Navy Postgame

[Bane]

And stop acting like just because we have talent we should just be given the title and the only thing stopping us is our coordinators.

I agree with the overall sentiment, but I would say that our coordinators are more of a weakness than a strength, especially on defense. Not to say they're the sole cause of any of our issues this season, but coordinators are a huge part of a team. Sometimes, they're more important than the head coach.

 

[Dale]

My understanding is they all get next to no practice reps with Carr. I can't confirm it but

Hmm

 

[Dale]

When Carr throws to Burress, Bettis they generally are on the same page, when he throws to Graham they are are not. There’s enough of a sample size and coach clippings (Freeman, Denbrock and Brown) to say the easiest answer is Graham isn’t a refined route runner. The seam miss he keeps his route on the seam, outside shoulder of his guy. Carr throws it outside. But running a straight line into the back of the end zone isn’t a good route. He beat him outside shoulder then looked inside for the ball. It shows someone that doesn’t seem to understand the play besides to run past his guy.

 

[Chicago Domer]

21-0

28-0 if you include the last minute of the first half.

 

[Katzenboyer]

Lots of thoughts, but I'm running around like crazy this weekend. The #1 thing I'll say is that I'm just really tired of it feeling like the staff consistently allows the opponent to dictate what they do.

Everything is reacting, rather than acting. Everything is outside the hashes. Everything is "check with me."

Just line up and go. Run the play that's called. Go get the football on defense. Play with violence.

 

[NDFAN2008]

When Carr throws to Burress, Bettis they generally are on the same page, when he throws to Graham they are are not. There’s enough of a sample size and coach clippings (Freeman, Denbrock and Brown) to say the easiest answer is Graham isn’t a refined route runner. The seam miss he keeps his route on the seam, outside shoulder of his guy. Carr throws it outside. But running a straight line into the back of the end zone isn’t a good route. He beat him outside shoulder then looked inside for the ball. It shows someone that doesn’t seem to understand the play besides to run past his guy.

If I had to guess Graham most likely will be playing for another team next year. Maybe Porter sticks around? But if Im ND id roll with Gilbert, Buress, Bettis, Fitzgerald, Frazier and probally bring in one stud

 

[Chicago Domer]

Did you watch the game? That Navy team was absolutely intentionally taking unnecessary shots at our guys. If we’re thanking them for 1942, shouldn’t they “thank” us for continuing to play a game that serves us no actual purpose in 2026?

Especially on one of our long TD’s, ND player (either James or Bettis) was shoved pretty hard by a Navy player 5 yards after crossing the goal line. I was surprised that a personal foul wasn’t called.

 

[Dale]

If I had to guess Graham most likely will be playing for another team next year. Maybe Porter sticks around? But if Im ND id roll with Gilbert, Buress, Bettis, Fitzgerald, Frazier and probally bring in one stud

are you doing a bit at this point

 

[Huntr]

I'm begging to see Bubba on a KOR, not slow-ass Williams.

 

[Chicago Domer]

grow a brain
clearly you are without

Could be said for you as well. Your grammar is pretty awful here.

 

[IrishFanForever23]

I'm begging to see Bubba on a KOR, not slow-ass Williams.

I’ve seen Freeman blow up at Biagi more times this year as well.

 

[Dale]

I’m watching the Skycast now. Man I get it can be annoying or overdone at times but it is really beyond impressive watching Carr operate at the LOS pre-snap. Seeing that camera view gives you a whole new appreciation

 

[mrmcgrail]

I think it was Irishlax who I got into it with post Purdue when Graham was getting some run that game and it was pretty obvious he is just not a good route runner. He has all the talent in the world but he just isn't a receiver yet

 

[Chicago Domer]

So much is being made out of the 3 and out. It wouldn’t have mattered had the D not been so awful in the first half, which limited us to 3 possessions. We have punted numerous times vs Navy in the past. 1 series doesn’t define the game. If we had 5 possessions and scored on 4, we go to half with probably a 3 score lead and nobody is talking about the 3 and out.

