Aug 31 | Texas A&M

[Irish#1]

Is he though? Elko is certainly a very good defensive coach, but this is where Elko's defenses ranked in terms of takeaways per game during his 5 seasons:

2023: 108th
2022: 8th
2021: 66th
2020: 68th
2019: 111th

Elko had 1 year where his defense forced a ton of turnovers. The rest, they were either average at doing it or they were among the worst at it. Again, not to take away from him, and I do agree that I think turnovers will likely determine this game. It does bode well that in year 2 under Golden, that ND improved from 103rd in takeaways in 2022 to 11th in 2023.

Elko's defense is more "take away a strength, mix up coverages and let the offense beat themselves"

 

[EvilleIrish]

Line moved to 2.5

 

[IrishTusker]

Line moved to 2.5

Does that mean we're going to lose?!

 

[rtrn2glory]

So we're plus 2.5?

 

[PutuporShutup]

Does that mean we're going to lose?!

Being an away game and freeman not being a great coach yet are why the line is what it is (IMO).

I don't think freeman is very good at game planning X's and O's but now with Golden and Denbrock he does not have to be. We'll see if he can have this team ready to play. There's only a few positions where i'd take the A&M starter over NDs.

Freeman is in the CEO role that I think suits him best, now we'll see what we got.

 

[EvilleIrish]

So we're plus 2.5?

Yes

 

[stlnd01]

Being an away game and freeman not being a great coach yet are why the line is what it is (IMO).

I don't think freeman is very good at game planning X's and O's but now with Golden and Denbrock he does not have to be. We'll see if he can have this team ready to play. There's only a few positions where i'd take the A&M starter over NDs.

Freeman is in the CEO role that I think suits him best, now we'll see what we got.

Is Elko a "great" coach?

 

[GrangerIrish24]

Is Elko a "great" coach?

Raises hand

I have an answer! He lost to Freeman. At home.

 

[Irish#1]

Is Elko a "great" coach?

He's basically in the same spot as MF. DC with a few years as HC. The advantage for ND is that MF is not new to being a HC at ND where Elko is. The nuances of everyone being on the same page and assistants knowing what you want on game day should be a slight advantage for ND.

 

[stlnd01]

He's basically in the same spot as MF. DC with a few years as HC. The advantage for ND is that MF is not new to being a HC at ND where Elko is. The nuances of everyone being on the same page and assistants knowing what you want on game day should be a slight advantage for ND.

Yeah. In my book they're very similar. Which is why I'm not sure why "Freeman not being a great coach yet" would be an advantage for A&M. Elko's not a great coach yet either. They both could be though.

 

[KMac151993]

We will know very early on if this team is for real. If they come out fired up with their hair on fire and act like a Top 10 team they will win soundly...if they come out like has been the norm for a while in a big road atmosphere they will get rolled.

 

[NumbersGuy0520]

Line moved to 2.5

Gross. Don’t love this. But also if I’m Freeman, I’m immediately putting this up on a bulletin board and reminding the players every day that people are already giving them the L.

 

[PutuporShutup]

Is Elko a "great" coach?

I think he's a better developer of defensive players and coach/schemer of X's and O's than freeman

Elko has not proven to be a great coach yet either IMO.

But I wouldn't trade golden/denbrock for any other DC OC combination in college right now

 

[PutuporShutup]

Yeah. In my book they're very similar. Which is why I'm not sure why "Freeman not being a great coach yet" would be an advantage for A&M. Elko's not a great coach yet either. They both could be though.

Because freeman made a lot of bonehead decisions and did not have the team ready to play well on the road last year. We're on the road vs A&M.

I think Elko and Freeman couldn't be more opposite on how they coach and strengths and weaknesses, plus their personalities are extremely different. Their only similarities IMO are they both came up the ranks through defense.

Elko absolutely out coached freeman last year at duke, hartman just completed some crazy plays the last drive to save the day. Freeman also wanted to kick a 50 yarder to win it, then when estime broke free wanted him to fall down to kick a FG to win it. He came back in the next few weeks and admitted his mindset was wrong. Hopefully he's more prepared for how to coach in games on the road this year.

 

[NDVirginia19]

Raises hand

I have an answer! He lost to Freeman. At home.

The vaunted home field environment and insanely talented roster of *checks notes* Duke. I guess they do have a long way to walk for the visitor's locker room...

 

[GrangerIrish24]

The vaunted home field environment and insanely talented roster of *checks notes* Duke. I guess they do have a long way to walk for the visitor's locker room...

First line was its an away game and freeman is not a great coach yet. He went to Duke, coached against Mike Elko, and won.

 

[PutuporShutup]

First line was its an away game and freeman is not a great coach yet. He went to Duke, coached against Mike Elko, and won.

did he really? Being at the game, it seemed like freeman was trying to not lose. Laid an egg at duke and hartman snuck him a win then we laid another egg next week at louisville.

I expect Freeman to be a better coach this year. Getting a top OC sure helps.

My point was programs/formulas etc that make the line see freemans road record/results as a HC and they aren't great.

We had a much bigger talent gap last year going to duke than we will this year going to A&M.

 

[GrangerIrish24]

did he really? Being at the game, it seemed like freeman was trying to not lose

I mean I do drink a lot but I'm pretty sure they beat Duke. A win is a win. In 10 years nobody but probably you and your love of hindsight will remember how they won.

 

[PutuporShutup]

I mean I do drink a lot but I'm pretty sure they beat Duke. A win is a win. In 10 years nobody but probably you and your love of hindsight will remember how they won.

I disagree, a football season isn't march madness "win and move on". We were so unprepared for duke and got out coached, it carried over into the next week and we were somehow even worse.

