Forever the optimist! Positive highlights from the 2011 regular season ONLY!!

[BobD]

Hi All,

Please help me make this a long list! I'm tired of the negativity. I'm starting this thread to highlight the positive things that happened during the 2011 Fighting Irish regular season.

THIS THREAD IS FOR POSITIVE THINGS ONLY!! NO NEGATIVE OR SMARTA$$ CR@P IS ALLOWED!!

HIGHLIGHTS ONLY!! NO DEBATES!!

Hopefully the mods will agree to delete anything negative? Thank you!!


I'll start it off with two:


Our defense held Stanford (ranked #4) to their lowest scoring game in 2011!

We beat Michigan St (ranked #17) soundly!!

 

[mick2]

i get to see our irish in person in a couple of weeks!

 

[Te'o4Heisman]

Hi All,

Please help! I'm tired of the negativity. I'm starting this thread to highlight the positive things that happened during the 2011 Fighting Irish regular season.

THIS THREAD IS FOR POSITIVE THINGS ONLY!! NOTHING NEGATIVE OR SMARTA$$ CR@P IS ALLOWED!!

Hopefully the mods will agree to delete anything negative? Thank you!!


I'll start it off with two:


Our defense held Stanford (ranked #4) to their lowest scoring game in 2011!

We beat Michigan St (ranked #17) soundly!!

Seeing 2 of what will likely be many GAIII kickoff returns, both in huge games for the Irish.

Seeing a team that despite an overall slightly disappointing record was not completely blown out all season long, and never gave up in any game as they did in years past. They faced adversity against USF, and came back and fought like hell in the 2nd half only to come up short.

They came back and answered when UM took the lead late in the fourth qtr capping off a deflating series of events.

They fell behind big in the 1st qtr against USC, but fought and gought and put themselves in position to tie and possible win the game late in the 3rd qtr.

They fell behind big against Stanford, but came out in the 2nd half and fought like hell again, but just could not overcome the early deficit against a very good cardinal team.

It may seem weird that some of the best positives for me came in losses, but we beat the teams we should have beat, and handily. It was refreshing to see a ND team that didnt give up or concede anything to their opponents until the final whistle all season long. That sets a great example, and will go a long way in the continued development of mental toughness for the guys who are going to be back on campus for a few more cracks at it.

 

[returnofthemack]

Cierre getting his 1000 yards.
Floyd somehow getting 1000 yards, proving he's the best receiver in college football - no way in hell Blackmon or Broyles could have hit 1000 with our QB situation.
George Atkinson's kickoff returns - gorgeous
Jonas Gray straight-up beasting
Tyler Eifert doing work
Andrew Hendrix displaying his potential against AF and Stanford

 

[IrishMoore1]

We beat Boston College 3rd year in a row.

We ended Navy's winning streak over us.

 

[Veer option]

Jonas Gray running over people after 3 dismal seasons was amazing to witness.

Almost getting two 1,000 yard rushers.

 

[BeauBenken]

We did much better against the option this year.

Our defense is highly underrated and vastly improved from just two years ago.

It's been said before, but we had 2 kickoff returns for TDs. When was the last time that happened?

We had two freshman D-linemen play very well. There's lots of promise there.

 

[anarin]

Cierre leapfrogging ol boy and crushing another dude in a block for Eifert.

1st two things that popped into my head.

 

[Long Time Irish]

1000 yds by a running back!!!!
Watching Eifert make that One handed catch!!!
2 Kickoffs taken back for touchdowns!!!
So many freshmen playing so well!!!

 

[Patulski]

After watching us get beat by both Navy and Air Force in the Weis years, and then getting beat by Navy last year, seeing us beat them by a combined score of 115-47 was great.

We also scored over 30 points 6 times in the regular season, after doing that only 3 times in 2010.

On the defensive side, we held teams at or under 21 points 7 times .

We're making progress.

 

[Irishnuke]

Rees was so awful against Stanford that we got to see a glimpse into the future with Hendrix.

 

[military_irish]

Happy to say it has been 10+ years in a row now that I have watched every Notre Dame no matter who they have played or the outcome. I watched from beginning to end.

Floyd, Eifert, Jonas Gray, Cierre Wood no explanation needed.

GAIII's kick returns

Lo Wood returning the INT for a TD

The atmosphere of the USC game

The Irish Connection series and Trick Shot Mondays

Gray's 79 yard TD run.

 

[BeauBenken]

Happy to say it has been 10+ years in a row now that I have watched every Notre Dame no matter who they have played or the outcome. I watched from beginning to end.

Floyd, Eifert, Jonas Gray, Cierre Wood no explanation needed.

GAIII's kick returns

Lo Wood returning the INT for a TD

The atmosphere of the USC game

The Irish Connection series and Trick Shot Mondays

Gray's 79 yard TD run.

How could I forget those?! Those were excellent.

