Saturday's Scrimmage

[tommyIRISH23]

I just read an article saying how the secondary was not putting up much resistance. That really has me concerned.

 

[rocket31]

...you have a link to the article...?

 

[GreatGolson]

might i draw a parallel to ND's bball team? the past few years (think kyle macalarny's days) ND had an amazing offense but the only way they could win was by outscoring them, i think this will be the case for the football team this year.

 

[IrishMoore1]

If that's the case, we will go 6-6 again

 

[GoingGreen]

might i draw a parallel to ND's bball team? the past few years (think kyle macalarny's days) ND had an amazing offense but the only way they could win was by outscoring them, i think this will be the case for the football team this year.

That's why the last year's team went 6-6, if we had a defense last year we could've been 10-2.

 

[BGIF]

That's why the last year's team went 6-6, if we had a defense last year we could've been 10-2.

Could have done that even with last year's out of position, sloppy tackling D IF Clausen, Floyd, Rudolph, and Allen had been healthy all season.

 

[Riddickulous]

Could have done that even with last year's out of position, sloppy tackling D IF Clausen, Floyd, Rudolph, and Allen had been healthy all season.

We would have rolled Purdue if Floyd and Allen had played that night.

 

[BGIF]

might i draw a parallel to ND's bball team? the past few years (think kyle macalarny's days) ND had an amazing offense but the only way they could win was by outscoring them, i think this will be the case for the football team this year.

No, not a parallel. In basketball the players are supposed to play offense AND defense. College Football put in two platoon football for good back in 1964. Besides we're talking practice scrimmage here where ND athletes are playing against each other. If one side excels the other has to look worse. It's a complementary function.

TommyIRISH posted about comments about ND's defense not looking good against ND's offense.

Somebody else may have written about it but the only reference I saw of that was in Lou Somogyi's Week One in Review, linked in another thread, where he wrote about the DBs.

Defensive Backs
With people such as Crist, Floyd, Eifert shining on offense, that means there was a certain area on defense that struggled in Saturday’s scrimmage.

“If there’s one thing we wanted to do a little better defensively, it’s to be consistent on the passing game,” Kelly said. “We were able to throw the ball a little bit. I thought our defense did a pretty good job against the run. It’s one of those give and take situations.”
Still, Kelly expressed confidence that seniors Darrin Walls and Gary Gray plus junior Robert Blanton can excel at corner, with freshman Lo Wood destined to play also this year. The top four safeties comprised of senior Harrison Smith, juniors Jamoris Slaughter and Dan McCarthy and sophomore Zeke Motta also will see extensive action — both on defense and special teams.
“I like our back end in terms of the depth that we can play with three corners, up to four now with Lo the way he’s playing,” Kelly said. “Four safeties … It’s really that Will and that Drop position that a lot of our focus going into the second week will be on.”

Keep in mind ND has 20 receivers in the WRs, TEs, and RBs, to run downfield play after play after play. ND has 8 DBs; 10 if you care to include Gallup and Roback. So the receivers have a 3-1 edge in the attack. Since at least Sun Tzu a 3:1 edge favors the attackers with equal talent.

But the talent isn't equal is it? Floyd and Rudolph are All-American material. And they have a Top 5 recruit throwing them the ball. They're supposed to look good.

Best thing is our DBs get to play against the best receiving corps in college football day after day after day in a hurry up offense. After that, Purdue should actually be a breather for them.

 

[IrishMoore1]

Could have done that even with last year's out of position, sloppy tackling D IF Clausen, Floyd, Rudolph, and Allen had been healthy all season.

I disagree. When Floyd came back, we still lost to Navy. We lost to friggin Michigan because of bad defense. The offense was averaging over 30 pts a game last season.

There is no excuse for the awful defense that Weis and Tenuta put on the field, especially if your offense is putting up over 30 pts on the board. 30 pts should be enough to win a game.

If we had at least a decent defense, we would have won at least 9 games. U can't win games with just offense. Michigan will surely learn that this season.

And Weis' offense was hit or miss most the time cuz of all the bombs down the sideline to floyd and tate. We need great DEFENSE!

 

[Old Man Mike]

I am still going to trust the coach on this until results prove me/him wrong. Kelly seems more worried at this early moment with his two linebacking positions than he does his secondary. Otherwise he wouldn't have said it as he did. I don't read Kelly at all as a blarney-filled BSer who happy talks around things that are going to turn out to be in failure mode. I am also with BGIF on this/his analysis of what should happen if a great offense goes up against a "just good" defense. I'd be more worried about the season if Crist/Floyd/Rudolph/Riddick/Jones et al weren't looking like an offensive air juggernaut out there.

 

[tommyIRISH23]

No, not a parallel. In basketball the players are supposed to play offense AND defense. College Football put in two platoon football for good back in 1964. Besides we're talking practice scrimmage here where ND athletes are playing against each other. If one side excels the other has to look worse. It's a complementary function.

