Proud of this team

[KPENN]

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm very very very pround of this team. Getting absolutely embarrassed by Navy, the death of Declean Sullivan and the **** storm that followed that then to top it off they lose a heart breaker to Tulsa and lose Dayne also. All of this made it seem like this season was a loss.

Then they put together back to back awesome games. Beating a ranked Utah team the 1st win versus a ranked team since '06 and finally winning one on senior day. Then playing Army running an offense that gashed this team just a couple weeks ago they shut them down after the 1st drive and even out rush them. Outscoring opponents 55-6.

Listen I realize it's not a national championship or a BCS game, but after the couple of weeks this team had I'm proud of BK, the entire coaching staff and all the players.

And it feels like that, maybe just maybe this team is starting to build on something pretty good.

 

[Irish Insanity]

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm very very very pround of this team. Getting absolutely embarrassed by Navy, the death of Declean Sullivan and the **** storm that followed that then to top it off they lose a heart breaker to Tulsa and lose Dayne also. All of this made it seem like this season was a loss.

Then they put together back to back awesome games. Beating a ranked Utah team the 1st win versus a ranked team since '06 and finally winning one in senior day. Then playing Army running an offense that gashed this team just a couple weeks ago they shut them down after the 1st drive and even out rush them. Outscoring opponents 55-6.

Listen I realize it's not a national championship or a BCS game, but after the couple of weeks this team had I'm pround of BK, the entire coaching staff and all the players.

And it feels like that, maybe just maybe this team is starting to build on something pretty good.

Very well stated!

 

[NDFANnSouthWest]

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm very very very pround of this team. Getting absolutely embarrassed by Navy, the death of Declean Sullivan and the **** storm that followed that then to top it off they lose a heart breaker to Tulsa and lose Dayne also. All of this made it seem like this season was a loss.

Then they put together back to back awesome games. Beating a ranked Utah team the 1st win versus a ranked team since '06 and finally winning one in senior day. Then playing Army running an offense that gashed this team just a couple weeks ago they shut them down after the 1st drive and even out rush them. Outscoring opponents 55-6.

Listen I realize it's not a national championship or a BCS game, but after the couple of weeks this team had I'm pround of BK, the entire coaching staff and all the players.

And it feels like that, maybe just maybe this team is starting to build on something pretty good.

I am with you....love to see the Irish play with such Heart! I dont recall who it was on here I was talking to however I said at the beginning of the UTAH game that the D was pumped up...and he said something like "for now!" and that has continued thru the UTAH game and the entire Army game. These guys are fighting their tails off...love it.

 

[PapaIrish37]

+1 - couldn't agree more. The big thing is this team is getting stronger and improving as the season moves into November. That had not happened recently. Next week will be a tough game but we can win. I am sorry for Barkley but not for SC.

This group seems to be buying in and ready to move in the right direction. The adversity they have faced down over the last several weeks from laying an egg in the Meadowlands to the injuries to the loss of Declan.

The coaching staff (I will admit I have been a BK backer since he was named) deserves a ton of credit for keeping this group together and not losing the team when it would have been easy to do.

GO IRISH!

 

[RallySonsOfND]

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm very very very pround of this team. Getting absolutely embarrassed by Navy, the death of Declean Sullivan and the **** storm that followed that then to top it off they lose a heart breaker to Tulsa and lose Dayne also. All of this made it seem like this season was a loss.

Then they put together back to back awesome games. Beating a ranked Utah team the 1st win versus a ranked team since '06 and finally winning one on senior day. Then playing Army running an offense that gashed this team just a couple weeks ago they shut them down after the 1st drive and even out rush them. Outscoring opponents 55-6.

Listen I realize it's not a national championship or a BCS game, but after the couple of weeks this team had I'm pround of BK, the entire coaching staff and all the players.

And it feels like that, maybe just maybe this team is starting to build on something pretty good.

reps

 

[NankerPhelge]

Absolutely agree. It's nice to see those who had the sense to have some patience and faith being vindicated to an extent. I'm proud of them also.

Which brings up a point that someone made last week. Why is this board so relatively quiet tonight? Had ND lost to Army, don't you think there'd be a lot more action (translate--b**thing and moaning about how Kelly's head should come off, and ND's football program should be disbanded)?

