Toyota Gator Bowl Champion Postgame Thread

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Most satisfying win for me as a fan since Clemson. Probably more so considering how the season ended with a loss to SC, the way people crapped on the recruiting class because of who wasn't in it rather than who was and the way people here and otherwise have dogged on this program with consistent regular vigor without really having a clue of what it takes to do what they did having started 0-2. For as much as I just wanted to see some young guys get in and get reps, by mid way through the second quarter, I wanted to win that damn game for so many reasons that I won't waste my time posting it here. Nobody gives a damn anyway.

I'm really ride or die with Marcus Freeman. I'd follow that dude into the fire, into the cold, whatever. I'm just a midwestern middle aged dude so I can't imagine a young person with his whole life in front of him not feeling what this guy brings to the living room when he's recruiting because he fires me up and makes me want to read about this program, consume the content on social media, get on a message board and talk about it again. It's awesome. People choose to be negative and glass half empty about it. I don't understand why when regular shit that's more important is already tough enough, why not have some faith in something that's good and you have no control over anyway?

That was a great win last night. I'm still hungover.

 

[Grahambo]

Since ND won, I am going to post something that drives me crazy;

The 4th and forever, 6 ND players and 1 SC player, & the SC player actually gets his hand on the ball.

If you watch the replay, the ND players are jumping with their hands in the catch position, not the knock down position.
And the players trailing the receiver are all looking at the ball.

A) The ball needs to be batted down, & especially on the sideline where you can bar it out of bounds
B) No ND player should be trying to catch the ball
C) The trailing ND players need to IMMEDIATELY destroy the 1 SC receiver as soon as the ball is initially touched by anyone, since it’s now legal to contact him since the ball has been touched

There is no way the 1 receiver should ever be able to touch the ball, especially off a bounce, against 6 defenders on a long ball.

That’s the third time this year it’s happened. Two at the end of games (Cal & this one), & once at the end of a half.

Freeman & Mickens need to hammer that home.

Saw that too.

Too much ball watching.

 

[Dizzyphil]

Saw that too.

Too much ball watching.

Please keep it clean on the forum......

 

[Irishdrunk]

You kind of have to admire someone who cranks out a post like this just to prove the previous poster correct.

Ty Army - just showing the duplicity of some posters. They want and then come to believe ND is primed for a Natty run soon and are setup for disappointed. I don’t fall for that trap thankfully.

Until our defense is more dominant and our offense is consistent, I can’t view CFP as likely for next year. This is about coaching.

 

[irishff1014]

 

[irishff1014]

 

[Blazers46]

I thought the Defense played very well!!

14 points given up by Buchner
7 given up by the special teams
17 points by their offense.

On Buchners other pick in their own territory the defense forced a 3 and out.

 

[arrowryan]

I think Buchner gave us something to be excited for during the offseason. It was hard to gauge his play in September because the OL/running game was a hot mess and the receivers were basically worthless. He looked pretty darn good with a group of receivers that improved over the season and a OL that geld.

If Hartman is coming to South Bend, I hope Rees can find a role for TB.

 

[ACamp1900]

Nice to see the comeback after that awful, awful Pass play call for the pic 6.

I think we should win 9 games next year if everything goes well.

This is coming from the insufferable pessimistic prick ACamp,…. If everything goes well next year we win the natty.

 

[Sea Turtle]

Ty Army - just showing the duplicity of some posters. They want and then come to believe ND is primed for a Natty run soon and are setup for disappointed. I don’t fall for that trap thankfully.

Until our defense is more dominant and our offense is consistent, I can’t view CFP as likely for next year. This is about coaching.

I don't think we are in the CFP either. I do think we'll be better, though. But I think we have Ohio State, Clemson, USC and Florida State next year? That's gonna be 10-2.

 

[Irishdrunk]

I don't see FSU on the calendar for 2023. 10-2 would be a NY6 Bowl most likely then. That would be a better than I think outcome which would be great. Then year 3 would be the year for Marcus to put aside any doubters (like me).

 

[CANONIZEFATHERSORIN]

I’d be delighted with 10-2

 

[Dizzyphil]

I’d be delighted with 10-2

With the gents that are coming back and the recruits coming in... 10-2/11-1 is not out of the realm

 

[Grahambo]

Hartman at QB…12-0

 

[BeatSC]

Some thoughts on the game:

Lenzy goes out as a team player with great game.
Buchner is tough as nails and needs to run even more. He could come into his own.

Tommy Rees can lose us some games trying to treat this offense like his personal playground. He has a wealth of riches and just botches it. Another OC would love to have this roster to work with. That goal line call is inexcusable imo.

