Post Game Observations (Pitt)...

[Grahambo]

I think both offensive and defensive lines will regress next year. That's a good recipe for another 3-4 loss season.

I think they'll be alright:

LT: Elmer LG: Hanratty C: Martin RG: Lombard RT: Stanley (Could be worse)

As for the DL, if Tuitt comes back then I think theyll be okay.

Lots of variables but I can definitely see your side.

 

[dmort]

Too many missed tackles.

 

[irishpat183]

I said it after OU and I will say it again we are destined to be a middle of the road football team with a couple good seasons mixed in and maybe a few upsets mixed in. 8-4 7-5 is what will be. How we feel after losing to Pitt is how teams like MSU and ASU feel after losing to us "we let that average little ND team beat us damn". That's us....we are not an elite team and we aren't going to be one on the level of Oregon, Bama, OSU it's not in the cards for us the ship has sailed. We can hope to beat BYU try not to let Stanford go bama on us and hope we can save this year from being a complete failure in the pinstripe, pizza, or Dallas bowl. We will see what happens but Navy might've been the last Irish victory we celebrate this year. On a happy note Thor the dark world was awesome and y'all need to go see it.

I could not agree more.

With our standards, we will NEVER get back to being elite year in and year out.

For some, that's ok...but the new generation isn't impressed ( explains part of our 5 star mass exodus)

Bring back the days of Holtz.

 

[irishpat183]

How about Bennett Jackson, he was burned all day long. And some people thought he could be a NFL player. In the other hand, Luke looks like he can be a good press corner.

For the record, I never thought he was a prospect. He's slow and gets exposed by talented WR's.

 

[Senoj13]

Just a thought. If you go back and watch the hit on Amir when he dropped yet another pass, I thought that could have been a penalty as well. He drops the pass and the defensive player takes about 3-4 more steps before he lights him up. Could that go into the "defenseless player" rule? Even though there is no defending why he drops so many passes

 

[Jimmy3Putt]

Bulls**t. Did you even watch that game? MSU defenders were mugging our guys all game, they could have called several more PI calls than they did. MSU is coached that way. There might have been one iffy call but "many outrageous calls" is just bulls**t.

Agreed.

Michigan St is coached to mug on every down with the belief that they can't call all of them and will eventually stop calling any once they establish a precedent.

 

[Jimmy3Putt]

Doesnt face guarding only result in pass interference if there is contact? It didn't look like Bennett even touched him?? I was enraged and in public not a good combo.

There's no face guarding in college.
Only a NFL rule.

 

[irishff1014]

I could not agree more.

With our standards, we will NEVER get back to being elite year in and year out.

For some, that's ok...but the new generation isn't impressed ( explains part of our 5 star mass exodus)

Bring back the days of Holtz.

I disagree look at Stanford they keep winning. The are getting some good players but most of them are good just not great. I put a lot of this season on the coaching. Our special teams is flat out terrible. The defense waits til half time to even try and make adjustments. We Can't cover decent WR's 1 on 1. The play calling all year at time has been something like Les Miles used to do.

 

[N_D_Fighting_Irish]

I could not agree more.

With our standards, we will NEVER get back to being elite year in and year out.

For some, that's ok...but the new generation isn't impressed ( explains part of our 5 star mass exodus)

Bring back the days of Holtz.

Standards?? How do explain Stanford's success?

 

[IrishFan4L]

I disagree look at Stanford they keep winning. The are getting some good players but most of them are good just not great. I put a lot of this season on the coaching. Our special teams is flat out terrible. The defense waits til half time to even try and make adjustments. We Can't cover decent WR's 1 on 1. The play calling all year at time has been something like Les Miles used to do.

Les Miles play calling would be a upgrade.

 

[BGIF]

Standards?? How do explain Stanford's success?

Better coaching!


(You're welcome vermin.)

 

[enrico514]

I am almost positive that EG is not going to be able to practice with the team during the weeks leading up to whatever sh!tty bowl game ND goes to this year.

Hasn't it already been establish that he can indeed practice with the team during the weeks leading to whatever bowl we play in?

 

[BGIF]

Just a thought. If you go back and watch the hit on Amir when he dropped yet another pass, I thought that could have been a penalty as well. He drops the pass and the defensive player takes about 3-4 more steps before he lights him up. Could that go into the "defenseless player" rule? Even though there is no defending why he drops so many passes

Several people in the GameDay thread pounced on the Carlisle takedown. They thought the refs ruling on both plays were defenseless.

