Driskell said a month ago that if he was Freeman he'd move on from Al Washington. So it's not just some whiny message board talk.
Al Washington
- Thread starter Notre Dame du Lac
- Start date
If he didnt want to play for the guy, he could have went to many other places
So did Tennessee about HH
That is true. I’ll definitely give you that my friend. Hopefully Washington follows the same path.
HH journey seems different than Washington….
Washington has the energy and drive but not sure he knows what he’s doing
Hh at times in his career has lacked energy and drive especially recruiting
HH and Al Washington should not be mentioned in the same sentence in terms of coaching ability. Not even close.
Another big difference with our DL in 2022 vs prior years with Elston was our substitutions and always being ready.
With elston our DL was so prepared for substitutions and the next snap even when teams were trying to go tempo. There were so many times our DL was still looking at the sideline this year when the other team was over the ball ready to snap it. That's 100% coaching and an inexperienced coach showing.
Again, very fixable but we'll know quickly because in 2022 our Dline couldn't stop the run when we needed to most especially early against OSU and frichan Marshall. That happened one time really in the prior 5 years.
With elston our DL was so prepared for substitutions and the next snap even when teams were trying to go tempo. There were so many times our DL was still looking at the sideline this year when the other team was over the ball ready to snap it. That's 100% coaching and an inexperienced coach showing.
Again, very fixable but we'll know quickly because in 2022 our Dline couldn't stop the run when we needed to most especially early against OSU and frichan Marshall. That happened one time really in the prior 5 years.
He should be gone ASAP. He will be the reason we don't take the next step or make the playoffs if we don't. He's also postponing the future improvement the longer he lingers around. There is good coaching everywhere. Rees will be an excellent coach for Hartman. Can call plays and let it rip. Deland is a great coach. Mickens is a great coach. Stuckey is a great coach. HH is a great coach. We are solid everywhere with good players and coaches. The exception: Al Washington. If I am an OC, I see only one weak link in the ND defense. Al Washington.
LBs didn't play well either. That's alarming with Freeman and Golden being LB experts
Agreed! I think what is alarming is that our young guys haven’t been Viewed as good enough to play significant minutes.
I'm trying to be more positive about Freeman and Golden. But I don't think you're off base. LB group is extremely talented. If they don't show growth, it's a big red flag.
Frosh I get, but Kollie really not playing much until the end of the season when Marist was playing bad, Kiser was playing Ok, and JD was solid, there should have been more opportunities for hopefully a good LB.
Slightly pivoting, ND did really good preventing teams from getting in the redzone, but once in the redzone they were dead last in TD rate. I put this on playing nickel almost exclusively. I just don't get it, and I think it hurt LBs always having to cover multiple gaps. We played nickel a ton in the redzone and that makes no sense to me with much shorter/smaller windows to throw in. We were playing nickel even inside the 10 a lot. Just seems crazy to me unless it's 3rd and goal from the 10.
our D wasn't terrible, but it hasn't improved as a unit since Freeman has come to ND. It's gotten worse each year after Clark left. The defense was good enough to allow us to win, but couldn't win us games like it did under clark.
Think about this ( I know you won't always have someone as good as WU) but we went from having a 3rd LB like WU to having bracy, lewis, henderson at that same position for the last 2 years. Talk about drop off. Bracy was the only one capable of covering, but none of them are any good in the run game. We really need a 3 down LB at the spot except for obvious passing downs. Sneed has the athleticism, but clearly wasn't mentally and probably phsyically ready. Took Wu his 3rd year until he was completely ready, but boy was he ready!
Elko and Lea absolutely elevated our D. That's why they got head coaching jobs. They definitely deserved those coaching jobs.
I had mixed thoughts about Bertrand all year. He’s a tough solid player, who lead the team in tackles on a weekly basis, but I felt his lack of speed became a liability in our nickel scheme, which we played in excess of 70% of the time. Obviously, Golden was more concerned about our pass cover weaknesses than our ability to stop the run, even inside the 10 as you point out. Pick your poison decision making.
