article:what we learned week 8 per espn

[nd1]

What we learned from Notre Dame's 35-17 loss to Navy on Saturday:

1. It's crossroads time: Last year's loss to Navy was the beginning of the end, both for the Irish season and of Charlie Weis's career. Brian Kelly is in no danger of being fired, but Notre Dame clearly faces a fork in the road. At 4-4 with tough games left against Utah and at USC, this season could easily devolve into another losing campaign. There will be a lot of questions this week about Kelly, defensive coordinator Bob Diaco, quarterback Dayne Crist and just about everything else. The Irish have to pick themselves off the mat somehow.

2. Fighting Irish? Hardly: All that talk in the preseason about Kelly instilling toughness and getting back to the blue-collar ways of the Fighting Irish has yet to become much more than talk. The key play in the Navy game happened early, when Crist got stuffed on fourth and inches from the goal line on the first Notre Dame drive. "If you can't get a foot on the one-half yard line, you get what you deserve," Kelly said. That's true. The one thing you can always count on from the Midshipmen is physical and mental toughness and a 60-minute fight. The Irish aren't there yet. Navy did some things with its running game that Notre Dame hadn't seen on film, but as Kelly said, "Scheme's one thing; you still have to win those one-on-one matchups."

3. Crist has to get better: Sure, Crist didn't have two key weapons in the injured Michael Floyd and Theo Riddick, not to mention Kyle Rudolph. And he's still learning the offense. But eight games in, he should be making better decisions and throws. His interception late in the first-half was inexcusable and led to a Navy touchdown. "He has some good moments, then inexperience hits him," Kelly said. "It's the consistency factor for him, and being able to do it with a competence that is play in and play out." Crist has to learn how to become more consistent, or else Kelly might have to look elsewhere for his quarterback of the future.Share

 

[LeapinLeprechaun]

The article is honest and right. Crist is the problem, we all knew the defense sucked we have to get better players on that side. We have the players on offense. Crist has come to his crossroads, I truly hope he turns it around.

 

[IrishinSyria]

The article is honest and right. Crist is the problem, we all knew the defense sucked we have to get better players on that side. We have the players on offense. Crist has come to his crossroads, I truly hope he turns it around.

Crist was a small part of the problem yesterday. Navy winning battles all day in the trenches was the problem.

 

[irishtrain]

Crist was a small part of the problem yesterday. Navy winning battles all day in the trenches was the problem.

Never ever call out any one guy, that could be your son but I will say this, Notre Dame is not tough and Notre Dame is not Notre Dame anymore. I have accepted that. Join the MAC.

 

[Irish Man3]

The article is honest and right. Crist is the problem, we all knew the defense sucked we have to get better players on that side. We have the players on offense. Crist has come to his crossroads, I truly hope he turns it around.

The article says Crist needs to improve, not that he is the problem. If you think Dayne Crist is the sole reason we are 4-4, then you are a fool. Crist made some bad decisions yesterday but he was trying to make something happen because our defense wasn't worth a damn. His top 3 targets were not on the field in his 8th career start. Crist looked great yesterday in the early stages of the game until he realized that they were going to have to score on every possession. Stop trying to point the finger to one player. The fact is, yesterdays loss is on the coaches and the players. There was no intensity and poor execution. We can go on and on and start 15 more stupid threads about what went wrong but it's pointless. And to say the defense sucked clearly means that you haven't watched the lst 3 games this season because they did the job. They won us the game against Pittsburgh and held Harris from BC to nothing. A couple weeks later Harris went on the road to Florida St and ran for about a buck 50 against a "fast and athletic" Florida State defense. So get some facts straight before you blast individuals and a certain side of the ball.

 

[irishff1014]

Crist needs to use his head that the helment protects because the only time he did that yesterday was when he ran the ball. And our defense haha we have one of them.

 

[DCirishfan]

Crist was a small part of the problem yesterday. Navy winning battles all day in the trenches was the problem.

Indeed, until we can control the line of scrimmage again except a terrible team on the field. Get ready for de commit city.

 

[IrishinSyria]

Crist needs to use his head that the helment protects because the only time he did that yesterday was when he ran the ball. And our defense haha we have one of them.

Crist was 19 for 31 with 1 TD throw and 2 picks. So he made at least 19 good decisions, as I don't remember any spectacular catches by the wide-outs. If you want to see poor Quarterback play, check out Jay Cutler for the Bears today.

As for our defense, we actually have a very solid defense. If Weis could have gotten his D playing at this level last year, we would have been in a BCS game. They were ill-prepared for Navy though. Expect them to rebound, because they definitely have the talent.

