'13 FL RB Greg Bryant (R.I.P.)

[Irishman77]

Just my opinion but if all these players are running wrong routes, not learning blocking assignments, etc. THAT is on the coach for not getting the players ready. Niklas, Daniels, Koyack, Welch, Etc. have been here long enough to know what the plays are and how to run them...if not, the coach did not teach well enough or the system needs to be easier to learn. As for GB getting in...why not put him in with the predictive running package(you know, onwalu, D. Smith, pistol formation). When these guys are in among others, Rees may audible to another run play or to run a different direction. If he does audible to a pass play, it is a 3 step drop and the back has to hit an open defender, rarely having to hold a block. If the defense was blitzing, ress would shift the line and could easily point out the defender for GB to block(not the first time it has happened). The defense is not going to shift out of the blitz and if they do, GB still doesn't have to block so its a win win. Blocking assignments is not the reason he has not played...I would just like to know why?

I said week one the dog and pony show Rees puts on before every snap is counter productive! Run the damn play and avoid all this nonsense that confuses everybody!

 

[Ndaccountant]

Armando Allen got like a hundred touches as a true freshman, but that was in 2007 when every freshman was playing. That same year Hughes probably had 50 touches.

I think the bigger issue for Bryant is that the depth doesn't decrease for 2014. If Golson is back and Kelly finally wants to have a Cincinnati-esque offense, Carlisle will probably get moved to slot 90% of the time. But Atkinson, Folston, and McDaniel are still there. There is more than half the season left to go yet, who knows what happens. Some could step up, someone could get hurt. We don't know.

So let's play that out for the sake of argument. If he would choose to leave, he would have to go to some school (probably one of lessor quality than ND) sit out a year, and then play. Maybe becomes "the man" at said school, maybe not. Either way, it is his 3rd year out of HS before he sees significant time. Or, he could play out 2014 (which nothing says he can't beat out everyone) and enter 2015 with Folston as the two dominant backs. Either way, it's 2015. The only true difference is that he would have 2 years of eligibility left versus 3 if transferring. Finally, as we have seen in the NFL recently, teams like players that are "fresh" and didn't carry the ball 25 times a game. Simply put, if Bryant wants to get to the NFL, I see no clear cut proof that transferring now would get him any closer.

 

[dublinirish]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>The path to
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╰⇢ SUCCESS
Isn't always straight.</p>— Greg Bryant #⃣1⃣ (@GB6for6) <a href="https://twitter.com/GB6for6/statuses/385749981555994625">October 3, 2013</a></blockquote>
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Amen Greg!

 

[rtrn2glory]

this is probably a bad idea due to the fact that it didn't work out too well with theo, but with such a stable at the RB position is there merit to maybe moving carlisle to the slot full time in order to get more skill guys on the field?

also thought we'd see prosise break out a bit. maybe that's more on the talent at the QB position limiting what we can do, but maybe i'm being too harsh on Tommy again.

 

[RDU Irish]

As soon as his head catches up he vaults up the depth chart. I'm guessing it's pretty simple right now, Greg - learn your blocking assignments and you are in the game, but if you are going to get Tommy killed you will be watching from the bench.

I'm agreeing more with Irishman77 every week though. K.I.S.S.

 

[Irish Insanity]

I said week one the dog and pony show Rees puts on before every snap is counter productive! Run the damn play and avoid all this nonsense that confuses everybody!

I definitely agree. But I doubt its his dog and pony show. I'm sure the coaches are the ones that have him do it.

 

[Buster Bluth]

I don't understand what makes fans think they know more about Rees' checks and possible confusion than the team and coaches. Its like a bunch if fans at a bar inventing problems with the team.

 

[rtrn2glory]

I said week one the dog and pony show Rees puts on before every snap is counter productive! Run the damn play and avoid all this nonsense that confuses everybody!

a lot of that's on Kelly too imo...he's gotta make it simple enough to avoid needing to make all the checks...it looks 80% of the checks he's making are pass protection checks more than changing plays from the looks of it and hearing him in action in person i know BK puts a lot of pressure on his QB to make sure they are in the right protection, which i'm sure most programs do.

imo they need to shoulder more of that load on the experienced OL and let Tommy worry about throwing and being more accurate.

 

[stlnd01]

Just my opinion but if all these players are running wrong routes, not learning blocking assignments, etc. THAT is on the coach for not getting the players ready. Niklas, Daniels, Koyack, Welch, Etc. have been here long enough to know what the plays are and how to run them...if not, the coach did not teach well enough or the system needs to be easier to learn.

