Texas A&M Postgame

[Dale]

Example as alluded to in other thread why Faison doesn’t leave the field.

 

[T-Boone]

Example as alluded to in other thread why Faison doesn’t leave the field.

I like his analysis. Is it only available on social media?

 

[Islandboi]

 

[SDIrishFan]

I feel like Marcus captured lightning in a bottle last year. Everything had to align perfectly. Carson Beck got hurt and missed the playoff game forcing a brand new QB into action. Penn State went full Penn State and snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. The Natty game against the Powerhouse Buckeyes showe how far away Freeman really is to winning the whole thing.

For all intents and purposes, that's what it takes. There is a luck element to this sport, for all teams. OSU was incredibly healthy come the national championship game. They weren't missing half a dozen starters like ND was. Seems pretty lucky to me. Before last year, OSU would have been left out of the 4 team playoff with a late season loss to Meatchicken. That's lucky too.

I'm willing to bet just about every NC team has had lady luck on their side the year they won it. 2001 Ed Reed stripping the ball from his own teammate to score a touchdown to avoid losing to Boston College. 2012, ND (I know we didn't win) with 2 players on the field with the same jersey number against Pitt for their missed field goal that wasn't called. The Bush Push or 4 and 9? Alabama almost lost to Tennessee in 2009 but blocked a game winning field goal. Michigan, you know, knowing the other teams plays for multiple years.

That said, last year felt way less smoke and mirrors to me than a lot of seasons, at least for ND. They smoked many teams, beat three top 10 teams to close out the year and 4 top 25 teams throughout the year. They won 13 straight games. That takes more than luck.

 

[NDPhilly]

Don’t discount last years teams accomplishments - by every advanced ratings system it was the best ND team since Holtz and we ended #2 or #3 in Sargarin, SP+, and others despite all our injuries.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

I try to find the opposite to whatever narrative is out there. Not sure I can for the PU game but keep this in mind: Carr is a RS freshman rookie starter. He’s probably going to have a game where he just shits the bed. Maybe he throws 3 picks. Maybe he throws a pick six at the worst possible moment. The list goes on.

So while we are all rightfully concerned w/ the porous defense, remember the offense is still led by a RS freshman QB whom we assumed would be the weak link to this year’s team due to lack of experience.

 

[IrishTusker]

I feel like Marcus captured lightning in a bottle last year. Everything had to align perfectly. Carson Beck got hurt and missed the playoff game forcing a brand new QB into action. Penn State went full Penn State and snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. The Natty game against the Powerhouse Buckeyes showe how far away Freeman really is to winning the whole thing.

Losing a bunch of key starters isn't "everything aligning perfectly." Every program that was won a title recently has also lost in the championship game, or in the playoff, or in a conference championship, etc. It's just part of building a championship program.

 

[Free Manera]

Losing a bunch of key starters isn't "everything aligning perfectly." Every program that was won a title recently has also lost in the championship game, or in the playoff, or in a conference championship, etc. It's just part of building a championship program.

Yeah when I think lightning in a bottle I’m thinking everything coming together perfectly at the perfect time. Last year was kind of the opposite of that. The 4 best D line players were hurt. Love hobbled into the playoffs.

 

[IrishLax]

I feel like Marcus captured lightning in a bottle last year. Everything had to align perfectly. Carson Beck got hurt and missed the playoff game forcing a brand new QB into action. Penn State went full Penn State and snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. The Natty game against the Powerhouse Buckeyes showe how far away Freeman really is to winning the whole thing.

The "brand new QB" drastically outplayed Beck in the SEC Championship game and they told Beck to leave after the season. ND then played Ohio State closer than anyone in the playoffs (arguably Texas was a closer game for them for stretches but didn't end that way).

 

[Bane]

Yeah, I don't like this retconning I see go on here and ND social media comments where last year's team was just lucky and actually all of the returning defensive players secretly suck and Mickens is actually a bad coach, etc.

That team last year was absolutely legit and the best ND team in a long, long time. Don't take away what they accomplished because you're upset about what has happened this year. I'm Chris Ash's biggest hater, but I'll never slander 2024 ND. That was my favorite team we've had yet since I've become a fan.

 

[Katzenboyer]

Don’t discount last years teams accomplishments - by every advanced ratings system it was the best ND team since Holtz and we ended #2 or #3 in Sargarin, SP+, and others despite all our injuries.

Just as a follow-up, Sagarin has us as the #5 team in the nation right now, despite the two losses.