I'm as frustrated by this loss as anyone. But the senseless attacks on Crist are getting old.

 

[phork]

Crist was 19 for 31 with 1 TD throw and 2 picks. So he made at least 19 good decisions, as I don't remember any spectacular catches by the wide-outs. If you want to see poor Quarterback play, check out Jay Cutler for the Bears today.

As for our defense, we actually have a very solid defense. If Weis could have gotten his D playing at this level last year, we would have been in a BCS game. They were ill-prepared for Navy though. Expect them to rebound, because they definitely have the talent.

I'm as frustrated by this loss as anyone. But the senseless attacks on Crist are getting old.

BCS with this defense? You must be kidding me.

 

[IrishinSyria]

BCS with this defense? You must be kidding me.

Hey, I didn't say they were great. Just that with last years offense, I think they would be good enough. It's an impossible point to prove, but the greater point is let's not go saying we have no defense just because of one bad game. There's still a lot of talent on that side of the ball, and they've done good (and bad) things for us this season.

 

[irishff1014]

What talent walls and Gray haha they are garbage. Our seconday is horrible. ANd not to mention man coverage haha we lose that battle everytime.

 

[mrmiller8]

I'm not really gonna defend anyone unit on notre dames team right now. The main problem is they aren't finding ways to win right now. We can talk injuries, this that and the other, but when kelly was at cincy he was finding ways to win with the "next guy in line" right? where is that now? I know he is bulding right now and to expect to come in here work miracles is unrealistic but thats his MO, but I will say this, I like him, he is a no BS guy and hasn't made many excuses.....

 

[INFIDEL STRONG]

Before the *** beating by my brothers in the Navy...

51.85% thats our percentage on scoring TD's when in the red zone. And that is A major reason we are bad.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

It's all basic, too many experts with too many opinions, (too many chiefs, not enough Indians), entitled to too much for too long. As Old Man Mike, one of the wiser posters I have ever read, said on another thread, maybe I was too enthusiastic and unrealistic. The process to correct the endemic lack of discipline, mental toughness and will to win may take a nearly a turnover in talent. A post from a different thread:

Quote:
I am by no means ready to see Kelly leave. I wouldn't mind see the DC leave with his 3-4 defense i just dislike that.I think after 2 springs and on 1 season in the book he will have had time to understand what his players are able to do and not what to do. And just find away to keep getting these good players to come here.

Two weeks ago Bob Diaco was everybody's best friend; even last week. Now, he needs to be eliminated. But Brian Kelly brought him in – twice.

To me, there is no question about supporting Notre Dame. I have talked to people that are upset beyond belief after the Navy loss; can't say that I am not among those most distressed. I have heard and seen some unbelievable things. I have seen more upset (among Notre Dame fans), than I did when the economy crashed two years ago!

But when you take time to sift though it all of it, to really analyze it; maybe there is a pattern to it, a theme. Maybe, for the last thirteen seasons, we have been more interested in recruiting the kind of player that looks good, but doesn't necessarily perform. Arguments have been exclusively about how many stars a player has, not about what they are going to do on the field, not about what kind of killer instinct they have, or what they will do with their back to the wall.

Maybe we enjoyed complaining about the refs, a little too much. Maybe we have been “just a little” elitist, knowing in all of our hearts, that we have enjoyed and taken a little comfort in believing that we have had a decided schematic advantage. Maybe we have enjoyed our conflicts with all of the cheaters, scumbags, and persons of low moral character that have competed unfairly against us, even though they have pounded us in recent years.

Maybe the depths that we fell to this weekend there was a sickening realization, that this team, a product of the past ND admin and coaching, with this coach, isn't going to amount to anything. In his press conference, Brian Kelly identified the sickening truth. As hard to face as it is, Saturday we marched the ball right down the field and were not able to move the ball one foot when it counted, when we outweighed them by 70 (plus) lbs per man, and our quarterback was even significantly larger than their largest linebacker. That moment at the end of our first drive is called crunch time, and we simply didn't respond.

Maybe that sickening feeling we had that ran in waves through the team, the staff, the administration, and the fan base, is that we know deep down, until we replace the majority of the team, and a whole lot of those entitled hangers on, wherever they may be; we will not amount to crap on Saturday afternoon. (I didn't want to say **** and get asterisked out!) Not until we build a team that gets back to the roots of what made the Irish tough in the first place.

 

[irish4ever]

Before the *** beating by my brothers in the Navy...

51.85% thats our percentage on scoring TD's when in the red zone. And that is A major reason we are bad.

You are correct on that point. That should be in the +65% range (2 out of 3), IMO.

By way, take care of yourself over in assghanistan! Thanks for serving!