Here are my thoughts;
- It's clear from D play and from comments we're hearing from insiders and players that something for the D is not clicking, they're not playing inspired and confident, and they're playing a lot of the game like a deer in the headlights
- We saw a majority of these D players playing with confidence by the end of the year last year, and hope this team can do the same because we all know they're better than they're playing right now, and they do look good on a lot of plays; but unfortunately, they get shredded on a lot of plays as well
- We all know there's no way in hell that Freeman is gonna fire anyone, even when he Porked out, he comes up with a plan to gracefully exit the bad coach that allows all to save face
- To the many here tonight who have made innuendo's about play calling (or maybe some of it) going to other coaches, not sure how they would do that - if they really had to - but the good news is they have a good D coach in Mickens and a good former top DC in Freeman that could collaborate if needed with no need to bring someone new in mid season; then MF could have option to gracefully exit Ash out of the program after the season ends
- It does seem to be a Freeman weakness - depending too much on hiring coaches via his inner circle, including Jim Tressel (didn't Tressel highly recommend MF hire Ash as new DC?); a few important areas where there are issues that are related to coaching hires that were a result of people being referred to him via his inner circle are, specifically, Mike Brown and Chris Ash, but the most important coach with issues right now is Ash
- They need to figure this out before the AR game so at least we have a few weeks again, but we can't shit the bed too much for the Purdue game, but can use it to try some new things on D; and get them refined before the AR game which could be a similar slugfest back and forth like tonight's game
- There is time to get better each game and work towards going 10-2, one game at a time, like RL got better game by game, with MF never wavering with his confidence in RL and look what the end product was by end of the season; that said, with Ash, we have no clue how Ash is doing (vs. we could watch RL play weekly) and if he's truly on a plan for implementing a D style that works and where the team gets better each week; is he just smooth talking MF and will simply continue to stink each week from here on in
- All I know is that now there is no margin for error and that MF can't let the team keep playing these close games where they are that close as a result of the D; the D has to get a lot better if we want to end up 10-2 and peaking going into the CFP (assuming we're fortunate to get in due to ND brand and end of season momentum)
- It absolutely possible, but there has to be a plan for change and improvement for the D; last year the patience for RL was a solid plan because the MF and the team could count on the D; but the D playing crappy this season is likely too much for a good Carr and O to overcome if the opposing teams are as good as Miami and TAMU
- But again, if ND could somehow turn this around and get better each week and win out where it's clobbering teams like USC, BC, Pitt and Syracuse by the end of the season, we have a good chance to get into the CFP with solid momentum. Maybe MF knows what he's doing and he will surprise us again this year... We'll see