More and more I'm starting agree with this. I've never been an OC, and I have no idea why our offense is so damn complicated, but it seems to be a persistent challenge for many of our younger guys. Plenty of freshmen start and make an impact all over the country. But not really here, not in any consistent sense.
And then we have so many packages. We have blocking wide receivers and receiving wide receivers, slot receivers and slot running backs, an RB who mostly gets shovel passes out of the shotgun and another whose job seems to primarily consist of running down the clock, and neither of them are among our three most talented RBs, and we try to get snaps for those guys, too. End result is no one's in there long enough to get a rythym, and half the stadium knows what we're doing before we snap the ball (the other half's just not paying attention).
I know there are reasons for all of it, but there is something to be said for just putting the five most talented skill position guys out there and letting them play.

 

[rtrn2glory]

i'll prolly take heat for this too, but Urban was in the same boat as Kelly when he came to Cbus and perhaps it's as simple as the QB play, but they seem light years ahead of us offensively in a shorter period of time.

imo we have just as good if not better athletes in some positions offensively than they do too

 

[NDBoiler]

i'll prolly take heat for this too, but Urban was in the same boat as Kelly when he came to Cbus and perhaps it's as simple as the QB play, but they seem light years ahead of us offensively in a shorter period of time.

imo we have just as good if not better athletes in some positions offensively than they do too

I don't see any reason to give you any heat, you're spot on IMO. As others have pointed out, it's just that Kelly has had zero consistency in QBs who can run his system. Obviously TR can't run it like it should be. As a RS freshman Golson was starting to get it by 2/3 of the way through last season but is off the team now. Having a super talented, ideal QB in Braxton Miller makes it work really well. Golson is in that mold, if he can just stick around and develop a little bit more, you'd probably see a big difference in effectiveness running the offense. I know I've been frustrated watching this year, but BK is trying to make lemonade out of lemons at the OB position this year and for most of his tenure so far at ND in all honesty.

 

[Irish Fam]

i'll prolly take heat for this too, but Urban was in the same boat as Kelly when he came to Cbus and perhaps it's as simple as the QB play, but they seem light years ahead of us offensively in a shorter period of time.

imo we have just as good if not better athletes in some positions offensively than they do too

This just simply isn't true.

Ohio State had far more talent than ND at the time Urban took over compared to when Kelly took over.

And I do think that Braxton Miller is that much better of a football player than Rees

 

[rtrn2glory]

i'm not talking at the time...agreed kelly had less when he started, but when urban started in cbus we were on an equal playing ground talent wise

 

[nsideirish]

If we had played Ohio State's record thus far, we'd probably be undefeated too. Wisconsin would be the only tough one but we match up well with them.

 

[Buster Bluth]

And I do think that Braxton Miller is that much better of a football player than Rees

/discussion

 

[NDdomer2]

the guiton kid is better than rees

 

[BeauBenken]

i'm not talking at the time...agreed kelly had less when he started, but when urban started in cbus we were on an equal playing ground talent wise

And last season both teams went undefeated in the regular season (Notre Dame against a tougher schedule). THIS season QB depth rears its ugly head and when ND's starting QB goes away, we have Tommy Rees. When OSU's star QB goes down, they have a stud in Kenny Guiton waiting in the wings.

Braxton Miller > Everett Golson
Kenny Guiton >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Tommy Rees

 

[EuropeanDomer]

I do not understand the "learning" thing. I always read that the RB position is the most easy to translate at any level because is more of a skill position than football knowledge. Plus, he is the son of a football coach and he played football all his life. He had three months to learn.. i do not get it. I'm sure he is smarter than Isaiah Crowell, Michael Dyer or other RB's who played as a True Freshman while he sleeps.

 

[ACamp1900]

Tony Fisher
Ryan Grant
Julius Jones
Powers-Neal
Darius Walker
Armando Allen
Cierre Wood
Robert Hughes
Riddick
Jonas Gray
GA III
Cam McDaniel

I don't remember any of these guys starting out of the gate getting major work as a freshman. Julius Jones got his first start in Game 6 if I recall correctly. Didn't Wood redshirt as a frosh?

Walker and Allen I think got significant action as freshman as the season progressed. Fans were aggravated as I recall because they got more PT than bigger or faster guys but they were the more complete package, runner, pass catcher, pass protection.

