Playcalling Discussion

[jboxer562]

It's been a while since I last posted, and I apologize for that... I have however been on everyday throughout the past 5 years or so and always keep up on the hot button ND issues.

I love this ND team this year, I feel that the chemistry is something we haven't had in a long long time. I've been watching since 98, but was only 7, so I can honestly say this is the best ND team I've seen since 05/06 but this time we have a defense and are able to stop the run!

To my topic of discussion, does anyone else feel that sometimes Kelly has tendencies to prematurely abandon the run game? I felt this way strongly against Michigan and this week vs. Stanford. I love Kelly and his game plan! What he's gotten out of this team despite the injuries and youth has been tremendous!
I just feel that with this stable of backs and the situations of only trailing once so far, there is no reason to ever "forget about the run" for four five six plays in a row...

What does everyone else think? Again, I'm not trolling at all, just noting my observation.

 

[Anchorman]

It's been a while since I last posted, and I apologize for that... I have however been on everyday throughout the past 5 years or so and always keep up on the hot button ND issues.

I love this ND team this year, I feel that the chemistry is something we haven't had in a long long time. I've been watching since 98, but was only 7, so I can honestly say this is the best ND team I've seen since 05/06 but this time we have a defense and are able to stop the run!

To my topic of discussion, does anyone else feel that sometimes Kelly has tendencies to prematurely abandon the run game? I felt this way strongly against Michigan and this week vs. Stanford. I love Kelly and his game plan! What he's gotten out of this team despite the injuries and youth has been tremendous!
I just feel that with this stable of backs and the situations of only trailing once so far, there is no reason to ever "forget about the run" for four five six plays in a row...

What does everyone else think? Again, I'm not trolling at all, just noting my observation.

We ran the ball over 60% of the time against Stanford. It wasn't very effective. At some point, if the run is getting stuffed, you need to stretch it out to help the run game, and see how the pass game moves the team downfield.

I think Kelly has shown he has no problem running it down throats--if that is working.

 

[kmoose]

Conventional football wisdom says that you throw early and often, when faced with 8 men in the box. You can talk about how we have three very good backs that need to get carries. Most defenses that ND faces have a lot of talent, as well. When they have numbers in the running game, you throw on them. It really has nothing to do with Kelly. It's Football 101.

 

[HereComeTheIrish]

6-0

 

[Dizzyphil]

6-0

excuse me? didn't hear you,... could you say that louder please?


ty

Diz

 

[jboxer562]

6-0

You're right... since we haven't lost yet we shouldn't discuss or question any observations. Come on man I just said I was slightly nitpicking and not trolling

 

[HereComeTheIrish]

excuse me? didn't hear you,... could you say that louder please?


ty

Diz

6-0

 

[Dizzyphil]

6-0

Thank you. Thought that's what you said. Just making sure I wasn't hearing things.....

GO IRISH!!!!!!!!!

Diz

 

[Dizzyphil]

You're right... since we haven't lost yet we shouldn't discuss or question any observations. Come on man I just said I was slightly nitpicking and not trolling

and don't think you are nitpicking or trolling - probably just wanting to start some conversation which is great... but -

this team is 6-0 and these kids are playing their hearts out and the coaches apparently are making the best calls that help the Irish win games. Why, as purely a fan base, would we question right now?

Stay Irish my friend.....

Diz

 

[NDinFL]

Conventional football wisdom says that you throw early and often, when faced with 8 men in the box. You can talk about how we have three very good backs that need to get carries. Most defenses that ND faces have a lot of talent, as well. When they have numbers in the running game, you throw on them. It really has nothing to do with Kelly. It's Football 101.

I agree with kmoose.

It is conventional wisdom to throw it when they stack 8 in the box....

Seems like (to me) is that we have a young QB and a few young WR's (Davaris, Davonte, CBreezy)

What that means is, TJ and Eifert get a lot of coverage rolled towards them, and our younger guys have to get into sync, or timing, or whatever you want to call it.

A few people were calling for some bubble screens and slants against Stanford, I think this also would have been a mistake because of how many LB's were crowding the line of scrimmage.

