Rice Postgame

Irish4life

Well-known member
Messages
2,897
Reaction score
3,684
Was very impressed with Grubbs, liked what I saw out of the young receivers, feels like we need to get Burress/Bettis more involved on O. Don't want to overreact but Walton reminds me a little bit of Price. Was very nice to see them actively get Greathouse involved in the pass game early, hopefully he and Carr can spring off of that and build some more chemistry.
 

OKCDomer23

Well-known member
Messages
756
Reaction score
642
The only thing I'll say in Williams' defense is that he did just have 20 rush game against Wisconsin 6 days ago. It would not shock me if he was feeling some wear and tear.
In week 2? That isn't the issue. He just doesn't have juice and sometimes isn't patient for his blocks. Love the kid and know he's tough and a leader, but I gotta call 'em like I see 'em. I want to roll with James/Walton and Young more. Aneyas is perfect for 3rd and short and for when defenses are tired to truck them but feel others should get more carries.
 

Bane

Well-known member
Messages
2,465
Reaction score
5,095
I'm not ready to make any definitive assertions about who is RB1, but I will say Williams does seem a step slower than I remember him being. He was never Love or Price in terms of explosive, top end speed, but he looks pretty slow out there now. I'm willing to say RB1 is an evolving position, and someone could still grab it.

I think the WR room will emerge nicely and by season's end we'll like what we got.

I think our defense could legitimately claim to be the best in the country. We have speed and violence at ever level and basically every position. If you go back to halftime of the Purdue game last year, this is probably the best 12 game (well, 11.5) game stretch of defense I have seen in my 20+ years as a fan.
 

INLaw

Hardcore chooch
Messages
4,592
Reaction score
4,157
If you leave out your perception from recruiting times. How could you look at Grubbs today and not think in pay to play times that’s as good as a back up gets? I also see he isn’t thr next Carr. We dont get Carr’s often. Not since Clausen. But he looks at or above the mean for us. Would I rather for this run have upper class man Angeli? Yep. But what Grubbs has shown I won’t right off and breathlessly hope Gerard takes his spot asap
 

INLaw

Hardcore chooch
Messages
4,592
Reaction score
4,157
Graham almost got killed bc he went full at it and competed. He is gonna have some big plays this year. Burress looks like a potential future number one. Faison is an nfl 3 but an nfl player. The rest are solid twos. Best room we have had since before kelly but not for sure a number one. Graham could be at least as a stretch the defense but still forming into the roll
 

Plankton

Well-known member
Messages
949
Reaction score
2,054
The game was over with the coin toss, but the Irish came out loaded for Bear (or Owls), and looked to make a statement. The defense completely shut down the Rice option, and laid the wood early (Shuler again with another kill shot to cause the fumble and first TD). CJ Carr was nearly perfect today. It was nice to see some of the young receivers get some burn, and have some production - Bettis, Burress and Saldate all made some plays in the second half. The running game continues to slog along - I think they need to attack the perimeter a little bit more than they have thus far, but it's a small critique considering the back to back ass kickings.

Michigan State is next on the take no prisoners tour. Will be nice to see Fitzgerald and the Big 10 eat a beating next week.
 

T-Boone

Well-known member
Messages
8,655
Reaction score
5,009
There is no doubt the D is going to keep us in the big games.
CJ is great. Hopefully the OL gets more dominant - like Jagusah would provide.
I liked Burress. It is hard to know how the WRs and RBs will go against the good defences. We would have a heap of sneaky plays up the sleeve.
 

ulukinatme

Carr for QB 2026!
Messages
32,193
Reaction score
18,636
I didn't get to watch much of today's game, but there's a reason Williams is the 1A guy, and people fall into this trap all the time. Your most explosive runner isn't necessarily your starter, look at Love's first year. James has been good in the receiving game. Walton looked great in mop up duty. Until someone shows they're a more complete back, Williams will be your starter. At least against Wisconsin 1st half our OL wasn't opening the holes, so that's going to be a problem for your starting back too.
 

Dale

Well-known member
Messages
18,618
Reaction score
32,606
Through 2 games:

Williams: 0.82 Yards Before Contact per Rush
James: 1.08 Yards Before Contact per Rush

Last year:

Love: 2.40 Yards Before Contact per Rush
Price: 2.08 Yards Before Contact per Rush

YBC is often presented as an OL stat. I think it’s as much a RB stat especially when you have two backs with relatively the same usage. Theoretically one back is not getting a different OL (over a larger sample size to be fair) than the other. It therefore can be used to reflect the vision of the RB.
 

INLaw

Hardcore chooch
Messages
4,592
Reaction score
4,157
Better effort today yes. From greathouse especially, yes and this is meaningful. But apples and oranges to size and speed pf outside athletes from a bottom feeder group of five team compared to Wisconsin who had a top 30 defense last year
 

arrowryan

Well-known member
Messages
15,444
Reaction score
10,513
It was nice to see Greathouse get more involved and Gilbert catch a touchdown. Keep working on the running game. Very solid performance overall.

On Shuler’s forced fumble, why is that head coach immediately asking for a targeting call? He’s a massive bitch for that. Freeman should’ve dropped 100.

I’d like to see Burress get more time with the 1’s. He showed a bunch of wiggle and YAC ability.
 

NDFAN2008

Well-known member
Messages
7,812
Reaction score
6,008
If we are gonna want to be a 50/50 team running and throwing then we need Walton to be RB1. There just isnt any juice with Williams. Also it was nice to see Greathouse have a solid day and the young WR’s get touches.
 

Irish#1

Livin' Your Dream!
Staff member
Messages
45,783
Reaction score
21,759
The backups across the board look legit. I get it was Rice, but typically when the second and third stringers get in, the opposing team moves the ball. Not this time.

Shutout giving up 128 total yards.

The young receivers are going to do some damage when it’s their turn.

O-line needs some work.

Williams doesn’t look quite the same. Is he heavier this year?
 
Last edited:
Top