Post Game Observations (Pitt '15)......

[Grahambo]

Hot take alert:

- Should not have removed Farley in the 2nd half.

- Should play Morgan over Joe. I've resigned myself knowing it won't happen but I can still dream.

 

[Grahambo]

I'm not saying that he is playing well. I'm saying that he is not playing as bad as everyone is trying to make it out. Reggie Brooks said today, in the post game show on watchnd.tv, that the coaches have told him that Joe Schmidt has graded out well in every game this season. I will take the analytical, informed opinions of the coaches over the emotional, sometimes downright irrational, opinions of some NDNation types on here, any day.

Coaches can make emotional decisions just like fans can scream for one. Also, just because some of us are not football coaches on Notre Dame's staff doesn't mean we don't know what we are talking about.

Name 1 play that Joe made a difference on today or at the very least, stood out in a positive way.

 

[NDRock]

One thing that has been glossed over today was the play of the OL. When we can just plug in Freshman RB and not miss a beat some of the credit has to go to the guys upfront. They've been damn good all year.

 

[Crazy Balki]

- That might have been Kizer's best game so far. Dude keeps improving and his last 10 passes were all great.

- Josh Adams, just go ahead and say "looks are deceiving". He looks like a toothpick out there, but boy does he hit the hole with authority and has some major jets. I expected this from him, but not this soon. Folston better hope he fully recovers and hits the ground running, because Josh is a very real threat to take the starting job next season.

- Fuller's gonna Fuller.

- Romeo has been such a solid player this year. Keith Gilmore is exactly what we expected. Excellent hire.

- *Sigh*...I'm sorry, but for those who are tired of the Joe Schmidt talk, get used to it, because it's not going away any time soon. Joe had another bad game, as did Onwualu. Jaylon did a lot to clean up their messes, but it's clear that Joe is nowhere near healthy and it's affecting his play. He's whiffed on tackle after tackle and there were moments where he wasn't even lined up properly and times I had no idea what the hell he was doing. That blitz, he got outran by their QB...that says it all right there. Peterman isn't a mobile guy and Schmidt is coming full steam, yet he's losing ground on him. Can't have that guys. Sorry, good guy and all, but the writing's on the wall. Against Stanford, and against a legitimate opponent in the bowl game/playoffs, Schmidt is gonna get abused, HARD. And another big reason why this is harped on so much, is because the coaches are basically caught in a major double-standard. Why is it that when 1 player doesn't play up to snuff, he gets benched, but when Schmidt continuously misses tackles, looks lost and is constantly picked on, he stays out there, ALL GAME mind you? Gotta be fair guys. You keep preaching that the best guy will play and you won't hesitate replacing someone that isn't doing so. Time to put your money where your mouth is.

 

[BeatSC]

So should not start the Wake Forest Post Game ('15) thread I was about to submit?

Quote of the day......classic.

 

[NDALA]

Kelly said he practiced there thru the week. Sounded like he had natural ability. Kelly said they could play him if necessary and he'd play really well.

Thanks, I totally missed that. Would've never thought about him playing defense.

 

[Irish_Passion]

A thread lacks credibility until Phork, Koonja or yes NDOM weigh in.

Now thats hilarious, especially NDOM!! Where the hell has that dude been?!?! Maybe he's like me and posting under an alias

 

[ickythump1225]

Well 1 silver lining is that there are only 4 (perhaps more?!) games left in the Joe Schmidt era. So this debate will end in 4 (or more) games. Or perhaps like the Tommy Rees debate it will never truly go away and dudes will still be arguing about it 2 years from now.

 

[DONTH8]

Coaches can make emotional decisions just like fans can scream for one. Also, just because some of us are not football coaches on Notre Dame's staff doesn't mean we don't know what we are talking about.

Name 1 play that Joe made a difference on today or at the very least, stood out in a positive way.

I have to agree with this 100%. Being a D1 athlete myself (baseball) coaches at this level use their emotions just as much as we do. They always want to be right and will hardly ever admit they are wrong. It's tough to take someone out of the starting lineup if you say they are your best. I think at this point, they won't go back and take Schmidt out just out of spite for being right.

