How can ND improve going forward?

[Pa Golden Tate Fan]

What changes would you like to see ND/BK make going forward to improve the program?

 

[NDRock]

Commit to a running game.

 

[returnofthemack]

Kelly needs to reevaluate his playcalling, I'd like to see more power formations for us to run out of, I want Golson to train with Russell Westbrook, Shumate and Redfield need to spend as much time as possible watching film with VanGorder, and we need to recruit a shitload of powerful, athletic defensive linemen that can generate pressure without a blitz. And ND needs to hire a damn special teams coach whom Kelly and his staff are forbidden to interact with, preventing him from being infected by their special teams ineptitude.

 

[Luckylucci]

This is just one specific issue so don't run away with it but I'd like to see BK support Golson. What I mean is if ASU's blitzes are causing difficulties early then realize that and adjust. If Golson can't handle what looks he's being give. The. Adjust. Bk didn't adjust soon enough because He believes we've practiced this and he'll get it. That's a level of arrogance rearing it's ugly head. If what you envision isn't working you have to be flexible and change. I think this season Bk got stuck believing that he knew what he had and it would work with how he envisioned it. It didn't and he didn't change.

We could have easily brought in a second TE against ASU In the first half or mixed things up but BK wanted to beat the blitz with what he had going in. It didn't work and there we are down at half by a full games margin. Some things he can't control I get that but this was two coaches (BVG inculuded) not willing to change and this is what we got.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

BK needs to realize that a spread offense actually includes a running game (see Oregon, Auburn, tOSU, Arizona, Miss St, etc). He doesn't have to go to a dead T formation but at least emphasize the run...for the sake of the OL. It's obvious that it affects their aggressiveness b/c when ND needs that short yardage, they tended to spit the bit this season.

On defense, if BVG's schemes require more time than the NCAA allows for the 1st & 2nd teams to master, then dumb it down. Learn from this season & keep it simple or at least feasible.

 

[TheTurningPoint]

New regime or self evaluation.

 

[IrishLax]

Fire everyone, hire Tom Clements from the Packers and pay Narduzzi $2mil/year to coach the defense.

Modify the schedule a little, including a permanent standing game with BYU on "championship weekend" that is played at a neutral site somewhere awesome. This will allow us to build an additional bye into the schedule each year.

Get everyone in the program on the performance enhancing drugs that Stanford uses to mitigate injuries some and in general improve performance/recovery time.

There, I just fixed Notre Dame football. You're welcome.

 

[Irishnuke]

Get rid of white privilege.

 

[ryno 24]

BK needs to realize that a spread offense actually includes a running game (see Oregon, Auburn, tOSU, Arizona, Miss St, etc). He doesn't have to go to a dead T formation but at least emphasize the run...for the sake of the OL. It's obvious that it affects their aggressiveness b/c when ND needs that short yardage, they tended to spit the bit this season.

On defense, if BVG's schemes require more time than the NCAA allows for the 1st & 2nd teams to master, then dumb it down. Learn from this season & keep it simple or at least feasible.

There are two or three different different types of spread offenses. The ones you mentioned are all run option base schemes (I would call Auburn, Osu and Miss St. power spreads). There are also spreads Like TCU, Baylor, Texas A&M which are air raid spreads. These are based on the pass game but integrate the run because of necessity. These also have many big plays out of the run game. There are also spreads similar to Missouri, Arizona St. and others that are more balanced but not as fast paced. Brian Kelly's is more similar to the second and third group. They are all successful.

The one thing I would go away from is the zone scheme as the primary running style. Unless we go to option based attack (which I would not be opposed to) We are not going to greatly increase the number of rushing attempts.

Defensively: I think the bend but dont break system of Diaco was not a terrible system. Maybe he was a lazy recruiter and his profile was too strict, but he had a good defense. Either that or go to a true 3-3-5 to defend the spread.

This is all easily fixable without injuries.

 

[BeauBenken]

Get rid of white privilege.

That explains that new class. It's for the football team. It all makes sense now.

 

[Luckylucci]

New regime or self evaluation.

One season of self evaluation.

 

[Nick Setta]

Not piss of Cthulhu and get injuries on D and not piss off freemaxredfield and run the damn ball.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

There are two or three different different types of spread offenses. The ones you mentioned are all run option base schemes (I would call Auburn, Osu and Miss St. power spreads). There are also spreads Like TCU, Baylor, Texas A&M which are air raid spreads. These are based on the pass game but integrate the run because of necessity. These also have many big plays out of the run game. There are also spreads similar to Missouri, Arizona St. and others that are more balanced but not as fast paced. Brian Kelly's is more similar to the second and third group. They are all successful.

