Marcus Freeman Revisited

[Lucky Mammal]

I keep hearing this but it's not true. We're basically the same as the entire Kelly regime. Strong in some areas and weak in others.

The defensive rooms are much deeper. Sure, Kelly had decent first string players, but no depth. There were always holes.
OL is on par, but they are young. Not the top end, but I think all 5 will play in the NFL. It doesn’t help that they lost 2 OT’s a year early.
The RB room is loaded
I think the WR is good. I was at the game on Sat. They were open. Collins beat his guy constantly, but RL didn’t see it. Every time they pressed Collins, he clearly beat the DB.
TE group is strong & deep. Never a problem at ND
QB’s have been terrible. Thank Kelly & Rees for that. The room is good and better than it ever have been, but young. I believe SA is the answer for THIS team, but I’m not at practice.

If MF didn’t have to recruit against the NIL paying incoming freshman, his classes would be better too. Kelly was lazy. Not saying Kelly can’t coach, but he was an ass & didn’t recruit at this level.

 

[Kingbish01]

I never said this was on paper a better roster than Bama Georgia or OSU. Ultimately the most important thing is the number of future NFL players starting for your team, ND has a lot and should be good enough to handle NIU. It's a coaching issue....

I saw the screenshot and I don't think the roster is even close to Texas either maybe even Oklahoma.

 

[NDRock]

I never said this was on paper a better roster than Bama Georgia or OSU. Ultimately the most important thing is the number of future NFL players starting for your team, ND has a lot and should be good enough to handle NIU. It's a coaching issue....

Didn’t say you did. We’re just still in the same spot we were with Kelly, trying to get to that elite level. I just don’t see us any closer from a talent standpoint, you obviously do. I hope you’re right.

 

[Kingbish01]

Didn’t say you did. We’re just still in the same spot we were with Kelly, trying to get to that elite level. I just don’t see us any closer from a talent standpoint, you obviously do. I hope you’re right.

This is exactly where I'm at. It feels the same with maybe a little more "swagger" I know I know...Just got bullied by NIU.

 

[JoeyGetherall]

At this point I’m just in the depressed phase.. I still can’t believe we dropped this game. It doesn’t seem real.

Not sure what the program needs anymore. We’re never going to be a football factory like Georgia, Bama, Ohio St.. Accepting that is clearly tough for us lol

We won't ever be, but we should be able to do what UofM, OU, FSU and Aubrun have done in the last 35 years, which is dominant one season and win a national championship. When Lou left I thought we'v bee on the every 10-15 year rotation, 30 years later we're still waiting.

 

[NDisme]

Much like when we play Navy, you win these games on offense. Getting a big lead and making them one dimensional is what you’re supposed to do against a MAC team.

Totally agree, shouldnt have put the defense in these spots. Offense definitely shoulder 95% of the blame

 

[NDisme]

I was traveling all weekend and watched the game on a plane. I 100% remember this MF commentary to sideline reporter and asking myself WTF is that? This is not a good omen 😢 Just bizarre. Marcus Freeman's Riley Leonard comments spark controversy

Did any reporter ask him about that?

 

[RDU Irish]

We lose another game and there is zero reason to even keep Riley Leonard on the team. Sorry - that's what you get with NIL.

 

[Irish#1]

Coaching issue, not a roster issue. We also physically dominated Texas A&M in Kyle Field

Have to agree. When I saw MF pumping the team in the tunnel, I wondered if he wasn't getting them a little to high? Hard to duplicate that when the opponent is NIU.

 

[JoeyGetherall]

Have to agree. When I saw MF pumping the team in the tunnel, I wondered if he wasn't getting them a little to high? Hard to duplicate that when the opponent is NIU.

The inconsistency you see in the tunnel is same thing you see on the field. Marcus is still trying to figure out who he is as a HC and what he wants his progrum to be. Something he should of ironed out first at a place like Cincy first.

 

[Irish5Saint]

Singer posted this morning (don’t know if it’s intel/his opinion….. likely a mix of both) that he thinks Leonard has a short leash.

PBJ time boys!

 

[Kingbish01]

Singer posted this morning (don’t know if it’s intel/his opinion….. likely a mix of both) that he thinks Leonard has a short leash.

PBJ time boys!

They are gonna drop his Avg from 5.3 yd per completion to 2.7 grrrreat....lol

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Have to agree. When I saw MF pumping the team in the tunnel, I wondered if he wasn't getting them a little to high? Hard to duplicate that when the opponent is NIU.

It's Coaching 101. By Monday morning, TAMU should have been in the rearview mirror. If they were drinking kool aid by Tuesday, that's immediately on him as the head coach. Full stop.

You can't possibly tell me with Tressel and Holtz as mentors he doesn't know this.

 

[NDisme]

So say Angeli is put in, Carr will stay for now but next year it’s just Carr and Angeli as I think Minchey leaves. If Carr wins the job Angeli leaves. And you don’t have a 2025 QB

 

[Kingbish01]

In a weird way, I feel like this cluster at QB helps MF's chances of landing DK. It's a glaring 20+ year problem with the program, how can they not be selling DK that he's the fix.