I posted before the season about quotes from the college football sound off board from Al Goldens previous stops. One of the quotes were. Wait till the ball is on the 5 yard line and he’s got ya in prevent d. Sounds like they were pretty spot on. Not saying golden is a bad DC. But some of his calls are head scratchers. Jmo.
I d give golden a pass for this year , but Washington is a glaring issue.
They were pretty close, playing bama and clemson to end the year didn't help, but what they did to an incredibly talented UNC offense at UNC (Minus first quarter of bracy being in la la land) was amazing. Complete domination vs a team with offensive NFL talent all over. A less talented UNC team the next year at ND had like 550 yard and moved the ball at will.
I completely understood the nickel until the red zone, but in the red zone it's much harder to pass as far less field to utilize. I was just dumfounded when it would be like first and goal from the 5 and bracy is out there in nickel.
At times golden went 5 DL, 1 LB, and 5 DBs in the red zone inside the 10. Again, I get the 5 DL but you don't have anyone to clean up. It's clear our redzone D was bad and statistically it was the worst in the country. Pretty incredible with such an important metric, and not playing world beaters on offense for most of the year.
Frankly, I find our whole defensive schemes confusing. Our Vyper is supposedly a stand up rush end, and yet it Seemed to me we dropped into coverage a ton, which really put us into a three man front. Both Freeman and Golden seem to prefer a three man front, and it seems we’re recruiting linebackers to support a 3-3-5, but not at all clear to me that our DL recruits fit this. We really need a couple young guys to breakout this Spring.
I dont think the Vyper dropped much this year. Less than last year for sure.
I dont know if we're going to a 3 man front. I think we're going to be more multiple.
This years DL class fit a 3 man front
Less than last year but almost guaranteed on 3rd and more than 10 with the opposition seemingly able to rush for first downs or close to it because of dropping everyone and only rushing 3.
The ends do, no middle clogging dt still to go three down. You must have dt to take on 2 linemen
I think we’ll be multiple as well, but the three man front will be prominent. That said, curious as to your take on this year’s DL recruits fit for a three man front. Right now, the only obvious interior DL from this year’s recruits that might grow into a 1 tech is Houstan. We have guys Like Aidan coming off injury who seems a good fit, and possibly Mills, but others seem more 3 tech to me. At any rate, interested in your thoughts about this years DL recruits being a good fit for a three man front.
It was weird, when ademilola was on the end in 3rd downs he almost always dropped but if Marist was on the end he almost always rushed.
And Marist did very little. His blitzing was ineffective the majority of the time, rarely disrupted, but you loved him for it
Bertrand is going to be our drew white next year. Our mike lb. We need sneed and kollie to man the other 2 spots. Jmo.
Junior needs to see the field. Thought he would take snaps away from Bertrand, but looks like the coaches see him as two deep with Botelho.
Houstan would be the 1 tech. The other 3 can be interchangeable on the ends. All 3 are long and have the body type to add significant weight. Vernon can play at 285 and the others at 275. Vernon if engaged fully can be a monster at 285. He'll be hard to move in the run game. The other 2 at 270, 275 can be more athletic but still provide size in the run game.
But I don't think we'll be playong as much 3 down as you. I think it will be more than this year for sure but I think we'll still be in 4 down moreso.
I think Wafle in 24 will be a nose
Rumored to be in line for the DC job.
Parker OC and Washington DC?
We might turn into Minnesota.
Parker OC and Washington DC?
We might turn into Minnesota.
Flat out can’t be true
I would lose my stuff if even one happens… If two happens watch out, I’m going to 3 games next year
Just heard he’s being considered. I’m sure there are others. Hopefully.
I honestly think freeman is smarter than that. He went big with Golden and Mason last year. He needs to go big again.
I’d love to hear the answer on this question. If Washington were available and we needed a DL coach, would we hire him now or go a different direction? If the answer is the latter, he should pack his bags tonight.
He was talking about the 23 class.
I like Rubio a lot. I think he's a nose in a 3 man front
