ESPN Bruce Feldman Chat

[tommyIRISH23]

"Cameron (Council Bluffs, IA)


How many games do you see the Irish winning this year, as I am sure Lou Holtz will bring up at some point they have a realistic shot of beating everyone on there schedule. With a defense that has not proven anything since Willingham era do you think the irish will be able to at least smell BCS down the stretch of the season?

Bruce (2:28 PM)
I think they can win nine. Except for the O-line, this isn't a young team. Obviously, you have a new QB in Dayne Crist, but I think he's going to be terrific. He's about as mature as they come. Can the D be great like say Bama was last year? Doubt it, but it doesn't have to be. This team just has to be looser and play better in close games and late, which I think they will with the coaching upgrade."

What do you guys think of his assessment? I like it, and think its fairly on point. (not just bc I am a homer) Its not like it was 2007 and the team was just getting manhandled. I think the coaching change is going to have tons of positives, and 9-10 is not THAT far fetched. I know many domers who have been saying 7/8 will be a HUGE success. I am not so sure. I think the D will be average probably being ranked around 35 to 45, but the offense will be in the top 15.

I think we will see ND

A. Finish drives.
NOTRE DAME- was in the red zone 50 times and scoring 42. Of those 42, 28 were TD's. 28 TD's out of 50 times inside the 20 is not very good. (TD 56% of the time)

CINCI- was in the red zone 58 times and scored 51. Of those 51, 42 were TD's. 42 TD's out of 58 times. (TD 72.41% of the time)

If ND finished 72% of there drives, they would have played in a BCS game.

B. Conditioned. This team will not play for 3 Q's and die.

C. Fundamentally Sound. They will know what they are doing, and when they should be doing it.

D. I think the team has bought into BK and his system. The team was under a lot of pressure with CW's situation, and maybe even a little divided with finger pointing. I think we will have a confident, and energetic team who believes they can win with a leader that will put them in the best position to win. I am more optimistic then not.

Thoughts?

 

[Irish4Life09]

I concur sir.lol

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

"Cameron (Council Bluffs, IA)


How many games do you see the Irish winning this year, as I am sure Lou Holtz will bring up at some point they have a realistic shot of beating everyone on there schedule. With a defense that has not proven anything since Willingham era do you think the irish will be able to at least smell BCS down the stretch of the season?

Bruce (2:28 PM)
I think they can win nine. Except for the O-line, this isn't a young team. Obviously, you have a new QB in Dayne Crist, but I think he's going to be terrific. He's about as mature as they come. Can the D be great like say Bama was last year? Doubt it, but it doesn't have to be. This team just has to be looser and play better in close games and late, which I think they will with the coaching upgrade."

What do you guys think of his assessment? I like it, and think its fairly on point. (not just bc I am a homer) Its not like it was 2007 and the team was just getting manhandled. I think the coaching change is going to have tons of positives, and 9-10 is not THAT far fetched. I know many domers who have been saying 7/8 will be a HUGE success. I am not so sure. I think the D will be average probably being ranked around 35 to 45, but the offense will be in the top 15.

I think we will see ND

A. Finish drives.
NOTRE DAME- was in the red zone 50 times and scoring 42. Of those 42, 28 were TD's. 28 TD's out of 50 times inside the 20 is not very good. (TD 56% of the time)

CINCI- was in the red zone 58 times and scored 51. Of those 51, 42 were TD's. 42 TD's out of 58 times. (TD 72.41% of the time)

If ND finished 72% of there drives, they would have played in a BCS game.

B. Conditioned. This team will not play for 3 Q's and die.

C. Fundamentally Sound. They will know what they are doing, and when they should be doing it.

D. I think the team has bought into BK and his system. The team was under a lot of pressure with CW's situation, and maybe even a little divided with finger pointing. I think we will have a confident, and energetic team who believes they can win with a leader that will put them in the best position to win. I am more optimistic then not.

Thoughts?

Great point. This also comes with experience though. I think IF CW and Clausen and Tate had stayed, ND would have improved some more, but maybe not enough to win it all. If ND does well next year, I'm not so sure I will give all the credit to BK, since he is inheriting a relatively experienced group.

 

[phork]

"Cameron (Council Bluffs, IA)


If ND finished 72% of there drives, they would have played in a BCS game.



Thoughts?

Not to nitpick, but while that might be true, the problem wasn't really with the offense. The defense was terrible.

 

[IrishJayhawk]

Great point. This also comes with experience though. I think IF CW and Clausen and Tate had stayed, ND would have improved some more, but maybe not enough to win it all. If ND does well next year, I'm not so sure I will give all the credit to BK, since he is inheriting a relatively experienced group.

I agree with that assessment for two years ago. But, Clausen and Tate had both played together as starters for 3 years. There was plenty of experience. In the end, that was Weis' downfall. His good recruits were finally juniors and seniors and we still didn't win.

 

[irish1958]

Offense

Offense

Not to nitpick, but while that might be true, the problem wasn't really with the offense. The defense was terrible.

I disagree; I feel that in order to neutralize a poor defense, the offense must score at least 35 points in a game (not average 35 points). This is especially true if the offense is a quick strike offense as we had in the past several years. If you can't do this, the head coach had better pay some attention to the defense and to recruiting good defensive players.

 

[BearGB]

Thanks for posting the article. I have always been 50/50 on Bruce Feldman, but that was a terrific article - not because it was long or in-depth, but because it was accurate. I'm sick of reading articles which mention Dayne and act like he's a true freshman walking into the role. Yes, Dayne will definitely have an adjustment period, but he is about as mature as they come. I think it's accurate. I would be thrilled to win 9!

