Ball State Post-Game Thread

[IrishLax]

Get your venting ... err, thoughts and rational analysis ... out here.

This is long but whatever:

1. I knew this was going to be a letdown game, but still picked ND to win by multiple scores even if sloppy. What blows my mind is the lack of execution in the second half to put the game away. Either this is going to light a fire under everyone's behinds or this team is headed to 8-4.

2. The OL is an absolute joke. I don't know how much you can lay at Quinn's feet, but the amount of mental and physical failures today was astounding. We can't run the ball because they can't run block worth a damn... no "nasty", no push up front, tons of whiffs. Against Ball State. They can't pass block, because the tackles get whipped on every play and the interior OL lets in free rushers on basic delayed blitzes and stunts. Can't wait for some more apologist analysis this week about how they're actually doing good. If anyone has access to the PFF grades for the OL to this point, please link them here I'm very curious. Bottom line... if he OL play does not improve this team is going nowhere. The reason the team was good in 2015 and 2017 was the ability to consistently run the ball. If the team that played today shows up against Stanford and at Virginia Tech, we will get 2017 Miami'd.

3. You can blame a lot of Wimbush errors on the consistently terrible blocking. You cannot blame the myriad of ill-advised throws or the bad mechanics or the times he didn't see the open receiver on the OL. If we have to turn into a finesse team on account of a bad OL, we need to revisit Ian Book.

4. Special teams is still a disaster. Another kickoff out of bounds. Finke fumbled a punt that could've potentially cost us the game and we got very lucky. Some short, shanked punts. And Yoon -- who is a beast -- even missed a field goal.

5. The defense was OK and asked to do too much... they did not do a good enough job of getting off the field on 3rd and long IMO. For as low of a completion percentage as they held Ball State's QB too, they still somehow racked up 300+ yards and could've rather easily scored 20+ points.

 

[Bluto]

The defense looks like a defense for a 10 win team.

The offense looks like that of a 6 win team.

Pretty maddening how BK can’t seem to field a complete team on both sides of the ball.

 

[KPENN]

Aside from the first drive the defense was pretty good.

Awful offensive gameplan that hampered the offensive line and Wimbush.

Special teams are still puke worthy.

 

[NDRock]

Just disappointing all the way around. Starters having to play the whole game will catch up to us eventually.

 

[Rudy89]

If you pound trulys really fast you can get drunk and still not intake all the carbs you do from beer and it helps you on a diet. That’s what I learned today. What he actual fuck was that? I remember y’all laughing at me for fearing this but...shit man. Hopefully we fucking improve.

 

[SoIll]

Offensive Line is bad. That is all

 

[theclassickiller]

Wimbush is a bit of luck from 0 TDs and 6 picks on the year. I can't watch this guy. Everyone keeps saying he's the best option for this team. If that's the case then we're in a lot of trouble.

 

[Irishnuke]

 

[bkess8]

Been trying to stay positive and patient for Winbush to improve but enough is enough. If we want to win we need to start playing Book. 3 ints and could of been more against Ball St is turrible! I know the line didn't play well but throw some check down passes or throw the ball away!

 

[SoIll]

Also, Kelly is going to keep playing Wimbush. He's your only shot of getting to the playoffs. Get used to it.

 

[CFLAIrish]

$hit sandwich

 

[OhioIrish31]

Some teams got their wake-up call last week...I guess it was our turn this week. On defense we made that QB look awesome with liberal cushions and little pressure. On offense we have a running QB who didn't have a designed run until the second half. Didn't see much aggression from that O-Line. We should have been able to get the edge on that team but didn't try very often.

 

[theclassickiller]

Also, Kelly is going to keep playing Wimbush. He's your only shot of getting to the playoffs. Get used to it.

So you're saying there's no shot...

 

[NDBoiler]

If you pound trulys really fast you can get drunk and still not intake all the carbs you do from beer and it helps you on a diet. That’s what I learned today. What he actual fuck was that? I remember y’all laughing at me for fearing this but...shit man. Hopefully we fucking improve.

What are trulys and where can I pick some up?

 

[Whiskeyjack]

We knew the OL would be taking a step back with the loss of two 1st rounders. The only question was how big, and early returns look pretty bad. Might also indicate that the loss of Hiestand was far bigger than most here expected.

Unless our OL play improves dramatically, we'll be lucky to hit 8 wins.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Enough will be said about BW and o-line, so I will focus my ire elsewhere:

RBs are not up to snuff. Armstrong is in over his head (understandably), and TJJ is meh at best. I hope and pray Dexter is what everyone thinks he is, and is ready to rock and roll for Stanford.


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[OCIrish]

I'm not a fan of Jeff Quinn and his OL. They looked awful today, especially when it was time to take over the game.

 

[Norcal Irish]

Hainsey and Wimbush are terrible. Neg rep me if you like, terrible game for both.

 

[Irishman77]

coaches took the week off and gave the fan base the finger.

any non megalomaniac coach plays Book

Oline has no grit but to their defense they have no idea how to do their jobs with Wimbush out there.

