Post Game Observations....

[NDinL.A.]

While I agree our running game wasn't great, i wouldnt call it decent it either. I would say our running game was good. Our 3 primary backs(Armando, Gray, and Aldridge) rushed for 135 yards on 27 carries. thats exactly 5 yards a carry. Tell me the last time we averaged 5 yards a carry in a game? Probably 06 vs LSU. If our primary backs average atleast 5 yards a carry every game, we will be very successful. And one more thing of note. While Nevada's pass defense does suck, its run defense does not. They have the two best DE's in the WAC, and they combined for 21 sacks last year. Running for 178 yards, and only allowing one sack is pretty damn good.

I re-watched the game yesterday, this time by myself and sober. I couldn't post this yesterday b/c I couldn't log on, but I was a bit harsh on my first assessment of the running game. See, I think I based it on a poor first quarter, and then the alcohol kicked in and I still had the poor first quarter on my mind. In the first quarter they averaged about 3.6-3.8 yards (can't remember), then it got much better after that. The holes got better, Allen showed some speed around the edge, and the line seemed to just play better. I amend my original declaration of them having just a decent running game, to them having a good running attack. Still not great by any means, but much better...

 

[BGIF]

Very few mental mistakes if any. And those plagued the team last year. I'd say one of the best executed ND games in years.

As I said a couple of weeks ago, the Hawai'i game was a tell-tale sign of where the Irish are at as a team; players and coaches alike.

Brand new center! First Game at the position!

NO False Starts, NO misnaps, No Holds, and NO SACKS!


Anyone recall OLs letting a man (men) go unnoticed and unblocked like last year?

3 Penalties: Burger a bogus Hold, Wenger a Hold, and Herring a face mask.

ND INTs: 0
ND Fumbles: 0
ND Time of Possession: +7 minutes 20 seconds (Despite the long range scores)
ND Red Zone: 2 for 2
Opponent Red Zone: 0 for 2
Opponent Turnovers: 2

ND substituted freely and still threw the first shutout in 7 years.

3 games ago ND blew a lead in the 4Q. Saturday that only let NV have the ball for 5 minutes in the 4Q.

Anyone notice the Fullback blocking AND gaining yards? It looked like Powers Neal was back!

Anyone notice more misdirection than probably all of last year?

Anyone notice ND has a winning streak?

Anyone notice Clausen has a clean uniform after the game?

 

[IHateMarkMay]

Did anyone notice NV had 2 - 1000 yard rushers on the field at the same time and had a Team Total of 154 yds rushing?

154 Meaning Yards!


The Game Plan was for Brian Smith to shadow their most dangerous threat QB Colin Kaepernick who ran and passed for over 4000 yds and had 40 TDs last season AND to take away the outside - Contain.

The Game Plan worked!

Kaepernick passed for 149 yds, NO TDs, 2 INTS, and ran 67 yds but had 28 yds in losses for a net of 39 yds, a turnover in the Red Zone, and NO TDs.

Taua ran for 117 yds but was tackled twice for losses for a net of 114 yds, a turnover in the Red Zone, and NO TDs.

Those two ran for over 1000 yards last year and also Lippincott ran for 1000 yards a year before. These runners aren't pushovers. Good points BGIF.

 

[jason_h537]

Positives:
-Clausen and the wideouts looked great
-Some new wrinkles in the running game looked very good
-linebackers were getting some clear lanes tothe backfield
-No turnovers
- played all four quarters and allowed young guys some real PT
-Olsen played great (was nervous about his inexperience but he didn't miss a beat)

Negatives
- Dline did fill gaps and gave the linebcakers the ability to run free but they did allow some big runs and did not make many plays (hopefully that will change with experience)
-Still not sold on the run game etirely
-No more Wildcat please

 

[Riddickulous]

Positives:
-Clausen and the wideouts looked great
-Some new wrinkles in the running game looked very good
-linebackers were getting some clear lanes tothe backfield
-No turnovers
- played all four quarters and allowed young guys some real PT
-Olsen played great (was nervous about his inexperience but he didn't miss a beat)

Negatives
- Dline did fill gaps and gave the linebcakers the ability to run free but they did allow some big runs and did not make many plays (hopefully that will change with experience)
-Still not sold on the run game etirely
-No more Wildcat please

Agreed, that Wildcat formation is a disaster.

 

[NDinL.A.]

Agreed, that Wildcat formation is a disaster.

Not true at all. The FIRST play was a disaster. The second play worked great, got about 8 yards, but there was a B.S. holding call on Burger. The third play, Christ ran the Wildcat with JC split out right, and had Nevada played it the same way they had played the Wildcat before, could have went for a TD (per CW's presser). But Nevada guessed right and were rewarded with a nice play.

