New rankings out

[the great 8]

We had 65% of our yards in the first 3 quarters (75% of the time). Good try, though.

I guess that shows my point. If you kept your rate of yardage gained in the 4th you'd have well over 700 yards for the game.

 

[NCDomer]

Eh. USF played like a typical Skip Holtz team. They get up for the big games and play scrappy, taking advantage of mistakes. But like his prior teams, they'll likely have a few head scratchers too probably because they don't have that kind of talent.

Let's face it, ND was the better team. You still have to give USF a lot of credit for going on the road and playing mistake free in their opener against a quality opponent. I can see USF going to the BCS this year by playing similar to Wake in '06.

Speaking of Wake, they will probably give us more trouble than we expect. Bet on Wake to cover the spread.

 

[the great 8]

Just wait until your first graduate wins the lottery and can quit delivering pizza for a living! The guy will start taking care of some recruits and players and you'll be screwed in no time.

Umm, yeah, we actually have a billionaire alumni.

Jordan B. Zimmerman - Board of Trustees - USF System - University of South Florida System

Look, debating prestige Notre Dame will win every time. Not trying to claim otherwise.

 

[GoldenDomer2357]

Nice,

It's like we are in the Groundhog day movie. This loss is really irritating me.

Haha perfect analogy. It seems like this happens every September. At least Grounhog Day was a comedy. I consider this a horror.

 

[DCirishfan]

WTF @ LSU being behind anyone right now.... I guess there is no reward for scheduling and soundly beating an OOC top 5 team on a neutral field? Total BS.

Word up LAX, being in the SEC you get screwed sometimes. Alabama and LSU are WAY out infront of any other school right now. I highly doubt ND could ever really compete on the level of a LSU or Alabama again. Maybe on a lucky game with our best team.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

I guess that shows my point. If you kept your rate of yardage gained in the 4th you'd have well over 700 yards for the game.

We gained 166 yards in the first quarter. You were clearly in your "Plan A" defensive scheme. We didn't score simply because of our own mistakes.

We gained 5 yards in the second quarter. The TOs had shaken Crist's confidence and he couldn't move the offense anymore. Pulled at the half.

We gained 164 yards in the third quarter. You still only had a two-possession lead, so you hadn't changed anything schematically.

We gained 179 in the fourth quarter. The game was never out of reach for us; if there was a schematic change in there somewhere, it clearly didn't affect our production all that much (note the similarity between the 1st, 3rd, and 4th quarters).

 

[NDFan4Life]

Oh yes, that you "outgained us 2-1" even though most of those yards were gained in the final 11 minutes of the 4th qtr when we were up 23-7 and in a prevent defense with many second teamers out there.

Our DC made a statement that our goal was to "keep you in front of us" and we did that. Soft zones and not pressing. The time we did press Floyd he burned us for a TD. All other times you had to dink and dunk your way down the field. It was by design. Congrats for winning between the 20 yard lines. Next time execute elsewhere.

FWIW, the only time we "had" to score a TD is when it was 16-7. What did we do? Drove down the field 80 yards to make it 23-7. Our coaches were content with calling it a game at that point. You then gained about 200 yds through the air at that point. It's a bit too timid for my taste, but that's what happened.

Don't expect to have moved the ball so well if the game were closer.

"Delusions of grandeur".

Look it up.

Fits you to a "T".

 

[the great 8]

We gained 166 yards in the first quarter. You were clearly in your "planned' defensive scheme. We didn't score simply because of our own mistakes.

We gained 5 yards in the second quarter. The TOs had shaken Crist's confidence and he couldn't move the offense anymore. Pulled at the half.

We gained 164 yards in the third quarter. You still only had a two-possession lead, so you hadn't changed anything schematically.

We gained 179 in the fourth quarter. The game was never out of reach for us; if there was a schematic change in there somewhere, it clearly didn't affect our production all that much (note the similarity between the 1st, 3rd, and 4th quarters).

If you recall I specifically stated that our DC's gameplan was to "keep you in front of us." We've seen it employed against prolific passing offenses in the past. They won the total yardage those days too but lost the games.

You won the battle between the 20's I'll give you that.

Which played right into our hands.

There was one fluke TO: the ball that bounced off a helmet for an INT. The strip was a beauty, the muffed punt shouldn't be surprising given how he was taking punts all day, Crist's INT was because he tried to abuse a TE/LB matchup even though our LB's are as fast as your safeties, and Rees' second INT was all him.

