'23 MO CB Christian Gray (Notre Dame Signee)

NDRock

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I'm not saying Gray cost us the game. We came out with a poor defensive plan for about 3 quarters. It's no secret that teams have been picking on Gray since at least the USC game though. While he's made some bit INTs in that time, he's given up a lot of passes too. He should have never been on Smith at any point tonight, that's all I'm saying.
Then bump the Golden thread as he’s ultimately responsible for where he lines up.
 

Ndaccountant

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I'm not saying Gray cost us the game. We came out with a poor defensive plan for about 3 quarters. It's no secret that teams have been picking on Gray since at least the USC game though. While he's made some bit INTs in that time, he's given up a lot of passes too. He should have never been on Smith at any point tonight, that's all I'm saying.
Okay, but what do you suggest as an alternative? They tried the zone blitz, didn't work. Literally up to that point very little of anything worked. Sometimes the other team is just better.
 

Ndaccountant

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Bro got toasted anytime they threw his way. Give 70k to someone else
period-girlfriend.gif
 

Giddyup

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I don’t give a fuck. GIVE ME YOUR HEAT. I’m disturbed by people satisfied
 

ulukinatme

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Okay, but what do you suggest as an alternative? They tried the zone blitz, didn't work. Literally up to that point very little of anything worked. Sometimes the other team is just better.
I'm saying Leonard should have been matched up on him all night. Gray should have never been tasked with OSU's most dangerous WR.
 

bobbyok1

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Dude got burnt all season sadly. Why Golden ever allowed him to be on an island so often, including when the game was on the line on 3rd down late in the 4th, is beyond me.
 

Wild Bill

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Dude got burnt all season sadly. Why Golden ever allowed him to be on an island so often, including when the game was on the line on 3rd down late in the 4th, is beyond me.
If blitzing LBer blows up OSUs back into Howard's lap, instead of getting stood up at the LOS, Howard probably underthrows that ball, likely into Gray's hands.

That's what happened against Penn State - sneed forced a bad throw and gray was there to pick it off.

It's a team effort.
 

IrishLax

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If blitzing LBer blows up OSUs back into Howard's lap, instead of getting stood up at the LOS, Howard probably underthrows that ball, likely into Gray's hands.

That's what happened against Penn State - sneed forced a bad throw and gray was there to pick it off.

It's a team effort.
Yup, the call was to take away the short-to-medium in breaking stuff and assume that someone would get home before he could launch it deep and outside.

I would've blitzed too... but Ohio State was very prepared for it.
 

Wild Bill

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Yup, the call was to take away the short-to-medium in breaking stuff and assume that someone would get home before he could launch it deep and outside.

I would've blitzed too... but Ohio State was very prepared for it.
We were getting our asses worked dropping back on 3rd and long. We took a shot, their back threw a great block and Howard threw a good ball. It is what it is.

Gray should have let him score tho. ND would have had nearly 3 minutes to score and attempt an onside kick. Nearly impossible but better than letting them bleed the clock and end it.
 

MacIrish75

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Only change I would’ve made is to press off the line. If I can have a chance to disrupt a route right off the bat, give me those odds as opposed to having to react to a guy (like Jeremiah Smith?!?) who has a 6-8 yard head start on me.

But that’s really just personal preference.

Gray was awesome this year. Some of yawl are missing some great DB play with your lack of football acumen.
 

RipWheeler

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Only change I would’ve made is to press off the line. If I can have a chance to disrupt a route right off the bat, give me those odds as opposed to having to react to a guy (like Jeremiah Smith?!?) who has a 6-8 yard head start on me.

But that’s really just personal preference.

Gray was awesome this year. Some of yawl are missing some great DB play with your lack of football acumen.
Happy he’s back next year. I think a lot of people are missing the fact that he’s only a sophomore. He’s only going to get better.
 

NDFAN2008

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Kid played his ass off can't help it he was going against a generational talent at WR Smith would be the top WR in the nfl or one of them if he entered this year
 

stlnd01

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I see we're arguing about the big throw to Smith in the fourth (which, yes, Gray probably should've been tighter at the line but also their RB made a hell of a block on Bowen to keep Howard clean, otherwise it's a sack or quite possibly a pick. Regardless, not Gray's fault.) but can anyone explain what happened on their first TD?
Gray ID's Smith all alone on the edge, is jumping up and down for someone to cover him, and then they run all the DBs and LBs over to the other side and leave Smith all alone to walk in.
I assume that was the play call, but why not switch out of it? Or call a TO?
 

pumpdog20

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I see we're arguing about the big throw to Smith in the fourth (which, yes, Gray probably should've been tighter at the line but also their RB made a hell of a block on Bowen to keep Howard clean, otherwise it's a sack or quite possibly a pick. Regardless, not Gray's fault.) but can anyone explain what happened on their first TD?
Gray ID's Smith all alone on the edge, is jumping up and down for someone to cover him, and then they run all the DBs and LBs over to the other side and leave Smith all alone to walk in.
I assume that was the play call, but why not switch out of it? Or call a TO?

The way hit and hustle explained it, it was that Gray recognized Smith was going to be in motion and he was telling everyone that he needs weed through everyone because they were in man. When the play snapped, Gray got on his horse to get across the field (assuming that's what smith was doing via motion) lost eye contact with smith, and smith reversed coarse back and was wide open.
 

stlnd01

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The way hit and hustle explained it, it was that Gray recognized Smith was going to be in motion and he was telling everyone that he needs weed through everyone because they were in man. When the play snapped, Gray got on his horse to get across the field (assuming that's what smith was doing via motion) lost eye contact with smith, and smith reversed coarse back and was wide open.
Gotcha. I missed the motion/cut back on the replay. If so that's a wicked play to defend.
 

Old Man Mike

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My two cents: the loss was certainly not Gray's fault. He did his job which was nearly impossible to do given the lack of effective pressure on the QB. The flaw that we had which finally came home to bite us, was that we had so many DLine injuries that we could not stop the opposing offense either on passing or running effectively (vs a then-elite jelled OSU OLine.) We "lost" the game in the trenches defensively in the first half. Without our somewhat thin and makeshift DLine being able to control almost any aspect of the trenches in the first half, nothing the DBackfield was going to do could hold up long enough.

As to the cited play in which Gray waved frantically and pointed at Smith: I have a contrary opinion about the first part of that. Smith WAY obviously "flinches" during the OSU signals. Just after he does, Gray goes crazy pointing at him. I think that Gray wants a flag for illegal motion. The rest of the play with its broken coverage I cannot explain.
 
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