This scares me....

[NDgettysburg]

The touchdown somewhat buoyed the Irish spirits, but not much. They had gained only 134 yards of total offense in the first half, and they filed into the locker room not feeling very good about themselves.

"I said, 'Hey, fellas, it's 10-7. You're not down three scores,'" Weis said. "People were acting like you were down 50 points. It's a three-point game."

While the coach seemed to understand the circumstances at half-time, it seems to indicate the players were way down....almost as if they had bought into the hype that they were going to walk all over GT. Don't like that at all.....don't like the thought that these guys are quick to be so overconfident.

 

[nshope]

I don't have a problem with the team being confident that they're going to win...they should EXPECT to win. The problem I have based on this post is that the team started dragging after a little friction. They should've gone into the lockers pumped that they just scored and opened the "momentum" door.

Listen up fellas!! We're going to be in quite a few tight scraps this year and the only way good teams get through those....STAY CONFIDENT. Expect to do your best and keep fighting. Don't ever get down when the game is going on. It isn't over til the scoreboard shows no time on the clock.

Plus, the MOST important thing is a win. Never lose sight of winning the game. Anyone that goes on and on about stats without bringing up the WIN is just wasting energy and words. Stats mean nothing if you don't win the game. Heck, we aren't playing Fantasy College Football, are we?

 

[Irish Envy]

While the coach seemed to understand the circumstances at half-time, it seems to indicate the players were way down....almost as if they had bought into the hype that they were going to walk all over GT. Don't like that at all.....don't like the thought that these guys are quick to be so overconfident.

They needed this game. They needed to be punched in the mouth now, so they don't get suckerpunched later. They now should understand that nobody is going to come in and lay down just because we're Notre Dame.

This game was beneficial on so many levels it ain't funny.

 

[Vince Young]

That was a good read by Coach, though. A lot of head coaches would've gone into the locker room and ripped 'em all new ones after playing 2 quarters like that. Instead, Charlie realized that they already KNEW they weren't playing their best and gave them the sort of reality check they REALLY needed: the boost of confidence that should've come from that touchdown.

I also take this as a good sign for the players. They don't need Coach to tell them when they're not playing well. They can figure that out themselves. That's the sort of team that will listen to what their coach has to say to them at halftime, and it means that Charlie can spend less time telling them what they did wrong and more time telling them how to do it right.

 

[marv81s]

I think its great, it tells me that the team expects a ton out of themselves and they were disappointed in themselves and it was great that Weis didn't rip them a new one, just told them that they needed to calm down and relax. Agree with you Svobodo, this was a great game for them on a ton of levels. Need to learn to win the slugouts too, with a defense like GT's, how can anyone be disappointed with a win like this? The only thing that pissed me off was the terrible field goal kicking.

 

[rontdtarchala]

I agree with what CW did and that shows the caliber of coach we have...he has a lot of coaching to do this week....

 

[NDgettysburg]

I agree with what CW did and that shows the caliber of coach we have...he has a lot of coaching to do this week....

He reacted perfectly...no argument there. I don't know how to take the player's though. Some one said it showed they were disappointed in how they played the first half. I don't see that at all. The article didn't make it sound like they were pissed, it sounded like they were dejected and that's not a good sign. Anger, I'd be happy with...that shows fire, down in the dumps on the other hand sounds like a mental issue and that ain't good. But, they did come out and play a much better 2nd half so maybe its much ado bout nothin'...eh?

 

[BGIF]

... I don't know how to take the player's though. Some one said it showed they were disappointed in how they played the first half. I don't see that at all. The article didn't make it sound like they were pissed, it sounded like they were dejected and that's not a good sign.

They should have been disappointed in how they played the first 25 minutes. Calvin Johnson looked unstoppable and we looked like mere mortals, not like a National Contender. Quinn started out 7/16 43% Not Heisman numbers. Not even Quinn Willingham numbers. Penalties, Penalties, Penalties. (Some controversial but not all). The OLine struggled with the stunts and blitzes. A 5th veteran like Levoir would have helped but hey we started a true freshman, they took him to school and he learned.

For 25 minutes it was GT's game. ND averaged 38 ppg last year or 19 per half and had only scored 7. ND averaged 477 yds/game or 238 per half and only had 134. Yeah that's disappointing. Dejection is reasonable.

The TD play was a gutsy call by CW but it was the unHeismanlooking, unmobile, "rattled" Quinn the made the read, made the correct decision, and executed the TD flawlessly, first drawing the defense into a pass mind set with the dropback and then outlegging the defenders to the goalline. Aside from that late drive there was little to foster confidence in the players walking into a halftime lockerroom.

... Anger, I'd be happy with...that shows fire, down in the dumps on the other hand sounds like a mental issue and that ain't good.

I don't want an angry football player on the field. "Controlled fury" is desireable in DLs but I want the rest with clarity in their heads. I want the Bjorn Borg/Dennis Gervin attitude, "The Iceman". Cool, Calm, Focused! Playing to maximum potential unhindered by emotion.

But, they did come out and play a much better 2nd half so maybe its much ado bout nothin'...eh?[/quote]

It is much ado about nothing. But check out what happened after the "dejection".

After opening 7/16 with the game on the line Quinn completed 16/22 or 73% to finish the game. He made good decisions.

Our "only" RB, The Bellcow, was left lying on the field injured. The Offense didn't collapse. He came back and excelled. A TD was called back. Another penalty. And the offense bounced back with another scoring play.

ND only had 134 yds of Offense in the 1st half. Flat, struggling, misconnecting. They had 266 yds in the 2nd half versus EXCEEDING the 238 yds/half averaged last season! For the game ND was only 77 yds short of hitting the Total Offense Average

NO TURNOVERS!

Punts were long and deep.

Kick coverage was good.

Kick protection was good.

Missed two FGs. Snaps were good. Holds were good. Neither kick was a chip shot but both were high and deep. No line drives into Jansen's butt. No defender's hand got anywhere near the ball. Both kicks were hooked slightly. That's a correctable flaw.

The Defense adjusted in the 2nd half and just about shutdown the #1 WR in the Nation. I've read complaints we gave up too many yards to Ball running up the middle. Could that have also been part of the adjustment? Put Johnson in a crowd and give Ball a window to run. The only way GT won was with a hugh day by Johnson. As long as Ball was running and not throwing, Johnson essentially wasn't even on the field. And Ball's runs didn't hurt.

I saw the line on this game at 3.5 - 4 points. We won by 4, on the road. Look like the bookies called it right.

ND met adversity in Atlanta in a great WR, questionable officials, and a stunting blitzing defense. ND's secondary was beaten on a couple of plays but they were beaten! The GT game was picked by some as The Trap Game. ND Won!

Alabama and OSU each won National Championships in the past dozen years or so playing an entire season of games with outcomes like 14-10. And neither of their offenses looked as good as ND's in the second half.

Bring on JoePA!