Sept 24 | North Carolina

[Sea Turtle]

I'm worried about this game. This is like the 15-30 point in tennis.

Either we'll be 2-2 or 1-3. Big difference.

 

[ThePiombino]

I'm worried about this game. This is like the 15-30 point in tennis.

Either we'll be 2-2 or 1-3. Big difference.

Insightful

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

 

[Jimmy3Putt]

Get Pyne a Xanax before kickoff this week.

Agreed.
Dude needs to rub one out and pop a pill before the game.

 

[RDU Irish]

First one to 30 wins.

 

[stpeteirish]

UNC has played FAMU, Appalachian, St Georgia St.

So far they have given up 1,405 yards or 468.3 YDS/G
Passing D 826 total yards 275.3 YDS/G
Rushing D 579 total yard 193 YDS/G
Given up 113 points or 37.7 points a game

very relevant numbers. If we can't perform better than Georgia St...gulp

 

[IrishSpartan]

He needs Roxana from blue mountain state… never failed Thad

 

[NDPhilly]

SP+ has us winning 33-27 here. Advanced stats seem to think more of this team then we do.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

Doesn’t UNC have some highly touted prospects on defense that just haven’t lived up to their billing?

 

[GrangerIrish24]

Doesn’t UNC have some highly touted prospects on defense that just haven’t lived up to their billing?

The answer you seek is Mack Brown

 

[Irish#1]

Bauer has barely played the last 2 games. Looks like they've used a 4-2-5 mostly with Liafau, Kiser and Bertrand rotating. UNC is pass heavy so the 4-2-5 will be the thing and not having Bertrand won't hurt us, might even help.
Everybody seems to love Liafau but I sure don't. Goes the wrong way a lot. At least he goes the wrong way faster than Bertrand.

He's been a major disappointment. Seems to me he is either misreading the play or is slow to recognize it. Either way it looks like a mental thing to me.

I do think this game favors the Irish. If the pass rush we saw in the second half shows up Saturday we should be in good shape. The O should be able to move the ball on UNC's defense.

 

[Irish#1]

UNC has played FAMU, Appalachian, St Georgia St.

So far they have given up 1,405 yards or 468.3 YDS/G
Passing D 826 total yards 275.3 YDS/G
Rushing D 579 total yard 193 YDS/G
Given up 113 points or 37.7 points a game

No team should be forced to open the season against a schedule like that. That's Murderers Row right there.

 

[IrishLion]

The answer you seek is Mack Brown

Which really is strange, because he always wants his best athletes at safety.

 

[Crazy Balki]

No team should be forced to open the season against a schedule like that. That's Murderers Row right there.

Compared to Michigan's OOC schedule to start the year, that's an apt description.

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

I think this is actually a really good matchup for ND. Their offensive line is about the same level as Cal’s. ND can make UNC one dimensional and the defense can capitalize with some turnovers. I mean they’re bound to happen eventually right?

Offensively, ND should be able to run the ball at will if the second half offensive line comes out. Georgia State and App State ran at will on UNC. UNC had a total of 3 sacks in those games on 63 drop backs.

We’ll see what happens. I saw a better ND team in the second half against Cal. If they can succeed in making UNC one dimensional and really have some success running the ball, I think ND should win. And Pyne won’t have those first start jitters hopefully.

I hope you're right, the big difference is, at least as far as App State goes, is that if you're balanced, you're going to be able to run the ball much more effectively. If Pyne doesn't start fast, UNC will load the box and we've seen that movie too many times this year already.

I don't think our D let's UNC score on us at will. If this becomes a track meet we don't stand a chance. ND must win the war in the trenches on both sides and we need to start much faster offensively. If UNC gets up early, I think we're in trouble.

It's going to be a long, stressful season boys. ND going to be in a lot of low scoring, scrappy games. But this is a quality defense, and I'm very happy to see the secondary playing as well as they have been so far this year. It was nice to see the DL finally join the party on Saturday. Going to need to feast again this weekend.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

He's been a major disappointment. Seems to me he is either misreading the play or is slow to recognize it. Either way it looks like a mental thing to me.

I do think this game favors the Irish. If the pass rush we saw in the second half shows up Saturday we should be in good shape. The O should be able to move the ball on UNC's defense.

I heard one pod explain their frustration w/ him is he goes 100 mph but is too undisciplined to avoid just running into a pile for the sake of hitting someone. He’s like a dog that falls for the fake pump throw of the tennis ball EVERY single time.

