Notre Dame Football 2011: 5 Bold Predictions for the Irish Offense
The 2010 version of Brian Kelly's offense was nowhere near full speed.
In fact, it wasn't even near half speed.
Kelly will certainly have a "pedal to the metal" approach this season.
Along with that mentality will surely be some big numbers on the offensive side of the ball.
Follow along as we count down five bold predictions for the 2011 Irish offense.
Cierre Wood Will Amass 1,500 Yards Rushing
1 of 5
Head coach Brian Kelly figured out last season that the offense won't be successful just airing it out.
When Dayne Crist went down, the offensive philosophy became to run first.
That philosophy allowed Cierre Wood to showcase his abilities.
The former 4-star prospect burst onto the scene, finishing the season with 603 yards on 119 carries.
Wood will only improve on those figures in 2011.
The offense will pass the ball more often, but Wood will still get a significant amount of carries as the feature back.
At least 1,500 yards rushing should be expected from Wood.
Dayne Crist Will Pass for 3,000 Yards
2 of 5
It is a strong belief among the Irish faithful that Dayne Crist has yet to reach his potential in South Bend because of two major knee injuries in as many seasons.
2010 saw Crist complete 174-of-294 pass attempts for 2,033 yards along with 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions in eight games.
Those numbers are pretty impressive considering he was playing in a brand-new offense.
If Crist can stay healthy in 2011, he will reach that potential so many Irish fans know he has.
Should he reach his potential, 3,000 passing yards will be the final mark on the season stat sheet.
Cam McDaniel Will Contribute to the Running Game
3 of 5When Cameron Roberson went down with a season-ending knee injury the Irish were left with only two scholarship running backs.
That forced Brian Kelly and his staff to scramble to bring in a quality running back in the 2011 recruiting cycle.
They accomplished that by bringing in 3-star prospect Cam McDaniel from Coppell, Texas.
The numerous highlight videos, including the one above, say it all.
This kid can play.
McDaniel will most likely be the third-string running back behind Cierre Wood and Jonas Gray.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Everett Golson Will See the Field
4 of 5Irish fans left and right have been enamored with 2011 quarterback recruit Everett Golson.
Many of you have probably seen this highlight video at least a few times, but it just gets more exciting to watch every time.
We finally got to see this kid live during the 2011 edition of the annual Blue-Gold game.
Golson finished with 62 rushing yards on 11 carries, including an impressive 20-yard scramble.
He also completed nine passes on 18 attempts for 91 yards and one touchdown.
With the amount of talent this kid has already shown and his seemingly limitless potential, there's no reason he shouldn't get on the field this season.
The Offense Will Average 35 Points Per Game
5 of 5
As you read in the introduction slide, the 2010 Irish offense was only a fraction of what Brian Kelly wanted it to be.
Year two should bring about the fulfillment of the offense he has envisioned for the program since the day he was hired.
With another spring practice in the books and fall camp No. 2 soon to come, the offense is sure to be light years ahead of where it was a season ago.
A healthy Dayne Crist, a suspension-free Michael Floyd and a steady running game should add up to at least 35 points per game this season.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
