2022 Post-Game: Ohio State

[irishff1014]

I think more downhill running could've helped as well. My God stop with the side to side running against the fastest teams in the game. There's a time and a place. I detest Hairball and OSU is better than last year's matchup with Michigan, but Jimmy attacked them straight up.

Estime wasn’t perfect but he was protecting the ball and still giving great effort. I think should of had some more opportunities.

 

[irishff1014]

The entire offensive staff is just in over their heads when it matters

All but one of them are new. The experienced on looked new.

 

[MacIrish75]

I didn’t, I was at 10-2 but one of the wins was a real punch up either Ohio State or Clemson. Now I am 9-3 8-4 bc I think we lose to Clemson and a lot of the teams we should be have bad D but can punch like hell on Offense, UNC, USC, hell maybe Syracuse. In those games if we can’t be much much more offensively consistent we can and my prediction is will drop 1

We are not losing to Syracuse or UNC lol

 

[MacIrish75]

I’m going to call this the: “Choosing to be positive” assessment:

+ We didn’t turn the ball over.
+ We came out, took the ball, and the lead.
+ We controlled the TOP and tempo for 3Q.
+ Secondary was solid, overall.
+ We tackled well for the majority of the game.
+ Joe Alt is our next first round OL.
+ Sot and Grupe were better than advertised.
+ The moment wasn’t too big, we just didn’t finish.

I predicted 10-2 and there’s nothing from last night to dissuade me from the fact that the floor is 9-3 and ceiling is 11-1.

 

[Irishdrunk]

Our center was just plain awful. Hard to pick out anyone on the line that had a good game...possibly Alt looked ok. The guards and center were awful, and the playcalling flat out sucked. Hard to defend Rees or Harry after that game. Having 3 WR catches isnt going to attract the talent we need there either

Hard to defend?? WTF. Rees was Brian Kelly’s QB, Hire and Promoted to OC. I love how people will rip Brian Kelly all day long but won’t CVS about Tommy Rees being way in over his head.

 

[arrowryan]

I really don’t understand how anyone could leave this game thinking they’ll be any worse than 9-3 or 10-2.

Yeah the OL play was not good. As much as I like HH, he can’t fix it that quick. And remember how bad they were to begin last year, they turned it around in October. It’s one game. They’ll get better as the season goes on.

They’ll fix the issues and go on a run.

 

[Valpodoc85]

MFMF seems to have the team motivated and ready to go. However, both the OSU’s beat us in the second half.

 

[MacIrish75]

MFMF seems to have the team motivated and ready to go. However, both the OSU’s beat us in the second half.

It’s bc he was smiling, damnit.

 

[FDNYIrish1]

it really wasn’t hard to come up with a defensive game plan against us if you were OSU. We had a QB making his first start and knew we were going to have to run the ball to have a chance. Things will get better.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

1. Hats off to defense and special teams. They played their asses off and gave ND a chance.

2. Rees called the game to protect Buchner.

3. Oline better improve real fast. That was most disappointing.

4. Until ND stats recruiting QB and WR like Ohio State and Clemson, ND offense will continue to look like Wisconsin with better unis. There's no other way around it.

Only nit I have to pick w/ this post is the special teams. I’m going to assume you were being specific towards the new punter & kicker b/c I agree they did well. The KR & PR teams were atrocious. Both times Tyree brought the ball out he was nailed at the 15 yard line and put a first time starter QB in a tough spot. Then Joseph fair catches every punt despite having plenty of yards in front of him which once again put the ND offense in horrible field position.

 

[notredomer23]

The only thing that changes for me about the outlook of the season is the Clemson game. I’m not sure how we’re going to be able to move the ball against them if the offensive line doesn’t improve quickly. Besides that, I expect Buchner to get better every game and these next 3 should really allow him to show what he can do.

 

[GoldenToTheGrave]

There are going to be some soft defenses that aren't going to want to tackle Estime at the end of games.

 

[Cackalacky2.0]

I didn’t, I was at 10-2 but one of the wins was a real punch up either Ohio State or Clemson. Now I am 9-3 8-4 bc I think we lose to Clemson and a lot of the teams we should be have bad D but can punch like hell on Offense, UNC, USC, hell maybe Syracuse. In those games if we can’t be much much more offensively consistent we can and my prediction is will drop 1

I have us at 8-4 because I think Clemson is a L (great d), and USC and and UNC look poised to be able to outscore most teams they play.

 

[Grahambo]

I have us at 8-4 because I think Clemson is a L (great d), and USC and and UNC look poised to be able to outscore most teams they play.

UNC can’t stop anyone so could be one of those shootout types where it’s a coin flip. Could be a fun one to watch.

 

[Cackalacky2.0]

UNC can’t stop anyone so could be one of those shootout types where it’s a coin flip. Could be a fun one to watch.

Yeah I have at least three games as coin flips and with our current lesser strengths on offense I’m not sure that is going to make a win a surety.

 

[Irish4life]

Buchner was under pressure on 39% of his drop backs last night. For reference, Jack Coan was under pressure on 29% of his drop backs vs Wisconsin last season (from PFF). Makes me even more encouraged by Buchner's performance.....and more discouraged by the OL's performance.