 

[Chicago Domer]

Lots of thoughts, but I'm running around like crazy this weekend. The #1 thing I'll say is that I'm just really tired of it feeling like the staff consistently allows the opponent to dictate what they do.

Everything is reacting, rather than acting. Everything is outside the hashes. Everything is "check with me."

Just line up and go. Run the play that's called. Go get the football on defense. Play with violence.

Is the D too complicated so we’re doing too much thinking and not creating violence?

 

[Katzenboyer]

Is the D too complicated so we’re doing too much thinking and not creating violence?

To start games, it absolutely seems that way. I mean Freeman's comment before half seemed VERY pointed towards Ash. Something like "You can't call plays that your guys don't know how to execute."

Sure enough, in the second half it looked like a completely different scheme. And the results were so much better.

 

[stlnd01]

Is the D too complicated so we’re doing too much thinking and not creating violence?

That seems to be the case, particularly in the first half of three of our last four games.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

Is the D too complicated so we’re doing too much thinking and not creating violence?

Bill Belichick, an NFL lifer; has no problem condensing his playbook in year 2 yet Ash seemingly (what other reason is there?) can’t set aside his ego & avoid tinkering w/ the scheme enough to cause paralysis by analysis despite having one of the best rosters on paper (before all the injuries).

 

[IRISHDODGER]

I think it was Irishlax who I got into it with post Purdue when Graham was getting some run that game and it was pretty obvious he is just not a good route runner. He has all the talent in the world but he just isn't a receiver yet

As Tim O’Malley describes his play: he runs routes that will get you benched

 

[Dale]

They ran a dagger concept a few times, vertical and deep in. Let Graham just run vertical a few times a game (not in red area), but besides that I don’t see it right now

 

[BeatSC]

Especially on one of our long TD’s, ND player (either James or Bettis) was shoved pretty hard by a Navy player 5 yards after crossing the goal line. I was surprised that a personal foul wasn’t called.

Freeman should have pushed for another TD on the final drive to stick it to them.

 

[MacIrish75]

The best defenses are often simple in scheme and design and allow players to play instinctually. Playing teams like Navy in the wing-T, they kill you with a lot of eye candy. BYU did the same thing, although not a wing-T team. When you’re slow to process, you’re slow to react. When you’re slow to react, you’re dead.

Simplicity and execution is a winning formula for a defense, it doesn’t matter what level.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

are you doing a bit at this point

I don't think he is. I think he is genuinely fascinated (obsessed?) with roster construction, portal, etc.

 

[Rudy89]

A true tale of two halves.

Offense began to run the ball in the 2nd half which when a team lines everyone up at the line of scrimmage is the move. It makes it super easy to get a hat on a hat and hit a hole for a huge gain. Especially if you are the team with a size/skill advantage.

Defense figured out their shit. I love Drayk for what he is, and he is great in many situations but I don't think we put him in a spot to succeed against Navy. He was asked to do somethings that are the weakest part of his game. I also think that while as a defense you do have to be very sound in your job and assignment against an option team, you also cannot stop being aggressive and playing on your heels trying to read every microcosm of movement. You need the defense to read one quick key and all act quickly to their assignment with violence.

I also want to remind everyone that winning football games is hard. Wisconsin last week rolled USC while Iowa was busy getting upset by Minnesota who got trounced by Purdue a week prior and OSU defeated IU in a top 5 showdown. This week Wisconsin gets obliterated by Iowa, not even scoring any points; USC defeats Ohio State in dominant fashion; Purdue gets taken to the woodshed by Penn State; and IU squeaks by Minnesota at home in overtime.

Football players have good and bad games. Bettis Jr. looked great today! Don't be surprised if we don't see that show up for a minute. Everyone bitching about Gilbert should also realize that he has more yards in a game this year than anyone at ND in quite some time. Shuler started the season like his hair was on fire; now he's looked a step slower. Even the good ones have their bad plays and bad days and blind squirrels keep finding nuts.

