Sports Talk | A Quick Remark

USC at ND Breakdown

10-25-2011

Image from: AP Photo/Joe Raymond

Overall (Grade D)

I am about to go on a rant. I beg for forgiveness by you and Anhtuan.

Really?? I waited 2 weeks for this! All the hype, all the talking, all the press conferences, the new helmets, for that? All they forgot was the green jerseys to complete this embarrassment. It’s one thing to lose to a superior team with outstanding coaches. It’s another to lose to a team coached by Lane Kiffin, and being out-physicalled by a soft SC team, with no running game.

The debacle was made even worse by the cheap and awkward attempt to pipe music into the stadium, and make the atmosphere more ‘rabid’….Here is a hint: Win consistently, then you will see the atmosphere improve. Guaranteed!

This coaching staff had no game plan, the players looked rusty and intimidated. SC hit them in the mouth, and they flinched. The worst mistake here was the awful preparation by the staff. Instead of relaxing and just cruising, they should have done what was executed last year before the Utah game.

Ok, we are down by 17, but a strong and physical game got us to this point. Why panic and make ND one dimensional? Jonas Gray had 2 carries!!! Really??

B Kelly flat out quit on the 4Q. He left TOs on the table. That is inexcusable. That’s a horrible lesson to teach players and youngsters. He wasn’t the only one, the team quit in the 4Q as well.

To me it seems that ND has lost its ways. It starts with the administration and AD offices. They are after the cash that is the Notre Dame name, but there is nothing behind it. They are living off the past, and they clinging to it, trying to milk it to the end. Maybe they realize that the time is limited, maybe they are unaware that while still profitable, the well will dry up and then what?

Fans keep clamoring for change, for a new coach, blah, blah, blah. The only voice that ND hears is the voice of money. As long as the greens keep flowing in, ND will remain in the status quo. ND does not care about the individual fan or alum. They know that there will be another one to take its place. But with the lack of production on the field, there will be less and less fans.

ND fans can wait for that, and that will take 10 to 20 years or we can accelerate this process. It is up to you.

I am making my stand. I am not going to games and I am withholding any donations to the university. I have stopped purchases of ND merchandise.

Back to football, ND better regroup fast, Navy is coming to town. Hint: Fire up the PS3!!!

Positives:

Jonas Gray. His ypc was double digits. Why was he given only 2 carries?
Offensive Line. They gave the QBs time to throw.
Gold helmets.They looked good.

Negatives:

Coaches. Just plain lazy
Artificial music. Just plain cheap
Coaches. Just plain bad.

Dayne Crist: I feel bad for the kid. Everytime he touched the ball for ND, bad things happened. It started in 2009 against WSU and it ended Saturday night. He is fine representative of the university and does not deserve this. B. Kelly should act with more class and treat Crist better than he has in his press conference.

The Bonehead Call(s) of the Day:

The bye week. What has this coaching staff done the past 2 weeks?

Offense (Grade C):

Tommy Rees (Grade C-): The zone scheme by SC flustered him for the 2nd year in a row. Looked rusty and not in sync with the WRs. His deep ball leaves a lot to be desired, because of that SC focused on the underneath stuff. ND was done. Till Tommy can hit the deep ball, the blueprint is out there.

Andrew Hendrix (No Grade): Not that many series. No impact.

RBs (Grade C): Apparently the coaching staff forgot that teams are allowed to run the football….The fumble is on Wood. I am not going to start on Gray…

O-line (Grade C+): Great pass protection. Gave Tommy time to throw. They were not given the opportunity to run block.

WRs and TEs (Grade C): Looked rusty. Did not have A game, nor B game for that matter. The only one that seemed to want it was T. Eifert. Everyone else, just went through the motions.

Defense (Grade C-):

DL (Grade C+): Did they play? Completely disappeared. No pass rush, no run defense. They looked soft.

LBs (Grade C-): Very disappointing. They got caught in the blocks by the lineman. Took bad angles and awful discipline.

DBs (Grade C-): Soft in coverage and took huge cushions. Safeties looked late in a lot of passes.

Special Teams (Grade C-): Not relevant. Hit the only FG

Coaching (Grade F——): Failed miserably. Game plan was a disaster. Team was not prepared. Time to re-evaluate strategy and plans.

Air Force at ND Breakdown

By: oldmantonynd

10-10-2011

Sports Talk

Image from: AP Photo/Michael Conroy

Overall (Grade B-)

If you like points and ‘Playstation type games, this last game was for you. This game was supposed to be the one showing us definitive proof that this coaching staff can break down tape and teach players how to stop teams that deploy unconventional offenses (ie, triple option – Navy, flex option – Air Force, snap and heave – see 2011, Michigan).

Unfortunately, the option proved to be as enigmatic as ever. Notre Dame was unable to stop the pitch which went for at least 10-25 yards every time. The only stops came when Air Force tried to get too cute.

Defensive football was an afterthought in the 2nd half as both teams went up and down the field for the entire game. The offense was balanced and the Hendrix wrinkle proved to be lethal. In fact, ND took advantage of the size differential and just overpowered the Falcons.

