'12 WA RB Keivarae Russell (Notre Dame Signed LOI)

[Rizzophil]

I was sure he wouldn't go to the NFL but if keeps playing like he did against USC, he will be a second round draft pick and declare.

 

[kmoose]

That interception was very well played.

I don't get why people keep saying this. It's simply not true. Russell was beat on the play, and the ball was underthrown. If Kessler leads his receiver, that's an explosive play for USC. It was a great catch by Russell, but it was not a great play.

 

[wizards8507]

I don't get why people keep saying this. It's simply not true. Russell was beat on the play, and the ball was underthrown. If Kessler leads his receiver, that's an explosive play for USC. It was a great catch by Russell, but it was not a great play.

Still, it's nice that we finally have players who can bail us out with pure athleticism every once in awhile. When was the last time that was true?

 

[CanadalovesND]

I don't get why people keep saying this. It's simply not true. Russell was beat on the play, and the ball was underthrown. If Kessler leads his receiver, that's an explosive play for USC. It was a great catch by Russell, but it was not a great play.

Russell was running stride for stride with JuJu.. he slowed down so he could track the ball and pick it off.

Even as Kessler through the ball, Russell kept JuJu in front of him. Russell was just in great position the whole entire play. Even if Kessler threw the ball 2-3 yards deeper, Russell probably would have still been on the ball to make some sort of play, rather it be a breakup or interception.

 

[kmoose]

Still, it's nice that we finally have players who can bail us out with pure athleticism every once in awhile. When was the last time that was true?

We've had Jaylon Smith for 3 years....and Manti Teo before him. I'm not criticizing Russell. I'm just saying that we shouldn't read too much into an INT caused by a bad throw.

 

[wizards8507]

We've had Jaylon Smith for 3 years....and Manti Teo before him. I'm not criticizing Russell. I'm just saying that we shouldn't read too much into an INT caused by a bad throw.

My point is that we've seen teams like Florida State, Baylor, and Ohio State play BAD football at times and still put teams away with sheer talent. Even if KVR didn't have perfect positioning, the acrobatics of the catch are exciting to have on our side.

 

[kmoose]

My point is that we've seen teams like Florida State, Baylor, and Ohio State play BAD football at times and still put teams away with sheer talent. Even if KVR didn't have perfect positioning, the acrobatics of the catch are exciting to have on our side.

I agree, it was a great catch. And I wasn't criticizing him.

 

[Rhode Irish]

I don't get why people keep saying this. It's simply not true. Russell was beat on the play, and the ball was underthrown. If Kessler leads his receiver, that's an explosive play for USC. It was a great catch by Russell, but it was not a great play.

By this logic, nobody would ever pick off an underthrown ball. My view of the play is that KVR played the ball in the air, which is why he was where he was to make the play. Once the ball is in the air, it doesn't matter who is behind who, it matters who is in position to make the play on it. If the ball was thrown on point, maybe he makes up the ground and makes a play on it, maybe not. But it wasn't, so we'll never know. We know he made the play he needed to make.

 

[BeauBenken]

He made a great play. End of story.

He and Corey finally made the big impacts we expected from them.

 

[Grahambo]

We've reached peak hot take over here.

 

[OCIrish]

He did make a great play, and, I've been critical of him all season long.......however, I felt he's getting his football "legs" back. He's making more plays, and even on the first drive when Juju caught that first long pass, his coverage was pretty good, Kessler just made a perfect throw, and the only way Russell could have played it better were to get his head turned around.

 

[Irish#1]

We've had Jaylon Smith for 3 years....and Manti Teo before him. I'm not criticizing Russell. I'm just saying that we shouldn't read too much into an INT caused by a bad throw.

I was at the game and was focused on JuJu and KVR before the play started. JuJu tried to set up KVR with a move, but KVR didn't bite. It wasn't a bad throw, JuJu would have had it if KVR doesn't make a great play. You could see KVR getting better as the game went on.

 

[CanadalovesND]

His leg tackles have been LIT all season long!

 

[ulukinatme]

Such a big play from Russell. Other than the big play to Juju at the beginning of the game, Russell did pretty well I thought Saturday (Considering he was getting picked on a lot). The INT was absolutely huge, it was a big part of the comeback.

 

[GUknights75]

I don't get why people keep saying this. It's simply not true. Russell was beat on the play, and the ball was underthrown. If Kessler leads his receiver, that's an explosive play for USC. It was a great catch by Russell, but it was not a great play.

What you say is simply not true, re-watch the play. He is stride for stride right next to him and the only reason Juju got a half of a step of separation is because KR was adjusting to make a play on the ball. Idk what you were watching but I bet the coaching staff will use this clip to teach how to cover this route, it was absolutely perfect. I remember you saying in the gameday chat that KVR got burned on that play, just simply moronic to think that.

 

[ulukinatme]

What you say is simply not true, re-watch the play. He is stride for stride right next to him and the only reason Juju got a half of a step of separation is because KR was adjusting to make a play on the ball. Idk what you were watching but I bet the coaching staff will use this clip to teach how to cover this route, it was absolutely perfect. I remember you saying in the gameday chat that KVR got burned on that play, just simply moronic to think that.

