Offensive Coordinator Search

[Irish#1]

Please not Hiestand. He was a failure before! Why bring him back to fail again?

Koon, do you have two logins?

 

[BabyIrish]

Jafar is not a running back. I know his injury slowed his speed down but he has very limited vision. Doesn’t see holes and doesn’t have much power. Use him in jet sweeps and put him in the slot some other than that I just don’t see this project working out.

I actually disagree with this. He was nowhere close to the player he should have been this year but if you watch him in 2018, he was a great running back. He hit holes, made cuts, and was pretty explosive. I’d love for us to get 2018 Jafar back for 2020.

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

I thought the OLINE was real good at pass pro. So, I'll reserve judgement on the run blocking once we get some legit RBs in the backfield. I'm starting to feel more and more like it was the scheme holding the OLINE back rather than the players.

Time will tell.

So if ND had Jonathan Taylor or Najee Harris in 2019 they would've run with success against New Mexico, Bowling Green, and more than 47 yards against Michigan?

Nope.

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

The OL was good in run blocking every game...

I realize no ones going to rewatch old games and focus on OL, but the lack of running game is 100% on the RBs we have

I'd love to have a film session with you. When there are 300 pound O linemen in the backfield against 250 pound D tackles, it's got nothing to do with scheme or running backs. I don't expect ND to dominate up front against Georgia or Clemson, but I do expect them to run for about 200 yards against inferior opponents, and they couldn't consistently convert 3rd and short this year.

Jeff Quinn hasn't coached O Line since 2009, way too many people are cool with ND being average on the Oline, and ND cannot afford to be average at that group. It's like giving Navy an average QB and expecting greatness on offense.

 

[Irishize]

I'd love to have a film session with you. When there are 300 pound O linemen in the backfield against 250 pound D tackles, it's got nothing to do with scheme or running backs. I don't expect ND to dominate up front against Georgia or Clemson, but I do expect them to run for about 200 yards against inferior opponents, and they couldn't consistently convert 3rd and short this year.

Jeff Quinn hasn't coached O Line since 2009, way too many people are cool with ND being average on the Oline, and ND cannot afford to be average at that group. It's like giving Navy an average QB and expecting greatness on offense.

Even in the final game of the season vs Stanford, ND could not punch it in on 1st and goal from the 1 yard line. Three failed running plays before a pass to Tremble to save the drive. That’s got zero to do w/ having an electric RB. There’s zero excuse for ND not having one of the top OL coaches in the country.

 

[koonja]

I'd love to have a film session with you. When there are 300 pound O linemen in the backfield against 250 pound D tackles, it's got nothing to do with scheme or running backs. I don't expect ND to dominate up front against Georgia or Clemson, but I do expect them to run for about 200 yards against inferior opponents, and they couldn't consistently convert 3rd and short this year.

Jeff Quinn hasn't coached O Line since 2009, way too many people are cool with ND being average on the Oline, and ND cannot afford to be average at that group. It's like giving Navy an average QB and expecting greatness on offense.

I don't do "film sessions". Anyone who does is probably a bum.

But I watch games and multiple times, every game, for a second I'd say "there it is, they have it blocked", only for 4.9 Tony Jones to get there so slowly it closed, or Jafar to just miss the lane all together and run into a defender.

My point has been consistent. They aren't LSU's OL, but they consistently opened lanes that should have added 30, 40, 50 yards each game that the running backs were simply too poor to capitalize on.

And adding 40 YPG on the ground is significant.

 

[Luckylucci]

Unsure why it has to be one or the other. I think both needed to be better.

 

[fightingirish26]

People thought he would take the same path as CJ Prosise, but he has suffered significant injuries. Right now, he is not explosive enough. Will he be next year? The thing that has always shocked me the most though was that he was recruited at WR and we haven't really used him as a pass catching back.

I disagree here. Basically had the same receiving stats this year as TJJ despite missing most of the season. Got hurt against Louisville during his 16 yard reception on the first drive. 4 for 49 against VT. You could argue that he should have been used even more as a receiving back but compared to the other backs, he was definitely the one they tried to involve in the passing game the most. I also seem to remember him lining up out wide every now and then.

