Post Game Thoughts - Michigan State

dwshade

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I thought the offense played quite well. We had 8 "real" drives in the game (we sat on the ball at the end of the half and just ran it out the last possession of the game), In those 8 drives, we scored 4 TDs and 1 FG, and punted 3 times (31 points on 8 drives is good). Even on the drives we punted, we ran 6, 6, and 7 plays. So no 3 and outs. Averaged 4.6 ypc and 8.6 ypp which were both pretty good. Still room to improve for sure, but happy with the results.

Nice breakdown.
 

Legacy

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Stat comparison of 2016 season to 2017 so far

Stat comparison of 2016 season to 2017 so far

Of significance,

Scoring (2016) - ND, 30.9; Opponents, 27.8 (Difference 3.1)
(2017)--- ND, 38.8; Opponents, 18.5 (Difference 20.3)

Rushing: Yards / Attempt (2016) - ND, 4.47; Opponents, 4.14 (Difference 0.33)
(2017) - 6.83; Opponents, 3.88 (Difference 2.95)

Long Rushing Plays - (12 games) - >10 yds - 55; >20 yds -16; >30 yds - 8; >40 yds - 7; >50 yds - 4; >60 yds - 2
(2017, 4 games) - 4th nationally - >10 yds - 33; >20 yds - 14; >30 yds - 12; >40 yds - 7; >50 yds - 5; >60 yds - 5

Passing: Rating (2016) - 142.1; Opponents, 134.56
(2017) - ND, 105.63 (Difference -37.47); Opponents, 117.45 (Difference -27.11)

Total Offense: Yards / Play (2016) - ND, 6.07; Opponents, 5.4 (Difference 0.67)
(2017) - ND, 6.36; Opponents, 4.94 (Difference 1.42)

3rd Down Conversions: Conversion % (2016) - ND, 40.48%; Opponents, 38.95% (Difference 1.53%)
(2017) - ND, 41.94%; Opponents, 34.29% (Difference 7.65%)

Red Zone success noted above.
 
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NDPhilly

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Someone give Nick Watkins some love. Have barely heard his name all season.
 
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koonja

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Someone give Nick Watkins some love. Have barely heard his name all season.

I actually called him out and want him to step up. Love, Watkins, and Jalen Elliot are playing with a noticeably higher level of aggression and urgency. Watkins is playing fine, but he looks like he's sleepwalking out there compared to the others. Get hype or let Troy Pride/Dante Vaughn have a shot.
 

dwshade

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I actually called him out and want him to step up. Love, Watkins, and Jalen Elliot are playing with a noticeably higher level of aggression and urgency. Watkins is playing fine, but he looks like he's sleepwalking out there compared to the others. Get hype or let Troy Pride/Dante Vaughn have a shot.

Huh? Watkins is playing very well and Studstill is playing more and better than Elliot.
 

IrishLax

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I actually called him out and want him to step up. Love, Watkins, and Jalen Elliot are playing with a noticeably higher level of aggression and urgency. Watkins is playing fine, but he looks like he's sleepwalking out there compared to the others. Get hype or let Troy Pride/Dante Vaughn have a shot.

Brush he literally isn't being thrown at because he has his WR on lockdown. They never, ever try him unless it's a slant or some other short timing play because his guy is never open.
 

mango4

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I actually called him out and want him to step up. Love, Watkins, and Jalen Elliot are playing with a noticeably higher level of aggression and urgency. Watkins is playing fine, but he looks like he's sleepwalking out there compared to the others. Get hype or let Troy Pride/Dante Vaughn have a shot.



This is a really bad take.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

NDdomer2

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Huh? Watkins is playing very well and Studstill is playing more and better than Elliot.

I thought Elliott looked better against msu, Studstill the other games. Both look vastly improved.

