Post Game Observations Rice '14

[Rocknes Ghost]

I may have missed him, but did anyone see Jhonny Williams on the field?

 

[ndftbl]

The team looked focused and confident, but by no means overconfident.

Golson is a complete quarterback and the receiver by committee looks very good.

I love the three headed monster at rb. All three were impressive and I hope that they keep playing all three. I will tell you why. Running back in today's game is a meat grinder and by sharing the reps between 3 very good options it helps all 3 guys stay healthy.

Riggs and Bryant both looked great returning punts, what a refreshing change.

Defensively it is a work in progress, but Schmidt looked very good and of course Jaylon is everything he is cracked up to be.

Contain Gardner next week and we will be very happy in seven days time.

Just don't agree with all the people who say Schmidt looked very good.

Yes, he was in the correct position most of the time, but when he wasn't missing the tackle completely the runner was taking him several yards down the field. He is just not big and fast enough. Nyles Morgan will be starting in his place within 3-4 games.

My other observation is that Notre Dame was obviously bigger and faster than Rice, and from watching this FSU game this evening, FSU is obviously bigger and faster than Notre Dame.

For whatever that is worth.

 

[GoIrish41]

I may have missed him, but did anyone see Jhonny Williams on the field?

I did not notice him. I looked for him at the end. He may have been in and I missed it though.

 

[ndftbl]

It may sound silly, but I agree with some of the comments here about ND having more SWAG this year. They definitely seem more confident out there.

FSU will definitely knock that out of them, and I am the world's biggest Notre Dame fan.

Anyone watching this FSU game this evening? Jeez, do they ever look big, strong and fast - and I mean EVERYWHERE. Not just at a few spots.

 

[Irish Insanity]

Just don't agree with all the people who say Smith looked very good.

Yes, he was in the correct position most of the time, but when he wasn't missing the tackle completely the runner was taking him several yards down the field. He is just not big and fast enough. Nyles Morgan will be starting in his place within 3-4 games.

My other observation is that Notre Dame was obviously bigger and faster than Rice, and from watching this FSU game this evening, FSU is obviously bigger and faster than Notre Dame.

For whatever that is worth.

Over Jaylon?

 

[GoIrish41]

Over Jaylon?

Think he was talking about Schmidt, not "Smith".

 

[Luckylucci]

I may have missed him, but did anyone see Jhonny Williams on the field?

I haven't re-watched it yet but I don't believe so. I was a little surprised. They seemed pretty true to the depth chart there and left Trumbetti at WDE and actually brought in Blankenship at SDE. Who I was pleased with. He has a fantastic frame but is 1 year away

 

[Irish Insanity]

Think he was talking about Schmidt, not "Smith".

God I hope so

 

[Luckylucci]

FSU will definitely knock that out of them, and I am the world's biggest Notre Dame fan.

Anyone watching this FSU game this evening? Jeez, do they ever look big, strong and fast - and I mean EVERYWHERE. Not just at a few spots.

Your making comparisons to the #1 team in the country. I think most would agree that we aren't that team right now. So not sure that even need to be talked about There's very few teams that should.

 

[Irish Insanity]

Your making comparisons to the #1 team in the country. I think most would agree that we aren't that team right now. So not sure that even needs to be disgust. There's very few teams that should.

Who has currently only scored 1 offensive TD on an unranked OSU team. But they will beat the swag right out of us......

 

[koonja]

Your making comparisons to the #1 team in the country. I think most would agree that we aren't that team right now. So not sure that even need to be talked about There's very few teams that should.

Lucci, did you watch UM? Thoughts?

 

[Irish Insanity]

Lucci, did you watch UM? Thoughts?

I'm not Lucci, but my thoughts, Fuck Michigan

 

[ndftbl]

Your making comparisons to the #1 team in the country. I think most would agree that we aren't that team right now. So not sure that even need to be talked about There's very few teams that should.

