Blitz too much?

[shortnd]

Like opinions about Notre Dame blitzing too much? Feel we do and that puts more pressure on DB's. Seems to leave the middle of field open more than if a linebacker might drop back in coverage?

 

[NDMontana]

Like opinions about Notre Dame blitzing too much? Feel we do and that puts more pressure on DB's. Seems to leave the middle of field open more than if a linebacker might drop back in coverage?

Naturally, when you blitz, you're leaving your corners on an island. When your corners are average to slightly below averge you can't leave them alone in coverage. Throw in the fact that Harrison Smith (time at LB vs. BC) is a space cadet and Kyle McCarthy is more of a football player than an athlete and you're in trouble. McCarthy is good at being where he should, he takes good angles but he can't cover wide receivers....he's too slow.

The big question I have is when is CW going to stop playing Harrison Smith? Is there something that I don't see with Harrison Smith? All I've seen the guy do over the course of his career is take stupid penalties (Pitt last year) or be grossly out of position (any game, any year).

Conversely the d-line seems to lack the ability to pressure the QB. Of course the blitzing has helped at times but at other times it's been pointless. Tenuta should've taken notes from BC's defense: if you don't think you can cover the other teams receivers and tight end than you need to commit to keeping everything in front of you. ND needs to provide two-deep help for the corners.

 

[kmoose]

Tenuta should've taken notes from BC's defense: if you don't think you can cover the other teams receivers and tight end than you need to commit to keeping everything in front of you. ND needs to provide two-deep help for the corners.

Sure!! Why not give up 250 yards rushing, or more?

 

[johnnykillz]

Like opinions about Notre Dame blitzing too much? Feel we do and that puts more pressure on DB's. Seems to leave the middle of field open more than if a linebacker might drop back in coverage?

Of course you're put up on front street when you blitz. The goods are when you force a turnover or five. There are situations in which you don't blitz. You gotta change up the looks. But we reap what we sow... Aggressive defenses take the cake. We will get there.

Nobody can remember Georgia Tech a few years ago anymore? I remember...:awesomewo

 

[NDMontana]

Sure!! Why not give up 250 yards rushing, or more?

As opposed to giving up 300 yards passing or more? Getting gouged for 20 yard completions up and down the field?

There's no point patching one leak just to let another one sink the boat. Your thinking, than, is that the run defense is fixed and ND should live with making every quarterback they face a superstar-for-a-week? Maybe we should nickname the secondary the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

 

[NDMontana]

Of course you're put up on front street when you blitz. The goods are when you force a turnover or five. There are situations in which you don't blitz. You gotta change up the looks. But we reap what we sow... Aggressive defenses take the cake. We will get there.

Nobody can remember Georgia Tech a few years ago anymore? I remember...:awesomewo

Do you remember them the next season once that defense was exposed?

 

[johnnykillz]

Do you remember them the next season once that defense was exposed?

You play your talent. You play YOUR game. Last I checked, we'd lost only two nailbiters and won more. Do you think we'd be better with a completely conservative "D"? <-- My question to aggressive "D" haters...

 

[kmoose]

As opposed to giving up 300 yards passing or more? Getting gouged for 20 yard completions up and down the field?

There's no point patching one leak just to let another one sink the boat. Your thinking, than, is that the run defense is fixed and ND should live with making every quarterback they face a superstar-for-a-week? Maybe we should nickname the secondary the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

No. My point was exactly what you pointed out, in reverse. If, as was suggested, Tenuta decided to play a defense that kept everything in front of it, then we get gouged by the run. I'm not defending Tenuta's D, I'm just saying, like you, that patching the leaky pass defense, if it leaves us sinking by the running game, is a push at best.

 

[shortnd]

So......what I'm gathering is that the only way you stop the run is to blitz? Maybe going to a three-four with Harrison Smith as a hybrid linebacker/safety would help?

