Post Game Observations.........
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NDMontana
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It comes back to the players on the field making plays and, even more so, the players on the field having the ability to make the plays. I know it's easy to dump on Tommy Rees right now but, honestly, he just doesn't have the ability. I don't hate him or blame him...hey, if Brian Kelly came to any one of us right now and asked if we'd consider playing QB at ND we'd all say "Hell, yes"....Rees was given the reigns and gave it his best.
And, as far as adjustments and Diaco, I blame the offense for the defenses issues. You can't ask that much of your defense, you can't ask your defense to overcome all three turnovers, one of them deep your own territory. The defense wore down physically and mentally--they watched their offense put up a lousy seven points. And, though it was no chip shot, Ruffer's missed field goal looms large as had he made it, ND is looking at needing only a FG to win at the end (of course Rees's first turnover in the red zone hurt, too!).
If I were to put it squarely on the coaches--which I do not--I would blame the offensive side for both the offense's shortcomings and the defenses ultimate "lapses" (if you would go so far as to place any blame on them).
Patulski
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For his sake, you gotta believe Kelly hopes this as well. Rees has not improved. In two games of meaningful playing time, Hendrix is 14-32 (44%), with 1 TD and 2 interceptions. It's all on Kelly now. His guys have got to be better everywhere. If they're not, we're going to be stuck in Palookaville.
mpkennedy3
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I agree with all of this except the 1st turnover hurting the team. The Defense made that first turnover a moot point by causing a turnover and scoring on the ensuing drive.
NDMontana
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Here's where I think that does matter--and this is completely speculation that can be neither proven or disproven but certainly argued--I think it hurt the morale later in the game because they could have been thinking that they even chipped in seven points and the offense could only muster seven. I think that would be very frustrating, feeling like they were not only carrying their weight but chipping in on the scoreboard, too.
Of course, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that the defense dropped a few interceptions too, though they weren't easy catches. One more turnover would have helped but the defense absolutely stuffed the ground game, created a turnover, scored off the turnover and held the other team under 20 (really under 15 as one field goal was the result of the Hendrix turnover).
I would agree that Rees isn't the QB of the future. The expectations of Golson or Hendrix are huge just because of the hype but can't forget that Golson has had 0 game time and Hendrix hasn't had near enough game time to be developed enough to lead this team to a BCS. I don't care who the QB is or what team they play for, a young inexperienced QB in this type of system needs atleast 2 years to get where they need to be. My expectations are high every year for this team but I also understand how tough it is to develop and grasp a system.
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To those on the ledge... take a step back. Kelly's recruits are ballers, and our current class of verbals is incredible.
Any armchair QB can pick apart the coaching in a losing effort after the fact; Kelly has won big everywhere he's been, and it's nothing short of miraculous that we're 8-5 considering the TOs we've had this year.
Our defense played well enough to win; fell apart a bit in the 4th quarter, but still well enough to win. This loss is squarely on QB play.
Rees shouldn't start another game for ND, and count me among those concerned that Hendrix isn't the guy. He was very raw coming in, and we can't afford to float another year on a project only to find out that his ceiling is lower than we hoped. Golson for 2012.
Any armchair QB can pick apart the coaching in a losing effort after the fact; Kelly has won big everywhere he's been, and it's nothing short of miraculous that we're 8-5 considering the TOs we've had this year.
Our defense played well enough to win; fell apart a bit in the 4th quarter, but still well enough to win. This loss is squarely on QB play.
Rees shouldn't start another game for ND, and count me among those concerned that Hendrix isn't the guy. He was very raw coming in, and we can't afford to float another year on a project only to find out that his ceiling is lower than we hoped. Golson for 2012.
mpkennedy3
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Fair point, but end of the day the points on the board are all that matters, not how they got there. (at least to me) I will disagree on the dropped INT's because Motta should have had his, no excuses.
Sherm Sticky
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Best post of the night. I was going to rep you, but not able to.
