Sep 11 | Michigan at Notre Dame

[]\/[GoBlue]

Oh, and be afraid of the Denard, be very afraid.

looking forward to the game!

 

[jason_h537]

Oh, and be afraid of the Denard, be very afraid.

looking forward to the game!

was it just a hip pointer?

 

[NDFANnSouthWest]

Denard better keep his head on a swivel...because #5 is hunting....

it will be a good game for sure.

 

[Old Man Mike]

Be very afraid...of Rudolph, of Floyd, of Wood, of Allen, of TJ...be very afraid

 

[military_irish]

Be very afraid...of Rudolph, of Floyd, of Wood, of Allen, of TJ...be very afraid

dangit i knew they weren't human, what are they aliens?

should i be afraid of them too, or just Michigan?

 

[Irish Man3]

If Im Michigan, heres what I would be afraid of...
The fact that our zone blocking scheme is going to eat up your front line. With the emergance of Wood, Armando has had no option but to step his game up and that he has. Michigans secondary broke on numerous occasions. Fortunatly for them, UConn's WRs couldnt catch a cold. Your defense is suspect at best. Lucky for us we have a few decent pass catchers.
The Uconn vs Michigan game was a lot closer than the score shows. UConn fumbled inside the 5 yard line and went for it on numerous 4th downs to try and put points up. UConn has able to move the ball fairly well despite all the drops. I am not worried at all about this game.
I think it will be a good game but for the first time in awhile, we are going into it with homefield advantage and a better coaching staff. The more talented team will prevail.

 

[military_irish]

Is it Saturday (Sept 11) yet?

 

[Old Man Mike]

Outlined against a gray South Bend sky rode the five horsemen of the Apocalypse [Theo? Duval? want to join the posse? We have more horses.]. And near at hand the drum of mighty doom: Manti murmuring-- Fee Fie Foe Fum...I smell the blood of a Michi-Gun. Be afraid---be very afraid.

 

[WabashFalcon]

I'm gonna take our WRs vs. your secondary Go Blue.

 

[GoingGreen]

I'm more worried about this game than I was yesterday.

 

[IRISH1645]

To The Polish Irishman, in Marietta,GA, looking for a good place to watch ND in Atlanta, tried Meehan's in Sandy Springs and Vinings, any suggestions

 

[GreatGolson]

Actually given my surprise at our defense, then with denards game, i feel about the same

 

[NDFANnSouthWest]

I am more worried...for 1 reason...OUR contain....we need to be dicipline...if we dont stick to our assignments this guy (Denard) will have a big day.

 

[GreatGolson]

^^^agreed it will be a shootout for sure, i take our receiving corps against 1 talented qb,

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

I want to see Manti jack Detard Robinson up so much that he's afraid to leave the pocket ever again

 

[Irish_Angst]

I'm really looking forward to this game. I want to see how Kelly & staff prepare for the matchup and make adjustments as the game progresses.

From what I've read, Monday thru Friday game prep is one of Kelly's strong suits. There was an awesome article from last year that outlined everything he did to prepare a game plan for Pitt which was fascinating.

MeatChicken will put points on the board, but I think the D will get enough stops along with a more productive O which will get us another W.

 

[chgocub23]

here is the deal, i'm gonna start by sayin, i have been drinkin coors lite all nite long so if i wake up in the morning and think this post is ridiculous my bad. but i liked what i saw in the first half. the second half scares me and i'm not liking the fact that our offense has not tried to get floyd and rudolph the ball more. they are the best weapons and need to be used. but i think we have a good chance.

 

[BGIF]

When the line for the UM game comes out the should be the favorite. They were the underdog to a more highly rated team, Connecticut, and beat them soundly.

ND was the favorite over a lessor rated foe and covered but not as impressively.

Game might be a pick'em.

 

[PatsandBostonfan1975]

I think we be favored by 3 and a half . I won't lie Michigan looked good but honestly if you watched game Conn looked horrible they didn't even show up to play . We won the Purdue game without really using the kelly throwing spread. So michigan hasn't seen much to go on I really like our chances here. Honestly I think alot the wind got taken out of our sails in 2nd quarter but we were a fumble away from blowing them out . This game will hardly be a walk but, honestly Purdue played way better than Conn. who happens to be owned by Dick Rod.( he's 5-0 I believe). So relax have some Kool-aid 2-0 might be closer than you think.