Man, this was a HUGE event in ND football history, even though the game, relatively, didn't mean that much (I mean in the sense that it doesn't make us a 12-0 team, or put us in the NC picture.) But, it was huge for a lot of other reasons: the players' pride and confidence, keeping the program moving in the right direction, the Yankee Stadium spectacle, the probable positive effect on recruiting, etc., etc., etc. Where are all those "haters" who are supposedly sincere ND fans and are the loudest and most critical when they lose, but are so quiet now?

 

[OCIrish]

Absolutely agree. It's nice to see those who had the sense to have some patience and faith being vindicated to an extent. I'm proud of them also.

Which brings up a point that someone made last week. Why is this board so relatively quiet tonight? Had ND lost to Army, don't you think there'd be a lot more action (translate--b**thing and moaning about how Kelly's head should come off, and ND's football program should be disbanded)?

Man, this was a HUGE event in ND football history, even though the game, relatively, didn't mean that much (I mean in the sense that it doesn't make us a 12-0 team, or put us in the NC picture.) But, it was huge for a lot of other reasons: the players' pride and confidence, keeping the program moving in the right direction, the Yankee Stadium spectacle, the probable positive effect on recruiting, etc., etc., etc. Where are all those "haters" who are supposedly sincere ND fans and are the loudest and most critical when they lose, but are so quiet now?

As you know-winning cures all ails, period.

One thing not mentioned in the original post, throw in all of the injuries we've had and it's hard not to be proud. These kids got a shellacking over the Navy debacle and Tulsa games, only to come out and show just how talented and they and the coaching staff really are.

Even if they had won by a little bit but still showed improvement, I would have been just as proud. These kids have shown real improvement as the season has progressed. Not just on the defenseive side, but the offense has started to show glimpses of things to come. Whether or not it's Reese as the starting QB or not will be up for debate but the OL is really starting to move guys up front and opening holes that have not been opened by the Irish in some time.

Great thread by the way. These kids deserve alll the credit.

 

[Ultimate Penn St. Hater]

Just finished watching because I had a wedding. Good win. So happy. Go Irish!

 

[Kak7304]

Absolutely agree. It's nice to see those who had the sense to have some patience and faith being vindicated to an extent. I'm proud of them also.

Which brings up a point that someone made last week. Why is this board so relatively quiet tonight? Had ND lost to Army, don't you think there'd be a lot more action (translate--b**thing and moaning about how Kelly's head should come off, and ND's football program should be disbanded)?

Man, this was a HUGE event in ND football history, even though the game, relatively, didn't mean that much (I mean in the sense that it doesn't make us a 12-0 team, or put us in the NC picture.) But, it was huge for a lot of other reasons: the players' pride and confidence, keeping the program moving in the right direction, the Yankee Stadium spectacle, the probable positive effect on recruiting, etc., etc., etc. Where are all those "haters" who are supposedly sincere ND fans and are the loudest and most critical when they lose, but are so quiet now?

Not to mention a few more practices and an extra game as a result of becoming bowl eligible. That is absolutely huge for this program going forward to the next season.

 

[tommyIRISH23]

ND doesn't look like a one legged team any longer. They are balanced and getting better. They are complete and getting better. I love the young players, they are comin on and are setting a attitude for this team in the future.

I really like BK.

 

[johnnykillz]

Well stated, all of you. I'm proud of our boys for the win. Let's keep this ship moving and let's stomp the pee-waddlin' out of USC in a week...

 

[Riddickulous]

We need to carry the momentum through USC and the bowl game. If we win both, it will be huge for the program. The team will carry the momentum into the offseason and work hard and we might see a BCS team in 2011.

 

[IrishinSyria]

For me, their was a block that Cierre Wood threw early in the game, I think it was on the long pass to Eiffert, that really defines this season. Wood's a kid with a lot of potential who was, to be honest, pretty bad at the start of the season. He had no vision. He went down to easy. And worst of all, he couldn't pick up a pass rush to save his life.

Today, he was patient running the ball, physical at the point of attack, and that block was a thing of beauty. He's still got a long ways to go, but I am much more confident now that he will become a go to guy than I was a month ago.

It's been a long time since I've seen this team do the little things so well, and that gives me great hope for the future.

 

[dshans]

YouTube - The Who - Happy Jack

Keith Moon!!!!