 

[ab2cmiller]

So say Angeli is put in, Carr will stay for now but next year it’s just Carr and Angeli as I think Minchey leaves. If Carr wins the job Angeli leaves. And you don’t have a 2025 QB

For the most part, I don't think the coaches can worry about who leaves. With that said, if they were to hand the job to Carr later this year, they better be close to 100% that he's "the man", because the QB room could end up being empty.

 

[NDPhilly]

Singer posted this morning (don’t know if it’s intel/his opinion….. likely a mix of both) that he thinks Leonard has a short leash.

PBJ time boys!

Angeli with RL as a Buchner-like battering ram on short yardage is my preferred setup going forward. He's still a good scrambler, and generally a big guy that falls forward. Gives some optionality on 3rd and 1 with him and Love / Price in backfield that Angeli can't provide

 

[GrangerIrish24]

Singer posted this morning (don’t know if it’s intel/his opinion….. likely a mix of both) that he thinks Leonard has a short leash.

PBJ time boys!

In the history of everything, putting someone on a short leash never works. Usually they perform worse due to the pressure. The kid knows he sucked. Let him play free and live with the results or just move on.

 

[Giddyup]

We haven’t seen much in 8 quarters from him. Happy feet and doesn’t process his reads. Dude should take a hit of weed before his next game. It’s a cure-all…like booty juice. Or call Rodgers for some Iawaska.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

In a weird way, I feel like this cluster at QB helps MF's chances of landing DK. It's a glaring 20+ year problem with the program, how can they not be selling DK that he's the fix.

The flipside is that the other program is selling him that it's the program where QBs have gone to die for the last two decades.

They've proven beyond a shadow of a doubt they can get OL, RB and TE. Make 'em good, get them paid in the NFL. They need to prove that they can recruit playmaking receivers in the 2020s consistently. They've yet to do that.

 

[WildMan1]

We won't ever be, but we should be able to do what UofM, OU, FSU and Aubrun have done in the last 35 years, which is dominant one season and win a national championship. When Lou left I thought we'v bee on the every 10-15 year rotation, 30 years later we're still waiting.

I think that’s accurate but in addition I think we need a Manziel or Lawrence type QB.

We can recruit well but we’re just not putting the same rosters out there as the factories so we simply have to hit a home run at QB..

And that’s not something we’ve done since I can remember. Somehow Charlie fumbled Clausen..

 

[JoeyGetherall]

I think that’s accurate but in addition I think we need a Manziel or Lawrence type QB.

We can recruit well but we’re just not putting the same rosters out there as the factories so we simply have to hit a home run at QB..

And that’s not something we’ve done since I can remember. Somehow Charlie fumbled Clausen..

It would be great to have a Heisman QB but I'd take a Deshone Kiser level QB every year if they can marry that with a mauling run game and a stronger, deeper defensive front.

 

[Huntr]

RL as a Buchner-like battering ram on short yardage

I don't think that's a thing. He seemed pretty fragile on Saturday. He had no designed runs after the 2nd or 3rd offensive series because of a couple hits he took.

 

[CANONIZEFATHERSORIN]

It would be great to have a Heisman QB but I'd take a Deshone Kiser level QB every year if they can marry that with a mauling run game and a stronger, deeper defensive front.

Shit id love to have Ian Book now. Never thought id say that

 

[NDRock]

It would be great to have a Heisman QB but I'd take a Deshone Kiser level QB every year if they can marry that with a mauling run game and a stronger, deeper defensive front.

Does Will Fuller come with?

 

[Giddyup]

Everett Golson me

 

[JoeyGetherall]

Shit id love to have Ian Book now. Never thought id say that

I thought that last year watching UofM and JJ Mcarthy. An Ian Book type could have easily run that offense and been just as successful. Harbaugh and staff knew JJ's limitations so the ran an offense best suited to their personnel. I can't remember the last time ND was as run heavy as UofM was last year, late 90's I guess. And nowadays when so many defenses are designed to stop the pass (ours included) the run is very much a neutralizer. You just need to be committed because when you face a good defense, the ground game sometimes only starts to show fruit in the later part of the game when the def is worn. Our staff/s always seem to try to run their scheme vs aligning it to match the type of player ND gets on campus and develops.

 

[JoeyGetherall]

Does Will Fuller come with?

It would help, but I think with a good designed play action passing game, we could get even the WRs on this roster open

 

[NDWarrior]

Also, this sounds like hard headedness and not ready to make necessary team changes Why Marcus Freeman believes in Riley Leonard as Notre Dame's QB… Maybe this is one final showing confidence publicly in RL and to encourage him for Purdue, but he better be ready with some Angeli Primavera warming in the oven because having 2 losses would surely jeopardize an ND 2024 playoff opportunity.

 

[CANONIZEFATHERSORIN]

I thought that last year watching UofM and JJ Mcarthy. An Ian Book type could have easily run that offense and been just as successful. Harbaugh and staff knew JJ's limitations so the ran an offense best suited to their personnel. I can't remember the last time ND was as run heavy as UofM was last year, late 90's I guess. And nowadays when so many defenses are designed to stop the pass (ours included) the run is very much a neutralizer. You just need to be committed because when you face a good defense, the ground game sometimes only starts to show fruit in the later part of the game when the def is worn. Our staff/s always seem to try to run their scheme vs aligning it to match the type of player ND gets on campus and develops.

Great point. You know football