Stanford postgame and post-2023 regular reason thread

[IA4irish]

Thought I’d start the postgame thread but include a place to comment on the 2023 season as a whole.

Glad the boys picked things up and beat a poor Stanford team handedly. Don’t have a ton to say about the game.

In regards to the 2023 season, this will be remembered for me as a huge “what could’ve been” season. The team will look way different in 9 months. I think there will be a ton of player and coach turnover this off season

 

[MacIrish75]

Excuse me sir, the real postgame is already taking place in the “Cancel your FUBO” thread.

 

[notredomer23]

I was driving during most of the game and every chance I got to look at the stream, ND was either turning it over or Audric Estime was scoring. Think that probably about sums up the game and I don’t need to do a thorough rewatch?

 

[Crazy Balki]

Ultimately, can't lie and say this season is anything but a disappointment.

ND played 6 teams with a winning record, and went 3-3 against them.

1-2 against the "Big Three" and of the Big Three, two of them ended up 7-5 and 8-4 respectively. This was a very beatable schedule and you still ended up with three losses? Unacceptable.

Freeman needs to get his ass in gear and turn things around.

 

[IrishLax]

1. Stanford was one of the worst Power 5 teams I've ever seen. It's dumb that we made so many mistakes but I don't think we ever had to punt with the starters in.

2. ND hit the "over" on 8.5 wins for the season. Some teams were better than expected, others worse... but man, ND's schedule was kinda dumb and that stretch of 8 games with no bye I think really cost them. With a better designed passing game and a couple breaks ND probably could've gotten to 12-0 or 11-1. Price of independence or just a poor job by Swarbrick? Compare it to someone like Michigan who didn't play a legitimate team until Week 10 or Iowa who played one ranked team all year.

 

[Sea Turtle]

Seal clubbed Stanford. Good.

The season was disappointing but slightly better than last year at 9-3. 10-2 next year would be a nice trajectory.

 

[Redbar]

Angeli also threw a pick on his first play, so that was fun, too.

I thought Freeman threw that one

 

[Sea Turtle]

1. Stanford was one of the worst Power 5 teams I've ever seen. It's dumb that we made so many mistakes but I don't think we ever had to punt with the starters in.

2. ND hit the "over" on 8.5 wins for the season. Some teams were better than expected, others worse... but man, ND's schedule was kinda dumb and that stretch of 8 games with no bye I think really cost them. With a better designed passing game and a couple breaks ND probably could've gotten to 12-0 or 11-1. Price of independence or just a poor job by Swarbrick? Compare it to someone like Michigan who didn't play a legitimate team until Week 10 or Iowa who played one ranked team all year.

It seems to have worked out for them.

 

[stpeteirish]

I was driving during most of the game and every chance I got to look at the stream, ND was either turning it over or Audric Estime was scoring. Think that probably about sums up the game and I don’t need to do a thorough rewatch?

Thats about it. To be honest except for Estime we really didn't play that well. But Stanford is awful. Really bad on defense.
It was telling how poorly our other backs peformed vs what Estime did.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

Season was a disappointment but not a failure. At the end of the day, ND may have one win over a ranked team as NCST is up by 19 in the 4Q over UNC.

ND has 3 losses. I think we all thought the OSU loss was the worst of it but that was before we knew Clemson sucked & ND would shit the bed vs a mid-UL team.

 

[Riddickulous]

Big "what if?" year.

 

[stlnd01]

1. Stanford was one of the worst Power 5 teams I've ever seen. It's dumb that we made so many mistakes but I don't think we ever had to punt with the starters in.

2. ND hit the "over" on 8.5 wins for the season. Some teams were better than expected, others worse... but man, ND's schedule was kinda dumb and that stretch of 8 games with no bye I think really cost them. With a better designed passing game and a couple breaks ND probably could've gotten to 12-0 or 11-1. Price of independence or just a poor job by Swarbrick? Compare it to someone like Michigan who didn't play a legitimate team until Week 10 or Iowa who played one ranked team all year.

Stanford was completely useless in the trenches on both sides of the ball. What the hell happened to that program? (I know, I know. But still. Considering what they were, not so long ago...)

Agree completely on the scheduling. We were running on fumes against Louisville and that loss basically ended things. And of course you saw the last two games what our offense could look like with a more aggressive passing game, which beats Clemson. Frustrating.

But also this team had a lot of good things. Like a great, fun, defense with dudes like JJB and Watts who played better than you could hope for. And leaders on the offense like Estime and Hartman who - even if Hartman didn't quite meet the hype on the field - are absolutely the sort of guys you want to root for.

