Kelly's gameplan was terrible

wizards8507

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I think part of his issue is knowing that if he goes down, ND doesnt have a competent backup at this time.
How do we know this? 2012 Golson had no more experience than 2014 Malik does. Are we just going to be screwed the day Golson graduates? At SOME point in the future, Malik will play his first meaningful snaps. Why will he be so much more ready next season (with no experience) than he is right now (with no experience)?
 

BGIF

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I think part of his issue is knowing that if he goes down, ND doesnt have a competent backup at this time. I think Kelly is telling him to be careful with the runs. I mean think about it...he goes down and ND's season is over. You are not going to beat many teams with a back up that hasnt done more than hand the ball off a couple times all season.


If Kelly is telling him to be careful, it isn't working, is it Ray?

On runs Golson ends up getting gang tackled and stripped instead of going into a slide or just dropping down. I understand if it 4th and a yard and he's fighting for the first down but he does this after a 15 gain on second or third down.

Then there's the "be careful" loaf of bread message that hasn't been getting through either. Golson actually is carrying the ball better ... on occasion. I noticed on one play a week or two ago that he wrapped both arms on the ball like a fullback. They still took it away.

As for the Read Option, if you are not going to utilize the Option, you've pinned a target on the RB and keyed the entire defense in on the play. That's the same as having Rees run the Read Option. Even Tom Hammond knew it was not going to be a keeper.
 

blackirish

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Has anybody just come to the conclusion that ASU were just better than us.I mean we're sitting here pontificating about the game plan, scheme, turnovers, plays that were made and plays that were not, lack of execution, blah blah blah, well ASU themselves had a lot to with all thats been said and I except that but what does concern me is our defense giving up at least 35 points a game to damner everbody
 

Whiskeyjack

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Has anybody just come to the conclusion that ASU were just better than us.I mean we're sitting here pontificating about the game plan, scheme, turnovers, plays that were made and plays that were not, lack of execution, blah blah blah, well ASU themselves had a lot to with all thats been said and I except that but what does concern me is our defense giving up at least 35 points a game to damner everbody

We gave ASU plenty of credit coming into the game for having a potentially explosive offense. And I'm inclined to give Graham credit for coming up with a defensive scheme that pressured Golson enough to make him cough up the ball 5 times. But it wasn't done through exotic blitzing schemes or disguised coverages. A lot of it was just Golson making really poor decisions. If we could erase just 1-2 of those decisions, I think we win that game. If we could erase 3-4 of them, we win comfortably.

I've watched a lot of ASU football this season, and this Sun Devils team has some serious flaws. I'm certain they're not going to win out (and watch Arizona play the spoiler to keep them out of the Pac-12 championship game). We self-destructed, and they didn't get in our way. Not inclined to give them too much credit for that.
 

T Town Tommy

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To effectively run the read option it has to almost come natural to the QB. Golson just doesn't look natural at it and thus makes the wrong reads. It isn't as easy as it seems to properly run the read option, but it isn't rocket science either. If EG doesn't like contact, he is probably thinking more than just reading.

I watched Tim Tebow - who was dynamic at the read option at Fla - basically pick Nick Marshall apart on his read option decision making before the year started. And if you watch enough of Auburn, their offense goes as Nick makes his reads. Proper reads by him, and their offense turns completely into something different.

In the end, if the read option isn't something EG can effectively pull off, then it severly limits the Irish offense. I have seen too many bad reads that if EG would have read properly, he would have cake walked for 10-12 yards. Throw in moving the over the top safety in to provide run support, and the Irish passing game would then become dynamic.
 

ickythump1225

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Has anybody just come to the conclusion that ASU were just better than us.I mean we're sitting here pontificating about the game plan, scheme, turnovers, plays that were made and plays that were not, lack of execution, blah blah blah, well ASU themselves had a lot to with all thats been said and I except that but what does concern me is our defense giving up at least 35 points a game to damner everbody
Yeah they played well enough to win certainly and part of the game is limiting mistakes and they did that. Kudos.

However I'm not sure how you could watch the game and come to any other conclusion than we just self destructed. The missed FG, the Robinson interception, and at least one of the batted ball interceptions was the product of bad luck and mental errors on part that were almost entirely unforced. The EG fumble was really a boneheaded mistake on Golson's part rather than a really great play by ASU. Yeah they were sacking him but almost every other QB in football just takes the sack and moves on. They scored at least 28 points on either pick sixes or really short fields due to mental errors leading to turnovers on our part.

ASU isn't a great enough team to beat us by 24 points when both teams play at their highest level. However ASU was the better team that game in that they limited their mistakes and capitalized on some incredible luck.
 

stlnd01

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ASU isn't a great enough team to beat us by 24 points when both teams play at their highest level. However ASU was the better team that game in that they limited their mistakes and capitalized on some incredible luck.

ASU's a good team. They were certainly the better team on Saturday. And they might even knock off Oregon to win the Pac-12. But if we played 10 times I think we'd win 7. They don't have better talent at most positions, just - as the thread title suggests - a better gameplan that day, and we dug ourselves too deep a hole.
 

DCIrish

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WR sweeps near the goal line SMH

Don't know why an elite RB would want to play in this offense.
 
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