Nov 9 | Pittsburgh

[CarrollVermin]

All teams have crazy let down games. USC in their RAWR STOMP EVERYONE era lost to Stanford, who was a 41 point dog. Tebow-Florida lost to Ole Miss. There is a long list.

We were only a 4.5 point favorite over Pitt. We are not a "good" football team, and we're DEFINITELY not good if our entire DL is hurt. That's the entire calling card of the team.

But what sucks is that Pitt played HORRIBLE despite all the breaks they were given by refs/injuries. And we still managed to be in perfect position for a comfortable win... only to have Tommy mentally implode with two turnovers worth 14 points, Sheldon Day refuse to pick up a fumble for no apparent reason, TJ fumble in the red zone, completely abandon the run in the second half in favor of predictable deep routes when we had 130 yards on the ground in the first half, etc. etc. etc.

If just one guy pulls his head out of his behind that's a W. But this team is so content with playing tight games that no one played with any urgency until it was far too late. We get up for games against ASU, MSU, USC and play some really good football. And then against Purdue and Pitt and Navy the coaches have the team HORRIBLY prepared mentally, and on top of that the game plan is total garbage.

THIS times a million. Terrible preparation, no mental toughness...bad coaching.

 

[ulukinatme]

Kelly just said it like it is in his Press Conference. The QB execution was awful. Judging from Kelly's disgust. I really think it is possible he may pull the plug on Rees.

Yeah, and who is he going to put in? Hendrix? Good luck with that, have you seen any game he's played in this year? I seriously doubt he's going to burn Zaire's redshirt now with 2 games left.

 

[irishpat183]

Disagree, all those teams are below average. We should be spanking those dudes.

Disagree all you want. Throw all the saber metrics you want. Tell me Tommy is really a good QB all you want...

Proof is on Saturdays. We're not good. We're a mess. Kelly isn't a savior, he's an average coach. Diaco had a TON of things go his way last year and one of the best CFB players off all time at MLB. Guys like Farley, Fox, BJ, and Carlo are not good football players and have no place on the field at a program like ND.

And we had a QB with some athletic ability that could sling it.

THIS team, sucks. Can't wait for Golson to come back. And start looking the other way in recruiting. Sign more Anthropology majors.

Otherwise, this is what you sign up for. Mediocrity. As the other powerhouses pass us by. Grad rates are nice...but nobody cares on Saturdays. Nobody.


Get ready for BYU. Gonna be a tough one.

 

[returnofthemack]

Just a flat out sh*t performance. I have never hated a ND team as much as this one. They are just flat out sickening.

- I refuse to believe that Tommy Rees is and has always been our best option at QB since 2010. How can Hendrix suck bad enough to be worse than Rees?

- Was Farley on Mars tonight!? He was in wussy mode and couldn't tackle to save his life. It's like 2009 all over again.

- What's it gonna take for us to keep players from getting hurt. They're dropping like flies out there.

- Chuck Martin and Brian Kelly have got to be the WORST playcallers in college football. This RB by committee BS is over. You have Folston, fresh off a dominating performance, and you have him tote the rock 4 times....FOUR TI....I'm sorry, let me get my imaginary megaphone...*click*...FOUR TIMES!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously, it's like the entire staff was on something in the second half.

- Who are those officials? Whoever they are, they won't be officials for long. As a fellow referee myself, I'm flat out embarrassed. They went out of their way to just straight up cheat. There's no if, ands or buts, it was blatantly obvious that they were paid. No ref can be THAT bad on accident. I hope they never work a game ever again. If I'm ND, I'm blackballing them for life.

"We have him scripted into certain plays, it's just really the flow of the game and the circumstances in trying to get him in."

 

[irishtrooper]

You want perspective? We are a Purdue/Navy/Pitt caliber program. Average. That is who we are. We are going to a dogsh$t bowl, because that is what we deserve.

I know we sometimes play to the level of these teams, but its crazy to say we are the caliber of freaking Purdue. The talent on those teams you noted cannot hold a candle to us talent-wise. I believe the reaction when we lose a game that seems like we should not lose is a little overboard. I do think that our coaches are out-schemed on occassion, but they are not morons. We did go undefeated last year and beat Stanford/OU and everybody else. I dont think its as hopeless as everyone thinks. Does it suck..... Yes. Will it ruin our program.... No. I think we should take a deep breath and remember where this program was with each of our last 3 coaches. We are brimming with talent and the future is bright no matter how bleak this season seems. I am not nearly as knowledgable as most on this board, but I feel like we are really not going to crumble because of a disappointing loss. This happens to every team not named Alabama every year or three. We will be back and sooner than most of us want to admit.

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

Senior Tommy lost this game. 10 point 100% on him. And we lost by 7.