Do we need to continue improving, yes. But occasionally, shit just seems to happen. This season is the most reminiscent of 2007 we've had in quite sometime.

And stop acting like just because we have talent we should just be given the title and the only thing stopping us is our coordinators. Get better. (Play more man and RTDB.) Go win ball games. Fuck Miami.

Care to elaborate further on the 2007 comment? I feel like since we aren’t stinking up the stadiums & have more than twice as many wins this isn’t quite like 2007 but I’m interested in hearing more of why you feel this way.

 

[SportsingHard]

What’s amazing is we hear CFB fans wanting the tradition of competitive rivalries like SC v ND, OU v TX, PSU v Pitt, Bama v Aub, Miami v FSU, Clemson v SC, etc. The only fans I’m aware of who believe ND v Navy is on par w/ the aforementioned rivalries, are Navy fans or Irish fans.

There are zero people on the planet who put ND-Navy on par with ND-USC or any of the rest of those games.

 

[N_D_Fighting_Irish]

It has been said that the Navy game is a good barometer of who we are as a team. What this game revealed is that we reverted back to Brian Kelly football. Personnel wise we have better athletes, deeper, and arguably a better QB, but our identity is Brian Kelly football.

Offensively, Denbrock throws to setup the run. Concedes the LOS. Shotgun every snap. Predictable play calls. Questionable personnel decisions. Relying heavily on mismatches exemplified by red zone fades. Success that doesn't stem from putting players in positions to succeed but stems from requiring the individual players to play beyond their capacity. One of known characteristics of Kelly football on the offensive side of the ball is how the QB regresses the longer he is in the system. I think we are seeing that with Carr. Carr is being asked to do too much and is clearly overthinking. Hence, his passes seem late, lack anticipation, and becoming inaccurate. Against lesser competition, he has gotten away with it. Defensively, Ash is the bastard child of BVG and Diaco defense. We just don't know what we are doing or what we want to be. Given that, the talent we have has overcome the poor coaching. Will it be enough to defeat a very efficient Miami team? We shall see.

 

[US_Highway14]

To start games, it absolutely seems that way. I mean Freeman's comment before half seemed VERY pointed towards Ash. Something like "You can't call plays that your guys don't know how to execute."

Sure enough, in the second half it looked like a completely different scheme. And the results were so much better.

The thing with Ash vs Golden's defense, is Ash makes things way too complicated and conservative. It's not a defense designed to be violent. Golden on the other hand, his defense scheme was simple, which is why it accomplished so much. We were able to play fast, and be violent.

Total polar opposites.

It's no surprise Freeman was pissed. He wants a defense that is fast, and plays with violence, and Ash just cannot accomplish that.

 

[SportsingHard]

It has been said that the Navy game is a good barometer of who we are as a team. What this game revealed is that we reverted back to Brian Kelly football. Personnel wise we have better athletes, deeper, and arguably a better QB, but our identity is Brian Kelly football.

Offensively, Denbrock throws to setup the run. Concedes the LOS. Shotgun every snap. Predictable play calls. Questionable personnel decisions. Relying heavily on mismatches exemplified by red zone fades. Success that doesn't stem from putting players in positions to succeed but stems from requiring the individual players to play beyond their capacity. One of known characteristics of Kelly football on the offensive side of the ball is how the QB regresses the longer he is in the system. I think we are seeing that with Carr. Carr is being asked to do too much and is clearly overthinking. Hence, his passes seem late, lack anticipation, and becoming inaccurate. Against lesser competition, he has gotten away with it. Defensively, Ash is the bastard child of BVG and Diaco defense. We just don't know what we are doing or what we want to be. Given that, the talent we have has overcome the poor coaching. Will it be enough to defeat a very efficient Miami team? We shall see.

It's been said that "There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."