How About That Defense?

[phork]

Ranked 31ist in total defense. With a decent showing vs AirForce almost a top20.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Been lights out other than the 4th qtr against scUM. The garbage yards at the end of MSU inflated their total.

 

[NDFANnSouthWest]

D is the foundation of championships. Thanks for sharing PHORK.

 

[GreatGolson]

only 1 rushing TD allowed all year, thats the same amount as Alabama.

 

[irishff1014]

This defense is the teams backbone. It is a great feeling to watch them go on the field and know that they keep us in the game.

 

[AdmiralBackhand]

only 1 rushing TD allowed all year, thats the same amount as Alabama.

Yeah, and that was after that gift-of-a-bounce to Denard after we smoked their RB for a fumble.

 

[Riddickulous]

It's solid. It'll be truly great in 2-3 years.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Our 31st ranking in total defense isn't opponent adjusted. Most teams haven't played anything approaching our SoS over the first 4 games.

Football Outsider's ranks our overall defense 5th nationally.

 

[BobD]

Our 31st ranking in total defense isn't opponent adjusted. Most teams haven't played anything approaching our SoS over the first 4 games.

Football Outsider's ranks our overall defense 5th nationally.

^^WOOOHOO!^^

 

[phork]

Opponent adjusted.... interesting.

 

[ndcoltsfan2010]

Our 31st ranking in total defense isn't opponent adjusted. Most teams haven't played anything approaching our SoS over the first 4 games.

Football Outsider's ranks our overall defense 5th nationally.

Thanks for posting this. We have a solid performance against some good teams. If we had played the likes of some lesser schools our stats would look even better. I think as the season wears on we will probably climb up the defensive rankings. Most schools have played lesser competition.

 

[Old Man Mike]

Even Coach kelly is willing to say flatly that our defense is really good [and he says the same thing about our O-Line and Michael Floyd and now has added "running game" to the list of straight praise]. If the head coach is making flatly approving statements about elements of his team [given how those guys never want to get players too complacent] then the rest of us know that we ARE INDEED really good there.

 

[irishtrain]

Yeah, and that was after that gift-of-a-bounce to Denard after we smoked their RB for a fumble.

This defense is going to be the backbone of the program for the next few years-when he gets his offense to where he likes it look out. Hopefully this coaching staff likes Notre Dame enough to stay and will get paid enough to want to stay. Keep matching an offense with this big time improving defense! By the way as Admiral said that ballcarrier from Mich got smoked at the line of scrimmage and that is hard to do in such a short space. Notre Dame will hit you and I like a few of the roughing/unsportsmanlike stuff as long as its done in the context of the game. Not like Miami used to do. Lynch especially looks like he's going to get after you and have bad intentions. Smith and Teo are already bad boys on the field. Overall the thing that jumps out at me is the body change on some of these guys after 2 years with Longo.

 

[ndcoltsfan2010]

I love this attitude and swagger that we have seen from our defense. Our defense is playing with such pride and swagger. It's been many years since we have had this killer instinct defense. It's a beautiful thing to watch as it evolves and continues to get better.

 

[ulukinatme]

Who would have thought that, at any point, when Kelly came on board that our defense would be more impressive than the offense? Hope this trend continues and we continue to improve.

 

[RDU Irish]

Not sold on the opponent adjusted thing. If we played cupcakes, there would be more 4th quarter 3rd string defense giving up huge yardage. 95 of Purdue's yards (over 1/3rd of the total) were the final drive against our bench.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Not sold on the opponent adjusted thing. If we played cupcakes, there would be more 4th quarter 3rd string defense giving up huge yardage. 95 of Purdue's yards (over 1/3rd of the total) were the final drive against our bench.

Football Outsiders doesn't count stats accumulated in trash time (i.e. after the game has already been decided.)

 

[Dizzyphil]

If games were decided on paper, things would be much different across the CFB scene. If you look at AF coming up, teams are averaging 4 yards a carry against them. On paper, we should run all over them - stats do not include the heart or mental state of a team. AF is going to come in this weekend wanting to beat ND probably even more than they wanted to beat Navy.


Diz

 

[ndcoltsfan2010]

If games were decided on paper, things would be much different across the CFB scene. If you look at AF coming up, teams are averaging 4 yards a carry against them. On paper, we should run all over them - stats do not include the heart or mental state of a team. AF is going to come in this weekend wanting to beat ND probably even more than they wanted to beat Navy.


Diz

I could not agree with you more. We need to be amped up and ready to play. The academies always play with 100 percent heart so we need to be on our A game.