In the end, it was a comfortable win, but it did not calm my nerves especially with Navy paying ND a visit in 3 weeks. What if? What if, ND is not even thinking of defending the option. It is such a crazy offense that they might just spend a few hours and the rest is focusing on other stuff. The strategy is just to outscore Air Force and Navy….hmmm….something to think about.

Positives:

Jonas Gray. Where was he 2 years ago?
Offensive Line. Finally dominating teams with inferior size
WRs, nice blend of speed and power

Negatives:

The defense, yikes over 500 yards surrendered
The defense, they could not stop the option
Special Teams, ugh, just plain bad

There is a bye week and then SC comes to town. That game will be a good measuring stick to see where the team is in terms of development. The talent gap should be very small.

The Bonehead Call(s) of the Day:

Defending the option. Slaughter was always in no man’s land. Either hit the QB or stick with the RB. If sticking with the QB, even if he pitches gotta him. That pitch will be inaccurate in the 4th Q after all those hits. This does not bode well against Navy.

Offense (Grade B+):

QB (Grade B+): Tommy Rees (Grade B+), since there was no pressure, he was able to work on progressions. He was able to move within the pocket and had pretty good footwork. The ball had a nice zip and decisions were good. Andrew Hendrix (Grade B): He has a nice set of wheels. His throws were accurate and on time. He brings a great dimension to the game.

RBs (Grade B+): Another solid outing. Both Gray and Wood displayed nice vision and patience. They ran tough and lowered their shoulders when needed. Wood showed great blitz recognition while also being physical against the blitzers and Gray will need to work a bit on it his pass protection

O-line (Grade B+): Solid work by the line. They gave Rees and Hendrix plenty of time to throw. They opened big holes for the RBs and Hendrix. They imposed their will on a smaller opponent. The real test will come in 2 weeks. Can they be dominant against linemen their own size?

WRs and TEs (Grade B+): All the WRs and TEs got involved in this game. It was great to show that ND can score when #3 is double covered. They all showed great run blocking skills.

Defense (Grade C+):

DL (Grade C+): They had a non-descript showing. They were solid up the middle on the dive (which was their job). They were so concerned with the running game and option that other areas were ignored (ie pass rush). It is a pass in this game, but it cannot be ignored against USC.

LBs (Grade C): A bit disappointing. They did not flow too well to the pitch side. Recognition was late on a lot of plays. Aside from Manti, speed was not there. They got hampered by all the cut blocking.

DBs (Grade B-): They had great in run support. However on pass plays, they left WRs wide open. The safeties were caught in no mans land a bunch of times.

Special Teams (Grade C-): Mediocre. Not much to say here, but I’m not expecting much either.

Coaching (Grade C): Defending the option was a disaster, but if the strategy is just to outscore the opponent, then I don’t have a problem with it. The offense is clicking and the Hendrix wrinkle was great. The real test comes against USC.

ND at Purdue Breakdown

By: oldmantonynd

10-04-2011

Sports Talk

Image from: AP Photo/AJ Mast

Overall (Grade B)

I like snoozers…They are good for my health and my brain.

The Irish did its job and won convincingly. The talent gap was enormous and it translated into the result. That game is what every single ND fan expects. Win the games that you are supposed to win. The old formula of running the football worked and the superior lines on both sides of the ball did their job. There are still big issues that this team needs to work on, but at least the basics seem to being corrected (ground game and turnovers).

Here’s what they still need to show me:

Deep passing game
Pass coverage on RBs and TEs
Run game in the red zone

I loved the fact that the staff used the basics to win this game. Looking ahead there are some tough opponents that will test this team. The next 3 game stretch will be a difficult one. Time to prove that ND can beat the service academies and SC on a regular basis.

The Bonehead Call(s) of the Day:

I will keep it simple….Teach Tommy to throw the fade….it is unstoppable if thrown to #3.

Offense (Grade B+):
QB (Grade B): Tommy Rees did a much better job of using all of his weapons (ie throwing to #3). He displayed much better decision making. After the 35yard TD pass, most of his throws were less than 20 yards. It surprised me that his touch on fade routes is really bad. That should be #1 job competency. I’m still concerned about Tommy’s lack of arm strength. The best part, no turnovers, although there a couple of close calls.

RBs (Grade B+): Too bad Gray is done after this year. The light finally went on. He is doing great! It’s very similar to what R. Hughes did in the last couple of games in 2010. Gray is explosive, fast and strong. C. Wood is a faster and more explosive version of D. Walker. His 55yds TD run was a thing of beauty. 2 cuts, 1 broken tackle and he was gone.

O-line (Grade B+): Was T. Rees even touched? That was another great job by the line. Penalties are a thing of the past. The run game is very good. The only negative is running in the red zone. Maybe the issue lies in the scheme. We even saw a few screens, and they looked great.

WRs and TEs (Grade B+): Just feed the rock to #3. He is so good. The run block has been pretty good as well. The other WRs need to be involved more. This is where the lack of arm hurts the Irish. Having Eifert or TJ Jones streaking down the seams for 40 yard bomb would open things in the short to intermediate parts of the field.

Defense (Grade B):

DL (Grade B+): Great effort by the D-line. The run defense was outstanding once again. It is very tough to run on this line. In pass rush situations, the way they are collapsing the pocket is a a thing of beauty.

