2016 Blue-Gold Spring Game

[brewdog_14527]

Could we just please nominate Jack Swarbrick for president of the US and get rid of the clowns running? Problem is that he is too damn smart for that!!

 

[Luckylucci]

Chris Finke just roasted our 2 starting safeties

I'm on DVR so behind but that's a bit of an exaggeration. He had step, maybe step and a half on them. Far from roasted

 

[BobbyMac]

Yes Crawford has been looking great sad he is only 5'8.5"

 

[BobbyMac]

Could we just please nominate Jack Swarbrick for president of the US and get rid of the clowns running? Problem is that he is too damn smart for that!!

Post of the day. No italics.

 

[kmoose]

There's not a whole ton you can really take from a team scrimmaging itself. But I didn't see a ton of mental errors that I can remember.

The QBs (Kizer and Zaire) looked much more accurate than in the practice videos, I thought.

If the offensive line comes together like we all hope it will, the running game will be formidable.

If NBCSN can find some way to work Joe Schmidt into a regular halftime/sideline gig, the apoplexy of some on this board will be EPIC!

 

[woolybug25]

I missed it because our dvr didn't record for some reason. Anybody know if the replay is online anywhere?

 

[AvesEvo]

I missed it because our dvr didn't record for some reason. Anybody know if the replay is online anywhere?

I second this.

 

[GATTACA!]

I missed it because our dvr didn't record for some reason. Anybody know if the replay is online anywhere?

It's not up yet, but it should probably be here shortly.

https://www.youtube.com/user/NotreDameAthletics/videos

They've already started uploading some highlights.

 

[koonja]

How did Morgan play?

 

[Irish YJ]

How did Morgan play?

Had more tackles than Joe.

 

[NDohio]

I missed it because our dvr didn't record for some reason. Anybody know if the replay is online anywhere?

I second this.

Ugh. Mine didn't record either.

 

[texbender]

Ugh. Mine didn't record either.

....and then, depression set in.

 

[GrangerIrish24]

Got to go the game. What a beautiful day for football. A few things I noticed.

- The overall speed of the defense looks much improved. Not only physically, but in decision making as well.

- I would be surprised if Kizer is not named the starter. I like Malik a lot, but Kizer appears to check all of the boxes of being a big time QB. We are very blessed when it comes to QB.

- Shaun Crawford is going to be a star. His ability to read and break on plays is something we haven't had in the secondary in a while.

- Although young, the receiving core is deep. There is plenty of athleticism across the board, especially with Alize working at the W. Imagine what it will be like when Demitris gets to campus.

 

[longliveautrydenson]

Two things I noticed:

1. Daniel Cage is still massive, but it looks like a lot of the bad weight has been replaced with muscle. He swallowed EQ and popped back up like a LB, not a 300+ lbs. NT. Excited to see more of him this fall.

2. Our corners got challenged deep a lot today, and for the most part they held up well. Even on Hunter's circus catch Crawford was right there with him. If everyone is healthy, I think that's really going to be a position of strength this year.

 

[nsisk157]

Wimbush get any run?

 

[DomeX2 eNVy]

I need to re-watch and focus on different things, but a couple of off-the-radar things I noticed:
* How about we start out with a heavy dose of 'student body left'? While today was all about QB's and passing, the couple of "white team" (per the announcer, I guess he didn't know it was the Blue GOLD game) runs to the left were wide open lanes down field. I can see that happening a lot early in games. When teams over play to the left, hit them with counters to Finke or Sanders or Hunter or Lou Holtz or anyone not on crutches. I will also open up read options and the passing game deep.
* I hope to see Justin Brent in on some passing downs running the boundary. That come back catch was not what you expect to see from a RB - his training at WR definitely kicked in. He had some nice runs too. We will have 4 strong RB options.
* Speaking of Brent, did anyone else notice the goal line hit Fertitta put on him. While I don't want to see Nicco out there in coverage, I wouldn't mind seeing him come in on short yardage situations. I heard about the helmet popping hit he put on Holmes? earlier in spring, but never saw it. If he can do that (even though this one was assisted) and bend bigger backs backwards, it can't be worse than anything else we have in those situations at S.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Did anyone find the guy doing color to be horrible?


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[JD Irish]

Did anyone find the guy doing color to be horrible?


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Are you serious? Ross Tucker was excellent. He is a great football mind with a degree from Princeton and a lot of NFL playing experience, and he obviously did a lot of preparation in anticipation of the game and took his job seriously. He just needs more experience in this type of setting.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Are you serious? Ross Tucker was excellent. He is a great football mind with a degree from Princeton and a lot of NFL playing experience, and he obviously did a lot of preparation in anticipation of the game and took his job seriously. He just needs more experience in this type of setting.

Dead serious. I found him very bla. Also thought he made a lot of mistakes regarding the team and players on the team. One that sticks out is that he stated they moved Trumbetti to the rush end position. Which obviously is the position he always played.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Two things I noticed:

1. Daniel Cage is still massive, but it looks like a lot of the bad weight has been replaced with muscle. He swallowed EQ and popped back up like a LB, not a 300+ lbs. NT. Excited to see more of him this fall.