 

[Irish Man3]

I think we be favored by 3 and a half . I won't lie Michigan looked good but honestly if you watched game Conn looked horrible they didn't even show up to play . We won the Purdue game without really using the kelly throwing spread. So michigan hasn't seen much to go on I really like our chances here. Honestly I think alot the wind got taken out of our sails in 2nd quarter but we were a fumble away from blowing them out . This game will hardly be a walk but, honestly Purdue played way better than Conn. who happens to be owned by Dick Rod.( he's 5-0 I believe). So relax have some Kool-aid 2-0 might be closer than you think.

I agree with your outlook on Connecticut. They fumbled inside the 5 and they went for it on fourth and short twice and were unable to convert. That aside, they dropped 8 passes thrown by Fraiser. Connecticut looked awful.
I dont think Purdue looked great but it showed us some things we need to work on. I was impressed with our defense but we still lack a little team speed on the outside. Knowing that, I think its important to stay disciplined and be in the right place. That takes a lot of the speed factor out of the game.
I am still confident that ND will prevail but I think fans now understand that Michigan will not be walked on and this will be a ball game.

 

[ACamp1900]

In reality, on paper we should boat race Michigan...

but the line will be close and that says more about us obviously... they may actually beat us and that says more about us again...

These players need to be reminded of their recuriting rankings and potential not from the aspect of making them cocky but from the aspect of "you need to wake the fuck and start playing to that level" ... if they just start playing to that standard they came in with, a double digit win season is absolutely doable... but if they continue to live up to the standards of the last two years... we'll win 7-8 games, most likely lose 2 of the next three games, and almost certainly lose next week

 

[Riddickulous]

Robinson. He can run, he can throw. We will not stop him.

The keys to this game:

1) Establishing the run game. More importantly, establish the running game between the tackles, Michigan's strength on the front seven. If we cannot do that, we'll be forced into one-dimensional football with a quarterback who still does not appear to have it all there yet (holding onto the ball, not keeping his eyes downfield, no downfield throws, looked rattled) and a corps of receivers that, for the most part, did not perform to expectations this Saturday (very little Riddick that he caught, one throw to Kamara which he almost dropped).

2) Throwing downfield. Throwing five yard crossing routes all day will not win us this football game. Exploit the inexperience. Throw some deep balls. Hit the post over the middle.

3) Limit mental errors. The Floyd fumble, the terrible stretch play for the safety, Wood's near fumble on a kickoff return when we were up only 20-12, biting on the play-action rollout again and again and again (Brian Smith, stated simply, sucks), over-pursuing plays, running into linemen, etc.

4) Play fast, but conservative on the outside. The linebacker overpursues, Robinson cuts and is gone. We cannot do that. Fast, athletic linebackers on the perimeter (that's Fleming, Filer, etc.). Robinson is too deadly.

5) Effectively plugging the holes on the inside (WE'RE LOOKING AT YOU, MANTI!), where most of Robinson's runs went yesterday.

6) TACKLING! We tackled much better, but we need to step it up big time against Michigan, as they have incredible amounts of speed offensively. Missed tackles against speed = big plays.

7) Maintaining man-to-man coverage as most of the front seven will be focused on Robinson. If we cannot cover man-to-man and Michigan throws well, it's sayonara victory.

 

[jason_h537]

Agree with Big IF, Michigan will be the favorite but i still think there D is a joke. I see a shootout. Still feel we leave with a win but not a blowout like i thought in preseason

 

[IrishAlum1997]

In reality, on paper we should boat race Michigan...

but the line will be close and that says more about us obviously... they may actually beat us and that says more about us again...

These players need to be reminded of their recuriting rankings and potential not from the aspect of making them cocky but from the aspect of "you need to wake the fuck and start playing to that level" ... if they just start playing to that standard they came in with, a double digit win season is absolutely doable... but if they continue to live up to the standards of the last two years... we'll win 7-8 games, most likely lose 2 of the next three games, and almost certainly lose next week

I like boats. Let's race!!!

I would like to think that Kelly will have his players in the right mindset to be prepared for this challenge, and DickRod will not. I will be real nervous for this week. But I have a feeling we control this one. We normally don't play well in openers, and get rolling in game 2. Be guess is we will be the slight favorite -1.5. Get your bets in.

