General team info

[notredomer23]

Love this.

 

[NDohio]

Do those cleats in the upper right corner represent the Irsay Y? ND must be onto us...

 

[irishnd31]

Do those cleats in the upper right corner represent the Irsay Y? ND must be onto us...

Thems fightin' cleats

 

[ulukinatme]

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

ND is up to #15 in ESPN's FPI rankings.

Pretty nice improvements the past few weeks: ND up to 36th in total defense and 75th in total offense...the latter doesn't *look* good on paper, but a nice leap considering we were in the bottom 10 in the country through the 2-3 weeks.

Defense still has more room for improvement if Golden can figure out a few of the kinks; both with mental breakdowns and situational play calling (plz stop with the safety blitzes)

NCAA College Football FBS current team Stats | NCAA.com

Discover the current NCAA FBS Football leaders in every stats category, as well as historic leaders.

www.ncaa.com

 

[PANDFAN]

 

[sixstar]

Can't wait for Bama Tennessee this weekend

 

[zelezo vlk]

Very surprising to see the good guys ranked so high considering the lack of turnovers and havoc plays.


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[Some Irish Bloke]

Very surprising to see the good guys ranked so high considering the lack of turnovers and havoc plays.


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I agree, I don't think the defensive eye test meets this ranking, but I also feel like ND is very solid on about 90% of their defensive snaps, but they have a tendency to break down on those long 90+yard drives and they have a mental lapse about once or twice every game and give up a huge play in the secondary. Just have to clean up those few mistakes.

 

[Old Man Mike]

It meets my eye test except for a few big passing plays. NDs defense rallies to the ball and has, generally, extremely good tackling. Despite few sacks, we do press the protection cup really well, thus hurrying the passer (who we often turn into a bit of a nervous mess.) We also hit hard. A lot of opponents have left the field against us. Getting the slobber knocked out of you leaves a lasting impression. If our own injuries don't over-accumulate, this defense will be not only respected but feared. ... a bunch of high-energy warriors.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

I agree, I don't think the defensive eye test meets this ranking, but I also feel like ND is very solid on about 90% of their defensive snaps, but they have a tendency to break down on those long 90+yard drives and they have a mental lapse about once or twice every game and give up a huge play in the secondary. Just have to clean up those few mistakes.

It depends on what the specific model values. For instance, SP+ measures success on a per-play basis. ND's defense does very well at landing its jabs consistently, so our success rate is high, and SP+ rates us higher than most. Efficiency metrics, like FEI, are drive-based, so we rate poorer there where the occasional lapse gives up big yards.

If you've got to pick one or the other, it's better to be landing your jabs consistently. Much easier for a defense to improve on its occasional uppercut or haymaker (or to simply take fewer such risks) than it is for a wild puncher to get better at the fundamentals. Assuming we get better production from our LBs going forward, we ought to finish as a top-10 unit.

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

It depends on what the specific model values. For instance, SP+ measures success on a per-play basis. ND's defense does very well at landing its jabs consistently, so our success rate is high, and SP+ rates us higher than most. Efficiency metrics, like FEI, are drive-based, so we rate poorer there where the occasional lapse gives up big yards.

If you've got to pick one or the other, it's better to be landing your jabs consistently. Much easier for a defense to improve on its occasional uppercut or haymaker (or to simply take fewer such risks) than it is for a wild puncher to get better at the fundamentals. Assuming we get better production from our LBs going forward, we ought to finish as a top-10 unit.

Well said, I like the analogy Whiskey and I agree. Take away the mental errors, which could be either player miscommunications/gaffes or Golden not setting up the players for success, and the D will continue to improve.

There's been one maddening occurrence in every game so far, whether it was inability to stop the run against Marshall (who hasn't been able to run the ball nearly as effectively since their trip to SB), the inability to contain cement feet Plummer v. Cal, the secondary breakdowns late against UNC and BYU, and the sloppy tackling on 3rd and 17 that led to yet another long, 90+ yard TD drive against BYU...eliminate these odd breakdowns and the D will continue to get even better.

Safe to say I don't think they've realized their full potential on that side, yet.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Jon Burger of 18 Stripes just published a film breakdown of ND's two-back sets. His stuff is always worth reading.

 

[ulukinatme]

Jon Burger of 18 Stripes just published a film breakdown of ND's two-back sets. His stuff is always worth reading.

This?

https://www.18stripes.com/notre-dame-football-film-room-two-back-sets/

[EDIT] I just realized there was a link hidden in your text. Tough to notice when the font colors are similar.