LBs (Grade B): Speed. Their sideline to sideline speed is impressive. This is something that ND has lacked for a long time. I’m loving the way the OLBs are funneling things back inside. The only thing that is a concern is their ability to cover the TEs.

DBs (Grade B-): They were not tested. The INT was a bad throw by the Purdue QB. Personally, I prefer the DBs in zone coverage. That might help them turn their heads to look for the ball.

Special Teams (Grade C-): Something is wrong with Ruffer. It is mind boggling that the kicking game went from automatic to a liability. I think they should give him a break and regroup.

The punt return game is bad but that is a known commodity. At least the punter is out of the headlines.

Coaching (Grade C+): Back to basics in running the football and pressuring the opposing QB. The talent mismatch was obvious. One question still remains, can this staff adjust to schemes and talent equal to that of ND?

ND at Pitt Breakdown

By: oldmantonynd

09-26-2011

Sports Talk

Image from: AP Photo/Justin K. Aller

Overall (Grade C+)

The Irish escape….

It was an ugly win in a game where ND did not bring their ‘A’ game. While ND pulled it out in the end, Pitt had a great blueprint to stop the Irish attack:

Confuse Rees
Double cover Floyd and see if anyone else steps up

This almost proved deadly as once again Tommy turned it over twice and #3 touched the ball 4 times. Lots of questions remain but what is the most important?

Is Tommy the answer?

If yes, can the defense continue to bailout the team after all of his turnovers? On the other side, the team showed great resilience and continue to fight.

Is it Touchdown Tommy or Turnover Tommy?

Positives:

The run D. Another great job
The run game. Solid effort by all and the RBs are displaying great toughness
Eifert. Finally coming through after a disappointing couple of games

Negatives:

Turnovers: Tack 2 to the list
Tommy Rees: Is this the ceiling?
Coaching: The opposing teams are starting to zero in on the game plan, can they adjust?

The Bonehead Call(s) of the Day:

It was obvious that ND had the better talent and superior athletes. Why not use them? Screens and deep passes will surely soften the D a bit. Make them respect all phases of the game. The opponents are zeroing in on the ND dink and dunk….

Offense (Grade C+):
QB (Grade: C-): Tommy Rees, the TOs need to stop. He was confused and unsure of where to go with the ball. He often stared at his first option and stared some more, and finally when it was to obvious that the first option was not going to get open, he would throw it away or force it. He is not going through his progressions, and the lack of arm strength is eliminating half of the playbook. Maybe that is the ceiling for Rees. Will this QB play be enough?

RBs (Grade B): They continue to surprise me. Gray showed a great 5th gear in the TD run. 2 cuts and he was gone. Wood on the other hand, displayed great toughness by getting the tough yards up the middle. I am liking this group more and more. Will they run out of gas in the 2nd half of the year?

O-line (Grade B): Another solid outing by the o-line. The run blocking was a bit inconsistent but the pass blocking was very solid. Even with the stunts and confusing schemes, the line stuck to their assignments and played great. Again, I would like to see them in space.

WRs and TEs (Grade C+): Pitt made a point in taking out #3. I was surprised that they were able to completely remove him from the game. At the same time, scary how ND’s offense tanks when he is not involved. I am concerned that Rees is either not seeing the other options or that they are covered. Either way, not good. Eifert delivered the goods when called upon. An improvement from the beginning of the season when he had a case of the dropsies.

Defense (Grade B):

DL (Grade B): Another solid performance. Very stout against the run, but the pass rush could be a bit better. Against traditional running teams, the line did an outstanding job in clogging up the lanes and leaving no run for the opposing RB. On the pass rush side, they were better when they knew that Pitt needed to pass, but during the game, it was an inconsistent pass rush

LBs (Grade B-): Just like the d-line, they were spectacular against the run. They fly to one spot and tackle. Manti shows great instincts on running plays. It is amazing to watch #5 read and react. On pass coverage, it is a bit troublesome. They look lost and surprisingly slow, even Shembo and Fleming. MSU and Pitt were able to explore this weakness.

DBs (Grade B-): Once again, the inability to make a play while the ball is in the air almost cost ND a win.For the most part, the secondary is doing a great job. They are physical on run support and play great coverage. This is baffling.

Special Teams (Grade D for punter, C- for rest: Is Ruffer injured? Another missed FG…

We need a better alternative at punt returner. While Goodman has been serviceable, the Irish need to incorporate the punt return as part of the game.
Punter: Some improvement, but still….

Coaching (Grade C-): Very simplistic game plan that failed to use all the talent available. Would like to see Riddick and Jones in space. I’m disappointed that he did not have a counter for all the coverages and fronts presented by Pitt. ND looked out-coached.