Juju is a freak, I'll say that much. Not sure if the cameras showed it, but he was hobbling around the field long before he got picked off on that play. He kept on playing though, tough kid. The fact he was still beating guys throughout the night on a bum ankle...would have loved to have him.

 

[GUknights75]

Sure looks like hes getting burned there...

 

[GUknights75]

Juju is a freak, I'll say that much. Not sure if the cameras showed it, but he was hobbling around the field long before he got picked off on that play. He kept on playing though, tough kid. The fact he was still beating guys throughout the night on a bum ankle...would have loved to have him.

Right he is a great player, I said nothing against his abilities and yeah he burns CBs on the regular. My point is that he didnt burn KVR on that play like kmoose thinks.

 

[ulukinatme]

Right he is a great player, I said nothing against his abilities and yeah he burns CBs on the regular. My point is that he didnt burn KVR on that play like kmoose thinks.

Yeah, I have no comment on that play, other than I'm damn glad KVR picked off that pass. It was just a comment on Juju in general during the game.

 

[GUknights75]

Yeah, I have no comment on that play, other than I'm damn glad KVR picked off that pass. It was just a comment on Juju in general during the game.

Did he hurt his ankle before that play? KVR landed right on it when he was coming down with the ball, that was the first time I saw him hobbling. Not saying he wasn't, I just didnt see it until this play.

 

[BGIF]

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The KVR interception starts at about 2:09. He appears to me to be playing the ball (rare thing for an ND DB to do over the past 2 decades) as he plants a foot and leaps in the air over the receiver before plucking the ball out of the air.

I'd call that a great play and not "getting beat by the receiver".

 

[ulukinatme]

Did he hurt his ankle before that play? KVR landed right on it when he was coming down with the ball, that was the first time I saw him hobbling. Not saying he wasn't, I just didnt see it until this play.

I was behind the USC bench, and while he definitely was hobbling more after that play, he was hobbling most of the night when he was moving around the sideline and coming off the field. No idea if he was banged up coming in to the game, or if he maybe rolled it early, it was just noticeable. Didn't seem to slow him down in any case.

 

[ThePiombino]

ESB got the game ball.

It's cool. GB doesn't really have the authority to hand out game balls anyway.

 

[ThePiombino]

I honestly don't know how anyone could suggest KVR was beat on that play. He was in Juju's hip pocket. What is he supposed to do, run in front of him? He was glue, then made a play on the ball. Possibly the best defended pass of the year by our defense.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

I don't get why people keep saying this. It's simply not true. Russell was beat on the play, and the ball was underthrown. If Kessler leads his receiver, that's an explosive play for USC. It was a great catch by Russell, but it was not a great play.

It was a great play. KVR was never beat.

Kessler may have not put it out far enough to force JuJu to dive but that ball would've almost been caught in stride. JuJu didn't have to hit the breaks and stop.

It was a great play. Probably one of the best plays our secondary has made in the last 5 years or more. I'm serious, it was exceptional coverage and he played the ball over the shoulder over the WR.

D@mn what a great play it was.

 

[JughedJones]

I honestly don't know how anyone could suggest KVR was beat on that play. He was in Juju's hip pocket. What is he supposed to do, run in front of him? He was glue, then made a play on the ball. Possibly the best defended pass of the year by our defense.

can't rep you more.

 

[Te'o4Heisman]

I honestly don't know how anyone could suggest KVR was beat on that play. He was in Juju's hip pocket. What is he supposed to do, run in front of him? He was glue, then made a play on the ball. Possibly the best defended pass of the year by our defense.

Reps. Moose doesn't watch the same game the rest of us do apparently...Russell was toast and Joe Schmidt doesn't miss too many tackles and has good coverage skills in space.

As somebody else mentioned, Russell had good coverage on the big play on the 1st drive too...that was just a good QB and a good WR making a play that you can't really defense...sometimes it happens and you just tip your cap.

 

[kmoose]

Reps. Moose doesn't watch the same game the rest of us do apparently...Russell was toast and Joe Schmidt doesn't miss too many tackles and has good coverage skills in space.

As somebody else mentioned, Russell had good coverage on the big play on the 1st drive too...that was just a good QB and a good WR making a play that you can't really defense...sometimes it happens and you just tip your cap.

I went back and found the play on youtube. It included a wide shot of the field from the snap. Russell's coverage was better than I thought.

 

[Te'o4Heisman]

I went back and found the play on youtube. It included a wide shot of the field from the snap. Russell's coverage was better than I thought.

Cool, I can respect that response. Couldn't for the life of me figure out where you thought he got burned. I thought overall we had tight coverage for the most part of the entire game minus the trick plays and the play where Okwara was 20 yards downfield chasing a WR down..

Also thought it was weird on the WR screen that went for a long touchdown to Jackson that we didn't have anybody lined up over him at all. I get giving him a cushion with his speed, but that was a total formation failure to not have anybody lined up over him within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage.

 

[Irish Insanity]

Owned up to Kelly prior to the USC game that he hasn't been preparing the way he should all season.