2016 Independent Football Projections

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Notre Dame Fighting Irish 10-2

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish enter the 2016 college football season fresh off of a 10-win season with a team that many people feel has what it takes to win the national title. Brian Kelly is set to begin his seventh year as Notre Dame’s head football coach and he has brought the program back to the kind on national prominence that they enjoyed in the 1980’s along with the early part of the 1990’s. Now Kelly can add his name to the all-time annals in South Bend, Indiana if he is able to do something that hasn’t been done since 1988 which is to lead the Fighting Irish to a national title.

Brian Kelly

Kelly has the luxury of having two experienced quarterbacks, but only one will be able to start. Malik Zaire went into the 2015 college football season as Notre Dame’s starting quarterback, but he suffered a fractured ankle early on in the campaign. Zaire’s injury opened the door for DeShone Kizer who was able to hold his own as he led the Irish to a berth in the Fiesta Bowl. But throughout Kelly’s history at Notre Dame, he doesn’t have a history of sticking with one quarterback and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him go back and forth between Zaire and Kizer this fall.

The Irish were 27th in the nation in rushing last season and even with the departure of running back C.J. Prosise and offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley to the National Football League, Notre Dame should still be able to the football effectively with sophomore running back Josh Adams who is on track to have a breakout year.

Devin Butler

There’s a ton of talent that the Irish must replace on the defensive side of the football, but there is some experience in the secondary in the form cornerbacks Devin Butler and Luke Cole, along with safeties Max Redfield and Nicky Baratti.

Outside of a road game against the Texas Longhorns of the Big 12 Conference to begin the year, and a trip to Los Angeles to take on the USC Trojans of the Pac-12 Conference to finish the season, Kelly and the Fighting Irish find themselves with a very manageable schedule as they look to make the College Football Playoff.

BYU Cougars 6-6

The Brigham Young Cougars have bid farewell to one of the greatest eras in the history of their college football program. After 11 years as BYU’s head football coach and a record of 99-43, Bronco Mendenhall decided to leave Provo, Utah to become the head football coach of the Virginia Cavaliers. Mendenhall’s departure has seen BYU hire Kalani Sitake as their new head football coach. Sitake spent last year as the defensive coordinator of the Oregon State Beavers, but Provo is near and dear to his heart as he played for BYU from 1994-2000. Now Sitake will be charged with keeping the Cougars relevant on the college football scene which is not an easy task with student-athletes having to commit to the mormon way of life there.

Tanner Mangum

Last year in Mendenhall’s offense as a freshman, quarterback Tanner Mangum showed the potential of being the next great BYU quarterback. Mangum passed for 3,377 yards and 23 touchdowns. Mangum has a certain level of moxie about him as he is a leader and a winner which should make the Cougars a tough team to knock off. Last year free safety Kai Nacua led BYU in interceptions with 6 and his range in the secondary will be important as he looks to anchor this unit.

BYU won’t be accused of ducking anyone on their schedule which includes games against contenders from the Pac-12 Conference in the Arizona Wildcats, Utah Utes, and UCLA Bruins, along with traveling to take on the Michigan State Spartans of the Big Ten Conference.

Army Black Knights 3-9

The past two decades have seen the Army Black Knights left behind as the other service academies in the Navy Midshipmen and Air Force Falcons are perennial bowl teams. Since winning 10 games in 1996, it’s been a struggle for Army as they’ve only had one winning season. Army is coming off of a 10-loss season and as Jeff Monken is in his third year at West Point, he is looking to make some strides with the Black Knights.

It’s not secret that the Black Knights will attempt to get their triple-option rushing attack established which begins with sophomore quarterback Ahmad Bradshaw. But there is some talent on the defensive side of the football with sophomore cornerback Brandon Jackson, along with senior middle linebacker Andrew King and senior outside linebacker Jeremy Timpf.

As always Army will compete for 60 minutes, but heart and determination alone won’t be enough to make them bowl eligible in 2016.

Massachusetts Minutemen 1-11

The Massachusetts Minutemen football program is in its fifth consecutive year as a Division-I team and it has been tough sledding at best. Mark Whipple is set to begin the third year of his second stint as the head football coach of UMASS and he hasn’t had the same success that he had when the Minutemen competed in Division I-AA. Each of the last two years saw Massachusetts go 3-9 and now they have left the Mid-American Conference to become a football independent.

Marquis Young

Right now the overall talent pool isn’t there for UMASS, but there is some potential for sophomore running back Marquis Young to gain at least 1,000 yards on the ground, while junior inside linebacker Shane Huber could get some attention from pro scouts.

The Minutemen may no longer be football members of the Mid-American Conference, but life as a football independent won’t be any easier as they could be the worst team at the Football Bowl Subdivision level in 2016.

Sources: Sports-reference.com, Ourlads.com, Cfbstats.com

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