 

[Jimmy3Putt]

I said it after OU and I will say it again we are destined to be a middle of the road football team with a couple good seasons mixed in and maybe a few upsets mixed in. 8-4 7-5 is what will be. How we feel after losing to Pitt is how teams like MSU and ASU feel after losing to us "we let that average little ND team beat us damn". That's us....we are not an elite team and we aren't going to be one on the level of Oregon, Bama, OSU it's not in the cards for us the ship has sailed. We can hope to beat BYU try not to let Stanford go bama on us and hope we can save this year from being a complete failure in the pinstripe, pizza, or Dallas bowl. We will see what happens but Navy might've been the last Irish victory we celebrate this year. On a happy note Thor the dark world was awesome and y'all need to go see it.

I disagree.
This season was doomed from the start with the losses of the two best quarterbacks from our roster in the spring.
Add in the injuries on the defensive line and it was going to be a long year.
The influx of Golson and Kizer will give us three quarterbacks that fit the offensive style they want to run.
I fully believe that starting as soon as next year we will be a consistent 9-10 regular season win team every year, with the occasional "magical" season that get's us in the playoffs.

 

[Chris P. Bacon]

I disagree.
This season was doomed from the start with the losses of the two best quarterbacks from our roster in the spring.
Add in the injuries on the defensive line and it was going to be a long year.
The influx of Golson and Kizer will give us three quarterbacks that fit the offensive style they want to run.
I fully believe that starting as soon as next year we will be a consistent 9-10 regular season win team every year, with the occasional "magical" season that get's us in the playoffs.

My concern for next year is we're going to have a Charlie Weis type of season. A lot of offense, very little defense and absolutely no special teams. Who are we going to have calling all of our fair catches next season and still catch it afterwards, thats a lot to ask of anyone catching punt returns for ND.

 

[N_D_Fighting_Irish]

Better coaching!


(You're welcome vermin.)

Vermin? You are out of line.

Vermin are those bashing the players including Rees. Frankly the coaches had a decent gameplan except in the second half. Abandoning the run was the biggest mistake.

We got hosed by the refs, but we should have expected that considering last year's game. The whole game had a goodfellas feel to it.

 

[Jimmy3Putt]

My concern for next year is we're going to have a Charlie Weis type of season. A lot of offense, very little defense and absolutely no special teams. Who are we going to have calling all of our fair catches next season and still catch it afterwards, thats a lot to ask of anyone catching punt returns for ND.

Valid concerns.
One suggestion would be to change the philosophy on defense for next season.
Instead of the bend but don't break, let's switch to an aggressive scheme in hope of causing a few turnovers.
They have the edge rushers and cover corners in Smith, Ishaq, Luke and K-Rus.
It will give up more big plays, but keep the defense fresher by not having to be out there for anymore 10-12 play drives.

Imo, the defensive talent for next season is still light years ahead of what Charlie had.

 

[PLACforever]

How long is the drive from Kansas back to South Bend?

 

[N_D_Fighting_Irish]

I think both offensive and defensive lines will regress next year. That's a good recipe for another 3-4 loss season.

If Golson develops and plays like the QB we saw glimpses of last year, I think we will be difficult to beat. On the OL, Martin will be a HUGE loss. But as a unit, I think they will be better.

DL will regress. But considering how Diaco calls plays, their job will be to hold the line. If they can't, it will be a long year on the defensive side of the ball. With Tuitt and Nix, we have had the capacity to hold and attack. I think you will more blitzing from us next year. Our secondary will improve especially the safety positions. The defense will hinge on LB play. JSmith will control his area but can the other LBs.

We got spoiled with Nix. Nix is extremely underrated.

 

[tko]

Valid concerns.
One suggestion would be to change the philosophy on defense for next season.
Instead of the bend but don't break, let's switch to an aggressive scheme in hope of causing a few turnovers.They have the edge rushers and cover corners in Smith, Ishaq, Luke and K-Rus.
It will give up more big plays, but keep the defense fresher by not having to be out there for anymore 10-12 play drives.

Imo, the defensive talent for next season is still light years ahead of what Charlie had.

Calling John Tenuta

 

[Irish Insanity]

I have always been a big supporter of Brian Kelly. But the blame for this game goes squarely on the coaching staff. How can you not execute a swing pass to a RB properly in week 11? Why can you not throw a screen effectively (although I haven't seen many)? Players not playing to the whistle that cost us 7 points and most likely a win. How does your quarterback, after how many starts, still not understand snapping the ball before the play clock expires? Maybe the calls aren't getting in fast enough? How does your senior quarterback, regardless of limitations, throw into triple coverage constantly... hoping someone will come up with the ball??? Where is the special teams... anywhere??? Punt returning is abysmal. Kick coverage is down right awful. Brindza has been the only bright spot. Bottom line, this team was NOT prepared to play tonight. I can't think of one game this season that the team executed the way they should have. Injuries to the defense? Alright... that's fair. I doubt Alabama would have a problem with Pitt with 2nd stringers. This season has been a complete failure by Kelly and company.

I apologize, but that's how I see it. Don't post often but read everyday. I will always love the Irish but it's frustrating. GO IRISH!!!