 

[NDinL.A.]

I disagree; I feel that in order to neutralize a poor defense, the offense must score at least 35 points in a game (not average 35 points). This is especially true if the offense is a quick strike offense as we had in the past several years. If you can't do this, the head coach had better pay some attention to the defense and to recruiting good defensive players.

So you're basically agreeing with him. The defense sucked..you guys are in agreement. However, I don't see how you blame the offense for the defense sucking??? It's like the d coordinator saying, "Hey offense, even though we lost 42-31, it's your fault because you knew going in that we sucked!!!"

The offense can only do so much, and they were under incredible pressure every game...EVERY DRIVE...because they knew the defense couldn't stop a tonka truck much less a decent offense.

You are right, the head coach did not recruit enough difference makers on defense, especially along the front 7. And the ones that were studs were all young last year (Te'o, Johnson, KLM, Fleming). Can't win that way...

 

[ryno 24]

good assesment

 

[Irish.Ca]

Sometimes I wonder if John Tenuta new that he was allowed to recruit players.

Sorry if that sounds like the beginning of a Jack Handy "deep thoughts" moment.

 

[irish1958]

I am not blaming the defense; they played with passion and guts; I am blaming the coaches for poor recruiting and/or poor utilizing of their talent.
When Ara became head coach he was asked how he expected to win with the poor talent and poor athletes he had. He said that wasn't the problem and he went 9-1 his first year with the media described "poor talent."
I hope Kelley goes 12-0.

 

[BillyIrish]

While the defense was uninspiring at best last season, let's not let the O-line off the hook. Drives stalled many times because of penalties and an inability to run the ball inside the 20. These guys need to get back to the attitude and swagger they had against Nevada. Who knows what happened to that edge? They need it back though!

 

[ACamp1900]

Not to nitpick, but while that might be true, the problem wasn't really with the offense. The defense was terrible.

actually that was exactly his point

 

[GEORGIA DOMER]

red zone woes

red zone woes

So you're basically agreeing with him. The defense sucked..you guys are in agreement. However, I don't see how you blame the offense for the defense sucking??? It's like the d coordinator saying, "Hey offense, even though we lost 42-31, it's your fault because you knew going in that we sucked!!!"

The offense can only do so much, and they were under incredible pressure every game...EVERY DRIVE...because they knew the defense couldn't stop a tonka truck much less a decent offense.

You are right, the head coach did not recruit enough difference makers on defense, especially along the front 7. And the ones that were studs were all young last year (Te'o, Johnson, KLM, Fleming). Can't win that way...

more tds and i would not complain to much about our o. the d was deffinentaly a big problem under CW but maybe BK turns it around

 

[TDHeysus]

"....Obviously, you have a new QB in Dayne Crist, but I think he's going to be terrific. He's about as mature as they come..."

What do you guys think of his assessment?

What has he seen in crist to make this assesment? The reason I ask, is because the interviews I have seen with crist, made me think it was a little 'green' and not so mature. (I'm not saying he was immature)

Is Bruce comparing ND's last new QB (freshman Clausen) with this years new QB (junior Crist) ?

 

[NDinL.A.]

What has he seen in crist to make this assesment? The reason I ask, is because the interviews I have seen with crist, made me think it was a little 'green' and not so mature. (I'm not saying he was immature)

Is Bruce comparing ND's last new QB (freshman Clausen) with this years new QB (junior Crist) ?

Heysus, I think I've posted this on other threads, but I know people from his high school who have known him well for years, and everyone SWEARS by this kid. I mean, in ways you almost never hear anymore. They LOVE him, and talk about what a great guy/leader he is. USC's Scouting Director for Scout.com called him his favorite recruit of all time, saying he was class the entire time and even called them personally to tell them that he was choosing ND but to please keep it quiet until he told all the coaches from the other schools.

And at ND, I've heard the same stories. He was the rock of the '07 class that could have fallen apart during/after the 3-9 season. He has continued to be an exemplary student/athlete at ND, drawing raves from teammates and coaches alike. I don't doubt you for being weary, but I'm telling you, this kid is as good as they come...a true "ND-type kid".

Look, we all know JC started off on the wrong foot at ND, and he didn't win many fans with his aloof/loner behavior his first 2 years (when things went wrong, he was either too quiet or outwardly frustrated. And he was thrown to the wolves, which didn't help either. But he became a fantastic leader by his jr season IMO, and no one can convince me otherwise. But with Crist, he's already a jr, so that helps a lot, but even more than that, it just comes naturally to him. He's just a special, special kid, and if he performs, ND fans are going to absolutely love him in a way that (unfortunately) too many never loved Clausen. He just has that 'it' factor.

Of course, he has to perform, or else all that maturity stuff will be long-forgotten by fickle fans...

 

[jason_h537]

What has he seen in crist to make this assesment? The reason I ask, is because the interviews I have seen with crist, made me think it was a little 'green' and not so mature. (I'm not saying he was immature)

Is Bruce comparing ND's last new QB (freshman Clausen) with this years new QB (junior Crist) ?

i will second what NDinLA says. He has a huge rep where you literally hear no one bad mouth this guy. He is probably most responsible for the 0 class being such a tightknit group and really became a leader early on in ND, especially with his head shaving for cancer (the name escapes me right now). He may be a bit of a Joker but don't confuse his sense of humor with immaturity.