MSU at ND Breakdown

By: oldmantonynd

09-20-2011

Sports Talk

Image From: AP Photo/Michael Conroy

Overall (Grade B)

Who would have thunk it? Notre Dame actually played to its capabilities, minimized the mistakes and had the superior coaching, or at least the coaching with the least amount of brainfarts. Like you, I was surprised as I had to stop watching the game and go for a walk to clear my mind to ensure that I was actually seeing what my eyes were showing to me, that this was not something I was conjuring up to avoid depression…

Anyway, this was as complete game as the Irish could deliver this year. The offense delivered the points, the special teams contributed with points and turnovers, but the defense was the one that really delivered the goods. They were physical, played with passion and proved they can be a good defense. The other aspect that really impressed me was the play from the freshmen on the D-line. Lynch, Tuitt and Williams really got me optimistic about the future. Granted, they played when MSU was one-dimensional and all they had to do was go after the QB, but they showed great athleticism and potential that could make the Defense a real special unit. Something that has been lacking at ND for a long time.

Positives:

The run D. They shut down MSU. The NGs clogged the inside lanes and let the LBs do their work.
Robert Blanton. He played exclusively on the field side and looked great. He was aggressive, performed great run support and played with a chip on his shoulder
Aaron Lynch: Wow. Great motor and nastiness. Gave the MSU o-line fits.

Negatives:

Turnovers: Add another 3. Given that Rees is a sophomore, he will turn it over. Can we limit to 1 a game perhaps? The other TO by Goodman CANNOT happen. Period.
Punter: I will keep it here till his net average increases. Inconceivable…
Run game in the 2nd half: Yikes. We need it to close out games. Gotta find it

The Bonehead Call(s) of the Day:

Run game in the 2nd half: ND is unable to run the ball in the 2nd half (when is needed the most) The Irish cannot move the ball on the ground, yet, the head man keeps running the same formations and plays. Time to change it up a little. Throw a few screens, quick hitches and even a long pass. Sure it is high risk and could be problem but at least the opponent will soften up the run D a bit.

Offense (Grade B):
QB (Grade C+): Tommy Rees. The TD pass to Jones was a thing of beauty. On the other hand, his 2 TOs were ugly. He is a true sophomore, but his mistakes need to slow down. He was accurate but his lack of arm strength did hurt in some instances.

RBs (Grade B): This is the pleasant surprise of the year. Wood is an elite RB now. His acceleration and speed has not been on the ND sidelines in a log time. Gray is growing into his role and a great compliment.

O-line (Grade B): They are becoming the best unit on this team. When balance is there, the pass protection and run blocking is outstanding. The fumble by Rees was one of the few mistakes by the line. They were active, often reaching the second level. They are displaying a nasty attitude.

WRs and TEs (Grade: A+++++ for #3, C for rest): The other receivers need to assist Floyd a bit more. Maybe it is inexperience, but too many times Rees kept looking at Floyd. For ND’s sake in 2012, they have to develop faster. As for #3, what else can you say about the guy?

Defense (Grade B):

DL (Grade B+): The performance of the year. Shut down the rum game time after time. Nothing looks prettier on TV than seeing the opponents RB run into a wall time after time. The DLine rotation was also a thing of beauty. Fresh bodies for the 4Q…The pass rush by the frosh was unbelievable…

LBs (Grade B-): This is their type of game. There was not a need to play assignment football, so they were able to be a bit more aggressive. The run support was outstanding, but the pass coverage was a bit weak in some instances. In particular, the crossing routes and play action put the LBs in no mans land.

DBs (Grade B-): Strong effort by the safeties. They were aggressive in run support and in pass coverage. The performance of the day goes to Blanton. He took upon himself to rectify the debacle at Meechigan.

Special Teams (Punter: No Comment, C for rest): Kickoff TD. Great play but there were multiple times that a fumble was close to happening. Not to mention the fumble on the punt return.

Coaching (Grade C): Need to fix the run game in the 2nd half….

ND at Michigan Breakdown

By: oldmantonynd

09-12-2011

Sports Talk

Overall (Grade F):

Hopefully, Quick Remark will have a nice picture to describe this past game. He is very smart, and will be able to picture my mood.

The word of the day is acceptance. It is one of the stages that I must work through. Last year, it ranged from anger to resistance. It progressed to disappointment and finally I reached the last stage, acceptance. I urge all the fans to come with me on the journey of acceptance (Quick Remark, you are cordially invited).

Acceptance, because no longer is Notre Dame capable of bringing joy on Saturday afternoons. Acceptance, that the Fighting Irish only bring frustration and embarrassment. I am tired of losing. I am tired of wasting entire days watching Notre Dame football. We all live busy lives and the chance to regain that precious day is becoming more attractive by the Saturday. In the words of a friend, “The opportunity cost is becoming to big to pass up.”

On the football front, only the Irish can find new ways to lose. If they employed this creativity to other areas, world peace and hunger would have been solved by now. With that in mind, I have instituted a new feature:

How will the Irish lose the game next week?
Notre Dame will score some points, but MSU will control the clock. It will be a seesaw game, and it will fall to the last possession. After a couple of delay of game penalties in the red zone, ND will be forced to complete a long pass, which they do. Unfortunately, there is not enough time, and the Irish have no timeouts (they were all used in the first 5 min of the 3rd quarter), the head coach is unsure of what to do and time expires. Book it!

Positives:

The running game is solid. Wood is gamer. Too bad Notre Dame cannot run on short yardage.
Floyd is playing like this is his last season. It is…He is a man among boys.