I could be wrong, but for those using the "He is absolutely our best choice because the coaches would change it if he weren't" argument need to recognize this.

That being said, if next year Morgan comes in and sucks, we'll have our answer. But if he balls out, there will be a lot of angry Irish fans.

But today was a great game, never once did I worry if we would win or not. Haven't been able to do that since UMASS.

 

[connor_in]

BK keeps Joe in just to troll ND Nation

 

[returnofthemack]

Kelly said he practiced there thru the week. Sounded like he had natural ability. Kelly said they could play him if necessary and he'd play really well.

I find it kind of worrisome that none of the backup corners can outplay a WR for a nickel spot.

 

[returnofthemack]

Kizer throws a perfect deep ball almost every time. I can't say enough good things about him.

His accuracy has improved exponentially since the beginning of the season. He's so composed and clutch, just an awesome player to watch.

 

[Prof K]

One observation about the crowd. It seemed to be the usual 60% Pitt, 40% ND. The Pitt student body partied hard, but wasn't that into the game. They take buses back to campus immediately after the game. Someone said the buses generally start taking them back shortly after half time.

The ND fans were actually louder, while Pitt relied on the Heinz Field PA system to generate any energy. Even with ND in town, there were empty seats. If Damar Hamlin really saw this as a special atmosphere before the game, I doubt he does now.

 

[GoIrish41]

- That might have been Kizer's best game so far. Dude keeps improving and his last 10 passes were all great.

- Josh Adams, just go ahead and say "looks are deceiving". He looks like a toothpick out there, but boy does he hit the hole with authority and has some major jets. I expected this from him, but not this soon. Folston better hope he fully recovers and hits the ground running, because Josh is a very real threat to take the starting job next season.

- Fuller's gonna Fuller.

- Romeo has been such a solid player this year. Keith Gilmore is exactly what we expected. Excellent hire.

- *Sigh*...I'm sorry, but for those who are tired of the Joe Schmidt talk, get used to it, because it's not going away any time soon. Joe had another bad game, as did Onwualu. Jaylon did a lot to clean up their messes, but it's clear that Joe is nowhere near healthy and it's affecting his play. He's whiffed on tackle after tackle and there were moments where he wasn't even lined up properly and times I had no idea what the hell he was doing. That blitz, he got outran by their QB...that says it all right there. Peterman isn't a mobile guy and Schmidt is coming full steam, yet he's losing ground on him. Can't have that guys. Sorry, good guy and all, but the writing's on the wall. Against Stanford, and against a legitimate opponent in the bowl game/playoffs, Schmidt is gonna get abused, HARD. And another big reason why this is harped on so much, is because the coaches are basically caught in a major double-standard. Why is it that when 1 player doesn't play up to snuff, he gets benched, but when Schmidt continuously misses tackles, looks lost and is constantly picked on, he stays out there, ALL GAME mind you? Gotta be fair guys. You keep preaching that the best guy will play and you won't hesitate replacing someone that isn't doing so. Time to put your money where your mouth is.

You take that back you bastard! Joe is always lined up properly and makes sure everyone else is, too. It's kind of his thing!

 

[IrishJayhawk]

You take that back you bastard! Joe is always lined up properly and makes sure everyone else is, too. It's kind of his thing!

I don't think there's any way we can know if he was or wasn't.

 

[NDRock]

Best pre-snap LB in the business.

 

[tko]

Martin's head drop is the dumbest thing I've ever seen. What am I missing?

 

[GoIrish41]

I don't think there's any way we can know if he was or wasn't.

I agree. Just thought the comment about him being lined up wrong was funny.

 

[IrishJayhawk]

I agree. Just thought the comment about him being lined up wrong was funny.

I agree. I only responded to your post because it was the most recent one on the topic. How someone sitting on his couch a few states away without knowledge of the defensive call can know if Joe was lined up properly is beyond me.

 

[Irish Man3]

First sell out at Heinz field since ND visited that shit hole two years ago. ND will always be the biggest draw and therefore the biggest money maker in the sport at this level.