 

[sixstar]

I think Tommy's calling card is pre-snap motions for eye candy and confusion. It is a difficult offense to prepare for because it forces the defenders to think, interpret, and decide in real time. I think the confusion helps hide some of our offensive warts.

 

[GowerND11]

This?

https://www.18stripes.com/notre-dame-football-film-room-two-back-sets/

[EDIT] I just realized there was a link hidden in your text. Tough to notice when the font colors are similar.

I've been calling for the links to have a different color since we rolled out the new site!!!

To be fair, they ARE different colors. But that blue is super close to black. Maybe a bold or even a totally different color would help.

 

[NDohio]

I've been calling for the links to have a different color since we rolled out the new site!!!

To be fair, they ARE different colors. But that blue is super close to black. Maybe a bold or even a totally different color would help.

I view IE in dark mode and there is no difference in color at all.

 

[IrishLion]

I think Tommy's calling card is pre-snap motions for eye candy and confusion. It is a difficult offense to prepare for because it forces the defenders to think, interpret, and decide in real time. I think the confusion helps hide some of our offensive warts.

I'm not sure if they're actually letting Drew make the reads on the plays... but when ND lines up in pistol, and then motions someone across the formation, it helps inform Drew of the proper RPO read, as well.

But he may still be in the "Give it no matter what" or "Throw it to the flat no matter what" stage of playcalling, rather than actually reading it.

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

I'm not sure if they're actually letting Drew make the reads on the plays... but when ND lines up in pistol, and then motions someone across the formation, it helps inform Drew of the proper RPO read, as well.

But he may still be in the "Give it no matter what" or "Throw it to the flat no matter what" stage of playcalling, rather than actually reading it.

Cmon Tommy. If I can read a defense in NCAA 14 on HEISMAN mode, why can't Drew do it real time?

 

[ulukinatme]

What in the...

 

[ulukinatme]

For reference, Father Nate is referencing Father Pete's messages that come up on the Jumbotron during games. Anytime Father Pete comes on the student section goes absolutely nuts.

 

[dublinirish]

 

[ulukinatme]

Campus is completely different now. Stadium lot is there, you can't really drive through campus on Juniper now. Legends, the Bookstore moved, no indoor practice facility, obviously no LeBar or Gug. 2 stadium renovations. Crazy.

 

[zelezo vlk]

So on the Thursday Irish Illustrated podcast, Pete Sampson said that Notre Dame is having their “come to Jesus moment” about the transfer portal. Is there real talk about rules being loosened or did I misunderstand that this was their own speculation?


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[arrowryan]

So on the Thursday Irish Illustrated podcast, Pete Sampson said that Notre Dame is having their “come to Jesus moment” about the transfer portal. Is there real talk about rules being loosened or did I misunderstand that this was their own speculation?


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I think their “come to Jesus” moment is realizing they don’t have a QB that’s worth a fuck. They could’ve fixed that in the portal.

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

I think their “come to Jesus” moment is realizing they don’t have a QB that’s worth a fuck. They could’ve fixed that in the portal.

I haven’t listened to the pod in question but Sampson has previously said he thinks they tried to get one this past offseason.

 

[arrowryan]

I haven’t listened to the pod in question but Sampson has previously said he thinks they tried to get one this past offseason.

I think they entertained the idea. But I think they ultimately decided on not wanting to hurt Tyler Buchner’s feelings. That turned out to be a fatal mistake, and one that they’ll never make again.

Always make your roster better. If that makes someone else upset and transfers, then who cares.

 

[stlnd01]

I think they entertained the idea. But I think they ultimately decided on not wanting to hurt Tyler Buchner’s feelings. That turned out to be a fatal mistake, and one that they’ll never make again.

Always make your roster better. If that makes someone else upset and transfers, then who cares.

Decided to not hurt Buchner’s feelings or decided not to promise the job to someone like Kedon Slovis who they did not believe to be better than Buchner?

Either way they should have taken one. And they should take one for next year. But chasing off Buchner in the process does not necessarily make the roster better.

 

[NDFAN2008]

The Virginia QB was brought up as a possibility but he looked like dog poop yesterday

 

[Panda]

Decided to not hurt Buchner’s feelings or decided not to promise the job to someone like Kedon Slovis who they did not believe to be better than Buchner?

Either way they should have taken one. And they should take one for next year. But chasing off Buchner in the process does not necessarily make the roster better.

How is taking a transfer constitute “Chasing off Buchner”???

This is the mentality that will keep us from improving from where Brian Kelly had the program. (FWIW, Kelly has no such issues of stacking his QB room at LSU).

I think this staff is either not smart or just too nice.