Manti Teo

[tommyIRISH23]

Stop tryin to kill people!! Wrap up!!!

 

[WaveDomer]

I think he's just too pumped.

 

[domerfor life]

yeah.....you wouldn't expect him to miss tackles like that. Just settle down and make the easy play.

 

[mgriff]

He's always in the right spot though. He certainly made many mistakes, but that instinct to be at the ball is not very teachable. He needs to improve. He's still a true sophomore.

 

[jason_h537]

Good instincts but did play sloppy. Coaches should clean that up

 

[WabashFalcon]

I want to see a highlight hit... but I guess that is just my mentality.

 

[jason_h537]

made a great play sniffing out that screen in the 4th. That cant be taught

 

[kingjimbo]

teo was awful in the first half. played okay in the 2nd, but didnt see any sideline to sideline plays at all. doesnt look that fast either. kinda disappointed, was hoping to see glimpses of another erlacher.
calabrese, omb, he is slower than me.

 

[military_irish]

teo was awful in the first half. played okay in the 2nd, but didnt see any sideline to sideline plays at all. doesnt look that fast either. kinda disappointed, was hoping to see glimpses of another erlacher.
calabrese, omb, he is slower than me.

Teo had 9 tackles, which was tied for the most on the day. and the few plays that he missed the tackle on the runner only maybe got 2-4 more yards, mostly because Teo slowed him down. Its not like he missed a tackle and the runner took off on a 80 yard TD run, it was a couple slip ups, that probably had to do with being over excited.

even the greatest players in the country have a down day, if you can call this a down day for Teo.

I would still choose him over almost any other LB in the country as a Sophomore

 

[PatsandBostonfan1975]

teo was awful in the first half. played okay in the 2nd, but didnt see any sideline to sideline plays at all. doesnt look that fast either. kinda disappointed, was hoping to see glimpses of another erlacher.
calabrese, omb, he is slower than me.

One touchdown was scored on a keeper by the kid who broke Tebows records in highschool. Teo needs to relax stop trying to make a espn hit and he will be fine .

 

[Brown]

Although Te'o didn't wrap the ballcarrier up (over pursuit, questionable angles), he was in the zone to make the tackles and misdirected the ballcarrier behind the LOS on many plays. He had an impact on the game. I don't think a good defensive play requires a "tackle" in all instances. The same way a good defensive player in the NBA doesn't need to make a block (a misdirection on the shot is, in a lot of cases, just as important). Te'o is the least of the defenses worries.

The biggest problem I saw was the team's inability to contain the mobile/scrambling Marve. Speed on the outside wasn't that great.

The defensive line and LB corps did tremendous on the inside, but outside containment was an issue all game. Our OLBs were virtually non existent.

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

Te'o may not wrap up but he is everywhere out there. He's incredibly special.

 

[NDinNJ]

Teo will be fine, he did make alot of mistakes, but he was all over the field. Just a little to pumped up for the big hit.

 

[NDFANnSouthWest]

Teo will fine tune some minor issues...I thought he played well....and the best thing he is very coachable...Denard will find out Sat

 

[Pohaku]

I followed the game day board here while at work and watched the game when I got home. It is like night and day. From what I gathered from the game day board...Manti was terrible. I was very disappointed with his play until I watched the game for myself.

He did an incredible job improving on what he lacked last season. He did great on pass coverage even closing in on the ball carrier after. Seems like his two biggest liabilities last year was being out of position and pass coverage. He has made great strides in improving this and I think people aren't giving him the credit he deserves. Its nice to see a LB make the big hits but far too often people forget their responsibilities aside from the run. He and Carlo will be awesome inside.

Seeing him pull back to cover the pass was a positive while still being able to close to the ball carrier to HELP disrupt a play. He may have missed a few tackles but doesn't this look familiar to another LB aka Brian Smith. Far too often people only focus on the person making the tackle but fail to look at the other players that contribute to it. Look at the the stop Manti made BECAUSE Brian Smith penetrated off the edge. Brian made that play not Manti.

People tend to expect high profile players to do everything perfect. I'm extremely happy to see the rest of the defense step up instead of pointing out a "stars" failure.

The defense made great strides today period. The 4-5 stars will contribute that is no doubt. Appreciate the improvement of the defense as a whole instead of targeting a single player is all I'm saying. Harrison included.

The kids played great today. Can they improve sure. But don't taint this day....give them all what they deserve...props.

Go Irish!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[HawaiianIrish]

Manti gets a solid B grade. Without a doubt he SHOULD have made more plays, but he was a major positive factor for our D today.

He looks more comfortable than he did last year. His pass coverage is also better.

His tackles will improve.

Remember Manti is the Stud on D that all the Offensive Coordinators are prepping for.

