a more consistent basis this fall?

A: If they do I think it will be a combination of the payers stepping up and grasping the defense and VanGoder simplifying his schemes a bit.  Of course if the injury bug strikes again consistency may be its biggest casualty.

13) Q: Can Notre Dame's rebuilt line backing corps come anywhere near the numerical productivity of the Jaylon Smith years?

A: Jaylon is a very rare player and it’s not fair to draw comparisons.  If the defensive line is as good as advertised the linebackers should have an easier path than last year’s linebackers.  No one needs to be great but they all need to be good to be successful.

14) Q: Can Notre Dame's defensive front this fall be one of the strong points of the depth chart?

A: It should be one of the strong points of the team, as far as its depth that’s another story.  There is without a doubt potential along with some flashes of excellence from those who will be second string and rotation players.  So yes it can be but it is a ways of from being a sure thing.

15) Q: How well will the Irish secondary stand up in 2016 with a bare minimum of returnees with extensive game experience?

A:  The loss of Max Redfield did not help.  Well, if they’re not young they unproven.  The one big positive here is they are athletic and that can go a long way in those positions.

16) Q: What will that coaching continuity mean for the Irish in 2016?

A: This should only help. Kelly has rebuilt his coaching staff with top notch talent now it is time to show results.

17) Q: Can (C.J.) Sanders continue his all-purpose contributions in 2016 as well as make Irish fans stand up in anticipation every time he's back to return a punt or kickoff?

A: Not to be too pessimistic but prior to last season the return game was less then pitiful and realistically last year probably looked better than it was because of that so Sanders will probably do well but it won’t be the second coming of the Rocket.

18) Q: Can the Irish play at that elite level again in 2016?  (referring to Notre Dame’s play against Clemson and Stanford).

A: The players are there to make the plays to say yes.  The team needs to come together to have the confidence and a little bit of swagger to raise themselves to that level.

19) Q: What's in the postseason future for the Irish?

A: It seems as if Notre Dame make a mid-level bowl we do well, when we go to a major bowl we get spanked.  It almost seems to be a question of do we want (a season) to go to a mid-level bowl and win or go to a major bowl and lose.

20) Q: How strongly will Notre Dame's 2016 agenda ultimately rank?

A: It’s not how you start but how you finish.  Right now the schedule looks pretty respectable with some ranked teams but if they finish poorly and have losing records at the end of the season the Irish will have had a week looking schedule. I think it will look as tough at the end of 2016 as it looks now.  Some teams will finish better and some will finish worse than predicted.