Post Game Observations

[arndtjc]

The defensive gameplan was to not let Denard beat them on the ground, make him go through the air, and he did just that. The DBs picked him off 3 times, but unfortunately that wasn't enough. Tommy played great, and yes he turned it over a couple times, but you have to remember this kid is a TRUE SOPHOMORE. He's now got five starts under his belt, and all five have been on GIGANTIC stages. He was bound to slip up at some point, and again unfortunately it was tonight. The D line played amazing, again, as they couldn't run the ball worth a damn as well as the linebacker core. Cierre is a work horse, and could very well end being a 1,000 yard rusher. Floyd is a monster, and even if someone plans their whole defense around him, he will still go off. Theo and TJ proved tonight they are explosive, and are going to be big play makers in the future, but again, they are TRUE SOPHOMORES. The O Line is a thing of beauty, and with the exception of a couple false starts due to the craziness of the stadium, looked very very solid. 513 yards and 31 points wins you the football game the way the defense performed, except for one little stat: six, yes count them SIX turnovers.

This team is very talented, and very well coached, but very young, and not all the way there mentally. A bounce or two go the other way, or Denard gets sacked instead of the deep pass on 3rd and long, we limp away 1-1.

Look, don't give up on this team, and don't give up on this program, there are special things to come. About a half hour after the game I felt the same way as all of you, but I've had a little bit to cool down and think things through like a sane human being and not a serial killer, and I have found a few positives.

Lastly, don't give up on Coach Brian Kelly. He has the offense, recruits, and DEFENSE to win football games. He has to get this team to mature and grow up, and we will hopefully get a glimpse into the future later down the road this season.

Go Irish!

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

Diaco got popular because he got one recruit! He's a terrible coordinator!

 

[irishtrain]

I think Herbstreet is a real jack@$#. His remark about Kelly throwing a hissy fit bothered me more than the game. As far as the game goes Notre Dame is improved-they just dont understand winning yet. When they understand that they are playing afraid to lose at times this group will take off. Kelly will get them straightened out and they can still do some damage. I thought they'd beat Mich but now lets move on to Sparty.

 

[D-BOE34]

Diaco got popular because he got one recruit! He's a terrible coordinator!

BK got popular because he only coached 21 years of awesome!

Agree, the defense sucked all game....

 

[BeauBenken]

Diaco got popular because he got one recruit! He's a terrible coordinator!

Your last billion posts tonight have been pathetic. Please stop.

Although, I do agree somewhat. Diaco wasn't anybody until Ishaq...and the last four games last year.

 

[DANsanity15]

To whoever said who would come of we got rid of Kelly, does the name Urban Meyer mean anything to you?

 

[BeauBenken]

I'm not looking for a new coach two heartbreaking games into the man's second season. Goodness, you guys are crazy.

 

[Irish Houstonian]

Dude, this is actually the most active, physically-gifted and yard-gaining O-line I have ever seen on ND. And the D ain't too bad neither. We just suck at scoring points.

(And that fumble-bounce to Shoelace, I mean, that's just bad luck and makes no person worthy of criticism.)

But we are definitely *unlucky* when it comes to ball-bounces...

 

[BurningRiver]

for everyone calling for kelly's head, take a step back and take a deep breath. just chill. 1 year and 2 games does not an adequate sample size make. just sit back. it might be painful at times, but i still think he's the right guy.

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

It is true, Kelly goes balistic on the sidelines, and all that Brady is doing is coaching and supporting. What team came through when it counted?

I do like the fire and what not, but it hasn't worked in two games. Are the guys getting to tight when it counts?

 

[DANsanity15]

Gray played awful tonight yes, but is it really necessary to take personal shots at him? Some people are taking it way to far..

 

[GoIrish41]

Tommy played great, and yes he turned it over a couple times, but you have to remember this kid is a TRUE SOPHOMORE.

