2024 WATCH PARTY: WEEK 9

[JadedDomer]

True but if it’s their first or second loss* they’ll finish seeded ahead of us because of the extra big game they played and we didn’t.

*unless it’s A&M perhaps.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

Is the talking about Jimbo, BK or both?

 

[dankgesang]

Is the talking about Jimbo, BK or both?

Tigerdroppings thinks it's about Kelly. In other news OMM has challenged Mike Elko to a fight at an Orange Theory in Elkhart l.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

Tigerdroppings thinks it's about Kelly. In other news OMM has challenged Mike Elko to a fight at an Orange Theory in Elkhart l.

Ironically, BK is not a “fast talker”. Jimbo the southern guy is the fast talker.

 

[DillonHall]

I don't think he's referring to any coach. I think he just happened to mention politician because the election's on everyone's mind this time of year

 

[forkbeard3777]

Is the talking about Jimbo, BK or both?

I know Elko was only at ND for one year. Can anyone opine as to his time there / under BK. Did the two not jive well?

 

[Irish2155]

Elko is a really good coach. That’s going to be a hell of an opener next year.

 

[Dizzyphil]

I know Elko was only at ND for one year. Can anyone opine as to his time there / under BK. Did the two not jive well?

I have only read and heard Elko say good/great things about BK...

 

[stlnd01]

I have only read and heard Elko say good/great things about BK...

And BK must know that Elko and his protege Clark Lea basically salvaged his tenure at Notre Dame. Our defense has been nails ever since Elko first showed up in 2017.

 

[calvegas04]

Elko is a really good coach. That’s going to be a hell of an opener next year.

Yup, we will have a young team too

 

[Irish5Saint]

That said, I do acknowledge that Kelly, oddly, has some personal vendetta against ND. It’s odd. Maybe deep down, he wishes he could have made it work and/or he regrets making the switch? I don’t know. Approaching 3 seasons, and no one is envisioning Kelly fielding a NC team. He’s got a poor record against top 25 opponents and has a lot of questions to answer.

I think Kelly in his early years had to really fight for some changes (such as the training table, internal disciplinary stuff. etc) that by the time he got into year 12 (year 5 of the BK 2.0 era), he felt that he had earned/was entitled to be respected as an SEC level coach 100%, and when they didn't come groveling to him at his feet, he started to plan his exit.

He said last year he was involved with Texas and Tennessee when those jobs came open in January 2021, which would have been right after the CFP game against Bama. I fully think he was only going to take an SEC job that gave him 110% control over everything.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Is the talking about Jimbo, BK or both?

He could be talking about anyone, especially in the conference he plays in.

He's not lying, either. Elko is cut different than most of his counterparts in the profession. He's a smart guy. It's interesting that Kelly's last three DC hires all had such similar traits in Elko, Lea and Freeman. Good football guys, carry themselves well off of the field, smart men overall outside of football.

I'm probably rooting for Elko more than TAMU, but if he can really disrupt some things down there it would be fun. Hell, Lea even has Vanderbilt looking respectable.

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

I was worried about the Virgina game but UNC killed them Army will be tough I think

Army appears to be better than Navy on paper but it's a similar resume. They've beaten poor competition, with not a single game against a P4 squad, even a lower tier one. Should be a similar story; if ND plays sound offensively (doesn't turn the ball over) they'll score, and Army will be forced to keep up against Al Golden and the boys.

Much like Navy, they've taken care of the football (only one fumble lost, no INTs) and have forced a decent # of turnovers, 7 total, for 12th in the nation in TO Margin. It's simple, don't give away possessions.

Army is ranked 3rd in the nation in rush defense, 43rd in pass D, good for 8th overall in yards against. Even with those impressive #s, they're only ranked 47th in ESPN's FPI. Their SOS through week 9: 133, out of 134 total in FBS.

 

[notredomer23]

He could be talking about anyone, especially in the conference he plays in.

He's not lying, either. Elko is cut different than most of his counterparts in the profession. He's a smart guy. It's interesting that Kelly's last three DC hires all had such similar traits in Elko, Lea and Freeman. Good football guys, carry themselves well off of the field, smart men overall outside of football.

I'm probably rooting for Elko more than TAMU, but if he can really disrupt some things down there it would be fun. Hell, Lea even has Vanderbilt looking respectable.

Credit where it’s due, Kelly’s coaching tree from the second part of his ND tenure is proving to be pretty damn good- and may end up being elite.

 

[sixstar]

It's interesting that Kelly's last three DC hires all had such similar traits in Elko, Lea and Freeman. Good football guys, carry themselves well off of the field, smart men overall outside of football.

Maybe. What did Elko and Lea get on the ACT?

