Very Post Game Observations (Michigan State) ....

[Bogtrotter07]

No biggie, I'm just a creature of habit. If my wife moves my shoes, I walk around the house like rainman mumbling "where's my shoes, I always put them there".

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/if8dDNhaea0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[DillonHall]

It still blows my mind that we don't go more uptempo on offense. Can anyone give me some reasons for this?

 

[gkautz10]

One of the main things I saw that has not been mentioned yet is koyaks blocking. It has been terrible for 2 seasons now, yet they still put him in there almost exclusively to block. The one play that stands out in my mind is when ND was in the red zone (maybe inside the 10) and he simply missed his man that was lined up off his left shoulder and that man then went on to get a free hit on tommy and was a wasted down because he had to throw it away before he was even done with his 3 step drop. Is Welch that bad??

I also noticed we ran a few more pass plays with Daniel Smith in the game.

One last frustation that many of you have also had is the play calling. One of the drives in the first half, ND ran the same corner fade route inside the 1o yard line on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd down. Why?????? I am not a genius when it comes to football, but I do know the basics and this puzzles me. Any thoughts on that?

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

Was the only pass over the middle that was less than 15 yards the screen to Niklas? I don't understand why Rees and Kelly/Martin can't call plays to just pick up the first. It's always deep throws on 3rd and 4th.

 

[pumpdog20]

The good thing is that DD should have 2 touchdowns against Oklahoma.

 

[EifertPower]

1. Brindza was fantastic.

2. I like Keivare Russell's heart

3. Our offense is limited not as much by Tommy Ree's lack of arm strength but more so because of his lack of mobility.

4. This was one of the ugliest football games I've ever watched for both teams.

5. Got some lucky pass interference calls.

6. I like Cam McDaniel's heart, but he can't be your lead back if Tommy Rees is your quarterback.

7. Still expected a little more out of Nix and Tuitt this season.

8. Kelly played not to lose instead of to win.

9. I'll take the win and if we can somehow beat Oklahoma and be 4-1 then we'll be in the Top 15.

 

[IrishFan4L]

It still blows my mind that we don't go more uptempo on offense. Can anyone give me some reasons for this?

Can anyone tell me what team in college football runs a uptempo offense with a qb that can't run? I'm not saying this to be confrontational because I would love to go uptempo but we don't want to play the players needed to do it.

 

[Patulski]

I think Kelly must be incredibly frustrated with the offense today. He has built his offense to exploit defenses with a quick strike, down field passing offense and has lots of depth and speed in his receiver corps to accomplish the strategy. Unfortunately, we did not take advantage of it yesterday. Regardless, he and the team found a way to win, but it shouldn't have been close.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Whiskey... I'm wondering if Lombards struggles this year has to do with him learning the guard position or he is just not physical enough to play inside and is more of a tackle.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

I believe his problem is "second level." When he pulls, and he reaches the position he is supposed to (run) block someone, he is confused and runs into a double team block, tries to get the contain guy, or whatever. What he really needs to be looking at is the linebacker scrapping across, that probably started out at the beginning of the play lining up over him.

It is pretty simple but it requires sort of a second sense. You don't just need to know your body's position, like when you are blocking in space. You need to know where you at on the field relative to a number of other people. (I asked.)

The general rule is before the back and the line of scrimmage meet, look inside out. When that back meets the hole and is moving forward, look for contain, outside in. So if the pulling guard hits the hole ahead of the back with the ball, he should look for a linebacker scraping across from the back side, or one playing down hill from straight ahead. Christian has been looking directly down the line of scrimmage, to the outside, at least on five plays a game.

Christian's pass blocking has been really good. Yesterday they were often getting ridiculously long times for Tommy against a really good pass rush!

 

[Patulski]

Seriously, man... how long have you been watching college football? The players turn over way too often for a team to establish some kind of concrete identity in 4 years. What this team should be, and would be if Golson hadn't screwed the pooch, is a spread offense that runs inside very well.

I think our offensive identity is close to what it was in 2011. We have the same QB and are a pass first offense that audibles after recognizing the defensive alignment. I think we have more downfield speed overall than 2011 in the passing game with our WR corps, which allows us to "rip it". If we had executed yesterday, this wouldn't have been a close game. The plays were there, we did not execute.

 

[Ndaccountant]

Is true that Greg Bryant skipped the alma mater and went into the locker room? Strong rumour right now. If it's true, do not like this diva attitude even understanding him..