If we had won like we did vs duke then came out like banshees and beat louisville at their home, completely different narrative for Freeman as a HC. After all that we came out flat as can be vs clemson as well in a great environment despite being a noon game.

I just want to see an ND team prepared to kick butt on all 3 facets of the game at A&M. Only the D and ST have been prepared on the road last 2 years. That doesn’t mean you execute perfectly first game, but you are completely prepared. I think it can happen with our current staff and talent/depth.

 

[Kak7304]

DraftKings has ND +1.

 

[GoldenTate(r)Tots]

I disagree, a football season isn't march madness "win and move on". We were so unprepared for duke and got out coached, it carried over into the next week and we were somehow even worse.

If we had won like we did vs duke then came out like banshees and beat louisville at their home, completely different narrative for Freeman as a HC. After all that we came out flat as can be vs clemson as well in a great environment despite being a noon game.

I just want to see an ND team prepared to kick butt on all 3 facets of the game at A&M. Only the D and ST have been prepared on the road last 2 years. That doesn’t mean you execute perfectly first game, but you are completely prepared. I think it can happen with our current staff and talent/depth.

Remember too, Duke was after the OSU game, so the emotional aspect plays into there (not to mention it was the stretch of primetime night games that really bit ND in the butt with Louisville, on the road). At least we saw Freeman get some of that energy back with USC the week after Louisville before the bye. I get your point though that we need to see more energy and focus or just the "I'm here to beat you down" mentality.

 

[IHateMarkMay]

Vegas just learned that ND fans don't squeeze their nuts enough.

 

[NDohio]

I disagree, a football season isn't march madness "win and move on". We were so unprepared for duke and got out coached, it carried over into the next week and we were somehow even worse.

If we had won like we did vs duke then came out like banshees and beat louisville at their home, completely different narrative for Freeman as a HC. After all that we came out flat as can be vs clemson as well in a great environment despite being a noon game.

I just want to see an ND team prepared to kick butt on all 3 facets of the game at A&M. Only the D and ST have been prepared on the road last 2 years. That doesn’t mean you execute perfectly first game, but you are completely prepared. I think it can happen with our current staff and talent/depth.

Just not the case. The only way ND was unprepared for that game is the lack of receivers going into it. ND gutted out a win with a depleted roster. ND had five different players catch passes in that game. Two of those players were WRs and their receiving total was 56 yards.

ND's defense came to play. Going into that game Leonard had a 68% completion percentage and was averaging 195 passing yards/game. ND shut him down.

 

[Irish#1]

Just not the case. The only way ND was unprepared for that game is the lack of receivers going into it. ND gutted out a win with a depleted roster. ND had five different players catch passes in that game. Two of those players were WRs and their receiving total was 56 yards.

ND's defense came to play. Going into that game Leonard had a 68% completion percentage and was averaging 195 passing yards/game. ND shut him down.

And this was a televised night game on the road, so Duke and it's fans were going to be amped up, like most road environments. It may not have been a pretty win, but to dig deep and pull this one out tells me MF has their attention. A lot of teams would have just folded.

 

[CoachB]

And this was a televised night game on the road, so Duke and it's fans were going to be amped up, like most road environments. It may not have been a pretty win, but to dig deep and pull this one out tells me MF has their attention. A lot of teams would have just folded.

I was about to type this. They were seriously depleted and still found a way to win against a good defense at night on the road.

 

[NumbersGuy0520]

I was about to type this. They were seriously depleted and still found a way to win against a good defense at night on the road.

Yeah. Wasn’t this one of the first games where Rico Flores was our starting WR1 out of necessity?

 

[PutuporShutup]

Just not the case. The only way ND was unprepared for that game is the lack of receivers going into it. ND gutted out a win with a depleted roster. ND had five different players catch passes in that game. Two of those players were WRs and their receiving total was 56 yards.

ND's defense came to play. Going into that game Leonard had a 68% completion percentage and was averaging 195 passing yards/game. ND shut him down.

Except when it mattered. ND D gave up 2 second half touchdowns to almost lose the game despite a miracle from hartman. But yes, the D was ready to play, but did not adjust well in the second half to their overload run game with Leonard. He probably almost rushed for 100 yards.

Yes we were short 2 wrs, but that didn't prevent Tobias from having a 0 catch day despite playing almost every snap. It also didn't prevent us from utilizing staes a lot more. Probably part of why he's no longer with the program. You had a TE that could run faster than some of our WRs but didn't utilize him despite evans getting doubled. In summary, yes we were down 2 WRs, but our offensive game plan was moronic and unprepared.

 

[NorthDakota]

Just not the case. The only way ND was unprepared for that game is the lack of receivers going into it. ND gutted out a win with a depleted roster. ND had five different players catch passes in that game. Two of those players were WRs and their receiving total was 56 yards.

ND's defense came to play. Going into that game Leonard had a 68% completion percentage and was averaging 195 passing yards/game. ND shut him down.

It is had been against Purdue or something they'd have lost by 20 lol. They are usually good for one of those every once in awhile

 

[NumbersGuy0520]

A&M also has the athletes. Consistently hovering around top-10 recruiting classes, and wasn’t their 2022 class best, or maybe top-3, in the country? Sure they’ve had some transfer out, but the point stands.

A good coach (which Elko is) can maximize their talent. Much different than if he were coaching the equivalent of a peewee team in todays CFB landscape.

 

[indianamouse]

A&M also has the athletes. Consistently hovering around top-10 recruiting classes, and wasn’t their 2022 class best, or maybe top-3, in the country? Sure they’ve had some transfer out, but the point stands.

A good coach (which Elko is) can maximize their talent. Much different than if he were coaching the equivalent of a peewee team in todays CFB landscape.

Didn't half that 2022 class transfer?