"What if," for sure. But I've sat through way too many shitty seasons to get too upset about a season like this one. Hope we draw a decent bowl matchup and go win it.

 

[PutuporShutup]

Season was a disappointment but not a failure. At the end of the day, ND may have one win over a ranked team as NCST is up by 19 in the 4Q over UNC.

ND has 3 losses. I think we all thought the OSU loss was the worst of it but that was before we knew Clemson sucked & ND would shit the bed vs a mid-UL team.

Agree; somehow bowl game is important for us to show progress under freeman

 

[IRISHDODGER]

 

[T-Boone]

The highlight of the year was USC and Williams being trash.

 

[Valpodoc85]

Freeman is a work in progress. It does not look like it comes easy for him. Certainly feel he could use a better supporting staff. The off season will be telling. What’s the situation with S and C? Parker looks better on paper than in person. Team really needs an identity going into ‘24

 

[IA4irish]

Hate to say it but Kelly goes at worst 11-1 against this schedule. The teams nd played were not good. Ohio state, clemson, and usc were down this year. Louisville played fine, but nd turned the ball over left and right. The defense was a real bright spot. The offense has to improve if we are going to make the playoffs

 

[MacIrish75]

Hate to say it but Kelly goes at worst 11-1 against this schedule. The teams nd played were not good. Ohio state, clemson, and usc were down this year. Louisville played fine, but nd turned the ball over left and right. The defense was a real bright spot. The offense has to improve if we are going to make the playoffs

Kelly probably loses one of the night games and one of the “Big 3.” I don’t think a Kelly team would’ve handled Louisville any better than Freeman did. Hell we’ve seen Kelly teams do exactly what we did in that game.

10-2. Experience buys you one more win, IMO.

 

[Sea Turtle]

Parker being gone is my Super Bowl atp

The thing is, Parker knows more about football than all of us combined. Al of these guys do. It's about fit.

He's still pretty young. Hopefully, if he returns, he'll have a definite offensive direction to go in, gets serious work with other offensive coaches somewhere and installs something lethal.

 

[Crazy Balki]

Hate to say it but Kelly goes at worst 11-1 against this schedule. The teams nd played were not good. Ohio state, clemson, and usc were down this year. Louisville played fine, but nd turned the ball over left and right. The defense was a real bright spot. The offense has to improve if we are going to make the playoffs

Even in Kelly's run from 2017-21, this was his run against 8+ win teams:

2017: 3-3
Won: 10-3 Michigan State (38-18), 9-4 NC State (35-14), 8-5 Wake (48-37)
Lost: 13-2 Georgia (19-20), 10-3 Miami (8-41), 9-5 Stanford (20-38)

2018: 3-1
Won: 10-3 Michigan (24-17), 9-5 Northwestern (24-14), 10-3 Syracuse (36-3)
Lost: 15-0 Clemson (3-30)

2019: 2-2
Won: 8-5 Louisville (35-17), 9-5 Virginia (35-20)
Lost: 12-2 Georgia (17-23), 9-4 Michigan (14-45)

2020: 2-2
Won: 10-2 Clemson (47-40), 8-4 North Carolina (31-17)
Lost: 10-2 Clemson (10-34), 13-0 Alabama (14-31)

2021: 2-1
Won: 9-4 Purdue (27-13), 9-4 Wisconsin (41-13)
Lost: 13-1 Cincinnati (13-24)

12-9 against 8+ win foes. And this is with more talented rosters that had quality WR play and not being forced to play former lacrosse players.

 

[dublinirish]

The highlight of the year was USC and Williams being trash.

Turned out to be a hollow victory considering their end to their season


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[stlnd01]

Turned out to be a hollow victory considering their end to their season


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It didn't at all feel like a hollow victory that night, which is really all that matters in this sport. It's not our fault we broke them. You take (and enjoy) the big wins that you get, and that was one.

 

[Reaper97]

Even in Kelly's run from 2017-21, this was his run against 8+ win teams:

2017: 3-3
Won: 10-3 Michigan State (38-18), 9-4 NC State (35-14), 8-5 Wake (48-37)
Lost: 13-2 Georgia (19-20), 10-3 Miami (8-41), 9-5 Stanford (20-38)

2018: 3-1
Won: 10-3 Michigan (24-17), 9-5 Northwestern (24-14), 10-3 Syracuse (36-3)
Lost: 15-0 Clemson (3-30)

2019: 2-2
Won: 8-5 Louisville (35-17), 9-5 Virginia (35-20)
Lost: 12-2 Georgia (17-23), 9-4 Michigan (14-45)

2020: 2-2
Won: 10-2 Clemson (47-40), 8-4 North Carolina (31-17)
Lost: 10-2 Clemson (10-34), 13-0 Alabama (14-31)

2021: 2-1
Won: 9-4 Purdue (27-13), 9-4 Wisconsin (41-13)
Lost: 13-1 Cincinnati (13-24)

12-9 against 8+ win foes. And this is with more talented rosters that had quality WR play and not being forced to play former lacrosse players.