Young DBs are good. Older ones are not.

Two personal foul penalties on Jaylon?

Why do we hand the ball of between the tackles to Tyree ever?! Needs to be alot next year. Remove him from kick returns as well.

Nice to see the ball spread around. Buchner also made several throws Pyne can’t.

Estime needs the ball more and we need to run more and then some more! Tommy does not have enough commitment to the run.

Having Mayer was great but our offense should be better overall without him.

Gonna need someone to really emerge on the D front seven next year. Gabe looks like a big dude.

Can’t keep typing. Ohio State has decided to fold late.

 

[ACamp1900]

Hartman at QB…12-0

Fucking this!!!

 

[GoIrish41]

Gonna need someone to really emerge on the D front seven next year. Gabe looks like a big dude.

Burnham/Tui at viper. Collie, Kiser and Sneed at LB

 

[IrishBoognish]

God... the Rees hate is so dumb.



600 yards of offense and 45 points. A few folks keep pointing to one play. If TB would have thrown it away or in the dirt, like he should have, nobody would care.

 

[InKellyWeTrust]

Buchner is going to make a lot of ND fans eat crow.

 

[NDRock]

Buchner is going to make a lot of ND fans eat crow.

I hope so. From what I’ve seen (performance, injury history, etc…) I’d say there’s a 20% chance he ends up being a multi year starter for ND (not counting this year).

 

[Irish#1]

If Hartman does end up in SB, I think we’ll have a real QB competition next year.

 

[NDRock]

If Hartman does end up in SB, I think we’ll have a real QB competition next year.

Agree. The 2-4 QBs on the depth chart will be an interesting battle.

 

[irishandy]

Postgame Thoughts:
1) When Bucher was good he was good, when he was bad he was bad. ND needs Hartman for next year, I think it would help Buchner's development and make him better as a starting QB in 2024.
2) Cannot say enough about Estime and Diggs, they both rain their tails off, and they will be fun to watch next season.
3) Move Tyree to slot, P/R, where ND will get more out of him. Price & Love will add a boost to the RB position.
4) Makes you wonder how Lenzy's ND career would've ended differently if he didn't have his injury or a QB that could throw to him.
5) Defense adjustments at half time were big, 8 rushing yards the whole 2nd half.
6) Sneed is going to be a beast for ND next year.
7) ND has a lot of young talent that can contribute for next season.
8) The football program is in good hands with Freeman.

Go Irish!!

 

[IrishLax]

If Hartman does end up in SB, I think we’ll have a real QB competition next year.

Personally, I don't think it'll be a competition. I don't think Buchner is advanced enough as a passer to run the kind of offense that Rees wants to run. I think ideally Rees would love a Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, etc. but they don't grow on trees. So he'll settled for an upsized "Stetson Bennett" who can get the ball to playmakers with consistency and lean on an elite OL + running game. You cannot run real offense with a Pyne (no stature and arm strength to make all the throws) or Buchner (accuracy and decision making issues).

 

[Grahambo]

Personally, I don't think it'll be a competition. I don't think Buchner is advanced enough as a passer to run the kind of offense that Rees wants to run. I think ideally Rees would love a Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, etc. but they don't grow on trees. So he'll settled for an upsized "Stetson Bennett" who can get the ball to playmakers with consistency and lean on an elite OL + running game. You cannot run real offense with a Pyne (no stature and arm strength to make all the throws) or Buchner (accuracy and decision making issues).

There’s a reason they want in on Hartman and not Card.

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

There’s a reason they want in on Hartman and not Card.

Yeah the offense has had pretty slow starts the last two years. It would be nice to see ND’s offense hit the ground running (no pun intended) for a change.

 

[Valpodoc85]

We have a four game stretch next year with OSU, USC and Clemson. If we don't have our act together it could get rough quick.

 

[Grahambo]

Yeah the offense has had pretty slow starts the last two years. It would be nice to see ND’s offense hit the ground running (no pun intended) for a change.

While Card looks the part and could be good, Hartman has an incredible amount of experience with a high degree of success. It seemed as if they were going with the higher upside in Card until someone (probably Hartman’s camp), reached out to say hold on (pure, 1000% guessing on my part).

 

[Valpodoc85]

Sorry that is over a 6 week stretch

 

[Grahambo]

We have a four game stretch next year with OSU, USC and Clemson. If we don't have our act together it could get rough quick.

OSU is going through their own changes at the moment. And at QB, that’s a tough task. If the rumors of locker room trouble are true, OSU could be had. Clemson is similariy going through changes at QB. Will Klubnik be as good as advertised? Lot of changes coming their way as well.

USC will be tough.