Post Game Observations Michigan '14

[Fbolt]

Things that don't make it out of Training Camp:


Pass Interference

 

[Old Man Mike]

This Old Man has to get his sleep now, but I would be remiss if I didn't notice a REALLY fine game by Matthias Farley. Congratulations young warrior, and you look like a rocketing scythe sometimes from your newfound home closer to the line-of-scrimmage.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Last week it was pass protection. This week run blocking. Thinking they put it together next week and Purdue gets made an example of.

I really hope this is the case.

 

[BGIF]

Baby son was born and ND shuts out SCUM!!! LIFE IS GOOD. GO IRISH

So I guess you're not naming him Hoke.

 

[Irish#1]

Yup. Run blocking sucked and it's a concern moving forward.

1. Not as flashy as last week, but Golson was great tonight. Was throwing some serious lasers.

2. Will Fuller has questionable hands, but he had a great game tonight.

3. Amir Carlisle is a beast. We finally found our slot receiver, looks like.

4. CJ Prosise has the worst hands of all time.

5. Great game in pass protection, shitty run blocking. Mixed bag for the OL.

6. The defense was fabulous. Even the usual suspects (Farley, Shumate) showed up tonight. Love it.

He has some nice hips to make a guy miss and comes out of breaks really well.

 

[Bluto]

I'll get the irritating remark out of the way first: Michigan is not a terrible team --- that's GOOD for us, folks. Unfortunately, if we actually laid up both Funchess and Gardner, we've turned them into a terrible team, and won't get the credit we deserve for kicking their a$$.

Michigan's defensive front is pretty good; give our OLine some credit for holding up against them. Golson did have time to throw [within the context of the plays called] almost all of the time. Folston's style of running wasn't matched with the situation; Bryant's would have been better, but McDaniel was the best RB tonight. We're blessed with 3 when a lot of teams have none.

Fuller was unguardable. They were scared of him. Carlisle was too quick for them. My guess is that if we wanted, both Robinson and Koyack were too big for them. Only Brown seemed not well matched for their DBacks.

Brian Van Gorder...... who was that other DC we used to have? Lord I like this guy's style! 21st century defense. Little less mass, a lot more speed and swarming agility. Even Michigan's GOOD plays hardly went anywhere. And unlike previous seasons, the Hammer and Lightning of the "TURNOVER DEMONS" always lurked.

Gameballs on defense: Sheldon Day, Jaylon Smith, Cody Riggs, and I'm going to give a secret one to Justin Utupo --- every time he was in he seemed to stuff one side of the scrimmage; and Kolin Hill --- star in the making I think.

Actually, dammed near the whole defense could get a game ball.


Really good to say goodbye to these XXXXXXX this way. I feel a little bad for my friend who is one of the guys I have lunch with each week --- he may not show up for a while.

Utopo looked really good. In my mind this shows that Denbrock gets it done as a coach.

 

[BGIF]

Last week it was pass protection. This week run blocking. Thinking they put it together next week and Purdue gets made an example of.

We've PU, a BYE, and SYR to get a well oiled OLine before Stanford.

Last week the deep passes set up the run. We averaged 21 yds/pass. Tonight we were about a 3rd of that.

 

[Pachuco]

This Old Man has to get his sleep now, but I would be remiss if I didn't notice a REALLY fine game by Matthias Farley. Congratulations young warrior, and you look like a rocketing scythe sometimes from your newfound home closer to the line-of-scrimmage.

Very well said.

 

[EMAN51]

This UM fan next to me at the bar was telling me that it was a big recruiting weekend at ND for UM. I thought it was peculiar that schools would have big recruiting days at an opponent's home field. Anyway, who cares? No one who saw that train wreck would sign up tomorrow with UM. Their recruits may want to join the good guys!

 

[wizards8507]

no way-not with espn controlling everything.

Lol it's a conspiracy maaaaaan.

Seriously, use your brain. If there WAS a big conspiracy, don't you think ESPN would rather have Notre Dame's fanbase and their money glued to their TVs for the upcoming ACC games and whatever bowl/playoff?

 

[GoldenIsThyFame]

I think I was just an eye witness to first degree murder. Holy wow that was amazeballs.

 

[Irish8248]

Jaylon - Pimp! I will cry if you leave after your Jr year I may cry

The rest has been stated except for Jarron Jones. Again, this monster has played a very consistent game. His play allows Day to receive less attention and really wreck havoc in the trenches

Joe Schmidt, I called you out last week but you played a great game as well.

F Michigan, f the B16, f Espn, F the haters... I LOVE ND!!