If Day and Fox I believe didn't have their heads up their butts and were playing with some intensity and passion they wouldn't have given up and covered that fumble and run it in.

Flat out embarrassing. Still this is on Tommy Turnover.

 

[irishpat183]

Yeah, and who is he going to put in? Hendrix? Good luck with that, have you seen any game he's played in this year? I seriously doubt he's going to burn Zaire's redshirt now with 2 games left.

I'd rather lose with one of the other guys. There, I said it

 

[fightingirish26]

This ^^^^^. Undersold on Kelly...big time. I never post, but this will be last time ever. It's like its UC all over.

What a horribly coached team. Embarrassed beyond belief. So many chances to win. Kelly should have gone to NFL and lost 13 games. Tommy wasn't great, but our coaches may want to ****ing figure out how to run the ****ing football. Pitt did it...controlled the clock, and moved the ball.

Cowboy, gun slinging Kelly may want to figure this **** out. Nice extension on the heels of a national championship....what in the world do you do All week to coach? My boys team has better kickoff coverage...oh, and we don't give a 10 yard cushion on 2nd and goal. ****ing awful......Diaco and Kelly, it's on you mother F'rs.

Wow. I'm just stunned. Where was Folston? Cam? It's not there fault you want to do RB by committee....we all ****ing see who wants to run downhill and be physical.

Won't watch BYU or Stanford games. As a proud fan, I couldn't be more embarrassed.

Well we wont miss your input. Go sit with all the other pussy fans on this site

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

How bad is Max at practice to not see the field with Farley crapping his pants game after game? A zero impact safety. Can't tackle, can't cover--what else?

 

[Irish Insanity]

Senior Tommy lost this game. 10 point 100% on him. And we lost by 7.

If Day and Fox I believe didn't have their heads up their butts and were playing with some intensity and passion they wouldn't have given up and covered that fumble and run it in.

Flat out embarrassing. Still this is on Tommy Turnover.

So we lost by 7. Like the 7 we had if TJ didn't fumble. Or the 7 we had if Day picked up the ball. Or the 28 we wouldn't have given up if the D played better.

 

[Patulski]

Wow. I'm just stunned. Where was Folston? Cam?

Are you nuts? Atkinson averaged 9.5 yards per carry on 6 carries. Cam averaged 2.4 ypc on 9 carries. Follson averaged 3.3 ypc on 4 carries. Atkinson also had a 41 yard kickoff return. Cam? 11 yards.

The guy that is being underutilized is Atkinson.

 

[wallym]

All teams have crazy let down games. USC in their RAWR STOMP EVERYONE era lost to Stanford, who was a 41 point dog. Tebow-Florida lost to Ole Miss. There is a long list.

We were only a 4.5 point favorite over Pitt. We are not a "good" football team, and we're DEFINITELY not good if our entire DL is hurt. That's the entire calling card of the team.

But what sucks is that Pitt played HORRIBLE despite all the breaks they were given by refs/injuries. And we still managed to be in perfect position for a comfortable win... only to have Tommy mentally implode with two turnovers worth 14 points, Sheldon Day refuse to pick up a fumble for no apparent reason, TJ fumble in the red zone, completely abandon the run in the second half in favor of predictable deep routes when we had 130 yards on the ground in the first half, etc. etc. etc.

If just one guy pulls his head out of his behind that's a W. But this team is so content with playing tight games that no one played with any urgency until it was far too late. We get up for games against ASU, MSU, USC and play some really good football. And then against Purdue and Pitt and Navy the coaches have the team HORRIBLY prepared mentally, and on top of that the game plan is total garbage.[/QUO


This ^^^^^. It's just unreal. Game plan is garbage.

 

[Irish Insanity]

I'd rather lose with one of the other guys. There, I said it

Your right, at least with one of the other guys we would go into the game knowing we would lose.

 

[Buster Bluth]

I have never hated a ND team as much as this one. They are just flat out sickening.

Then don't ****ing watching them. You hate an ND team? Get a life.

- I refuse to believe that Tommy Rees is and has always been our best option at QB since 2010. How can Hendrix suck bad enough to be worse than Rees

Well you're 100% wrong so be quiet.

- What's it gonna take for us to keep players from getting hurt. They're dropping like flies out there.

A BRAND NEW COACH, THAT'S WHAT!!!!

- Chuck Martin and Brian Kelly have got to be the WORST playcallers in college football.

Not sure if serious. If you are, you're clueless.

This RB by committee BS is over. You have Folston, fresh off a dominating performance, and you have him tote the rock 4 times....FOUR TI....I'm sorry, let me get my imaginary megaphone...*click*...FOUR TIMES!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously, it's like the entire staff was on something in the second half.

I think you're on something if you think a display against Navy means jackshit. You are aware that the OL/TE corps dominated that game, not Folston, right? You have "shiny new toy syndrome," badly. Yes, I think Folston will be a stud, but 1) every RB had a great day against Navy, and 2) they all looked generally mediocre tonight. It's the OL, not the RB.