 

[anarin]

At this point I dont know what is worse...

A USF fan trolling the board or a scUM fan? I'd say USF because you expect the scUM fan to be here doing his thing before gametime.

 

[the great 8]

At this point I dont know what is worse...

A USF fan trolling the board or a scUM fan? I'd say USF because you expect the scUM fan to be here doing his thing before gametime.

I've had no ambition to "troll" it's just annoying to take a break at work, check out the ND board, and see them basking in their "total yardage win" writing off the loss as a fluke.

You'll face offenses more potent than ours, that's for sure, you won't see many better defenses. You will see defenses that play you less softly though, and the yardage won't be quite so skewed.

If you're thinking you'll roll teams offensively and defensively because of some total yardages you saw on Saturday don't be so sure. Our offense is limited and was conservative, and our defense was purposely conservative. We've seen it before against prolific offenses and our DC has shown it works.

 

[clashmore_mike]

Why people even bother responding to people like great 8 is beyond me. He's looking for attention, just ignore him and move on.

 

[NDinL.A.]

At this point I dont know what is worse...

A USF fan trolling the board or a scUM fan? I'd say USF because you expect the scUM fan to be here doing his thing before gametime.

No sh!t. The game is over, we'll have nothing to do with them anymore, but yet they're still here. Take it to rivals or espn SFU fans. We honestly don't give a crap about you and most of us will actually root for Skip and your team (but some of you are making it hard with the way you act). And the USF fans I met at the game were all cool.

A PM was sent to him. We'll see where it goes from there.

 

[BeauBenken]

If you recall I specifically stated that our DC's gameplan was to "keep you in front of us." We've seen it employed against prolific passing offenses in the past. They won the total yardage those days too but lost the games.

You won the battle between the 20's I'll give you that.

Which played right into our hands.

There was one fluke TO: the ball that bounced off a helmet for an INT. The strip was a beauty, the muffed punt shouldn't be surprising given how he was taking punts all day, Crist's INT was because he tried to abuse a TE/LB matchup even though our LB's are as fast as your safeties, and Rees' second INT was all him.

I think we get the concept that your plan was to not give up big plays.

The whistle should have been blown before that strip ever even happened. Those refs keep letting plays go multiple seconds longer than they should have.

TJ didn't look for the ball.

Theo had the dropsies all day. The muffed punt was a gift plain and simple.

Dayne made an awful attempt at a play. Your LB was all over our receiver. He bumped him about 5 yards off his route to begin with.

And like you said, Rees' second interception was just an errant throw from him.

I'll give you that you guys took advantage of our mistakes (to an extent, you still only had ONE offensive TD), but don't act like it was ever planned to expect us GIVING you guys 5 turnovers.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

If you recall I specifically stated that our DC's gameplan was the "keep you in front of us."

You won the battle between the 20's I'll give you that.

Which played right into our hands.

It was the TOs that played right into your hands, and as I said earlier, you can't game plan for those. If any one of about eight fluke circumstances doesn't happen, then you don't win that game:

If a ref had blown the play stopped due to forward progress, Jerrell Young doesn't strip the ball.

If the ball doesn't take a perfect bounce, Webster doesn't take it back for 6 (note the 10-point swing right there due to a questionable call and a lucky bounce).

If the refs don't call back to back face-mask penalties on Smith (one of which was total BS), then Maicon probably kicks one less FG.

If the refs don't call that ridiculous holding penalty on Michael Floyd, ND gets a first half TD and cuts your lead to a single possession.

There was one fluke TO: the ball that bounced off a helmet for an INT. The strip was a beauty, the muffed punt shouldn't be surprising given how he was taking punts all day, Crist's INT was because he tried to abuse a TE/LB matchup even though our LB's are as fast as your safeties, and Rees' second INT was all him.

Glad you're at least willing to admit that one of those was a fluke. The strip was a good play, but as I mentioned above, the refs should have whistled the play stopped due to forward progress, and the bounce that allowd Webster to take it to the house was a fluke.

Crist wasn't trying to "abuse a TE/LB matchup". His eyes were locked onto Riddick from the instant the ball was snapped, telegraphing his throw, and then he badly underthrew the pass right into Lattimore's arms.

Agreed that Crist's, Rees', and Riddick's TOs were completely on them; by the same token, it wasn't some super athletic play, excellent read, or schematic advantage that led to any of these TOs. It was simply ND self-destructing.

So like I said, congrats on your fortunate win.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Why people even bother responding to people like great 8 is beyond me. He's looking for attention, just ignore him and move on.