 

[GrangerIrish24]

Which really is strange, because he always wants his best athletes at safety.

I will continue my stance that he should have to give Vince Young 25% of every contract he receives.

 

[dublinirish]

Traits

 

[dublinirish]

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Agreed.
Dude needs to rub one out and pop a pill before the game.

In that order?

 

[irishff1014]

Traits

Basically said the same thing about the young linebackers. He said if you are making mistakes in practice you are make the mistakes in the game.

I just don’t understand why we seem to be so slow developing players?

 

[Dale]

I just don’t understand why we seem to be so slow developing players?

“We” being ND versus the rest of the country is not. ND, previously just BK, doesn’t play freshman is a very long running misconception of a ND-centric issue. Just like off season injuries. Happens around the country.

We started a freshman CB for really no injury or poor performance reason on Saturday.

 

[Irish#1]

Basically said the same thing about the young linebackers. He said if you are making mistakes in practice you are make the mistakes in the game.

I just don’t understand why we seem to be so slow developing players?

Not sure that it's "slow to develop players" as much as the complexity and speed at the college level is a big step up for freshmen and some sophomores. They're more prone to mistakes and we know how everyone loses their cool when someone blows an assignment. Part of Kelly's success was to let the other team make the mistakes. Play within yourself, minimize mistakes and penalties.

 

[ulukinatme]

It's not so much being slow in developing players. Underclassmen struggle with execution and mental parts of the game, it's just a fact. It's one of the reasons the offense has struggled this year while the defense has improved (Although LBs have struggled a bit). The defense is comprised of all upperclassmen that know their job pretty well. Offense is half made up of younger guys.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

It's not so much being slow in developing players. Underclassmen struggle with execution and mental parts of the game, it's just a fact. It's one of the reasons the offense has struggled this year while the defense has improved (Although LBs have struggled a bit). The defense is comprised of all upperclassmen that know their job pretty well. Offense is half made up of younger guys.

I'll refute.
A lion's share of the mistake have come from veterans (or at least experienced players). It seems that the seniority gives them the benefit of the doubt, while the rookies are on thin ice. An environment like this causes the rookies to be extra tight and wound up. While it causes the vets to feel comfortable while the coaches have their back.

 

[Dale]

I'll refute.
A lion's share of the mistake have come from veterans (or at least experienced players). It seems that the seniority gives them the benefit of the doubt, while the rookies are on thin ice. An environment like this causes the rookies to be extra tight and wound up. While it causes the vets to feel comfortable while the coaches have their back.

This is most every team, heck most careers out there.

 

[BilboBaggins]

I'll refute.
A lion's share of the mistake have come from veterans (or at least experienced players). It seems that the seniority gives them the benefit of the doubt, while the rookies are on thin ice. An environment like this causes the rookies to be extra tight and wound up. While it causes the vets to feel comfortable while the coaches have their back.

We have no idea what percentage of the system these true freshman know. This is an area the coaches have every advantage over us in judgment. The quote from Freeman said to me that the coaches need to emphasize getting him onboarded faster, and that Merriweather needs to step up faster than a usual freshman. That's how I perceived it anyway.

It's typical for standout freshman to get more and more reps as their freshman season moves along, that could very well be the case here.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

I'm playing devil's advocate.
But there is truth in what I said.
I agree that it is a balance that only coaches would know.
And not even they will get it right every time (or very often).

 

[NDdomer2]

people who have put in the time and proven themselves more often than not (veterans) will and should get some additional leeway. that is just life.

 

[ulukinatme]

I'll refute.
A lion's share of the mistake have come from veterans (or at least experienced players). It seems that the seniority gives them the benefit of the doubt, while the rookies are on thin ice. An environment like this causes the rookies to be extra tight and wound up. While it causes the vets to feel comfortable while the coaches have their back.

I can agree to that, the upperclassmen on offense have made a number of mistakes. This especially is true for the interior OL and Lenzy. That said, the last play Merriweather was on the field he blew his assignment and Drew ended up taking a nasty shot from two defenders. We're already down our starter, things could get hairy if we're playing an entire season with a freshman QB with no one really behind him. I hope for all our sakes that Merriweather can find the field more often sooner rather than later, we need playmakers at WR.

 

[stpeteirish]

Reading between the lines of Freeman's presser comments regarding Tobias I get "he's too good to sit and will stay on the field as soon as he stops making mental errors."