 

[johnnykillz]

So......what I'm gathering is that the only way you stop the run is to blitz? Maybe going to a three-four with Harrison Smith as a hybrid linebacker/safety would help?

4-3 or the highway. 3-3-5 stacks suck! 50 schemes are for huge teams with unusually gifted LB's with great secondary support. 4-2-5's are for West Virginia.

 

[WabashFalcon]

Everyone here knows my stance on blitzing. I've bought stock in ROLAIDS.

 

[jjsccer2]

Every team knows we will blitz. But when we show blitz and back off teams do not expect this, and love when we do this.

 

[Junkhead]

Blitzing is fine, sometimes, and when it works. But when it is constant and NEVER works, you need to try something else.

 

[jason_h537]

Wehave athletes in the secondary. Darrin Walls. Raeshon McNiell, Gary Gray. Robert Blanton. Jamoris Slaughter, Sergio Brown and Harrison Smith can all play. The question is where are their heads at. Hayseed just looks lost. All of our corners look scared except for Gary Gray who doesnt look for the ball when its in the air. The problem is not the players we have but the heads on their shoulders.

 

[NDMontana]

You play your talent. You play YOUR game. Last I checked, we'd lost only two nailbiters and won more. Do you think we'd be better with a completely conservative "D"? <-- My question to aggressive "D" haters...

No, but I think you play to your strengths and when you're sending the house you're saying that your strength is your secondaries ability to cover and that's not the case with this team. Blitzing has a time and a place but you can only fight a war on so many fronts before you get spread too thin.

 

[Junkhead]

We have DB recruits better than almost every other team out there. It's beginning to look like Minter is back. It is the coaching, the players can not collectively suck as bad as they have otherwise.

 

[BillyIrish]

It seems to me that our blitz packages rarely get home. Opponents have gone to using a lot of max protect schemes against several delayed blitzes. not exactly a recipe for success. I think Tenuta needs to dial it back. I love his aggressive style but our DB's have no confidence. Early on it was Walls, now its Blanton. When that happens teams are going to continue to pick on them. I think the D took a step forward by playing more press coverage. These guys need to get after it! Instead of blitzing, why not use McCarthy as a Robber more often? We get gashed over the middle.

All of this goes back to the D-line. As they continue to improve, blitzing becomes less necessary. The interior guys made some great plays while limiting the running game the last couple of weeks. The pass rush is getting better as well. Flemming coming off the edge is something I really like. The bottom line is, Tenuta is going to keep bringing it until we get pressure from the front 4.

 

[IrishAlum1997]

Blitzing is fine, sometimes, and when it works. But when it is constant and NEVER works, you need to try something else.

Ditto. Blitzing is great when you can get pressure on the QB.

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

We have DB recruits better than almost every other team out there. It's beginning to look like Minter is back. It is the coaching, the players can not collectively suck as bad as they have otherwise.

I tend to agree. It is the scheme. But that's just my quick glance observation. I don't watch replays of the game. The blitzing seems to have proven somewhat worthless, but who knows? ND is two plays and some officiating away from being undefeated.

I prefer less blitzing and more LB dropping back in hook zone or "flats" support or reading and pursuing. Change it up. I am more familiar with the 50 D though.

 

[tankjeep]

Naturally, when you blitz, you're leaving your corners on an island. When your corners are average to slightly below averge you can't leave them alone in coverage. Throw in the fact that Harrison Smith (time at LB vs. BC) is a space cadet and Kyle McCarthy is more of a football player than an athlete and you're in trouble. McCarthy is good at being where he should, he takes good angles but he can't cover wide receivers....he's too slow.

The big question I have is when is CW going to stop playing Harrison Smith? Is there something that I don't see with Harrison Smith? All I've seen the guy do over the course of his career is take stupid penalties (Pitt last year) or be grossly out of position (any game, any year).