I would love to see the offense with Book and Dex

Defense is awesome overall, but a few players took the week off.
(Tillery)

Doerer wtf? special teams remain a trainwreck

this was a terrible effort by coaches and a few players

 

[SouthSideChiDomer]

The only way BW should still be playing is if we give up on trying to force him to be a pocket passer and let him use his legs. What is the worst that happens, he gets hurt? Then we go to our backup who is probably a better option anyway if we don't let BW run.

We need to come out full go next week and put Vandy away early to make a statement to ourselves if not to the rest of the country. Some teams have the rep built up to withstand a bad game or two and not drop in the rankings. We do not have that luxury. With the CFP rankings we not only have to win our games, if we want any margin for error with a loss then we need to show out in the games we win, not barely squeak by a team that people thought at the time was a terrible MAC team even if they end up being better than that.

 

[Rudy89]

What are trulys and where can I pick some up?

https://www.trulyspikedsparkling.com

Don’t know if they sell them in your area but they’re a spiked sparkling water. I warn you the flavor is very light and almost non existent. If you’re not on a diet or watching your carbs just stick with beer you’ll be much happier. However , for me who wants to drop a few pounds but still needing some booze to make it through the game they’re a godsend. 5% alcohol and if you drink them quickly (and it’s a bad habit but take a few dips of chew in between) you can get a hell of a buzz. God knows we needed it this week.

 

[Irishize]

Also, Kelly is going to keep playing Wimbush. He's your only shot of getting to the playoffs. Get used to it.

Ball St was noted as easily the worst team ND would face this season. If so, the only shot of getting to CFPs ended today. Now they’ll have to buy tickets like everyone else.

 

[PANDFAN]

No intensity.. Repeated play calls with no push or urgency... Went through the motions... Better get ready which I feel they will

 

[bkess8]

Also how many times to you call the dive play when your line is playing like crap and you are getting no yards on it?

 

[SouthernIndianaNDFan]

If the line is that horrible then how did they manage to hold up well enough to beat Michigan last week? If they're as bad as you all are making out we would have had zero shot last week against the Future NFL All Stars that Michigan field on the defensive line. It's one game. Are they as good as last years? Of course not, if that's what you expected then you deserve to be upset. Give it time, there's a lot of talent there. Also, if anyone didn't expect a let down this week, then you must be new to ND football. I, for one, am gonna get a larger sample size before I declare absolute bankruptcy.

 

[ickythump1225]

Just disappointing all the way around. Starters having to play the whole game will catch up to us eventually.

It does every year. It's no mystery why we fade towards the end of the year. That and doing shit like scheduling @Miami, Navy, @Stanford.

 

[Irish YJ]

We knew the OL would be taking a step back with the loss of two 1st rounders. The only question was how big, and early returns look pretty bad. Might also indicate that the loss of Hiestand was far bigger than most here expected.

Unless our OL play improves dramatically, we'll be lucky to hit 8 wins.

I don't know if I can accept the "O Line is taking a step back" narrative. How the hell did we beat a team that is a top 3 D and number 1 or 2 DL?

Hainsey and Wimbush are terrible. Neg rep me if you like, terrible game for both.

Hainsey IMO is still hurt. Should not have been playing if so.

coaches took the week off and gave the fan base the finger.

any non megalomaniac coach plays Book

Oline has no grit but to their defense they have no idea how to do their jobs with Wimbush out there.

I would love to see the offense with Book and Dex

Defense is awesome overall, but a few players took the week off.
(Tillery)

Doerer wtf? special teams remain a trainwreck

this was a terrible effort by coaches and a few players

I still curious about why we didn't see Book (unless BK was trying to force BW to learn). And why we saw PJ for one play....
Truly horrible coaching, prep, and player scholarship managment

 

[MacIrish75]

I don't know why everyone is so surprised if you've watched Notre Dame...ever. We are the poster child for playing to the level of our competition. Today was no exception. I would've been more surprised if we actually did what we were supposed to do with Ball State. This is just who we are against mid-majors.

My main observation is that Long cannot design a gameplan to utilize Wimbush effectively. More designed runs, more RPOs, more zone read. If we continue to try and shove pocket passing down BW's throat, we will be an 8 win team.

I thought the defense played fine.

Newsome has an air of a wannabe Pat McAfee without the leg and ability to kick directionally.

Overall, I'm not too concerned because we do this every year, but we have a lot to fix before 2:30 next Saturday.

 

[FrankMA]

Offensive Line is bad. That is all

End of story!!

 

[IrishLax]

If the line is that horrible then how did they manage to hold up well enough to beat Michigan last week? If they're as bad as you all are making out we would have had zero shot last week against the Future NFL All Stars that Michigan field on the defensive line. It's one game. Are they as good as last years? Of course not, if that's what you expected then you deserve to be upset. Give it time, there's a lot of talent there. Also, if anyone didn't expect a let down this week, then you must be new to ND football. I, for one, am gonna get a larger sample size before I declare absolute bankruptcy.

The thing is... they didn't hold up. There is no way to look at their failures in the second half and say they "held up"... they got throttled the entire second half, and it almost let Michigan come back.

ND beat Michigan despite an unbelievably poor performance from the OL in the 2nd half. The first half they were good enough. So in 8 quarters of football, there are 6 bad ones and 2 OK ones.

Like you said, we need larger sample size, but it's getting close to time to push the panic button.