^This...The guy is obviously a big time loser. He's a USF fan that in his free time post on other teams boards. I say it again some people have no life.

 

[the great 8]

^This...The guy is obviously a big time loser. He's a USF fan that in his free time post on other teams boards. I say it again some people have no life.

Or, you know, I'm at the office getting paid for my time posting on this board.

We'll ignore the guy with ~3,000 posts in a year or two about ND football. Ha.

I've been inclined to let you guys simply bask in the wonder that is ND football.

Enjoy your season guys. Come the end of the season, I don't think this will be viewed as much of a "fluke."

 

[irishff1014]

I've had no ambition to "troll" it's just annoying to take a break at work, check out the ND board, and see them basking in their "total yardage win" writing off the loss as a fluke.

You'll face offenses more potent than ours, that's for sure, you won't see many better defenses. You will see defenses that play you less softly though, and the yardage won't be quite so skewed.

If you're thinking you'll roll teams offensively and defensively because of some total yardages you saw on Saturday don't be so sure. Our offense is limited and was conservative, and our defense was purposely conservative. We've seen it before against prolific offenses and our DC has shown it works.

Michigan, Michigan State, USC, Stanford, will have alot better defenses.

 

[ShakeDown]

No sh!t. The game is over, we'll have nothing to do with them anymore, but yet they're still here. Take it to rivals or espn SFU fans.

Not sure if this was intentional or not... but StheFUp fans sounds about right.

Get it, like switching USF around so it read STFU... Get it?? But with a silent "the" in there between the S and F...

I mean, I think you guys get it, but for any more trolls out there... you get it right? Get it?!?!

 

[DCirishfan]

Just ignore trolls completely, best thing. Anything less is uncivilized.

 

[DuffHouse12]

how many do we have to hang on michigan to be top 25 next week? we get back in the rankings and its a whole new ball game. sooner the better. USF being in there helps big time.

 

[irishff1014]

how many do we have to hang on michigan to be top 25 next week? we get back in the rankings and its a whole new ball game. sooner the better. USF being in there helps big time.

It doesn't matter how many we score we won't get there.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

It doesn't matter how many we score we won't get there.

Hold on there, Debbie Downer.

We just hung 508 yards on a much better defense than we'll face in Ann Arbor. If we can cut out the TOs/ stupid penalties (very likely) and Fleming contains like he did in the 2nd half against Daniels, we'll roll over scUM.

 

[irishff1014]

Hold on there, Debbie Downer.

We just hung 508 yards on a much better defense than we'll face in Ann Arbor. If we can cut out the TOs/ stupid penalties (very likely) and Fleming contains like he did in the 2nd half against Daniels, we'll roll over scUM.

I am not being a downer just being really. I think it is going to take 2 good wins for the voters to even consider us unless there are alot of upsets.

 

[BeauBenken]

It doesn't matter how many we score we won't get there.

Your posts always sound so damn depressing.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

This thread is blows

 

[irishfan]

I am not being a downer just being really. I think it is going to take 2 good wins for the voters to even consider us unless there are alot of upsets.

Mich State will be around #15 when we play them. If we beat Michigan, then MSU, we should be ranked 20ish IMO.

 

[NDMontana]

L

Hold on there, Debbie Downer.

We just hung 508 yards on a much better defense than we'll face in Ann Arbor. If we can cut out the TOs/ stupid penalties (very likely) and Fleming contains like he did in the 2nd half against Daniels, we'll roll over scUM.

Upon what do you base USF being a better D than UM?

 

[irishff1014]

Mich State will be around #15 when we play them. If we beat Michigan, then MSU, we should be ranked 20ish IMO.

Thats why i said what i did. I really wan't being negative i just know the way the voters are and how they don't like to vote for us in the first place. Even if we can pull a win out this week with about 110,000 screaming fans at night on national tv might help.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

USF's defense was ranked 45th in 2010. Michigan's was ranked 86th.

USF is poised to enjoy the 2nd season surge under Holtz. Michigan is learning an entirely new system under Mattison.

 

[ulukinatme]

It's not surprising that we dropped, but it's rare that you see a team drop 20ish spots like this. Things are a little different I guess because of Preseason rankings. I was really worried when I saw the high early ranking, I think we play better as underdogs than as favorites. I think we buy into the hype sometimes, I dunno. It'll take a few weeks of wins before we'll be ranked again, hopefully we can get those wins.