Post Game Observations....

[NeuteredDoomer]

We made it difficult in the Red Zone, I agree. But Pitt was in ND's Red Zone on 5 of 11 possessions for the game. That's not great defense. No one has said that the defense played poorly. But neither are most people willing to say that they played great. Because allowing the opponent into your Red Zone, 5 out of 11 times, is NOT great. Saying that defense is not great is not the same as saying that they are terrible. There is alot of grey area, in between.

How about admitting Pitt was pretty good and had a good game plan? I guess that does not make a difference.

 

[military_irish]

How about admitting Pitt was pretty good and had a good game plan? I guess that does not make a difference.

ND won, you're not allowed to give the other team credit for being good. Because ND can't really be good, can they?



(sarcasm people)

 

[NDFANnSouthWest]

Pitt is good...and this is a solid win for the Irish. This is one of the games I was worried about this year...

 

[Old Man Mike]

Just for the fun of it, over on some Pitt fan areas everyone seems to be blaming Wannstedt and Cignetti, slipping on the field, inconsistency by Sunseri, and bad luck. Nobody's giving any credit to Notre Dame nor really dissing their own players [other than some misses by the QB]. [I'm sure that my sample size was small, but ...what-the-heck---scientific we ain't]. Oh, and many people are saying that they thought ND would thump them, and are a bit encouraged at how they could have won this. Much talk of us stealing a bowl bid from a secondary Big East team due to this also.

 

[Riddickulous]

General Observations:

Offense - When our offense is on, they're really on. When our offense is off, they're really off.

Defense - Bend, not break seems to be the name of the game this season. We need to stop giving up those big pass plays. Two 50+ yard touchdowns allowed in two weeks. Improvement across the board.

Special Teams - Yes!

Coaching - Mhmm. Like it.


Player Observations:

Dayne Crist - B - I thought he was much, much better than he's been the last two weeks. Still missed some easy throws, but made a lot of nice ones, as well.

Armando Allen - B - Runs hard. You can't ask for much more than that. I would like to see him break one, for once.

Cierre Wood - C+ - He had some nice runs. The best he's looked since the Purdue game.

Michael Floyd - A - He would have had 140+ yards if his two long plays weren't called back. His best performance of the season.

TJ Jones - C - Had that spectacular catch, which warrants a C. He did nothing else, giving him just 5 catches in the last four games.

Theo Riddick - A - Theo "The Future Beast-Man" Riddick strikes again. Looked damn elusive and had another solid outing, his 4th in a row.

Kyle Rudolph - C - Something's wrong with him. He has to be something like 50%, right now.

Mike Ragone - F - Stone Hands strikes again with another boneheaded play that would have iced the game.

Offensive Line - A - Great protection for Crist against a pretty good defensive line.

Defensive Line - C+ - Had some sacks and had some nice push on run plays, but nothing truly special.

Darius Fleming - C+ - Sack.

The Heir to the OLB throne, Prince Shembo - B - Sack.

Manti Te'o - C - Eh. More whiffs on tackles. Not really an incredible performance.

Carlo Calabrese - C - Pretty much the same as Te'o.

Gary Gray - B - Yeah, we love you, Gary.

Darrin Walls - Eh.

Robert Blanton - B- - I like this guy. He's kind of studly.

Harrison Smith - B - Shocker.

Zeke Motta - Eh.

David Ruffer - A+++++ - Studmuffin.

Ben Turk - A+

 

[NDFANnSouthWest]

Slaughter...- D-...soon you are a safety...dont bite!

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

Pitt is good...and this is a solid win for the Irish. This is one of the games I was worried about this year...

Seems like everyone on here was.

Just thought I'd use your quote to tell you the Lobos are beating the Aggies 14-13 midway through the 4th. lol

stanford up 28-21 'gainst SC.

 

[NDFANnSouthWest]

the lobos aggies game is ugly...fumbles...may be a D1 record....;(

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

the lobos aggies game is ugly...fumbles...may be a D1 record....;(

How about penalties? Almost 200 yards combined so far. I had the Aggies winning this one by 3. I guess they are driving late.


Update...


Aggies up by two. minute and a half left.

 

[NDFANnSouthWest]

wtf...clownes!

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

Aggies win by two. I had them winning by 3. Good thing I didn't bet.

