2018 Northwestern Post Game

[NDMIA]

U don’t want refs reffing scared but they should have a scoring system in place for their performances and be fired for their actions at the end of the season if they are in the bottom tier of officials. Just because you’ve been reffing for a long time or in a big game doesn’t mean you’re good. They need to be constantly judged and critiqued like coaches or players. Too many horrible refs just coasting by and making terrible calls or lack thereof (Northwestern zero penalties in a game???). I mean Northwestern plays a fundamentally sound football game but they didn’t play flawless football tonight. 0 penalties is ridiculous and a borderline fireable offense by these zebras.

As for the actual game, defense played well, special teams sucked, and offense was decent but needs to improve. Jonathan Doerer needs to be given a medical scholly in the offseason (not a joke, apply for a mental fatigue medical) cause he should not be on a scholarship at ND. Offensive play calling was horrid. How do you not see on film how slow their defense and team is?? Their second half play calling seemed to advantage of their athletic superiority, but they should’ve been doing it for 60 minutes, not running into 8 man boxes in a big ten style slog fest. I hope they get off to a quick start against FSU next week and are able to rest Drue Tranquil cause they’ll need him down the stretch!

 

[T-Boone]

I think if we got a touch down on the second drive instead of the Boykin penalty it could have been a blow out (except that we probably would have switched off in the fourth quarter and let them get close).

 

[tko]

I just loved that last stick on Nagel.

 

[bkess8]

ZERO I say again ZERO penalties on NW! What a joke.

 

[IrishLax]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Final score: ND 31 - NU 21<br><br>Chicago's college football team moves to 9-0.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoIrish?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoIrish</a>☘️ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NDvsNU?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NDvsNU</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/uNDefeated?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#uNDefeated</a> <a href="https://t.co/D2XrBKjkAQ">pic.twitter.com/D2XrBKjkAQ</a></p>— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/NDFootball/status/1058910350698000386?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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[greyhammer90]

Pat Fitzgerald is a douche canoe. That is all.

 

[IrishLax]

Another goodie -- <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Just because I know <a href="https://twitter.com/fredv21?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fredv21</a> loves these billboards on his drive home towards Chicago ...<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KeynoteGameStrong?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KeynoteGameStrong</a> <a href="https://t.co/64iBAPwdNl">pic.twitter.com/64iBAPwdNl</a></p>— Aaron Horvath (@EyAyRon) <a href="https://twitter.com/EyAyRon/status/1058919010870456320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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[T-Boone]

ZERO I say again ZERO penalties on NW! What a joke.

Didn't they get one but it was declined?

 

[Irish#1]

OL wasn’t bad. NU was loading up. Not sure why we don’t try to run outside more with our speed or run a jet sweep once in a while. D stepped up in the second half.

9-0. Admit it, at the start of the season, you didn’t think we’d be undefeated right now.

 

[texbender]

Disappointed in OL and run game. Yeah, NW game plan was to stuff the run, and they did. To be a Contender, you must be able to control the OL.

Book, not best game but came through when needed.

ST blows again. In games vs great opponents, they will eat you up all day long.

Claypool, great game. Coney good game. DL came on 2nd half.

Win and you are in. We are top 8, not sure top 4.

Will be in SB for FSU...let's GO IRISH!

 

[IrishInFl]

My 8-4 prediction is officially wrong!

I am extremely excited to see the FSU fans reactions next Saturday. They're an awful team.

 

[Irishize]

ZERO I say again ZERO penalties on NW! What a joke.

Technically there was one but ND declined it b/c they either sacked the QB or tackled the ball carrier for a loss (I forget the specifics)

 

[Irish YJ]

Technically there was one but ND declined it b/c they either sacked the QB or tackled the ball carrier for a loss (I forget the specifics)

late 1H... got a hold on a sack when it didn't really matter.

 

[greyhammer90]

Someone who is better at computers needs to make a gif of the ESPN zoom on Fitzgerald when Boykin caught his first touchdown in the 3rd quarter. One of the funniest things I've seen in awhile and I think on a repeat loop it would be meme worthy.

 

[irish o'phile]

Honestly, before the game I was worried this was NDs toughest game and they might lose. Now, I will worry about SC at SC

 

[cody1smith]

Regardless, they best Pitt 45-14. I wouldn't fuck with them.

honestly i would hate to play UCF the way our DL played tonight.
people can bag on ucf all they want, but they beat a very physical Auburn last year.
they may have a shit schedule, but they play.