 

[PJWhitfield]

Great days! Rees, 30 of 38, two TDs, no interceptions vs. Maryland ... and Rees, 23 of 32, four TDs, no interceptions vs. Air Force.

 

[IrishRugger2013]

Lynch's sack and forced fumble of Kirk Cousins

 

[eNDzone]

Only 13 points scored against the D in the 3rd quarters of all the games combined.

Solid performances buy not just one but two runningbacks.

Freshman stepping up when both D Ends were injured.

Longest run by a quarterback in ND history tied by Andrew Hendrix ( they spotted the ball a yard short of where he was brought down so he statistically missed by one yard ).

Tyler Eifert breaks single season completion record by a TE held by Ken MacAfee.

 

[greyhammer90]

Watching Louis Nix plug the gap with more consistency than a rooted stump was fun all year long. "Oh you guys want to run in the A gap? Yeah, there's a wall there."

 

[GreatGolson]

Shipping off to boston being played right before kickoff of USC....chills

 

[BobD]

Thank you! Keep the positives coming!!

Heres a few more:

Aaron Lynch....all 6' 6" of him, he's awesome and only gonna get better.

Music at the home games! ( Not for everyone)

The Leprechaun gloves

 

[greyhammer90]

The new helmets are siiick!

 

[RallySonsOfND]

Lynch's sack and forced fumble of Kirk Cousins

Having to deal with sparties on a regular basis, this was the best thing by FAR all year (along with our stomping of them)

 

[RallySonsOfND]

Thank you! Keep the positives coming!!

Heres a few more:

Aaron Lynch....all 6' 6" of him, he's awesome and only gonna get better.

Music at the home games! ( Not for everyone)

The Leprechaun gloves

Also love the music. Especially the music played before the opening kickoff. It is a PERFECT song.

 

[TDHeysus]

Watching Louis Nix plug the gap with more consistency than a rooted stump was fun all year long.

Louis Nix very quietly established a inside presence that has been missing from ND for quite sometime. It doesnt show in the stat sheet, but just ask the LB's how they like what Louis Nix has provided, awesome.

Aaron Lynch....all 6' 6" of him, he's awesome and only gonna get better.

We all know how good Aaron Lynch, and I mean, we ALL know. But here are 2 things that stick out for me concerning Lynch:

earlier in the year, dude was getting 15yd penalties for kinda stupid plays (after whistle, aggressive, etc). That seems to have stopped and I dont remember him getting too many (any) of those late in the season. I think that is a sign of maturity. He had a off-sides against Stanford, but that will happen, it wasnt a bone-headed 15yd penalty.

Secondly, in addition to his raw physical skills, i saw him later in the season consistantly using technique to get by guys. I think most young guys, with the skillset he has, would tend to fall back on his skills and get by with just that. The fact that he has already elevated his game by applying technique, in addition to his god-given skills, tells me that Aaron Lynch is truly only going to get better.

 

[IrishinSyria]

For me the behavior of Dayne Crist off the field was the highlight of the season. Not only did he behave like a true professional when he was benched, he also was selected to the 2011 Allstate American Coaches Good Works Team in recognition of the charitable work he did.

It's players like Dayne that make me love ND football. Sure, I like it win they win, but mostly because I like seeing good people succeed. Every year, regardless of how the football team does, it seems ND's roster is full of players who are easy to root for: humble, dedicated, smart, and giving. Dayne is only the most recent example in a long line of players who have made ND truly great.

Not only does Dayne demonstrate hard work and dedication on the football field and in the classroom, he also finds time to serve as a speaker and mentor for local youth groups and volunteer for the Tackle the Arts program that brings youths to campus to participate in various fine arts programs. Dayne also helped to raise more than $100,000 for the St. Baldrick's Foundation Bald and the Beautiful campaign.

 

[GreatGolson]

The entire class of 2015.

 

[BobD]

Prince Shembo's father recovered and made it to a few games.

 

[BeauBenken]

Prince Shembo's father recovered and made it to a few games.

The scene of Prince getting the surprise visit from his father pre-game was great (if only I could think of a better word that was better than great).

 

[North Buffalo Irish]

Aaron Lynch (Fr), Stephon Tuitt (Fr) and Louis Nix (RS-Fr) playing on the field at the same time, and looking dominant at times. Notre Dame has had some good defensive linemen in recent times (Landri, Laws, Abiamiri, Tuck), but this trio who came into the season with a combined ZERO plays in college football look absolutely a cut above.

 

[Veer option]

The new helmets are siiick!

Very much so.

 

[IrishinSyria]

Aaron Lynch (Fr), Stephon Tuitt (Fr) and Louis Nix (RS-Fr) playing on the field at the same time, and looking dominant at times. Notre Dame has had some good defensive linemen in recent times (Landri, Laws, Abiamiri, Tuck), but this trio who came into the season with a combined ZERO plays in college football look absolutely a cut above.

Very exciting to think what they'll be doing next year with a little experience and a full year working out in Notre Dame's gym and eating at training table under their belt.