Nov 4 | Wake Forest

[T-Boone]

The real big bright spots on D were Coney yet again and Love.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Imagine losing by 31 points to a 5-3 team today. Buck up, the stinker/letdown is out of their system, and playoff resume is still in tact.

 

[IrishFaninTX]

To put a positive spin on today's game, the fact that fans are really pissed about an 11 point win speaks volumes. Last year, we were mad about losing by a TD just about every week. We couldn't close out close games. Our offense couldn't bail out the defense very often. This is definitely the type of game we would have lost and even in 2012 it would have been close.

Everyone was expecting us to have a letdown or trap game at some point. I think this was it and we still won. Lots to clean up but I'm just glad we are 8-1. Other teams were not so lucky today.

 

[johnnycando]

The RPO offensive plays are incredibly tough to stop, especially due to linebackers needing to respect run, lineman heading down field and in run blocking assignments, and DBs needing to jam quick slants or attempt to cut them off.

If DBs start jumping the route, they run hot/seam and Wolford makes you pay.

It's an effective gimmicky O, and they ate us alive with it today.

I'm proud our team beat a good Wake team with some tough losses under their belts.

 

[johnnycando]

Surprised they were disciplined and crisp enough this evening to keep away from ineligible receiver downfield penalties. Any get close?

 

[Junkhead]

I think seeing the D get gashed so bad in the second half just dredges up painful memories. The win on paper isn't that impressive but to think our Heisman nominee was about the 7th leading rusher on the team and we still ran at will.

 

[NDinBoston]

And gave up 37 pts. and 587 yds to team that didn't even have their best RB nor their best and most dynamic WR (Dortch). I ain't saying they suck by any means it's a just fact that the D didn't play worth a crap today, like it or not!

Just some perspective:

* #4 Clemson (defending National Champs)

* beat NCS 38-31 (415 yards vs 491 yards/-76)

* ND beat NCS 35-14 (422-263/+159)
* beat Wake 28-14 (453-336/+127)

* ND beat Wake 48-37 (710-587/+123)
* beat BC 34-7 (482-238/+242)

* ND beat BC 49-20 (611-400/+200)
* CLEM gave up 440 yards and 27 points to Syracuse in LOSS
* ND gave up 326 yards and 20 points to UGA in LOSS
* #5 Oklahoma gave up 661 yards and 52 points to OkSt

* gave up 449 yards and 38 points to ISU in LOSS
* gave up 523 yards and 41 points to 1-8 Baylor
* #6 tOSU (and Urban)

* gave up 487 yards and 55 points to Iowa in LOSS
* gave up 490 yards and 31 points to OKLA in LOSS
* #7 PSU gave up 474 yards and 27 points to MSU in LOSS

* gave up 529 yards and 39 points to OSU in LOSS

I'm just asking for some perspective. These are 18-20 year old kids that just took exams this week. They are 8-1 following a 4-8 season and they won convincingly. They are #3 in the COUNTRY and will probably stay there. How good are you all at your jobs? Just about best in the country?

 

[Sherm Sticky]

I hope today was just an abberation for the defense. Playing a trap game. Coming of back to back Big wins against top 15 opponents and slightly looking ahead to the showdown in Miami next week.

And as you both mentioned Kelly and Elko can really dig into the defense for a poor showing today and ingrain that if they play the same way against Miami they will lose.

Saying that I think the defense and team overall wasn’t focused like they were the past two weeks and like they will be next Saturday...which is to be expected for 18-22 year old kids.

Next week the defense is back to form and gives up somewhere between 14-17 points in a win at Miami.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[stlnd01]

Our D will need to play better next week, but I have a hard time getting too worked up about this one. We won, easily. There are (too many) years that we might lose that game, but it was never in doubt today.
And compared to Ohio State, Penn State, Clemson or Oklahoma? There should be less gnashing of teeth tonight in Irish Nation than any of those.