2. Our corners got challenged deep a lot today, and for the most part they held up well. Even on Hunter's circus catch Crawford was right there with him. If everyone is healthy, I think that's really going to be a position of strength this year.

I have to re watch, but I believe it was Coleman on the coverage on Hunters big catch.

 

[longliveautrydenson]

I have to re watch, but I believe it was Coleman on the coverage on Hunters big catch.

You're right, meant to say Coleman. That's part of the reason why I was excited, Crawford has received a lot of praise this offseason but Coleman sounds like he's been Todd Lyght's whipping boy at times. If Coleman can step up his game, it'll be the deepest we've been at CB maybe since Todd Lyght was playing, or at the very least the Walton-Duff era.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

I actually thought Butler had good coverage all day also.


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[Irish_I_HadHair]

Two things I noticed:

1. Daniel Cage is still massive, but it looks like a lot of the bad weight has been replaced with muscle. He swallowed EQ and popped back up like a LB, not a 300+ lbs. NT. Excited to see more of him this fall.

I thought the majority of the D-linemen were carrying a lot of bad weight. That may just be their training to add mass through spring practice and then trim these guys up in the summer.

 

[longliveautrydenson]

I actually thought Butler had good coverage all day also.


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I thought so too. I just feel like I've seen enough of him to be skeptical that he's capable of being a starting CB in BVG's scheme. Its a shame because he's got some size and could've done well under Diaco.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Kizer is working the whole field so far, Zaire too reliant on the deep ball.

Stepherson is the truth.

Folston better get healthy quick, because Williams looks good.

Alize is gonna be a monster, wish he had more targets.

Crawford looks awesome, even in the green jersey.

Starting front four have been getting pressure on Malik, which is a pretty good sign against half a starting o-line.

Interior DL's ability to stop the run has been surprising

Had a shit attitude the minute he arrived on campus. What a waste of potential.

Bogs... I wouldn't be surprised if what we're going for is a more stout DL against the run (our run defense was our biggest issue last year) that then tries to employ a different group of players for passing downs and/or use linebackers and safety blitzes for pressure. Specifically, Rochelle-Cage-Jones-Jay Hayes is going to be pretty hard to move off the ball... and then you could run Daelin Hayes-Rochelle-Jones-Trumbetti on 3rd and passing down (assuming you can sub).

I'm hopeful that a scheme tweak is getting the starting DL to really stuff the run, and that the staff will end up being more willing to use straightforward linebacker blitzes from all three positions (as well as Tranquill or whatever DBs are in for Dime/Nickel) because they won't be worried about getting gashed in the run game. I thought they really tried to protect Schmidt last year and accordingly didn't do nearly enough with the WILL position.

Is Tillery not in this discussion?

I am bringing half of these posts over to the Spring Game from Blankenship.

I thought today's preview of Hayes - Jones - Tillery - Rochell, with Cage (on the gold team) included was pretty complete. They were stout.

And they were assignment correct all day, and quicker, with better lateral agility than I have seen out of an ND defensive line in a long time. Hayes at 280 is quicker than a hiccup. He clawed his way to the outside to maintain contain against some pretty fast ball players.

AND I DID THINK WE SAW ONE THING THAT WILL BE A THEME THIS FALL : put four guys that stout up front, and sick a speed rusher from points unknown against the quarterback. They did that with Crawford, Studstill, Tranquil, and someone else, against Zaire after he got it together, and it really undid him.

Morgan was an animal, and a big part of the reason that Malik started off so slowly.

Finally, I think we have totally put to bed Sharpley's sourced comments derogatory to the defense. There was great defensive play all over the field, and from every position. And no one seemed to have any kind of noticeable inconsistencies.

I am not sure I have seen better defensive line play in a spring game. And I am sure I have never seen a better spring game. It was a great success, just from the fact that it really simulated a real game so closely.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

I agree. Really well coached team out in the field today. Played very good assignment football. Just a clean game.


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[irishfan]

I keep feeling like Zaire should be the starter come Fall, but it's tough to argue Zaire>Kizer based on production and today didn't really help either.

 

[BobbyMac]

I keep feeling like Zaire should be the starter come Fall, but it's tough to argue Zaire>Kizer based on production and today didn't really help either.

I'm the biggest Malik fan here but he's a solid second after today. His one drive though? That was Heisman worthy. Just have to have 4 of those a game.

He's gonna have to push it on the field, go for broke... and stay on top of his locker room lead to win. I'll never count him out but like I said above, he's going to be the back up tonight.

 

[KPENN]

Speak to me in August about the QB battle. Coming off injury it seems crazy to expect him to be as sharp as Kizer.

 

[Irish YJ]

Lots of good stuff today, but it was vanilla, and us against us. I think we can all agree though, we'll see a frosh WR get some PT. Long way to go before Texas. Bring'em on.

PS... please sweet baby Jesus, no injuries.