The one thing I would go away from is the zone scheme as the primary running style. Unless we go to option based attack (which I would not be opposed to) We are not going to greatly increase the number of rushing attempts.

Defensively: I think the bend but dont break system of Diaco was not a terrible system. Maybe he was a lazy recruiter and his profile was too strict, but he had a good defense. Either that or go to a true 3-3-5 to defend the spread.

This is all easily fixable without injuries.

You're correct about the spread...I was being to general but my point was that even if using the iteration that ASU, UNC or Mizzou employs...it's still utilizes the run to the point where the OL are able to control the trenches & the RB can get a rhythm.

Until the UNC game, everyone (I'm generalizing again...forgive me) was praising BVG and relieved to be rid of Diaco's bend/don't break scheme. Most were thankful for his efforts b/c he maximized the talent he had but they were ready to progress to what we saw in BVG's more aggressive schemes early this season.

Then the Irish eked out a win over an inferior UNC team who torched the Irish for 42 pts. They had an impressive rebound in the first half of the FSU game but from there on the wheels started coming loose. As the injuries added up, the wheels proceeded to fall off and the D was a wide open sieve. Now everyone longs for the Diaco bend/don't break D...."at least we had a chance!".

My take: They're both good DCs w/ different philosophies. Both have won the Broyles Award for best assistant coach in the nation (BVG won it twice at UGA). I think the main issue w/ BVG is getting dialed back in to the college game vs the NFL. He doesn't have unlimited time to teach/drill his complicated schemes to student-athletes. Break it down...dumb it down...do whatever is needed to do to be effective yet practical. He can be agressive....just don't turn it into the equivalent of an Engineering Degree b/c these boys have enough studying on their plates to deal with.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

Fire everyone, hire Tom Clements from the Packers and pay Narduzzi $2mil/year to coach the defense.

Modify the schedule a little, including a permanent standing game with BYU on "championship weekend" that is played at a neutral site somewhere awesome. This will allow us to build an additional bye into the schedule each year.

Get everyone in the program on the performance enhancing drugs that Stanford uses to mitigate injuries some and in general improve performance/recovery time.

There, I just fixed Notre Dame football. You're welcome.

I've never understood the fascination w/ Clements. I've chalked it up to the fact that he's a former ND QB who won a NC and happens to be a coach so he must be a perfect fit. Not saying that's your take LAX...but that's the only thing I've come up with. I may have been more intrigued if I had ever heard Clements mentioned as a candidate for a head coaching gig w/ any other team...be it NFL or college. I don' follow NFL as close as most, so maybe he has. Why do you like him...or were you just joking around?

 

[IrishLax]

I've never understood the fascination w/ Clements. I've chalked it up to the fact that he's a former ND QB who won a NC and happens to be a coach so he must be a perfect fit. Not saying that's your take LAX...but that's the only thing I've come up with. I may have been more intrigued if I had ever heard Clements mentioned as a candidate for a head coaching gig w/ any other team...be it NFL or college. I don' follow NFL as close as most, so maybe he has. Why do you like him...or were you just joking around?

He's basically Charlie Weis (OC for a dominant offense) except without the flaws of Charlie (i.e. attitude and never playing football so can't relate to players). He'd be an ace recruiter on offense and fit the talent we already have.

The key component to that suggestion is getting Narduzzi to coach the defense.

 

[IrishLax]

Another guy I love who is below-the-radar is Addazio. He will be great somewhere eventually, and would fit ND really well.

 

[stlnd01]

I think we could use an offense that doesn't put so so much on the QB's shoulders. I guess that means run more? I dunno. But as the season wore on, it became increasingly evident Golson was bearing too much.
On defense, we need to be able to bring pressure without blitzing, and we probably need to play our best athletes instead of the guys who know the system but are too hurt to tackle.

 

[stlnd01]

Another guy I love who is below-the-radar is Addazio. He will be great somewhere eventually, and would fit ND really well.

He's not going to be below the radar for long. Seeing his name linked to Michigan, for instance.

 

[Nick Setta]

Another guy I love who is below-the-radar is Addazio. He will be great somewhere eventually, and would fit ND really well.

Downgrade.

 

[RyCo1983]

Upperclassmen leadership would be amazing.
So would some identity overall.

 

[stlnd01]

Upperclassmen leadership would be amazing.

We've had a real void of leadership the last couple of years. Especially on defense.

 

[IrishLax]

Downgrade.

It's funny that people think Kelly is still a good coach for ND.