 

[rocket66]

There was a play in the 2nd half where Jaylon came from the other side of the field to make a play Joe should have been in position to make but it looked like he was in slow-mo. It was wild to see him have no chance of getting to the edge and then Jaylon comes out of nowhere to save him.


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[Classic Irish]

Btw, this noon kickoff was the best thing ever! I can actually enjoy the rest of my Saturday for the first time in forever... Start every game at noon... I don't know how you fools claim to enjoy sweating it all Saturday long on late kickoffs, that sucks!

This.

 

[Irish Insanity]

Here's what's going to happen. We're rollin with Joe all year, bowl game(s) included. We make a New Years 6 bowl or the Playoffs/Championship and lose because of him. He struggled against mediocre teams. Our last opponent this season won't be mediocre.

 

[phgreek]

There was a QB scramble today during which Schmidt followed his "assignment" out of bounds at full speed with his eyes locked on his read. Meanwhile, the QB was 10 or 15 yards downfield. I'm sure he will grade out well on that play ... But it was a terrible football play. So what fans are seeing and what the coaches are seeing are both accurate. As a football fan, I know he is playing poorly. As a coordinator with his complex defensive system, he may value the idea of doing what you are supposed to do more than plays made by pure athleticism. Maybe he thinks that if everyone played like Joe, the D would be astounding!

The key to being a good defender is disciplined eyes, but ALSO the internal clock. Call it instincts...but you do need to know when the throwing threat is diminishing, and look up the ball...don't need to stop your pursuit of your responsibility while you do...but you can't do what you just described...

 

[TheRealLynch51]

Here's what's going to happen. We're rollin with Joe all year, bowl game(s) included. We make a New Years 6 bowl or the Playoffs/Championship and lose because of him. He struggled against mediocre teams. Our last opponent this season won't be mediocre.

Love the positivity from a guy whose avatar is the green kool-aid man. Haha

 

[TheRealLynch51]

Coaches can make emotional decisions just like fans can scream for one. Also, just because some of us are not football coaches on Notre Dame's staff doesn't mean we don't know what we are talking about.

Name 1 play that Joe made a difference on today or at the very least, stood out in a positive way.

There was one play (in the second quarter I think) where Joe had solid coverage on a guy over the middle and I remember the announcers commenting on how his angle of coverage forced a bad throw from the QB. So there's that....

 

[rocket66]

There was one play (in the second quarter I think) where Joe had solid coverage on a guy over the middle and I remember the announcers commenting on how his angle of coverage forced a bad throw from the QB. So there's that....

Is that the one where he was covering the guy 5 yards out of bounds while the qb scrambled right by him? Or nah?


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[Te'o4Heisman]

That's interesting, because what stuck out to me on that play was not that the QB outran Schmidt(lots of QBs are faster than LBs), but that the outside rusher did not get upfield and let the QB get outside of him, allowing him to escape the inside pressure by Schmidt.

It's time to get off it man, schmidt is horrible. It wasnt even the point of containment or anything but the complete lack of athleticism that their qb got outside and was 80% speed while looking downfield to make a throw while Schmidt had his head dowm full speed trying to catch him amd the qb was still outrunning him.

Oh and yea schmidt looked awesome on that screen completely whiffing yet again. He also had a short yardage situation where he got penetration a good 2 yds behind the line and still made the tackle but not until the rb rolled off him to pick up the first down yardage.

Dude just cant make plays.

He also just absorbed a block on one of the wr sweeps that went for a big play and never made any attempt at all to get off the block. He was in space and actually ran on like he was filling a hole then Never used his hands at all to get off the block and stoof there watching the ball carrier run right through his zone.

I aside from that i wonder where we look for production in the passing game next yr should fuller leave.

Okwara had himself a game and made some plays finally.

 

[phork]

Will Fuller is a straight up assassin.

 

[TheRealLynch51]

Is that the one where he was covering the guy 5 yards out of bounds while the qb scrambled right by him? Or nah?


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No, Joe actually had a good play. He was matchedoing up with a tight end over the middle near the first down. It ended being an incomplete pass.