 

[KPENN]

For me, their was a block that Cierre Wood threw early in the game, I think it was on the long pass to Eiffert, that really defines this season. Wood's a kid with a lot of potential who was, to be honest, pretty bad at the start of the season. He had no vision. He went down to easy. And worst of all, he couldn't pick up a pass rush to save his life.

Today, he was patient running the ball, physical at the point of attack, and that block was a thing of beauty. He's still got a long ways to go, but I am much more confident now that he will become a go to guy than I was a month ago.

It's been a long time since I've seen this team do the little things so well, and that gives me great hope for the future.

I remember that play and Mayock pointing it out saying the samething about wood

 

[IrishAlum1997]

Always proud of this team. Just nice to see it manifest itself in a couple of November W's for a change.

 

[rikkitikki08]

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm very very very pround of this team. Getting absolutely embarrassed by Navy, the death of Declean Sullivan and the **** storm that followed that then to top it off they lose a heart breaker to Tulsa and lose Dayne also. All of this made it seem like this season was a loss.

Then they put together back to back awesome games. Beating a ranked Utah team the 1st win versus a ranked team since '06 and finally winning one on senior day. Then playing Army running an offense that gashed this team just a couple weeks ago they shut them down after the 1st drive and even out rush them. Outscoring opponents 55-6.

Listen I realize it's not a national championship or a BCS game, but after the couple of weeks this team had I'm proud of BK, the entire coaching staff and all the players.

And it feels like that, maybe just maybe this team is starting to build on something pretty good.

very well said, i was by this team when they lost to tulsa and i continue to be.....whatever kelly has done the last two weeks to light a fire under this team *** it seems to be working...IMO gary gray is playing like a true warrior who never quits on a play, easily my favorite player at this moment

 

[irishff1014]

We need to be proud. The coaches have got this team prepared the last to weeks and the players exicuted perfectly. There is still alot of room for improvement though. THese players played there a$$es off last night. I loved the 10 men in the box and hitting hard. Good way to break in Spankee stadium.

 

[Old Man Mike]

I probably am in the camp of the excessively proud, but I can't help it. Looking back through this season, I find only one game that we should be ashamed of our selves: Tulsa. We lost really close to the surprise coming-out-party of a whirlwind tornado [D.Robinson], really close to a pretty solid MSU, whacked by a Stanford which has proved it's a monster, and hit the perfect confusion against Navy, wherein the D-staff seemed to not have yet been totally aware of certain of our players limitations against an unusual scheme which the players had yet to be tested against. Such things as above are, I believe, forgivable, easily, in a first time year's building. Tulsa stunk, but we could have won it anyway. Given what we've encountered, and the stage of building that we're at, how can I not be very proud of them??

I don't believe in the "what if??" game, but when taken simply as a momentary meditation point, it is not necessarily unhealthy. So..."what if" we had nipped UM, MSU, and Tulsa? What would 9-2 feel like? We'd all be spoiled rotten, and ND would be over-rated, but even most cry-babies would be satisfied. We're 6-5, and I'm proud of you staff & players.

 

[IrishBlood81]

The key word in this thread is TEAM. Their actually starting to look like a complete TEAM.
Not an inconsistent group of talented players that do awesome plays that get you going than next down..leave you scratching your head as to why they just did that when their so talented/good.

All sides of the ball they looked wonderful. (Except offense in the second half). A lot to look forward too and very damn proud of these fellas!
To quote someone famous, They battle



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[ryno 24]

I am proud of this team as well they are showing heart

 

[DomerBoy]

+1 - couldn't agree more. The big thing is this team is getting stronger and improving as the season moves into November. That had not happened recently. Next week will be a tough game but we can win. I am sorry for Barkley but not for SC.

This group seems to be buying in and ready to move in the right direction. The adversity they have faced down over the last several weeks from laying an egg in the Meadowlands to the injuries to the loss of Declan.

The coaching staff (I will admit I have been a BK backer since he was named) deserves a ton of credit for keeping this group together and not losing the team when it would have been easy to do.

GO IRISH!

Stronger, or the competition is sub par. Lets not get carried away, they beat an overrated Utah and an Army team that struggled to beat hawaii. We should be beating these teams, THEY SUCK.

Has ND fell off that much that we are praising wins that we should be winning?

 

[KPENN]

Stronger, or the competition is sub par. Lets not get carried away, they beat an overrated Utah and an Army team that struggled to beat hawaii. We should be beating these teams, THEY SUCK.