Some freshman numbers I found:
Fisher 8
Grant 29 carries
Powers-Neal DNP
GA III 9
Carlisle 19 (@ USC)
McDaniels 3

Walker was pretty much the guy by this time during his Freshman season was he not??

 

[rtrn2glory]

And last season both teams went undefeated in the regular season (Notre Dame against a tougher schedule). THIS season QB depth rears its ugly head and when ND's starting QB goes away, we have Tommy Rees. When OSU's star QB goes down, they have a stud in Kenny Guiton waiting in the wings.

Braxton Miller > Everett Golson
Kenny Guiton >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Tommy Rees

yet even last year we still were no where near the offensive juggernaut Urban has this year.

Guiton might be a top 10 QB nationally fwiw imo...hard to tell now

 

[ACamp1900]

If we were playing tOSU's schedule I'm sure we'd all be a lot happier right now... just saying.

 

[koonja]

If we were playing tOSU's schedule I'm sure we'd all be a lot happier right now... just saying.

We don't beat Wisconsin though IMO.

 

[rtrn2glory]

we would struggle with Cal too imo, but i think we win in the end.

 

[aubeirish]

You guys are depressing.

 

[ACamp1900]

We don't beat Wisconsin though IMO.

I think we would have... we should have beaten OU for crying out loud...

On the flip I really doubt tOSU's record is any different from ours if they had faced our schedule... I really do,...

and yeah, you guys are f'n depressing.

 

[koonja]

I think we would have... we should have beaten OU for crying out loud...

On the flip I really doubt tOSU's record is any different from ours if they had faced our schedule... I really do,...

and yeah, you guys are f'n depressing.

Why should we have beaten OU? Interceptions aside, they wiped the floor with us. 25 first downs to 12 tells the whole story.

And they made turnovers because of great speed on defense and being in position to make the plays. Yes, Tommy made a couple of bad throws, but OU was in position to capitalize, and there's something to be said about that.

We weren't unlucky, we lost to a better team.

 

[Irish#1]

All True, but how is the #2 RB in the nation only 5th string? He was a top 25 player overall by most recruiting services. Recruiting rankings only mean so much, and no disrespect to our other RBs, but has to be something.

Patience grasshopper

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Why should we have beaten OU? Interceptions aside, they wiped the floor with us. 25 first downs to 12 tells the whole story.

We were only down 6 points early in the 4Q, and OU's final margin of victory equaled the amount of points they scored directly off our TOs. How is that "wiping the floor with us"?

And they made turnovers because of great speed on defense and being in position to make the plays. Yes, Tommy made a couple of bad throws, but OU was in position to capitalize, and there's something to be said about that.

OU generated those TOs because: (1) they have a deep and athletic secondary; (2) there were usually 5 DBs on the field; and (3) our offensive game plan was terrible. Had we come out in 12 personnel and ran the ball down their throats all game, Rees likely doesn't TO the ball over more than once, and we don't spot OU 14 points to start the game.

We weren't unlucky, we lost to a better team.

I guess you watched a different game than I did.

 

[koonja]

We were only down 6 points early in the 4Q, and OU's final margin of victory equaled the amount of points they scored directly off our TOs. How is that "wiping the floor with us"?

They moved the ball whenever they needed to. We were 3 and out far too often. They totaled 125 more offensive yards than us and doubled us in first downs. The ability/inability to move the ball is apparent in those numbers.

OU generated those TOs because: (1) they have a deep and athletic secondary; (2) there were usually 5 DBs on the field; and (3) our offensive game plan was terrible. Had we come out in 12 personnel and ran the ball down their throats all game, Rees likely doesn't TO the ball over more than once, and we don't spot OU 14 points to start the game.

I guess you watched a different game than I did.

There's nothing to be said for 1) forcing turnovers and 2) converting turnovers to Touchdowns?


Like I said, the better team won. Play calling is part of a team since their play calling is tailored to the player's abilities.

Wiping the floor was too aggressive, but they controlled the game to start from finish. You're usually very objective, so I'm not sure how you are arguing the Irish were the better team.

 

[NDdomer2]

There's nothing to be said for 1) forcing turnovers and 2) converting turnovers to Touchdowns?


Like I said, the better team won. Play calling is part of a team since their play calling is tailored to the player's abilities.

Wiping the floor was too aggressive, but they controlled the game to start from finish. You're usually very objective, so I'm not sure how you are arguing the Irish were the better team.

I never read him say we were the better team