 

[jason_h537]

Kelly is using this weekend like Weis used USC. He has alot of recruits coming and something tells me he knows something.

 

[mgriff]

I hope Brian Smith isn't starting, nor Filer. Filer wasn't as bad, but Smith was out of position a lot. My wife asked why I was yelling at one guy a lot of the time. Even when Manti missed tackles, he still disrupted the play, and allowed his teammates to make the tackle. The kid is only a sophomore, leading the defense, he is going to make mistakes.

 

[Legacy]

The key will be controlling the line of scrimmage, limiting turnovers and special teams play.

Mich Def - O Sacks. ND - 4 Sacks
Mich Rushing Def - gave up 138 yds
Mich ranks #1 in Net Punting (51 yds per), ND ranks #3 in Punt returns. Mich is T-94th in KO returns.

 

[ND_HAS_RISEN]

This game is MUCH MUCH more scarier after the performance Denard had yesterday. Last year Forcier rip us a new one, and yesterday Marve put almost the SAME exact run, in almost the SAME exact scenario (4th and short). Denard's running ability DWARFS Forcier/Marve. He is a very elite running quarterback. If our outside linebackers, particularly Brian Smith, plays like they did yesterday, WE WILL GET BEAT!!

This was my biggest concern of the year, and now it only made me more worried about it. I really think Filer needs replace Brian Smith. I really hate to say it because I love the attitude/leadership B. Smith brings, but he is just NOT cutting it. He looked slow, took EXTREMELY poor angles, and really didn’t tackle all that well. I know Manti did tackle that well, but that dude is one of the best instinctive LB's I have seen in awhile. The tackling will get better, I am sure of it.

Our offense 'should' score, but if Crist doesn't start moving the ball downfield a bit more, we will be unable to sustain drives, and that will kill us against Michigan.

Simply put, Michigan looked very good yesterday. I understand that the score didn’t really give a whole lot of insight to how the game actually went, but nevertheless, 30-10 against a pretty damn good UCONN team is a great feat. If we were playing Michigan yesterday instead of Purdue, I bet we would have lost. Our outside contain was absolutely pathetic.

Damn now I’m feeling somber and negative, and I fricken HATE IT!!. I am hoping (trusting?) that BK will get these boys ready for the team they are about to face, cause its gonna be a battle, thru and thru.

 

[Freeman Ara]

Ok I think everyone needs to calm down a bit. Yes, Robinson had a great game yesterday, against a team that would have had to go back and look at WVU film of Pat White to prepare for that game. We know what they look like on film now so we have a huge advantage over what UCONN had going into yesterday.

The read-option is in our own playbook so Kelly should have a good idea on how to defend it. We also face the spread everyday in practice so it's not like we won't be familiar with the different looks. I think Kelly and Diaco have a good idea on what needs to be done to get these guys in position to limit the big plays as much as they can. I also think UCONN is vastly overrated at this point and this win by UM won't look that good by the end of the season.

Offensively, I think we are going to be more run then pass this season. If we can run the ball consistently eventually the long ball will open up, but I'll take 5 ypc and a few drive extending passes to Rudolph all day everyday. As long as we can actually finish drives then we will be ok.

 

[IrishAlum1997]

Ok I think everyone needs to calm down a bit. Yes, Robinson had a great game yesterday, against a team that would have had to go back and look at WVU film of Pat White to prepare for that game. We know what they look like on film now so we have a huge advantage over what UCONN had going into yesterday.

The read-option is in our own playbook so Kelly should have a good idea on how to defend it. We also face the spread everyday in practice so it's not like we won't be familiar with the different looks. I think Kelly and Diaco have a good idea on what needs to be done to get these guys in position to limit the big plays as much as they can. I also think UCONN is vastly overrated at this point and this win by UM won't look that good by the end of the season.

Offensively, I think we are going to be more run then pass this season. If we can run the ball consistently eventually the long ball will open up, but I'll take 5 ypc and a few drive extending passes to Rudolph all day everyday. As long as we can actually finish drives then we will be ok.

Agree much with this. This isn't last year's defense. Don't make ol' Shoelaces the second coming of Michael Vick just yet.