Don't apologize, post more. Please.

Does what happen?

Kelly has won nearly every close game we've played for the past 2 years or so. Not sure what you're talking about.

Part of the problem is the overwhelming majority of those games shouldn't have been close.

He lowered his head. Q.E.D.

The fact that is head is attached to the shoulder he lowered first isn't germaine.

I don't think he intended headhunt but preseason and throughout the season it's been stressed "if a defender lowers his hat while making the tackle, he's is going to get called.


I think he actually took the tougher hit as the 6-5 Savage lowered his hat into the side of Tuitt's. Personally I thought Tuitt looked very defenseless on that play running parallel to the line being chased by an OL.

Part of the issue for the rule for someone like Tuitt is that its aimed at DBs and LBs who make every play in space, not DLs that are use to tackling in small quarters. The thought of how to make a tackle like that has to be on all DBs/LBs every play, where as it probably never crosses Tuitt's mind considering he almost never gets into situation where he would have to worry about it. Until last night.

How about Bennett Jackson, he was burned all day long. And some people thought he could be a NFL player. In the other hand, Luke looks like he can be a good press corner.

'Some people' include many NFL scouts. After last year he was given a favorable draft grade. We have several positions where our young guys look much better or simply great. Luke, J. Smith, Folston, several young WRs, our young O Linemen.

How long is the drive from Kansas back to South Bend?

As long as its only for an OC. But I think most of us agree that next years O will be much different than this years. And vastly improved.

 

[Patulski]

My concern for next year is we're going to have a Charlie Weis type of season. A lot of offense, very little defense and absolutely no special teams.

There is really no excuse for this. Notre Dame's recruiting rankings tell a story of talented depth that is superior to most teams on our schedule. That means, we should have better athletes on special teams than our opponent. Kelly needs to put more emphasis on special teams and do better. It is a glaring failure in the overall assessment of his coaching, which has been good otherwise.

 

[irishff1014]

Some of you need Jesus.

Actually everyone does.

 

[Jimmy3Putt]

Calling John Tenuta

Come on Man!

There's a difference between aggressive and all out blitzing, never getting to the qb, and no talent in the secondary.
I'm talking about sending 5 not 9 on every play.

I think the offense will be a juggernaut next year so the defense will be playing with the lead.
Perfect for pinning their ears back and attacking!

 

[philipm31]

We have not had GREAT special teams since about 1990, when Rocket was back there. If we could get someone who could do everything Raghib did, we would have a very improved team. BUT since Ismail was a once-in-a-generation type of talent, ND really REALLY needs to upgrade their special teams, particularly the return game. Last night the returns were pretty good, but then again Pitt is AWFUL. It is often the difference between a win and a loss in games where you might be more evenly matched...and it could put you way ahead of teams that you already have a major advantage against.

ST really needs to be a MAJOR point of emphasis for this team.

 

[tko]

Come on Man!

There's a difference between aggressive and all out blitzing, never getting to the qb, and no talent in the secondary.
I'm talking about sending 5 not 9 on every play.

I think the offense will be a juggernaut next year so the defense will be playing with the lead.
Perfect for pinning their ears back and attacking!

So good

 

[Damion704]

I have always been a big supporter of Brian Kelly. But the blame for this game goes squarely on the coaching staff. How can you not execute a swing pass to a RB properly in week 11? Why can you not throw a screen effectively (although I haven't seen many)? Players not playing to the whistle that cost us 7 points and most likely a win. How does your quarterback, after how many starts, still not understand snapping the ball before the play clock expires? Maybe the calls aren't getting in fast enough? How does your senior quarterback, regardless of limitations, throw into triple coverage constantly... hoping someone will come up with the ball??? Where is the special teams... anywhere??? Punt returning is abysmal. Kick coverage is down right awful. Brindza has been the only bright spot. Bottom line, this team was NOT prepared to play tonight. I can't think of one game this season that the team executed the way they should have. Injuries to the defense? Alright... that's fair. I doubt Alabama would have a problem with Pitt with 2nd stringers. This season has been a complete failure by Kelly and company.

I apologize, but that's how I see it. Don't post often but read everyday. I will always love the Irish but it's frustrating. GO IRISH!!!

Totally agree. Also, where the **** was Folston? It's like BK purposely didn't play him.

 

[Irish Insanity]

Totally agree. Also, where the **** was Folston? It's like BK purposely didn't play him.

We are saving him for the important games. Like a secret weapon

 

[PANDFAN]

I am almost positive that EG is not going to be able to practice with the team during the weeks leading up to whatever sh!tty bowl game ND goes to this year.

it was said by BK that he WILL practice w/ team when he rejoins them

 

[philipm31]

We are saving him for the important games. Like a secret weapon

So, Navy was more important than Pitt. That totally makes sense....