Natty Postgame

[IrishSteelhead]

Is there any chance we don’t finish #2?

I can see Oregon somehow getting it “because they beat the champs” or some crap.


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[Veritate Duce Progredi]

A perspective post:

Through the 16 game season we lost:

• Starting LT - Jag
• Starting DE - Botelho
• Backup DE - Traore
• Starting RG - Schrauth
• Starting C - Craig
• AA CB - Morrison
• AA DL - Cross
• AA DL - Mills
• Greatly reduced starting RB
• Also our backup RG has been playing hurt
• Our 2nd string/15 game starter goes down

All this team did was rise to the occasion and give us an amazing home playoff win, 2 huge bowl wins and a trip to the title game. If you reversed that and put those injuries on any other team in the playoffs, they aren't in the title game. Helluva performance and one for the ages. All of those losses came in addition to already having 6 combined starts on the OL to start the season.

We started true freshmen at CB, LB, DE, LT - positions most would consider highly dangerous. The future is bright but this was a season to remember and they'll add some nice hardware to wipe out the "big bowl" drought that was so often referenced. We never have to hear that damn line again after these warriors went out and laid it on the line.

Loved the character of this team.

 

[notredomer23]

3 offensive scheme things I’d love to see more next year that they did last night:

- shifted Love out then had him full speed taking the hand off. It didn’t work really, but will, and also I think sets up some great reverses
- 2 RB sets. Too much talent too keep them off the field even if one leaves
- Faison lined up multiple times in the backfield

All these tactics will keep opponents off balance

 

[rtrn2glory]

I feel like Andy Dufrain scratching thru the wall with a rock hammer. i know progress is being made but have a feeling there's a lot more wall to scratch thru and I'll be dead before I get to the other side.

 

[CoachB]

Any take that says we were over matched by a highly superior team is a joke.

We totally could have won this game. Our later play in the game showed that pretty clear.

The problem was poor pass play by Riley early on. He had all day and couldn’t seem to find anyone open when OSU’s DB’s are not great. Which showed late in the game when we actually threw the ball downfield and tested them.

Poor game plan for our coaches as well, especially Golden and Freeman (apparently, buck stops with the HC). Way too conservative

The most frustrating part of this game was that we could have won, but showed up poorly and were poorly coached on the whole.

The good news is we could have won the title game after running the gamut in the playoffs. Great season, disappointing ending, with a very positive outlook moving forward.

Agree completely! We don't make uncharacteristic mistakes in our execution we win this game. Not that OSU doesn't have great individual talent, but we were the better team.

 

[BeauBenken]

Proud of the fight all year. Outplayed the entire first half after our opening drive and still didn't tuck our tails.

Of course it sucks, but this team has nothing to be ashamed of.

 

[CoachB]

Respect your opinion, but I kindly disagree. With the injuries we have suffered this year, we were over matched tonight. It was 31-7 and Ohio State let their foot off the gas.

Ask yourself, what starters for Notre Dame tonight would start for Ohio State? Maybe Mitchell Evans at tight end? Xavier Watts isn’t starting over Caleb Downs.

Respect your opinion, but disagree. We shot ourselves in the foot early and OSU played out of their mind. When all things came back to the median, we dominated.

 

[BeauBenken]

And I'll point out the last time we were on this stage our coach gave up on his team before halftime.

This time our coach instilled an attitude that allowed us to make the second half interesting.

We are better off.

 

[IrishTusker]

I feel like Andy Dufrain scratching thru the wall with a rock hammer. i know progress is being made but have a feeling there's a lot more wall to scratch thru and I'll be dead before I get to the other side.

This is the correct take.

The 12 team playoff actually hurts ND, I think. It makes it easier for ND to make the playoff but harder to win a title, because it increases the odds that the most talented/highest payroll team is in the playoff. ND simply does not have the talent to beat those teams absent some freak event. In the past, a 12-0 ND might have lucked into not playing such a team, but now that is less likely.

That said, definitely agree we're better off than under BK.

 

[CoachB]

Yeah, I didn't like the kick myself. I suppose it works if we make it and we got two quick stops, but we didn't do either so...eh.

It's a feel thing also. Gotta go with your gut. I felt what Marcus did. We had momentum there big time, you gotta keep that momentum going. Getting three keeps you rolling there, and it ended up being the right call if we just get one more stop. Momentum is huge. A 4th and 9 from right there is a tough ask.

