Oct 27 | at Oklahoma

[dublinirish]

Speaking from experience, I completely agree. Illinois has made some terrible football hires in the past couple decades. That has a lot to do with it. I would think that Colorado recently is the same.

Colorado have the lowest paid coach in the Pac12 despite all the TV money each university recieves (Wazzu used this to hire Leach) but they decided to go the low-ball route and are suffering consequently

 

[brandonnash]

I agree. I just did a little averaging and if ND holds true to its defense that it has all year then Oklahoma should be held to 16 points. This is only with points that we have defended against. The math was something like we hold teams to an average of 36% of their points scored average. I know this will be difficult to make happen but something to think about.

 

[Buster Bluth]

I agree. I just did a little averaging and if ND holds true to its defense that it has all year then Oklahoma should be held to 16 points. This is only with points that we have defended against. The math was something like we hold teams to an average of 36% of their points scored average. I know this will be difficult to make happen but something to think about.

Football is a game of matchups, rendering this moot.

 

[koonja]

Who's going to be the nickel this Saturday? I assume we'll have 5 DBs on the field most of the time. Or will they trust Spond in coverage?

 

[Emcee77]

Who's going to be the nickel this Saturday? I assume we'll have 5 DBs on the field most of the time.

I assume Shumate, right? He's been the nickel for most of the season. We've left Spond on the field for most plays in the last two games against Stanford and BYU, and he has played great, but like you I assume we will use more nickel this weekend.

The real question is who the second nickel will be, if Shumate gets hurt or needs a break. Farley is the only other player we've seen there this season, and he seems like a natural star LB, but we need him at safety. I don't think we can risk moving him up and putting someone untested at safety against Landry Jones, although the gambler in me would be interested in seeing Farley get some reps at star LB and Baratti fill in behind him at safety.

 

[PraetorianND]

Like Illinois, North Carolina and Cal, Colorado is one of the most consistently baffling underachievers in major college football over the last 20 years. On paper they've got so much more going for them than, say, Kansas State. And yet...

I always think of San Diego State. How hard is it to get kids there? Geez.

 

[NDdomer2]

Oklahoma Sooners' Landry Jones braces for stout test via Notre Dame Fighting Irish - ESPN

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NORMAN, Okla. -- Landry Jones understands No. 8 Oklahoma will face a test unlike most any other when hosting No. 5 Notre Dame on Saturday.

The Sooners quarterback will look across the line of scrimmage and see linebacker Manti Te'o, a Heisman candidate, in the heart of a Fighting Irish defense that hasn't allowed a rushing touchdown in seven games.

"They're going to make you beat them," Jones said Monday. "They're not going to beat themselves."

Notre Dame's defensive numbers are staggering. It ranks No. 2 nationally in scoring defense at 9.4 points per game, allows just 3.4 yards per carry and ranks No. 6 in total defense at 280.7 yards per game.

"They're a good defense, they play well together," Jones said. "They're not going to let anything by them."

In other words, the Sooners will have to earn everything they get on Saturday.

The Fighting Irish have allowed more than 300 total yards just once this season and have created 17 turnovers.

Just as important, OU will have to protect the football if it has any hopes of winning the battle of top-10 teams.

In the Sooners' lone loss, a 24-19 upset by Kansas State, three turnovers -- including two by Jones -- doomed OU's chances of pulling out the victory.

"When you have a game between two top-10 teams, they're a factor," OU coach Bob Stoops said of turnovers. "They were a factor earlier this season with us.

"To me, it's the biggest factor in games like this."

 

[woolybug25]

Colorado have the lowest paid coach in the Pac12 despite all the TV money each university recieves (Wazzu used this to hire Leach) but they decided to go the low-ball route and are suffering consequently

They hired two guys that were on the 1990 championship team. They both interviewed for the job and Enbree got it. So he hired Bienemy as his assistant. Both these guys were heavily supported by alumni to get the job. They wanted a "CU Guy". So while they do make chump-change, they put a lot of thought into the staff.

this is bill snyder and everyone in the Big 12 knows who and what he does ...which is win. colorado hasnt been relevant in football since bill mccartney won a national championship in 1990 and the tennis team etc likely have very little impact on where a football recruit goes

You were the one that brought up tradition, which as I pointed out, KSU has none. Furthermore, Bill Snyder's (while a fantastic coach) isn't known for competing for championships. This is really the best start his team has ever had. So call CU irrelevent if you want, but they are no more irrelevent than KSU has been over the last... well... forever.

 

[PraetorianND]

They hired two guys that were on the 1990 championship team. They both interviewed for the job and Enbree got it. So he hired Bienemy as his assistant. Both these guys were heavily supported by alumni to get the job. They wanted a "CU Guy". So while they do make chump-change, they put a lot of thought into the staff.




You were the one that brought up tradition, which as I pointed out, KSU has none. Furthermore, Bill Snyder's (while a fantastic coach) isn't known for competing for championships. This is really the best start his team has ever had. So call CU irrelevent if you want, but they are no more irrelevent than KSU has been over the last... well... forever.

Far less irrelevant IMO. Plus they have a sweet mascot.

And Rashaan Salaam was sweet.

