[November 11, 2006] #9 Notre Dame (8-1) at Air Force (4-4)

[Clausen2Kamara]

THanks Svoboda

 

[BGIF]

Here's the Link to the AF Game Thread:

http://www.irishenvy.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14698

 

[Irish Envy]

Air Force can soar against top teams

Air Force can soar against top teams

For a quick refresher on defending the option they'll see Saturday at Air Force, the ninth-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish could look back on their thumping of Navy two weeks ago.
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Link To Original Article

 

[ChiND]

To be honest, Navy scared me more than AF. We shall see tomorrow (I will have to finally visit Victory Liquors to see the game...UGGGHHHHH). Elbows to assholes...I am too old for this.

 

[ACamp1900]

To be honest, Navy scared me more than AF. We shall see tomorrow (I will have to finally visit Victory Liquors to see the game...UGGGHHHHH). Elbows to assholes...I am too old for this.

Oh damint/... what film is that from??? Aliens?? help me out... this one could bother me...

 

[ChiND]

All original...went to too many Midwest State school parties in my past! You may now go to sleep young Skywalker!!

 

[Freeman Ara]

Blah Blah Blah. I dont care what that old fart that coaches Air Force says. Notre Dame will DESTROY them. Not even going to be close.

I don't think we have a defense that can keep an opponent out of the end zone enough to have a win where we DESTROY somone. Navy game was tight til right before half, UNC game was tight til Zibby had the run back, even our blow out wins you just never got the feeling the other team was out of it til mid way through the fourth quarter or later. AF runs a similar style offense as Navy but I believe they actually have the threat of the pass. Considering we struggled early against Navy and I can't remember the last game where the DB's actually covered somebody, this could be close. Now if we win against AF and Army the academies do have to give us the Commander-in-Chiefs Trophy right?

 

[Clotho]

question for a certain contingent

question for a certain contingent

At every Irish board, before every game, there are many posters trembling with fear about the upcoming match-up, regardless of who it's with. The worse the team, the worse the opposing athletes, the more they tremble.

Now.

Charlie Weis is 17-4 as Notre Dame's head coach. The losses have been to Michigan, Ohio State, Michigan State, and USC. Those are four major conference schools, three of whom are perennial powers, the fourth an always legitimate team (for the first month) with legitimate talent. Of the 17 wins, the only close contests have been against Michigan, Stanford, Georgia Tech, Michigan State and UCLA. All of whom are in legitimate conferences, and none of whom (at the time they played us close) were bottom feeders in those conferences.

So what is the deal with "Navy/Air Force/Army/Syracuse/BYU/UNC" really scares me? This happens week-in week-out, as if people are willingly choosing to ignore everything that's happened the past two seasons since Weis took over. Are you just psyching yourselves up in some weird way, Lou Holtz fashion? If so, couldn't you do it privately?

More likely, you really believe it. You really think an Air Force or an Army is going to upset a Brady Quinn-led, Charlie Weis-coached football team. And all I can make of that is that you've got some sort of post-traumatic stress disorder from the Willingham era. Well, that era is over. Way, way over. Air Force should not scare you. BYU, even if we played them this year, should not scare you. This team will never lose to teams like that again, not even in our "rebuilding" years. Not while Weis is coach. So relax, and enjoy the game later today.

Irish by 31.

 

[BGIF]

I don't think we have a defense that can keep an opponent out of the end zone enough to have a win where we DESTROY somone.

Yeah, ND 41 PSU 17 was a squeaker wasn't it.

Navy game was tight til right before half, UNC game was tight til Zibby had the run back, even our blow out wins you just never got the feeling the other team was out of it til mid way through the fourth quarter or later.

So which is it "halftime" or "mid way through the fourth quarter or later"? ND had a 18 point lead against UNC (31-13, 2nd Q) and you actually thought the game was in doubt?

AF runs a similar style offense as Navy but I believe they actually have the threat of the pass. Considering we struggled early against Navy and I can't remember the last game where the DB's actually covered somebody, this could be close.

