Post Game Observations (ASU '14)...

[IrishSteelhead]

If I'm reading it right I think it'd be 22 out of 31. Still a hideous stat though.

You are correct. Instead of looking like the actress who played "Precious," it only looks like Nell Carter now....

 

[ickythump1225]

I will say this and id like to see or find some stats on this but it seems as though are red zone D is absolutely atrocious. It seems as though teams are scoring TD's on a majority of red zone attempts recently. If anybody has some info I'd greatly appreciate seeing it.

This is the only thing I miss about Diaco. Our defenses seemed to stiffen up when opposing teams got to the 20. Now it seems like if the other team gets to the 20 they're going for 6.

 

[Bluto]

This is the only thing I miss about Diaco. Our defenses seemed to stiffen up when opposing teams got to the 20. Now it seems like if the other team gets to the 20 they're going for 6.

Too many blown assignments. that happens when most of the d are freshmen and sophomores.

 

[yankeeND]

Such a tough way to get beat. Shooting yourself in the foot is an understatement as far as I could tell. If you do not protect the football, this is what happens. As disappointed as I am, there is an awful lot of talent on this team and I am truly excited for what is in the future for this them! I still am looking for 10-11 wins this year and a nice bowl victory! Definitely tough to lose this way, but until the line gets cleaned up and EG protects the ball, we have to deal with being who we are and that is a potentially great team that beats ourselves.

 

[pkt77242]

I have a sun burn.

This. I had forgotten how bloody fucking hot the Phoenix area is and why I am so glad that I don't live there anymore.

 

[nsisk157]

all i know is that the 4&2 TD they grabbed at the end of the game cost me 2400...

2H play.. ND-.5 ... Over 30 ...

feck all

 

[IrishLax]

Just slogged through the replay, here are thoughts sans emotions:

-OL was crap but game plan was also stupid, and Golson exacerbated the issues. Tommy Rees wouldn't have let that happen, because he would've diagnosed quickly what was happening and gotten the ball out, or adjusted to the pressure pre-snap. I'm not saying Tommy was "good" or anything like that but it's just kind of crazy to watch how slow Golson is to get the ball out sometimes.

-My biggest takeaway is that we should've beaten that team by 21+. That was basically USF round 2. Including the turnover on downs 20 yard sack as a turnover, we had 42 points worth of turnovers. That's the worst I've ever seen.

-Considering no Schmidt and no Riggs defense didn't play that bad. The effort and mental focus for that drive when we were up 34-31 was terrible though. And Butler did not have a strong game. In total they had about 20 points to their name which I think is good enough to beat ASU comfortably if you take care of the ball.

-We're going 8-4 if we keep playing this way. Cannot beat either Louisville or USC if we turn the ball over like that, can't pick up the blitz, or continue to have special teams miscues.

-Of all the shit, that flubbed field goal pissed me off the most.

-We clearly have the TALENT to compete with absolutely anyone, but the mistakes are borderline Weisian right now. Need to make coaching changes at special teams, and frankly it's weird to see Golson's ball protection regress so heavily with a full time QB coach.

 

[IrishLax]

all i know is that the 4&2 TD they grabbed at the end of the game cost me 2400...

2H play.. ND-.5 ... Over 30 ...

feck all

God that's awful.... smh... cannot believe that asshole called a naked bootleg there.

 

[IrishLax]

I will say this and id like to see or find some stats on this but it seems as though are red zone D is absolutely atrocious. It seems as though teams are scoring TD's on a majority of red zone attempts recently. If anybody has some info I'd greatly appreciate seeing it.

Extremely astute observation. Frankly, we need to change how we approach the redzone, but that's a long discussion.

 

[West Coast Domer]

God that's awful.... smh... cannot believe that asshole called a naked bootleg there.

I can't believe we have lost to that douche twice.

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

If we play like we have against Navy and ASU we will not win another game this year, including a bowl game.


Do we really look like a top 20 team? I really don't think so. Are we destined for another Pinstripe/Sun Bowl?