 

[choo choo]

yeah i thought the defense looked good...and some of these young guys are gonna be players...and i agree, the running scheme does appear to be much improved and armando is running his *** off as well...i think this team has a chance of doing some good things this season if they keep improving...im a little shocked - i was so down after msu and now im getting all giddy talkin about them...and, uh, mark may still sucks

 

[Bubba]

Here are the stats...solid game!


PUNTS-YARDS 5-233
Average Yards Per Punt 46.6
Net Yards Per Punt 47.0
Inside 20 3
50+ Yards 2
Touchbacks 0
Fair catch 0

Those 3 inside the 20 were actually all inside the 10... just sayin'. He did pretty freakin' well today.

 

[BeatSC]

General Observations:

Offense - When our offense is on, they're really on. When our offense is off, they're really off.

Defense - Bend, not break seems to be the name of the game this season. We need to stop giving up those big pass plays. Two 50+ yard touchdowns allowed in two weeks. Improvement across the board.

Special Teams - Yes!

Coaching - Mhmm. Like it.


Player Observations:

Dayne Crist - B - I thought he was much, much better than he's been the last two weeks. Still missed some easy throws, but made a lot of nice ones, as well.

Armando Allen - B - Runs hard. You can't ask for much more than that. I would like to see him break one, for once.

Cierre Wood - C+ - He had some nice runs. The best he's looked since the Purdue game.

Michael Floyd - A - He would have had 140+ yards if his two long plays weren't called back. His best performance of the season.

TJ Jones - C - Had that spectacular catch, which warrants a C. He did nothing else, giving him just 5 catches in the last four games.

Theo Riddick - A - Theo "The Future Beast-Man" Riddick strikes again. Looked damn elusive and had another solid outing, his 4th in a row.

Kyle Rudolph - C - Something's wrong with him. He has to be something like 50%, right now.

Mike Ragone - F - Stone Hands strikes again with another boneheaded play that would have iced the game.

Offensive Line - A - Great protection for Crist against a pretty good defensive line.

Defensive Line - C+ - Had some sacks and had some nice push on run plays, but nothing truly special.

Darius Fleming - C+ - Sack.

The Heir to the OLB throne, Prince Shembo - B - Sack.

Manti Te'o - C - Eh. More whiffs on tackles. Not really an incredible performance.

Carlo Calabrese - C - Pretty much the same as Te'o.

Gary Gray - B - Yeah, we love you, Gary.

Darrin Walls - Eh.

Robert Blanton - B- - I like this guy. He's kind of studly.

Harrison Smith - B - Shocker.

Zeke Motta - Eh.

David Ruffer - A+++++ - Studmuffin.

Ben Turk - A+

For the most part I agree but watching Goodman do nothing special makes me want to see Kamara. I also think Crist is playing very average and making some really poor reads on his run options. I also don't like BK's p;aycalling and how we never seem to have the ball.

 

[Old Man Mike]

This is so "late" that it probably won't be read by anybody, but I think that Kelly's play-calling is brilliant 95% of the time. We [read Dayne] just don't execute it 40% of the time. When we pass short of a down marker to Rudolph, I'll bet there are several other options in the pattern, and Dayne accepts a poor one to a great player who has a pretty bad hamstring. Also Kelly calls plays like a coaching genius operating on several levels. Example: we're down near their goal line in the second half. Kelly calls and out to Floyd [or more likely a "read" with variants to him], but Mike mis-reads it, and Dayne throws it the wrong way. Could have been an easy touchdown, and Dayne gets actually demonstrative towards Floyd for blowing it. What does Kelly do? He calls the same play. There's nothing more important than getting his studs together again [for future plays]. Unfortunately it's Crist who blows it this time and throws it out of bounds on another easy touchdown. Kelly brilliantly was trying to both win the game AND get his aces humming together on the same [properly-called] play. It was not his fault that both of them took turns screwing up.

 

[lookingdeadred]

Glad to see Wood out of the doghouse

Glad to see Wood out of the doghouse

He looked good, more decisive in his cuts. Saw a crease and cut. AA is the man, but Wood should be the backup. He will be more explosive than AA has been. As for Hughes, use him for short yardage situations.

The way i see it is, Wood reminds me of Allen. In the sense that Wood shows flashes and everyone expects him to be a big game breaker. Same type of expectations put on Allen.