AF has thrown 76 passes on 8 games or 9.5 attempts/game. Navy has thrown 81 passes in 9 games or 9 attempts/game. AF averages 13.4 yd/completion; Navy 13.2. AF is ranked 118th; Navy 119th. AF had a passing threat last year. The receivers graduated.

ND struggled against the NCAA leading Navy RUSH in the first half then shut them down entirely. Navy was 4-7 passing for 43 yds and was sacked 4 times. So Navy had 4 completions on 11 pass plays. I'd say the DBs actually covered. ND was a 10 point favorite and was up 24-10 in the 2nd Q. ND never punted. Did you watch the game?

Now if we win against AF and Army the academies do have to give us the Commander-in-Chiefs Trophy right?

Will ND get 2nd place in the Big 10 for only having one conference loss?

Will ND get the ACC Championship - undefeated, knocked off the leader?

IF ND beats USC for a 3-0 PAC-10 record do they get the PAC-10 Championship as well?

 

[Stealingshrimp]

"All of whom are in legitimate conferences, and none of whom (at the time they played us close) were bottom feeders in those conferences."
Stanford wasn't exactly a somebody in the pac10 last year.

I there are two subgroups of worriers. There are some, who just like to worry. Casting doubt on the upcoming game makes it easier to accept a loss, and makes winning in a sadistic way a tad more exciting/rewarding.

Then there are those, at least I believe, who worry because they have found reason to worry. If you look at a team like Ohio State, and you see them playing a "Stanford, UCLA, Georgia Tech, etc " team you KNOW the outcome. Even if they were to play their worst game of the year, and the other team plays lights out - they will come out with a win. I don't believe you can say that about us, yet. While it is very likely we will come out ahead, the inconsistency we have shown on both sides of the ball this year can do nothing for a somewhat objective fan but cause him/her to worry.

Our offense supposedly lead by the greatest offensive mind in football, Heisman Top3 QB, all American receiver and potential all American tight end, another receiver that could go first round in the NFL - is only doing what you'd expect any team to do against the stout defenses of UNC,Navy,Stanford .. etc. Against more formidable defenses, Michigan, GT - we... well.. aren't that good. So, a discrepancy in the supposed playing level of players and how they are performing , coupled with close games to teams we outmatch skill wise, oh also preseason hype that wasn't met - all seem to be legitimate causes to worry.

 

[Clotho]

Stanford wasn't great last year, but you're confusing last year's team with this year's horrible team. Last year's was mediocre to bad, and if they'd beat us, would have gone bowling.

And those games you mention aren't the games I'm talking about. I'm talking about the games vs non-BCS schools, and real bottom feeders (this year's Stanford and UNC, last year's Syracuse). Those are, for this team, automatic wins. They're not even competitve games since Weis took over. Yet people on every board, every one of these games, post the weirdest worrying threads, trying to worry their fellow fans needlessly. I just think they should quit doing it. Being a fan is supposed to be fun, and posting about how scared you are of Air Force does not make fandom fun.

That said thanks for an unusually thoughtful post (on what has become an increasingly thoughtless board).

 

[Stealingshrimp]

No, I'm talking about the Stanford team last year that lost to UC davis.
also, MSU last year 5-6 (2-6) (one of those wins is against us)
also, UCLA now is 4-5 - with there only conference wins over arizona/stanford

 

[Clotho]

Ah, then I might have given you too much credit. If you're comparing MSU last year (who after beating us was highly ranked, and who should have beaten OSU a couple weeks later but for a botched play on special teams) to this year's Air Force squad that is barely better than break even in the mighty Mountain West , you're just lost.

As for UCLA this year and Stanford last year- we beat them. Why would close wins against mediocre (but still much better better than Air Force- Pitt lost to Ohio last year, but that doesn't mean they were bad, just that they were a talented team that wasn't particularly good, and could, if the stars aligned, have a horrible loss) teams convince you that the Charlie Weis-led Irish are prone to bad losses? Or that losses to bad teams are even possible?