Not to mention Niklas' horrific blocking during that game, and the rainy weather.

I honestly think that we see Golson come out and throw the ball 30-40 times against BYU, in attempt to build some rhythm/timing with the WR's before we head to OU

 

[HereComeTheIrish]

and don't think you are nitpicking or trolling - probably just wanting to start some conversation which is great... but -

this team is 6-0 and these kids are playing their hearts out and the coaches apparently are making the best calls that help the Irish win games. Why, as purely a fan base, would we question right now?

Stay Irish my friend.....

Diz

Yessir... and Jbox....I'm just pointing out the obvious. Don't get a red azz off of fact. We're all irish here. Discussion is good, when it is warranted. I don't believe it is here. Go Irish!!!

 

[ulukinatme]

Gotta play to the defense. 8 in the box, gotta sling the ball. If the defense is honest, a good team should be able to run the ball with some efficiency.

To play devil's advocate though....sometimes I wonder how we'd fare if we implented a lot more Option into the offense again. Not saying we run it 95% of the time like Navy, but the fact remains that the Option caters well to teams that don't have the most overpowering offensive lines and it's very tough to defend if run correctly. Not that I think our offensive line is horrible, but they haven't performed excellently at all positions in every game. Many of the teams on our schedule would be ill prepared for the Option since they'd never see it other than when they play us. Theres the added risk of your QB getting hurt, but I think between Golson and Hendrix we'd be covered and Tommy could handle more passing situations.

 

[tadman95]

Well dern, I was hoping to learn a little something.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

To my topic of discussion, does anyone else feel that sometimes Kelly has tendencies to prematurely abandon the run game?

Quite the opposite this year. We've played some of the best run defenses in the country thus far, and yet Kelly was still running the ball 60%+ of the time into stacked boxes. That's partly why our offense has felt lacklustre; Kelly is playing Tresselball® by leaning on his defense and grinding out yards on offense.

I doubt we'll be able to win with that style against Oklahoma, USC, or a BCS opponent. Kelly will need to spread the field and keep them from stacking the box so we can maintain some balance between our rushing and passing attacks.

Our WRs have really stepped up this year, so aside from Kelly's fear of Golson turning the ball over, there's no reason not to air it out against BYU. They're going to stack the box and dare us to pass; we need to take them up on the offer, because I think we'll need 250+ through the air to beat OU.

 

[STLDomer]

Overall I think the play calling this year has been great, better at times. Good balence of run and pass.

 

[Downinthebend]

6-0

hmm

I'm disappointed about the max size for a character.

 

[NDinFL]

Quite the opposite this year. We've played some of the best run defenses in the country thus far, and yet Kelly was still running the ball 60%+ of the time into stacked boxes. That's partly why our offense has felt lacklustre; Kelly is playing Tresselball® by leaning on his defense and grinding out yards on offense.

I doubt we'll be able to win with that style against Oklahoma, USC, or a BCS opponent. Kelly will need to spread the field and keep them from stacking the box so we can maintain some balance between our rushing and passing attacks.

Our WRs have really stepped up this year, so aside from Kelly's fear of Golson turning the ball over, there's no reason not to air it out against BYU. They're going to stack the box and dare us to pass; we need to take them up on the offer, because I think we'll need 250+ through the air to beat OU.

I honestly think that we see Golson come out and throw the ball 30-40 times against BYU, in attempt to build some rhythm/timing with the WR's before we head to OU

Good idea, big cat

 

[NDinFL]

.

 

[GDomer09]

I'm confused on this one. Someone mentioned we had run the ball 60% of the time against Stanford. Is that enough when your passing game is not clicking at all? That number divided up in the game had to of been 1st half 40% 2nd half 80%? Just because you get stuffed a couple times doesn't mean you vacate a running game that seems to be working. The only reason it seems as though we are running as much as we should is because we barley get any yards in the passing game. I'd bet we almost punted as much as we ran the ball in the 1st half. I think what jbox is saying is we would run spactacular than abandon the run and pass 3 failed attempts in a row. That's strange to me.