It gives the defense something new to think about and prepare for, and it takes time away from them preparing for what our passing game. Now, we all know that Mich will just stay in the film room and the practice field for 11 hours and break the rules (LOL), but still, it will at least hurt other teams in their preparation.

And one more thing...all ND fans BEGGED CW to show more imagination on offense, to use more misdirection, to yes, use the Wildcat to get Tate the ball more. So now he does it, and I hear that he's being 'too cute' and to scrap the Wildcat. Seriously? One bad play and a good read by the defense and we're ready to scrap it already? I'm not saying to use it too much (we have one of the most accurate passers in football and a pair of dynamic receivers, so let's not take the ball out of their hands too often), but we were right last year...CW did need to mix things up, and he did just that. I'm not ready to scrap anything after just one game, esp now that other teams have seen it and now have to prepare for it. And wait until you see Goodman on the field during the Wildcat. Let's keep teams on their toes CW...

 

[TDHeysus]

Agreed, that Wildcat formation is a disaster.

personally, I dont like the wildcat at all...I think its a fad, it will all but forgotten in a 2 or 3 years. I think it has NO PLACE in the NFL.

However, I can see it works in some college situations, and I would defintely not want to see it alot in a game, but I can see where it may have its place.

 

[domerfor life]

Not true at all. The FIRST play was a disaster. The second play worked great, got about 8 yards, but there was a B.S. holding call on Burger. The third play, Christ ran the Wildcat with JC split out right, and had Nevada played it the same way they had played the Wildcat before, could have went for a TD (per CW's presser). But Nevada guessed right and were rewarded with a nice play.

It gives the defense something new to think about and prepare for, and it takes time away from them preparing for what our passing game. Now, we all know that Mich will just stay in the film room and the practice field for 11 hours and break the rules (LOL), but still, it will at least hurt other teams in their preparation.

And one more thing...all ND fans BEGGED CW to show more imagination on offense, to use more misdirection, to yes, use the Wildcat to get Tate the ball more. So now he does it, and I hear that he's being 'too cute' and to scrap the Wildcat. Seriously? One bad play and a good read by the defense and we're ready to scrap it already? I'm not saying to use it too much (we have one of the most accurate passers in football and a pair of dynamic receivers, so let's not take the ball out of their hands too often), but we were right last year...CW did need to mix things up, and he did just that. I'm not ready to scrap anything after just one game, esp now that other teams have seen it and now have to prepare for it. And wait until you see Goodman on the field during the Wildcat. Let's keep teams on their toes CW...

It looks like they will be running the wildcat this year. I think teams have to respect Golden coming out of the backfield and I'm glad Charlie is finding ways to potentially get the ball in Golden's hands. Golden is probably our best runner with the ball. That holding call on Burger was BS and wiped out a 1st down. Other than the 1st play, the wildcat looked like it has potential.

 

[NDMontana]

personally, I dont like the wildcat at all...I think its a fad, it will all but forgotten in a 2 or 3 years. I think it has NO PLACE in the NFL.

However, I can see it works in some college situations, and I would defintely not want to see it alot in a game, but I can see where it may have its place.

I think the Dolphins proved it has a place in the NFL. In the college game it definitely has a place because, unlike the NFL (even though it works there too) in college your best athlete is probably not going to have someone on the other side of the ball who can match his speed or ability. So you have your best, fastest athlete get the ball in his hands....that's a goal of the game anyway, right?

 

[NDMontana]

I will say that, in terms of the wildcat, I'd like to see Clausen split out wide and then brought in motion into the backfield from time-to-time. If ND did that then you really have the other team guessing b/c the snap could go to Allen who would have a keep/hand-off/pass (rarely) option; Clausen could either throw or hand-off. This would truly keep the defense guessing.

 

[MirageSmack]

I didn't see the Wildcat as a success myself. I watched another team do it with phenominal success Saturday.

UK did it in the UK-Miami (OH) game three times. They scored TD's twice, and had a long gainer on the 3rd attempt.

They have their version of Tate, a guy named Randall Cobb, a versatile WR/QB/RB guy. He can throw the ball well, which I don't think Armando can do. Then they have a legit track schollie guy in Locke (electronic 4.2 time before his surgery) as the RB. They each scored a TD in this formation.

We need someone, maybe Goodman, who is a threat to throw the ball. I watched UK having no idea which guy would end up with the ball, just like the opponent. Then I watched ND, almost knowing how the play would develop beforehand. So that thing still needs some tweaking.