Michael Fredrick Denbrock Hired as Offensive Coordinator (2023)

[MacIrish75]

Mike Denbrock: Being investigated in NCAA gambling probe.

 

[irishff1014]

The success rate for a QB sneak on 4th and short is very high, with an average of approximately 84-89% for 4th and 1 plays, and even higher in certain situations like very short yardage (inches).

Can some please share this with Denbrock and the rest of the coaching staff? Inexcusable to not even try it with all the short yardage situations we’ve had this year.

Until Freeman steps in and says no we are doing this, the failure will continue. And it shows why Freeman is very good coach but not great.

 

[NumbersGuy0520]

Until Freeman steps in and say no we are doing this the failure will continue. And it shows why Freeman is very good coach but not great.

Agree that it’s a shared failure at this point.

+ our “analytics” team. Treash needs to add in here if he hasn’t already.

 

[IrishTusker]

Among the worst 4th & inches calls I've ever seen. Can't take it anymore. Do the obvious thing, please

 

[irishff1014]

Dembrock can’t handle a QB that is a throw first guy.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

The QB draw for TD was a great call, great execution.

Some great calls to Fields and Raridon.

The 4th and goal that went incomplete was totally bizarre.

 

[IrishTusker]

The QB draw for TD was a great call, great execution.

Some great calls to Fields and Raridon.

The 4th and goal that went incomplete was totally bizarre.

Not bizarre at all, standard Kellyball. Still plagues ND, alas

 

[arrowryan]

Can we trash the play calls that involve throwing to Raridon in the flat?

 

[allenm5333]

Great job with carr read option play and going uc. Teams now have to prepare for that

 

[Luckylucci]

I think Denbrock has a tendency to get too cute with the play calls. He’s always been like that. But, he’s a very good coach. I’m happy to have him.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Not bizarre at all, standard Kellyball. Still plagues ND, alas

Yeah, bro has been gone from the program now for four years and is currently not employed.

 

[NumbersGuy0520]

Yeah there aren’t many OC’s I’d want over Denbrock. I think he’s very solid, if not great.

I also have close to zero confidence in our offense to perform on third/fourth and short. Especially in the redzone. We will find ourselves in more of those situations, probably once in the playoffs, and need to figure it out.

We go out of shotgun at an alarmingly high rate in these situations and frequently refuse to go north-south, instead turning a fourth & short into a fourth & 4-5+ where we sometimes have to go laterally.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

I think Denbrock has a tendency to get too cute with the play calls. He’s always been like that. But, he’s a very good coach. I’m happy to have him.

This is the bottom line. He's happy here, he does a good job, and he's a lot better than most of the field. He does some maddening shit that makes you wonder WTF is going through his mind. I think Coach Free and Gino need to step in and be the voice of reason sometimes. Collaborate.

I also think CJ can make some bad choices and doesn't always execute.

When you have Love and Price, a lot of problems can tend to just go away if you keep it simple.

 

[Irishdawg]

Watching the Ravens NFL game and their TE went under center for a short yardage play. He did a fake tush push bootleg TD. The announcer mentioned that Harbaugh said they had to “re-invent” their short yardage game because it was failing earlier in the year. They did with success. I think we need to consider “re-inventing” our short yardage game too!!

 

[rtrn2glory]

That was a awesome play off the tush push fad

 

[irishff1014]

Watching the Ravens NFL game and their TE went under center for a short yardage play. He did a fake tush push bootleg TD. The announcer mentioned that Harbaugh said they had to “re-invent” their short yardage game because it was failing earlier in the year. They did with success. I think we need to consider “re-inventing” our short yardage game too!!

Great call

 

[allenm5333]

Watching the Ravens NFL game and their TE went under center for a short yardage play. He did a fake tush push bootleg TD. The announcer mentioned that Harbaugh said they had to “re-invent” their short yardage game because it was failing earlier in the year. They did with success. I think we need to consider “re-inventing” our short yardage game too!!

Remember mitch a palooza?

 

[FWIrish4]

Now THIS is how we should run direct snaps to Love. Someone with connections get this into the offensive staff’s hands

 

[Bane]

Now THIS is how we should run direct snaps to Love. Someone with connections get this into the offensive staff’s hands

Oh yeah, Lane spammed that most of the night. It worked every time.

 

[BabyIrish]

What happened to the under center play action pass to the third tight end? Tommy had that play down to a T. Worked every time.