 

[tko]

Apologies to the board. Re-read my comments. They were definitely cunty. Wasn't my intention, though. Could blame it on the Southern Tier 2X IPA, but that's the pussy way out. I didn't word my comments carefully enough. What my main point was from all my bullshit posts was: we're a top 4 team. But, I was severely disappointed in the 2nd half offensive and defensive play calling. I don't think it's indicative of us being a shitty team or anything like that, but I feel we still lack that homicidally competitive nature to just end teams and make them regret putting on their pads. Yeah, you can point to the 20 point wins and all that, but even with NC State, we coulda run that up to 50. It's petty, I get that, but I just wish we'd run up the score and not go to a prevent and just keep coming at people. This game could have easily been 48-17 if we didn't go to the "prevent slash give up 4 TD defense." I understand my opinion may be that of the minority, but I was being kind of an ass, wanted to explain myself and apologize to the board for maybe my snarky behavior. Cheers mates. Go Irish.

"Cunty" is such a great word.

 

[Expert_Analyst]

Gettin' Real

Gettin' Real

Quit making excuses for ND's defense today - they sucked.

On the bright side - some nice throwing by both qb's , and Claypool was exceptional.

 

[Valpodoc85]

Game was never in doubt
Good win on finals week
Scrappy wake team, reminds me of Purdue teams in the past
Keep on trucking!
�� ��

 

[dmort]

I enjoyed the game,but my feeling is that the offense let down the defense in the 3-4 quarters. The 4th quarter saw alot of subs getting playing time so that didnt help matters,but it may help down the road.

 

[GrangerIrish24]

Don't forget to stretch those hamstrings.

Good looking out, buddy! Cheers!

 

[Circa]

The offense certainly prevented giving them momentum and the loss by continuing to score but the defense did not help them out.

Did ya watch the game? Or maybe you don’t understand what vanilla taste like.? I’m completely fine and happy with our offensive and DEFENSIVE play. My opinion is sooo important

 

[Junkhead]

Quit making excuses for ND's defense today - they sucked.

On the bright side - some nice throwing by both qb's , and Claypool was exceptional.

D sucked in the second half. It wasn't too bad in the first. We (this year), aren't used to giving up so many yards (587), first downs (34), and any rushing TDs really (3?).

 

[tko]

Junkhead in the effing house!!!!!

 

[Irish#1]

The RPO offensive plays are incredibly tough to stop, especially due to linebackers needing to respect run, lineman heading down field and in run blocking assignments, and DBs needing to jam quick slants or attempt to cut them off.

If DBs start jumping the route, they run hot/seam and Wolford makes you pay.

It's an effective gimmicky O, and they ate us alive with it today.

I'm proud our team beat a good Wake team with some tough losses under their belts.

Announcers also mentioned that Wolford hangs onto the ball in the RPO much longer than any other QB, which makes it harder to defend than most RPO teams.

I hope today was just an abberation for the defense. Playing a trap game. Coming of back to back Big wins against top 15 opponents and slightly looking ahead to the showdown in Miami next week.

And as you both mentioned Kelly and Elko can really dig into the defense for a poor showing today and ingrain that if they play the same way against Miami they will lose.

Saying that I think the defense and team overall wasn’t focused like they were the past two weeks and like they will be next Saturday...which is to be expected for 18-22 year old kids.

Next week the defense is back to form and gives up somewhere between 14-17 points in a win at Miami.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Agree, it was more mental. Game was salted away in their opinion, especially when BK sits BW so early. In today's wide open offenses, we can't expect to hold every team under 20 points every game. There's going to be a minor letdown somewhere. I also think Elko will use this game as an example that there is room for improvement. Everyone will be dialed in for Miami.

BTW........I thought we passed more in the second than I thought we would.

 

[Kingbish01]

I'm not worried about the way our D played. IMO, it was a combination of Wake being familiar with Elko and the fact that the game was never in doubt. Hard to keep up the crazy intensity when up 20+ and trying to get out with a W an no injuries. ND was up 31-10 at the half, all wake did was get a bunch of garbage yards and points.

 

[BobbyMac]

I'm not worried about the way our D played. IMO, it was a combination of Wake being familiar with Elko and the fact that the game was never in doubt. Hard to keep up the crazy intensity when up 20+ and trying to get out with a W an no injuries. ND was up 31-10 at the half, all wake did was get a bunch of garbage yards and points... and made me look like Jimmy the Greek.