 

[Crazy Balki]

NA NA NA NA, NA NA NA NA, HEY HEY HEY, GOODBYE!

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[BobD]

Tomorrow morning when I wake up I'll immediately reach for my phone and check the score just to make sure.

This is awesome!

 

[Whiskeyjack]

That was the single most satisfying sporting event I have ever witnessed. Far surpassed even our most thrilling wins of 2012. To humiliate them in the last game we'll hopefully ever play together, snapping their "no shutouts" streak, and injuring their two best players... it's a dream come true.

Kelly's record against UM is 2-3, but we won the two most important games; one propelled us onto a title run, and the other was the last laugh. Savor this one, because as fun as this was for us, it's far more painful for them. And they've got no way to wash this bad taste out of their mouths for the foreseeable future.

Since the series resumed in 1978, we're tied at 15-15-1. A fitting way to end things.

Regarding the game itself, I agree with OMM that UM is a good team, and that ND was just that much better tonight. So I'm not sure how much we should criticize the lack of a running game. UM has one of the stoutest front-7s we're going to see this year, and Mattison is among the best in the business. My guess is that they schemed to take the run away, and hoped that their secondary/ edge rushers could easily handle our passing attack sans Daniels. Probably the best shot they had at beating us, honestly, but unfortunately for them, Fuller and Carlisle had a coming out party tonight.

The drops from Fuller and Prosise were obviously annoying, but Golson wasn't doing them any favors by pitching fast balls all night either. Hopefully LaFleur will work with him on adding some touch to his short-to-mid range passes.

The defense was a revelation. BvG is as good as advertised. Day was in UM's backfield on virtually every play, Jaylon was chasing stuff down from the backside like the "ninja panther" MGOBlah was convinced he isn't yet, and Riggs was all up in Funchess' grill despite a massive disparity in height and strength.

The secondary came up big today. They were communicating so much better, and they all seemed to be making big plays; Farley had an INT and a couple TFLs, Redfield had a huge INT, Shumate had a pick-6, Riggs had an INT, even Luke had some big hits.

The early success of their running game had me worried, but BvG's adjustments shut that down promptly. The DL did a great job of keeping contain on Gardner while also generating pressure. I loved the way the defense seemed to build momentum through-out the game. Toward the end there, where we were showing 7-8 rushers pre-snap, and then having different guys fall back into coverage on every snap... it was a thing of beauty. Diaco's defense was certainly capable of smothering an opponent, but it rarely felt as "in control" and dangerous as what I saw tonight.

Schmidt played a helluva game. Forced Gardner's fumble and, just like against Rice, was almost always in position to make the tackle. Thank God for Joe.

And how about Jones at NT? Held up very well against the run, and made plenty of plays rushing Gardner as well. Collapsed the pocket several times on his own.

Perhaps the single most promising aspect was the play our true freshman on defense. Tranquil, Hill, Cage, Trumbetti, Blankenship, etc. So many of them were 3 recruits who many here doubted (quite reasonably) would be able to play at a high enough level to prevent a major defensive backslide in 2014. Well, this just confirms that our coaching staff are incredibly talented at sniffing out underrated recruits, and that our future is very bright.

Forget 2015. 2014 could be special.

Apologies for the rambling post. I've been celebrating by polishing off a bottle of Maker's Mark 46.

It's a great night to be Irish. Wish I could be sharing with some of you. Cheers!

 

[ThePiombino]

This UM fan next to me at the bar was telling me that it was a big recruiting weekend at ND for UM. I thought it was peculiar that schools would have big recruiting days at an opponent's home field. Anyway, who cares? No one who saw that train wreck would sign up tomorrow with UM. Their recruits may want to join the good guys!

He's retarded. School's can only host for home games.

 

[HawaiianIrish]

So I guess you're not naming him Hoke.

Nope hahahaha Alika which is Hawaiian for Alexander. He is 8 pounds 13 ounces 21 1/2 long and already hates SCUM and FUSC. GO IRISH!!!!

 

[RallySonsOfND]

Zero Point Zero | mgoblog



Enjoy!

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Oh, and this wasn't a very B1G night for a certain midwestern conference that black-balled us back in the day. I'm drunk on schadenfreude.

Get rekt, B1GOTS!

 

[RallySonsOfND]

Speed. EVERYWHERE.

We are a MUCH MUCH faster team than 2012.

 

[Booslum31]

This UM fan next to me at the bar was telling me that it was a big recruiting weekend at ND for UM. I thought it was peculiar that schools would have big recruiting days at an opponent's home field. Anyway, who cares? No one who saw that train wreck would sign up tomorrow with UM. Their recruits may want to join the good guys!

