Having seen yesterday's game...

[HereComeTheIrish]

and all the hoopla surrounding the QB position, if Dayne were to go down again, what would you do? Maintain status quo and roll with Nate and Tommy or get Hendrix's ready for his futre with this team? Kelly drools every time he talks about the kid....Would his time be now if Dayne goes down again?

Thoughts??

 

[DillonHall]

It just seems like Hendrix and Massa haven't gotten enough reps but this is definitely something Kelly has to consider after watching Montana and Rees look absolutely overmatched. Good question!!

 

[military_irish]

and all the hoopla surrounding the QB position, if Dayne were to go down again, what would you do? Maintain status quo and roll with Nate and Tommy or get Hendrix's ready for his futre with this team? Kelly drools every time he talks about the kid....Would his time be now if Dayne goes down again?

Thoughts??

i would want the best person out there of course, but Kelly already said Massa and Hendrix are not playing this year, and that the coaching staff will just have to get Montana and Rees better prepared.

but i would just want the best player and most prepared to play, so i leave that up to the coaching staff

 

[D-BOE34]

I like how he mentioned that putting together special packages together for both back ups will help. I think it actually could. They have knowledge of the play book but week in and week out preparing for the game to shift in their favor as far as play calling and how they prepped to keep the tempo going. Im all for this.

With that said Ill still throw an extra prayer in every saturday for all starters to stay healthy. Scratch that ill pray every night for this then twice on saturday... at wake up and then at kick off.

 

[chyrspchuck]

I like Brian Kelly taking blame for not having the qb's prepared. I like that he said in the future he would like to put in packages that help nate and tommy playing just in case.

I do hate to say this, and i don't want to get everybody in a fit of rage, but if Jimmy were here, I think he would have went right back in. I can't remember what game that was when he took that huge shot, looked like he was killed, at the goalline and was back in the next series. With that being said, I love Dayne, I think he is great. I just hope he is a tough guy and not injury prone. That pass to Kyle was on a rope, at the stadium it just looked like a prayer, but watching it over again, that thing was a laser beam.

 

[IrishMoore1]

Hendrix will not play. He doesn't know the offense and has had pretty much no reps. It would be foolish to throw him into play. Best bet is to stick with the guys who have been getting the reps.

 

[IrishinSyria]

I would roll out Goodman and the Wildcat, unless somebody proves to me they can run the spread. The biggest gainers while Crist was down were Montana's runs, why not put a guy in who can do that better?

 

[GreatGolson]

I still dont think were gunna see EVERYTHING BK has until either Dayne is a senior, or we get a dual threat QB (See Bennie Conney)

 

[KPENN]

I still dont think were gunna see EVERYTHING BK has until either Dayne is a senior, or we get a dual threat QB (See Bennie Conney)

I really hope your kidding. You seem like a good dude GreatDayne, but this is just stupid. Why hold back? It's unfair to the players, coaches and well everyone involved with Notre Dame football. And he doesn't need a dual threat QB for this offense. See Tony Pike .

 

[IrishInColumbus]

I think he's just saying the playbook is so vast it takes years to master.

 

[DillonHall]

I do hate to say this, and i don't want to get everybody in a fit of rage, but if Jimmy were here, I think he would have went right back in. I can't remember what game that was when he took that huge shot, looked like he was killed, at the goalline and was back in the next series.

That was the Navy game. (Jimmy, why didn't you just step out of bounds instead of fumbling?!)

 

[phgreek]

I like Brian Kelly taking blame for not having the qb's prepared. I like that he said in the future he would like to put in packages that help nate and tommy playing just in case.

I do hate to say this, and i don't want to get everybody in a fit of rage, but if Jimmy were here, I think he would have went right back in. I can't remember what game that was when he took that huge shot, looked like he was killed, at the goalline and was back in the next series. With that being said, I love Dayne, I think he is great. I just hope he is a tough guy and not injury prone. That pass to Kyle was on a rope, at the stadium it just looked like a prayer, but watching it over again, that thing was a laser beam.

Jimmy was so horribly underestimated in the toughness category because of his golden boy image...I go back to Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford...as soon as they got hit hard they got hurt...good lord Jimmy got popped every week...ligaments torn, and taking a beating almost every week, he kept playing, and produced some great numbers...but the spotlight is shining much brighter now, than even a year ago, on head injuries. I think Dayne will prove to be a tough kid..I think they yanked him because of the ultra sensativity to the head injury issue...not saying I disagree with the extra attention...but last year folks would have been less liely to hold him out...

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Nobody should play in Dayne's condition. There was one good view showing the swelling on his face. In addition to nerve damage, not seeing to be able to protect himself and not being able to throw the ball with depth of vision would have resulted in one kind of catastrophe or another.

If you take a minute and think it through, the results of playing a player in this situation is not smart. It isn’t a situation where you can just take a painkiller or a cocktail and dull the result of an injury. I have had both and there is a world of difference. (I don't think any of his throws were great after he came back. If you watch the game again, he didn't have the same zip he has had in the past. I think a couple of his bad throws were a result of a lack of depth perception, as was his final throw out of the end zone.)

Part of what happened when Crist went out was a huge swing in momentum. It caused a great shift in the game, and required the coached adapt to the situation. Michigan changed their defense and dared the Irish to throw on them. In some sense both rookie QB's were doomed, before they started. So Saturday was not a good example of what either can do.

That said, I strongly believe Tommy Rees in overmatched at this level. He doesn't have the quickness, speed or strength. Brian Kelly loves to talk about playing fast; I don't believe Tommy can. Tommy is a great kid, a real competitor and I hope that I am wrong, but watch his high school game films against dubious competition.

