Haha, that stat is awesome. Give Joe credit for Cage and Tillery playin better than our NT's last year. Give him credit for JO and Smith playing better than last year. How about KVR, with all his faults, being better than Butler. Maybe Rochell havin his best season yet or Okwara picking up his game. How about Shumate playing his best season to date. Na, none of that matters, as long as Schmidt is on the field. LOL.
Agreed with your point!
I am getting into this conversation quite late. (Sun. AM.)
I tried to keep my mouth shut. I picked your post because you commented on all the wonderfully improved aspects of this team, and in this game.
Okwara is silently putting together a good season, and Rochell is dominant.
Did anyone else see the statistic that ND's defensive ends are out 'statistic-ing' the '12 defensive ends, except with Stephon Tuitt's sack total. But are making up for it by being so far ahead on hurries and TFL? And the combination of Cage and Tillery are statistically pretty even with Nix? (That only leaves the lb's short, and I ain't going there!)
Farley is an in your face, always coming through sort of guy.
Don't look now, but DK is taking over this team. It is the exact same thing he did in high school, except his analogous development to his Freshman to Junior years in high school are being compressed into a seven game stretch in the middle of his first season of competition in college. I wasn't sure how his 'spooky' growth spurt would manifest itself in college, and I never had hopes that he would end up as one of the top couple of quarterbacks for the season, his first year, simply because of the unbelievably higher level of performance required in college, but this kid hasn't seen anything near a ceiling or speed bump! WOW!
I also had good feelings about Josh Adams. Vague and general, I remember thinking this kid was going to be a good running back, especially when some called for his conversion to linebacker, (which I mostly assumed was a tribute to his impressive size!) I remember thinking, '
No this kid is a running back. Too bad though because he has so many great runners ahead of him on the depth chart!' That is a double WOW! And this kid was one yard away from a freshman single game record having not started the game! I like it!
The defensive front seemed
fast today. Other than poor Daniel Cage. He only lost discipline on his lanes once or twice, which I thought was impressive for a young player. And, that Pittsburg quarterback was pretty fluid, quick, fast for his position, and an all around good athlete. He got trucked by ND yesterday, and still kept his head in the game and did well. He may end up pretty doggone good before he is done!
So the fact that so many of the front seven got to him was I think a testament to both coverage and the front seven's pass rush. They actually blitzed Jaylon today, could you believe it?!?! Trumbetti, Okwara, and Rochell all looked really good.
Speaking of really good, the offensive line played in unison, (better than in any other game), played physically, and moved rapidly. Whatever the boat anchor, than line appeared to be severed for the Pitt game!
Back to defense. Yes there was inconsistent play by most of the defensive back's, except Cole Luke seemed to have an all around solid day. And it is okay for a defensive back to make a mistake. Hopefully, one of his teammates will be there, and astute enough to make up for it. I really don't like to say too much negative about anyone, let alone anyone that plays for or coaches the Irish. Sure there have been one or two exceptions. The Pitt game had one.
It was the last touchdown. Sure Max missed his assignment. But KeiVarae Russell, stopped, on the field, and pointed as if to point it out to Max. I don't know absolutely what was going on, but if Chris Spielman wasn't right, I can't stomach a player 'quitting' like that! I mean it, I felt sick. I couldn't even get mad. I was dumbfounded! Really, if a player responds like that to a difficult task, bench him!
I am now quickly moving to the position that if KR leaves after this year, I won't be the least bit upset. I don't see how that play was any less than total bullshit. And it wasn't the only one. KR appears to be a legend in his own mind; and, every time ND has faced that kind of situation, certainly since BK has been coach, it has ended up as an addition through subtraction situation. It would be great to see KVR benched, and Butler, Coleman, etc., get some experience for next year.