 

[stlnd01]

I actually disagree with this. He was nowhere close to the player he should have been this year but if you watch him in 2018, he was a great running back. He hit holes, made cuts, and was pretty explosive. I’d love for us to get 2018 Jafar back for 2020.

For, like, four games. And that's kind of the trouble.

 

[stlnd01]

I disagree here. Basically had the same receiving stats this year as TJJ despite missing most of the season. Got hurt against Louisville during his 16 yard reception on the first drive. 4 for 49 against VT. You could argue that he should have been used even more as a receiving back but compared to the other backs, he was definitely the one they tried to involve in the passing game the most. I also seem to remember him lining up out wide every now and then.

That screen pass he took for like 30 against VT was a thing of beauty. That is how Jafar should be used. Not ramming him into the line on short yardage. Not as our primary ballcarrier.

 

[fightingirish26]

I simply don't see what some of you see in C'Bo. He runs with a purpose, and I trust him more than anyone else on the roster to pick up a hard yard or two. But he lacks size, runs with his head down, and is possibly even slower than TJJ.

 

[stlnd01]

I simply don't see what some of you see in C'Bo. He runs with a purpose, and I trust him more than anyone else on the roster to pick up a hard yard or two. But he lacks size, runs with his head down, and is possibly even slower than TJJ.

Exactly. He runs with a vigor no one else we've seen matches. Looks great in short yardage situations. But if he were the complete package he'd have gotten carries this year in other situations, and he didn't.

 

[dad4aa]

I'd love to have a film session with you. When there are 300 pound O linemen in the backfield against 250 pound D tackles, it's got nothing to do with scheme or running backs. I don't expect ND to dominate up front against Georgia or Clemson, but I do expect them to run for about 200 yards against inferior opponents, and they couldn't consistently convert 3rd and short this year.

Jeff Quinn hasn't coached O Line since 2009, way too many people are cool with ND being average on the Oline, and ND cannot afford to be average at that group. It's like giving Navy an average QB and expecting greatness on offense.

Comments like this take away from the points you we’re trying to make. Just bc someone else thinks the Oline is good doesn’t mean they are happy with an average line. In their opinion it is a great line and the RBs are the problem. Personally I think both need to improve. Everyone here wants the best of everything but if they don’t agree with you it’s bc they are fine with mediocrity? This is a discussion board and people share thoughts on what’s good and what isn’t. Opinions vary. Just bc it differs from yours doesn’t mean that person is settling for average.

 

[ThePiombino]

Please not Hiestand. He was a failure before! Why bring him back to fail again?

And here I thought Koon cornered the market on #hottakes

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

 

[dad4aa]

And here I thought Koon cornered the market on #hottakes

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

Crazy...especially for a newer member (11-19) with only 20 posts

 

[BabyIrish]

For, like, four games. And that's kind of the trouble.

Not even close to true. Revisionist history.

 

[Dizzyphil]

So if ND had Jonathan Taylor or Najee Harris in 2019 they would've run with success against New Mexico, Bowling Green, and more than 47 yards against Michigan?

Nope.

NM - W 66-14 591 total yds
BG - W 52 - 0 573 total yds


Meechicken - Irish laid an egg


So, why are we pissed about the NM and BG games???? I don't care if NM Game 590 of the yards were all passing, and 570 were all passing against BG..



BTW - 150 rushing NM / 233 rushing BG

 

[Dizzyphil]

Comments like this take away from the points you we’re trying to make. Just bc someone else thinks the Oline is good doesn’t mean they are happy with an average line. In their opinion it is a great line and the RBs are the problem. Personally I think both need to improve. Everyone here wants the best of everything but if they don’t agree with you it’s bc they are fine with mediocrity? This is a discussion board and people share thoughts on what’s good and what isn’t. Opinions vary. Just bc it differs from yours doesn’t mean that person is settling for average.

^^^^This^^^^


The OL line did just fine this year outside of some disciplinary false starts and the defense stacking 10 in the box against 5 OL and some TE's on 3rd and 1 or 2.....