We barely beat a mediocre Stanford team, we barely beat a bad UNC team, we barely beat a below average Navy Team. Sorry, the truth is we are not a top 20 team. Our D is average to below average at best--can't stop the run, and ZERO pass rush. Our offense is a turnover waiting to happen, and our kicking game--heck who knows.

Now we can pull a good game out at any time, we have some really talented players, and we are going in the right direction. But, looking at it right now we are in serious trouble. We got beat down today, and Navy made us look very weak.

Hope we can recover, but USC and and Louisville will crush us if we play like we have over the last 2 games.

Hope we can fix it, but we don't have a lot of reinforcements to help.

 

[nsisk157]

Zero O-line... rubbish..

too many cups to get into it..

fecking awful.....

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

Oh, if we can generate some pass rush it may change the course. With creating some turnovers, IMO.

Season not lost, but if things don't change fast it will be.

 

[DONTH8]

My thought the whole time watching and rewatching the game is that our team was obviously better than the ASU team without some of our key guys. when our team focused and played to its potential we almost came back and beat a top 10 team with 4 turnovers (you tell me who was the last team to pull that off).

The sad thing is ASU didn't win this game. We just lost it. That's what pisses me off the most about the game. Face it, when ND played to it's potential in the 2nd half they could not stop us. But the ball didn't bounce our way. They made some solid plays, the deflections and picks, that takes some skill, but teams can not count on that to be great.

Think of it this way. If we were ASU, and we had won the game the same way, we would not be happy with the win. we'd take it with a grain of salt knowing deep down that the other team was better, we just got some lucky breaks to start the game.

I honestly think that our team can win out, including our bowl game, and look very solid doing it. We need to keep our heads up and be happy with signs of greatness, and at the same time with the youth of the team, signs of what's to come.

I'll sleep easy tonight. hope you all do as well.

 

[stlnd01]

They scored seven touchdowns. Only two came on drives of more than 25 yards. That to me are the stats of the game. ASU's a good team. We're at least as good, probably better. Just didn't play like it today.

If we quit with the turnovers, we're fine. Our offensive line, particularly the Elmer/Lombard side, needs some work. And the middle of our defense needs to grow up a little more. But there's no reason we can't finish 10-2 and win a bowl game.

 

[NDfan12]

10-2 Regular season. 11-2 after the bowl man. TAKE THAT TO THE BANK !

 

[Irish2155]

How about we stop that guy, the other one too? What, our defense gave up like 7 or something in the 2nd half?

Blitz killed us.

EG that 2nd half, still made it a GOOD game. I remember a time where...if Brindza didn't miss that kick, we're tied. He misses a lot of kicks, recently.

 

[EuropeanDomer]

Golson was awful but.. why both tackles let the DEs to jump so easily and with a perfect timing to tip the ball? You need a cut block there because Golson assumed that the edge would be close.

BTW, is there still a chance to make a BCS Bowl? Rose and Sugar are available to the teams who make the play offs but.. the Orange and Fiesta is a possible scenario or nah?

 

[Irish2155]

Golson was awful but.. why both tackles let the DEs to jump so easily and with a perfect timing to tip the ball? You need a cut block there because Golson assumed that the edge would be close.

BTW, is there still a chance to make a BCS Bowl? Rose and Sugar are available to the teams who make the play offs but.. the Orange and Fiesta is a possible scenario or nah?

Is there such a thing anymore? If we win out, we'll get a good bowl game.

But I, myself, am having a hard time dealing with it. All though I should be happy, with only a 2 or 3 loss ND team. I should, but I'm not.

 

[Irish2155]

KB makes one kick, we're talking about the legend of EG and his "magic". But, Kyle missed that ONE kick.

 

[connect the dots]

My thought the whole time watching and rewatching the game is that our team was obviously better than the ASU team without some of our key guys. when our team focused and played to its potential we almost came back and beat a top 10 team with 4 turnovers (you tell me who was the last team to pull that off).