 

[jpachuta33]

Respect your opinion, but disagree. We shot ourselves in the foot early and OSU played out of their mind. When all things came back to the median, we dominated.

Not sure what game you were watching, but outside the first drive, Notre Dame did not dominate.

 

[NDRock]

This is the correct take.

The 12 team playoff actually hurts ND, I think. It makes it easier for ND to make the playoff but harder to win a title, because it increases the odds that the most talented/highest payroll team is in the playoff. In the past, a 12-0 ND might have lucked into not playing such a team, but now that is less likely. ND simply does not have the talent to beat those teams absent some freak event.

That said, definitely agree we're better off than under BK.

I think the opposite. When 4 teams made it, you were always going through a juggernaut. Now, you may get an easier path and avoid them. Not to mention, in the old system there would be a long break which gave coaching staffs of those great teams plenty of time to find weaknesses and their teams to get healthy. I like this format better, will still be very difficult to win it all.

 

[Bane]

Best ND season of my fanhood (2005-present), best ND team for sure. Winning 3 playoff games is a hell of a season, and the team battled through so much adversity to get to 4th quarter of the national title game down only 1 score. It's a testament Freeman, the players, and the culture they have created. The silver lining of all of our injuries is that so many young players were forced to fill in, even in huge moments, and be ready. That experience will be invaluable for us next year, and help bridge the gap of losing some of our veteran talent. You need those links in the chain to help carry over the culture and system from one generation to another.

I'll admit I did not want Riley Leonard, he never really impressed me at Duke. After NIU, I was totally out on him. He slowly won me over, and by now, he's one of my favorite ND players of recent memory. He does have real limitations, but man the kid has a heart of a lion. We'll probably at some point have a more talented QB, but I'm not sure we'll ever have one who just wanted it as much as RL.

I don't care about finding out who is to blame for the loss, it's no one individual coach or player. Teams win and lose collectively, as a team. Also, sometimes, it's not really the losing team's fault, the other team has a vote too, and sometimes they just execute at an extremely high level. Against every other team we faced, I knew if we played our best, and they played their best, we would win. Against OSU, that wasn't the case, sometimes that happens.

But to me, this isn't (only) the end, it's the beginning. This is the foundational season moving forward. Freeman believes in constantly elevating, and I think we will. It doesn't guarantee a title, there are no guarantees, but we'll be there in the mix as a real threat year in and year out.

14-2
13 game win streak
First ever on campus playoff win
Indiana state champs
Sugar Bowl Champs
Orange Bowl Champs
#2 team in the country.

Go Irish!

 

[Blazers46]

Not sure what game you were watching, but outside the first drive, Notre Dame did not dominate.

Notre Dame won the first quarter and 2nd half. If Notre Dame could even sustain a drive in the 2nd Quarter we probably win… maybe… could have…

 

[IrishInFl]

I'm dissapointed , but optimistic towards the future of ND football. Coaches need to regroup quickly, they have a big recruiting day on Saturday.

 

[russianirish]

3 net yards from Love, 13 from Price. We were doomed without a RB run game. It's a fortune we stayed in the game for so long.

 

[stlnd01]

I think the opposite. When 4 teams made it, you were always going through a juggernaut. Now, you may get an easier path and avoid them. Not to mention, in the old system there would be a long break which gave coaching staffs of those great teams plenty of time to find weaknesses and their teams to get healthy. I like this format better, will still be very difficult to win it all.

I agree. Also if the sport is indeed shifting away from a handful of absolutely loaded superpowers to, say, 10 teams that are very good but have flaws, then there's going to be a path for us in a way there wasn't in 2018 or 2020 when we had to go through Clemson and Bama.

I guess this year the one true remaining superpower - Ohio State - doesn't make a four-team playoff. But 50-50 neither do we, and we managed to beat two of the teams that would've.

 

[CoachB]

Not sure what game you were watching, but outside the first drive, Notre Dame did not dominate.

I was watching the game that saw us outscore them 16-0, including a missed chip shot field goal once we started executing. I'm not saying ND had more talent. Of course not, but ND was the better TEAM. That's how you knew a comeback was coming. OSU played out of their minds the first half, ND made more mistakes than normal. A HUUUGGGEEEE credit to our coaches and guys for coming back and making it a game, but I am just not a fan of this whiny ND has no chance to hang with these teams crap. ND is right there and we have the right man leading us to do just that.

But credit to OSU. They are a fantastically talented club, for sure.