NDMontana
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No excuses about the dropped interceptions coming from me, either--just pointing out that they were not easy catches. I'm of the mindset that if it hits your hands, you ought to catch it or else you shouldn't be out there.
Points wise, you can't blame the defense for the first field goal--FSU got the ball on the twenty. Hell, FSU actually lost yardage on the drive, you can't ask for more than that from your defense.
NDFANnSouthWest
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We need a third receiver to step up all year/this game....I thought that would be TJ, however no one home.
rikkitikki08
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Golson may very well start next season.....Tommy Rees just isnt built for this offense, and Andrew Hendrix still needs to learn the offense. Only time will tell but i really believe it will be a two man race between hendrix and golson
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Daniels and Greenberry should provide plenty of competition for him.
phgreek
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agreed...and I think our guys are awesome men. Super representatives of ND off the field, and in the classroom...and if I had to pick, thats where I'd want them to excel...but I don't have to pick...
Just wish they played angrier...were more offended by getting worked, and just refused to allow the likes of QBs like Robinson and this FSU kid to float balls at them and beat them.
all I can do is provide examples of the good ones from my days. They had traits in common...highly motivated, detail oriented to the point of a disorder...really high maintenance personalities in interpersonal settings. (Think of any engineer you know
...and put him in a 5'10" - 6' 185-195 lb body with 8% body fat) THAT GUY!Would freak out if other people made mental errors or did not play like them...those guys hit like guys 20lbs heavier, and just played angry all the damned time...it was like the other team was trying to take something from them...and they'd ratchet up in big games to be downright vicious...
They wanted the QB to throw at them, but got insanely angry when he did...personally insulted. It was like they ran with a rage when the ball was in the air, and got there very angry, and punished people, and then got up yelling at the QB for daring to try. They swore the game was fun...and loved it...but I couldn't tell they were having fun.
Sure...they got beat sometimes...but their response was always angry...and their play got better not worse...not scared. My guess is they never defeated themselves with remorse over getting beat...it was always that effing receiver or QB...I'm gonna kill him for that. Never saw a game that was bigger than them. Never saw them choke.
And no they didn't have short memories...they could tell you every QB and receiver that ever beat them, and what, if anything, they did to even the score, and weren't shy about being pissed about it if they didn't.
I don't know our guys personally...obviously, but their play says thats just not them...
Bob D knows what he's doing...guessing he knows the profile of the guy he wants...
I just know a few that were excellent...and they were eerily similar.
Hoping Bob D keeps bringing in talent...and develops them so that he can bring pressure like we saw in the first half tonight. Not sure why we ever stopped...pretty clear why we didn't really start again...
rambling on...need to drink...heres to 2012 not sucking this bad.
I apologize, as I haven't read the entire thread, but the only thing I would say is...
The same defense that made us look so good in the first half made us look just as poor on some of the third downs (and other situations) during the second half.
Diaco moved Slaughter to a "rover" position, but that left us short handed in the secondary.
The commentators kept asking, "Where's the pressure?" in the second half. Well, FSU figured out where Jackson was (I believe it was him). We couldn't cover. At all. Don't get me wrong, FSU recievers made some EXCEPTIONAL catches, but they knew where the weakness was.
People stating that we were outcoached, sure. I guess. But on a more fitting level, we were outclassed. Not overall, but at certain positions, and FSU took advantage of it.
Personally, I give Diaco a TON of credit for masking our shortcomings as long as he did. You can only counter so often. Diaco started on the offensive with Slaughter moving up, and it worked, but good coaches adjust. And in the real world, sometimes, you just run out of adjustments.
The offense? Screw that. If Rees starts another game for ND, it's gonna be a long year.
The same defense that made us look so good in the first half made us look just as poor on some of the third downs (and other situations) during the second half.
Diaco moved Slaughter to a "rover" position, but that left us short handed in the secondary.
The commentators kept asking, "Where's the pressure?" in the second half. Well, FSU figured out where Jackson was (I believe it was him). We couldn't cover. At all. Don't get me wrong, FSU recievers made some EXCEPTIONAL catches, but they knew where the weakness was.