The sad thing is ASU didn't win this game. We just lost it. That's what pisses me off the most about the game. Face it, when ND played to it's potential in the 2nd half they could not stop us. But the ball didn't bounce our way. They made some solid plays, the deflections and picks, that takes some skill, but teams can not count on that to be great.

Think of it this way. If we were ASU, and we had won the game the same way, we would not be happy with the win. we'd take it with a grain of salt knowing deep down that the other team was better, we just got some lucky breaks to start the game.

I honestly think that our team can win out, including our bowl game, and look very solid doing it. We need to keep our heads up and be happy with signs of greatness, and at the same time with the youth of the team, signs of what's to come.

I'll sleep easy tonight. hope you all do as well.

I would be very disappointed to learn that Steve Elmer and Christian Lombard slept well last night.

 

[connect the dots]

Hunter Smith should have been given a game ball. Our holder needs experience in holding on to a football.

 

[connect the dots]

It's one thing not to apply any pressure on the punter, but to have all those dark jerseys suddenly surround Greg Bryant. If a block was made on any of the punt returns, I must have missed it!

 

[nsisk157]

Hunter Smith should have been given a game ball. Our holder needs experience in holding on to a football.

bazinga

 

[dublinirish]

very proud of the fight in this team, they really did not give up, you can't ask of them anymore than that.

 

[connect the dots]

Playing safety for Notre Dame is a wide open opportunity. Is there anyone out there who would like to seize this chance?

 

[Grahambo]

Don't give up.

 

[irish4ever]

1. Don't run the score up on God's team, and then thank your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, after the game. Todd Graham is a tool!

2. Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers......... wow, ASU got the benefit of every possible bounce and break, in the first half. It was just too big of a hole to dig out of.

3. ND had more first downs, more passing yards, more total yards, and more TOP than Arizona State. If a couple of plays turn out differently, we are probably an Ohio State win from being back in the top 5 this week.

4. There was absolutely no quit in this team. I am pissed about the loss, but still am proud of those kids for not quitting. Almost got the greatest comeback in ND history.

5. Brian Kelly is the guy to lead this team. He's not perfect, but he is the right guy.

6. Golson got pretty seriously rattled. He had happy feet and was throwing falling away, for most of the second quarter. That was the first time I have seen him look that shaken.

7. This team can still finish a very respectable 9-3, and play in a New Year's Day bowl game, where they can maybe end up playing one of those "imposing" SEC teams. Beat the #3 or 4 SEC team in a New Year's Day bowl, to get to 10 wins, and the arrow will most definitely be pointing up.

They should have had more 1st downs and yds. while ASU is running up and down the field with pick 6's taking away their time of offensive possessions.

 

[kmoose]

Do we really look like a top 20 team?

Taking the entirety of the season into account? Yes! Do we look like a Top Ten team? No. But there would be nothing wrong with us being ranked down about 17-18-19.


With the benefit of some time and "distance" between myself and that horrible loss, I am starting to wonder if Golson's woes aren't the result of Kelly trying to put him in a position to carry the team to wins. The problem is that Golson doesn't seem ready for it yet. I know that everyone is tired of hearing "next year", but I do think that these trials will pay off in spades, in the future. We just barely aren't good enough, this year. It's incredibly frustrating, and certainly no good for anyone's blood pressure. But this team is playing hard, which is an improvement over the end of the Weis era, for sure. Building blocks; you have to lay a solid foundation, before you can build a truly great structure. This team can still have a good season, and I think it is unfair to them and the work that they have, and continue to, put into the season, for people to talk about the season being "wasted", or "a failure". As I said in the OP; if we finish the regular season 10-2, and beat.....say...... Auburn in a New Years Day bowl game, I think that would be another key brick in the foundation.

 

[Irish2155]

Don't give up.

Never. Wasn't supposed to be our year anyway. Next year, barring the what seems to be "normal" bullsh!t, we'll be pre-season top 5 with the best team in the land. And BK is really good with that talent. Elmer though, worries me. He isn't as good as I thought.