Negatives:

Turnovers. 4 total, 3 in the red zone! Really? Again?
Punter: I find hard to imagine that he is the only option. I will bet you 1 dollar that if the HC held open tryouts, he would find someone better in the dorms…guaranteed. Notre Dame has excellent athletes among their regular student body.
Coaches: All the problems above are due to coaches preparation and analysis
In game adjustments: It is unbelievable to think that the coaching staff is unable to change modify schemes and plans after the counter moves by the opposing team

The Bonehead Call(s) of the Day:

This week we have 2 bonehead calls.

3rd and short: On multiple occasions, ND had a 3rd and short situations. They lined up in a two TE set and 1 RB with Rees under center. Every single time, The Irish would run a slow developing play that would get stuffed for a loss and ND was forced to punt. How about throwing to Floyd. Sure, it is a high risk play, but Meechigan had no one that could cover him on on one and it would force them to assign two to cover #3 and leave more space for the running game
28 points in the 4th quarter: enough said. Meechigan abandoned modern football and decided to play Xbox NCAA 12 style. Just throw it up there and not surprisingly, they completed for over 300 yards. Amazing.

Offense (Grade D+):
QB (Grade D): Tommy Rees. I have said it before, he is good for at least 2/3 INTs/fumbles a game. He makes good decisions, but his bad ones come at really really bad times. He was on fire at the beginning of the game, but cooled off when ND needed to increase the lead. He is cool as a cucumber, but clock management is an issue. What is up with all the audibling and girations at the LOS. Rees is no Peyton Manning.

RBs (Grade C-): Wood is a great RB. He has great speed and vision. He ran hard. But, that fumble cannot happen. Gray played well and provided a nice break for Wood. The RBs are a pleasant surprise.

O-line (Grade C): Another solid performance. When the diversity of run/pass is there, the line provided great push and protection. I am impressed at their ability to pick up the blitz. This is a solid group. I would have liked to see them in space, especially in screen passes. (never mind, ND does not run them…). The only big negative is the inability to run on obvious running situations.

WRs and TEs (Grade A+++ for #3, C for others): Once again, #3 was the best player on the field. On short yard situations, it is almost better to just throw to Floyd. He will catch it or he will draw a PI flag. Let’s just forget running. Riddick and Jones played a lot better.

Defense (Grade D-):

DL (Grade C-): They did a pretty good job in containing #16 from Meechigan. They need to cut down on personal fouls during crucial times in the game. Biggest disappointment was the lack of pass rush. Maybe that was due to the game plan. They were very stout against the run.

LBs (Grade C): They played well, and contained #16 to about 100 yards rushing. Due to the gameplan, they were not as aggressive. Manti spied on the QB the entire game and was able to minimize his rushes. Too bad they cannot play as DBs…

DBs (Grade F): Yikes. They seemed completely lost. Blown coverages and bad technique. Big regression here. They were supposed to be one of the strong points in the defense. They are a liability. The gameplan to defeat ND is simple now: Just throw it up there….

Special Teams (Grade F for punter, C for rest): Come on man! There has to be a better solution at Punter. The return game: At least they are not fumbling. Kicker: Converted on the only opportunity

Coaching (Grade FFFF—–): Same as last week. Lack of in-game adjustments, no killer instinct. Suspect strategies…

USF at ND Breakdown

By: oldmantonynd

09-06-2011

Sports Talk

Image from: AllPosters.com

Overall (Grade F):

Boooommmmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!

That was the season, it went bye bye….Words cannot describe what happened this past Saturday. The only word that keeps blinking in my head is disappointment. After a promising end to last season, I was looking forward to this season. The team and coaches were talking about being laser focused and disciplined. I waited 9 months for that? 5 year-old children playing backyard soccer have more focus and discipline than this team.

Now, I have to wait till next year…this is just disappointing…another 4-6 loss season. With that, let’s get to the breakdown.

Very few positives out of this game and plenty of negatives.

Positives:

#3 is the best player on this team and is is not even close
Cierre Wood is a pretty good back. He’s tough and has great speed. He’s a faster Darius Walker
The O-line

Negatives:

Team discipline: Multiple personal fouls, drops, and an overall look of complete chaos
Coaching staff: The team and coaches looked unprepared and unfocused
Mental toughness: Everyone looked very fragile. As soon as the things went south, the lapses of concentration started to increase.
Game strategy: The defensive gameplan was extremely passive. Not of lot of pressure to induce their QB into making a mistake. Offensively, USF used a lot of cover 4 to take a way the deep ball. ND should have countered that with flats and hitches until it stopped working.

I did not want to reinstate this segment, but after this game….I am forced to include it.

The Bonehead Call of the Day:
The entire pre-season…What was this team doing for 4 weeks?

Offense (Grade C+):

QBs (Grade C):
Dayne Crist played well in the first couple of series. However, he could not shake the negativity once things went south. He’s a great guy and I am rooting for him, but he might need to work on mental aspect of playing QB. Time to hire a sports psychologist.
Tommy Rees still somewhat limited on what he can do as a QB. With him, 35% of the playbook gets eliminated. Good at dink and dunk. He had good accuracy and timing. He made good decisions, but made some really bad ones too. Can he cut down turnovers? It seems that with Tommy, ND is good for at least 2 to 3 fumbles/INTs per game. He does have the ‘moxie’ of a QB.