 

[Rockin’Irish]

Army appears to be better than Navy on paper but it's a similar resume. They've beaten poor competition, with not a single game against a P4 squad, even a lower tier one. Should be a similar story; if ND plays sound offensively (doesn't turn the ball over) they'll score, and Army will be forced to keep up against Al Golden and the boys.

Much like Navy, they've taken care of the football (only one fumble lost, no INTs) and have forced a decent # of turnovers, 7 total, for 12th in the nation in TO Margin. It's simple, don't give away possessions.

Army is ranked 3rd in the nation in rush defense, 43rd in pass D, good for 8th overall in yards against. Even with those impressive #s, they're only ranked 47th in ESPN's FPI. Their SOS through week 9: 133, out of 134 total in FBS.

I’d also say that Army’s offense may be a bit less diverse than what Navy has been doing.

 

[LifelongFan]

I've found Army to be more impressive this year than Navy, but they shouldn't be any issue at all still. It's hard to put together a weaker schedule than what Army has played this year. Rice and ECU are the two best teams, but neither really has a pulse. North Texas on November 9 will give a better clue.

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

I've found Army to be more impressive this year than Navy, but they shouldn't be any issue at all still. It's hard to put together a weaker schedule than what Army has played this year. Rice and ECU are the two best teams, but neither really has a pulse. North Texas on November 9 will give a better clue.

Liberty is the only team who has, literally.

 

[IrishLax]

I know Elko was only at ND for one year. Can anyone opine as to his time there / under BK. Did the two not jive well?

There was some minor conflict between them on how Elko left. Basically, A&M offered him huge money -> BK got ND to match -> A&M allegedly countered even above that number and he took the A&M job. Also, BK is just sorta a dick. He was notoriously loyal to bad coaches but then often threw good coaches (see: Denbrock) under the bus if he needed to.

ND fans generally root for Elko and Clark Lea because they were very good at their jobs and didn't do anything underhanded at ND.

 

[IrishTusker]

There was some minor conflict between them on how Elko left. Basically, A&M offered him huge money -> BK got ND to match -> A&M allegedly countered even above that number and he took the A&M job. Also, BK is just sorta a dick. He was notoriously loyal to bad coaches but then often threw good coaches (see: Denbrock) under the bus if he needed to.

ND fans generally root for Elko and Clark Lea because they were very good at their jobs and didn't do anything underhanded at ND.

If Elko had stayed, he might be coaching ND right now.

 

[irishjim]

There was some minor conflict between them on how Elko left. Basically, A&M offered him huge money -> BK got ND to match -> A&M allegedly countered even above that number and he took the A&M job. Also, BK is just sorta a dick. He was notoriously loyal to bad coaches but then often threw good coaches (see: Denbrock) under the bus if he needed to.

ND fans generally root for Elko and Clark Lea because they were very good at their jobs and didn't do anything underhanded at ND.

I am still curious how then BK convinced Denbrock to join him at LSU after him leaving ND.

 

[NDWarrior]

I am still curious how then BK convinced Denbrock to join him at LSU after him leaving ND.

Maybe because despite that, they may still be friends, he knows BK and his mgmt style, and LSU was a step up from Cincy?

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

There was some minor conflict between them on how Elko left. Basically, A&M offered him huge money -> BK got ND to match -> A&M allegedly countered even above that number and he took the A&M job. Also, BK is just sorta a dick. He was notoriously loyal to bad coaches but then often threw good coaches (see: Denbrock) under the bus if he needed to.

ND fans generally root for Elko and Clark Lea because they were very good at their jobs and didn't do anything underhanded at ND.

This sums it up as I remember it.

Elko was at Bowling Green with Clawson and followed him to Wake. It was at BGSU where I'd first heard of him. I think at the time Kelly hired him his star was beginning to rise and his name would pop up here or there on the coaching carousel boards when guys would get fired. It was really a great hire and I believe is the hire that really got things back on track for the program during Kelly's tenure. Elko is a smart dude who knows how to coach smart kids and I think he's going to do well at TAMU provided he has an above average offensive staff.

He's really the total opposite of what TAMU has ever had there as head coaches go, and that could wind up being a good thing for them on multiple fronts.

 

[stpeteirish]

Our last four defensive coordinators have been Elko ,Lea,Freeman and Golden. That’s pretty elite.
I think Marcus was probably the fourth best, crazy as it sounds

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

After seeing Ohio State and Penn State on Saturday, I still get the impression these are both two teams with a lot of talented individuals who are bound to disappoint as collectives on the national scale when the time comes.

Allar being injured takes some of the shine off of this game, too. I think regardless Knowles can scheme for him. BGSU and Illinois really limited PSU's offense.

 

[IrishLax]

I am still curious how then BK convinced Denbrock to join him at LSU after him leaving ND.

Simply financial. Kelly missed on Rees and needed a guy, and LSU paid a ton more than Cinci. There's a reason why Denbrock was eager to leave LSU for greener pastures when they became available.