Dec 29 | Champs Sports Bowl vs. Florida State

[VAIrishFan]

I am just at a loss for words. We dominate a game for 3 quarters and then completely get away from what got us their.

Ex: We put in Hendrix and he runs the offense down to the red zone and then we bring in Tommy who throws a horrible "fade route" and is luckily bailed out by Floyd. Results: got lucky (but Floyd got hurt)

We then later bring Hendrix into the game deep in our side if the field and ask him to not run at all but become a pocket passer???results: INT

We stopped blitzing for a majority of the 2nd half. Results: We got torched in the 4th and loss the game!

I'm a huge Kelly fan, but seriously what was going on with the coaching tonight?

 

[VAIrishFan]

I think this bowl game summed up our season pretty well. Lots of promise, plenty of excitement, but bone-headed plays and breakdowns at critical times cost the game. The Irish can't keep outplaying opponents for 3 quarters just to give it all away at the end. This loss is worse than getting steamrolled. victory was in the palm of their hand but they gave it all away.

well said.....

 

[Irishpinoy]

I'm so pissed I told my high school senior not to apply at Notre Dame (kidding). I wish now Kelly played Golson this year. I'd have love to see what he can do. The qb play has just been horrendous. Plus not too impressed with Diaco. Why the hell did he stop blitzing. If it works don't freaking change it.

 

[ndinnc]

Being a former high school coach....I have battled with kids who come from a losing culture. It is very difficult thing to make those kids believe that they should play to win instead of trying not to lose. It seems ND players have this mindset when they take the field against opponents that are equal or superior. This rest squarely on the shoulders of the coaching staff. I am all for benching a quarterback for poor play, but this should not be the case at the end of the season. The QB situation should be solved at this point. I am not a mind reader but I feel neither QB, Rees or Hendrix has confidence in themselves because of fear. I know kids make mistakes, but the QB position needs to have more self confidence than any other position on the field. This is what separates poor and great Qb's. Until we can have a QB that can go into the huddle with great confidence we will continue to be a average ball club(ex. A. Luck). I hope that Brian Kelly decides who will lead us on offense by this time next year, because he struggled with it all year. Put a QB on the field that we can rally behind and support, not panic! Whether that be Golson, Rees, Hendix, or Player X, confidence in that player should be a huge factor when deciding. After this heartbreaking loss I am still excited for next year. We will return to the promise land! Go Irish!

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

For those who love that 12-4 mark of padded wins. Here is Tommy throwing against Good defenses this year (Pitt, BC, M, MSU, FSU, USC, STanford)

6 TD's
9 Ints
3 Fumbles
1 Game over 300 yards (Michigan)
4 games under 190 yards
2 games in the 200's

This is a spread offense. And Tommy can't throw it at all against good teams. AT ALL.

So, look at that 12-4 garbage through the correct lens. Fine against Maryland and Wake etc. But, throw a good d in there and he gets owned.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

That stadium was rocking for FSU...where were the ND fans?!

 

[Sherm Sticky]

BTW ND needs to higher Gus Malzahn (SP)

 

[AKRowdy]

So start another unproven QB and expect to win??

So who else are you going to start? Tommy who pees down his pant leg when he sees a defender running at him and seems to not improving in our offense? Or you could start unproven, Hendrix or Golson and see what they can do with the offense. Some where you are going to have to start an unproven QB in order to get offensive stability and I would like to start that next year when we have an unproven receivers and secondary to build experience for the future.

 

[irish o'phile]

For those who love that 12-4 mark of padded wins. Here is Tommy throwing against Good defenses this year (Pitt, BC, M, MSU, FSU, USC, STanford)

6 TD's
9 Ints
3 Fumbles
1 Game over 300 yards (Michigan)
4 games under 190 yards
2 games in the 200's

This is a spread offense. And Tommy can't throw it at all against good teams. AT ALL.

So, look at that 12-4 garbage through the correct lens. Fine against Maryland and Wake etc. But, throw a good d in there and he gets owned.

Ugh....

 

[NDMontana]

I just can't escape the fact that offensively Notre Dame has seemed predictable for years, with the exception of brief interludes (2005). Davie, Willingham, Weis, Kelly....nothing comes easy.

Tommy Rees's final pass: Tulsa 2009 V2.0--though a field goal would have won that game both throws were just plain terrible and unnecessary.

I can't figure out right now if the quarterbacks limit the offense, if the quarterbacks don't fit the offense or if it's a little of both. Either way, the play calling was bland and predictable. I watched this game with a gaggle of fans and everytime ND threw on first down, especially when it was incomplete, everybody was saying "they're going to run on 2 and 10 (or more)"...and they did...and it didn't work.

Still confident in Kelly and I'm not even going to use next year as a measuring stick because of the schedule but 2013 better be something entirely different.

As far as Hendrix goes, I can't really say that this game determined anything because, well, Kelly didn't live up to his word: he absolutely used Hendrix in a situational role and he threw him out there a few times right after Rees had made a first down. Sorry, you can't do that.