If we as fans accept Rees' play as "great" we will always have a mediocre team. I wouldn't say he was horrible, but he certainly wasn't great. Two interceptions and a completely unforced fumble when we could have put the game away is far from great.

He is a soph, but so was Dennard Robinson last year when he had 500 yards against us. Now, he IS great.

 

[BeauBenken]

If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all...lol

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

Tommy played great? He had great plays, but he fumbled on the 2. He threw 2 interceptions. He was responsible for 3 turnovers. How can he be classified as playing great. He made some great throws and great reads. But, he had 3 turnovers! That is not great.

 

[GreatGolson]

we'll see how many posters stick around for the rest of the season, im out of words (theres a first time for everything) so im gunna attempt to sleep an pretend tht its actually september 2nd and we get to start this over

 

[IrishinSyria]

I will give you guys something to chew on ... we lost it on the last drive of the game in the last minute on a few (3) plays ... forget everything else. That is the only thing that mattered and we blew it. Discuss that and not what could have been.

How many times have we said that same exact thing over the past 5 or so years...

Ever since Brady Quinn left the program, we haven't had a player who was able to will the team to victory in close games. Golden/Claussen/Floyd/Rudy/Teo and others have been phenomenal, but at the end of the day they just haven't generated wins like Quinn could... it's tough to explain, and maybe I'm giving a QB a little too much credit for the play of the rest of his team, but in 05 and 06 there was a sense of confidence that has been elusive at best ever since.

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

Ill be here! I love Notre Dame. But, today they embarrassed me as a fan and an former student who holds a cert from ND.

Two weeks of this type of play after how they finished last year is just not acceptable. I was in El Paso when we played so great and with such great confidence. Now we have this. Just too bad, now I am going to get killed by everybody at work and my friends about ND choking once again. The nation of Irish Haters are 100% correct about us being overrated. We are not ready to be in the top 15. Not even close. Our coach isn't ready and our players are not ready. Too bad. It is very sad.

 

[arndtjc]

Rees goes 27-39 for a 69% completion percentage, 315 yards, and three touchdowns, so yeah I would say he played pretty damn well. He doesn't have the physical skills to run like Denard Robinson, so can you expect him to put up over 500 yards by himself? He did enough to win the game, and unfortunately he did enough to lose the game as well. He will learn a lot from these last two games, and continue to mature into a great quarterback. Give him time, just like the rest of the team.

 

[NDMontana]

Well, the blue print for how to be ND has been presented for all to see:
1. Let their offense get within 10 yards of the endzone and then sit back and watch the magic happen;
2. Have your QB close his eyes and throw Hail Mary's all day....even if he only completes 30% he'll throw for 300 yards; and finally
3. Throw when Gary Gray isn't looking. Which is every play. Hell, if you're going to interfer make sure the guy doesn't catch the ball. Make them decide if they want to try to score a td on the 2 yard line with 2 seconds left or kick a fg for OT.
And remember, it's better to be lucky then good.

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

There is leaders and their is LEADERS. Brady was one. Now he didn't beat LSU, but he just had the IT factor. I like Rees, but can he really go to his defense and say lets get this done? Can he call people out. Can he hold himself and others accountable? I dont' think so and you see what we have.

We have 10 games to fix this, and our mental toughness will be tested. It failed again, hope it can be fixed. But, Kelly will blow a blood vessel before that happens I am afraid of.

 

[Irish Houstonian]

This video always makes me feel better after a classic ND heartbreaker

Excerpt from A Bronx Tale - Why Not to Watch Sports - YouTube

 

[Jimmy3Putt]

There is leaders and their is LEADERS. Brady was one. Now he didn't beat LSU, but he just had the IT factor. I like Rees, but can he really go to his defense and say lets get this done? Can he call people out. Can he hold himself and others accountable? I dont' think so and you see what we have.

We have 10 games to fix this, and our mental toughness will be tested. It failed again, hope it can be fixed. But, Kelly will blow a blood vessel before that happens I am afraid of.