He's still, and always will be, an excellent coach. But you have to be invested in your job and confident in your identity/goals/mission to be successful. He's like a half-step above Willingham right now in terms of "give a sh*t"... I'm hopeful he's just biding time on a lost season until '15 roles around, but the effort level now compared to, say, when he was trying to get things turned around his first year on the job is night and day.

 

[Nick Setta]

It's funny that people think Kelly is still a good coach for ND.

He's still, and always will be, an excellent coach. But you have to be invested in your job and confident in your identity/goals/mission to be successful. He's like a half-step above Willingham right now in terms of "give a sh*t"... I'm hopeful he's just biding time on a lost season until '15 roles around, but the effort level now compared to, say, when he was trying to get things turned around his first year on the job is night and day.

I agree, but I honestly want too see 2015 before this talk. I don't think Addazio is that great either.

 

[IrishLax]

I agree, but I honestly want too see 2015 before this talk. I don't think Addazio is that great either.

Addazio still has a ton to prove. But I like what I see and where he's heading.

 

[anarin]

It's funny that people think Kelly is still a good coach for ND.

He's still, and always will be, an excellent coach. But you have to be invested in your job and confident in your identity/goals/mission to be successful. He's like a half-step above Willingham right now in terms of "give a sh*t"... I'm hopeful he's just biding time on a lost season until '15 roles around, but the effort level now compared to, say, when he was trying to get things turned around his first year on the job is night and day.

Says Kelly is a good coach and brings up Willingham in the same sentence.

Is that possible?

 

[ickythump1225]

Get rid of white privilege.

Winner:

 

[NCND]

Another guy I love who is below-the-radar is Addazio. He will be great somewhere eventually, and would fit ND really well.

Agree and he seems like he's a tough, hard nosed SOB.

 

[BGIF]

He's basically Charlie Weis (OC for a dominant offense) except without the flaws of Charlie (i.e. attitude and never playing football so can't relate to players). He'd be an ace recruiter on offense and fit the talent we already have.

...

Tom Clements an ace recruiter on offense, since when? I followed recruiting back then and don't recall his input much less as an ace. The drop off in recruiting after Cerrato's last class in '90 was the reason for the program decline in '94 after Cerrato's last class graduation following the '93 season. Weren't you about 6 or 7 years old then? Refresh me about Clements recruiting success. Working in the NFL doesn't equate to ace success on the college recruiting trail. Clements will also be 62 when the '15 season starts and has never served as a head coach anywhere. ND is not the place for OJT. Clements will really relate to recruiting 17 year olds. "Sup, I'm played for ND in the last millenium back before your parents were born. Yeah, I'm older than your grandfather but I love hip hop and I can tweet with both thumbs!"

Clements was at ND from '92-'95 as the QB coach. Mirer, Failla, and McDougal were already on the team when Clements was training them for Holtz's Triple Option. Powlus and Krug came in '93 to play in Holtz Blarney Offense, the transition from the Option to a Pro Passing game. Clements was not the O.C. Clements was part of the problem in developing Powlus. Powlus didn't have an OC or QB coach at ND that fit his passing skill set. He had two head coaches and multiple QB coaches and OCs.

 

[Classic Irish]

I'm intrigued by the prospect of bringing Jeff Quinn aboard, but just don't see how we can fit him in unless we get rid of Hiestand. And I'm not sure I'm willing at this point to get rid of Harry.

 

[Classic Irish]

Tom Clements an ace recruiter on offense, since when? I followed recruiting back then and don't recall his input much less as an ace. The drop off in recruiting after Cerrato's last class in '90 was the reason for the program decline in '94 after Cerrato's last class graduation following the '93 season. Weren't you about 6 or 7 years old then? Refresh me about Clements recruiting success. Working in the NFL doesn't equate to ace success on the college recruiting trail. Clements will also be 62 when the '15 season starts and has never served as a head coach anywhere. ND is not the place for OJT. Clements will really relate to recruiting 17 year olds. "Sup, I'm played for ND in the last millenium back before your parents were born. Yeah, I'm older than your grandfather but I love hip hop and I can tweet with both thumbs!"

Clements was at ND from '92-'95 as the QB coach. Mirer, Failla, and McDougal were already on the team when Clements was training them for Holtz's Triple Option. Powlus and Krug came in '93 to play in Holtz Blarney Offense, the transition from the Option to a Pro Passing game. Clements was not the O.C. Clements was part of the problem in developing Powlus. Powlus didn't have an OC or QB coach at ND that fit his passing skill set. He had two head coaches and multiple QB coaches and OCs.

This. Clements' recruiting abilities were always questioned when he coached under Holtz. And Clements is notorious for having the personality of a toilet seat. Not sure where people come up with some of these notions.