Not to say it's acceptable to be 0-2, just that the pearl clutchers in these parts may need to calm down a bit.

 

[KMac151993]

We will know whether it was just a tough start or the wheels coming off come Saturday night.

 

[NDPhilly]

Just as a follow-up, Sagarin has us as the #5 team in the nation right now, despite the two losses.

Not to say it's acceptable to be 0-2, just that the pearl clutchers in these parts may need to calm down a bit.

To that point, essentially all of the most predictive ratings system think we are still a top 10 power-rated team. Hopefully water finds its level 🤷‍♂️. We’ve been incredible against the spread the previous 2 years so we were somewhat due for a correction.

Dokter Entropy: #10
Sargarin: #5
Slate Fluker: #9
Massey: #6
TeamRankings.com: #10

Shockingly, the tightest spread remaining for us might actually end up being at Arkansas, where it looks like we’d be -4 to -6 right now.

 

[IrishTusker]

Just as a follow-up, Sagarin has us as the #5 team in the nation right now, despite the two losses.

Not to say it's acceptable to be 0-2, just that the pearl clutchers in these parts may need to calm down a bit.

The reason people are freaking out is that it's a legitimate question whether we make the playoff even if we win out. To say that in the middle of September is appalling.

 

[WildMan1]

If we win out we make the playoffs.. I have little doubt of that.

My concern is defensively there’s no pass rush & we just look.. for lack of a better term.. slower.

In overall speed & in the way we play the game.

Did putting 20lbs on Bryant really ruin this kid?? He looks absolutely awful.. No ability to shed the block.. no speed off the edge.. No bull rush.. I mean wtf happened?

Young & Burnham were ranked #6 at their positions coming out of HS & are completely ineffective.. when does Washington feel the heat for this?

I feel like Sneed & Ausberry flew all over the field last year.. Where are they?

We have Hobbs two steps behind in man just getting brutalized every snap.. I don’t know.

This defense is painful to watch though & if it isn’t drastically different next week there’s no way we win out.

 

[T-Boone]

If we win out we make the playoffs.. I have little doubt of that.

My concern is defensively there’s no pass rush & we just look.. for lack of a better term.. slower.

In overall speed & in the way we play the game.

Did putting 20lbs on Bryant really ruin this kid?? He looks absolutely awful.. No ability to shed the block.. no speed off the edge.. No bull rush.. I mean wtf happened?

Young & Burnham were ranked #6 at their positions coming out of HS & are completely ineffective.. when does Washington feel the heat for this?

I feel like Sneed & Ausberry flew all over the field last year.. Where are they?

We have Hobbs two steps behind in man just getting brutalized every snap.. I don’t know.

This defense is painful to watch though & if it isn’t drastically different next week there’s no way we win out.

Who is Bryant?

 

[SeekNDestroy]

Who is Bryant?

Junior Bryant

 

[Katzenboyer]

The reason people are freaking out is that it's a legitimate question whether we make the playoff even if we win out. To say that in the middle of September is appalling.

Again, my comment wasn't directed at people being upset about 0-2. It's those claiming that Freeman's job might be in jeopardy, or that last year was simply a fluke. Those comments are gross overstatements that minimize the achievements of last year's team, and an overly emotional reaction to two disappointing results.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Again, my comment wasn't directed at people being upset about 0-2. It's those claiming that Freeman's job might be in jeopardy, or that last year was simply a fluke. Those comments are gross overstatements of the achievements of last year's team, and an overly emotional reaction to two disappointing results.

Exactly. People have lost their ever-loving minds.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

Just as a follow-up, Sagarin has us as the #5 team in the nation right now, despite the two losses.

Not to say it's acceptable to be 0-2, just that the pearl clutchers in these parts may need to calm down a bit.

That’s hopeful no doubt. I think one of the issues is that so many undefeated teams haven’t played a team good enough to get a legit read on how good they are. It always works itself out so hopefully ND gets their shit together beginning this week.

 

[PutuporShutup]

Again, my comment wasn't directed at people being upset about 0-2. It's those claiming that Freeman's job might be in jeopardy, or that last year was simply a fluke. Those comments are gross overstatements that minimize the achievements of last year's team, and an overly emotional reaction to two disappointing results.

If we win out and go 10-2 then yes, last year wouldn't be a fluke. If we lose again in the regular season that will make it 3 out of 4 seasons under freeman with 3+ regular season losses. That's terrible with these rosters. As we know he took over a program that was not losing 3 regular season games a year.