RBs (Grade B+, mostly due to Wood): Wood is a gamer. He has great speed and vision. He ran hard between the tackles and played like he cared. He got tired at the end of the game, and that is a concern for the season. Jonas Gray has great physical tools, but needs to cure that fumblelitis…

O-line (Grade B-): Good run blocking and the QBs had no significant pressure the entire day. The only issue was the lack of push in goaline situations.

WRs and TEs (Grade A++++ for #3, D for the rest): The first thought in the QB and coaches minds should be: 1) Throw to Michael Floyd 2) In the event that he is covered, still throw to Michael Floyd 3) If he is triple teamed, still throw to #3…Got it? Good!
Everyone else? ughh…..

Defense (Grade C):

DL (Grade B-): Kapron Lewis-Moore played really well. Sean Cywnar got taken for a ride for a couple times. I’m disappointed in Ethan Johnson. The only one that played to my expectations was Louis Nix. He hustled, and could not be moved on the inside.

LBs (Grade C): Outside of Manti Te’o, they seemed lost at times. They also had plenty of missed tackles.

DBs (Grade C): This is due primarily to the game plan. They played quite a bit away from the WRs. That is not Robert Blanton and Gary Gray’s game. They are physical corners.

Special Teams (Grade F): Yikes! I was not expecting that clunker from David Ruffer. Words cannot describe my disgust for the work performed by the punter, Ben Turk. I have seen longer punts during interhall football. Seriously…

Coaching (Grade FFFF—–): No excuses. This was a winnable game. This is embarrassing….

Notre Dame 2011 Football Preview

By: oldmantonynd

09-05-2011

Sports Talk

Image from: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Welcome to the 6th Annual Prediction Show! Most commonly known as my futile attempt to prevent stress and disappointment by trying to predict when I should stop reading about Notre Dame.

Anyway, before we get started, as always, a shout out to all of you that had major life changes this past year. The many births, weddings, job changes, travels, relocations, house purchases, retirements…Congrats to all!!

Again, thanks to you for taking the time to spend a few seconds reading this and not deleting from your inbox.

This feels rather sentimental. I better stop.

Without further ado, I bring you the 2011 Notre Dame Football Preview.

Overview:

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish ended the 2010 season on a very high note. In a span of 2 months, ND wiped the slate clean by beating the Trojans and winning a bowl game.

My prognosis after the Sun Bowl was of cautious optimism. The defense was actually looking like Division I defense. While the offense was not ‘lighting it up’, at least it was the doing the most sensible thing: giving the rock to #3. This somewhat good feeling continued on for the spring, as clips of Aaron Lynch and Louis Nix started showing up on Youtube.

With the dawn of fall upon us, I feeling quite cheery about this team. The old cliches are coming true with this team: ‘Defense wins championships’ and ‘winning start with the lines’.

B. Kelly has been addressing a lot of the issues that this team had in the last couple of years. The turnaround is not complete by any means, but the arrows are pointing up.

2011 Notre Dame Season:

Game 1: South Florida at #16 Notre Dame (0-0)
The return of alum Skip Holtz to ND. At least Lou is not picking the Irish on this one, which bodes well for the Irish. Openers are always tricky as emotions are high and execution is unknown. As always, the defenses will look sharper for the first game. It will be a sloppy game with a slew of 3 and outs. This will give NBC the opportunity to turn this game into a 4.5 hour commercial party. The ‘healthy’ gentleman with the orange mitts will be a busy man.

Once again, the defense and more importantly, Manti Te’o, are called to win the game for ND. The debut of Aaron Lynch goes according to plan. He is confined to 3rd downs and shows his potential. Crist ‘manages’ the game for a solid performance going 19-31 for 256 yards. while the running game comes up with 145 yards.

Final score: Notre Dame 27 – South Florida -16

Game 2: Notre Dame at Meeechigan (1-0)

First night game in Meechigan’s history. Both teams are rocking the ‘retro’ look, which can be described as ‘hideous’. ND checks in at #14 in the polls. This is very dangerous territory. Not quite elite and this game could be trap game. Meeechigan’s QB torched the Irish for almost 1 million miles in 2010 and while he has not been taught to tie his shoes (that is a 400 level course at Meeechigan), he ‘ain’t slow’…
The gameplan is simple: contain QB#16. No problem, Manti has been eyeing this game for sometime. He and the Irish D are ready to win this game. Dayne Crist and WR#3 finally ‘wake up’ from the offseason.

Crist: 27-45 for 327 and 4 scores with Floyd catching a 11 balls for 172 and 2 TDs.

Final Score: Notre Dame 34 – Meechigan 24

Game 3: Michigan State at Notre Dame (2-0)

This is the classic ‘letdown’ game. The Irish are coming from a good win on the road and all the talk about BCS and ‘being back’ can be a major block.

Before I continue with this breakdown… I needed to get this off my chest: The playclock was at 0 for at least 2 seconds.