Montana is a good start. But that is where the "package" comes in. Simplify. There is a pretty good reason(s) for holding both other freshmen out.

 

[RDU Irish]

I thought Nate held up pretty well given the circumstances. He has some very good pocket presence and moved well to extend the play. With more experience I hope he can recognize his reads faster and pull the trigger rather than have too much hesitation (and then needing to extend th play). Nothing worse for a new QB than to see your first pass attempts intercepted or batted around like a volley ball.

Remember NONE of the back-ups had ANY FBS experience prior to Saturday. No surprise our QB depth is dangerous but consider how our offense looked in years past when Quinn or Clausen went out. Charlie gave 100% of reps to the starter while Kelly has been getting a lot of reps to 2A and 2B.

Plenty of room for improvement but I think our back-ups will perform better in the future, especially if they are not coming in down by two TDs.

 

[BGIF]

Jimmy was so horribly underestimated in the toughness category because of his golden boy image...I go back to Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford...as soon as they got hit hard they got hurt...good lord Jimmy got popped every week...ligaments torn, and taking a beating almost every week, he kept playing, and produced some great numbers...but the spotlight is shining much brighter now, than even a year ago, on head injuries. I think Dayne will prove to be a tough kid..I think they yanked him because of the ultra sensativity to the head injury issue...not saying I disagree with the extra attention...but last year folks would have been less liely to hold him out...

He would have been out last year as well. It was a medical decision. And there was a lot of attention to head injuries last season as well.

 

[ACamp1900]

Just simplify the play book for the backups... that's pretty much it...

also, John Goodman has been collecting dust on the side line and is a former QB... one would think you'd use his speed somehow... I wonder if they have gone there in practice at all...

 

[Old Man Mike]

Regarding Hendrix and Massa: I am not in Coach's head but since he is not recruiting a QB for the 2011 class, I think that he wants Hendrix/ Massa [whichever one doesn't transfer, and I hope neither does] to be their QB. [I also think that since he has no Nose Tackle in that class he'd like Nix to be their NT [i.e., also redshirt, which at his weight and youth makes sense anyway]. I'm ALL FOR the suggestion that Kelly create a Goodman "wildcat" package and thought that something like that would have come in the second half, if Crist couldn't go.

 

[KPENN]

Regarding Hendrix and Massa: I am not in Coach's head but since he is not recruiting a QB for the 2011 class, I think that he wants Hendrix/ Massa [whichever one doesn't transfer, and I hope neither does] to be their QB. [I also think that since he has no Nose Tackle in that class he'd like Nix to be their NT [i.e., also redshirt, which at his weight and youth makes sense anyway]. I'm ALL FOR the suggestion that Kelly create a Goodman "wildcat" package and thought that something like that would have come in the second half, if Crist couldn't go.

We're not recruiting a qb for 2011 because we missed on the top ones. We're in pretty good shape with a few of the better QB prospects in 2012. I just don't see Massa or Hendrix being a starter at Notre Dame.

 

[Rocket89]

This is really an intriguing question.

I've said in the past that Hendrix should be getting work as the backup. Based on his film, scouting reports, size, arm strength and the general rave reveiws from Kelly, I don't care if he hasn't played in this system. Get him more reps in practice!!

I was all for redshirting Hendrix this year, until Montana and Rees went in. Now I think Hendrix needs to be given the opportunity to step up.

My fear is that Kelly doesn't want to "waste" a year of eligibility with Hendrix and hopefully get two full years as a starter out of him. I have no idea what Kelly is thinking but I can't see how it has anything to do with Hendrix not being good enough or him not being prepared.

Montana and Rees didn't look good or prepared either, why not put our top recruit in there with the bigger arm and faster legs?

This is really a sticky situation. What's going to happen next spring? With Crist as the top dog there won't ever be a QB controversy, but I say get Hendrix going right now and see if he can grab the No. 2 spot. I'm also a little worried about Hendrix transferring too...seems like we're playing with fire a little bit with a kid who waffled on his committment to the Irish and is now "sitting out" behind a JC walk-on and a pretty average freshman recruit.

Maybe Hendrix is a great kid and will fight through this, but you could understand if he's going into next year feeling a little worried and maybe transfer. It's not QB's are receivers and there's plenty of reps to go around. At some point you have to make the decision to put Hendrix in at No. 2 and see what he can do. I think judging by Montana and Rees' accomplishments and performances so far, maybe Hendrix should be getting a head start sooner rather than later.

And the "simplifying" of the offense for Montana or Rees...isn't that just another way of saying the offense is going to suck? Who's going to be afraid of stopping a simplified version of this offense with below average/average talent at QB?

If Montana or Rees are in, I say run the ball like crazy and throw the deep ball often. It'll be our best chance to move the ball.

 

[jason_h537]

Just simplify the playbook. Montana played ok when we went under center and just simplified it for him.

 

[Irish_Angst]

I think Dayne will prove to be a tough kid..I think they yanked him because of the ultra sensativity to the head injury issue...not saying I disagree with the extra attention...but last year folks would have been less liely to hold him out...

Agreed. What I didn't understand at the time is if it was a potential concussion (or even a migraine), why was Dayne on the sideline? I thought if they were going to hold him out until the second half, then should have been in the locker room being evaluated.

 

[Irish_Angst]

Just simplify the playbook. Montana played ok when we went under center and just simplified it for him.

Montana's biggest issue when he threw the pick was his staring down the receiver. If I remember correctly, TJ was alone on the right sideline begging to have the ball thrown his way. And that was after changing the play before the snap.

Montana has the potential to be effective with a simplified playbook, which is exactly what Kelly is doing for him.