This offense was flat out bad in its final four games. Just plain awful. 1-3 finish is a completely different feel from last year--especially knowing that Floyd and, most likely, Eiffert are gone. Who is the qb going to have to throw to next year (besides the opposing defense!)?

***EDIT the 1-3 finish. Jeez, guess I had too much to drink as it seems like the last four games of the year were BC, USC, FSU and Stanford (not in that order). Wake, Maryland and Navy I don't even remember. So really a 4-3 finish....but the Wake and BC wins weren't great and, obviously, the offense stunk in the BC, Stanford, FSU and USC games.

 

[95NDAlumNM]

There is only 1 way to go. You start Golson next year. You have rees as a backup and Hendrix can transfer. Golson h as to be the future. There is no other option.

 

[phgreek]

That stadium was rocking for FSU...where were the ND fans?!

They were there...if we could amplify the sound of headscratching and WTF'S...place would have caved in...

 

[Irishpinoy]

Being a former high school coach....I have battled with kids who come from a losing culture. It is very difficult thing to make those kids believe that they should play to win instead of trying not to lose. It seems ND players have this mindset when they take the field against opponents that are equal or superior. This rest squarely on the shoulders of the coaching staff. I am all for benching a quarterback for poor play, but this should not be the case at the end of the season. The QB situation should be solved at this point. I am not a mind reader but I feel neither QB, Rees or Hendrix has confidence in themselves because of fear. I know kids make mistakes, but the QB position needs to have more self confidence than any other position on the field. This is what separates poor and great Qb's. Until we can have a QB that can go into the huddle with great confidence we will continue to be a average ball club(ex. A. Luck). I hope that Brian Kelly decides who will lead us on offense by this time next year, because he struggled with it all year. Put a QB on the field that we can rally behind and support, not panic! Whether that be Golson, Rees, Hendix, or Player X, confidence in that player should be a huge factor when deciding. After this heartbreaking loss I am still excited for next year. We will return to the promise land! Go Irish!

Completely agree with this. Plus I sense the QBs play tentative coz they were afraid to make mistakes. That's what happens when you have a coach the yells and humiliate his players in front of national TV. Positive strokes coach!

 

[returnofthemack]

For those who love that 12-4 mark of padded wins. Here is Tommy throwing against Good defenses this year (Pitt, BC, M, MSU, FSU, USC, STanford)

6 TD's
9 Ints
3 Fumbles
1 Game over 300 yards (Michigan)
4 games under 190 yards
2 games in the 200's

This is a spread offense. And Tommy can't throw it at all against good teams. AT ALL.

So, look at that 12-4 garbage through the correct lens. Fine against Maryland and Wake etc. But, throw a good d in there and he gets owned.

Truth. This has been said over and over. Maybe now, the Rees apologists and those who think that Kelly poops gold and rainbows will come to their senses.

 

[Wolverine1997]

Damn. When I turned off the game, it was 14-0 ND (turned it off because Michigan's hockey game started).

I wanted ND to beat FSU, because I have FSU alums that live down the street from me and they never shut up about how elite their program is.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Damn. When I turned off the game, it was 14-0 ND (turned it off because Michigan's hockey game started).

I wanted ND to beat FSU, because I have FSU alums that live down the street from me and they never shut up about how elite their program is.

I'll trade you Denard for Rees...Rees has two years of eligibility left compared to the one by Denard. Plus Rees is a pro style QB which Hoke likes

 

[johnnykillz]

I'm truly, for once, at a loss for words... Goodnight Irish faithful.

God bless and God speed.

May the new year bring us hope.

 

[IrishBlood81]

If only we had a quarterback. Why didn't Kelly let Hendrix stay in the game for a bit and try and find a rhythm? It seemed to erotic the way he was switching them in and out....
I guess, what do you do when you have two incompetent QBs?

If Rees starts next year... I'm moving to Brazil...to be honest, I will rant my *** off on here and then I will move to Brazil.

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

Tommy chokes against good defenses. Ints. Falls down at the hint of a sack can't run to save his life and turns it over at epic rates. And he gives us the best chance to win? I have to question bk's ability to judge qbs. Thought I'd never say it. He chose tommy and look where it got us? Back to square one with a qb.

 

[NDMontana]

Tommy chokes against good defenses. Ints. Falls down at the hint of a sack can't run to save his life and turns it over at epic rates. And he gives us the best chance to win? I have to question bk's ability to judge qbs. Thought I'd never say it. He chose tommy and look where it got us? Back to square one with a qb.

Well, this was to be expected as Kelly's offense is completely different than his predecessor's offense. The QB position being the biggest difference, it was obvious Kelly would have to rely on people not suited to his system for at least year one and, unfortunately, it drug into year two because Hendrix, who is the closest of Rees, Hendrix and Crist to fitting the system, didn't get significant snaps in practice until later in the season. Rees and Crist were the starter and second string up to, presumably, the Navy game (Crist was dead in the water after USC). Prior to that point Hendrix had a change of pace package designed primarily around him running the ball.

I know Kelly brought in Rees but presumably it was to fill a spot and be the back-up if, God forbid (which God did not), anything happened to Crist. When Crist went down in 2010, Rees was on deck presumably because Kelly didn't want to a burn year of eligibility for Hendrix (knowing he was the better long term answer and that the team was below .500 at that point) and perhaps because Rees was more mature.