- Who are those officials? Whoever they are, they won't be officials for long. As a fellow referee myself, I'm flat out embarrassed. They went out of their way to just straight up cheat. There's no if, ands or buts, it was blatantly obvious that they were paid. No ref can be THAT bad on accident. I hope they never work a game ever again. If I'm ND, I'm blackballing them for life.

Now you're onto something!

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

I am a little perplexed, it has been the National Championship game on that BK is being outcoached over and over.

What he is doing since isn't working we are now 7-4 since last January. That isn't good.

 

[ACamp1900]

We will be back and sooner than most of us want to admit.

Back to what?? This program has been spinning its wheels like this for 20 years now...

 

[Buster Bluth]

Brian kelly's two offensive coordinators charley molnar and chuck martin...

Point?

Chuck Martin's playcalling tonight wasn't the issue.

 

[irishpat183]

Your right, at least with one of the other guys we would go into the game knowing we would lose.

EG stepped in with doubters...Zaire couldn't do the same?

 

[Patulski]

So we lost by 7. Like the 7 we had if TJ didn't fumble. Or the 7 we had if Day picked up the ball. Or the 28 we wouldn't have given up if the D played better.

Rationalize any way you want, but we are a Purdue/Navy Pitt type program.

 

[ulukinatme]

I'd rather lose with one of the other guys. There, I said it

Whatever, Pat. The other option is Hendrix if Zaire isn't ready. With Hendrix at QB we DON'T beat USC, Purdue, Michigan State, ASU, and not Navy. We would be 2-8 right now. Maybe Zaire would be the better option if it was earlier in the season, but I doubt Kelly pulls the redshirt off now, we'll never know.

 

[irishpat183]

Point?

Chuck Martin's playcalling tonight wasn't the issue.

It was part of it. Rolling out Tommy?

Again...YOU'RE WRONG.

Play calling was absolutely an issue. On the goaline throwing a fade?

 

[IrishSteelhead]

I fully expected a slugfest ( just look at past Pitt games), but never in a million years really thought tonight would end this way.

This team and staff has lost the trust of many fans this year, and it has nothing to do with the actual results, but everything to do with the dismissive attitude about said results. I still have faith the program is trending upward, but nights like this will make you wonder what direction we are heading.

 

[irishtrooper]

Back to what?? This program has been spinning its wheels like this for 20 years now...

Last year?

 

[IrishFan4L]

He didn't give up 28 points, nor did he fumble near the goal line. If our D played better, we win. If TJ doesn't fumble, we win.

Yeah those 2 pics had nothing to do with it. The fact that he can't convert a 3rd down conversion has nothing to do with it either, the play calling had a lil something to do with it but Tommy does change the play every down. The qb runs the offense it's his job to convert. I'm not sure what his 3rd down conversion rate is or his efficiency inside the red zone is but I bet it's one of the worse.

 

[Irish Insanity]

Rationalize any way you want, but we are a Purdue/Navy Pitt type program.

You missed the point. No rationalization. Seems every loss is on Tommy, I'm just here letting everyone know that bullshit

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

There isn't a QB in the top 25 that can't run--Tommy really was the only one. Now that we will be out of the top 25 there will be none. AJ doesn't have to, but he is mobile. You really can't win at a high level with an imobile QB in todays CFB. Mannion at Oregon State is even more mobile than Tommy---scary.


we are what we are--not a very good team when Tommy is the leader.

I know we are stuck right now, but how does this kid keep making the same mistake year in and year out?

 

[wallym]

Thats fine if you don't want to support the team, they don't need you.

**** you. **** you . **** you. No....what I meant was...........**** YOU.

I love this team, but proper direction, play calling, and defensive alignment is unacceptable. I'm a coach/teacher first, and a fan second. Not sure I understand what we do on some plays.

 

[Irish Insanity]

Yeah those 2 pics had nothing to do with it. The fact that he can't convert a 3rd down conversion has nothing to do with it either, the play calling had a lil something to do with it but Tommy does change the play every down. The qb runs the offense it's his job to convert. I'm not sure what his 3rd down conversion rate is or his efficiency inside the red zone is but I bet it's one of the worse.

I think those 2 picks had everything to do with it. But they weren't the only reason we lost. There were several. His play was just a part of the problem.

 

[Junkhead]

D is decimated. Offense is hit/miss and doesn't have much of an identity. We are missing Golson. Every team seems to play their best game of the season against ND. Not excuses, just painful observations.

 

[irishpat183]

Last year?

We had some funny stuff go our way...I'm beginning to think that was just a lucky year.

And if not, the Tommy really is THAT bad and we need to let a little cheating go unnoticed