Has ND fell off that much that we are praising wins that we should be winning?

I dont care if Utah was overrated. The fact they have been a better program then nd. It was a big win for nd.

Army was against a team that ran an offense that absolutely destroyed are defense a couple weeks ago. Like I mentioned before it woulda been pretty easy to roll over and die and finish off the season just playing it out, but they didn't.

Oh and how have the last few November's gone for this team? Finally in November we're seeing the teams best football instead of their worst.

 

[DomeX2 eNVy]

I was thinking before the game that this would be an indication game. Had the team started to right the ship - or was Utah just an emotional, one time event. I had similar feelings going into the Navy game after good games against Pitt and BC. After the first 12 minutes, I thought it was Navy all over again and more mediocrity. But that abruptly ended.
Was it perfect? No. But it was what you see it quality teams. Strong defense, big plays when needed, role players stepping up . . . aka a total TEAM game..
It would be easy to think beating Utah was enough and slip back to going through the motions. I love the progress of this team despite the injuries and other challenges they have faced. I think Diaco and Martin are the best coaching duo we could hope to have. This team is showing so much improvement, not just in the football mechanics, but in the mental parts of the game and HEART.

That said, the USC game is now critical to set the tone for the future. I believe the defense can hang with the talented trojans, but it will still be tough to win. If they can pull this one out, there may be no stopping this group for many years.

I need to run to the store and get more kool aid now.

 

[PADOMERNUT]

Is it just me, or have they played with more emotion the last 2 weeks than any game in the last 6 or 7 years. If BK has shown one thing, he can light a fire under these guys.

Fellas, USC has mailed it in, plain and simple. How do they get walloped by a team who the week before got blown out by what might be the worst team in the FBS??? Now they are still incredibly talented, so it will be a very tough test, but i dont think there is any doubt what team will want it more next Saturday night, and that is something I couldnt honestly say before.

 

[DomerBoy]

I dont care if Utah was overrated. The fact they have been a better program then nd. It was a big win for nd.

Army was against a team that ran an offense that absolutely destroyed are defense a couple weeks ago. Like I mentioned before it woulda been pretty easy to roll over and die and finish off the season just playing it out, but they didn't.

Oh and how have the last few November's gone for this team? Finally in November we're seeing the teams best football instead of their worst.

I am not convinced that ND has been playing better though. Just the competition has been that bad in November. I think that the bye week really helped us get healthy which made a substantial different.

Was there really ever a doubt that we would lose to Army?

I do agree though, that it does seem that there is some urgency in the teams play which almost any fan should be proud of.

 

[IrishBlood81]

Stronger, or the competition is sub par. Lets not get carried away, they beat an overrated Utah and an Army team that struggled to beat hawaii. We should be beating these teams, THEY SUCK.

Has ND fell off that much that we are praising wins that we should be winning?

shut up dude. If you weren't a water boy you'd have known we've been through all this. ND should've beaten Tulsa too. They didn't. We're not delusional about the state of OUR team, we're happy that they won and got to bowl game when it didn't look like it was going to happen.


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[IrishInFl]

I am not convinced that ND has been playing better though. Just the competition has been that bad in November. I think that the bye week really helped us get healthy which made a substantial different.

Was there really ever a doubt that we would lose to Army?

I do agree though, that it does seem that there is some urgency in the teams play which almost any fan should be proud of.

Yes, there was. We sucked against the option, and Army plays an unconventional defense, a CFL defense. Combine those, and Army had a legit shot at beating ND. But our coach had us ready. We learned from our mistakes against Navy, and Did decent against a defense we've never played against. That's why I'm proud of this team.

 

[DomerBoy]

It was the defensive scheme Diaco emplaced that got the job done. Changing to a four man front, two backers, and an extra db for speed was all the difference. If anything, you should be proud of Diaco as he learned big time from his mistakes and put the players in a position to win. Offensively, Army was simply outmatched. There biggest dline player was 250 pounds.

 

[DomerBoy]

shut up dude. If you weren't a water boy you'd have known we've been through all this. ND should've beaten Tulsa too. They didn't. We're not delusional about the state of OUR team, we're happy that they won and got to bowl game when it didn't look like it was going to happen.


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Navy has the same offensively philosophy but is not the same offensive that Navy runs. Stop acting like Army is the exact same team that Navy is because they are not. You are delusional to think that Army is at the same level as Navy.