 

[OCIrish]

I need BobD to cheer me up.

Sorry.....he's too busy pissing all over his 2nd half gameplan to be of any use to cheer anyone up.

Ok, well, I know I've pissed enough people off over the past couple of years with my rants and bitches, but everything I've pissed and moaned about came to fruition again tonight.

This team, especially in big games either hasn't shown up to play, or, worse, takes their foot off of the pedal, and pisses the game away. This is on Kelly. He's the man in charge, and its especially his job to make sure they're ready to play come game time.

Rees, 2 more redzone TO's......I've beat this kid up enough, I don't need to say anymore.

WR corps....I know Riddick was an experiment, and an attempt to get your best athletes on the field, but WOW, FSU loses two of its best players in the secondary, and how in Gods green earth did they not capatilize on that? One of the great mysteries of this team to me this year, besides Michael Floyd, and Tyler Eifert, I thought our WR's vastly underperformed this season. I don't know if Tommy missing open WR's during games is to blame for any of that, but I just don't think they bothered to show up half the time.

OL....just wasn't the same without Cave in there. Didn't play bad, but didn't play as good as they needed to, IMO.

Defense......overall I thought they played good enough to win the game, however, I won't ever understand the second half playcalling. I don't know if that was Diacos doing or Kelly's.....just baffles me to no ****ing end. You've got them down, if you want to be truly elite, go for the jugular.

I'm done, nice pickup of Russel today, let's hope we can close out recruiting better than the season.

 

[returnofthemack]

Sorry.....he's too busy pissing all over his 2nd half gameplan to be of any use to cheer anyone up.

Ok, well, I know I've pissed enough people off over the past couple of years with my rants and bitches, but everything I've pissed and moaned about came to fruition again tonight.

This team, especially in big games either hasn't shown up to play, or, worse, takes their foot off of the pedal, and pisses the game away. This is on Kelly. He's the man in charge, and its especially his job to make sure they're ready to play come game time.

Rees, 2 more redzone TO's......I've beat this kid up enough, I don't need to say anymore.

WR corps....I know Riddick was an experiment, and an attempt to get your best athletes on the field, but WOW, FSU loses two of its best players in the secondary, and how in Gods green earth did they not capatilize on that? One of the great mysteries of this team to me this year, besides Michael Floyd, and Tyler Eifert, I thought our WR's vastly underperformed this season. I don't know if Tommy missing open WR's during games is to blame for any of that, but I just don't think they bothered to show up half the time.

OL....just wasn't the same without Cave in there. Didn't play bad, but didn't play as good as they needed to, IMO.

Defense......overall I thought they played good enough to win the game, however, I won't ever understand the second half playcalling. I don't know if that was Diacos doing or Kelly's.....just baffles me to no ****ing end. You've got them down, if you want to be truly elite, go for the jugular.

I'm done, nice pickup of Russel today, let's hope we can close out recruiting better than the season.

You stole my thoughts precisely. Those who are giving the coaches a free pass need their heads examined. The second half gameplanning was ****-poor.

 

[DomerInHappyValley]

Got home from work a little while ago.
Listened to like 25 minutes of the game on the radio when I could during breaks and kept track on my phone.
Do I want to watch or should I just delete it.

 

[NDMontana]

Got home from work a little while ago.
Listened to like 25 minutes of the game on the radio when I could during breaks and kept track on my phone.
Do I want to watch or should I just delete it.

Depends on how hardcore of a fan you are and if you've got the ability to see silver lining in things.

 

[irishff1014]

Got home from work a little while ago.
Listened to like 25 minutes of the game on the radio when I could during breaks and kept track on my phone.
Do I want to watch or should I just delete it.

Watch just the defensive plays

 

[DomerInHappyValley]

Depends on how hardcore of a fan you are and if you've got the ability to see silver lining in things.

Worried about my blood pressure.
So far I've seen Tommy throw 1 interception.

 

[NDFANnSouthWest]

Watch the first half. Then delete.

 

[NDMontana]

Worried about my blood pressure.
So far I've seen Tommy throw 1 interception.

The defense played well, Tommy Rees sucked and BK didn't stick to his word regarding equal playing time and not using any QB as a situational substitution--with the exception of Hendrix staring one drive....which you should skip....he absolutely used Hendrix situationally.

Disappointing all the way around. When you see some of the catches that FSU made--including catches that may not have been catches--you may get the feeling that your watching the Michigan game again.

 

[greyhammer90]

The worst part about this is that I truly expected it to happen. If this was just one of those things that I was truly shocked by, I'd be troubled but just say it was a bad night. But I'm so used to it by now I don't even get up and scream or yell or get angry anymore. I just sit and wait for the inevitable **** up.

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

We should expect when we see Turnover Tommy trot out of the field we are going to lose. Unless we are playing Maryland type teams.

What a bad feeling. Just holding your breath every time he throws. The defense still only gave up 18 points. That is enough to win most games. Just not when you have Tommy turnover passing the ball.