Uh, I know what I am saying.

The point is, I think some on this board are going a little overboard.

And again, I am the world's biggest Notre Dame fan.

 

[Luckylucci]

Lucci, did you watch UM? Thoughts?

I didn't see the game, I have quite a few games taped including that one. I'll go back to a watch some of them. Overall, I think that they have some strengths that seemed to be our weaknesses today. Their pass rush will be better than what we saw and our pass block was not as good as what Id like. Also Gardner will hurt us downfield far worse than Rice's QB did if we can't get home. They're better than what some might think but very beatable for our team.

 

[NDALA]

I did not notice him. I looked for him at the end. He may have been in and I missed it though.

I may have missed him, but did anyone see Jhonny Williams on the field?

I didn't notice Williams, Kolin Hill or Luatua i may have just missed one or all if them though.

 

[NDBoiler]

I didn't notice Williams, Kolin Hill or Luatua i may have just missed one or all if them though.

I saw Luatua in at h-back on at least one play that I remember.

 

[Riddickulous]

Kelly complained earlier in fall camp that Elmer was playing too much like a guard. Honestly wouldn't be surprised to see him slide to the interior when McGlinchey is ready.

 

[Big23Head]

I saw Luatua in at h-back on at least one play that I remember.

Tyler played several plays I believe. No Hill or J Williams. Both looked a little disappointed after the game coming out of the stadium. They were definitely quieter and looked kind of bummed I guess compared to the rest.

 

[Irish Insanity]

Uh, I know what I am saying.

The point is, I think some on this board are going a little overboard.

And again, I am the world's biggest Notre Dame fan.

FSU continuing to look dominant in their game. 17-10 at the half against an unranked Ok. St. team

 

[BGIF]

I may have missed him, but did anyone see Jhonny Williams on the field?

He's not listed as playing in the UND Game Participation Report.

 

[no.1IrishFan]

Haha, LOL. Well said. Why doesn't ND just claim 16 or 17 then?

Integrity.

 

[WestCoast]

I'm concerned how tired everyone looked in the game.

That's because the team was out until 2am drinking with the suspended 5.

 

[NDALA]

I saw Luatua in at h-back on at least one play that I remember.

Tyler played several plays I believe. No Hill or J Williams. Both looked a little disappointed after the game coming out of the stadium. They were definitely quieter and looked kind of bummed I guess compared to the rest.

I thought I remembered seeing Koyack at H-back once or so but don't remember seeing Luatua but i do need glasses so you guys are probably right.

 

[Luckylucci]

Smythe #80 lined up at Hback on at least one play

 

[Old Man Mike]

FWIW [i.e. nuthin']:

