We tackle like ****, so Freeman must quit

[Dale]

Two full seasons to have the defense playing at a high level? That's not good news for us, nor for Freeman. He may not make it past much more than two full seasons if the players don't start picking it up by next. year. BVG got 2 seasons and some change, and that was after an impressive start. If we're giving up this many points and yards to mediocre teams by midseason next year his seat will start getting hot.

Thankfully I doubt BK is that short sighted. The D is so not nearly as bad somes eyes are telling you.

 

[Dale]

FWIW -- Freeman has already abandoned a lot of his "scheme" to run something closer to what we saw from Lea. Especially since Hamilton went out. Even then, we have so many injuries relative to last year (plus departures) that it's ugly.

I think it will take a full two seasons or some transfers to have the defense playing at a high level. LBs will be better next year, DL should be about the same, DBs will still probably be pretty bad. But Bertrand + Liufau + Kollie looks like a good core on paper, and there are enough emerging players on the DL that they will be able to hold up against anyone. The problem is Freeman wants to play 5 DBs and you basically have zero good DBs right now. So you either need young guys to take huge steps forward this offseason, or you need to go get some transfers, or both.

I thought he got out of his preferred coverage incredibly early in the season even though the common verbiage is to say Freeman is stubborn to his scheme

 

[Dale]

Freeman’s sidekick Chad Bowden has gotten changes to so many things about NDs operation through already is pretty apparent of what BK, Jack etc think and see in Freeman. Like a hitting coach who gets input on the organization philosophy top to bottom. Guy is on the coldest of cold seats.

 

[IrishLax]

Think we should change the title to “we tackle like shit, but Freeman gets better players to commit”

 

[ulukinatme]

Think we should change the title to “we tackle like shit, but Freeman gets better players to commit”

He certainly is killing it in recruiting. The question is if he'll be here to appreciate those players. If they never get it figured out, he's canned. If he does really well he's probably gone in two anyway to a HC gig.

 

[Luckylucci]

FWIW -- Freeman has already abandoned a lot of his "scheme" to run something closer to what we saw from Lea. Especially since Hamilton went out. Even then, we have so many injuries relative to last year (plus departures) that it's ugly.

I think it will take a full two seasons or some transfers to have the defense playing at a high level. LBs will be better next year, DL should be about the same, DBs will still probably be pretty bad. But Bertrand + Liufau + Kollie looks like a good core on paper, and there are enough emerging players on the DL that they will be able to hold up against anyone. The problem is Freeman wants to play 5 DBs and you basically have zero good DBs right now. So you either need young guys to take huge steps forward this offseason, or you need to go get some transfers, or both.

Per Jamie U, we were in the Dollar package 34% of plays which is a pretty high number. So, I gotta disagree that he’s abandoned it. In fact, he’s actually running it more than in some previous games.

 

[NDdomer2]

Per Jamie U, we were in the Dollar package 34% of plays which is a pretty high number. So, I gotta disagree that he’s abandoned it. In fact, he’s actually running it more than in some previous games.

would be interesting to see the % on a game by game trending basis. Is that uptick post Hamilton injury? Because of the last twos offenses we faced? Do we see that % come down vs Navy/Stanford.

 

[Dale]

Per Jamie U, we were in the Dollar package 34% of plays which is a pretty high number. So, I gotta disagree that he’s abandoned it. In fact, he’s actually running it more than in some previous games.

Abandoned “it” implies the Dollar formation is Freeman’s scheme. Those are not one in the same. One is potentially part of the other. He can also shed some parts of his “scheme” and still run Dollar

 

[Irish#1]

Per Jamie U, we were in the Dollar package 34% of plays which is a pretty high number. So, I gotta disagree that he’s abandoned it. In fact, he’s actually running it more than in some previous games.

Lax said "abandoned a lot of his "scheme" not that he's abandoned it completely. I guess it depends on one's interpretation, but 34% means they weren't in it 66% of the time. That pass play was brilliant. I saw that run quite a few years ago and don't understand why more teams don't run it. It's so easy to get separation even if the DB doesn't bite big time.

 

[Luckylucci]

Lax said "abandoned a lot of his "scheme" not that he's abandoned it completely. I guess it depends on one's interpretation, but 34% means they weren't in it 66% of the time. That pass play was brilliant. I saw that run quite a few years ago and don't understand why more teams don't run it. It's so easy to get separation even if the DB doesn't bite big time.

Correct, I could have worded my response better. But, 34% is higher than previous weeks. So, as far as the Dollar package is concerned, which is solely Freeman's, we actually used it more against UNC that in many previous games. So, I can't speak to what Lax was specifically referring too as far as abandoning his scheme, but as far as the most significant change to scheme, which is the Dollar package. We ran it more last week than in most previous games.