Watkins has been on lockdown. Well see some emotion from him after some int's, but has rarely been challenged this year so far.
 

wizards8507

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Megaphone is coming home!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoIrish?src=hash">#GoIrish</a> ☘ <a href="https://t.co/DHv0zz2r9l">pic.twitter.com/DHv0zz2r9l</a></p>— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/NDFootball/status/911826078674690049">September 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Is this real life? This makes me way happier than it should.
 

SonofOahu

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VG was doing some ridiculous/hilarious signal that was meant to distract--unless he was just being funny. You'll know as soon as you see it.

I believe the hand signal is for "SKEET! SKEET! SKEET!" which clearly means they were calling for shotgun formation...
 

connor_in

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">If you run this play too often you’ll go blind <a href="https://t.co/uzL8Nc461t">pic.twitter.com/uzL8Nc461t</a></p>— Barstool Sports (@barstooltweetss) <a href="https://twitter.com/barstooltweetss/status/911798689722769408">September 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Seriously!?!?!???? No one posted this yet?
 

Greenore

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Great game. Exceeded my expectations which were already high. Great win for the team and the coaches. Really proud how the boys are playing and improving and there appears to be a real and genuine dynamic throughout the team. Congrats and Cheers Lads and supporters.
 

philipm31

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USC sweated one out against a mediocre Cal squad.

Miami got blasted on defense against Toledo.

Mississippi St destroyed LSU the week prior, so no, Georgia is legitimate. The rest of the SEC East is garbage, so Georgia should coast.

LSU is not good, my friend. UGA will coast because they have literally zero competition in the East and the rest of the SEC, from anyone not named Bama. Bama will DESTROY UGA even worse, maybe not scorewise, than they did UF last season. The SEC is reallllly weak, from top to bottom. UGA is not legit. They beat Bama and they are legit. Nobody else in the SEC is worth noticing as a good team, at all, whatsoever.

Also, UGA is reallly mediocre as a team. There is Alabama...........................................................................Georgia.........................................................................................................................................................................Everyone Else
 
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connor_in

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LSU is not good, my friend. UGA will coast because they have literally zero competition in the East and the rest of the SEC, from anyone not named Bama. Bama will DESTROY UGA even worse, maybe not scorewise, than they did UF last season. The SEC is reallllly weak, from top to bottom. UGA is not legit. They beat Bama and they are legit. Nobody else in the SEC is worth noticing as a good team, at all, whatsoever.

Also, UGA is reallly mediocre as a team. There is Alabama...........................................................................Georgia.........................................................................................................................................................................Everyone Else

So the requirement of being legit is beating Alabama? So there are potentially no legit teams in college football?
 

Jimmy3Putt

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">If you run this play too often you’ll go blind <a href="https://t.co/uzL8Nc461t">pic.twitter.com/uzL8Nc461t</a></p>— Barstool Sports (@barstooltweetss) <a href="https://twitter.com/barstooltweetss/status/911798689722769408">September 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Seriously!?!?!???? No one posted this yet?



He's rolling dice.
 

BGIF

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">If you run this play too often you’ll go blind <a href="https://t.co/uzL8Nc461t">pic.twitter.com/uzL8Nc461t</a></p>— Barstool Sports (@barstooltweetss) <a href="https://twitter.com/barstooltweetss/status/911798689722769408">September 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
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He's rolling dice.



I though MVG was gesticulating Deon McIntosh's 4th quarter roller coaster runs ... shooting craps.

Deon had two consecutive series where he had run for a nice gain and then got tackled for a comparable loss ... like rolling a seven and following with snake eyes ... shooting craps. The time on the clock fits with the series.
 

BleedBlueGold

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Two absolutely dominating performances on the road against Power 5 teams. That is literally the most important factor to me.
 

Irish#1

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Not a lot to offer as most everything has been said. Bottom line:

1. O showed improvement from previous weeks. Check
2. D showed improvement from previous weeks. Check
3. Teams mental makeup to win on the road against B1G team. Check
4. Wimbush improvement from previous weeks. Check
5. Team showed overall improvement from previous weeks. Check


Improvement weeks to week is what a coach looks for. I like.
 

