Navy Postgame

[Rockin’Irish]

I have had enough time to digest this game:

Great games:

• Hartman (near perfection besides an underthrow to Merriweather)
• OL (no penalties)
• WRs (-1)
• RBs all looked good but my top two as the season wears on: Estime, Price. Payne and Love are next men in.
• No TE catches? This will surely change next week.
• defense as a whole did excellent limiting Navy to 3 points

This is all with a huge caveat that we don't know what Navy is yet. Maybe they'll rip off a number of wins and shut some teams down moving forward. Maybe they are trash and we trashed them. Way too early for me to mainline koolaid but the next 4 weeks will give us a lot of answers.

The secondary had to sell out to stop the run so it was expected they'd get beat on occasion. We were fortunate Navy wasn't able to convert on a few of those plays. I hope we got out of that game injury free.

I believe Mitchell Evans had one catch over the middle but I’m just going off memory. Maybe that was on the holding penalty? On the Hartman throw to Merriweather in the end zone, it appears the pass was thrown just a shade late as well. I was especially impressed with the offense and how sharp they looked in a first game. It certainly didn’t look like a first game. Navy returned most of the defense and they weren’t too bad last year. Very focused coming out of the gate. Take away the missed field goal, Estime fumble and Merriweather dropped screen and it was pretty close to a perfect 2023 debut.

 

[irishnd31]

Fuck, I’m shit faced. Gonna tough down two more cocktails and try to get a squeezer before I pass out. Bog fight the good fight bro….. avenge me!!!!!! Lol🤣🤣🤣❤️
Go Irish to the rest of ya

 

[irishnd31]

It was a fun game. Had a nice time watching it. On to the next episode... ☘️

You’re one of my faves bro! Go Irish!

 

[WilliamWallace]

Are we firing Al Golden because he can’t stop the option?

I think Golden is safe for now. I don’t care who you are, the good option teams find yardage. The score should rest anyone’s concerns. ND tackled by committee tonight. They swarmed the ball which was a very welcome sight. If not the first then the second player on all but maybe one play where the kid looked like Caleb Williams.

 

[tussin]

Amazing how our “mediocre” receivers look good all of a sudden when we have a QB that can push the ball down the field.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Also, can we keep Collinsworth's replacement in the booth? I thought that guy was fantastic. Pair him up with someone who is only half the wet blanket that is Garrett and we'd have some good game coverage. Someone get word in to NBC/AD.

 

[IAIrish]

Collinsworth gets shit on alot, but i actually don't mind him. Impossible to follow Turico, best in the biz. He's young and like most youth, has room to improve. And he's an ND guy.

He's got a work ethic, i expect he'll be better this year.

 

[Blazers46]

Also of note, Sam has obviously practiced the alma mater.

Edit: Also, Sam Hartman knows what a shellailegh is.

Edit Edit: Sam Hartman knows what a shellailegh is used for.

But isn’t sure who gave it to him lol

 

[ACamp1900]

Anyone have a game replay link?

Openly asking for links to snuff films,… bold move

 

[PutuporShutup]

It's just an incredible feeling watching a game with a QB who doesn't look rattled, doesn't have footwork or mechanical issues, throws the ball on time, and keeps his eyes downfield while moving in the pocket.

Shocked everyone doesn’t buy one

 

[zelezo vlk]

But isn’t sure who gave it to him lol

It was the King of Dublin of course


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Terry Jillery]

Did we even have a penality? I don’t remember one. They looked really well coached today.

Good point.

 

[IrishBoognish]

Mitchell had a holding in the 1st Q. I think that was it.

 

[Terry Jillery]

My only concerns are the kicking game and ball security. I think we clean up the fumbles. Field goals could be an issue vs Ohio State.

 

[IrishBoognish]

I didn't feel the coverage was overly saturated with commercials during the quarters... am I wrong about that because I was just so dang excited about everything or was it reasonable?

 

[BilboBaggins]

Against Navy the last two years:

2022: Pyne - 17/21 (80.9%) 269 yards 4 TDs 1 INT

2023: Hartman - 19/23 (82.6%) 251 yards 4 TDs

Funny how Hartman looks like a breath of fresh air compared to Pyne. Just a lesson that stats don't tell the whole story.

IMO I was most impressed with the improvement from the IOL. I get that Navy's DTs are like 250# but ND Spindler and Co dominated that A gap all game.

I've said it 100x and I'll say it again. ND has had some really good teams lately but they've never been able to depend on inside running. It's usually been off tackle or outside and they'd always run into teams with elite speed that would stymie that and then cover the WRs in man coverage. Today looked like ND has some bad dudes inside on the OL. They need that to work and then get Tyree in a track meet running seams. That'll get em in more zone coverage and Hartman feasts.

NC State will tell us a lot more. Navy doesn't have five-star dudes on their DL like Ohio State.

 

[Terry Jillery]

I didn't feel the coverage was overly saturated with commercials during the quarters... am I wrong about that because I was just so dang excited about everything or was it reasonable?