 

[IrishLax]

FEI Ratings for Offense over the last decade:
5th (Denbrock)
37th
11th
25th
27th
19th
22nd
41st
17th
9th (Denbrock)
11th (this year -- Denbrock)

So yeah, it would be great if he could figure it the fuck out with short yardage stuff rate and red zone play calling but he is consistently orchestrating a top 10 offense.

 

[greyhammer90]

FEI Ratings for Offense over the last decade:
5th (Denbrock)
37th
11th
25th
27th
19th
22nd
41st
17th
9th (Denbrock)
11th (this year -- Denbrock)

So yeah, it would be great if he could figure it the fuck out with short yardage stuff rate and red zone play calling but he is consistently orchestrating a top 10 offense.

Wasn't he the OC in 2016 too, or did he not have playcalling that year?

 

[Te'o4Heisman]

At some point when we need a big play I would love to see them fake the bubble screen we have run 87 times this year and try to get somebody behind the defense.

 

[WilliamWallace]

FEI Ratings for Offense over the last decade:
5th (Denbrock)
37th
11th
25th
27th
19th
22nd
41st
17th
9th (Denbrock)
11th (this year -- Denbrock)

So yeah, it would be great if he could figure it the fuck out with short yardage stuff rate and red zone play calling but he is consistently orchestrating a top 10 offense.

Serious question. What determines these numbers? Admittedly, I have to go to bed so I won’t see the response until tomorrow, and I’ve never googled it. I’ve just never been a huge fan of Denbrock yet he does a great job most of the time. I also agree with your sentiment. I just feel collectively something is missing. I suppose for him it’s possibly the mobile QB. I look forward to your response. Y’all have a good night!

 

[NDPhilly]

This offense has left so many points on the board lol. Probably would be number one in the country if we had last year’s short yardage game.

 

[Rockin’Irish]

Wasn't he the OC in 2016 too, or did he not have playcalling that year?

IIRC, Sanford, Kelly and Denbrock were all involved with offensive play calling (Sanford was up in the box).

 

[Irish4life]

FEI Ratings for Offense over the last decade:
5th (Denbrock)
37th
11th
25th
27th
19th
22nd
41st
17th
9th (Denbrock)
11th (this year -- Denbrock)

So yeah, it would be great if he could figure it the fuck out with short yardage stuff rate and red zone play calling but he is consistently orchestrating a top 10 offense.

He's definitely a very good OC. The worst thing about Mike Denbrock is that he's a BK spread tree guy.

 

[BeatSC]

FEI Ratings for Offense over the last decade:
5th (Denbrock)
37th
11th
25th
27th
19th
22nd
41st
17th
9th (Denbrock)
11th (this year -- Denbrock)

So yeah, it would be great if he could figure it the fuck out with short yardage stuff rate and red zone play calling but he is consistently orchestrating a top 10 offense.

Who couldn’t orchestrate a too 10 offense with the gifts Denbrock has been afforded. He’s also been greatly supported by a very good D. Riley Leonard is also a better passer than given credit for Denbrock just preferred to run him which is fine. We didn’t need him to pass until second half of Ohio state game and he was great. He gets an F for short yardage which is embarrassing given what he has to work with. I’ll take Charlie Weiss Jr.

 

[MacIrish75]

Who couldn’t orchestrate a too 10 offense with the gifts Denbrock has been afforded. He’s also been greatly supported by a very good D. Riley Leonard is also a better passer than given credit for Denbrock just preferred to run him which is fine. We didn’t need him to pass until second half of Ohio state game and he was great. He gets an F for short yardage which is embarrassing given what he has to work with. I’ll take Charlie Weiss Jr.

You, even with your vast experience.

 

[stlnd01]

Who couldn’t orchestrate a too 10 offense with the gifts Denbrock has been afforded. He’s also been greatly supported by a very good D. Riley Leonard is also a better passer than given credit for Denbrock just preferred to run him which is fine. We didn’t need him to pass until second half of Ohio state game and he was great. He gets an F for short yardage which is embarrassing given what he has to work with. I’ll take Charlie Weiss Jr.

Ok.
Yes we have a generational talent at RB. But also a first-year QB who still plays like it at times, one viable TE, a collection of WRs who are good by recent Notre Dame standards but not nationally elite, and an OL that is good by national standards but not as elite as ours typically have been, and also is down three starters at the moment.

I'm not making excuses - Carr is the most talented QB we've had in 15 years and that means a lot - but if you think this is some otherworldly collection of offensive talent that Denbrock is squandering, you might want to watch more of the rest of college football. The short-yardage game aside, he's doing a very good job.