Pass protection was good / running not as good as some or many fans would like but, 11-2 with the UM debacle... 2020 looks great in the recruiting dept, and the Irish have tremendous depth for 2020 with graduate transfers in two needy departments plus all the returners....

 

[NDdomer2]

So if ND had Jonathan Taylor or Najee Harris in 2019 they would've run with success against New Mexico, Bowling Green, and more than 47 yards against Michigan?

Nope.

Lol yes our run game would have been better with these backs.

The truth always lies somewhere in the middle. Our oline needs improvement but isn't 100% the problem either.

 

[Crazy Balki]

I'd love to have a film session with you. When there are 300 pound O linemen in the backfield against 250 pound D tackles, it's got nothing to do with scheme or running backs. I don't expect ND to dominate up front against Georgia or Clemson, but I do expect them to run for about 200 yards against inferior opponents, and they couldn't consistently convert 3rd and short this year.

Jeff Quinn hasn't coached O Line since 2009, way too many people are cool with ND being average on the Oline, and ND cannot afford to be average at that group. It's like giving Navy an average QB and expecting greatness on offense.

Sorry, but no.

To say scheme and RBs have nothing to do with it is being incredibly shortsighted. It has almost EVERYTHING to do with it.

ND's blocking scheme is power-based, rather than zone-based, which means the line pulls and has more precise man assignments compared to a zone-blocking scheme like you would see more out of Ohio State or Clemson. This leads to what many have complained about: the slow developing run plays.

This is done, because ND lacks any sort of explosive runner at the RB position. You don't have anybody who can consistently get to the right hole with quickness like a JK Dobbins or a Travis Etienne.

With those offenses, OL doesn't have to pull or hold their block as long as our offense does, because a guy like Dobbins doesn't need that much time to get to the next level, whereas a back like Jones, does.

Not only that, but the old adage of you practice what you preach is in effect. I am of the firm belief that ND did not believe that it was going to win with it's run game and didn't emphasize it during the offseason. When you don't emphasize run blocking, you're just not going to be good at it. This is 2014 level stuff all over again.

It was apparent not only by the content being provided across the ND media spectrum, but how the offensive gameplan was constructed. One only needs to look at the Georgia game to see how ND did everything in their power to give the ball to anyone EXCEPT a traditional running back on a regular carry. Not saying it was a bad gameplan necessarily in hindsight, but it shows exactly that ND wasn't good at the power run because they didn't practice the power run. That's not a OL coach issue. That is a OC issue.

Mike and the guys at ISD had a great Power Hour last Monday on the subject and it was incredibly enlightening on the subject of the run blocking scheme implemented and why it led to the struggles we had.


Scheme matters. Talent at RB matters. Combine those with a lack of emphasis on the run during the offseason and injuries to several key starters (3 of them), you end up with this result.

 

[Irish YJ]

The OL opened multiple running lanes that any top 30 back would exploit, each game.

You won't see that in your OL stats. That takes eye balls and a little attention.

Like I said, I've rewatched. And like I've said, our RB room was bad. And sure we would have done better with better RBs. But to say our OL was good at run blocking takes a special set of blinders if you indeed rewatched ND vs any decent D this year.

 

[koonja]

Like I said, I've rewatched. And like I've said, our RB room was bad. And sure we would have done better with better RBs. But to say our OL was good at run blocking takes a special set of blinders if you indeed rewatched ND vs any decent D this year.

All I've been saying is they've opened up big lanes all year that weren't exploited. And it wasn't once or twice, it was several times per game.

That doesn't mean they're dominating in every single play. But the rush yards are not indicative of what they were opening. Because there were big plays to be had, but 4.9.

 

[WilliamWallace]

There’s enough speed in ND’s backfield to hit gaping holes. There may not be enough to blow open an 80 yard run, but certainly a gaping hole. I completely agree that if they are not putting emphasis on a certain area then it will never be a strength. Admittedly, I have been one of the biggest critics of our OL play. It’s waiting all year for the same crap, and that sucks. BK tells his offense that they have to have chunk plays to win games. That’s my frustration, it’s like he has no confidence to win games on the ground so they pull the plug before the season even begins. The RPO is also another reason the run game suffer. Those last second pulls by the quarter back kill any possible speed coming out of the back field. It’s like trying to run two offenses simultaneously, and we’re clearly not very good at it.