All I know is I really liked the guy that filled in for Jack Collinsworth. Jack is so annoying I mute games. This guy was solid.I just don’t like Jacks voice. Nothing he says just his voice bothers me.

 

[IrishBoognish]

All I know is I really liked the guy that filled in for Jack Collinsworth. Jack is so annoying I mute games. This guy was solid.

hear hear

 

[SDIrishFan]

Against Navy the last two years:

2022: Pyne - 17/21 (80.9%) 269 yards 4 TDs 1 INT

2023: Hartman - 19/23 (82.6%) 251 yards 4 TDs

Funny how Hartman looks like a breath of fresh air compared to Pyne. Just a lesson that stats don't tell the whole story.

perfect example of how stats don’t tell much of the story. Though the stat line was similar it was night and day how different those QBs performed in those games, ran the offense, executed, looked confident, controlled things. Even the basic throws, ball placement all looked so easy.

JC was probably the last QB on this level, such a breath of fresh air to not feel like I can make better throws than the guy playing for ND.

 

[stlnd01]

It's interesting. Hartman doesn't seem to have all that big an arm - I don't think he once threw over the top of the defense - he just finds his guys and distributes the ball. Which means any/all receivers are a threat on any play. Then you add in our running game and I'm not sure how any defense is supposed to account for all those weapons.

Also I loved seeing how many second-string guys and freshmen got meaningful (second quarter) minutes. We are so deep at most positions.

This year could be really fun.

 

[N_D_Fighting_Irish]

Surprised how clean we played. Coaches deserve credit.

Offensively, I wonder if our running game's effectiveness was the OL, Navy's undersized D or having a top notch QB. I think it was a combination. Hartman's arm was weaker than I thought, and I don't think he played up to his abilities. He was late on a few passes. Yet, look at what he produced.

Given Navy's offense, kinda hard to judge the defense. We played sound and relatively disciplined...but something was lacking. Too many instances where Navy RBs ran around our LBs.

I think this team will be fun to watch.

 

[LuckoftheIrish86]

Any Injuries???? dodging a bullet against Navy would be huge

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

Agree with the fumble, but that was absolutely perfect technique by the navy player to punch that out

it was, but Estime needs to remember to switch hands to the outside. That being said, its good to win big and have stuff for the coaches to point to...that way the guys wont be complacent.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

I know it is Navy, but what a difference a QB makes. O-line held up well too and looked dominant.

As far as I could tell, left with no injuries too which is always a plus against Navy.

Exactly. You cannot win championships with a second rate QB...isn't gonna happen these days

 

[T-Boone]

We didn't punt once I don't think. That has to be rare.
Also that JD Bertrand recovery would be getting talked about a lot more if it was a close game. That was a turnover for sure.

 

[calvegas04]

 

[ulukinatme]

perfect example of how stats don’t tell much of the story. Though the stat line was similar it was night and day how different those QBs performed in those games, ran the offense, executed, looked confident, controlled things. Even the basic throws, ball placement all looked so easy.

JC was probably the last QB on this level, such a breath of fresh air to not feel like I can make better throws than the guy playing for ND.

I think the big thing is even though Pyne and Hartman had similar stat lines, Hartman made it look pretty effortless as he threw guys open and spread the ball around. Pyne had some good games, but he also had games where he wasn't looking anywhere but to Mayer, and he was forcing the ball to him while praying that Mayer would make a big play (Which he often did thankfully). Hartman didn't need to do that, he was finding open receivers and putting the ball in great spots for them to make a play on it like they should.

 

[T-Boone]

Is anyone impressed that Connor McGregor is an ND fan?

 

[Reaper97]

Is anyone impressed that Connor McGregor is an ND fan?

He’s not an ND fan, he’s an attention whore.

 

[CoachB]

Postgame thoughts

1.) Obvious one. Sure is nice having Sam. Great grasp of what he wants to do with the ball.

2.) No dig on Logan, but he would be #5 or 6 on the depth chart this year. He was solid, but this year's #3 looks better, tbh.

3.) Great job by Rudolph. O line looked assignment sound.

4.) Whoever designed our run scheme, it is FINALLY what I have been wanting for years. North/South, downhill gap scheme vs. stretch zone scheme. Trapping and north/south. UNDER CENTER! Finally a thing of beauty. This run game will be tough. Very well designed after years of flawed design, IMO.

5.) Did I mention finally under center? Helps your run game and play action game so much. So much of a prettier offense and a marriage between a power run game with a play action passing game. Really, really like the offensive design vs. what it was. That's coming from a big BK/Rees supporter.

6.) Holding Navy to 3 is always exceptional. Good job by Golden and the defensive staff.

7.) Marist actually made some plays.

8.) I wasn't sold on Bothello (sp?) but he looked good.

9.) Parker did a great job and I loved all the design, however, a good offensive line makes every play caller great. A poor O line makes every play caller bad.

10.) Lots of positives. Fun game.