People stating that we were outcoached, sure. I guess. But on a more fitting level, we were outclassed. Not overall, but at certain positions, and FSU took advantage of it.
Personally, I give Diaco a TON of credit for masking our shortcomings as long as he did. You can only counter so often. Diaco started on the offensive with Slaughter moving up, and it worked, but good coaches adjust. And in the real world, sometimes, you just run out of adjustments.
The offense? Screw that. If Rees starts another game for ND, it's gonna be a long year.
irishtrain
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Vast improvement in overall athleticism, big thanks to the seniors for a nice effort, life without Floyd on display, they went toe to toe with an athletic football team and mostly outplayed them. NOTRE DAME NEEDS A QUARTERBACK.
NDMontana
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I hope Hendrix and Golson both step up and conduct "voluntary" sessions with the receivers/tight ends over the entire offseason and work, specifically, on the timing of throws and on situational plays--i.e. what each QB would do when the pocket breaks down. Just get a feel for the speed of the guys they play with and the tendencies. Because, more than anything, I always feel like these guys don't know each other out there. The QBs and receivers seem rarely to be on the same page when the QB has to improvise--there's just none of that familiar feel.
As for Rees, I honestly think Kelly should let him know that if he wants to play a significant role as a QB, it won't be at ND. This isn't to say that Kelly should tell him to leave or not offer a scholarship, just be fair enough to him to let him know that he "ain't it" and if a quality education and being a significant contributor to a team are of equal importance, he should leave.
mpkennedy3
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Yea, if the ball is in your hands it is a must catch, and can never be considered a hard catch. Also agree the D stepped up on the FG, just like they did all year. The D was never our problem this year, minus the 4th Qt vs Michigan.
stlnd01
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A few thoughts:
1: Time to end the Tommy Rees experiment. He stopped getting better around the USC game, and without Floyd to lean on next year...
Don't know if Hendrix is the guy or Golson is. But when Hendrix is in you see the things we can do with a mobile, strong-armed QB, and that's what we need to be doing.
2: Sucks that Michael Floyd's career had to end with such a whimper. Announcers said he looked hurt most of the second half, which is maybe why we couldn't pick on their third string corner.
3: We really need a big running back to step up. Wood's good, but he still dances too much. We need someone to hit the holes (and it ain't Riddick). Welcome aboard, Will Mahone.
4: I think we'll have a very good defense next year. We'll miss Blanton, and Harrison Smith to some degree, but better talent is coming. We need a better ILB opposite Teo. But our defense in the first half was the best I've seen in years. Don't know why we dialed it back in the second.
5: It is shocking, considering the pedigrees of Weis and Kelly, how little top-flight talent we've been able to recruit at offensive skill positions the last few years. And that's going to bite us right about now. For pure playmakers, below the current seniors, we've got Cierre Wood, maybe Atkinson, and that's pretty much it. Our WR depth is ridiculously thin. Let's all hope DaVaris Daniels or Deontay Greenberry is the real deal, and new friend K. Russell comes ready to play.
6: That said, I'm not sure about all the doom and gloom for next year. We lose Floyd, Jonas Gray, Blanton and Smith. Trevor Robinson. Hopefully not Eifert. The rest are being replaced by equal/better talent. We'll be strong in both trenches, and that's where good teams get built. We've got a good veteran running back, one of the best tight ends in the game, and, hopefully, a quarterback who's familiar with and equipped to run Kelly's system. We'll probably lose a few (USC, Oklahoma), but we for once have two easy games to start, and MSU will be down, as, hopefully, will Stanford. Miami isn't going to be much more than a name. 9-3 seems attainable. And against that schedule, it would probably represent progress.
1: Time to end the Tommy Rees experiment. He stopped getting better around the USC game, and without Floyd to lean on next year...
Don't know if Hendrix is the guy or Golson is. But when Hendrix is in you see the things we can do with a mobile, strong-armed QB, and that's what we need to be doing.