99% sure I saw him exiting up the tunnel with the rest of the team after the alma mater.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

I believe his problem is "second level." When he pulls, and he reaches the position he is supposed to (run) block someone, he is confused and runs into a double team block, tries to get the contain guy, or whatever. What he really needs to be looking at is the linebacker scrapping across, that probably started out at the beginning of the play lining up over him.

It is pretty simple but it requires sort of a second sense. You don't just need to know your body's position, like when you are blocking in space. You need to know where you at on the field relative to a number of other people. (I asked.)

The general rule is before the back and the line of scrimmage meet, look inside out. When that back meets the hole and is moving forward, look for contain, outside in. So if the pulling guard hits the hole ahead of the back with the ball, he should look for a linebacker scraping across from the back side, or one playing down hill from straight ahead. Christian has been looking directly down the line of scrimmage, to the outside, at least on five plays a game.

Christian's pass blocking has been really good. Yesterday they were often getting ridiculously long times for Tommy against a really good pass rush!

Thanks bogs great post. So it seems like Lombard just needs more reps and experience at gaurd. It's things like this that make me believe this team will improve each week as the season progresses.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

 

[Bogtrotter07]

L/W/W.



I'd say it's a learning issue. He's bigger, stronger and more athletic than Golic, and he's been better in pass protection. Needs to get better at pulling, and maybe develop more of a nasty streak.



He was also playing in Big East. The quality of defenses he's faced while at ND has been vastly superior, and he hasn't had the athletes (particularly at QB) to really spread and shred.


We've won two 1-possession games this year, too. Sooner or later, we'll have to stop attributing it to luck and say we've finally learned how to win close games.

I want to make two philosophical points, the first being off of a specific statement of Whiskey highlighted above.

Not only does the point about being at a higher level of general competition stand exactly as Whiskey stated it, but if you think about it, BK being convinced that he needed to build a great defense at Notre Dame first, shows his genius. He was able to see the limitations of his strategy through Cincy, and change and adapt for his role at ND.

Some have called him a program builder. Not only are they right, he is intuitive, and non-emotional (logical) about it. If what he is already doing does not fit with where he sees the program needing to go, he assassinates that. Not many people can put "their own best ideas" down, for the greater good! And further out the line, his time with Bill Belichick may be the best example, but I am wondering if it is just too much to fast. Ie., it will cost the Irish this year, but pay dividends over the coming years. I don't know for sure, what do you think?

After last night I can tell you a difference between ND and Michigan, I don't know if it is "the" difference, but it may be. If Tommy Rees had the number of interceptions that Devin Gardner has, let alone the pick-6's, even sporting a 4 and 0 record, angry mobs with torches and pitch-forks would have overrun the GUG, and hung Tommy and the staff from the lights at the LaBar.

Just food for thought. Oh yeah, and DeShone Kaiser is a man among boys. I cried and cried about Corey Robinson and James Onwualu; DeShone will be like that, a bitch-on-wheels!

 

[IrishFan4L]

99% sure I saw him exiting up the tunnel with the rest of the team after the alma mater.

Although I don't agree with his actions if true, I don't believe any running back we have is better then him @ worsed equal to and to me it's not worth losing him after the season bc we would rather play someone who has waited there turn & been a good lil soldier. Put the best man/ athlete on the field & play ball.

 

[NDWorld247]

99% sure I saw him exiting up the tunnel with the rest of the team after the alma mater.

You sure that wasn't Nix?

 

[DCirishfan]

Rees was painful to watch good Lord .

 

[irishog77]

Can anyone tell me what team in college football runs a uptempo offense with a qb that can't run? I'm not saying this to be confrontational because I would love to go uptempo but we don't want to play the players needed to do it.

Oklahoma mostly has the entire Stoops tenure (about 15 years).

And Mangino, Leach, and Sumlin (and their disciples) have to an extent as well.

Gus Malzahn loves tempo. As a HC or an OC, he's had mobile QB's...and not so mobile QB's. He'd prefer a mobile QB, but he loves to run plays fast...regardless of his QB's mobility.

I don't follow MAC, Atlantic Sun, or other crap conferences too closely, but I'm sure there are coaches who have run it there as well.

 

[Patulski]

Some have called him a program builder. Not only are they right, he is intuitive, and non-emotional (logical) about it. If what he is already doing does not fit with where he sees the program needing to go, he assassinates that. Not many people can put "their own best ideas" down, for the greater good!

I think he's doing the opposite. He wants to have a fast, quick strike passing offense and-despite not having a QB that has consistently been able to execute it- he continues to call plays hoping that it clicks. If he put his "best ideas down", he'd have emphasized a more balanced ball control offense during the off season, which didn't rely so much on Rees's limitations that have been evident throughout his career. Kelly must still believe that it will consistently click with Rees. I hope he is right.