 

[NDdomer2]

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[GoldenIsThyFame]

NCAA '13 simulation has the final OU 34 ND 20.

 

[NDdomer2]

NCAA '13 simulation has the final OU 34 ND 20.

How many times did you run the simulation?

 

[PraetorianND]

Seriously?

Yes seriously. Have you ever been to San Diego? Have you ever seen the women at San Diego State?

 

[PraetorianND]

I just thought maybe I was misunderstanding something. Hard to tell when people are being sarcastic. I'm picking up what you're putting down now.

Ya I really think SDSU could one day be a power. There is a lot of football talent in Southern California and a lot of it goes out of state. San Diego is incredible. San Diego State is a great school (it's actually good academically too). I think if a coach stuck around they could turn it into a TCU or Boise.

Oh and generally if people are being sarcastic they'll put it in italics around here.

 

[BarrySwitz]

What is mind-boggling to me about OU is the fact that "Belldozer" is so effective when he goes in... The only time I've watched OU was the Texas game. Bell would go in, take a shotgun snap, and run straight at the line. Rinse. Repeat. Four, five yards a carry. I know it helps if your line gets a push in zone blocking, and you have to respect that he may pass, but still? Five yards per carry? Texas' defense is bad, so I have faith that ND will handle Bell when he comes in to run. Now, as for the young corners not getting toasted the one time Bell wants to throw.....

You seem like you have watched the Belldozer a little more closely than some of your fanmates.

Bell is used SOLELY on 3rd and short and 4th and short. I've seen a lot of your fellow ND fans comment that his YPC is so low he shouldn't be a factor. Bell's YPC is low because the package (The Belldozer) is implemented to pick up short yardage. Coaches around the country have repeatedly said that the Belldozer is schematically unstoppable for 1-2 yards if nobody misses their block. That's why we rank 2nd in the nation on 4th down conversions and rank 13th in the country on 3rd down conversions (40/78, 51.28%). I bet if you look at 3rd and short conversion, that number goes way up.

 

[OUMallen]

Except when we used it on first down against Texas.

 

[Cackalacky]

You seem like you have watched the Belldozer a little more closely than some of your fanmates.

Bell is used SOLELY on 3rd and short and 4th and short. I've seen a lot of your fellow ND fans comment that his YPC is so low he shouldn't be a factor. Bell's YPC is low because the package (The Belldozer) is implemented to pick up short yardage. Coaches around the country have repeatedly said that the Belldozer is schematically unstoppable for 1-2 yards if nobody misses their block. That's why we rank 2nd in the nation on 4th down conversions and rank 13th in the country on 3rd down conversions (40/78, 51.28%). I bet if you look at 3rd and short conversion, that number goes way up.

I bet if you look at our front 7, Bell wont even reach lthe line scrimmage. LOL.

 

[D-BOE34]

Bell WILL rush for a TD against us. Yes, our front 7 is great. That package is beast and very hard to stop regardless. I say we stop him more than he is successful, but I see him scoring a rushing TD.

 

[ThePiombino]

Bell WILL rush for a TD against us. Yes, our front 7 is great. That package is beast and very hard to stop regardless. I say we stop him more than he is successful, but I see him scoring a rushing TD.

Nope.

 

[peoriairish]

Y'all have to get to 3rd and short or 4th and short for it to work. I've been looking, unsuccessfully, to find the average 3rd down yardage that teams are faced against ND.

I was able to find that ND's D has held teams to a 39% 3rd down conversion rate. Not bad.

 

[beryirish]

BK Presser...

 

[NDdomer2]

I don't know if I expect Bell to get a td against us. I see Ok scoring more on a big play (20+) than I do from a plow inside the 5.

 

[beryirish]

Springmann played his best game at ND against BYU

on OU offense: Certainly an offense that's evolved from the 1st week vs UTEP to where they are today.

 

[beryirish]

Landry Jones is in a good rythym and has been pretty effective.

BK on having a slot receiver turn into a power back (Theo): not unusual because his body type is more suited to the position.

 

[beryirish]

more on Theo: I think now that he's at that running back position he's in the right place.

Theo is a guy who's playing RB for the first time fulltime this year and has been great for us.

 

[beryirish]

Golson: I just think he's a more confident player. Played well against Miami

Q: Everett better away from home?
A: Don't really know about home vs away. More confident having Mich St. under his belt. He's excited about OU.

 

[beryirish]

on OU safeties: You want to play safety at Oklahoma, becasue those guys are free to play.

Q: GAIII more involved?
A: we're trying to get him on the field, have plays that we didn't run, but are available with him there.

 

[beryirish]

more on GAIII: he gives us some misdirection in our offense. We can continue to build on it.

From spring, impressed upon me that the strength of our offense was going to be with our front 7. We had to run the ball effectively.

 

[beryirish]

BK: we want more misdirection in the offense and will continue to do so.

Q: Marquee game - how would you rate special teams?
A: A+ (laughs) We missed some field goals, but we've made some kicks. Not the best.

We're not pleased with our kickoff return game.

 

[beryirish]

BK: during training camp it "emerged in all of our coaches' minds that this would be a run-first offense."

Q: Injuries affecting ST?
A: This next recruiting class should help. We need to get GAIII some room.