USC was #1 when they beat us. Michigan State, two weeks after beating us, was in the top 15- they fell like a stone after they blew the OSU game, but to suggest they were anything but a really good team when they beat us is disingenuous. Ohio State was #3 or so when they beat us, and probably the best team in the country. Michigan beat us this year and has been comfortable at #2 most of the year.

And that's it. Not a single loss to a bad team. Fans of opposing schools will point to the MSU game, but that team was top 10, top 5 in the country, in terms of how they were playing, before a botched field goal vs Ohio State.

The Irish don't lose to bad teams anymore. And teams from non-BCS conferences do not even offer competitive games.

 

[tedwick]

well, any team can win on any given day. so there's one thing.

However, I'm specifically worried about AF because they run the triple option, they played ND hard last time the two teams played, and they almost beat TN. It came down to AF risking a two point conversion rather than kick a field goal. And I'd say ND is just about as good as TN. So that's why I'm worried. I don't think ND will lose. But AF could give us a scare, just as they did TN.

 

[TexasDomer]

I worry because no team should take ANY game for granted. Watch CW's press conferences, and you see a man who finds risk in every game, who knows that any team could be any other team on any given day if he doesn't do his job preparing the team and the team doesn't do its job executing the gameplan.

It is possible that we lose to AF today. It may not be likely, but it is possible. Any one of a number of factors could cause that--turnovers, the weather, injuries, penalties, blown coverages, etc. That possibility should be enough for none of us to just assume ND will win. Pride cometh before the fall. Those who urge caution have seen enough upsets over the years (that ND has been on both sides of) to know that this team could win--or lose--just about every game it plays.

 

[Irish Envy]

Merged some other topics being discussed about Air Force into this one so we could get this show rolling!

Is it gametime yet?

 

[NDAlumSon]

I was worried I might have to go to a bar and drink today, but CSTV's free preview is on the Direct TV being beamed into my house.
My own beer tastes much better than bar beer anyway.

 

[Irish Envy]

Cheaper, too!

 

[tommy]

thank you sir ..... do you guys think air force also has an advantage in that they arent ranked there for the game has little to no hype or do you think that helps us . i e no flag planting hype or big rival game . and what is your guys take on jolly green feet and what effect it will have good or bad .?

 

[BGIF]

thank you sir ..... do you guys think air force also has an advantage in that they arent ranked there for the game has little to no hype or do you think that helps us . i e no flag planting hype or big rival game . and what is your guys take on jolly green feet and what effect it will have good or bad .?

It's a bowl game for AF. It's a key to the BCS for ND.

Jolly Green is one of their's and one of our's own.


AF will play tough but ND has faced the option before. Charlie said part of the early problem with Navy was that in practice ND (scout team) couldn't simulate the speed of Navy's option. That was part of the adjustment during the game as the defense acclimated. ND's now had a full game against the option and another week of practice to tweak the defense.

Abiamiri, Landri, and Laws will have the same kind of day they had against Navy. I was concerned about altitude wearing them down but Charlie has stressed altitude is not a factor. I'll defer.

AF has no answer for Carlson, Samardzija, and McKnight. Quinn has to have a UM game to put AF in position to win. He may have a turnover but he won't have 4 turnovers.

The ND OLine will win the battle in the trenches as they did with Navy. AF has one decent sized DL. AF will fight and they may not be "outmanned" but they are "outgunned".

 

[tommy]

yea i seen where he said when he was in new england they would go 2 days early to denver and always lose . said it kicks in after 48 hours

 

[tommy]

here we go boys yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

 

[Irish Envy]

Man, I can't stand not having HD!

 

[tommy]

yea i hear that

 

[Irish Envy]

Also, I've noticed in watching CSTV throughout the day they have a TON of commericals.

 

[tommy]

oh baby

 

[Irish Envy]

Wow. 2 plays... TOUCHDOWN!

 

[Irish Envy]

Quinn 2-2 for 80 yards, 1 TD.
Samardzija 2 receptions for 80 yards, 1 TD.

Let's Go Defense!

 

[tommy]

well the shark has 80 already

 

[LuckoftheIrish86]

great start!