 

[Irish YJ]

All I've been saying is they've opened up big lanes all year that weren't exploited. And it wasn't once or twice, it was several times per game.

That doesn't mean they're dominating in every single play. But the rush yards are not indicative of what they were opening. Because there were big plays to be had, but 4.9.

I'm curious if the big holes you saw were against good Ds?

Most of the big holes I saw were against far inferior opponents.
And even our power success rate was turrible vs many inferior oppponents, which to me is the best indicator.

 

[GrangerIrish24]

Any names being floated out there yet as possible candidates.......

 

[WilliamWallace]

I think if we find an OC who does put more emphasis on the power run game that we would become a complete team. I do believe though that Captain Veto probably doesn’t have the patience to establish an identity as a power run team. So instead we just don’t have an identity.

 

[BobbyMac]

So if ND had Jonathan Taylor ... in 2019 they would've run ... more than 47 yards against Michigan?

Nope.

You should quit trying so hard on the Quinn hate / HH worship.

This is ND's least mobile OL in forever BUT still asked to pull on slow developing plays instead of mauling and that ain't Quinn's fault. Banks/Patterson/TK are no where near as effective in space as Q/Musti/Bars. ND at it's best was McG / Q doing their thing on the left side and then Bars & TE kicking left and opening tunnels for Adams. Often times that followed one or two prodding runs right setting up the play left. Go back and watch how many times Adams and Dex had a gaping hole w/ just a LB or SS to beat in space before they were off to the races on huge chunk plays. TBH, I think Bars be the biggest factor in all of this.

As a fan watching the game, I don't like Kelly's scheme because it produces so many ugly stuff plays BUT it's effective in the same way two right jabs followed by and overhand left are... especially in the McG/Q/Bars/elite college RB era.

The long TJJ run vs ISU shows that there are variations to look forward to. They didn't pull the RG at all, instead:

1. They lined Tremble up at FB (love) and he makes the LAST block actually.

2. Finke dives inside and takes out an LB or S. (He was f***ing money blocking that game)

3. TE kicks out the ROLB

4. Eich engages the DE, peels off and walls off the Mike. At the same time, Banks reengages the same DE and the wall is built.

5. ISU's only hope was if the FS could make the play. He diagnoses it correctly but he;s not fast enough to get to TJJ in the one gap he had a shot at him.

The blocking on the left side was basically perfection.

If there was anything to change it's the use of the other WR. They tried to use the threat of a quick step back pass to freeze the CB but he does a good job not biting and chases down TJJ at the 15. TJJ had to grab him by the facemask and pull him into the endzone for the TD. Obviously, it should have been a flag and ND's ball at the 30. They should have engaged the that WR and occupied him. If there is anything ND's receivers do way above average, that's blocking.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tony Jones: 84-Yards...GONE&#55357;&#56488;<br><br>Notre Dame is rolling!<a href="https://t.co/ylam8Oa5qf">pic.twitter.com/ylam8Oa5qf</a></p>— PointsBet Sportsbook (@PointsBetUSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/PointsBetUSA/status/1211000933984813056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[arndtjc]

Please not Hiestand. He was a failure before! Why bring him back to fail again?

 

[stlnd01]

Not even close to true. Revisionist history.

These were his game by game stats last year.
https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/jafar-armstrong-1/gamelog/2018/

He topped 100 total yards three times and had basically one good game - Navy - after September. Maybe you could add Florida State but everyone ran all over them that night.
Not his fault, he was hurt a lot. He was hurt a lot this year too. Some guys just aren’t built to be a primary running back and I’m just not sure we should count on Jafar to be Notre Dame’s.

 

[arndtjc]

I think if we find an OC who does put more emphasis on the power run game that we would become a complete team. I do believe though that Captain Veto probably doesn’t have the patience to establish an identity as a power run team. So instead we just don’t have an identity.

Do people just forget about 2017? Do they just forget about lining up against Stanford the last two seasons and running down their throat? BK doesn’t call plays, and hasn’t for a while. The OC has full control of the plays sent to the field