 

[Luckylucci]

Abandoned “it” implies the Dollar formation is Freeman’s scheme. Those are not one in the same. One is potentially part of the other. He can also shed some parts of his “scheme” and still run Dollar

The Dollar formation isn't the only part of his scheme, correct, nobody said it was, but it is solely his. And, It's arguably the most significant change to scheme (probably up there with amount of man coverage) that we've implemented and some of the exotic coverages that we run but substantially less. There is a reason it's being tracked so much. Because of it's significance and change.

Like stated above, I could've have chosen my words better but if we're using the Dollar package more than before, I wouldn't say we're abandoning a lot of his scheme. We actually implemented more of that last week. Now, maybe that is in substitution of other parts of his scheme but it wasn't in place of running more of Lea's.

Kelly specifically mentioned why they went to this and explained it. So, they were aware they were going to run this more going in. A conscious decision if you will.

 

[Dale]

Sorry are you saying Dollar is solely a Freeman scheme/formation when you say “it is solely his”? As in no one else runs it?

 

[Luckylucci]

Sorry are you saying Dollar is solely a Freeman scheme/formation when you say “it is solely his”? As in no one else runs it?

I love how this has morphed into, you think Freeman invented the scheme? No, I don't think Freeman invented it but it is fairly unique in how he runs it. Running it with substitutions would be completely normal. Freeman likes to run it with the same personnel which is probably both the point but also it's problems. But that's not really the conversation.

What is the relevance, to this conversation, if Iowa State runs it? The point of the conversation is it's introduction to our program and the change it's created.

If we're abandoning a lot of his scheme in favor of Lea's, we wouldn't be seeing such an uptick in it's usage. Because Lea ran nothing like it nor has any coach at ND. Even Diaco's 3 down base was more of a NFL style 3-4 with a ROLB, on the DL, at almost all times. Lea and Elko's 4-2-5 was also a ROLB that was on the DL at almost all times. They called it a "Drop" De initially but they only dropped 4-5% of the time. Foskey is off the ball almost 20% of the time. Huge change from Lea's scheme and something we ran more of last week.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

I love how this has morphed into, you think Freeman invented the scheme? No, I don't think Freeman invented it but it is fairly unique in how he runs it. Running it with substitutions would be completely normal. Freeman likes to run it with the same personnel which is probably both the point but also it's problems. But that's not really the conversation.

What is the relevance, to this conversation, if Iowa State runs it? The point of the conversation is it's introduction to our program and the change it's created.

If we're abandoning a lot of his scheme in favor of Lea's, we wouldn't be seeing such an uptick in it's usage. Because Lea ran nothing like it nor has any coach at ND. Even Diaco's 3 down base was more of a NFL style 3-4 with a ROLB, on the DL, at almost all times. Lea and Elko's 4-2-5 was also a ROLB that was on the DL at almost all times. They called it a "Drop" De initially but they only dropped 4-5% of the time. Foskey is off the ball almost 20% of the time. Huge change from Lea's scheme and something we ran more of last week.

Wait, ISU runs it?
Matt Campbell to ND confirmed?? Pete Sampson is going to love this!

 

[Dale]

I love how this has morphed into, you think Freeman invented the scheme? No, I don't think Freeman invented it but it is fairly unique in how he runs it. Running it with substitutions would be completely normal. Freeman likes to run it with the same personnel which is probably both the point but also it's problems. But that's not really the conversation.

What is the relevance, to this conversation, if Iowa State runs it? The point of the conversation is it's introduction to our program and the change it's created.

If we're abandoning a lot of his scheme in favor of Lea's, we wouldn't be seeing such an uptick in it's usage. Because Lea ran nothing like it nor has any coach at ND. Even Diaco's 3 down base was more of a NFL style 3-4 with a ROLB, on the DL, at almost all times. Lea and Elko's 4-2-5 was also a ROLB that was on the DL at almost all times. They called it a "Drop" De initially but they only dropped 4-5% of the time. Foskey is off the ball almost 20% of the time. Huge change from Lea's scheme and something we ran more of last week.

I asked for clarification because I assumed you didn’t think that. That is how the first sentence read though to me

 

[Dale]

The coverage we are playing is not what Freeman prefers, I believe. I cannot confirm that completely but that is what it seems like. That is just as big, if not bigger part of the scheme than the formation itself

 

[tko]

Hit, wrap, bring ball carrier to the ground, celebrate with your teammates. Next!!