But as we all see Wood is going through growing pains, but he has the luxury to have veterans that are capable of running the ball strong.

Allen never had a veteran to show him the ropes, or a veteran that could come in to let Allen sit.

So while it sucked to watch Allen have to grow up, we all had to and it made Allen look like he just goes down by "breathing" on him but he was going through his growing pains.

 

[jimbo]

dayne crist has been very disappointing. red zone touch passes are just ugly. we have one of the best red zone receivers in college football,and crist keeps throwing the ball out of the end zone. floyd would have great numbers if crist would give him a chance.
crist- shaky touch,must improve greatly in off season.
floyd-one true talent on offense
martin-been terrific
rudolph-good poss receiver,that's it.
wood-very overrated, no burst.
riddick-not a burner,very quick should be a good receiver
stewart-puh-lease, get watt in there
watt-nasty interior lineman
best calls by kelly- benching kamara,hughes,goodman.

defense- scary secondary,worse than last yr.
front seven defense- good against the run,big improvement. bad pass rush.
lbs- interior avg, teo's athleticism overrated,but is a good solid mlb.
calabrese-holding the fort til next yr.good sub
olb-in a word, awful.
cb's- okay against the run, awful against the pass. pitt's game plan flat out stupid,they should have thrown on almost every down
safeties- for a big time college program,awful is speaking kindly.
kelly is a great football coach. the schemes are terrifice. crist is holding the offense back.kelly doesnt trust him. this is the most conservative off kelly has ever used. crist needs a hugh "growth' surge in the off-season
kelly is recruiting very good athletes. if he can keep the current verbal commits, this is what nd really needs. lynch is scary. biggest need,yet addressed is the secondary. hardy is a very good safety prospect,he's not a corner. he will likely start,asap.
get 2 corners, dont care if there 5"9 and 160lbs, as long as they can cover.
there is a big upside for nd in the next couple of yrs,if they can get and keep the kind of verb al commitment recruits they have so far.
give kelly a little time. the schemes are first rate.the athleticism is not. hoping the day is coming soon,where i dont hold my breath everytime the opponent drops back to pass.
go irish. 8-4 is legit, crist must step up though.

 

[Riddickulous]

dayne crist has been very disappointing. red zone touch passes are just ugly. we have one of the best red zone receivers in college football,and crist keeps throwing the ball out of the end zone. floyd would have great numbers if crist would give him a chance.
crist- shaky touch,must improve greatly in off season.
floyd-one true talent on offense
martin-been terrific
rudolph-good poss receiver,that's it.
wood-very overrated, no burst.
riddick-not a burner,very quick should be a good receiver
stewart-puh-lease, get watt in there
watt-nasty interior lineman
best calls by kelly- benching kamara,hughes,goodman.

defense- scary secondary,worse than last yr.
front seven defense- good against the run,big improvement. bad pass rush.
lbs- interior avg, teo's athleticism overrated,but is a good solid mlb.
calabrese-holding the fort til next yr.good sub
olb-in a word, awful.
cb's- okay against the run, awful against the pass. pitt's game plan flat out stupid,they should have thrown on almost every down
safeties- for a big time college program,awful is speaking kindly.
kelly is a great football coach. the schemes are terrifice. crist is holding the offense back.kelly doesnt trust him. this is the most conservative off kelly has ever used. crist needs a hugh "growth' surge in the off-season
kelly is recruiting very good athletes. if he can keep the current verbal commits, this is what nd really needs. lynch is scary. biggest need,yet addressed is the secondary. hardy is a very good safety prospect,he's not a corner. he will likely start,asap.
get 2 corners, dont care if there 5"9 and 160lbs, as long as they can cover.
there is a big upside for nd in the next couple of yrs,if they can get and keep the kind of verb al commitment recruits they have so far.
give kelly a little time. the schemes are first rate.the athleticism is not. hoping the day is coming soon,where i dont hold my breath everytime the opponent drops back to pass.
go irish. 8-4 is legit, crist must step up though.

Calabrese is "holding the fort" until next year?

I guarantee you that he'll be starting the next four years.