Conversely the d-line seems to lack the ability to pressure the QB. Of course the blitzing has helped at times but at other times it's been pointless. Tenuta should've taken notes from BC's defense: if you don't think you can cover the other teams receivers and tight end than you need to commit to keeping everything in front of you. ND needs to provide two-deep help for the corners.

seriously, that's something can't figure out either. zeke motta needs to get pt.

 

[UPMich_NDfan]

I agree with the past few posts, blitzing is great...when you get there. ND is blitzing blitzing, and blitzing some more but they just don't get there. Why is it every one of our blitzes get picked up? I think we may be tipping them off to early? We need to hit them more off guard. Part of the problem is that we are still to slow-these guys need to get a running start to get in. Teams are going to pick up blitzes when they see them coming a mile away. Teo should be able to shoot straight from his stance and get there- that is the type of speed we need more of.

 

[kmoose]

We have DB recruits better than almost every other team out there.

We do? We don't have a single 5* recruit, at Defensive Back, on this team. So I really wonder what you are basing this statement on?

 

[AlumniHall98]

We have DB recruits better than almost every other team out there. It's beginning to look like Minter is back. It is the coaching, the players can not collectively suck as bad as they have otherwise.

I really could not agree more with this statement. I truly believe that it is the schemes and the coaching, more so than the talent factor. That is not to say that I think our D-backs/safeties are top notch, SEC-stud types of players, but hey, they are division 1 athletes playing at Notre Dame, so they must have some talent! They simply looked LOST out there, as if they are running the plays for the first time, like its practice! That speaks to either, 1.) far too complex/difficult schemes, or, 2.) poor defensive coaching - I tend to think its the latter.

 

[Junkhead]

We do? We don't have a single 5* recruit, at Defensive Back, on this team. So I really wonder what you are basing this statement on?

OK, how many teams have a secondary loaded with 4* talent. A handful maybe. Hell, how many 5* DBs are there every year? Not many.

 

[kmoose]

OK, how many teams have a secondary loaded with 4* talent. A handful maybe. Hell, how many 5* DBs are there every year? Not many.

But the point is..........that one 5* guy, if he lives up to the hype, will be a shutdown corner, allowing the other corner to get all kinds of help from the other guys back there. That can mean the difference between being a 70-80 ranked pass defense, and being a Top 10-20 ranked pass defense.

I see more clearly what you meant, now, though. I don't necessarily agree with the premise that it is all on Tenuta's shoulders, but I understand your point of view better.

 

[Seanthornton]

We are too predictable when we blitz and like so many of you have made the point is it the talent? or is it the coaching? After the Nevada game I thought hmm..our D is decent then we played Michigan...........etc....the wheels have pretty much fallen off the wagon.
When we blitz they screen pass us to death and make us look stupid. I dont know what the answer is... I'm as frustrated as everyone else. We have become too damn predictable.

I agree with Johnny Kilz in the respect of running the 4-3 or nothing.


Just gotta keep the faith guys !!! I know its weak but thats all we got right now, right ?




GO IRISH !!!

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

I dont know what the answer is...
GO IRISH !!!

I don't know either, but as self proclaimed internet coach, I would let the LBs kick back more and read.

 

[GOLDENISTHYTATE]

At this point, I truly feel that the biggest problem is just confidence. There is no doubt that that these kids here what that the media and message boards are saying about them, and being as they are just kids, it has to affect their ego to varying degrees. I have said it before, and while I do believe that they are out of position frequently, the secondary just seems to play scared. I never see them jump routes or press at the line. They give 6-yard cushions and then slip on a duck-under move and leave the WR wide open with ten yards to run.

What the answer for the problem is I am not sure, but my one suggestion is that since teams have so much film on our blitzing schemes, perhaps we should use that to our advantage and employ a few more spy packages to help our secondary a little more.

 

[kmoose]

the secondary just seems to play scared.

Of course they play scared.........they aren't very good, and they know it.

 

[johnnykillz]

I don't know either, but as self proclaimed internet coach, I would let the LBs kick back more and read.

Roger that. Affirm big worm; Locked and loaded.