 

[FearTheBeard]

Is true that Greg Bryant skipped the alma mater and went into the locker room? Strong rumour right now. If it's true, do not like this diva attitude even understanding him..

Thats definitely not true. Idk where it came from but i clearly saw him walkin down the tunnel with the team, i also remember looking at the middle section of his hair that he dyed/bleached or whatever haha

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

99% sure I saw him exiting up the tunnel with the rest of the team after the alma mater.

He walked off with the rest of the team.
I saw on TV.

It was a #1 Jersey.
Confident it wasn't Nix...

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

All of these fake rumors about Bryant are weird. Why pick on him?

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

Nix turned it up a notch after his facemask penalty. He was a monster yesterday. Nix and Russell both looked like their 2012 versions yesterday.

 

[IrishFaninTX]

On a positive note, who would have thought Tommy would be 3-1, have like 7-8 TD passes and only 2 picks? The frustrating part last year was that Golson could get the ball down the field but then very rarely could he throw a TD pass inside the 20. Tommy has definitely improved upon that. But last year we could run the ball better and didn't have to rely on passing as much in the red zone. I think that is why Cam was able to walk in to the end zone yesterday, MSU was expecting 3 straight passes.

 

[Irishpinoy]

Rees was painful to watch good Lord .

Every time he throws the ball I just pray it doesn't get intercepted. We have a Lamborghini that can go 150MPH but with him at the helm we can only go 60MPH. Good lordie.

 

[IrishFan4L]

Every time he throws the ball I just pray it doesn't get intercepted. We have a Lamborghini that can go 150MPH but with him at the helm we can only go 60MPH. Good lordie.

Finally somebody gets it!!!

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

Real quick on tommy.

1) coaching / play calling has been way more suspect than tommy.
2) Tommy is managing the offense well.
3) Tommy is not a "go win this one for us" type of qb.
4) Tommy needs to hit other routes, instead of changing the play and hitting "his new hot route". (look different places, don't make new plays)
5) Tommy is not a deep ball guy. He can now air it out alright, but he's straining his arm. He's losing accuracy when forcing it that far. It would be analogous to a little league pitcher that often tries to "throw a heater" but he's throwing past his comfort level and just throws a wild pitch.

Overall, I'm very thankful for tommy. And I won't be a guy chanting "tommy sucks". We'd be in deep crap without him. But, also to those of you that praise him... "He's got a looooong way to go, and a short time to get there."

 

[EuropeanDomer]

By the way, we are talking a lot about the Bryant situation but what about Redfield? Yesterday we saw another pedestrian performance by Farley (even with the INT), Collingsworth and Shumate. Will he play some day? I see a lot of True Freshman safeties who are playing a lot: Cravens (USC), Bell (OSU), Matthews (Georgia), Conner (Ole Miss). I want some Redfield!!!

 

[DCirishfan]

Just because u have press mam coverage doesn't mean you have every play lol!

 

[DCirishfan]

Real quick on tommy.

1) coaching / play calling has been way more suspect than tommy.
2) Tommy is managing the offense well.
3) Tommy is not a "go win this one for us" type of qb.
4) Tommy needs to hit other routes, instead of changing the play and hitting "his new hot route". (look different places, don't make new plays)
5) Tommy is not a deep ball guy. He can now air it out alright, but he's straining his arm. He's losing accuracy when forcing it that far. It would be analogous to a little league pitcher that often tries to "throw a heater" but he's throwing past his comfort level and just throws a wild pitch.

Overall, I'm very thankful for tommy. And I won't be a guy chanting "tommy sucks". We'd be in deep crap without him. But, also to those of you that praise him... "He's got a looooong way to go, and a short time to get there."

I over all agree with everything you say especially number 1

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Oklahoma mostly has the entire Stoops tenure (about 15 years).

And Mangino, Leach, and Sumlin (and their disciples) have to an extent as well.

Gus Malzahn loves tempo. As a HC or an OC, he's had mobile QB's...and not so mobile QB's. He'd prefer a mobile QB, but he loves to run plays fast...regardless of his QB's mobility.

I don't follow MAC, Atlantic Sun, or other crap conferences too closely, but I'm sure there are coaches who have run it there as well.

You are a great guy but you fade on a detail on many of your posts.

The MAC is not a "crap conference." I think that is an baseless comment, therefore wholly assholish in nature.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/dwXoYn3ZdbQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>