 

[jason_h537]

The Good:
-Rush Defense has been far better this year and they keep getting better, also some of the subs like Hafis and Cwyner have neen improving
-Zach Martin has really surprised me how good he is, opening sack not included
-Run game in first half was great and it was nice to see us pound it for 1st downs
-Gary Gray is turning into a stud
-Hayseed played great, hope he turned the corner now that he has a position
-Ruffer needs a scholly yesterday

The Bad:
-Crist is streaky, sometimes looks great but when he is cold the offense is done
-Run game overall is frustrating, wish Kelly wouldn't turn away from it, reminds me of Weis in the redzone
-Defense still gives up too many big plays

The Ugly:
-This team still does too many things to hurt itself, all 3 wins should have been comfortable victories but they find ways to let the other team back in.

 

[kmoose]

How about admitting Pitt was pretty good and had a good game plan? I guess that does not make a difference.

If Pitt were one of the better teams in the country, then it would make a little bit of a difference. But they're not, so it makes no difference to me. My "bar" for ND football is excellence. Anything less than that is not living up to the ND mystique. I highly doubt that the coaches are excusing less than excellent execution in some phases of the game, so why should I?

 

[BeatSC]

If Pitt were one of the better teams in the country, then it would make a little bit of a difference. But they're not, so it makes no difference to me. My "bar" for ND football is excellence. Anything less than that is not living up to the ND mystique. I highly doubt that the coaches are excusing less than excellent execution in some phases of the game, so why should I?

I have to agree and hopefully when folks on this site are critical of some of the plays, players, coaches and refs they take it in stride. With that said the Pitt game was yet another example of ND winning a close game that should have been a blowout. All these little things from 4-5 dropped passes (Ragone, Rudolph and Riddick) to awful passes with receivers WIDE open for an EASY throw, to DC making the right option read (RUN MORE), and Kelly's erattic play calling need to be fixed. couple that with the fact that some day we might not get called for chicken **** penalties (while our oppnents do not) and one dya the will actually overturn a BS call on the field and admit an officiating mistake (Floyd in the conre of the endzone or the grounding by Pitt in the endzone. Despite all these little shortcomings that have made probably a 28 point differenc we pulled it out. We have better talent and we prevailed. this will not cut it against Utah or USC. We can play Montana and most of the second strings from here on out and shoud be able to win and make a bowl with a 7-5 record. If we can get past the mistakes and bad breaks above we will be 9-3 and get into a marquee bowl win it and be in next seasons top 10.

It can happen!

 

[jason_h537]

All of the things holding ND back right now can be fixed with coaching, i expect the team to improve come Utah

 

[DomeX2 eNVy]

A few observations from inside the stadium:

The Green thing is catching on. Excluding the student section and Pitt section, I would estimate that close to 1/3 of the stadium crowd wore green. I don't know if it came across on tv or not, but to me it was noticeable compared to the UM game where it was called for a 'green out'. The north end zone was the strongest and under the press box the weakest (and grayest).

The offense was substantially quicker than previous games; and the receivers looked like they knew the play, count, route, at a higher percentage (less confusion). This is evidence that - while not 100% yet - they are learning the system. It will be sweet when the all get comfortable.

Ian Williams was destructive to the Pitt line more often than not. Shembo is a stud - omg! The OLBs are looking better and more confident - though still the weak link in the D.

1 on 1 - the corners (Walls and Gray mostly) were lockdown on a great receiver (Baldwin). It was fun to watch. The team really struggles with assignments in cover 2.

Sunseri was better than expected - but still a 50/50 thrower. But he did deliver some great balls to go with some really bad ones.

Pitt's backs are good, really good. The fact that they got yards after contact was not that ND's Defense was poor in tackling - it was that these guys are tough to contain and have great moves.

Floyd was there. Caught things that didn't look catchable at the release from Crist.

Cierre still tried too many juke moves at the wrong time, rather than pounding it for another yard or two - which he did once or twice.

And the most frustrating thing about the game was the refs. And I'm not talking about the bad calls at the end. I don't know if it was my eyes (and the people around me), but it sure looked like on about 30% of the spots, Pitt got an extra 2 to 3 feet from where it should have been. And likewise, the Irish couldn't get a favorable spot and often it looked short.

Regardless, it was fun to see the win and the energy of the team.

 

[bornready85]

I don't want to beat a dead horse with the "refs are out to get us" theme....but has anyone mentioned Sunseri's forward pass on the Baldwin TD was illegal considering that Pitt had several offensive linemen("ineligible receivers") past the line of scrimmage?

I'd just like to see some consistency on things like this if the refs are going to