Open Practice

[irish4ever]

Fuck. We're going 2-10.

Chicken Little syndrome?

 

[fitz_bu47]

I'm w/ Wabash, playing in College you see this shit, on any given day the O of D can dominate, and early on in Spring, or fall it is usually the D that dominates.

 

[Stalking_Eagle]

Here is the thing that bothers me most about the scrimmage video. Clausen still seems to be throwing to the covered man no matter what. Sergio Brown is coming on the Blitz and he throws it in his chest, like he never saw him. Threw one that was almost picked off twice, believe it was Goodman who was completely covered on the play, no reason to throw the ball there. Walker was completely covered by Blanton on a short slant and he tries to thread the needle. Still seems that he is having problems actually going through his progressions.

Well we do know Sergio is invisible so that mistake I guess is acceptable.

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

I hate to temper your enthusiasm and criticisms all at the same time, but as someone already said, its 6 practices into SPRING practice. I really don't care who is doing what and how good they are doing it. Results will be the only thing that counts in the FALL.
After last year I am not holding my breath.

Oh my Holy Lord!!! I am agreeing with Phork more and more these days. What is happening to me?

 

[Riddickulous]

Here is the thing that bothers me most about the scrimmage video. Clausen still seems to be throwing to the covered man no matter what. Sergio Brown is coming on the Blitz and he throws it in his chest, like he never saw him. Threw one that was almost picked off twice, believe it was Goodman who was completely covered on the play, no reason to throw the ball there. Walker was completely covered by Blanton on a short slant and he tries to thread the needle. Still seems that he is having problems actually going through his progressions.

This is a very good example of why Charlie Weis needs to be fired. Clausen is going into his JUNIOR year and is still locking on to his first option. The fact that Weis hasn't noticed this spells disaster for the Irish, as well as his ineptitude for developing quarterbacks from the high school to the college level, disturbs me greatly.

Clausen could have a man wide open and he'd never know it, because the first option is Golden Tate on a slant or Michael Floyd on an out route. Clausen NEVER throws to Rudolph, who, with the safeties deep in coverage to defend Tate and Floyd, was open many, many times throughout the season. He isn't helped out by the terrible play-calling, either. Our team has what appears to be four pass plays: the deep throw down the sideline to Tate or Floyd, the out route to Floyd, the slant to Tate or Floyd, and the always disastrous screen to Allen. So many times this season, I watched in amazement as Clausen made a beautiful throw, then made an unbelievably terrible decision that destroyed his confidence and put our offense in deep trouble. His great performance in the first half against North Carolina, a brilliant outing, was overshadowed by his interception on the first play of the following half, straight into the arms of a North Carolina linebacker, while Golden Tate was in single coverage deep down the sideline on the opposite side of the field. This cannot happen this season.

Clausen's main priority this offseason needs to be reading the coverage, not moving in the pocket, Charlie Weis.

 

[NDinL.A.]

There's a lot of truth in your post, but also some non-truths.

#1. If you don't think that CW doesn't know that Clausen locks onto his receivers too much, then you're crazy. CW shouldn't be fired because a SOPHOMORE QB playing behind a crappy line that made him run for his life every time he dropped back the year before locks on his receivers. That's not CW's fault. CW has done things to fix the line. If you're going to rip him for Clausen locking in on receivers as as soph, then you better praise him for what Brady did as a jr.

#2. You guys are basing things off a couple minutes of video, on the first scrimmage of the year, without his top 3 wideouts, where we didn't get a panaramic view of the entire play. I'm not gonna trip and say that JC's locking on his receivers too much again after watching a few minutes of the Zupruder video. We need to relax.

#3. I we had fired CW, you realize that we start from scratch. No Te'o, no Stockton, no Watt, etc. To a man, all of these recruits talked about what a great guy he is, and that CW's one of the main reasons he chose ND. We're not FL, where you can recruit all the thugs in the world and rebuild in a minute. CW is a master recruiter (Floyd??? damn! he's stealing guys from USC's noses like Te'o, Clausen and Shaq). He deserved this last year on recruiting alone, plus 2 BCS bowls we had under him. Yes, it's make or break, but he's doing a lot of the things we've all asked him to do. And the Hawaii game showed us that we very well could be on the right track. (hopefully)

So many times this season, I watched in amazement as Clausen made a beautiful throw, then made an unbelievably terrible decision that destroyed his confidence and put our offense in deep trouble. His great performance in the first half against North Carolina, a brilliant outing, was overshadowed by his interception on the first play of the following half, straight into the arms of a North Carolina linebacker, while Golden Tate was in single coverage deep down the sideline on the opposite side of the field.

That's called being a sophomore dude. it happens. It sucks, but it happens. Go look at the numbers of studs such and Colt McCoy, Mark Sanchez, and Matt Stafford after their 2nd years in college, and you'll see comparable #'s or worse than JC's last year. QB is the toughest position on the field for a reason. If JC continues to lock onto his receivers during the Nevada game, then talk to me. Otherwise, I'll wait until i see an entire game with all his weapns before I declare that CW needs to be fired because he locks onto his receivers...

 

[nd1988]

This is a very good example of why Charlie Weis needs to be fired. Clausen is going into his JUNIOR year and is still locking on to his first option. The fact that Weis hasn't noticed this spells disaster for the Irish, as well as his ineptitude for developing quarterbacks from the high school to the college level, disturbs me greatly.

Clausen could have a man wide open and he'd never know it, because the first option is Golden Tate on a slant or Michael Floyd on an out route. Clausen NEVER throws to Rudolph, who, with the safeties deep in coverage to defend Tate and Floyd, was open many, many times throughout the season. He isn't helped out by the terrible play-calling, either. Our team has what appears to be four pass plays: the deep throw down the sideline to Tate or Floyd, the out route to Floyd, the slant to Tate or Floyd, and the always disastrous screen to Allen. So many times this season, I watched in amazement as Clausen made a beautiful throw, then made an unbelievably terrible decision that destroyed his confidence and put our offense in deep trouble. His great performance in the first half against North Carolina, a brilliant outing, was overshadowed by his interception on the first play of the following half, straight into the arms of a North Carolina linebacker, while Golden Tate was in single coverage deep down the sideline on the opposite side of the field. This cannot happen this season.

Clausen's main priority this offseason needs to be reading the coverage, not moving in the pocket, Charlie Weis.

It's not Chuck's fault... What about Ron's? Even thought JC's numbers show improvement, he needs to make better decisions as well. When the rush is on...JC, please throw it away and not up for grabs..

 

[NDinL.A.]

Here's a new article on the open practice from Scout. It's written obviously w/ an ND slant, but it's still a nice read, as he is honest about guys who struggled. He gives major love to guys like Ethan Johnson, Harrison Smith, Darrin Walls (he said his speed is 'head-turning'), Kyle Rudolph, and others. but here's one quote, at then end, that really gets me jacked up:

I’ve noticed over the last several years how the talent level has improved each year. Faster, more dynamic kids replacing the outgoing seniors. Our buddy Funkdoctorspock from IE summed it up best. He told me how back in ’04 the only two freaks he saw on the field were Justin Tuck and Victor Abiamir, but now there are athletic freaks all over the place. I’ve got to say I agree with him.

Scout.com: Irish Eyes Practice Report