 

[INLaw]

I have us at 8-4 because I think Clemson is a L (great d), and USC and and UNC look poised to be able to outscore most teams they play.

Yeah on UNC their defense is but but they scored 63 (gave up 40 in the 4th I know). But for many Kelly years and now continuing our offense is consistently inconsistent. Very haphazard and slap dash. No rhythm. No run to set up pass. No pass to set up run. Just looks like loading the playbook into Orwell’s 1984 porn machine and just shoots out random calls. So anytime that can put up 30 plus just on playing arena ball is a potential loss.

 

[IrishFanForever23]

The OL is atrocious and every single reporter out there including the coaches said this OL would be good. I get Patterson was out, but one man isn't going to fix the fact that Lugg and Zeke are both slow as hell were just pushed around like rag dolls.

 

[MacIrish75]

The OL is atrocious and every single reporter out there including the coaches said this OL would be good. I get Patterson was out, but one man isn't going to fix the fact that Lugg and Zeke are both slow as hell were just pushed around like rag dolls.

If you don’t think having your senior captain in there in a game of that magnitude would have made a world of difference, idk what to tell you.

 

[Dale]

Then why didn’t ND “just stop” those winning plays.

They couldn’t stop some of them because Stroud made very good winning plays. It was a compliment to your QB.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

The OL is atrocious and every single reporter out there including the coaches said this OL would be good. I get Patterson was out, but one man isn't going to fix the fact that Lugg and Zeke are both slow as hell were just pushed around like rag dolls.

What if I asked
"Maybe a big part of the issue was OSUs front 7 was really freaking good"
Because they are.
Of course ND needs to still get better but man that's a first tough game communicating with noise against that talent.

 

[tussin]

I don’t think you can blame QB recruiting. Buchner was a high 4-star and we were all salivating over his future at ND. It’s not a realistic expectation to stack 5 stars IMO.

This loss is all on the IOL.

 

[Irish4life]

Buchner was under pressure on 39% of his drop backs last night. For reference, Jack Coan was under pressure on 29% of his drop backs vs Wisconsin last season (from PFF). Makes me even more encouraged by Buchner's performance.....and more discouraged by the OL's performance.

To add more context to this, Ian Book vs Clemson in the ACC Championship game faced pressure on 36% of his drop backs.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

My summary:

Offense was too conservative. I like the idea of grinding a team down, but you have to have the talent advantage to do that on the road. The trenches were too comparable in talent and that strategy by Rees wasn't enough.

Biggest compliment:. The moment didn't look too big for these kids (including the first year guys). Kelly's teams would be pissing their pants like shitty Michigan and Miami programs.

 

[Dale]

Foskey - 40, Justin A - 37
Jayson A - 42, Lacey - 29
Cross - 38, Smith - 28
Mills - 40, NaNa - 27

Liufau - 51
Bertrand - 45, Bauer - 25
Kiser - 31

Bracy - 63, Mickey - 12
Lewis - 50, Morrison - 29
Hart - 48

Joseph - 45, Henderson - 30, Watts - 6
Griffith - 33, Brown - 32

Nobody had more than 2 pressures, Foskey with 1.

Watts and Henderson only with more than 1 missed tackles at 2.

Bracy was targeted 7 times for 6 catches….but only 22 (!!!) yards. Hart 8 targets, 4 catches.

 

[INLaw]

Foskey - 40, Justin A - 37
Jayson A - 42, Lacey - 29
Cross - 38, Smith - 28
Mills - 40, NaNa - 27

Liufau - 51
Bertrand - 45, Bauer - 25
Kiser - 31

Bracy - 63, Mickey - 12
Lewis - 50, Morrison - 29
Hart - 48

Joseph - 45, Henderson - 30, Watts - 6
Griffith - 33, Brown - 32

Those are some pretty damn healthy rotation numbers. The defense was not the problem

 

[Wild Bill]

Hard to play QB when you have 300lb pigs on top of you within a second of the snap and your center and guard are having a tickle fight.

 

[Irish2155]

We are so damn close. We get closer everyday too…

It’s really easy to peg this on Tommy, but then I take a step back and realize this is BK’s cupboard. He’s the one who didn’t recruit talent to create separation to throw to. MmfF won’t let that happen.

The Calvary is on its way. In the meantime, I’m not so sure we don’t play OSU again THIS year. Stay the course and we’ll have another chance in a less hostile environment.

 

[MacIrish75]

We are so damn close. We get closer everyday too…

It’s really easy to peg this on Tommy, but then I take a step back and realize this is BK’s cupboard. He’s the one who didn’t recruit talent to create separation to throw to. MmfF won’t let that happen.

The Calvary is on its way. In the meantime, I’m not so sure we don’t play OSU again THIS year. Stay the course and we’ll have another chance in a less hostile environment.

We’re in skill player hell—let’s blame Del.

 

[Irish2155]

Boykin and Claypool could go get it, but when was the last time we had a WR who could create space? Golden Tate and Floyd? Will Fuller could take the top off…he’d be close, I guess.

We need a rocket, pun intended