One thing is for sure, Sparty will bring it. The power run game will be humming and the Irish D will have their hands full. While Louis Nix will be able to clog the middle for a bit, the pounding will take its toll. By the 4th quarter, the D will be tired and unable to stop Sparty. On the offensive side of the ball, Crist gets frustrated by the zone defense. For the 2nd year in the row, ND falls to MSU. The entire offense sputters. Dayne looks pedestrian throwing for 258 and 1 TD and 2 picks.

Final score: MSU 24 – Notre Dame 17

Game 4: Notre Dame (2-1) at Pitt
A moment of silence for our departed comrade: The Stache. It was a great topic of discussion for this preview and it will be truly missed, The Stache is gone and part of the fun of playing Pitt is gone as well. What else can we discuss about Pitt? I am lost here…

Anyway, Pitt has a new coach (ex-headman at Tulsa), and they might be sneaky good. Or maybe I am thinking of last year when the Irish lost to Tulsa due to a brain freeze by B. Kelly.

The key question here is whether ND can rebound after a poor performance against Sparty? The answer is yes.

Dayne Crist is efficient, improving his play as the season progresses. He passes for 289 and 2 TD’s and Floyd leads the receivers with 115 yards.

Final Score: Notre Dame 33 – Pitt 24

Game 5: Notre Dame (3-1) at Purdue

The Irish are still in the hunt for a BCS at-large berth. With that, the expectations are also sky high and they are meeting them. Notre Dame is beating the opponents that is expected and that lead to our next opponent: Purdue. They have given us some trouble in the past, but seems that ND has turned the corner. Purdue on the other hand, seems to be sliding even more. Long are the days of ‘Basketball on grass’. ND big in this night game.

Crist: 23-38 for 330 and 4 TDs

Floyd: 12 receptions for 220

Final Score: Notre Dame 45 – Purdue 17

Game 6: Air Force at Notre Dame (4-1)
Here it comes… Another chance for B. Diaco to prove that he can master defending the option. Like I have saying before, Diaco fire up the PS3 or Xbox and run through some games (R2 it up) using Navy or Army or Air Force and see how you do it. It can do wonders…

Manti Te’o – 16 tackles

Crist – 279 yds and 3 scores

Wood – 17 carries for 115 2 TDs

Final Score: Notre Dame 35 – Air Force 19

Game 7: SC at Notre Dame (5-1)

Another night game for the Irish, but this time in the Bend. First night game at Notre Dame for a very long time, if you don’t count those late starts in Nov. (since by then it is already night time in IN). Finally, we get to see what the crowd noise can be with a full day of tailgating and the excitement of a night game. Oh, never mind…The Indiana Excise Police will be in full force arresting anyone that thinks about having any fun. Also, the late start will have all the ‘older’ alumni complaining that it is messing up their dinner reservations. Half the stadium will leave by the 3rd quarter…. Book it!

Back to the game prediction: With a clean slate after last year’s win, the pressure is off. That does not mean and Notre Dame plays loose. Instead, the pressure of playing with a BCS berth hanging, the Irish play ‘tight’. Also, it does not help that SC is actually a pretty good team with a future NFL’er in Matt Barkey. While Notre Dame can solve teams that are somewhat one-dimensional, the Irish will struggle with teams that can run and pass. In other words, Manti cannot save the day.

Hate to say this, but the streak continues at home…

Final Score: USC 31 - Notre Dame 27

Game 8: Navy at Notre Dame (5-2)
The real streak that needs to end. The Middies have won 2 straight and 3 of the last 4. As always, Navy plays a great version of the option. The HC needs to keep the team focused after the big loss to SC. If the team go through the motions like it has for the last few years, the fullback dive will be an image that will scar every fan for a long time.

No worries, this team is focused and will rebound back. Also, B. Diaco has learned from previous mistakes by playing NCAA 12…

Crist: 18-28 for 223 and 2 TDs

Floyd: 7 receptions for 89

Te’o: 15 tackles

Final Score: Notre Dame 27 – Navy 17

Game 9: Notre Dame (6-2) at Wake Forest

I guess ND needed to fill the slate. Nothing says late fall, like a match up with the Demon Deacons in one of the smallest stadiums in FBS. At least, it is not at ND because you couldn’t sell out this baby…

No contest here, unless Tim Duncan dresses up. The 3rd stringers are in by the 3rd quarter.

Final Score: Notre Dame 45- Wake Forest 13

Game 10: Maryland at Notre Dame (7-2) – FedEx Field
ND embarks on their barnstorming ‘shinding’. While the game is not a headliner, it provides ND the chance to once again be on primetime and be close to recruits from the East Coast. Maryland had just gone through a coaching change, and might not be ready to face the Irish. With a BCS berth still in their sights, Manti will keep them focused. By the way. he is also on track to solve world hunger.

The Manti stay for your senior year campaign is in full force

Crist – 22-35- 310

Floyd – 9 receptions – 96 yards and 2 scores

Final Score: Notre Dame 31 – Maryland 20

Game 11: BC at Notre Dame (8-2 )
As in previous years, my personal policy is in effect. W

Game 12: Notre Dame (9-2) at Stanford
BCS bowl game on the line. Last time ND was in this position, Jim and I had a ‘suicide pact’ if we lost to Stanford. I don’t think we will have the same this year. Their QB is pretty good. While Stanford lost their HC, they will still play a hard nosed style of football that gave ND fits. Once again, the D will keep ND in this one. While the offense will gain yards, the struggles in the redzone will be blatant on this one. That will be the difference in this game.