Fixed, you lucky f**k!

Congrats!

 

[Kingbish01]

Fixed, you lucky f**k!

Congrats!

LOL...I was thinking about you. It was all my OTHER games that killed me. Bama, Va Tech, and Okie St. SMH

 

[IrishLion]

Fixed, you lucky f**k!

Congrats!

LOL...I was thinking about you. It was all my OTHER games that killed me. Bama, Va Tech, and Okie St. SMH

I was in the stands on Saturday, and when Wake scored that last TD, someone across the aisle spiked his full, large beverage and splashed all of us. I wonder why he was so upset with that last score.

Good thing it was rainy and we still hand our ponchos on.

 

[BobbyMac]

LOL...I was thinking about you. It was all my OTHER games that killed me. Bama, Va Tech, and Okie St. SMH

Well that figures... I hated the lines this week. I only took 8 games and 2 O/U's and went 7-3. My next 10 that I didn't play = 3-7. So I'm not at the food bank until next Monday at the earliest.

 

[GoldenDomer]

Shut this down. Time for the Canes.

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[Kingbish01]

Well that figures... I hated the lines this week. I only took 8 games and 2 O/U's and went 7-3. My next 10 that I didn't play = 3-7. So I'm not at the food bank until next Monday at the earliest.

I also had NC St (thought Clemson was going to pick 6 me as time ran out) and FIU...But for the week, I ended 5-7 with push by Oak last night. Time to move to the NBA while everyone's focus is still on football....Those lines are loose right now.

 

[KPENN]

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[Old Man Mike]

I don't think that anyone's concerned about this game anymore, but just in case:

Re-watched it. I believe that our assessment should rest entirely on the first half. We won that half 31-10. WF moved the ball some, but mainly by not trying to run much and relying on an extremely competent short-passing QB.

Our DLine rush did not get to him because he was so quick, but enough pressure occurred anyway to keep almost all plays to shorter non-home-run attempts --- so WF had to string multiplay drives down the field to score, which basically they didn't.

Concerning the 10 points they DID get. Three points were in the first quarter --- Morgan and Coney played that entire quarter as Elko was being careful with Martini. If people insist on blaming Martini for anything regarding opponent ball movement, those yards had nothing to do with him. Morgan was largely unheard of --- also not his "fault" --- as Elko uses him as the fifth blitzer through the meathouse middle, as he is the stronger of the three MLBs. The WF scheme was too quick for Morgan to get all the way there just like the DLine.

The touchdown they got in the second quarter was a wide gashed middle run essentially untouched to the house. Morgan was on the bench, and Coney and Martini on the field. C&M were positioned outside the tackles with a middle gap. When the line opened up, Coney didn't see it until too late, and though unblocked did not get there. Martini DID see it, but had two blockers to fight through. Neither safety saw the play in time. So whose fault was this? One might blame the DLine for not closing the gap better, or Coney (the closest unblocked linebacker) for missing the read, or more justly one of the safeties for not at least stopping a touchdown. I would rather say that "sometimes the other guys just make a good play."

In my opinion, after leading 31-10, it was tough for the staff to fire up an exam-week tired, and emotionally slightly depressed team (due to Wimbush and Adams injuries), and we just came out flat wanting to get it over with.

One other thing of interest to me and possibly no one else: of the 31 first half drives/points, Tommy Kraemer was the RT on 28 of them. The Hainsey/Kraemer alternation is surely a good idea, or Harry wouldn't be doing it, but Big Tommy is a fooler --- WAY better in an all-results evaluation than some might think. Harry must have a plan which is a good one, so this leaves me to speculate. My (arrogant) guess is that St. Harold sees Hainsey as a coming ZMart-quality force at tackle because of his quickness and footwork, and the other BIGBOY as a roadgrader extraordinaire at guard next year.

The Miami game interests me for many reasons obviously, but one of them is how our two young stud RTs do on their shifts.

 

[KPENN]

Up 64-43 with 2 minutes left vs Syracuse.

 

[NDhoosier]

Defense!

 

[SouthSideChiDomer]

Is it too late to change my answer to the question of if I'm worried about the defense? Because I'm real fuckin worried right now.