TommyIRISH posted about comments about ND's defense not looking good against ND's offense.

Somebody else may have written about it but the only reference I saw of that was in Lou Somogyi's Week One in Review, linked in another thread, where he wrote about the DBs.



Keep in mind ND has 20 receivers in the WRs, TEs, and RBs, to run downfield play after play after play. ND has 8 DBs; 10 if you care to include Gallup and Roback. So the receivers have a 3-1 edge in the attack. Since at least Sun Tzu a 3:1 edge favors the attackers with equal talent.

But the talent isn't equal is it? Floyd and Rudolph are All-American material. And they have a Top 5 recruit throwing them the ball. They're supposed to look good.

Best thing is our DBs get to play against the best receiving corps in college football day after day after day in a hurry up offense. After that, Purdue should actually be a breather for them.

BGIF,

A very different way to look at it. Unforunately, I read about 10000 articles a day on ND and do not remember exactly where I found that one. I tried to look it up, but can not find it.

You are right though, the rotation for WR does have the edge against our DB. And, you analysis of our All Americans that will be catching/running the ball is a fair one. But I will play the pessimest, I really don't find it comforting that our defense is getting a pass because they are getting beaten by a great offense? Because we do not know how bad they are getting beaten, are they just 1 step behind? Or lost at the snap? Maybe you are right and everything will slow down for them when they play Purdue, UM, MSU..etc. Or, they will get beat again. I just dont feel very comfortable with the fact that they cant keep up with a good offense.

ND has been unbalanced for too long. I cannot wait to have a high powered offense, meeting a brick wall defense. Kind of like..."what do you get when you have an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object"....or atleast a average defense?

 

[FWIRISH]

I look at it this way. kelly's O passed on just about everybody in the past. I would be much more concerned if we were not able to throw the ball. Our run D has been better so far and I think with a true understanding of the system we are runing, our secondary will hold. The front 7 will be much better with people playing where they are truely at their best.
We shut Purdue the F down. Our D will be pumped and very hungry. Manti will see to to that!!!!!!!

 

[Old Man Mike]

Glass half-full? Or glass half-empty? We live a community with these two different groups don't we? Since neither side has evidence until the "experiment is run", we drift into our habitual mind-sets. I believe that what little evidence that we have involves a fairly-well demonstrated quality of this coaching staff to exceed expectations, that they have exceeded expectations with athletes who [generally] were not as physically talented as the ones they have now, that they did it at Cincinnati even while playing some football teams that would not cower in the face of anyone on our up-coming schedule [and in one particularly important case was the same team], and have made fairly clear comments about where they see strength and areas-which-need particular-attention in the coming weeks. I have two great friends who continually view their glasses as half-empty or less. Both of them take Prozac [wish I were kidding]. I love them both, but refuse to go gray-all-over until forced to. When looking at our [in my opinion] wonderfully-coming-together team, I view it as at least 80% glass-full. I'll admit to happy optimism. But the Sun is at least shining now. Since I will not become suicidal even if we [Our Lady forbid] lose to Purdue, walking in the Sun seems a good way to go. Hopefully, post the Michigan game, when we are 2-0, that glass will seem 80%+ full for everyone. If the half-emptiers are correct, yeh, I'll be sad, but [cue the SUN] I Don't Think So.

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

Glass half-full? Or glass half-empty? We live a community with these two different groups don't we? Since neither side has evidence until the "experiment is run", we drift into our habitual mind-sets. I believe that what little evidence that we have involves a fairly-well demonstrated quality of this coaching staff to exceed expectations, that they have exceeded expectations with athletes who [generally] were not as physically talented as the ones they have now, that they did it at Cincinnati even while playing some football teams that would not cower in the face of anyone on our up-coming schedule [and in one particularly important case was the same team], and have made fairly clear comments about where they see strength and areas-which-need particular-attention in the coming weeks. I have two great friends who continually view their glasses as half-empty or less. Both of them take Prozac [wish I were kidding]. I love them both, but refuse to go gray-all-over until forced to. When looking at our [in my opinion] wonderfully-coming-together team, I view it as at least 80% glass-full. I'll admit to happy optimism. But the Sun is at least shining now. Since I will not become suicidal even if we [Our Lady forbid] lose to Purdue, walking in the Sun seems a good way to go. Hopefully, post the Michigan game, when we are 2-0, that glass will seem 80%+ full for everyone. If the half-emptiers are correct, yeh, I'll be sad, but [cue the SUN] I Don't Think So.

Half empty. I am an optimist and want to see the glass FULL.

But when I lose...

 

[Old Man Mike]

How full's full my friend? 8-4 for Kelly's first year? Or 10-2? Or all the way to 12-0? I'm going to be smiling whichever. And looking forward to a romp-and-stomper the following year.