2: Sucks that Michael Floyd's career had to end with such a whimper. Announcers said he looked hurt most of the second half, which is maybe why we couldn't pick on their third string corner.
3: We really need a big running back to step up. Wood's good, but he still dances too much. We need someone to hit the holes (and it ain't Riddick). Welcome aboard, Will Mahone.
4: I think we'll have a very good defense next year. We'll miss Blanton, and Harrison Smith to some degree, but better talent is coming. We need a better ILB opposite Teo. But our defense in the first half was the best I've seen in years. Don't know why we dialed it back in the second.
5: It is shocking, considering the pedigrees of Weis and Kelly, how little top-flight talent we've been able to recruit at offensive skill positions the last few years. And that's going to bite us right about now. For pure playmakers, below the current seniors, we've got Cierre Wood, maybe Atkinson, and that's pretty much it. Our WR depth is ridiculously thin. Let's all hope DaVaris Daniels or Deontay Greenberry is the real deal, and new friend K. Russell comes ready to play.
6: That said, I'm not sure about all the doom and gloom for next year. We lose Floyd, Jonas Gray, Blanton and Smith. Trevor Robinson. Hopefully not Eifert. The rest are being replaced by equal/better talent. We'll be strong in both trenches, and that's where good teams get built. We've got a good veteran running back, one of the best tight ends in the game, and, hopefully, a quarterback who's familiar with and equipped to run Kelly's system. We'll probably lose a few (USC, Oklahoma), but we for once have two easy games to start, and MSU will be down, as, hopefully, will Stanford. Miami isn't going to be much more than a name. 9-3 seems attainable. And against that schedule, it would probably represent progress.
NDMontana
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Yep, tough for the defense. The Michigan game is the one game that, though Rees had turnovers, does rest on the defense. Denard Robinson closing his eyes and throwing up prayer after prayer, each answered in more miraculous fashion, just eats me alive. The offense actually did pick up the defense in that game but they just didn't come through in the end.
Two of the other four losses rest squarely with the offense (USF and USC) and over 80% with offense in the other two (Stanford and FSU).
mpkennedy3
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From what it sounds like Daniels will be ready to step up next year. I also agree with point #6
NDMontana
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The problem is that this was Kelly's second season. You can't rely on freshmen and sophomores in skill positions to a great extent. You can rely on receivers, to a point, as sophomores but otherwise the incoming freshmen rarely have the strength to compete with seniors, juniors or even sophomores. Lets just see how the guys Kelly brought in during the 2009 and 2010 recruiting cyles do next season before we make the assessment that he can't bring in top tier talent.
Unlike LSU or Alabama--though with what we're seeing out of the lines and the recruiting of linemen, ND may get there--Kelly still has to rely on a QB who can excel to win games. Golson, as a freshmen, couldn't have been the answer. Hendrix was, with respect to live game action, a freshmen, and wasn't given a lot of reps in practice until late in the season.
Rudy89
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A while back I asked how important the bowl game is when it isnt a major one, i realized how important it is now. It sucks that we fell short in every big game this year except for one. Hate to sound like the old Rudy but Im very concerened about next year. Brutal Schedule and with the loss of floyd and potentially Eifert I hope we can make 6-6. You never know what may happen but I hope Kelly doesnt follow the charlie trend going into year 3.
phgreek
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If anyone thinks we could have an '07...I'm putting every cent I have in Booze stocks...
NDMontana
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Haven't been but just turned over for a moment. 8:15 left in the fourth and it's 60-56! It's like a 1980-90s WAC game.
Rudy89
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nope because after this game, im done with college football till next year. Dont care about anyone else enough to watch and Im put off of watching football until then I am upset we dont have it though. Im becoming jealous of other teams.
Even Tommy could put up huge numbers in this game
GreatGolson
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Our season is on Golson next year plain and simple, also, although i disagree, Bk will be on the hotseat as the fanbase grows restless. next year has potential to be amazing with Teo and other returns as well as golson, daniels, the entire D-line, Tee and Darby. my waaaaay to early prediction for 2012, 9-3