I think discussing why our defense is carrying our offense is a ligitimate concern. I'm sure the coaches are TRYING to do all the right things to get us these W's, but that doesn't mean they're the right thing.

 

[WakeUpEchoes]

I'm willing to give Kelly and Co. deference on what the playcalling has been so far, but that doesn't mean we should just sit here and not talk about it at all. 6-0, yeah ok, but qualitative discussion, in my opinion, is appropriate.

That said, I felt we came out of the gate throwing early on way more than previous games. Granted, that front seven is best we have played. But I didn't see the pitch out to CW or Theo like we did against Miami that much. Probably good reasons for it, but I noticed it also.

 

[NDhoosier]

I'm confused on this one. Someone mentioned we had run the ball 60% of the time against Stanford. Is that enough when your passing game is not clicking at all? That number divided up in the game had to of been 1st half 40% 2nd half 80%? Just because you get stuffed a couple times doesn't mean you vacate a running game that seems to be working. The only reason it seems as though we are running as much as we should is because we barley get any yards in the passing game. I'd bet we almost punted as much as we ran the ball in the 1st half. I think what jbox is saying is we would run spactacular than abandon the run and pass 3 failed attempts in a row. That's strange to me.

I think discussing why our defense is carrying our offense is a ligitimate concern. I'm sure the coaches are TRYING to do all the right things to get us these W's, but that doesn't mean they're the right thing.

did you just contradict yourself or did you simply make no sense whatsoever. Do you know the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. If the run game is being stuffed again and again: 1) It doesnt "seem to be working" 2) You do something different.

I am tired of all these ND fans on the chat continuously typing "RUN THE BALL KELLY" when we keep getting stuffed run after run. Jesus, if some of those people were coaches, they would have an 0-12 team every year.

 

[GDomer09]

did you just contradict yourself or did you simply make no sense whatsoever. Do you know the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. If the run game is being stuffed again and again: 1) It doesnt "seem to be working" 2) You do something different.
I am tired of all these ND fans on the chat continuously typing "RUN THE BALL KELLY" when we keep getting stuffed run after run. Jesus, if some of those people were coaches, they would have an 0-12 team every year.

SAY WHAT!

I, nor did anyone I've seen say run every play. Assumption is a bitch don't be one!

Stuffed over and over???? What game were you watching? What did our running backs average per carry? Same to you bud, you have to watch a game to coach it!

FYI....This is a chat board for discussing Notre Dame Football, which does include concerns of the play and play calling on the field. Maybe you're hearing the "Run the Ball Kelly" so much because it's ligit!

 

[stlnd01]

SAY WHAT!

I, nor did anyone I've seen say run every play. Assumption is a bitch don't be one!

Stuffed over and over???? What game were you watching? What did our running backs average per carry? Same to you bud, you have to watch a game to coach it!

3.4 yards per carry (150 on 44 running plays, per ESPN). Though that includes sacks and a -16 by Ben Turk on the botched field goal. Take that one play out and it's 3.8 ypc. Still not stellar.
Like you, I remember us seeming to run the ball better than that, especially in the second half - when, I'd note, Golson was playing better and stretching out the defense. But it's not like we could run at will on Stanford. As it was, we ran the ball 61% of the time.

 

[NDinFL]

3.4 yards per carry (150 on 44 running plays, per ESPN). Though that includes sacks and a -16 by Ben Turk on the botched field goal. Take that one play out and it's 3.8 ypc. Still not stellar.
Like you, I remember us seeming to run the ball better than that, especially in the second half - when, I'd note, Golson was playing better and stretching out the defense. But it's not like we could run at will on Stanford. As it was, we ran the ball 61% of the time.

Nearly 4 yards a carry against Stanford's front 7 isn't "stellar"??

I don't know if I agree with that

 

[Fbolt]

The solution for the offense is for Gholston to get more reps in order to improve his passing. IMO, he needs to see the field better and go through his progressions faster to find the open man-because they always seem to be there.