See, you can't compare sophomore Tommy Rees to junior and senior Brady Quinn.
I remember a shaky kid getting lit up by Purdue and everyone else in 04 and 05.
IMO- Tommy's miles ahead of Brady at this point in their ND careers.

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

Tommy played pretty dang well? Really, 3 turnovers is playing pretty dang well. I don't care if he completed 80% He had 2 pics and a fumble. That kills the dang well.

He made several great throws, several great reads. But, he also blew 2 timeouts. He also had a huge fumble on the 2. He also threw two horrible pics. So, pretty dang well is 100% wrong in my opinion. The blown timeouts and 3 turnovers kill the dang good statement.

 

[arndtjc]

See, you can't compare sophomore Tommy Rees to junior and senior Brady Quinn.
I remember a shaky kid getting lit up by Purdue and everyone else in 04 and 05.
IMO- Tommy's miles ahead of Brady at this point in their ND careers.

Thank you thank you thank you, I'm glad there is still a sane one left here....

 

[Jimmy3Putt]

we'll see how many posters stick around for the rest of the season, im out of words (theres a first time for everything) so im gunna attempt to sleep an pretend tht its actually september 2nd and we get to start this over

This board is my therapy.
Everyone I know in life is sick of hearing me cry about the Irish and what could have beens....

 

[Irishpinoy]

While Rees seems to be a better option than Crist, he is nothing to write home about IMHO. I believe our best chances for dynamic QB play in the spread are wearing red hads on the sidelines. I have been rooting for Hendrix since spring practice but Kelly is obviously not interested in my opinion. If we want to win consistently moving forward, I believe we have to get the young, mobile QBs some playing experience this year.

Amen. Don't know why Kelly is betting the team's future on QBs that are good but doesn't fit his system. He should have known this already after last season. We played bad Utah, USC, and Miami teams and that's the main reason that we won those games. I'd say go with Golson as the starter next week and Hendrix as back up. He needs to develop these two now.

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

Saint Jimmy I respectfully disagree.

Did Brady have an All American to throw to like Floyd?
Did Brady have a throw happy offense?

What Brady did have was a vocal leadership, Rees DOES NOT.

I like Tommy, I think he is fine. Not elite by any stretch of the imagination, but a solid QB. But, the Leadership area Brady and Rees are not even in the same universe.

 

[arndtjc]

Tommy played pretty dang well? Really, 3 turnovers is playing pretty dang well. I don't care if he completed 80% He had 2 pics and a fumble. That kills the dang well.

He made several great throws, several great reads. But, he also blew 2 timeouts. He also had a huge fumble on the 2. He also threw two horrible pics. So, pretty dang well is 100% wrong in my opinion. The blown timeouts and 3 turnovers kill the dang good statement.

HE'S A SOPHOMORE. A TRUE F'ING SOPHOMORE. HIS FIRST TRIP TO THE BIG HOUSE.

Get your head out of your ***, stop hating, or jump off the bandwagon and go cheer for someone else.

 

[GoIrish41]

Two weeks of this type of play after how they finished last year is just not acceptable. I was in El Paso when we played so great and with such great confidence.

to me, this is a huge part of the problem this year. I believe way too much credit was heaped on this team at the end of last year.

* We beat a Utah team that was a pretender that got exposed the week before the ND game and played with no confidence

* We beat Army, enough said

* We beat a USC team that began to impolode with an injury to their potential All-American QB

* We beat a Miami team that was just a freaking mess and made us look all world. They had a QB that threw interceptions almost more often than he did completions.

It all seems a bit like false momentum in the light of day. This year it appears obvious we are a very undisciplined and poorly coached team (please, I do not feel like getting in a pissing contest about the coaching staff and am not advocating for a coaching change). I do think ND is better than last year, but they are still nowhere near ready for prime time.

 

[DANsanity15]

Brady Quinn is one of the best Notre Dame qbs to ever breathe. We can't compare him and Rees at all right now although I don't think Rees will
Be better. Just my opinion