 

[thekid33]

Thank you, 2024-2025 Fighting Irish.

Favorite team of my lifetime.

We will be back. And end up on top.

While I breathe, I hope.

Go Irish☘️

 

[jpachuta33]

Notre Dame won the first quarter and 2nd half. If Notre Dame could even sustain a drive in the 2nd Quarter we probably win… maybe… could have…

We were down 31-7… the only reason we got back into the game was when Ohio State let their foot off the gas and played their second team DL and we score to make it 31-15 which gained us some momentum. Other than Notre Dame’s first drive, they were never in control of that football game.

 

[Free Manera]

The program culture is in the best place it has been since Holtz. The NIL/admissions situation is the best it has been since Cerrato (they didn't call it NIL back then). The fan base and university is rejuvenated and believes.

However, that just means the foundation is in place. ND still needs to show us they can turn all of this into studs on the field, because in the end OSU had about 9 of them and ND did not. That was the difference. You can't hold down Smith, Henderson, Judkins, Egbuka, JT, Sawyer, Downs, Simon, all game unless you can match up your own dudes across from them.

 

[jpachuta33]

I was watching the game that saw us outscore them 16-0, including a missed chip shot field goal once we started executing. I'm not saying ND had more talent. Of course not, but ND was the better TEAM. That's how you knew a comeback was coming. OSU played out of their minds the first half, ND made more mistakes than normal. A HUUUGGGEEEE credit to our coaches and guys for coming back and making it a game, but I am just not a fan of this whiny ND has no chance to hang with these teams crap. ND is right there and we have the right man leading us to do just that.

But credit to OSU. They are a fantastically talented club, for sure.

Your quote was that “Notre Dame dominated” when things came back to a median. Outside the first drive, Notre Dame was never in control of that football game. This was a game where the injuries finally caught up to us.

 

[rtrn2glory]

I despise the fact I have to get up today. Would rather just sweat out the hangover in a dark room all day.

But I guess I have to get up and make this sick day legit.

 

[Jimmy3Putt]

I don’t think Golden called as bad a game as it seems. We weren’t setting the edge well and when our LBs were in position to make tackles they whiffed a bunch tonight and against PSU. I think a lot of that has to do with the quality of the backs on those teams.
Incredibly happy with this season. I loved watching this team and am sad it’s over. These kids are tough AF and relentless. The future is bright. Learn from this

One factor in the missed tackles were our injuries. The team was so hurt and tired they probably weren't tackling in practice anymore. To go weeks between games without hitting, leads to rust.

 

[Jimmy3Putt]

Your quote was that “Notre Dame dominated” when things came back to a median. Outside the first drive, Notre Dame was never in control of that football game. This was a game where the injuries finally caught up to us.

They didn't even "dominate" that first drive. It took multiple fourth down conversions to score.

 

[rtrn2glory]

Nobody tackles actual humans this late in the season

 

[IrishTusker]

OSU had no problem tackling.

 

[CoachB]

Your quote was that “Notre Dame dominated” when things came back to a median. Outside the first drive, Notre Dame was never in control of that football game. This was a game where the injuries finally caught up to us.

Idk man, I'm not gonna argue. After the opening TD and before that 3rd and 11 bomb to Smith, ND outgained OSU 225-73. I think that is pretty dominant. Just re-watched and OSU still had their starting DL in there. OSU didn't take their foot off the gas, Howard just started missing some of his 3rd down passes. You kind of sound like an OSU fan in here trying to negate the comeback by our boys. But its all good.

Freeman seems to agree with me also...

Freeman rues Notre Dame's mistakes in CFP loss to Ohio State

Following a 34-23 loss to Ohio State in Monday's College Football Playoff title game, Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman told reporters, "We can't make mistakes. It falls on my shoulders. And as the head coach, we have to be better prepared for this moment."

www.espn.com

 

[jpachuta33]

They didn't even "dominate" that first drive. It took multiple fourth down conversions to score.

I disagree. They knew we were going to run the ball on those conversions and they still couldn’t stop it. Executing something that the opponent knows coming is being dominate.

 

[GowerND11]

Losing sucks. All I want is 1 natty in my lifetime. Just 1. I’m exhausted and a little hungover. I’m glad they didn’t quit and gave themselves a chance at the end. It just wasn’t enough. Story of many seasons as a Notre Dame fan.

With all of that said, this was a fun season. It stings and it will sting. But it was a hell of a ride.