1]. ND just whipped Rice flat out in an opening game where everyone thought we'd have questions at about every conceivable issue [missing players, last minute loss of defensive field general, more freshmen in two-deep than imaginable on defense, reshuffled OLine, QB rusty from 600 days of no competition, unproven receiving corps ... and on and on, including new systems and coordinators];
2]. Rice won a lot of games last year and was hardly the chumps played by, say Michigan {AppState had the worst looking secondary I've seen in maybe forever};
3]. Kelly creamed Rice in a game where he would naturally not yet want to show all his cards;
4]. The first half was a Notre Dame 35// Rice 0 game [This odd math works out this way: Notre Dame 28, Rice 0, Shumate 10, Prosise' boxing gloves -7]. Normally I'd take 35-0 as a first half result over a team as decent as Rice. Translation: with the exception of two plays by Shumate, we killed them;
5]. The OLine looked pretty good percentage-wise --- as usual people only remember when someone [rarely] beat one of them. Mayock was rather stunned as to how much we eliminated their "All-American DT". Nevertheless, when we have a long route called, we'd be advised to happen to have McDaniel as RB protector --- he really stoned some rushers to give EG a solid pocket. Also, EG still doesn't totally trust the pocket and leaves too quickly some times --- some of that is instinct, but some is [my guess] his stature, and he roams to get a better look downfield;
6]. Coach Harry's last minute selection of Hanratty at LG surprised me, but he played well ... so, Go Connor!! I'm wrong about you;
7]. Prosise almost dropped the second bomb as well --- momentarily bobbling it. He got a real kidding from EG and others on the sideline afterwards --- doubtless no one will be smiling during the next pass catching drills though;
8]. Schmidt has great to-the-ball instincts --- BUT he lacks power at the point of contact. We survived that mainly because our defense [finally] is fast and it's rarely a one-man tackle need;
9]. Cole Luke played great --- I expected "good" but he was better than that. Hopefully that wasn't due to poor receiving talent on Rice;
10]. Farley played surprisingly well. This could be because he never really was at the safety position but closer to the line of scrimmage. He actually looked very physical. Shumate made him look bad twice by not maintaining deep field integrity when Farley was passing off the deep route to the vanishing safety, while picking up the short route. Maybe everyone finally understands what "Shumate still doesn't get it" means; {Damm, Collinsworth going down hurts];
11]. Jaylon Smith [sometimes quietly] gets us off the field. His extra open-space-closing downs runners in instances where they'd get first downs easily in the past;
12]. If we need to close someone out by up-the-gut running, it should be Bryant. Phenomenal in the gaps between the tackles. If we want general wider running, it should be Folston --- freaky sense of where a gap is going to show up. If we want to call the whole playbook, it should be McDaniel, as he is still the only guy who seals the pocket every time;
13]. Riggs --- punt returns [plus whatever we did to hurry that punter into some lower faster kicks]. Let Bryant take the play off --- he doesn't understand fair catch yet, and even he can get his block knocked off;
14]. Receiving corps --- happy happy happy [except Prosise]. We are just fine. Kelly's offense is designed not to use a "go to guy". It's a field geometry set of patterns and surprises, and we have a lot of athletes to run those patterns;
15]. Everett --- what we knew he was/is. He's not Tyrod-Taylor-senior-year-Cool yet, but I think that he just might get there as the season goes;
16]. No turnovers and two five yard penalties... priceless.


Final assessment: Notre Dame 98; Nay-sayers 2.

 

[absoluteirish59]

0 pass rush

Not too many blitzes( he knows this secondary is raw and can't risk it)

Offense looked better than I expected. I like the 3 headed tailback

 

[Rizzophil]

Good game for ND. Feels good to not worry about the game at halftime.

I'm not 'worried' about the kicking game. But they due have a bad day

 

[BGIF]

FWIW [i.e. nuthin']:

...

8]. Schmidt has great to-the-ball instincts --- BUT he lacks power at the point of contact. We survived that mainly because our defense [finally] is fast and it's rarely a one-man tackle need;

...

13]. Riggs --- punt returns [plus whatever we did to hurry that punter into some lower faster kicks]. Let Bryant take the play off --- he doesn't understand fair catch yet, and even he can get his block knocked off;


16]. No turnovers and two five yard penalties... priceless.

...

8]. Mayock was praising Schmidt when stepped up into the hole and hit the RB ... and was driven back about 3 yds. I don't recall Mike mentioning the result.

13]. In the post game PC Kelly replied to a PR question that Riggs was gassed so they went with Bryant. He described him as fearless. I took that as a +1 for character and -2 for judgement.

16]. Kelly was impressed on the few penalties. Good for a seasoned team but better considering the relative inexperience between the OLine as a Unit ... incredible considering the patchwork secondary, KVR in the box, Collinsworth on crutches, and Riggs in his first game on the team.

 

[dmort]

Good start but alot to work on.My concern on defense is the lack of a solid MLB.

 

[Crazy Balki]

If they are going to use Michigan's 11 they could have done the unofficial 13 that many say we should claim.

I like how we aren't willing to count unofficial claimed championships, but we are willing to unofficially vacate wins...