1st game jitters are over and now the focus most be on the Moongoose of Michigan lol lol

 

[Irish_Angst]

For a first game in a new system, for the most part I think everyone did OK and suspect they be that much better for the MeatChicken game.

Manti made his share of mistakes, but he'll be fine with the coaches squaring him away. By the time ND rolls out to California, Manti will be a wreaking ball.

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

I followed the game day board here while at work and watched the game when I got home. It is like night and day. From what I gathered from the game day board...Manti was terrible. I was very disappointed with his play until I watched the game for myself.

He did an incredible job improving on what he lacked last season. He did great on pass coverage even closing in on the ball carrier after. Seems like his two biggest liabilities last year was being out of position and pass coverage. He has made great strides in improving this and I think people aren't giving him the credit he deserves. Its nice to see a LB make the big hits but far too often people forget their responsibilities aside from the run. He and Carlo will be awesome inside.

Seeing him pull back to cover the pass was a positive while still being able to close to the ball carrier to HELP disrupt a play. He may have missed a few tackles but doesn't this look familiar to another LB aka Brian Smith. Far too often people only focus on the person making the tackle but fail to look at the other players that contribute to it. Look at the the stop Manti made BECAUSE Brian Smith penetrated off the edge. Brian made that play not Manti.

People tend to expect high profile players to do everything perfect. I'm extremely happy to see the rest of the defense step up instead of pointing out a "stars" failure.

The defense made great strides today period. The 4-5 stars will contribute that is no doubt. Appreciate the improvement of the defense as a whole instead of targeting a single player is all I'm saying. Harrison included.

The kids played great today. Can they improve sure. But don't taint this day....give them all what they deserve...props.

Go Irish!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great post. Also agree with Brown's assessment.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

After last year's defense? Today was like night and day. Show me one play where the Purdue receivers got behind us. Make no mistake, Purdue is better than they have been given credit; they are going to beat some people this year.

If there is anyone on the board who is bigger, stronger, or faster than Manti, I urge them to contact Coach Kelly. I think he could use the help. If you watched the game, ND was (effectively) three linebackers down, due to injury, cramping, or whatever.

And as far as Manti, I give him an A+ for breaking up the wide receiver screens, which Purdue tried all day, and he stopped. Carlo got hooked a few times and missed a tight end or so and all the rest of the linebackers covered. Statistically they did great against someone who is going to put up some numbers this year. (Ian Williams was a beast, too.)

At this point, I think it is natural to want ND to dominate, and it is easy to see what need to be fixed, but I think we need to resist that; because it is easy to see what need to be fixed. If Coach Kelly doesn’t fix it and the team doesn’t progress, (like in the last thirteen years), that’s something different. Otherwise, gentlemen, it’s a W!

 

[JMF]

Teo had 9 tackles, which was tied for the most on the day. and the few plays that he missed the tackle on the runner only maybe got 2-4 more yards, mostly because Teo slowed him down. Its not like he missed a tackle and the runner took off on a 80 yard TD run, it was a couple slip ups, that probably had to do with being over excited.

even the greatest players in the country have a down day, if you can call this a down day for Teo.

I would still choose him over almost any other LB in the country as a Sophomore

Exactly. Maybe expectations from some of ya'll are just too high but I thought Teo had a nice game. He made some plays and disrupted a hand full of others.

 

[tankjeep]

Great post. Also agree with Brown's assessment.

X2. very good post

 

[Old Man Mike]

I thought Te'o was fine, especially for a first game in a new system, and with an offense that regularly broke down to run away from the middle of the field. Any great slobberknocker hit requires an unsuspecting ball-holder [like a receiver who just caught the ball], or a player in a fairly tight box formed by the slobberknocker's teammates. I didn't see Te'o having many tight boxes set up for him to deliver the blow in our game. His "misses" in fact acted to set a tighter box for his teammates to clean up. Manti will do fine all year.

 

[Irish Man3]

I thought Te'o was fine, especially for a first game in a new system, and with an offense that regularly broke down to run away from the middle of the field. Any great slobberknocker hit requires an unsuspecting ball-holder [like a receiver who just caught the ball], or a player in a fairly tight box formed by the slobberknocker's teammates. I didn't see Te'o having many tight boxes set up for him to deliver the blow in our game. His "misses" in fact acted to set a tighter box for his teammates to clean up. Manti will do fine all year.

I agree. I thought Manti played fine for being in a new system. He over pursued on some plays but was in the right spot all day. His ability to sniff out inside screens and draws is unlike anything I have ever seen. His football I.Q is something that cant be taught. This was just a matter of Manti waiting 8 months for this game and wanting to release 8 months of built up aggression onto one Purdue Boilermaker.
For the first time in a long time, I am confident that the coaches will clean this up and Manti will be Manti. We dont have to rely on Manti correcting his own mistakes because we have a solid coaching staff on BOTH sides of the ball.