The Cardinal convert their opportunities into TDs.

Crist: 20-37 for 271 and 2 TD’s (2 INT’s)

Final Score: Stanford 35 – Notre Dame 27

Regular Season: 9-3 (#22)

Notre Dame finishes the regular season with a surprising 9-3 record. ND was in the hunt for a BCS bowl all year long and that is what fans expect out of the Irish. Progress from the past season is also a reason for optimism.

ND goes on to play Va. Tech in the Champ Sports Bowl. Most importantly, Manti decides to stay for his senior season.

ND Football Scores 2010

By: Anhtuan Doventry

08-08-2011

Sports Talk

Here’s how I kept the scores to the ND Football games last year. I hope there are more scores like those last three.

Sun Bowl Breakdown

By: oldmantonynd

01-03-2011

Sports Talk

AP Photo/Ruben R. Ramirez

Overall (Grade B+):

What an ending to B. Kelly’s first season. A complete dismantling of Da U. Not in a million years, would I have imagined that Miami would just roll over like that. All that history of thuggery, bravado and trash talk have all washed away after that sorry display.They have no ground to stand. We could all see that they did not want to be there at all. It did not look that cold. Probably a jeans and fleece type day… :)

Even with a half effort from Miami, this was still an impressive showing by the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. They looked more physical, tougher and mentally prepared. While Miami has all the perceived speed and athleticism, ND did not fall too back. They looked plenty fast.

The game plan was solid, a very balanced approach to offense. Kelly had his version of ‘Thunder’ and ‘Lightning’ with Hughes and Wood. Due to that, Floyd was open more often than not. That was our pass offense with a little Eifert. On defense, they were very good against the run and opportunistic against the pass. The only weakness was a lack of a pass rush from time to time.

In the end, this was a great springboard to the 2011 season. After the Tulsa game, this program was on life support, now we can safely say that we are cautiously optimistic that ND will rise to semi-relevancy again.

On a personal note, I would like to express my gratitude to you, the reader, for taking the time to read my non-expert opinions on Notre Dame football.

A bigger thank you has to be sent to the host, aquickremark.com, who gratiously extended an invitation for yours truly. Thank you!

This was a very rewarding experience and if you liked my thoughts as well, make sure to let the host know. Maybe he will bring me back for the 2011 season… :)

The Bonehead Call of the Day:

As pointed out by the announcers and readers of this blog, David Ruffer does not have a scholarship….what else does he have to do?

Can I donate a dollar to the David Ruffer scholarship fund?

Offense (Grade B):

QB (Grade B): Rees played within the gameplan. He was not asked to win the game and because of that, it was a solid effort. No major mistakes and he was not asked to do anything beyond his capabilities. We saw the limits of his arm strength and athleticism. His accuracy is beyond his freshman years although working through his progressions remain to be seen. Rees had 2 options: Floyd or Eifert. At least the O-line gave him time to wait for those 2 to get open.

He played well this year and should be in the race for starting QB in 2011

RBs (Grade B): Wood showed the speed that has been lacking on the ND sidelines. He should be even more dangerous once he gets more comfortable in the system. I am expecting great things from C. Wood in 2011. Hughes capped off his career with a solid performance. He did not overpower Miami as he did with SC, but still ran with authority. The Miami d-line was very aggressive at times and the holes were not as big. Again, for 2011 if ND can identify a bruising back to complement Wood and B. Kelly continues to run the ball…look out..

O-line (Grade B+): Another outstanding effort against an athletic opponent. They gave Rees plenty of time to throw and opened space for the RBs to run. Again, I have been impressed with their attitude and heart. This bodes well for the Irish.

WRs and TEs (Grade B): Floyd looked like the best player out there. No one from that secondary could cover him. I am sensing that this was his last game for ND. He played with purpose and passion. Eifert has become a more than adequate replacement for Rudolph. Too bad no one else distinguished themselves. Theo Riddick showed some wheels on the Wildcat and screens…he should be a weapon in 2011

Defense (Grade B+):

DL (Grade B+): Good game. They are playing with an aggressive attitude that I am really taking a liking to. They were physical and while they did not sack the QBs, they applied enough pressure to disrupt the offense.. The run defense brought a smile to my face.

LBs (Grade A): Wow, this is going to stuff of legend by the time Te’o graduates. Although when he got hurt, I had a mini heart attack. He is the best player by a mile. The 2011 LB unit is going to scare a lot of teams…in theory you could have: Shembo, Te’o, Calabrese and Fleming starting…

DBs (Grade B): Outstanding coverage. They were physical and ran with that Miami speed all day. ND will miss Walls, although Gray can return and Blanton will be back…

Dramatic improvement by H. Smith…

Special Teams (Grade B+): Ruffer missed his first FG and I attribute that to his injury. He is eligible for a fifth year only if he gets that schollie….

Coaching (Grade B): Good game plan and game management. It is wonderful to see ND play with an attitude. Kudos to the staff for salvaging the 2010 season.

- Old Man Tony

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