Anyone on here who says they wouldn't be worried sick all week of we draw central Florida in a bowl game is on drugs

 

[Jimmy3Putt]

-I know it's been said before, but it seems like we are everyone's Super Bowl. No one shows up flat when they play the Irish.

-It was a long travel week after playing Navy.

-The o-line is a disappointment.

-The refs try their best to take games away. Even "our" ACC refs vs other conferences.

-This is the second or third game where special teams let someone stay closer than they deserved.

-Book is pretty good.

-Miles is out there doing a Gronk impersonation! Not much separation, but the dude pulls everything down!





I have faith this team will play "up" to the competition when it counts.

 

[greyhammer90]

Anyone on here who says they wouldn't be worried sick all week of we draw central Florida in a bowl game is on drugs

This is the team that gave up 40 points to Temple and was played close by Memphis right?

Consider me Jimi Hendrix.

 

[irishtrooper]

This is the team that gave up 40 points to Temple and was played close by Memphis right?

Consider me Jimi Hendrix.

I must be backup vocals

 

[DONTH8]

I must be backup dancer

fify

 

[GATTACA!]

If you had told me before the season that we would be 9-0 and of the last three against FSU, Syracuse, and USC, that Syracuse would be the scariest left by far, I would have asked what type of drugs you were on.

 

[Southside Sully]

The OL besides mustipher had what a total combined 25 starts coming into this game? Aaron Banks 2nd start. They are young. 12 is making smart decisions.

 

[ulukinatme]

Someone who is better at computers needs to make a gif of the ESPN zoom on Fitzgerald when Boykin caught his first touchdown in the 3rd quarter. One of the funniest things I've seen in awhile and I think on a repeat loop it would be meme worthy.

I was thinking the same thing. His jaw was so square and dropped it reminded me of a nutcracker!

Here you go, I did some of the work:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/d4h3nuQvIeE" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Luckylucci]

The Win feels good. We beat NW at home more than UM did.

With that said, it wasn’t good enough. We had so many weird mistakes again. Book fumble on the first drive. A blocked punt, several penalties by the OL. Left a lot of points on the field early.

It was the entire recipe for us to lose and we didn’t, again. Which is great. Need to clean up a lot of stuff. But get to keep playing

 

[Luckylucci]

It wasn’t as bad as the Pitt game but Book missed reads that could’ve made the difference earlier

 

[IrishInFl]

Someone who is better at computers needs to make a gif of the ESPN zoom on Fitzgerald when Boykin caught his first touchdown in the 3rd quarter. One of the funniest things I've seen in awhile and I think on a repeat loop it would be meme worthy.

I saw that too, it was amazing.

 

[Crazy Balki]

I thought the OL could've done a little better, but honestly I think the poor run game falls on Long first and foremost. Run playcalling was just flat out uninspired and predictable. I don't think we even attempted a perimeter run until that late read by Book for the TD. We have an extremely dynamic homerun back in Dexter Williams and we have him running up the middle 90% of the time. Also really disappointed in the lack of Armstrong. Seriously, what happened to him after the 2nd drive? It's like he vanished.

NW has a strong, veteran laden defensive front and you can't just bash at them and expect it to work. It didn't work for any other team before them.

 

[Irishize]

It wasn’t as bad as the Pitt game but Book missed reads that could’be made the difference earlier

To me Book is still growing as he now has film out there and defenses are adjusting accordingly. Subsequently, Book is learning to adjust as well. That’s just the maturation process. The OL, on the other hand, is worrisome. Mustipher is a captain & has the most starts but seems to have regressed. Kraemer is horrible. The OL is ND’s Achilles Heel.

 

[phork]

My only comment here is that ND made the 2nd half adjustments AGAIN. Against better competition it might be too little too late. However, is anyone else getting a little chub at the thought of Michigan getting Bama in the Semis?

 

[Crazy Balki]

To me Book is still growing as he now has film out there and defenses are adjusting accordingly. Subsequently, Book is learning to adjust as well. That’s just the maturation process. The OL, on the other hand, is worrisome. Mustipher is a captain & has the most starts but seems to have regressed. Kraemer is horrible. The OL is ND’s Achilles Heel.

Again, I think the poor run playcalling has more to do with this.

I thought the OL did okay, especially protecting Book, but Long has to get much more creative. I'm sorry, but NW has a good front 7 to begin with, and they were crashing a safety a lot in this game. You can't just run it up the gut everytime and expect something to happen. Run to the perimeter.