CrystalHead

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Very happy with the game. Wimbush still has work to do to get better but the play calling put him in a position to succeed. Short confidence building passing game. Biggest take away for me was Wimbush proved he is coachable. Also Light is slowly proving to me that he will be a solid coach. I can't remember the last time a CB jumped a route and made them pay.
 

beryirish

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">If you run this play too often you’ll go blind <a href="https://t.co/uzL8Nc461t">pic.twitter.com/uzL8Nc461t</a></p>— Barstool Sports (@barstooltweetss) <a href="https://twitter.com/barstooltweetss/status/911798689722769408">September 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Seriously!?!?!???? No one posted this yet?

I love the end split second --- "Ok Kelly, you're done. Who's next, double time!!!!"
 

FightingIrishLover7

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I actually called him out and want him to step up. Love, Watkins, and Jalen Elliot are playing with a noticeably higher level of aggression and urgency. Watkins is playing fine, but he looks like he's sleepwalking out there compared to the others. Get hype or let Troy Pride/Dante Vaughn have a shot.

This guy is a joke. Has to be a troll.
 

Luckylucci

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Very happy with the game. Wimbush still has work to do to get better but the play calling put him in a position to succeed. Short confidence building passing game. Biggest take away for me was Wimbush proved he is coachable. Also Light is slowly proving to me that he will be a solid coach. I can't remember the last time a CB jumped a route and made them pay.

I think Lyght does a good job with his guys and not to take anything away from him but I think this has a lot to do with Elko, as well. Love said post game that they were practicing jumping routes all week in anticipation of those quick passes to the outside. So Elko must have seen something he thought we could take advantage of and Love made them pay, like you said.
 

NorthDakota

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">If you run this play too often you’ll go blind <a href="https://t.co/uzL8Nc461t">pic.twitter.com/uzL8Nc461t</a></p>— Barstool Sports (@barstooltweetss) <a href="https://twitter.com/barstooltweetss/status/911798689722769408">September 24, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Seriously!?!?!???? No one posted this yet?

My friend andI about died.
 

CrystalHead

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I think Lyght does a good job with his guys and not to take anything away from him but I think this has a lot to do with Elko, as well. Love said post game that they were practicing jumping routes all week in anticipation of those quick passes to the outside. So Elko must have seen something he thought we could take advantage of and Love made them pay, like you said.

Exactly right. Nice to see the cohesiveness of the coaching staff translate into productivity to the team. Would have been nice to see that philosophy in the Texas game last year, since all they did was pick us apart with those quick short passes.
 

NDohio

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I really enjoyed this win. Love it when we absolutely destroy a B1G team.

It is so hard to know how good this ND team is. After losing to GA a lot of people questioned how good GA is. They absolutely took it to MSST this weekend. They look like they may run the table and that defense is legit.

There was a lot of talk about the BC defense last week and a ton of ND fans felt like that BC defense just wasn't very good. Then they held Clemson to 7 points through three quarters.
 

Section20Row27

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The first drive of the game was a statement in of itself: Play calling completely different. Designed to get Wimbush rolling right away. Mich St completely unprepared for what ND was going to do. Was not a good idea to defer possession until the 2nd half....

Julian Love punched them in the mouth. I forgot he was a RB in high school until I saw him return that INT.

Turnovers! And it wasn't us turning it over for a change!

Ist possession of the second half Sparty drove down the field, and our D stopped them from getting into the end zone. We did not let them build momentum. That's a positive sign that this Team has potential to be very good.

I should be used to ND getting the shaft by Ref's, but the no call on targeting Wimbush is just wrong. Player safety has to be more important than your hate for ND.

Dantonio - no respect for him as a coach. I always appreciated the rivalry between us and Sparty, but he's bringing that program down to SCUM level...
 
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