It's shaping up to be the 3rd out of 4 seasons where we are worse than pre season rankings and fall far short of our internal/external expectations. No one expects championships every year but we've had better rosters than our records (other than last year).

I thought Freeman took a major step forward last year, and really thought we could have a better team this year than last year due to better WR play, better OL play, and much more depth at DL. We'll see if he can get this team locked in, playing aggressive and violent as they preach, or if this is just an overrated trash talking team that we've seen their first two games.

 

[Free Manera]

There are so many moving parts with this stuff. ND has played the toughest schedule in the country so far, no doubt. Miami and TAMU are well-rounded teams with some elite position groups (receiver, O line, D line) and not many holes in their rosters. It was a bad idea to open the year playing those two games, and I don't know how Swarbrick thought it was acceptable.

So the numbers are definitely going to be skewed against ND with that level of competition.

However, the defense has sucked any way you want to look at it. Coverage, pressure, havoc, explosives, eye test, etc. There isn't really a redeeming quality right now outside of Moore being as excellent as we thought he would be.

The statements coming from Freeman are about as critical as you get without throwing the coach under the bus. When the coverage call is good, the line call doesn't mesh. When the line call is good, the coverage doesn't mesh. The players are being asked to do things they can't do. That is coaching, not necessarily playcalls, but definitely coaching.

If you read Jamie U's stuff, the line scheme is super vanilla right now and is giving the offense nothing to worry about. They aren't winning 1v1, they aren't stunting, they aren't stemming, they are just lining up and losing. Then when they do force the ball out, the coverage scheme isn't set up for success because you have guys like Gray being asked to do things he isn't capable of.

I do agree that if ND opened with Akron and EMU the stats would be way better. But that is just because ND is so talented they would win every 1v1 battle all over the field. It wouldn't mean they were well-coached. And the exposure would come eventually.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

We only lost by 1 point but I agree w/ those who said they’d feel better about that if it ended 21-20. Still a heartbreaker but much more hopeful going into the rest of the schedule knowing offense will get better while defense can be competitive.

 

[SportsingHard]

Junior Bryant

 

[T-Boone]

I don’t know who Bryant is so I’ll assume he meant Brennan Vernon. I am hoping he develops this week.

 

[WildMan1]

Who is Bryant?

Lmao Bryce auto correct to Bryant oopsy

 

[Notre Dame Joe]

For all intents and purposes, that's what it takes. There is a luck element to this sport, for all teams. OSU was incredibly healthy come the national championship game. They weren't missing half a dozen starters like ND was. Seems pretty lucky to me. Before last year, OSU would have been left out of the 4 team playoff with a late season loss to Meatchicken. That's lucky too.

I'm willing to bet just about every NC team has had lady luck on their side the year they won it. 2001 Ed Reed stripping the ball from his own teammate to score a touchdown to avoid losing to Boston College.

Miami was winning and the strip was selfish showboating. The luck was BC threw a bad pass and got a ricochet interception.

 

[Dale]

A&Ms schedule setting up to a pretty luckbox run:

G5
G5
@ ND w/ Moore injury, Stroman, Hobbs, Shuler targeting
Auburn - unable to pass
Miss State
Florida - Napier fired
@ Arkansas - Pittman fired
@ LSU - OL can’t block now down LT, Nussmeier hurt
@ Missouri - actually decent test
South Carolina
FCS
@ Texas - awful OL and Arch underperformance

Basically besides Missouri it might end up fair to say they got on the easier end scenario out of every matchup. No Bama, Vandy, Georgia, or Ole Miss.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

A&Ms schedule setting up to a pretty luckbox run:

G5
G5
@ ND w/ Moore injury, Stroman, Hobbs, Shuler targeting
Auburn - unable to pass
Miss State
Florida - Napier fired
@ Arkansas - Pittman fired
@ LSU - OL can’t block now down LT, Nussmeier hurt
@ Missouri - actually decent test
South Carolina
FCS
@ Texas - awful OL and Arch underperformance

Basically besides Missouri it might end up fair to say they got on the easier end scenario out of every matchup. No Bama, Vandy, Georgia, or Ole Miss.

On paper maybe. I agree w/ TTown Tommy….I like LSU w/ the upset. Can’t imagine them going undefeated. Only had to pay a small fine for faking an injury last week. What’s the point if a school only has to pay $5K?

 

[FireJeffQuinn]

Our quality loss is starting to lose its shine.