Maybe he meant that we are recruiting a few of the same guys who were at the game. How did that work out for them?

 

[BGIF]

Maybe he meant that we are recruiting a few of the same guys who were at the game. How did that work out for them?

There were quite a few there and others there weren't that are in a UM/ND battle.

 

[magogian]

Fuller needs to do hands drills all week. Seriously, lolz.

 

[ThePiombino]

Oh, and this wasn't a very B1G night for a certain midwestern conference that black-balled us back in the day. I'm drunk on schadenfreude.

Get rekt, B1GOTS!

lol Whiskey in rare form!

 

[palinurus]

Zero Point Zero | mgoblog

Enjoy!

Reading the comments, I almost feel sorry for them. But it will pass.

 

[magogian]

Reading the comments, I almost feel sorry for them.

And then you remember, F*** Michigan.

 

[Riddickulous]

Kolin Hill is explosive as shit. We might have gotten a major steal here.

 

[ThePiombino]

Kolin Hill is explosive as shit. We might have gotten a major steal here.

I don't think there's any question about it. Thank God Mack Brown went senile towards the end there...

 

[Cackalacky]

That was the single most satisfying sporting event I have witnessed. Far surpassed even our most thrilling wins of 2012. To humiliate them in the last game we'll hopefully ever play together, snapping their "no shutouts" streak, and injuring their two best players... it's a dream come true.

Kelly's record against UM is 2-3, but we won the two most important games; one propelled us onto a title run, and the other was the last laugh. Savor this one, because as fun as this was for us, it's far more painful for them. And they've got no way to wash this bad taste out of their mouths for the foreseeable future.

Since the series resumed in 1978, we're tied at 15-15-1. A fitting way to end things.

Regarding the game itself, I agree with OMM that UM is a good team, and that ND was just that much better tonight. So I'm not sure how much we should criticize the lack of a running game. UM has one of the stoutest front-7s we're going to see this year, and Mattison is among the best in the business. My guess is that they schemed to take the run away, and hoped that their secondary/ edge rushers could easily handle our passing attack sans Daniels. Probably the best shot they had at beating us, honestly, but unfortunately for them, Fuller and Carlisle had a coming out party tonight.

The drops from Fuller and Prosise were obviously annoying, but Golson wasn't doing them any favors by pitching fast balls all night either. Hopefully LaFleur will work with him on adding some touch to his short-to-mid range passes.

The defense was a revelation. BvG is as good as advertised. Day was in UM's backfield on virtually every play, Jaylon was chasing stuff down from the backside like the "ninja panther" MGOBlah was convinced he isn't yet, and Riggs was all up in Funchess' grill despite a massive disparity in height and strength.

The secondary came up big today. They were communicating so much better, and they all seemed to be making big plays; Farley had an INT and a couple TFLs, Redfield had a huge INT, Shumate had a pick-6, Riggs had an INT, even Luke had some big hits.

The early success of their running game had me worried, but BvG's adjustments shut that down promptly. The DL did a great job of keeping contain on Gardner while also generating pressure. I loved the way the defense seemed to build momentum through-out the game. Toward the end there, where we were showing 7-8 rushers pre-snap, and then having different guys fall back into coverage on every snap... it was a thing of beauty. Diaco's defense was certainly capable of smothering an opponent, but it rarely felt as "in control" and dangerous as what I saw tonight.

Schmidt played a helluva game. Forced Gardner's fumble and, just like against Rice, was almost always in position to make the tackle. Thank God for Joe.

And how about Jones at NT? Held up very well against the run, and made plenty of plays rushing Gardner as well. Collapsed the pocket several times on his own.

Perhaps the single most promising aspect was the play our true freshman on defense. Tranquil, Hill, Cage, Trumbetti, Blankenship, etc. So many of them were 3 recruits who many here doubted (quite reasonably) would be able to play at a high enough level to prevent a major defensive backslide in 2014. Well, this just confirms that our coaching staff are incredibly talented at sniffing out underrated recruits, and that our future is very bright.

Forget 2015. 2014 could be special.

Apologies for the rambling post. I've been celebrating by polishing off a bottle of Maker's Mark 46.

It's a great night to be Irish. Wish I could be sharing with some of you. Cheers!

Hear, hear!

 

[Cackalacky]

Maybe he meant that we are recruiting a few of the same guys who were at the game. How did that work out for them?

Chris Clark be like.... "soooo any chance you guys can be my new favorite team again?"