Are you changing your criteria each year?
For example, in 2017, ND beat LSU, who was a 8+ win team.
And you have Clemson, Clemson, Alabama, all CCG or CFP games.
Can’t knock BK for losing to two historic teams (2018 Clemson & 2020 Bama) in the CFP, when you have to get there in the first place.
Who cares if Freeman beats an 8+ win team in the Pop Tarts Bowl.
That’s not better than losing to the Undefeated National Title winner in the CFP.

 

[NDShark]

9 and 3, let's get to 10 wins and build Mo for next season. Come on, Marcus!!!

 

[Blazers46]

Hartman was a disappointment.

Receiving room was/is forgettable but they were so bad I can’t and won’t forget how a lacrosse player could have been their best WR.

Defense missed tackles but overall played great. A more competent offense would have helped the Defense a little more and that could have went a long ways.

If Freeman is your guy and you are okay with learning on the fly… you can’t have assistants with a history of failure failing at what they fail at best. West Virginia at least had the balls to demote Parker.

Recruiting and portal, fill the holes.

If ND is playing on the PAC-12 network or similar to end next season Freeman needs to go.

Hunger Games Songbird and Snakes was okay… watched that instead of the game.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

Are you changing your criteria each year?
For example, in 2017, ND beat LSU, who was a 8+ win team.
And you have Clemson, Clemson, Alabama, all CCG or CFP games.
Can’t knock BK for losing to two historic teams (2018 Clemson & 2020 Bama) in the CFP, when you have to get there in the first place.
Who cares if Freeman beats an 8+ win team in the Pop Tarts Bowl.
That’s not better than losing to the Undefeated National Title winner in the CFP.

What about the “no show“ games where ND was humiliated in prime time: 2012 BCS NC, 2013 to OU at home, 2014 at ASU, 2014 at SC, 2016 entire season, 2017 at Miami, 2018 vs Clemson, 2019 at Michigan, 2020 ACC CG, 2020 CFP vs Bama, 2021 double digit loss to Cincy at home?!?

I can live w/ CFP losses but ND couldn’t even compete which continued to fuel the fire that ND doesn’t show up when it counts.

 

[ulukinatme]

Championship is so damn winnable this season, especially with this defense. Horrible time to roll the dice on an unproven OC, especially when Estime and Hartman were leading this offense.

 

[IrishBoognish]

Hartman was indeed a disappointment, but I had fun rooting for him. Super solid guy who's really easy to like. I wish he could have been even 25% more of what he was on the field. That beats OSU and all this would be different. Really a bummer, I wanted him to be a legend so bad, his whole vibe deserves it. He's going to be a success at something in life.


I still have all the faith in CMF but I'll admit that could change even before next season starts. He needs to handle the staffing issues and put ND on a palatable upward trajectory. Parker was a disaster. We need a home run OC and an honest to God #1 boundary WR. He has to get both before fall or his seat gets warm/hot, whether it's his fault or the admin.

Sad to see Audric go but he needs to.

I really hope Golden sticks with us and a couple of the big boys on D decide to give it one more go.

That being said about Golden, I don't think we give MF enough credit for the quality of this defense. His fingerprints are all over it. If Golden goes, I don't think it will be as precipitous a drop as most seem to think.

Please get us a hot shit OC.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Are you changing your criteria each year?
For example, in 2017, ND beat LSU, who was a 8+ win team.
And you have Clemson, Clemson, Alabama, all CCG or CFP games.
Can’t knock BK for losing to two historic teams (2018 Clemson & 2020 Bama) in the CFP, when you have to get there in the first place.
Who cares if Freeman beats an 8+ win team in the Pop Tarts Bowl.
That’s not better than losing to the Undefeated National Title winner in the CFP.

What a compelling endorsement:

Here lies Brian Kelly, the man who won multiple Pop Tart Bowls, BUT also got choke slammed in a few playoff games.


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[T-Boone]

Turned out to be a hollow victory considering their end to their season


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We ruined them though, that’s what jail sexing does.